Technology

Japan will soon be testing its very own bank-backed cryptocurrency. The new coin — tentatively called DCJPY — will be backed by a partnership between three of the country’s largest banking corporations: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group, and Sumitomo Financial Group. Up to 70 Japanese firms have already announced that they would launch the Yen-based cryptocurrency in 2022, and the three major players have been engaging in discussions since 2020 to build the necessary infrastructure for digital payments. Other members in the 70-strong consortium include massive companies such as the Kansai Electric Power Company and the East Japan Railway Company. The new push for a digital currency will be an interesting development in Japan, which still heavily relies on cash. As ...

Virgin Galactic and Sir Richard Branson have officially announced the winner of the free trip to suborbital space. Virgin Galactic has given out two free rides to health and energy coach Keisha, from the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda and her daughter, an astrophysics student, to the final frontier. In a statement Keisha said, “I’ve always had a lifelong love of flying and a fascination with space, and this is truly a dream come true for me. It means the world to me. I hope to share this experience with my daughter, so together we can inspire the next generation to follow their dreams.” In the recent Unit 22 mission, Virgin Group’s founder, Sir Richard Branson and three other crew members were sent to suborbital space from Spaceport America in New Mexico. Virgin Galactic and Omaze...

My colleague Tom once introduced you to a modern toaster with two seemingly ingenious buttons: one to briefly lift your bread to check its progress, and another to toast it “a bit more.” I respectfully submit you shouldn’t need a button at all. That’s because in 1948, Sunbeam engineer Ludvik J. Koci invented the perfect toaster, one where the simple act of placing a slice into one of its two slots would result in a delicious piece of toasted bread. No button, no lever, no other input required. Drop bread, get toast. Some of you are no doubt already connoisseurs who know what I’m referring to: the Sunbeam Radiant Control Toaster, sold from 1949 all the way through the late ‘80s. (It goes by many names, including the T-20A, T-20-B, T20-C, T-35, VT-40, AT-W and even the 20-30-AG.) In 2019, th...

This story is part of a group of stories called Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval, so if you’re looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be. The all-new Kindle Paperwhite is already a great buy at its regular price of $139.99. It has a great 6.8-inch display, USB-C charging, and a battery that can last for months — our reviewer calls it “the ultimate Kindle.” If you’ve been eyeing this device, now is a great time to buy it. It’s available on Amazon right now for $104.99, $35 and 25 percent off its original price of $139.99. Other retailers, including Best Buy and Staples, are offering the same price. Note that this is the ad-supported mod...

What can $50 get you these days? Turns out, quite a lot; you just need to know where to look. We’ve already rounded up all the best early Black Friday deals for getting your shopping done early at retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. But if you’re on a tight budget or looking for some gifts that won’t break the bank, you’ve come to the right place. Have a Nintendo Switch, a Go Pro, or phone/tablet/laptop that features a microSD slot? Treat it to a massive boost in storage capacity with SanDisk’s 400GB microSD card at Amazon for just $39. This card usually costs around $50. SanDisk 400GB microSD card $39 $50 22% off Usually around $50, SanDisk’s high-capacity microSD card is a convenient (and now, more affordable) way to add a bunch of storage to your device. Amazon’s latest streamin...

Roblox Corporation has sued a controversial YouTuber for allegedly creating a “cybermob” to terrorize its platform and developers. In the lawsuit, first reported on by Polygon, the company alleges that Benjamin Robert Simon, also known as Ruben Sim, is the leader of a cybermob that “commits and encourages unlawful acts designed to injure Roblox and its users.” It goes on to accuse Simon of “posting false and misleading terrorist threats,” including one threat that is said to have temporarily shut down the Roblox Developers Conference 2021 in October. In addition, the company alleges that its longtime troll “glamorized” the 2018 shooting at YouTube’s headquarters and threatened a “copycat act of terrorism at Roblox headquarters.” It claims that he violated Roblox Terms of Use by engaging in...

Macy’s is auctioning off NFTs of its most popular Thanksgiving Day floats that represent the 10 decades that Macy’s has been putting on the event. The three-hour parade is held annually in Manhattan outside of the Macy’s Herald Square. Beginning in 1924, the event is the world’s largest parade. The 1-of-1 NFTs include a dachshund from the 1930s, a spaceman from the 1950s and an elf from the 2000s. All NFT sales will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation. The digital collectables were built on the Polygon blockchain and bids are listed in USD. As of Thursday afternoon, an NFT of Tiptoe the bashful reindeer had the highest bid of $37,000 USD. The department store on Thursday also offered up a collection of 9,500 free NFTS on a first-come basis. The auction ends on November 30 and can be accesse...

4K TVs of all sizes and specs see price cuts several times throughout the year, but the time when we usually see the highest concentration of stellar deals is right now, as Black Friday hits and Cyber Monday is just around the bend. You’ve ended up in the right place if you’re looking for a TV deal, and yes, that includes people interested in a TV that has every bell or whistle, with the highest contrast ratio and the right features to eke all of the visual splendor from PCs and the latest gaming consoles or something that’s quite the opposite. We’ll be highlighting affordable TVs, too. Our team at The Verge is hard at work on compiling the best Black Friday deals, running the gamut of retailers participating, as well as breaking it down on a category level. If you don’t know what you want...

GameStop’s Black Friday sales have begun, kicking off huge savings on digital and physical copies of games, gaming keyboards, and headsets for their lowest prices ever. There are even a number of excellent promotions that are of great value, whether you’re trying to snag a new console or build out your existing library. Of course, GameStop isn’t the only place with the best early Black Friday deals, so make sure to check out our ever-expanding guide to Black Friday, as well as our retailer and brand-specific pages if you’re looking to cash in on more great savings. Promotions Xbox All Access is a program that’s been offered by Microsoft before but represents a unique opportunity for anyone that’s still trying to score an Xbox Series X or Series S. This package includes a new console and co...

If our roundup of the best early Black Friday deals under $50 was outside your budget, don’t worry: there’s also plenty you can buy for under $25. Several retailers are now heavily discounting popular tech products in the short lead-up to Black Friday, discounting everything from Bluetooth trackers and smart speakers to the latest gaming subscriptions. For your convenience, we’ve curated a list of some of the best sub-$25 options below. If you’re looking for more holiday gift ideas that won’t break the bank, however, we’ve also put together separate budget-based gift guides for items under $25 and $50. For iPhone owners planning on traveling this holiday season, Amazon’s offering a great deal on Apple’s official AirTag Loop. Given that AirTags lack a lanyard hole of their own, you’ll need ...

This story is part of a group of stories called Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval, so if you’re looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be. The Oculus Quest 2 is an all-around solid piece of hardware, and it’s a very popular holiday gift since there are some great deals happening now. But anyone who already owns one can tell you that the company’s straps leave a lot to be desired. The cloth strap included in the box isn’t supportive, and while the $50 Elite Strap addresses that, it’s quite fragile. Mine broke within a year of normal use, and surfing Oculus’ Reddit page will show you that some people’s straps meet a similar fate. A popula...