One of the benefits to PC gaming is that you can upgrade your computer over time, to get the most value from your rig throughout the years. Whether you've upgraded to the latest graphics card, a new CPU, or simply swapped your PC build into a new case for a new look, upgrading also generates a stack of old PC hardware. Over a few generations of upgrades, that pile grows, and you might be wondering what to do with those spare parts. After all, you don't want them to end up in the landfill, but maybe you're not quite ready to let them go. We've got some options to give your old PC parts a new lease on life, with some cool projects that anyone can accomplish.

Image: Qualcomm Apple’s former “I’m a Mac” actor Justin Long defected to Intel a few years ago, and now he’s looking to switch to a Qualcomm-powered Windows PC. During Qualcomm’s Computex 2024 keynote today, Long appeared in a brief 30-second skit where he was bombarded by macOS notifications and nag screens causing him to start searching for a Snapdragon-powered PC instead.Justin Long used to star in Apple’s “Get a Mac” TV commercials nearly 20 years ago. Long took on the persona of a Mac guy, humorously mocking the PC guy (actor John Hodgman) for picking up viruses and spyware, or not having access to creative tools and being too focused on boring work stuff.“Things change,” jokes Long to camera, after searching for a Windows on Arm PC following... Continue reading…

Staying productive with Windows takes more than determination, especially when you consider life's numerous distractions. This guide will spotlight the best productivity apps for Windows, each chosen to ramp up your efficiency at work and in life. These task management and team collaboration programs will be your secret to boosting productivity. Anyone can use these apps professionals, students, or just casual users especially if they already use Windows. Let's explore how these apps can reshape your daily routine into something more streamlined, efficient, and productive.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram is testing “ad breaks” that force you to stop and look at an ad for a period of time before you can continue scrolling. Several X and Reddit users reported seeing the feature, and Instagram spokesperson Matthew Tye confirmed to The Verge that ad breaks are being tested. Tye said Instagram would “provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes.”One Redditor spotted the feature when scrolling through stories and posts. After a certain amount of scrolling, Instagram prevented them from going further until they looked at an ad. As shown in the screenshot, Instagram displays an “ad break” icon with a countdown timer that shows how long until you can start scrolling again.When the user tapped the icon for... Continue reading…

Apple's latest iPhones and iPads support installing iOS and iPadOS beta versions, respectively. However, in rare cases, you risk bricking your devices in the process. This often happens if a software update is interrupted during the installation phase, or if your device's storage is at capacity. Fortunately, if the hardware isn't damaged, you can revive your iPhone or iPad using an internet-connected Mac or Windows PC. You will just need to follow the steps below, after grabbing a Lightning or USB Type-C cable (based on the available ports).

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge A year after Spotify first increased the price of Spotify Premium in the US, it’s happening again. Next month subscribers to Spotify in the US will start receiving an email detailing the price increases to Premium, Duo, and Family plans. Spotify Premium will now cost $11.99 a month, up from the $10.99 increase announced last year.If you’re a subscriber to Spotify Duo then it’s jumping $2 a month, from $14.99 to $16.99 a month. Family will also increase from $16.99 a month to $19.99 a month. That means the price of a Spotify Duo subscription has jumped by 30 percent in a year, compared to prices before last year’s hike. Spotify Family has also increased by 25 percent over the course of a year, with Spotify Premium up by 20 percent.“So... Continue reading…

The LG G3 turned 10 last week. I concede it's an odd anniversary to celebrate, because the phone, while a success for LG, never reached mainstream popularity worldwide the way iPhones or even some Samsung phones have, and I doubt that anyone is actually out in the real world still daily driving an LG G3 today. Heck, LG itself has been entirely out of the mobile scene for four years now.

When browsing the internet, you will often see ads or other messages pop up on your browser, perhaps as smaller windows or new tabs. These can be legitimate, such as discount offers on shopping sites or informational messages, but pop-ups can also be used for scams and phishing attempts to get you to download malware. Some users prefer to remove the distraction by blocking pop-ups altogether, but you may want to re-enable them if you need to access a specific offer or form.

If you're looking for a smartphone but don't want an iPhone, naturally you'll be drawn to the top Android phones. Naturally, then, you will consider a Pixel. Once you've landed on a Pixel 8a, you'll still want to find some solid accessories to use with it.

When Microsoft announced Copilot+, a lot of its proposed features caused some buzz on the internet. However, out of all of the new AI-powered tools we were shown, the Recall feature saw the most conversation. The Recall feature automatically takes screenshots as you use your computer and uses it when you ask Copilot what you were doing in the past; you can think of it as your PC's memory of what you did.

If you have Microsoft Copilot on your Windows PC and you find it more annoying than useful, it's very easy to disable. Microsoft hasn't quite integrated Copilot into the broader PC experience just yet (although that may change with Windows 12) so we haven't seen its full manifestation. But if you don't like it, you can turn it off in just a few simple steps.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The leaked lineup for last week’s PlayStation State of Play surfaced shortly after the event was scheduled on YouTube. This has added to concerns over the kind of access Google employees have to videos before they go live, an issue highlighted in recent reports from Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson and 404 Media.One incident, as noted by Henderson, occurred in 2022 when KSI attempted to give away over $10,000 in Amazon gift cards. However, KSI later realized that all of the gift card codes had been redeemed before the video was posted, sparking an internal investigation at YouTube. The company reportedly started a similar investigation after the trailer for GTA VI leaked, but it’s not clear whether it’s related.All of this ties into what... Continue reading…