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Samsung’s offering up to $900 of trade-in credit toward its new phones

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Samsung’s next Unpacked event is happening on February 25th, and we anticipate the company will announce the Galaxy S26 lineup of phones . There may be some new wearables and earbuds announced, too. In addition to the showing off the new hardware, Galaxy AI software is likely to be a big part of the show, since that’s the focus of the Unpacked sizzle reel. If you’re hyped for the new devices — enough to consider trading in your phone — Samsung is hosting some special trade-in perks, but only if you register interest in a preorder ahead of the event and follow through with a purchase after the unveiling later this month. Registering through Samsung’s site or its Shop Samsung app now will unlock a $30 use-it-or-lose-it credit that can be applied toward accessories at preorder. However, it can’t be used to reduce the cost of the new device. The company is also offering up to $900 in trade-in value for your phone if you preorder one of its new phones in the same transaction. This amou...

Discord says ‘vast majority’ of users won’t see its new age verification setup

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On Tuesday, Discord released an update clarifying that the "vast majority of people can continue using Discord exactly as they do today," without needing to use a face scan or ID to verify their age so they can use the platform without restrictions. Discord states in the post that "age prediction" using information Discord already has will likely be sufficient for many users: We've seen some questions about our age assurance update and we want to share more clarity. We know how important these changes are to our community. Here's what we want you to know: • Discord is not requiring everyone to complete a face scan or upload an ID to … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/nUPQc2A

FBI releases recovered footage from Nancy Guthrie’s Nest cam

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More than a week after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, the FBI has released footage from a Nest camera by Guthrie's front door. FBI Director Kash Patel says on X that law enforcement has been working with "private sector partners" and that the video was "recovered from residual data located in backend systems." Google spokesperson Patrick Seybold tells The Verge that the company is "assisting law enforcement with their investigations." The FBI has released two videos and a few still images. In the first video , a masked individual with a backpack walks up to the camera and holds a glove in front of it while appearing to touch something below the … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/4Senw8j

Sharge’s new power bank can charge two laptops while putting on a light show

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The power bank’s aluminum shell features two cutaway sections revealing its electronics, batteries, and a screen. | Image: Sharge Sharge has made a name for itself amongst the tech-obsessed with chargers and power banks featuring eye-catching designs and extra functionality . Power bank feature creep is more often than not a bad thing, but Sharge is unabashedly leaning into the trend with its new Shargeek 300. We first went hands on with it over a year ago at CES 2025 , but the power bank is finally available for preorder. The earliest backers of Sharge's latest Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign can preorder the power bank for $149, while its full price is expected to be closer to $199 once delivery starts as early as May 2026. Inside the Shargeek 300 is a 24,000 mAh ba … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/bu4MNUX

Toyota made a game engine

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A screenshot of a demo from the Fluorite engine. Using a game engine in a "digital cockpit" can be useful for things like step-by-step 3D tutorials about a car, mapping the environment around your car, and offering more natural controls, Jamie Kerber, the lead engineer of a new game engine developed by Toyota Connected North America, said in a recent presentation at the FOSDEM 2026 conference . That's why the company is showing off the solution it's developed, called Fluorite , that could work in its vehicles, as reported on by Eurogamer and Game*Spark . Epic Games has made a big push for car companies to use Unreal Engine to power those in-car interfaces and visualize them for design and ma … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/aoXliZ6

Apple is killing the old HomeKit tomorrow

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If you haven't yet updated to the new Apple Home, your smart home devices may no longer work in the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch starting tomorrow. On February 10, 2026, Apple will end support for the original HomeKit architecture . The biggest impact of the change will be felt by anyone still using an iPad as their Apple Home Hub (which allows you to control devices remotely and create automations). In the new Apple Home, iPads are no longer supported as hubs. You'll need a HomePod or Apple TV to serve that role. The new architecture also requires your phone and any devices connected to your Home to be running iOS 16. … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/q7IoO4Y

This whistle fights fascists

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Whistles for Minneapolis and beyond. Kit Rocha and Courtney Milan have a knack for drawing attention to a cause. The bestselling romance novelists helped raise half a million dollars for Georgia voting rights in 2020. Now, their cause is whistles, because whistles let neighbors alert each other when they see ICE agents abducting people. They've helped create a group that's shipped a half million free 3D-printed whistles to 49 US states - 200,000 of them in the first week of February alone. Even I print whistles now. It's the first thing I do each morning after dropping kids at school, and the very last before bed. Usually, I squeeze in a hundred more after dinner. I print wh … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/Ljr2lh3