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Review roulette / Catch up on our latest reviews, from games to gadgets.

Birdbuddy’s budget feeder foiled my squirrelsBirdbuddy’s budget feeder foiled my squirrels

The Nook and Home are cheaper, faster, and sleeker smart bird feeders — but the new camera might be a deal-breaker for diehard birders.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Googlebooks just aren’t ready

Our collective reviews of every Googlebook at launch: very good laptops hobbled by beta-level software.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto, David Pierce and 2 more
Wii Sports is back on the Switch 2, and it rules

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is quietly one of the console’s most important games.

Andrew Webster
The world’s first triple 200-megapixel cameraphone is great

Oppo’s Find X10 Pro Max benefits more from sensor size, dynamic range, and excellent software than sheer resolution.

Dominic Preston

This week in AI / The biggest stories about today’s biggest technology.

In Meta’s version of the future, I’ll have my Muse call your MuseIn Meta’s version of the future, I’ll have my Muse call your Muse

“Everyone is just going to have to adapt,” CFO Susan Li said during Meta’s third quarter earnings call.

Ellen Thomas
AI agents are ready to shop. Some retailers are wary

AI agents are getting blocked left and right — but even when they work, it suggests a more annoying future for humans.

Mia Sato
Claude did not invent scorpion antivenom

Citrini takes a stab at drug development.

Robert Hart
Microsoft says its AI tool is better than doctors at diagnosing conditions

‘We’re going to build something that is indistinguishable from human performance … in the next couple of years,’ Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman tells The Verge.

Robert Hart

Apple season / It’s another big month for Apple devices.

The iPhone Duo is a messy, expensive, good timeThe iPhone Duo is a messy, expensive, good time

7

Verge Score

REVIEW

Apple’s first foldable is an early adopter special.

Nilay Patel and Allison Johnson
I can’t get enough of the iPhone Duo’s matte inner display

Nano-texture was the right move.

Allison Johnson
I reviewed the iPhone Duo, ask me anything
Q&A

Verge subscribers can get their burning questions answered.

Allison Johnson
Delta can turn the iPhone Duo into your favorite folding handheld

Delta 2.0 adds support for the iPhone Duo, Sega Genesis games, and more.

Jess Weatherbed

ICYMI / This week has been jam-packed with big stories.

The Gospel according to Peter (Thiel)The Gospel according to Peter (Thiel)

We have Peter Thiel’s secret lectures about the Antichrist.

David Gibson
PHP: The three letters that shut down sites all over the internet today

OpenAI is taking credit for finding the PHP2Shell vulnerabilities, but now someone has to apply all these patches.

Terrence O'Brien and Jay Peters
They want your blood

Health tech companies want data from your blood in return for a vague promise of a longer life.

Victoria Song
Elon Musk says Tesla will sell 5 million cars by 2030 — math says otherwise

Musk is targeting 5 million annual vehicle deliveries by 2030, but after back-to-back years of falling sales, banking on unproven robotaxis instead of an affordable EV makes that goal look practically impossible.

Andrew J. Hawkins

The KickerOctober 23

The VergeThe Verge logo.
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Amazon adds handwritten ebook notes to the Kindle Android app.

After adding the option to annotate Kindle ebooks with handwritten notes on its new Alexa Tablets, Amazon has brought the same functionality to the Kindle Android app, as some users in the Kindle subreddit have discovered. It currently appears limited to Android tablets and phones that support a stylus, and it hasn’t come to the iPadOS version of the app yet.

If you buy something from a link, The Verge may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

A screenshot of the Kindle Android app showing handwritten notes on an ebook.
Image: Reddit
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Quest Diagnostics confirms patient records were stolen in a data breach.

The scope of the attack and exactly what data was compromised isn’t clear, only that some “personal information and patient records were affected.” Quest says its investigation is ongoing and it will alert impacted customers “as required by applicable law.” Oddly, as TechCrunch notes, the FAQ about the breach contains “noindex” code, making it difficult for customers to find.

Feds want robotaxis to signal ‘I’m driving’ with cyan-colored lightsFeds want robotaxis to signal ‘I’m driving’ with cyan-colored lights

Federal regulators want driverless cars to shine a distinct blue-green light to signal when humans aren’t driving.

Andrew J. Hawkins
SpaceX’s mobile carrier push reportedly involves tapping into 80,000 cell sitesSpaceX’s mobile carrier push reportedly involves tapping into 80,000 cell sites

The Elon Musk-owned company is in talks with one of the largest cell tower owners in the US, according to Bloomberg.

Emma Roth
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Shein reportedly agreed to pay $100 million to settle an FTC investigation.

According to Reuters’ sources, the FTC was investigating Shein over “delivery delays and other customer complaints,” adding that the settlement would be “equivalent to 44% of Shein’s second-quarter profit.” The European Union also opened an investigation into Shein earlier this year over concerns about “addictive design” features and illegal product listings.

Meta delays new business terms after publisher pushback on AI scrapingMeta delays new business terms after publisher pushback on AI scraping

Following backlash from publishers across the globe, Meta is pushing the enforcement of its new terms to November 20th.

Emma Roth
The Sigma FP2 brings significant upgrades to the ‘world’s smallest’ full-frame cameraThe Sigma FP2 brings significant upgrades to the ‘world’s smallest’ full-frame camera

A faster sensor, an articulated preview screen, and longer battery life are just a few of the improvements.

Andrew Liszewski
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
One man basically saved the internet from the PHPocalypse.

Charlie Warzel at The Atlantic interviewed Ondřej Surý, the man almost single-handedly responsible for packaging up the patch for this week’s vulnerabilities. It’s a fascinating conversation, from Surý‘s odd nonchalance about saving the web to his concern that for-profit companies are exploiting open-source. But he hopes that this AI-assisted discovery will lead to a change:

… Everything’s moving fast now, and it’s taking a toll on the people who are defending the stuff. At the same time, maybe this is the turning point where we actually start caring about this … I might be wrong, but I’m an optimist that people will finally realize that we can’t go like this forever. This has been a disaster waiting to happen for a really, really long time.

Our best tips for using the iPhone DuoOur best tips for using the iPhone Duo

New moves for a new kind of iPhone.

Allison Johnson
Apple revives the original iPod as an Apple Music easter eggApple revives the original iPod as an Apple Music easter egg

If your Apple Music page doesn’t load, a mock-up iPod will instead.

Stevie Bonifield
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
OpenAI safety researchers say they were fired over disappearing Signal messages.

Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni, and Jasmine Wang tell The Wall Street Journal that OpenAI terminated them after finding disappearing messages on Signal in a chat with Ryan Greenblatt, the former chief scientist at AI safety evaluator Redwood Research. OpenAI reportedly accused Greenblatt of leaking details about its Astra AI model to The Information, which Greenblatt has denied.

OpenAI tells the WSJ that the researchers were fired for violating “clear policies for handling sensitive information,” and “not for raising safety concerns or speaking out.”

Netflix can’t fire its way out of this downward spiralNetflix can’t fire its way out of this downward spiral

A fresh wave of layoffs and high-profile executive dismissals shows us that the streaming giant is in choppy waters.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
People are vibe coding their way to better TVsPeople are vibe coding their way to better TVs

Users are getting fed up with the barrage of ads and data tracking on TVs and are looking to AI vibe coding for the answer.

John Higgins
Brick’s new app blocker is designed for bedtime doomscrollingBrick’s new app blocker is designed for bedtime doomscrolling

Brick Night uses Bluetooth to create location-based blocking zones.

Jess Weatherbed
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
A Game Boy game coveted by collectors just landed on Nintendo Switch Online.

A quick peek at eBay reveals that just the manual for the US version of Jaleco’s Avenging Spirit currently sells for over $150. The game (with its coveted artwork) has just been added to Nintendo Switch Online’s Game Boy library along with the Shigeru Miyamoto-produced Mole Mania and Pinball: Revenge of the ‘Gator.

If you buy something from a link, The Verge may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

default author avatar
Andru Marino
The iPhone Duo vs vertical video: which will fold?

I took a foldable phone to New York City’s first ever microdrama film festival to see if the entertainment industry’s investment in vertical video will clash with the wider aspect ratio screens of the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Retro gaming is being overrun with AI
Andrew Webster
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
High heat killed 50,000 Europeans this summer.

Scientists are blaming climate breakdown for that record figure, which is almost double 2025’s, and only covers city areas — meaning the real number of deaths is likely higher. According to this new mortality report, Malta, Italy, and Hungary had the hightest rates of people succumbing to the heat.

Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Greece is banning kids from using social media.

The ban comes into force on January 1st, 2027, and applies to any child under the age of 15. Greece is the latest country to consider or pass such legislation, following Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, France, the UK, and more. Similar efforts are also being made in some US states, including Florida.

Startup aims to equip genetically enhanced dogs with Palmer Luckey’s military techStartup aims to equip genetically enhanced dogs with Palmer Luckey’s military tech

‘Man’s best friend deserves man’s best tech.’

Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Strava makes it easier to start a hike or run offline.

A new update shows saved routes on your home screen so you can start and complete a route offline, uploading it when you’re next connected. It also improves the ability to search for interesting places to build into your next run. Other improvements are on the horizon, including hands-free navigation, browsing routes on the web, and expanded route details.

No, the iPhone Duo isn’t a small phoneNo, the iPhone Duo isn’t a small phone

This isn’t the iPhone Mini successor we’ve been dreaming of.

Allison Johnson
Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Oura is suing Ultrahuman all over again.

Its previous patent dispute saw Ultrahuman blocked from the US market for almost a year. Now Oura alleges the Ultrahuman Ring Pro violates another two of its patents, including one only issued to Oura this week, and wants it taken off sale. For now at least, that hasn’t happened yet.

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Intel just got a temporary waiver from the foreign robot ban.

And no, you haven’t forgotten about a line of Intel-made Roombas. It requested permission to make hardware changes to the “Automatic Guided Vehicles” it’s used in semiconductor facilities for two decades. It says replacing the machines could take years, and there are no domestic alternatives. The FCC agreed, giving it permission to update its bots for the next year.

Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
The Duo makes its Apple Store debut.

Apple’s foldable is available for purchase and demos at stores worldwide today, and the company is already sharing images of the crowds and customers celebrating the launch at Apple Jing’an, Shanghai. You can check out our iPhone Duo review before you run to your closest Apple store, but be aware that there are only a “limited” number of in-store units available.

<em>Click through to check out how the iPhone Duo launch unfolded at Apple Jing’an in Shanghai.</em>
1/5
Click through to check out how the iPhone Duo launch unfolded at Apple Jing’an in Shanghai.
Image: Apple
Etsy is cracking down on AI slop listingsEtsy is cracking down on AI slop listings

Etsy’s new AI policies, among other changes, require that a listing’s first photo is unedited.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Epic Games is promoting a game jam where AI is welcome with a six-fingered hand.

And a red pill meme. You can see the post on X here.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said last week that the company is undergoing a “huge pivot” to “retool for maximum AI acceleration,” and it announced a “vibe coded” update to its PC launcher last week in preview that had some issues on the first day.

An image from Epic Games showing a six-fingered hand holding a red pill.
Image: Epic Games
Spotify says yes, it is busting people for using Family Plan sharing too widelySpotify says yes, it is busting people for using Family Plan sharing too widely

Spotify’s co-CEO said it will keep tweaking verification as people ‘find holes around’ methods like its new QR codes over time.

Stevie Bonifield
The next-gen Xbox won’t cost you $1,800. It can’t. Can it?The next-gen Xbox won’t cost you $1,800. It can’t. Can it?

Didn’t Microsoft say the next Xbox needed to be affordable?

Sean Hollister
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
OpenAI’s misalignment monitoring system had “a number of novel vulnerabilities,” third-party evaluators found.

From July 21st to August 11th, two employees from METR and Redwood Research conducted a “pilot” to stress test the system, and METR published a high-level overview of their findings, as reported by CNBC. One exploit would have allowed agents to “prevent hundreds of recent actions (including the actions involved in the exploit itself) from being monitored.”

OpenAI “has stated” that the vulnerabilities identified “that impact their production safeguards stack” have been patched, METR says.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Your YouTube homepage on mobile is going to look a bit different.

The app has a new, “simplified” top bar, where you’ll find tabs for things like subscriptions, Live, Music, and custom feeds, YouTube says. The custom feeds will stay in that top bar, according to YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
President Trump reportedly called Elon to lift Ukraine Starlink restrictions.

Trump asked Musk on Wednesday to fully roll back the interruptions that neither has publicly taken responsibility for, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Today, the WSJ says the system is working “more normally” after the call, citing US and Ukrainian officials.

Canva’s first AI image model plans designs before generating themCanva’s first AI image model plans designs before generating them

Canva Craft can generate images at up to 2K resolution and in more than 30 aspect ratios.

Emma Roth
PC shipments dropped over 20 percent in Q3 due to RAM price hikesPC shipments dropped over 20 percent in Q3 due to RAM price hikes

Counterpoint Research says higher prices are tanking demand for new PCs.

Stevie Bonifield
Fall 2026 earnings watchFall 2026 earnings watch

Tune into Q3.

Verge Staff
David Pierce
David Pierce
Today’s Vergecast: Why Tesla needs its cars to fly.

Tesla recently showed off a new version of its Roadster. Well, a new version of its old version of the Roadster, anyway. But this one flies! The Verge’s Andy Hawkins joins the show to explain the last decade of the Roadster saga, make sense of the flying and kickflipping new vehicle, and cast out into the future of Tesla’s cars for humans. If there even is one.

Meta’s AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts sayMeta’s AI could still scrape news sites, legal experts say

Meta’s new business terms could still help it justify training AI on scraped sites.

Emma Roth
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Threads is getting a foldable-optimized layout for the iPhone Duo.

“Tomorrow we’re bringing a new Threads layout to the foldable on iOS, with more of the conversation in view,” says Christopher Clare, Threads’ head of design. Sounds like things are getting better for Android foldables, too: “We’ve also been improving the Android experience, refining buttons and other elements so they fit the wider screen rather than simply stretching the experience.”

Clare also laid out a few other design tweaks, like links “in a new blue.”

Meta turns Muse sharing back onMeta turns Muse sharing back on

Meta has given new URLs to shared Muse ‘artifacts’ after security researchers reported that public links could be easy to find.

Jay Peters
The FCC is beginning to block gadgets with ‘foreign surveillance chips’The FCC is beginning to block gadgets with ‘foreign surveillance chips’

The first exercise of a new FCC power.

Sean Hollister
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