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The Retroid Pocket Mini has an unfixable issue that’s causing certain graphical effects for emulated games not to work properly. Retroid, the China-based company that makes the Pocket Mini, announced on Discord that it will accept returns of the device but only during a limited March 8th to March 14th window — and capped at just 200 returns from owners who live outside of China, as RetroHandhelds reports . Earlier in the week, the outlet says Retroid acknowledged it couldn’t fix the issue, which affects how the screen shows scanline and pixel grid shaders used to give classic emulated games the appearance of being played on the CRT displays they were designed for. The effects can show up as “misplaced scanlines, uneven pixels, or a slightly distorted image,” RetroHandhelds writes. In this morning’s message, Retroid says carrying out this return campaign is a “large and costly endeavor,” and that it expects “a lot of return requests outside of screen-related issues.” Retroid also...

Warner Bros. Discovery just released a new trailer for the second (and maybe last ) season of The Last of Us , offering an action-packed view of the fraught world Pedro Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and his daughter Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are facing. Things look bleak for both of them, and the show’s fungal-based zombies don’t seem to have become any less dangerous. The trailer’s centerpiece is a snowy human settlement that, at one point, is assaulted by a zombie horde. There are lots of explosions and at one point, a monstrous zombie being blasted by a flamethrower. There are also brief clips of characters fleeing in the woods and an ominous close-up of a sickle just before a shot of someone being hanged. Interspersed with shots of them are flashbacks of Joel and Ellie, the latter of whom is intense in shots of her sprinting and firing a handgun or running over the top of an underground train. There are brief clips of other characters, including a man and his daughter who seem t...

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is still pushing to break up Google, according to a revised proposal filed Friday with federal Judge Amit Mehta. As in its proposal last year, the DOJ says Google should be forced to sell its web browser, Google Chrome, and potentially Android, as punishment for being a monopolist, as Judge Mehta found last year , reports The New York Times . In its new filing, the DOJ calls Google “an economic goliath” that it says “has denied users of a basic American value—the ability to choose in the marketplace.” To deal with that, “Google must divest the Chrome browser … to provide an opportunity for a new rival to operate a significant gateway to search the internet.” The department also still recommends that Google must change its Android business practices to enable competition or be ordered to sell the operating system. It dropped a suggestion that the company be allowed to sell Android in lieu of making the changes. Both spin-offs were part of the propo...

You’ll feel the cool blast of air from LG’s Artcool AI Air which detects a room’s occupants and directs airflow towards them. | Image: LG The Artcool AI Air doesn’t look as artsy as LG’s previous Artcool air conditioners , but it does offer improved energy efficiency by detecting the room’s layout and the position of its occupants so it can direct airflow right to them. The company hasn’t announced pricing or availability, nor does it detail what technology the Artcool AI Air is using. Ideally it’s relying on mmWave radar sensing which can even detect a person’s breathing rate. from The Verge https://ift.tt/biw5RKv

Anker’s black MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1 (Qi2) is a small device that can power up eight devices for just $50. If you’re planning on giving your desk or workspace a good spring cleaning, Anker’s MagGo Magnetic Charging Station (8-in-1) is a relatively affordable way to rid your life of excess cable clutter. That’s especially true right now, as Anker’s versatile charging gadget is down to an all-time low of $49.99 ($20 off) at Amazon in select colors. Anker’s orb-shaped gadget can supply power to up to eight devices, so you don’t need to keep multiple chargers lying around. The speedy Q2-compatible charger is capable of delivering 15W wireless speeds to MagSafe-equipped iPhones and functions as a relatively sturdy stand, keeping your phone securely in place via magnets. It’s also a great way to make use of Apple’s StandBy mode , which lets you use your phone as an ad hoc smart display to showcase the time, calendar events, and other information when your phone is place...

Tee K.O. 2 from Jackbox Party Pack 10. Jackbox Games are going to be available on smart TVs as part of a new cloud streaming service, according to a blog post . Jackbox aims to launch a beta of the service on “one or two smart TV platforms in the Spring of 2025.” Generally, Jackbox titles are offered in bundles called “Party Packs” that you can play on platforms like game consoles and PCs. This new native smart TV app could make it easier to jump into a Jackbox game, since you won’t need to launch the titles from a device like a game console. To start, this Jackbox service will only offer a “small collection” of “ad-supported” games for free. But down the line, Jackbox plans to “also offer our entire catalog of games for a subscription fee.” (You can already subscribe to a Jackbox Games channel on Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service for $4.99 per month to access the Jackbox catalog.) Jackbox’s service relies on Amazon’s new AWS GameLift Streams technology that lets companies buil...

Car prices are already at record highs, and President Donald Trump’s tariffs — if they stay in place — could send them into the stratosphere. The situation remains extremely fluid, with Trump administration officials today announcing a one-month reprieve for the auto industry, according to Politico .  But if tariffs stay in place, sticker prices could skyrocket by as much as $12,000, according to one analysis. Dealerships could be stuck with a bunch of trucks and SUVs that no one can afford. Some models could vanish from showrooms altogether. Many of these changes won’t take effect right away, as dealerships work through their vehicle stock. But the net impact could still be devastating.  After an initial delay, Trump earlier this week imposed 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as well as an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from China. Around 5.3 million vehicles are built in Canada and Mexico , 70 percent of which are destined for the Unit...

An EVgo charging station that has each DC fast-charging cable option including CCS, CHAdeMO, and Tesla’s NACS. | Image: Umar Shakir / The Verge The state of electric vehicle charging in North America is shaping up like the smartphone charging wars — but focused on much more expensive hardware. Right now, like USB-C and Android phones, the Combined Charging System (CCS, Type 1) plug is on a greater variety of cars. Meanwhile, Tesla’s plug was long compared to Apple and Lightning . But while Apple eventually adopted USB-C , Tesla is opening up its connector, renaming it the North American Charging Standard (NACS), and trying to shove CCS out of the way. And it’s working : the new NACS port is being standardized by SAE International, and today, largely every automaker, including Ford , GM , Toyota ,  Rivian ,  Volvo , Polestar , Nissan , Mercedes-Benz , Jaguar Land Rover , Fisker ,  Hyundai , Stellantis , Volkswagen , and  BMW , has signed on. New cars equipped w...

The new iPad is a minor upgrade over its predecessor that starts at $349. As predicted , Apple announced not one but   two new iPads this week. The new entry-level iPad starts at $349, while the 11-and 13-inch iPad Airs start at $599 and $799, respectively. Both tablets are set to arrive on March 12th, though you can preorder them from Apple and Best Buy starting today, March 4th. Unsurprisingly, both tablets represent pretty minor upgrades over prior models. The 11th-gen iPad has twice as much base storage as its last-gen predecessor (128GB vs. 64GB); however, it also remains the only tablet in Apple’s current lineup that lacks support for Apple Intelligence. It doesn’t run on Apple’s silicon, either, but Apple says the upgraded A16 chip is nearly 30 percent faster than the A14 chip found in the 10th-gen iPad .  As for the new 11- and 13-inch iPad Air, both run on Apple’s M3 chip. The last-gen processor isn’t as powerful as the M4 chip found in the latest Pro models ...

Apple is pushing back against the UK’s secret order to give the government access to encrypted iCloud files. The company has filed an appeal with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which deals with complaints about the “unlawful intrusion” of UK intelligence services and authorities, according to a report from the Financial Times . As noted by FT , the tribunal will “consider whether the UK’s notice to Apple was lawful and, if not, could order it to be quashed.” The tribunal could reportedly hear the case as soon as this month. Apple stopped offering Advanced Data Protection in the UK in response to the secret order, and now it looks like the company is attempting to put a stop to it altogether. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In January, the UK government issued the order under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, according to a report from The Washington Post . It specifically targets iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection option that uses end-to-end encry...

The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is down to a new low, but only in black. If you’re looking for a top-notch gaming mouse you can use for both work and play, Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight 2 is a great option that’s currently on sale for its best price to date. Right now, you can buy it at Walmart in select colors starting at $113.99 ($45 off) or at Best Buy starting at $114.99 ($44 off); it’s also on sale at Amazon starting at $119.99 (about $39 off). The wireless gaming mouse is Logitech’s fastest, with a Hero 2 sensor that tracks at 500 inches per second (and up to 32,000 DPI) and a 4kHz polling rate. At just 60 grams (2.1 ounces), it’s also Logitech’s lightest, making it easy to move quickly and accurately. It also boasts an attractive matte plastic design, meaning it won’t look out of place at the office, even if it is perfectly suitable for tournament-level play.  Despite the lightweight build, the Superlight 2 features clicky hybrid optical / mechanical switches and ...

Microsoft has announced Microsoft Dragon Copilot , an AI system for healthcare that can, among other things, listen to and create notes based on clinical visits. The system combines voice-dictating and ambient listening tech created by AI voice company Nuance, which Microsoft bought in 2021 . According to Microsoft’s announcement, the new system can help its users streamline their documentation through features like “multilanguage ambient note creation” and natural language dictation. Its AI assistant offers “general-purpose medical information searches from trusted content sources,” as well as the ability to automate tasks like “conversational orders, note and clinical evidence summaries, referral letters, and after visit summaries.” The goal of all of this is to “free clinicians from much of the administrative burden of healthcare” so they can focus on patient care, according to Joe Petro, Microsoft VP of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms. Microsoft says i...

The ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 is very easy to hold in one hand. Lenovo may have some cool new flippy-screened and solar-powered laptops it’s showing off at Mobile World Congress this year, but it’s also announcing the generational notebook updates you’ll actually be able to buy within the coming months. Some of the new models include a redesigned and super lightweight ThinkPad X13 notebook, the first T-Series convertible 2-in-1 with the ThinkPad T14s, and a refreshed ThinkBook 16p workstation. First, we have the newest 13.3-inch ThinkPad X13, now Gen 6, that sits as Lenovo’s ultraportable slim business laptop. This time, Lenovo managed to reduce its weight even further from 2.25 pounds on the Gen 5 to just 2.05 pounds (although it could get heavier in some configurations). In comparison, Apple’s lightest M3 MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds.  Lenovo is also adding AMD Ryzen AI Pro 300 series processor options alongside Intel (up to Core Ultra 7). You can configure the X13 with up to 16GB...

This laptop’s screen climbs high without the need for motors. Lenovo has another funky experiment it’s announcing at Mobile World Congress : the ThinkBook “codename Flip” AI PC Concept. It’s a productivity / business laptop with a flexible display, allowing it to be used as a traditional 13.1-inch clamshell, a folded-up 12.9-inch tablet, or a laptop with an extra-tall 18.1-inch vertical screen. The ThinkBook Flip uses the same exact OLED panel as the $3,500 ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 that’s expected to arrive sometime in June — only here, it’s set up to fold behind the main portion of the screen instead of extend out from underneath it. That means there are no motors, which could bring costs down, and none of the display is left sitting unused inside the chassis — hence the Flip’s 0.4 inches of extra screen real estate over the Gen 6. When folded back, the Flip can be used like a normal 13-inch clamshell laptop, albeit with nearly half its screen facing backward. You can use that rear-...

In a pair of social media posts today, President Donald Trump named some cryptocurrencies he says will be part of a Crypto Strategic Reserve being created by an executive order he signed in January. Those include Bitcoin and Ether, which he says “will be the heart of the Reserve.” Trump said in the first of his two Truth Social posts that his order “directed the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve” that also includes XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). Trump hinted at such a reserve on the campaign trail, telling attendees of a crypto conference last year that the US would never sell its Bitcoin holdings. Under Trump, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has quickly backed away from the wary stance toward cryptocurrencies it held prior to Trump’s inauguration this year. The agency has recently dropped multiple investigations and lawsuits against cryptocurrency firms that alleged securities violations. One of the currencies Trump m...

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 73, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, belated happy Pokémon Day, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .)  This week, I’ve been reading about the Zizians and fancy suits and Heavyweight , watching Suits LA and The White Lotus , obsessively tracking Formula 1 testing , apologizing profusely to anyone who watched The Gorge on my recommendation, working to an eight-hour mix of the Severance music , seeing if Bend will actually help me stretch more, and watching a lot of Encanto with a toddler who refuses to sleep. I also have for you a new repairable laptop, a spiffy new mobile version of Photoshop, the coolest and strangest camera I’ve seen in a while, good explainers on app development and content moderation, and much more. Plus, the second part of our two-part exploration of all your favorite music gear. I’m psyched. Let’s do it. (As a...

The Galaxy A56 comes in a range of colors. Samsung is bringing even more AI to its line of budget-friendly phones. The new Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 now come with what the company calls “awesome intelligence,” enabling an array of new AI-powered image editing features already available with Samsung’s pricier S25 lineup. One of these features is Best Face, an AI tool that lets you swap the facial expressions of up to five people in a motion photo in case someone blinks or looks away from the camera. It’s similar to Google Pixel’s Best Take and launched with the Galaxy S25 in January . There’s an “improved” object removal tool and photo filters, along with Google’s Circle to Search feature that allows you to search for text and images just by circling it on your screen. (Samsung added Circle to Search to select A-series devices last August.) The phones will also support up to six years of Android OS and security upgrades, which is longer than what Samsung previously offered for t...

Big players, including Microsoft, with Copilot , Google, with Gemini , and OpenAI, with GPT-4 o , are making AI chatbot technology previously restricted to test labs more accessible to the general public. How do these large language model (LLM) programs work? OpenAI’s GPT-3 told us that AI uses “a series of autocomplete-like programs to learn language” and that these programs analyze “the statistical properties of the language” to “make educated guesses based on the words you’ve typed previously.”  Or, in the words of James Vincent , a human person: “These AI tools are vast autocomplete systems, trained to predict which word follows the next in any given sentence. As such, they have no hard-coded database of ‘facts’ to draw on — just the ability to write plausible-sounding statements. This means they have a tendency to present false information as truth since whether a given sentence sounds plausible does not guarantee its factuality.” But there are so many more pieces to the ...