Grand Theft Auto VI exists in its own universe
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on GTA VI and the state of the video game industry, follow Andrew Webster. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Four years ago, fans […]
Doodle generative compositions in your browser with Musical Spirograph
So pretty. | Screenshot: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge I remember having a Spirograph as a kid and being obsessed with it. Its geometric patterns are hypnotic and gorgeous. I also love generative music composition. So bringing those two things together in a browser tab, I’m hooked. Musical Spirograph is a relatively simple concept. A […]
W. Kamau Bell has the most practical ‘most indispensable tool’
I’m just as confused as you. | Image: Aundre Larrow W. Kamau Bell is one of those people who has always just seemed to be there. From Totally Biased, to Politically Re-Active, United Shades of America, and We Need to Talk About Cosby, his blend of comedy, social commentary, and political activism has helped him […]
Amazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percent
The Echo Dot Max went from $99.99 to $119.99 overnight, while its sibling the Echo Dot jumped to $79.99 from $49.99. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Citing “significant increases in memory and storage component costs,” Amazon has raised prices on Echos, Kindles, Fire TVs, and Eeros by up to 60 percent, […]
An okay laptop with 16GB of RAM is better than a nice laptop with 8GB, and this $520 HP OmniBook proves it
The OmniBook 3 isn’t a sweet treat, but it gets things done on the cheap. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Laptop prices are out of whack. $500 used to get you a tolerable laptop, and $900 got you a really good one. They often had similar CPU, RAM, and storage options […]
Two great new repairable gadgets
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 141, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, I’m newish here too, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been getting back into the Installer groove, trying out some ergonomic Switch […]
$100 Best Buy gift cards will be $60 at stores Saturday
The best gift card deal we’ve spotted this year is happening Saturday, August 22nd, at Best Buy stores for one day only. In celebration of the retailer’s 60th anniversary, you can purchase a $100 Best Buy gift card for $60. The deal is only good for as long as supplies last at your local store, […]
Walmart is finally adding Apple Pay and Google Pay
Walmart will soon allow you to pay for your items with Google Pay or Apple Pay. In an announcement on Friday, Walmart says it’s going to bring tap-to-pay capabilities to “select” Walmart and Sam’s Club locations starting August 24th, before rolling out support to all US stores by the end of 2026 and gas stations […]
Microsoft and Discord subpoenaed over GTA VI gameplay leaks
Following several apparent video leaks of Grand Theft Auto VI, Take-Two Interactive has subpoenaed Microsoft and Discord over content that “infringes copyrights” held for the game, Kotaku reports. In the subpoenas, filed on Thursday, Take-Two says copyrighted material includes “audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements” and it is looking to identify “alleged […]
Pixel 11 gets in on the digicam trend
I recently looked back at a photo I’d taken on a smartphone in 2014, and I was struck by just how good it looked. The details were soft, the shadows were dark. It was the kind of photo I felt like I hadn’t seen out of a phone in years. That might be changing, though. […]