xAI’s last-minute scramble to stop Minnesota’s anti-nudification app law
xAI is suing Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison over a law passed back in May that broadly targets "nudification" apps, claiming that the statute's punitive provisions leave the company with "no practical choice but to restrict Grok Imagine's image-editing features in various ways." The law, the company argues, violates the First Amendment.
Back in January, Grok flooded the internet with millions of sexually explicit deepfakes, including images of minors. In another era, a content moderation disaster of this magnitude would have had the CEO flipping the kill switch on the product within hours. But in Elon Musk's brave new world, the …
Cyberpunk 2077 packs a lot of fun into its discounted $20 price
Over the last few years, CD Projekt Red put a ton of work into fixing Cyberpunk 2077, squashing bugs, polishing content, and even launching new DLC in 2023, Phantom Liberty. As a result, this game has gone from a source for funny, glitch-fueled videos to a world I’ve returned to a number of times to live out my futuristic fantasies. A big discount happening across almost all platforms makes it a lot more accessible.
Usually $59.99 for the standard edition, the game is priced at $17.99 at Steam. Its Ultimate Edition, which includes the Phantom Liberty DLC (usually $29.99 on its own), is discounted to $33.10. Xbox has the standard edition for $17.99 (usually $59.99), and the Ultimate Edition for $33.60 (usually $79.99). Sony is selling the base game for PS4 and PS5 for $19.99 (usually $49.99), while the Ultimate Edition on PS5 is $35.49 (usually $70.99).
GameStop sells pre-owned physical copies of Cyberpunk 2077 for $18.99 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (we can’t link directly to the pre-owned copies, so you’ll have to manually select the option). The older copies will automatically upgrade to their current-generation versions for free when played on an Xbox Series S/X or PlayStation 5.
It’s generous to say that the ambitious RPG was only a bit buggy at launch. In fact, its performance issues were glaring enough to cause both Sony and Microsoft to offer extended refunds. After all the bug fixes and improvements, the game is now a commonly-used performance benchmark for PC and console gaming. While its most advanced ray tracing modes are reserved for few platforms, it’s a visually-stunning game no matter where you play it. Plus, continued updates have given players more options for getting the most out of their time in Night City.
Xbox revenue drops 10 percent as Microsoft’s cloud and AI business surges
Xbox is having yet another tough quarter, as revenue from content and services like its Game Pass subscription dipped 10 percent over the past few months. At the same time, Xbox hardware sales declined 13 percent, according to Microsoft's fourth-quarter earnings report released on Wednesday.
The news comes just weeks after Xbox head Asha Sharma announced a "reset" plan for Xbox that included sweeping layoffs and the spinoff of four games studios, including South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games and Psychonauts creator Double Fine Productions.
Sharma has also made some other big changes to Xbox, including lowering GamePass prices, tes …
What’s the catch with the Apple Upgrade program?
Apple's new Upgrade program is here, allowing you to lease select models of iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Watches with a relatively low monthly payment. The company promises you won't pay more than the full price of the device over the course of the one- to three-year lease, and in some cases, you'll pay hundreds of dollars less.
The basics of the program make it sound like an amazing deal… so surely there must be a catch, right?
The answer basically depends on how you use the Upgrade Program. At least with current pricing, a diligent user really should be able to make a monthly payment, swap in their phone a year or more later, and move along …
OpenAI president says it’s ‘building a family of devices’ for its AI chatbots
In an interview with our friend Joanna Stern on her YouTube channel, OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company is working on a "family of devices" for interacting with its AI models. However, Brockman didn't confirm reports that one of those devices is a smart speaker OpenAI's rumored to be launching in 2027, or earlier rumors that the device might be a wearable like the Humane AI pin. He didn't give a release date, either, only saying that "you can expect them soon."
When asked about whether Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI could impact the devices it's working on with former Apple designer Jony Ive, Brockman said, "We are focused on o …
The US government just banned Roombas
When the Trump administration announced yesterday that it was banning "advanced robotic devices" from entering the United States, the headlines were all about humanoids. But spying doesn't require legs - and neither does the FCC's robot ban.
The robot ban will sweep up robot vacuum cleaners too, FCC media relations director Katie Gorscak confirms to The Verge.
It's not coming for your existing Roomba, and companies can keep importing and selling already approved ones. But the government claims that future foreign robots pose a national security risk, and even robovac companies are suddenly being asked to commit to US manufacturing.
Whi …
Full school day cellphone bans are more popular than ever
As schools across the country continue to implement cellphone bans, a new Pew Research Center survey shows they continue to gain support.
Seventy-seven percent of US adults support banning cellphones in middle and high school classes, and 48 percent support banning them for the entire school day. That's the first time more Americans have supported, rather than opposed, so-called bell-to-bell bans. Two years ago, just 36 percent of American adults supported an all day ban.
Across all age groups over 18 that were surveyed, most respondents support in-class bans. That support is lower but still at least half for all-day bans across most age …
The Ferrari Luce has at least 500 fans
Just two months after a bumpy launch earlier this year, Ferrari has reportedly already hit its 2026 sales goal for its polarizing, Jony Ive-designed Luce EV. Ahead of Ferrari announcing its quarterly earnings on Thursday, the Financial Times reports that Ferrari was aiming to sell "just under 500" Luce units this year, and reached that target this month.
Luce sales so far were reportedly driven by "strong demand from China," where EV sales have already taken off from makers like Geely, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr. The Financial Times says Ferrari was trying to "reach a new generation of wealthy buyers" with the Luce, particularly in China and "te …
Remarkable’s refurbished bundle is an awesome deal that’s over $350 off
A lot of us here at The Verge are fans of Remarkable’s digital note-taking tablets, and right now one of its higher-end options is much cheaper than usual. The Remarkable Paper Pro normally sells for $629 on its own, but Woot is currently offering a refurbished bundle for $449.99 through July 31st. It includes the tablet, a Marker Plus stylus, and a Book Folio, saving you $368 compared to buying new. The same refurbished bundle costs $649 from Remarkable and comes with a longer one-year warranty versus Woot’s 90-day warranty.
The 11.8-inch Paper Pro offers a paper-like writing experience, along with a rich color display. Unlike the monochromatic Paper Pure —Remarkable’s latest tablet that retails for $399 — it features an adjustable front light, making it easier to read and keep working after the lights go down. It also supports (but does not include) the optional $229 Type Folio keyboard, allowing you to switch between handwriting and typing.
Writing feels remarkably smooth — more so than similar devices from Boox, Kobo, and even Kindle Scribe models — while Remarkable’s software lets you organize notebooks with folders and tags, write directly on PDFs, and quickly convert handwritten notes into typed text. Although it supports basic sketching features like layers and shading, an iPad Pro is a better tablet if you’re serious about drawing. The Paper Pro’s color display was made with productivity in mind, serving as a distraction-free experience for reviewing slide decks, marking up reports, editing text, and organizing color-coded notes.
Read our review of the Remarkable Paper Pro.
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A few more Verge-approved deals:
- Twelve South’s AirFly Pro 2 Deluxe has returned to its record-low price of $59.49 ($10 off) at Amazon. Unlike the standard AirFly Pro 2, the model comes with an adapter for in-flight entertainment and a travel bag. Otherwise, both are identical and let you connect up to two pairs of wireless earbuds or headphones to devices with a 3.5mm audio jack. The Pro 2 can also play music from your phone or tablet through wired speakers.
- Razer’s Kiyo V2 X webcam is down to $65 ($35 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date. The sharp webcam records in 1440p at up to 60fps, while Razer lets you quickly tweak settings like brightness, color, and sharpness in its Synapse desktop app. Its wide-angle lens and adjustable mount also make it easy to capture more of your face or setup, and when you’re done, you can simply twist the built-in privacy shutter closed.
- Anker’s Nano Charging Station is on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and directly from Anker with code WS7DV2SFHWUL, which is nearly its lowest price to date. The compact 7-in-1 power strip features three AC outlets, one USB-A port, three USB-C ports, and a pair of built-in retractable USB-C cables. Each USB-C port can deliver up to 100W when used on its own (less when multiple devices are plugged in), making the hub capable enough to power everything from your laptop and tablet to your phone and desk lamp.
DoorDash is going airborne with new drone delivery division
DoorDash is launching a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air. The largest food delivery app in the US said that it has approval from the Federal Aviation Administration that clears the way for drone delivery in the near future.
DoorDash said it has received a Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA that enable it to delivery small packages via drone. Other companies to receive this designation include Alphabet's Wing, Zipline, and Amazon.
Previously, DoorDash worked with Alphabet's drone delivery division Wing on a number of pilots in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. Now the company says it will d …