Jess Weatherbed

News Reporter

Jess Weatherbed is a news writer, and part of The Verge UK-based team. While passionate about the future of technology, she originally trained as a prosthetics makeup and wig-making technician, fuelled by a love of animatronics and practical movie effects. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews across computing, PC gaming and streaming. Additional bylines can be found at GamesRadar, PCGamer, Creative Bloq and Space.com.

Jess WeatherbedJun 5

Peloton takes on Pilates.

Peloton has acquired Skōp, a Pilates-focused startup that builds real-time form-tracking technology. That suggests there might be new Peloton hardware on the horizon, as the company tries to recover from its post-covid slump. In a statement, Peloton CEO Peter Stern said:

“Form is everything in Pilates, so we are taking a purposeful approach to ensure we develop the most effective, safest, and fun experiences possible—ones people will keep doing for life.”

Jess WeatherbedJun 5

Google is testing a floating desktop AI Search bar.

I wasn’t able to enable it in Google’s Chrome Canary developer sandbox, but Windows Report got it working using a Ctrl+Shift+Space keyboard shortcut on Windows. It opens as a standalone window centered on the screen, with AI Mode at the heart of the experience.

A screenshot of Google’s floating Search bar experiment in Chrome Canary.

The interface supports traditional search and AI Mode tasks from a single window, with a “plus” icon for uploading images and files.

Image: Windows Report

Cash App made a magic wand for contactless payments

Jess WeatherbedJun 4

Let us filter AI slop, you cowards

Online platforms could prove whether AI labels work by giving us a filter option, but then they’d have to face reality.

Jess WeatherbedJun 4

This Google Photos update has saved your digital photo frame

Jess WeatherbedJun 4

Jess WeatherbedJun 3

Phranque-ly hilarious.

It was great to see how motion capture was used by the cast of the upcoming God of War Laufey game in Sony’s behind-the-scenes video. Jack Quaid was especially in character for his portrayal of Phranque, a sentient gelatinous cube. 10/10, no notes.

Jack Quaid performing the motion capture for Phranque in God of War Laufey.

Looking forward to your edgy performance, Mr Quaid.

Image: Sony / Santa Monica Studio

Jess WeatherbedJun 3

Meta’s Marketplace evades the EU’s Big Tech crackdown.

The EU’s General Court said the European Commission’s decision to designate Facebook Marketplace as a gatekeeper service under Digital Markets Act rules “lacks sufficient reasoning,” and that it should be exempt from the regulation. Meta also tried to appeal Messenger’s designation, but that decision stands firm.

Meta’s Marketplace Wins EU Court Reprieve From Big Tech Law

[Bloomberg]

Jess WeatherbedJun 3

Shrinking Kevin O’Leary’s mammoth Utah data center project.

Utah Senate president J. Stuart Adams is calling for a 75 percent reduction, bringing the project from 40,000 acres to approximately 10,000, alongside demands for greater transparency and stronger conservation commitments. O’Leary says the reduced proposal is like “selling you a house, and you get to live in the upstairs toilet.”

President Adams Calls for 75% Reduction in Proposed Data Center Project Area | Utah Senate

[Utah Senate]

Jess WeatherbedJun 3

Meta scales back its employee tracking / AI training tool.

The “Model Capability Initiative” that records staff’s computing activity for AI training is being updated following backlash. Now, Meta employees can pause MCI for up to 30 minutes, and staff who handle sensitive content, work remotely, or have concerns regarding bandwidth or device battery can be exempt from using it.

Meta Adds Limits to Employee Tracking Tool After Staff Backlash

[The Information]