Technology

/ After selling Workflow to Apple in 2017, the co-founders are back with a new startup that wants to reimagine how desktop computers work using generative AI. By Alex Heath, a deputy editor and author of the Command Line newsletter. He’s covered the tech industry for over a decade at The Information and other outlets. Share this story From left to right: Conrad Kramer, Kim Beverett, and Ari Weinstein of Software Applications Incorporated. AI chatbots like ChatGPT have, to date, been fairly impersonal, existing outside of the apps and data that we use every day. A new startup by three ex-Apple employees called Software Applications Incorporated hopes to change that. The company’s CEO, Ari Weinstein, is a repeat founder, having sold his last startup, the iOS automation app Workflow, to Apple...

/ The five social media executives will testify before the Senate on January 31st, 2024 over their ‘failure to protect’ kids online. By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Share this story Laura Normand / The Verge Some of the biggest names in tech will testify before the US Senate on January 31st, 2024 during a hearing about online child exploitation. In a Wednesday announcement, the Senate Judiciary Committee said it will hear from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, X (formerly Twitter) CEO Linda Yaccarino, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and Discord CEO Jason Citron. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) issued subpoenas for Yaccarino, Spiegel, a...

/ The automaker is slashing costs and reining in spending on its robotaxi business, which has paused operations in the wake of a crash. By Andrew J. Hawkins, transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State. Share this story Image: Getty General Motors is dealing with a lot right now: a slowing EV business, delays in battery manufacturing, a safety crisis with its robotaxi unit, Cruise, and financial headwinds from the monthslong autoworker strike. On top of it all, its stock price is still struggling to get back to where it was this summer before the strike started. With all that in mind, GM CEO Mary Barra hopped on a call with investors early Wednesday to address t...

/ Spotify’s yearly roundup is showing error messages instead of listening data for some people. By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Share this story Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Spotify Wrapped, the yearly roundup that offers insight into your listening habits, started having issues shortly after its launch. While Spotify is offering Wrapped on the web for the first time, the experience isn’t loading for some users. Instead of landing on a login page when heading to Spotify.com/wrapped, some users (including myself and several others at The Verge) are seeing a blank webpage that says “500 Internal Server Error.” There are also numerous reports on X (formerl...

/ Uber was once banned in London. Now it’s on track to list all 15,000 black cabbies in its app. One trade group denounced the deal. By Andrew J. Hawkins, transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State. Share this story Photo by Mike Kemp / In Pictures via Getty Images Uber notched another win in its effort to win over the beleaguered taxi industry, announcing a plan to start listing London’s famed black cabbies in its app. The service won’t roll out until early 2024, but some London cabbies have already begun to sign up. Uber says all 15,000 of London’s cab drivers “will now have the opportunity” to sign up for Uber trip referrals. The company recently brokered de...

/ Amazon Q, currently available for contact centers, will be integrated to other AWS services soon. By Emilia David, a reporter who covers AI. Prior to joining The Verge, she covered the intersection between technology, finance, and the economy. Share this story AWS CEO Adam SelipskyNoah Berger Amazon’s cloud business AWS launched a chat tool called Amazon Q, where businesses can ask questions specific to their companies. Announced during a keynote speech by AWS CEO Adam Selipsky at AWS re:Invent, Amazon Q acts like an AI assistant where users can ask questions about their businesses using their data. For example, employees can query Amazon Q on the company’s latest guidelines for logo usage or understand another engineer’s code to maintain an app. Q can surface the information instead of ...

/ Amazon Q, currently available for contact centers, will be integrated to other AWS services soon. By Emilia David, a reporter who covers AI. Prior to joining The Verge, she covered the intersection between technology, finance, and the economy. Share this story AWS CEO Adam SelipskyNoah Berger Amazon’s cloud business AWS launched a chat tool called Amazon Q, where businesses can ask questions specific to their companies. Announced during a keynote speech by AWS CEO Adam Selipsky at AWS re:Invent, Amazon Q acts like an AI assistant where users can ask questions about their businesses using their data. For example, employees can query Amazon Q on the company’s latest guidelines for logo usage or understand another engineer’s code to maintain an app. Q can surface the information instead of ...

/ Capcom put on a 15-minute showcase revealing the newest class, the trickster, and a release date set for March 2024. By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku. Share this story Image: Capcom A few weeks ago, Capcom announced that it would put on a showcase for Dragon’s Dogma 2. The livestream just wrapped up, showing off roughly 15 minutes of new gameplay, information, a trailer, and a release date: March 22nd. Check out the video here. The release date wasn’t exactly the newest of news. Hours before the livestream began on November 28th, the game’s Steam page accidentally leaked that you’d be able to dogma your dragons on March 21st. The livestream confirmed that the actual release d...

/ Ayaneo’s new device borrows, uh, heavily from the Macintosh’s design. But who cares? It’ll look great on your desk. By David Pierce, editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired. Share this story If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. It’s a Macintosh! Only smaller! And made by Ayaneo!Image: Ayaneo Ayaneo, which is mostly known for making handheld gaming consoles, just fully revealed the new Retro Mini PC AM01 after teasing it a few weeks ago. It says it plans to ship the AM01 before the end of the year — and I’d be lying if I said I’m not tempted to get one. The AM01 won’t win any benchmarking contests, but it’ll almost...

Tech/ Apple / If you’re an Apple Music user getting FOMO as Spotify users gear up for Wrapped, there is (technically) an alternative you can use. By Monica Chin, a senior reviewer covering laptops and other gadgets. Monica was a writer for Tom’s Guide and Business Insider before joining The Verge in 2020. Share this story Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge I am a devoted Apple Music user, and you will pry the service out of my cold, dead hands. Still, I’ve spent the past few Decembers incredibly jealous of the sea of Spotify rewinds that populated my friends’ social media profiles. Sure, Apple has always had ways to see your most-played songs over given periods of time. But it hasn’t had anything nearly as comprehensive or interesting as what Spotify puts out — at least, until ...