Betting on the news raises ethical questions for journalists
Prediction market exchanges have created an environment where just about any piece of information is potentially monetizable: How well will BTS's new song perform this week? How hot will Los Angeles get? Will Donald Trump be impeached? Users can wager on all of that and, on some platforms, more gruesome and violent outcomes in the real world.
The rapid rise and expansion of Polymarket and Kalshi have put newsrooms in a strange position. Prediction market evangelists often claim that their odds are more trustworthy and accurate than polls and traditional media - effectively positioning the industry as a replacement for news. At the same time …
This charming gadget writes bad AI poetry
I've never been as charmed and frustrated by one gadget as I have with the Poetry Camera.
It's a delightful object. White and cherry red with a color-matched woven strap, it looks playful and adorably lo-fi. If I saw it on a store shelf, I'd absolutely pick it up.
But aside from obviously appealing, I'm not exactly sure what it is. I mean, I know what it is. It's a camera that makes AI poems instead of photos. You take a picture, and instead of printing a photo, you get an AI-generated poem inspired by the scene, printed on thermal receipt paper. But after printing dozens of poems, I can only report feeling frustrated instead of inspired.
…Our new favorite budget phones
Over the last few months, every phone maker under the sun has refreshed its lineups, especially at the affordable end, with no major budget phone launches now expected until next year. That made it the perfect time to go back and reassess The Verge's recommendations for the best budget phones you can buy right now.
You won't be too surprised to hear that the iPhone 17E is now our recommendation for the best cheap iPhone, not least because it's the only cheap iPhone. Still, this year's addition of MagSafe charging makes it a much more well-rounded package than last year's 16E, and with the same A19 chip as the flagship iPhone 17, you won't f …
The best budget smartphones you can buy
Some of us take a kind of “eat to live” rather than a “live to eat” approach to gadgets. They’re tools that help you get things done, not something you want to invest a lot of time or money in. If that’s you — and there’s no judgment here from a certifiable gadget nerd — then you can probably think of more worthwhile ways to spend $1,000 than on a phone.
Budget phones to the rescue. These devices are roughly $600 or under, and they’re more capable than ever. You won’t get all the bells and whistles, but you will save a little money to spend on, I don’t know, actual bells and whistles. It’s your world.
What compromises can you expect from a budget phone? Some combination of the following: slower processors, less storage, and worse cameras than flagship phones, almost across the board. Many have lower-resolution screens, most skip wireless charging, and water resistance is often less robust than on a pricier phone.
The best cheap iPhone
Apple iPhone 17E
Score: 7
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Where to Buy:
Screen: 6.1-inch, 1170p, 60Hz OLED / Processor: A19 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,005mAh / Charging: 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68
The iPhone 17E is the minimum viable iPhone — and I mean that in a good way. It has the same speedy A19 chipset as the standard iPhone 17, starts with a decent 256GB of storage, and offers a full day of battery life. It also comes with MagSafe, unlike last year’s 16E, opening up faster magnetic wireless charging and a world of grips and accessories.
Still, there are a few big omissions in Apple’s cheapest iPhone. The most obvious is that it’s limited to a single 48-megapixel rear camera, lacking even an ultrawide. That’s something plenty of buyers are likely to find limiting. Fewer people are likely to be bothered by the phone’s lack of an always-on display, its 60Hz refresh rate, or the fact that it doesn’t support Apple’s Dynamic Island, which is a handy way to keep track of Live Activities.
For some, those will be good reasons to spend $200 more on the iPhone 17. For others, they won’t — my mom had never even noticed her old iPhone 12 had a second rear camera, so I don’t think she’ll miss it on her new 17E. Android alternatives at this price will also get you extra lenses, smoother displays, and faster charging. But if you want an iPhone, and $600 is where your budget stops, the 17E is the best you’ve got without shopping pre-owned.
Read our full iPhone 17E review.
The best cheap Android phone
Google Pixel 10A
Score: 7
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Where to Buy:
Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 with OIS, 13-megapixel ultrawide, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,100mAh / Charging: 30W wired, 10W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68
You couldn’t call the Pixel 10A an ambitious phone; it’s essentially a carbon copy of last year’s Pixel 9A with a slightly flatter camera bump. Still, Google’s competition hasn’t advanced much either, which means the 10A remains the best cheap Android phone you can buy, short of picking up a discounted 9A while it’s still on sale (well, at least in the US — buyers elsewhere should look to Poco and Realme for some stiff competition).
The 10A is powered by the same Tensor G4 chip as last year, though its 6.3-inch OLED screen is slightly brighter. The battery is the same size, but Google says it should last a little longer thanks to optimization, and the 30W wired and 10W wireless charging is a fraction faster, too. The biggest addition over the 9A is satellite connectivity, which is useful if you regularly find yourself off the grid.
The 10A’s cameras remain one of its biggest strengths, with the 48-megapixel main camera (the same as in the regular Pixel 10) joined by an ultrawide. You won’t find many phones with better cameras at this price, though you will find some with more lenses.
Read our full Google Pixel 10A review.
The budget phone with a big, beautiful screen
Nothing Phone 4A Pro
Score: 6
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Where to Buy:
Screen: 6.83-inch, 1260p, 144Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.9 with OIS, 50-megapixel 3.5x telephoto, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,080mAh / Charging: 50W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP65
The Phone 4A Pro is one of the few Nothing phones to get a true US release. In a way, it’s also one of the brand’s most conservative designs, with its transparent plastic mostly giving way to opaque metal, outside of the chunky camera module (which has the boon of a 3.5x telephoto lens but mixed performance otherwise). The metal design also means there’s no wireless charging, though fast 50W wired charging helps make up for that.
The 4A Pro will mostly appeal for its large 6.83-inch display, which is brighter than rivals and features a faster 144Hz refresh rate. That pairs nicely with Nothing’s eye-catching software design, which makes the 4A Pro a looker in just about every respect. That said, while the software may look good, Nothing only promises three OS updates, meaning the company’s latest handset won’t suit anyone looking for a phone for the long run.
Read our full Nothing Phone 4A Pro review.
Other budget phones to consider
- The 2026 Motorola Moto G Power offers a lot despite its starting price of $299.99. It features a 6.8-inch LCD display, a 5,200mAh battery, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is increasingly rare in 2026. Additionally, the device combines both IP68 and IP69 ratings, meaning it’s rated for both submersion in water and exposure to high-pressure water jets and steam, in addition to full protection from dust. Our biggest concern with Motorola’s budget phones is how much bloatware they come with — be prepared to opt out and uninstall a bunch of stuff you never asked for.
- The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is another perfectly capable phone that doesn’t quite earn a recommendation here. It’s a little outside the scope of this guide at $649 anyway (although you can sometimes pick it up at a discount), but you do get a telephoto lens and a nice, big screen for that price. Still, you’re better off saving a bunch and picking up the Pixel 10A or trying to score a trade-in promo for the newer Galaxy S26.
- The Samsung Galaxy A57 recently launched in the US with a starting price of $549, up $50 from the year before. The device has all the makings of a solid midrange phone, including a 6.7-inch OLED display, a 50-megapixel main camera, an Exynos 1680 chip, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging. It’s thinner than its A56 predecessor and has been upgraded to IP68 protection, too. Although we haven’t tested it yet, it faces stiff competition from the Pixel 10A, which starts at $499.
- The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G is another great choice that’s available in the US for $449. The device sports a big OLED display, an Exynos 1480 processor, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Samsung is promising six years of OS and security updates, which is a lot for a phone in this price range. While we haven’t tested the A37 5G, its predecessor offered a good balance of hardware and price, and the latest release sounds just as compelling.
- TCL’s Nxtpaper 70 Pro recently went on sale in the US, though it’s exclusive to T-Mobile and Metro. Its main selling point is its 6.9-inch Nxtpaper 4.0 matte LCD screen, which is supposed to be easier on your eyes than a traditional LCD. It also features a “Max Ink Mode,” which turns the screen monochrome and silences notifications, plus somewhat higher specs than its predecessor.
Senior reviewer Allison Johnson also contributed to this post.
Dairy Queen is putting an AI chatbot in its drive-thrus
Dairy Queen is becoming the latest fast food chain to get in on AI, as it's bringing a chatbot to dozens of its drive-thrus across the US and Canada. It aims to help speed up drive-thru service and "encourage customers to add more food to their orders," according to The Wall Street Journal.
Following a test last year, Dairy Queen is widely launching the tech built by Presto, an AI company that already works with chains like Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Taco John's, and Fazoli's. In 2023, a report from Bloomberg revealed that Presto's AI drive-thrus may actually be assisted by human workers based in locations like the Philippines.
Presto's chatbot …
The AirPods Pro 3 are $50 off right now, nearly matching their best-ever price
From OLED TVs to smartphones, Best Buy’s Upgrade Sale has slashed prices on all kinds of tech, including a wide range of Apple devices. We’ve rounded up the best deals from the sale here, but one of the most notable is the AirPods Pro 3, which are down to $199.99 ($50 off) at Best Buy, with Amazon and Walmart matching said price. That’s their second-best price to date and just $15 shy of their all-time low.
AirPods Pro 3
Where to Buy:
The AirPods Pro are Apple’s high-end wireless earbuds, and as such, they offer the best sound quality and most effective active noise cancellation you can get in a pair of earbuds. They’re also more versatile than prior models, thanks to a built-in heart rate sensor that works with Apple’s Fitness app to monitor calories burned across more than 50 workout types. You also get access to a number of more advanced features courtesy of Apple’s newer H2 chip, including real-time translation and conversation awareness, which automatically lowers the volume when you start speaking to someone nearby. You can even use your AirPods as a camera remote, letting you snap photos or start recording video on your iPhone with the press of a stem.
In addition, the third-gen AirPods Pro come with a fifth ear tip size (XXS) and an IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance, making them a better fit for a wider range of users and improving durability. Their angled design helps them fit more securely in your ear, too, while subtle improvements in battery life let them last up to eight hours with active noise cancellation enabled. Unsurprisingly, they also offer clear call quality and integrate well with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, so you can easily switch between your phone and Mac or easily track your earbuds using their Find My-compatible charging case.
Read our AirPods Pro 3 review.
Three more ways to save
- Blink’s latest Video Doorbell is on sale at Amazon with a Blink Outdoor 4 camera and a Sync Module Core for an all-time low of $43.99 ($96 off), which means you’re basically getting the outdoor cam for free. Both cameras capture 1080p video and support motion alerts, two-way audio, and Amazon Alexa; however, the battery-powered buzzer is meant for monitoring your front door, while the weather-resistant Outdoor 4 gives you a bit more flexibility for keeping tabs on other areas outside your home.
- Now through Sunday, April 19th, Verge readers can use promo code 15VERGEVAC at Wellbots to grab a Dreame X40 Ultra for $458.15 ($192 off), which is a new low for what was once our favorite robot vacuum / mop for hard floors and carpets. While it’s not as powerful as the newer X50 Ultra and lacks its motorized swing arm, the X40’s dual oscillating mop pads still do a great job of scrubbing floors. It can also empty its own dustbin, refill its own water tank, clean the base, and wash and dry its own mop pads.
- Okay, this isn’t technically a deal, but if you’re looking to save on the Meta Quest 3S or Quest 3, now might be a good time to buy. Starting April 19th, Meta is raising prices by $50 for the Quest 3S and $100 for the Quest 3. For now, though, you can still pick up the 128GB Quest 3S for about $299.95 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, and the 512GB Quest 3 starting at about $499 (Amazon, Best Buy, and Target). Both VR headsets can play the same games, though the Quest 3 offers better display resolution and optics quality.
Ghost orchid in the machine
Vacuum cleaners, personal massagers, electronic baby rockers, and walking pads: These are the secondhand machines Rachel Youn sources to create their kinetic sculptures. Made with artificial flowers, metal hardware, and these used electronic components, each one possesses a humanlike presence.
Slow Burn is made from an artificial orchid, a neck massager, bits of metal that clamp the orchids' petals, and a monitor mount attaching the entire apparatus to a gallery wall. A motor on the massager animates metal rods that force the orchid open and close, a visual that feels caged in its sexuality, a flower forced to furl and unfurl infinitely fo …
The South Korean president is doing quote-post diplomacy
"This is no different from Comfort Women or the Holocaust," wrote South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on X last week, quoting a post with a video of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers throwing a body off a rooftop in Gaza.
The president's post kicked off an internet firestorm for a thousand different reasons, not least because the video in question was misleadingly labeled. The quoted post reads "LIVE FOOTAGE: IDF soldiers tortured a Palestinian kid and threw him off a roof." The video was actually from September 2024, and depicted Israeli soldiers kicking, dragging, and eventually hurling a limp body from a rooftop. The incident - involving …
Peloton, stay in your lane
This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here.
The camera zooms in on two well-formed cheeks clad in white shorts. These buns of steel belong to one Hudson Williams, star of the steamy hockey romance Heated Rivalry. As the camera pans up, a bead of sweat drips down his chin toward his clavicle. Sweaty abs are shown. The music swells. Hollywood's mega-hunk of the moment is swaying his chiseled visage back and forth, semi-gyrating on… a Peloton treadmill. A $6,695 …
The ‘AI is inevitable’ trap
In the latest sign of AI silly season, Allbirds, the shoe company, told the world it was now an AI company and briefly managed to septuple its stock price. The Newbird AI story is really just one of a bunch of things this week that made us wonder: have we reached the peak of AI, or at least a peak of AI?
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On this episode of The Vergecast, we look at both the data and the vibes. David and Nilay explore a new study from Stanford that says AI is getting better at lots of things, a …