Photo by Ronald Martinez / Getty Images This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more.Hello! I know many of you are in LA for Podcast Movement Evolutions. I am not, so feel free to reach out with gossip. Today, New York Magazine publishes a polarizing profile of podcast star Andrew Huberman, Slate takes home the award for Podcast of the Year, and Bill Maher launches a new network.New York Magazine publishes lengthy feature on Andrew Huberman and his messy personal lifeI don’t begrudge you if you haven’t had the time to read New York Magazine’s 8,000-word cover story on Andrew Huberman. While much of the piece focuses on how he juggled multiple affairs as he was in a long-term relationship (spoiler: all the women... Continue reading…

Along with the Xbox 360 console, you can also build a controller and a “copy” of Halo 3. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge It wasn’t easy to grab ahold of the Mega Xbox 360 building set when it was first launched in September, but not only is it now in stock, it’s also on sale. Right now, you can buy the adorable collector set at Target for $99.99 ($50 off) — an all-time low and its first discount to date.The Target-exclusive set comes with 1,342 Mega Bloks you can use to build a replica of Microsoft’s 2005 console, a “copy” of Halo 3, and even a physical achievement notification. These blocks are like Mattel’s versions of Legos, which are pretty slick, even if not comparable in build quality. You can also use them to build a stellar little replica of the Xbox 360 controller, which comes with soft, movable joysticks, a light-up guide button, and plenty of... Continue reading…

Image: Microsoft Intel, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and AMD have all been pushing the idea of an “AI PC” for months now as we head toward more AI-powered features in Windows. While we’re still waiting to hear the finer details from Microsoft on its big plans for AI in Windows, Intel has started sharing Microsoft’s requirements for OEMs to build an AI PC — and one of the main ones is that an AI PC must have Microsoft’s Copilot key.Microsoft wants its OEM partners to provide a combination of hardware and software for its idea of an AI PC. That includes a system that comes with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), the latest CPUs and GPUs, and access to Copilot. It will also need to have the new Copilot key that Microsoft announced earlier this year. ... Continue reading…

Although PowerToys has existed since the mid-90s, Microsoft pulled the plug and discontinued the project after Windows XP. The software giant revived the tool in 2019, and since then, PowerToys has received frequent updates with new features. After mastering PowerToys utilities on my Windows laptop for months, here are the top tools I want to see natively built into the operating system.

With computers permeating every area of our daily lives, people are keen to find new methods of attacking PC hardware. At all times, there is an arms race between cybersecurity researchers and malicious hackers who both want to find the latest exploits. The former wants to find them first so they can report it to the hardware company and get them fixed, while the latter wants to find flaws that nobody knows about for a free pass onto people's PCs. Fortunately, the researchers have won this round, as they have discovered a new flaw called ZenHammer that affects AMD CPUs and proceeded to report it to AMD.

We've known of the Copilot key's existence for a little while now. This special key takes over the Function key at the bottom right of the keyboard, which replaces the keycap with a Copilot logo. When pressed, it will bring up the Copilot app so you can ask it whatever you like. For a while now, we speculated that this may be an optional addition to keyboards, with some manufacturers opting not to add it. However, news has broken that Microsoft will demand that the Copilot key be added to all AI PC keyboards.

In an ideal world, we'd all be building perfectly balanced PCs with the right CPU and GPU combo in every single build. But, we don't live in that world. We exist in one overflowing with data overload, plagued with persistent misinformation, and always short on time. This often leads to making the wrong choice when pairing your CPU and GPU, and building a PC that's severely held back from its maximum potential.

The first-gen Superlight isn’t the latest model, but it remains a standout gaming mouse at $60 off. | Image: Logitech These days, there are ample options to consider when choosing a gaming mouse — we should know, having put together a detailed guide to some of the best available. That said, not everyone needs the latest and greatest gaming peripherals, which makes the current discount on the slightly older Logitech G Pro X Superlight all the more appealing. Right now, the first-gen mouse is on sale at Best Buy in white for an all-time low of $99.99 ($60 off) and in black at Amazon for $109.95 (about $50 off).Logitech’s original G Pro X Superlight was designed as a step-down version of Logitech’s popular G Pro Wireless. It’s not the company’s most advanced mouse — that would be the newer Superlight 2 — but the right-handed mouse remains a great option... Continue reading…

Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images Productivity platform Airtable is bringing generative AI summaries, categorization, and translation to all of its users with the general availability of Airtable AI. Companies like Microsoft and Google have integrated AI features into their productivity offerings. But a recent survey from Slack, which also has AI features now available, found that most office workers use generative AI mainly for summarization and writing help. The new features would make Airtable the latest platform to see generative AI’s potential as a productivity tool that can generate content based on information companies have on their workspaces. Airtable, already a repository of workflow data for its users, makes a good case study for AI as a productivity... Continue reading…

Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Independent presidential candidate and notable anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tapped Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer, as his running mate. Shanahan previously contributed $4 million to Kennedy’s super PAC, helping to bankroll a 30-second campaign ad during this year’s Super Bowl. Shanahan, who was formerly married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, has donated heavily to Democratic candidates in the past. In the campaign announcement speech, Kennedy called his running mate “exactly the right person,” as someone who “shared my passion for wholesome healthy foods, chemical-free for regenerative agriculture, for good soils.” He called her a “technologist at the forefront of AI” who uses “neural nets” to... Continue reading…

The all-electric SUV set a new record as the first globe-trotting EV. | Image: Ford Ford neglected to share the maximum range of its newest all-electric Explorer when it announced the Europe-only EV last year. We’ve gotten those details today, however, in an announcement Ford made detailing specs and availability. It came alongside word that it’s set a new world record with renowned traveler Lexie Alford as the first to circumnavigate the globe with an electric vehicle.The Explorer EV’s 375-mile range (602km) is above average for the American automaker and impressive for an SUV in general, even if it’s calculated using the EU’s more forgiving WLTP formula for testing and calculating total range. For comparison’s sake, the company’s all-electric F-150 Lightning tops out around 265 miles under the same testing standard.... Continue reading…

Samsung is well-known for making some of the best Android smartphones on the market. Many don't know that while the flagship Galaxy S-series smartphones dominate the Android landscape in America, the mid-range Galaxy A-series devices are the brand's most popular phones worldwide. The new Galaxy A55 comes the closest to looking and feeling like a true flagship, and it deserves a good case. It boasts some noteworthy upgrades over the last-gen model, including a larger display, so Galaxy A54 cases won't fit. Worry not, because some great Samsung Galaxy A55 cases are already available, and we've rounded up the best ones below.