4chan’s creator says ‘Epstein had nothing to do’ with creating infamous far-right board /pol/
The close timing of Jeffrey Epstein coming into contact with 4chan founder Chris 'moot' Poole and the launch of the "politically incorrect" message board /pol/ that became a breeding ground for QAnon and the white supremacist alt-right movement was coincidental, says Poole. In a statement given to The Verge, Pool writes, "The decision to add the board was made weeks beforehand, and the board was added almost 24 hours prior to a first, chance encounter at a social event."
Speculation about the timing arose after emails found in the millions of documents released by the Department of Justice showed Epstein and venture capitalist Boris Nikolic …
The Verge’s 2026 Valentine’s Day gift guide (for him)
Valentine's Day is often thought of as the quintessential Hallmark holiday - and why wouldn't it be? Most of the time, it's marketed to us with massive floral arrangements and heart-shaped chocolates, both of which can come off as borderline twee. But no one says you have to play by the rulebook when it comes to holidays, especially if your husband or boyfriend couldn't care less about the classics.
If you're hoping to express your affection for the man in your life with something a little different this year, we have some thoughts. Quince's cashmere crewneck is quickly becoming a staple in our closet, while past favorites like Glocusent's …
The Beats Studio Buds Plus are on sale for less than $100 for Presidents Day
If you like how well AirPods work with iPhones but want something more colorful and flexible, the Beats Studio Buds Plus are a nice middle ground. They’re platform-agnostic and are on sale for $99.95 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart for Presidents Day. The deal includes the eye-catching translucent option and is just $10 shy of the buds’ best price to date.
Beats Studio Buds Plus
Where to Buy:
Unlike Apple’s AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds Plus play well with both iOS and Android devices, which is why they’re among our favorite wireless earbuds. You don’t get every ecosystem perk, but you do get a lot of the essentials. Apple iPhone owners, for example, get hands-free Siri, Find My support, one-step pairing, and Control Center integration. You miss out on AirPods-exclusive features like automatic device switching and spatial audio head-tracking, but in exchange, Android users get native support for Google’s Find Hub platform, Fast Pair, and audio switching.
Aside from software perks, the Beats Studio Buds Plus also sound excellent and deliver good noise cancellation that works well, even if not as impressively as the AirPods Pro. The tiny wireless earbuds are also among the most comfortable you can buy. Beats includes four swappable ear tips for a more secure fit. It’s a shame they lack wireless charging, but they can last up to 9 hours on a single charge, with up to 27 hours total with the case. Plus, they offer IPX4 water resistance, so they can handle sweat and light rain.
Read our Beats Studio Buds Plus review.
Steam beta lets users add their PC specs to reviews
User reviews on Steam may get more informative after a Steam Client Beta update released on Thursday, which adds an option for users to attach their hardware specs to game reviews. Steam users have always been able to share their specs in the text of their reviews, but the option to automatically include that data could encourage more users to add it, potentially making reviews more useful.
When a user posts a negative review or reports having performance issues, the attached hardware specs could reveal why, highlighting when performance issues might be caused by a player's hardware rather than a problem with the game itself (such as specs …
Here are the 50 best Presidents Day deals we’ve found so far
Deals have been admittedly pretty dry since the holidays, but now that February is in full swing, we’re starting to see strong discounts return across a range of categories. In fact, thanks to Valentine’s Day, the Super Bowl, and — as of this week — Presidents Day, retailers are once again offering a slew of notable tech deals, making now a great time to shop if you’ve been holding off on making a larger purchase.
Although the Super Bowl has technically come and gone, plenty of game-day discounts are still around. A few have been rebranded for Presidents Day — including the discounts we recently saw on Sonos soundbars and speakers — but others are part of a new wave of limited-time deals, letting you save on OLED TVs, wireless earbuds, iPads, and other gadgets through the end of Monday, February 16th.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best Presidents Day deals we’ve seen so far. As in previous years, we’ll continue updating this list with new picks throughout the long weekend and ensuing holiday.
Headphone and earbud deals
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony’s latest pair of flagship headphones feature improved comfort, better noise cancellation, and the ability to charge while in use. They even fold down for travel, which can’t be said about the last-gen XM5. Read our initial impressions.
Where to Buy:
Shokz OpenFit Air
The OpenFit Air feature a lightweight, open-ear design that allows you to remain aware of your surroundings. They’re well-suited for everyday use and the gym thanks to their IP55 water resistance rating, and feature relatively clear sound and a decent amount of bass despite their open build. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- You can currently buy the Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus at Best Buy for $149.99 ($50 off), which is just $10 more than their all-time low. The open-style earbuds boast wireless charging and support for Dolby Audio, but are otherwise nearly identical to the Shokz OpenFit 2, with one dedicated bass speaker and another for mids and highs. They don’t sound as clear as the OpenRun Pro 2, but they do sound better than the OpenFit Air and offer helpful onboard touch controls.
- The latest pair of AirPods Max are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for around $449 ($100 off), which is $50 shy of their best price to date. Apple’s stainless steel / aluminum headphones offer a high-end look few headphones can match, along with a natural-sounding transparency mode and some of the best noise cancellation available. They also play well with other Apple devices, providing Apple users access to automatic device switching, head-tracking spatial audio, built-in Find My support, and other notable features. Read our original review.
Beats Studio Pro
The latest Beats Studio Pro feature improved noise cancellation, sound quality, and comfort. They also support lossless audio over USB-C, making them the first Apple headphones to do so. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
The OpenRun Pro 2 are Shokz’s best bone conduction headphones yet, with better sound and more bass than their predecessor. Our reviewer Victoria Song praised their cozy fit as well as their USB-C charging (goodbye, proprietary charger!). Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- The Sonos Ace are currently available from Amazon and Best Buy for $319 ($80 off), which is the best price we’ve seen since they dropped to $249 in December. Sonos’ first pair of headphones deliver great ANC and sound, but what really makes them stand out is that you can easily swap TV audio from a compatible Sonos soundbar to your headphones for private listening. Read our review.
- You can buy a pair of the noise-canceling AirPods Pro 3 for $209.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, which is about $10 more than their most recent sale price. Apple’s premium earbuds boast the best ANC and sound quality of any AirPods to date, along with a built-in heart-rate sensor that allows you to use them as a fitness tracker. The wireless earbuds also improve upon the prior model with an additional ear tip size (XXS) and a more robust IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance. Read our review.
Beats Studio Buds Plus
The Beats Studio Buds Plus sport an eye-catching translucent option and build upon the original with improved sound, better voice quality, and more effective ANC. They also include swappable silicon ear tips and support for native iOS and Android features. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Nothing Headphone 1
Nothing’s first pair of over-ear headphones feature a retro transparent design and high-end features like active noise cancellation, spatial audio with head tracking, and plush ear pads. They also feature a paddle button that allows you to control music playback. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Speaker deals
Sonos Era 100
Sonos’ Era 100 smart speaker is a replacement for the older Sonos One, utilizing two tweeters (left and right) and one larger woofer. In addition to Wi-Fi, the Era 100 also supports Bluetooth audio and line-in playback via an optional 3.5mm to USB-C adapter.
Where to Buy:
- The Sonos Era 300 is also on sale for $379 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Sonos, which is $20 shy of its best price to date. The fantastic smart speaker delivers more powerful, Dolby Atmos-enabled sound than the Era 100, allowing for room-filling spatial audio. It also supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and line-in audio via USB-C (with Sonos’ optional adapter), as well as voice controls via Amazon Alexa. Read our review.
JBL Authentics 200
The JBL Authentics 200 is one of the first smart speakers with simultaneous Google Assistant and Alexa support. The small, ‘70s-style speaker produces great sound for its size, and you don’t need to toggle a setting to use your preferred virtual assistant.
Where to Buy:
- You can buy the JBL Charge 6 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for $159.95 ($40 off), which is $10 shy of its lowest price to date. The rugged Bluetooth speaker builds on its predecessor with improved sound, a more robust IP68 water resistance rating, and up to 28 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. It also supports lossless audio with compatible services like Spotify, and features a removable strap so you can carry it around easily. As an added bonus, it even doubles as a power bank.
- The tiny JBL Clip 5 is available from Amazon, Best Buy, and JBL for $59.95 ($20 off), which is $10 more than its best-ever price. The Clip 5 offers up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge while delivering surprisingly powerful sound for its size, which you can adjust using JBL’s companion app. It also features an IP67 rating and a built-in carabiner, so you can clip it to your bag, handlebars, or anything else you can latch it to.
Soundbar, TV, and streaming deals
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.
Where to Buy:
LG B5 OLED TV
LG’s budget B5 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.
Where to Buy:
LG C5 OLED TV
LG’s midrange C5 TV is an excellent way to get OLED performance without paying top dollar. It has a good amount of brightness, excellent color accuracy out of the box, and great gaming features, including a max 144Hz refresh rate.
Where to Buy:
- The high-end G5 OLED TV is matching its best price at Amazon, where you can buy it for $1,996.99 ($1,403 off) right now. Other configurations are on sale too, with the 83-inch model going for about $5,299.99 ($1,200 off) at Amazon and LG’s online storefront (where you’ll also receive $200 off one of several soundbars). LG’s step-up OLED offers all the features of the midrange C5, but it’s noticeably brighter, with a higher maximum refresh rate of 165Hz. It also features a more powerful chip, enabling better image processing and upscaling, so lower-res content looks sharper and more detailed.
- If you’re looking for a high-end soundbar, the Sonos Arc Ultra is down to $899 ($200 off) — $20 shy of its best-ever price — at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos’ online storefront. The Arc Ultra is more powerful than the Beam and better suited for larger spaces, largely thanks to its upward-firing Dolby Atmos drivers, which help create a more immersive, theater-like experience. It also builds on the last-gen model with Bluetooth support, deeper bass response, and clearer, more defined dialogue. Read our review.
Sonos Beam (second-gen)
The Sonos Beam (second-gen) is a compact soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos and can stream music from a plethora of services. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Sony Bravia 8 II OLED TV
The Bravia 8 II was chosen as the “king of TV” by a panel of judges (including The Verge’s own Nilay Patel) in Value Electronics’ 2025 shootout. The OLED TV has excellent color accuracy, a bright panel, and a 120Hz refresh rate.
Where to Buy:
Smartwatch and fitness tracker deals
Apple Watch Series 11
Although the Apple Watch Series 11 is the same size as its predecessor, it features a 5G cellular modem, a display that Apple claims is twice as durable, and slightly improved battery life. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Amazfit Active 2
The Amazfit Active 2 delivers outsized value for the price. It looks spiffy and has a wide array of health tracking features, plus built-in GPS and AI chatbots to provide extra context to your data. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- You can buy the Fitbit Charge 6 starting at $129.95 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The Charge 6 is our favorite Fitbit, one that combines several notable health features — including an FDA-cleared EKG reader and blood oxygen sensors — with built-in GPS and an NFC chip so you can use Google Wallet. You can also pair it with select gym equipment via Bluetooth and get turn-by-turn directions via Google Maps. Read our review.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in one size: 49mm. It offers a large, bright display along with long battery life and excellent performance. It sports Apple’s last-gen S9 SiP, too, allowing you to take advantage of Apple’s newer double tap feature. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Smart home deals
Echo Dot Max
The Echo Dot Max features a flat design and a redesigned sound system, which delivers nearly three times the bass as its predecessor. It also offers improved conversation detection and better noise filtering, thanks to Amazon’s new AZ3 chip. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Aura Aspen
The Aura Aspen digital frame lets you upload photos from anywhere using an accompanying companion app, various cloud services, or email. Its 12-inch LCD display features slim bezels, a 4:3 aspect ratio, and an anti-glare screen designed to mimic the look of real photos.
Where to Buy:
- The second-gen Blink Mini is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for $23.99 ($16 off), or just $6 more than its lowest price to date. The basic 1080p security camera is a solid pick if you want an affordable way to keep an eye on your home. It offers improved video and audio quality over its predecessor, along with USB-C power and a wider field of view, while still providing essential features like two-way audio, motion alerts, and an adjustable design. It’s primarily designed for indoor use, but you can also use it outside when you buy it with a weather-resistant power adapter for $33.98 ($16 off).
- The latest Blink Video Doorbell is on sale with a Sync Module Core for $35.99 ($34 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is $5 shy of its all-time low. The terrific budget doorbell boasts 1440p resolution and a 150-degree field of view with a 1:1 aspect ratio, meaning you get a much wider view of your porch than before. You also get all the essential features found on the last-gen model, including motion detection, night vision, and the ability to hardwire it.
Echo Show 11
The Echo Show 11 features an 11-inch screen and 1080p resolution. It includes Alexa Plus and can be used as a smart home hub, supporting Thread, Matter, and Zigbee smart home protocols.
Where to Buy:
Amazon Echo Show 15
The Echo Show 15 is a large wall-mounted device that acts as a shared hub for families to view upcoming calendar appointments, virtual notes, and more. The 15.6-inch device also features the same Alexa functionality as other Echo displays and smart speakers. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- As part of eBay’s ongoing Presidents Day sale, you can grab a refurbished Eufy X10 Pro Omni with a two-year warranty for $279.99 (which is $620 less than buying it new) using code LONGWKND20. The X10 Pro Omni is a powerful robot vacuum / mop hybrid, with dual oscillating brushes and 8,000Pa of suction. Its all-in-one dock can automatically empty the dustbin, refill the water tank, and dry the mop pads, while the onboard water reservoir lets it clean for longer stretches before needing to dock.
- If you don’t need a robot vacuum that can sweep your baseboards or empty its own bin, the Eufy 11S Max is on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $139.99 ($140 off), which is one of its better prices to date. The entry-level robovac isn’t the smartest option available, but it’s at least aware enough not to bump into walls or tumble down stairs. The 11S Max offers good carpet and hard surface cleaning with relative quietness, too, and its 600ml bin is roomy enough to go through several cleanings before it needs to be dumped.
Gaming deals
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 is the best-selling title in the franchise’s history. The military first-person shooter puts a bigger focus on environmental destruction than previous entries, adding a level of chaos that helps make its large-scale, multiplayer battles feel more engaging.
Where to Buy:
Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- You can pick up a physical copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows starting at $29.99 ($20 off) at Best Buy, or $34.99 ($15 off) at Amazon and Target. Set in feudal Japan, the open-world third-person action game follows two protagonists — a shinobi assassin and a powerful samurai — as they navigate political unrest and power struggles. It’s a challenging, thoughtful game that offers a good balance of action and stealth. Read our review.
- Amazon and Best Buy are selling a physical copy of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X for an all-time low of $34.99 ($25 off). The remake updates the original 1988 turn-based RPG with HD-2D visuals, modern gameplay improvements, and small yet helpful tweaks, including clearer maps. The welcome quality-of-life upgrades, as well as the additional story elements, make it a great entry point for newcomers, even though it’s technically the third game in the series. Read our review.
Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 is an amusing looter-shooter that supports solo play or up to four-player co-op. Players take on the role of one of four Vault Hunters searching for mythical vaults while trying to take on the planet’s immoral dictator. It’s full of great characters and has the mindlessly fun vibe of a dumb action movie. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
Other great Presidents Day deals
iPad Mini (2024)
The seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- The latest iPad is on sale with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage for around $299 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. While it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence like its pricier siblings (or the rumored next-gen iPad), it’s a solid tablet for everyday use. It offers snappy performance for light productivity tasks and even casual gaming, and it features the largest display ever offered on an entry-level iPad, making it even better for streaming, reading, and other tasks. Read our review.
- The Dyson Airwrap i.d. is available for $499.99 ($150 off) from Best Buy and Dyson. Dyson’s first smart hair styler can automatically adjust heat, timing, and airflow based on your hair profile, letting you dry, curl, wave, smooth, volumize, or manage flyaways much more easily. The special edition — which is what’s on sale here — also includes a presentation case and a detangling comb.
Apple AirTag (first-gen)
Apple’s first-gen AirTags can help you find your lost items with their UWB technology. You’ll get the best compatibility with an iPhone, though Apple released an Android app to detect an AirTag’s location if one seems to be following you. Read our original review.
Where to Buy:
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty air purifier
Coway’s surprisingly efficient Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty is compact enough to fit in any corner of your home and offers a three-stage filtration system, including a true HEPA filter.
Where to Buy:
- You can buy the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P for around $99 ($20 off), its lowest price to date, at Amazon and Best Buy. The three-axis smartphone gimbal physically stabilizes your phone, so you can take clearer selfies and videos. It also comes with a built-in tripod, a telescoping extension arm, and a built-in camera that automatically follows you, starts and stops recordings, and adjusts the framing when you perform a hand gesture.
- The Nespresso VertuoPlus, a Verge favorite, is currently on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $101.39 (about $68 off), which is easily the best price we’ve seen this year. It’s a shame that the versatile espresso machine relies on Vertuo pods rather than Nespresso’s cheaper options, though we do admire its one-button operation and the fact that it can also brew an 8-ounce cup of coffee when needed.
Lego Fortnite Battle Bus
Lego’s brick-ified Battle Bus is a terrific homage to the only battle royale game that seemingly has a chance in 2026. The 954-piece set features a detachable balloon, nine Fortnite-inspired minifigures (including the iconic Peely), and plenty of Slurp Juice to go around.
Where to Buy:
Anker Nano Charger (45W, Smart Display, 180° Foldable)
Anker’s latest single-port USB-C charger offers up to 45W of power, foldable prongs, and a front-facing “smart display” that lets you see the charge level, power flow, and other useful information at a glance.
Where to Buy:
- Now through February 15th, you can grab an annual subscription to MasterClass starting at just $60 (50 percent off). An annual membership provides access to classes taught by world leaders and other subject matter experts, from screenwriters and bakers to well-known musicians and entrepreneurs. Opting for a Plus or Premium subscription allows concurrent viewing on two or six devices, respectively, and also unlocks offline viewing.
- Levoit’s Core 300-P is currently on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for around $84.95 ($15 off), nearly matching its best price to date. The basic air purifier — which can cover up to 1,074 square feet — uses replaceable HEPA filters and runs quietly as it reduces dust and odors; you can also opt for a special filter that removes pet allergens.
Update, February 13th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability and several new deals, including those for Anker’s latest Nano Charger, the Beats Studio Buds Plus, and Lego’s Fortnite-inspired Battle Bus.
What’s behind the mass exodus at xAI?
The past few days have been a wild ride for xAI, which is racking up staff and cofounder departure announcements left and right. On Tuesday and Wednesday, cofounder Yuhuai (Tony) Wu announced his departure and that it was "time for [his] next chapter," with cofounder Jimmy Ba following with a similar post later that day, writing that it was "time to recalibrate [his] gradient on the big picture." The departures mean that xAI is now left with only half of its original 12 cofounders on staff. A number of staffers also took to X to announce they were leaving xAI, with some announcing that they were starting their own AI companies.
Elon Musk's …
Can Democrats post their way to midterm victories?
During the 2024 presidential election, @KamalaHQ was something of an alter ego for Vice President Kamala Harris - as Harris ran a buttoned-up campaign, the online accounts shared clips of her set to viral TikTok sounds, shitposted unflattering pictures of Donald Trump, and adopted a voice that was at times indistinguishable from the average 20-something posting about politics on X. It was an effective way to rack up likes, engagement, and explainers, but it did not stop Trump from winning a second term.
The same people who ran @KamalaHQ announced last week that they were reviving the accounts and rebranding as Headquarters, described in var …
Trump Mobile’s origins lie with a Mexican middleweight boxer
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. Last week, we spoke to executives from the company for the first time, and this week we're back with more details on how it began.
Trump Mobile may bear the US president's name, but he didn't come up with the idea, and neither did any Trump. In fact, it was the executives at MVNO Liberty Mobile that approached the Trumps with a pitch for the company, and it wasn't their first rodeo; five years earlier, Liberty Mobile tested the same playbook with world champion boxer Canelo Álvarez.
That's according to Don Hendrickson and Eric Thomas, the two Trump Mobile executives …
What’s in the Epstein files? For Tiktokers, a content gold mine
"where are you? Are you ok , I loved the torture video," reads one email, allegedly sent by Jeffrey Epstein in 2009. The reply, from a redacted address, states: "I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of may."
Her face hovering over a screenshot of the exchange, a TikTok creator claims the timing aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's schedule, before speculating that the word "torture" could refer to documented abuses of Palestinian detainees. The video has drawn close to 700,000 views.
Another TikTok pushes back. Netanyahu met Chinese officials in Jerusalem - not Beijing - during that period, the second creator notes …
iRobot’s Roombas have a new Chinese owner, but it says your data will remain in the US
As part of its acquisition by China-based Picea Robotics, iRobot is creating a new US-based subsidiary called iRobot Safe, which the company says will be "responsible for the protection of US consumer data," similar to the TikTok deal that was completed last month. iRobot customers in the US will be able to continue using their robovacs as usual, but now their data will be handled by iRobot Safe, rather than the company's new owner.
In a press release published on January 23rd, iRobot stated that the creation of iRobot Safe is "designed to maintain a clear separation between iRobot's non-US ownership and its US and other global consumer dat …