Introducing Regulator and The Stepback, our new subscriber-exclusive newsletters

Today, I'm excited to announce three newsletter offerings, exclusive to Verge subscribers, that will continue to deliver must-read stories about tech and beyond. First, we're introducing Regulator by Tina Nguyen. Regulator is focused on the battles between Big Tech and Big Government - from the juicy palace intrigue to the devastating consequences of their political […]

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Welcome to Regulator

You'll often see tech policy reporting described as the intersection of technology and politics, and for years, that was a pretty accurate description: Silicon Valley existed independent of Washington politics, and every so often, they'd cross paths, discuss some regulatory concern, write a check, shake hands, and then go their separate ways. This is no […]

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Welcome to The Stepback, a weekly breakdown of one essential story from across the tech world

I'm excited to announce The Stepback, a weekly subscriber-only newsletter that I'll be editing for The Verge. We'll be bringing you a new story each Sunday from a rotating cast of writers from every corner of the Verge extended universe. If you're a regular reader, you know we cover a broad range of topics across […]

Continue ReadingWelcome to The Stepback, a weekly breakdown of one essential story from across the tech world

Citizen Lab director warns cyber industry about US authoritarian descent

Ron Deibert, the head of the prominent digital human rights groups Citizen Lab, sounds the alarm at the Black Hat security conference about the "dramatic descent into authoritarianism," but one that the cyber community can help to defend against.

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The Switch OLED went up in price, but you can still save $110

Nintendo recently made the unexpected decision to increase the prices of its last-gen Switch hardware due to “market conditions,” adding $30 to the cost of the $199.99 Switch Lite, $40 to the standard $299.99 Switch, and $50 to the $349.99 Switch OLED. The price difference between the Switch OLED and the standalone Switch 2 now […]

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A ‘unified’ Disney Plus could be the end of Hulu’s app

Disney is planning to fully integrate Hulu with Disney Plus, creating a “unified” app experience that will launch next year, the company announced as part of its earnings results on Wednesday. The new app will put all of Hulu’s content into Disney Plus, calling the future of Hulu’s standalone app into question. With Disney’s deal […]

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Sonos’ smart assistant is expanding from music to home control

Since its launch in 2022, the capabilities of Sonos Voice Control have expanded to include setting timers and checking the weather. But by the end of this year, the smart assistant will introduce compatibility with the Philips Hue smart home platform allowing it to also control lights through voice commands, according to Hueblog. In late […]

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Instagram adds a reposts feed and rips off Snap Maps

Instagram is getting several new features that pull from competitors, and it’s updating a controversial feature that it added earlier this year. Starting today, users will have the ability to repost public Reels and grid posts from other accounts. And similar to TikTok, reposts will be collected in a designated tab on your profile, as […]

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Cohere’s new AI agent platform, North, promises to keep enterprise data secure

Canadian AI firm Cohere is taking aim at alleviating data privacy concerns with its new AI agent platform, North, which can be deployed privately so that enterprises and governments can keep their, and customers', data safe behind their own firewalls. 

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Two arrested for smuggling AI chips to China; Nvidia says no to kill switches

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday that two Chinese nationals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in illegally shipping "tens of millions of dollars" worth of high-performance AI chips to China.

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Final call: TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 ticket savings end tonight

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 marks 20 years of shaping the startup world — and tonight’s your last chance to save up to $675 on your ticket. From October 27–29, Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco. Join 10,000+ tech innovators, founders, VCs, and ecosystem builders for three days of high-impact programming, networking, and startup energy. […]

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Jeff Buckley died young but is immortalized in a new documentary

Jeff Buckley captivated an audience of generations with his transcendent voice and soaring guitar. After his untimely passing in 1997 at age 30, he gained posthumous, cult-like status. Never one for the charts, his album Grace has stood the test of time and is listed on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. His […]

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Disney will stop reporting its streaming subscriber numbers

Disney announced that it will no longer report on subscriber numbers for its streaming services in its quarterly financial reports, following in the footsteps of Netflix. The decision comes after a quarter in which it reported 2.6 million new Disney Plus and Hulu subscribers, bringing it to 183 million in total. The decision was announced […]

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ESPN’s live sports streaming service arrives this month

The launch of ESPN’s long-awaited standalone streaming service is just weeks away. Alongside its earnings results on Wednesday, Disney revealed that ESPN’s streaming service and its “enhanced” app will arrive on August 21st for $29.99 per month. ESPN’s new streaming service, which remains separate from ESPN Plus, will offer access to the network’s linear channels, […]

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Google says hackers stole its customers’ data by breaching its Salesforce database

Google confirmed that one of its cloud-stored Salesforce databases was breached, exposing its customer data. Google attributed the breach to a hacking group, ShinyHunters, known for breaking into Salesforce databases.

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Qwant and Ecosia debut Staan, a European search index that aims to take on Big Tech

European search engines Qwant and Ecosia said on Wednesday that they have both started serving search queries through an index they developed together, Staan, that aims to be a cheaper, more privacy-focused alternative to Google and Bing.

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Nvidia rejects US demand for backdoors in AI chips

Nvidia’s chief security officer has published a blog post insisting that its GPUs “do not and should not have kill switches and backdoors.” It comes amid pressure from both sides of the Pacific, with some US lawmakers pushing Nvidia to grant the government backdoors to AI chips, while Chinese officials have alleged that they already […]

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Microsoft makes OpenAI’s new open model available on Windows

OpenAI released a new free and open GPT model yesterday that can run on a PC, and now Microsoft is making that easy to do for Windows users. The lightweight gpt-oss-20b model is now available on Windows AI Foundry, and will be coming soon to macOS, too. You’ll need a PC or laptop with at […]

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Microsoft’s plan to fix the web with AI has already hit an embarrassing security flaw

Researchers have already found a critical vulnerability in the new NLWeb protocol Microsoft made a big deal about just just a few months ago at Build. It’s a protocol that’s supposed to be “HTML for the Agentic Web,” offering ChatGPT-like search to any website or app. Discovery of the embarrassing security flaw comes in the […]

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Tom Holland Wore His Grandma’s Fishnets for ‘Lip Sync Battle’ Performance

Tom Holland is opening up about the most viral moment of his career on Lip Sync Battle. Back in 2017, the Spider-Man: Homecoming actor dressed up as Rihanna and performed a sultry dance routine to the singer’s hit song “Umbrella” as he took on now-fiancée Zendaya on the hit show. Fast-forward to eight years later, […]

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This $10 Hair Brush Is Jennifer Aniston’s Go-To For Silky, Smooth Locks

Jennifer Aniston is renowned for her gorgeous hair, from the iconic ‘Rachel’ bob in her Friends days to her signature lob, layers and length. We finally learned one of the secrets to her flawless hair, and it’s the Wet Brush Pro Flex hair brush! The actress and haircare icon utilized this ultra-flexible $10 brush on […]

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Netflix’s Most Popular Sci-Fi Movie Now Is This Underrated 2012 Film With The Rock

It just wouldn’t be a normal week if an unexpected movie didn’t shoot to the top of Netflix‘s movie chart. This week, the film in question is Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, the sequel to the 2008 remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth. Both movies are currently streaming on Netflix, but we […]

Continue ReadingNetflix’s Most Popular Sci-Fi Movie Now Is This Underrated 2012 Film With The Rock

This Sci-Fi Remake Is Prime Video’s Most Popular Movie Now — Is It Worth Watching?

Since the original novel was published in 1898, H. G. Wells‘ The War of the Worlds has inspired numerous adaptations, including Orson Welles‘ famous radio broadcast in 1938 and the 2005 film starring Tom Cruise. This month, Amazon Prime Video has added its own take on War of the Worlds, and it’s already one of […]

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Demi Moore’s ‘Really Simple’ Makeup Includes This $30 Mascara That Gives a Falsies Effect

As we age, our hair starts to thin — and I’m not just talking about the hair on our heads. Eyelashes, which are already prone to sparseness, become even thinner. Knowing this, I assumed Demi Moore regularly used false lashes since her fringe always looks so full and lush. I was mistaken because I recently […]

Continue ReadingDemi Moore’s ‘Really Simple’ Makeup Includes This $30 Mascara That Gives a Falsies Effect

3 New Paramount+ Movies With at Least 90 Percent on Rotten Tomatoes (August 2025)

August is a great time to be a Paramount+ subscriber. The Skydance-owned streamer just added a bunch of new movies this month, and almost all of them are binge-worthy. How can Watch With Us tell? Well, we use Rotten Tomatoes and look up all the movies that have at least 90 percent critic scores. We’ve […]

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Jack Osbourne Breaks Silence on Ozzy Osbourne’s Death With Sweet Tribute

Jack Osbourne has broken his silence following the death of his father, Ozzy Osbourne, last month. “I haven’t really wanted to post anything since the passing of my father. My heart has hurt too much,” Jack, 39, wrote in an Instagram post early Wednesday, August 6, which he shared alongside a remembrance video of photos […]

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Francis Ford Coppola Shares Health Update After Having Heart Procedure

Francis Ford Coppola is sharing a health update after undergoing a heart procedure in Rome. “Da Dada (what my kids call me) is fine, taking an opportunity while in Rome to do the update of my 30 year old afib procedure with its inventor, a great Italian doctor – Dr. Andrea Natale,” the Oscar-winning director, […]

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Welcome to Plathville’s Ethan Tells Lydia He ‘Doesn’t Like’ Zac Pre-Proposal

Ethan Plath made his sister Lydia Plath cry on the latest episode of Welcome to Plathville, criticizing her whirlwind romance with Zac Wyse prior to their engagement. “I want you to be happy, and I’m very happy to see that you’re happy. But I just have to say it,” Ethan, 27, told his younger sister, […]

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Brooke Hogan Does Not Attend Dad Hulk Hogan’s Funeral After Estrangement

Brooke Hogan did not attend her father Hulk Hogan’s funeral after years of estrangement, claiming the wrestling legend “didn’t want” an official memorial service. “My father hated the morbidity of funerals. He didn’t want one,” Brooke, 37, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, August 5. “And although I know people grieve in many ways – and […]

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We’re Love the Preppy Polo Shirt Look, and These Finds Nail the Trend

A quick way to look sleek and stylish is to wear a polo shirt. The refined style has been around for decades, but designers are finding fresh ways to upgrade the top, which is why we made it our mission to find some of the cutest options at affordable prices. Curious? Read on! While a […]

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Meghan Markle Thanks Prince Harry for Making 44th Birthday ‘So Special’

Meghan Markle feels lucky that her husband, Prince Harry, cares so much about making each trip around the sun unforgettable. “Blowing out the candles on a beautiful 24 hours, and thanking my husband, friends and family for making it so special,” Meghan, 44, wrote in a Tuesday, August 5, Instagram post. “To those of you […]

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Katie Holmes Leaps Into Joshua Jackson’s Arms on ‘Happy Hours’ Set 

Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson continue to prove their chemistry is hot as ever. The pair were photographed together on set filming their upcoming film trilogy, Happy Hours, in New York City on Tuesday, August 5. A series of snaps showed Holmes, 46, leaping in Jackson’s arms for a hug as he lifted her off […]

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Who Attended Hulk Hogan’s Funeral? Linda Hogan, Kid Rock, Theo Von and More

As close friends and family members of the late Hulk Hogan came together to say their final goodbyes to the famous wrestler, some of the most prominent names in sports entertainment, music and podcasting showed up to pay their respects. According to an insider who spoke exclusively to Us Weekly, Hulk (real name Terry Bollea) […]

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