Author: News Room

Google officially has a date for its Pixel launch event: August 20th, 2025. In an invite sent on Wednesday, Google says the event will take place in New York City at 1PM ET, where the company will show off “the latest on our Pixel phones, watches, buds, and more.”During the event, Google is expected to take the wraps off its new Pixel smartphone lineup, including the base Pixel 10, which is rumored to come with three cameras instead of two, along with an upgraded Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. Google may also reveal a completely dustproof Pixel…

Days after introducing an AI ‘waifu’ companion for Grok, Elon Musk is now officially teasing a male version for the ladies. So far we can tell it is broody and dark-haired, and according to Musk, “his personality is inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades.”This is a decidedly different tack than the cutesy “girlfriend who is obsessed with you” aura baked into Ani, the female counterpart that Grok rolled out just a few days ago. While Cullen and Grey have titillated readers of romance and “spicy” books for years, both have been criticized for problematic…

Google is raising the price of its Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions starting in August 2025.According to emails sent out to subscribers today, the cost of the entry-level Nest Aware service is increasing from $8 per month or $80 per year to $10 per month or $100 when paying for a full year up front. Nest Aware Plus is going from $15 per month or $150 per year to $20 per month or $200 annually. Google says the new pricing will go into effect “on your first bill that occurs on or after August 15, 2025, or at…

I like to drive without the distractions of my work life interrupting me, but if you’re eager to stay connected then Mercedes-Benz is ready. You’ll soon be able to join a Microsoft Teams call in some Mercedes‑Benz vehicles and use the in-car camera to chat with colleagues while you’re driving.Mercedes‑Benz is the first car maker to enable in-car camera use for Microsoft Teams while a car is being driven, but there are some important safety caveats. While you can share a video stream of yourself merrily driving along, you won’t be able to see any shared screens or slides while…

It’s almost back to school season, and we’re starting to see some great laptop deals trickle in as a result. Walmart continues to sell the M1-powered MacBook Air for $599, but if you want more power and a sleeker design, the 13-inch M2-powered MacBook Air starts at just $699 ($100 off) from Best Buy. That’s its best price to date, and it’s available on the configuration that offers 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, double what’s in the base M1 model.The M2-powered MacBook Air remains an excellent jack-of-all-trades, with more than enough power for work, casual gaming, and even…

Earlier this week, xAI added what can only be described as an AI anime girlfriend named Ani to its Grok chatbot. Which is how I ended up on a virtual starry beach as an AI waifu avatar tried to give me a “spicy” kiss.You’ve probably seen screenshots, videos, and various writeups about Ani spread across social media. If you haven’t, hoo boy. Ani is officially labeled as a “Companion” in the Grok app. You need a $30 SuperGrok subscription to access it, but functionally, it appears as a 3D model of a busty young anime woman with blonde pigtails, blue…

Scale AI, the AI industry’s chief data dealer, will lay off 14 percent of its workforce, or about 200 employees, just one month after Meta took a multibillion-dollar stake in the company and hired its CEO and other staff.The layoffs include 500 of its global contractors, Scale spokesperson Joe Osborne told The Verge, adding that it’s all part of a broader restructuring as the company commits to streamlining its data business. Bloomberg was the first to report on the news of the layoffs.Scale AI is an AI data labeling company. It uses human workers — often sourced from outside the…

Looking forward to Google’s flagship upcoming phone for 2025? While the current Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro Fold are great handsets, there’s a lot to look forward to with the Pixel 10. Rumours suggest a big update to the chipset, some huge camera upgrades, and potentially all-new sensors. Plus, we expect to get all this for the same price as the Pixel 9 series. And now we finally know when to expect the devices. Google will be holding its next Made by Google event on 20 August. The event will be held in-person in New York City for invited media.…

Jay Peters is a news editor for The Verge, which means, he explains, “I write and edit news about tech, gaming, and all of the many things The Verge covers. I also write a lot about indie video games. And I’m taking over David Pierce’s Installer newsletter while he’s on parental leave – please subscribe!”He adds that he’s been here for nearly six years, “which, as an obsessive reader of the site before joining the team, is hard for me to fathom.”When we asked him what his current favorite device was, it took him a day or two to run…

Google will now let everyone in the US call local businesses using AI. The feature, which is now available in Search, allows you to use AI for pricing or availability information without having to talk on the phone.Google first started testing this feature in January, and it’s still only available for certain kinds of businesses, like pet groomers, dry cleaners, and auto shops. When you search for one of these services, like a pet groomer, Google will display a new “have AI check pricing” prompt beneath the business listing.Google will then ask you for more information about your request, such…

OnePlus announced a new USB-C charging cable that does more than just pass power and data from one device to another. The OnePlus 2-in-1 Supervooc Cable features an inline pogo pin connector that can be used to charge the company’s OnePlus Watch 3, Watch 2, and Watch 2R smartwatches while also charging a connected smartphone. It’s a more convenient solution for travelers and can help reduce desk clutter by eliminating at least one redundant charging cable.The 2-in-1 Supervooc Cable can deliver up to 80W of power when connected to a single device like a laptop or smartphone. With a smartwatch…

Got a killer pair of headphones, but nothing to plug them in to? Want to listen to Hi-Fi audio on your cans, but don’t have a top-tier audio set-up? You’ll need an amp, and some of the best ones can be pretty huge (and expensive). If you’re short on space, then this new tiny desktop amp from Pro-Ject is just what you need. The Pro-Ject Head Box E is a tiny metal box that will set you back just £89. But it can give your audio-listening a huge boost. This amp swoops in, all 390g of it, ready to take your…