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25 Aug

Google Nest Camera and Doorbell leak shows off new colors and 2K video recording

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Check out the “berry” red on the indoor Nest Cam. According to a new report from Android Headlines, Google’s next-generation Nest Cams might get an upgrade from 1080p to 2K. Along with a series of leaked images that it says show off new colors for Google’s next set of devices, the report indicates the upcoming battery-powered Nest Cam and its indoor-only counterpart may feature new capabilities powered by Gemini, and that the Nest Aware package will get a new name. While the battery-powered Nest Cam is rumored to launch in white and gray, Android Headlines reports that the wired, indoor…

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25 Aug

Our favorite smart lock is on sale for the first time today

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Kwikset’s Halo Select smart lock is $20 off at multiple retailers. Setting up a smart home security system is important, even if you never want to think about having to use it. Thankfully, Kwikset’s Halo Select — the best smart lock we’ve ever tested — is currently down to $259 ($20 off) at Amazon, Lowe’s, and The Home Depot, marking the first time the lock has been on sale since its launch late last year.  Kwikset Halo Select Where to Buy: $279 $259 at Amazon $279 $259 at Home Depot $279 $259 at Lowes In her review, Verge reviewer Jennifer…

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24 Aug

The Framework Desktop and Linux have shown me the path to PC gaming in the living room

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It’s small, it’s relatively quiet, it has a handy sleep mode with remote wake-up, and the front tiles are even rotatable. The Framework Desktop is a great fit for a living room. I've long dreamed of doing all my gaming on PC - a single platform that's easily upgradeable and lets me play my overstuffed Steam library wherever and however I like. The Steam Deck is a fantastic handheld, but for my living room, I want something more powerful that works as well on my TV as it does at a desk. Believe me, I've tried. Gaming laptops are noisy…

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24 Aug

They’re trying to make deep-sea mining happen

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A protest in Netherlands. This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on deep-sea mining and critical minerals, follow Justine Calma. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started This is not how I thought things would go down when I started covering deep-sea mining. I knew that impatience and greed could have unforeseen consequences for life that depends on healthy oceans, including humans. I just didn't foresee Donald Trump coming back to blow up international negotiations meant to…

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24 Aug

The most fun way to look through old photos

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Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 95, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, new gadget season is starting, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I am listening to independent radio (shoutout to Seattle's KEXP), reading about the life of children's author Richard Scarry, learning about the long development of Hollow Knight: Silksong and "silkposting," watching the trailer for the next season of The Great British Baking Show, perusing the Kottke.org Rolodex, learning about summer sunset times, and enjoying seeing Masahiro Sakurai…

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23 Aug

Bose’s compact TV Speaker is more than $100 off right now

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Bose’s entry-level soundbar features a compact design, making it a great fit for small bedrooms. | Image: Bose If you’re looking to upgrade your movie night, a soundbar is an easy way to beef up the audio. While there are some high-priced options out there, you don’t have to spend a lot to actually hear a movie’s dialog. Right now, the Bose TV Speaker is down to $163.45 (about $115 off) at Amazon, the lowest price we’ve seen yet. Bose TV Speaker Where to Buy: $279 $163.45 at Amazon $279 $199 at Bose $279 $199.99 at Best Buy The Bose…

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23 Aug

What’s on your desk, Dominic Preston?

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Not all of The Verge’s staff live in the US. For example, news editor Dominic Preston is based in London and is, as he says, “responsible for keeping our news coverage ticking over in UK mornings before the US team comes online.” He also curates our new Verge Daily newsletter and covers Android phones, especially all the models that don’t launch in the US.  And outside of work? “I’m a bit of a food obsessive,” he says, “and run a newsletter called Braise where I review London restaurants and cookbooks, and occasionally try my own hand at recipe writing. That…

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23 Aug

The Fairphone 6 no longer feels like a compromise (except in the US)

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The Fairphone 6 arrives almost two years after the 5, a testament to the company's approach to the upgrade cycle. If anything, I suspect the company would be frustrated if Fairphone 5 owners were considering a new model already - these are phones to keep, to repair, and to hold on to until the bitter end. The newest Fairphone continues the company's commitment to user-repairability, long-term customer support, and ethical production. That means compromises for the consumer: You'll find more powerful phones with prettier displays and more capable cameras for less money. But this year those compromises are smaller and…

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23 Aug

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a perfect reimagining of the classic series

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Ninja Gaiden is having a renaissance. The last mainline entry was originally released more than a decade ago, but by the end of 2025, there will be three new Ninja Gaiden titles. Two are 3D: Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a modern-day remaster of Ninja Gaiden II released earlier this year, and Ninja Gaiden 4, co-developed by PlatinumGames and set to release in October. But there's a new 2D game, too. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a retro-styled side-scrolling platformer from Dotemu and the developers of Blasphemous - and it absolutely rips. In Ragebound, you play as Kenji Mozu, a young ninja…

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23 Aug

Will Trump help 4Chan escape the UK’s internet police?

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After the United Kingdom began enforcing its sweeping Online Safety Act in April, British regulator Ofcom served violation notices to three notorious sites: 4chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms, each of which risked multimillion-dollar fines. Late last week, Preston Byrne, a First Amendment lawyer representing them, struck back. Byrne announced he would sue Ofcom in US federal court and added an unusual request. He called on the Trump administration "to invoke all diplomatic and legal levers available to the United States" to protect his clients from the OSA's reach. Byrne's request could put a trio of sites known as hotbeds of…

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