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Some Google Home Speakers caught downloading hundreds of gigs of data

A Google Home Speaker.
Google says a fix is rolling out that should solve the issue. | Photo: Jennifer Patison Tuohy / The Verge

Some Google Home Speaker owners are currently experiencing an issue in which hundreds of gigabytes of data are being continuously downloaded to their device in the background. The bug, reported by 9to5Google and several Reddit users over the last week, may be caused by the speakers failing to correctly download and install a firmware update, with one Redditor finding that his device was consuming more than 200GB per day.

Thankfully, Google is aware of the issue. In a statement to 9to5Google, the company said that "a fix is already rolling out that should address this for users." Most of the reports are tied specifically to the new Google Ho …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Baseus’ new security camera has a spotlight that tracks and follows moving targets

Two images showing the spotlight on the Baseus U2 Pro security camera illuminating an intruder.
The bright spotlight’s focused beam improves the quality of video captured at night while scaring off unwanted visitors. | Image: Baseus

Baseus announced a new addition to its lineup of AI-assisted security cameras that's more proactive about discouraging unwanted visitors instead of just recording and alerting you to their presence. The Baseus Security PrimeSentinel U2 Pro Outdoor 3K Dual Camera introduces a motorized spotlight that shines directly on a moving target, even as they're running across your property, so they know they've been detected. The targeted light also improves the quality of video captured in the dark to increase the chances of a subject being identified, and it can assist your family with after-hours activities like taking the dog out.

The Baseus U2 Pr …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Elon Musk’s proposed SpaceX stock giveaway would go into ‘Trump Accounts’

Elon Musk in front of a background of falling money.

President Donald Trump announced this afternoon that Elon Musk's SpaceX shares for children will be given through Trump Accounts. Musk said earlier today that he would give one of his SpaceX shares to "every kid in America" sometime next year. Musk had thanked Trump Account booster Brad Gerstner for "helping enable this," and Trump appeared to confirm the plan in a post on Truth Social.

Given the value of SpaceX's stock on Friday, 72 million shares would be worth approximately $10.5 billion, according to CNBC. "This will be the first of many," Musk said.

Michael and Susan Dell, Ray and Barbara Dalio, Gerstner, and SpaceX president Gwynne …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The fossil fuel comeback is here

Photo illustration of industrial smokestacks.

The US is building more fossil fuel infrastructure than it has in a decade while renewable energy growth slows down, a new report shows.

Electricity demand is also climbing faster than it has in more than a decade with more data centers, factories, and electric vehicles plugging into the grid. Despite those growing demands, the Trump administration has sought to hobble the wind and solar industries in favor of fossil fuels.

America's energy landscape is already shifting as a result, according to the report published last week by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and research firm Atlas Public Policy. If all the gas projects in the d …

Read the full story at The Verge.

CoreWeave’s debt is becoming the whole AI industry’s problem

CoreWeave had a bad week last week. Its bonds slipped into distressed territory by a common definition - when investors demand 1,000 basis points more in yield than they'd get from government bonds. Last Tuesady Chamath "SPAC King" Palihapitiya noticed the distressed debt, and also asked whether the AI buildout was a private credit bubble. Its shares are down more than 20 percent since Tuesday's close, which is kind of a lot! There even seemed to be some collateral damage in the market on other AI companies, too.

Now, I have also asked if the AI industry is a bubble, but when the SPAC King echoes concerns held by a lady whose ongoing questi …

Read the full story at The Verge.

I tried a $99 plug that promises to track your car and send help when needed — without selling your data

The Miles is a smart plug for your car.

My 15-year-old daughter just got her learner's permit, so when I was pitched a new gadget tailored to teen drivers, I was intrigued. The Miles Plug is a small device that plugs into your car's OBD-II port and monitors location, driving habits, and vehicle health, along with emergency accident response and roadside assistance.

The idea is that knowing all these things should help me feel more comfortable when my daughter starts driving alone. I tested the (now discontinued) Ring Car Cam when my son was learning to drive, but he hated it and refused to turn it on; I wondered if the Miles could provide the same peace of mind without feeling a …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Sony’s best noise-canceling earbuds are nearly $100 off today only

Woman wearing Sony WF-1000XM6
Sony’s WF-1000XM6 are on sale in black today only. | Image: Sony

For a very limited time, Sony’s latest high-end noise-canceling earbuds are actually cheaper than their last-gen counterpart, the WF-1000XM5. B&H Photo is selling Sony’s latest WF-1000XM6 in black for an all-time low of $238 ($92 off) at checkout. Other retailers aren’t currently offering a discount on the XM6.

Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds in both black and grey.

Where to Buy:

The XM6 are a solid upgrade over their predecessor and easily amongst the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds on the market. In his review, John Higgins noted that they do a better job of tuning out other people’s conversations than any other earbuds he’s tested. Sony has also improved the bone-conduction sensor and added AI-powered microphones that help keep your voice clear during calls, even in noisy environments.

The XM6 earbuds also deliver clean, balanced sound with impressive bass, raising the bar of what we expect with Sony’s WF-1000XM series. If you prefer to customize your listening experience, Sony’s Sound Connect app offers plenty of customization options, including the ability to adjust how much surrounding noise you hear without removing the earbuds. You can also personalize the touch controls.

The XM6 earbuds support Sony’s LDAC codec, which delivers higher-quality audio from compatible Android devices, too. New in the latest set is a listening mode that makes music sound more like background audio playing in a cafe, allowing you to listen to your favorite music without getting too distracted from whatever you’re doing.

Read our Sony WF-1000XM6 review.

Apple teases MacBook Pro event next week

Apple has sent invites to a second product launch this month, and it's scheduled for October 28th at 1PM ET in Los Angeles.

At the event, Apple is set to announce new Macs and a refreshed iPad Mini, according to Bloomberg. The big announcement is expected to be a new MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen that's also lighter and has an iPhone-like Dynamic Island. But Apple is also planning on revealing a 14-inch MacBook Pro and a new iMac with the M6 chip, which was recently introduced with the Mac Mini. Apple's updated iPad Mini will apparently finally get an OLED screen as well and put the selfie cam on the landscape edge.

"Can't wait to p …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Amazon is funding a new nuclear plant in Indiana

A digital rendering of a promposed nuclear energy plant that Amazon is funding in Indiana.
It’ll be several years before the facility is complete, but this digital rendering gives us some idea of what it’ll look like. | Image: Amazon

Amazon has signed an agreement with X-energy and American Electric Power (AEP) to fund the building of a new nuclear energy facility in Indiana. The proposed plant, which would replace the now defunct coal-fueled Breed Generating Station in Fairbanks, Sullivan County, aims to provide up to 960 megawatts of carbon-free energy for both the regional power grid and Amazon's data centers.

No timeline for construction or operation has been announced for the facility, which Amazon says "could" create 1,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles. The facility in Indiana is targeting to build 12 Xe-100 SMR's, an advanced (but unproven) reactor th …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple’s last-gen Mac Mini with the M4 is $150 off

The front view of the Mac Mini. | Image: The Verge

Best Buy has a great deal for the rest of the day on the M4 Mac Mini base model that has 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. Normally, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to buy the M4 model for its usual $799 price given that the newer, faster M6 version has been available from Amazon for $779.99 (originally $899) for the past couple of weeks. However, at $649 it’s a much more tempting price.

The M4 Mac Mini launched at $599 in 2024, and was an incredible value. Given that this sale price makes it just $50 more than the original price instead of $200, it’s a good time to buy if you want to spend as little as possible on a modern Mac desktop.

Mac Mini with M4

A hands-on photo of Apple’s 2024 Mac Mini on a desk beside a keyboard and Studio Display.

Where to Buy:

Aside from some impressive generational leaps in processing power, you aren’t missing out on a ton by skipping the M6 model and opting for the M4. Their design and ports are nearly identical, and with either model you’ll need to supply your own keyboard, mouse, display, webcam, etc. If you’re on the fence and can’t decide between the M4 and M6 models, I suggest checking out my colleague Antonio’s review of the M6 Mac Mini. The newer model might be well worth the extra $130 cost.

Read our review of the M4 Mac Mini and the M6 Mac Mini

More Verge-approved deals

  • Today brought a big discount to LG’s C6 OLEDs lineup, particularly its bigger models. The 55-inch model is $999.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Costco (previously $1,399.99), costing a little less than the 42- and 48-inch configurations. The price hasn’t gone below $1,299.99 before, so it’s a good time to consider an upgrade. The 65-inch model is cheaper than before, too. Previously $1,699.99, but normally selling for $1,500 or so, you can grab the larger version for $1,399.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Costco. If you have a big room and budget, the 77-inch LG C6H that, like the 48-inch version, has a tandem OLED panel that offers more brightness and better colors, is $1,999.99, down from $2,499.99.
  • For $499.99, you can grab a 14-inch HP OmniBook 3 during Best Buy’s deal of the day that has a 2K OLED screen, a capable Snapdragon X ARM processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. This seems like a fantastic option for anyone on a budget. Its Snapdragon processor can run most x86 Windows 11 apps without much issue, and it’s just a rarity to get these kinds of specs — from the OLED screen to the RAM amount — at $500. My colleague Antonio reviewed the 16-inch version that cuts some corners in the screen department compared to this 14-inch model.
  • It’s time to get spooky if you haven’t already planned your run of games for Halloween. The spectacular Silent Hill 2 remake is down to $21.34 on Steam for PC via Fanatical, a third-party site I’ve shopped from numerous times. If you’re alright with spending more, Resident Evil Requiem is one of Capcom’s several great 2026 games, and it’s $20 off at Amazon on all platforms, costing $49.99.