Nvidia’s free-tier GeForce Now will soon show ads while you’re waiting to play
Nvidia’s GeForce Now is a cloud gaming platform that spans many devices. | Image: Nvidia
Nvidia’s completely free, no-strings attached trial of its cloud gaming service GeForce Now is about to be very slightly less of a deal — on Wednesday February 28th, Nvidia tells The Verge, users will start seeing ads.
They’re only for the free tier — not Priority or Ultimate — and even then, it sounds like they won’t interrupt your gameplay. “Free users will start to see up to two minutes of ads while waiting in queue to start a gaming session,” writes Nvidia spokesperson Stephanie Ngo.
Currently, the free tier does often involve waiting in line for a remote computer to free up before every hour of free gameplay — now, I guess there’ll be a few ads too. Nvidia says the ads should help pay for the free tier of service, and that it expects the change “will reduce average wait times for free users over time.”
My problem with GeForce Now’s free tier has never been its queues, but rather that it’s by far the least impressive version of the company’s service and doesn’t show what cloud gaming is truly capable of. For that, you really need to try GeForce Now Ultimate, which gives you the power of an RTX 4080 in the cloud, greatly reduced latency, and now G-Sync monitor support. But it currently still costs $20 a month, with no free trial.
Instagram and Facebook Subscriptions Are a New Focus of Child Safety Suit New Mexico’s attorney general has accused Meta of not protecting children from sexual predators on its platforms. He now wants to know how it polices subscribers to accounts featuring children.
Netflix confirms it’s cutting off Apple billing for grandfathered subscribers
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Netflix confirms to The Verge that it has begun booting longtime subscribers off their Apple iTunes billing plans, and will require them to pay Netflix directly using a credit card or debit card instead. Earlier today, The Streamable reported that Netflix had begun telling customers in “some territories,” but Netflix representative Momo Zhao confirms to us that all “members on the basic plan who were using an iTunes method of payment” will need to sign up directly.
It’s been a good run for anyone who signed up before Netflix stopped accepting subscriptions through Apple’s payments system. One person indicated today on X that they’d kept the streaming service’s old $9.99 price for years.
Netflix stopped working with Apple Pay and didn’t inform me. Now I’m locked out of my $9.99 a month price I had paid for years and I had to get charged $31 until I get a refund through Apple. Love this!
Alas, if you’re like that person, you’ll now have to join the rest of us and either accept a more-than-$5 price hike for essentially the same plan you’ve had for years or pay $3 less than you have been and let the ads wash over you. Or you could take the time to reflect on your relationship with streaming services, which seem to get pricier all the time.
The change is the end of a long saga — despite Apple adding in-app subscription options to iPhones in 2010, Netflix didn’t add them to its iOS app until 2015 because it was opposed to Apple’s 30 percent cut. In late 2018, Netflix decided it didn’t want to pay Apple at all, dropping in-app subscriptions entirely, and it never looked back.
Supreme Court to Decide How the First Amendment Applies to Social Media Challenges to laws in Florida and Texas meant to protect conservative viewpoints are likely to yield a major constitutional ruling on tech platforms’ free speech rights.
Lenovo worked with iFixit to make some ThinkPads easier to repair
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 | Photo: Lenovo
While the ThinkBook Transparent Display laptop Lenovo showed off at MWC 2024 is just a proof of concept, the company also announced refreshed versions of several ThinkPads and ThinkBooks, as well as a few accessories.
That includes three refreshed ThinkPad T-series laptops: the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5, ThinkPad T14s Gen 5, and ThinkPad T16 Gen 3, all with Intel Core Ultra processors (or an AMD Ryzen 8040 option for the T14 Gen 5). All three get Lenovo’s Communication Bar, which extends a portion of the top bezel to house the camera and microphones, giving those laptops slimmer top bezels and taller display ratios. Lenovo previously added this feature to other ThinkPad laptops, like the X1 Carbon and X1 Nano.
Image: Lenovo
The keyboard on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 includes more homing bars, swapped Ctrl and Fn keys, and the new Copilot key between right Alt and Ctrl.
The T-series keyboards also now have the same tactile markings, (homing bars) on the Fn, Insert, Enter, and volume keys as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 laptops to make typing more accessible to those who are visually impaired. Lenovo also broke with its long-standing tradition of putting the Fn key on the outer-most edge and swapped it with Ctrl, where the majority of laptop and keyboard manufactures put them. There’s a physical Microsoft Copilot key between right Alt and Ctrl, too, but Lenovo left the Windows Key alone. (Phew!)
Lenovo also collaborated with iFixit to make it easier to replace certain hardware components on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3. This includes a move back to fully-socketed DIMM slots instead of soldered RAM, user-replaceable cable-free batteries (with fewer screws to remove them), and accessible SSD and wireless adapter slots.
For users who are super new to laptop repairs, the SSD and RAM slots are clearly marked, and Lenovo now includes QR codes inside the laptop body near each repairable component with instructional videos about the process. There are also indicators that point to the specific screws to remove if you’re looking to just replace the keyboard and trackpad.
Lenovo
The ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
There is one more ThinkPad laptop up Lenovo’s sleeve: the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2. We liked the first-gen a lot when it was released in April 2021; this upcoming version will have an Intel Core Ultra U processor, 32GB LPDDR5x soldered RAM, a 5MP front-facing webcam that supports Windows Hello, an 8MP outward-facing cam, and support for a 4G LTE wireless adapter.
Lenovo has made some adjustments to its ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 laptop, too, by shortening the key travel to 1.5mm and enlarging the touchpad. It also has new peripherals and accessories, including the ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 Mobile touch monitor and a USB-C Slim travel dock.
All Intel-configured ThinkPads hit stores starting April 2024, with pricing expected to start at $1,199. (The ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 AMD configuration will be available in May 2024, starting at $949.) The ThinkBook and USB-C dock arrive in March 2024, starting at $1,169 and $89.99, respectively. The portable monitor ($399) arrives in July 2024.
AT&T Offers $5 Credit After Widespread Service Outage Thousands of customers lost service on Thursday when the telecommunications company ran into problems while trying to expand its network, the company’s chief executive said.
HMD is making a Barbie flip phone alongside a smartphone for tinkerers
C’mon Barbie let’s go make some phone calls. | Image: HMD
HMD is crossing its fingers for a second summer of Barbie. The company, which has exclusively sold phones under the Nokia brand name for the past seven years, has announced plans to release a Barbie-branded flip phone this July in partnership with Mattel. It’s one of several devices HMD has on the way for this summer, which also include a new Nokia-branded retro feature phone, and an HMD-branded smartphone. Finally, the company has also announced early plans for a new development platform it’s calling “HMD Fusion.”
No pricing, specs, or features were announced for the as-yet-unnamed Barbie phone, but expect it to be a traditional feature flip phone rather than a smartphone. In an interview, HMD’s global head of insight, proposition, and product marketing Adam Ferguson confirms it’ll be an all-new device. “Barbie’s is not the kind of brand that you go, here’s an off-the-shelf solution,” he says.
Image: HMD
Expect a flip feature phone bearing the Barbie name.
The collaboration is an extension of the plans first announced in September, in which the Finnish company (now styling itself as “Human Mobile Devices” rather than simply “HMD”) said it planned to move away from exclusively producing Nokia-branded products to selling devices under its own name, as well as collaborating with “exciting new partners.” Mattel is the first such partner, but Ferguson says it won’t be the last.
“Are there other partnerships other than just working with Mattel? Absolutely. Are they as massive, and triple-A as Mattel? Absolutely. Can I tell you what those are at this point? Absolutely not.”
As for the own-branded phone, the company isn’t ready to talk specifics, but we know that it’ll also be coming this summer. The announcement comes a little over a month after 91Mobiles leaked images of a smartphone that looks very similar to the company’s existing Nokia phones, albeit with an HMD logo where the Nokia one used to be.
None of this means HMD is ditching the Nokia branding entirely, and Ferguson denied that HMD is exploring other brand names because of any decline in the popularity of the Nokia name. “It’s absolutely not that we think that there’s a lessening of the power there,” Ferguson says, “It’s just that there is, from the business HMD standpoint, we have the opportunity to do more… with this multi-brand strategy.”
The company says it plans to “bring back an iconic phone this summer,” similar to its other retro revivals of devices like the Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8110.
Away from branding announcements, HMD had a couple of more product-focused initiatives to announce. The most interesting of these is HMD Fusion, a new smartphone-style device that HMD is pitching as a DIY platform for tinkerers. Like Moto Mods, but you have to make and program your own accessories.
Essentially, HMD’s aim with the Fusion is to offer the kinds of tinkering possibilities of a Raspberry Pi, but in the form factor of a smartphone complete with a built-in screen and battery. It achieves this with an array of six pogo pins on the back of the device, which are designed to allow the attachment of hardware accessories. For software it’s running Android with an unlocked bootloader, and HMD is calling the kinds of hardware you might build around the device “outfits.” Between them, HMD’s ambition is to provide a device that end users or even businesses can customize to suit their needs.
“Let’s say, for example, you’re working in the medical field and you need to be able to help test people’s blood,” Ferguson says. “You have a software service, you have an app that you need, but it needs hardware attached. It can be expensive and people won’t necessarily know how to use it. You build an outfit based on this, for the Fusion device, and it can then do the blood test, compute it, work out whether you need to book an appointment and all of that kind of stuff.” Other ideas Ferguson mentions are building a case with built-in flashing notification lights, or a streaming accessory with a built in high quality microphone and stream controls.
For now, HMD is just announcing the Fusion platform and is releasing initial designs and specs for the device to allow would-be tinkerers to start thinking about how they might like to make use of it, but Ferguson warns that these specs could change as people start feeding back about the company’s plans.
Rounding out its MWC announcements, HMD also reaffirmed that it’s plowing ahead with the repairability initiative it kicked off with the Nokia G22 at last year’s MWC, and that this initiative will also apply to its HMD-branded devices. The company’s target is for half of the phones it sells this year to be easily repairable, and it’s also specifically improving how repairable the screens of its devices are. “The fact that it we’ve done it without glue and all of that was was a great step for the time, but it needed to be better,” Ferguson says. But although he says it’s “much better” this time around, we’ll have to wait for the actual announcement of the device to find out how.
What to Know About the Supreme Court Case on Free Speech on Social Media Both Florida and Texas passed laws regulating how social media companies moderate speech online. The laws, if upheld, could fundamentally alter how the platforms police their sites.
Can a Tech Giant Be Woke? Microsoft, once again a juggernaut thanks to artificial intelligence, wants to be seen as an ethical employer. Is there a catch?
The latest ‘Woj bomb’ was just a scam NFT tweet from a hacked account
The fake NBA Top Shot tweet. | Image: X / @wojespn
People who still use NBA Top Shot were the primary targets of a scam tweet posted to ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski’s account on X Saturday evening at about 6:30PM ET. The tweet referred to NBA Top Shot as a “popular” NFT platform, despite the fact that current activity levels are a tiny fraction of what we saw during its peak, and falsely claimed a “free NFT pack is available to all customers.”
The tweet linked visitors to a scam version of the NBA Top Shot website (the link went to a .org address instead of the official site’s .com URL) that could attempt to drain assets from people who give it access to their crypto wallets. About a half hour later, the official Top Shot account posted, saying, “There is NO Free Airdrop happening on NBA Top Shot at this time, Please be careful and always double check links.”
There is NO Free Airdrop happening on NBA Top Shot at this time
Please be careful and always double check links. The only official NBA Top Shot site is https://t.co/FEvHeQdc0N. Thank you
The post was eventually pulled from Wojnarowski’s account after being live for nearly an hour. Because of his reputation for breaking news tweets, many NBA fans have alerts turned on for his posts and could have had account information stolen if they clicked the fraudulent link.
A number of high-profile Twitter / X accounts continue to get compromised. Wojnarowski’s recent NBA news posts have also been syndicated on Threads, however that account was not used for the scam.
However, the latest NBA Top Shot stats from tracking site Cryptoslam.io only show about 8,100 unique sellers and 5,550 unique buyers for the month of January, down from the peak of more than 399,000 buyers in March 2021, so it’s doubtful there are very many people left using it to get scammed by this kind of post.
When does a journalist become a hacker?
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos via Getty Images
Some laws operate like hidden trap doors — everyone walks across the trap at one point or another, but only a handful of us actually fall through. For the rich, it’s the law against insider trading; for the rest of us plebs, it’s the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
On Thursday, federal law enforcement arrested journalist Tim Burke and arraigned him in court in handcuffs. Twelve of the 14 charges levied against him in the since-unsealed indictment are under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the federal anti-hacking statute.
The story begins with Tucker Carlson’s extremely cursed interview of Kanye West in 2022. Most interviews are edited for clarity; in this case, the interview was cut to exclude a rambling, antisemitic rant. That unaired clip and others made their way to Vice and Media Matters through Burke, who downloaded them from LiveU, a streaming service that media companies use to share video files. The FBI raided Burke’s home last year, seizing phones, laptops, hard drives, and notes.
The indictment is an incredible example of how the CFAA tortures the English language. It accuses Burke of “repeatedly utiliz[ing] the compromised credentials to gain unauthorized access to the Victim Entities’ protected computers.” Burke and his lawyers have maintained that he found the video clips after using demo login credentials that had been posted publicly on the internet, and that the files could be shared via unsecured, public URLs.
If so, that probably wasn’t the ideal IT setup for the media outlets that were using LiveU. They may have, in fact, objected very strongly to strangers being able to access their outtakes. But is that enough to establish “unauthorized access”? Should it be?
The universe of wack CFAA prosecutions is rich and diverse because the CFAA is so easy to weaponize. The statute hinges on access “without authorization” or access that “exceeds authorization.” It doesn’t really specify what a “protected computer” is. (A better question might be: what’s an unprotected computer?) For a good long time, it was ambiguous whether violating a website’s terms of service could be a felony with serious jail time. The 2021 Supreme Court decision in Van Buren v. United States narrowed the CFAA down enough that that’s no longer a concern. (The timing was inadvertently clutch, as shortly thereafter Netflix began to crack down on password sharingand everyone started getting whipped up over AI companies scraping websites against operators’ wishes.)
Because Burke is a journalist, what may come to mind first is the case against journalist Matthew Keys, convicted in 2015 after he posted the content management system credentials for his erstwhile employer into a public chatroom while urging others to deface the website. Keys, whose actions there resemble neither hacking nor journalism, was prosecuted under a provision of the CFAA prohibiting “damage without authorization.” It’s a different section of the law, though the same sticky problem with the meaning of “authorization” pops up yet again.
Auernheimer’s conviction stemmed from a script that automatically accessed a series of public URLs that unfortunately contained AT&T customer information. Swartz was prosecuted for scraping JSTOR, a paywalled academic database that could be freely accessed on MIT’s campus network. Theoretically, his access began to “exceed authorization” when he signed into the network as Gary Host (G. Host, or Ghost), and then when, after campus IT attempted to block his computer for excessive server requests, he spoofed his DNS.
Swartz and Auernheimer aren’t known as journalists, though both are associated with media publications — Swartz was a contributing editor to the left-wing magazine The Baffler, and Auernheimer sometimes writes for the Daily Stormer, a white supremacist website he has helped manage on the technical side. Their respective prosecutions speak to that side of their personalities. Swartz scraped JSTOR in hopes of liberating scholarship for the whole world; Auernheimer, who did not write any of the code he was jailed for, acted as the official hype man for the AT&T breach because he loves attention.
Auernheimer’s conviction was overturned in 2014 by an appeals court on a technicality; Swartz’s case never went to trial because he died in 2013. Aaron’s Law — a bill to reform the CFAA — was proposed in the wake of his suicide but stalled in Congress.
If these two men had been written into a novel, their characters would be derided as ham-fisted symbols of the noble and ignoble instincts that drive journalism. As it is, it’s maybe shocking that journalists aren’t being prosecuted all the time. When you define “authorization” that loosely, of course a journalist will end up on the hook — journalism in the modern day is the act of using your computer in a way someone somewhere would really rather you did not.
The case against Tim Burke is almost a bizarre historical throwback. On all sides — the legislature, the courts, and even the DOJ — people seem to know that there is something wrong with the CFAA. It’s a law that can be made to fit a dizzying array of scenarios, to take down progressive idealists and literal neo-Nazis with equal efficacy. And here we are again, squinting at websites and asking, “Is this a protected computer?”
A former Gizmodo writer changed his name to ‘Slackbot’ and stayed undetected for months
There’s something a bit different about this Slackbot icon... | Image: Tom McKay
Hiding on Slack isn’t all that hard, apparently; you just have to pretend you’re a bot. That’s what IT Brew’s Tom McKay did when he left Gizmodo in 2022, and he went undetected by the site’s management for months.
In a post on X, McKay shared some screenshots of the new “Slackbot” persona he took on after he officially left Gizmodo. He also confirmed to The Verge that this silly prank really happened.
If you’re not glued to Slack for most of the day like I am, then you might not know that Slackbot is the friendly robot that lives in the messaging service. It helps you do things like set reminders, find out your office’s Wi-Fi password, or let you know when you’ve been mentioned in a channel that you’re not a part of.
it's been long enough for me to admit publicly that when i left Gizmodo in 2022 I changed my Slack username to "SIackbot" and G/O Media failed to detect or delete it for months pic.twitter.com/DhMsOD0SZ9
When it was his time to leave, McKay swapped out his existing profile picture for one that resembled an angrier version of Slackbot’s actual icon. He also changed his name to “Slackbot.” You can’t just change your name on Slack to “Slackbot,” by the way, as the service will tell you that name’s already been taken. It does work if you use a special character that resembles one of the letters inside Slackbot, though, such as replacing “o” with the Unicode character “о.”
The move camouflaged McKay’s active Slack account for months, letting his account evade deletion. It also allowed him to send bot-like messages to his colleagues such as, “Slackbot fact of the day: Hi, I’m Slackbot! That’s a fact. Have a Slack-ly day!” My colleague Victoria Song, who previously worked at Gizmodo, isn’t all that surprised that this situation unfolded, and says, “As Tom’s former coworker and a G/O Media survivor, this tracks.”
Of course, not every company will fall for this trick, as some have security measures in place to prevent this kind of thing. But perhaps Gizmodo’s management thought that McKay’s account had already been deleted. Or maybe they just weren’t eagle-eyed enough to spot a duplicate Slackbot with a suspicious pair of brows.
The best tech gifts for under $25
There are plenty of great tech gifts that can light up someone’s life for less than $25, from smart bulbs to everyday essentials. | Image: Nanoleaf
Wanting to treat a friend or a loved one to some tech or a cool gadget while on a very lean budget can feel like an impossible task. Most of the everyday devices we use cost multiple hundreds of dollars, so what do you get when you just want a nice birthday or “just because” kind of gift but can’t break the bank? Sure, you could default to something basic like a pair of socks or a scarf, but that gets boring fast.
Here, we’ve assembled a bunch of cool tech ideas on a budget of just $25 that are worth your money, including a headphone stand ($19.99), a quality USB-C cable ($9.99), a unique Bluetooth speaker, and other essentials. Some of these items might not sound very fun or exciting at first, but they’re all helpful gifts that any tech-head can appreciate.
Anker MagGo Qi2 Wireless Charger
A charger that’s cheaper and longer than Apple’s charging puck
If you need a gift for someone in the tech bubble and want to cement your spot as the coolest person in their life, try getting them the Anker MagGo Wireless Charger, which is only $21.99 at Amazon. Qi2 chargers standardize the faster 15W wireless charging speeds that were once limited to MagSafe-certified products. Anker’s version has a five-foot cable for those who felt Apple’s official MagSafe charger was too short. As of writing, only the iPhone 13 and newer support Qi2, so you should confirm which phone they have before purchasing one. It’s also worth noting that it doesn’t ship with the 20W adapter required to unlock its full charging potential, so try to figure out whether your recipient already has one.
Image: Uni
A great, lengthy USB-C cable is just too handy to be without. And once you have one you soon find a need for having more than one, like playing while charging your Nintendo Switch or PlayStation DualSense controller.
Uni USB-C to USB-C cable (10 feet)
A much longer braided cable for laptop charging
Even when someone is working from home, it’s annoying to have a charging cable that’s too short. Most laptops and other devices come with cables that are barely long enough for many everyday situations. This lengthy USB-C cable from Uni gives much more flexibility for even larger laptops that require a lot of wattage. It supports 100W charging — which is enough to satisfy even the newest MacBook Pro models — and it only costs $19.99 at Amazon, with frequent discounts dropping it to as low as $7. A cable may not sound like an exciting gift, but I’m sure your loved one will appreciate not being tethered so close to a wall.
Rocketbook Core
The perfect gift for the techie scribe in your life
Notebooks — the old-school kind, not laptops — have largely taken a back seat to typing, voice dictation, and virtual assistants, but some people still prefer putting pen to actual paper. The Rocketbook Core offers the best of both worlds, though. It’s a reusable notebook that lets you write naturally on any of its 36 pages with the included pen, and you can easily scan the resulting text or drawings into your preferred notes app before wiping the pages clean with a cloth. Rocketbook’s retail price for the 6 x 8.8-inch notebook is $29.99, but you can almost always find it on sale at Amazon for as low as $19.97.
Besign LS10 Aluminum Laptop Stand
Give the gift of neck relief and better posture
If a friend or loved one cranes their neck when working from home on a laptop, they deserve some relief. Elevating a laptop to eye level is not only healthier for your posture, but it makes you look better on video calls, too. The Besign LS10 laptop stand normally runs $24.99 on Amazon, but you can typically count on discounts bringing it down to around $20. It has an adjustable hinge design, so it sets up to the height you need and easily folds away when not in use. Plus, with a claimed weight capacity of 13 pounds, it’s strong enough to hold even some hefty full-size laptops.
Oontz Solo
A small, affordable speaker that anyone can appreciate
Almost everyone loves music, so a portable Bluetooth speaker can be a foolproof gift for someone in your life who is harder to shop for. The triangular Oontz Solo ($19.99 at Amazon) is the miniaturized sibling of the Angle, which has gained popularity as an inexpensive speaker that delivers solid tunes. The triangular design gives serious Sabre Pyramid vibes, but unlike that chunky monstrosity, the Solo is just 3.9 inches long and weighs just under eight ounces. It retains IPX5 water resistance despite its small stature, making it suitable for some poolside fun, and the battery is rated to last up to 10 hours. It’s also available in several bold shades, including black, red, and blue.
Apple EarPods
Classic wired earbuds that they won’t feel bad about losing
Believe it or not, some people aren’t caught up in the hullabaloo over wireless earbuds. Thankfully, Apple’s EarPods are a great wired alternative that do away with any concerns regarding battery life and connection quality. You can buy three different styles of EarPods corresponding to each major connector, including the traditional 3.5mm aux ($18.79), USB-C ($17.98), and Lightning ($15.99). Auxiliary is still the most common of these three across all manner of audio devices, but smartphone makers (Apple and Samsung, most notably) have been ditching 3.5mm ports, so it may be worth compensating by adding a cheap $7.99 dongle to the gift bag.
iFixit Moray Driver Kit
For the DIYers in your life
The iFixit Moray Driver Kit is a great gift for any handy person who likes to tinker. The little kit has a magnetized bit driver with a cleverly hidden SIM eject tool, and it connects to one of the included 32 screwdriver bits, which encompass everything from flathead and Phillips to torx, pentalobe, hex, and tri-point. There’s even an iPhone standoff bit for cleanly accessing internal logic boards. For $20 at Amazon or direct from iFixit, you can equip your giftee with just about everything they need to make small repairs or carry out weekend projects (like replacing an aging battery in their phone).
Black Diamond Astro 300 Headlamp
Make sure your giftee doesn’t go bump in the night
The great age of engineering we’re enjoying lets us indulge our geeky side without sacrificing style, so the Black Diamond Astro 300 ($19.95 at Amazon, REI, and Black Diamond) might give your recipient pause at first blush. The water-resistant headlamp is a safer pick if you know they’re into activities like hiking, but there are several other scenarios in which it might come in handy, like during blackouts or unforeseen night maintenance. At maximum brightness, the 300-lumen lamp is strong enough to provide light for up to 55 meters, and it draws that power from just three AAA batteries. (You can also buy an optional $29.95 rechargeable battery for added convenience).
Bluetooth Aux Receiver
Help someone with an older car feel a bit more modern
It’s well-established these days that cars are turning into tech appliances on wheels. To many folks, horsepower and drivetrain play second fiddle to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But for people still sticking to their older cars that lack all of these modern conveniences, a simple tool like a Bluetooth adapter can make all the difference in improving a commute or enjoying a lengthy road trip. This Bluetooth Aux Receiver that’s often on sale for just $16.99 at Amazon may look about as basic as they come, but it plugs into a 3.5mm aux jack and connects via Bluetooth 5.0 to up to two devices. It’s a simple, no-frills way to enjoy all your music and podcasts on the road as well as take hands-free phone calls for added safety.
Image: Asicen
Asicen’s 3-in-1 charging cable is one of the handiest cables around, uniting iPhone and Android users with one multi-prong connector.
Asicen 3-in-1 Retractable Charging Cable
You’ve never had a more convenient cable
This gift idea is off the charts when it comes to the “I didn’t know I needed this, but now I can’t live without it” factor. These retractable 3-in-1 charging cables have Lightning, USB-C, and Micro USB connectors, allowing you to connect to just about any device in any location. They’re perfect for the car, especially if two or more people have to share a lone USB port for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay duties. They also help keep your desk tidy if you only once in a while need to charge a wireless mouse or keyboard and want a cable at the ready. All that functionality starts at just $12.35 at Amazon for a pair with a five percent coupon. This gift idea is perfect for uniting any household divided between Apple fans and Android users.
Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box
A great upgrade for someone who doesn’t have a smart TV
If there’s someone in your life who needs rescuing from the scarcity of channels available over the air — or they simply have an older TV with outdated apps — try gifting them the Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box ($19.88). It provides the full Google TV experience, and it comes with 8GB of storage so you can install any of the free and premium streaming apps available (of which there are thousands). The included remote has a dedicated button for calling up Google Assistant, too, which makes it easy to find shows and movies using your voice. It also has Chromecast built in, so if you somehow can’t find what you want natively, you can always cast it from your phone. They’ll miss out on Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, but there’s still basic HDR support.
Beam Electronics phone car mount
A phone is still better than most car head units out there
Look, even with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, most car head units still kinda suck. Having a phone mounted to the dashboard via an air vent is helpful for just about anyone. This basic car mount by Beam Electronics is easy to set up and simple to operate, and it costs just $19.99 at Amazon. Even if someone has a jumbo-sized phone, they can throw it on the cradle, clamp it in, and go. It won’t slide out of the holder even during some spirited driving, but it easily releases with the push of a button on the back.
KZ ES4 wired earbuds
Give the gift of Luddism
Yes, we live in the age of true wireless earbuds. But even an ultra-budget pair of OnePlus Nord Buds are still outside our range of $25. What is in our range is the KZ ES4, which are currently on sale for just $20.99 in blue, black, and green on Amazon. The 3.5mm wired earbuds have detachable cables and a see-through design that looks unique compared to just about any other earbuds out there. These are some excellent and interesting earbuds for the money and perfect for anyone who values spending quality time with their music without the bulk of big, expensive headphones. They make an appropriate gift for anyone who appreciates something with some quirky vibes, though be sure they have a phone that still has a headphone jack or that they’re still an iPod holdout.
JLab Go Air Pop
Okay, maybe you can get some wireless earbuds for under $25 that don’t suck
The platform-agnostic JLab Go Air Pop may offer the bare minimum when it comes to wireless earbuds, but you’d also be surprised how decent a $20 pair of wireless earbuds can sound. They’re a lot better than the AirPods knockoffs at your local dollar store, and you can often get them on Amazon in various colors starting at just $19.99. Now, it may not be a great idea to gift these to someone who has their eyes set on a pair of AirPods or something with active noise cancellation, but their IPX4 water resistance and eight hours of battery life — or 32 hours with the included charging case — help make a compelling case. Even if they already own better earbuds, your recipient can tuck them away as an emergency backup pair.
Apple AirTags or Tile Mate location trackers
For the forgetful ones
If someone you know is the type that might misplace their most valued everyday items, like their wallet or keys, a location tracker might just be a lifesaver for them. Now, there are some options to consider for this gift. Generally speaking, if they use an iPhone, then Apple’s AirTags are a great option, while the Tile Mate is a safe bet for both Android and iOS users. However, while the AirTags regularly dip under our budget price at $24, when on sale, they normally go for $29. The Tile Mate is the safer buy if you don’t know what phone your gift recipient uses, and it’s not uncommon to see them on sale for as low as $17.99 (normally $24.99) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.
We know gift cards often seem like the ultimate cop-out, but gifting digital games or smaller indie titles is not always easy. Yes, most digital game stores allow you to gift specific games to those on your friends list, but that’s only useful if you have an account and know which games they want. Enter the gift card, which lets them purchase what they want themselves. They’ll surely remember who helped finance their hundreds of hours of enjoyment to come. Bonus points if you do know what game they want and you decorate a card or email message for them accordingly. Now that’s some expert-level gifting.
8BitDo Bluetooth Retro Receiver
For retro gamers who prefer the style and comfort of newer controllers
The 8BitDo Bluetooth Retro Receiver might be the perfect gift if you know someone still sticking it out with the PlayStation 1 or PlayStation 2. On sale for $23.75 at Amazon with a 5% coupon, the accessory connects to the controller port on either console and natively reads input from many compatible Bluetooth controllers, including most 8BitDo controllers, Sony’s DualShock and DualSense models, and newer Xbox wireless controllers. You can use it as a Bluetooth receiver for Windows PCs, too, thanks to a USB-C port. 8BitDo also offers similar products for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, but beware that those no longer support Xbox controllers.
Samsung microSD card
Perfect for expanding the storage of a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck
If someone you know plays a lot of games on a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, a microSD card is a tiny gift that can make a huge difference. Many Samsung microSD cards go on sale frequently, and you can easily catch them on sale for under $25. Right now, for instance, you can nab a 128GB card at Amazon for $12.99 or a 256GB card for $22.99, both of which can level up the amount of built-in storage found on Nintendo’s fancier Switch OLED and the base Steam Deck, allowing many more games to be installed at once — especially if you play lots of small indie titles. And don’t fret on the performance front; as our own Sean Hollister pointed out in his re-review of the Steam Deck, there’s barely a noticeable difference in performance between playing games off your console’s internal storage and playing them off an optional microSD card (save for some slightly slower install times).
Joby GripTight One GorillaPod Stand
A simple tripod for phone photography and videos
Sometimes planting your phone somewhere with a tripod is far superior for capturing a group selfie or a quality landscape photo. Fortunately, the Joby GripTight One is often on sale for around $20 and comes with an adjustable clamp mount. It can even be used as a short selfie stick or simple stabilizer when taking video. It’s a great gift for anyone curious about doing more with their phone when it comes to taking pictures or just making things easier for recording TikTok videos while they talk to the camera.
Elago Apple Watch stand
A charming little mount for your Apple Watch charger
While there are many Apple Watch charging solutions out there, they’re usually a bit pricey and not at all cute. This Elago stand is absolutely adorable, as once you thread your Apple Watch charging puck into it, your watch turns into a mini Macintosh computer, iMac, GameBoy, or iPod Classic (okay, not really, but it looks a bit like one while in nightstand mode). These little stands range from $12.99 to $15.99 on Elago’s site and Amazon, and they make a charming novelty of a gift for anyone who loves some vintage tech nostalgia.
Anker 511 Charger (30W)
Save someone from their old 5W wall warts
Know someone who is still using a 5W USB-A charger that’s nearly old enough to get a learner’s permit? Here’s how you can help and be a considerate friend or family member who saves them from it. Anker’s 511 Chargers are incredibly tiny but output up to 30 watts for enough headroom to fast charge most phones — including the latest iPhone models. They cost just $22.99 at Amazon (or less, given the frequent discounts they receive) and even come in some fun colors like green and lavender, in addition to white and black. Just be sure that any old chargers they replace get recycled properly.
Nanoleaf Essentials Matter smart bulbs
Smart light bulbs: how most of us get into smart homes and automation
Nanoleaf’s fun lighting panels are great for transforming a home office or chill space, but for more basic needs, the company’s Matter-over-Thread bulbs will do the job just fine. They’re $19.99 each at Amazon and Nanoleaf, and you can often find the A19 bulbs on sale for $14.99. They get nice and bright at 1,100 lumens, they allow for tons of scenes and settings, and you can easily choose from millions of vibrant colors. The Nanoleaf app required to manage them isn’t great, and the bulbs still suffer the same growing pains as other Matter-ready devices, but Nanoleaf offers an affordable, manageable smart lighting platform that works great if your needs are simpler.
Meross Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini (MSS110)
Help someone dip their toes into smart home automation
The Meross Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini (MSS110) — which is only $19 at Amazon thanks to an on-page coupon — is our top budget recommendation when it comes to smart plugs. Just plug one in and set it up, and you’ll be able to remotely control whichever devices you plug into it. It’s compatible with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings, allowing you to schedule timers or control it with your voice using the smart platform you prefer. There’s no Matter support to help it communicate better with other smart home devices, but that’s a fair trade given its low price point.
Ugreen USB-C 6-in-1 Hub
All the ports
Got a friend who is having a tough time in dongle town? This inexpensive USB-C hub from Ugreen has most things covered, and it’s only $19.99 on sale at Amazon. No matter if they need a USB 3.0 port or HDMI-out, it’s all here. There are even SD and microSD card slots, which you don’t always get with USB hubs at this price. It’s a great option for someone who owns a MacBook Air or another laptop that’s light on connectivity options, though advanced users may prefer a hub that has a passthrough USB-C charging port as well, which will cost more.
A desktop headphone stand or under-desk headphone mount
What’s the over-under on a headphone fan loving this gift?
We all love a great pair of noise-canceling headphones or a gaming headset, but even if they’re wireless, they certainly take up a lot of space. A headphone stand or mount is a great gift for anyone who spends a lot of time at their desk and wants to keep things tidy (or if you encourage them to keep things tidy and they really should be listening to you). Here are two appealing options for them to either show off their headphones when not using them or keep them tucked away and out of sight. The Neetto Dual Headphones Stand prominently displays two full-size headphones on a desk with a central tray for more organization, and it costs just $19.99 at Amazon. Another option is the Anchor Pro hanger ($15.95 at Amazon), which can hold two pairs of headphones and uses 3M adhesive to easily attach it to the underside of your desk. Take your pick and help someone keep their cool audio gear neat.
Update February 23rd, 5:30PM ET:We’ve updated this gift guide with several new picks and updated pricing for some of our favorites that are still available.
FTC cracks down on H&R Block for deleting tax data when users want to downgrade
Photo by Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against tax prep company H&R Block for allegedly wasting consumers’ time and money. The company deceptively marketed its services and made them difficult to downgrade, the FTC claims in an administrative complaint issued Friday.
“H&R Block designed its online products to present an obstacle course of tedious challenges to consumers, pressuring them into overpaying for its products,” FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection director Samuel Levine said in a statement.
The administrative complaint is similar to a lawsuit but results in proceedings before the FTC’s in-house administrative law judge. Findings can ultimately be appealed to a federal court.
The agency alleges that H&R Block steered customers to higher-cost online tax filing products, even when they didn’t need the extra forms included in those offerings. Even when customers later realized they bought a more expensive product than they needed, the FTC alleged, “H&R Block presented them with a series of time-consuming challenges when attempting to downgrade after already spending substantial time entering their tax information.”
H&R Block would basically give customers who tried to downgrade the runaround, according to the FTC — prompting them to call or chat customer support and then deleting all of their tax data so they needed to start over. This creates “a significant disincentive to downgrading,” the FTC wrote in a press release. Meanwhile, H&R Block moves customer data “seamlessly” when they wish to upgrade, the FTC alleges.
The company also deceptively marketed its tax prep services as “free,” even though many customers aren’t eligible for the free services, according to the FTC.
The company also caught the FTC’s attention last year when the agency warned five tax prep services that using consumer data for other purposes, like advertising, could result in civil penalties if they don’t first get consent. That notice came after a Markup investigation found that several companies had sent sensitive financial data to Facebook through its advertising pixel. A spokesperson for H&R Block said at the time the company “regularly evaluate[s] our practices as part of our ongoing commitment to privacy, and will review the information.”
The commission, which is currently made up of Democrats, voted 3-0 to issue the complaint.
H&R Block’s chief legal officer, Dara Redler, tells The Verge in an emailed statement there are “multiple mechanisms” customers can use to downgrade their products “while ensuring the preparation of accurate tax returns.”
Bluesky starts letting users host their own servers
Image: Bluesky
Bluesky is taking a big leap toward federating. On Thursday, the social network announced that it is opening up early access for users and developers who want to self-host their data. While this isn’t true federation yet, the company plans to open up federation to larger servers with even more users in its next phase. When the dust settles, anyone can (in theory) create their own server with their own rules on Bluesky’s AT Protocol.
The draw of self-hosting is that it offers users more control over their social media. Rather than store your data on Bluesky’s servers, you can keep it on your own, or move your existing posts, likes, and followers to another company’s platform. If Bluesky were to go bankrupt or change hands, users who self-host would have a degree of extra security.
In its developer’s blog, Bluesky stressed that “guardrails” are still in place. Most significantly, users can only self-host their own accounts for now, and in the next phase, self-hosted servers will initially be limited to 10 accounts each, with rate limits on usage. Bluesky will increase the baseline rate limits over time, as “trust and reputation is established” among those who self-host. It is also working on tools to detect and mitigate abuse.
Even though there are training wheels, users should still self-host with caution. Bluesky does warn in its developer’s instructions not to be surprised if things are slow or just outright break, and it recommends against self-hosting for most users, at least on their main accounts.
Earlier this month, Bluesky finally tossed its invite-only system, opening up the network to expand well beyond the 3 million signups since its launch in 2023. As self-hosting becomes more accessible, more users and third-party developers will hopefully flock to the platform.
But for the average Bluesky user, this round of changes won’t dramatically alter their experience on the platform. The platform also clarifies that this recent move doesn’t turn Bluesky into a Mastodon clone:
On Bluesky, server choice doesn’t affect what content you see. Servers are only one piece of the protocol — when you browse Bluesky, you see posts that are pulled together from many different servers. This is why you can change your server after signing up without losing your username, friends, or posts.
All told, today’s Bluesky will still look very different from the Bluesky of the future. Independent moderation is also expected to arrive at Bluesky sometime soon. The platform is gradually taking more steps to give third-party developers and users more control over their experiences online. And Bluesky may no longer retain ownership of its AT protocol. CEO Jay Graber told The Verge that the plan is to hand over control of the AT protocol to a web standards body like the Internet Engineering Task Force.
Microsoft and Intel strike a custom chip deal that could be worth billions
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Intel will be producing custom chips, designed by Microsoft for Microsoft, as part of a deal that Intel says is worth more than $15 billion. Intel announced the partnership during its Intel Foundry event today. Although neither company specified what the chips would be used for, Bloomberg noted today that Microsoft has been planning in-house designs for both processors and AI accelerators.
“We are in the midst of a very exciting platform shift that will fundamentally transform productivity for every individual organization and the entire industry,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in the official press release.
The chips will use Intel’s 18A process, which has been a big part of its road map since the company brought CEO Pat Gelsinger back to turn things around. The company is counting on its chip foundry services to put it back on top of the chipmaking world, and it seems that Microsoft will be the first major customer for this project.
Leaning on producing others’ designs is a playbook that’s worked well for competitor Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which has lucrative partnerships with companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD. Gelsinger told VentureBeat today that the company’s foundry is a big part of its strategy.
Intel’s new foundry plans come as more companies seek to produce their own self-designed chips, but it still faces challenges. Intel recently pushed back the opening of a $20 billion Ohio chip plant to 2026 — it was originally slated for 2025 — citing a slow chip market and delays in government grants.
Spotify needs every win against Apple it can get
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images
This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign upherefor more.
Hello! Today, I have a look at what Europe’s regulatory moves against Apple mean for Spotify, and podcasting more broadly. Plus, a lightning round featuring all kinds of audio stories from the purely business (a cash influx at iHeart) to the delightfully criminal (a missing radio tower).
As a heads-up, I will not be publishing Hot Pod next week due to Hot Pod Summit and On Air Fest. Insiders, I’ll be back on Friday. As for the rest of you, I’ll see you in March.
EU expected to slap Apple with $540 million fine
If this turns out to be true, it would be a big win for Spotify in its perpetual battle with Apple. In 2019, Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, the EU body that deals with antitrust issues, claiming that it was clamping down on rival music services with its App Store fees. The Financial Times and Bloomberg both reported that the EU plans to fine Apple €500 million — not so much as to hurt the $2.8 trillion company in a material way, but enough to signify that the Commission is no longer tolerating its business practices.
The Financial Times also says Apple could be banned from putting restrictions on music services that would stop it from letting users switch to cheaper payment options. The details are vague for now, but such a ruling could potentially carve out more space for Spotify to operate on iOS within the European Union — even as the EU’s new legal regime starts to open things up in other respects.
These reports come at a key time. Apple is being regulated as one of six “gatekeeper” tech companies that will have to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Under the DMA, Apple will be required to open up its tightly controlled app ecosystem in order to foster competition from smaller developers. Spotify, in particular, is planning for a future in which Apple cannot slap a 30 percent fee on all digital transactions, which could have a huge upside for Spotify’s subscription and audiobook businesses.
Apple introduced changes last month in order to be compliant with the DMA, including support for alternative browser engines and app stores, as well as an alternative regime that includes reduced App Store fees and more flexibility for developers. But Apple has been accused by developers and fellow gatekeepers of making it onerous for third parties to use those new features (particularly thanks to a new €0.50 fee per app install after the millionth install). Companies still have to pay Apple — potentially quite a bit — to skirt that 30 percent tariff and use their own payments systems. Apple even ended support for progressive web apps on iPhones, in what is being viewed as a bad faith move.
If Apple’s changes are ruled to not be enough, the EU can fine the company up to 10 percent of its annual turnover. Considering it made $383 billion last year, a fine like that would make $540 million look like a slap on the wrist.
The outcome of this regulatory battle could have a big impact on the podcast space. If smaller audio companies’ apps are better able to attract iPhone users, we could see real innovation in the space. Plus, without the App Store tax, podcasters and podcast platforms could have more ways to make money beyond ads (which, as we have seen, are not enough to support the ambitions of the industry). Apple is certainly not moving toward that future quietly, but the EU’s decision to fine them at least shows that regulators there are serious about holding the company accountable.
Lightning Round
The Podcast Academy has revealed the nominees for this year’s Ambies. Ten shows have been nominated for Podcast of the Year, including Embedded from NPR, Ghost Story from Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, and 50 Years of Hip-Hop from KEXP. The awards ceremony will be held on March 26th in LA.
iHeartMedia sold its stake in performance rights organization BMI for $101.4 million. Some of that money may go toward paying down company debt, which is an issue for all of the radio giants.
Sports podcast company Blue Wire has raised a new round of funding led by Decathlon Capital, according to Axios. The funding is mainly for the development of proprietary tech for podcasters.
Acast reported its first profitable quarter. The company reported a slight year-over-year decline in listens (5 billion in 2023 vs. 5.1 billion in 2022), but the average revenue per listen increased.
In case you are still wondering what that iOS 17 automatic downloads change is and why it matters, Podnews has a comprehensive breakdown.
The upside to the iOS 17 change is that the more accurate metrics are improving ads-based performance.
Framework is selling a cheap modular laptop
A picture of the Framework 13 from The Verge’s 2021 review. | Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Framework is now selling a $499 version of its modular 2021 Laptop 13, a “barebones configuration” equipped with an 11th-generation Intel i7-1165G7 CPU (Intel is now on its 14th generation for mobile processors). The company says this is a first for its affordable “B-stock Factory Seconds” machines that use leftover parts and ship without memory or storage included. So it’s cheap, but you’ll need to provide a couple of parts on your own.
Framework writes in its announcement that it’s also selling refurbished DDR4 RAM for half what it would cost new “to reduce the all-in price.” The base B-stock Laptop 13 configuration is one step up from the version that Monica Chin said in her Verge review was “uniquely friendly to user upgrades,” but notably lacked available screen or GPU upgrades.
The company also announced that preorders for its larger, gaming-focused Laptop 16 have made it to customers’ hands. The Verge’s Sean Hollister reviewed that one last month, calling it “the most ambitious laptop I’ve ever touched.” Unfortunately, he also found it to be glitchy, somewhat flimsy, hot, and loud — which puts a bit of a damper on the laptop, which costs $1,699 pre-built.
But luckily, if you’re not out for digital blood, you don’t have to spend anywhere near that with the $499 version. It might not get you silky frame rates in Helldivers 2, but you’ll certainly be able to whip up a mess of documents or stream TV shows without worrying about what happens when your fan breaks.
Switching to electric vehicles would be fantastic for kids’ health
Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge
A wholesale switch to electric vehicles would be a tremendous boon to the health of many people around the world. But a new report from the American Lung Association highlights the particular advantages for children, especially those vulnerable to respiratory illness.
Based on a model in which all new vehicles sold by 2035 are zero-tailpipe emission, the group concludes that there would be 2.7 million fewer asthma attacks among children, as well as 147,000 fewer acute case of bronchitis. The transition to EV-only sales would also prevent 2.67 million cases of upper respiratory symptoms and 1.87 million cases of lower respiratory symptoms in children. And there would be 508 fewer cases of infant mortality.
Highlighting the specific impact switching to EVs would have on kids was important because children’s bodies develop at a different rate than adults’, said Laura Kate Bender, national assistant vice president for Healthy Air at the American Lung Association
“Kids are at greater risk of air pollution, their lungs are still growing,” she said in an interview. “I can say that as a person growing up with asthma, [it] put me in the ER more often than I think my parents would have liked.”
Combustion engine vehicles are huge drivers of climate change, accounting for over a quarter of all global emissions. That’s why governments around the world are attempting to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, which emit far fewer pollutants in the atmosphere. Children stand to gain a lot from this switch, especially kids at particular risk for respiratory illness.
That’s assuming all new passenger cars sold in the US are EVs by 2035 and all new heavy-duty vehicles sold are electric by 2040. What’s more, those vehicles would need to be powered by an electrical grid that is also free of fossil fuels.
“We see the two as inseparable,” Bender said of EVs and a zero-emission grid. “That’s really how you get to the greatest possible health benefits.”
The switch to EV-only sales will be difficult, especially as demand for plug-in cars wavers in the face of high prices and concerns about charging availability and reliability. Still, sales have been increasing steadily year over year, with EVs comprising a little more than 8 percent of all vehicle sales in 2023.
But “fleet turnover” can be slow, especially with conventional gas-powered cars and trucks becoming more capable, breaking down less, and staying on the road longer. The average light-duty vehicle on the road today is 12 years old, up from 9.6 years old in 2002.
If the United States wants to move to a fully electric fleet by 2050 — to meet President Biden’s goal of net zero emissions — then sales of gasoline-powered vehicles would likely have to end altogether by around 2035. That’s an extraordinarily heavy lift.
It could get even more difficult if the EPA follows through on its plan to slow the transition to EV-only sales. Bowing to the pressure from automakers and labor unions, the Biden administration recently pulled back on strict new Environmental Protection Agency rules that would have forced US automakers to phase out gas-powered cars by 2032.
Still, the American Lung Association wants to highlight the health benefits of such a transition — not just for us, but for our kids, too. Bender said she hopes the report will serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, especially as they consider strengthening new emission rules for cars and trucks.
“That would mean that even as automakers continue to make gas-powered vehicles, that they would actually be cleaner,” she said. “So there are real gains to be made even with the rules on the table.”
Yes, Amazon gift bags have handles now
This blue medium-size Amazon bag has handles just like a reusable grocery store bag. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
As skeptical as I am of Amazon the company, it knows its packaging. Its paper-tape cardboard boxes are wonderfully easy to rip apart for recycling, its paper mailers are promising (though missing firm commitment), and its gift bags are far too good to toss in the trash. Especially these new blue bags with integrated shopping bag handles.
We just got three of them in the mail for my daughter’s birthday. Was this some sort of experiment? Nope! They’re legit, Amazon spokesperson Nicole Pampe confirms to The Verge. The new gift bags with handles are available in both the US and EU.
“We’re pleased to offer customers a convenient way to wrap various sizes of gifts in our store, including our new medium-sized gift bags with handles. The gift bags are made from 100% recycled material, and can be reused for future wrapping, storage or other uses,” Amazon writes.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
Three gift bags, with handles.
Pampe writes that Amazon technically began adding handles this past holiday season to the medium-sized bags, but we didn’t see them on any of the holiday gifts we gave or received, and I haven’t seen anyone writing about them yet.
They’re nice! Pretty much the same as Amazon’s classic bags, but now with some strong fabric reusable-grocery-bag-esque handles sewn onto the inside of the bag. They’ve still got the dual drawstrings, and you can just stuff the handles down inside the bag if you prefer the classic giftbag look.
Image: Amazon
Amazon’s classic bags, for comparison.
I gave the handles a good yank, and was definitely able to pull a stitch loose when I pulled in opposite directions, hard, but they seem just as durable as all the reusable recycled fabric grocery bags we have stuffed in the back of the car.
The handles are long enough we can sling them over one or both shoulders as an impromptu purse or backpack. Perhaps the best part, though, is that they don’t have quite as much of a Christmas ornament feel as the company’s previous bags. Depending on the light, the blue tinsel pattern almost blends in.
Would I pay the $4 for one myself? Nah. But when we get gifted some, we probably won’t just stick ‘em in the closet anymore. There are all kinds of jobs for a strong fabric bag with handles, particularly one we’ll be happy to give away or shred in the process. Distributing leftovers after a potluck? My daughter’s Girl Scout cookie deliveries? I’ll def be taking one along the next time I do a crawl under the house.
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