09-05-25 -

What would actually make the Apple Watch better?
I've been thinking ahead to Apple's big event next Tuesday. I'll be sitting in Apple's Steve Jobs theater, ready to live blog. Tim Cook will pop out for a brief moment to wave hello. I'll probably nod to my colleagues in the theater with ...

09-05-25 -

Columbia tries using AI to cool off student tensions
Can AI help "smooth over" discussion on abortion, racism, immigration, or Israel-Palestine? Columbia University sure hopes so. The Verge has learned that the university recently began testing Sway, an AI debate program currentl...

09-05-25 -

I called the MSI Claw an embarrassment, so imagine my surprise: its successor...
I wrote that no one should buy MSI and Intel's original handheld gaming PC. I literally called it an embarrassment, and the company blacklisted me after that. MSI stopped pitching me news, and stopped answering my emails, even after the c...

09-05-25 -

Bose announces QuietComfort Ultra headphones with support for lossless audio ...
Bose will now let you turn the ANC off on its new QuietComfort Ultra headphones, boosting battery life to up to 45 hours. | Image: Bose Bose has announced a second-generation version of its QuietComfort Ultra wireless headphones it first i...

09-05-25 -

Your robot is about to get its own robot
This year's IFA seems to be all about putting one piece of tech inside another piece of tech. Motion sensing inside of light bulbs. Projectors inside of party speakers. And my personal favorite: a robot that's built to ferry another robot...

09-05-25 -

OpenAI could launch its own AI chip next year
OpenAI is on track to start mass production of its own in-house artificial intelligence chips for the first time next year, according to a report from the Financial Times.  Unnamed sources tell the outlet that OpenAI designed th...

09-05-25 -

Reolink’s new floodlight cam has 360 vision and on-device AI
Users can customize the color temperature of the lights on the Reolink TrackFlex floodlight Wi-Fi. Reolink has announced the TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi at IFA 2025, the security tech provider’s new hardwired dual-lens floodlight camera fo...

09-05-25 -

The iPhone 17 case makers are ready for Tuesday
There are several dummy units of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max (left) and iPhone 17 Air (right) on display at IFA 2025. Apple’s launch event for the iPhone 17 lineup is just around the corner, and case makers are already showing off the...

09-05-25 -

Withings adds predictive AI health features to the ScanWatch 2
Withings announced at IFA 2025 today that it’s revamping the operating system of its ScanWatch 2 smartwatch. Called HealthSense 4, the update adds new algorithms for 35 health metrics as well as predictive AI-powered alerts when a user�...

09-05-25 -

Google leaks its own new Nest Cams and Doorbell
Google’s new Nest Cams look a lot like its old ones. Google is its own worst enemy: the company appears to have leaked three upcoming Nest smart home products in its own app. Wired versions of the Nest Cam Indoor (3rd gen), Nest Cam Outd...

09-05-25 -

Microsoft 365 Personal is now free for US college students for a year
Microsoft is giving away Microsoft 365 Personal subscriptions to all US college students. This subscription gives students free access to Microsoft’s Office apps and the Copilot AI assistant integration for a year, after which the stude...

09-05-25 -

Circle to Search adds continuous translation
Google has announced a pretty major upgrade to the convenience of the translation built into Circle to Search on Android, which will now continue translating as the content on-screen changes. Google has slightly undersold the feature wit...

09-05-25 -

OnePlus and Hasselblad are parting ways
The OnePlus 13 will likely be the last OnePlus phone to feature a Hasselblad logo. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau announced on the company’s user forums today that its five-year partnership with camera company Hasselblad has come to an end. From n...

09-05-25 -

Xbox engineer brings Windows Mixed Reality headsets back to life
Windows Mixed Reality headsets in 2018. | Image: Getty Images Windows Mixed Reality headsets were left in a non-functional state last year, after Microsoft suddenly discontinued the platform with its 24H2 update to Windows 11. Now, an Xbox...

09-05-25 -

Qualcomm teams up with BMW for hands-free driving
Qualcomm is joining forces with BMW on a new driver-assist system that will allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on approved roads. Qualcomm, which supplies infotainment, driver-assist, and telematics systems to a variety of a...

09-05-25 -

BMWs iX3 is a new class of EV that packs a lot of range and computing power
For years, BMW has been teasing its forthcoming next-generation “Neue Klasse” electric vehicle platform, complete with better batteries, better range, and an all-new “superbrain” with enhanced computing power. Today, the German au...

09-05-25 -

Hondas Prelude returns as a 200-horsepower fake-shifting hybrid
Oh my! | Image: Honda Honda is bringing back the sporty Prelude as a technology-packed 200-horsepower hybrid to tug at nostalgia strings. It’s the first new Prelude in 25 years and the front-wheel-drive-coup antidote to crossover SUVs. P...

09-05-25 -

This robot lawnmower is designed to pick fruit and throw your dog a ball
It’s like a weird robotic dinosaur that can mow your lawn. Plenty of autonomous lawnmowers have been showcased or introduced at this year’s IFA event in Berlin, but only one of them comes equipped with a robotic arm. NexLawn, a sub-bra...

09-05-25 -

Timekettles new translation earbuds are made for sharing
The Timekettle W4 AI look like a supersized pair of wireless earbuds. | Image: Timekettle Timekettle has announced a new pair of real-time translation headphones called the W4 AI Interpreter Earbuds. They use bone conduction technology tha...

09-05-25 -

Legion Go 2 official: Lenovos new flagship handheld costs $1,099 and up
Lenovo’s Legion Go was a polarizing handheld gaming PC, and that won’t change as the company officially announces its successor today: the new Legion Go 2 is slightly bigger, heavier, and costs at least $400 more than the original. B...

09-05-25 -

Lenovo updates its beefiest and bulkiest laptops
Lenovo Thinkpad P16 Gen 3. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Lenovo Lenovo has decided that IFA is the ideal time to show off its most powerful (and most chunky) hardware. And easily at the top of that heap is the Thinkpad P16 Gen 3. Wit...

09-05-25 -

Lenovos new concept laptop has a rotating screen thats perfect for doomscrolling
This is what going 90 looks like on a laptop. Lenovo has made laptop screens that roll, flip, and go transparent, and now for IFA 2025 it’s announcing a new concept with a screen that can rotate into portrait mode. The Lenovo ThinkBook V...

09-05-25 -

This stand can automatically lift, tilt, and turn your laptop toward you
Laptop stands are a dime a dozen, but this one adapts to you. It also “dances.” Lenovo’s Smart Motion Concept laptop stand, announced at IFA 2025, automatically raises and lowers itself and turns and tilts to position your laptop at ...

09-05-25 -

Better get used to your smart lights having built-in microphones
Lepro TB1-Pro AI table lamp. | Image: Lepro We’re all used to having our lights respond to verbal commands at this point. But normally, there’s a middleman passing our commands along, whether that’s our phone or a smart speaker that ...

09-04-25 -

Warner Bros. Discovery sues Midjourney for generating ‘countless’...
Midjourney allegedly generated these images of Batman and the Joker. | Image: Warner Bros. Discovery via Midjourney Warner Bros. Discovery is suing Midjourney over claims the AI startup “brazenly dispenses its intellectual property as if...

09-04-25 -

Tech companies pledge to ready Americans for an AI-dominated world
Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are among the companies committing to help prepare Americans for a world dominated by AI technology at a White House event on AI education Thursday. First Lady Melania Trump hosted a meeting of the White Hou...

09-04-25 -

The new Street Fighter movie Hadokens into theaters in October 2026
Ryu in Street Fighter 6. The new Street Fighter movie, which has been in the works since 2023, now has a cast and a release date. The film hits theaters on October 16th, 2026, and the cast includes some big names like Jason Momoa, 50 Cent,...

09-04-25 -

Samsungs ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge is $400 off right now
Despite its slimmer frame, the Galaxy S25 Edge still offers all-day battery life. If you’ve ever wished your phone didn’t protrude so much while in your pocket, then the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge might be made for you. Samsung’s ultra-...

09-04-25 -

Why its so hard to make a safer football helmet
When players take the field at the start of the NFL season, many will be sporting the new, subtly different F7 Pro helmet, which some have speculated might be the safest one football has ever seen. That's significant for a sport that, ove...

09-04-25 -

Stardew Valleys creator is in Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong, the sequel to the indie smash hit Hollow Knight, is finally out, and according to Silksong’s credits, the game features the voice of Eric Barone, the creator of another indie smash hit, Stardew Valley. (You may ...

09-04-25 -

The tech antitrust renaissance may already be over
Around six years ago, a new rallying cry rippled through Washington: "Break Up Big Tech." It was a slogan emblazoned on campaign posters, uttered at congressional hearings, and beginning, it seemed, to echo through the halls of...

09-04-25 -

You can now attach 10,000 character blogs to your Threads posts
Meta is adding a new feature to let you add a bunch of extra text to Threads posts — no screenshots of text blocks required. Starting today, Meta is rolling out a tool that lets you attach up to 10,000 characters of text to Threads post...

09-04-25 -

Darth Vader’s lightsaber is up for auction
Darth Vader’s lightsaber is about to become someone’s prized possession. It’s up for auction alongside a bunch of other iconic movie props, as spotted earlier by The New York Times. The auction is hosted by the memorabilia company P...

09-04-25 -

Xgimis incredibly bright 4K projector targets daytime gamers
The flagship Horizon 20 Max projector can pump out 5700 ISO lumens of brightness. | Image: Xgimi The new Horizon 20 lineup of 4K Google TV projectors from Xgimi targets gamers who want to play day and night on the biggest screen possible. ...

09-04-25 -

Microsoft is about to shake up its Copilot pricing for businesses
It's no secret that Microsoft has been struggling to sell its Copilot AI assistant to businesses. The steep pricing has put many businesses off paying extra for Microsoft's AI services, especially when OpenAI's ChatGPT has been gaining tr...

09-04-25 -

This Dyson air purifier shoots out fresh air like a jet engine
A shot of the HushJet Purifier Compact snapped at IFA 2025. Dyson is launching a new air purifier that’s designed to look — but thankfully, not sound — like a jet engine. The Dyson HushJet Purifier Compact is launching in the US on S...

09-04-25 -

Google Photos now lets you animate your camera roll with Veo 3 for free
Google is adding Veo 3 software capabilities to its video generation feature for Google Photos. US-based users can turn static images into four-second videos by clicking either the "Subtle movements" or, for the more adventurous...

09-04-25 -

The best stuff announced at IFA so far
The doors to IFA 2025 at Messe Berlin don’t officially open to the public until tomorrow, but several companies have already announced new gadgets, tech, features, and upgrades as Europe’s largest consumer tech show gets underway. Th...

09-04-25 -

The story behind YouTubes NFL livestream
This year, football season kicks off with a twist: Following tonight's season opener, YouTube will stream the NFL's first Friday game of the season - a face-off between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs broadcast live fr...

09-04-25 -

Jury orders Google to pay $425 million for violating user privacy
A federal jury in California has ordered Google to pay $425 million for violating user privacy by collecting the data of millions of people even after they disabled tracking, as reported earlier by Reuters. The decision stems from a clas...

09-04-25 -

Welcome to Optimizer, our relentless quest to live a smarter, healthier life
Every year, I sit in these fancy amphitheaters and watch the biggest names in tech promise how their latest phone, smartwatch, app, chatbot, or doohickey will make our lives better. This calendar app? It's going to make you more efficient...

09-04-25 -

SwitchBot launches three AI-powered smart home products including a pair of ...
Niko and Noa are AI-powered pets. It was inevitable that AI would be everywhere at IFA this year, but the smart home is where we’re really seeing action. SwitchBot, known for its quirky and clever home gadgets, launched three new AI-powe...

09-04-25 -

SwitchBot has ambitions to be the AI that powers your smart home
SwitchBot’s new AI Hub can interpret events captured by its cameras and use them to trigger events. AI could bring the smart home closer to the Star Trek dream: a central "computer" that runs your home. At IFA this week, Switch...

09-04-25 -

Tech companies be on alert, NAACP says with new guiding principles for data c...
One of the top civil rights organizations in the US is putting the tech industry "on alert," issuing a call to action for communities to demand more accountability from companies building new data centers. Electricity demand is ...

09-04-25 -

Silksong’s release is hammering Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo ...
Hollow Knight: Silksong has released today and the major video game storefronts are struggling to stay online. Shortly after Silksong’s 10 AM ET release time, Steam, the Nintendo eShop, Xbox, and PlayStation were either displaying error...

09-04-25 -

Six years after launch, Apple Arcade is striving for a bigger audience
In 2019, Apple Arcade launched with roughly 70 premium mobile games that had no ads, no in-app purchases, and no sex or violence. Some of the games in the initial launch period, like What the Golf?, were praised for their innovation and d...

09-04-25 -

Amazon’s Project Kuiper strikes its first satellite internet deal with ...
Amazon’s satellite internet service, Project Kuiper, will partner with JetBlue to provide in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2027. It’s Project Kuiper’s first deal with an airline as it aims to keep up with the SpaceX-owned Starlink, which...

09-04-25 -

Worlds first sodium-ion portable power station is ready for extreme cold
Real men use electric chainsaws in temperatures down to -25C (-13F). | Image: Bluetti Bluetti’s at IFA 2025 with the world’s first portable power station built around a sodium-ion battery, and a second, slim unit designed to mount next...

09-04-25 -

Ecovacs claims its fast-charging robovac can clean nonstop
Ecovacs’ latest mopping robovac may not need to take charging breaks while cleaning your home. The company says its new Deebot X11 Omnicyclone uses GaN-enabled fast charging to power up every time it returns to its base station for mop ...

09-04-25 -

The quest to keep OpenAI honest
We’ve covered OpenAI on Decoder in several ways this summer, from how it’s navigating the AI talent wars to how people are starting to feel attached to ChatGPT. Next week, we’re airing a recent conversation I had with Bret Taylor, ...