Congress can finally close a mass surveillance loophole — but will they?
A warrantless wiretapping authority that has facilitated surveillance for decades is up for renewal in Congress. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), last reauthorized in 2024, is set to expire on April 20th. A bipartisan coalition of progressive Democrats and members of the hard-right Freedom Caucus say it's long overdue for reform. But they're up against powerful figures in both parties who want to deliver a "clean" reauthorization, even as critics warn the rule is allowing President Donald Trump's administration to spy on anyone - even Americans.
Section 702, first enacted in 2008, formally allows for the surv …
Bose’s rugged Soundlink Flex Bluetooth speaker is on sale for up to $50 off
We saw a host of excellent Bose discounts during Amazon’s so-called Big Spring Sale last month; however, none of them were quite as steep as the current price drop we’re seeing on the latest Bose Soundlink Flex. Right now, the portable speaker is on sale at Amazon in select colors starting at $109 ($50 off), nearly matching its best price to date. It’s also available at Walmart, Best Buy, and directly from Bose in all eight hues, albeit for $119 ($40 off) instead of $109.
Bose Soundlink Flex (second-gen)
Where to Buy:
A few years back, we crowned the original Soundlink Flex the best portable Bluetooth speaker under $200. It was an impressive speaker with expansive sound and a surprising amount of low-end thump, not to mention a rugged, IP67-rated design that allowed you to take it pretty much anywhere. It was a real winner in many respects, particularly for its compact size, which is probably why Bose didn’t feel the need to completely reinvent the wheel with the second iteration.
The second-gen Flex is nearly identical to the first-gen model, only with a few subtle refinements. The travel-friendly speaker features a redesigned control strip with a new play / pause button and a power button that’s easier to locate — a welcome upgrade, given that the buttons on the original weren’t easy to use by feel alone. The 2nd Gen version also features adjustable EQ and support for higher-res AAC and aptX codecs, though you still get up to 12 hours of battery life, stereo pairing (if you own two), and weatherproofing, making the silicone-wrapped speaker a great picnic or poolside companion.
More deals and discounts
- Lego’s adorable R2-D2 replica is currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Target for $79.99 ($20 off), matching its lowest price to date. The 1,050-piece set is a nice, decor-worthy homage to everyone’s favorite R2-series astromech droid, complete with a 180-degree swiveling head, an attachable periscope, and a miniature Artoo that’s meant to sit alongside the included info plaque.
- If Google’s premium subscriptions don’t scare you off, the third-gen Google Nest Doorbell is down to $139.99 ($40 off) — its second-best price to date — at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. The new model supports 2K HDR video, a taller field of view than prior models, and a new sensor with a wider aperture lens for full-color low-light video. The wired video doorbell can also leverage Gemini for AI-generated text descriptions, assuming you’re willing to pay for Google’s Home Premium Advanced plan ($20 a month).
- I probably wouldn’t call Twelve South’s 4-foot PowerCord the God Cable we’ve been looking for, but it’s still a good option for charging a range of gadgets now that it’s on sale at Amazon for $16.79 (about $13 off), which is about $6 shy of its lowest price to date. The sleek, low-profile device combines a 30W fast charger with a USB-C cable, allowing you to top off your phone, tablet, and a host of other small electronics without the need for an extra wall adapter.
Update, April 10th: Updated to reflect a steeper $50 price cut on the Bose SoundLink Flex.
Trump Mobile isn’t giving up just yet
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts. We're back to being ignored, but the company is showing signs of life.
It's been nine months since Trump Mobile announced itself, seven months since the company updated any of its social media profiles, and two months since anyone replied to my emails. Based on that, you might think that everyone involved had given up on the whole idea, but this week we saw curious signs of life: a new trademark application.
What's strangest about the application is that it was filed not for anything new, but f …
Why your Whoop might tell you to up your testosterone
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.
Last week, our editor-in-chief Nilay Patel messaged me about his new Whoop band, which he'd gotten thanks to a generous yearlong offer from Chase. A few days later, he sent a cursed screenshot. The Whoop AI coach had recommended several ways in which he could dramatically improve his testosterone levels. Not because he was deficient, but because they were at "not sick" levels. Whoop optimizes for performance levels. …
Cloudflare made a WordPress for AI agents
Cloudflare, the cloud provider that connects millions of sites to the internet, wants to "fix" another digital giant: WordPress. It announced a new open-source system, called EmDash, that's supposed to address the "core problems that WordPress cannot solve" - and they want to do it by allowing AI agents to take control of your website.
Though it's still in early access, EmDash is already causing a stir in the WordPress community, and not just because its interface looks like WordPress with a facelift. Cloudflare is calling EmDash the "spiritual successor" of WordPress - something WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg has already refuted in a bl …
Interior design at 25,000 mph
As the Artemis II astronauts prepare for the most dramatic and potentially dangerous part of their mission - reentry into Earth's atmosphere - the eyes of the world will be on the Orion capsule and the people inside it. Getting glimpses into the capsule during the mission, the public has been able to observe the features of the astronaut's lives, from the screens where they receive messages from Earth to the bathroom they use and how it was fixed when it broke.
Every single piece of technology in the Orion capsule has been designed not just to withstand the epic G-forces of launch and landing, but also to optimize for human interfacing. And …
Fear and loathing at OpenAI
Sam Altman's tenure at OpenAI has been… messy. Messy to the point where Altman was briefly fired from his role as CEO, only to be reinstated days later, at which point he began reshaping the organization permanently. This week, The New Yorker published a deep look at Altman, his time at OpenAI, and the questions about whether he's the right person to be in charge of a technology as important and transformative as artificial intelligence.
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On this episode of The Vergecast, David …
Snap is sticking with Qualcomm for its next AR glasses
Snap's upcoming consumer AR glasses are still set to launch sometime this year, and they'll be powered by a Snapdragon XR chip from Qualcomm, according to an announcement of a "multi-year strategic agreement" between the companies.
Snap has been working on smart glasses for a decade, with the first model of its camera-equipped Spectacles glasses launching in 2016. But the past couple generations, which have been AR glasses capable of layering digital experiences over the real world, haven't been available to general consumers. The consumer Specs won't be the first time Qualcomm and Snap have worked together, as Snapdragon chips have powered …
Gen Z’s love-hate relationship with AI
Gen Z is increasingly disillusioned with AI - just not enough to stop using it.
A new Gallup report released this week, based on responses from nearly 1,600 people ages 14 to 29 across the US, suggests the hype is wearing off for the digital-native generation as AI becomes more embedded in school and work. Enthusiasm is falling and resentment is growing, even as many young people feel they still need to use the technology.
Gallup's poll, conducted in February and March this year, found Gen Z's feelings on AI have cooled significantly since last year. Only 18 percent said they were hopeful about the technology and 22 percent said they wer …
YouTube Premium is getting pricier
YouTube Premium is getting more expensive in the US, with prices rising by $2 on standard individual accounts and as much as $4 for the family plan. The price hike is already in effect for new accounts, and is rolling out now for existing customers.
Premium's Individual plan now costs $15.99 per month, up from $13.99, while the five-person Family plan is $26.99, previously $22.99. Premium Lite, which removes "most" ads but doesn't include YouTube Music, is now $8.99 monthly, up from $7.99.
The new prices are live now for new signups, and 9to5Google reports that existing subscribers are beginning to be notified about the price hike via the …