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Apple’s AirPods 4. | Image: Apple

Apple is launching a new version of AirPods called the AirPods 4, with a refined new shape that Apple says is its “most comfortable AirPods ever.” It keeps an open-air design, has a “massive improvement” in audio quality, and includes support for personalized spatial audio.
The earbuds will be available in two models: an entry-level model, known as the AirPods 4, and a higher-end model with noise cancellation, known as the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a first for the standard AirPods line. The standard set costs $129, and the higher-end ANC one is $179. Both are available on September 20th and can be preordered today.
Apple is also adding improved Find My features for the AirPods, including the previously Pro-only speaker built into the case. It now includes wireless charging as well by default.

With the release of iOS 18, Apple is giving AirPods models, including the Pro, new Siri Interactions. First announced at WWDC, the feature lets you shake your head yes or no to reply to Siri’s questions. For the AirPods Pro, Apple is including a new “Hearing Protection” feature powered by the H2 chip that aims to reduce noise to protect users’ ears.
The standard AirPods line was last updated in 2021 with the introduction of the third-generation AirPods, which adopted the bulbous and short stub shape of the AirPods Pro but lacked noise cancellation and the in-ear fit. It was reportedly not a big seller, and Apple had continued to keep the original-style second-generation AirPods in the lineup.
Apple’s last AirPods update came in September 2023, when the Pro’s second second-generation version gained a new USB-C charging case and lossless audio support (when paired with Vision Pro).
Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

Apple’s AirPods 4. | Image: Apple

Apple is launching a new version of AirPods called the AirPods 4, with a refined new shape that Apple says is its “most comfortable AirPods ever.” It keeps an open-air design, has a “massive improvement” in audio quality, and includes support for personalized spatial audio.

The earbuds will be available in two models: an entry-level model, known as the AirPods 4, and a higher-end model with noise cancellation, known as the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a first for the standard AirPods line. The standard set costs $129, and the higher-end ANC one is $179. Both are available on September 20th and can be preordered today.

Apple is also adding improved Find My features for the AirPods, including the previously Pro-only speaker built into the case. It now includes wireless charging as well by default.

With the release of iOS 18, Apple is giving AirPods models, including the Pro, new Siri Interactions. First announced at WWDC, the feature lets you shake your head yes or no to reply to Siri’s questions. For the AirPods Pro, Apple is including a new “Hearing Protection” feature powered by the H2 chip that aims to reduce noise to protect users’ ears.

The standard AirPods line was last updated in 2021 with the introduction of the third-generation AirPods, which adopted the bulbous and short stub shape of the AirPods Pro but lacked noise cancellation and the in-ear fit. It was reportedly not a big seller, and Apple had continued to keep the original-style second-generation AirPods in the lineup.

Apple’s last AirPods update came in September 2023, when the Pro’s second second-generation version gained a new USB-C charging case and lossless audio support (when paired with Vision Pro).

Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

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Photo: The Verge

After almost four years without a hardware update, a new version of the AirPods Max has been announced by Apple today, with the primary upgrade being a switch from Apple’s proprietary Lightning port to USB-C.
As Apple has slowly transitioned away from the Lightning port it introduced 12 years ago, the AirPods have been one of the last product lines from the company to say goodbye to the proprietary connector. Apple introduced a USB-C charging case for the AirPods Pro 2 last year as an affordable way to upgrade the charging port without replacing the earbuds, but AirPods Max users are going to have to completely replace their headphones to get USB-C.
The new AirPods Max can be preordered today in several new color options that include black, purple, and orange for $549 (the same price as the previous model) and will be available starting on September 20th.
Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

Photo: The Verge

After almost four years without a hardware update, a new version of the AirPods Max has been announced by Apple today, with the primary upgrade being a switch from Apple’s proprietary Lightning port to USB-C.

As Apple has slowly transitioned away from the Lightning port it introduced 12 years ago, the AirPods have been one of the last product lines from the company to say goodbye to the proprietary connector. Apple introduced a USB-C charging case for the AirPods Pro 2 last year as an affordable way to upgrade the charging port without replacing the earbuds, but AirPods Max users are going to have to completely replace their headphones to get USB-C.

The new AirPods Max can be preordered today in several new color options that include black, purple, and orange for $549 (the same price as the previous model) and will be available starting on September 20th.

Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

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Image: Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple is adding sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch. The new feature is coming to the Apple Watch Series 9, the just-announced Series 10, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple announced at its product event on Monday.
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing as you sleep. Sleep apnea is a feature that wearables makers have been working on for some time, with Samsung getting cleared by the FDA for sleep apnea tracking with the Galaxy Watch earlier this year. Apple says it’s using the accelerometer on its watches to monitor a new metric that it calls “breathing disturbances.” You’ll be able to see your nightly breathing disturbance values in the Health app.

Image: Apple

The company expects to get FDA clearance for its sleep apnea detection feature soon, and it plans to launch the feature in more than 150 countries and regions. The company says its sleep detection was validated in a study that was “unprecedented” in size for sleep apnea technology.

Image: Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple is adding sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch. The new feature is coming to the Apple Watch Series 9, the just-announced Series 10, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple announced at its product event on Monday.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing as you sleep. Sleep apnea is a feature that wearables makers have been working on for some time, with Samsung getting cleared by the FDA for sleep apnea tracking with the Galaxy Watch earlier this year. Apple says it’s using the accelerometer on its watches to monitor a new metric that it calls “breathing disturbances.” You’ll be able to see your nightly breathing disturbance values in the Health app.

Image: Apple

The company expects to get FDA clearance for its sleep apnea detection feature soon, and it plans to launch the feature in more than 150 countries and regions. The company says its sleep detection was validated in a study that was “unprecedented” in size for sleep apnea technology.

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The Apple Watch Ultra 2 in black. | Photo: Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple has refreshed the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a new “satin black” color option and sleep apnea detection feature, the company announced at its September event today. It’s the first time Apple has offered the Watch Ultra in more than one color since it launched two years ago.
Apple says its sleep apnea feature uses the watch’s accelerometer to analyze “breathing disturbance data” every 30 days and will “notify you if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.” The feature is coming to the new Apple Watch Series 10 as well as the Series 9. Apple also announced a new titanium Milanese Loop. It’s $799 and available for preorder today ahead of a September 20th release.

The Watch Ultra will get watchOS 11, which brings with it updates to Smart Stack — the widgets that pop up when you rotate the Digital Crown and which will now show Live Activities, just like the iPhone — and a set of features to track health over time. Those include Training Load, which can tell you how hard you’ve been pushing yourself relative to your typical exertion, and the debut of a Vitals app that will let you know if key metrics like respiratory rate or your sleep duration are typical for you or if some measurements are considered outliers.

The Apple Watch Ultra was introduced in 2022 as arguably the first significant update to the wearable’s design. It stood out from the normal “Series” watches with a bigger screen and chunkier body as well as a customizable Action Button — a concept Apple later brought to the iPhone 15 Pro. The company released the Ultra 2 last year with a brighter screen and a new S9 chip that enabled on-device Siri processing.
The Watch Ultra may not have changed much this year, but it’s still the battery champ of Apple’s smartwatch lineup. It’s also the priciest of the Apple Watches and is aimed squarely at the most athletic smartwatch wearers, who spend more time outside and in motion and for whom a brighter screen and long-lasting battery might be important.
Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 in black. | Photo: Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple has refreshed the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a new “satin black” color option and sleep apnea detection feature, the company announced at its September event today. It’s the first time Apple has offered the Watch Ultra in more than one color since it launched two years ago.

Apple says its sleep apnea feature uses the watch’s accelerometer to analyze “breathing disturbance data” every 30 days and will “notify you if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.” The feature is coming to the new Apple Watch Series 10 as well as the Series 9. Apple also announced a new titanium Milanese Loop. It’s $799 and available for preorder today ahead of a September 20th release.

The Watch Ultra will get watchOS 11, which brings with it updates to Smart Stack — the widgets that pop up when you rotate the Digital Crown and which will now show Live Activities, just like the iPhone — and a set of features to track health over time. Those include Training Load, which can tell you how hard you’ve been pushing yourself relative to your typical exertion, and the debut of a Vitals app that will let you know if key metrics like respiratory rate or your sleep duration are typical for you or if some measurements are considered outliers.

The Apple Watch Ultra was introduced in 2022 as arguably the first significant update to the wearable’s design. It stood out from the normal “Series” watches with a bigger screen and chunkier body as well as a customizable Action Button — a concept Apple later brought to the iPhone 15 Pro. The company released the Ultra 2 last year with a brighter screen and a new S9 chip that enabled on-device Siri processing.

The Watch Ultra may not have changed much this year, but it’s still the battery champ of Apple’s smartwatch lineup. It’s also the priciest of the Apple Watches and is aimed squarely at the most athletic smartwatch wearers, who spend more time outside and in motion and for whom a brighter screen and long-lasting battery might be important.

Developing… check out our live blog for the latest details.

Read More 

Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” iPhone 16 event is nigh. | Screenshot: YouTube

Apple’s first new phones since announcing Apple Intelligence debut in September. Apple is preparing to release the iPhone 16, its first phone since it announced Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. Unlike the iPhone 15 line, this year’s crop of iPhones is expected to be compatible with all of the generative AI-powered features the company will introduce with iOS 18 and that will come out over the next several months.
Physically, the iPhones may have a new camera button and camera sensors rearranged to take better spatial photos and videos for viewing on the Vision Pro headset. That’ll be the most noticeable on the iPhone 16, as the two lenses may go vertical instead of diagonal, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to be keeping the same general appearance (but with slightly larger screens).
The traditional September launch comes as all of Apple’s competitors are already well into their AI efforts, leaving Apple to catch up. The company, so far, hasn’t shown features that raise existential questions about photography. Instead, it’s leaning into claims that it’s working on truly private AI for everyone. Artificial intelligence models run on-device most of the time, and where they can’t, requests are processed in the cloud through what Apple calls Private Cloud Compute.
Some of the non-Apple Intelligence features coming in the iOS 18 launch include a glowing border animation for Siri, the ability to place app icons wherever you want on your homescreen, and a more customizable Control Center.

Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” iPhone 16 event is nigh. | Screenshot: YouTube

Apple’s first new phones since announcing Apple Intelligence debut in September.

Apple is preparing to release the iPhone 16, its first phone since it announced Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. Unlike the iPhone 15 line, this year’s crop of iPhones is expected to be compatible with all of the generative AI-powered features the company will introduce with iOS 18 and that will come out over the next several months.

Physically, the iPhones may have a new camera button and camera sensors rearranged to take better spatial photos and videos for viewing on the Vision Pro headset. That’ll be the most noticeable on the iPhone 16, as the two lenses may go vertical instead of diagonal, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to be keeping the same general appearance (but with slightly larger screens).

The traditional September launch comes as all of Apple’s competitors are already well into their AI efforts, leaving Apple to catch up. The company, so far, hasn’t shown features that raise existential questions about photography. Instead, it’s leaning into claims that it’s working on truly private AI for everyone. Artificial intelligence models run on-device most of the time, and where they can’t, requests are processed in the cloud through what Apple calls Private Cloud Compute.

Some of the non-Apple Intelligence features coming in the iOS 18 launch include a glowing border animation for Siri, the ability to place app icons wherever you want on your homescreen, and a more customizable Control Center.

Read More 

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge

We’re here with the latest on Apple Intelligence, iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. It’s glowtime, baby. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 today — and the launch of Apple Intelligence along with it. Apple is late to the AI party, which makes its arrival all the more intriguing.
While we got a glimpse of Apple Intelligence at WWDC, we’re expecting a more practical look at how it’ll show up in the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (plus all the usual upgrades like new colors, better cameras — the whole shebang). But phones and AI aren’t the only things on the agenda. It’s the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, and rumor has it, it’ll sport a bigger display and thinner body. The AirPods lineup is also due for a refresh, with murmurs of new entry and midtier models.
That’s a jam-packed agenda, and the event kicks off at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. We’re on the ground reporting live from Cupertino, California, and you’ll also be able to follow along with the stream here.

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Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge

We’re here with the latest on Apple Intelligence, iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods.

It’s glowtime, baby. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 today — and the launch of Apple Intelligence along with it. Apple is late to the AI party, which makes its arrival all the more intriguing.

While we got a glimpse of Apple Intelligence at WWDC, we’re expecting a more practical look at how it’ll show up in the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (plus all the usual upgrades like new colors, better cameras — the whole shebang). But phones and AI aren’t the only things on the agenda. It’s the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, and rumor has it, it’ll sport a bigger display and thinner body. The AirPods lineup is also due for a refresh, with murmurs of new entry and midtier models.

That’s a jam-packed agenda, and the event kicks off at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. We’re on the ground reporting live from Cupertino, California, and you’ll also be able to follow along with the stream here.

Read More 

The US-only beta test is limited to a “small group of narrators.” | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon will begin inviting a small group of Audible narrators to train AI-generated voice clones of themselves this week, with the aim of speeding up audiobook production for the platform. The US-only beta test was announced on Audible’s creator marketplace and will be extended to rights holders like authors, agents, and publishers “later this year,” according to Amazon.
“There is a vast catalog of books that does not yet exist in audio and as we explore ways to bring more books to life on Audible, we’re committed to thoughtfully balancing the interests of authors, narrators, publishers, and listeners,” Amazon said in its announcement. Participants in the beta will submit a voice recording to train their AI replica and will retain control over the projects they wish to audition for across both live performances and AI-generated recordings.
Narrators can also use Amazon’s production tools to edit the pronunciation and pacing of their AI voice replica if a rights holder selects them for a project, alongside reviewing the final production for any errors or inaccuracies. Amazon says that narrators will be compensated via a “Royalty Share” model on a “title-by-title basis” but didn’t expand on how much voice artists can expect to earn.
“Audible will not separately use a narrator’s voice replica for any content without their approval.”
The announcement blog says that beta participants can create a voice replica “for free,” which implies that there may be an upfront cost involved for narrators in the future if the feature becomes generally available. Any titles that are narrated using voice replicas will be labeled on the product detail page. “Narrators control what works are narrated with their voice replica,” Amazon said. “Audible will not separately use a narrator’s voice replica for any content without their approval.”
Amazon rolled out a similar feature last year that allows Kindle Direct Publishing authors to convert their titles into audiobooks using fully synthetic voices. Bloomberg reported in May that virtual voices were used on 40,000 Audible titles since release, sparking concerns from narrators like Ramon de Ocampo about the feature reducing job opportunities for human performers. As outlets like Brian’s Book Blog have noted, Audible currently doesn’t provide an easy way for users to filter out these “Virtual Voice” audiobooks if they’re aiming to avoid them.

The US-only beta test is limited to a “small group of narrators.” | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon will begin inviting a small group of Audible narrators to train AI-generated voice clones of themselves this week, with the aim of speeding up audiobook production for the platform. The US-only beta test was announced on Audible’s creator marketplace and will be extended to rights holders like authors, agents, and publishers “later this year,” according to Amazon.

“There is a vast catalog of books that does not yet exist in audio and as we explore ways to bring more books to life on Audible, we’re committed to thoughtfully balancing the interests of authors, narrators, publishers, and listeners,” Amazon said in its announcement. Participants in the beta will submit a voice recording to train their AI replica and will retain control over the projects they wish to audition for across both live performances and AI-generated recordings.

Narrators can also use Amazon’s production tools to edit the pronunciation and pacing of their AI voice replica if a rights holder selects them for a project, alongside reviewing the final production for any errors or inaccuracies. Amazon says that narrators will be compensated via a “Royalty Share” model on a “title-by-title basis” but didn’t expand on how much voice artists can expect to earn.

The announcement blog says that beta participants can create a voice replica “for free,” which implies that there may be an upfront cost involved for narrators in the future if the feature becomes generally available. Any titles that are narrated using voice replicas will be labeled on the product detail page. “Narrators control what works are narrated with their voice replica,” Amazon said. “Audible will not separately use a narrator’s voice replica for any content without their approval.”

Amazon rolled out a similar feature last year that allows Kindle Direct Publishing authors to convert their titles into audiobooks using fully synthetic voices. Bloomberg reported in May that virtual voices were used on 40,000 Audible titles since release, sparking concerns from narrators like Ramon de Ocampo about the feature reducing job opportunities for human performers. As outlets like Brian’s Book Blog have noted, Audible currently doesn’t provide an easy way for users to filter out these “Virtual Voice” audiobooks if they’re aiming to avoid them.

Read More 

An apparent image of the Meta Quest 3S. | Image: Meta

Meta appears to have leaked the Meta Quest 3S, its rumored budget follow-up to last year’s Quest 3 headset, in its own Windows Meta Quest Link PC software. Spotted by UploadVR, the images posted on Reddit show a VR headset that’s visually a bit of a cross between the Quest 2 and Quest 3.
The headset is expected to make its first Meta-sanctioned appearance very soon at the company’s Connect event that starts September 25th.
The “Quest 3S” (if it ships with that name) appears to have front-facing cameras, only instead of three pill-shaped camera cutouts like on the Quest 3, they’re clustered in two sets of three on the front cover of the device, while the strap remains the same. I could still find the image buried deep in the asset folders of the Quest Link PC app by following this path, posted by Reddit user Gary_the_mememachine:
C:Program FilesOculusSupportoculus-dashdashdatajsassetssrcappsdashasset_filesexperience-panels

UploadVR also points to a post on X that shows images of apparent Quest 3S accessories on the headset. Accessories have already shown up on AliExpress, all showing what looks like the same headset spotted in other leaks over the last few months.

I can buy 3rd party accessories for Quest 3S i guess pic.twitter.com/dkresIJxsi— 파란 상자 (@TBluebox12) September 8, 2024

Rumors have suggested Meta will price the Quest 3S as low as $300 and that it may sell it without controllers, instead relying on the Vision Pro-like gesture controls that the company has been slowly adding to its operating system.

An apparent image of the Meta Quest 3S. | Image: Meta

Meta appears to have leaked the Meta Quest 3S, its rumored budget follow-up to last year’s Quest 3 headset, in its own Windows Meta Quest Link PC software. Spotted by UploadVR, the images posted on Reddit show a VR headset that’s visually a bit of a cross between the Quest 2 and Quest 3.

The headset is expected to make its first Meta-sanctioned appearance very soon at the company’s Connect event that starts September 25th.

The “Quest 3S” (if it ships with that name) appears to have front-facing cameras, only instead of three pill-shaped camera cutouts like on the Quest 3, they’re clustered in two sets of three on the front cover of the device, while the strap remains the same. I could still find the image buried deep in the asset folders of the Quest Link PC app by following this path, posted by Reddit user Gary_the_mememachine:

C:Program FilesOculusSupportoculus-dashdashdatajsassetssrcappsdashasset_filesexperience-panels

UploadVR also points to a post on X that shows images of apparent Quest 3S accessories on the headset. Accessories have already shown up on AliExpress, all showing what looks like the same headset spotted in other leaks over the last few months.

Rumors have suggested Meta will price the Quest 3S as low as $300 and that it may sell it without controllers, instead relying on the Vision Pro-like gesture controls that the company has been slowly adding to its operating system.

Read More 

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

It may be iPhone 16 announcement day, but there’s a great deal available right now for Android fans. Now that all versions of the Google Pixel 9 are out in the wild (including the excellent Pixel 9 Pro Fold), last year’s Pixel 8 Pro has dropped to a new low of $624 ($375 off) at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy — and Best Buy is extending an extra $100 discount if you activate with a carrier through them.

The 2023 Pixels may not feel quite as nice as the new models or have the same borderline-problematic AI camera tricks, but the Pixel 8 Pro remains a very good phone with a big, colorful 6.7-inch OLED screen and a camera system with a 5x telephoto sensor that achieves a further 10x magnification through digital zoom. In addition, the Pixel 8 generation was the first to kick off Google’s new plan for seven years of full OS updates, so even though this is a last-gen phone, you won’t feel like you’re barreling toward an uncomfortably close software expiration date. There’s a lot to like here for a flagship phone falling into the upper midrange price range.

Read our review of the Pixel 8 Pro.

More deals on a Monday

Death Stranding 2 isn’t coming out until next year, but a physical copy of Death Stranding Director’s Cut on PS5 is just $28.99 ($21 off) right now from Antonline via Amazon for anyone who wants to get into the franchise on the cheap. Hideo Kojima’s first post-Metal Gear game initially came out in 2019 and offers a unique sci-fi world where you navigate a vast postapocalyptic landscape to deliver packages to people. It may sound a bit boring, but the story takes you places (even if some of Kojima’s trappings often leave people a bit perplexed — and intrigued). Read our initial review.
OnePlus is running various discounts on its site, and one of the standouts is the excellent OnePlus Open selling for $1,299.99 ($400 off). The foldable phone comes with 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM and features a 6.3-inch outer screen and a 7.82-inch inner unfolding screen. Outside of the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which costs $1,800, OnePlus’ Open is one of the most “normal” feeling foldables you can get in the US — it doesn’t have that skinny TV remote feel when it’s closed. And the big discount makes it a better value proposition than its competitors. Read our review.
While Sony quietly increased the price of its DualSense controllers by $5, the slick new Sky Cipher special edition Xbox Wireless Controller is discounted for the first time, dropping to $59.99 ($10 off) from Antonline via eBay or $64 ($5.99 off) at Amazon. The see-through blue gamepad is compatible with Xbox Series X / S consoles, PCs, and a variety of other devices via Bluetooth. In addition to its good looks, the Sky Cipher model also has a new metallic D-pad upgrade and rear rubberized grips for an upgraded feel over the stock version.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

It may be iPhone 16 announcement day, but there’s a great deal available right now for Android fans. Now that all versions of the Google Pixel 9 are out in the wild (including the excellent Pixel 9 Pro Fold), last year’s Pixel 8 Pro has dropped to a new low of $624 ($375 off) at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy — and Best Buy is extending an extra $100 discount if you activate with a carrier through them.

The 2023 Pixels may not feel quite as nice as the new models or have the same borderline-problematic AI camera tricks, but the Pixel 8 Pro remains a very good phone with a big, colorful 6.7-inch OLED screen and a camera system with a 5x telephoto sensor that achieves a further 10x magnification through digital zoom. In addition, the Pixel 8 generation was the first to kick off Google’s new plan for seven years of full OS updates, so even though this is a last-gen phone, you won’t feel like you’re barreling toward an uncomfortably close software expiration date. There’s a lot to like here for a flagship phone falling into the upper midrange price range.

Read our review of the Pixel 8 Pro.

More deals on a Monday

Death Stranding 2 isn’t coming out until next year, but a physical copy of Death Stranding Director’s Cut on PS5 is just $28.99 ($21 off) right now from Antonline via Amazon for anyone who wants to get into the franchise on the cheap. Hideo Kojima’s first post-Metal Gear game initially came out in 2019 and offers a unique sci-fi world where you navigate a vast postapocalyptic landscape to deliver packages to people. It may sound a bit boring, but the story takes you places (even if some of Kojima’s trappings often leave people a bit perplexed — and intrigued). Read our initial review.
OnePlus is running various discounts on its site, and one of the standouts is the excellent OnePlus Open selling for $1,299.99 ($400 off). The foldable phone comes with 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM and features a 6.3-inch outer screen and a 7.82-inch inner unfolding screen. Outside of the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which costs $1,800, OnePlus’ Open is one of the most “normal” feeling foldables you can get in the US — it doesn’t have that skinny TV remote feel when it’s closed. And the big discount makes it a better value proposition than its competitors. Read our review.
While Sony quietly increased the price of its DualSense controllers by $5, the slick new Sky Cipher special edition Xbox Wireless Controller is discounted for the first time, dropping to $59.99 ($10 off) from Antonline via eBay or $64 ($5.99 off) at Amazon. The see-through blue gamepad is compatible with Xbox Series X / S consoles, PCs, and a variety of other devices via Bluetooth. In addition to its good looks, the Sky Cipher model also has a new metallic D-pad upgrade and rear rubberized grips for an upgraded feel over the stock version.

Read More 

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Sony is holding a PlayStation “Technical Presentation” tomorrow, just days after teasing a PS5 Pro console. The nine-minute stream will be hosted by Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS5 console. Cerny previously revealed the full PS5 specs ahead of its debut in 2020.
The stream will start at 8AM PT / 11AM ET / 4PM UK on September 10th and will be broadcast on the PlayStation YouTube channel. Sony hasn’t provided any further details about the technical presentation, but the announcement comes just after Sony teased the PS5 Pro in a 30th anniversary PlayStation image.

A montage included a PS5 design that looks identical to the PS5 Pro leak from last month. Leaked images of the PS5 Pro showed a console with three black stripes in the middle of the outer facades, unlike the existing PS5 model that has a single stripe. Sony’s teaser image included a PS5 with those same three black stripes.
We’ve known for months the PS5 Pro is real and that developers have been getting their games ready for this new console. I recently heard that developers need to make any games released on or after September 16th compatible with the PS5 Pro.
Codenamed Trinity, the PlayStation 5 Pro model will include a more powerful GPU and a slightly faster CPU mode, according to Sony documents seen by The Verge. The PS5 Pro hardware changes all point to a console that will be far more capable of hitting higher resolutions, improve frame rates in certain games, and improve support for ray tracing.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Sony is holding a PlayStation “Technical Presentation” tomorrow, just days after teasing a PS5 Pro console. The nine-minute stream will be hosted by Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS5 console. Cerny previously revealed the full PS5 specs ahead of its debut in 2020.

The stream will start at 8AM PT / 11AM ET / 4PM UK on September 10th and will be broadcast on the PlayStation YouTube channel. Sony hasn’t provided any further details about the technical presentation, but the announcement comes just after Sony teased the PS5 Pro in a 30th anniversary PlayStation image.

A montage included a PS5 design that looks identical to the PS5 Pro leak from last month. Leaked images of the PS5 Pro showed a console with three black stripes in the middle of the outer facades, unlike the existing PS5 model that has a single stripe. Sony’s teaser image included a PS5 with those same three black stripes.

We’ve known for months the PS5 Pro is real and that developers have been getting their games ready for this new console. I recently heard that developers need to make any games released on or after September 16th compatible with the PS5 Pro.

Codenamed Trinity, the PlayStation 5 Pro model will include a more powerful GPU and a slightly faster CPU mode, according to Sony documents seen by The Verge. The PS5 Pro hardware changes all point to a console that will be far more capable of hitting higher resolutions, improve frame rates in certain games, and improve support for ray tracing.

Read More