Tech
Biden administration acknowledges it can force Bitcoin mines to disclose pollution
/ In a letter shared exclusively with The Verge, Democrats pressed the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency on their timelines for mandating energy and emissions disclosures by crypto mining companies. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar / Bloomberg via Getty Images Federal agencies have the authority to force crypto mining companies to divulge how much energy they use and greenhouse gas emissions they create, according to letters between the agencies and Democratic lawmakers shared exclusively with The Verge. Bitcoin miners have flocked ...
Tuesday’s top tech news: a new era for Microsoft’s Bing
Perennial search engine also-ran Bing looks set to get a massive shot in the arm amid reports that operator Microsoft is preparing to announce some kind of ChatGPT integration for the service later today. News of the event seemed to have spooked Google, with the search giant making the surprise announcement on Monday that it’s working on its own “experimental conversational AI service.” The Verge will be in attendance at Microsoft’s event, so stay tuned for all the details as they’re announced. And speaking of new Eras, my colleague Chris Welch has a scoop on Sonos’ upcoming speaker lineup set to debut in the coming months. We now know that they’re set to be branded as “Era,” with specific models including the Era 300 and Era 100. The former will apparently focus on spatial audio, and supp...
Google Unveils AI Chatbot “Bard”
As ChatGPT becomes the fastest-growing consumer application in the history of the internet and we see more and more AI applications across creative fields that were never thought to be possible, Google now unveils its new "experimental conversational AI service" they're calling Bard.Combining the breadth of the world's knowledge with the power and intelligence of Google's large language models, officially titled Language Model for Dialogue Applications or LaMDA for short, Bard draws upon the collective information on the web to provide "fresh, high-quality" responses. From explaining new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope to a 9-year-old to learning more about the best strikers in football and recommending drills to build your skills, Bard is able to simplify complex topics in...
Microsoft Authenticator drops support for Apple Watch
/ If you’ve become accustomed to conveniently logging in to your accounts using the app on your Apple Watch, you’ll need to find an alternative.
Fox’s Super Bowl LVII ads won’t include any crypto companies
/ Don’t expect a repeat of last year’s ‘crypto bowl’ now that the companies behind those ads are experiencing bankruptcy and layoffs.
FTC won’t appeal court decision permitting Meta to buy Within
/ The decision could spell trouble for a separate FTC suit challenging Microsoft’s purchase of Activision.
Twitch is making it much easier to catch up on chat
/ With chat history, you’ll be able to see what other viewers have been talking about before you visited the stream.
Amazon’s Luna game streaming service has lost a lot of games recently
/ Is the catalog staying fresh or is it just inconsistent?
The Verge’s 2023 Valentine’s Day gift guide
Gift Guide A few gift ideas for that special someone in your life that aren’t just candies, chocolates, or cringe. Share this story Valentine’s Day might be one of the campier holidays, sure, but there’s nothing wrong with using it as an opportunity to show that special someone in your life how much you care. But if you’re stuck thinking only cheesy gifts like chocolates or a generic teddy bear are the way to go, then you’re doing yourself (and your partner) a huge disservice. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. We’ve consulted many of the fine tastemakers here at The Verge and have pooled together a diverse batch of tech, non-tech, and nontraditional gifts that will make your valentine light up with excitement. There are gifts for all types of people, too, from couples in committed relatio...
Here’s why Meta is shutting down Echo VR
/ Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth shared some context about why the company is shutting down the beloved VR game. John Carmack has weighed in, too.
A remastered version of Myst is coming to iOS
/ The game that frustrated and delighted us decades ago will soon be available for the device in your pocket — in remastered, three-dimensional glory. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Cyan The classic puzzle game Myst is celebrating its 30th birthday this year with a new way to play: on your iOS device. Myst Mobile is based on the remastered version of the original that’s been released for Oculus headsets and PCs over the past few years. It hits mobile devices on February 9th. The new iOS port will support iPhones and iPads with A12 bionic chipsets and newer, so you can expe...
Dell to layoff 6,650 employees as demand for PCs plummets
/ The computing giant reportedly experienced a 37 percent decline in PC shipments in Q4, 2022 compared to the previous year. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images Computer manufacturer Dell is set to cut about 6,650 jobs representing 5 percent of its global workforce, according to a report from Bloomberg. Announced in a memo on Monday, Dell Co-Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said that the company’s previous cost-cutting measures, such as a pause on hiring and limitations on travel, have proved insufficient, and that the company is experiencing mark...
