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Image: Cadillac

The Cadillac Escalade IQ, the electric version of the automaker’s yacht-sized luxury SUV, won’t be out until later this year, so in the meantime, the automaker is hoping to whet appetites by giving the gas-powered version an EV makeover.
Starting the front grille, the new 2025 Escalade will have new vertically positioned headlights inspired by the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq, as well as an illuminated Cadillac badge in the center. And on the V-series, Premium Luxury, and Platinum trims, there is also an LED border that outlines the grille — which also calls to mind the illuminated grilles of Cadillac’s EV lineup.
Moving inside, the interior has been totally redesigned to give over a lot more real estate to screens. The Escalade will now feature a pillar-to-pillar diagonal display that is split into two screens, a 35-inch display for the driver and a 20-inch display for the passenger. Taken together, the new 55-inch screen sits behind one continuous curved piece of glass.

Image: Cadillac

Its a sign that our current trend of screen maximalism is continuing unabated. Back in 2020, Cadillac introduced a more modest 38-inch OLED display to the Escalade, which at the time was one of the biggest in the industry. It was befitting the Escalade’s status as the SUV you get when you want more of everything, for better or worse. And now GM is doubling down with its new 55-incher, which will also find itself in the Cadillac IQ when it eventually goes on sale.
Headlights inspired by the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq
The 25-inch passenger display, which is brand new to Escalade, allows for a full complement of video streaming options. Passengers can even watch their favorite shows while the vehicle is in motion; the passenger screen will be polarized black and not viewable to the driver when driving, which is a modest concession to the very real problem of driver distraction. Passengers can connect Bluetooth headphones for audio, or they can use the vehicle’s stereo system.

Image: Cadillac

Additional screens dot the interior, including a command center below the central display, a rear-seat command center, and 12.6-inch personal screens for second-row passengers.
The infotainment display will run on Google’s Android software and include built-in apps like Maps and Assistant. Unlike the IQ, though, the gas-powered Escalade will continue to support popular phone mirroring systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (GM made the controversial move of eliminating support for CarPlay and Android Auto from its future EVs, and despite the backlash, it is still sticking to it.) The phone mirroring systems can be connected wirelessly, as well.
The infotainment system supports multiple voice assistants. Google Assistant is available natively, or owners can download Amazon’s Alexa is they prefer that.

Image: Cadillac

Other new features include power doors. The driver door will open automatically when the driver approaches with the key fob in their pocket. All four doors will open when the door handle is touched or from the command center inside the vehicle. The doors include a sensor to avoid banging up against nearby obstacles. Once inside, a simple press of the brake pedal will automatically close the doors. The power doors are standard on V-series and Platinum trims.
Cadillac said pricing would be announced later. But with more tech, bigger wheels, and pricier features, Cadillac is going to have a tough time keeping it below six figures.

Image: Cadillac

The Cadillac Escalade IQ, the electric version of the automaker’s yacht-sized luxury SUV, won’t be out until later this year, so in the meantime, the automaker is hoping to whet appetites by giving the gas-powered version an EV makeover.

Starting the front grille, the new 2025 Escalade will have new vertically positioned headlights inspired by the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq, as well as an illuminated Cadillac badge in the center. And on the V-series, Premium Luxury, and Platinum trims, there is also an LED border that outlines the grille — which also calls to mind the illuminated grilles of Cadillac’s EV lineup.

Moving inside, the interior has been totally redesigned to give over a lot more real estate to screens. The Escalade will now feature a pillar-to-pillar diagonal display that is split into two screens, a 35-inch display for the driver and a 20-inch display for the passenger. Taken together, the new 55-inch screen sits behind one continuous curved piece of glass.

Image: Cadillac

Its a sign that our current trend of screen maximalism is continuing unabated. Back in 2020, Cadillac introduced a more modest 38-inch OLED display to the Escalade, which at the time was one of the biggest in the industry. It was befitting the Escalade’s status as the SUV you get when you want more of everything, for better or worse. And now GM is doubling down with its new 55-incher, which will also find itself in the Cadillac IQ when it eventually goes on sale.

The 25-inch passenger display, which is brand new to Escalade, allows for a full complement of video streaming options. Passengers can even watch their favorite shows while the vehicle is in motion; the passenger screen will be polarized black and not viewable to the driver when driving, which is a modest concession to the very real problem of driver distraction. Passengers can connect Bluetooth headphones for audio, or they can use the vehicle’s stereo system.

Image: Cadillac

Additional screens dot the interior, including a command center below the central display, a rear-seat command center, and 12.6-inch personal screens for second-row passengers.

The infotainment display will run on Google’s Android software and include built-in apps like Maps and Assistant. Unlike the IQ, though, the gas-powered Escalade will continue to support popular phone mirroring systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (GM made the controversial move of eliminating support for CarPlay and Android Auto from its future EVs, and despite the backlash, it is still sticking to it.) The phone mirroring systems can be connected wirelessly, as well.

The infotainment system supports multiple voice assistants. Google Assistant is available natively, or owners can download Amazon’s Alexa is they prefer that.

Other new features include power doors. The driver door will open automatically when the driver approaches with the key fob in their pocket. All four doors will open when the door handle is touched or from the command center inside the vehicle. The doors include a sensor to avoid banging up against nearby obstacles. Once inside, a simple press of the brake pedal will automatically close the doors. The power doors are standard on V-series and Platinum trims.

Cadillac said pricing would be announced later. But with more tech, bigger wheels, and pricier features, Cadillac is going to have a tough time keeping it below six figures.

Read More 

Image: Meatly

The UK is now the first European country to green-light the sale of lab-grown meat, but with pets instead of human consumers as its first guinea pigs.
The UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs granted London-based startup Meatly regulatory approval to produce lab-grown pet food, which described the clearance as a “huge leap forward for the cultivated meat industry.”
“Pet parents are crying out for a better way to feed their cats and dogs meat,” Meatly CEO Owen Ensor said in a statement, pitching that the company’s cultivated pet food would allow them to do so “in a way that is kinder to our planet and other animals.”
Meatly says it plans to launch commercial samples of its first pet food product grown from chicken cells this year, before focusing on reducing costs and scaling to industrial production volumes within the next three years.
It’s typically very expensive and time-consuming to produce lab-grown meat. Efforts to address these issues have been fueled by growing concerns about the environmental impact of raising livestock, with research suggesting the pet food industry alone has a climate impact similar to that of Mozambique or the Philippines.
While cultivated meat products have been approved for human consumption in Singapore, Israel, and most of the US, the industry has been hindered by scaling issues and political scrutiny.
It’ll likely take years for cultivated meat to make a meaningful impact on the wider agriculture industry, and when Meatly’s product hits the shelves it probably won’t come cheap. Would you be more inclined to pay a premium knowing the company says its final lab-grown chicken product is “free from GMOs”?

Image: Meatly

The UK is now the first European country to green-light the sale of lab-grown meat, but with pets instead of human consumers as its first guinea pigs.

The UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs granted London-based startup Meatly regulatory approval to produce lab-grown pet food, which described the clearance as a “huge leap forward for the cultivated meat industry.”

“Pet parents are crying out for a better way to feed their cats and dogs meat,” Meatly CEO Owen Ensor said in a statement, pitching that the company’s cultivated pet food would allow them to do so “in a way that is kinder to our planet and other animals.”

Meatly says it plans to launch commercial samples of its first pet food product grown from chicken cells this year, before focusing on reducing costs and scaling to industrial production volumes within the next three years.

It’s typically very expensive and time-consuming to produce lab-grown meat. Efforts to address these issues have been fueled by growing concerns about the environmental impact of raising livestock, with research suggesting the pet food industry alone has a climate impact similar to that of Mozambique or the Philippines.

While cultivated meat products have been approved for human consumption in Singapore, Israel, and most of the US, the industry has been hindered by scaling issues and political scrutiny.

It’ll likely take years for cultivated meat to make a meaningful impact on the wider agriculture industry, and when Meatly’s product hits the shelves it probably won’t come cheap. Would you be more inclined to pay a premium knowing the company says its final lab-grown chicken product is “free from GMOs”?

Read More 

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

Sam Altman’s $27 million San Francisco luxury abode is apparently plagued with issues, ranging from a leaky infinity pool to faulty piping that dumped raw sewage on the property. That’s according to a lawsuit that The San Francisco Standard linked to the OpenAI CEO’s residence, which claims Altman purchased a “lemon” with “pervasive shoddy workmanship and corner-cutting.”
The 9,500-square-foot estate is situated on San Francisco’s iconic Lombard Street, where it overlooks the city and the bay. As you can see in this walkthrough of the home, some of its key features include a four-sided infinity pool that hangs off the edge of the house, a “Batcave” leading into a garage, as well as a system that uses recycled rainwater to irrigate an expansive garden and flush toilets inside the house.

But the $27 million mansion might not be all it’s cracked up to be. In a lawsuit filed last week in a San Francisco court, Altman’s legal team claims the real estate developer Troon Pacific “misrepresented the condition of the Property as of the highest quality” to sell it “as quickly as possible.” The plaintiff also accuses the developer of failing to hire qualified contractors, some of whom allegedly “retaliated” by “filling drainage and sewer pipes with contractor bags and debris” over claims they weren’t paid on time.
That “shoddy” workmanship has led to the pool leaking a “flood of water” into the home’s lower level last August, causing “the gypsum ceiling in that area to fail” and “the widespread presence of mold,” as claimed in the lawsuit. Altman’s legal team estimates the cost to repair the pool would be upwards of $4 million, and that’s not counting the “unconnected bathroom sewer line that dumped raw sewage on the ground,” “numerous leaking irrigation lines,” the “water intrusion at skylights,” among other issues.
Altman isn’t the only person to have taken issue with Troon Pacific’s work. In May, the developer was ordered to pay $50 million back to investors who funded a home renovation project in San Francisco that was never finished, all while the company allegedly pocketed millions.
For now, Altman might be stuck dealing with some inconveniences around the house while the lawsuit runs its course. But maybe he can ask ChatGPT for help fixing some of its issues — or, better yet, give him suggestions on how to find a new place.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

Sam Altman’s $27 million San Francisco luxury abode is apparently plagued with issues, ranging from a leaky infinity pool to faulty piping that dumped raw sewage on the property. That’s according to a lawsuit that The San Francisco Standard linked to the OpenAI CEO’s residence, which claims Altman purchased a “lemon” with “pervasive shoddy workmanship and corner-cutting.”

The 9,500-square-foot estate is situated on San Francisco’s iconic Lombard Street, where it overlooks the city and the bay. As you can see in this walkthrough of the home, some of its key features include a four-sided infinity pool that hangs off the edge of the house, a “Batcave” leading into a garage, as well as a system that uses recycled rainwater to irrigate an expansive garden and flush toilets inside the house.

But the $27 million mansion might not be all it’s cracked up to be. In a lawsuit filed last week in a San Francisco court, Altman’s legal team claims the real estate developer Troon Pacific “misrepresented the condition of the Property as of the highest quality” to sell it “as quickly as possible.” The plaintiff also accuses the developer of failing to hire qualified contractors, some of whom allegedly “retaliated” by “filling drainage and sewer pipes with contractor bags and debris” over claims they weren’t paid on time.

That “shoddy” workmanship has led to the pool leaking a “flood of water” into the home’s lower level last August, causing “the gypsum ceiling in that area to fail” and “the widespread presence of mold,” as claimed in the lawsuit. Altman’s legal team estimates the cost to repair the pool would be upwards of $4 million, and that’s not counting the “unconnected bathroom sewer line that dumped raw sewage on the ground,” “numerous leaking irrigation lines,” the “water intrusion at skylights,” among other issues.

Altman isn’t the only person to have taken issue with Troon Pacific’s work. In May, the developer was ordered to pay $50 million back to investors who funded a home renovation project in San Francisco that was never finished, all while the company allegedly pocketed millions.

For now, Altman might be stuck dealing with some inconveniences around the house while the lawsuit runs its course. But maybe he can ask ChatGPT for help fixing some of its issues — or, better yet, give him suggestions on how to find a new place.

Read More 

Image: Home Depot

Five years ago, Home Depot stumbled upon a viral hit with a 12-foot-tall skeleton nicknamed Skelly. The towering Halloween decoration can be seen year-round in some neighborhoods, has been featured in countless memes and TikToks, and remains a hot ticket — it went back on sale in April and promptly sold out. Now the company is bringing back a slightly refreshed version of the skeleton as part of a huge lineup of Halloween creatures packed with LEDs and animatronics, as it looks to keep its undead hit alive.
Skelly remains the centerpiece. The skeleton is going back on sale with a slight tweak: now those creepy LED eyes are customizable, with eight different presets so you can keep Skelly in style for multiple holidays. One of the options gives him heart eyes, for example, ideal for Valentine’s Day. If you have the older version, you can buy the new eye kit for $29.98, which means that Skelly is now modular. Home Depot will also be selling a limited-edition “servo Skelly” that’s animated by motors. It costs $379, compared to $299 for the base model, and will only be available online.

Image: Home Depot
Look into Skelly’s eyes.

LEDs and servo motors are plentiful through the rest of the lineup, as Home Depot seems to be trying to top itself through sheer excess. There’s a 12-foot-tall animated grim reaper that appears to float, a 6.5-foot gravedigger and 7-foot-tall pirate with servo-controlled eyes that dart about, and a wolf that can snarl at unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. Home Depot has also expanded its licensing efforts with a 3.5-foot-tall Chucky doll that can smile with the right level of deranged glee and 7-foot Frankenstein’s monster modeled after the Universal Pictures version.
The full collection includes a lot more than I’ve mentioned, and you can check out more details right here. Home Depot says that products will be in-store by Labor Day, but “many” will be available online starting bright and early on July 18th. (They’re expected to be available to purchase around 5–6AM ET.)

If nothing else, this lineup of products is an example of how hit-driven every industry has become. The big box store where you buy hammers and 4-by-4s is now just as known for Halloween, all thanks to a giant skeleton, which became such a cultural touchstone that the Home Depot has gone all-in on the holiday. This year’s lineup is not only large but was revealed to press both through an online presentation and an in-person event in the village of Sleepy Hollow in New York. Like most sequels, the goal seems to be bigger is better — though it’ll be hard to top the charming simplicity of one big-ass skeleton.

Image: Home Depot

Five years ago, Home Depot stumbled upon a viral hit with a 12-foot-tall skeleton nicknamed Skelly. The towering Halloween decoration can be seen year-round in some neighborhoods, has been featured in countless memes and TikToks, and remains a hot ticket — it went back on sale in April and promptly sold out. Now the company is bringing back a slightly refreshed version of the skeleton as part of a huge lineup of Halloween creatures packed with LEDs and animatronics, as it looks to keep its undead hit alive.

Skelly remains the centerpiece. The skeleton is going back on sale with a slight tweak: now those creepy LED eyes are customizable, with eight different presets so you can keep Skelly in style for multiple holidays. One of the options gives him heart eyes, for example, ideal for Valentine’s Day. If you have the older version, you can buy the new eye kit for $29.98, which means that Skelly is now modular. Home Depot will also be selling a limited-edition “servo Skelly” that’s animated by motors. It costs $379, compared to $299 for the base model, and will only be available online.

LEDs and servo motors are plentiful through the rest of the lineup, as Home Depot seems to be trying to top itself through sheer excess. There’s a 12-foot-tall animated grim reaper that appears to float, a 6.5-foot gravedigger and 7-foot-tall pirate with servo-controlled eyes that dart about, and a wolf that can snarl at unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. Home Depot has also expanded its licensing efforts with a 3.5-foot-tall Chucky doll that can smile with the right level of deranged glee and 7-foot Frankenstein’s monster modeled after the Universal Pictures version.

The full collection includes a lot more than I’ve mentioned, and you can check out more details right here. Home Depot says that products will be in-store by Labor Day, but “many” will be available online starting bright and early on July 18th. (They’re expected to be available to purchase around 5–6AM ET.)

If nothing else, this lineup of products is an example of how hit-driven every industry has become. The big box store where you buy hammers and 4-by-4s is now just as known for Halloween, all thanks to a giant skeleton, which became such a cultural touchstone that the Home Depot has gone all-in on the holiday. This year’s lineup is not only large but was revealed to press both through an online presentation and an in-person event in the village of Sleepy Hollow in New York. Like most sequels, the goal seems to be bigger is better — though it’ll be hard to top the charming simplicity of one big-ass skeleton.

Read More 

Nintendo

On a random Wednesday in July, Nintendo asked “#WhoIsEmio?” and accompanied the question with a cryptic and creepy 15-second teaser. Now, with an official announcement and a new listing on the Nintendo eShop, we know.
Emio, known as Smiling Man in the Japanese version, is not a new horror project but, rather, the latest entry in Nintendo’s Famicom Detective Club series. In it, you’ll play as — what else? — a detective tasked with solving the gruesome murder of a student who was found with a paper bag with a smiling face over his head. Contrary to the rumors that suggested The Medium studio Bloober Team was the game’s developer, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club was actually developed internally at Nintendo with Metroid producer Yoshio Sakamoto leading the project. Nintendo posted a short video featuring Sakamoto sharing more details about the game.
Emio — The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is the first new game in the series in 30 years. In 2021, Nintendo released remakes of the first two Detective Club games, The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind which first debuted in the late ‘80s.
Though Emio wasn’t featured during the Nintendo Direct back in June, the game will join Nintendo’s holiday release schedule, launching on August 29th.

Nintendo

On a random Wednesday in July, Nintendo asked “#WhoIsEmio?” and accompanied the question with a cryptic and creepy 15-second teaser. Now, with an official announcement and a new listing on the Nintendo eShop, we know.

Emio, known as Smiling Man in the Japanese version, is not a new horror project but, rather, the latest entry in Nintendo’s Famicom Detective Club series. In it, you’ll play as — what else? — a detective tasked with solving the gruesome murder of a student who was found with a paper bag with a smiling face over his head. Contrary to the rumors that suggested The Medium studio Bloober Team was the game’s developer, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club was actually developed internally at Nintendo with Metroid producer Yoshio Sakamoto leading the project. Nintendo posted a short video featuring Sakamoto sharing more details about the game.

Emio — The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is the first new game in the series in 30 years. In 2021, Nintendo released remakes of the first two Detective Club games, The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind which first debuted in the late ‘80s.

Though Emio wasn’t featured during the Nintendo Direct back in June, the game will join Nintendo’s holiday release schedule, launching on August 29th.

Read More 

Image: Hello Games

The developers of No Man’s Sky have announced their next update, which is dubbed Worlds Part I. According to Hello Games founder Sean Murray, this update will be one of the game’s prettiest yet, literally changing the way players see the universe. “In No Man’s Sky, what you see on screen is generated by the computer,” Murray wrote. “The level of variety we are achieving is far beyond what was possible before.”
The update is largely graphical, adding a host of new weather and terrain features designed to make planets feel even more real. Water will produce waves and reflections, waves will now respond to different weather phenomena, and the game will finally let ships land directly on the water. Worlds Part I will add new atmospheric conditions as well. Lava flows will belch sparks into the air while fog, blizzards, rain, and clouds make the procedurally generated locations feel more like living planets.

According to Murray, creating realistic clouds presented a unique challenge to the team. With the Worlds Part I update, new cloud technology — no, not that kind — will introduce even more variety to planets. He also shared that the update will have a Starship Troopers vibe featuring a new mech players are going to need to fight off enemies.
Murray wrote about how new technology and work on Hello Games’ next project, Light No Fire, has allowed the team to go back and work on No Man’s Sky. “Over the last five years making the game, we’ve learnt new things, and we’re feeding that back into No Man’s Sky,” Murray said.
The update is available today, but with a name like World’s Part I, you can naturally be sure that a part two won’t be far behind.

Image: Hello Games

The developers of No Man’s Sky have announced their next update, which is dubbed Worlds Part I. According to Hello Games founder Sean Murray, this update will be one of the game’s prettiest yet, literally changing the way players see the universe. “In No Man’s Sky, what you see on screen is generated by the computer,” Murray wrote. “The level of variety we are achieving is far beyond what was possible before.”

The update is largely graphical, adding a host of new weather and terrain features designed to make planets feel even more real. Water will produce waves and reflections, waves will now respond to different weather phenomena, and the game will finally let ships land directly on the water. Worlds Part I will add new atmospheric conditions as well. Lava flows will belch sparks into the air while fog, blizzards, rain, and clouds make the procedurally generated locations feel more like living planets.

According to Murray, creating realistic clouds presented a unique challenge to the team. With the Worlds Part I update, new cloud technology — no, not that kind — will introduce even more variety to planets. He also shared that the update will have a Starship Troopers vibe featuring a new mech players are going to need to fight off enemies.

Murray wrote about how new technology and work on Hello Games’ next project, Light No Fire, has allowed the team to go back and work on No Man’s Sky. “Over the last five years making the game, we’ve learnt new things, and we’re feeding that back into No Man’s Sky,” Murray said.

The update is available today, but with a name like World’s Part I, you can naturally be sure that a part two won’t be far behind.

Read More 

Image: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks are teaming up to install fast electric vehicle chargers at 100 coffee-slinging locations on Interstate 5, which runs along the West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
The new stations will be part of the German automaker’s $1 billion plan to build 2,000 new EV charging hubs across the globe. Its first station, complete with a swanky waiting area and 400kW charging speeds courtesy of ChargePoint, opened in Atlanta last year.
Now it looks like Mercedes is ready to embark on the next phase of its installations, with a primary focus on Starbucks locations along I-5. The two companies said in the announcement that they “share an ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas, charging deserts, and other critical travel corridors.”
The two companies said they “share an ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets”
Starbucks isn’t contributing to the costs of installation, just providing the space in its parking lots for the charging stalls and other equipment. And importantly, Mercedes isn’t shouldering the whole cost of the $1 billion project itself; 50 percent will be covered by MN8 Energy, an offshoot of Goldman Sachs Asset Management focused on solar power and energy storage.
The announcement comes at a time when most automakers are reconsidering some of their big EV plans in light of slower growth than initially expected. Mercedes said it would continue to sell gas-powered vehicles after 2030, after originally stating it would only sell EVs.
One of the main challenges to opening new charging stations is finding a willing real estate partner who can make room for all the needed equipment to enable DC fasting charging. In addition to plugs and charging stalls, most DC fast chargers also require space for other electronics, like transformers and load centers, which are stored on-site in weather-proof metal cabinets. Some of it can be large and cumbersome, and the charging provider needs plenty of space to make it feasible.
One of the main challenges to opening new charging stations is finding a willing real estate partner
Charging an EV is much different from refueling a gas car. Whereas it can take less than five minutes to refill a gas tank, it can take up to an hour to recharge an EV battery, depending on the energy output of the charger and the size of the EV battery.
That’s why Mercedes is siting its chargers at Starbucks. It’s a tacit acknowledgment that EV owners would rather have a latte and relax in a coffee shop than sit in their cars while they wait for their batteries to replenish.
Other automakers have had similar ideas. Volkswagen, which owns the EV charging company Electrify America, installs many of its chargers in big box store parking lots, like Walmart and Target. And in 2018, Tesla submitted plans to build a massive 62-stall Supercharger station in Santa Monica that features a restaurant and movie theater. (As of 2024, the site has yet to break ground.)
Mercedes isn’t the only automaker to seek out Starbucks as an EV charging partner. In 2022, the coffee giant teamed up with Volvo to announce the installation of 15 stations along highways that connect Seattle and Denver.

Image: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks are teaming up to install fast electric vehicle chargers at 100 coffee-slinging locations on Interstate 5, which runs along the West Coast from Canada to Mexico.

The new stations will be part of the German automaker’s $1 billion plan to build 2,000 new EV charging hubs across the globe. Its first station, complete with a swanky waiting area and 400kW charging speeds courtesy of ChargePoint, opened in Atlanta last year.

Now it looks like Mercedes is ready to embark on the next phase of its installations, with a primary focus on Starbucks locations along I-5. The two companies said in the announcement that they “share an ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas, charging deserts, and other critical travel corridors.”

Starbucks isn’t contributing to the costs of installation, just providing the space in its parking lots for the charging stalls and other equipment. And importantly, Mercedes isn’t shouldering the whole cost of the $1 billion project itself; 50 percent will be covered by MN8 Energy, an offshoot of Goldman Sachs Asset Management focused on solar power and energy storage.

The announcement comes at a time when most automakers are reconsidering some of their big EV plans in light of slower growth than initially expected. Mercedes said it would continue to sell gas-powered vehicles after 2030, after originally stating it would only sell EVs.

One of the main challenges to opening new charging stations is finding a willing real estate partner who can make room for all the needed equipment to enable DC fasting charging. In addition to plugs and charging stalls, most DC fast chargers also require space for other electronics, like transformers and load centers, which are stored on-site in weather-proof metal cabinets. Some of it can be large and cumbersome, and the charging provider needs plenty of space to make it feasible.

Charging an EV is much different from refueling a gas car. Whereas it can take less than five minutes to refill a gas tank, it can take up to an hour to recharge an EV battery, depending on the energy output of the charger and the size of the EV battery.

That’s why Mercedes is siting its chargers at Starbucks. It’s a tacit acknowledgment that EV owners would rather have a latte and relax in a coffee shop than sit in their cars while they wait for their batteries to replenish.

Other automakers have had similar ideas. Volkswagen, which owns the EV charging company Electrify America, installs many of its chargers in big box store parking lots, like Walmart and Target. And in 2018, Tesla submitted plans to build a massive 62-stall Supercharger station in Santa Monica that features a restaurant and movie theater. (As of 2024, the site has yet to break ground.)

Mercedes isn’t the only automaker to seek out Starbucks as an EV charging partner. In 2022, the coffee giant teamed up with Volvo to announce the installation of 15 stations along highways that connect Seattle and Denver.

Read More 

Steel in a scrapyard to be recycled into new steel.  | Photo by Roger Ball/Worldsteel via Getty Images

The Biden administration announced $160 million in grants to projects meant to measure the climate impact of new-fangled construction materials. The grants cover a spectrum of potential alternatives from hemp-based products to bamboo, recycled steel, and more.
Scientists and startups have proposed all sorts of new ways to cut down carbon dioxide emissions from building materials that have become a big climate problem. But it’s hard to suss out how effective proposed solutions are without metrics in place to compare products. There’s also potential for greenwashing, when companies make sustainability claims that they can’t back up with evidence.
The grants cover a spectrum of potential alternatives from hemp-based products to bamboo, recycled steel, and more
That’s where the Environmental Protection Agency plans to step in with the funding allocated through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The $160 million will largely go toward helping businesses develop “high-quality environmental product declarations” (EPDs) that estimate the impact a product will have over its lifetime. The hope is that more standardized reporting will allow climate-conscious buyers, including the federal government, to compare different products and make more informed purchases.
“This funding will create markets for American manufacturers making cleaner materials and help companies better understand and communicate the environmental impacts of their products,” Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) said in a press release Tuesday.
There are 38 grant recipients, including individual companies, universities, and trade groups representing cement, glass, wood, and other industries. The nonprofit Hemp Building Institute, for instance, was awarded nearly $6.2 million to develop environmental assessments for materials made from hemp, soy, and other crops. That includes “hempcrete” made from hemp that can replace traditional concrete and insulation. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was awarded nearly $1 million to put together an “academic hub” and annual workshops focused on reusing steel.

This mushroom brick could replace concrete

Construction materials are responsible for around 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. For comparison, that’s as much as 7 times more climate pollution than aviation produces each year. Pollution from concrete and steel, in particular, is notoriously difficult to eliminate. Concrete is the most widely used substance in the world after water. Producing cement and steel also requires high temperatures typically reached by burning fossil fuels, while cement creates additional CO2 through a chemical reaction in the manufacturing process. That makes it all the more important to reuse materials and find alternatives where possible.

Steel in a scrapyard to be recycled into new steel.  | Photo by Roger Ball/Worldsteel via Getty Images

The Biden administration announced $160 million in grants to projects meant to measure the climate impact of new-fangled construction materials. The grants cover a spectrum of potential alternatives from hemp-based products to bamboo, recycled steel, and more.

Scientists and startups have proposed all sorts of new ways to cut down carbon dioxide emissions from building materials that have become a big climate problem. But it’s hard to suss out how effective proposed solutions are without metrics in place to compare products. There’s also potential for greenwashing, when companies make sustainability claims that they can’t back up with evidence.

That’s where the Environmental Protection Agency plans to step in with the funding allocated through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The $160 million will largely go toward helping businesses develop “high-quality environmental product declarations” (EPDs) that estimate the impact a product will have over its lifetime. The hope is that more standardized reporting will allow climate-conscious buyers, including the federal government, to compare different products and make more informed purchases.

“This funding will create markets for American manufacturers making cleaner materials and help companies better understand and communicate the environmental impacts of their products,” Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) said in a press release Tuesday.

There are 38 grant recipients, including individual companies, universities, and trade groups representing cement, glass, wood, and other industries. The nonprofit Hemp Building Institute, for instance, was awarded nearly $6.2 million to develop environmental assessments for materials made from hemp, soy, and other crops. That includes “hempcrete” made from hemp that can replace traditional concrete and insulation. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was awarded nearly $1 million to put together an “academic hub” and annual workshops focused on reusing steel.

Construction materials are responsible for around 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. For comparison, that’s as much as 7 times more climate pollution than aviation produces each year. Pollution from concrete and steel, in particular, is notoriously difficult to eliminate. Concrete is the most widely used substance in the world after water. Producing cement and steel also requires high temperatures typically reached by burning fossil fuels, while cement creates additional CO2 through a chemical reaction in the manufacturing process. That makes it all the more important to reuse materials and find alternatives where possible.

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Image: Nintendo

There are few things I know better than Super Mario Bros. 3. Over the last few decades, I’ve replayed the game across basically every Nintendo platform, exploring its levels over and over, searching out each and every secret. But there’s one thing I never paid attention to: the timer. I’ve always taken a slow, methodical approach to the game, ignoring the tiny countdown clock. That changed with Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, a collection of NES classics that have been chopped into pieces in the interest of pure speed. It showed me a new side to games I thought I knew intimately.
Named after Nintendo’s occasional in-person esports competition, the collection takes 13 of the company’s most iconic titles and divides them into more than 150 different challenges. Instead of playing through a game in its entirety, though, you’re experiencing brief moments, with the aim of completing them as quickly as possible. It’s speedrunning for beginners. And it turns familiar games into something faster and more compulsive.

It starts simple. The initial challenge I played in the solo mode involved getting the mushroom in the first level of the original Super Mario Bros. After that, I was swallowing an enemy as Kirby, running to the first ladder in Donkey Kong, and collecting the morph ball in Metroid. The earliest pieces are like a tutorial for the basics of how to play each game. Most only last a few seconds. You can even watch a short playthrough video before jumping in, so you know exactly what the goal is.

Image: Nintendo

Completing a level gets you a score based on your speed as well as some in-game currency you can use to unlock more challenges. It’s a pretty steady progression: you start out doing the very basics, before moving on to completing whole levels or defeating bosses. Eventually, things get really hard. And the structure is pretty open, so you can tackle games in the given order or jump around as you see fit. I found myself initially sticking to old favorites like Metroid and Mario before braving the clunkier titles like Balloon Fight or Ice Climber.
But even when doing challenges for a game I’ve already played many times before, I’ve found myself playing them differently, which is sort of obvious since the goal here is entirely speed, but I was surprised by how quickly I became really competitive — even with myself. When playing solo, the screen is divided into two: on the left is your current playthrough, and on the right, a recording of your current fastest time. I’m typically not much of a perfectionist, but I’ve been playing challenges repeatedly just to shave a few tenths of a second off my time and get the coveted S rating. Part of this is because everything is so immediate; it only takes a second to restart a challenge and go again.
For games like Super Mario Bros. 3, this has forced me to abandon old habits. There’s no point wasting time collecting unnecessary power-ups or defeating enemies. Instead, I have to find the cleanest line through a level, which usually means avoiding almost everything and making sure I nail my jumps. Meanwhile, the repetition helped me appreciate other games I previously didn’t have much patience for.
I have always struggled with the twitchy sword fighting in The Adventure of Link, for example, so the challenges around combat were intimidating. But much like beating your head against a wall with an Elden Ring boss, I found myself slowly learning how and when to attack, and I actually got better at the game. The collection hasn’t changed my mind about everything, though. In fact, I might hate Balloon Fight even more after attempting some of the “master” challenges.

Image: Nintendo

This structure makes for a great party experience. You can play with up to eight people locally, and things get chaotic, with the screen showing everyone’s gameplay simultaneously. This introduces the added difficulty of paying attention to only your playthrough amid everything else happening onscreen, not to mention the inevitable yelling happening IRL. There’s also an online component. In the one mode I was able to test, five challenges will be available each week, and you can replay them as many times as you want to claim a place on the leaderboards. I haven’t found this mode as fun as playing solo or with people in person, but it will be eye-opening seeing how good some players are.
As much as I have enjoyed playing the part of a speedrunner, the collection is probably best paired with an actual NES or a subscription to Switch Online and its retro games. It has given me a strong urge to replay many of these classics by instilling in me a new sense of confidence: now, I might finally be able to beat The Adventure of Link and its skeleton knights, or Super Mario Bros.’ devious sequel with its poison mushrooms. More than anything, though, I’m excited to have a new excuse to play through Super Mario Bros. 3 again — with one eye on the timer.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition launches on July 18th on the Nintendo Switch.

Image: Nintendo

There are few things I know better than Super Mario Bros. 3. Over the last few decades, I’ve replayed the game across basically every Nintendo platform, exploring its levels over and over, searching out each and every secret. But there’s one thing I never paid attention to: the timer. I’ve always taken a slow, methodical approach to the game, ignoring the tiny countdown clock. That changed with Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, a collection of NES classics that have been chopped into pieces in the interest of pure speed. It showed me a new side to games I thought I knew intimately.

Named after Nintendo’s occasional in-person esports competition, the collection takes 13 of the company’s most iconic titles and divides them into more than 150 different challenges. Instead of playing through a game in its entirety, though, you’re experiencing brief moments, with the aim of completing them as quickly as possible. It’s speedrunning for beginners. And it turns familiar games into something faster and more compulsive.

It starts simple. The initial challenge I played in the solo mode involved getting the mushroom in the first level of the original Super Mario Bros. After that, I was swallowing an enemy as Kirby, running to the first ladder in Donkey Kong, and collecting the morph ball in Metroid. The earliest pieces are like a tutorial for the basics of how to play each game. Most only last a few seconds. You can even watch a short playthrough video before jumping in, so you know exactly what the goal is.

Completing a level gets you a score based on your speed as well as some in-game currency you can use to unlock more challenges. It’s a pretty steady progression: you start out doing the very basics, before moving on to completing whole levels or defeating bosses. Eventually, things get really hard. And the structure is pretty open, so you can tackle games in the given order or jump around as you see fit. I found myself initially sticking to old favorites like Metroid and Mario before braving the clunkier titles like Balloon Fight or Ice Climber.

But even when doing challenges for a game I’ve already played many times before, I’ve found myself playing them differently, which is sort of obvious since the goal here is entirely speed, but I was surprised by how quickly I became really competitive — even with myself. When playing solo, the screen is divided into two: on the left is your current playthrough, and on the right, a recording of your current fastest time. I’m typically not much of a perfectionist, but I’ve been playing challenges repeatedly just to shave a few tenths of a second off my time and get the coveted S rating. Part of this is because everything is so immediate; it only takes a second to restart a challenge and go again.

For games like Super Mario Bros. 3, this has forced me to abandon old habits. There’s no point wasting time collecting unnecessary power-ups or defeating enemies. Instead, I have to find the cleanest line through a level, which usually means avoiding almost everything and making sure I nail my jumps. Meanwhile, the repetition helped me appreciate other games I previously didn’t have much patience for.

I have always struggled with the twitchy sword fighting in The Adventure of Link, for example, so the challenges around combat were intimidating. But much like beating your head against a wall with an Elden Ring boss, I found myself slowly learning how and when to attack, and I actually got better at the game. The collection hasn’t changed my mind about everything, though. In fact, I might hate Balloon Fight even more after attempting some of the “master” challenges.

This structure makes for a great party experience. You can play with up to eight people locally, and things get chaotic, with the screen showing everyone’s gameplay simultaneously. This introduces the added difficulty of paying attention to only your playthrough amid everything else happening onscreen, not to mention the inevitable yelling happening IRL. There’s also an online component. In the one mode I was able to test, five challenges will be available each week, and you can replay them as many times as you want to claim a place on the leaderboards. I haven’t found this mode as fun as playing solo or with people in person, but it will be eye-opening seeing how good some players are.

As much as I have enjoyed playing the part of a speedrunner, the collection is probably best paired with an actual NES or a subscription to Switch Online and its retro games. It has given me a strong urge to replay many of these classics by instilling in me a new sense of confidence: now, I might finally be able to beat The Adventure of Link and its skeleton knights, or Super Mario Bros.’ devious sequel with its poison mushrooms. More than anything, though, I’m excited to have a new excuse to play through Super Mario Bros. 3 again — with one eye on the timer.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition launches on July 18th on the Nintendo Switch.

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Image: Shira Inbar for The Verge

Amazon’s annual sales might be entering its final day, but there are still plenty of earbuds, TVs, robot vacuums, and other gems to go around. We won’t sugarcoat it: most Prime Day deals aren’t all that exciting. Amazon has a knack for running perpetual sales and advertising deep discounts, some of which aren’t all that different than what you might see throughout the rest of the year. The good news is that there are still plenty of gadgets and gizmos worth shelling out for, the bulk of which we expect to stick around until midnight tonight (fingers crossed).

Below, you’ll find the very best deals spotted by The Verge’s crack team of curators. There are smart home gadgets aplenty, gaming gear galore, and a whole lot more — including headphones, smartwatches, and a surplus of home theater equipment. We’re even seeing new low prices on some of the other fun favorites our staffers like, from oceanic board games to electric kettles. You can find all of that and more in our comprehensive Prime Day guide.
Don’t forget to sign up for a Prime subscription if you aren’t already a member. It’s a requirement to access Prime-specific deals. You can get a free 30-day trial if you’ve never signed up, which is more than enough time to shop the sale and take advantage of the membership’s deep bucket of benefits. Just watch out for that pesky auto-renewal.

Prime Day deals spotlight

The best Prime Day deals on headphones and earbuds

The Beats Studio Pro are down to $169.95 (a massive $180 off) at Amazon. The noise-canceling headphones may have a slightly outdated look (they look like many prior sets of Beats), but they’re an excellent value if you want flexibility across Android and iOS. Read our review.
The Beats Studio Buds are still a serviceable pair of noise-canceling earbuds even if they’re a few years old since they’re just $79.95 ($70 off) at Amazon. Just keep in mind that the newer Studio Buds Plus have a variety of improvements and an even more fun seethrough design for $129.95 ($40 off).

Google’s Pixel Buds A-Series are selling for their usual all-time low of $69 ($30 off) at Amazon. They’re a little long in the tooth for a midrange pair of wireless earbuds, but they remain a great low-cost option for Pixel phone owners. Read our review.
Amazon is selling the Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation with a wired charging case for $34.99 ($85 off) or a wireless charging case for $44.99 ($95 off). It’s hard to beat the value of these ANC buds, even if other models have better noise cancellation. Read our review.

The donut-shaped Sony LinkBuds are selling for $128 ($50 off) at Amazon, matching the best price we’ve seen on the open-style earbuds. Their unique design offers a comfy fit that allows outside noise in, helping keep you aware of your surroundings. Read our review.
If you don’t need a cutting-edge pair of headphones, it’s hard to deny how good Sony’s WH-1000XM4 still sound, especially when you can grab them at Amazon for $198 ($150 off). Plus, unlike the newer XM5 that has usurped them, the older XM4 fold down for more convenient storage and travel. Read our review.
Are you on a tighter budget but still want some noise-canceling headphones? Check out the Sony WH-CH720N, which are selling for $88 (about $61 off) at Amazon. They’re not as fancy as the pricier XM models, but they have up to 35 hours of battery life and weigh just 192 grams.

The best Prime Day deals on smart speakers and smart displays

Amazon is selling its new Echo Spot for $44.99 ($35 off), exclusively for Prime members. The semicircular smart display supports customizable clock faces and Alexa, allowing you to set your alarm and pull up the weather with your voice.
The fourth-gen Echo is on sale at Amazon for $54.99 ($45 off). The Prime-exclusive deal takes $35 off the spherical smart speaker, which can be easily used to control smart home features via Alexa or double as a Wi-Fi extender for Eero mesh systems. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on tablets and e-readers

Apple’s latest iPad Mini is on sale at Amazon starting at $379.99 ($120 off) in its base configuration with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage. The Mini was redesigned back in 2021 with a USB-C port and A15 Bionic processor, and it remains the go-to option if you want a smaller tablet from Apple. Read our review.

Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite Kids is selling for $149.99 ($20 off) at Amazon right now. The kid-friendly editions are often the low-key best value for a Kindle when they go on sale, especially since this incarnation of the 6.8-inch e-reader doesn’t have ads and includes a case and an extended warranty. Just keep the parental lock features turned off if you plan on using it. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on TVs and streaming devices

The best Prime Day deals on phones

The Samsung A35 5G is $299.99 ($100 off) at Amazon. It’s got surprisingly good specs for a budget-friendly phone, including IP67 water and dust resistance usually reserved for much pricier handsets. Read our buying guide.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 FE is $449.99 ($150 off) at Amazon, which is a good deal for the colorful midrange phone (though it was $50 cheaper last holiday season). The S23 FE is one of Samsung’s rehashed “FE” models, meaning it has the processor of the older S22 flagship but at a lower price. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on laptops and computer accessories

If you need a basic, no-frills way to elevate your laptop to eye level, then this Nulaxy laptop stand is likely to get the job done. It’s on sale for just $13.86 ($8 off) when you click the on-page coupon at Amazon.
The Ugreen USB 3.0 Switcher, which allows you to share four USB ports across two computers, is down to $33.11 (about $13 off) with a coupon at Amazon. It’s particularly handy if you work from home and want to use the same accessories for work and personal computers.

Logitech’s Litra Glow is on sale for $45.11 (about $15 off) at Amazon. The compact streaming light has controllable brightness and a simple foot for mounting atop a laptop or monitor.
Sometimes you just need a high-quality extension cord with a low profile, three outlets, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. This five-foot cord from Tessan does all that and is currently just $15.19 (nearly $8 off) at Amazon. While it’s not the most powerful extension cord, it’s handy for road trips and bridging the gap in rooms where you don’t have enough outlets.

The best Prime Day deals on smart home tech

Ring’s Wired Doorbell Pro (formerly known as the Video Doorbell Pro 2) is selling for $149.99 ($70 off) at Amazon for Prime subscribers. This model may be a few years old, but it has excellent 1536 x 1536-resolution square video with HDR to show your whole porch. If your house has the wiring, it remains one of the fastest-responding video doorbells you can get. Read our review.

Amazon is selling its newer Ring Battery Doorbell Plus for $99.99 ($50 off) for Prime members. This is our top pick for battery-powered video doorbells thanks to its speedy response time and square head-to-toe view (1536 x 1536 resolution), which can also be found on the Pro models. Read our buying guide.

Amazon’s Smart Air Quality Monitor is down to $46.99 ($23 off) at Amazon for Prime subscribers. The compact monitor can give you voice alerts when air quality is low and trigger Alexa Routines to turn on a compatible purifier, dehumidifier, or fan. Read our review.
The Withings Body Smart scale offers a unique approach to weigh-ins, allowing you to focus less on the number and more on how you’re trending with gentle emoji. It’s available at Amazon for $75.95 ($24 off) in either black or white. Read our review.

A four-pack of Matter-compatible Kasa smart plugs are $35.94 ($34 off) at Amazon after clicking the on-page coupon. Since these are certified for use with Matter, they are interoperable with Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home ecosystems, allowing you to control various non-smart appliances around your house with whichever compatible app you choose.
Amazon is selling the Google Nest Wifi Pro mesh router as a single unit for $149.98 ($50 off), a two-pack for $219.99 ($80 off), or a three-pack for $284.99 ($115 off). They’re easy to set up with the Google Home app and include support for Wi-Fi 6E — which is still great unless you want to be at the cutting edge with Wi-Fi 7. Read our review.
The Level Lock Plus is selling for $250.04 (about $79 off) at Amazon. Its simple, unbranded styling makes it one of the best-looking smart locks you can buy, and it is very simple to install. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on robot vacuums

The best Prime Day deals on smartwatches and fitness trackers

Polar’s H10 heart rate monitor chest strap is a great smartwatch alternative that’s actually more accurate and works for anyone with tattoos on their wrists. It’s selling for $84.95 (about $15 off) at Amazon.
The Amazfit Band 7 is on sale for $41.99 ($8 off) at Amazon. It’s not a huge discount, but these inexpensive fitness bands are a rare breed these days. The Band 7 is comfortable on the wrist and offers two weeks of battery on a single charge (with an always-on OLED display). Read our review.

The best Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals

It’s hard to beat the JBL Clip 4 in handiness and affordability, especially since the travel-friendly lock-shaped Bluetooth speaker is going for $48.30 ($31 off) at Amazon. The compact, water-resistant speaker sounds good for its size, and its built-in carabiner allows it to clip to all kinds of bags and straps. Read our buying guide.
The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a low-key fave of some of us here at The Verge, offering a 10W Bluetooth speaker that can get quite loud and easily attach to a bike’s handlebars or a hiking backpack. It’s currently available for $42.99 ($27 off) at Amazon after clicking the on-page coupon.

The best Prime Day deals on games and gaming accessories

Amazon is offering the 2TB version of Western Digital’s WD_Black SN850X NVMe SSD for $132.99 ($58 off) and the 4TB version for $246.99 ($453 off). These internal drives are very speedy, with 7,300MBps read speeds / 6,600MBps write speeds, making them a good fit for gaming PCs or a PlayStation 5 (with an added heatsink).

Samsung’s 512GB Pro Plus microSD card is down to $39.99 (about $15 off) at Amazon and can add a ton of storage to a Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, or Nintendo Switch.
Prime members can get an absolutely massive 1.5TB SanDisk Ultra microSD card for $83.59 (about $66 off) at Amazon. That fits, like what, seven Call of Duties?

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon is selling for $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. Last year’s Action Game of the Year is a return to form for FromSoftware, one that resurrects its long-dormant mech combat game with the right mix of nostalgia and Dark Souls-like difficulty.

Final Fantasy XVI is currently matching its all-time low of $28.49 ($31 off) at Amazon. It’s the most grimdark of Final Fantasy games, telling a very cutthroat, Game of Thrones-like story. But the PS5 exclusive also features adorable chocobos. Read our review.
The incredibly charming Super Mario RPG remake for the Nintendo Switch is down to $37.98 ($22 off) at Amazon. The quirky classic is a turn-based RPG originally made by Squaresoft (long before its merger with Enix), offering a unique journey around the Mushroom Kingdom. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on charging accessories

Anker’s 150W 747 GaNPrime USB four-port charger is selling for $59.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, exclusive for Prime members. It’s got three USB-C ports and one USB-A, and 150W is enough to charge even larger laptops or fast-charge multiple smaller devices at once.
The best Prime Day deals on Verge favorites

Catan is selling for $37.49 (around $12 off) at Amazon. The iconic tabletop game of trading and building is one of those games that can easily consume many game nights if it really clicks with your family or friend group. Just try not to argue over sheep too much.

Amazon is selling the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing for $34.99 ($15 off). It’s one of the most iconic crafts in all of Star Wars, and this small 474-piece Lego set is being retired, so get it while you can.
The Glocusent Book Light is a favorite among resident Verge bookworms, and it’s selling for $17.99 ($15 off) at Amazon. The neck-worn light easily illuminates what you’re reading without you having to clamp anything to your book.

The DJI Mini 3 is on sale at Amazon with a DJI RC controller for $429.99 ($120 off), matching its all-time low. DJI’s last-gen Mini is great for beginners, offering 4K video and great stabilization. Plus, unlike some models, it doesn’t require a permit to take to the skies.
The Solo Stove Bonfire + Stand 2.0 is selling for $241.49 ($103 off) at Amazon. The Bonfire 2.0 makes a great backyard addition for outdoor gatherings, and it also travels well if you want to light up some marshmallows at the beach.
If you’re looking for a basic charger for your car, the iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 is on sale for $39.85 ($10 off) at Amazon. It can wirelessly deliver up to 7.5W of power to iPhones and up to 10W of power to Android phones, and it firmly attaches to most car vents.

Love Letter, a tabletop card game that’s a mainstay in our gift guides, is on sale for just $10.99 ($4 off) at Amazon. This game is the perfect ice breaker at parties, as it’s simple to pick up and play and it gets people casually competing with a fun card-counting mechanic.
The 14-ounce Yeti Rambler can keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold for hours on end, and it’s currently just $19.50 ($10.50 off) at Amazon. It’s the humble, logical alternative to those pricey Ember mugs many of us love so much.

Image: Shira Inbar for The Verge

Amazon’s annual sales might be entering its final day, but there are still plenty of earbuds, TVs, robot vacuums, and other gems to go around.

We won’t sugarcoat it: most Prime Day deals aren’t all that exciting. Amazon has a knack for running perpetual sales and advertising deep discounts, some of which aren’t all that different than what you might see throughout the rest of the year. The good news is that there are still plenty of gadgets and gizmos worth shelling out for, the bulk of which we expect to stick around until midnight tonight (fingers crossed).

Below, you’ll find the very best deals spotted by The Verge’s crack team of curators. There are smart home gadgets aplenty, gaming gear galore, and a whole lot more — including headphones, smartwatches, and a surplus of home theater equipment. We’re even seeing new low prices on some of the other fun favorites our staffers like, from oceanic board games to electric kettles. You can find all of that and more in our comprehensive Prime Day guide.

Don’t forget to sign up for a Prime subscription if you aren’t already a member. It’s a requirement to access Prime-specific deals. You can get a free 30-day trial if you’ve never signed up, which is more than enough time to shop the sale and take advantage of the membership’s deep bucket of benefits. Just watch out for that pesky auto-renewal.

Prime Day deals spotlight

The best Prime Day deals on headphones and earbuds

The Beats Studio Pro are down to $169.95 (a massive $180 off) at Amazon. The noise-canceling headphones may have a slightly outdated look (they look like many prior sets of Beats), but they’re an excellent value if you want flexibility across Android and iOS. Read our review.
The Beats Studio Buds are still a serviceable pair of noise-canceling earbuds even if they’re a few years old since they’re just $79.95 ($70 off) at Amazon. Just keep in mind that the newer Studio Buds Plus have a variety of improvements and an even more fun seethrough design for $129.95 ($40 off).

Google’s Pixel Buds A-Series are selling for their usual all-time low of $69 ($30 off) at Amazon. They’re a little long in the tooth for a midrange pair of wireless earbuds, but they remain a great low-cost option for Pixel phone owners. Read our review.
Amazon is selling the Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation with a wired charging case for $34.99 ($85 off) or a wireless charging case for $44.99 ($95 off). It’s hard to beat the value of these ANC buds, even if other models have better noise cancellation. Read our review.

The donut-shaped Sony LinkBuds are selling for $128 ($50 off) at Amazon, matching the best price we’ve seen on the open-style earbuds. Their unique design offers a comfy fit that allows outside noise in, helping keep you aware of your surroundings. Read our review.
If you don’t need a cutting-edge pair of headphones, it’s hard to deny how good Sony’s WH-1000XM4 still sound, especially when you can grab them at Amazon for $198 ($150 off). Plus, unlike the newer XM5 that has usurped them, the older XM4 fold down for more convenient storage and travel. Read our review.
Are you on a tighter budget but still want some noise-canceling headphones? Check out the Sony WH-CH720N, which are selling for $88 (about $61 off) at Amazon. They’re not as fancy as the pricier XM models, but they have up to 35 hours of battery life and weigh just 192 grams.

The best Prime Day deals on smart speakers and smart displays

Amazon is selling its new Echo Spot for $44.99 ($35 off), exclusively for Prime members. The semicircular smart display supports customizable clock faces and Alexa, allowing you to set your alarm and pull up the weather with your voice.
The fourth-gen Echo is on sale at Amazon for $54.99 ($45 off). The Prime-exclusive deal takes $35 off the spherical smart speaker, which can be easily used to control smart home features via Alexa or double as a Wi-Fi extender for Eero mesh systems. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on tablets and e-readers

Apple’s latest iPad Mini is on sale at Amazon starting at $379.99 ($120 off) in its base configuration with Wi-Fi and 64GB of storage. The Mini was redesigned back in 2021 with a USB-C port and A15 Bionic processor, and it remains the go-to option if you want a smaller tablet from Apple. Read our review.

Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite Kids is selling for $149.99 ($20 off) at Amazon right now. The kid-friendly editions are often the low-key best value for a Kindle when they go on sale, especially since this incarnation of the 6.8-inch e-reader doesn’t have ads and includes a case and an extended warranty. Just keep the parental lock features turned off if you plan on using it. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on TVs and streaming devices

The best Prime Day deals on phones

The Samsung A35 5G is $299.99 ($100 off) at Amazon. It’s got surprisingly good specs for a budget-friendly phone, including IP67 water and dust resistance usually reserved for much pricier handsets. Read our buying guide.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 FE is $449.99 ($150 off) at Amazon, which is a good deal for the colorful midrange phone (though it was $50 cheaper last holiday season). The S23 FE is one of Samsung’s rehashed “FE” models, meaning it has the processor of the older S22 flagship but at a lower price. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on laptops and computer accessories

If you need a basic, no-frills way to elevate your laptop to eye level, then this Nulaxy laptop stand is likely to get the job done. It’s on sale for just $13.86 ($8 off) when you click the on-page coupon at Amazon.
The Ugreen USB 3.0 Switcher, which allows you to share four USB ports across two computers, is down to $33.11 (about $13 off) with a coupon at Amazon. It’s particularly handy if you work from home and want to use the same accessories for work and personal computers.

Logitech’s Litra Glow is on sale for $45.11 (about $15 off) at Amazon. The compact streaming light has controllable brightness and a simple foot for mounting atop a laptop or monitor.
Sometimes you just need a high-quality extension cord with a low profile, three outlets, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. This five-foot cord from Tessan does all that and is currently just $15.19 (nearly $8 off) at Amazon. While it’s not the most powerful extension cord, it’s handy for road trips and bridging the gap in rooms where you don’t have enough outlets.

The best Prime Day deals on smart home tech

Ring’s Wired Doorbell Pro (formerly known as the Video Doorbell Pro 2) is selling for $149.99 ($70 off) at Amazon for Prime subscribers. This model may be a few years old, but it has excellent 1536 x 1536-resolution square video with HDR to show your whole porch. If your house has the wiring, it remains one of the fastest-responding video doorbells you can get. Read our review.

Amazon is selling its newer Ring Battery Doorbell Plus for $99.99 ($50 off) for Prime members. This is our top pick for battery-powered video doorbells thanks to its speedy response time and square head-to-toe view (1536 x 1536 resolution), which can also be found on the Pro models. Read our buying guide.

Amazon’s Smart Air Quality Monitor is down to $46.99 ($23 off) at Amazon for Prime subscribers. The compact monitor can give you voice alerts when air quality is low and trigger Alexa Routines to turn on a compatible purifier, dehumidifier, or fan. Read our review.
The Withings Body Smart scale offers a unique approach to weigh-ins, allowing you to focus less on the number and more on how you’re trending with gentle emoji. It’s available at Amazon for $75.95 ($24 off) in either black or white. Read our review.

A four-pack of Matter-compatible Kasa smart plugs are $35.94 ($34 off) at Amazon after clicking the on-page coupon. Since these are certified for use with Matter, they are interoperable with Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home ecosystems, allowing you to control various non-smart appliances around your house with whichever compatible app you choose.
Amazon is selling the Google Nest Wifi Pro mesh router as a single unit for $149.98 ($50 off), a two-pack for $219.99 ($80 off), or a three-pack for $284.99 ($115 off). They’re easy to set up with the Google Home app and include support for Wi-Fi 6E — which is still great unless you want to be at the cutting edge with Wi-Fi 7. Read our review.
The Level Lock Plus is selling for $250.04 (about $79 off) at Amazon. Its simple, unbranded styling makes it one of the best-looking smart locks you can buy, and it is very simple to install. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on robot vacuums

The best Prime Day deals on smartwatches and fitness trackers

Polar’s H10 heart rate monitor chest strap is a great smartwatch alternative that’s actually more accurate and works for anyone with tattoos on their wrists. It’s selling for $84.95 (about $15 off) at Amazon.
The Amazfit Band 7 is on sale for $41.99 ($8 off) at Amazon. It’s not a huge discount, but these inexpensive fitness bands are a rare breed these days. The Band 7 is comfortable on the wrist and offers two weeks of battery on a single charge (with an always-on OLED display). Read our review.

The best Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals

It’s hard to beat the JBL Clip 4 in handiness and affordability, especially since the travel-friendly lock-shaped Bluetooth speaker is going for $48.30 ($31 off) at Amazon. The compact, water-resistant speaker sounds good for its size, and its built-in carabiner allows it to clip to all kinds of bags and straps. Read our buying guide.
The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a low-key fave of some of us here at The Verge, offering a 10W Bluetooth speaker that can get quite loud and easily attach to a bike’s handlebars or a hiking backpack. It’s currently available for $42.99 ($27 off) at Amazon after clicking the on-page coupon.

The best Prime Day deals on games and gaming accessories

Amazon is offering the 2TB version of Western Digital’s WD_Black SN850X NVMe SSD for $132.99 ($58 off) and the 4TB version for $246.99 ($453 off). These internal drives are very speedy, with 7,300MBps read speeds / 6,600MBps write speeds, making them a good fit for gaming PCs or a PlayStation 5 (with an added heatsink).

Samsung’s 512GB Pro Plus microSD card is down to $39.99 (about $15 off) at Amazon and can add a ton of storage to a Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, or Nintendo Switch.
Prime members can get an absolutely massive 1.5TB SanDisk Ultra microSD card for $83.59 (about $66 off) at Amazon. That fits, like what, seven Call of Duties?

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon is selling for $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. Last year’s Action Game of the Year is a return to form for FromSoftware, one that resurrects its long-dormant mech combat game with the right mix of nostalgia and Dark Souls-like difficulty.

Final Fantasy XVI is currently matching its all-time low of $28.49 ($31 off) at Amazon. It’s the most grimdark of Final Fantasy games, telling a very cutthroat, Game of Thrones-like story. But the PS5 exclusive also features adorable chocobos. Read our review.
The incredibly charming Super Mario RPG remake for the Nintendo Switch is down to $37.98 ($22 off) at Amazon. The quirky classic is a turn-based RPG originally made by Squaresoft (long before its merger with Enix), offering a unique journey around the Mushroom Kingdom. Read our review.

The best Prime Day deals on charging accessories

Anker’s 150W 747 GaNPrime USB four-port charger is selling for $59.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, exclusive for Prime members. It’s got three USB-C ports and one USB-A, and 150W is enough to charge even larger laptops or fast-charge multiple smaller devices at once.

The best Prime Day deals on Verge favorites

Catan is selling for $37.49 (around $12 off) at Amazon. The iconic tabletop game of trading and building is one of those games that can easily consume many game nights if it really clicks with your family or friend group. Just try not to argue over sheep too much.

Amazon is selling the Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing for $34.99 ($15 off). It’s one of the most iconic crafts in all of Star Wars, and this small 474-piece Lego set is being retired, so get it while you can.
The Glocusent Book Light is a favorite among resident Verge bookworms, and it’s selling for $17.99 ($15 off) at Amazon. The neck-worn light easily illuminates what you’re reading without you having to clamp anything to your book.

The DJI Mini 3 is on sale at Amazon with a DJI RC controller for $429.99 ($120 off), matching its all-time low. DJI’s last-gen Mini is great for beginners, offering 4K video and great stabilization. Plus, unlike some models, it doesn’t require a permit to take to the skies.
The Solo Stove Bonfire + Stand 2.0 is selling for $241.49 ($103 off) at Amazon. The Bonfire 2.0 makes a great backyard addition for outdoor gatherings, and it also travels well if you want to light up some marshmallows at the beach.
If you’re looking for a basic charger for your car, the iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 is on sale for $39.85 ($10 off) at Amazon. It can wirelessly deliver up to 7.5W of power to iPhones and up to 10W of power to Android phones, and it firmly attaches to most car vents.

Love Letter, a tabletop card game that’s a mainstay in our gift guides, is on sale for just $10.99 ($4 off) at Amazon. This game is the perfect ice breaker at parties, as it’s simple to pick up and play and it gets people casually competing with a fun card-counting mechanic.
The 14-ounce Yeti Rambler can keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold for hours on end, and it’s currently just $19.50 ($10.50 off) at Amazon. It’s the humble, logical alternative to those pricey Ember mugs many of us love so much.

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