The Verge’s 2022 fitness and wellness gift guide
Image: Kristen Radtke / The Verge
Keeping your mind and body in tip-top shape takes work, but these gift ideas should make things a bit easier for the fitness buff in your life.
Few things are more important in life than health and happiness. Fortunately, while neither can be bought, we can give our loved ones gifts that can help them improve both — which is why we’ve curated a guide to our favorite gadgets, services, books, and other items that focus on both mental and physical well-being.
Below, you’ll find items we’ve either tested or have personal experience with, so you can rest assured they live up to their promise. We’ve included highly capable watches like the Google Pixel Watch ($300) and fitness-forward Apple Watch Ultra ($749), but you’ll also find workout equipment like the Peloton Tread ($3,495). And if you don’t have a couple thousand lying around — or even $50 — we have a handful of budget-friendly suggestions, whether your giftee is into dancing, free weights, or just getting a better night’s sleep.
Take a look through our guide and decide for yourself which present the health-conscious giftee in your life will love.
Tumblr is launching a livestreaming feature
Illustration: The Verge
Tumblr is adding support for livestreaming via the video platform Livebox. The feature is being rolled out to US users on iOS and Android now, and a release for global users and the desktop site is planned for the future. More details are outlined in a blog post, which dubs the service Tumblr Live.
Tumblr has supported streaming in the past, but it did so by letting people share streams from other services like YouNow and YouTube. The new option is described as a native Tumblr streaming service powered by Livebox. (Livebox is operated by the Meet Group, a subsidiary of the dating app company ParshipMeet Group.) Livebox allows users to tip streamers, and by the same token, Tumblr will let you pay creators in a virtual currency called “Diamonds.” Livebox provides AI- and human-powered moderation for streams, according to a press release; the service also lets streamers designate trusted viewers as moderators. The streaming service is so far only supported for people’s primary Tumblr blog, not any side blogs under the same account.
The Tumblr Live homescreen on iOS.
The Tumblr Live menu on iOS.
The new feature comes as Tumblr owner Automattic is trying to revitalize the blogging platform that it purchased from Verizon in 2019. Tumblr has reaped the benefits of recent chaos at Twitter, emerging as a potential alternative to new owner Elon Musk’s chaotic policies. (Apparently, it wasn’t quite enough of a threat to be named in Twitter’s short-lived ban on linking to competitors.) Its streaming feature isn’t likely to overtake Twitch or YouTube, but it adds another medium — and a new way to make money — for the artist-heavy community.
They Created a Drug for Susannah. What About Millions of Other Patients? Scientists have made rapid progress in customizing drugs for ultrarare diseases. The hard part now is making such treatments on a large scale.
Elon Musk sells new $3.6bn tranche of Tesla shares
Latest selloff takes total sale this year to $23bn and follows loss of world’s richest man title
Elon Musk has sold a further $3.6bn(£2.9bn) worth of shares in Tesla, in the same week that he lost the title of world’s richest man to France’s Bernard Arnault.
The disposal, revealed in a regulatory filing, takes the total amount raised by Musk from sales of his stock in the electric carmaker this year to more than $20bn.
Tesla’s Direct Sales Model Helps It Thwart Customer Lawsuits Sales contracts prevent buyers of the company’s electric cars from pursuing class-action suits if something goes wrong.
Musk Asks Twitter Users If He Should Step Down After Fury Over His Policies Fury mounted over Mr. Musk’s moves to prevent Twitter users from sharing links to other social media platforms. The billionaire also asked whether he should remain as head of the service.
Elon Musk bought Twitter, and here’s everything that happened next
Laura Normand / The Verge
Elon Musk is now the owner, CEO, and sole director of Twitter. His “Twitter 2.0” era has so far included mass layoffs and rapidly changing policy decisions.
There was a lot of back and forth about bots and text messages, but in the end, Musk settled on buying the company rather than facing a deposition or Chancery Court trial and eventually strode into Twitter HQ carrying a sink.
Elon Musk began Twitter’s new era of private ownership by firing several executives — including previous CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, and policy chief Vijaya Gadde — and, a week later, initiated mass layoffs, drastically cutting its workforce.
Riot Games says Sam Bankman-Fried’s love of League of Legends hurts the brand
Illustration: The Verge; Image: Getty Images
League of Legends developer Riot Games says Sam Bankman-Fried’s affiliation with the game is hurting the company’s image (via Molly White). In a filing in FTX’s bankruptcy case, Riot Games asks the court to terminate its League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) sponsorship deal with the collapsed crypto exchange, citing irreversible “reputational harm.”
Bankman-Fried’s love for gaming entered the spotlight following the fall of FTX, and he became notorious for playing League of Legends (and other games) during meetings. In a now-deleted profile of Bankman-Fried posted by venture capital firm Sequoia, co-founder Neeraj Arora says he was even playing League of Legends during their first meeting over Zoom.
8) On League of Legends:
I play a lot more than you'd expect from someone who routinely trades off sleep vs work.
Why?
Well, there's one answer, which is the obvious one. The single most universal thing about LoL is that everyone who plays it says they wish they didn't.
The former billionaire hasn’t been shy about his interest in League of Legends, either (even though he’s self-admittedly bad at the game). He wrote about playing League in a lengthy thread on Twitter posted last year, saying: “I play a lot more than you’d expect from someone who routinely trades off sleep vs work. Why? Well, there’s one answer, which is the obvious one. The single most universal thing about LoL is that everyone who plays it says they wish they didn’t.”
At the time, all this probably seemed like good publicity for Riot Games, which announced a seven-year deal with FTX to sponsor its LCS circuit. But now that FTX’s crypto empire has crumbled, and Bankman-Fried’s been charged with fraud and money laundering, Riot Games is looking to sever any remaining ties with the exchange, which it says its “image and reputation to its customer base” are “inextricably linked” to.
“Images of Mr. Bankman-Fried playing League of Legends were displayed alongside text describing his cavalier attitude towards investor meetings and irresponsibility with corporate funds,” the filing reads. “These images created a public narrative that Mr. Bankman-Fried’s interest in League of Legends, once relatable and human, was now reckless and juvenile.”
According to the filing, FTX still owes Riot Games $6.25 million for the time it spent as an LCS sponsor in 2022, but that will increase to $12.875 million next year. These payments will “escalate each year through 2028,” bringing the deal’s total value up to around $96 million. In addition to allegedly experiencing damage to its brand, Riot says it wants to end the deal now so it can replace FTX with yet another crypto sponsor for the 2023 season.
“The reputational harm inflicted upon Riot cannot be undone,” the filing reads. “FTX cannot go back in time and put in place corporate controls for the safekeeping of customer funds that have in the public eye now been absconded.”
Apple’s reportedly working on several monitors — including an updated Pro Display XDR
The 2019 Pro Display XDR alongside the Mac Pro. | Photo by Avery White for The Verge
Apple’s working on “multiple new” external monitors outfitted with the company’s in-house silicon, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This lineup’s expected to include an updated version of the Pro Display XDR, which was last released in 2019.
Gurman says the addition of Apple’s own chips should help the displays “rely less on resources from the attached computer.” Apple similarly incorporated the iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic chip into the Studio Display it launched back in March, allowing the monitor to support certain features like Center Stage, spatial audio, and “Hey Siri” voice commands.
Besides the rumored Pro Display XDR, it’s still not entirely clear what other kinds of monitors Apple has planned. Supply chain analyst Ross Young says Apple could release a 27-inch mini-LED display with ProMotion in the first quarter of 2023, a potential indicator that Apple’s working on an update to the 27-inch Studio Display.
Apple’s existing Pro Display XDR costs $4,999 (not including the optional $999 Pro stand) and comes with a 32-inch 6K LCD panel capable of reaching 1,600 nits of brightness. But unlike the previous Pro Display XDR, this new monitor might not ship until after the release of the upcoming Mac Pro, which Gurman says is further along in development.
Apple was supposed to have launched the Mac Pro by now to meet its goal of converting all its Macs to Apple silicon in the two years following the M1 chip’s release. However, Gurman says feature changes and a potential production relocation to Vietnam have caused delays in its development. While Mac Pro was initially rumored to come with the option for a high-powered “M2 Extreme” chip with 48 CPU cores and 152 GPU cores, Gurman says the chip’s complexity, as well as the cost and resources required to produce it, may have led Apple to scrap the idea.
The Mac Pro’s now expected to ship with the new M2 Ultra chip that should have up to 24 CPU cores and 76 graphics cores with the potential to support at least 192GB of memory. Gurman says the Mac Pro will also retain its expandability, allowing users to add more memory and storage. Meanwhile, the upcoming Mac mini could arrive in M2 and M2 Pro variations, while Apple could launch its M2 Pro and M2 Max-equipped MacBook Pros early next year. Gurman notes that Apple is also working on an iMac Pro with Apple silicon, but that machine has “suffered internal delays for similar reasons as the Mac Pro.”
Does a kettle use more electricity than a TV? How much power your gadgets use
We test what devices consume, with households increasingly worried about rising energy prices
How much does it cost to charge your phone or your toothbrush? Is it really cheaper to use the microwave to cook your food, as has been suggested? With the cost of electricity putting the squeeze on all our finances, and a house full of tech, I decided it was time to see how power-hungry everyday devices really are.
We are constantly told that all manner of appliances chew through electricity, and that you can make huge savings by switching off “vampire devices” at the wall. But is that really true? To cut through the fug and find out myself, I grabbed a power meter and spent the last two months testing everything I could.
In a nondescript office building on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian soldiers have been honing what they believed will be a decisive weapon in their effort to repel the Russian invasion.
Inside, the weapon glows from a dozen computer screens – a constantly updated portrayal of the evolving battlefield to the south. With one click on a menu, the map is populated with hordes of orange diamonds, showing Russian deployments. They reveal where tanks and artillery have been hidden, and intimate details of the units and the soldiers in them, gleaned from social media. Choosing another option from the menu lights up red arrows across the southern Zaporizhzhia region, showing the progression of Russian columns. Zooming in shows satellite imagery of the terrain in sharp detail.
The 10 biggest science stories of 2022 – chosen by scientists
From moon missions to fast-charging batteries and AI-sourced antibiotics, in no particular order, the year’s significant scientific developments
The year opened with a bang. Or rather, it didn’t. The successful film Don’t Look Up, in which a comet is found to be on a collision course with Earth, had been released just before Christmas 2021. In the bleak days of post-festive gloom, the news media were on an adrenaline high, chasing any and every story about potential asteroid collisions to cheer us all up. Five asteroids were to pass close to the Earth in January alone! Happily for the health and wellbeing of humanity, none was predicted to come within a whisker of hitting the planet. Nonetheless, the possibility of an asteroid colliding with Earth is a reality – the globe is covered in craters from previous impacts, and it is well known that 65m years ago, dinosaurs became extinct following the impact of an asteroid about 10km across. Can anything be done about saving us from this existential extraterrestrial threat? Fortunately, the international space community has taken the first steps towards reducing the risk of an asteroid catching us unawares. The joint Nasa- Esa mission Dart (Double Asteroid Re-Direction Test) was an ambitious attempt to alter the trajectory of a small asteroid (Dimorphos) as it orbited a slightly larger asteroid (Didymos), by sending a spacecraft to crash into it. In October, we learned that the mission had been even more successful than anticipated, and that the orbit of Dimorphos had changed – showing that we could, if given sufficient time, alter the path of an asteroid if it were on a collision course with Earth.
Elon Musk is a Jekyll and Hyde character. And as head of Twitter, Hyde is winning | John Naughton On the one hand, he’s a creative genius. On the other, he’s destroying a key debating chamber
Watching what’s going on at Twitter is like watching a guy losing his mind in slow motion. The guy in question is Elon Musk, who once upon a time was the world’s richest man and now isn’t. (That slot is apparently occupied by Bernard Arnault, the luxury goods mogul.)
Musk is in a hole but apparently doesn’t know Denis Healey’s First Law of Holes: when you’re in one, stop digging. The funny thing is that he dug the hole himself. First, he paid way over the odds for Twitter. Then, when Tesla shares (the main source of his wealth) tanked, and Twitter’s share price dropped, he tried to get out of the deal. That failed, so he was forced to borrow a lot of money – incurring interest payments of around a billion dollars a year – thereby becoming the reluctant owner of a loss-making company. And he hasn’t the faintest idea of how to make it work.
Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning is getting more expensive, again
Ford’s raising the price of its F-150 Lightning pickup yet again — this time, by about $4,000 (via CNBC). The increase affects both the entry-level Pro model for business customers and the consumer-focused XLT trim with no added options, which now start at $55,974 and $63,474, respectively.
For comparison, the Pro work truck initially started at $39,974 when it launched back in April, but subsequent price hikes brought the price up to $46,974 in August and $51,974 in October. The base XLT, on the other hand, launched with a sticker price of $52,974 before that increased to $59,474 several months later.
Screenshot: Emma Roth / The Verge
The price increase only affects the Pro and XLT models.
“Pricing adjustments are a normal course of business due to rising material costs, market factors and ongoing supply chain constraints,” Ford spokesperson Elizabeth Kraft tells The Detroit News, noting that existing vehicle orders aren’t affected. Ford didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The Verge’s 2022 holiday gift guide for travelers
Photography by Joel Goldberg for The Verge
Taking a trip can prove challenging, even without a pandemic. Thankfully, we’ve found some great gifts to make jet-setting a little more enjoyable.
Thanks to vaccines and a waning pandemic, travel is officially back on the menu. Eager to make up for more than two years of lost time, many have booked flights to locales near and far, crowding airports during the summer and kicking off the travel season proper. As we head into the holidays, it’s likely that trend will continue — and that somebody you know will be one of those eager jet-setters hellbent on taking a holiday. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to gift your friend or family members something they’ll find helpful as they venture abroad.
To help you find the right present, we’ve come up with a number of ideas that should appeal to travelers of all backgrounds. We’ve included tech to keep your giftee entertained during marathon flights, like the Kindle Paperwhite ($110), as well as a number of more practical gifts, like seriously comfortable shoes ($110) and a universal adapter ($23) that will allow them to quickly charge their devices in more than 150 countries.
Google is letting businesses try out client-side encryption for Gmail
The extra privacy does come at the cost of a few features. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Google has launched a beta of its client-side encryption for Gmail, letting businesses apply to test out the feature meant to make “sensitive data” and attachments unreadable even to Google. The company announced the beta, which Workspace administrators can sign up for until January 20th, in a blog post on Friday.
Once the feature is enabled and set up for a workspace’s users, they’ll have an additional option when using the web version of Gmail. Clicking on a padlock will let them choose to turn on additional encryption for the message, though they will have to give up some features to do so, including the ability to use emoji, a signature, and Smart Compose. Google says client-side encryption will be added to its Gmail app for Android and iOS “in an upcoming release.”
Gif: Google
Google UI pitching the feature as a way to “comply with company policies” is a clear sign about who this feature is built for.
While the ability for users to encrypt messages will be managed by their administrators (which, in most cases, will be the companies they work for), the feature isn’t limited to just intra-office communications. You’ll be able to send encrypted emails “outside of your domain,” according to a Google help document, and even to people who use other email clients or providers, such as ones from Microsoft or Apple, according to Google spokesperson Ross Richendrfer. This is because “CSE for Gmail is built on S/MIME, an existing standard for email,” Richendrfer told The Verge in an email.
Google has been working on adding more encryption to Gmail for a long time. In 2014, there were reports that it was working on end-to-end encryption for the service, though it’s worth noting that client-side encryption isn’t exactly the same thing. While using either means that “encryption and decryption also always occur on the source and destination devices,” Google’s client-side implementation gives administrators control over the keys and lets them “monitor users’ encrypted files,” according to a help document from the company explaining the difference between the two forms of encryptions.
Gmail isn’t the only Google Workspace product with client-side encryption. The feature was added to Drive last year when Google launched its updated enterprise offerings, letting business users encrypt documents and spreadsheets. Since then, it’s also come to Meet and is currently in beta for Calendar.
Right now, the Gmail beta is limited to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers, according to Google’s blog post. That means you can’t try it out if you’re on a personal account or using a lower-tier enterprise, business, education, or G Suite account.
With that said, given that the system currently relies on administrators using an API to upload certificates and encryption keys generated by an external management service, it’s probably best that it’s mostly being limited to companies with IT departments at this point. If you’d be willing to go through that sort of hassle, though, you can always use PGP within Gmail (or, more realistically, sign up for a Proton Mail account, which has much more user-friendly encryption options).
The best deals on 4K TVs
We’ve collected deals on all sorts of TVs, ranging from affordable (yet feature-packed) models to high-end OLED and QNED TVs that’ll impress the most discerning viewers. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The future looks bright for those who are looking to nab a great TV at a substantial discount. It’s not just low-end 4K TVs that are getting the best price cuts this year; we’ve seen many of the latest mid- and high-end models from Sony, LG, Samsung, and more selling for hundreds less than their original list price. So, whether you want a cheap and simple 4K TV with built-in streaming capabilities or you want to spend more money on something like Samsung’s artistic The Frame or LG’s fantastic C2 OLED, we’ve got you covered with all the best deals of the year.
Right now, there are currently a number of discounted 4K TVs to choose from, spanning a wide variety of prices, size configurations, and feature sets. Whether you want a secondary TV for the bedroom or a high-end OLED that’s built for a cinema-like experience, we’ve picked out the best TV deals across four common categories.
The TCL 6-Series R646 model has a Mini LED QLED panel, with HDR10 Plus support and 4K gaming at 120Hz, as well as hands-free Google Assistant voice commands and the Google TV interface. It’s a good option if you are looking to balance price and performance, and the 55-inch model is currently on sale at Best Buy and Amazon for $599 ($100 off), which is the best price to date on the popular 6-Series model. The bigger 65-inch model is an even better deal, selling for $699 at Best Buy. Read our TCL 6-Series Google TV review.
TCL 5-Series (Google TV model)
While the 5-Series sits below the 6-Series in TCL’s lineup, it’s also worth taking a look at if you’re on the hunt for a larger display that costs less. The latest model sports a QLED panel like the newest 6-Series, though it lacks Mini LED backlighting and is limited to displaying a 120Hz refresh rate at 1440p, whereas the 6-Series is capable of 4K at 120Hz. The newer model also uses Google TV software as opposed to the Roku software featured on the last-gen 5-Series, which allows it to provide personalized recommendations and access to thousands of streaming apps. It’s a good buy if you want a QLED TV with vibrant colors and good contrast but don’t want to pay the premium for the latest 6-Series.
Sony X80J
Sony’s 55-inch X80J TV, like the others above, has Google TV software built-in, so you won’t need to purchase any additional streaming boxes, like an Apple TV or Chromecast. The LED panel also supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR and has four HDMI ports (one of which is HDMI ARC). It’s a relatively low-frills affair, but it seems like a good deal that’s currently available at Walmart, where you can buy the 55-inch model for $598 instead of $799.99.
You don’t have to spend a fortune for a 4K TV; spending $500 or less can still net you a 4K TV with good image quality and features. Insignia’s F50 Series Fire TV is the perfect case in point, one that supports HDR10, HDMI eARC, and Alexa-based voice commands via the included remote. The 4K set also provides access to Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, and most other popular streaming apps. Compared to the last-gen F30 model, this has slimmer bezels and better HDR, thanks to its QLED panel.
Like its predecessor, TCL’s latest 4-Series remains one of the more affordable options on the market. The 2022 model swaps the built-in Roku interface found on the prior model for the Google TV platform, however, and thus offers built-in support for Google Assistant (via the included remote) and more personalized content recommendations. At the same time, the LED TV continues to support HDR10, all the major streaming apps, and a 60Hz refresh rate.
It’s a pretty basic TV as far as functionality goes, but Amazon and Best Buy are both currently offering it in various configurations at a steep discount. Right now, for example, you can pick up the 55-inch model at Best Buy for $299.99, which is about $200 off the MSRP and is the TV’s best price to date.
Amazon Omni Fire TV
Amazon’s first TV, the Omni Fire 4K TV, launched in November 2021 and starts at $370. The self-branded effort features the ability to query Alexa even when the TV is off, as well as a low input lag and support for two-way video calling. We gave it a 7 out of 10 in our review while noting how the TV shows great promise thanks to its robust Alexa integration and support for Apple’s AirPlay 2, among other things. At the same time, however, TCL and other similarly priced television makers offer better picture quality.
We’ve seen the 55-inch drop to as low as $299.99 before, but, unfortunately, it’s currently only on sale for $359.99 ($200 off) at Best Buy. As of late 2022, Amazon makes a QLED version of its Omni Fire TV that costs more but should deliver better picture quality as well as a sleeker design. The newer 65-inch version of the Omni QLED TV costs $799.99 at Amazon, but you can get it for $599.99 when you put the code QLED65 in at checkout. We haven’t tested out this model, though.
The best deals on 4K TVs for the PS5 and Xbox Series X
Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X can play 4K games with HDR at up to 120 frames per second. So, naturally, if you don’t have a TV that takes full advantage of your console, it might be time to upgrade to one of the models below. Note that, for the best experience, you’ll want a TV that supports HDMI 2.1.
LG C2 OLEDs
If you’re looking for an impressive TV, we recommend turning your attention to LG’s 2022 C2 model. The 4K TVs touts support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate tech, along with a 120Hz refresh rate and low input lag. They also boast a settings pane dubbed “Game Optimizer,” which conveniently brings together a host of game-centric settings — refresh rate, latency, etc. — for quicker access.
We recommend the C1, last year’s model, if you find an especially great discount. But the price is coming down for the C2, which we like because it weighs less and is available in a 42-inch variant (that costs about $800 these days, down from $1,399.99 at launch). The C2 also offers a few additional features, like a brighter “Evo” panel, the ability to log into different user profiles, and a new “dark room” setting that’s designed to reduce eyestrain. See what our reviewer Chris Welch has to say (spoiler: lots of good things).
The 48-inch LG C2 costs about $1,049.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and B&H Photo, while the 55-inch costs $1,299.99 at Best Buy. Most retailers have the same deals on this model.
The 55-inch OLED TV from Vizio is also $999.99 at Amazon, but I feel more comfortable recommending Sony’s model. Vizio’s debut OLED launched with several software issues.
LG’s QNED Mini LED TV
OLED prices aren’t for everyone. If you want something that’ll still look amazing, LG’s QNED Mini LED lineup has many of the same perks for less. The Mini LED backlighting allows for better contrast, more brightness, dynamic HDR, and improved color accuracy over LG’s previous LCD TVs. (You can find out more info here). Crucially for gamers, they have HDMI 2.1 ports with 120Hz support at 4K resolution.
The 65-inch model, which has webOS for built-in streaming apps, costs $999.99 at Best Buy. This is $700 off its original price.
Samsung The Frame TV (2022)
Samsung’s The Frame is probably the most unique TV on this list. The television blends into your home decor, displaying customizable images that look like a piece of decorative art if its motion sensor detects someone in the room. When turned on, however, it transforms into an HDR-compatible QLED TV with Amazon’s Alexa built-in and support for AirPlay 2. The stylish 4K TV also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate (when you buy the 55-inch model or larger), support for AMD FreeSync technologies for stutter-free gaming, access to all the popular streaming services, and four HDMI ports.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Samsung’s 2021 The Frame (left) compared to the matte 2022 version’s display, which looks more like a canvas. (right).
Just be aware that, unlike most other televisions in this price range, the latest Frame doesn’t offer Dolby Vision support and lacks full-array local dimming. If that doesn’t bother you, however, you can buy the 55-inch model for $999.99 instead of $1,499.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Samsung.
DeSantis May Snub Big Tech Inaugural Donations, Strategists Say The Florida governor, who is considering a 2024 presidential bid, has often railed against tech companies. But while turning down their cash would cheer conservative activists, it’s unclear how much is at stake.
The Accord will be Honda’s first car to offer Google built-in
2023 Honda Accord with Google built-in supports smooth multi-touch. | Image: Honda
Honda’s next Accord will be the automaker’s first vehicle to support Google built-in integration, enabling native Android apps and over the air (OTA) software updates (via Automotive News). It will be included as a standard feature in the top Touring trim of the 2023 Accord, arriving early next year.
If you’ve never heard of “Google built-in,” that’s because it’s just another name for Android Automotive — the software giant’s vehicle operating system. Considering Google also has a similarly-named phone-to-car integration system called Android Auto (like Apple’s CarPlay), it makes sense that the less confusing “Google built-in” seems to be the company’s preferred name going forward.
Honda hasn’t revealed if its other vehicles will be getting Google built-in yet. The automaker had previously used custom (and now outdated) embedded Android software in some of its cars, but now it’s fully leveraging Google’s offerings to tackle all the hard infotainment stuff. Navigation in the Accord will be taken care of with using Google Maps, voice controls can change things like passenger air temperatures, and music apps will be just a tap away. Honda signed up for Google’s infotainment platform last year, at the time saying it would start rolling it out to cars in 2022.
Image: Honda
Google Assistant can help you change cabin temperature amongst other things with just your voice.
In the new Accord, Google built-in will operate across two screens: a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.3-inch center screen. It’s the biggest infotainment screen Honda has ever made, and bigger than Volvo’s 9-inch screen in the XC40 — another car that uses Google built-in as well.
Honda’s vehicle OTA updates will “add function two, three, or eight years after it’s been sold,” says American Honda Motor Co. VP of CASE and Energy Jay Joseph, speaking to Automotive News. “[It] can really change the dynamics of the ownership experience and the used-vehicle market,” Joseph said.
It would be a fairly new concept for Honda — and many other automakers — to improve owner experiences and add functionality through software updates after purchasing the vehicle. Tesla leads the way in this space by adding dozens of features throughout the life of its vehicles: from enabling its cameras to capture security footage to building a video game library.
The Verge’s favorite holiday gifts under $100
Photography by Joel Goldberg for The Verge
If you’re trying to save this season, we’ve pulled together a host of fantastic gifts you can buy for less than $100, ranging from e-readers to Instant Pots.
Believe it or not, not every holiday season requires you to break your budget in order to obtain that perfect gift, especially when some of today’s best tech can be had for less than a Benjamin.
If you’re on the hunt for something affordable this year, we at The Verge have come up with a selection of great gifts catered toward a range of passions, all of which you can buy for $100 or less. We’ve chosen gifts fit for book lovers, including Amazon’s new Kindle ($90) as well an annual pass ($80) that’s ideal for those who prefer to get lost in the woods rather than read. We’ve also included a few budget picks for gamers, such as Govee’s immersive backlights ($75) and 8Bitdo’s Pro 2 controller ($50) along with a classic thermos ($45) for those looking to eschew their tech tendencies and gift something a bit more analog.
Take a look at the assortment of ideas below and see if you can find the right gift — or even just a little inspiration — ahead of the holidays.
Twitter suspends accounts of several journalists who had reported on Musk
Many at CNN, Washington Post and the New York Times who had written critically of the new owner found their handles suspended
A number of journalists who have reported on Twitter and its new chief executive Elon Musk appear to have been suspended or banned from the platform without explanation.
Accounts of journalists at CNN, Washington Post, and the New York Times were suspended in quick succession Thursday evening. Many of them had published reports critical of Musk in recent weeks.
Twitter Suspends Journalists’ Accounts, Some of Whom Wrote About Musk The social media service, which is owned by Elon Musk, said the accounts were suspended for “violating the Twitter rules” but did not provide details.
Twitter suspends Mastodon after it tweeted about Elon’s jet
I’ll miss those cute elephants. | Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
Twitter has suspended the official Twitter account of Mastodon, one of the most popular destinations for people seeking a Twitter-like alternative. If you visit @joinmastodon’s profile, you’ll see a message that the account has been suspended.
We don’t know exactly why the account was banned, but it may not have been done entirely out of spite for a rival platform. Instead, it could have been because Mastodon tweeted about @ElonJet.
The Mastodon suspension happened sometime on Thursday. The Wayback Machine has an archive of the active profile from 12:39PM ET, but an archive from 6:12PM ET shows the suspended page. On the archive of the active profile, there’s a tweet pointing to @ElonJet’s Mastodon account.
On Wednesday, Twitter suspended @ElonJet and @ElonJet’s creator andintroduced a new policy against sharing live location information. That includes sharing “links to 3rd-party URL(s) of travel routes,” and it appears Twitter counts a link to @ElonJet’s Mastodon account as a violation of the policy.
Twitter, which dissolved its press office during its recent layoffs, didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. Mastodon also hasn’t replied to a request for comment.
Belkin’s Continuity Camera mount for desktops is here
For those dedicated to magnetically mounting a phone to their screens so they can havethat good webcam quality. | Image: Belkin
When Belkin released its Continuity Camera mount for Mac laptops in October, it promised that a version for desktops would be coming soon. Now, it’s finally here. You can get the accessory that attaches to your display and magnetically holds your phone so you can use it as a webcam from the Apple Store for $29.95 — though it is worth noting that price may not stick around, as Belkin spokesperson Cassie Pineda tells me that the correct price is $39.95 and that the company is working on getting it fixed.
Compared to the mobile-friendly version, which is designed to stay on your phone and latch onto your computer with a little hook, the Belkin iPhone Mount for Mac Desktops is a bit more flexible. It has a tilting mechanism that lets you point the camera down by up to 25 degrees in case the top of your monitor is above your face. It’s also compatible with a wide range of displays, with Belkin saying that it’ll work with iMacs from 2017 and later, the iMac Pro, the Apple Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, as well as “most external displays and monitors.”
Image: Belkin
The mounting mechanism makes the accessory compatible with monitors of varying thickness, and it has a few extra quality-of-life features.
If you don’t want to hang your phone off your monitor while using it as a webcam, or if doing so with your setup would result in a bad angle, the mount also has a thread that lets you attach it to a standard tripod.
Compared to a high-end webcam, there is one downside to using a mount and your iPhone, and that’s power — like the mobile version before it, this mount won’t wirelessly charge your phone, which could be a problem if you’re in meetings all day long. It does, however, have a cable management hole if you wanted to route a standard Lightning cable to your phone, but that’s definitely more of a hassle than if you could just plug in the mount and have it do MagSafe charging. Thankfully, this probably isn’t much of a concern if you’re just planning on using it for occasional, short meetings.
This isn’t the only desktop-focused mount meant to be used with Continuity Camera, but when Apple announced the feature, it promoted the mounts from Belkin. That’s not to say that the piece of plastic you mount your phone to will have a huge effect on the performance of an iOS 16 and macOS Ventura software feature, but it’s nice to have options. That’s especially true given that this accessory is slightly less expensive than Moment’s version.
California Reduces Subsidies for Homes With Rooftop Solar The decision, which would reduce the incentive for homeowners to install solar panels, could influence other states to make similar changes.
Elon Musk bought Twitter, and here’s everything that happened next
Laura Normand / The Verge
Elon Musk is now the owner, CEO, and sole director of Twitter. His “Twitter 2.0” era has so far included mass layoffs and rapidly changing policy decisions.
There was a lot of back and forth about bots and text messages, but in the end, Musk settled on buying the company rather than facing a deposition or Chancery Court trial and eventually strode into Twitter HQ carrying a sink.
Elon Musk began Twitter’s new era of private ownership by firing several executives — including previous CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, and policy chief Vijaya Gadde — and, a week later, initiated mass layoffs, drastically cutting its workforce.
TikTok self-harm study results ‘every parent’s nightmare’
Research suggests algorithm promotes self-harm and eating disorder content within minutes of interest being shown
TikTok’s recommendation algorithm pushes self-harm and eating disorder content to teenagers within minutes of them expressing interest in the topics, research suggests.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that the video-sharing site will promote content including dangerously restrictive diets, pro-self-harm content and content romanticising suicide to users who show a preference for the material, even if they are registered as under-18s.
Crypto collapse: it’s looking like a long, cold, contagious winter
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
FTX is just the latest company facing an uncertain future as cryptocurrency values drop, revealing flaws in risky financial strategies that fueled the recent crypto and NFT boom.
On January 1st of 2022, one Bitcoin would cost you about $46,000. By November 8th, that same coin went for about $18,500. And that’s when the year’s most dramatic crypto story was just starting: the collapse of the FTX exchange, which brought yet another round of existential threats to the crypto industry as a whole.
On December 12th, FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas and will face criminal charges in the United States.
This year has looked like death by a thousand scandals for crypto. There was the Luna / Terra crash, which wiped out billions in value practically overnight. There was Axie Infinity, the once-hot NFT game that lost $625 million in a hack and has struggled to recover. Celsius collapsed. Three Arrows Capital collapsed. Remember when NFTs were cool and people thought their JPGs were worth millions?
All this happened, of course, as the overall economy began to crash back down to earth after a pandemic-created spike in stock prices — which also dampened society’s overall tolerance for chaotic, nonsensical gambling on internet money. As the economy began to even out and our collective risk tolerance went down, crypto went for many investors from a fun plaything to a dangerous bet.
Crypto has crashed before, and as ever, the HODLers are saying there’s upside left to come. But right now, the future for cryptocurrencies of all kinds looks pretty bleak.
Here’s all our coverage from the ongoing crypto winter:
The Verge’s 2022 holiday gift guide for dads
Photography by Joel Goldberg for The Verge
Ideas for all the types of dads you may have in your life, from gadget-hounds to wannabe woodsmen with a penchant for the great outdoors.
As any son or daughter can attest, dads can be pretty picky and hard to please when it comes to gifts. However, while it may pose a bit of a challenge to gift them something perfect, it’s better to put in the work than to go the cheesy route with a “World’s Best Dad” mug or yet another pair of socks. Luckily, we’re here to help you find a gift that’s just right.
We’ve compiled a list of ideas that are sure to surprise and delight all kinds of dads, whether they’re the techie type or the weekend warrior. Got a Mr. Fixit on your hands? The Wowstick Electric Screwdriver Set ($69) may be just the tool they didn’t know they needed. Does your dad fiddle away at a computer all day? His wrists will probably thank you if you pick him up Logitech’s ergonomic Lift mouse ($70). We’ve assembled a bunch of other gift ideas as well, especially for those who cherish a bit of nostalgia or want to completely disconnect and get back to nature.
We’re confident at least one of these gifts will make the dad in your life happy. Who knows. He may even brag about it to all his friends — well, that or maybe just anyone who will give him the time of day.
The Verge’s 2022 home tech holiday gift guide
Photography by Joel Goldberg for The Verge
The wrong gift for someone’s home can quickly become clutter, which is why we’ve put together a selection of great gift ideas they’ll cherish, appreciate, and — most importantly — put to use.
Whether someone you know lives in a small apartment, an average size condo, or a spacious house, a gift for the home can be a very endearing one — especially when it matches their personal style and needs. That said, we’re not talking campy “live, laugh, love” decorations but, rather, a range of useful tech, gadgets, and other items that go beyond mere wall decor.
The items we choose to live alongside us should be worthwhile or they risk becoming clutter. So we’ve come up with an extensive list to help inspire you this holiday season, even if you’re shopping for yourself. Gifts like the Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 ($74.96) can help you grow herbs indoors where there isn’t even sunlight, while items like the iRobot Roomba i3 Evo robot vacuum ($279.99) can provide hassle-free cleaning on your schedule. Other presents, specifically Amazon’s third-gen Echo Dot ($17.98), are great for getting into smart home tech and can help you add voice commands to any room in your home.
We’ve gathered all sorts of great gifts for the home, so let us help you find something that’s better than a lavish punch bowl that — sooner or later — is destined for the back of the cupboard.
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