Technology

I had the end of WandaVision spoiled before I watched it because I basically work on the internet and couldn’t quite avoid it, so I won’t do the same to you, dear reader. Let’s just say I didn’t hate it? My colleague Julia Alexander writes in her review that the finale “never lost sight of the story it wanted to tell, the show it wanted to be, and the finale does a mostly decent job of hitting those final notes.” Next up in the MCU, of course, is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. After giving us a full trailer during the Super Bowl last month, Marvel dropped a new teaser titled “Coworkers” (it’s over before you know it) so let’s dive in there. [embedded content] The Falcon and The Winter Soldier This was supposed to be Marvel Studios’ first big original series for Disney Plus, but it got ...

Rumors about a long-desired upgrade to the Nintendo Switch have been swirling for some time, and this week, Bloomberg reported that this fabled new Switch might actually be coming soon. This upgraded Switch will apparently have a 7-inch 720p OLED screen that can output 4K graphics when connected to a TV, according to the report. An OLED screen would be a major upgrade from the Switch and Switch Lite’s LCD, likely providing deeper colors and darker blacks. And the 4K output would be a big jump, too; right now, the current Switch tops out at a 1080p resolution when hooked up to a TV. But a lot of us here at The Verge still like our existing Switches quite a bit, even those of us with the launch model that debuted four years ago this week. The changes we’re clamoring for aren’t necessarily an...

Tesla is expanding its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) beta, CEO Elon Musk said, doubling its size with a new software update, and eventually increasing the number of participants tenfold. “Still be careful, but it’s getting mature,” Musk tweeted Friday. He said Saturday that Tesla would add a “download beta” button to Tesla displays in the coming days “due to high levels of demand.” Due to high levels of demand for FSD Beta, adding “Download Beta” button to Service section of car display in ~10 days https://t.co/D6M3ZiMarG — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2021 Tesla first introduced the FSD beta in October to vehicle owners in its Early Access Program. At the time, Musk said the company was handling the software update “very cautiously.” Drivers still are expected to keep their hands on the ste...

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts in a new research note that Apple will release a “helmet-type” mixed reality headset next year, augmented reality glasses in mid-2025, and an AR contact lens product by 2030-2040, according to MacRumors. “We foresee that the helmet product will provide AR and VR experiences, while glasses and contact lens types of products are more likely to focus on AR applications,” Kuo writes in the note. While several prototypes of Apple’s mixed reality headset weigh between 200 and 300 grams, Kuo says, if Apple can solve some technical problems the headset could end up weighing between 100 and 200 grams, MacRumors reported. He added that the headset will likely be priced in the $1,000 range in the US. The headset will be able to offer an immersive experience Kuo say...

Several current and former Google employees say the company’s human resources department would often suggest mental health counseling or leave in response to complaints about racist or sexist behavior in the workplace, NBC News reported. The workers described encounters with coworkers that included racist comments about skin color and hairstyles, as well as sexual harassment. When they contacted Google’s human resources department, each was encouraged to take mental health leave, even when their complaints were unrelated to mental health concerns, according to NBC. The report follows the December firing of Google AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru, who refused a manager’s request to retract a paper that described the dangers of language models like the ones Google relies on to power its sea...

Microsoft has started publicly testing its new Edge Chromium-powered browser on Xbox consoles. Xbox testers in the Alpha Skip-Ahead group can now access the new Microsoft Edge on Xbox One or Xbox Series S / X consoles. While full mouse and keyboard support is still missing, the browser works as you’d expect with an Xbox controller, albeit a little buggy in this initial test version. A Chromium browser on Xbox is a boost for those wanting to access websites through their console. Edge will also now provide access to Google’s Stadia streaming service, thanks to the improved compatibility support with Chromium. It should also improve compatibility with browser-based games, and services like Skype or Discord through the web. This early test version appears to include the same sync engine used ...

For the past month, I’ve been testing the two most powerful Wear OS watches you can buy: the TicWatch Pro 3 from Mobvoi and the Fossil Gen 5 LTE. They’re not spec-for-spec identical, but they do share a basic shape: big, chunky, round, and black. If you’re using Android and want a smartwatch, they’re at the top of a persistently tiny list of top-flight smartwatches. Despite Wear OS’s reputation, both watches are perfectly competent and can do the basics of what many people want out of a smartwatch. Both also offer what I’d characterize as acceptable battery life: a full day most of the time, two at a stretch. The TicWatch can actually go much longer, thanks to a clever second screen layered on top of the first one. But Wear OS does have that reputation: for years, watches that ran it have ...

Four online publications linked to Russian intelligence agencies have been spreading false or misleading information about coronavirus vaccines, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an official at the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center. The sites, identified as New Eastern Outlook, Oriental Review, News Front, and Rebel Inside, have emphasized the side effects of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine as well as other western pharma companies’ vaccines, stoking concerns about whether the vaccines are effective or had been rushed through the US approval process, the WSJ said. The sites don’t have large audiences, but officials said their false stories are often picked up and circulated by international media. They typically focus on true news reports about rare side effects of the ...

Comics have never been bigger: with Marvel TV shows, DC movies, and indie adaptations growing by the day, comic books have never been more prominent in pop culture. This weekly Verge column recommends comic series new and old, whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer. WandaVision’s season finale has hit Disney Plus, but if you’ve got a hankering for more surreal suburban comic book drama, look no further than Vision, a 12-issue run from writer Tom King and artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta, which explores further the idea of a superhero trying to step back and start a family — no matter the cost. What is it? Vision is a 12-issue comic series. While it lightly ties into the character’s past history over decades of comics, it’s largely a standalone story: Vision moves to the DC suburbs, and ...

Disneyland, Universal Studios other theme parks, and sports stadiums in California can reopen beginning April 1st, the California Department of Public Health said Friday. But there are caveats: the health department is requiring “significantly reduced capacity, mandatory masking and other public health precautions” due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. How many people will be allowed in the parks depends on the number of COVID-19 cases in the counties where they’re located. For amusement parks, counties in the “red” tier of California’s four-tier reopening risk system— red is the second-highest risk category— will be limited to attendance of 15 percent capacity. In the orange tier, the limit increases to 25 percent capacity and in the yellow tier, to 35 percent. Attendance will be restr...

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is looking into allegations of racial bias and hiring practices at Facebook, a probe which the agency has designated as “systemic,” Reuters reported. In July, Facebook employee Oscar Veneszee, Jr., who is Black, filed a complaint with the EEOC along with two people Veneszee recruited but whom Facebook did not hire. The complaint alleges that the social platform discriminates against Black job applicants and employees and promotes racial stereotypes. Veneszee told NPR that Facebook has “a Black people problem,” and that the company has failed to create a culture to attract and retain Black workers. The EEOC has not brought allegations against Facebook, Reuters notes, and the agency’s investigation may not produce findings of any wrongdoing ...

On Tuesday, Sonos will introduce its latest product called the Sonos Roam, which The Verge extensively detailed a couple of days ago. Now I’m able to share a bit more about new functionality that will debut first on the tiny, take-everywhere speaker. My previous report laid out the core specs of the Sonos Roam. Measuring 6.5 inches long and weighing around a pound, the portable speaker will offer up to 10 hours of battery life on a charge. Just like the Move, it will support voice commands for either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Sonos plans to sell it for $169, and the Roam will ship in April. But now on to the new stuff: The Sonos Roam will include automatic Trueplay.Like the pricier, larger Move, Sonos is building its Auto Trueplay audio tuning feature right into the Roam. The speak...