Ford’s EV and software chief Doug Field is leaving the company
Ford is shaking things up as it relates to its EV and software teams. Doug Field, who left Apple five years ago to helm Ford's multibillion-dollar bet on electric vehicles and software, is stepping down next month. Getting a promotion will be Alan Clarke, the ex-Tesla engineer who now leads Ford's California-based skunkworks lab. Clarke's new title will be vice president of advanced development projects, and he will continue to helm the effort to develop Ford's Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform.
The shake-up comes less five months after Ford announced a massive $19.5 billion writedown on its EV investment, as well as the discontinua …
Trump’s posting even more AI-generated Trump-Jesus fan art
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You can't spell "antichrist" without "AI"
Of all the things that would have fractured the religious right's alliance with Donald Tr …
Ticketmaster is an illegal monopoly, jury finds
Live Nation-Ticketmaster is an illegal monopolist, a Manhattan jury found, according to Bloomberg. The jury found the company liable on three counts: illegally monopolizing the market for live event ticketing, amphitheaters, and tying its concert promotions business with the use of its venues, Bloomberg reported.
The verdict, reached after several days of deliberation, leaves the live entertainment giant open to a potential breakup - which was the stated goal of the lawsuit back when it was filed by the Biden administration's Department of Justice. Such an outcome would go far beyond the settlement that the Trump administration's DOJ reache …
FTC pushes ad agencies into dropping brand safety rules
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a group of eight states have announced a proposed settlement with big ad agencies that will prevent them from working together to avoid certain platforms like X based on their political viewpoints.
In a complaint, the FTC argues that ad agencies violated antitrust rules by agreeing to a common set of brand safety rules, which would disfavor sites and services deemed to contain content like misinformation. That includes establishing groups like the World Federation of Advertisers' now-defunct Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) to coordinate collective brand safety efforts.
GARM was named as …
Ikea’s smart donut lamp is a sweet treat
Ikea's popular Varmblixt lamp just got a smart home glow-up. The delightfully bulbous light now features color-changing, dimming, and smart home control. I tested the new smart lamp in my daughter's room and found it made a great bedside lamp and added a fun touch of ambiance to her space. While she's rarely a fan of me adding smart tech to her room, she did give this an "It's nice" accolade - high praise from my 15-year-old.
The donut lamp, as it's known for its distinctive shape resembling everyone's favorite sweet treat, can be wall-mounted or set flat on a table. It comes with a long power cable, which helps with placement, and differs …
Google launches a Gemini AI app on Mac
Google is launching a new Gemini app on Mac that allows you to interact with the AI assistant without switching windows on your desktop. With the app, you can use the Option + Space shortcut to pull up a floating chat bubble, where you can ask Gemini questions and share your window.
Before sharing your window, you'll need to give Gemini permission to access your system's information before sharing your window. From there, the AI assistant will pull information from what you're looking at to help answer your question.
It looks a bit like Apple's upgraded version of Spotlight, which you can now use to perform actions on your device, as well …
Microsoft counters the MacBook Neo with freebies for students
Apple's $599 MacBook Neo ($499 for students) has sent shockwaves through the PC ecosystem, and now Microsoft is responding with deals targeting students in the US. A new "Microsoft College Offer" is launching today, which will see the software giant bundle 12 months of free Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with select Windows 11 PCs that have also been discounted.
Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are all participating in this Microsoft College Offer, and Microsoft is even discounting some Surface devices days after hiking the prices of its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. Best Buy is selling a 15.3-inch Lenovo IdeaPad …
Best Buy’s Ultimate Upgrade Sale features deals on dozens of our favorite gadgets
If you missed out on Amazon’s recent spring sales event, Best Buy’s Ultimate Upgrade Sale presents yet another opportunity to score steep discounts on some of our favorite gadgets. The five-day sale runs through April 19th and features deals on a wide range of tech, including 4K TVs, Apple gear, smartphones, smart home devices, and more.
Whether you’ve had your eye on LG’s budget-friendlier B5 OLED or Bose’s latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, several Verge favorites are either at or near their record-low price. Even products released just last month — including Google’s Pixel 10A and the new 11-inch iPad Air — are on sale, so it’s not just older devices. Best of all, competing retailers like Amazon are matching many of these prices, so you can snag the same deals no matter where you shop.
LG B5 OLED TV
LG’s B5 TV is a great way to get OLED picture quality for less. It features support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with a 120Hz panel and four HDMI 2.1 ports for hooking up the latest gaming consoles. It also runs LG’s webOS platform, supports Amazon Alexa, and provides easy access to a wide range of popular streaming apps.
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AirPods Pro 3
The AirPods Pro 3 have a new design that improves their fit, superior noise cancellation, better bass, and fairly accurate heart rate sensors. Read our review.
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Google Pixel 10A
Google’s new Pixel 10A introduces faster wired charging, Satellite SOS, and new AI tools like Camera Coach and Auto Best Take. Otherwise, it’s basically the Pixel 9A, with the same Tensor G4 chip and a dual-camera system. Read our hands-on impressions.
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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
The second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have dynamic, rich sound and the best noise cancellation currently available in a pair of true wireless earbuds. They’re a terrific pick if you want to listen to your music in peace. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Anker Laptop Power Bank
Anker’s 25,000mAh power bank sports two built-in USB-C cables (one of which is retractable), plus one USB-C and USB-A port. It tops out at 165W when charging two devices simultaneously, or 130W when charging three or four.
Where to Buy:
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) smart glasses
Developed in partnership with Ray-Ban, Meta’s last-gen smart glasses can perform a range of tasks. They can capture 1080p video and play music, and thanks to a suite of AI-based features, you can even use them to translate from a myriad of languages in real time. Read our review.
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iPad (2025)
Apple’s entry-level iPad is an excellent tablet for casual use, even if it is getting a little long in the tooth. Its high-res screen is great for watching video, and its A16 processor is still fast enough to handle light games and productivity apps. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Blink Video Doorbell (second-gen)
Blink’s latest Video Doorbell is one of the best options available if you want a budget-friendly buzzer with motion-activated recording and alerts, night vision, two-way audio, and up to two years of battery life. Just know that a Sync Module is required for the doorbell to work properly.
Where to Buy:
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung’s 6.9-inch S26 Ultra is the only model in the lineup with the new privacy display, designed to limit what people around you can see on your screen. It also includes the S Pen and upgrades the camera hardware, adding dual telephoto lenses alongside a 200-megapixel main sensor. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Google Nest Doorbell (wired, third-gen)
Google’s newest wired doorbell offers 2K video and support for the Gemini for Home AI assistant, along with free alerts for people, packages, and animals. It also supports night vision and two-way audio, but if you want 24/7 recording and more advanced features, you’ll need to pay for a Google Home subscription.
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13-inch MacBook Air (M5)
Powered by Apple’s new M5 chip, the latest MacBook Airs are more powerful than prior models and offer double the base storage (512GB). They also support faster wireless standards, specifically Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Read our review.
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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (first-gen)
The older QC Ultra were a replacement for the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with a more travel-friendly design, spatial audio, and better call quality. Thankfully, they still offer excellent comfort and some of the best noise cancellation available. Read our review.
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Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones, which replaced the QuietComfort 45, feature adjustable noise cancellation and the ability to set custom modes. However, they lack the immersive audio mode and higher-quality Bluetooth found in Bose’s higher-end QC Ultra Headphones.
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JBL Clip 5
The Clip 5 is a compact Bluetooth speaker that provides big sound. It has a customizable equalizer, so you can adjust the sound to your taste, along with an IP67 rating and up to 12 hours of playtime. It also has a built-in carabiner (hence the name), making it easy to clip the speaker to a backpack for easy listening on the go.
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Sony WH-CH520
The Sony WH-CH520 offer a lot for very little. The on-ear Bluetooth headphones provide 50 hours of battery life and support hands-free voice assistants, including Google Assistant and Siri. They also offer multipoint Bluetooth support and can tap into Google’s Find Hub network.
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Samsung Frame TV Pro (2025)
Samsung’s last-gen Frame Pro shows art when you’re not watching TV on a matte, anti-glare screen. It also includes a Wireless One Connect box to keep cables out of sight, and supports Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.
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11-inch iPad Air (2026)
The latest 11-inch iPad Air comes with Apple’s M4 chip and 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB. It also features Apple’s N1 wireless chip — which adds support for Bluetooth 6, Wi-Fi 7, and Thread — allowing it to connect faster and more reliably to wireless networks, accessories, and smart home devices. Read our review.
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Bose Soundlink Flex (second-gen)
The second-gen SoundLink Flex builds on the original with more intuitive controls, including a new play / pause button. It also adds adjustable EQ and support for higher-quality audio via AAC and aptX, while retaining a rugged IP67-rated design and the ability to pair two speakers for stereo sound.
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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x
The IdeaPad Slim 3x offers a 15.3-inch touchscreen and a comfortable keyboard. It runs the super efficient Arm-based Snapdragon X1-26-100 chip, making it well-suited for everyday tasks, even if it’s not built for heavy workloads. The real highlight is battery life, though, which can easily last over a full day on a charge; it also features a solid port selection that includes USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and an SD card slot. Read our review.
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JLab Go Air Pop
The JLab Go Air Pop are an affordable pair of wireless earbuds with eight hours of battery life (or 32 hours with the included charging case). The case also houses a built-in USB-A charging plug, so you’re never without a charging cable.
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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
The latest version of Amazon’s zippy Fire TV Stick 4K streams in 4K resolution, as its name suggests, and features support for Wi-Fi 6, Dolby Atmos / Vision, and HDR10 Plus.
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JBL Go 4
The last-gen JBL Go 4 has been around for a bit, but the pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker still delivers with up to seven hours of runtime, dual device connectivity, and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. You can also pair it with other Go 4 speakers for bigger stereo sound, if desired.
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Blink Mini (first-gen)
The last-gen Blink Mini includes a ball-and-socket mount, a USB-C cable for powering it, and a power adapter. However, note that you’ll need to opt for the optional Blink subscription plan to take advantage of cloud storage and some features.
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Sony LinkBuds Clip
Sony’s quirky wireless earbuds clip behind your ear, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings while maintaining a secure fit. They also offer up to nine hours of battery life per charge, excellent voice call quality, and good sound, particularly for a pair of open-style earbuds. Read our review.
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Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl
Ninja’s clever 2-in-1 machine can spin up soft serve and traditional hard scoops in a few easy steps, not to mention creamy milkshakes, gelato, and frozen yogurt.
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Asus Vivobook 14
The Vivobook 14 runs on the Snapdragon X processor, offers up to 29 hours of battery life, and can be charged to 50 percent capacity in about 30 minutes. It’s not built for demanding workloads, but it’s a solid pick for everyday tasks such as web browsing and light content creation. You also get a good port selection, a 1080p webcam, and a physical privacy shutter.
Where to Buy:
The Senate is voting to save free IRS Direct File today
The Senate is getting ready to vote on a bill to resurrect IRS Direct File, the free tax filing service axed by the Trump administration in 2025. On Wednesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) will seek unanimous consent to pass the Direct File Act, where it will either get fast-tracked to the House of Representatives or forced back into the standard, slow-moving lawmaking process if all 100 senators don't agree.
Launched in 2024 as a pilot program, IRS Direct File allowed Americans to file taxes directly with the government for free. It spread to 25 states before IRS Commissioner Billy Long declared it "gone" last fall. But Warren and Rep. Bra …
Most people still don’t want anything to do with robotaxis
I've been reporting on self-driving cars for over a decade, and I've seen the technology go through many ups and downs, highs and lows. But one thing has remained remarkably the same over the years: the public just ain't buying it.
Poll after poll has revealed a deep and abiding skepticism toward autonomous vehicles. People don't trust the technology, don't want to ride in cars without human drivers - even when the evidence suggests the vehicle could be much safer than a human driver. Sure, robotaxis are operating in about a dozen cities now, and companies like Waymo don't seem to have any problems finding customers. But when you expand th …