The latest tech news about the world’s best (and sometimes worst) hardware, apps, and much more. From top companies like Google and Apple to tiny startups vying for your attention, Verge Tech has the latest in what matters in technology daily.
It must mean IFA Media Days are in full swing. I’m on my way to check out Anker’s press conference, and Dom is going to seek out something that folds somewhere in the basement of the Messe. Keep up with us all day as we track down the hottest new gadgets in Berlin ahead of the show’s official opening tomorrow!
It’s short, it’s wide, and it’s red. It’s also powered by Xiaomi’s new in-house Xring 03 chip, so it’ll be interesting to see how performance stacks up. Oh, and it’s launching in China on September 7th, which I’m sure has nothing to do with upcoming events in California.
Its new MNML sub-brand makes simple and clean cases to protect iPhones, Pixel and Galaxy phones, and AirPods for “people that hate Dbrand.” The initial range launches in four colors with a sandstone texture on September 9th, the same day as Apple’s iPhone event — hint. Prices range from $29.95 to $39.95.
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Satechi announced a collection of color-matched MacBook Neo accessories in July, but not a replacement charger. So Belkin is making its 30W BoostCharge Compact USB-C Charger available in new citrus, blush, indigo, and silver color options later this month for $26.99 to match Apple’s budget-friendly laptop.
When folded flat it won’t be as thin as magnetic grips from OhSnap or PopSockets, but Belkin’s new Compact Magnetic Ring Stand adds a suction mount so you can stick your phone to walls, mirrors, windows, dashboards, or any smooth, flat surface that ensures a strong seal. It’s expected to launch in November for $24.99.
The Narwal V50 Cube pairs a 5.6-pound stick vac with up to 180 minutes of cleaning time (thanks to a second swappable battery) with a dock that looks inspired by Picasso’s cubism era. The dock can hold up to 100 days of debris, which is blasted with UV light to kill bacteria and reduce odors.
It’s a customized Cisco and you can’t have it. Nobody tell Dom.
The Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro sport a dual-layer design that allows “the upper and lower light zones to display different colors and effects simultaneously,” according to Govee. They’ll cost $499.99 for 100 feet when they launch on September 7th.
Govee is also releasing a new version of its COB Strip Light Pro, which costs $169.99 and uses a chip-on-board design to smooth out the spotty look of standard LED strip lights. They have slightly denser LED placement than the previous version.
First revealed at CES, Govee’s Sky Ceiling Light uses AI to create “personalized lighting based on users’ moods and daily needs.” The 21-inch Matter-compatible light also automatically adjusts its color, temperature, and brightness depending on the time and weather. It launches on September 4th.
The NBA has announced penalties from its investigation into cap circumvention allegations around the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, and a string of companies that inked shady “endorsement” deals with the star: Aspiration, Daktronics, Boingo Wireless, and Lockton Insurance, as detailed in a report from the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
There are also fines ($30 million for the Clippers, $700,000 for Leonard), suspensions for two team execs and Leonard’s uncle, and the investigation is apparently ongoing.
The union representing The New York Times staffers rallied against the deal, but a source tells Front Office Sports that the opposition “did not prompt or play any role” in the decision to abandon it. Kalshi and The Athletic continue to explore advertising and “other commercial opportunities,” Front Office Sports reports.
[Front Office Sports]
Acer, which has owned the historic PC brand since 2008, has resurrected it in a line of cheap, cheerful, and exceedingly colorful hardware, ranging from a 14-inch laptop to a portable food steamer. It all goes on sale in Q4 this year, though for now it’s only hitting the market in Europe.
A selection of Binsky’s videos will appear on Netflix starting September 19th, similar to the streamer’s deals with Kevin Langue, Nick DiGiovanni, and Mythical Entertainment, as reported by Variety. YouTube has reportedly offered creators millions not to cross-post their videos to Netflix.
Samsung announced a new Galaxy Book6 laptop at IFA. It’s a 14-inch notebook with Intel Wildcat Lake processors, starting with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. And it’ll start at $799.
It’s got more ports than the Neo and a much higher watt-hour battery. But, oddly, Samsung omitted the keyboard’s backlight just as Apple did. Not my top choice of things to copy, but okay.
The Amazon-owned robotaxi company was just approved to make passenger trips to and from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Airports can be chaotic environments, and regulators want to be sure that robotaxis won’t add to the chaos. As the first robotaxi company approved for airport trips, Zoox will have its work cut out for it.
A Play Store listing spotted by 9to5Google said “Look up” allows you to “highlight a concept you want to explore, a new word, a trip destination, and more.” Screenshots captured by the outlet show the app pulling up a definition for a highlighted word, as well as showing tracking information for a highlighted flight number.
The app description and images have since been pulled from the listing.
According to MacRumors, Apple gave macOS app developers permission to drop support for Intel-based Macs, which got their final OS update last year with macOS Tahoe. Intel Macs won’t get updates for any apps that drop support, but as MacRumors notes, the last compatible version of those apps will continue working.
The layoffs, which affect around 3,300 employees, comes as part of efforts to “make Uber simpler and faster,” according to a memo published by CEO Dana Khosrowshahi.
Khosrowshahi adds that Uber is removing management layers, with “the number of employees who sit 7+ layers from the CEO” reduced by 20 percent. Uber laid off 10 percent of its customer service workers in July.
The $99 Prio squeezes full-size controls into a design that spins around and folds in half clamshell-style, and supports phones up to seven inches. It doesn’t look as comfortable as my Razer Kishi Ultra, but it’s definitely more portable.
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