Image: William Joel / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 21, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, sorry for all the bad jokes, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) I’ve been in Vegas all week for CES, the annual extravaganza of gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whozits and whatsits galore. Most of what’s here isn’t yet available for purchase (and a lot of it never will be), but I love getting a peek into what the tech industry is dreaming about, so I figured I should share some of the best new stuff here. I’ve also been reading about how Cyberpunk 2077 turned into a hit, learning some new tech minimalism ideas, watching Patriot and rewatching Archer, and trying out a new... Continue reading…

Image: FedEx FedEx announced today that it will launch a new “data-driven commerce platform” this fall called fdx that it says will give online merchants “end-to-end e-commerce solutions,” including data for supply chain management. The platform will build on what it offers with ShopRunner, an online e-commerce store the company bought in 2020.The company writes that fdx will combine new features with those already in ShopRunner, like enabling merchants to give estimated delivery dates to customers during shopping and ordering, or data on supply chain resources’ carbon impact. FedEx says when fdx launches in the fall, it will add “more efficient, cost-effective deliveries” using its data. FedEx’s system would also enable a “custom post-purchase... Continue reading…

Using WowMouse to control a computer mouse. | Image: Doublepoint A company called Doublepoint announced a new app during CES this week called WowMouse that turns Android smartwatches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch into a gesture-based mouse for your computer. That means waving your arm around to move the mouse and pinching your fingers to click (similar to the Double Tap feature on the Apple Watch Series 9). The app is available now on the Google Play store.WowMouse works by broadcasting the watch as a Bluetooth Human Interface Devices (HID) mouse, allowing it to work with a variety of operating systems, by just pairing it like you would any other Bluetooth mouse. According to Doublepoint’s site, that includes Windows, Linux, macOS, and iPadOS. It’s confirmed that it works on certain Wear OS watches,... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge For anyone who wants to try the Apple Vision Pro when it’s officially released on February 2nd, there’s going to be a whole procedure. We knew that, but now a report in Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg sheds light on how the in-store demos for the Vision Pro will work.According to Gurman, the process will start with an Apple Store employee scanning users’ faces to pick out the light seal for Apple’s headset — a process he likens to configuring Face ID. For those who need vision correction, Apple will reportedly also scan their lenses with a special device to suss out the prescription. Then an employee fits a Vision Pro with one of “hundreds” of on-hand lenses and a seal and tells you how to use the device... Continue reading…

If you just set up a new iPad for the first time, then there are some essentials you need to know. iPadOS 17 differs from other tablet operating systems and offers its unique set of features and capabilities. So, to make the most out of your flagship tablet, you may want to get accustomed to these offerings that will only contribute to more powerful workflows. To get you started, we will list some of our favorite tips for setting everything up.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Peacock is the only source for tonight’s playoff game between Miami and Kansas City, and the most surprising result is that through three quarters, the service is mostly holding up to the task. The game just entered the fourth quarter, which is going to be “commercial free,” but that may not be enough to make everyone happy about the deal the NFL made to take a playoff game away from regular TV broadcast availability and put it on a streaming service operated by NBCUniversal.Most initial viewer complaints online were more about needing Peacock to tune into the game, instead of connection or login issues that have occasionally marred live sports streaming before. However, some folks have noted audio problems, or had streams glitch and... Continue reading…

When it comes to business, one of the most valuable things you can do is be informed. That’s why web scraping is such a powerful tool when it comes to improving your pricing and competitor intelligence.

Two things make CES an incredible experience. First, of course, are all the new products announced at the show, but there are all the cool things you get to try for the first time, even if they're not necessarily new. For me, a highlight of CES 2024 was trying out the virtual reality haptics experience bHaptics had on display. Before this show, I had no idea this company existed, but it's supported in around 200 games and with many devices.

Unlike Samsung and OnePlus, Apple releases a new iPhone series later in the year, and 2024 won't be an exception. While the release date of the new iPhone series — the iPhone 16 — is unknown, there are plenty of rumors floating around about its specifications. The latest one is coming from a reliable source and points to better camera and network speeds in the iPhone 16 Pro, more RAM in the regular iPhone 16 model, and other important changes Apple is planning to introduce across the lineup.

Image: Ubisoft Two weeks into 2024, and we’ve already got a GOTY. Continue reading…

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple will combine a San Diego team of 121 employees with one in Austin, Texas, and any of the employees who elect not to move could be let go on April 26. That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported that an Apple spokesperson confirmed that the team, which listens to recordings of Siri interactions to make sure it responded appropriately, will “have the opportunity to continue their role with Apple in Austin.”The article reports that the staff was surprised by the relocation, which Apple had indicated would involve a move to another campus in San Diego by the end of January, rather than going to Texas. The company reportedly told employees they can apply for other jobs within the company, though some doubt they’re qualified for other... Continue reading…

The AirPods Pro 2 are the best wireless earbuds for most iPhone users, offering a rich set of advanced features in a compact design. Of course, one of the most important parts of trying out your earbuds is ensuring they fit your ears perfectly. If you've just set up a pair on your iPhone, you may have noticed the Ear Tip Fit Test option. This test is currently exclusive to the AirPods Pro, and we advise all users to take it at least once.