Technology

Our first look at what seems to be the Google Pixel Watch comes under strange circumstances: someone supposedly found its prototype lying around at a restaurant and sent pictures of it to Android Central on the condition of anonymity. The images of the purported device match up with what we’ve seen from previously leaked renders, down to the circular watch face, rotating crown, and nearly bezel-less design. As shown in the photos, a physical crown sits between two buttons on the side of the watch. If it’s anything like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, the two buttons could be used to turn the watch on or off, return to the home screen, or even as a shortcut to pull up recently used apps. Meanwhile, the small hole next to the crown could be a microphone or perhaps an altimeter sensor used to tra...

There are robot vacuums and then there are home robots. Ecovacs’ $1,549 Deebot X1 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop is the latter. This bot can sweep and mop your floors, empty its own dustbin, refill its mopping reservoir, and clean and dry its mop. Plus, it can respond to your voice commands directly with its onboard voice assistant and double as a roving home security camera. I’d say we’ve gone way beyond “vacuum.” This brave new world became apparent when I was standing at my fridge on a busy morning and spilled a few drops of yogurt on the floor. Rather than pause my well-oiled pre-school routine to grab a mop, I simply had to say, “Okay, Yiko.” (pronounced ee-kho) “I’m here!” said the bot. “Come clean here,” I commanded. Following a whirring noise as it moistened its mops, the X1 Omni rumble...

General Motors will reportedly no longer provide battery replacements for the all-electric version of the Chevy Spark, according to a report from EV-Resource (via InsideEVs). The Chevy Spark electric vehicle (EV) was first released in 2013, and GM continued to make new models until 2016. A GM district executive confirmed to EV-Resource that the company is “no longer going to supply that [the Spark EV’s] battery.” GM’s inventory of Spark EV battery packs has reportedly run out as well, and the company doesn’t plan on making any more. The Verge reached out to GM with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back. It’s unclear if GM will continue to honor the Spark EV’s battery pack warranty With the oldest model of the Spark EV reaching almost 10 years old, vehicle owners may find t...

Campfire Audio has now introduced the latest addition to its premium series of custom-fit, in-ear monitors designed for musicians, audio professionals, and diehard audiophiles. Named the Supermoon, the new earphones carry custom planar magnetic drivers within a specially-mapped interior acoustic chamber to deliver smooth lows, textural mids, and clear highs for anyone who requires the best listening experience possible. Custom ear impressions provide a solid fit for better noise isolation, while the 3D-printed design focuses on one single body to reduce the amount of moving parts, ensuring maximum durability and reliability before being hand-finished in the company’s Portland, Oregon factory with a stainless steel faceplate for an even sleeker look. According to Campfire, it’ll also serve ...

Google has now seemingly confirmed long-held rumors of an upcoming smartwatch from the company by filing for a trademark application for “Pixel Watch.” According to reports, the application was filed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office earlier this week, with the “Pixel Watch” name “intended to cover the categories of smartwatches; cases adapted for holding smartwatches; wearable computers in the nature of smartwatches; smartwatch straps; smartwatch bands.” While the tech giant itself has yet to officially announce or unveil the smartwatch, rumors have long been circulating about such a project, which comes as no surprise given the company’s work on Wear OS for other Android wearables. The leaks also suggest that the device will be round in shape with no bezel and sport some of the fit...

Global cryptocurrency payment solution company MoonPay announced last week that it has received $87 million USD in investments from over 60 high-profile industry leaders and celebrities. What was once a fintech startup has now become a major player in the world of Web3. Investors in the company come from a wide variety of sectors, including music, sports, media and entertainment, and include names like Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton, and Matthew McConaughey. MoonPay states that its strategic investors represent industries that are on the verge of transformation by Web3 technology and will change the way creatives, artists and athletes approach art, fan engagement and intellectual property management. The company closed a $555 million Series A funding round in November. Co-founder and CEO Ivan...

Apple may be cracking down on apps that no longer receive updates. In a screenshotted email sent to affected developers, titled “App Improvement Notice,” Apple warns it will remove apps from the App Store that haven’t been “updated in a significant amount of time” and gives developers just 30 days to update them. “You can keep this app available for new users to discover and download from the App Store by submitting an update for review in 30 days,” Apple writes in the email. “If no update is submitted in 30 days, the app will be removed from sale.” While Apple will remove the outdated apps from the App Store, any previously downloaded apps will remain on users’ devices. I feel sick. Apple just sent me an email saying they’re removing my free game Motivoto because its more than 2 yea...

The Lapsus$ hacking group stole T-Mobile’s source code in a series of breaches that took place in March, as first reported by Krebs on Security. T-Mobile confirmed the attack in a statement to The Verge, and says the “systems accessed contained no customer or government information or other similarly sensitive information.” In copies of private messages obtained by Krebs, the Lapsus$ hacking group discussed targeting T-Mobile in the week prior to the arrest of seven of its teenage members. After purchasing employees’ credentials online, the members could use the company’s internal tools — like Atlas, T-Mobile’s customer management system — to perform SIM swaps. This type of attack involves hijacking a target’s mobile phone by transferring its number to a device owned by the attacker. From ...

Ubisoft announced its upcoming “team battle arena game,” with two major disclaimers: it’s not just a battle royale and there aren’t any NFTs. The game company shared the news on Twitter after leakers posted footage of the game, codenamed Project Q, online. “This is not a Battle Royale,” Ubisoft said in a series of tweets. “The game will feature a variety of PvP modes with one single goal in mind: FUN! We don’t have plans to add NFTs to this game, you can find out more by registering and taking part in the upcoming tests!” So, we heard you heard… ‍Introducing codename “Project Q”, a team battle arena letting players truly own the experience! The game is in early development and we will keep testing, so for now all you can do is register for upcoming tests: https://t.co/TMRKwiUz...

If you find yourself face to face with the TCL 30 V 5G, chances are you’re at a Verizon store or on Verizon’s website contemplating its prospects as a “free” phone. Free is nice! But free may even be too steep for the 30 V 5G. The 30 V 5G’s full retail price, which few people will opt to pay upfront, is $299. That gets you a nice, big full HD display, a healthy 128GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery that easily lasts over a day. Those specs are just fine — even good for a budget phone where lower-res 720p screens and paltry 64GB of storage are not uncommon. Verge Score 5 out of 10 Good Stuff Big, bright 1080p screen Good battery life Support for C-band Ultra Wideband 5G Bad Stuff Laggy performance NXTVISION feature is underwhelming Lots of Verizon pre-downloads But I have one...

Meta held its 2022 games showcase this past week, lifting the curtain on several new virtual reality games in the works for the Quest 2 headset. We’ve got a roundup of the titles that we’re most excited about right here. In celebration of the event, Meta has slashed prices on several VR games that see discounts only on a few occasions each year. So, whether you just bought a Quest 2, or you just want to fill out your library a little more, check out these deals. I’ve highlighted a few deals that I think are particularly good: Photo: Dan Seifert / The Verge In case you’re in the market for a compact, yet capable smart speaker, Google’s Nest Audio may fit the bill. Normally $99.99, this model is price-reduced at Google’s Store, as well as at Best Buy and Walmart to $79.99. As someone who got...