Despite the existence of several new-age browsers like Vivaldi and Arc, and some old-school ones too, like Firefox, I've stuck to using Google Chrome for the past decade or so. A big reason for this is that Chrome has always offered a no-frills experience. Sure, it eats up more RAM than required at times, but I've largely had a pleasant experience when using Chrome. Owing to this, I've also become dependent on some native features Chrome offers. For instance, I use Chrome's built-in send-to-devices feature to create my own ecosystem with an Android and a Mac, and many extensions - including Grammarly and a VPN.

Image: The Verge Xbox chief Phil Spencer has been dropping hints about an Xbox handheld for months, but what about Windows handheld gaming PCs? Jason Ronald, Microsoft’s VP of “Next Generation,” tells The Verge that we should expect to see the Windows handheld gaming experience change within this calendar year. Ronald was a roundtable panelist this evening at an AMD and Lenovo event titled “The Future of Gaming Handhelds,” which was mostly a coming-out party for Lenovo’s new Legion Go S. But he did hint on stage that Microsoft plans to bring the Xbox experience to Windows PCs, rather than the other way around — and expanded on that considerably after we caught up with him later.“We’ve been really innovating for a long time in the console space, and as we partner across the industry it’s really about how do we bring those innovations that we’ve incubated and developed in the console space and bring them to PC and bring them to the handheld gaming space,” said Ronald. After we caught up with him after the event, he confirmed that Microsoft is looking at combining Xbox and Windows experiences together — and that we should see changes this very year, rather than needing to wait for an Xbox handheld that might still be years away. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge Microsoft’s Jason Ronald speaks at the Lenovo/AMD event, flanked by Valve SteamOS designer Pierre-Loup Griffais (left) and AMD chief gaming architect Frank Azor (middle right). “I would say it’s bringing the best of Xbox and Windows together, because we have spent the last 20 years building a world-class operating system, but it’s really locked to the console,” says Ronald. “What we’re doing is we’re really focused on how do we bring those experiences for both players and developers to the broader Windows ecosystem.”Right now, Windows sucks on handhelds, to put it rather bluntly, to the point that a community-created fork of Valve’s SteamOS experience can be a far better way to pick up and play games. Ronald is clearly aware of the issues. “We’re focused on really simplifying that and making it much more like a console experience. Our goal is to put the player and their library at the center of the experience and not all the [Windows] work that you have to do today.”Microsoft has done compact modes for Xbox apps on Windows that are focused on improving the handheld experience, but it’s a lot like putting lipstick on a pig instead of addressing the core experience. “I think we’ll have a lot more to share later this year,” teases Ronald. “I think it’s going to be a journey and I think you’ll see a lot of investments over time that you’re starting to see already, but we’ll have a lot more to share later this year.” Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge Microsoft has made several Xbox apps more handheld-friendly over the past year. How Microsoft goes about this merging of Xbox and Windows will be key, but it doesn’t sound like the company is suddenly going to port a custom Xbox operating system to Windows. It sounds more like Microsoft wants to make Windows all up better at gaming with an Xbox experience on top so the pesky desktop, notifications, and legacy of Windows is hidden away. “I think, at the end of the day, our goal is to make Windows great for gaming on any device,” says Ronald. “The reality is the Xbox operating system is built on top of Windows. So there’s a lot of infrastructure that we built in the console space that we can bring to the PC space and really deliver that premium gaming experience on any device.”Specifically, Microsoft has to tackle a lot of the very basics of making Windows more friendly to controllers and getting that Xbox experience to really drive things instead of the taskbar, Start menu, and other elements. “There’s just certain things in Windows that were not designed for if you don’t have a keyboard and mouse, like thumbstick support or joypads and stuff like that,” Ronald admits. “There’s fundamental interaction models that we’re working on to make sure that regardless of the operating system details it feels very natively like a gaming-centric device and a gaming-centric experience.”Ronald says the goal is to put an Xbox experience at the center — “not the Windows desktop that you have today.”

Image: LMVPD Nearly a week after a New Year’s Day explosion in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, local law enforcement released more information about their investigation, including what they know so far about the role of generative AI in the incident. They confirmed that the suspect, an active duty soldier in the US Army named Matthew Livelsberger, had a “possible manifesto” saved on his phone, in addition to an email to a podcaster and other letters. They also showed video evidence of him preparing for the explosion by pouring fuel onto the truck while stopped before driving to the hotel. He’d also kept a log of supposed surveillance, although the officials said he did not have a criminal record and was not being surveilled or investigated.The Las Vegas Metro Police also released several slides showing questions he’d posed to ChatGPT several days before the explosion, asking about explosives, how to detonate them, and how to detonate them with a gunshot, as well as information about where to buy guns, explosive material, and fireworks legally along his route. Asked about the queries, OpenAI spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said:We are saddened by this incident and committed to seeing AI tools used responsibly. Our models are designed to refuse harmful instructions and minimize harmful content. In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities. We’re working with law enforcement to support their investigation.The officials say they are still examining possible sources for the explosion, described as a deflagration that traveled rather slowly as opposed to a high explosives detonation that would’ve moved faster and caused more damage. While investigators say they haven’t ruled out other possibilities like an electrical short yet, an explanation that matches some of the queries and the available evidence is that the muzzle flash of a gunshot ignited fuel vapor/fireworks fuses inside the truck, which then caused a larger explosion of fireworks and other explosive materials.Trying the queries in ChatGPT today still works, however, the information he requested doesn’t appear to be restricted and could be obtained by most search methods. Still, the suspect’s use of a generative AI tool and the investigators’ ability to track those requests and present them as evidence take questions about AI chatbot guardrails, safety, and privacy out of the hypothetical realm and into our reality.

Even if you’ve been using ComfyUI for a while, you’re bound to discover something that seems simple in hindsight, but you just never noticed. I’ve been using ComfyUI for almost two years now, and I still remember how overwhelming it was to open someone else’s workflow — dozens of nodes, hundreds of parameters, and all that spaghetti everywhere.

Image: Delta Delta Air Lines announced plans to install new 4K HDR QLED screens in its commercial airplanes, so passengers can experience ultra high-definition entertainment at ultra-high altitudes. The news came as part of Delta’s CES keynote at the Sphere in Las Vegas, where it also planned to celebrate its centennial with a musical performance by Lenny Kravitz. The airline announced a raft of new features for air travelers, including new partnerships with YouTube and Uber as well as a new AI-powered chatbot for customer service. But the decision to add 4K screens to its airplanes is one that’s sure to tickle the fancy of any air traveler who’s ever balked at the middling quality of the current crop of seat-back displays.The news came as part of Delta’s CES keynote at the Sphere in Las VegasDelta says it’s working with Thales Avionics, an in-flight technology company that is also helping to install high-definition screens in Emirates’ Airbus A350-900s. But don’t go looking for the new screens just yet: Delta says it won’t start delivering the upgrades in aircraft until 2026.Who actually gets access to the screens, though, will answer the question of whether Delta sees this as technology for all passengers or just the ones in first class. A spokesperson for Delta did not immediately respond to questions about access. Delta has also been testing out Bluetooth connectivity for its in-flight entertainment for several years and has even started quietly rolling it out to some planes, as discovered by a TikTok user. Now, the airline says it plans to offer Bluetooth “in all cabins so travelers can pair their personal wireless devices” — though it didn’t offer any specifics beyond that. Delta’s in-flight entertainment will also feature “an advanced recommendation engine” tailored to each passenger’s unique taste. Again, we’re lacking details about what’s powering this engine and how it will know your particular taste. But in late 2025, we’re getting improved “connectivity” through a partnership with Wi-Fi provider Hughes, which replaced Intelsat in 2023. Delta says this will allow for “multi-network connectivity” for more “reliable” and “stable” in-flight internet. That surely will help when streaming YouTube, which SkyMiles members will be able to do ad-free, thanks to the platform’s new partnership with Delta. And a new “Do Not Disturb” mode for their seat-back screen will ensure passengers can sleep without disturbance. Delta is revamping its app to include an AI-powered “Concierge” chatbot as well as a “multi-modal” feature that will include Uber and, eventually, air taxis from Joby. The Concierge feature will use the traveler’s location and arrival and departure information to suggest more efficient routes and will notify users about upcoming passport expirations or visa requirements. And “in the years to come,” Delta says the feature will be able to make more specific recommendations around packing and weather planning. Delta is also offering SkyMiles customers the ability to link their Uber account to earn miles and other perks. These include: SkyMiles Members can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on UberX rides to and from airports, 2 miles per dollar on premium rides and 3 miles per dollar on Uber Reserve rides. Plus, 1 mile per dollar spent on eligible restaurant and grocery orders.And lastly, Delta says it’s working with Airbus to design more fuel-efficient airplanes. Delta has said its goal is for sustainable aviation fuel to make up at least 95 percent of its fuel consumption by 2050. But achieving net-zero emissions will be a tall task for an airline and will require rethinking every part of the business. Now, Delta says it will work with Airbus to scale the use of sustainable aviation fuel, which is mostly biofuels made from plant or animal material. And the two companies will collaborate on hydrogen-powered flight projects as well as new designs, like more fuel-efficient wings or new formations to drive “wake energy retrieval,” Delta says.

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Washington state is suing T-Mobile for allegedly failing to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities that enabled a hacker to expose the personal data of 79 million people nationwide. The consumer protection lawsuit filed by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Monday stems from a cyberattack that began in March 2021 and went unnoticed until T-Mobile disclosed the breach in August.The filing asserts that T-Mobile failed to address certain security vulnerabilities that the company was aware of “for years,” and did not properly notify more than two million Washington residents who were impacted by the breach. The lawsuit accuses T-Mobile of downplaying the severity of the breach, which exposed the personal information of current, former, and prospective customers — including their names, phone numbers, physical addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license / ID numbers.The notifications that T-Mobile issued about the data breach violated the Consumer Protections Act by omitting key information that made it difficult for people to assess if they were at risk of identity theft or fraud, according to the filing. The lawsuit also says that T-Mobile “did not meet industry standards for cybersecurity” for years prior to the hack, and used “obvious passwords” to protect accounts that could access consumer information.“This significant data breach was entirely avoidable,” Ferguson said in a statement. “T-Mobile had years to fix key vulnerabilities in its cybersecurity systems — and it failed.”This isn’t the first time that Washington state has taken action against T-Mobile, with Ferguson having successfully persuaded the company to make clear the limitations of its “no-contract” wireless service plan back in 2013.Ferguson’s latest lawsuit is seeking compensation for customers impacted by the 2021 breach and a court order that would force T-Mobile to bring its cybersecurity practices in line with industry standards, alongside improving transparency and communication around future data breaches. This follows T-Mobile paying $350 million in 2022 to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from the 2021 hack, and a further $15.75 million fine last year over an FCC investigation into its repeated cybersecurity incidents.

CES 2025 is buzzing with the latest hardware from NVIDIA, AMD, Lenovo, and plenty of other tech giants — all of which were expected, but unexpectedly, it's also buzzing with news about the new Nintendo Switch that's slated to arrive this year. The latest being a report from Numerama (thanks, VGC) where accessory maker Genki has potentially spilled the beans that Nintendo's next generation of hardware will arrive sometime in April 2025.

Upgrading any part of your computer setup is always a fun time. Even if you're not a gamer, getting that little bit of extra comfort or quality can go a long way toward making your experience better. It could make it easier to win games, but it could also help you get work done faster, and that's no different with computer mice.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images Ann Altman has filed a lawsuit against her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, alleging that he sexually abused her throughout childhood over a period of nearly a decade.The rest of the Altman family immediately pushed back on the lawsuit, saying the allegations are “utterly untrue” and stem from “mental health challenges” that Ann has faced for years.“Annie has made deeply hurtful and entirely untrue claims about our family, and especially Sam,” writes Sam, his mother, and his two brothers, in a statement that Sam released on X.Ann’s lawsuit alleges that Sam abused her from 1997 through 2006, beginning when Ann was three and Sam was 12 and continuing until Sam was a legal adult. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Missouri, says that Ann suffered “severe emotional distress” and has been unable to live a “normal life” as a result of Sam’s alleged abuse.An attorney for Ann described the Altman family’s statement as an attempt to “divert attention away from the harm that they caused.” The attorney, Ryan J. Mahoney, said that sexual abuse can cause “mental health outcomes such as, persistent PTSD, depression, and anxiety.” He also said of Ann specifically that there is “no evidence that her own mental health has contributed to her allegations.”The Altman family’s statement alleges that Ann has made conspiratorial claims over the years about various family members while demanding money from them. The family members say they have offered financial support and asked her to receive medical help but that she “refuses conventional treatment.”“This situation causes immense pain to our entire family,” the family statement says. The family says they have “chosen not to respond publicly” when Ann has made similar claims in the past, but that they “feel we have no choice but to address this” now that she has filed a lawsuit.My sister has filed a lawsuit against me. Here is a statement from my mom, brothers, and me: pic.twitter.com/Nve0yokTSX— Sam Altman (@sama) January 7, 2025

A Kanban board helps visualize all the tasks in your projects. It helps you see everything clearly, prioritize tasks, and track progress. Each task is represented by a card that moves along a path, usually labeled “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” This way, you can quickly see what’s happening, who’s doing what, and how the project is progressing.

I tracked down the Bosch 100 Series fridge at CES. It’s the company’s first to support the Matter standard, enabling local connectivity to any smart home ecosystem. | Photo by Eelco Lammertink for The Verge Home appliance manufacturer Bosch is showing off its first Matter-enabled appliance on the show floor at CES this week. The 100 Series Frech Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator launched in November and should be available to buy in the US this spring. The fridge retails for $2,500 and has a chip on board that supports Matter. A firmware update to the smart home standard will come this summer, says Eelco Lammertink of BSH, which owns Bosch, Siemens, Thermador, and Gaggenau.The 100 series is the sister product to the Matter-enabled Siemens XXL Fridge I spotted at IFA in Berlin last November. That built-in model will come to the European market on a similar timeline. Lammertink tells me BSH plans to bring Matter to all its appliances across its Bosch, Siemens, and Thermador lines, starting with refrigerators this year, one more appliance category next year, and three in 2026. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge This Bosch fridge will work with Samsung SmartThings and Amazon Alexa this year. Bosch was demoing the integrations at CES via a SmartThings map view on the screen behind it and an Echo Show on the table. The 100 Series will support Matter 1.3, allowing you to control the temperature remotely and receive notifications from the fridge on your smart home platform of choice. That way, a smart speaker can announce when the door has been left open, if you want. While many smart fridges already have these features, with Matter, the connection between the appliance and the ecosystem becomes local — making it faster and more secure. Currently, only Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant support appliances in Matter, but Lammertink tells me that Amazon will support them this year. There is no word on Google Home or Apple Home yet.Lammertink says the plan is to bring energy reporting and energy management capabilities to the fridge. This would enable it to be part of a Matter-enabled whole home energy management system. Sadly, he said they won't be updating existing appliances to Matter (bad news for my Thermoador range and dishwasher.) “The challenges are too big,” he said. “We just can't risk bricking your fridge.”

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang holding the Project Digits computer on stage at CES 2025. | Photo by Artur Widak / Anadolu via Getty Images It’s long been rumored that Nvidia is planning to break into the consumer CPU market in 2025, and we may have already had our first look at its new processor.On Monday at CES, the company unveiled Project Digits, a $3,000 personal AI supercomputer powered by a new GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip. Reuters reports that yesterday Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang hinted to investors and analysts that there are bigger plans for the Arm-based CPU within that chip, co-developed with MediaTek.“You know, obviously we have plans,” Huang said during an investor presentation, referring to the new 20-core desktop CPU, but that he would “wait to tell you” what they are.Co-developer MediaTek has its own ambitions though, and Huang suggested that it may also bring the CPU to market, independent of Nvidia. “Now they could provide that to us, and they could keep that for themselves and serve the market. And so it was a great win-win,” Huang said. Image: Nvidia Nvidia’s Project Digits AI computer, featuring a new 20-core Arm CPU. Project Digits itself isn’t a mass-market product, costing $3,000 and running on a custom Linux system designed specifically for AI developers. But Nvidia’s consumer CPU ambitions have been rumored since October 2023, when Reuters reported that the company, alongside rival AMD, was working on Arm-based chips to launch in 2025.Qualcomm has currently cornered the market on Arm-based CPUs for Windows PCs, boosted by last year’s launch of the Snapdragon X Elite processors. Those chips provided the sort of performance and power efficiency previously only available with Apple’s MacBooks, and put real pressure on Intel and AMD’s x86 systems.2024 was the year that Windows on Arm finally achieved its potential, and with increased competition from Nvidia and others, 2025 could mark a turning point in the battle between x86 and Arm.