The latest tech news about the world’s best (and sometimes worst) hardware, apps, and much more. From top companies like Google and Apple to tiny startups vying for your attention, Verge Tech has the latest in what matters in technology daily.
Dbrand’s Companion Cube case is not going to happen, but you can 3D print a detailed replica of it for your Steam Machine using files shared by Printables user Jaron. A multicolor printer will make the process much easier, and they’ve shared a list of all the additional parts you’ll need like screws and magnets to assemble it.
The Coca-Cola-owned company announced last week that it “identified unauthorized access” to its production-related systems “in connection with a ransomware event.” Though Fairlife says “product quality and safety have not been impacted,” it’s halting production as it continues investigating the breach.
[BleepingComputer]
Andy Burnham has now officially replaced Keir Starmer, and is reportedly planning to drop his predecessor’s plans to introduce a government-issued digital ID for all British adults by 2029. Burnham’s spokesperson told BBC News that resources allocated for the scheme will instead go towards “helping with the cost of living.”
The identity of the winning bidder hasn’t been identified, but they were among the 45 collectors who bid on one of the Nvidia CEO’s black Tom Ford leather jackets when it went up for auction. Originally valued between $40,000 to $60,000, it actually sold for $960,000 — roughly the same price as 480 GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs.
The company said it temporarily paused new subscriptions after high usage “pushed close to the limits of our current capacity.” New subscription spots will open in “batches.” Kimi K3 was one of two Chinese models that launched over the weekend claiming to rival leading US systems from OpenAI and Anthropic.
A hidden popover interface has been discovered in the macOS 27 Golden Gate beta that surfaces AI-powered contextual actions and writing tools when text is highlighted, including Rewrite, Proofread, and “Edit with Siri.” Beta users can try the unfinished feature by following the instructions provided by MacRumors.
Two separate videos captured Spain’s Eric Garcia testing the gimbal-equipped phone in the aftermath of his team’s victory over Argentina. Preorders for the Robot Phone just opened in China, though it isn’t expected to launch in either Spain or the US, where the final was held.
Marketing materials for the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 have been shared online by leaker Evan Blass. The Galaxy Watch 9 reportedly features a Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, and is shown in three color options. The Watch Ultra 2 upgrades reportedly include a 800mAh battery and up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness.
The reputable Design Docs YouTube channel has a new documentary about Apple’s first graphic designer. Kare is responsible for the smiling Mac icon, that weird looped-square Command symbol still found on Apple keyboards, and many other “pictures that taught a generation of nervous, non-technical people that a computer could be approached without fear.”
AIM chimes. Teletype machines. Floppy drives. Dialup modems. Tamagotchis. The whole thing is a wonderful soundboard that instantly transports you to a bygone era. There’s not much to do here besides click a few icons and listen to the sounds, but it’s still a nice way to kill a few minutes.
[Museum Of Endangered Sounds]
1010Benja’s ‘Semiramis’ Dream’ shows AI can be more than a slop engine in the right hands.
8
Verge Score
A modern take on vintage reed organs from Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker that makes writing rich chord progressions breezy.
According to Reuters, the DOJ has issued a memo stating that “employees of Executive Branch agencies may download TikTok onto their official devices, subject to the agency’s discretion,” now that the deal limiting ByteDance’s ownership is in place and US user data is secured in American data centers.
San Francisco city attorney David Chiu demanded that Apple and Google remove 13 apps that could generate non-consensual nude images. Adam Dema, a spokesperson for Apple confirmed their removal in a statement to The Verge:
“We have always strictly prohibited apps designed to generate, distribute, or consume pornography. ‘Nudification’ apps are against our App Review Guidelines and we have proactively rejected many of these apps and removed many others, including when users have flagged them via our reporting tools. We have removed three of the apps in question and are in the process of terminating their developer accounts from our program.”
There’s a Tascam Portastudio 424 MK III!
He’s also got a Telepathic Instruments Orchid (review here), a couple of Chase Bliss pedals (Lost & Found and Mood MKII), a Hologram Electronics Chroma Console, a Moog Sub37, and an Ableton Move. Proving, once again, that you don’t need piles of fancy gear to make music. Watch the full interview here.
I tested four locks that unlock with a look, and while hands-free with UWB is better, if you want a sci-fi experience for your front door, facial recognition is worth considering.
9
Verge Score
The Bravia 9 II is the best RGB LED TV available with game-changing features, but I’d still buy an OLED.
One user even reported an AWS bill of $1.5 trillion, as reported by The Guardian. Scary!
AWS blames the root cause of the problem as “an issue with unit pricing within the estimated billing computation subsystem.” Amazon says that the billing estimates “do not reflect actual usage and charges,” and affected don’t have to take any action right now.
First announced at CES, the latest version of Samsung’s all-in-one home theater solution is finally available through Samsung’s online store for $1,199.99. That’s a bit steep for 430 ISO lumens and a 1080P resolution when Xgimi’s latest portable does 1,600 ISO lumens for $799, but Samsung’s can correct for distortions on uneven projection surfaces like curtains.
Legend has it that we have smart home security cameras and smartphones to thank for discovering the Seattle-based treasure that is Jimothy. At least this modern cryptid doesn’t appear to be AI slop. Happy Friday.
It used to be easy to tell which photos you took on a certain day in Google Photos. I didn’t realize how much I appreciated those little visual gaps breaking up time until a new update removed them, smashburgering my photos and videos, in favor of a persistent bar hovering at the top of the screen. Thankfully, you can reinsert them by clicking the three vertical dots to the right of that floating bar, then select “Show dates in grid.”
Sources tell The New York Times that the deal could be valued at $10 billion over two years, with Anthropic paying Meta in monthly increments. Though Anthropic plans to invest $50 billion in building out its own data centers, it has already struck multibillion-dollar deals to access computing power from SpaceX and TeraWulf.
The DOJ sued Apple in 2024, but the two sides are in “early” and “active” discussions about a settlement, Bloomberg reports.
Caviar is back with yet another ridiculously expensive device, and this time, it’s a Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra with 24-karat gold plating, which is expected to appear at Galaxy Unpacked next week (sans the gold). As spotted by Engadget, Caviar doesn’t list any tech specs, but notes that its device starts with 256GB of storage.
