Thursday’s top tech news: another Cybertruck delay – The Verge

GoldenEye 007 is now available on Nintendo Switch and Xbox

2023-01-26T20:48:50-05:00

GoldenEye 007 has finally landed on Xbox and Nintendo Switch in a simultaneous dual-release of two titles with some important differences.

On Xbox, GoldenEye 007 is a remastered version of the legendary Nintendo 64 title that first launched in 1997. The remaster includes 4K resolution, smoother frame rates, and split-screen local multiplayer, similar to a 2008-era bound-for-Xbox 360 version that was canceled amid licensing and rights issues but leaked out in 2021.

Meanwhile, Nintendo has released GoldenEye 007 as part of its Nintendo Switch Online service. N64 games were added to the service in 2021, though you have to splurge on the Ninte …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Google’s expanding Chrome’s Incognito lockdown on mobile and Safety Check

2023-01-26T18:55:45-05:00

Keep your Incognito tabs away from prying eyes. | Illustration: The Verge

Google is rolling out access to a feature that lets you lock your Chrome Incognito sessions behind biometric authentication, making it so someone using your phone won't be able to open your browser and see what you were looking at privately, according to a Thursday blog post. The feature has been available in the iOS version of Chrome for a while now, but now it's becoming more widely available on Android (read: won't require activating via a flag).

The Lock Incognito tabs when you close Chrome feature does what its name suggests - you can open Incognito tabs normally, but if you switch to another app, you'll have to unlock Chrome when you …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Ford focuses on mobile services to help more customers escape dealership trips

2023-01-26T16:02:24-05:00

A Ford owner getting service at home — and looking ecstatic to not need to drive to the dealership they probably hate. | Image: Ford

Ford is ramping up its remote service offerings to save customers a trip to their dealership for things like oil changes and recall repairs. The updated program promises that more Ford owners nationwide can get access to complimentary pickup and delivery of their vehicles, as well as mobile repair options.

Mobile services from Ford won't operate from a central location, though. It will still be up to dealerships to offer remote services and to choose what services to provide at a customer's home or business. Ford is, however, lending dealers a hand to get the services up and running. "We've been working with multiple teams at Ford to offer …

Read the full story at The Verge.

New York City will require Uber and Lyft to go 100 percent electric by 2030

2023-01-26T15:15:39-05:00

In his State of the City speech Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that Uber and Lyft will be required to be zero emission by 2030. The decision by one of the world's largest markets for app-based ridehailing has the potential to affect an estimated 100,000 for-hire vehicles.

Adams said the move will build on efforts his administration has made to electrify the city's fleet of vehicles while installing charging infrastructure to power those vehicles throughout the five boroughs. The mayor will likely implement his plan through the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission, which regulates the for-hire vehicle industry, including …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Audi’s latest concept car is a luxury coupe that transforms into a truck

2023-01-26T13:30:00-05:00

Audi's been on a run lately with some interesting concept cars, tackling everything from a giant urban people mover to a villainous sedan that drives itself. The latest is the Activesphere, an extremely sleek-looking electric luxury coupe that can transform into a pickup truck with off-roading capabilities.

With some truly impressive ground clearance, big 22-inch wheels, and a hatchback that can transform into an open cargo bed at the touch of a button, the Activesphere is described as Audi's most versatile concept. When you're tired of cruising the mean streets of whatever city you live in, you can take this rugged spaceship of a car onto …

Read the full story at The Verge.

BuzzFeed says it will use AI tools from OpenAI to personalize its content

2023-01-26T13:02:53-05:00

BuzzFeed is the latest digital publisher to adopt the latest AI tools for producing content. | Image: Getty Images

BuzzFeed says it's going to use AI tools provided by ChatGPT creator OpenAI to "enhance" and "personalize" its content, according to a memo sent this morning to staff by CEO Jonah Peretti and statements given to The Verge.

In the memo, Peretti says AI will be one of the two major trends defining the future of digital media (the other being "creators"). Peretti says that in 2023, BuzzFeed's "AI inspired content" will launch on the site, "enhancing the quiz experience, informing our brainstorming, and personalizing our content for our audience." News of the memo was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

"Our industry will expand beyond …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Yes, Twitter changed its font

2023-01-26T12:42:18-05:00

It’s not just you. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

As I was browsing Twitter.com this morning, I refreshed the page, and something jumped out at me: the font was different.

The change was minor - Twitter hadn't suddenly switched to a serif font or anything like that. But a quick Twitter search showed that I wasn't the only one who noticed the shift, and my co-workers did, too.

It's unclear why Twitter changed the font, and the company didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. (It has dissolved its press office, so I'm not expecting one.) And the company hasn't posted anything on @TwitterSupport, where it's shared a lot of recent product updates.

However, some have speculated that …

Read the full story at The Verge.

AirPods are earplugs now

2023-01-26T12:00:00-05:00

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and numerous other wireless earbuds have active noise-cancellation features to block unwanted outside noise. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Lately, I've been using my AirPods to hear nothing.

My usage of Apple's AirPods Pro and other noise-canceling wireless earbuds has changed from when I first started wearing them half a decade or so ago. Back then, I'd pop in earbuds to listen to music, stream a podcast, or watch video on my phone or tablet while in a public place. I'd take meetings and calls with them or put them in when doing yard work for some motivational metal. On walks around the neighborhood, my earbuds would accompany me with audio to keep me entertained and moving.

Now, I most often don't listen to anything when wearing them. I'll pop the AirPods or another noise-c …

Read the full story at The Verge.

This free watermark removal tool is surprisingly effective against stock images

2023-01-26T11:33:29-05:00

Phonlamai Photo" data-portal-copyright="Image: Shutterstock / Phonlamai Photo" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24387333/AI_watermark_removal_tool.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />

Stock image platforms like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock may be content with AI while it generates cash for them, but they likely won’t be so keen on it being used to steal their assets. | Image: Shutterstock / Phonlamai Photo

The already-contentious relationship between AI and the creative industry might soon get even more complicated thanks to a free-to-use service that can completely remove watermarks from images. Watermark Remover.io (as seen via Creative Bloq) is a tool offered by Pixelbin.io that removes identifiable watermarks with a single click and has sparked conversations surrounding copyright protections since being listed on Product Hunt last year.

The functionality of Watermark Remover.io isn't new - similar tools already exist, and you can also remove watermarks using things like Adobe Photoshop's content-aware fill. However, these aren't as access …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Uber’s ‘View as Delivery Person’ shows how much of your info couriers get

2023-01-26T11:00:00-05:00

Uber Eats is introducing a feature that will tell you how much of your personal information a courier has access to throughout the delivery process. The feature, called "View as Delivery Person," is meant to "provide consumers with additional transparency and peace of mind," especially after potentially awkward or uncomfortable encounters, according to Zach Singleton, Uber's head of privacy and equity product.

The idea is that the Uber Eats app will show you what information a delivery person has about you before they pick your food up, while they're making the delivery, and afterward. The basic gist, according to Singleton, is that they'll …

Read the full story at The Verge.