HoverAir’s transforming modular drone has already been halted in the US
I am so sorry, fellow US gadget fans: the FCC's drone ban appears to have struck again. The HoverAir Versa - a baby steadycam with snap-on propeller wings that transform it into a drone - has already stopped taking US orders just three days after its Indiegogo debut, and may be forced to abandon shipping plans in the US.
HoverAir is now telling backers it's only shipping its camera to the US, not the piece that turns it into a drone, "due to a few remaining logistics updates with the Flight Kit." But those "logistics" may actually be a euphemism for "we've been banned by the federal government." The FCC's database no longer has an entry for …
TikTok will pay $400 million to settle DOJ child privacy lawsuit
The US Department of Justice announced on Friday that TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2024 over allegedly violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In the lawsuit, the DOJ alleged that TikTok collected data from children without notifying parents or obtaining consent and did not delete the accounts when parents requested.
TikTok is set to pay $300 million right away and will pay a further $100 million "upon entry of an order vacating a prior consent decree entered against TikTok's predecessor, Musical.ly," the DOJ says in a press release. The settlement is "one of the largest recoveries ever o …
Over 1 million people have clicked LinkedIn’s AI slop button
LinkedIn actually announced a "Seems like AI slop" button on July 30th, and the company says that a lot of people have already used it. According to a Thursday post from chief product officer Hari Srinivasan, "over a million people" have clicked on the button, which is accessible from the three dots menu on a post.
LinkedIn announced the button a few weeks after AI detector Pangram determined that 41 percent of LinkedIn's longform posts were flagged as fully AI generated, which 404 Media reported on. Alongside the AI slop button, LinkedIn introduced "new and improved" classifiers to identify posts as AI and removed a feature that would "en …
Apple is laying off staffers working on the Vision Pro and Siri
Apple is laying off staff on the Siri and the Vision Pro teams, according to Bloomberg. The cuts include "largely shutting down" a Vision Pro gaming team and "reducing the size" of the team that makes Vision Pro immersive content, the publication says. More than 200 jobs were cut.
Apple said in a statement to Bloomberg it was making the changes to "to evolve our business to deliver the best experiences for our users," though it will be making new roles. The company didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge.
The Vision Pro launched in early 2024 as Apple's big bet on "spatial computing," but the $3,499 headset doesn't …
$100 Best Buy gift cards will be $60 at stores Saturday
The best gift card deal we’ve spotted this year is happening Saturday, August 22nd, at Best Buy stores for one day only. In celebration of the retailer’s 60th anniversary, you can purchase a $100 Best Buy gift card for $60. The deal is only good for as long as supplies last at your local store, so you might want to plan on getting there no later than opening time to boost your chance of getting one.
There are some limitations on how you can use the gift card. You can’t use them to buy other gift cards, like iTunes or Google Play credit, and they also can’t be used to buy prepaid or open-loop debit cards. However, they can be used in combination with other discounts or promotions on products from Best Buy, and any returns or cancellations you make will credit back to the gift card.
We’ve found a number of deals during Best Buy’s 60th anniversary sale that you can apply that gift card to. The iPad Air M4 dropped to $649, the lowest we’ve seen since the prices went up this summer, and the AirPods Max 2 are only $429, $120 lower than their usual price. There are a variety of discounts on Windows and macOS laptops too, like this HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 for $749.99, a $450 discount from the typical price.
Walmart is finally adding Apple Pay and Google Pay
Walmart will soon allow you to pay for your items with Google Pay or Apple Pay. In an announcement on Friday, Walmart says it's going to bring tap-to-pay capabilities to "select" Walmart and Sam's Club locations starting August 24th, before rolling out support to all US stores by the end of 2026 and gas stations by mid-2027.
This launch has been a long time coming, as Walmart was one of the last major retailers not to support Apple Pay or Google Pay. The retail giant even backed the launch of the short-lived CurrentC mobile payment service before rolling out Walmart Pay in 2016, which lets you quickly check out with a QR code at its stores. …
Microsoft and Discord subpoenaed over GTA VI gameplay leaks
Following several apparent video leaks of Grand Theft Auto VI, Take-Two Interactive has subpoenaed Microsoft and Discord over content that "infringes copyrights" held for the game, Kotaku reports. In the subpoenas, filed on Thursday, Take-Two says copyrighted material includes "audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements" and it is looking to identify "alleged infringers at issue." The subpoenas give Microsoft and Discord until September 4th to produce the requested information.
The leaked clips have been watermarked by a person or group going by "CyberLeek," and they have shown what appears to be GTA VI prot …
Pixel 11 gets in on the digicam trend
I recently looked back at a photo I'd taken on a smartphone in 2014, and I was struck by just how good it looked. The details were soft, the shadows were dark. It was the kind of photo I felt like I hadn't seen out of a phone in years. That might be changing, though. The Pixel 11 includes a suite of new photography features called Camera Looks that allow those who really care about those things (hi, it's all of us) to dial in their preferences and get rid of that modern over-processed look.
On today's episode of The Vergecast, David Imel joins us to discuss his time reviewing the Pixel 11 Pro and how he's thinking about its new approach to …
Why does it seem like food recalls are out of control this year?
Just weeks after Taylor Farms issued a recall of its iceberg lettuce amid a massive cyclospora outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration recalled more than one million eggs that may be contaminated with salmonella. The eggs, which come from Midwest Poultry Services, were distributed to Kroger and smaller grocery stores across the South and Southwest US. Then, Taylor Farms pulled more than a dozen of its products containing jalapeños - including guacamole, salsa, taco dip, and more - from store shelves after its supplier, Coast Citrus Distributors, recalled fresh peppers due to salmonella contamination.
The list of major recalls that occurr …
Google’s Pixel 10A is a great deal at 15 percent off
This week, all of Google’s Pixel 11 phones launched, including the $899 Pixel 11, the $1,099 Pixel 11 Pro (with the same processor and starting 12GB RAM as the standard model, but with better cameras), and the $1,899 Pixel 11 Pro Fold. They’re good phones, but if you don’t mind missing out on their new, exclusive camera and AI features, you can get a great Google-made phone that’s hundreds less.
Google’s Pixel 10A has been sitting at an attractive $424 (originally $499) at Amazon, Best Buy, and at the Google Store since early August, and we’re just highlighting it again here today in case you’re shopping for a phone.
Google Pixel 10A
Google’s new Pixel 10A introduces faster wired charging, Satellite SOS, and new AI tools like Camera Coach and Auto Best Take. Otherwise, it’s basically the Pixel 9A, with the same Tensor G4 chip and a dual-camera system. Read our hands-on impressions.
Where to Buy:
An IP68 rating, 90Hz refresh rate screen, wireless charging, and great design aren’t something you have to pay close to $1,000 to get. Similar to Apple’s iPhone 17E (but with slightly older parts by direct comparison), the Pixel 10A offers many of the same hardware and software features as previous Pixels. Its camera specs and Tensor G4 processor — debuted within the Pixel 9 series — are the biggest differences between the 10A and pricier versions. Our criticism of the 10A focused on how little Google changed compared to the 9A, yet it’s still a good phone if you haven’t upgraded in a while. Read our review.
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- I understand if you don’t want to shell out for SteelSeries’ new Arctis Nova Pro Omni gaming headset since it costs $399.99 and isn’t all that different from its predecessor, 2022’s Nova Pro Wireless. Aside from the Omni’s minor improvements to sound and noise cancellation, you aren’t missing out if you get the last-gen model. The Xbox version of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a great deal for $249.99 at Amazon, which is about as cheap as it gets these days. It’ll work with PlayStation, Switch, Switch 2, and PC, too. Read our review.
- I’ve been interested in trying out soldering, especially since Hoto launched its SnapBloq rechargeable soldering iron. It’s a little pricey at $79.99, though, especially when Fanttik’s T1 Max seems like a more complete and more powerful setup that costs less. Originally $79.99, it’s down to $55.99 at Amazon and includes multiple soldering tips, an aluminum swiveling stand, sponges, a desoldering pump, plus a cable to plug it in for more power. It can heat up to 840 degrees Fahrenheit, though it has six temperature levels so you can find the right temperature for your specific job. Its works wirelessly (with its 2,600mAh battery), or plugged in via USB-C.
- Best Buy doesn’t stock physical movies in its warehouses or stores, but it still sells them online through third-party sellers. It partnered with a handful of them to build a sale that includes some great Blu-rays films and TV shows at fantastic prices. You can view the whole catalog of discounts here, but some highlights include the Back to the Future trilogy 4K Blu-ray set for $34.99 (usually about $10 more), the steelbook Blu-ray set of the Cowboy Bebop is $37.99 (among more anime), plus a pretty wide spread of Disney films and other classics on 4K Blu-ray.