Anthropic got hit by export rules nobody understands
Anthropic has spent much of this week fighting to get its newest AI models back online after the Trump administration abruptly ordered the company to cut access for all foreign nationals, including users inside the US and its own employees, forcing Anthropic to block access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for everyone.
"To my knowledge, this is the first time US export controls have been used to control access to an AI model in this way."
The Trump administration has not publicly explained the legal basis for the order, but in a statement on its website, Anthropic said the government cited "national security authorities" to justify "an export con …
Two-thirds of Americans think AI is advancing too quickly
According to the latest Pew Research poll, 49 percent of Americans report using chatbots at least occasionally, but 63 percent think the tech is advancing too quickly. Overall, use of AI chatbots has increased dramatically since 2024, when only 33 percent reported using them. Specifically, ChatGPT's usage has doubled since 2023, with 44 percent of respondents saying they've used it. But opinions remain negative, with only 16 percent saying that AI will have a positive impact on society.
Interestingly, it's the younger generations who both report using AI more and who are inclined to have a more pessimistic view. 66 percent of Americans betw …
The Echo Dot Max is cheaper than ever in an early Prime Day sale
We’re seeing good early Prime Day deals ahead of the event next week, and unsurprisingly, some of the best deals are on Amazon’s own devices. Several Echo speakers have dropped to new low prices, including the Echo Dot Max, which is on sale for $64.99 ($35 off) at Amazon.
Our smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy named the Echo Max her top pick among Alexa speakers, calling it “Amazon’s best all-around smart speaker.” The elegant, fabric-wrapped speaker delivers plenty of bass, and comes with its own dedicated tweeter and woofer that provide crisper sound than its predecessor. It’s also faster and more responsive, with Amazon’s AZ3 Neural Edge processor helping it hear voice commands more accurately, even if you’re speaking from across the room or over background noise.
The Echo Max also doubles as a capable smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Matter, and Thread, allowing you to connect and control a wide range of compatible smart home devices from brands beyond Amazon. It also supports Alexa Plus, Amazon’s more context-aware AI-powered voice assistant, which can handle multiple requests at once. That means you can do things like dim the lights and lock the doors without having to issue separate commands. In our reviewer’s testing, Alexa was even able to turn off the hallway lights, adjust the upstairs thermostat, and start a robot vacuum in the kitchen all at once.
Read our Echo Dot Max review.
Vibe-decoding the White House-Anthropic fight over Fable
Hello and welcome to Regulator, an email for Verge subscribers about technology, politics, and what happens when science crashes headlong into self-interest. Not a subscriber? Sign up here today! Got the scoop on a petty feud that's going to somehow fundamentally reshape the entire field of frontier AI development? Send 'em over to tina.nguyen+tips@theverge.com.
Back when I was covering Donald Trump's first presidency, it was incredibly common to read three different versions of the same story. His administration had split into several factions, all of which had different interests, and all of which hated each other. There was the Reince Pr …
Can anyone look cool wearing Snap’s $2,000 glasses?
Yesterday, Snap debuted its new $2,195 Specs glasses. In an interview with CNBC, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel described the Specs as something the company had been working on for more than 12 years, an attempt to "bring computing into the world" and "make it more human." He positioned them as a device to help people stay more connected to the world around them instead of looking down at their phones. People, he said, are tired of screens.
While Spiegel was speaking, I was struck by how, whenever his head moved, the light caught the lenses just so, revealing the hidden outline of the Specs' display. It was ironic that Spiegel was talking about scr …
We got free GTA V upgrades before GTA VI
Rockstar Games will allow players to upgrade older versions of Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S for free just months before the launch of GTA VI. Starting June 18th, players with any version of GTA V on PS4 or the digital version on Xbox One can get the current-gen version of the game at no additional cost.
If you haven't upgraded your copy of GTA V yet, this free update saves you from buying a whole new copy of the game for $39.99 or paying an upgrade fee. Rockstar announced the news as part of an update to GTA Online, which will add the ability to carry out heists at the Kortz Center in July.
We're still waiting …
SanDisk’s new PlayStation 5 SSD will cost you more than three PS5 Pros
SanDisk has announced an expensive way to boost the PlayStation 5's storage capacity. The company's new Optimus GX PRO 850P NVMe SSD is an officially licensed PS5 accessory in capacities ranging from 1TB to 8TB. The largest option can store up to 200 PS5 games (based on average installation sizes) SanDisk claims, but thanks to the global memory shortage, it will cost you $2,959.99 when it's eventually available through the company's online store, discounted from $3,699.99.
Even after you take into account Sony's recent console price hikes, you can buy three PS5 Pro consoles for the price of just one of these 8TB sticks. But the smaller capa …
Paramount Plus is two dollars for two months of ad-free viewing
Paramount Plus is offering new and former subscribers a discounted rate until June 25th, 2026. You’ll pay 99 cents per month for the first two months, with the Premium plan automatically renewing for $13.99 per month after that, and the more limited Essential plan renewing for $8.99.
Paramount Plus (two months)
Now through June 25th, new and former subscribers can get a two-month subscription to Paramount Plus Essential (ad-supported) or Paramount Plus Premium (ad-free) for 99 cents per month. The deal saves you over $20 and includes access to a catalog of over 40,000 TV shows and movies, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Naked Gun, South Park, and The Daily Show.
Where to Buy:
Both plans include some excellent shows, like Freaks and Geeks, Colin from Accounts, and South Park, and is one of the only places to find the majority of the Star Trek series — I know I’ll be spending two dollars to rewatch The Next Generation.
You can also find new movies like the 2025 Naked Gun reboot, classics like Mean Girls, while both plans include access to live NFL games on CBS, UEFA Champions League matches, and Showtime Originals. The Essential plan only includes a subset of the Showtime Originals found on the Premium plan, is ad supported, and doesn’t allow for downloads or live CBS.
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Horror is having a moment. In 2026, the genre is especially well-represented: new blood is dominating the box office through films like Backrooms and Obsession, established names like Sam Raimi and Damian McCarthy are at the top of their game, and long-running franchises like 28 Years Later and Resident Evil continue to stay relevant. But the most impressive piece of horror this year might just be found in the world of TV comedy: Widow's Bay, a series that manages the delicate balance of mixing scares with laughs, while also doubling as a loving tribute to the genre. It's the kind of combination that often doesn't work, which is part of what …
The best early Amazon Prime Day deals so far
Amazon’s earlier-than-usual Prime Day doesn’t begin until June 23rd, but there are several even earlier deals on must-have products that you can check out right now. To name some examples, Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are selling at their cheapest-ever price. Also, you can grab Ring’s latest battery-powered doorbell for $60 off and it includes a free Indoor Cam Plus with purchase.
While the pre-Prime Day deals are looking good so far, you may not see the brands or products you’re looking for — hopefully, those deals will come later in June. Still, we’ve only included early deals that meet the criteria we hold for all our commerce coverage: they’re good products sold at attractive prices.
We’ll update this post frequently ahead of Prime Day.
Lego Ideas – Van Gogh “Starry Night” set
You and a pal can probably assemble the 2,316-piece set of Starry Night in a couple of days. Sure, it’s said that it took Van Gogh just as long to paint the masterpiece, but we can’t all be artistic geniuses.
Where to Buy:
- For a limited time, you can get a $15 promotional gift card when you buy a $100 Newegg gift card. It’s always nice to get a little more for your money, especially if you plan to buy pricey PC components, be it RAM, an SSD, or a graphics card.
- Fitbit’s Charge 6 fitness tracker has dropped to its lowest price yet at Amazon, costing $79.99 (originally $159.99, but usually around $100). It’s a solid alternative to Google’s $99 and screenless Fitbit Air. The 2023 Charge 6 features an OLED screen, a haptics-based button, plus the ability to ping you with notifications. Read our review.
Logitech MX Master 3S
The MX Master 3S is a favorite among many Verge staff members because of its comfort and customization. It can connect via Bluetooth, via its included 2.4GHz receiver, or wired with its USB-C cable.
Where to Buy:
- The Baseus AM52 10,000mAh power bank that can deliver Qi2.2 25W wireless charging speeds is cheaper than ever for Verge readers. Through June 30th, you can head over to Amazon and use the code THEVERGECODE to nab one for $42.99 — considerably cheaper than the $63.99 price that Prime members have access to. Read about the AM52’s performance here.
Eero Pro 6E tri-band router
Eero’s Pro 6E mesh router is the Amazon-owned company’s last-gen model. It supports the 6GHz Wi-Fi band with speeds of up to 1.3Gbps and covers up to 2,000 square feet with one unit. Wired speeds can go up to 2.5Gbps. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- Amazon’s Fire 7 Kids tablet is steeply discounted ahead of Prime Day. The 32GB tablet that includes a bumper case, one year of access to a suite of kid-friendly content, and a two-year hardware warranty is down to $64.99 at Amazon (originally $129.99). There’s nothing spectacular about the specs, but it’s a good-enough tablet to withstand whatever your kiddo does to it. The two-year warranty is “worry-free,” which Amazon defines as “if it breaks, we will replace it.” The 16GB version is $54.99.
- Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar Plus that also includes a wireless subwoofer and two satellite speakers is down to $379.99 (originally $489.99), it’s best price to date. It’s a solid sound system if you don’t want to spend a bunch of money. The soundbar supports HDMI eARC and optical audio for inputs, and it can connect to devices via Bluetooth. My interest in this model has been piqued ever since RTINGS named it one of its favorite budget-friendly soundbars.
Govee Outdoor Lamp Post
A 8-foot-tall, 2,000-lumen RGBIC smart outdoor lamp. The model has six color zones and dedicated white lighting. It features built-in motion and light sensors, works with Matter, is IP66 rated, and includes a long power cord for easy installation.
Where to Buy:
- The 8-piece and 14-piece Ring Alarm Pro home security systems have gotten big discounts ahead of Prime Day. The smaller kit of the two is $209.99 ($90 off) and includes a base station (it doubles as a eero 6 Wi-Fi router), a keypad, four contact sensors for doors or windows, a motion detector, and a range extender for the alarm. The 14-piece set doubles the keypads, contact sensors, and motion detectors. Both include a 30-day trial to Ring Protect plan, which will cost $19.99 per month after the trial.
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus (second-gen)
The 2026 doorbell offers 2K video and 6x zoom, plus a removable battery. It supports Ring’s Retinal Vision, which uses AI to improve footage quality.
Where to Buy:
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select
The 4K Select isn’t Amazon’s most feature-rich nor its zippiest streaming stick. However, it’s one of the best 4K-ready options that you can get for under $20 while it’s on sale.
Where to Buy:
- Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 have been available at their lowest price to date for the past week or so. Originally $249, the noise-canceling, wireless earbuds are $179 at Amazon and Best Buy — no membership required. Walmart has a product page that lists $169 as a sale price, though it’s out of stock at the time of publication. The AirPods Pro 3 are the latest earbuds from Apple, packing better bass and active noise cancellation than their predecessor, plus the ability to do some light fitness tracking, among other niceties. Read our review.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (second-gen)
The latest over-ear, noise-canceling headphones from Bose offer longer battery life over ANC, plus lossless audio support via USB-C.
Where to Buy:
- Through June 19th (or until supplies last), Woot is offering new customers a small, but welcome $15 discount on the Nintendo Switch 2 console. The $449.99 device drops to $434 with the code NEW15 used at checkout. I know, I know — it’s not much. It may not even cover sales tax associated with the purchase, but a deal’s a deal.
Govee Table Lamp Classic
Sometimes, you don’t need a bright light. You just need a capable, portable light source. Govee’s Table Lamp has adjustable color temperature, not to mention customizable colors and brightness levels.
Where to Buy:
Apple Watch Series 11
Although the Apple Watch Series 11 is the same size as its predecessor, it features a 5G cellular modem, a display that Apple claims is twice as durable, and slightly improved battery life. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
- Marshall has knocked down prices for some of its home audio products, including its amp-inspired Acton III plug-in speaker. Originally $299.99 (though frequently $200 or so), it’s down to $179.99 in all colorways at Amazon. The Stanmore III that’s bigger and even more powerful, with RCA inputs for plugging in a record player, is $249.99 at Amazon. It’s a much bigger price drop for this one, considering it typically sells for around $300.
Gigabyte Gaming OC – Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card
A good graphics card was about the last thing I expected to find a deal on, but Gigabyte’s 9070 XT is selling at its lowest-ever price ahead of Prime Day. AMD’s midrange GPU slightly outperforms Nvidia’s similarly-priced RTX 5070.
