Just a few years ago, owning an iPhone was no guarantee that you'd be using Apple Maps for your navigation needs. In fact, it was the opposite as people overwhelmingly downloaded Google Maps the moment they set up their new iPhone. This negative trend toward Apple Maps harkens back to its disastrous launch 11 years ago and Apple's somewhat slow pace of updates, pushing people toward Google Maps as the quintessential maps application.

Amazon's Prime Day deals are one of the best ways to save on new Apple products. The great iPhone maker doesn't often discount its devices significantly or en masse, so these events could be one of the best times to save big on premium tech, including iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and accessories. While the main Prime Day is over, Amazon is offering more opportunities this year for prospective buyers.

If you're looking for an easy way to expand the capabilities of your existing wall outlets, look no further than the Beshon Outlet Extender. This device packs a lot of ports, with eight wall outlets, two USB-C ports, and one USB-A port. For the most part, this is an excellent accessory to have in your home or office, making it easier to plug in all your devices. Best of all, it can now be had for a low price, coming in at just $9 for a limited time. Just make sure to clip the coupon before check out to maximize your savings.

Image: Laura Normand / The Verge Xbox chief Phil Spencer has just emailed Microsoft employees about the massive Xbox leak that happened earlier today. In the internal memo, obtained by The Verge, Spencer says Microsoft’s Xbox plans “were unintentionally disclosed” as part of the FTC v. Microsoft case. Documents revealed a lot: a disc-less Series X redesign, a 2028 Xbox that could deliver “cloud hybrid games,” a new Xbox controller, unannounced Bethesda games, and even discussions about acquiring Nintendo. Spencer hints that Microsoft’s plans may have changed, particularly as some documents were from last year, but others were from years prior. “I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved,” says Spencer... Continue reading…

Microsoft’s new core gamepad, codenamed Sebile, may become the new default Xbox gamepad in May 2024. | Image via court documents, text removed by The Verge New Xbox for 2024! New hybrid Xbox for 2028! But can we just appreciate Microsoft’s leaked Sebile controller for a sec? The $70 pad could arrive in 2024 chock-full of the best parts of Sony’s DualSense, Valve’s Steam Controller, Google Stadia, and — here’s hoping — 8BitDo. Image: FTC v. Microsoft “Sebile — The New Xbox Controller.” Obviously, it’s taking the Sony DualSense’s “precision haptic feedback.”Right, here’s hoping! It’s the thing I’m most excited about because it seriously does add a new dimension to some of Sony’s games, which just aren’t the same when you take it away.Check out our DualSense X-ray below, versus this one of an Xbox pad, to see the difference in their haptic motors: V... Continue reading…

In the mainstream, we often think of Linux as the techy alternative to Windows, and it kind of is, but don't think it's just for programmers and engineers. Today, if you can use Windows to any decent level, it's totally possible to get into Linux with only a little extra learning. If you're not familiar with Linux and want to get acquainted, here's everything you need to know.

Logitech has long been making accessories for PCs, and so, as you can imagine, it has gotten quite good at it, dropping gems here and there that often become some of the best products released for the genre. While the competition for mechanical keyboards is quite tough, the brand has managed to take top honors for its gaming keyboards, delivering some excellent products throughout the years.

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is incredibly powerful, even when inside the best RTX 4090 laptops. It's the best graphics card and more capable than any other GPU available on the market, but more than a clear mile. It's also incredibly expensive. All that performance will come at a premium and Nvidia will gladly charge you for it. Still, we've rounded up all the best aftermarket RTX 4090s right here for you to choose from.

Go ahead, wear that new jersey right out of the store. | Image: Amazon Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is both extremely cool — just grab what you want and walk out the door, no checking out or paying necessary — and extremely complicated. Amazon’s system uses computer vision, which requires a complex system of cameras and sensors just to make the whole thing work.But now, Amazon is rolling out a new, simpler way to Just Walk Out. It built a system that uses radio-frequency identification, known as RFID, to track your purchases as you leave the store. Amazon first tested the system at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle (so named by Amazon, which purchased the arena’s naming rights in 2020) and is now also testing it at Lumen Field, the home of the Seattle Seahawks.The system is pretty straightforward:... Continue reading…

Illustration: The Verge A few lucky WhatsApp beta testers got a surprising treat this week: the company appears to be testing a version of its iOS app that is also optimized for the iPad. As first spotted by WABetaInfo, version 23.19.1.71 of WhatsApp’s TestFlight app includes the new iPad app as well. From what we can see in screenshots, the iPad app works exactly like you’d expect. You connect to it by scanning a QR code the same way you’d link your account to any other device. You’ll see a list of your conversations on the left and your current chat on the right. It’s pretty much the iOS app, but instead of seeing one pane at a time, you see both. It almost makes you wonder what took so long, especially when WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said all the way back... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The UK’s Online Safety Bill is ready to become law. The bill, which aims to make the UK “the safest place in the world to be online,” passed through the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday and imposes strict requirements on large social platforms to remove illegal content. It will be enforced by UK telecom regulatory agency Ofcom.Additionally, the Online Safety Bill mandates new age-checking measures to prevent underage children from seeing harmful content. It also pushes large social media platforms to become more transparent about the dangers they pose to children, while also giving parents and kids the ability to report issues online. Potential penalties are also harsh: up to 10 percent of a company’s global annual revenue. The bill has... Continue reading…

Many of us rely on cable companies like Spectrum for our internet needs, and typically, there’s plenty of speed to go around. Spectrum offers internet download speeds up to 1Gbps on cable or fiber, but many people will be perfectly happy with a slower and cheaper package. Unfortunately, if you want Wi-Fi, you’ll need to rent a router from Spectrum or buy you own. Luckily, there are a lot of routers to choose from whether your need coverage in a large house, or just want reliable gigabit speeds on Wi-Fi.