Tech companies desperately want to film you doing chores
This week, an AI training startup called Shift said it would clean New Yorkers' homes for free. It has plans to expand into other cities as well, including London, and looking around my flat, I get the appeal.
But there's a catch. There's always a catch.
In exchange for the cleaning, Shift wants footage of its cleaners at work: scrubbing dishes, wiping counters, dusting tables, mopping floors. It wants everything. Video of all the boring domestic labor we'd happily outsource if we could - and that robotics companies are racing to teach machines to do so they can sell us something to do it for us.
That's harder than it sounds. Unlike cha …
The Verge’s 2026 high school graduation gift guide
High school graduation is a time of change that might be felt more deeply by family members than by the grads themselves. While some grads may immediately embark on a career path, many continue their education and delve deeper into their studies at college. Either way, they'll be taking on more responsibility, meaning it's up to friends and relatives to figure out how to support them.
Support comes in many forms, but a gift or two certainly won't hurt. Luckily, we've compiled a host of Verge-approved gift ideas spanning a wide array of interests and price points. They'll think of you when they grab their AirPods 4 to tune out distractions w …
Microsoft delays Fable (again) to avoid GTA VI
Microsoft has delayed its upcoming Fable reboot once again. The game was set to launch in autumn 2026, but Microsoft now says that Fable will come out in February 2027. However, it will show a "new look" at the game at its Xbox Games Showcase on June 7th.
"This is year is packed with incredible games for XBOX players to enjoy, from Halo: Campaign Evolved, Gears of War: E-Day and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 to Control Resonant, Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Grand Theft Auto VI," Microsoft says on the Xbox account on X. "In order to plan our game launches through the holidays, in a way that works best for players, we're moving Fable to Fe …
Microsoft teases new Surface hardware and ‘a new era of PC’
I pondered the other day what's next for Microsoft's Surface PC lineup, and it looks like we're about to find out. Windows and Surface chief Pavan Davuluri has just teased "something new is coming for developers," complete with a mysterious image of what looks like a curved display edge.
Davuluri notes that whatever is coming is "not a new OS version," so that rules out the potential for Windows 12 to be announced at Microsoft's Build developer conference next week. Separately, the Windows account on X posted a similar cryptic tweet, promising "a new era of PC" with coordinates pointing to where Computex is hosted in Taipei.
Trump’s mass deportations are only possible with racial profiling
Border security czar Tom Homan keeps threatening to "flood" New York City with ICE agents. But a new investigation shows that ICE has been quietly ramping up arrests in the New York area already - and disproportionately targeting Latino neighborhoods. The City, a local nonprofit news organization, found 430 street arrests in the metropolitan area between October 2025 and mid-March. Of these, 93 percent involved Latinos, even though they only make up 66 percent of the local undocumented population. More telling: Many of those arrested weren't the intended targets at all. Agents grabbed them while looking for other people, according to court r …
At $549, Lenovo’s Legion Go S gaming handheld is suddenly a good deal
This week, the Steam Deck OLED with 512GB of storage went from $549 to $789, putting it even further out of reach for those who were considering getting one as they came back in stock after months of unavailability. I consider it a tiny consolation that there’s a decent PC gaming handheld that is currently selling at its old price. The Lenovo Legion Go S is currently $549.99 at Woot (originally $729.99). It’s the kind of deal that wouldn’t have stood out as much a year ago as it does now.
Lenovo Legion Go S
The device has a 90-day warranty through Woot, outside of its manufacturer warranty.
Where to Buy:
We didn’t particularly like the Legion Go S at launch, though part of that was due to its high price. Sean loved its gorgeous 8-inch 120Hz screen and noted that its ergonomics are superior to most gaming handhelds, including the Steam Deck. But the price didn’t make sense considering it didn’t perform as well as Valve’s handheld in some (but not all) games. Also, it launched when Windows 11 was a nightmare to traverse in handheld mode, though things have improved a bit since then.
The Legion Go S isn’t a device we can wholeheartedly recommend, but I’m willing to make an exception in silly times like these. I’d be happier to recommend the Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor-packed version of the Go S — we found its performance gains are anywhere from 10 percent to 40 percent improved over the Ryzen Z2 Go, depending on the game — but absolutely not at its current $1,452.99 price at Lenovo’s site.
Read our review of the Legion Go S.
You can buy two of Anker’s Qi2 wireless chargers for under $25
If you’re looking for a fast iPhone or AirPods charger that’s easy to toss into your purse, backpack, or carry-on, Anker’s Zolo Magnetic Wireless Charger is a smart pick. It’s tiny and comes with a built-in USB-C cable, and you currently can buy two for $23.99 ($16 off) at Amazon and Anker (with code WS7DV2PK68EW), which is the best price we’ve seen on the bundle.
Anker Zolo Magnetic Wireless Charger (two-pack)
Where to Buy:
The Qi2-certified charging pads magnetically attach to MagSafe-compatible phones and AirPods, delivering up to 15W of power. That’s enough to top up an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 20 percent in about 19 minutes, which can provide a couple of hours of use depending upon what you’re doing. The pads are also tiny enough to slip into a pocket or purse, measuring roughly the size of an AirPods case.
Unlike a lot of wireless chargers, each pad comes with a built-in five-foot USB-C cable, which is long enough that you can comfortably use your phone as it charges while sitting on the couch or at your desk. Anker also says the charger continuously monitors temperature to help prevent overheating and protect your phone’s battery. The company doesn’t include a wall adapter, but it does throw in a cable tie to keep things organized and offers a long 24-month warranty for added peace of mind.
More ways to save today
- Just in time for the summer, UE’s Wonderboom 4 speaker is on sale in blue for just $51.44 ($48 off) at Amazon and Walmart, which is a record low price. You can also buy the USB-C speaker in other colors like black for $69.99, which is also one of its best prices in recent months. The small speaker delivers decent sound for its size and features a built-in loop so you can clip it to your bag. It lasts up to 14 hours on a single charge and boasts a rugged IP67 rating, making it a good companion for hikes, beach days, and other summer adventures.
- Dyson’s Hushjet Compact Purifier is on sale for $297.48 ($52 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which matches its all-time low. The smart air purifier features a nozzle designed to quietly push clean air farther and faster throughout rooms up to 203 square feet. Dyson says it also comes with a dedicated nighttime mode so it sounds as loud as a soft whisper as you sleep, while built-in sensors monitor air quality and adjust performance in real time. It also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can control the purifier with your voice.
- The new Govee Floor Lamp 3 Lite is on sale for $84.99 ($35 off) when you buy it at Amazon and directly from Govee with code FLC035. The Matter-compatible lamp is the cheaper version of the Floor Lamp 3 and isn’t as bright at 1,400 lumens. Otherwise, though, it delivers a similar experience, with colorful lights that can sync to music. Govee also includes over 100 preset scenes, along with AI-powered tools that can generate customizable lighting effects based on a prompt.
How Ferrari bungled the design of its first EV
For nearly 80 years, Ferrari occupied a unique cultural space where its cars were aspirational, even for people who resented those who could afford them. The price, the exclusivity, and the opacity of the buying process allowed Ferrari to sail above ordinary criticism. You might not be able to afford one, but you still wanted one.
With the launch of the all-electric Luce this week, however, the company fell down to earth, drawing the ire of the internet in the form of derision, mocking memes, and AI slop. People compared it to a vacuum, a Magic Mouse, and, most insultingly, a Nissan Leaf.
The Luce has arrived in a moment where wealth in …
What would you be willing to put in your body?
This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent 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.
At this time last week, I was getting ready to ask people what drugs they were on. I was waiting in a conference room at the Hilton Resorts World Las Vegas. In my hands was a sheet detailing the schedule of the roughly 40 elite athletes participating in the Enhanced Games - an athletic event where using legal performance-enhancing drugs was the name of the game. Soon enough, there would be a media scrum where the press could go …
Backrooms is at the forefront of horror’s YouTube wave
Though YouTube has always been a place where up-and-coming artists could be discovered and make it big, in recent years the platform has become a launching pad for some of Hollywood's most exciting new horror directors. The filmmakers behind films like Talk to Me, Iron Lung, and Obsession all started off as content creators posting their independently created projects online. And if it weren't for their fandom-fueled internet fame, studios might not have given them a chance to step up to the big leagues.
Going viral on YouTube with a series of videos inspired by 4chan memes is what put Kane Parsons on A24's radar and led to him becoming the …