T-Mobile agrees to $350 million settlement over its massive 2021 data breach
The hack is costing the company big. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
T-Mobile has agreed to pay $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from the 2021 hack that it says exposed around 76.6 million US residents’ data. According to the proposed agreement filled on Friday, which you can read in full below, T-Mobile will put $350 million into a settlement fund to go to lawyers, fees, and, of course, to people who file claims. It’ll also be obligated to spend $150 million on “data security and related technology” during 2022 and 2023, in addition to what it had already budgeted for.
In August, the company announced that its systems had been breached, following reports that Social Security numbers, names, addresses, and driver’s license information for over 100 million of its customers was for sale. While the number proved to be slightly inflated, T-Mobile’s figure of how many people were impacted continued to rise over the rest of the month. T-Mobile’s CEO called this security breach — its fifth in four years — “humbling.”
The proposed settlement agreement still has to be approved by a judge, but if it is, T-Mobile will have 10 days to put money in the fund to cover the costs of notifying people who are eligible to claim. According to the settlement, that covers “the approximately 76.6 million U.S. residents identified by T- Mobile whose information was compromised in the Data Breach,” with a few caveats for some of the carrier’s employees and people close to the judges that presided over the case. In the interest of full disclosure, that could very well mean that I’m eligible to apply for compensation, as I was a T-Mobile customer when the hack occurred.
The settlement agreement doesn’t contain estimates on how much each claimant can expect to receive, though it’s difficult to estimate that kind of thing until it’s clear how many people will make claims.
The lawsuit that T-Mobile is hoping to settle here accused the company of failing to protect its past, present, and prospective customers’ data, not properly notifying people who may have been impacted, and overall having “inadequate data security.” T-Mobile denies these allegations in the agreement, saying that the settlement doesn’t constitute an admission of guilt. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the carrier says it “has the right to terminate the agreement under certain conditions” laid out in the proposed agreement but says that it anticipates having to pay out the claims.
Outside of this lawsuit, there have been other responses to T-Mobile’s data breach and others like it. The FCC proposed new rules surrounding such attacks, which aim to improve how a company communicates with people about their data.
Now Microsoft Office is blocking macros by default
Image by Alex Castro / The Verge
There’s been a bit of back and forth since the change was originally announced, but this week Microsoft started rolling out an update to Microsoft Office that blocks the use of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros on downloaded documents.
Last month, Microsft was testing the new default setting when it suddenly rolled back the update, “temporarily while we make some additional changes to enhance usability.” Despite saying it was temporary, many experts worried that Microsoft might not go through with changing the default setting, leaving systems vulnerable to attacks. Google Threat Analysis Group leader Shane Huntley tweeted, “Blocking Office macros would do infinitely more to actually defend against real threats than all the threat intel blog posts.”
Now the new default setting is rolling out, but with updated language to alert users and administrators what options they have when they try to open a file and it’s blocked. This only applies if Windows, using the NTFS file system, notes it as downloaded from the internet and not a network drive or site that admins have marked as safe, and it isn’t changing anything on other platforms like Mac, Office on Android / iOS, or Office on the web.
We’re resuming the rollout of this change in Current Channel. Based on our review of customer feedback, we’ve made updates to both our end user and our IT admin documentation to make clearer what options you have for different scenarios. For example, what to do if you have files on SharePoint or files on a network share. Please refer to the following documentation:
While some people use the scripts to automate tasks, hackers have abused the feature with malicious macros for years, tricking people into downloading a file and running it to compromise their systems. Microsoft noted how administrators could use Group Policy settings in Office 2016 to block macros across their organization’s systems. Still, not everyone turned it on, and the attacks continued, allowing hackers to steal data or distribute ransomware.
Users who try to open files and are blocked will get a pop-up sending them to this page, explaining why they probably don’t need to open that document. It starts by running through several scenarios where someone might try to trick them into executing malware. If they really do need to see what’s inside the downloaded file, it goes on to explain ways to get access, which are all more complicated than what happened before, where users could usually enable macros by pressing one button in the warning banner.
This change may not always stop someone from opening up a malicious file, but it does provide several more layers of warnings before they can get there while still providing access for the people that say they absolutely need it.
Apple reportedly will curb hiring next year in response to rocky economy
The company joins other tech firms in slowing hiring as fears grow that inflation will lower consumer demand
Apple is reportedly planning to slow hiring and spending growth next year to cope with an economic downturn, which would place it in the company of American tech companies including Facebook, Amazon and Google in enacting similar measures.
The changes, first reported by Bloomberg, would not affect all teams, and Apple is reportedly still planning a major product launch scheduled for next year that includes a mixed-reality headset, its first significant new category since the Apple Watch in 2015.
MOCVD tool to advance gallium-oxide semiconductor research Cornell engineers and materials scientists have added a state-of-the-art tool to their suite of laboratory equipment to help in the study of gallium oxide, a material commonly viewed as the heir apparent to silicon carbide and gallium nitride as the go-to semiconductor for many power electronics applications.
Neopets security breach: users’ data reportedly stolen
Virtual pet site launches investigation but has not confirmed the scale of the alleged breach, amid reports hacker has taken database with user details
The popular virtual pet website Neopets says it has launched an investigation after a hacker breached its databases, with one website claiming the personal data of up to 69 million users may have been stolen.
“Neopets recently became aware that customer data may have been stolen … it appears that email addresses and passwords used to access Neopets accounts may have been affected,” the website said in a statement issued on its official Twitter account on Thursday.
Uncomfortable day for aviation as Farnborough runway hits 50C
Climate crisis highlights need for net zero flights as industry pins its hopes on emerging hydrogen technologies and ‘sustainable’ fuel
The temperature of the runway hit 50C at the Farnborough airshow this week. Officials checked for melting tarmac between the aerospace industry showing off its wares, with flights by passenger jets including the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350, assorted military aircraft and flypasts by the Red Arrows display team.
The heat on Monday was yet another reminder, if one were needed, of the urgency of decarbonising aviation, responsible for about 3% of global emissions. The threat of climate crisis has taken the shine off an industry that was once the height of glamour, and zero-emissions flight presents a technical challenge far greater than decarbonising most other parts of the economy.
The Last of Us’ PS5 remake includes a speed run mode and smarter AI
Who doesn’t want to know what it’s like to pet a giraffe? | Image: Sony
Sony released a ten-minute-long trailer for The Last of Us Part 1 on Thursday, where the game’s directors talk through some of the improvements coming in the PlayStation 5 remake of Naughty Dog’s iconic game. The trailer takes plenty of opportunities to show off the improved graphics (which look as nice as they have in the leaked screenshots, but it’s not like the game was ugly on the PS3 or PS4), but the most interesting involve changes to the gameplay — Naughty Dog says that the AI for enemies and companions will be improved, that there will be some extra gameplay modes, and that the game’s cutscenes will have audio descriptions for accessibility.
When it was originally released in 2013, The Last of Us’ AI was nothing special. The remake, however, apparently builds off of The Last of Us Part 2’s more modern system for controlling NPCs, making them better at working together and coming up with tactics more complex than “run straight at the man with the shotgun.” According to Neil Druckmann, creative director of both Last of Us games, this makes for more intense fights. Your companions’ AI has also apparently gotten an upgrade, which should hopefully avoid immersion-breaking experiences where Ellie or Henry run right in front of an enemy who then has to act like they didn’t notice.
In terms of gameplay modes, the remake will apparently include a permadeath mode for those who want to really try their hand at surviving a zombie (er, sorry, “infected”) apocalypse. There’s also a speed run mode, though the trailer offers pretty much no details on that other than that the game will display a timer in the upper right corner.
The trailer includes some other neat details as well — apparently the character animation system has gotten an overhaul, the game will have improved haptics that’ll supposedly make it feel like you’re actually petting a giraffe in that one famous scene, and Naughty Dog details some of the things it’s doing with the adaptive triggers, one of the PS5’s best features. If you’re at all interested in the remake I’d recommend checking it out.
Personally I’m still not sure whether all of this is enough to make me want to replay the game (I’ve already gone through it once on the PS3, and then played the PS4 remaster), but it does seem like it’ll be worth picking up for people who have never experienced it, or who have been looking for an excuse to do another playthrough. The Last Of Us Part 1 is set to release for PlayStation 5 on September 2nd, and for PC at some point in the future.
You can make your new Pixel look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
A cool thing about Google’s Pixel 6 series phones is their unique camera bar design. If the finish of that strip were a different color than black — specifically blue, orange, purple, or red — it would totally look kind of like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And now that you can’t unsee the resemblance, device outfitter Dbrand would like to help make your Pixel 6 device look like one of your favorite childhood heroes.
With Google’s latest phone the Pixel 6a releasing next week, Dbrand decided it's a good time to revisit the sewers and launch its Teenage Mutant Ninja Pixels decals for all three phones. They match the green heroes-in-a-half-shell plus their masks, and include four camera decal strips that reflect the colors of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael. Personally, I think the Pixel 6a’s two-camera array does the best job looking like proper eyes (the spidery camera array of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, not so much).
Square Enix summons Meteor, launches its NFT project
Square Enix
What had once been a warning of dark times to come is now a reality. Square Enix has finally announced its NFT (or non-fungible token) project after threatening us with the company’s embrace of the controversial and largely reviled-by-gamers blockchain technology.
To facilitate this extraordinary waste of fans’ good-will, Square Enix has partnered with Enjin, an NFT company that will store Square Enix’s tokens on its Efinity blockchain. Starting today, consumers will be able to pre-order a physical action figure that comes with a code redeemable for a digital NFT. There will also be physical trading cards that similarly have a digital NFT component available for pre-order later this year.
If you’re wondering which of its many franchises Square Enix is pulling these NFTs from, well, that’s the worst part. In what is perhaps the most astounding case of “Didn’t read the source material you created,” Square Enix is making its NFTs from Final Fantasy VII— that relatively obscure indie game about a bunch of freedom fighters taking down a corporation that’s killing the planet.
Yes, you read that right. Square Enix is choosing to make its NFTs — a technology known to consume exorbitant amounts of energy contributing to wildly increased emissions and accelerating already out-of-control climate change on a planet that is either on fire, drowned, or melting — out of characters it created who were dedicated to stopping companies from doing exactly what an NFT facilitates.
In the face of an inevitable backlash, Square has chosen to focus on its use of the Efinity Parachain, a layer 1 proof-of-stake solution that touts itself as “eco-friendly” and run by a company committed to being carbon neutral by 2030. It promises to be more power efficient than older Bitcoin or Ethereum blockchain technology, and with bridges that connect different blockchains without relying on them and their energy-hungry ways to operate.
But the planet’s dyin’, Cloud, we ain’t got that kinda time.
Minecraft owner bans in-game NFTs to discourage profiteering
Minecraft developer Mojang Studios is taking a strong stance against NFTs. In a blog post titled “Minecraft and NFTs,” the studio, which is owned by Microsoft, wrote that “integrations of NFTs with Minecraft are generally not something we will support or allow.”
“To ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our client and server applications, nor may Minecraft in-game content such as worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods, be utilized by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset,” Mojang said.
According to Mojang, some companies have created “NFT implementations that are associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs.” The studio also suggests that there could theoretically be Minecraft “collectible” NFTs or that players could earn NFTs by doing things in Minecraft on a server or earning them outside the actual game.
Mojang argues these practices encourage digital scarcity and exclusion, which goes against the values of Minecraft. “NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots,” the studio said. Mojang goes even further by saying that the speculative nature of NFTs “encourages profiteering.”
I strongly encourage you to read the blog post in full, as it succinctly lays out many criticisms of NFTs and blockchain projects in language that’s easy to understand. (There are quite a few more quotes that I could have included.)
While Mojang doesn’t completely shut the door on incorporating blockchain in the future, it concludes by saying that “we have no plans of implementing blockchain technology into Minecraft right now.”
I replaced my Steam Deck’s noisy fan and am so happy I did
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
160 hours into Elden Ring, I’m sure of one thing: the single most annoying thing about my Steam Deck is its whiny fan. And now, I’m so happy to report there’s a way to fix it. It takes roughly 15 minutes and $30 — depending on where you live — to install a replacement fan from iFixit.
Is the fan still loud? Yes, yes it is, but it’s a whoosh instead of a whine. I like to think of it as the sound of air escaping the Deck’s vents, but mostly, I don’t think about it at all. I can easily tune out the new whoosh, whereas the whine always managed to get my attention even after Valve tweaked its software to bring the fan noise down.
In fact, the new fan has less whine than the electrical tape trick I showed you in April, and — YMMV — seems to be oh-so-slightly quieter overall. I did an admittedly unscientific test with the new fan against both my original whiny fan and one fixed up with the electrical tape, and the new fan measured 2 to 2.5 decibels lower than either in the quietest room in my house.
Each time, I let the Deck’s chip heat up to over 90 degrees Celsius and nearly maxed out its power draw at 28 watts to ensure the fan was blowing as much as possible — which, honestly, is pretty similar to how it runs when I’m playing Elden Ring normally.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
iFixit sells the “good” fan, made by Huaying.
How can a replacement fan make such a difference? It’s a long story, but the Steam Deck community figured out many months ago that Valve shipped its gaming handheld with one of twodifferent fans. One is made by Delta, the other by Huaying, and it’s long been suspected that the Delta fan is an inferior part that Valve didn’t initially design for. But while Valve has attempted to alleviate the issue with software, it’s definitely a hardware problem as well.
Last month, GamersNexus all but settled the question, putting both fans to the test and providing excellent audio samples of what the “whine” actually sounds like in practice (skip to 8:51 for that):
So when iFixit announced it had found a supply of the Huaying fans, there was reason for excitement. Would fixing it be as simple as buying the “better” fan, popping the Deck open, swapping the fans and re-fastening 13 screws? I think I’ve now seen enough to say the answer is yes.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
The $30 iFixit kit comes with picks to open the Deck, a screwdriver and ESD-safe tweezers, and the fan.
I won’t attempt to re-write iFixit’s fan replacement guide, which you can find right here, but I will say that it was quick and easy with those instructions and the kit — which includes a simple screwdriver with the right Philips bits, a pair of tweezers, and a handful of blue picks to pop open the Steam Deck’s plastic shell clips.
It took a couple tries to figure out how to use those blue picks to pop open the case, and I found it easier to pull out the fan’s electrical connector with my fingernails than tweezers, but every piece got used and I didn’t need anything that wasn’t in the box.
I spend a lot of time playing the Deck in quiet rooms where family members are trying to doze off. So for me, it’s $30 well spent. I just wonder why Valve isn’t doing something about the fan itself — it’s pretty clear now that the whiny fan isn’t the intended experience.
In case you’d like to hear some of my own audio samples (you’ll need to turn the sound up and/or wear headphones!), I took recordings of the bare Delta fan, a taped-up Delta fan, and the Huaying fan all at the same distance from the microphone.
Delta fan
Delta fan ramping up (whine more obvious)
Delta fan with electrical tape (very slight whine in background)
Samsung says folding phone shipments reached nearly 10 million last year
Image: Dan Seifert / The Verge
Samsung is gearing up the hype machine for the release of its next foldables once again, and ahead of the next Unpacked event on August 10th, mobile president TM Roh has published another blog post making the case that the time for foldables is now — and that more people are picking up foldable phones.
“Three years ago, Galaxy foldables could be summed up in a single word: radical,” Roh wrote. “Very quickly, however, it became clear that this groundbreaking, flexible design fit perfectly into modern lifestyles. As a result, what was once a novelty three years ago is now the preferred choice for millions.”
In the post, Roh says that the industry shipped almost 10 million foldable smartphones worldwide in 2021, a figure that was up 300 percent from 2020. Samsung could be overstating the market a little bit — Ross Young, CEO of DSCC and a widely-cited display tech analyst, shared data with The Verge that says there were 7.9 million foldables shipped, while IDC says there were 7.1 million foldables shipped. Whatever the number is, it would represent just a fraction of the smartphone market; according to IDC, Samsung alone shipped 272 million smartphones just in 2021.
But Ross also shared data that suggests Samsung overwhelmingly has the lead in the foldable market. Samsung led by a mile in 2021 with 87.8 percent of phones shipped, according to DSCC, while Huawei came in a distant second at 9.3 percent. The bottom three on DSCC’s list had just a tiny share of shipments: Xiaomi had 2.4 percent, Royole had 0.3 percent, while Oppo had 0.2 percent. And with foldable shipments estimated to reach 27.6 million in 2025, per IDC, Samsung is going to want to capture as much of that potential market as it can.
This is all to say that it makes sense why Samsung is beginning to roll out the red carpet for its next Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip models, even if they aren’t expected to look muchdifferent from last year’s: the company practically is the foldable market right now, and it wants to take that lead even further. Apple is reportedly exploring foldableconcepts, but with any sort of release apparently at least a year away — or maybe more — Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked event is yet another opportunity for the company to keep its foot on the gas.
Elon Musk now says Tesla could start Cybertruck deliveries in mid-2023
An upgrade from “hopefully next year.” | Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that the company hopes to start delivering the Cybertruck, its battery-powered electric pickup, in the “middle of next year” during a call for investors. This is a more specific timeline than Musk has provided before — in last quarter’s earnings call, he said that the truck would be coming “hopefully next year.”
Tesla originally announced the truck in 2019, with a goal of starting production in late 2021. In August 2021, the company announced a delay until 2022, and Musk pushed that prediction further back until “hopefully” next year during the company’s Q4 earnings call in January. In the meantime, competitors like Ford and Rivian have launched their own electric pickups, with Ford saying that it plans to make 150,000 F-150 Lightnings in 2023.
One of the defining features of the Cybertruck is its outlandish, angular design — it looks like an early video game model. The company has apparently had problems making that design safe for use in the real world; in late 2021, Musk tweeted that he was worried about the truck’s windshield wiper. Currently, it’s one giant arm that’s meant to clean off the entire windshield in a single stroke.
Videos have leaked out of the truck driving on test tracks, and earlier this year, someone posted a video showing a walk-around of a prototype unit. In other words, the truck hasn’t been entirely MIA, in sharp contrast to the second-gen Roadster that’s also supposed to ship in 2023.
During the call, Musk didn’t elaborate on what Tesla had left to do to get the Cybertruck out on the road. However, the company has run into production issues even with its existing Model S, X, 3, and Y vehicles in the past few months — a factory it opened in Shanghai, China, has faced repeated shutdowns due to COVID, which the company said were a factor in the drop in production it reported in its second-quarter earnings results. “Tesla does not have a demand problem, we have a production problem,” Musk said on the earnings call.
Picture the scene. You’re sitting alone, enjoying a coffee. Maybe you’ve got a podcast on. Maybe you’re on the phone to your mum. Enter a random person clutching a bunch of flowers.
“Would you be able to hold this?” they ask, before gliding away, content in the knowledge they’ve just made your day (probably).
Volkswagen names a new CEO to run its electric truck and SUV spinoff Scout
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
The electric rebirth of Scout, the classic off-road SUV brand, is getting real this week as Volkswagen names Scott Keogh as CEO of its new spinoff company. The former head of VW Group America, as initially reported by Axios, pushed for VW to start a new electric truck line after seeing a fully restored vintage Scout: “the rights to the brand were just sitting there,” Keogh said.
VW acquired the Scout brand through a 2020 merger of its commercial trucking company Traton with Navistar, which the German automaker initially bought part of in 2016. In May, it was reported that VW Group is willing to pump $1 billion into the new Scout brand and set goals to sell a quarter million electric off-roaders under the name annually starting in 2026.
Image: Volkswagen via AxiosNew Scout CEO and former head of Volkswagen Group America, Scott Keogh, stands in front of a classic International Harvester Scout vehicle.
With Keogh now leading Scout, Volkswagen’s management board in Chattanooga, Tennessee, placed all VW North American responsibilities on current South American VW head Pablo Di Si. “It’s time now to concentrate more on the US market and the US customer, and one piece of the puzzle, for sure, is Scout,” Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess tells Axios in an interview. The company said it will develop “True American” electric SUVs and pickup trucks, according to the report, as it attempts to restore a reputation that took a hit from the “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.
VW hopes that Scout will be the answer to double its 5 percent US market share of electric vehicles; the automaker hit a roadblock this year after selling out of all its EV offerings — ID.4 and Audi E-trons included — for 2022. In its previous life, Scout built an off-road SUV to compete with Jeep in the 1960s and is now reborn as a company that can flourish separately from VW (and perhaps go public itself) so it can try and go head to head with electric SUVs and trucks that remain a popular category in the US.
It remains to be seen if Scout will design boxy retro-looking SUVs like the indefinitely delayed Bollinger B1 / B2 and Hummer EV or if it’ll follow the trends of other midsize and compact SUVs with well-worn nameplates like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the new Chevy Blazer. One thing is for sure: the company is said to be working on vehicles that are good for camping, off-roading, or used for work — a clear indication that Ford’s F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T electric pickups are top targets.
Samsung’s August 10th Unpacked will definitely feature at least one foldable
Yep, that’s a foldable. | Image: Samsung
Samsung has provided a clear solution to the unusual puzzle it provided yesterday, confirming that its Galaxy Unpacked event will indeed take place on August 10th. The image included with the teaser also confirms that its foldables will be taking center stage, with a Galaxy Z Flip-shaped device acting as a “greater than” symbol. The event will start at 9AM ET and will be streamed on Samsung.com.
Based on the cryptic hint that Samsung dropped yesterday, along with the timing of last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3 launch, it was kind of a no-brainer to assume that we’d see updated foldable phones next month. If the phone in the invitation image is actually the Z Flip 4, then rumors that the device would feature minimal updates appear to be accurate. It seems to feature the same shape, rear dual-camera setup, and side-mounted power button / fingerprint scanner as the Flip 3. We’d also expect to see an update to the Z Fold 3 on the 10th, and rumors suggest it might have a slightly different-looking camera bump than its predecessor.
New Galaxy Watches are also expected, and Samsung’s pre-preorder promotion mentions discounts for bundling combinations of a Galaxy phone, watch, and buds. That’s right — for simply supplying Samsung with your name and email address, US customers can earn the ability to reserve a preorder deal on whatever it is the company is announcing in August. If you’d rather find out what Samsung has up its sleeve first, then it seems like you’ll just have to tune in to the livestream in a few weeks.
Netflix’s ad-supported tier won’t have everything at launch
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Netflix’s upcoming ad-supported offering won’t include all of the content you can currently watch on the streaming service, Netflix executives said during the company’s Q2 2022 earningsinterview video.
“Today, the vast majority of what people watch on Netflix, we can include in the ad-supported tier,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said. “There are some things that don’t — that we’re in conversation about with the studios on — but if we launched the product today, the members in the ad tier would have a great experience. We will clear some additional content, but certainly not all of it, but we don’t think it’s a material holdback to the business.”
“It’s certainly a nice to have,” said CFO Spencer Neumann. “But it’s not a must-have. As Ted says, we can launch today without any additional content clearance rights. Hopefully we can supplement that, but we’ll be disciplined in what we do.”
We’ll have to wait and see exactly what’s missing from the ad-supported tier, which Netflix said Tuesday that it aims to launch early 2023. The upcoming tier wouldn’t be very compelling if you couldn’t watch Netflix hits like Stranger Things or Bridgerton, for example.
You can hear the interviewer’s question and Sarandos and Neumann’s responses in context from this timestamped link (or scrub to 18:55 in the interview video). The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Netflix was seeking to negotiate its deals with studios so that it could include their content on the tier with ads. Netflix will be partnering with Microsoft on the ad-supported tier.
Disclosure: The Verge recently produced a series with Netflix.
Samsung will give you up to $200 credit for placing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Z Flip 4 reservation
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Another Samsung Unpacked virtual event is right around the corner, now confirmed to take place on August 10th at 9AM ET / 6AM PT, and along with it are some incentives for the early, early birds. Samsung is offering customers in the US the chance to put in free, no-commitment reservations for its upcoming devices on its website now, well ahead of preorders — and even the devices’ announcement.
Galaxy fans who reserve before the August 10th Unpacked will later receive varying tier-levels of store credit once the devices can be ordered, ranging from $30 to $200, toward Samsung’s next devices. As for what devices you’re signing up for? We can say with certainty that among the rumors, leaks, and Samsung’s own invite graphic, you can expect the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 phones to be part of the promo, as well as the anticipated Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the next Galaxy wireless earbuds.
Image: Samsung
A teaser promo image of the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event invite, scheduled for 9AM ET / 6AM PT on August 10th.
To get the promotion, you need to fill out your name and email address on Samsung’s site to make a reservation. Once you do so, you’ll qualify for the following once preorders are actually live, presumably on the 10th:
$200 credit toward a bundle of a new Galaxy phone, smartwatch, and wireless earbuds
$150 credit toward a bundle of a new Galaxy phone and smartwatch
$130 credit toward a bundle of a new Galaxy phone and wireless earbuds
$80 credit toward a bundle of a new Galaxy smartwatch and wireless earbuds
$100 credit on Samsung’s site towards qualifying devices when you reserve a new Galaxy phone
$50 credit on Samsung’s site towards qualifying products when you reserve a Galaxy smartwatch
$30 credit on Samsung’s site towards qualifying products when you reserve Galaxy wireless earbuds
This isn’t the first time Samsung has offered a similar reservation incentive, and it has become a bit of standard procedure for its biggest Unpacked announcements. We’ll be covering everything that Samsung announces on August 10th, so stay tuned for more.
The best Sonos speaker and soundbar deals
The Sonos Roam launched last year is now available for just $139 when purchased in refurbished condition from Sonos. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Most would agree that Sonos offers some of the best speakers and soundbars currently available. That’s because Sonos makes speakers that — more often than not — boast great sound quality, support for all the major streaming platforms, and simple multi-room functionality. Unfortunately, however, those perks often come at a high price. Sonos products aren’t cheap, and, outside of the occasional rogue discount, they rarely go on sale. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t ways to save at least a few dollars on Sonos gear.
If you’re comfortable buying refurbished, for example, you could save a decent amount. We also occasionally see sales on Sonos’ collaborative series with Ikea and discounted bundles that include Sonos products, which makes it easier to set up an entire home audio system while saving money. And, if you’re a student, Sonos offers a program you can join to get a 15 percent discount when you spend up to $2,500 on full-priced speakers and accessories.
Regardless of their existence, these discounts can be hard to find. That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best Sonos deals you can currently take advantage of. Here, we’ll guide you through the best sales available, helping you to get the best bang for your buck.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The portable Roam offers the best water resistance of any speaker in the Sonos lineup.
The Sonos Roam is one of the clearest, most pleasant portable speakers we’ve ever used, and we’d recommend it as a personal speaker for small gatherings. It offers a rugged design, a relatively durable build, wireless charging, and support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s also compatible with Apple’s AirPlay 2, which lets you stream music from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac over your home network. Plus, it’s the first Sonos speaker with an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which means you could use it in the bathroom or near pools.
Note, however, Sonos won’t let you pair two in stereo when listening over Bluetooth, unlike other similar speakers, though you can play Bluetooth audio over your entire Sonos system. It also only offers around 10 hours of battery life, which isn’t that great, and it can be challenging to use the speaker’s Wi-Fi features outside of your home. Read our Sonos Roam review.
The second-generation Sonos One is a small smart speaker with a good microphone for voice control. It emits balanced, full-bodied sound that’s impressive for its size while integrating well with existing Sonos products. The 2017 speaker also works with a range of music services and supports both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, however, the process for setting up voice assistants can be complicated. The One offers touch controls, too, as well as support for AirPlay 2 thanks to a post-launch software update.
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
The Sonos One SL is similar to the second-gen Sonos One, but without the always-listening microphones and voice controls.
However, if you prefer something cheaper, you can also buy the Sonos One SL. It’s basically the same as the Sonos One and features identical sound quality, however, it lacks an always-on microphone and voice assistant support. The Sonos One SL typically sells for $199.99 new, but right now you can buy a pair in new condition for $378 ($20 off) from Sonos; you can also buy the white model as a standalone speaker in refurbished condition from Best Buy for $179.99.
Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge
The Sonos Arc works well as both a home theater soundbar and music speaker.
The Sonos Arc is an all-in-one home theater soundbar that pairs quite nicely with large TVs, but works well as a music speaker. The 45-inch soundbar boasts powerful, immersive sound and is compatible with Dolby Atmos and a range of other audio formats, including TrueHD (for external Blu-ray players), Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Digital.
Like the Sonos Roam, it also offers built-in support for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple’s AirPlay 2. One drawback, however, is that you may need a recent 4K TV — likely something released after 2017 — that supports Atmos over HDMI ARC to hear it at its best. We also noticed surround sound doesn’t always work well in large rooms, which means it’s not particularly apartment-friendly, especially when coupled with its size.
Sonos
The newer Sonos Five sounds exactly like its fantastic predecessor, the Play:5.
Sonos Five (2020) deals
The Sonos Five replaced the Play:5 music speaker in 2020 but is actually nearly identical to its excellent-sounding predecessor. It shares the same six custom-designed drivers inside, so it should offer the same high-quality listening experience as the Play:5, which was ideal for large rooms or parties. Other than that, however, there aren’t many noticeable differences. Compared to the Play:5, Sonos says its successor offers increased memory and processing power, as well as a new wireless radio. There are also all-black or all-white options. Note, however, that the Sonos Five lacks a built-in microphone and support for Alexa and Google Assistant — something every other speaker in the current Sonos lineup offers.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The last-gen Sonos Beam offers great TV sound quality but, unlike the second-gen model, lacks support for Dolby Atmos.
Sonos’ previous entry-level soundbar, the first-gen Sonos Beam, functions as both a smart speaker and a soundbar for smart TVs equipped with HDMI ARC. We praised how well it improves TV sound quality in our 2018 review, as well as how simple and easy it is to set up and use. It’s not as great as other standalone speakers in the Sonos lineup for just playing music, but as a general-purpose speaker, it’s a good buy overall, especially if you’re adding it to an existing Sonos setup. The Sonos Beam also offers touch controls and support for Apple’s AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, allowing for hands-free commands.
The Sonos Move offers a loud, powerful sound similar to the Sonos One, but with slightly more volume. Unlike the One, however, you don’t need to find the right spot in your home for it to hear it well, given it’s better at distributing sound throughout a room. We also found that it sounds terrific no matter whether you’re in the living room or outside at the park.
However, while the Move was Sonos’ can certainly function as a portable speaker, it's better suited for moving about your home. That’s especially true when compared to the newer Sonos Roam, namely because the 10-inch speaker weighs 6.6 pounds and is a bit more challenging to lug around while traveling. Additionally, the fact that its battery can only last 10 hours on a single charge — which is noticeably less than many other Bluetooth speakers on the market — means this doesn’t make for the best portable speaker.
That said, it is a great buy if you want an excellent-sounding Sonos speaker you can pick up and take into your garage, living room, patio, or any other room in your home. It also comes with features like IP56 weatherproofing and support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s AirPlay 2, not to mention seamless integration with other Sonos devices.
Russia fines Google $365 million over YouTube videos containing ‘prohibited’ content
Illustration by William Joel / The Verge
Russia imposed a nearly $365 million fine (21.1 billion rubles) on Google for failing to delete YouTube videos that go against the country’s laws, as reported earlier by Reuters. In a translated press release, Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor states that YouTube didn’t follow orders to remove “prohibited content,” which includes videos “promoting extremism and terrorism,” as well as supposedly false information about the war in Ukraine.
In March, the Roskomnadzor threatened to charge Google over its failure to remove “illegal” YouTube videos, stating the fee would start at 8 million rubles (~$94,675 USD at the time), with the possibility to climb to 20 percent of Google’s annual revenue. The 21.1 billion rubles reflects a chunk of Google’s yearly turnover in the country, but it’s unclear if Google will actually go through with paying the fine. Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The new Google Wallet is starting to show up on people’s phones
Return of the Wallet | Image: Google
Google Wallet, the app that will replace Google Pay in many countries (more on that in a moment), has started to show up on people’s phones. According to Google spokesperson Chaiti Sen, the company has “started rolling out the Wallet to Android users in 39 countries,” and it’ll be available “to all users over the next few days.”
Google announced Wallet at its 2022 I/O event, pitching it as an app to manage all your digital cards — not just for payment, like debit and credit cards (though it does hold those), but for digital representations of your identification, vaccination status, tickets, keys, and more as well.
In most countries, Wallet will be replacing the current Google Pay app. (9to5Google reports that it’s currently rolling out as an update to Google Pay.) However, Google said that users in the US and Singapore would use both Google Pay and Wallet. In those countries, Pay will stick around as a way to send friends money.
Image: Google
Google’s rollout information for Wallet from I/O.
Google’s had several iterations of Wallet that came before the one rolling out today. In 2011, it was an NFC payment app, and it evolved to include other payment features, such as peer-to-peer money transfers (there was even a physical Google Wallet debit card at one point). In 2018, Google combined it with Android Pay to form Google Pay. Now — in most places, at least — that app is starting to turn back into Wallet. It’s another big change in a long line of shake-ups for Google’s payment apps but hopefully one that will make it easier to store digital cards and pay with your Android phone.
Unity CEO apologizes for calling some game developers ‘fucking idiots’
Unity CEO John Riccitiello has apologized for calling some game developers “some of the biggest fucking idiots” in an interview and has vowed that he will “do better.”
This is a saga that has been playing out over several days, so let’s take a few steps back. On July 13th, Unity, which makes a popular game development engine, announced that it would be merging with ironSource, which offers software that helps developers monetize their apps. Riccitiello (who was formerly the CEO of EA) and Unity SVP Marc Whitten were interviewed by Pocket Gamer about the news, and the interviewer talked about how some developers push back on implementing monetization earlier in a game’s development.
That’s where Riccitiello said the “fucking idiots” quote (with emphasis ours):
[Pocket Gamer:] Implementing monetisation earlier in the process and conversation is certainly an angle that has seen pushback from some developers.
Riccitiello: Ferrari and some of the other high-end car manufacturers still use clay and carving knives. It’s a very small portion of the gaming industry that works that way, and some of these people are my favourite people in the world to fight with – they’re the most beautiful and pure, brilliant people. They’re also some of the biggest fucking idiots.
I’ve been in the gaming industry longer than most anybody — getting to the grey hair and all that. It used to be the case that developers would throw their game over the wall to the publicist and sales force with literally no interaction beforehand. That model is baked into the philosophy of a lot of artforms and medium, and it’s one I am deeply respectful of; I know their dedication and care.
But this industry divides people between those who still hold to that philosophy and those who massively embrace how to figure out what makes a successful product.
That statement, unsurprisingly, led to some significant criticism fromdevelopers, including from Donut County (and more recently, Neon White) developer Ben Esposito. “I made Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year in 2018 (Donut County) using Unity, but according to their CEO I’m a ‘big fucking idiot’ for not making Hole.io, the F2P game that ripped it off,” Esposito wrote on Twitter.
i made Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year in 2018 (Donut County) using Unity, but according to their CEO i’m a ‘big fucking idiot’ for not making Hole io, the f2p game that ripped it off https://t.co/Gv1zqy0BjH
Riccitiello posted his first apology on Twitter a day after the interview was published. While he was “deeply sorry” for offending developers, he claimed that something was “clickbait” and “out of full context,” seemingly referring to the “fucking idiots” quote from the Pocket Gamer interview.
Clickbait. Out of full context. Deeply sorry if what I said offended any game dev. Absolutely love the people that make games. Creative, hard work. #Unity
On Monday, Riccitiello shared a second apology on Twitter: “I want to talk about both what I said in the interview, and my follow up tweet. I’m going to start with an apology,” he wrote. “My word choice was crude. I am sorry. I am listening and I will do better.”
Much of the message celebrates developers, but he also makes a point to clarify his comments to Pocket Gamer. “What I was trying to say, and clearly failed at saying, is that there are better ways for game developers to get an early read on what players think of their game,” he wrote. “To learn from their feedback. And, if the developer wants, to adjust the game based on this feedback. It’s a choice to listen and act or just to listen. Again, both are very valid choices.”
“Anyway, that’s it,” he concludes. “Lots of words. And a sentence that I wish I had never said.”
NGL Is the App That Will Tell You What You Don’t Want to Hear NGL is only the latest anonymous-messaging platform to take off by making explicit the subtext of most social media: We’re all judging one another. Why is it so hard to resist?
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