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The research found a correlation between looking at a screen in bed and reporting insomnia and sleep loss.

The president says he would like TikTok to 'remain alive' as his extended deadline for its sale-or-ban approaches.

The often-explicit pictures are being stored without password protection, leaving them vulnerable to a hack.

The move could be aimed at protecting investors, who helped him buy purchase X, from losing money.

The site is littered with awful photos, particularly of celebrities - but a volunteer project is trying to fix that.

An IT consultant took charge of the Center Parcs UK's handle after the firm deactivated its account.

The Rocket League Championship Series Birmingham Major brings together the 16 best teams in the world

Shenzhen-based Tencent, which owns the popular messaging app WeChat, will hold about a quarter of a new subsidiary.

Trump also said he is willing to extend a 5 April deadline for a non-Chinese buyer of the platform to be found.

Security failings by the Advanced Computer Software Group led to a cyberattack in 2022 that impacted NHS services.

A new video game has brought the 1957 disaster in Cumbria back into the spotlight.

Some fear the move could mean less work for models, photographers and make-up artists.

The youth parliament says it wants more action from MPs and social media companies on violent online content.

Multiple users said they had problems after the DNA-testing firm filed for bankruptcy protection.

The Shenzhen-based firm says revenue for last year came in at $107bn, boosted by sales of its hybrid vehicles.

Hundreds of people contacted the BBC after Dave Baszucki spoke about safety on the hugely popular gaming platform.

A union says it should instead pay drivers more so they can take time off with their families.

Critics say the AI tool - which made people look overweight - was a form of body-shaming.

The tech giant confirmed it had "reached a resolution" but rejected the allegations made against it.

Ways are being developed for subsea cables to "sense" whether they are being disturbed or attacked.

Families want a website showing deaths of their loved ones to be taken down, as the online regulator gets new powers.

The billionaire has been accused of failing to properly moderate his app to reduce criminality.

The BBC - along with civil liberties groups and some US politicians - argue the case should be heard in public.

Josef Fares has found big success with co-operative two player games. Why aren't others doing the same?

The workers were laid off as part of the president's plan to scale back the size of the US government.

It is amongst the highest-grossing mobile games in the world, with 30 million monthly players.

The price of China-made smartphones, TVs and laptops could rise in the US and elsewhere, experts warn.

The gaming platform is wildly popular, but has been rocked by allegations it exposes children to harmful content.

The prosecutor's office said it raided 21 addresses in Belgium, according to local media.

Market researchers say the slumping popularity of the market-leading Apple Watch was to blame

Google says it is aware of an issue impacting some Chromecast devices and is working to fix.

China plans to invest more than a trillion dollars as it races against the US to rule advanced tech.

Can we clean up air travel? Adrienne Murray explores developments in electric flight.

Noland Arbaugh has a chip in his brain to translate his thoughts into computer commands.

Lara Lewington explores how technology and AI are transforming what it means to be human.

How the US government’s crackdown on diversity deleted women’s military contributions.

Find out how holoportation 3D telemedicine technology is helping patients in Ghana.

With Amazon in charge of James Bond, could they use AI for scripts and casting?

From science-fiction to the real world, flying cars are here - but could the concept actually take off?

Start-up social media firms are looking to capitalise on dissatisfaction with the social media giants.

Noland Arbaugh has a chip in his brain to translate his thoughts into computer commands.

Robo-taxi services and driverless trucks are gaining ground but progress is painstaking.

Services that assess climate change risks are springing up for home buyers, insurers and lenders.

Ireland is investing billions of euros to revamp its healthcare service - will AI help?

EU nations hope that tax benefits might encourage young, skilled workers to stay, but will they work?

Quantum computers will be able to crack existing encryption and threaten critical infrastructure.

India is the world's biggest exporter of human hair but it wants more of the lucrative wig market.

Kindness influencers give away money and gifts but not everyone supports their work.

Many staff are using AI at work without the permission of their employers.

Many companies have left X but it's not always a simple decision.

The founders of important open source software are getting older, who will take over?

Should more AI be used to help GPs with consultations and administrative work?

Pharmaceutical firms are turning to AI to find new molecules that might be able to tackle disease.

Educational website reviews

Sudoku is a logic-based number puzzle that does not involve arithmetic. Although first published in an American puzzle magazine in 1979, Sudoku gained popularity in Japan in 1986 before becoming an international craze in 2005. The goal is to enter […]

Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) was first observed in 1868 to honor the soldiers of the Civil War. Its origins can be traced back to General John A. Logan who proclaimed: “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated […]

The history of American Mother’s Day can be traced to 1870 when Julia Ward Howe (author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic) called upon mothers to put an end to war. But it wasn’t until 1912 that West Virginia […]

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) is one of the greatest composers in history. His work marked a turning point for composers, who had previously written primarily for religious services, to teach, or to entertain at social functions. But Beethoven’s […]

“April showers bring May flowers.” Perhaps this is why May is National Flower Month. Indulge your green thumb with this week’s website picks about flowers.

The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.

Motorola announced the first phone in its midrange Edge 60 series, which ships with a novel twist: a faux-canvas finish. The Edge 60 Fusion looks the part otherwise, with its molded camera module and surprisingly slim body, but the basic specs match the low price tag — just £299.99 (around $390) in the UK. The […]

The canvas finish only comes on this teal version of the Edge 60 Fusion. Motorola announced the first phone in its midrange Edge 60 series, which ships with a novel twist: a faux-canvas finish. The Edge 60 Fusion looks the part otherwise, with its molded camera module and surprisingly slim body, but the basic specs match the low price tag — just £299.99 (around $390) in the UK. The canvas-effect finish might be one of the phone’s main draws, but it’s only available on the “amazonite” (read: teal) version of the phone. It’s also launching in blue and pink colors, but these use a faux leather finish instead. Every version has IP68 and 69 ratings, meaning the phone is fully protected against dust, immersion in water, and high-pressure sprays. There’s some international variation in the Edge 60 Fusion’s specs, but the model launching in the UK is slim for its size, at less than 8mm thick, despite fitting in a fairly large 5,200mAh battery behind its 6.67-inch OLED screen. Models elsewhere pack an even bigger 5,500mAh cell, but run a touch thicker. The Fusion comes with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but is likely to be held back by the relatively basic MediaTek Dimensity chipset used — either a 7300 or 7400, depending on the market, but there’s not much difference between them. Cameras are limited too — it may look like four on the back, but one is the flash and another a flicker sensor, so you only really get a 50 megapixel main lens and a 13 megapixel ultrawide. The Fusion is expected to be the first in a series of Edge 60 phones — there were five models across last year’s Edge 50 line. None of those launched in the US, and this year’s phones likely won’t either, so American buyers will have to make do with January’s $299.99 Moto G Power, which lacks the Fusion’s OLED display and canvas feel, but has wireless charging. Motorola is expected to announce its updated Razr flip phones soon, with rumors predicting a wooden finish, in a throwback to 2014’s wood-backed Moto X.

In September, Apple launched its latest smartwatch, introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 alongside a black rendition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE, but the recent introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models […]

The second-gen Apple Watch SE is a gateway smartwatch if there ever was one. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge In September, Apple launched its latest smartwatch, introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 alongside a black rendition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE, but the recent introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had. The best Apple Watch Series 10 deals The best Apple Watch Series 9 deals The best Apple Watch SE deals The best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals A note on the more premium models But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 11, launched in September on the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, ultimately leaving those still using an older Series 4 or Series 5 behind. That being said, picking up a watch from the latest (or a recent) generation ensures you’re getting a smartwatch with an updated design, a robust number of features, and plenty of sensors. Now, let’s get to the deals. The best Apple Watch Series 10 deals The Apple Watch Series 10 represents the latest wearable in Apple’s flagship Series lineup. It features the new S10 SiP chip, faster charging, and a wide-angle OLED display that’s brighter, larger, and easier to read than that of previous models. It weighs half as much as the Ultra, too, and is about 30 percent thinner despite its new 42mm and 46mm sizing. Other upgrades include an added depth and water temperature sensor, as well as a new FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature, the latter of which is also available on the last-gen Series 9 and Ultra 2. While the improvements are certainly welcome, the Series 10 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, the Series 9. That being said, it’s currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart right now in the 42mm sizing with GPS starting at $329 ($70 off), which remains its second-best price to date. The 46mm variant, meanwhile, is on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at $359 ($70 off) — which is also the second-best price we’ve seen — while the LTE models can be had at Walmart starting at $399 ($100 off). Read our Apple Watch Series 10 review. The best Apple Watch Series 9 deals In 2023, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 9 alongside the second-gen Ultra. It uses Apple’s last-gen S9 SiP chip and a second-gen ultra wideband chip, which allows for onboard Siri processing and precision finding with select iPhone models. It also features a brighter, 2,000-nit display and support for Apple’s nifty “double tap” feature — two minor additions that are also present on the Series 10. The Series 9 has been out for more than a year, but specific configurations have become increasingly difficult to find with the arrival of Apple’s latest watch. Luckily, the GPS-equipped Series 9 is still on sale in the 41mm configuration at Best Buy starting at $279.99 ($119 off) and in the 45mm configuration at Best Buy starting at $300.99 (about $128 off). There are also a handful of deals to be had on the LTE models with cellular connectivity, though none of them undercut the current price of the Series 10 model by much, hence their exclusion here. Read our Apple Watch Series 9 review. The best Apple Watch SE deals The Apple Watch SE received a refresh in late 2022. It has the same chipset as the Series 8, which is great, but with fewer sensors, no always-on display, and a slightly outdated design compared to the Series 8, Series 9, and Series 10. Those omissions might take this out of the running for some people, but it still may be exactly what you’re after. Best of all, it starts at $249 for the 40mm Wi-Fi / GPS model, which is $30 less than the previous generation’s baseline cost. Opting for cellular connectivity bumps the starting price up to $299 for the 40mm size (44mm adds $20 to each configuration). At the moment, the best deals on the latest Apple Watch SE can be found at Amazon and Walmart, where you can pick the 40mm model with GPS for $199 ($50 off). The 44mm configuration, meanwhile, is available at Amazon and Walmart for $229 (also $50 off). If you want the LTE configuration, the 44mm model is currently on sale at Walmart starting at $229 ($100 off), or in the smaller 40mm sizing at Walmart and Amazon starting at $249 ($50 off). Read our Apple Watch SE (second-gen) review. The best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals The latest Apple Watch Ultra launched at $799 in September with GPS and LTE support, much like the original model. The ultra-capable smartwatch has the most features, sensors, and ruggedness of any Apple Watch model available thus far, along with a display that’s 50 percent brighter than the first Ultra. The 49mm smartwatch also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, just like the Apple Watch Series 9, while maintaining long-lasting battery life, precise GPS tracking, and a bevy of diving-friendly sensors. In recent months, we saw the Apple Watch Ultra 2 dip to as low as $642 ($157 off) in select configurations. Right now, however, it’s only on sale at Amazon with a Trail Loop starting at $734.89 (about $64 off), or with an Alpine Loop or an Ocean Band starting at $769 ($30 off). You can also pick it up at Best Buy and Target starting at around $799, which is the standard retail price. Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review. A note on the more premium models While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum (except the Ultra 2, which has a titanium build), Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings are functionally and aesthetically similar to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel and brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $699 and above. They, too, can often be found on sale, but they’re never discounted as low as the standard base models, so we don’t include them here.

Visible, the budget wireless brand owned by Verizon, is offering a new premium plan that looks like a heck of a deal compared to its parent company’s offerings. The new Visible Plus Pro plan (I didn’t say the name was good) costs $45 per month. For that price you get unlimited 5G Ultrawideband (UW) data, […]

Could it be? A wireless plan that doesn’t suck? Visible, the budget wireless brand owned by Verizon, is offering a new premium plan that looks like a heck of a deal compared to its parent company’s offerings. The new Visible Plus Pro plan (I didn’t say the name was good) costs $45 per month. For that price you get unlimited 5G Ultrawideband (UW) data, which is an awfully good deal when you consider that Verizon’s own entry-level unlimited plan, Unlimited Welcome, starts at $65 per month and doesn’t include 5G UW. This new Plus Pro plan also comes without throttling. Many lower-cost carrier plans and MVNOs tend to offer a certain allotment of “premium” data. Once you exceed your allowance, you might see slowdowns at times when the network is busy. But Visible’s fine print states that both its Plus and Plus Pro plan are “not subject to any data prioritization limitations.” So that rules. It gets better: the Plus Pro plan includes unlimited hotspot usage at up to 15 Mbps. Verizon’s basic plan doesn’t include any hotspot data, just the option to add it for an extra $10 per month. There’s also 4K video streaming and service for one cellular smartwatch included. You can probably guess what I’m going to say next, but just to reiterate, Verizon’s basic unlimited plan doesn’t include any of that. This would all be less of a good deal if Verizon puts Visible traffic on a lower network tier than its own postpaid customers. Network operators commonly put different kinds of customers on certain service tiers called Quality of Service Class Indicators, or QCIs. This helps with overall traffic prioritization when there’s congestion, usually putting first responders on the fastest tier. Verizon didn’t immediately respond to my question about Visible Plus Pro’s QCI, but Android Authority’s comprehensive comparison between Visible and Verizon suggests that Visible’s premium plan is actually assigned a higher-priority QCI than Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome — at least, that’s been the case in the past. We’ll update this article if Verizon responds to our request. It’s all too rare to read about an ISP’s new plan and think “Huh, that sounds like a good deal, actually.” But that’s the case here, even after going through the fine print.

Last week, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz inadvertently invited a journalist to a Signal chat discussing a planned military strike. Today, a new Washington Post report says that he has also discussed “sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict,” using his personal Gmail account. Waltz, along with other members of […]

U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Waltz in the White House Oval Office on March 13, 2025. | Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images<br> Last week, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz inadvertently invited a journalist to a Signal chat discussing a planned military strike. Today, a new Washington Post report says that he has also discussed “sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict,” using his personal Gmail account. Waltz, along with other members of the National Security Council, used Gmail “for highly technical conversations with colleagues at other government agencies,” according to emails the Post saw, with headers showing that others on the emails used their government-issued accounts. Waltz also had “less sensitive, but potentially exploitable information sent to his Gmail,” like his schedule and “other work documents,” some unnamed government officials told the outlet. The Post quotes National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes saying, “Waltz didn’t and wouldn’t send classified information on an open account,” and that Hughes says he’s “seen no evidence of Waltz using his personal email as described.” The Post’s report puts the adviser’s communications practices back in the spotlight after Waltz invited The Atlantic editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a Signal chat about a military strike in Yemen that took place later that day. Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated that the incident probably won’t be criminally investigated in response to questions at a press conference Sunday night, while suggesting that people should be discussing “what was in Hillary Clinton’s home,” seemingly referring to the personal email server scandal that cropped up late in her last Presidential campaign. Since then, a Wired report detailed how his public Venmo account had revealed “the names of hundreds” of his associates, including journalists and military officers. And like most of us, personal online account info for Waltz and other Trump administration officials has been found in online database leaks, including “several passwords for Waltz’s email address,” writes Spiegel International.

Meta is reportedly preparing a higher-end version of its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with a built-in screen to launch as early as by the end of the year, Bloomberg reports. The new glasses, codenamed Hypernova, can run apps and display photos, all controlled using hand gestures and capacitive touch on the sides of the frame. […]

Meta is reportedly preparing a higher-end version of its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with a built-in screen to launch as early as by the end of the year, Bloomberg reports. The new glasses, codenamed Hypernova, can run apps and display photos, all controlled using hand gestures and capacitive touch on the sides of the frame. Bloomberg reports that the screen will only be visible on the right lens at the lower-right quadrant, and is best viewed when looking downward. When the device is turned on, a home screen appears and displays icons horizontally, similar to a Meta Quest. Hypernova will also feature an improved camera compared to the current model, and will continue building upon the idea of having an AI chatbot on your face, according to Bloomberg. Bloomberg says that Hypernova will cost over $1,000 and could sell for as high as $1,300 to $1,400. For comparison, the current Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses start at $299. Meta is reserving advanced augmented reality technology for its still-in-development Orion glasses. In contrast, the Hypernova will target the “mid-tier” smart glasses shown off in droves at CES, such as the Rokid Glasses that display green text. However, the Hypernova will command a higher price tag than other options, likely since it will come with the Orion’s “neural” wristband controller, codenamed Ceres. Meta is also working on a next version of Hypernova, with the codename Hypernova 2, that will have two screens, Bloomberg reports. The company is apparently planning to launch Hypernova 2 in 2027.

Some Google Pixel users have found that their At a Glance widget has been showing outdated weather forecasts, as reported by Android Police. But the company says in a statement to The Verge that it’s addressing the issue. According to one user on Reddit who has been dealing with the problem, “the current temperature is […]

Some Google Pixel users have found that their At a Glance widget has been showing outdated weather forecasts, as reported by Android Police. But the company says in a statement to The Verge that it’s addressing the issue. According to one user on Reddit who has been dealing with the problem, “the current temperature is fairly accurate, but the expected high/low forecast hasn’t been correct in the past week.” The expected temperatures in the weather app itself were also accurate, they said. Another user on Google’s support forums said that their Pixel 8A’s lock screen was showing “the weather for the correct location, but in the morning it shows yesterday’s forecast as the temperature ‘today’ and in the evening it shows today’s forecast as the weather ‘tomorrow.’” In a statement this afternoon, Google spokesperson Matthew Flegal says that “we’re currently rolling out a fix for an issue causing outdated weather forecasts on the At a Glance widget for some Pixel users.”

Amazon’s first big sale event of 2025, the Big Spring Sale, is officially in the bag. Many of the best deals have since disappeared, but, fortunately, a few of our favorites are still hanging around. We’ve rounded up the cream of the crop below, which includes deals on everything from headphones and robot vacuums to […]

Amazon’s first big sale event of 2025, the Big Spring Sale, is officially in the bag. Many of the best deals have since disappeared, but, fortunately, a few of our favorites are still hanging around. We’ve rounded up the cream of the crop below, which includes deals on everything from headphones and robot vacuums to chargers and OLED TVs. Even better, while having a Prime subscription means your packages will arrive more quickly, you don’t necessarily need to be a member to get in on these tried-and-tested Verge favorites (only in rare cases are deals exclusive to Prime members, and we’ll note when that’s the case). We’ve also highlighted deals at competing retailers, including Best Buy and Walmart, just in case you don’t want to shop from Amazon. Featured deals Robot vacuum deals Headphone and earbud deals Portable charger and cable deals Speaker and soundbar deals Smart home deals The best outdoors gadgets and goods deals Other Verge favorites Featured deals Robot vacuum deals The Dreame L20 Ultra is on sale for $599.99 ($400 off) a new low of $549.99 ($450 off) at Amazon. It lacks the self-retracting arms found on the newer, more powerful X40, but otherwise it’s a great cleaning machine. The dual mop pads can still extend to clean baseboard and corners, while its 7,000Pa of suction power does a good job of sucking up unwanted dirt and debris. The robovac is also capable of emptying its own dust bin and water tanks (as well as refilling them), in addition to washing and drying its own mop pads. Headphone and earbud deals The Beats Studio Pro are on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $199.95 ($150 off). Looks-wise, they’re not drastically different than prior Beats models, though they tack on a useful transparency mode, personalized spatial audio, and lossless playback over USB-C. Plus, unlike most noise-canceling headphones, they offer native support for both iOS and Android software features. Read our review. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e — aka, the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy — are available at Amazon starting at $295.60 (about $103 off), or from Bower & Wilkins or Best Buy for $319 ($80 off). The British audio brand isn’t as well-known as Sony or Bose, though with the S2E, you’re getting superb sound, superior build quality, and controls that rely on physical buttons as opposed to the sometimes finicky tap/swipe gestures found on mainstream noise-canceling headphones like Sony’s XM5. Read our review. The Beats Solo 4 have returned to $129.95 ($70 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which represents their second-best price to date. It’s a shame they lack noise cancellation, but the headphones still offer good value with bass-rich sound as well as features like spatial audio and lossless playback over USB-C (or 3.5mm). They also offer native support for both iOS and Android, making them a good buy if you want some platform flexibility. Read our review. Portable charger and cable deals If you’re not ready to pony up for a Qi2 charger, Ugreen’s Magnetic Wireless Charging Station has fallen to $23.99 ($12 off) at Amazon, which is about $2 shy of its all-time low. Unlike the newer Qi2 offerings that provide 15W charging speeds, Ugreen’s charger can only supply 7.5W of power to MagSafe-compatible devices, or 5W to a pair of wireless earbuds or any Qi-ready device if you’re using the integrated charging stand located on the bottom. Speaker and soundbar deals JBL’s Charge 5 is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart in multiple colors starting at $119.95 ($60 off), which is the best price we’ve seen on the portable speaker since July. We’re not huge fans of the oversized JBL logo, but the powerful Bluetooth speaker hits all the right marks when it comes to functionality and performance, offering an impressive 20 hours of battery life and a built-in USB-A port that lets you top off your phone while listening to music. Despite the fact the Sonos app has been a bit of a debacle as of late, I have few qualms about recommending the Sonos Era 100 for around $199 ($50 off), its current price at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos’ online storefront. It’s a great smart speaker with stereo sound, privacy-conscious microphone controls, and support for both Bluetooth and line-in connections. It can also connect to Spotify and every other music service you can think of and supports AirPlay 2, letting you stream content from Apple devices. Read our review. Sony’s SRS-XB100 speaker is available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $48 ($12 off), matching its second-best price to date. Despite the fact that it’s tiny, the Bluetooth speaker delivers crisp, clear sound along with up to 16 hours of continuous battery life. It also sports IP67 dust and water resistance, so you can take it hiking or to the pool without worrying. Read our review. Smart home deals The newer Eero Max 7 routers are also down to some of their best prices to date, with Amazon and Eero selling a single router, which can cover 2,500 square feet, for $479.99 ($120 off). You can also buy two for $919.99 ($230 off) or three for $1,359.99 ($340 off). The mesh routers support Wi-Fi 7 and feature a pair of 10GB ethernet ports, along with two 2.5GB ethernet ports. They also support Matter as well as Zigbee, and can act as a Thread border router. You can buy the Eve Energy Smart Plug and Power Meter at Amazon for $29.95 ($10 off), an all-time low. Like other smart plugs, Eve’s handy device can turn traditional indoor gadgets like lamps and fans into smart devices; it’s also capable of monitoring your energy use and works with all the major smart home platforms (Amazon Alexa, Google Home, etc.) thanks to its support for the newer Matter standard. The best outdoors gadgets and goods deals Having access to clean drinking water everywhere you are is a privilege, but not guaranteed. If you’ll be out in the wild, or if you’re vacationing but want to be cautious when it comes to water intake, the LifeStraw Peak is worth picking up at Amazon for its current price of $18.62 ($6 off). It’s essentially a thick straw outfitted with a filter that’s capable of removing 99.9 percent of bacteria, parasites, and microplastics from the water you’re drinking. Other Verge favorites The Blue Yeti microphone is on sale at Amazon in a myriad of colors starting at $90.99 ($39 off). That’s not the lowest price we’ve seen — it’s fallen to around $70 in the past — but it’s still a good deal on what has become a certifiable classic USB mic in the era of never-ending Zoom meetings. The versatile mic is easy to set up and simple to use, with a three-capsule microphone that can capture clear, warm sound that should appeal to both amateur podcasters and anyone wanting a more professional setup. Update, April 1st: Updated to reflect current pricing/availability and to reflect the fact that Amazon’s spring sales event has ended.

Roblox is launching a new type of ad that, if watched, will give players things like in-game currency and power-ups, according to an announcement from the company. The full-screen video ads, called “Rewarded Video ads,” can be up to 30 seconds long. The ads will be available to buy programmatically “via Google’s advertising solutions and […]

Roblox is launching a new type of ad that, if watched, will give players things like in-game currency and power-ups, according to an announcement from the company. The full-screen video ads, called “Rewarded Video ads,” can be up to 30 seconds long. The ads will be available to buy programmatically “via Google’s advertising solutions and direct buying (Direct IO) in the coming weeks,” Roblox says. Owners of Roblox experiences must be at least 18 to show ads, and only public experiences are eligible, according to a page on its creator hub. Roblox says it only shows ads to players that are 13 and older. The new ads are part of an expansion of Google’s “Immersive Ads” format. Google writes in a separate announcement today that they can show up as “a billboard ad you see driving through a virtual city or an ad on the big screen during a virtual football game.” The company claims these ads “blend naturally into the game environment.” Roblox says it will start selling other ad formats through Google’s platform in the coming months, including billboards and entire rows on the Roblox home page.

T-Mobile has officially closed its joint venture deal with the fiber provider Lumos,  after taking down its webpage dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the process, as reported by Fierce Network. The now-blank page outlined T-Mobile’s “culture of fairness, respect, and inclusion” and was online until at least March 26th, the Internet Archive […]

T-Mobile has officially closed its joint venture deal with the fiber provider Lumos, after taking down its webpage dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the process, as reported by Fierce Network. The now-blank page outlined T-Mobile’s “culture of fairness, respect, and inclusion” and was online until at least March 26th, the Internet Archive shows. Its removal seems like a direct response to the threats from Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr, who said companies should “get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination” during an interview with Bloomberg last month. He suggested that major deals, such as T-Mobile’s plan to acquire most of US Cellular, won’t happen if DEI is still in play. T-Mobile executive vice president Mark Nelson has already indicated that the company plans on complying with Carr’s orders. In a March 27th letter to the FCC, he stated T-Mobile is “conducting a comprehensive review of its DEI policies, programs, and activities,” adding that the joint venture with Lumos “will not promote invidious forms of discrimination.” As pointed out by Fierce Network, the FCC signed off on the deal on March 28th. The Verge reached out to T-Mobile with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back. Since becoming FCC chair, Carr has probed the DEI practices at Comcast, Verizon, and Disney. The Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats have responded by opening an investigation of their own, which will examine the time and resources the FCC has spent on “bogus investigations.”

Haven’t you heard? Phones are boring now. And that’s just fine! Most people buying a new phone just want something familiar that works better than the device they’re replacing. If that’s your MO, then you’re sure to find something reliable in my recommendations below. But even if you’re looking for something a little more extra, […]

The best screens for screen time. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Haven’t you heard? Phones are boring now. And that’s just fine! Most people buying a new phone just want something familiar that works better than the device they’re replacing. If that’s your MO, then you’re sure to find something reliable in my recommendations below. But even if you’re looking for something a little more extra, you’ve got some great options. They’re going to be pretty iterative compared to whatever you’re using now — we’re in more of a software era than a hardware innovation cycle these days — but you can find a delightful new device. We finally have a folding phone that feels like the right size and shape, flip phones offer a lot more than just nostalgia, and you can still buy a phone with no fewer than four cameras on the back. Not bad for a boring season of phone hardware. A lot of people in the US get their phones through carrier deals, and no judgment here if that’s the route you take — it’s how I bought mine. Just be sure you know what you’re getting into and how many years you’ll need to stay on that Super 5G Everything Unlimited Plus plan to keep the monthly device reimbursements coming. How we test smartphones There’s no shortcut to properly testing a phone; I put my personal SIM card (physical or otherwise) in each phone I review and live with it for a minimum of one full week. I set up each phone from scratch, load it up with my apps, and go about living my life — stress testing the battery, using GPS navigation on my bike while streaming radio, taking rapid-fire portrait mode photos of my kid — everything I can throw at it. Starting over with a new phone every week either sounds like a dream or your personal hell, depending on how Into Phones you are. For me, switching has become so routine that it’s mostly painless. Top-notch software support The phones listed here have powerful processors and enough RAM to keep up for years, so it’s fair to expect more than a handful of OS updates throughout the life of your phone. Four years of new OS versions and five years of security updates is a healthy benchmark for this class, and many of the phones here meet or exceed that standard. A fantastic camera Most phone cameras can perform well in good lighting conditions, from the flagship class down to $300 budget phones. The devices listed here offer a little something extra, like a useful telephoto lens, a great portrait mode, or impressive low-light shooting — and many include all three. Stabilization for the main camera unit to help in low light is a must in this category. Best-in-class build quality The very best devices come with robust IP68 ratings, durable glass on the front and back, and sturdy aluminum exterior frames. Value In addition to the very best devices at any price, I look for phones that offer the best mix of must-have features for good prices. That might lead to a recommendation of a lower-tier model if it’s particularly feature-rich for its price or last year’s model if it’s still sold new and this year’s device doesn’t offer many upgrades. If you’re looking to spend a little less and still get the best smartphone on a budget, you can find something really good for under $600. For those recommendations, check out our guide to budget smartphones. The best iPhone for most people The best Android phone for most people The best high-end Android phone The best phone for around $500 The best high-end iPhone The best flip phone The best folding phone The best phone for something completely different Other phones we tested What’s coming next The best iPhone for most people Screen: 6.1-inch, 2556 x 1179 OLED, 60Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 main with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W wireless MagSafe, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 From a hardware perspective, the iPhone 16 (or the 16 Plus) is an easy upgrade choice. If you’re switching from an iPhone 13, 12, or even older, those four or five years of incremental performance improvements add up. But there’s something entirely new this time around — well, two things: the Action Button and the Camera Control button. The customizable Action Button, which replaces the mute switch on the left edge of the phone, is a hand-me-down from the 15 Pro series. You can set it to open a particular app, turn on the flashlight, or almost anything else you might want at the touch of a button. On the other side of the phone is the Camera Control, which you can use to launch the camera app. With the camera open, it acts as a shutter button with a full press, and a light press brings up other exposure options you can adjust. Even if you only ever use it to launch the camera, it’s pretty handy, and it frees up the Action Button. The iPhone 16 and its larger 16 Plus sibling use Apple’s A18 chipset, which is in the same family as the 16 Pro’s processor. That bodes well for the phones staying on the same software upgrade cycle. They both received Apple Intelligence in the fall, which included AI-powered writing tools and notification summaries in its earliest iteration, and eventually grew to support ChatGPT and a new Visual Intelligence feature. But despite the similarities, the regular 16 models lag behind the Pros in two important departments: the screen and the camera. The Pros come with dedicated 5x lenses and updated main cameras that do a little better in low light. And you’ll only get a ProMotion display on the Pro models; the regular 16 features a slower 60Hz screen. Basically every other high-end phone on the market offers a 120Hz display, so that’s a disappointment. If those two drawbacks don’t bother you — and most people probably won’t mind them — then the iPhone 16 makes for a great upgrade. Read our full iPhone 16 review. The best Android phone for most people Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS; 48-megapixel ultrawide; 10.5-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 27W wired, 15W wireless (with Pixel Stand 2) / Weather resistance: IP68 The Android ecosystem has been looking for a phone like the Pixel 9 for a while now. It’s straightforward and unfussy, takes reliably good photos, and comes with the polished hardware you’d expect from a high-end phone. It doesn’t have a dedicated telephoto lens, which the similarly priced Galaxy S25 does, but the software is less quirky than Samsung’s, making for a better overall experience. Outside of zoom capabilities, Google’s Pixel camera is just as reliable as ever. The phone comes with a Tensor G4 chipset that powers AI features aplenty, both inside and outside of the camera app. Some are promising and some are worrying, but there’s nothing here that feels like a true game-changer. Which is fine. The important thing is that the Pixel 9 has the right stuff where it counts. It’s easy to use, and some of the Pixel series’ persistent problems like poor thermals and buggy software seem to be under control in this generation. The 9 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade if you want that telephoto lens and a slightly nicer screen, but in any case, the Pixel 9 feels like a top-notch device, inside and out. Read our full Pixel 9 review. The best high-end Android phone Screen: 6.9-inch, 1440p, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite / Cameras: 200-megapixel main with OIS; 50-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS; 50-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,000mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wireless, Qi2 ready / Weather resistance: IP68 Samsung’s “Ultra” S-series phone is still your best bet for a maximalist Android phone, even if ultra doesn’t quite mean what it once did. You still get four rear cameras — including a 3x and 5x telephoto — a massive screen, and a built-in S Pen stylus. The battery goes all day, the processor is top-notch, and there are AI features aplenty if you’re into that sort of thing. There’s just no other phone quite like it. This year, Samsung removed the Bluetooth features from the stylus. That stings a little, especially considering that the company swapped a 10x zoom for the shorter 5x camera the year before. It still amounts to a great phone, but it’s one of the priciest slab-style phones you can buy, and Samsung seems to be cutting features without adding back any extra value. It’s still “ultra” alright, but it doesn’t feel quite as special as it used to. Read my full Galaxy S25 Ultra review. The best phone for around $500 Screen: 6.1-inch, 1080p OLED, 120Hz / Processor: Tensor G3 Cameras: 64-megapixel f/1.89 with OIS; 13-megapixel ultrawide; 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,492mAh / Charging: 18W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP67 It’s hard to beat the Pixel 8A on sheer ROI. For $500, you get a very good budget phone that comes with seven years of OS and security updates; most phones at this price will only see a handful of OS upgrades, if that. The 8A also comes with a good camera that covers the basics. It’s not as fancy as the Pixel 9 or 9 Pro, but it won’t prevent you from capturing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. The Pixel 8A provides a lot of other things you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a $500 phone, like wireless charging and an IP67 rating for resistance against full water immersion. Of course, you can’t have everything. The 8A’s back panel is matte plastic rather than glass, sadly, and its 6.1-inch 1080p screen isn’t the best in its class. There are other phones available for under $500 worth considering, many of which are covered in our guide to the best inexpensive phones. But if you’re looking for the absolute most value you can get from a $500 phone, then look no further than the 8A. Read my full review of the Google Pixel 8A. The best high-end iPhone Screen: 6.3-inch, 2622 x 1206 OLED, 120Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Pro Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.8 with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 48-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 Like all mainline iPhone 16 models, the 16 Pro gained the new Camera Control button, but it got another important update, too: a 5x telephoto lens. In the 15 series, that longer telephoto lens was reserved for the bigger Pro Max model. This time around, it’s on the smaller Pro, too, making it a great option for someone who wants to upgrade without upsizing their phone. Like the Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro uses an A18 Pro chipset designed to support Apple Intelligence, which started rolling out in the fall of 2024. The first update included things like notification summaries and the new glowing-border Siri UI, which Apple centered its launch event on. Subsequent updates brought ChatGPT integration and Visual Intelligence. But don’t expect anything radical — at least at first. Outside of AI, the 16 Pro is a fairly iterative update. The new Camera Control makes it easier to launch the camera and get right to taking photos, and it also frees up the Action Button if you were using it as a camera shortcut. The screen is a little bigger at 6.3 inches compared to 6.1 inches, even though the phone is basically the same size. You can record 4K video at 120fps now. And the new Photographic Styles, which are available on all iPhone 16 models, let you take more control over your photos than ever. There’s nothing here that someone with an iPhone 15 Pro should upgrade for, but it’s an all-around solid device that will please Apple devotees, especially those who prefer a phone that isn’t too big. Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review. The best flip phone Screen: 6.7-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED inner screen; 3.4-inch, 720p, OLED cover screen / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 main with OIS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (inner screen) / Battery: 4,000mAh / Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless / Weather resistance: IP48 The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 isn’t the most fun flip phone you can buy right now; that would be the 2024 Motorola Razr Plus. But fun only goes so far, and the Z Flip 6 is the more reliable of the two. When it comes to the device you use day in and day out, reliability counts for a lot. Motorola’s take on the modern flip phone embraces nostalgia with cute animations and a mode that sends the whole device back to the early 2000s. The Z Flip 6 lacks this kind of charm, but you do get an updated cover screen UI that’s more customizable than the Z Flip 5’s. The Flip 6 also comes with seven years of software updates, which matches the best software policies on the market. The hardware will probably give out long before the software, honestly. That’s the other side of the flip phone coin: long-term durability is iffy. Sure, the Flip 6 is built to withstand full water immersion, but it still doesn’t have any formal dust resistance. For that reason, it isn’t a phone I would recommend to just anyone. That said, the Z Flip 6’s outer screen does come in handy. You can do a lot with the prebaked widget options available to use, and if you’re just a little adventurous, you can run any app you want on the little screen. Starting a Strava workout or sending a quick text is a cinch, which is a big part of the appeal of a flip phone. Just, you know, keep this phone away from the beach. Read my full Galaxy Z Flip 6 review. The best folding phone Screen: 8.0-inch, 2076p, 120Hz OLED inner screen; 6.3-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED cover screen / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS; 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 10.5-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (cover screen); 10-megapixel inner selfie camera / Battery: 4,650mAh / Charging: 21W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather resistance: IPX8 It’s hard to convey just how nice the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is to use. It’s the first book-style folding phone that fully delivers on the promise of a foldable: it’s a tablet when you need it and a regular phone when you don’t. Samsung’s Z Fold series feels a little too narrow and cramped in its closed configuration, and the original Pixel Fold was too bulky and heavy to use comfortably. The 9 Pro Fold is lighter, and using its 6.3-inch outer screen feels basically like using a normal phone, which is a big win. That’s really the theme of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold: it just feels normal. But there are a couple of decidedly not-normal things to consider: price and durability. The 9 Pro Fold costs $1,799, which is basically the going rate for a book-style foldable but remains a lot of money for a phone. And long-term durability is unclear, especially given that this is only Google’s second folding phone. It’s rated to withstand full water immersion, but as with any foldable, dust is a concern, so you’ll want to take a little extra care with this device. All that said, someone with the stomach (and wallet) for the 9 Pro Fold will find it a very rewarding device. Read my full Pixel 9 Pro Fold review. The best phone for something completely different Screen: 6.7-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.9 main with OIS; 50-megapixel ultrawide; 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wireless / Weather resistance: IP54 The Nothing Phone 2 isn’t for everyone, but for the right kind of person, it’s a very good alternative to the Galaxies and Pixels of the world. It’s a style-driven device, from the dot-matrix-inspired UI to the flashing light strips on the back panel. Will its unique hardware and software features help you take back your attention span as Nothing claims? Eh, probably not. Mostly, it’s just a cool-looking gadget and a thoughtfully designed device. The Phone 2 is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which is a slightly older but still very capable processor. Its 6.7-inch, 1080p screen supports a fast 120Hz top refresh rate, and its lowest 1Hz refresh rate allows it to offer an information-rich always-on display. The camera system is good, though not quite as consistent as the Pixel 7’s. There’s wireless charging, fast 45W wired charging, and an all-day battery. That’s all of the good news. The bad news is that it’s only rated IP54, meaning it’s not fully dustproof, and it’s only resistant to splashes rather than full immersion in water. Most other phones at this price offer a full IP68 rating, and a couple of cheaper midrange phones, like the Pixel 8A, still include IP67 water resistance. The Phone 2 also lacks official support for Verizon’s network, which rules it out for a lot of people in the US. There’s the Glyph Interface, too — those lights on the back of the phone. It’s a neat idea with some interesting applications if you invest a little time in tweaking it. You can flip it over to silence notifications when you need some time to focus and handpick certain “essential” alerts to light up the Glyph. Personally, I find it less helpful than a traditional focus mode or even the Phone 2’s always-on display. But others might find it useful, and if nothing else, it looks neat. The Phone 2 isn’t the best choice for sheer value — the Pixel 8A is a much better deal. It’s not the best choice for someone who just wants a phone to get them through their day with minimal hassle. But it’s undeniably different, and if you’re looking for something outside of the ordinary with a certain visual appeal, then it’s a worthy candidate. Read my full Nothing Phone 2 review. Other phones we tested The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a very good device, and it’s basically the last small-ish Android phone you can buy in the US. I find the software to be fussier and more cluttered than the Pixel 9’s, so it’s not my overall pick, but it’s a reliable device — and your best bet for a phone that isn’t gigantic. The 2024 Motorola Razr Plus is a delightful flip phone with tons of nostalgic vibes, with a big cover screen that’s handy for accessing quick tasks without opening the phone. But Motorola’s track record for timely software updates isn’t great, making it hard to fully endorse the Razr Plus. The iPhone 16E is a great phone that makes a lot of interesting trade-offs. Apple’s latest entry-level phone starts at $599 and comes with the company’s latest A18 processor, USB-C and wireless charging, a 60Hz OLED display, and the customizable Action Button found on Apple’s more premium handsets. The 6.1-inch phone doesn’t have MagSafe support or a Camera Control button, though, and it’s limited to a single 48-megapixel Fusion camera (sorry, ultrawide stans). That makes it hard for us to recommend over the standard iPhone 16, even if it does start at $200 less. What’s coming next Samsung has two new budget phones, the $399 A36 and the $299 A26, both of which support Google’s Circle to Search feature and some of the AI-powered editing tools already available on Samsung’s S25 series phones. Both have a 6.7-inch full HD Plus display with an up to 120Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery, and ship with Android 15; however, the A36 offers a speedier Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip and 45W wireless charging, not to mention a “larger vapor chamber” for better performance. Following a short delay to address quality concerns, the Pixel 9A will launch on April 10th and start at $499 for 128GB of storage. The budget follow-up to the Pixel 8A sports a slightly larger 6.3-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, a bigger 5,100mAh battery, and Google’s Tensor G4 chip. It also ditches the camera bump in favor of flush housing, allowing it to lie flat when placed on a table. In the flip phone space, there are two models to keep an eye on: the rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 and this year’s Motorola Razr Plus. According to recent leaks, the first will don an edge-to-edge cover screen with holes for the cameras and flash (the inner display is also supposedly 6.8 inches, up from 6.7 inches on the prior model). The design of the new Razr Plus, meanwhile, looks nearly identical to last year’s model, only with a stitched faux leather finish. Update, April 1st: Adjusted pricing/availability and added a mention of several new phones, including the rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 and this year’s Motorola Razr Plus. Brandon Widder also contributed to this post.