This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. The 2026 World Cup is breaking streaming records around the world: Brazil’s CazéTV YouTube livestream of that country’s opening game against Morocco surpassed 12 million concurrent viewers, a new milestone […]
YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream customers may be eligible for a cash payout, after Disney agreed to pay $50 million to settle claims that it forced the services to increase their subscription prices. Anyone who was subscribed to YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream between April 1st, 2019, and March 31st, 2026 is eligible to claim […]
The Google TV Streamer 4K is more than just a terrific streaming device. It can also act as a smart home hub, letting you control all major smart home devices directly from your TV. Thanks to Prime Day, it’s now on sale for $74.99 at Amazon for Prime members, matching its best price to date. […]
Bob Iger’s tenure as CEO of Disney came to an end a few months ago, after two decades of leading the entertainment giant through some of its most pivotal transformations and acquisitions. Iger, in an exit interview with The Financial Times, has now confirmed some significant efforts that didn’t pan out, such as walking away […]
As part of the latest evolution of its gaming initiative, Netflix has made a big push into cloud-based games you can play on your TV, much in the same way you’d watch a movie or show on the service. So far, these games have been pretty tame. Things like trivia, party games, and a weirdly […]
Stefan Paul Goetsch, better known as Hainbach, is a German experimental composer, artist, and YouTuber who is perhaps most famous for making music with laboratory equipment and scientific instruments. He describes it as being like the “Dark Souls of synthesis.” Despite using “hard mode” production techniques that often rely on telephone line testing equipment and […]
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 133, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy belated Juneteenth, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about Sam Bankman-Fried and PE Guy and admin nights (which we […]
NTS Radio and Swedish audio company Atonemo have teamed up on a dedicated player that brings NTS’s genre-defying mixes and streaming stations to almost any stereo or speaker setup. And, like Atonemo’s existing Streamplayer, you can also listen to your favorite streaming services with it, using AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, or Tidal Connect. […]
When Colin Farrell was doing press for the first season of the detective series Sugar, he had to be very careful with how he spoke. Sugar is a story about a quirky private detective, but it’s also secretly a work of science fiction, something that doesn’t become clear until halfway through the season. “I knew […]
The easiest way to save on a streaming service is often to pay for a year upfront, which HBO Max is currently making a lot cheaper. Through July 15, 2026, new and returning subscribers can get 28 percent off any of HBO Max’s yearly plans, bringing the ad-supported tier down to $78.99 ($31 off) per […]