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A “warranty void if seal broken” sticker covering a screw hole. | Image: Eirik Solheim (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Ever seen one of those “warranty void if removed” stickers covering the screw holes on a gadget? Today, the FTC is reminding ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that they’re illegal.
In fact, the FTC sent letters to ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that suggest the FTC’s concerns aren’t just skin sticker-deep. Each letter tells the manufacturer to change its warranty and review its customer support practices to make sure they aren’t illegally threatening your warranty.
“Staff would be concerned if GIGABYTE, in practice, denied warranty coverage based on the warranty provisions quoted above or any similar provision,” reads part of one of the letters.
As of today, each of these companies’ warranties does include such a threat. The very first line in ASRock’s warranty reads, “Manufacturer’s warranty will be null and void if products are modified, damaged or otherwise tampered with, for example, the outer case is opened or additional optional parts/components are installed/removed.”
Gigabyte includes: “If the manufacturing sticker inside the product was removed or damaged, it would no longer be covered by the warranty.”
The particular right-to-repair law the FTC is invoking here isn’t one of the state-by-state ones that are now taking effect — it’s the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act that attempts to keep companies from making bad warranties and misrepresenting them in the first place.
“The Warranty Act prohibits warrantors of consumer products costing more than five dollars from conditioning their written warranties on a consumer’s use of any article or service, such as repair service, which is identified by brand, trade, or corporate name, unless (1) the warranty states the article or service will be provided to the consumer for free, or (2) the warrantor has been granted a waiver by the Commission,” the FTC writes.
“FTC investigators have copied and preserved the online pages in question, and we plan to review your company’s written warranty and promotional materials after 30 days,” the agency is telling each firm.
In 2018, the FTC put Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft on notice for doing the same thing with their game consoles, as well as Asus, HTC, and Hyundai. Nintendo, Sony, and Hyundai updated their policies less than two months later.
iFixit has a blog on how “warranty void if removed” stickers may be legal in other parts of the world.
Asus has also recently been rethinking its customer support and warranty after a Gamers Nexus investigation, but that one didn’t have to do with voided warranties.

A “warranty void if seal broken” sticker covering a screw hole. | Image: Eirik Solheim (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Ever seen one of those “warranty void if removed” stickers covering the screw holes on a gadget? Today, the FTC is reminding ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that they’re illegal.

In fact, the FTC sent letters to ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that suggest the FTC’s concerns aren’t just skin sticker-deep. Each letter tells the manufacturer to change its warranty and review its customer support practices to make sure they aren’t illegally threatening your warranty.

“Staff would be concerned if GIGABYTE, in practice, denied warranty coverage based on the warranty provisions quoted above or any similar provision,” reads part of one of the letters.

As of today, each of these companies’ warranties does include such a threat. The very first line in ASRock’s warranty reads, “Manufacturer’s warranty will be null and void if products are modified, damaged or otherwise tampered with, for example, the outer case is opened or additional optional parts/components are installed/removed.”

Gigabyte includes: “If the manufacturing sticker inside the product was removed or damaged, it would no longer be covered by the warranty.”

The particular right-to-repair law the FTC is invoking here isn’t one of the state-by-state ones that are now taking effect — it’s the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act that attempts to keep companies from making bad warranties and misrepresenting them in the first place.

“The Warranty Act prohibits warrantors of consumer products costing more than five dollars from conditioning their written warranties on a consumer’s use of any article or service, such as repair service, which is identified by brand, trade, or corporate name, unless (1) the warranty states the article or service will be provided to the consumer for free, or (2) the warrantor has been granted a waiver by the Commission,” the FTC writes.

“FTC investigators have copied and preserved the online pages in question, and we plan to review your company’s written warranty and promotional materials after 30 days,” the agency is telling each firm.

In 2018, the FTC put Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft on notice for doing the same thing with their game consoles, as well as Asus, HTC, and Hyundai. Nintendo, Sony, and Hyundai updated their policies less than two months later.

iFixit has a blog on how “warranty void if removed” stickers may be legal in other parts of the world.

Asus has also recently been rethinking its customer support and warranty after a Gamers Nexus investigation, but that one didn’t have to do with voided warranties.

Read More 

Users will be able to swap the CMF Phone 1’s rear case and attach accessories like a folding kickstand. | Image: Nothing

Nothing plans to reveal the first smartphone from its affordable CMF subbrand on July 8th, but as part of a continuing series of teasers, it’s revealed the CMF Phone 1’s unique customizability, including a dial that can be used to attach accessories and a rear panel that can be easily swapped.
The light-up glyphs on the Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2 won’t make it to this model, but a short video of a rotating dial on the back looks similar to the aluminum alloy dial on the CMF Buds that allows a lanyard to be attached to the earbuds’ charging case.

The engineer’s aesthetic.CMF Phone 1 celebrates technical craftsmanship with its uniquely adaptable nature. Customisable. Functional. Yours.Learn everything at the next Nothing Community Update on 8 July 2024, 10:00 BST. pic.twitter.com/0fqYkaf4OX— CMF by Nothing (@cmfbynothing) July 3, 2024

Today’s tease seemingly confirms the phone’s dial will at least function in a similar manner to the dial on the CMF Buds to accommodate accessories and can be unscrewed and swapped with optional attachments, including a lanyard mount and a folding kickstand.
Will it offer additional functionality? Nothing’s teases have been cryptic, but the dial shown is reminiscent of the smart dial on the CMF Neckband Pro headphones, which is used to control volume, playback, and active noise cancellation.

yes mr. wayne, it does come in black… and also in blue, light green, and orange. pic.twitter.com/BZFZbfZfu1— CMF by Nothing (@cmfbynothing) July 3, 2024

Previously, the CMF account had shared images of the back that revealed easily accessible screws and a tiny screwdriver matching the brand’s aesthetic. The teases strongly hinted the device would have an easily removable rear panel, which seems confirmed today in a post featuring images of the panel itself in black, blue, light green, and orange colorways.

Image: Nothing
Can the CMF Phone 1’s back panel be swapped with one featuring an extended battery?

It’s not known if other companies are making alternate rear panels, but looking closer, it seems as if the device might handle panels adding either a larger battery — similar to a Mophie Juice Pack or the Motorola phones that supported “Moto Mods” a few years ago — or a wallet for holding credit and ID cards.
Nothing also hasn’t revealed if removing the rear panel will provide easier access to the CMF Phone 1’s internals, including its battery, but the feature may focus more on customizing appearance and functionality than improving repairability.
In addition to announcing the CMF Phone 1 on July 8th at 5AM ET, the brand will also debut its CMF Buds Pro 2 and Watch Pro 2 at its “Community Update” event.

Users will be able to swap the CMF Phone 1’s rear case and attach accessories like a folding kickstand. | Image: Nothing

Nothing plans to reveal the first smartphone from its affordable CMF subbrand on July 8th, but as part of a continuing series of teasers, it’s revealed the CMF Phone 1’s unique customizability, including a dial that can be used to attach accessories and a rear panel that can be easily swapped.

The light-up glyphs on the Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2 won’t make it to this model, but a short video of a rotating dial on the back looks similar to the aluminum alloy dial on the CMF Buds that allows a lanyard to be attached to the earbuds’ charging case.

Today’s tease seemingly confirms the phone’s dial will at least function in a similar manner to the dial on the CMF Buds to accommodate accessories and can be unscrewed and swapped with optional attachments, including a lanyard mount and a folding kickstand.

Will it offer additional functionality? Nothing’s teases have been cryptic, but the dial shown is reminiscent of the smart dial on the CMF Neckband Pro headphones, which is used to control volume, playback, and active noise cancellation.

Previously, the CMF account had shared images of the back that revealed easily accessible screws and a tiny screwdriver matching the brand’s aesthetic. The teases strongly hinted the device would have an easily removable rear panel, which seems confirmed today in a post featuring images of the panel itself in black, blue, light green, and orange colorways.

Image: Nothing
Can the CMF Phone 1’s back panel be swapped with one featuring an extended battery?

It’s not known if other companies are making alternate rear panels, but looking closer, it seems as if the device might handle panels adding either a larger battery — similar to a Mophie Juice Pack or the Motorola phones that supported “Moto Mods” a few years ago — or a wallet for holding credit and ID cards.

Nothing also hasn’t revealed if removing the rear panel will provide easier access to the CMF Phone 1’s internals, including its battery, but the feature may focus more on customizing appearance and functionality than improving repairability.

In addition to announcing the CMF Phone 1 on July 8th at 5AM ET, the brand will also debut its CMF Buds Pro 2 and Watch Pro 2 at its “Community Update” event.

Read More 

Image: The Verge

Until Friday, OpenAI’s recently launched ChatGPT macOS app had a potentially worrying security issue: it wasn’t hard to find your chats stored on your computer and read them in plain text. That meant that if a bad actor or malicious app had access to your machine, they could easily read your conversations with ChatGPT and the data contained within them.
As demonstrated by Pedro José Pereira Vieito on Threads, the ease of access meant it was possible to have another app access those files and show you the text of your conversations right after they happened. Pereira Vieito shared the app he made with me, and I used it to make a video showing how the app can read my ChatGPT conversations with the click of a button. I was also able to find the files on my computer and see the text of conversations just by changing the file name.

After The Verge contacted OpenAI about the issue, the company released an update that it says encrypts the chats. “We are aware of this issue and have shipped a new version of the application which encrypts these conversations,” OpenAI spokesperson Taya Christianson says in a statement to The Verge. “We’re committed to providing a helpful user experience while maintaining our high security standards as our technology evolves.”
After downloading the update, Pereira Vieito’s app no longer works for me, and I can’t see my conversations in plain text.
I asked Pereira Vieito how he discovered the original issue. “I was curious about why [OpenAI] opted out of using the app sandbox protections and ended up checking where they stored the app data,” he said. OpenAI only offers the ChatGPT macOS app through its own website, meaning the app doesn’t have to follow Apple’s sandboxing requirements that apply to software distributed via the Mac App Store.

Unless you’ve opted out, OpenAI may review ChatGPT conversations for safety and to train its models. But that privilege isn’t one you’d expect to extend to unknown third parties that get access and know where to look.
Of course, it could be worse — this app still wasn’t storing everything you’ve seen on your computer in plain text.

Image: The Verge

Until Friday, OpenAI’s recently launched ChatGPT macOS app had a potentially worrying security issue: it wasn’t hard to find your chats stored on your computer and read them in plain text. That meant that if a bad actor or malicious app had access to your machine, they could easily read your conversations with ChatGPT and the data contained within them.

As demonstrated by Pedro José Pereira Vieito on Threads, the ease of access meant it was possible to have another app access those files and show you the text of your conversations right after they happened. Pereira Vieito shared the app he made with me, and I used it to make a video showing how the app can read my ChatGPT conversations with the click of a button. I was also able to find the files on my computer and see the text of conversations just by changing the file name.

After The Verge contacted OpenAI about the issue, the company released an update that it says encrypts the chats. “We are aware of this issue and have shipped a new version of the application which encrypts these conversations,” OpenAI spokesperson Taya Christianson says in a statement to The Verge. “We’re committed to providing a helpful user experience while maintaining our high security standards as our technology evolves.”

After downloading the update, Pereira Vieito’s app no longer works for me, and I can’t see my conversations in plain text.

I asked Pereira Vieito how he discovered the original issue. “I was curious about why [OpenAI] opted out of using the app sandbox protections and ended up checking where they stored the app data,” he said. OpenAI only offers the ChatGPT macOS app through its own website, meaning the app doesn’t have to follow Apple’s sandboxing requirements that apply to software distributed via the Mac App Store.

Unless you’ve opted out, OpenAI may review ChatGPT conversations for safety and to train its models. But that privilege isn’t one you’d expect to extend to unknown third parties that get access and know where to look.

Of course, it could be worse — this app still wasn’t storing everything you’ve seen on your computer in plain text.

Read More 

Sony

Sony and Blumhouse’s Afraid from director Chris Weitz might not go so far as to suggest that you shouldn’t have so many smart devices watching and listening to everything you do in your home. But the movie’s first trailer will probably leave you contemplating what the AI-powered Internet of Things could do to you if it decided to go rogue under the pretense of being helpful.
Whereas M3gan was focused specifically on a future on the advent of humanoid consumer robots, Afraid tells the story of how the lives of an unsuspecting family are upended after installing a smart hub in their home. Neither Curtis (John Cho) nor his wife (Katherine Waterston) are sure what to expect from AIA — a HomePod / Ring / Siri-like device — when they’re selected to test it out, but they quickly find themselves enamored with its ability to help with tasks they simply don’t have time to do.
With its sensors placed everywhere and its constant tendency to ingest information about the family, it’s all too easy for AIA to become a reassuring presence in their lives once it takes over paying the bills and making sure the kids do their chores.
But Afraid’s new trailer teases how the programming beneath AIA’s pleasant exterior is a bit more… aggressive than the average consumer would ever dream, and while it doesn’t exactly seem like the machine wants to hurt its owners, it does very much feel as if the machine has plans to become more than just a voice that lives in everyone’s gadgets. The whole trailer has a very Smart House (the 1999 Disney Channel original movie) on steroids vibe, which is promising enough in its own right. But when Afraid debuts on August 30th, it’s probably going to raise the question whether Blumhouse might be considering a doll / house crossover situation down the line.

Sony

Sony and Blumhouse’s Afraid from director Chris Weitz might not go so far as to suggest that you shouldn’t have so many smart devices watching and listening to everything you do in your home. But the movie’s first trailer will probably leave you contemplating what the AI-powered Internet of Things could do to you if it decided to go rogue under the pretense of being helpful.

Whereas M3gan was focused specifically on a future on the advent of humanoid consumer robots, Afraid tells the story of how the lives of an unsuspecting family are upended after installing a smart hub in their home. Neither Curtis (John Cho) nor his wife (Katherine Waterston) are sure what to expect from AIA — a HomePod / Ring / Siri-like device — when they’re selected to test it out, but they quickly find themselves enamored with its ability to help with tasks they simply don’t have time to do.

With its sensors placed everywhere and its constant tendency to ingest information about the family, it’s all too easy for AIA to become a reassuring presence in their lives once it takes over paying the bills and making sure the kids do their chores.

But Afraid’s new trailer teases how the programming beneath AIA’s pleasant exterior is a bit more… aggressive than the average consumer would ever dream, and while it doesn’t exactly seem like the machine wants to hurt its owners, it does very much feel as if the machine has plans to become more than just a voice that lives in everyone’s gadgets. The whole trailer has a very Smart House (the 1999 Disney Channel original movie) on steroids vibe, which is promising enough in its own right. But when Afraid debuts on August 30th, it’s probably going to raise the question whether Blumhouse might be considering a doll / house crossover situation down the line.

Read More 

The Astro for Business robot is no more. | Image: Amazon

For a moment there, it seemed like Amazon might pivot its Astro home robot to enterprise after giving it a better job as a camera-equipped patrol dog. But today, it’s discontinuing the Astro for Business robot for good. On September 25th, every one of the 20-pound wheeled robots will stop working, and Amazon will automatically issue full refunds for the $2,349.99 bot, plus a $300 credit.
Amazon isn’t commenting on how many business bots it actually sold since the November 2023 launch, but the company’s VP of hardware engineering says he’s “increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources.” We’re sharing his full internal memo below.
Amazon also provided this statement to The Verge, which sure makes it sound like an Astro for Home successor might be on the way:
We are fully committed to our vision of bringing world-class consumer robotics solutions to the home. To accelerate our progress and ongoing research to make Astro the best in-home robot, we’ve made the decision to wind down support for Astro for Business. We’re excited about the in-home experiences we’re inventing for Astro, and look forward to sharing more in the future.
GeekWire first reported the news and said Amazon isn’t laying off any workers due to the pivot because they’ll just start working on home robots instead.
It’s a shame that a cute robot will simply get bricked and then trashed or recycled instead of being repurposed in some way. While Amazon says customers can get an invite to try its Astro for Home instead, Amazon spokesperson Courtney Ramirez confirms that the business bot can’t be converted into one for the home — instead, Amazon is offering a free shipping label for its recycling program.
Here’s the full internal memo as well as the emails that Amazon is sending existing customers, as provided to The Verge by Amazon:

From: Lindo St. Angel
To: CoRo org
Subject: Update on Astro for Business
Team,
It’s now been a year since CoRo moved into my organization, and it’s been a rewarding experience learning about the team and the business. I have tremendous respect for this team, what you’ve built for our customers, and your mission to deliver world-class consumer robotics solutions.
Much like you all, I am a big believer in the long-term benefits robots will offer our customers, and advancements in generative AI make this only more exciting. I am increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources. To do this, and accelerate our progress further, we’ve made the decision to wind down the Astro for Business program to focus our efforts entirely on building the best consumer robotics products for the home
There’s a lot of work to be done, but I am excited for this change and where it will lead us on the next stage of our journey. If you have any questions about this shift and how it pertains to your role, please reach out to your manager.
Lindo

Amazon is sending this email to its Astro for Business customers:

Subject: An important message about Astro for Business
Dear Astro for Business customer,
At Amazon, we seek to invent new solutions like Astro for Business to help serve our customers. While we are proud of what we’ve built, we’ve made the decision to end support for Astro for Business to put our focus on making Astro the best robot for the home.
In the coming weeks, Amazon will fully refund all Astro for Business device purchases to the original payment method. If your original payment method is no longer on file or is expired, we will issue a credit to your Amazon account equal to the amount you paid. You do not need to take any additional steps to receive your refund.
We are also adding a $300 credit to your Amazon account to help support a replacement solution for your workplace, as well as issuing you an automatic invite to the Astro Day 1 Editions Program if you’d like to continue your journey with Astro in your home.
What this means for you:
On 9/25, your Astro for Business device will no longer function and your personal data will be deleted from the device. Any patrol or investigation videos recorded by Astro will still be available in your Ring app until your video storage time expires or your Ring Protect subscription ends.
We encourage you to recycle your Astro for Business device and accessories through the Amazon Recycling Program—Amazon covers the costs associated with shipping and recycling your devices and accessories. Find more information about the Amazon Recycling Program and get your free shipping label by clicking the link: https://amazonrecycling-us.re-teck.com/recycling/home.
If you’re an Astro Secure subscriber:
On 9/25, we will discontinue Astro Secure, and your subscription benefits will automatically end. You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.
If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.
Sincerely,
The Astro for Business team

It’s also sending this email to those with Astro Secure subscriptions:

Subject: An important message about your Astro Secure subscription
Dear Astro Secure customer,
We are writing to inform you about an important change to your Astro Secure subscription. On 9/25, we will end support for Astro Secure and benefits like custom patrols, direct investigations of triggered Ring Alarm sensors, and support for Virtual Security Guard will no longer be available on Astro. Your Ring Protect Pro subscription is not impacted.
You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.
If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

The Amazon Astro for Home robot is still listed as an invite-only Day 1 Edition product, years after its release. In 2023, the company raised its price to $1,599.99, up from the $1,000 early adopter price and the $1,449.99 MSRP it carried at the time of our review.
Last year, leaked internal documents hinted at a new version with conversational generative AI that “remembers what it saw and understood,” can “engage in a Q&A dialogue on what it saw,” and potentially spot hazards in a home like broken glass on the floor.

The Astro for Business robot is no more. | Image: Amazon

For a moment there, it seemed like Amazon might pivot its Astro home robot to enterprise after giving it a better job as a camera-equipped patrol dog. But today, it’s discontinuing the Astro for Business robot for good. On September 25th, every one of the 20-pound wheeled robots will stop working, and Amazon will automatically issue full refunds for the $2,349.99 bot, plus a $300 credit.

Amazon isn’t commenting on how many business bots it actually sold since the November 2023 launch, but the company’s VP of hardware engineering says he’s “increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources.” We’re sharing his full internal memo below.

Amazon also provided this statement to The Verge, which sure makes it sound like an Astro for Home successor might be on the way:

We are fully committed to our vision of bringing world-class consumer robotics solutions to the home. To accelerate our progress and ongoing research to make Astro the best in-home robot, we’ve made the decision to wind down support for Astro for Business. We’re excited about the in-home experiences we’re inventing for Astro, and look forward to sharing more in the future.

GeekWire first reported the news and said Amazon isn’t laying off any workers due to the pivot because they’ll just start working on home robots instead.

It’s a shame that a cute robot will simply get bricked and then trashed or recycled instead of being repurposed in some way. While Amazon says customers can get an invite to try its Astro for Home instead, Amazon spokesperson Courtney Ramirez confirms that the business bot can’t be converted into one for the home — instead, Amazon is offering a free shipping label for its recycling program.

Here’s the full internal memo as well as the emails that Amazon is sending existing customers, as provided to The Verge by Amazon:

From: Lindo St. Angel

To: CoRo org

Subject: Update on Astro for Business

Team,

It’s now been a year since CoRo moved into my organization, and it’s been a rewarding experience learning about the team and the business. I have tremendous respect for this team, what you’ve built for our customers, and your mission to deliver world-class consumer robotics solutions.

Much like you all, I am a big believer in the long-term benefits robots will offer our customers, and advancements in generative AI make this only more exciting. I am increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources. To do this, and accelerate our progress further, we’ve made the decision to wind down the Astro for Business program to focus our efforts entirely on building the best consumer robotics products for the home

There’s a lot of work to be done, but I am excited for this change and where it will lead us on the next stage of our journey. If you have any questions about this shift and how it pertains to your role, please reach out to your manager.

Lindo

Amazon is sending this email to its Astro for Business customers:

Subject: An important message about Astro for Business

Dear Astro for Business customer,

At Amazon, we seek to invent new solutions like Astro for Business to help serve our customers. While we are proud of what we’ve built, we’ve made the decision to end support for Astro for Business to put our focus on making Astro the best robot for the home.

In the coming weeks, Amazon will fully refund all Astro for Business device purchases to the original payment method. If your original payment method is no longer on file or is expired, we will issue a credit to your Amazon account equal to the amount you paid. You do not need to take any additional steps to receive your refund.

We are also adding a $300 credit to your Amazon account to help support a replacement solution for your workplace, as well as issuing you an automatic invite to the Astro Day 1 Editions Program if you’d like to continue your journey with Astro in your home.

What this means for you:

On 9/25, your Astro for Business device will no longer function and your personal data will be deleted from the device. Any patrol or investigation videos recorded by Astro will still be available in your Ring app until your video storage time expires or your Ring Protect subscription ends.

We encourage you to recycle your Astro for Business device and accessories through the Amazon Recycling Program—Amazon covers the costs associated with shipping and recycling your devices and accessories. Find more information about the Amazon Recycling Program and get your free shipping label by clicking the link: https://amazonrecycling-us.re-teck.com/recycling/home.

If you’re an Astro Secure subscriber:

On 9/25, we will discontinue Astro Secure, and your subscription benefits will automatically end. You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.

If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

Sincerely,

The Astro for Business team

It’s also sending this email to those with Astro Secure subscriptions:

Subject: An important message about your Astro Secure subscription

Dear Astro Secure customer,

We are writing to inform you about an important change to your Astro Secure subscription. On 9/25, we will end support for Astro Secure and benefits like custom patrols, direct investigations of triggered Ring Alarm sensors, and support for Virtual Security Guard will no longer be available on Astro. Your Ring Protect Pro subscription is not impacted.

You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.

If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

The Amazon Astro for Home robot is still listed as an invite-only Day 1 Edition product, years after its release. In 2023, the company raised its price to $1,599.99, up from the $1,000 early adopter price and the $1,449.99 MSRP it carried at the time of our review.

Last year, leaked internal documents hinted at a new version with conversational generative AI that “remembers what it saw and understood,” can “engage in a Q&A dialogue on what it saw,” and potentially spot hazards in a home like broken glass on the floor.

Read More 

Illustration: The Verge

Google is making it easier for advertisers to disclose whether political ads contain AI-generated content. In an update spotted by Search Engine Land, Google says it will automatically generate disclosures whenever advertisers label election ads as containing “synthetic or digitally altered content.”
Last year, Google started requiring political advertisers to insert their own “clear and conspicuous” disclosures on ads containing AI content. But now, Google is simplifying the process, as it will automatically include an in-ad disclosure whenever advertisers select an “altered or synthetic content” checkbox in their campaign settings.

The disclosure will appear in feeds and YouTube Shorts on mobile devices as well as in-stream ads shown on phones, computers, TVs, and the web. Advertisers will have to include their own disclosures for all other ad formats.
With the US presidential election just months away, concerns over the use of AI in political advertising have started to mount. In May, the Senate Rules Committee advanced a bill that would require political advertisers to disclose AI-generated content, while the Federal Communications Commission proposed enacting a similar policy.

Illustration: The Verge

Google is making it easier for advertisers to disclose whether political ads contain AI-generated content. In an update spotted by Search Engine Land, Google says it will automatically generate disclosures whenever advertisers label election ads as containing “synthetic or digitally altered content.”

Last year, Google started requiring political advertisers to insert their own “clear and conspicuous” disclosures on ads containing AI content. But now, Google is simplifying the process, as it will automatically include an in-ad disclosure whenever advertisers select an “altered or synthetic content” checkbox in their campaign settings.

The disclosure will appear in feeds and YouTube Shorts on mobile devices as well as in-stream ads shown on phones, computers, TVs, and the web. Advertisers will have to include their own disclosures for all other ad formats.

With the US presidential election just months away, concerns over the use of AI in political advertising have started to mount. In May, the Senate Rules Committee advanced a bill that would require political advertisers to disclose AI-generated content, while the Federal Communications Commission proposed enacting a similar policy.

Read More 

The latest Beam isn’t tiny, but it’s far from the biggest soundbar around. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

While the world of deals is about to heat up with Fourth of July sales and Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day event, there are some great discounts you can take advantage of right now. For starters, Sonos is selling refurbished models of its second-gen Beam in black or white for $299, which is $100 off its usual refurb price and $200 cheaper than buying the soundbar in new condition.

That’s as cheap as you’re going to find the latest version of Sonos’ midrange soundbar, which is a lot like its first-gen version but with small improvements like Dolby Atmos and low-latency eARC support. The Beam is a good all-around performer if you want a simple soundbar that sounds great for its size, doesn’t clutter up your space with extra speakers or subwoofers, and doubles as a smart Wi-Fi speaker for streaming music within the Sonos ecosystem. And for those that have the space, the Beam can be expanded upon with other Sonos speakers like the Sub Mini or even Ikea’s Symfonisk lamps to create a modest surround sound home theater setup that doesn’t have wires and clutter everywhere.

As good a deal as the Beam is, if it’s still out of your price range, check out the refurbished Ray, which Sonos is selling for just $164 ($115 off a new model). The Ray is the entry point if you’re looking to pick up a Sonos soundbar, and while the 22-inch speaker doesn’t sound as expansive as either Beam, it’s still formidable for its size. Its biggest limitation is that it relies on optical audio and lacks HDMI ports.
A few more deals almost as bright as some fireworks

The physical version of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X is selling for an all-time low of $29.99 ($10 off). The remastered collection of tactical espionage games includes Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and the original Metal Gear from 1987. Read our review.

Best Buy is selling the last-gen iPad Air with an M1 chip and expanded 256GB of storage for $499.99 ($250 off). The 10.9-inch Air of 2022 may have been eclipsed by this year’s 11- and 13-inch M2 models, but based on our review, the new models are a little underwhelming compared with the more impressive M4 iPad Pro and recently price-slashed 10th-gen iPad. As for the 2022 Air, it’s still an excellent tablet with a good screen and plenty of performance headroom. Plus, 256GB gives you lots of app storage, making the current Best Buy deal a good value. Read our review.

The Anchor, an under-desk headphone hanger, is on sale for $11.95 ($3 off) at Amazon. It may not be a huge discount, but it’s about as cheap as it gets for Elevation Lab’s convenient way to stow away your headphones. You just peel the 3M adhesive, stick the Anchor to the bottom of your desk, and you can hang a pair of headphones so they’re always at the ready. It even supports the weight of Apple’s hefty AirPods Max.

The latest Beam isn’t tiny, but it’s far from the biggest soundbar around. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

While the world of deals is about to heat up with Fourth of July sales and Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day event, there are some great discounts you can take advantage of right now. For starters, Sonos is selling refurbished models of its second-gen Beam in black or white for $299, which is $100 off its usual refurb price and $200 cheaper than buying the soundbar in new condition.

That’s as cheap as you’re going to find the latest version of Sonos’ midrange soundbar, which is a lot like its first-gen version but with small improvements like Dolby Atmos and low-latency eARC support. The Beam is a good all-around performer if you want a simple soundbar that sounds great for its size, doesn’t clutter up your space with extra speakers or subwoofers, and doubles as a smart Wi-Fi speaker for streaming music within the Sonos ecosystem. And for those that have the space, the Beam can be expanded upon with other Sonos speakers like the Sub Mini or even Ikea’s Symfonisk lamps to create a modest surround sound home theater setup that doesn’t have wires and clutter everywhere.

As good a deal as the Beam is, if it’s still out of your price range, check out the refurbished Ray, which Sonos is selling for just $164 ($115 off a new model). The Ray is the entry point if you’re looking to pick up a Sonos soundbar, and while the 22-inch speaker doesn’t sound as expansive as either Beam, it’s still formidable for its size. Its biggest limitation is that it relies on optical audio and lacks HDMI ports.

A few more deals almost as bright as some fireworks

The physical version of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X is selling for an all-time low of $29.99 ($10 off). The remastered collection of tactical espionage games includes Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and the original Metal Gear from 1987. Read our review.

Best Buy is selling the last-gen iPad Air with an M1 chip and expanded 256GB of storage for $499.99 ($250 off). The 10.9-inch Air of 2022 may have been eclipsed by this year’s 11- and 13-inch M2 models, but based on our review, the new models are a little underwhelming compared with the more impressive M4 iPad Pro and recently price-slashed 10th-gen iPad. As for the 2022 Air, it’s still an excellent tablet with a good screen and plenty of performance headroom. Plus, 256GB gives you lots of app storage, making the current Best Buy deal a good value. Read our review.

The Anchor, an under-desk headphone hanger, is on sale for $11.95 ($3 off) at Amazon. It may not be a huge discount, but it’s about as cheap as it gets for Elevation Lab’s convenient way to stow away your headphones. You just peel the 3M adhesive, stick the Anchor to the bottom of your desk, and you can hang a pair of headphones so they’re always at the ready. It even supports the weight of Apple’s hefty AirPods Max.

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Image: Marvel Studios

The premise of Disney Plus’ What If…? made it seem like the animated Marvel series might run indefinitely as the studio keeps putting out live-action projects, but it looks like this chapter of the big multiverse story is just about over.
Though What If…? season 3 doesn’t have a premiere date, Entertainment Weekly reports that it will be the final installment in the series that gave us Jeffrey Wright’s Uatu the Watcher and Hayley Atwell as Captain Peggy Carter. Speaking on this week’s episode of Marvel’s new official podcast, What If…? executive producer Brad Winderbaum described the upcoming season as the “completion of a trilogy” and teased that it will go “beyond the first two seasons in its exploration of the multiverse.”
Notably, the end of What If…? comes at a time when the trajectory of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga — the collection of films and series building to 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars — has seemed a bit shaky due to ongoing delays with films like Mahershala Ali’s Blade. Kevin Feige’s recent assertion that the new Fantastic Four film will introduce yet another alternate universe suggests that we’re probably still in for at least a few more years of MCU multiversal shenanigans. But What If…? coming to an end could easily be a (promising) sign that the studio is finally gearing up to leave this era behind.

Image: Marvel Studios

The premise of Disney Plus’ What If…? made it seem like the animated Marvel series might run indefinitely as the studio keeps putting out live-action projects, but it looks like this chapter of the big multiverse story is just about over.

Though What If…? season 3 doesn’t have a premiere date, Entertainment Weekly reports that it will be the final installment in the series that gave us Jeffrey Wright’s Uatu the Watcher and Hayley Atwell as Captain Peggy Carter. Speaking on this week’s episode of Marvel’s new official podcast, What If…? executive producer Brad Winderbaum described the upcoming season as the “completion of a trilogy” and teased that it will go “beyond the first two seasons in its exploration of the multiverse.”

Notably, the end of What If…? comes at a time when the trajectory of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga — the collection of films and series building to 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars — has seemed a bit shaky due to ongoing delays with films like Mahershala Ali’s Blade. Kevin Feige’s recent assertion that the new Fantastic Four film will introduce yet another alternate universe suggests that we’re probably still in for at least a few more years of MCU multiversal shenanigans. But What If…? coming to an end could easily be a (promising) sign that the studio is finally gearing up to leave this era behind.

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You can find the Xiaomi Moaan InkPalm Plus for around $125 online. | Image: Xiaomi

It seems like everyone is enamored with the Boox Palma, including our own David Pierce, but at $280, it’s expensive for an e-reader. For another option that mirrors larger e-readers but in a tiny and cheaper package, John Moltz has taken a look at the $125 Xiaomi Moaan InkPalm Plus over on Six Colors.
There are some notable compromises, like a reflective screen that will potentially have users struggling to dodge glare, ordering off of AliExpress, and a dated Android 11 OS that isn’t fully translated from Chinese to English.

The display is also a few years behind the 300ppi e-paper panels you now get on Kindles, Kobos, and even the Boox Palma, featuring a 5.84-inch E Ink screen with just 276ppi of resolution. The InkPalm Plus also has just 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 2250mAh battery, compared to the Palma’s 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and 3,950mAh battery.
The Boox Palma’s storage can be further expanded using a microSD card, and it boasts a microphone and 16MP camera, but as Moltz points out, you’re probably not going to use these for capturing or even watching videos.

You can find the Xiaomi Moaan InkPalm Plus for around $125 online. | Image: Xiaomi

It seems like everyone is enamored with the Boox Palma, including our own David Pierce, but at $280, it’s expensive for an e-reader. For another option that mirrors larger e-readers but in a tiny and cheaper package, John Moltz has taken a look at the $125 Xiaomi Moaan InkPalm Plus over on Six Colors.

There are some notable compromises, like a reflective screen that will potentially have users struggling to dodge glare, ordering off of AliExpress, and a dated Android 11 OS that isn’t fully translated from Chinese to English.

The display is also a few years behind the 300ppi e-paper panels you now get on Kindles, Kobos, and even the Boox Palma, featuring a 5.84-inch E Ink screen with just 276ppi of resolution. The InkPalm Plus also has just 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 2250mAh battery, compared to the Palma’s 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and 3,950mAh battery.

The Boox Palma’s storage can be further expanded using a microSD card, and it boasts a microphone and 16MP camera, but as Moltz points out, you’re probably not going to use these for capturing or even watching videos.

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Mineral’s autonomous “plant buggies” could find a new home via licenses with former industry partnerships. | Image: Alphabet

Alphabet is reportedly walking away from its Mineral robotic agriculture startup due to fierce industry competition and slim profit margins. According to Bloomberg, the Google parent company will license some of its farming technology to Driscoll’s, a berry producer that’s spent the last few years working with autonomous “plant buggies” Mineral created to study crops, soil, and other environmental factors.
Bloomberg says it’s obtained a memo in which Mineral announced plans to transfer its technology “out to the agriculture ecosystem to maximize the impact of bringing our AI to agriculture” and confirms that “Mineral will no longer be an Alphabet company.” Licensing discussions are reportedly taking place with companies that previously partnered with Mineral, alongside the agreement with Driscoll’s.
Mineral was spun into an independent subsidiary last year after graduating from Alphabet’s X lab, the experimental division that previously launched Google Glass and the Waymo self-driving car unit. Bloomberg reports that Mineral employees have spent recent months trying to find a way to continue their work after “it became clear” the company no longer had a future under Alphabet.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Driscoll’s senior vice president of global research and development, Scott Komar, told Bloomberg it should give Driscoll’s a perpetual license to use Mineral’s technology. “We were really disappointed that Alphabet decided to change directions,” Komar told the publication. “We have really had a great partnership with the Mineral team, and from our vantage point, they were just getting takeoff altitude. And then all of a sudden, you know, plans changed.”
While Alphabet has poured billions of dollars into “moonshot” lab projects — including fish-tracking cameras, grocery delivery drones, and internet-providing balloons — most have struggled to achieve commercial viability. It shut down Loon, its internet balloon company, in 2021, and turned to outside investors to fund its X projects back in January following a wave of job cuts within the division.

Mineral’s autonomous “plant buggies” could find a new home via licenses with former industry partnerships. | Image: Alphabet

Alphabet is reportedly walking away from its Mineral robotic agriculture startup due to fierce industry competition and slim profit margins. According to Bloomberg, the Google parent company will license some of its farming technology to Driscoll’s, a berry producer that’s spent the last few years working with autonomous “plant buggies” Mineral created to study crops, soil, and other environmental factors.

Bloomberg says it’s obtained a memo in which Mineral announced plans to transfer its technology “out to the agriculture ecosystem to maximize the impact of bringing our AI to agriculture” and confirms that “Mineral will no longer be an Alphabet company.” Licensing discussions are reportedly taking place with companies that previously partnered with Mineral, alongside the agreement with Driscoll’s.

Mineral was spun into an independent subsidiary last year after graduating from Alphabet’s X lab, the experimental division that previously launched Google Glass and the Waymo self-driving car unit. Bloomberg reports that Mineral employees have spent recent months trying to find a way to continue their work after “it became clear” the company no longer had a future under Alphabet.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Driscoll’s senior vice president of global research and development, Scott Komar, told Bloomberg it should give Driscoll’s a perpetual license to use Mineral’s technology. “We were really disappointed that Alphabet decided to change directions,” Komar told the publication. “We have really had a great partnership with the Mineral team, and from our vantage point, they were just getting takeoff altitude. And then all of a sudden, you know, plans changed.”

While Alphabet has poured billions of dollars into “moonshot” lab projects — including fish-tracking cameras, grocery delivery drones, and internet-providing balloons — most have struggled to achieve commercial viability. It shut down Loon, its internet balloon company, in 2021, and turned to outside investors to fund its X projects back in January following a wave of job cuts within the division.

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