Google Chrome is coming to Arm-powered Linux devices later this year
You can download Chrome for Linux, and you can download Chrome for Arm devices - but if you've got a computer running Linux on Arm, not so much! Now, Google says it's finally bringing Chrome to ARM64 Linux machines in Q2 2026, following Chrome for Arm Macs in 2020 and Chrome for Windows on Arm in 2024.
Why Arm + Linux now? In a blog post, Google only says that it "addresses the growing demand for a browsing experience that combines the benefits of the open-source Chromium project with the Google ecosystem of apps and features." What we're left wondering is whether Google's talking about existing demand, or demand yet to come.
There's cert …
What it was like to watch grieving parents stare down Mark Zuckerberg in court
Around a dozen parents huddled in the dim hallway outside the courtroom in February, nervously gripping paper tickets. They were glaring at a gray tote bag held by a member of the court staff - the one who'd determine, by lottery, if they made it inside. Pinned on bags and coats, butterfly clips honored children they'd lost, deaths these parents link to their children's experiences online. The clips were a symbolic gesture chosen to not inadvertently prejudice the jury, which would decide if social media companies could be held liable for the kinds of harms they believe their children experienced. If the number on a parent's ticket came up, …
The original AirTag is the cheapest it’s ever been
Despite the fact Apple released a new AirTag in January, the first-generation AirTag is still a top-notch tracker if you’re embedded in Apple’s ecosystem. And right now, it’s on sale for $13.91 ($15.09 off) at Walmart, which marks a new low price.
If you’re an iPhone owner, the original AirTag still delivers a level of precision few trackers can match, thanks to its ultra wideband (UWB) chip and access to Apple’s expansive Find My network. Whereas most Bluetooth trackers just tell you the general whereabouts of a misplaced item, the AirTag actually guides you directly to it with on-screen arrows and distance estimates. Apple also continuously adds new software perks so it’s easier to recover lost or stolen items. For example, you can share an AirTag’s location with up to five people, which is helpful if you’re traveling with family, and even temporarily share an AirTag’s location with American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and other airlines, a boost if you’re looking for lost luggage. And, as a nice bonus, when the battery dies after about a year, you can simply swap in a new one rather than having to upgrade.
The second-gen model builds on what is already a terrific tracker. It features an upgraded UWB chip, allowing it to track items from up to 50 percent farther away, and its speaker is noticeably louder. If you own an Apple Watch Series 9 or newer, you can also use Precision Finding from your watch to locate items instead of opening the Find My app on your phone. They’re all welcome improvements, but if you just need a tracker to keep tabs on your stuff while going out of town this spring break, the original AirTag will still do the job very well.
Read our review of the first-generation AirTag.
KPop Demon Hunters is getting a sequel, obviously
Get ready to get even more K-pop, demonier, and as huntery as possible. Netflix's smash-hit, Oscar-nominated animated film KPop Demon Hunters is returning for a sequel, with the fictional Korean girl group HUNTR/X coming back to lay down pop hits and smash evil boy bands (and/or other demons).
Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans will once again direct this one, their first project in an "exclusive multiyear writing and directing partnership" with Netflix.
Seeing as the first movie was Netflix's self-reported most-popular film of all time, the company's widest theatrical release and first ever box office No. 1, nominated in both the Best Anima …
Facebook Marketplace adds AI auto-replies for annoying ‘Is this still available?’ messages
Facebook Marketplace is adding a bunch of new AI-powered tools that are supposed to make selling items on the platform a little more efficient. One feature will use Meta AI to automatically respond to those annoying "Is this still available?" messages.
You can toggle on the auto-reply option when creating a listing, and Meta AI will draft an editable response to any questions related to availability. In an example shown by Meta, its AI assistant creates an auto-reply saying, "Yes, it's still available. Do you have any questions?"
Facebook Marketplace is trying to speed up the process of listing items, too, as Meta AI can now use the photos …
Gemini’s task automation is here and it’s wild
A couple of weeks ago, Google and Samsung announced a big Gemini development coming to their newest devices: task automation. Starting with food delivery and rideshare apps, Gemini would be able to use certain apps on your behalf in a virtual window to take care of things like ordering dinner or getting a car to the airport - all based on simple prompts. You know, all the stuff that we've been promised for years AI assistants will be able to do. That feature wasn't live when I first started testing the S26 Ultra, but it just arrived in beta as part of an update. And boy is it weird watching your phone use itself!
The first prompt I gave it …
Google’s TV Streamer 4K doubles as a smart home hub and it’s on sale
Between March Madness and the Oscars, now might be a good time to improve your TV setup. Google’s TV Streamer 4K is currently on sale for $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, Target, and Walmart, which is its second-best price to date and only $5 more than its all-time low.
As a streaming device, it’s terrific. Getting started is easy; it took us only about 10 minutes to set up, and the Google Home app even asks which streaming services you use and automatically installs them for you. The device also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, too, so movies and shows look sharper and sound more immersive.
Google TV Streamer (4K)
Where to Buy:
Plus, it runs Google TV, which pulls together recommendations from across your streaming services and includes helpful details like Rotten Tomatoes scores, while also offering suggestions from live and free channels. That’s handy if you’re not sure what to watch. The device does a good job recommending personalized titles based on what information it’s gathered about you from other Google services.
What really sets it apart from other streaming devices, though, is that it also doubles as an excellent smart home hub with built-in support for both Matter and Thread. That means you can control various smart home devices from the TV Streamer 4K. For instance, you can adjust lights using Google Assistant via the remote or the Google Home panel, and even view camera feeds on your TV. It’s a handy feature when you’re watching something and don’t want to press pause just to turn on the thermostat or check who’s at the door.
Read our Google TV Streamer review.
Anthropic’s Claude AI can respond with charts, diagrams, and other visuals now
Anthropic's latest update to Claude will allow the AI chatbot to generate custom charts, diagrams, and other visualizations during your conversation. If Claude determines a visual is useful based on the context of your chat, it will insert the image in-line, rather than in its side panel.
As an example, Anthropic says a conversation about the periodic table could lead Claude to generate a visualization of it, featuring interactive elements that let you click inside the table for more information. Another example shows how Claude can generate a visual related to a question about how weight travels through a building.
Though Claude will auto …
Meta exec hopes VR teens will stick around
This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week.
"It is a pretty rough time for the game industry."
Meta Reality Labs director of games Chris Pruett did not mince words when he returned to GDC for his annual talk on the state of VR gaming this week. "I have been in the industry for almost 30 years at this point," he said. "This is the roughest period I have ever seen."
"It's rough for everybody," Pruett said. "It's rough for VR. We are not immune."
Pruett made these remarks two months after Meta cut more than 1,000 VR-relat …
Microsoft’s head of experiences and devices is retiring, triggering a shakeup
Rajesh Jha, executive vice president of Microsoft's experiences and devices group, is retiring after more than 35 years at the software giant. Jha was a big part of the team that helped move Microsoft's Office suite to the cloud, and has recently been overseeing Microsoft 365 Copilot, Windows, Office, and more.
"After 35+ years at Microsoft, I am moving into retirement," says Jha in an internal memo. "I will transition out on July 1st and then stay in an advisory role." Jha is leaving at the end of June, but Microsoft isn't promoting anyone as a direct replacement for Jha's role. Instead, it's promoting four of his direct reports to executi …