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The smartphone-sized Boox Palma e-reader’s on sale exclusively for Verge readers
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24262072/boox-palma-e-reader-deal-sale
The Oura Ring Gen 3, our favorite smart ring, is nearly matching its best price to date
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261151/oura-ring-generation-3-amazon-fire-tv-cube-deal-sale
Get ready to meet your AI best friend
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261989/ai-companion-microsoft-copilot-openai-directv-dish-vergecast
Joker: Folie à Deux can barely hold a tune
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261206/joker-folie-a-deux-review
Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, and Bic are somehow all involved in this weird iPhone case
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261942/bic-iphone-15-case-martha-stewart-snoop-dogg
WordPress cofounder is paying employees to leave if they disagree with him
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261931/wordpress-matt-mullenweg-automattic-employee-pay-package
Canvas should make it easier for ChatGPT users to make alterations to code and text without rewriting entirely with additional prompts. | Image: OpenAI
OpenAI has launched a new “canvas” interface (https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/) for ChatGPT that allows users to adjust sections of text or code generated by the chatbot in a side-by-side collaboration. Canvas opens a separate editing window next to the existing ChatGPT chat box, which can be used to manually change text or code, or highlight specific sections to better target editing suggestions and feedback from ChatGPT.
“With canvas, ChatGPT can better understand the context of what you’re trying to accomplish,” OpenAI said in its announcement. “Making AI more useful and accessible requires rethinking how we interact with it. Canvas is a new approach and the first major update to ChatGPT’s visual interface since we launched two years ago.”
When writing code, canvas...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261895/openai-chatgpt-canvas-text-code-editing-interface)
Image: Waymo
Waymo has its sights set on its next robotaxi: the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
The Alphabet company announced that it was entering a “multi-year, strategic” partnership with the Hyundai Motor Group that will result in the Ioniq 5 eventually joining its robotaxi fleet.
But first, the Ioniq 5 will need to undergo on-road testing with Waymo’s self-driving technology, which the company says will begin in late 2025. Waymo wouldn’t specify when the Ioniq 5 will be used for passenger trips, except to say it would be “years” later.
Vehicles intended for Waymo’s fleet will be manufactured at Hyundai’s $7.6 billion Metaplant factory in Georgia (https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/2/24169926/hyundai-ioniq-5-ev-first-us-made-electric-car-tax-credit-nacs), which is nearing the end of its construction. The companies have agreed to produce a number of Waymo-equipped...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261357/waymo-hyundai-ioniq-5-robotaxi-partnership)
The checkmarks are only being displayed on a limited number of businesses, and are only visible to some users right now. | Image: Google / Jay Peters
Google is experimenting with a new verification feature in search that should make it easier for users to avoid clicking on fake or fraudulent website links. Some people are seeing blue verified checkmarks beside business links in Google search results that indicate the company — like Meta or Apple — is genuine, and not some copycat attempting to benefit from a recognizable brand.
“We regularly experiment with features that help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online, and we are currently running a small experiment showing checkmarks next to certain businesses on Google,” Google public affairs spokesperson Molly Shaheen told The Verge.
My colleague Jay Peters spotted checkmarks next to official site links for Microsoft, Meta,...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261877/google-search-verified-checkmarks-experiment-feature)
The container full of burnt batteries. | Image: Pepe’s Towing Service
A truck full of lithium-ion batteries was knocked over near the Port of Los Angeles on September 26th, exploded, and was left to burn for days (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/27/24256161/los-angeles-overturned-truck-battery-fire-lithium-ion-port-bridge-closed) — interrupting traffic on highways, and a bridge and shutting down port terminals. A local towing company, Pepe’s Towing Service, caught the explosion on camera and vlogged the incident for days until it was time for them to haul the remnants away.
Pepe’s Tow Service owner Josh Acosta uploaded a lengthy video today chronicling the point of explosion, the long wait as the Fire Department let the batteries burn, and the process of lifting the container full of burnt batteries to transport. In the video, we see what looks like stacks of batteries with liquid cooling pipes between each layer.
...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261539/lithium-ion-battery-fire-la-truck-container-video-pepes-towing)
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Apple has just released iOS 18.0.1, the first official update for iOS 18, and it includes a handful of bug fixes that particularly benefit the iPhone 16 lineup. And after yanking iPadOS 18 just a day after it came out (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/17/24247467/ipados-18-has-apparently-bricked-some-m4-ipad-pros) in September for bricking some M4 iPad Pros, Apple has released iPadOS 18.0.1, and it’s available for those M4 iPads, MacRumors reports.
According to the patch notes, the update addresses the issue of iPhone 16 and 16 Pro touchscreens becoming temporarily unresponsive (https://9to5mac.com/2024/09/22/iphone-16-pro-users-experiencing-touchscreen-issues-some-taps-and-swipes-ignored/). iOS 18.0.1 also includes a fix for the camera freezing under very specific circumstances when recording a macro mode video on the ultrawide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Here are Apple’s full iOS 18.0.1 patch notes, which I just grabbed from the update on my...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261590/apple-ios-18-0-1-bug-fixes-iphone-16-touch-screen)
Image: Firaxis Games
The news, trailers, hands-on impressions, and more from the new game from the legendary series.
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261375/sid-meiers-civilization-7-civ-vii-news-announcements)
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Sony has released new firmware updates for its premium wireless WF-1000XM5 earbuds (https://www.theverge.com/23803374/sony-wf-1000xm5-earbuds-review) and WH-1000XM5 headphones (https://www.theverge.com/23067645/sony-wh-1000xm5-noise-canceling-headphones-review) that adds support for new features introduced with the company’s LinkBuds Speaker as well as compatibility with Google’s Find My Device network, potentially making them easier to locate if they go missing away from home.
Sony announced its refreshed LinkBuds earbuds lineup (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24256202/sony-linkbuds-open-fit-wireless-earbuds-headphones) a few days ago and introduced a wireless speaker. The LinkBuds Speaker is notable for its new Auto Switch feature (https://www.sony.ca/en/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm5/articles/00346499), allowing it to take over playback from wireless headphones when users stop using them. Currently, only five pairs of Sony wireless headphones are compatible with the Auto Switch feature, including the WH-1000XM5 and the WF-1000XM5, once the new...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261443/sony-wireless-headphones-google-find-my-device-update)
Illustration: The Verge
If you can’t capture what you want to search for with just a picture, Google Lens will now let you take a video — and even use your voice to ask about what you’re seeing. The feature will surface an AI Overview and search results based on the video’s contents and your question. It’s rolling out in Search Labs on Android and iOS today.
Google first previewed using video to search at I/O in May (https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/14/24155318/google-lens-ai-video-search-multimodal-io). As an example, Google says someone curious about the fish they’re seeing at an aquarium can hold up their phone to the exhibit, open the Google Lens app, and then hold down the shutter button. Once Lens starts recording, they can say their question: “Why are they swimming together?” Google Lens then uses the Gemini AI model to provide a response,...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24259759/google-lens-search-video-ai-launch)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
YouTube Shorts, the company’s answer to TikTok, is getting updates including longer video lengths, the company announced today.
Beginning on October 15th, creators will be able to upload YouTube Shorts that are up to three minutes in length — a feature YouTube says was highly requested by users. TikTok currently allows videos as long as 10 minutes and has steadily increased the limit over the years.
YouTube also announced a template feature that lets creators reuse the format of other Shorts. YouTube says creators will be able to match their clips to trending sounds pulled from other videos, which is similar to a TikTok feature (https://www.theverge.com/22573640/tiktok-video-template-how-to-beginner) where users can pick from preset video styles and then tweak their own clips based on their preferences. Both...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24260170/youtube-shorts-increased-length-templates-tiktok)
The fashionable and discreet Oura Ring Generation 3 is down to nearly its best price to date. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge
Oura may have just announced the new Oura Ring 4 (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24260260/oura-ring-4-price-specs-smart-ring-wearable), but until its release on October 15th, the Oura Ring Generation 3 is still the best smart ring on the market (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259284/oura-ring-samsung-galaxy-ring-ultrahuman-ring-air-ringconn-circular-ring-evie-ring-review-wearables). We don’t typically see it go on sale often, but right now, you can buy the Horizon model in black or silver starting at $299 ($50 off) from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Oura-Ring-Gen3-Horizon-Tracking/dp/B0CSR92764?tag=theverge02-20), Best Buy (https://howl.me/cneklVdpgfs), and Oura (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fouraring.com%2Fproduct%2Frings%2Foura-gen3%2Fhorizon%2Fsilver&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F10%2F4%2F24261151%2Foura-ring-generation-3-amazon-fire-tv-cube-deal-sale) — which is just $2 shy of its lowest price to date. The high-end titanium model is also available from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Oura-Ring-Gen3-Horizon-Tracking/dp/B0CSRJR84B?tag=theverge02-20), Best Buy (https://howl.me/cnelTsfyM0L), and Oura (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fouraring.com%2Fproduct%2Frings%2Foura-gen3%2Fhorizon%2Ftitanium&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F10%2F4%2F24261151%2Foura-ring-generation-3-amazon-fire-tv-cube-deal-sale) in various sizes starting at $349 ($100 off).
The third-gen Oura Ring doesn’t offer some of the advanced fitness tracking features found in smartwatches; nevertheless, it’s still a good option if you’re looking for a stylish, discreet way to keep tabs on your health. It can last up to a...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261151/oura-ring-generation-3-amazon-fire-tv-cube-deal-sale)
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge
The new Microsoft Copilot (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259187/microsoft-copilot-redesign-vision-voice-features-inflection-ai) is a big departure. It shed some of its Bing-y styling and increasingly corporate vibes in favor of something warmer and friendlier, all in an effort to be more than just a work tool. It might just be a website redesign, but it feels like a shift in how Microsoft perceives the future of AI assistants (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259209/microsoft-ai-ceo-mustafa-suleyman-copilot-ai-companion-memo).
On this episode of The Vergecast, we try to make sense of that future. Everyone seems to believe in the potential for “agentic” AI, which can use apps and devices on your behalf, but most current tech along those lines feels woefully unfinished. As they get warmer and fuzzier, though, maybe the whole Getting Things Done aspect of AI doesn’t matter so much. We try to figure out where we’re headed next and how long...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261989/ai-companion-microsoft-copilot-openai-directv-dish-vergecast)
Image: Warner Bros.
Todd Phillips’ new Joker sequel is a pitchy mess that wants to explore what happens when villains become folk heroes.
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261206/joker-folie-a-deux-review)
Each case includes two matching Bic EZ Reach lighters. | Image: Bic
Bic, the company best known for ballpoint pens, razors, and lighters, has just revealed a collaboration (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bic-launches-newest-lit-accessory-celebrating-snoop-dogg-and-martha-stewarts-bic-ez-reach-lighter-designs-302262727.html) that no one could have possibly had on their 2024 bingo cards. Its new Hold the Phone case has a molded cutout on the back to hold one of Bic’s EZ Reach lighters, specifically those designed by Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg as part of a collaboration with the company.
Just two color options will be available starting today at 10AM ET in limited quantities: a blue version (https://us.bic.com/en_us/coming-october-4th.html) designed to complement the EZ Reach lighters Stewart helped design and a purple one (https://us.bic.com/en_us/coming-october-1st.html) for Snoop Dogg’s. They’re $49.99 each, made of urethane rubber, and Bic recommends letting the lighters cool for five seconds after use before inserting them back into the case. iPhones...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261942/bic-iphone-15-case-martha-stewart-snoop-dogg)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg offered employees $30,000, or six months of salary (whichever is higher), to leave the company if they didn’t agree with his battle against WP Engine (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/27/24256361/wordpress-wp-engine-drama-explained-matt-mullenweg). In an update on Thursday night (https://ma.tt/2024/10/alignment/), Mullenweg said 159 people, making up 8.4 percent of the company, took the offer.
Automattic, which is in charge of WordPress.com and its commercial services, has been involved in a public dispute with WP Engine after Mullenweg called the third-party hosting service a “cancer” (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/23/24252634/wordpress-co-founder-matt-mullenweg-calls-wp-engine-a-cancer) to the WordPress community and banned it from accessing WordPress.org.
Mullenweg has claimed WP Engine is violating the WordPress trademark and criticized the company for not giving back to the WordPress open-source project. On Wednesday, WP Engine, which...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261931/wordpress-matt-mullenweg-automattic-employee-pay-package)
The Pentax 17 is low-stakes analog photography fun that doesn’t feel like a toy
https://www.theverge.com/24261197/pentax-17-35mm-half-frame-analog-point-and-shoot-camera-review
$500 is a lot for a point-and-shoot film camera, but it rewards you with a joyous experience.
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/24261197/pentax-17-35mm-half-frame-analog-point-and-shoot-camera-review)
ChatGPT’s ‘canvas’ interface makes it easier to write and code
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261895/openai-chatgpt-canvas-text-code-editing-interface
Waymo is adding the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to its robotaxi fleet
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261357/waymo-hyundai-ioniq-5-robotaxi-partnership
Google is testing verified checkmarks in search
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/4/24261877/google-search-verified-checkmarks-experiment-feature
Watch what it’s like to handle an overturned truck full of burning batteries
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261539/lithium-ion-battery-fire-la-truck-container-video-pepes-towing
Apple releases iOS 18.0.1 with bug fixes for iPhone 16 touchscreen and more
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261590/apple-ios-18-0-1-bug-fixes-iphone-16-touch-screen
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7: all the latest on the strategy epic from Firaxis Games
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261375/sid-meiers-civilization-7-civ-vii-news-announcements
Sony’s best ANC headphones and earbuds are getting Google’s Find My Device
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24261443/sony-wireless-headphones-google-find-my-device-update
Google Lens now lets you search with video
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24259759/google-lens-search-video-ai-launch
YouTube Shorts are getting less short
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/3/24260170/youtube-shorts-increased-length-templates-tiktok