Apple's MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptops, featuring a competitively slim design and powerful internals. If you own this notebook, there's a high chance that you will need to factory reset it at least once during its lifetime. However, the process will differ depending on the macOS version you're running. Worry not, though; we will cover all the cases in this comprehensive guide.

There's nothing quite like a paperback book that you can touch, smell, and hold in hand with confidence while reading. But it's not the most practical option for those who read a lot. Not only do physical books take up a lot of space and can also be quite expensive, but it's also a hassle to carry more than a few of them at a time when you're traveling. They're just not as practical as an e-reader.

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Although Netflix no longer allows new or returning members to sign up for the ad-free Basic subscription that costs $11.99 per month, company executives told investors while reporting its earnings results today that it’s retiring the plan in some countries where ad-supported plans are available. It’s starting with Canada and the UK in the second quarter of this year.That leaves subscribers with Netflix’s $15.49 per month option as Netflix’s cheapest ad-free plan. Going from $11.99 to $15.49 per month is a pretty big jump, and means there’s really no middle ground for ad-free plans. Otherwise, subscribers will have to pay $6.99 per month for its ad-supported basic plan or $22.99 per month for the Premium tier. Netflix stopped letting new... Continue reading…

This deal knocks 87% off Windows 11 Pro, dropping it down to just $24.97 for a limited time. Right now is the perfect time to upgrade if you're running an older version of Windows, or are looking to grab a copy if you're trying to build a new PC. This deal is incredible, especially because you can use this copy and install it on two devices, making the price even sweeter. So grab it while you still can, because this deal won't last long.

Windows 11 is the latest version of Microsoft's popular operating system (OS), and it's still fairly recent, having launched on October 5th, 2021. Just like Windows 10 before it, Windows 11 gets major updates every now and then, such as Windows 11 version 23H2 in late 2023, and version 22H2 a year prior. These updates can change a lot about how the OS works, and so, it can sometimes be important to check what version of Windows 11 you have.

Illustration: The Verge X is now supporting passkey log-ins on iPhones and iPads, granting members access to the security feature regardless of their “Premium” status. Generating a passkey for X allows users to completely skip entering a password when they log in to their accounts and instead rely on the device’s security (with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device’s passcode). For now, passkeys are only available in the US, and X hasn’t revealed when it’s rolling out the login technology on Android, for desktop operating systems, or in other countries. Also, X’s rollout of passkeys doesn’t seem to be complete yet (some users reported still not having access as of Tuesday night on the East Coast), so don’t fret if the feature hasn’t popped up yet.Today we’re... Continue reading…

ADT has a new smart home security on the works that looks like it will launch next month. | Screenshot: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge All signs are pointing to an imminent launch of ADT’s new Smart Home Security System, a DIY security system born of a collaboration between Google and ADT. This could be a better home security option for those of us who loved and lost the excellent but expensive Google Nest Secure system, which Google is sunsetting for good on April 8th, 2024.As The Verge reported in October 2023, hidden support pages on ADT’s website indicated the company — which Google invested $450 million into in 2020 — was getting ready to launch a new DIY security system called ADT Smart Home Security. From the leaks, it appeared that the new product had better features and a nicer industrial design than the ADT Self Setup option Google was offering its Nest... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge This last weekend I was sitting in a hotel room in Memphis, staring out at the parking lot turned ice skating rink, wanting to just have a couple of hours with my brain turned off. I opened Netflix hoping to find a movie that would give me an evening’s respite. Scrolling down to the top 10, I was met with a who’s who of the 2010s and 2020s. Cowboy & Aliens, the 2011 flop with a great cast, was on the list. Queenpins, the 2021 flop with a great cast, was also there. At the top of the list was The Legend of Tarzan, a 2016 flop with a great cast. Rounding out the top 10 was a Sylvester Stallone flick from 2019 and a handful of new releases I’d heard nothing about until I saw them in the top 10 list.In a highly competitive streaming market... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge We now know the date and time when Nintendo will disconnect online services for 3DS and Wii U software, which is scheduled for April 8th, 2024, at 4PM PT / 7PM ET. If you’re in Japan, it will be the morning of April 9th, at 9AM. If you’ve been using one of those systems, you should note this support page warning users that if you have an unused eShop balance tied to a Nintendo Network ID, you have until March 11th at 10PM PT to link the wallet with a Nintendo Account so that those funds can be used to buy items for use with the Nintendo Switch. Even if you don’t have a Switch, you can still create an account and merge the funds.Nintendo announced the spring shutdown a few months ago, explaining that while StreetPass, Pokémon Bank,... Continue reading…

It's not every day that a company releases a driver for your graphics card that could potentially double your framerates, but when it does happen, it's definitely worth noting. AMD has done exactly that by adding its AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) technology into the main branch after a testing period, and while the potential FPS gains are huge, it does come at a cost.

Image: Google Google ended its contract with Appen, an Australian data company involved in training its large language model AI tools used in Bard, Search, and other products, even as the competition to develop generative AI tools increases. “Our decision to end the contract was made as part of our ongoing effort to evaluate and adjust many of our supplier partnerships across Alphabet to ensure our vendor operations are as efficient as possible,” Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said in a statement sent to The Verge. Appen notified the Australian Securities Exchange in a filing, saying it “had no prior knowledge of Google’s decision to terminate the contract.”Human workers at companies like Appen often handle many of the more distasteful parts... Continue reading…

The Verge eBay is following in the footsteps of Google, Discord, Twitch, Unity, and more — by laying off loads of workers this January instead of right before the holidays. The company writes it’s laying off around 1,000 workers, or 9 percent of the company’s full-time employees, and that’s just the start: eBay will also lay off an unspecified number of contractors “over the coming months.”Despite reporting profit of $1.3 billion last quarter, which it described as “another quarter of solid results,” eBay today suggests that there is a “Need for Change.” Company president and CEO Jamie Iannone writes that “there is more we can do to ensure our success,” and argues that eBay should be a “more nimble” company that “makes decisions more quickly” to... Continue reading…