A few days ago, Roku sent out an email to customers informing them that Fox standalone apps would go away after January 31st due to an expiring distribution agreement. That might make it a little harder and more complicated to watch the Super Bowl vi...
Now that Hulu is part of Disney's streaming triumvirate with ESPN+ and Disney+, there's a reorganization at the top and Randy Freer will step down from his role as CEO. He took over in late 2017, but now it will join the others under direct oversight...
Phones are rounded rectangles now. Have been for years — ever since the iPhone killed the QWERTY slider dead. They’re getting rounder and rounder, in fact, as manufacturers continue to figure out how to bend OLED screens and raw metals to their will. They’re far too samey, unless you count an array of sci-fi inspired foldables that are so far basically just recreating the flip phone.
I want something edgier to exist in the world. And now, just as Tesla’s Cybertruck shook up the world of automobile design, a Cybertruck-inspired phone has emerged to maybe, possibly, OK probably not inspire the same sort of design in phones.
The exorbitantly priced Cyberphone, which is effectively just a fancy shell around an Apple iPhone 11 Pro, was...
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Twitter says it has permanently suspended markets blog Zero Hedge’s Twitter account, @zerohedge, for violating the company’s platform manipulation policy. On Wednesday, Zero Hedge posted a blog that doxxed a Chinese scientist and strongly suggested without evidence that the scientist created the strain of coronavirus that’s currently spreading around the world.
That blog lists a name, photo, email, and phone number that are reportedly tied to the scientist, and suggested that readers “pay [him] a visit” if they wanted to know “what really caused the coronavirus pandemic.” BuzzFeed News reported on Zero Hedge’s blog that doxxed the scientist earlier this evening, ahead of the Twitter suspension.
The Verge is not publishing a link to Zero...
We first met the prototype Model Y crossover last year, and this week during the company's earnings call, Elon Musk said deliveries of the vehicle will start in March. In the documents released (PDF), Tesla also showed off this picture of the car's p...
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
In our review of the Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display, Dan called it the “smart alarm clock to get.” But I think I might move mine to the kitchen, right next to the garbage can.
That’s partly because Amazon has just added the ability for the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8’s camera to scan barcodes, and automatically add those items to your shopping list (via VentureBeat). I might do that when I’ve got an empty package I’m about to toss in the trash.
You start by saying “Alexa, scan this to my shopping list.” Up pops this screen:
I just tried it with a milk carton, orange juice, and a New Balance shoebox, and it seems to work fine in each case, adding each to my Alexa shopping list....
The FCC has finished investigating carriers' unauthorized disclosure and sale of subscribers' real-time location data, Chairman Ajit Pai has shared with (PDF) lawmakers in the House of Representatives. In his letters, he told Energy and Commerce Comm...
Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
A California man has pled guilty to hacking Nintendo’s servers to steal confidential files, including taking information about the Nintendo Switch months before it was announced, the US Department of Justice revealed today.
According to the DOJ, Ryan Hernandez, 21, and an associate phished a Nintendo employee in 2016 to get access to and steal confidential information from the company. In October 2017, the FBI contacted Hernandez and his parents to ask him to stop hacking, at which time Hernandez “confirmed that he understood the consequences of any future hacking.”
However, from at least June 2018 to June 2019, Hernandez continued to illegally access confidential corporate information,...
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Twitter announced a subtle design change to its iOS app today that may go a long way in both making conversations easier to parse and to join. The change, which looks like it’s a change on Twitter’s end that does not require an update, is to the threading feature in the Twitter timeline, which currently does a poor job of differentiating between standard tweets and replies.
The update now draws a concrete line between a parent tweet and the replies, with the replies indented slightly and connected by the series of vertical and horizontal lines. It makes a Twitter conversation look effectively like thread of connected notes. The feature was first demoed in the company’s experimental twttr beta app back in spring of last year. It only...
Disney
Randy Freer is stepping down from his role as Hulu CEO as Disney moves to consolidate it’s direct-to-consumer business under its own executives. Part of the decision to roll Hulu’s business operations into Disney’s direct-to-consumer division is to help “rapidly grow our presence outside the US,” according to a company press release put out Friday.
Disney hasn’t shied away from its plans to roll out Hulu in various international territories, along with its other streaming service, Disney+. The integration means Hulu executives will now report to Disney execs. Everything Hulu — and streaming-at-large — will now operate under Kevin Mayer, who heads up the division for Disney that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and now Hulu.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Department of Justice is taking a new approach to robocalls, seeking approval to hold telecommunications companies responsible for calls on their networks instead of just going after the often-overseas criminals who actually do the dialing.
The companies identified by the DOJ allowed two groups with ties to India and US offices in Arizona and New York to make hundreds of millions of calls per month, according to Jody Hunt of the DOJ’s civil division. The companies are TollFreeDeals.com, SIP Retail, and their owners, Nicholas Palumbo and Natasha Palumbo in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Global Voicecom Inc., Global Telecommunication Services Inc., KAT Telecom Inc. and owner Jon Kahen of Great Neck, New York.
The Justice Department is s...
We've already shown that talented artists like Billie Ellish can create Grammy-caliber music with just a little technology. But what about someone with a lot of technology and just a little talent? The answer to that is a SoundCloud EDM song called D...
Spider-Man will soar over Disneyland's Avengers Campus in summer of 2020, DisneyParks announced, despite an ongoing dispute over the film version of the character. According to a video released by the park, Spidey will swing high into the air over th...
Elon Musk, DJ, rocket man.
Elon Musk is on a roll. Tesla stock is on a rocket ship and the Model Y SUV is coming early. Now, to share the good times, he’s released a music track on SoundCloud titled, Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe. Seriously.
Musk has been teasing the track for several hours on Twitter. Now you can listen to it yourself, courtesy of “Emo G” Records (say it out loud and you’ll catch the pun):
The track is a followup to Musk’s first single RIP Harambe, that payed homage to the beloved Cincinnati Zoo gorilla that suffered an untimely death.
Elon Musk, aka, E “D” M according to his new Twitter handle, says he wrote the lyrics and performed the vocals himself. That’s really not saying too much unless you’re impressed by his ability to rhyme “you” with “true.”...
Microsoft has launched a bug bounty program especially for Xbox Live network and services, and it's paying bug hunters up to $20,000. Like any other bug bounty program, the payout depends on the security vulnerability's severity and starts at $500.
Elon Musk, DJ, rocket man.
Elon Musk is on a roll. Tesla stock is on a rocket ship and the Model Y SUV is coming early. Now, to share the good times, he’s released a music track on SoundCloud titled, Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe. Seriously.
Musk has been teasing the track for several hours on Twitter. Now you can listen to it yourself, courtesy of “Emo G” Records (say it out loud and you’ll catch the pun):
The track is a followup to Musk’s first single RIP Harambe, that payed homage to the beloved Cincinnati Zoo gorilla that suffered an untimely death.
Elon Musk, aka, E “D” M according to his new Twitter handle, says he wrote the lyrics and performed the vocals himself. That’s really not saying too much unless you’re impressed by his ability to rhyme “you” with “true.”...
"We're rapidly approaching a 400-mile range for Model S," Tesla chief Elon Musk has revealed during a conference call following the company's Q4 2019 financial results announcement. "So, it won't be long before Model S has a 400-mile range." Musk mad...
If you're planning on watching Super Bowl LIV using a streaming app, then you might not be able to use Roku hardware. While the platform has had a number of Fox apps available for years, their distribution agreement is set to expire after tomorrow, a...
Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
Americans shouldn’t travel to China because of the risks from the new coronavirus, the US State Department said. US citizens currently in China should “consider departing using commercial means,” the alert said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed the warning on Twitter. A Level 4 travel advisory is the most severe warning issued by the State Department, and it applies only to areas with a “greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.”
.@StateDept is increasing the #China Travel Advisory to Level 4 – Do Not Travel. This is due to the spread of the novel #coronavirus throughout China & the @WHO determination that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. https://t.co/BIIUdavoP0
— Secretary Pompeo...
Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
Nintendo CEO and president Shuntaro Furukawa told investors today that the company has “no plans” to launch a new model of the Switch in 2020. Speaking as part of a corporate management policy briefing following yesterday’s release of financial results, Furukawa instead pointed to today’s announcement of the new Animal Crossing-branded model.
“According to the conventional wisdom for dedicated video game platforms, Nintendo Switch should be entering the midway phase of the hardware lifecycle,” Furukawa said. “But we believe we have built a foundation on which we can pursue further growth opportunities for Nintendo Switch.”
It wouldn’t really be surprising if there were no new Switch hardware this year. The original system came out in...
If you were hoping to watch the Super Bowl on your Roku TV or set-top box, I hope you don’t mind paying for streaming services like FuboTV, Sling or Hulu, because your existing cable subscription is no good as of today — Roku is pulling all of its Fox apps off of the platform, effective tomorrow, two days before the Big Game.
That might strike you as sudden, considering we reported this very morning that Fox Sports was working hard to bring a 4K HDR stream of the Super Bowl to Roku’s streaming sticks, pucks, and TVs. But minutes ago, Fox Sports removed references to Roku from multiple spots on its Super Bowl website, and we confirmed with Roku that seven channels in total are leaving... unless Fox and Roku strike a deal.
Nintendo is releasing an Animal Crossing-themed Switch on March 13th, just one week before the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and it’s one of the best-looking Switch models yet. Nintendo says you’ll be able to pre-order the themed console at select retailers soon.
This is the full-size Switch, which means it can be played in handheld mode or on a TV by dropping the Switch into the (Nook family-adorned) dock. It also comes with detachable Joy-Con controllers, and the colors on them look amazing.
This model of the Switch also has an embossed design on the back that’s just awesome.
If you do pick this up, though, you should be aware that Animal Crossing: New...
IBM CEO Virginia Rometty, one of the most prominent female leaders in tech, is stepping down on April 6th, 2020. She will still serve as Executive Chairman of the Board through the end of the year, but she's retiring completely after that. Rometty wi...
The first new Animal Crossing game on consoles in several years is almost here, and Nintendo is rolling out a special edition of its Switch to mark the occasion. This $300 Switch will arrive on March 13th, a week before the launch of Animal Crossing:...
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Searching Google for “coronavirus” will now send users to a curated search results page with resources from the World Health Organization, safety tips, and news updates, Google and the WHO announced today. This effort, which is just one of Google’s SOS Alerts, is now live.
Google also announced a $250,000 direct grant from Google.org, the company’s philanthropic arm, that will go to the Chinese Red Cross to help support coronavirus relief efforts.
To help support relief efforts, @Googleorg issued a $250,000 direct grant to the Chinese Red Cross. Additionally we launched an internal campaign inviting Googlers to donate. So far, https://t.co/ldmgae16C7 and Googlers have raised over $800K USD (3.5M rmb).
— Google Communications...
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Nintendo had its strongest Switch quarter ever this holiday season, moving 10.81 million units to reach a total of 52.48 million sold as of the end of 2019. That means it’s now overtaken the SNES to become Nintendo’s third best-selling home console of all time behind the Wii and the NES.
Pokémon Sword and Shield were a huge hit over the holiday season, moving more than 16 million copies. That’s almost 4 million more than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate registered in its launch quarter a year ago, although Pokémon went on sale about three weeks earlier. Luigi’s Mansion 3 was another big success, selling over 5 million copies.
Nintendo’s Switch hardware sales are up about 15 percent year-on-year, which the company attributes partly to the...
After years of wrangling in courts, Facebook has settled a lawsuit over its use of facial recognition. Last year it agreed to stop turning on the tech to scan photos by default, which built a template of your facial data, and automatically suggested...
Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images
E-commerce billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has backtracked on his bizarre plan to find a girlfriend to take into space by way of reality TV show. Maezawa, the founder of Zozotown, made a significant downpayment on a private SpaceX flight around the Moon and had initially planned to take several artists with him, but later announced plans to solicit a romantic partner for the journey and beyond through an AbemaTV documentary to be called “Full Moon Lovers.”
Now those dreams are dead, as Maezawa has requested the show’s cancellation citing “personal reasons.” “Despite my genuine and honest determination toward the show, there was a part of me that still had mixed feelings about my participation,” he writes on Twitter. “To think that 27,722...
Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images
E-commerce billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has backtracked on his bizarre plan to find a girlfriend to take into space by way of reality TV show. Maezawa, the founder of Zozotown, made a significant downpayment on a private SpaceX flight around the Moon and had initially planned to take several artists with him, but later announced plans to solicit a romantic partner for the journey and beyond through an AbemaTV documentary to be called “Full Moon Lovers.”
Now those dreams are dead, as Maezawa has requested the show’s cancellation citing “personal reasons.” “Despite my genuine and honest determination toward the show, there was a part of me that still had mixed feelings about my participation,” he writes on Twitter. “To think that 27,722...
When you zoom out all the way on Google Earth for the web and Pro on desktop, you get a view of our planet with stars in the background. Unfortunately, that starry background is replaced with plain black when you use the program on mobile -- until no...
Microsoft's deepening health tech strategy now includes a significant commitment to AI. The company is starting a $40 million AI for Health program that should help researchers and key organizations improve the quality of life for people around the...
Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images
Netflix has ordered a live-action show based on One Piece, the colossally popular Japanese manga and anime franchise, as first reported by Deadline. It’s said to be a ten-episode series from publisher Shueisha and Tomorrow Studios, the studio also working on Netflix’s forthcoming Cowboy Bebop show.
Steven Maeda (The X-Files, Lost) is reportedly the showrunner as well as writer and executive producer, with Matt Owens (Luke Cage, Agents of SHIELD) also writing and executive-producing. Further executive producer credits go to One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda and Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements. Plans for the series were first announced in 2017, though Netflix wasn’t on board at that point.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: A One Piece...
If you're a One Piece fan, this may be the best or the worst piece of news ever, depending on how you feel about Netflix's anime adaptations: The streaming giant has approved a 10-episode live-action series based on the classic manga and anime. Even...
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Samsung Electronics just released fourth-quarter earnings that told much the same story as the rest of 2019. Revenue was more or less flat year-on-year — up 1 percent to 59.9 trillion won ($50.7 billion) — while operating profit slid 34 percent to 7.1 trillion won ($6 billion).
The primary reason for the decline remains the fall in prices of memory chips, Samsung’s biggest profit driver in recent years. The display panel business also saw profits fall year-on-year due to weak demand. The mobile division, on the other hand, did better than a year ago, with Samsung calling out “solid” flagship sales and the profitability of phones like the Galaxy A series.
Samsung is hoping that the wider adoption of 5G in 2020 will improve its numbers...
Photo: Carlton Beener / Blizzard Entertainment
The Overwatch League’s plans for a truly global e-sports league have taken a major hit. Today, Blizzard announced that the China-based games taking place in February and March planned for the 2020 season have been canceled following the outbreak of the coronavirus. In a statement posted this evening to Twitter, the league explained that the decision was made to “protect the health and safety of our players, fans, and staff.”
“We hope fans have a safe and happy Lunar New Year, and we remain incredibly excited to play Overwatch League matches in China later this season,” the statement reads. “We’ll share more information about when and where the matches will take place at a later date.”
— Overwatch League...
Image: Epic Games
Epic has announced an in-game Fortnite tournament for this weekend that’s timed with the Australian Open, and players who compete will have a shot to earn the game’s first-ever competition skin. The in-game item can only be earned by placing well in the tournament.
But there is a catch — only players on its OCE (Oceania) or Asia servers can compete for the prize. If that’s you, and if your Fortnite account is level 15 or higher, Epic says you’ll be able to compete in the Summer Smash Cup, which takes place on February 1st and 2nd from 7PM AEDT to 10PM AEDT (3AM ET to 6AM ET). You’ll be able to play in 10 matches each day to earn in-game points for surviving a battle royale match for as long as you can and earning eliminations. You can...
The United Nations was the victim of a massive, likely state-sponsored hacker attack this past summer, according to reports from The New Humanitarian and Associated Press. To make the matters worse, the organization didn't disclose the details and se...
