Technology

Intel is branding its upcoming consumer GPUs as Intel Arc. This new Arc brand will cover both the hardware and software powering Intel’s high-end discrete GPUs, as well as multiple hardware generations. The first of those, known previously as DG2, is expected to arrive in the form of codename “Alchemist” in Q1 2022. Intel’s Arc-based Alchemist GPUs will be available in both desktops and notebooks in early 2022, with Intel seemingly aiming to compete against both AMD and Nvidia here. While we still don’t know much about the performance of the first Alchemist GPUs, Intel published a teaser video today that showed prototype silicon powering PUBG, Psychonauts 2, Metro Exodus, and more. Intel’s Arc GPUs will be capable of mesh shading, variable rate shading, video upscaling, and real-time ray t...

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin brought its fight against NASA’s Moon program to federal court on Monday, doubling down on accusations that the agency wrongly evaluated its lunar lander proposal. The complaint escalates a monthslong crusade by the company to win a chunk of lunar lander funds that was only given to its rival, Elon Musk’s SpaceX and comes weeks after Blue Origin’s first protest over the Moon program was squashed by a federal watchdog agency. Now in court, Blue Origin’s challenge could add another pause to SpaceX’s contract and a new lengthy delay to NASA’s race to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024. Blue Origin’s complaint, filed with the US Court of Federal Claims, was shrouded behind a protective order. The company is broadly challenging NASA’s decision to pick Spac...

About a year ago, I wrote about a gaming mouse called the Zephyr that came with a unique feature: a built-in fan designed to cool your palm as you play games. It didn’t blow me away; the fan was loud, vibrated a lot, and didn’t really feel all that cool. But the creators, now known as Marsback, have returned with a new “sweat-proof” gaming mouse called the Zephyr Pro. And it’s a big improvement. Verge Score 8 out of 10 Good Stuff Cool to the touch Solid, lightweight design Much quieter than previous model Bad Stuff Still isn’t super powerful Fan speed can’t be adjusted Honeycomb/RGB combo might be a bit much for some desks The external design hasn’t changed all that much. The Zephyr Pro is a fairly unremarkable-looking gaming mouse with the requisite RGB lighting and a honeycomb chassis to...

Google is developing a new accessibility feature for Android that lets you control a phone using facial expressions like a smile or raised eyebrows, XDA Developers reports. The “Camera Switch” feature has arrived with version 12 of Android’s Accessibility Suite app, released alongside Android 12’s fourth beta. The new version of the app isn’t available via Google Play just yet, XDA reports, but there’s an APK to sideload if you want to give it a try. According to XDA Developers, facial expressions (which also include looking left, right, or up) can be used to access a number of controls, ranging from scrolling, going home, or viewing quick settings or notifications. Screenshots show you can adjust how sensitive the software is when recognizing expressions, which should hopefully limit the ...

Fitbit is apparently preparing an update to its line of Charge fitness trackers, and newly-leaked images offer our best look yet at what will likely be the refreshed design. The renders, from leaker Evan Blass, purportedly show the upcoming Charge 5 model. It looks like it shares design notes with Fitbit’s recent Luxe tracker, released in April. There’s an organic feel to the tracker, with a curved screen that blends into a more rounded body. Two slim panels on either side of the device look like they will offer capacitive controls, letting users tap and slide to navigate the tracker’s settings. Fitbit has put capacitive buttons on past devices like the Charge 4 and Fitbit Sense, but they’re far from universally adored. In our own review of the Sense, we noted that they were fiddly to use,...

With the Apple Watch Series 7 expected to be unveiled at this year’s September event, rumors have begun to surface regarding an all-new form factor for the smartwatch. Based on the list of rumors that Matt Talks Tech compiled from leaked information, the next-gen Apple watch could be packing LTPO OLED screens with 1,000 nits of brightness, a new flat and squared-off case design, 32GB and 64GB options, an S7 processor, an ultra-wideband chipset, potential 5G connectivity, a glucose monitoring sensor, TouchID, and improved battery life (18 hours), and the option for either 40mm or 44mm sizes. Rough pricing has also been given as ranging from $399 to $479 USD. Although there’s no guarantee that the Apple Watch Series 7 will be unveiled in September, historic data has proven that Apple watch a...

The crypto hacker who recently stole $600 million USD worth of cryptocurrency reportedly turned down a reward worth $500,000 USD and immunity for returning the money. BBC has reported that although the hacker has returned most of the money, they are not interested in any reward. Earlier last week, Poly Network took to social media to publically plead the hacker to return the funds, going as far as making the controversial offer. Upon receiving the public offer, the anonymous criminal taunted to company and even asked for advice on how to launder the stolen amount before promising to return the money. Poly Network has now said that most of the amount has been transferred to a digital wallet controlled by both the hacker and the company. Both parties are said to be working closely ...

T-Mobile confirmed Sunday that it’s looking into an online forum post that claims to be selling a large trove of its customers’ sensitive data. Motherboard reported that it was in contact with the seller of the data, who said they had taken data from T-Mobile’s servers that included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, and driver license information related to more than 100 million people. After reviewing samples of the data, Motherboard reported it appeared authentic. “We are aware of claims made in an underground forum and have been actively investigating their validity,” a T-Mobile spokesperson said in an email to The Verge. “We do not have any additional information to share at this time.” It’s not clear when the data may have been accessed, but T-Mobile has been the target of se...

In addition to keeping up with The Good Fight and Ted Lasso (seems like people either really loved or really hated the latest Christmas-themed episode; I liked it but admit I found it a bit jarring that the show hit pause on several promising plot lines so Ted could wear a Santa hat), I also got caught up in The White Lotus, a series that everyone on Twitter is apparently watching. Lotus has its first-season finale tonight, and while I’m an episode behind right now, I’m sort of pushing myself to see it through. There are standout performances by Steve Zahn and Jennifer Coolidge, but the show’s just not clicking for me so far. Bad things happen to mostly awful people and one dies, but we don’t know who yet. The show takes place in Hawaii and is apparently trying to make some meta-commentary...

Authorities in Washington reported the first sighting of a live Asian giant hornet, otherwise known as a “murder hornet,” in the United States in 2021. Following a report submitted by a Whatcom County resident on August 11, which included a photo of an Asian giant hornet attacking a paper wasp nest, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) confirmed the existence of the live hornet the following day. The discovery was made in a rural area east of Blaine, just two miles from where the WSDA previously destroyed the first murder hornet nest in the United States in October. Yesterday evening a resident in #WhatcomCounty reported what is now the first confirmed live #AsianGiantHornet sighting of 2021. https://t.co/yW5Z3CIfSh pic.twitter.com/EvhXkbZJR1 — Washington State Department ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first sighting of a live Asian giant hornet (nickname: murder hornet) in the state this year, the agency said in a news release. Yes I am back on my murder hornet BS. And coincidentally, I am writing this about an hour after a regular-sized (enormous) wasp was prowling around in my kitchen and I had to shoo it outside with a broom handle and a lot of swearing. You may recall last year, when many of us were introduced to the Asian giant hornet after it was spotted in the US for the first time. The WSDA trapped its first specimen last August, and eradicated its first Asian giant hornet nest in October. I encourage you to read the news release of that eradication event because it’s incredibly satisfying to read an entomologist h...