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Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

Like Windows and macOS computers, Chromebooks handle file deletion in two steps. Initially, the files aren’t actually deleted, even though they disappear from view. They’re kept around in what is called the Trash, just in case you ever need them back, and then are wiped automatically after a certain amount of time. However, if you’re dealing with sensitive information or selling your device, you can also permanently erase them.
ChromeOS, the operating system behind Chromebooks, actually gives you two file systems to think about: one in the cloud (in other words, Google Drive) and one that is local. Each of these systems handles deleted files slightly differently. And note that there’s no syncing between the trash folder for local files on your Chromebook and that on Google Drive — these are separate spaces.
Here’s what you need to know about deleting files on a Chromebook. These steps were tested on an Acer Chromebook Spin 714 and should apply to any Chromebook running ChromeOS 125 or later.
Cloud storage

Screenshot: Google
For online files, you use the familiar Google Drive and its Trash bin.

ChromeOS is designed to be an online-first operating system, and that means most of your files are going to be stored in Google Drive, including anything you create in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.
There are a variety of ways you can delete a file:
If you’ve got a file open in one of these apps, you can immediately delete it by opening the File menu and choosing Move to trash. You can also delete any file from Google Drive by right-clicking on it and choosing Move to trash.
Files are kept in the trash folder for 30 days, after which Google Drive will permanently scrub them out of existence. If you want to erase or recover them before the end of the 30-day window, follow the Trash link on the Google Drive navigation pane.

Use the Type and Modified drop-down menus at the top to filter the list of files.
To bring up the options for a file, click the three dots to the right of its filename. You can also right-click on a file (or a group of files) to get the same options.
Choose Restore to put the file back where it was in Google Drive.
Choose Delete forever to permanently erase the file.

You’ll also see an Empty trash link on the top right, which you can use to fully delete all the files currently in the trash folder.
That’s all there is to it. If you use other cloud storage services with your Chromebook, they most likely have trash folders of their own: Dropbox, for example, has a Deleted files link on the left-hand navigation pane on the Dropbox website.
Local storage

Screenshot: Google
For local files, you use the Files app to either restore or permanently delete data.

You can also, if you wish, save files locally on your Chromebook — when downloading documents or images from the web, for example. To view and manage these files, open up the Files app from the ChromeOS launcher.
You’ll see a list of files and folders on the local storage. To delete a file, select it then either click the trash icon at the top right, or press Launcher+Backspace (Alt-Shift-Backspace also works). You can also right-click on a file and pick Delete. (If you’ve got a lot of files to deal with, the AZ icon on the top right lets you do a sort.)
If you’re sure you’re definitely not going to want a file back, use Shift+Launcher+Backspace to permanently erase it on the first go. You’ll see a message pop up on-screen asking if you’re sure that’s the action you want to take.
Files are kept in the trash for 30 days before being erased. To get at your deleted files, click the Trash link in the navigation pane on the left of the Files app.

Select a file to bring up icons for permanently deleting it (the trash symbol) or restoring it (the clock symbol) at the top of the screen.
Right-click on a file to get options to Delete and Restore from trash.
You can also use the Launcher+Backspace shortcut to restore a file, or the Shift+Launcher+Backspace shortcut to delete it for good.

Up in the top right corner is an Empty trash now link, and you can use this to clear out all of the files in the folder in one go.
And you’re done.

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

Like Windows and macOS computers, Chromebooks handle file deletion in two steps. Initially, the files aren’t actually deleted, even though they disappear from view. They’re kept around in what is called the Trash, just in case you ever need them back, and then are wiped automatically after a certain amount of time. However, if you’re dealing with sensitive information or selling your device, you can also permanently erase them.

ChromeOS, the operating system behind Chromebooks, actually gives you two file systems to think about: one in the cloud (in other words, Google Drive) and one that is local. Each of these systems handles deleted files slightly differently. And note that there’s no syncing between the trash folder for local files on your Chromebook and that on Google Drive — these are separate spaces.

Here’s what you need to know about deleting files on a Chromebook. These steps were tested on an Acer Chromebook Spin 714 and should apply to any Chromebook running ChromeOS 125 or later.

Cloud storage

Screenshot: Google
For online files, you use the familiar Google Drive and its Trash bin.

ChromeOS is designed to be an online-first operating system, and that means most of your files are going to be stored in Google Drive, including anything you create in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.

There are a variety of ways you can delete a file:

If you’ve got a file open in one of these apps, you can immediately delete it by opening the File menu and choosing Move to trash. You can also delete any file from Google Drive by right-clicking on it and choosing Move to trash.

Files are kept in the trash folder for 30 days, after which Google Drive will permanently scrub them out of existence. If you want to erase or recover them before the end of the 30-day window, follow the Trash link on the Google Drive navigation pane.

Use the Type and Modified drop-down menus at the top to filter the list of files.
To bring up the options for a file, click the three dots to the right of its filename. You can also right-click on a file (or a group of files) to get the same options.
Choose Restore to put the file back where it was in Google Drive.
Choose Delete forever to permanently erase the file.

You’ll also see an Empty trash link on the top right, which you can use to fully delete all the files currently in the trash folder.

That’s all there is to it. If you use other cloud storage services with your Chromebook, they most likely have trash folders of their own: Dropbox, for example, has a Deleted files link on the left-hand navigation pane on the Dropbox website.

Local storage

Screenshot: Google
For local files, you use the Files app to either restore or permanently delete data.

You can also, if you wish, save files locally on your Chromebook — when downloading documents or images from the web, for example. To view and manage these files, open up the Files app from the ChromeOS launcher.

You’ll see a list of files and folders on the local storage. To delete a file, select it then either click the trash icon at the top right, or press Launcher+Backspace (Alt-Shift-Backspace also works). You can also right-click on a file and pick Delete. (If you’ve got a lot of files to deal with, the AZ icon on the top right lets you do a sort.)

If you’re sure you’re definitely not going to want a file back, use Shift+Launcher+Backspace to permanently erase it on the first go. You’ll see a message pop up on-screen asking if you’re sure that’s the action you want to take.

Files are kept in the trash for 30 days before being erased. To get at your deleted files, click the Trash link in the navigation pane on the left of the Files app.

Select a file to bring up icons for permanently deleting it (the trash symbol) or restoring it (the clock symbol) at the top of the screen.
Right-click on a file to get options to Delete and Restore from trash.
You can also use the Launcher+Backspace shortcut to restore a file, or the Shift+Launcher+Backspace shortcut to delete it for good.

Up in the top right corner is an Empty trash now link, and you can use this to clear out all of the files in the folder in one go.

And you’re done.

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This is a screenshot of Vampire Survivors on Steam, not an iOS device. It still effectively communicates the absolute chaos of actually playing the game. | Image: Poncle

Vampire Survivors, the hit bullet hell survival game where you take on hordes of pixelated monsters, is coming to Apple Arcade on August 1st, Apple announced on Tuesday.
The game is already available for free on iOS, but this new version (technically called Vampire Survivors Plus) will be ad-free and include two DLC packs, Legacy of the Moonspell and Tides of the Foscari, that players typically have to buy separately. You’ll also be able to play multiplayer with up to four people on one iOS device.
Apple revealed two more games coming to Apple Arcade, too. Temple Run: Legends, also arriving on August 1st, is “the first level-based runner in the hit franchise” with more than 500 levels, according to Apple’s press release. (If you just want to run for as long as you can, there’s also an infinite run mode.) And Castle Crumble, a puzzle game where you destroy castles, is getting an update to support the Vision Pro on August 29th.

This is a screenshot of Vampire Survivors on Steam, not an iOS device. It still effectively communicates the absolute chaos of actually playing the game. | Image: Poncle

Vampire Survivors, the hit bullet hell survival game where you take on hordes of pixelated monsters, is coming to Apple Arcade on August 1st, Apple announced on Tuesday.

The game is already available for free on iOS, but this new version (technically called Vampire Survivors Plus) will be ad-free and include two DLC packs, Legacy of the Moonspell and Tides of the Foscari, that players typically have to buy separately. You’ll also be able to play multiplayer with up to four people on one iOS device.

Apple revealed two more games coming to Apple Arcade, too. Temple Run: Legends, also arriving on August 1st, is “the first level-based runner in the hit franchise” with more than 500 levels, according to Apple’s press release. (If you just want to run for as long as you can, there’s also an infinite run mode.) And Castle Crumble, a puzzle game where you destroy castles, is getting an update to support the Vision Pro on August 29th.

Read More 

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Sony’s pro-focused PlayStation 5 controller hardly ever drops from its high $199.99 price point, but thankfully today is a little different. You can get the DualSense Edge for $174.99 (about $24 off) via Walmart’s online-only deal, dropping the specialized gamepad down to its lowest price to date.

The highlight of the DualSense Edge is its impeccable software integration with the PS5. You can fine-tune up to four profiles that each have your own personal tweaks for things like stick sensitivity and custom rear button controls, and it’s easy to swap between profiles on the fly. The Edge also has all the haptics and features of the standard DualSense, along with extras like hair trigger lockouts, interchangeable stick toppers, and two styles of rear paddles / buttons.
Now, the DualSense Edge does have some noteworthy faults for such a pricey controller, like slightly anemic battery life and sticks as prone to drift as its cheaper counterpart packed with every PS5. However, Sony at least baked in some features that somewhat stymie these shortcomings — like a lengthy USB charging cable that has a nifty locking mechanism and user-replaceable stick modules that you can purchase later for $20 if yours ever catch some drift (if you ever find them in stock, of course).

This sale on the Edge is part of Walmart’s greater sales event running counter to Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day, which is scheduled for July 16th and 17th. The imaginatively named “Walmart Deals” event runs through July 11th, and in addition to the DualSense Edge, there are notable sales like the M1 MacBook Air for $649.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Sony’s pro-focused PlayStation 5 controller hardly ever drops from its high $199.99 price point, but thankfully today is a little different. You can get the DualSense Edge for $174.99 (about $24 off) via Walmart’s online-only deal, dropping the specialized gamepad down to its lowest price to date.

The highlight of the DualSense Edge is its impeccable software integration with the PS5. You can fine-tune up to four profiles that each have your own personal tweaks for things like stick sensitivity and custom rear button controls, and it’s easy to swap between profiles on the fly. The Edge also has all the haptics and features of the standard DualSense, along with extras like hair trigger lockouts, interchangeable stick toppers, and two styles of rear paddles / buttons.

Now, the DualSense Edge does have some noteworthy faults for such a pricey controller, like slightly anemic battery life and sticks as prone to drift as its cheaper counterpart packed with every PS5. However, Sony at least baked in some features that somewhat stymie these shortcomings — like a lengthy USB charging cable that has a nifty locking mechanism and user-replaceable stick modules that you can purchase later for $20 if yours ever catch some drift (if you ever find them in stock, of course).

This sale on the Edge is part of Walmart’s greater sales event running counter to Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day, which is scheduled for July 16th and 17th. The imaginatively named “Walmart Deals” event runs through July 11th, and in addition to the DualSense Edge, there are notable sales like the M1 MacBook Air for $649.

Read More 

Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

House Republicans advanced an effort to void the Biden administration’s EV tax credits, even as electric vehicle sales in the US continued to grow year over year.
The House Ways and Means Committee voted in favor of a bill that would undo the federal EV tax credits, arguing that the rules would result in US taxpayer dollars flowing to Chinese companies. The tax credits were “pushed by radical environmentalists and some EV producers” and should therefore be struck down, according to a House Republican fact sheet.
“The Biden administration is sacrificing our economic independence in order to force more Americans to drive an electric vehicle,” Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the committee’s chair, said during a markup of the bill (H.J. Res. 148) on Tuesday. If Biden follows through on a promise to veto the legislation, “he is leaving the door wide open to making the American taxpayer China’s piggy bank,” Smith added.
“The Biden administration is sacrificing our economic independence in order to force more Americans to drive an electric vehicle.”
The bill was the latest effort by Republicans to reverse one of President Joe Biden’s central provisions passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which makes available up to $7,500 in tax credits for the purchase of a new EV. The Republican-controlled House passed two other bills earlier this year aimed at scrapping the EV tax credits, neither of which have been taken up by the Senate.
The legislation mirrors the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump, who has promised to slam the brakes on the Biden administration’s policies to encourage EV sales. On the campaign trail, Trump has falsely claimed that EVs don’t work, even while correctly noting that plug-in cars are often more expensive than gas-powered ones. (But even that line has quickly become obsolete.)

No matter that Republicans are trying to roll back Biden’s tax credits at a time when more Americans are buying EVs than ever before. Despite some slowdown in growth earlier this year, automakers have been reporting increases in EV sales this year. EV production and deliveries are also up in the second quarter, with GM, Rivian, Lucid, and Toyota reporting upbeat figures. Even Tesla, which has been struggling with demand for months, reported a smaller-than-expected decrease in deliveries.
The Biden administration claims that the tax credits have been successful, saving car buyers $1 billion in 2024 alone. The credit was recently updated to be applied at the point-of-sale, meaning shoppers can accept a discount on their EV purchase directly from dealers.
More Americans are buying EVs than ever before
Republicans have seized on a recent move by the Treasury Department to provide automakers a little leeway around some of the strict rules regarding eligibility to the tax credits’ rules on minerals and materials from “foreign entities of concern” — which includes China.
The final guidance gives car companies a two-year exemption for batteries containing “impracticable-to-trace” battery minerals, like graphite, which frequently comes from China. Those materials are exempt from the rules until 2027. Other restrictions around more prevalent minerals, like lithium, nickel, and cobalt, will come into effect in January 2025. EV batteries with minerals sourced from China, for example, won’t be eligible for the $7,500 credit.
During the markup, Smith claimed that Biden’s “lenient rules that will allow certain EV and battery components directly sourced from the Chinese Communist Party to dodge this restriction.”
Democrats opposed the measure, calling it a potential blow to progress that is ongoing in the American auto industry.
“If this measure passes, we will stop this progress and inadvertently cement Chinese dominance over the EV market for decades,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) said. “This bill will do exactly the opposite of what its supporters and sponsors claim it will do.”

Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

House Republicans advanced an effort to void the Biden administration’s EV tax credits, even as electric vehicle sales in the US continued to grow year over year.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted in favor of a bill that would undo the federal EV tax credits, arguing that the rules would result in US taxpayer dollars flowing to Chinese companies. The tax credits were “pushed by radical environmentalists and some EV producers” and should therefore be struck down, according to a House Republican fact sheet.

“The Biden administration is sacrificing our economic independence in order to force more Americans to drive an electric vehicle,” Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the committee’s chair, said during a markup of the bill (H.J. Res. 148) on Tuesday. If Biden follows through on a promise to veto the legislation, “he is leaving the door wide open to making the American taxpayer China’s piggy bank,” Smith added.

The bill was the latest effort by Republicans to reverse one of President Joe Biden’s central provisions passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which makes available up to $7,500 in tax credits for the purchase of a new EV. The Republican-controlled House passed two other bills earlier this year aimed at scrapping the EV tax credits, neither of which have been taken up by the Senate.

The legislation mirrors the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump, who has promised to slam the brakes on the Biden administration’s policies to encourage EV sales. On the campaign trail, Trump has falsely claimed that EVs don’t work, even while correctly noting that plug-in cars are often more expensive than gas-powered ones. (But even that line has quickly become obsolete.)

No matter that Republicans are trying to roll back Biden’s tax credits at a time when more Americans are buying EVs than ever before. Despite some slowdown in growth earlier this year, automakers have been reporting increases in EV sales this year. EV production and deliveries are also up in the second quarter, with GM, Rivian, Lucid, and Toyota reporting upbeat figures. Even Tesla, which has been struggling with demand for months, reported a smaller-than-expected decrease in deliveries.

The Biden administration claims that the tax credits have been successful, saving car buyers $1 billion in 2024 alone. The credit was recently updated to be applied at the point-of-sale, meaning shoppers can accept a discount on their EV purchase directly from dealers.

Republicans have seized on a recent move by the Treasury Department to provide automakers a little leeway around some of the strict rules regarding eligibility to the tax credits’ rules on minerals and materials from “foreign entities of concern” — which includes China.

The final guidance gives car companies a two-year exemption for batteries containing “impracticable-to-trace” battery minerals, like graphite, which frequently comes from China. Those materials are exempt from the rules until 2027. Other restrictions around more prevalent minerals, like lithium, nickel, and cobalt, will come into effect in January 2025. EV batteries with minerals sourced from China, for example, won’t be eligible for the $7,500 credit.

During the markup, Smith claimed that Biden’s “lenient rules that will allow certain EV and battery components directly sourced from the Chinese Communist Party to dodge this restriction.”

Democrats opposed the measure, calling it a potential blow to progress that is ongoing in the American auto industry.

“If this measure passes, we will stop this progress and inadvertently cement Chinese dominance over the EV market for decades,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) said. “This bill will do exactly the opposite of what its supporters and sponsors claim it will do.”

Read More 

Image: The Verge

Anonymous messaging app NGL will no longer be offered to kids under 18 after the company struck an agreement to settle a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The novel settlement terms — which are still subject to approval by a judge — indicate the latest effort by the FTC to crack down on companies that violate kids’ privacy or otherwise harm them. The commission has issued several complaints involving the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), including against Fortnite-maker Epic Games, Microsoft’s Xbox, and a weight loss app from Weight Watchers marketed to kids. But banning a company from offering their app to kids sets this settlement apart.
NGL is an app where users can solicit anonymous messages or questions from peers. On its Google Play Store page, it encourages users to share their NGL link in their Instagram bio “To get even more messages.” The FTC and LA DA’s office accused NGL and its two co-founders of tricking young users into signing up for the paid version of the service by sending fake messages that seemed to be from real people and falsely promising that paying would reveal the senders’ identities. But when users signed up for as much as $9.99 per week, they were only given “hints” as to the senders’ identities, the complaint alleges. NGL’s product lead allegedly wrote “Lol suckers” in a text with the company’s co-founders in response to a customer complaint that the paid version doesn’t actually show who sent certain messages.
NGL also falsely claimed it could filter out cyberbullying and other harmful messages through artificial intelligence content moderation tools, according to the enforcers’ complaint. They allegedly marketed the app as a “fun yet safe place” for “young people … to share their feelings without judgment from friends or societal pressures” and challenged Apple’s suggestion that the app should not be rated for individuals “12+.” But in reality, according to the complaint, cyberbullying was “rampant” on the service, and the company allegedly received consumer complaints of self-harm and suicide attempts that users blamed on experiences on the NGL app.
The app also allegedly violated the COPPA Rule by failing to get parents’ consent for kids under 13 on the service or honoring their requests to delete their kids’ data. In addition to the age-gating terms, NGL agreed to pay $5 million to settle the charges.
“After nearly two years of cooperating with the FTC’s investigation, we view this resolution as an opportunity to make NGL better than ever for our users and we think the agreement is in our best interest,” NGL co-founder Joao Figueiredo said in a statement. “While we believe many of the allegations around the youth of our user base are factually incorrect, we anticipate that the agreed upon age-gating and other procedures will now provide direction for others in our space, and hopefully improve policies generally.”
The commissioners voted 5-0 to file the complaint and settlement order. But the two Republican commissioners made clear their belief that Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bars deceptive business practices, cannot necessarily be used against any anonymous messaging app marketed to kids. In a concurring statement, Republican Commissioner Andrew Ferguson wrote that he supports the complaint against NGL and believes the app’s “alleged conduct, tailormade to manipulate the vulnerable teenage psyche, was reprehensible and unfair.” But, he added, “it does not follow that Section 5 categorically prohibits marketing any anonymous messaging app to teenagers.” Fellow Republican Commissioner Melissa Holyoak joined the statement.
The Republican commissioners’ statement is significant at a time when states across the country are passing laws to age-gate parts of the internet. The Supreme Court recently agreed to take up a case dealing with a Texas age verification law. Ferguson warned that interpreting any law to categorically ban anonymous messaging services to minors, “would create grave constitutional concerns.” He added that there are “real benefits” to allowing teens anonymity online, including protecting them from the cancel culture “mob.” He also said Holyoak “correctly observes that it can be used to encourage at-risk teenagers to reach out for help that they might not otherwise feel comfortable seeking.”

Image: The Verge

Anonymous messaging app NGL will no longer be offered to kids under 18 after the company struck an agreement to settle a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

The novel settlement terms — which are still subject to approval by a judge — indicate the latest effort by the FTC to crack down on companies that violate kids’ privacy or otherwise harm them. The commission has issued several complaints involving the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), including against Fortnite-maker Epic Games, Microsoft’s Xbox, and a weight loss app from Weight Watchers marketed to kids. But banning a company from offering their app to kids sets this settlement apart.

NGL is an app where users can solicit anonymous messages or questions from peers. On its Google Play Store page, it encourages users to share their NGL link in their Instagram bio “To get even more messages.” The FTC and LA DA’s office accused NGL and its two co-founders of tricking young users into signing up for the paid version of the service by sending fake messages that seemed to be from real people and falsely promising that paying would reveal the senders’ identities. But when users signed up for as much as $9.99 per week, they were only given “hints” as to the senders’ identities, the complaint alleges. NGL’s product lead allegedly wrote “Lol suckers” in a text with the company’s co-founders in response to a customer complaint that the paid version doesn’t actually show who sent certain messages.

NGL also falsely claimed it could filter out cyberbullying and other harmful messages through artificial intelligence content moderation tools, according to the enforcers’ complaint. They allegedly marketed the app as a “fun yet safe place” for “young people … to share their feelings without judgment from friends or societal pressures” and challenged Apple’s suggestion that the app should not be rated for individuals “12+.” But in reality, according to the complaint, cyberbullying was “rampant” on the service, and the company allegedly received consumer complaints of self-harm and suicide attempts that users blamed on experiences on the NGL app.

The app also allegedly violated the COPPA Rule by failing to get parents’ consent for kids under 13 on the service or honoring their requests to delete their kids’ data. In addition to the age-gating terms, NGL agreed to pay $5 million to settle the charges.

“After nearly two years of cooperating with the FTC’s investigation, we view this resolution as an opportunity to make NGL better than ever for our users and we think the agreement is in our best interest,” NGL co-founder Joao Figueiredo said in a statement. “While we believe many of the allegations around the youth of our user base are factually incorrect, we anticipate that the agreed upon age-gating and other procedures will now provide direction for others in our space, and hopefully improve policies generally.”

The commissioners voted 5-0 to file the complaint and settlement order. But the two Republican commissioners made clear their belief that Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bars deceptive business practices, cannot necessarily be used against any anonymous messaging app marketed to kids. In a concurring statement, Republican Commissioner Andrew Ferguson wrote that he supports the complaint against NGL and believes the app’s “alleged conduct, tailormade to manipulate the vulnerable teenage psyche, was reprehensible and unfair.” But, he added, “it does not follow that Section 5 categorically prohibits marketing any anonymous messaging app to teenagers.” Fellow Republican Commissioner Melissa Holyoak joined the statement.

The Republican commissioners’ statement is significant at a time when states across the country are passing laws to age-gate parts of the internet. The Supreme Court recently agreed to take up a case dealing with a Texas age verification law. Ferguson warned that interpreting any law to categorically ban anonymous messaging services to minors, “would create grave constitutional concerns.” He added that there are “real benefits” to allowing teens anonymity online, including protecting them from the cancel culture “mob.” He also said Holyoak “correctly observes that it can be used to encourage at-risk teenagers to reach out for help that they might not otherwise feel comfortable seeking.”

Read More 

A flooded motel is seen after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8th. | Photo by Mark Felix / AFP via Getty Images

Widespread power outages in the wake of Hurricane Beryl pose a new threat as temperatures soar in Texas this week.
Beryl tore through the Lone Star State yesterday, killing at least six people and knocking out electricity for around 2.7 million customers. Power was still out for more than 2.2 million on Tuesday morning. The blackouts could last days to weeks, authorities say, leaving people without air conditioning as the heat index reaches triple digits.
“The lack of proper cooling combined with many people outdoors cleaning up after Beryl could produce dangerous heat conditions,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said this morning.
“The lack of proper cooling combined with many people outdoors cleaning up after Beryl could produce dangerous heat conditions.”
Power outages are concentrated along southeast Texas, where the heat index (a measure of heat and humidity) is forecast to reach upwards of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. While that’s typically not considered risky enough for a heat advisory in the region, the lack of AC after a big storm is a game changer.
It could take “a few days” to get the power back on, Public Utility Commission of Texas chairman Thomas Gleeson said in a press conference yesterday. Parts of hard-hit Galveston could be without electricity for as long as two weeks.
Power outages in the US have grown longer than they were a decade ago — mostly because of “major events” like hurricanes and winter storms, according to the US Energy Information Administration. When more extreme weather triggers blackouts, it raises the risk of heat-related illness and death. Rising global temperatures, the result of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, make for more frequent and intense heatwaves. Higher temperatures also supercharge storms, which gather strength from heat energy at the sea surface.
Hurricane Beryl smashed records, fueled by soaring sea temperatures. It’s the strongest tropical storm on record to develop in the Atlantic this early in the hurricane season. It grew to a monstrous Category 5 storm by July 2nd, wreaking havoc across the Caribbean and Mexico before weakening into a Category 1 storm and slamming into Texas. Despite lower sustained wind speeds, Beryl brought more than 10 inches of rain along parts of the Texas Gulf Coast and a storm surge of up to six feet.

Beryl has been a foreboding omen for what’s forecast to be a very bad Atlantic hurricane season this year. The storm has weakened but will continue to be “a prolific heavy rain producer” as it moves northeast this week, according to the NWS.
Oppressive heat is also bearing down across much of the US this week, with close to half the country’s population — nearly 160 million people — under heat alerts today. Heat kills more people in the US each year than floods and hurricanes, even though those deaths can be prevented if people have a safe place to cool down. Heat deaths can also spike after storms trigger power outages, which happened in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida in 2021. More people died in New Orleans from the heat that followed Ida than the storm itself.
When several catastrophes collide, as we’re seeing now in Texas, scientists call it a “compound event” that’s becoming more common with climate change. It’s a disaster pileup that strains resources and makes it even harder to respond and recover because everything is happening in close succession or all at once.

A flooded motel is seen after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8th. | Photo by Mark Felix / AFP via Getty Images

Widespread power outages in the wake of Hurricane Beryl pose a new threat as temperatures soar in Texas this week.

Beryl tore through the Lone Star State yesterday, killing at least six people and knocking out electricity for around 2.7 million customers. Power was still out for more than 2.2 million on Tuesday morning. The blackouts could last days to weeks, authorities say, leaving people without air conditioning as the heat index reaches triple digits.

“The lack of proper cooling combined with many people outdoors cleaning up after Beryl could produce dangerous heat conditions,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said this morning.

Power outages are concentrated along southeast Texas, where the heat index (a measure of heat and humidity) is forecast to reach upwards of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. While that’s typically not considered risky enough for a heat advisory in the region, the lack of AC after a big storm is a game changer.

It could take “a few days” to get the power back on, Public Utility Commission of Texas chairman Thomas Gleeson said in a press conference yesterday. Parts of hard-hit Galveston could be without electricity for as long as two weeks.

Power outages in the US have grown longer than they were a decade ago — mostly because of “major events” like hurricanes and winter storms, according to the US Energy Information Administration. When more extreme weather triggers blackouts, it raises the risk of heat-related illness and death. Rising global temperatures, the result of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, make for more frequent and intense heatwaves. Higher temperatures also supercharge storms, which gather strength from heat energy at the sea surface.

Hurricane Beryl smashed records, fueled by soaring sea temperatures. It’s the strongest tropical storm on record to develop in the Atlantic this early in the hurricane season. It grew to a monstrous Category 5 storm by July 2nd, wreaking havoc across the Caribbean and Mexico before weakening into a Category 1 storm and slamming into Texas. Despite lower sustained wind speeds, Beryl brought more than 10 inches of rain along parts of the Texas Gulf Coast and a storm surge of up to six feet.

Beryl has been a foreboding omen for what’s forecast to be a very bad Atlantic hurricane season this year. The storm has weakened but will continue to be “a prolific heavy rain producer” as it moves northeast this week, according to the NWS.

Oppressive heat is also bearing down across much of the US this week, with close to half the country’s population — nearly 160 million people — under heat alerts today. Heat kills more people in the US each year than floods and hurricanes, even though those deaths can be prevented if people have a safe place to cool down. Heat deaths can also spike after storms trigger power outages, which happened in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida in 2021. More people died in New Orleans from the heat that followed Ida than the storm itself.

When several catastrophes collide, as we’re seeing now in Texas, scientists call it a “compound event” that’s becoming more common with climate change. It’s a disaster pileup that strains resources and makes it even harder to respond and recover because everything is happening in close succession or all at once.

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Image: Razer

Razer is launching a new Snap Tap mode for its Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards today that’s designed to appeal to competitive gamers. Snap Tap is very similar to Wooting’s promised Rappy Snappy feature and works by prioritizing the latest input between two selected keys to allow Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant players to counter-strafe more quickly.
The Snap Tap mode means you don’t have to release the previous key when you’re strafing, so if you enable A and D for Snap Tap, then it makes strafing near instant, improving directional changes and movement in esports games. The difference is only a couple of milliseconds, but that’s enough to get a kill quicker than your opponent.
“Snap Tap Mode, integrated directly into the firmware, allows for instantaneous directional changes without lifting the initial key,” says Razer. “This seamless transition is crucial in competitive gaming, where even milliseconds can impact gameplay outcomes, making Snap Tap Mode a game-changing feature for the Huntsman V3 Pro line.”

Image: Razer
Strafing without Snap Tap.

Image: Razer
Strafing with Snap Tap.

Razer’s Snap Tap comes just months after Wooting announced its Rappy Snappy feature for its upcoming 80HE keyboard. Wooting is also planning to bring Rappy Snappy to its existing 60E keyboard, widely regarded as one of the best gaming keyboards on the market. Wooting first introduced the concept of Rapid Trigger to gaming keyboards, which Razer, SteelSeries, Keychron, and many others have copied.
It’s surprising to see Razer first to the market with a feature Wooting already announced, but despite repeated promises of a 60HE beta of Rappy Snappy in recent months, the company hasn’t released it yet. Wooting is expecting to deliver its first batch of new 80HE keyboards in August, complete with Rappy Snappy.
Razer is rolling out Snap Tap as a software update for the Huntsman V3 Pro line, including the full-size, tenkeyless, and 60 percent models. You’ll need the latest version of Synapse and a firmware update to enable Snap Tap. Razer says this is a “phased software update,” so it might not be available for all Huntsman V3 Pro owners for a few days yet.

Image: Razer

Razer is launching a new Snap Tap mode for its Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards today that’s designed to appeal to competitive gamers. Snap Tap is very similar to Wooting’s promised Rappy Snappy feature and works by prioritizing the latest input between two selected keys to allow Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant players to counter-strafe more quickly.

The Snap Tap mode means you don’t have to release the previous key when you’re strafing, so if you enable A and D for Snap Tap, then it makes strafing near instant, improving directional changes and movement in esports games. The difference is only a couple of milliseconds, but that’s enough to get a kill quicker than your opponent.

“Snap Tap Mode, integrated directly into the firmware, allows for instantaneous directional changes without lifting the initial key,” says Razer. “This seamless transition is crucial in competitive gaming, where even milliseconds can impact gameplay outcomes, making Snap Tap Mode a game-changing feature for the Huntsman V3 Pro line.”

Image: Razer
Strafing without Snap Tap.

Image: Razer
Strafing with Snap Tap.

Razer’s Snap Tap comes just months after Wooting announced its Rappy Snappy feature for its upcoming 80HE keyboard. Wooting is also planning to bring Rappy Snappy to its existing 60E keyboard, widely regarded as one of the best gaming keyboards on the market. Wooting first introduced the concept of Rapid Trigger to gaming keyboards, which Razer, SteelSeries, Keychron, and many others have copied.

It’s surprising to see Razer first to the market with a feature Wooting already announced, but despite repeated promises of a 60HE beta of Rappy Snappy in recent months, the company hasn’t released it yet. Wooting is expecting to deliver its first batch of new 80HE keyboards in August, complete with Rappy Snappy.

Razer is rolling out Snap Tap as a software update for the Huntsman V3 Pro line, including the full-size, tenkeyless, and 60 percent models. You’ll need the latest version of Synapse and a firmware update to enable Snap Tap. Razer says this is a “phased software update,” so it might not be available for all Huntsman V3 Pro owners for a few days yet.

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Image: Apple

In the official trailer for Time Bandits, the new Apple TV Plus series from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement seems to revel in every bit of the dreamlike pseudo-reality of the 1981 film it’s based on. The show focuses on a young kid named Kevin (Kal-El Tuck) who finds a time portal in his room and links up with a band of time-hopping thieves. It’s set to premiere on July 24th for Apple TV Plus subscribers and runs for 10 episodes.
While the series is an adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, the trailer makes it clear it’s also its own thing with different characters, time periods, and situations. The show controversially replaced the Time Bandits themselves, originally played entirely by a cast of little people, with actors like Lisa Kudrow and Rune Temte.
But the outfits and fantastical environments look similar, if much cleaner than Gilliam’s cluttered (in a good way) visual style, and the whimsy seems largely intact.

Apple TV Plus has had plenty of other genre shows lately, from the multiverse mystery Dark Matter to the detective series Sugar. It also adds to the service’s ever-growing library of high-budget sci-fi content. Time Bandits stands out as a licensed property, though, something that Apple has mostly avoided doing for its productions.
Besides Tuck, other Time Bandits stars include Lisa Kudrow, Rune Temte, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, and Kiera Thompson.

Image: Apple

In the official trailer for Time Bandits, the new Apple TV Plus series from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement seems to revel in every bit of the dreamlike pseudo-reality of the 1981 film it’s based on. The show focuses on a young kid named Kevin (Kal-El Tuck) who finds a time portal in his room and links up with a band of time-hopping thieves. It’s set to premiere on July 24th for Apple TV Plus subscribers and runs for 10 episodes.

While the series is an adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, the trailer makes it clear it’s also its own thing with different characters, time periods, and situations. The show controversially replaced the Time Bandits themselves, originally played entirely by a cast of little people, with actors like Lisa Kudrow and Rune Temte.

But the outfits and fantastical environments look similar, if much cleaner than Gilliam’s cluttered (in a good way) visual style, and the whimsy seems largely intact.

Apple TV Plus has had plenty of other genre shows lately, from the multiverse mystery Dark Matter to the detective series Sugar. It also adds to the service’s ever-growing library of high-budget sci-fi content. Time Bandits stands out as a licensed property, though, something that Apple has mostly avoided doing for its productions.

Besides Tuck, other Time Bandits stars include Lisa Kudrow, Rune Temte, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, and Kiera Thompson.

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Image: Meta

Soon, when WhatsApp users are added to group chats by someone they don’t know, the group will display a “context card” with key information such as who created the group, when it was created, the group description, and if the user was added by someone in their WhatsApp contact list. The idea of the feature is to better protect users against spam or scam activity in group messages.
There’s also a button to allow users to quickly leave the group message, plus a link to additional information about WhatsApp’s safety tools.

Image: Meta
The new context card lets WhatsApp users quickly identify red flags when added to a group chat.

The new feature — which resembles the current experience when WhatsApp users are individually messaged by someone they don’t know — should allow users to avoid chats with people they’d rather steer clear of and more quickly identify if they’ve been added to groups operating scams or engaging in other fraudulent activities.
The group chat context cards have already started rolling out globally and will be available to all users “over the coming weeks,” according to WhatsApp’s press release.

Image: Meta

Soon, when WhatsApp users are added to group chats by someone they don’t know, the group will display a “context card” with key information such as who created the group, when it was created, the group description, and if the user was added by someone in their WhatsApp contact list. The idea of the feature is to better protect users against spam or scam activity in group messages.

There’s also a button to allow users to quickly leave the group message, plus a link to additional information about WhatsApp’s safety tools.

Image: Meta
The new context card lets WhatsApp users quickly identify red flags when added to a group chat.

The new feature — which resembles the current experience when WhatsApp users are individually messaged by someone they don’t know — should allow users to avoid chats with people they’d rather steer clear of and more quickly identify if they’ve been added to groups operating scams or engaging in other fraudulent activities.

The group chat context cards have already started rolling out globally and will be available to all users “over the coming weeks,” according to WhatsApp’s press release.

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This is only the second time Heritage Auctions has offered a Nintendo PlayStation prototype controller. | Image: Heritage Auctions

In 2020, a rare prototype of the never-released Nintendo PlayStation console sold for $360,000 at auction. Another unit may never be found, but a second prototype controller from the failed Nintendo and Sony collaboration is going up for auction in August.
The Nintendo PlayStation was Sony’s first attempt to break into the gaming market. It was more or less a Super Nintendo console upgraded with a CD-ROM drive, allowing games to incorporate more multimedia content from Sony’s proprietary Super Disc format.
The collaboration collapsed after Nintendo announced a partnership with Philips in 1991, and the 200 prototypes of the Nintendo PlayStation were thought to have all been destroyed — at least until one surfaced in 2015 and was eventually sold at auction to the founder of Pets.com and Toys.com.
Heritage Auctions hasn’t shared the provenance behind this second Nintendo PlayStation auction but describes the prototype controller as having “the familiar casing of a Super Nintendo controller but branded with ‘Sony PlayStation’ in dark gray on the front.” Despite a “few little dings on the back,” the prototype is in “very nice condition,” but Heritage Auctions can’t confirm if it’s functional given the extreme scarcity of the console it’s designed to work with. As a result, there will be no returns for the winning bidder.
An even bigger question than where this prototype was discovered is how much it will sell for. In 2020, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $114,000, and less than a year later, another copy sold for $660,000. But spending that much money on a game you never intend to play seems like a bargain compared to the copy of Super Mario Bros. that sold in 2021 for a staggering $2 million.
Demand for retro collectibles hasn’t cooled since then, and while this controller may not go for as much as the Nintendo PlayStation console did, it’s still incredibly rare hardware that may never turn up again.
According to Heritage Auctions, bidding on this prototype will start on August 2nd and will end on August 24th, when we’ll find out what a probably unusable controller is worth to one lucky bidder.

This is only the second time Heritage Auctions has offered a Nintendo PlayStation prototype controller. | Image: Heritage Auctions

In 2020, a rare prototype of the never-released Nintendo PlayStation console sold for $360,000 at auction. Another unit may never be found, but a second prototype controller from the failed Nintendo and Sony collaboration is going up for auction in August.

The Nintendo PlayStation was Sony’s first attempt to break into the gaming market. It was more or less a Super Nintendo console upgraded with a CD-ROM drive, allowing games to incorporate more multimedia content from Sony’s proprietary Super Disc format.

The collaboration collapsed after Nintendo announced a partnership with Philips in 1991, and the 200 prototypes of the Nintendo PlayStation were thought to have all been destroyed — at least until one surfaced in 2015 and was eventually sold at auction to the founder of Pets.com and Toys.com.

Heritage Auctions hasn’t shared the provenance behind this second Nintendo PlayStation auction but describes the prototype controller as having “the familiar casing of a Super Nintendo controller but branded with ‘Sony PlayStation’ in dark gray on the front.” Despite a “few little dings on the back,” the prototype is in “very nice condition,” but Heritage Auctions can’t confirm if it’s functional given the extreme scarcity of the console it’s designed to work with. As a result, there will be no returns for the winning bidder.

An even bigger question than where this prototype was discovered is how much it will sell for. In 2020, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $114,000, and less than a year later, another copy sold for $660,000. But spending that much money on a game you never intend to play seems like a bargain compared to the copy of Super Mario Bros. that sold in 2021 for a staggering $2 million.

Demand for retro collectibles hasn’t cooled since then, and while this controller may not go for as much as the Nintendo PlayStation console did, it’s still incredibly rare hardware that may never turn up again.

According to Heritage Auctions, bidding on this prototype will start on August 2nd and will end on August 24th, when we’ll find out what a probably unusable controller is worth to one lucky bidder.

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