The new Google Pixel 8 Pro debuted in October 2023, bringing a few great improvements over the previous generation. Although the top-tier model of the Pixel 8 lineup got a price hike, it's still a great value Pixel phone and one of the best smartphones out there. However, what Google isn't giving you is a case, and you'll want to pick up one for your Pixel 8 Pro as soon as you get it.

Membrane keyboards? Never heard of them. Mechanical keyboards are all the rage these days, and they come in various shapes and sizes, from small 60% keyboards (or 40% if you want to go there) all the way to full-sized options. There's something for everyone. While I love how compact and useful small keyboards are, I just can’t seem to convince myself to let go of my old 104-key keyboard, and there are three good reasons for that.

If you have opted for an Apple Watch with both Wi-Fi and cellular connection, you can enjoy so many things on the Apple Watch without needing your phone. This ranges from simple tasks like making and answering calls to replying to messages, navigating to a destination, seeing social updates, and more. But first, you need to set up this connection to get started.

Windows 11 brings plenty of new features and a brand-new look compared to Windows 10, but sometimes, it's good to keep an older operating system around, since it's had more time to be refined and have any issues ironed out. If you want to try Windows 11's new features without giving up the reliability of Windows 10, dual-booting is an excellent way to do just that. This way, you can have both operating systems running at full native performance on your PC, as opposed to running Windows 11 in a VM, which can have some performance overhead.

Following years of hype and persistent rumors, Apple announced the Vision Pro mixed reality headset earlier this year to frenzied reactions from fans and the media alike. It was always expected to be launched sometime next year, but a new report now claims that it could hit the market by February 2024.

Before the hardcore PC fans chop my head off and toss it out for the crows to feed, hear me out. I know it's controversial to prefer a controller over a mechanical gaming keyboard and mouse when playing PC games, but both input devices have their own merits. However, for my needs, a gaming controller setup always tops a mouse and keyboard.

Although the sky is the limit when it comes to the prices of gaming laptops, you don't always need to spend a lot to get something that's going to fit your needs. So, if you've been thinking about investing in a new gaming laptop, but you wanted to save some money, you've come to the right place.

Illustration by The Verge More than 200 Substack authors asked the platform to explain why it’s “platforming and monetizing Nazis,” and now they have an answer straight from co-founder Hamish McKenzie:I just want to make it clear that we don’t like Nazis either—we wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don’t think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away—in fact, it makes it worse.While McKenzie offers no evidence to back these ideas, this tracks with the company’s previous stance on taking a hands-off approach to moderation. In April, Substack CEO Chris Best appeared on the Decoder podcast and refused to answer moderation questions. “We’re not going to... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google might finally start telling you when your Android phone has a degraded battery, Android expert Mishaal Rahman wrote in an article for Android Authority. Unlike iPhone users, who have been able to see their phone’s battery health stats from their settings for a long time, Android owners currently need a third-party app or must enter special command codes in order to check out their battery health. This month’s Pixel Feature Drop already added new battery information; currently, it shows the manufacture date of your battery and its cycle count. But the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 adds a hidden “battery health” page, Rahman says, and although it doesn’t yet include an actual battery health meter, code suggests that it could show... Continue reading…

Image: Hyperloop One Hyperloop One, the futuristic transportation startup that promised to whisk us through nearly airless tubes at airline speeds, is shutting down, according to Bloomberg. The company is selling off its assets, closing down its offices, and laying off employees. It will formally close at the end of the year, at which point all of its intellectual property will shift to its majority stakeholder, major Dubai port operator DP World. Whoever buys the test track in the Nevada desert will have one hell of a Slip ‘N Slide if they want it. Since its founding in 2014, the company raised around $450 million in venture capital funds and other investments. While there is still a small smattering of startups trying to build hyperloops, the demise of... Continue reading…

Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge It’s no longer possible to buy Apple’s latest flagship smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, from the company’s online store. Apple has removed the devices from sale due to a forthcoming import ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that’s due to take full effect on December 26th. Both watches will disappear from Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores after December 24th.The ban is the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The ITC has ruled that the SpO2 sensor in Apple’s smartwatches infringes upon Masimo’s patents. On Wednesday, the ITC denied Apple’s motion to stay the ban while awaiting an appeal.Because the patent dispute relates to the SpO2 sensor specifically, Apple... Continue reading…

Microsoft is deprecating Windows Mixed Reality, a feature that allows users to use dedicated headsets to navigate a special environment designed to provide a more immersive experience. It's yet another major aspect of Windows 10 that Microsoft finds itself giving up on.