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This is an excerpt of Sources by Alex Heath, a newsletter about AI and the tech industry, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. The billboard didn't say "Listen Labs." It didn't say anything about hiring. It consisted of just a plain white background with "https://" and a single line of grouped numbers hanging over Nob Hill, San Francisco. Last month, Alfred Wahlforss, the startup's CEO, posted on X that whoever cracked the code and completed a subsequent challenge would win a trip to Berlin and get on the guest list for the ultra-exclusive nightclub Berghain. One of…

Unity is urging developers to take “immediate action” after it disclosed a major security vulnerability affecting games built using versions of its popular development tool dating back to 2017. While there is “no evidence of any exploitation of the vulnerability, nor has there been any impact on users or customers,” Unity already has fixes available to developers, according to a post from Larry Hryb, aka “Major Nelson.”  Specifically, developers need to take action if “you have developed and released a game or application using Unity 2017.1 or later for Windows, Android, or macOS,” Hryb says. Unity’s “platform partners” have also…

Just one day after Apple took down the iOS App Store listing for ICEBlock, Google has confirmed to 404 Media that it has removed a similar app, Red Dot, from the Google Play Store. The company also reportedly said it “removed apps that share the location of what it describes as a vulnerable group after a recent violent act against them connected to this sort of app.”  On Thursday, Apple removed ICEBlock and similar apps, including Red Dot, after facing pressure from the Department of Justice. Attorney General Pam Bondi said to Fox News on Thursday that “ICEBlock is designed…

Apple has removed the “Waze but for ICE sightings” app ICEBlock from its App Store, as reported previously by Business Insider. A post from its developer relayed Apple’s App Review message about the ban, saying, “We just received a message from Apple’s App Review that #ICEBlock has been removed from the App Store due to ‘objectionable content.’ The only thing we can imagine is this is due to pressure from the Trump Admin. We have responded and we’ll fight this!” The ICEBlock app rose to the top of the App Store’s charts this summer after being targeted by Trump administration…

On Thursday afternoon, after agreeing to a short extension while they continued negotiations, NBCUniversal and YouTube announced a new carriage deal to keep the network’s channels live on the streaming TV service. If the process sounds familiar, it’s because the same thing happened the last time their contract was renewed in 2021. They didn’t reveal the dollars involved, but a press release mentions that it includes an agreement for some full TV shows, clips, and highlights on regular YouTube, as well as confirming the relaunch of NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) after it shut down four years ago. “We’ve secured long-term…

There's a new twist in the long and winding saga of Redbox's demise: Assets originally belonging to the company's corporate parent, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, may have finally found a buyer. But don't expect a resurrection of Redbox's red kiosks, or Chicken Soup's Crackle streaming service, any time soon. According to a late Wednesday court filing, a company called Grove Street Partners has offered $100 million for so-called "IP Litigation Assets" owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and its subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment owned the rights to hundreds of movies, mostly through its…

Microsoft recently announced price hikes for some tiers of Xbox Game Pass, including Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The Ultimate tier, which offers the most games and features (as well as access to PC Game Pass), went from $19.99 per month to $29.99. Those who subscribe to PC Game Pass are now being charged $16.49 per month, up from $11.99. You’ll pay those prices right now if you go through Microsoft’s retail channels to subscribe. Don’t do that! Instead, if you plan to stay with the service, you should consider buying through other retailers that are still selling access to…

Shein has announced plans to open its first physical locations in France this November, even as the country works on legislation to regulate the fast-fashion industry, as reported by Euronews and Reuters. The online retailer, which manufactures most of its ultra-cheap clothing in China, will open locations inside department stores across Dijon, Grenoble, Reims, Limoges, and Angers through a partnership with real estate company Société des Grands Magasins (SGM). Until now, Shein has only operated online, aside from the pop-up stores that have appeared in locations like New York City. Its decision to open up stores in France comes just…

The Trump administration has put up banners across federal websites blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, and in some cases, blatantly campaigning for President Donald Trump. One banner on the US Department of Agriculture’s site says, “The Radical Left Democrats shut down the government,” adding that “President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people.” Other websites display similar messages, with a banner on the Department of the Treasury stating that Democrats have shut down the government “in the name of reckless spending and obstructionism.”…

Apple is speeding up work on smart glasses that would compete with similar offerings from Meta and halting plans for a lighter Vision Pro headset, Bloomberg reports. The company is apparently working on at least two different versions: a pair without a display that it could reveal next year and launch in 2027, and a pair with a display originally planned for 2028 that the company wants to “accelerate development” on. Like Meta’s smart glasses made in partnership with Ray-Ban and Oakley, Apple’s glasses will have speakers, cameras, come in multiple styles, and “will rely heavily on voice interaction and…