Illustration: The Verge Microsoft has quietly killed off its spoofed Google UI that it was using to trick Bing users into thinking they were using Google. Earlier this month you could search for “Google” on Bing and get a page that looked a lot like Google, complete with a special search bar, an image resembling a Google Doodle, and even some small text under the search bar just like Google search.The misleading UI no longer appears on the Google search result of Bing this week, just days after it was originally discovered by posters on Reddit. Microsoft’s spoofed Google UI even automatically scrolled down the page slightly to mask its own Bing search bar that appear at the top of search results, in a blatant attempt to trick Bing users into thinking they were on Google. Image: Tom Warren / The Verge The fake Google UI on Bing that has now been removed. Microsoft refused to comment on its fake Google UI, but Google was more than happy to offer up its opinion. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Microsoft spoofing the Google homepage is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users & limit choice,” said Google Chrome boss Parisa Tabriz in a post on X last week. “New year; new low Microsoft.”Microsoft has a habit of using a variety of tricks to convince people to keep using the defaults of Bing and Microsoft Edge in Windows, including modifying Chrome download sites and using malware-like popups to get people to ditch Google. Microsoft has even previously had to reverse pop-up ads inside Google Chrome to address “unintended behavior.”

Image: Microsoft Microsoft says it will no longer support Office apps, known as Microsoft 365 apps, on Windows 10 later this year. The support cutoff coincides with Windows 10’s end of support on October 14th, and will mean businesses and consumers that rely on Microsoft 365 apps will need to upgrade to Windows 11.“Microsoft 365 Apps will no longer be supported after October 14, 2025, on Windows 10 devices,” says Microsoft in a blog post. “To use Microsoft 365 Applications on your device, you will need to upgrade to Windows 11.”While support will end for Office apps on Windows 10 in October, it doesn’t mean the apps will suddenly stop working. Microsoft notes in a support document that was updated in December that “the applications will continue to function as before” after Windows 10 support ends, but that there could be “performance and reliability issues over time.”Microsoft really wants people to stop using Windows 10 this year, and is calling 2025 “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” The software maker declared at CES last week that refreshing an old Windows 10 PC will be more important than buying a new TV or phone this year. “We believe that one of the most important pieces of technology people will look to refresh in 2025 isn’t the refrigerator, the television or their mobile phone. It will be their Windows 10 PC, and they will move forward with Windows 11,” said Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft.Windows 11 adoption is still lagging behind Windows 10, and millions of machines simply can’t upgrade to the latest OS due to Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements. Microsoft recently closed the door on Windows 11 supporting older hardware, noting that its Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 requirement for Windows 11 is “non-negotiable.” Microsoft is now trying to convince Windows 10 users to buy a new PC with full-screen prompts.While support for Windows 10 ends later this year, Microsoft is also offering Extended Security Updates to consumers for the first time ever. Consumers will be able to pay $30 for an extra year of updates, while businesses will be able to purchase up to three years of extended updates.

Gaming monitors have been going through a sort of renaissance over the last few years. We've seen high resolutions, ultrawide screens, record-breaking refresh rates, and scores of Mini-LEDs, OLEDs, and QD-OLEDs become much more common and relatively more affordable. The good times continued with CES 2025 as almost every major manufacturer unveiled their new monitor lineup for the year.

With the ever-evolving landscape of technology, you might expect laptops to keep getting better and better every year. And for the most part, that is true. But there are always some aspects of laptops that seem to be a constant issue, even as the technology evolves.

Xiaomi was the fastest growing of the major manufacturers last year. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Worldwide smartphone sales grew in 2024 following two consecutive years of decline according to reports from Counterpoint, Canalys, and IDC. The bulk of the growth came from Chinese manufacturers including Xiaomi and Vivo, though Apple and Samsung are still holding strong as the undisputed market leaders.Counterpoint reports a 4 percent growth in phone sales across 2024, with IDC and Canalys each reporting 6-7 percent increases in global shipments, though that’s relative to a 2023 that saw the lowest sales figures for a decade. That growth is predicted to continue through 2025.“2024 was a year of recovery and normalization after a difficult 2023,” says Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak. “The market started showing signs of recovery from Q4 2023 and has now grown for five consecutive quarters.”There’s a little disagreement about who sits on top, with Counterpoint reporting that Samsung led by market share for the year, while IDC and Canalys each claim that Apple took the crown. All three agree that Xiaomi is sitting solid in third though, with a 12 percent increase in unit sales according to Counterpoint, making it the fastest growing of the major players. Counterpoint pegs Xiaomi at 14 percent market share for the year, catching up to Apple’s 18 percent. Image: Counterpoint Counterpoint puts Samsung as the leader for 2024, despite slightly reduced market share. Oppo (including OnePlus), Vivo, and the Transsion group — which includes brands Tecno and Infinix — take up the next few spots, helped by strong sales in Asia and growth across Europe, Africa, and Latin America.Both Counterpoint and IDC attribute some of 2024’s relatively bullish performance to the introduction of phones positioned as AI devices, with AI replacing foldable screens as the hot new thing.“We have seen a decreased demand for foldables in the market, despite intensified promotions and marketing,” says IDC research director Anthony Scarsella. Manufacturers are now “prioritizing new AI advancements at the expense of foldables,” with Counterpoint predicting that by 2028 nine out of ten smartphones above $250 will include generative AI.

Dark mode has pretty much become a staple demand from users when it comes to modern software. Windows, Google Drive, Google Chrome, and iOS, among others, all pack this customization option for customers. Some want it for the pretty aesthetics, while others want it to reduce eye strain, especially when using their software in dimly lit environments. Now, Microsoft has rolled out dark mode in Excel for Windows.

In the fast-paced world of esports and gaming, comfort and performance go hand in hand. AutoFull, a global leader in gaming equipment, continues to redefine what it means to sit at the top of your game. With its slogan, "Be Your Own Hero," AutoFull has earned a stellar reputation for crafting professional-grade gaming chairs designed for gamers, streamers, and esports professionals worldwide.

Ralf Groene inside Microsoft’s Surface hardware labs. | Image: Getty Microsoft’s former head of design for Windows and devices has started a new role at Amazon this week. Ralf Groene was responsible for the design of Microsoft’s Surface tablet, and worked closely with former Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay on a line of Surface devices over the past decade. The pair are now reunited at Amazon, working on devices again.Groene — who left Microsoft in April 2024, less than a year after Panay departed for Amazon — will lead design for Amazon’s devices and services business. Groene left Microsoft shortly after the company named Pavan Davuluri as its new Windows and Surface chief.Groene, alongside Panay, was instrumental in the creation of the Surface line of products. The original Surface tablet started off life in Groene’s sketchbook, with a set of doodles about kickstands that formed the basis of months of 3D-printed prototypes that were held together with string. Microsoft went on to launch the Surface RT tablet in 2012, and the Surface Pro has had a lasting effect on hybrid laptop designs over the past 10 years.Amazon’s hiring of Groene comes just months after Xbox cofounder J Allard joined Panay’s devices and services team to work on “new ideas.” Allard departed Microsoft in 2010, following his work on the company’s canceled Courier tablet.Groene and Allard aren’t the only notable recent former Microsoft hires for Amazon, though. Former Windows Cloud executive Aidan Marcuss also joined Amazon this week, leading the Fire TV, ads, and AppStore teams.

Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage Drake has withdrawn the petition he raised accusing Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) of illegally boosting Kendrick Lamar‘s diss track “Not Like Us.” According to documents filed with the New York Supreme Court on Tuesday, the pre-action case is being discontinued with no financial cost to any of the parties involved.The petition, or “pre-action case,” isn’t a full lawsuit — it refers to a stage of litigation that seeks information from each party and allows time for issues to be resolved before disputes are escalated to court.The legal petition filed by Drake (real name: Aubrey Graham) in November alleged that Spotify and UMG — the parent label that represents both him and Lamar — used “bots,” discounted licensing rates, and pay-to-play agreements to artificially inflate the streaming numbers for Lamar’s song. The diss track, aimed at Drake, became a viral hit following a feud between the two artists last year that attracted significant attention.A second legal petition was also filed by Drake in November that accused UMG of funneling payments to iHeartRadio to promote Lamar’s diss track. Drake’s lawyers said that the song, which describes Drake as a “certified pedophile,” a “predator,” and someone who should “be registered and placed on neighborhood watch,” was defamatory, claiming that the damage to Drake’s reputation should have prevented UMG from releasing it.While the initial pre-action case against Spotify and UMG is now resolved, the second petition against UMG and iHeartRadio is still active. Spotify had previously filed an opposition against the first petition and hasn’t objected to Drake withdrawing the pre-action case. UMG — which hadn’t filed an opposition — has “reserved its position.”

The Nintendo Entertainment System is one of the most iconic video game consoles of all time, and many of its games influenced the industry in ways that are still felt today. Everyone knows classics like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Tetris, but the NES library is vast and full of games you may not have played during its heyday.

The Samsung 990 Evo SSD delivers everything that you need at a price that's easy to afford. While the 1TB model has an MSRP of $110, it can now be had for much less, with a huge discount of 41% from B&H Photo Video. This drops the SSD down to its lowest price yet at just $65. Get it while you can because this deal won't last long.

Experiencing lag or dropped frames while gaming can truly ruin the whole experience, but that doesn't mean you need to run out and buy a completely new setup. There are a ton of things that you can do to help boost performance in your games and extend the life of your slowly aging gaming PC.