A few decades ago, Microsoft made a monumental decision to bundle Internet Explorer 2.0 with its latest operating system, Windows 95. This move in and of itself was normal for Microsoft at the time; identifying a new tech product, developing its own version, and then releasing it at a fraction of the price to steal market share. Internet Explorer 2.0 was launched in this manner on November 27, 1995.

Illustration: The Verge Google Chat is launching huddles, a Google Meet-powered addition that lets you start a quick call with your coworkers. Google said it would add huddles to Google Chat in customer preview over a year ago, but we haven’t heard about it since then. The company says the feature has started rolling out and should reach all Workspace users by January 6th.As we noted last year, this is the same feature as Slack’s Huddles, using the same exact name. There aren’t a lot of differences between the various office suites these days, but this is really going the extra mile. GIF: Google To get one going, simply click a dropdown menu at the top of a chat and select “Start a huddle.” That’ll pop open an audio call invite that you can... Continue reading…

Big phones, big discounts. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Black Friday, you may have noticed, is no longer a specific date on the calendar. This year especially, with a late Thanksgiving in the US, it’s a vibe. The deals started arriving well before Friday and they’ll last all weekend, just like turkey leftovers. If the new vibes-based Black Friday means shopping for discounted phones and accessories online any day you please rather than standing in line at the mall, well, that’s a vibe I can relate to.The best Black Friday phone accessory dealsMoft is offering between $10 and $60 off your order of phone accessories like its combination phone stand/wallet, which is a favorite of this phone-case-hater.AirTags, which are always a good stocking stuff, are on sale in a four-pack for $24.99... Continue reading…

When you need to set up an appointment or meeting, one of the first things you do is look at your calendar. Sharing your calendar for visibility helps keep everyone in the loop. I’m a big fan of Microsoft products like Windows and Office, so I use Outlook Calendar most of the time. Situations arise where I need to share a calendar either internally at work or with friends and family outside the organization.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Valve has dropped the price of the 512GB Steam Deck LCD to $336.75 (about $112 off) as part of its Steam Autumn Sale. The sale runs until December 4th at 1PM ET and includes plenty of game discounts too, but Valve discontinued the 512GB Steam Deck LCD, so it might not make it to the end. (It’s already sold through the 64GB model, which was also discounted.)It’s a shame to see the 512GB LCD model going away, even if its picture doesn’t pop the same way the Steam Deck OLED does. At its normal $449 price, it’s a more affordable alternative to the OLED model with the same storage, which costs $100 more but plays the same games. Especially if you’re getting it to play AAA bangers like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring — those will fill up your... Continue reading…

Image: Larian Studios Larian Studios isn’t done with big updates for Baldur’s Gate 3 just yet. The studio is planning yet another quality-of-life update for the game with Patch 8.“Arriving next year, this update will introduce some of the most eagerly awaited features to BG3: cross-play, and photo mode, along with 12 new subclasses,” Larian wrote on its Steam Community page.Cross play will introduce multiplayer capabilities between any of the game’s platforms including Steam, PC, Mac, Xbox, and PlayStation. Cross platform multiplayer progression will also be added.Another big community ask that Patch 8 will satisfy is the addition of photo mode. The feature will come with a robust suite of options including poses for party members, picture frames, photo... Continue reading…

The Verge A few weeks ago, Microsoft exec Sarah Bond said that in November, “players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.” It’s almost December and the feature still isn’t live, but Bond says it’s not Microsoft’s fault. The problem is that Microsoft would only be able to do it once a court order takes effect that forces sweeping changes for Google’s Play Store on Android, like opening it up to competition and ending the requirement for apps to use Google Play Billing. 3/4: Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned. Our team has the functionality built and ready to go live as soon as the court makes a final... Continue reading…

Image: Laura Normand / The Verge Microsoft is being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission in a wide-ranging antitrust probe, making it the fifth Big Tech company to fall under such scrutiny in several years.The agency is looking into Microsoft’s cloud and software licensing business, cybersecurity services, and AI offerings. Bloomberg first reported the news and The Verge confirmed the investigation with a person familiar with the matter, granted anonymity to speak to a confidential probe. The demand for information that spans hundreds of pages and culminates over a year of informal discussions with Microsoft competitors and partners. One focus is on how Microsoft bundles productivity and security software with its Azure cloud, per the source. The FTC’s... Continue reading…

The note-taking landscape has evolved over the years. While Evernote remains a solid choice for basic note organization, new-age solutions like Obsidian offer a far more powerful and flexible approach to creating a digital cabinet. If you are tired of Evernote’s closed nature and annoying limitations, then it’s time to give Obsidian a try.

AMD's Ryzen 9000 series is available, and the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X is the best of the bunch. Even though Zen 5 is more efficient than the last-gen Zen 4 chips, this flagship CPU calls for a hefty cooling solution. It has a 170W TDP, which is more than mid-range coolers can handle. You don't have to worry too much, though, as your new processor has plenty of cooling options. We've rounded up the best coolers for the Ryzen 9 9950X, including air and liquid-cooling options, so you can find the perfect one for your build and budget.

Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), making it easier to protect consumers who are tricked into paying scam tech support companies. The FTC could already go after these fraudster companies if they initiated calls to people — now, they can do the same thing if people call the scammers too.Fake tech support fraud has been on the rise for many years. The “company” tricks people into thinking they have a virus or other problem by sending scam emails, popups, and other messages. This encourages them to call to a help desk, which then convinces them to pay up.The FTC has long attempted to wrangle money back from these scammers. But as it explains in a published proposal, a 2021... Continue reading…

Docking stations and USB hubs are a great way to bring extra connectivity to your computing products. Of course, if you want to go all out, you'll want to go with the former, as it offers more than just a way to keep all your accessories connected. With a docking station, you'll also get power, which means one cable is all you need to keep things connected.