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Bang & Olufsen’s new $1,500 headphones combine luxury and repairability

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 are available in three different colorways, including sunset apricot. | Image: Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen has announced its new $1,549 Beoplay H100 headphones, which are debuting with an even steeper price tag than its H95, which were introduced four years ago and which now cost $999. The company is justifying that pricing with a focus on premium materials, improved noise-cancellation, and better repairability that will potentially extend the lifespan of the headphones.
The use of materials like lambskin leather on the H100’s ear pad cushions and scratch-resistant glass protecting the headphone’s touchpad controls isn’t new for Bang & Olufsen. But the ear pad and headband cushions can now be easily detached and replaced when they get worn or dirty, and the company says the H100 feature a revamped design, making it easier for components like batteries, drivers, and circuit boards to be repaired or replaced. That’s a big selling point because when you’re spending over $1,500 on headphones, you don’t want them to become e-waste just because the batteries no longer hold a charge.

Image: Bang & Olufsen
The Beoplay H100 have been designed with user-replaceable components and electronics that are easier to repair.

Sound is delivered through a pair of 40-millimeter “custom-made titanium drivers,” and the H100 support not only high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio but also Dolby Atmos spatial audio with built-in head tracking. Active noise-cancellation is now powered by 10 microphones, which Band & Olufsen claims double its performance, and switching between ANC and transparency modes is handled by an adjustable haptic dial on the ear cups — a feature included on older Band & Olufsen headphones and one that was pioneered by Microsoft’s Surface headphones.
The H100’s 32 hours of battery life (with ANC on) is a bit of a step down from the H95, which managed 38 hours. With spatial audio and head tracking active, the H100’s battery life is reduced by another two hours. Similar to Apple’s AirPods Max, the H100 don’t have a power button. They instead turn on automatically when worn, go into a low-power mode when taken off with 90 days of standby time, and power off completely when placed in an included carrying case. Should the headphones completely die at an inopportune time, Bang & Olufsen says a five-minute charge will deliver an additional five hours of playback.
The Beoplay H100 are available now through Bang & Olufsen’s website in three different colorways: infinite black, hourglass sand, and sunset apricot.

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 are available in three different colorways, including sunset apricot. | Image: Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen has announced its new $1,549 Beoplay H100 headphones, which are debuting with an even steeper price tag than its H95, which were introduced four years ago and which now cost $999. The company is justifying that pricing with a focus on premium materials, improved noise-cancellation, and better repairability that will potentially extend the lifespan of the headphones.

The use of materials like lambskin leather on the H100’s ear pad cushions and scratch-resistant glass protecting the headphone’s touchpad controls isn’t new for Bang & Olufsen. But the ear pad and headband cushions can now be easily detached and replaced when they get worn or dirty, and the company says the H100 feature a revamped design, making it easier for components like batteries, drivers, and circuit boards to be repaired or replaced. That’s a big selling point because when you’re spending over $1,500 on headphones, you don’t want them to become e-waste just because the batteries no longer hold a charge.

Image: Bang & Olufsen
The Beoplay H100 have been designed with user-replaceable components and electronics that are easier to repair.

Sound is delivered through a pair of 40-millimeter “custom-made titanium drivers,” and the H100 support not only high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio but also Dolby Atmos spatial audio with built-in head tracking. Active noise-cancellation is now powered by 10 microphones, which Band & Olufsen claims double its performance, and switching between ANC and transparency modes is handled by an adjustable haptic dial on the ear cups — a feature included on older Band & Olufsen headphones and one that was pioneered by Microsoft’s Surface headphones.

The H100’s 32 hours of battery life (with ANC on) is a bit of a step down from the H95, which managed 38 hours. With spatial audio and head tracking active, the H100’s battery life is reduced by another two hours. Similar to Apple’s AirPods Max, the H100 don’t have a power button. They instead turn on automatically when worn, go into a low-power mode when taken off with 90 days of standby time, and power off completely when placed in an included carrying case. Should the headphones completely die at an inopportune time, Bang & Olufsen says a five-minute charge will deliver an additional five hours of playback.

The Beoplay H100 are available now through Bang & Olufsen’s website in three different colorways: infinite black, hourglass sand, and sunset apricot.

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Apple’s next iPhone SE might get an OLED upgrade

The iPhone SE 4 may look a lot like the iPhone 14. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The fourth-generation iPhone SE might be getting an OLED display, a new rumor bubbling up from its supply chain suggests. The company has started ordering OLED displays from both BOE and LG Display to outfit the phone with, according to Nikkei Asia.
The possibility that Apple was switching its cheapest phone away from LCD tech has been rumored for over a year but Nikkei’s report suggests Apple is gearing up to release a new iPhone SE in a few months. Apple could start producing the phones next month in preparation for an early 2025 launch, MacRumors writes.

Display tech aside, it’s expected that the iPhone SE will be in an iPhone 14 chassis with — and I’m truly sorry to write this, as an iPhone Mini fan — a 6.1-inch display. It could also use Face ID, rather than Touch ID, and may have an Action Button. It’s likely that it will only have a single camera, just like past SE phones.
The iPhone SE 4 is also expected to support Apple Intelligence. That may be the most consequential rumor; it suggests the device will be more capable than the iPhone 15, which isn’t getting Apple’s on-device multimodal AI for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it only has 6GB of RAM.

The iPhone SE 4 may look a lot like the iPhone 14. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The fourth-generation iPhone SE might be getting an OLED display, a new rumor bubbling up from its supply chain suggests. The company has started ordering OLED displays from both BOE and LG Display to outfit the phone with, according to Nikkei Asia.

The possibility that Apple was switching its cheapest phone away from LCD tech has been rumored for over a year but Nikkei’s report suggests Apple is gearing up to release a new iPhone SE in a few months. Apple could start producing the phones next month in preparation for an early 2025 launch, MacRumors writes.

Display tech aside, it’s expected that the iPhone SE will be in an iPhone 14 chassis with — and I’m truly sorry to write this, as an iPhone Mini fan — a 6.1-inch display. It could also use Face ID, rather than Touch ID, and may have an Action Button. It’s likely that it will only have a single camera, just like past SE phones.

The iPhone SE 4 is also expected to support Apple Intelligence. That may be the most consequential rumor; it suggests the device will be more capable than the iPhone 15, which isn’t getting Apple’s on-device multimodal AI for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it only has 6GB of RAM.

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Peak Design’s Outdoor bags are ready for your next adventure

The Outdoor Backpack is available in 45L and 25L models. | Image: Peak Design / Composite The Verge

San Francisco-based Peak Design — maker of one of our all-time favorite backpacks — is back with its first new bag lineup in five years. PD says its new Outdoor line of backpacks and slings can be worn together for use beyond the pavement. They feature the company’s “most advanced soft-goods design to date,” with lots of adjustment points for a variety of body types and loads. The new bags are compatible with the company’s modular packing cubes that make it easy to organize and quickly access camera equipment, clothing, and other gear.
“Peak Design has been synonymous with ‘outdoor photography’ yet we still haven’t created true outdoor bags…until now,” says Peak Design founder and CEO Peter Dering in a press release. “The Outdoor Line is not only the culmination of everything we’ve learned as bag designers, it’s also a giant nod to our most loyal and longest-tenured customers.”

The Outdoor Backpack is available as an internally framed 45L (L for liters) model for heavy loads and a smaller 25L version for shorter excursions. Both offer quick-cinch roll-top access from the top as well as the ability to splay the bag almost completely open from the back for easy packing and “total visibility” of your gear. The bags also feature sleeves for laptops and hydration packs (with drinking hose passthrough), slash-proof and “weatherproof” construction (with an optional Rain Fly sold separately), and a promise of “superior comfort and fit with significantly less bulk” compared to other backpacks (including PD’s own bags, I hope). The bags also support several options for external hauling including deep pockets and a cord system for carrying things like tripods, sleeping pads, jackets, and water bottles.

Image: Peak Design
All the new bags and colors in the Outdoor lineup.

It’s worth noting that the 45L Outdoor Backpack weighs 3.97 pounds (1.8kg) while the 25L model weighs 2.54 pounds (1.15kg). That’s heavy if your primary goal is backpacking through open country where huge 60-liter bags often weigh less than 3 pounds (1.36kg). Still, the 45L Outdoor Backpack is definitely an improvement over Peak Design’s previous flagship, the 3.88 pound (1.76kg) 30L Everyday Backpack.
Besides the internal frame and extra hauling capacity, the 45L bag differs from the 25L bag by shipping with a removable hip belt that’s sold as an add-on for the 25L Outdoor Backpack. Both bags are available in black, “cloud” white, and a purple-ish “eclipse.”

Each backpack is compatible with Peak Design’s camera and packing cubes that come in a variety of sizes and fabric choices that prioritize weight or weather resistance. The camera bags are designed to help haul everything from diminutive mirrorless systems, to multi-accessory drones, on up to full professional rigs. Only the 45L bag is suitable for the largest packing cubes sold by Peak Design.
The Outdoor Slings are available in 7L (weighing 0.74 pounds) and 2L (0.39 pounds) sizes and convert quickly from crossbody to waist bags. The larger 7L bag features stowable gear loops for external storage, and it can also fit PD’s smallest camera cube. Both can be worn on the chest when mounted to the shoulder straps of the Outdoor Backpacks for quick access to your most important gear.
Given Peak Design’s crowdfunding history, it’s unsurprising that the Outdoor line is launching as a Kickstarter exclusive today through October 15th, with a January 2025 targeted ship date. There, you’ll find discounts of 20 to 25 percent off retail pricing, according to PD, before the bags eventually make their way to peakdesign.com, Amazon, and other global retailers as early as late November 2024.
Retail pricing will be as follows:

Outdoor Backpack 45L: $329.95 (add $29.95 for Rain Fly)
Outdoor Backpack 25L: $249.95 (add $29.95 for Rain Fly, $44.95 for Hip Belt)
Outdoor Sling 7L: $89.95
Outdoor Sling 2L: $59.95

The Outdoor Backpack is available in 45L and 25L models. | Image: Peak Design / Composite The Verge

San Francisco-based Peak Design — maker of one of our all-time favorite backpacks — is back with its first new bag lineup in five years. PD says its new Outdoor line of backpacks and slings can be worn together for use beyond the pavement. They feature the company’s “most advanced soft-goods design to date,” with lots of adjustment points for a variety of body types and loads. The new bags are compatible with the company’s modular packing cubes that make it easy to organize and quickly access camera equipment, clothing, and other gear.

“Peak Design has been synonymous with ‘outdoor photography’ yet we still haven’t created true outdoor bags…until now,” says Peak Design founder and CEO Peter Dering in a press release. “The Outdoor Line is not only the culmination of everything we’ve learned as bag designers, it’s also a giant nod to our most loyal and longest-tenured customers.”

The Outdoor Backpack is available as an internally framed 45L (L for liters) model for heavy loads and a smaller 25L version for shorter excursions. Both offer quick-cinch roll-top access from the top as well as the ability to splay the bag almost completely open from the back for easy packing and “total visibility” of your gear. The bags also feature sleeves for laptops and hydration packs (with drinking hose passthrough), slash-proof and “weatherproof” construction (with an optional Rain Fly sold separately), and a promise of “superior comfort and fit with significantly less bulk” compared to other backpacks (including PD’s own bags, I hope). The bags also support several options for external hauling including deep pockets and a cord system for carrying things like tripods, sleeping pads, jackets, and water bottles.

Image: Peak Design
All the new bags and colors in the Outdoor lineup.

It’s worth noting that the 45L Outdoor Backpack weighs 3.97 pounds (1.8kg) while the 25L model weighs 2.54 pounds (1.15kg). That’s heavy if your primary goal is backpacking through open country where huge 60-liter bags often weigh less than 3 pounds (1.36kg). Still, the 45L Outdoor Backpack is definitely an improvement over Peak Design’s previous flagship, the 3.88 pound (1.76kg) 30L Everyday Backpack.

Besides the internal frame and extra hauling capacity, the 45L bag differs from the 25L bag by shipping with a removable hip belt that’s sold as an add-on for the 25L Outdoor Backpack. Both bags are available in black, “cloud” white, and a purple-ish “eclipse.”

Each backpack is compatible with Peak Design’s camera and packing cubes that come in a variety of sizes and fabric choices that prioritize weight or weather resistance. The camera bags are designed to help haul everything from diminutive mirrorless systems, to multi-accessory drones, on up to full professional rigs. Only the 45L bag is suitable for the largest packing cubes sold by Peak Design.

The Outdoor Slings are available in 7L (weighing 0.74 pounds) and 2L (0.39 pounds) sizes and convert quickly from crossbody to waist bags. The larger 7L bag features stowable gear loops for external storage, and it can also fit PD’s smallest camera cube. Both can be worn on the chest when mounted to the shoulder straps of the Outdoor Backpacks for quick access to your most important gear.

Given Peak Design’s crowdfunding history, it’s unsurprising that the Outdoor line is launching as a Kickstarter exclusive today through October 15th, with a January 2025 targeted ship date. There, you’ll find discounts of 20 to 25 percent off retail pricing, according to PD, before the bags eventually make their way to peakdesign.com, Amazon, and other global retailers as early as late November 2024.

Retail pricing will be as follows:

Outdoor Backpack 45L: $329.95 (add $29.95 for Rain Fly)
Outdoor Backpack 25L: $249.95 (add $29.95 for Rain Fly, $44.95 for Hip Belt)
Outdoor Sling 7L: $89.95
Outdoor Sling 2L: $59.95

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EcoFlow launches four new batteries for phones, homes, and RVs

From left to right: the River 3, the Rapid power bank, the Delta 3, and the Power Kit v2. | Image: EcoFlow

EcoFlow just launched four new battery products designed to power everything from your home appliances in the event of a blackout to your Qi2-compatible phone to RVs.
Going from most powerful to least, there’s the second-generation Power Kit to power your off-grid vanlife fantasies, the midrange Delta 3 and compact River 3 solar generators, and the Rapid Qi2 wireless power banks for phones that can also charge your laptop in a pinch.

Image: EcoFlow
All the new EcoFlow products.

The Power Kit v2 is a follow-up to its original all-in-one power management system I reviewed 18 months ago. The kits are designed to power everything from an off-grid cabin to a small campervan, without the complexity of having to cobble together all the required components and wiring yourself. EcoFlow says the new 5kVA 48V Power Kits are improved for RVs, quieter — a recurring complaint with the original — and offer even more storage capacity. The expanded 45kWh battery limit is enough to boondock for a week or longer if your rig is big enough to store nine hulking 5kWh LFP batteries.

Image: EcoFlow
If only toddlers could be harnessed for their untapped power reserves like the new Power Kit installed in this caravan.

Image: EcoFlow
The light gray Power Hub box is the heart of any Power Kit installation.

The Power Hub at the heart of the system can output up to 4000W (with 8000W surge), which is more than enough to power multiple appliances simultaneously like a high-pressure espresso machine, induction cooktop, and air conditioner. It also supports a variety of inputs that can be combined to quickly charge those batteries from sources like the vehicle’s primary (or secondary) alternator, shore power, and gobs of solar.
EcoFlow’s improved Power Kits can now monitor and provide the status of water tanks and temperature sensors when configured with a new Power Link information hub. This and other changes like a larger 10-inch dedicated console display and support for more fused AC and DC circuit branches should make EcoFlow’s plug-and-play Power Kits a more capable system for even the largest land yachts.

Image: EcoFlow
The Delta 3 series can power your gaming setup during a blackout, which is definitely more important than the contents of your refrigerator.

The Delta 3 series is a medium-size solar generator that comes slathered in ports, including a pair of 140W USB-C outputs. The base model has 1kWh of storage capacity and produces up to 1800W of output while accepting up to 500W of solar input. The Delta 3 Plus model can be expanded to 5kWh with stackable battery add-ons and supports 1,000W of solar input. The Delta 3 series runs at a very quiet 30dB when producing 600W or less.
EcoFlow says the Delta 3 series can power a typical fridge for “at least five hours” in the event of a blackout. It also has a 10ms cutover feature when used as a UPS for your PC or NAS that’ll receive an HID signal to save data before shutdown.

Image: EcoFlow
Just a man and his River 3 solar generator thinking about his lack of capacity — to feel.

The River 3 series is a small solar generator available in two models. The base River 3 model has 245Wh of fixed capacity with support for 110W of solar input, while the more interesting River 3 Plus has expandable capacity which starts at 286Wh and up 220W of solar charging support. The based model can produce just 300W while the Plus model doubles that to 600W — enough to power things like small space heaters and drip coffee machines. Capacity for the Plus model can be expanded to 858Wh by adding two stackable batteries that quickly attach via pogo pins. The River 3 devices also have a 140W USB-C port and can serve as a UPS for your PC.

Image: EcoFlow
It’ll wirelessly charge your Qi2-compatible phone.

Image: EcoFlow
It’ll also charge your laptop at up to 65W using the built-in USB-C cable.

Last but not least, EcoFlow is expanding into power banks for the first time with the Rapid series of 15W Qi2 magnetic chargers with kickstands. They also feature a built-in USB-C PD 3.0 cable to charge laptops at up to 65W. It comes in 5,000mAh or 10,000mAh models, in a choice of silver, light blue, or black.
Unfortunately, the all-important pricing information won’t be available until the official release date of each product, per the following schedule for North America:

EcoFlow’s new Power Kits will be available for preorder starting on October 15th.
The Delta 3 Plus preorders start on September 10th, while dibs on the Delta 3 will start a bit later on October 1st.
The River 3 will be available for purchase starting on September 10th, and the River 3 Plus will go up for preorder starting on November 1st.
Also on November 1st, EcoFlow’s Rapid (5,000mAh) power bank will be available for purchase, while the bigger 10,000mAh model will be available for preorder.

EcoFlow says the European releases are expected a bit later in Q4.

From left to right: the River 3, the Rapid power bank, the Delta 3, and the Power Kit v2. | Image: EcoFlow

EcoFlow just launched four new battery products designed to power everything from your home appliances in the event of a blackout to your Qi2-compatible phone to RVs.

Going from most powerful to least, there’s the second-generation Power Kit to power your off-grid vanlife fantasies, the midrange Delta 3 and compact River 3 solar generators, and the Rapid Qi2 wireless power banks for phones that can also charge your laptop in a pinch.

Image: EcoFlow
All the new EcoFlow products.

The Power Kit v2 is a follow-up to its original all-in-one power management system I reviewed 18 months ago. The kits are designed to power everything from an off-grid cabin to a small campervan, without the complexity of having to cobble together all the required components and wiring yourself. EcoFlow says the new 5kVA 48V Power Kits are improved for RVs, quieter — a recurring complaint with the original — and offer even more storage capacity. The expanded 45kWh battery limit is enough to boondock for a week or longer if your rig is big enough to store nine hulking 5kWh LFP batteries.

Image: EcoFlow
If only toddlers could be harnessed for their untapped power reserves like the new Power Kit installed in this caravan.

Image: EcoFlow
The light gray Power Hub box is the heart of any Power Kit installation.

The Power Hub at the heart of the system can output up to 4000W (with 8000W surge), which is more than enough to power multiple appliances simultaneously like a high-pressure espresso machine, induction cooktop, and air conditioner. It also supports a variety of inputs that can be combined to quickly charge those batteries from sources like the vehicle’s primary (or secondary) alternator, shore power, and gobs of solar.

EcoFlow’s improved Power Kits can now monitor and provide the status of water tanks and temperature sensors when configured with a new Power Link information hub. This and other changes like a larger 10-inch dedicated console display and support for more fused AC and DC circuit branches should make EcoFlow’s plug-and-play Power Kits a more capable system for even the largest land yachts.

Image: EcoFlow
The Delta 3 series can power your gaming setup during a blackout, which is definitely more important than the contents of your refrigerator.

The Delta 3 series is a medium-size solar generator that comes slathered in ports, including a pair of 140W USB-C outputs. The base model has 1kWh of storage capacity and produces up to 1800W of output while accepting up to 500W of solar input. The Delta 3 Plus model can be expanded to 5kWh with stackable battery add-ons and supports 1,000W of solar input. The Delta 3 series runs at a very quiet 30dB when producing 600W or less.

EcoFlow says the Delta 3 series can power a typical fridge for “at least five hours” in the event of a blackout. It also has a 10ms cutover feature when used as a UPS for your PC or NAS that’ll receive an HID signal to save data before shutdown.

Image: EcoFlow
Just a man and his River 3 solar generator thinking about his lack of capacity — to feel.

The River 3 series is a small solar generator available in two models. The base River 3 model has 245Wh of fixed capacity with support for 110W of solar input, while the more interesting River 3 Plus has expandable capacity which starts at 286Wh and up 220W of solar charging support. The based model can produce just 300W while the Plus model doubles that to 600W — enough to power things like small space heaters and drip coffee machines. Capacity for the Plus model can be expanded to 858Wh by adding two stackable batteries that quickly attach via pogo pins. The River 3 devices also have a 140W USB-C port and can serve as a UPS for your PC.

Image: EcoFlow
It’ll wirelessly charge your Qi2-compatible phone.

Image: EcoFlow
It’ll also charge your laptop at up to 65W using the built-in USB-C cable.

Last but not least, EcoFlow is expanding into power banks for the first time with the Rapid series of 15W Qi2 magnetic chargers with kickstands. They also feature a built-in USB-C PD 3.0 cable to charge laptops at up to 65W. It comes in 5,000mAh or 10,000mAh models, in a choice of silver, light blue, or black.

Unfortunately, the all-important pricing information won’t be available until the official release date of each product, per the following schedule for North America:

EcoFlow’s new Power Kits will be available for preorder starting on October 15th.
The Delta 3 Plus preorders start on September 10th, while dibs on the Delta 3 will start a bit later on October 1st.
The River 3 will be available for purchase starting on September 10th, and the River 3 Plus will go up for preorder starting on November 1st.
Also on November 1st, EcoFlow’s Rapid (5,000mAh) power bank will be available for purchase, while the bigger 10,000mAh model will be available for preorder.

EcoFlow says the European releases are expected a bit later in Q4.

Read More 

Canva says its AI features are worth the 300 percent price increase

Existing subscribers Canva teams subscribers are being moved to a new, more expensive pricing model. | The Verge

The price of some Canva subscriptions are set to skyrocket next year following the company’s aggressive rollout of generative AI features. Global customers for Canva Teams — a business-orientated subscription that supports adding multiple users — can expect prices to increase by just over 300 percent in some instances. Canva says the increase is justified due to the “expanded product experience” and value that generative AI tools have added to the platform.
In the US, some Canva Teams users are reporting subscription increases from $120 per year for up to five users, to an eye-watering $500 per year. A 40 percent discount will be applied to bring that down to $300 for the first 12 months. In Australia, Information Age reports that the flat $39.99 AUS (about $26 USD) per month fee for five users is switching to $40.50 AUS for each user. That means a team of five will go from paying $480 AUS (about $323 USD) to $2,430 AUS (about $1,636 USD) per year.
Some of these accounts had been locked into lower prices that Canva no longer offers. In April, the company silently changed its offering for new Teams subscribers to $10 per month for each user, and set a minimum requirement for three users. Now, Canva’s communications lead Louisa Green says existing users are also being moved over to this structure in September “to reflect the current price of the plan and the value of our expanded product experience.”

“Our suite of products has grown significantly over the last couple of years with the launch of new offerings like the Visual Suite and Magic Studio,” Green said in a statement to The Verge.
Canva has released a deluge of generative AI features over the last few years, such as its Magic Media text-to-image generator and Magic Expand background extension tool. The additions have transformed the platform from something for design and marketing professionals into a broader workspace offering.
While Canva has publicly announced similar pricing changes in the past, these latest increases were seemingly communicated exclusively via customer emails. Other subscription tiers for Pro and Enterprise users don’t appear to be impacted.
The premium pricing is a stark pivot for Canva, which was once considered to be a simple and affordable alternative to more expensive graphic design software provided by Adobe. Canva users online have condemned the increases, with some announcing they’ll be canceling their subscriptions and moving to Adobe applications. These huge price increases also follow Canva purchasing the company behind Affinity’s creative software suite for a reported “several hundred million [British] pounds,” and ahead of a potential public listing in the US in 2026.

Existing subscribers Canva teams subscribers are being moved to a new, more expensive pricing model. | The Verge

The price of some Canva subscriptions are set to skyrocket next year following the company’s aggressive rollout of generative AI features. Global customers for Canva Teams — a business-orientated subscription that supports adding multiple users — can expect prices to increase by just over 300 percent in some instances. Canva says the increase is justified due to the “expanded product experience” and value that generative AI tools have added to the platform.

In the US, some Canva Teams users are reporting subscription increases from $120 per year for up to five users, to an eye-watering $500 per year. A 40 percent discount will be applied to bring that down to $300 for the first 12 months. In Australia, Information Age reports that the flat $39.99 AUS (about $26 USD) per month fee for five users is switching to $40.50 AUS for each user. That means a team of five will go from paying $480 AUS (about $323 USD) to $2,430 AUS (about $1,636 USD) per year.

Some of these accounts had been locked into lower prices that Canva no longer offers. In April, the company silently changed its offering for new Teams subscribers to $10 per month for each user, and set a minimum requirement for three users. Now, Canva’s communications lead Louisa Green says existing users are also being moved over to this structure in September “to reflect the current price of the plan and the value of our expanded product experience.”

“Our suite of products has grown significantly over the last couple of years with the launch of new offerings like the Visual Suite and Magic Studio,” Green said in a statement to The Verge.

Canva has released a deluge of generative AI features over the last few years, such as its Magic Media text-to-image generator and Magic Expand background extension tool. The additions have transformed the platform from something for design and marketing professionals into a broader workspace offering.

While Canva has publicly announced similar pricing changes in the past, these latest increases were seemingly communicated exclusively via customer emails. Other subscription tiers for Pro and Enterprise users don’t appear to be impacted.

The premium pricing is a stark pivot for Canva, which was once considered to be a simple and affordable alternative to more expensive graphic design software provided by Adobe. Canva users online have condemned the increases, with some announcing they’ll be canceling their subscriptions and moving to Adobe applications. These huge price increases also follow Canva purchasing the company behind Affinity’s creative software suite for a reported “several hundred million [British] pounds,” and ahead of a potential public listing in the US in 2026.

Read More 

Volvo EX90 first drive: not fully baked

The Volvo EX90 is a year delayed and still won’t arrive with all its promised features. | Image: Abigail Bassett

Volvo’s new flagship EV has plenty of luxury bells and whistles, but some of its technology is still TBA. Volvo’s flagship electric SUV, the EX90, has been a long time coming. And even though it’s hitting the road a full year behind schedule, some of the standout technology and features will still be in a “learning” phase. Volvo is promising some innovative features, but the tech still feels a bit like a minimally viable product.
We spent a few hours around the Newport Coast in California in an early version of the Volvo EX90. Our tester was a Twin Motor Performance version with a Sand Dune exterior.
The EPA says that the EX90 will get up to 310 miles of range from the 111 kWh battery pack. The Twin Motor Performance version puts out 510-horsepower and 671 lb. ft. of torque, while the lower trim will make 402-hp and 568 lb. ft. of torque.
Volvo says that both should charge from 10 to 80 percent on a 250 kW DC Fast charger in about 30 minutes. While the EX90 is supposed to come with bidirectional charging, the system won’t work until a later date via a software update.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The EX90 is slightly longer than Volvo’s XC90 SUV.

On the Road
Volvo leaned hard into Swedish minimalism with its design both inside and out. Its understated interior is incredibly relaxing. A single 9-inch driver’s information screen sits behind the steering wheel and can be changed to show speed, range, and mapping information. You also get a very clear heads-up display that can be similarly customized.
Volvo runs its infotainment system on Google’s Android Automotive platform. That means you can simply ask Google to change your settings for many things, like mapping, radio features, and even temperature controls.
The vehicle has almost no physical buttons–just one large scroll wheel on the center console and a few buttons (including hazards) on the headliner. Everything else is frustratingly controlled through the main 14.5-inch touchscreen set vertically into the dash. Like Tesla, this includes adjustment for the steering wheel, side-view mirrors, seats, rain-sensing wipers, glove box opening, trunk height, lights, suspension setup, mapping, audio, and more.

Image: Abigail Bassett
Most functions are controlled through the central touchscreen.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The 9-inch instrument cluster is customizable.

While the system worked fine, it’s a pain if you just need to adjust something simple, like wiper sensitivity or performance settings, because it’s at least a few menus deep. Volvo assumes that these features will be set-it-and-forget-it for owners. The EX90 can use your smartphone as the digital key — though you get a physical fob, too.
Unfortunately, the digital key we tried was buggy at best. While Volvo said they were working closely with Apple to perfect the tech (and integrate CarPlay, which won’t be available until later via software update, either), the version we tried was unreliable. More than once, we had to open up the Wallet app, find the EX90 virtual key card, and place it on the wireless charging pad to get the car to recognize that the key was in the vehicle. Multiple people at the drive event had to do the same; some even had to have Volvo’s support staff plug in a laptop to get the car to recognize the key. Not exactly confidence-inspiring.
Volvo also took a page out of Rivian’s playbook with the EX90’s advanced adaptive cruise control features, called Pilot Assist. Instead of buttons to activate the feature on the steering wheel, you have to pull the drive select lever on the right side down toward drive and hold it for a moment when Pilot Assist is available (a grayed-out steering wheel symbol appears in the driver’s information screen). Once it’s on, you can use the lane-change assistant to switch lanes. Though the process is a bit slow, it’s better and more predictable than many of the lane-changing assistant features on other vehicles.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The interior is minimal but comforting.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The lidar sensor won’t be operational until a later date.

On the road, the big SUV (it’s a little larger than Volvo’s XC90) doesn’t feel ungainly. The cabin is notably quiet and comfortable. With the muted colorways and minimal distractions, it’s surprisingly calm. It doesn’t feel rolly or jarring on broken pavement when you put the air suspension into the default comfort mode. While there’s a sportier ride available, it’s hard to predict whether owners will have the patience to dig through the five layers on the infotainment screen to get there. In Performance mode, everything gets slightly more amped up, but this is no canyon carver.
The EX90 also gets new interior sensors, including a radar system that senses everything from the driver’s eye movement to whether you’ve left a child or pet in the car unattended. On the drive, while trying to dig through menus to find the drive settings, I had to look at the infotainment screen, and within a few short moments, the vehicle chimed, letting me know I was distracted. The system is a bit sensitive but not intrusive, and for drivers who stupidly prefer to scroll on their phones rather than pay attention to the traffic ahead of them, like most LA drivers, the EX90 could be a needed wake-up call.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The EX90 feels like a minimally viable product.

Not Ready for Prime Time
A number of well-known suppliers, including Nvidia, Google, Qualcomm, and Luminar, comprise the EX90’s suite of safety and tech features. Nvidia’s ORIN compute platform, which the company rolled out just this year, performs 254 trillion operations per second to help the EX90 manage everything from safety to infotainment and battery management. Qualcomm is responsible for the interior tech, while Luminar’s lidar is responsible for the external adaptive and safety features of the vehicle. Everything has to seamlessly communicate with one another, which is one of the major reasons that the EX90 has been so delayed in getting to market.
That strange-looking lump at the top of the windshield is Luminar’s new Halo lidar, and along with the Polestar 3, the EX90 is among the first vehicles to get it. Unfortunately, it’s not functional because it’s still in learning mode, the company says, gathering data about real-world scenarios before being “turned on.” When it’s available, Volvo has said the lidar will help enable hands-free highway driving — and then inevitably “unsupervised” Level 3 automation.
Both Luminar and Volvo say they are focused on making sure that the systems are foolproof and safe before unleashing them on the public. As to when that will be, Volvo won’t say, citing various regulatory and safety approvals in countries where the vehicle will be sold. They note that the technology will be rolled out gradually and only available on certain divided highways under limited conditions, much like GM’s Super Cruise system. There are some reports that some of the advanced driving features will start to be available in early 2025.
Despite a few tech hiccups, and some TBD features, Volvo’s EX90 is driving the ball forward. As a minimum viable product, the EX90 is still pretty good. Future updates and bug fixes will make it the luxury vehicle that Volvo hopes it will be, with all the promised bells and whistles.

The Volvo EX90 is a year delayed and still won’t arrive with all its promised features. | Image: Abigail Bassett

Volvo’s new flagship EV has plenty of luxury bells and whistles, but some of its technology is still TBA.

Volvo’s flagship electric SUV, the EX90, has been a long time coming. And even though it’s hitting the road a full year behind schedule, some of the standout technology and features will still be in a “learning” phase. Volvo is promising some innovative features, but the tech still feels a bit like a minimally viable product.

We spent a few hours around the Newport Coast in California in an early version of the Volvo EX90. Our tester was a Twin Motor Performance version with a Sand Dune exterior.

The EPA says that the EX90 will get up to 310 miles of range from the 111 kWh battery pack. The Twin Motor Performance version puts out 510-horsepower and 671 lb. ft. of torque, while the lower trim will make 402-hp and 568 lb. ft. of torque.

Volvo says that both should charge from 10 to 80 percent on a 250 kW DC Fast charger in about 30 minutes. While the EX90 is supposed to come with bidirectional charging, the system won’t work until a later date via a software update.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The EX90 is slightly longer than Volvo’s XC90 SUV.

On the Road

Volvo leaned hard into Swedish minimalism with its design both inside and out. Its understated interior is incredibly relaxing. A single 9-inch driver’s information screen sits behind the steering wheel and can be changed to show speed, range, and mapping information. You also get a very clear heads-up display that can be similarly customized.

Volvo runs its infotainment system on Google’s Android Automotive platform. That means you can simply ask Google to change your settings for many things, like mapping, radio features, and even temperature controls.

The vehicle has almost no physical buttons–just one large scroll wheel on the center console and a few buttons (including hazards) on the headliner. Everything else is frustratingly controlled through the main 14.5-inch touchscreen set vertically into the dash. Like Tesla, this includes adjustment for the steering wheel, side-view mirrors, seats, rain-sensing wipers, glove box opening, trunk height, lights, suspension setup, mapping, audio, and more.

Image: Abigail Bassett
Most functions are controlled through the central touchscreen.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The 9-inch instrument cluster is customizable.

While the system worked fine, it’s a pain if you just need to adjust something simple, like wiper sensitivity or performance settings, because it’s at least a few menus deep. Volvo assumes that these features will be set-it-and-forget-it for owners. The EX90 can use your smartphone as the digital key — though you get a physical fob, too.

Unfortunately, the digital key we tried was buggy at best. While Volvo said they were working closely with Apple to perfect the tech (and integrate CarPlay, which won’t be available until later via software update, either), the version we tried was unreliable. More than once, we had to open up the Wallet app, find the EX90 virtual key card, and place it on the wireless charging pad to get the car to recognize that the key was in the vehicle. Multiple people at the drive event had to do the same; some even had to have Volvo’s support staff plug in a laptop to get the car to recognize the key. Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

Volvo also took a page out of Rivian’s playbook with the EX90’s advanced adaptive cruise control features, called Pilot Assist. Instead of buttons to activate the feature on the steering wheel, you have to pull the drive select lever on the right side down toward drive and hold it for a moment when Pilot Assist is available (a grayed-out steering wheel symbol appears in the driver’s information screen). Once it’s on, you can use the lane-change assistant to switch lanes. Though the process is a bit slow, it’s better and more predictable than many of the lane-changing assistant features on other vehicles.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The interior is minimal but comforting.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The lidar sensor won’t be operational until a later date.

On the road, the big SUV (it’s a little larger than Volvo’s XC90) doesn’t feel ungainly. The cabin is notably quiet and comfortable. With the muted colorways and minimal distractions, it’s surprisingly calm. It doesn’t feel rolly or jarring on broken pavement when you put the air suspension into the default comfort mode. While there’s a sportier ride available, it’s hard to predict whether owners will have the patience to dig through the five layers on the infotainment screen to get there. In Performance mode, everything gets slightly more amped up, but this is no canyon carver.

The EX90 also gets new interior sensors, including a radar system that senses everything from the driver’s eye movement to whether you’ve left a child or pet in the car unattended. On the drive, while trying to dig through menus to find the drive settings, I had to look at the infotainment screen, and within a few short moments, the vehicle chimed, letting me know I was distracted. The system is a bit sensitive but not intrusive, and for drivers who stupidly prefer to scroll on their phones rather than pay attention to the traffic ahead of them, like most LA drivers, the EX90 could be a needed wake-up call.

Image: Abigail Bassett
The EX90 feels like a minimally viable product.

Not Ready for Prime Time

A number of well-known suppliers, including Nvidia, Google, Qualcomm, and Luminar, comprise the EX90’s suite of safety and tech features. Nvidia’s ORIN compute platform, which the company rolled out just this year, performs 254 trillion operations per second to help the EX90 manage everything from safety to infotainment and battery management. Qualcomm is responsible for the interior tech, while Luminar’s lidar is responsible for the external adaptive and safety features of the vehicle. Everything has to seamlessly communicate with one another, which is one of the major reasons that the EX90 has been so delayed in getting to market.

That strange-looking lump at the top of the windshield is Luminar’s new Halo lidar, and along with the Polestar 3, the EX90 is among the first vehicles to get it. Unfortunately, it’s not functional because it’s still in learning mode, the company says, gathering data about real-world scenarios before being “turned on.” When it’s available, Volvo has said the lidar will help enable hands-free highway driving — and then inevitably “unsupervised” Level 3 automation.

Both Luminar and Volvo say they are focused on making sure that the systems are foolproof and safe before unleashing them on the public. As to when that will be, Volvo won’t say, citing various regulatory and safety approvals in countries where the vehicle will be sold. They note that the technology will be rolled out gradually and only available on certain divided highways under limited conditions, much like GM’s Super Cruise system. There are some reports that some of the advanced driving features will start to be available in early 2025.

Despite a few tech hiccups, and some TBD features, Volvo’s EX90 is driving the ball forward. As a minimum viable product, the EX90 is still pretty good. Future updates and bug fixes will make it the luxury vehicle that Volvo hopes it will be, with all the promised bells and whistles.

Read More 

Brazilian Supreme Court panel upholds X ban, while Starlink refuses to comply

Image: The Verge

A panel of five Brazilian Supreme Court justices voted Monday to uphold a decision (PDF) requiring the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to limit access to X, the service formerly known as Twitter. Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ban on Friday in response to X owner Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders to block certain accounts and to identify a legal representative in the country. Four other justices have now backed the decision.
Poder360 and The Globe report that three justices, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, and Cármen Lúcia, fully supported de Moraes’ ruling, while a fourth, Luiz Fux, noted reservations about a fine for people who circumvent the ban with a VPN, saying only people who post criminal messages like those expressing Nazism or fascism should be fined.

As far as the ban’s effect, competing platforms have reported large numbers of new accounts made by Brazilian users. News organization Poder360 noted that its X account will now be managed exclusively from Portugal to respect the judge’s decision.
Meanwhile, Starlink has told Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, that it will not comply with the ban until the court unfreezes its assets. So far, X is reportedly still accessible via the service. The New York Times reports de Moraes has blocked Starlink from making Brazilian transactions while the court seeks to collect $3 million in unpaid fines by X. The satellite-based internet service is operated by SpaceX, which is also partially owned by Musk.
Poder360 reports that the court order gave internet providers as well as app stores five days to take measures to block access to X in the country, establishing a deadline on Wednesday, September 4th.

Image: The Verge

A panel of five Brazilian Supreme Court justices voted Monday to uphold a decision (PDF) requiring the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to limit access to X, the service formerly known as Twitter. Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ban on Friday in response to X owner Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders to block certain accounts and to identify a legal representative in the country. Four other justices have now backed the decision.

Poder360 and The Globe report that three justices, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, and Cármen Lúcia, fully supported de Moraes’ ruling, while a fourth, Luiz Fux, noted reservations about a fine for people who circumvent the ban with a VPN, saying only people who post criminal messages like those expressing Nazism or fascism should be fined.

As far as the ban’s effect, competing platforms have reported large numbers of new accounts made by Brazilian users. News organization Poder360 noted that its X account will now be managed exclusively from Portugal to respect the judge’s decision.

Meanwhile, Starlink has told Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, that it will not comply with the ban until the court unfreezes its assets. So far, X is reportedly still accessible via the service. The New York Times reports de Moraes has blocked Starlink from making Brazilian transactions while the court seeks to collect $3 million in unpaid fines by X. The satellite-based internet service is operated by SpaceX, which is also partially owned by Musk.

Poder360 reports that the court order gave internet providers as well as app stores five days to take measures to block access to X in the country, establishing a deadline on Wednesday, September 4th.

Read More 

Jacob Wohl is running an AI lobbying company under a pseudonym, Politico reports

Alex Castro / The Verge

Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman are far-right activists, convicted felons, and engineers of questionable political stunts. Politico reports that they are now also running LobbyMatic, a company that sells an “AI automation platform for lobbyists.”
LobbyMatic claims on its website that its AI-powered software can do everything — like automatically monitor congressional hearings or “supercharge research” into legislative and regulatory issues.

Jumping on the AI hypewagon is a perfectly respectable career move. The problem is that sources have told Politico that Wohl and Burkman are running the firm under the pseudonyms “Jay Klein” and “Bill Sanders.”
LobbyMatic has no leadership listed on its official website. A company by the name of LobbyMatic that is registered in Delaware lists its registered agent as “A Registered Agent, Inc.” When reached for comment, LobbyMatic emailed The Verge with a link to a video featuring a man who looks like Jacob Wohl. In the video, he admits that “years ago I was involved in partisan politics.” Later in the video, he adds, “I don’t want my past in partisan politics half a decade ago to distract from a phenomenal product.”
The man does not explicitly identify himself as Wohl at any point or address the claims that he is running the company under a false name.
Politico’s report is based mostly on four former employees they are keeping anonymous. Its case can be summarized as follows:

An employee once accompanied “Bill Sanders” to a house in Arlington, VA, that they later learned was the same house where Burkman and Wohl had held press conferences in the past.
Some of the former employees heard “Jay Klein” referred to as “Jacob.”
The former employees looked at videos of Wohl and Burkman online (such as Burkman’s appearance in the Netflix show Web of Make Believe) and told Politico they were a match for “Jay Klein” and “Bill Sanders.”
One surreptitiously took a photo of their boss and did a reverse Google image search that matched the man as Jacob Wohl.

Politico called a phone number listed for Jack Burkman on lobbying forms and asked for “Bill Sanders.” The man at the other end responded, “How can I help you?” When the reporter identified himself, Burkman hung up.

In years past, Wohl and Burkman have fruitlessly attempted to pin various scandals and assault allegations on figures such as Robert Mueller, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Anthony Fauci, Ilhan Omar, and more. In 2020, the pair were charged in Michigan and Ohio for running a fraudulent robocalling scheme that made about 85,000 calls, discouraging voters from going to the polls. Wohl and Burkman pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud in Ohio and were sentenced in 2022.
When The Verge emailed LobbyMatic, we received an email with nothing but a hyperlink to a post on X by an account called @TheLobbyistGuy. The post reads, “Explaining the situation” and features a four-minute and forty-one-second video of a man who looks like Jacob Wohl. “There’s a news story out today I’d like a chance to respond to,” says the man. “It’s no secret that years ago I was involved in partisan politics. It’s certainly no secret in Washington, D.C. It was about half a decade ago, I was a young man, and since then, I have taken my energy in a new direction.”
He then proceeds to give a sales pitch for his software.

Alex Castro / The Verge

Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman are far-right activists, convicted felons, and engineers of questionable political stunts. Politico reports that they are now also running LobbyMatic, a company that sells an “AI automation platform for lobbyists.”

LobbyMatic claims on its website that its AI-powered software can do everything — like automatically monitor congressional hearings or “supercharge research” into legislative and regulatory issues.

Jumping on the AI hypewagon is a perfectly respectable career move. The problem is that sources have told Politico that Wohl and Burkman are running the firm under the pseudonyms “Jay Klein” and “Bill Sanders.”

LobbyMatic has no leadership listed on its official website. A company by the name of LobbyMatic that is registered in Delaware lists its registered agent as “A Registered Agent, Inc.” When reached for comment, LobbyMatic emailed The Verge with a link to a video featuring a man who looks like Jacob Wohl. In the video, he admits that “years ago I was involved in partisan politics.” Later in the video, he adds, “I don’t want my past in partisan politics half a decade ago to distract from a phenomenal product.”

The man does not explicitly identify himself as Wohl at any point or address the claims that he is running the company under a false name.

Politico’s report is based mostly on four former employees they are keeping anonymous. Its case can be summarized as follows:

An employee once accompanied “Bill Sanders” to a house in Arlington, VA, that they later learned was the same house where Burkman and Wohl had held press conferences in the past.
Some of the former employees heard “Jay Klein” referred to as “Jacob.”
The former employees looked at videos of Wohl and Burkman online (such as Burkman’s appearance in the Netflix show Web of Make Believe) and told Politico they were a match for “Jay Klein” and “Bill Sanders.”
One surreptitiously took a photo of their boss and did a reverse Google image search that matched the man as Jacob Wohl.

Politico called a phone number listed for Jack Burkman on lobbying forms and asked for “Bill Sanders.” The man at the other end responded, “How can I help you?” When the reporter identified himself, Burkman hung up.

In years past, Wohl and Burkman have fruitlessly attempted to pin various scandals and assault allegations on figures such as Robert Mueller, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Anthony Fauci, Ilhan Omar, and more. In 2020, the pair were charged in Michigan and Ohio for running a fraudulent robocalling scheme that made about 85,000 calls, discouraging voters from going to the polls. Wohl and Burkman pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud in Ohio and were sentenced in 2022.

When The Verge emailed LobbyMatic, we received an email with nothing but a hyperlink to a post on X by an account called @TheLobbyistGuy. The post reads, “Explaining the situation” and features a four-minute and forty-one-second video of a man who looks like Jacob Wohl. “There’s a news story out today I’d like a chance to respond to,” says the man. “It’s no secret that years ago I was involved in partisan politics. It’s certainly no secret in Washington, D.C. It was about half a decade ago, I was a young man, and since then, I have taken my energy in a new direction.”

He then proceeds to give a sales pitch for his software.

Read More 

Oasis ticketing chaos prompts probe into dynamic pricing

The tour marks the first reunion for Oasis since Liam (left) and Noel Gallagher split the band in 2009. | Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

The British government has pledged to investigate the use of dynamic pricing by ticketing websites after Oasis fans got priced out of the band’s surprise reunion tour. The UK’s advertising regulator told BBC News it had received 450 complaints regarding misleading ticket prices and availability, with many tickets more than doubling in price. Sales began on Saturday and sold out within hours after thousands of hopeful buyers spent the day in online queues.
On Ticketmaster, the cost of some tickets increased from £135 (about $177 USD) when sales began, to over £350 (about $460 USD). UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told ITV News that the government will “include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivize it,” in an upcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket sales.
Dynamic pricing, also known as “surge pricing,” is a system that pushes higher prices for products as demand increases. The practice doesn’t break any British laws, but was already criticized for restricting access to music, sports, and theater events in Labour’s manifesto before the party came into power on July 5th.
Oasis, one of the biggest names in the 90’s and 2000’s Britpop, abruptly disbanded in 2009 after years of infighting between bandmembers Noel and Liam Gallagher. The sour public relationship between the brothers makes this an unexpected reunion tour for many fans, driving the intense demand for tickets.
“It’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favourite band”
“After the incredible news of Oasis’ return, it’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favorite band live,” Nandy said in her statement to ITV News. “Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices.”
Neither of the Gallagher brothers have publicly commented on the inflated ticketing backlash. In a statement to ITV News, Ticketmaster said it does not set prices. While not the only ticketing service retailing for Oasis, it’s yet another controversy for Ticketmaster after the site failed under the pressure of Eras Tour ticket sales in 2022. More recently, the US Department of Justice highlighted the platform’s use of dynamic pricing as a means to unfairly drive up ticket prices.

The tour marks the first reunion for Oasis since Liam (left) and Noel Gallagher split the band in 2009. | Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

The British government has pledged to investigate the use of dynamic pricing by ticketing websites after Oasis fans got priced out of the band’s surprise reunion tour. The UK’s advertising regulator told BBC News it had received 450 complaints regarding misleading ticket prices and availability, with many tickets more than doubling in price. Sales began on Saturday and sold out within hours after thousands of hopeful buyers spent the day in online queues.

On Ticketmaster, the cost of some tickets increased from £135 (about $177 USD) when sales began, to over £350 (about $460 USD). UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told ITV News that the government will “include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivize it,” in an upcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket sales.

Dynamic pricing, also known as “surge pricing,” is a system that pushes higher prices for products as demand increases. The practice doesn’t break any British laws, but was already criticized for restricting access to music, sports, and theater events in Labour’s manifesto before the party came into power on July 5th.

Oasis, one of the biggest names in the 90’s and 2000’s Britpop, abruptly disbanded in 2009 after years of infighting between bandmembers Noel and Liam Gallagher. The sour public relationship between the brothers makes this an unexpected reunion tour for many fans, driving the intense demand for tickets.

“It’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favourite band”

“After the incredible news of Oasis’ return, it’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favorite band live,” Nandy said in her statement to ITV News. “Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices.”

Neither of the Gallagher brothers have publicly commented on the inflated ticketing backlash. In a statement to ITV News, Ticketmaster said it does not set prices. While not the only ticketing service retailing for Oasis, it’s yet another controversy for Ticketmaster after the site failed under the pressure of Eras Tour ticket sales in 2022. More recently, the US Department of Justice highlighted the platform’s use of dynamic pricing as a means to unfairly drive up ticket prices.

Read More 

Windows 11 is now the most popular OS for PC gaming

Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system has passed Windows 10 usage for Steam users for the first time since its launch in 2021. Windows 10 has been holding strong in recent years, despite Microsoft’s plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025. There are now signs that Windows 11 adoption is finally heading in the right direction for Microsoft.
Steam hardware survey data for August puts Windows 11 usage at 49 percent, an increase of more than 3 percent over the previous figure in July of nearly 46 percent. Windows 10 usage has dipped by around 3 percent to 47 percent, while macOS and Linux Steam usage has largely remained the same during August.
Usage of Windows 11 across the web has also been growing over the past year, too. In July 2023, Windows 11 had a market share of around 23 percent, and that has now grown to nearly 32 percent in August 2024, according to StatCounter.
Leaked data in October revealed Windows 11 was used by more than 400 million devices at the time, a slower adoption pace than Windows 10. It took Windows 10 a year to reach 400 million active devices, whereas it took Windows 11 two years to reach that same milestone. The discrepancy is partially due to upgrade eligibility for Windows 11. Microsoft first launched Windows 11 in October 2021 with strict hardware requirements, requiring a TPM security chip and CPUs released from 2018 onwards.
While Windows 11 was a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, millions of machines were left behind and unable to upgrade due to Microsoft’s hardware requirements. Windows 10 was offered as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and Windows 8 users, and it didn’t have such strict restrictions on hardware so millions were able to upgrade instead of having to buy new devices.
Microsoft is now planning to charge businesses to continue using Windows 10 after its end of support in October 2025. Consumers will also be able to pay for additional security updates for Windows 10 for the first time ever, but Microsoft has only shared business pricing so far.

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Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system has passed Windows 10 usage for Steam users for the first time since its launch in 2021. Windows 10 has been holding strong in recent years, despite Microsoft’s plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025. There are now signs that Windows 11 adoption is finally heading in the right direction for Microsoft.

Steam hardware survey data for August puts Windows 11 usage at 49 percent, an increase of more than 3 percent over the previous figure in July of nearly 46 percent. Windows 10 usage has dipped by around 3 percent to 47 percent, while macOS and Linux Steam usage has largely remained the same during August.

Usage of Windows 11 across the web has also been growing over the past year, too. In July 2023, Windows 11 had a market share of around 23 percent, and that has now grown to nearly 32 percent in August 2024, according to StatCounter.

Leaked data in October revealed Windows 11 was used by more than 400 million devices at the time, a slower adoption pace than Windows 10. It took Windows 10 a year to reach 400 million active devices, whereas it took Windows 11 two years to reach that same milestone. The discrepancy is partially due to upgrade eligibility for Windows 11. Microsoft first launched Windows 11 in October 2021 with strict hardware requirements, requiring a TPM security chip and CPUs released from 2018 onwards.

While Windows 11 was a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, millions of machines were left behind and unable to upgrade due to Microsoft’s hardware requirements. Windows 10 was offered as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and Windows 8 users, and it didn’t have such strict restrictions on hardware so millions were able to upgrade instead of having to buy new devices.

Microsoft is now planning to charge businesses to continue using Windows 10 after its end of support in October 2025. Consumers will also be able to pay for additional security updates for Windows 10 for the first time ever, but Microsoft has only shared business pricing so far.

Read More 

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