This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest phones, smartwatches, apps, and other gizmos that swear they’re going to change your life. Optimizer arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 10AM ET. Opt in for Optimizer here. This time last year, I’d cut […]
You may not even know it, but you’ve almost certainly encountered songs made mostly or even entirely with AI. If you’ve scrolled on TikTok the last few weeks, you’ve probably heard “I Run” a few times, but there are countless others making their way around social and music platforms. AI tools in general, and Suno […]
The Tetris: My Play Watch may look like an Apple Watch, but it eschews most of the functionality you’ll typically find on a smartwatch to focus on two things: playing Tetris and celebrating the game through a UI that’s thoroughly Tetris-themed. It’s very good at making you want to play Alexey Pajitnov’s iconic tetromino-stacking puzzler, […]
Hoto’s PixelDrive electric screwdriver is designed to make everyday fixes a lot easier, and now it’s seeing its first discount. You can currently buy the sleek electric screwdriver for just $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. Despite its small size, the cordless PixelDrive delivers an adjustable 0.5–6Nm of torque, which is strong enough for assembling electronics, […]
Apple’s latest gadgets have gotten some notable discounts lately — including the recently released Apple Watch Series 11, which is still on sale for $100 off at Amazon. Now, we’re seeing the AirPods Pro 3 drop down to their lowest price to date, with the noise-canceling earbuds going for just $199 ($50 off) at Amazon […]
The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with a pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers, but it’s always good to have a second set around in case more people come over for a few rounds of Mario Kart World. BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering a set of Joy-Con 2 controllers for $79.99 ($20 off), a new all-time low. […]
A company called INIU has issued a recall for its BI-B41 10,000mAh power banks because the lithium-ion batteries they use “can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.” The company has received 15 reports of the power banks overheating resulting in 11 fires causing over $380,000 in property damage and three minor […]
The Nex Playground is a motion-controlled, cube-shaped console for ages five and up that’s selling like hotcakes. It came in third for home console sales during Black Friday week, according to sales data shared on Bluesky from Mat Piscatella of Circana, falling behind only Nintendo’s Switch 2 and Sony’s PlayStation 5. That’s an impressive feat […]
Retro gaming handheld manufacturer Ayaneo has finally revealed the design of its first Android phone, which has been teased since August. Fittingly, it too is a throwback – to 2011’s Sony Ericcson Xperia Play. The Pocket Play has a screen that slides up to reveal a full set of inset physical controls, including a D-pad, […]
My classic Sony CRT television won’t power on. My living room is chilly because my Mitsubishi heat pump isn’t putting out enough hot air. I want my Japanese N64 to play US games, too, but I’ve been too busy to pop the hood. What if I had an AI companion to talk me through? iFixit […]