8
Verge Score
Three-way multipoint, even better sound, and a more comfortable design make these appealing if you’re willing to splurge.
Following the Gulf’s name change in Google Maps last week, Developer Bryce Bostwick created the Restore the Gulf of Mexico extension to revert it back, which he says in a YouTube video is “the world’s smallest form of protest.”
Its Chrome Web Store listing says it could take a few refreshes to work, though it only took one for me.
[fixthegulf.com]
Citing gradual cost increases, Peak Design says in an email to customers that “most product prices will increase by $5-$10,” with $20 increases for items like its Everyday Messenger bag. Some, like its 45L Travel Backpack, will stay the same, while most of its Coyote X-Pac bags will actually get cheaper.
The changes go into effect at noon PT / 3PM ET on February 20th.
Following reports that TSMC is considering buying Intel’s chip manufacturing business at the Trump administration’s encouragement, The Wall Street Journal writes that Broadcom is separately kicking Intel’s tires, but a bid is only likely “if it finds a partner for Intel’s manufacturing business.”
WSJ’s anonymous sources say Intel interim executive chairman Frank Yeary is leading talks with possible buyers and the Trump administration, but is saying his focus is “maximizing value for Intel shareholders.”
Apple told employees in a recent meeting that it’s considering the change, according to Mark Gurman in today’s issue of Power On for Bloomberg. The ads would be similar to those in Google Maps, with businesses paying to show up higher in search results or stand out on the map itself.
The change wouldn’t necessarily be soon, as Gurman writes that there is “no timeline or active engineering being done.”
[bloomberg.com]
I’m not talking about using something like Kagi, although that’s one way to do it. Last year, I directed Verge readers to a Tedium blog post explaining how to add “udm=14” to your browser’s default search URL to get rid of Google Search AI Overviews.
If that’s a headache, there’s also Tedium author Ernie Smith’s website that builds the “disenshittification Konami code” into your searches. Alternatively, you could just use cussword-laden searches.
[udm14.com]
Nintendo’s motion-sensing (and Doom-playing, with some unsanctioned modification) alarm clock is now available for anyone in the US to buy from its online store “while supplies last,” the company announced yesterday.
Nintendo also plans to sell the adorable clock at select retailers next month.
0
Yesterday, President Trump accused TSMC: “Taiwan took our chip business away.”
But Bloomberg and The New York Times have anonymous sources saying Trump’s pick for commerce secretary is encouraging TSMC to do a deal. Bloomberg’s source says TSMC is open to it; The NYT’s sources suggest Intel might be interested too; its board reportedly approached TSMC and its interim chairman reportedly met directly with both TSMC’s CEO and Trump’s people.
And yet, Reuters now reports that Trump is “unlikely” to support a foreign firm operating Intel’s factories. Intel’s CHIPS Act money also came with strings attached that could interfere, but Reuters reports that Trump may be renegotiating those deals.
Apple is still working on some big AI-powered upgrades to Siri, but instead of launching with iOS 18.4, they may be limited or delayed until iOS 18.5, Bloomberg reports.
We just got the first glimpse of the TM7, the next generation of my favorite robotic sous chef, the Thermomix TM6. The smart multi-cooker debuted in an Instagram story and sports an all-new streamlined design, possibly some RGB lighting, and definitely a much bigger screen. And is that a drawer handle I see?
It’s launching in Europe first and coming to the US in late 2025. I’m hoping for voice control and some better smart kitchen integrations.
Marcin Wichary, the author of Shift Happens — an exhaustively researched, beautifully designed and photographed history of the keyboard — is back with a deep dive into Gorton, a font found on keyboards, intercoms, camera lenses, and engraved signs across the world, with a special focus on Manhattan. The article is classic Wichary: it goes very deep and is full of beautiful photographs and interactive elements. It’s a real delight after the week we’ve had.
[aresluna.org]
The AI search engine’s new tool “performs dozens of searches, reads hundreds of sources, and reasons through the material to autonomously deliver a comprehensive report.” It’s similar to the research tools offered by ChatGPT and Google Gemini, but it’s available to free users with a “limited number of answers” each day.
The ad encourages you to “recruit your squad” with a free trial of PC Game Pass that you can share with friends. Microsoft says the ad will only appear if you’re signed into your Microsoft account and “meet the required eligibility criteria,” similar to the other Game Pass ad it tested last year. It’s rolling out now to the Dev and Beta Channels in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281.
President Donald Trump’s administration is upset that the Associate Press won’t use the name Gulf of America. AP reporters have been blocked from covering some administration events this week.
AP journalists will still have White House credentials, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich says on X.
CEO Steve Huffman confirmed the plan in a video AMA released as part of the company’s earnings, as spotted by Ars Technica. Huffman hinted last year that Reddit was considering paid subreddits.
No seriously, we were annoyed by that bug, too.
A bunch of you flagged that our site kept signing you out of your commenting accounts this week. Our product team got on the case and pushed out a fix a little while ago. You should now stay logged in day-to-day — let us know if you run into any other big issues.
If you’re trying to stay huddled and warm under the covers while enjoying a good ebook, there are tiny robotic fingers — triggered by a wireless remote you can keep under the blankets — that clamp onto e-readers and tap the edge of the screen to turn the page for you.
Book Riot and Wirecutter both have recommendations, but you can find many versions on Amazon for less than $20.
If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission.
Almost 40 years after the original was released in June 1985, Warner Bros. has hired Potsy Ponciroli to write the script for a sequel to The Goonies, with Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, and Holly Bario producing for Amblin Entertainment, alongside Chris Columbus. Lauren Shuler Donner will executive produce, according to a report from Variety. It’s unknown who will direct the sequel, and there are no details on its plot or cast yet.
Mass layoffs that happened Thursday night at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) are being paused, ABC News reports. The layoffs were part of Donald Trump’s gutting of key federal workforces — including the people maintaining the country’s nuclear stockpile.
[abcnews.go.com]
