Reggie Fils-Aimé says Amazon once asked Nintendo to break the law
Way back in the DS days, Nintendo decided to stop selling to Amazon. During a recent lecture at NYU, former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé said it was because Amazon was seeking preferential treatment that would have hurt its relationship with other retailers, and potentially broken the law.
The two sides have since made amends, and you can buy a Switch 2 through Amazon. But for a long time, Nintendo consoles had been largely unavailable on the site. In the 2000s, Amazon aggressively expanded beyond books and tried to undercut everyone on price. According to Fils-Aimé, Amazon wanted to undercut even Walmart and was looking …
Shokz’s bassy OpenRun Pro 2 are $40 off thanks to a new Mother’s Day promo
If you’re looking to pick up a pair of open-ear headphones for yourself — or your mom — Shokz is running a Mother’s Day sale. Now through May 10th, the company’s best pair of bone conduction headphones, the OpenRun Pro 2, are available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Shokz for around $139.95 ($40 off), their lowest price of the year. If you purchase direct, you’ll also receive a free waist bag (a $29.99 value).
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
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While traditional headphones tend to block out the world, open-style headphones provide a safer alternative, letting you listen to music and podcasts while remaining vigilant. After testing the OpenRun Pro 2, The Verge’s Victoria Song said using them felt “like the stars finally aligning.” Unlike many open-ear headphones, they don’t skimp on bass or clarity thanks to a dedicated air conduction speaker, though they still won’t rival a traditional pair of in-ears when it comes to sound quality. Still, they’re more comfortable than earlier Shokz models, with flexible ear hooks and a lightweight neckband that creates a secure, natural fit, even for those who wear glasses.
The fact that the Pro 2 vibrate significantly less than other models is another highlight, as is battery life. They offer up to 12 hours on a single charge, which was enough for us to go nearly a week without plugging them in (they charge incredibly fast via USB-C, too). They also include AI-powered noise cancellation for calls (though results were mixed in our testing) and an IP55 rating, making them well-suited for both sweaty workouts and outdoor use.
Read our full OpenRun Pro 2 review.
Other Shokz deals to consider
Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus
The OpenFit 2 Plus are nearly identical to the OpenFit 2 we tested in June. The wireless earbuds feature the same open-style design, a set of onboard controls, and dedicated bass speakers, but they also support wireless charging and Dolby Audio.
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Shokz OpenRun
The standard OpenRun are a lighter option than the newer OpenRun Pro 2, with a streamlined wraparound design, up to eight hours of battery life, and an IP67 rating for better water resistance. However, they don’t offer the same bass performance or USB-C charging.
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These reusable digital Polaroids are a clever way to cover a fridge in memories
I love when my friends have their fridges covered in Polaroids. It’s often a visual crash course of what’s been going on in their lives chronicling recent adventures, get-togethers, and other fun moments. But I don’t love the idea of schlepping around a clunky instant camera or paying a premium for instant film with hit-or-miss results. That’s why I’m infatuated with these magnetic digital Polaroids from a small company called VidaBay. They look like instant photos, but use NFC tech and color E Ink screens so you can change the image as often as you want without ever having to charge a battery.
At roughly 4mm thick and 2.5 inches in size, the VidaBay NFC E-Paper Fridge Magnet — also known as the Snap — reminds me of Xteink’s tiny X3 e-reader, but it doesn’t have any buttons, ports, or connectors. The Snap is more like a very tiny version of the Aura Ink digital photo frame you can stick to your fridge.
VidaBay NFC E-Paper Fridge Magnet
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The Snap uses the same kind of NFC chip that lets your smartphone double as your credit or debit card. Using an accompanying mobile app images are wirelessly transferred by aligning your smartphone’s NFC antenna to the one located inside the lower left corner of the Snap.
Changing the photo the Snap displays takes about 25 to 30 seconds. While the actual image transfer is a 10-second process, the rest of the time is used to refresh the Snap’s E Ink screen. Unlike devices such as the Kindle Colorsoft that use a black and white e-paper screen overlaid with a color filter so screen refreshes happen almost instantly, the Snap uses e-paper with multiple color pigments that take much longer to refresh. The results look better, but you’ll have to wait a little longer for them.
The process of updating the Snap with a new image using NFC is easy once you master it, but it can take a few attempts to get there. Out of the box the device comes with a plastic screen protector that’s printed with a guide so you know exactly how to position your smartphone to ensure the NFC antennas line up. But the guide only works for the iPhone. Android is also supported, but its up to you to figure out exactly where your device’s NFC chip is located which can take some trial and error. The Snap and your smartphone also need to be held very close for the NFC pairing to work – closer than a case allows. The process doesn’t work with my iPhone 16 Pro inside a leather Nomad case, and even the thin silicone case protecting my OnePlus 12 was too thick for the NFC transfers to succeed.
One of the many advantages of E Ink’s display tech is that, similar to an Etch A Sketch or Magna Doodle toy, once an image is formed it remains on screen without any additional power. That’s why e-readers have such excellent battery life. The Snap comes with a 2.5-inch E Ink screen, and while it uses color technology similar to what you’ll find in large, vibrant, and expensive E Ink posters, it’s actually a repurposed Spectra 3100 screen that E Ink specifically developed for retail use as an electronic shelf label.
They’re cheaper, but the Snap’s color screen is also limited to only displaying black, white, red, and yellow, which limits its ability to accurately reproduce colors. It’s a big tradeoff, but not necessarily a dealbreaker. The VidaBay mobile app lets you crop, zoom, rotate, add filters, and make basic brightness, contrast, and color saturation adjustments to images selected from your phone’s camera roll. Because the transfer process can take upwards of 30 seconds, the app also generates a preview of what the image will look like on the Snap’s four-color screen.
After using the Snap for a couple of weeks I have a better idea of what images will look good on its E Ink screen, and which won’t. Brighter photos with lots of contrast work well, as do photos with color palettes leaning toward reds and yellows. Blue and green areas in an image end up completely desaturated instead of disappearing, but the results aren’t entirely unpleasant. The limitations of the Spectra 3100 screen actually result in color images reminiscent of the lo-fi aesthetic of classic Polaroid photos.
The Snap has no screen lighting so it looks best in a place with lots of ambient light. The device also features a non-removable plastic cover over the E Ink panel, which protects it but also produces a lot of glare and reflections. Removing that for future versions would definitely improve viewing angles and image quality.
At $35.99 each (currently discounted to $29.99), the VidaBay Snap comes close to impulse purchase territory. When I first covered them earlier this year I was skeptical of how effective repurposing the screens many grocery stores now use to display prices could be for displaying photos and memories. But the price, and the fact that the Snap never needs to be charged, more than makes up for its color fidelity limitations. Instant photos might still be cheaper per shot, but the Snap is a good alternative if you don’t have an endless budget for film. Either way, your fridge is a blank palette just waiting to be decorated with memories.
Photography by Andrew Liszewski / The Verge
How the internet’s favorite squirrel dad made the hottest camera app of 2026
It's not hyperbole to call DualShot Recorder an overnight sensation.
It took only 12 hours from the time it was released to hit number one on the App Store's list of top paid apps. It was a surprise success - but what's even more surprising is the app's origin story: it all started with a cadre of friendly neighborhood squirrels and their favorite caretaker.
Derrick Downey Jr. built a career on short-form videos documenting his interactions with the squirrels that visit his patio in LA. His Instagram and TikTok accounts each have well over a million followers (myself included) who know well the regular cast of characters: Maxine, Richard, …
AI music is flooding streaming services — but who wants it?
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on how AI is changing music and the music industry, follow Terrence O'Brien. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.
How it started
The use of generative AI in pop music started almost as a gimmick. There was a sense of experimentalism to 2018's I AM AI by Taryn Southern and 2019's Proto by Holly Herndon, albums that were created with significant assistance from AI. Others got in on the action too, exploring the outer limits of tools like Google's Magenta and even training their own mod …
Meta’s historic loss in court could cost a lot more than $375 million
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez won a historic sum of $375 million in a landmark child safety case against Meta earlier this year. But the next stage of the fight could be even more consequential for Meta and the social media industry at large.
Beginning Monday, attorneys for Meta and New Mexico will return to a Santa Fe courthouse for a three-week public nuisance trial, where they'll argue over the changes the AG wants the judge to order Meta make to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Those changes include adding age verification for New Mexico users, prohibiting end-to-end encryption for users under 18 and capping their use to 90 …
Spirit Airlines shuts down after Trump’s war on Iran doubled jet fuel prices
The ultra-low-cost air carrier Spirit Airlines shut down operations after 34 years in business and canceled all flights at 3AM ET on Saturday morning. Its website now redirects to spiritrestructuring.com, instructing fliers not to go to airports, with air traffic control records capturing controllers and pilots signing off to each other as its last flights came in for landings after the shutdown was announced.
A statement on its website said that for people who purchased tickets directly, "Refunds for tickets purchased by credit card and debit card have been issued, and will be processed by …
Aura’s delightful Aspen photo frame is on sale for $30 off this weekend
Aura’s digital frames are kind of like living photo albums that get better with time, which is why we often recommend them for Mother’s Day. They’re gifts that keep on giving, in a way, and right now, a number of Aura’s connected frames are on sale ahead of the holiday. One of the best deals is on the Aura Aspen, which is available for $199 ($30 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Aura, matching its all-time low.
Although you can preload Aura’s 12-inch LCD frame with photos before it arrives, what really makes the Aspen special is that loved ones around the world can add new images to the frame using the Aura app (or by text message). It also supports Live Photos and can play 30-second video clips — providing a personal touch that traditional frames and albums can’t offer — and allows you to add captions to each photo.
The digital frame is designed to make it easy to display and manage those memories, too. It features adjustable slideshow speeds, automatic brightness that adapts to the room, and an in-app scanner that lets you digitize older printed photos. There are no subscription fees either, meaning you can upload unlimited photos via the Aura app or sync albums from iCloud, Google Photos, and other cloud-based services.
Despite its connected functionality, the Aspen still looks and feels like a traditional picture frame, complete with an adjustable metal stand. The antiglare, paper-like display gives photos a more lifelike quality, and you can display images in either landscape or portrait mode. It’s 1600 x 1200 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio match most smartphone photos, too, so images fill the screen naturally without awkward cropping.
Read our Aura Aspen hands-on impressions.
Other Aura deals to consider
Aura Carver Mat (10-inch)
The Aura Carver Mat features a 10.1-inch HD (1280 x 800) landscape display with a paper-like matted border. It displays photos, Live Photos, and 30-second video clips, all of which you can upload for free. It also includes portrait pairing, so you can showcase two vertical photos side by side.
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Aura Walden (15-inch)
The Walden is Aura’s largest digital photo frame, with a 15-inch HD (1600 x 1200) display. It uses a 4:3 aspect ratio and works in both portrait and landscape orientation. It also includes wall mounting and unlimited uploads via the Aura app and other services.
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Anker’s discounted 2-in-1 USB-C cable is a great way to spend $15
I’ll never stop gushing about 2-in-1 USB-C cables. They’re really nice to have because, at this point, I’ve amassed so many devices that charge via USB-C. It’s also common for more than one to need to be recharged at a time, which is where they come in handy. I can charge my Nintendo Switch 2 and work-issued MacBook Air, or my Google Pixel 9 Pro and Kindle, without taking up more than one port on the power adapter.
A couple of models that offer up to 140W passthrough charging speeds are currently matching their lowest price to date — including Anker’s braided option, which is available from Amazon and Anker in black or white starting at $14.99 ($3 off). If you don’t mind paying a bit more for a slightly longer cable, Native Union’s recycled 6.5-foot Belt Cable, which features an animal-free leather strap, is down to $23.99 ($6 off) in black or a zebra-like pattern directly from the manufacturer.
Anker 140W 2-in-1 USB-C to USB-C Cable
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While the two cables are slightly different lengths, functionality is identical. Both cables support USB 2.0 speeds topping out at 480 Mbps when connected to a data source, and only the first device connected to the two-headed cable can transfer data. They can also automatically allocate power across devices, depending on the speed of your wall adapter, sending more wattage to the higher-powered of the two devices you have plugged in.
There are plenty of wall adapters that pair well with these cables, too, the kind that deliver zippy charging speeds to your connected devices. One example is Anker’s own four-port 140W charger, which offers three USB-C ports and a USB-A port. Normally $99.99, it’s currently down to $79.99 at Amazon for Prime members.
Playing Esoteric Ebb is like rolling the dice with a great DM
It took me a while to get into Esoteric Ebb, a new CRPG from developer Christoffer Bodegård. The elevator pitch is basically Disco Elysium, but in the fantasy style of Dungeons & Dragons: You play as a cleric wandering around a small town who's trying to figure out, among other things, the mystery of why a tea shop in town exploded, and all the while, you're having conversations with different character traits in your head. Like Disco Elysium, you see the world from an isometric, top-down perspective. Also like Disco Elysium, Esoteric Ebb requires a lot of reading, weighing the opinions of your competing voices, and making some bold dice rol …