Technology

Sonos is known for its whole-home audio systems and its soundbars, but now the company is hiring for a new home theater project that’s sure to give you more control from the couch. The speculation comes from the mention of a new “Home Theater OS” project being revealed in new Sonos job postings, as reported by Protocol. The most revealing job posting is perhaps the “Head of Partnerships, Home Theatre” position: The Head of Partnerships for our Next Generation Sonos Home Theater OS will play a pivotal role in connecting users to the content and services they love with Sonos quality experiences they’ve come to expect. Protocol points out that Nick Millington, who is Sonos’ chief innovation officer, personally promoted the “Head of Partnerships, Home Theatre” position on LinkedIn: “I’m workin...

SpaceX’s internet-from-space program Starlink is increasing prices for both the purchase of Starlink kits and for the monthly service, according to a new email sent out to customers this afternoon reviewed by The Verge. The company says the “sole purpose of these adjustments is to keep pace with rising inflation.” Originally, opting into Starlink required a $499 upfront purchase of a starter kit with all the necessary supplies, including a user terminal, or antenna, for connecting with SpaceX’s satellites. Customers would then pay a $99 monthly charge to keep the service running. Now, the new monthly price going forward will be $110. All new orders of the Starlink kit will now cost $599, and anyone who put down a deposit for the original $499 kit will have to pay $549 instead. The new mont...

Last July, Roblox announced the Game Fund, a program to give developers funding and support for Roblox experiences. Timed with the Game Developers Conference this week, the company is using those funded games to showcase the range of experiences possible with its tools. There are a few parts to what Roblox is announcing on Tuesday. One is that Roblox is revealing for the first time that it’s investing $25 million as part of the Game Fund. Roblox had previously said it would be giving $500,000 minimum in each Roblox experience it selected for the Game Fund, but now we know how much will be given out in total. Roblox has already announced three games getting support from the fund — Winds of Fortune, Rolling Thunder, and neonKnights — and it’s sharing “first looks” of two of those experiences...

Netflix has announced three more mobile games that you’ll soon be able to play on iOS or Android with a subscription to the streaming service, including the first FPS that’s available as part of its lineup. This Is A True Story is a “lush narrative puzzle game” created to “share a true story of a Sub-Saharan African woman’s daily struggle to get water for her family,” according to Netflix. The game was made by developer Frosty Pop in collaboration with Charity: Water. Shatter Remastered is an updated take of the hit brick-breaking game that first released on PS3 in 2009. And in Into The Dead 2: Unleashed, a hybrid FPS / runner game, you’ll have to survive waves of zombies. This Is A True Story and Shatter Remastered will be available on Tuesday, while Netflix says Into The Dead 2: Unleashe...

Twitch is overhauling its safety tools, improving its reporting process, and adding a new appeals portal. Over the next few weeks, Twitch will slowly roll out improved reporting tools, simplifying the process by which streamers and viewers can report content. The new process includes a search function so users can find the specific reason for their report and a suite of menus for the type of content getting flagged. The updated reporting tools will hit web first, with the mobile rollout happening at an unspecified later date. In addition to better reporting features, Twitch is also adding a new appeals portal, offering greater transparency into the appeals process. In the past, to contest a ban or suspension, a streamer would submit an appeal, receive an automated response acknowledging re...

Uber plans to temporarily remove the ability to split fares sometime next month, according to a statement Uber gave to Mashable. The company is “in the process of reworking how riders split fares,” Uber told the publication. “We know this is a popular feature, so rest assured that we are planning to roll out a new, improved version in the coming months.” Uber didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge. The company also reportedly sent an email to customers informing them of the change, though it seems the email was partially incorrect. “We are sorry to let you know that from March 21st, we are discontinuing the ‘Split fare’ feature, which allows you to share the price of a trip with other riders,” according to a screenshot of the email included in Mashable’s article. ...

Dragalia Lost, one of Nintendo’s increasingly dwindling stable of mobile games for iOS and Android, is shutting down. The company announced today that the game’s main campaign will be ending in July and that it’ll cease adding new characters or content updates (outside of the main campaign) at the end of March when its final set of characters is introduced. Nintendo hasn’t said when exactly Dragalia Lost will be fully shutting down. The company only says that “after the main campaign has concluded, service for the game itself will come to a close at a later date. Further details on the end-of-service schedule will be provided in a future notification.” The announcement does note that players will still be able to summon new characters and enjoy event revivals up until the game fully shuts ...

If you want some of the best true wireless earbuds that Samsung has crafted yet, the Galaxy Buds Pro are selling for their lowest price yet at Walmart. You can pick them up in black, silver, or violet for $119.99, which is about $20 less than the previous low price. These offer the most amount of functionality on Samsung devices, including automatic device switching and 3D audio. But they’re still great on other Android phones and tablets. Normally $199.99, this price drop is significant because it makes them affordable enough to consider over the newer Galaxy Buds 2, which are typically on sale for about $105. Compared head to head, the Galaxy Buds Pro boast superior water and sweat resistance, better sound quality, and a more effective active noise cancellation feature. In short, paying ...

Paul Scheer says the pitch was simple. It was 12 years ago, and the founders of Earwolf wanted him to make a podcast: “We’re gonna make these shows,” he recalls them saying, “and you can do whatever you want.” His show How Did This Get Made? recorded in a “band rehearsal space in the middle of Hollywood,” and there was no talk of ads. “It was very, very lo-fi,” Scheer says. “The idea of selling ads wasn’t even a thing. There was nobody making big deals in podcasting.” Hearing people describe the heyday of Earwolf, the comedy podcast network, you can understand how it so quickly developed a roster of talented comics, from the Sklar Brothers and Harris Wittels to Brett Gelman and Jimmy Pardo. Comedians roamed the halls of Earwolf’s office, and everyone seemed to be having a good time making ...

I told you I was gonna sob over that new MUNA song. I didn’t lie. Now, more non-lies! Aka news! But first, here’s Jake with something to flag for you all: What happened at Stitcher Hi everyone, I’m excited to share with you one more story from Ashley Carman — a piece she spent months reporting out and wrapped up right before she left. The story is a deep dive into SiriusXM’s acquisition of Stitcher — how it went, where it went awry, and how it speaks to the broader podcasting landscape’s move toward consolidation and scale. Former employees at Stitcher say SiriusXM lacked a podcast strategy when they were brought onboard, felt like the company didn’t empower them to act on their expertise, and clashed over basic things like cross-promotion and… even mentioning the name “Spotify.” The...