Poco partners with Bose to put a subwoofer in its latest phone
Xiaomi spin-off brand Poco has partnered with Bose to help its new F8 phones stand out in an increasingly crowded market. Both the F8 Pro and F8 Ultra feature stereo speakers designed collaboratively with the audio company, and the Ultra goes one step further by including a subwoofer too.
Both new F8 phones feature the same dual stereo speakers tuned by Bose, though you’ll have to buy the Ultra if you want the benefits of the subwoofer as well, which Poco says delivers “deeper, more impactful bass.” Additionally, there are two sound profiles tuned by Bose engineers: a Dynamic mode that delivers extra bass, and a Balanced option that emphasizes vocals and a more even soundstage.
“By combining Bose’s expertise in acoustic engineering with Poco’s innovation in design and technology, Poco F8 Series achieves a level of clarity and depth that redefines what’s possible in mobile sound,” said Nick Smith, president of audio technology and chief strategy officer at Bose.
The two phones are otherwise fairly typical affordable flagships. The F8 Ultra has a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, with a large 6.9-inch OLED display, triple 50-megapixel rear camera, and wireless charging. The F8 Pro uses last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, a smaller 6.59-inch screen, and downgrades to each of the three rear lenses. Both have IP68 ratings though, plus batteries bigger than 6,000mAh, which should deliver decent longevity.
The F8 Pro starts from $579, while the Ultra is available from $729, though a $50 early bird discount is available at launch. The two phones were announced alongside a pair of sub-$400 tablets, the Pad X1 and Pad M1, both of which lean on high resolution displays and Dolby Atmos speakers to serve as good value entertainment options.
Uber’s robotaxi service in UAE now includes fully driverless vehicles
Uber and WeRide are now deploying fully driverless vehicles as part of its robotaxi service in the United Arab Emarites. Customers in Abu Dhabi who request an UberX or Uber Comfort may be matched with a fully autonomous WeRide vehicle if the route is part of the company’s service area.
Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle operator WeRide first launched their robotaxi service with safety drivers back in December 2024. At the time, the companies they anticipated pulling safety drivers out of the vehicles the following year.
Initially, the fully autonomous vehicles will only be available in select locations throughout the 12 square miles of Yas Island, a popular tourist destination in Abu Dhabi. Uber and WeRide say they will expand its fully driverless territory in the future. Customers interested in riding in a driverless car can select the “Autonomous” option in the Uber app for a better chance of being matched.
The vehicles are WeRide’s GXR equipped with over 20 sensors and cameras, and can seat up to five passengers. The GXR is based on Geely’s Farizon SuperVan, which is also being used as a WeRide robotaxi in Beijing. Similar to Uber’s partnership with Waymo in the US, the ridehailing company oversees fleet operations for WeRide’s robotaxis in collaboration with taxi operator Tawasul Transport. This includes vehicle cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot management. WeRide remains responsible for vehicle testing and sensor calibration.
In addition to its service in the UAE, Uber and WeRide have said they plan on launching in an additional 15 cities over the next five years, including some cities in Europe. Uber has been on an absolute streak of partnering with new AV companies over the past few years as it seeks to become a one-stop shop for robot cars and robot delivery of any brand (except Tesla, for now).
Qualcomm reveals its not-so-elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
When Qualcomm announced its high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset in November, it mentioned that a non-Elite version was on the way, designed to power a more affordable tier of flagship phones. Now, that chip has finally arrived, with some drops in performance but the same core feature set.
Qualcomm compares the 8 Gen 5 to 2023’s 8 Gen 3, boasting a 36 percent improvement in CPU performance and 11 percent improvement in GPU performance compared to that chip, along with efficiency improvements. But since the 8 Gen 3 is two years old, and Qualcomm has changed CPU architecture in the meantime, the recent 8 Elite Gen 5 is a more useful comparison.
The 8 Gen 5 has a similar Oryon CPU structure to the Elite, but at slower clock speeds — its six performance cores cap at 3.32GHz, with its two prime cores at 3.8GHz, compared to 3.62GHz and 4.6GHz respectively in the Elite. On paper, that also sets its performance below last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, though we’ll have to wait to see how actual smartphones compare in practice.
There are a few other downgrades from the new Elite. The regular Gen 5’s X80 modem has slightly slower peak 5G speeds, though Bluetooth and Wi-Fi performance should be the same, and both satellite and ultra wideband (UWB) are supported. It also has slightly downgraded specs on its Adreno GPU and Hexagon AI NPU, though Qualcomm has gone into less detail on the exact comparisons there, and it can’t use the latest UFS 4.1 storage. But other specs are identical across the two chipsets, including charging capabilities, display support, and the vast majority of the camera hardware options.
Qualcomm says that several manufacturers, including Motorola, OnePlus, and Vivo, have already agreed to use the chip in new phones, with the first devices due to appear “in the coming weeks.” That might mean we’ll see it in the OnePlus 15R, now confirmed to launch in the US on December 17th.
Campbell’s promises its soups are not made with 3D printed meat
Campbell’s is insisting that its soups aren’t made with 3D-printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or bioengineered meat. The food giant issued the explanation on its website after leaked audio allegedly captured Campbell’s vice president of information technology saying the company’s meat “came from a 3D printer.”
“A recent video contained false comments about our ingredients,” Campbell’s writes. “The comments heard on the recording about our food are not only inaccurate, they are absurd. We do not use lab-grown chicken or any form of artificial or bioengineered meat in our soups.” It adds that the company only uses chicken from “reputable” suppliers in the US that meet USDA standards.
The audio was released as part of a lawsuit filed against Campbell’s by a former employee, who claims to have recorded a conversation with IT VP Martin Bally. During the conversation, the person purported to be Bally makes racist remarks, while calling Campbell’s food “bioengineered” and for “poor people.”
“Even in a can of soup, I look at it — and look at bioengineered meat,” the person in the recording says. “I don’t want to eat a fucking piece of chicken that came from a 3D printer, do you?”
3D-printed chicken isn’t entirely something out of a sci-fi movie. KFC, which has had to deal with its own chicken-related conspiracies, said it was working with a Russian firm in 2020 to develop a way to “print” lab-grown chicken nuggets using chicken cells and plant material.
Campbell’s has put Bally on leave while it investigates the alleged comments. “Keep in mind, the alleged comments heard on the audio were made by a person in IT, who has nothing to do with how we make our food,” Campbell’s says.
House overhauls KOSA in a new kids online safety package
The House Energy and Commerce Committee released a package of 19 bills aimed at protecting kids on the internet, teeing Congress up for a chance at passing some of the most substantive internet regulations in recent history, alongside a fight over online speech rights.
The subcommittee on commerce will consider the bills during a hearing on Tuesday, including the contentious Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). KOSA has been the centerpiece of advocacy from parent survivors whose kids died after suffering from a range of online harms, including cyberbullying, sextortion, and drugs purchased through the internet. But the new version of the bill omits the animating feature of the Senate version that passed overwhelmingly last year: the duty of care, which would have made tech platforms legally responsible for mitigating harms stemming from their services, like eating disorders and depression. Critics warned that could sweep up a host of legal speech, including resources that seek to mitigate the very harms KOSA aims to solve.
The new version of KOSA omits the animating feature of the Senate version that passed overwhelmingly
In a new House discussion draft, the duty of care has been replaced by a requirement that social media platforms have “reasonable policies, practices, and procedures” to deal with four discrete kinds of harm: “Threats of physical violence,” “Sexual exploitation and abuse,” “Distribution, sale, or use of narcotic drugs, tobacco products, cannabis products, gambling, or alcohol,” and “Any financial harm caused by deceptive practices.” The extent of policies and procedures a platform has to have would need to be appropriate to the scale and complexity of the platform itself, and the technical feasibility of addressing the harms. The new version also expands the definition of who’s covered by the bill to include nonprofit platforms.
The package includes several other significant bills. Among them is the App Store Accountability Act, the federal version of a bill that’s passed in several states requiring age verification at the app store level and transmitting age signals to developers. The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) would raise the age of privacy protections from an earlier version of the law from under 13 to under 17, and ban targeted advertising to those covered by the bill. The Reducing Exploitative Social Media Exposure for Teens (RESET) Act, currently a discussion draft, would prohibit social media platforms from allowing any kids or teens under 16 to maintain accounts.
It’s a significant step after last year, when House Republican leadership passed on the chance to advance KOSA. Though the Senate approved it 91-3, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) worried about the bill’s constitutionality and free speech implications. Opponents accused them of cozying up to the tech industry due to investments in their state. Now, it appears that House leadership may follow through on promises to reconsider kids online safety legislation — but it already looks far different than what was proposed last year, and there’s no promise it will cross the finish line.
David Sacks tried to kill state AI laws — and it blew up in his face
On Wednesday, a rumor began popping up in Washington about a momentous policy change: the White House, it was said, would issue an executive order on Friday that would finally preempt state AI laws, handing over those regulatory powers to the federal government. The minute it leaked online, lawyers and policymakers began to scour every sentence of it. There was a lot about it that seemed politically unfeasible; there was even more that seemed overbroad, possibly illegal. There were a lot of agencies that had suddenly been cut out.
But crucially, they noticed how much power would have been handed to a certain South African tech-billionaire-t …
Warner Music Group partners with Suno to offer AI likenesses of its artists
Warner Music Group has struck a licensing deal with the AI music creation platform Suno. Under the agreement, WMG will allow users to create AI-generated music on Suno using the voices, names, likenesses, images, and compositions of artists who opt in to the program.
WMG, which owns record labels that have signed musicians like Ed Sheeran, Twenty One Pilots, Dua Lipa, and Charli XCX, says participating artists will have “full control” over how their likeness and music are used, though it doesn’t share how.
“These will be new creation experiences from artists who do opt in, which will open up new revenue streams for them and allow you to interact with them in new ways,” Suno says, adding that users will be able to “build around” an artist’s sounds “and ensure they get compensated.”
WMG is also dropping out of a lawsuit it originally filed with Universal Music Group and Sony, alleging Suno illegally ripped their copyrighted works from YouTube. In recent weeks, major music labels have begun to embrace AI, as WMG similarly settled with AI music maker Udio earlier this month, while UMG ended its litigation against the platform in favor of a licensing agreement. The “ethical” AI music platform Klay has also struck deals with UMG, Sony, and WMG.
Along with the licensing agreement, Suno is planning to use licensed music from WMG to build next-gen music generation models that it claims will surpass its flagship v5 model. It will also start requiring users to have a paid account to download songs starting next year, with each tier providing a specific number of downloads each month.
You can grab two months of Paramount Plus with Showtime for $2.99 a month
In case you missed it, Paramount Plus is raising prices by $1 a month starting on January 15th, 2026, taking the ad-supported Essential plan from $7.99 to $8.99 and the ad-free Premium plan from $12.99 to $13.99. Thankfully, Paramount’s Black Friday promo has arrived just in time to (somewhat) soften the blow. Now through December 2nd, both new and returning subscribers can sign up for a two-month subscription for just $2.99 a month, dropping the price of the Essential plan by $5 and the Premium plan by a whopping $10.
Paramount Plus (two months)
Where to Buy:
No matter which plan you choose, Paramount Plus gives you access to over 40,000 TV episodes and movies, including the latest season of Landman, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Naked Gun, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, South Park, Fight or Flight, and The Daily Show. You’ll get access to 20 curated live channels and a few Showtime titles — including the first two seasons of Yellowjackets and all of Dexter — with support for three simultaneous streams and up to six profiles (including kid-friendly ones). Some live sports are also available, including all UEFA Champions League games and select NFL games.
The Premium plan takes things a step further, granting access to the full Showtime library — including shows like The Chi, Dexter: Resurrection, and every season of Yellowjackets — as well as films like The Substance, Talk To Me, Infinite, and Past Lives. It also adds support for streaming select titles in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision or HDR10 Plus, 24/7 live CBS news via your local station, and the ability to download shows and movies for offline viewing.
These are my favorite Switch 2 accessories
The Switch 2 can be enjoyed right out of the box, but it’s even better with the right accessories. Some of these add-ons are more crucial than others, especially if you’re deciding what to buy early on. For example, a case and a screen protector can keep your console safe from scuffs, scratches, and drops, so both are what I’d consider to be essential. If you’re not a fan of how the Joy-Con 2 feel to use, a cheap but good wireless controller wouldn’t hurt, either.
On the other hand, a microSD Express card lets you add even more digital games to your library, although the console’s somewhat generous 256GB of internal storage means you may not need one right away (unless you buy a lot of games that are 50-70GB each, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Madden 26). Some other accessories don’t add enough to the gaming experience to be worth it. Those Joy-Con 2 steering wheel accessories? You can pass on those.
The Switch 2 and its games are expensive enough, so we’ve assembled this guide with picks that are a great value. You don’t need to spend hundreds on accessories — many of us at The Verge certainly aren’t. No matter your budget, we’ve included numerous categories, beginning with a starter kit of recommendations we think everyone should consider.
Best Switch 2 controllers
EasySMX S10
The best wireless Switch 2 controller for most people (especially those on a budget) isn’t made by Nintendo. EasySMX’s S10 wireless controller is $30 less than the Switch 2 Pro, but it’s packed with nearly as many features, barring a couple that are exclusively for use with Nintendo’s controller (3.5mm headphone jack, customization features built into the Switch 2 OS interface). The S10 is the one to get if you value long-lasting joysticks; it has TMR joysticks, which are drift-resistant, unlike the potentiometer-based sticks in the Switch 2 Pro.
Additionally, the S10 features great-feeling rumble, amiibo support, and a comfortable design. Its clicky buttons and triggers may not be to everyone’s liking, although you may not know until you try. I had a hard time coming up with negative things to say about the S10 in our guide to the best Switch 2 controllers. It’s just a great gamepad for the price.
EasySMX S10 Gaming Controller for Switch 2
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Nintendo Switch 2 Pro
The Switch 2 Pro is a fabulous controller for those who want to plop down $90, although it’s not the best around in terms of specs. Namely, Nintendo opted for potentiometer-based joysticks, similar technology to the drift-prone sticks that sparked controversy with the original Switch controllers. It’s a disappointing move, as more companies are adopting drift-resistant Hall effect or TMR joystick tech — even for wireless gamepads that cost a fraction of what the Switch 2 Pro does.
Despite this oversight, the Switch 2 Pro hosts some great features you can’t get elsewhere, like a 3.5mm jack that lets you plug in a set of wired headphones for private listening. Additionally, it can remotely wake the Switch 2 from standby via Bluetooth (a growing number of wireless controllers possess this ability), so you don’t have to get off your couch to hit the console’s power button. Lastly, this model has two additional buttons that can be mapped within the Switch 2’s OS to mimic almost any other button (some cheaper alternatives, including the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 and Pro 3, feature four extra buttons, but a more cumbersome mapping process).
Read our review of the Switch 2 Pro
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
The Switch 2 Pro Controller features new remappable “GL” and “GR” rear buttons, the “C” button to access in-game chat features, and a headphone jack.
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8Bitdo USB Adapter 2
It’s technically not a controller, but I’m a broken record when it comes to recommending 8BitDo’s USB Adapter 2 for households already with more than one console. In the case that you have an Xbox or a PS5 and would rather not buy a bespoke Switch 2 controller, just buy this $20 adapter instead, and use it to connect a wireless controller you already own.
This adapter goes into the Switch 2’s dock (or directly into the console, if you have a USB-A to C adapter). Connecting your controller is as easy as putting it into pairing mode, then ensuring that the “Pro Controller Wired Communication” option is turned on within the console’s settings. Click and hold the adapter’s coin-shaped button to initiate pairing, then you should be good to go. The DualSense’s rumble and motion controls work seamlessly, and you can remap buttons as you please within the console’s OS, just like you would an official Switch controller.
Best adapter: 8BitDo Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter 2
The 8BitDo’s latest adapter resembles a flash drive, but once connected to your Switch’s dock, it allows you to wirelessly pair it with a variety of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo controllers.
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Best Switch 2 cases
Dbrand Killswitch
The Killswitch is a great Switch 2 companion, whether you’re someone who primarily uses the console in handheld mode or while it’s docked. It’s a case that wraps around the Switch 2’s back, with detachable components that snugly grip onto each Joy-Con 2, adding some extra bulk that makes them more comfortable to hold. Above all else, it’s a great way to protect your console from scratches and slightly more significant damage. What’s also great is that it doesn’t limit its flexibility as a hybrid console.
Each Killswitch ships with a USB-C dock adapter that is inserted into the Switch 2 dock. Since the case-equipped console can no longer fit in Nintendo’s dock, this adapter lets you connect it to your TV without taking off the case. It’s tougher to correctly align the Switch 2’s USB-C jack with this adapter than it is to put it in the dock, but it gets easier with practice.
Read our review of the Dbrand Killswitch
Tomtoc FancyCase Slim zip-up case
The best, slimmest zip-up case you should buy is made by Tomtoc. Compared to the Belkin hard zip-up case that I got my hands on before the Switch 2’s launch, the Tomtoc FancyCase slim case feels more durable; anecdotally, it holds up much better to being squeezed by hand. It even has more vertical clearance above the Joy-Con 2 sticks, so it’ll never press them in on accident. Like most zip-up cases, it features a screen cover that doubles as cartridge storage. This one can hold 12 cartridges.
I’m confident that it’ll absorb more potential damage over time than other cases I’ve tried. Plus, it just looks cooler, with low-profile designs for gamers who don’t want to draw attention to their console. That said, its “Froz Edition” has ice cream-inspired looks that are a lot more expressive.
tomtoc slim carrying case for the Switch 2
This hard case has a soft touch and a slim fit, and includes a flap that can hold up to 12 cartridges as it protects the console’s screen.
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Belkin fabric zip-up case
Belkin’s $29.99 zip-up case is another competent, good-looking option that’s slim and lightweight. It’s worth considering over the Tomtoc for one reason only: its built-in pocket, which is great if you need to stow a charging cable or any other small doo-dads. Not to mention, this pocket contains another pocket for an AirTag or similar Bluetooth tracker, so you can track this case’s location should you lose track of it.
Belkin makes a thicker, pricier version of this case that has a 20,000mAh 20W battery inside. It’s nearly identical until you open it. A cutout fits this (and only this) Belkin battery perfectly, and it lets you charge your Switch 2 at top speeds while it’s protected.
Best Switch 2 cameras
The best webcam that you can get for your Switch 2 should be the cheapest one you can find that’s guaranteed to work with it. So far, Logitech has confirmed that almost all of its webcams support the Switch 2, and Elgato has updated its Facecam MK.2 to support it, as well. Elgato’s model is pricier than we recommend most people spend, but it’s a solid option if you also have a PC to use it with. It’s worth knowing that the Switch 2 displays low-fidelity video feeds during gameplay, so unless you plan to use the webcam with your PC as well, it’s not worth spending a lot for a model that promises great video quality.
Logitech Brio 100 webcam
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Elgato Facecam MK.2
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Best Switch 2 portable batteries
The Switch 2 is more powerful than the original Switch. However, it doesn’t require all that much more power to charge, even while you’re playing games. While new phones and tablets are breaking new ground with fast charging speeds, getting a power bank that can deliver at least 20W is totally sufficient to get the fastest-possible charging speeds with the Switch 2 in handheld mode.
By using a display-equipped USB-C cable with a wattage reading, I was able to see that the Switch 2 usually pulls a maximum of about 15-17W of power (sometimes less) from a USB-C battery during gameplay. When the system was asleep, the rate went down to between 8-13W, fluctuating at different points during the charging process. From a totally dead state, the console took almost 90 minutes to reach 69 percent with a 20W battery plugged into it. You’ll likely drain your USB-C battery more quickly if you’re playing as you charge.
Thankfully, your options for compatible batteries are plentiful. You’ll likely be paying for more power than you’ll need with the Switch 2, but more power (and especially more ports) are never a bad thing to have too much of.
Best microSD Express cards for Switch 2
The Switch 2 supports microSD Express cards of up to 2TB, even though models with that amount of storage aren’t yet available for purchase. Most brands make cards in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations, and some offer 1TB cards as well. I’d suggest grabbing the cheapest microSD Express card you can find, as so far they all offer similarly fast read/write speeds. Right now, Samsung’s P9 is one of the most affordable models you can get.
Samsung P9 microSD Express Card
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Other cheap, must-have Switch 2 accessories
There are two extra items that I think most people should consider buying for their Switch 2. The first is a screen protector. As I mentioned at the top of the post, the console’s screen is its most fragile component, so spend the $10 or so necessary to get a multipack of tempered glass protectors so you don’t have to think about it again. Many brands make them, but I’ve had great experiences with stuff from amFilm.
amFilm OneTouch two-pack of glossy screen protectors
This two-pack of glossy screen protectors is a great value.
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The other accessory is a USB-C-to-Ethernet adapter. It’s possible that you may get a ton of usage out of this, especially if you play online multiplayer games and you want to nip latency in the bud. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll just plug it in when it comes time to download a game. The Switch 2’s Wi-Fi is awfully slow when it comes to downloading large files, even when you have fast internet. Plugging this accessory into either of its USB-C ports greatly increases download speeds.
Update, November 25th: This article was updated to reflect changing prices and stock, and to add the Samsung P9 microSD Express card.
Perplexity says its AI personal shopper ‘puts you first’
Perplexity is ramping up its AI shopping experience going into the holiday season, just like OpenAI and Google, with a free AI-powered shopping feature that is available now to US users. Its AI assistant looks similar to what we’ve seen from ChatGPT’s shopping research, as users type in what they’re looking for and refine the results with follow-up questions. The recommended products show up as cards with specs and reviews, and users can buy products directly through Perplexity from merchants that support PayPal.
If you ask for a jacket to wear on your commute by ferry across the Bay to San Francisco, Perplexity says the chatbot will remember this past interaction to inform its recommendation when you later ask for boots. It’s available now on the desktop and web, with mobile access via iOS and Android due in “the coming weeks.”
Perplexity says its “Instant Buy” partnership with PayPal allows merchants to stay in the retail loop and build relationships with customers, “just as they would on their own sites,” perhaps as a way to address what The Verge EIC Nilay Patel has described as “the DoorDash problem.”
Perplexity’s announcement post takes digs at search bars that it says “fail at exploration” and editorial outlets that “prioritize affiliate revenue over matching readers to the exact products they’ll love” (maybe you could take a look at our Black Friday guide and see how it measures up?). Online shopping, Perplexity says, tends to focus on speedy checkouts, “not the joy” of shopping. Instead, Perplexity says its AI assistants, also called agents by other companies, “understand intent, remember preferences, and act as extensions of how users would approach a task on their own.”