Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more.Today, we’ve got a joint issue looking at why Apple’s latest iOS update could cause download numbers to go down and featuring a talk about brand safety with Spotify’s director of global advertising platform integrity.Apple tweaked automatic podcast downloads in its latest iOS update. That could impact download numbers moving forward.When Apple released iOS 17 in September, it included an adjustment to how automatic downloads work on podcasts. That may make your eyes glaze over, but it’s a little change that could have a big impact on download numbers, at least in the short term.Could is the key word here since it will take some... Continue reading…

Just days after Intel debuted its Raptor Lake Refresh CPU lineup, PC component vendor G.SKILL has unveiled ultra-fast DDR5 memory kits for the new platform. Designed for the Z790 motherboards, the Trident Z5 RGB DDR4-8400 RAM comes in 48GB (2x24GB) capacity with 40-52-52-134 timings and a 1.4V DRAM voltage. The new memory kit also supports Intel's XMP 3.0 memory overclock profile, which enables users to easily overclock their RAM with compatible motherboards and processors.

Applying thermal paste is one of the most important steps you'll take while building a PC. The paste, also known as the thermal compound, is applied to the top of the CPU's Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) to fill the air gaps that are formed due to the microscopic imperfections on the surface of the IHS and the metal base of your CPU cooler. This paste essentially paves ways for a more efficient heat transfer to ensure your CPU's operating temperature remains under the acceptable limits. Simply put, thermal paste helps your CPU stay cool at all times, and you can't build a PC without it.

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images If you want to join X, the service formerly known as Twitter, via its website in New Zealand and the Philippines, be prepared to fork over $1 a year for the privilege. The subscription, part of a so-called “Not A Bot” program, is beginning in those two countries and is designed to “bolster our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity,” X said Tuesday in an unsigned post on its help center. In addition, new web users in New Zealand and the Philippines will have to verify their account with a phone number, the post says. Fortune first reported that Musk was going to charge new users $1 a year shortly before X’s announcement went live. X’s post doesn’t explain why the new $1 subscription is... Continue reading…

The best accessories for the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 can take the capable convertible PC and turn it into a powerhouse of productivity. While the laptop alone certainly has what it takes to accommodate a full day's work, it only gets better with the right selection of accessories. For example, adding a monitor or two will boost screen real estate and, in turn, productivity. Need to be able to reliably connect the new screens to the laptop? Grab a great Thunderbolt dock. Love to travel but don't want to damage your laptop? Go with a case or sleeve, and pick up an extra charger while you're at it.

While Nvidia has had a lead in the GPU industry for a while, AMD has been catching up really quickly of late. Choosing between AMD and Nvidia graphics cards isn't exactly a straightforward process and the companies don't help matters with the naming schemes, inconsistent price-to-performance ratios, and the usual marketing jargon. This is where our helpful Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 vs. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX guide comes into play!

Google recently launched the Pixel Watch 2 with Wear OS 4, while the original Pixel Watch remained on Wear OS 3.5. That changes today, with the company rolling out the Wear OS 4 update to its first in-house smartwatch. The incoming update brings a number of new features, safety upgrades, bug fixes, performance enhancements, and battery improvements. It will roll out to all compatible devices in phases "over the coming weeks."

Illustration: The Verge Google Chrome on iOS and Android devices will look for possible typos in URLs and suggest corrections for you, Google announced in a blog post on Tuesday. This new accessibility feature for mobile versions of Chrome was promised earlier this year when Google released the same feature on Chrome for computers. Google says the URL typo detector will help people with dyslexia or otherwise are language learners. However, after updating my Chrome app on iOS, it doesn’t seem to be here just yet, as it’s not correcting my mistakes such as www.microspft.com or www.nintwndo.com. When it does show up, it could help keep people from ending up on dubious websites if they accidentally enter the wrong URL. Image: Google Left:... Continue reading…

The primary function of cookies is to make sure your browsing experience isn’t reset every time you open a website. For example, if you added something to your cart on Amazon and closed the browser, the item will still remain in your cart the next time you open it. Cookies are also responsible for keeping you signed in on all the websites you visit. But cookies can also threaten your privacy since they track your usage continuously. So, it's always good to know how to clear cookies from your web browser from time to time. It can even speed up your browsing experience, eliminate bugs, or free up space on your computer. We’re going to tell you how you can clear cookies from your PCs, laptops, or even your smartphones to ensure a safe and snappy web browsing experience.

Amazon and Microsoft have collaborated on various initiatives in the past. Amazon has an Alexa app published in the Microsoft Store, and conversely, Microsoft has also released some of its apps on the other's ecosystem. Most notably, the two also partnered to officially support Android apps in Windows 11 back in 2021. Now, a report claims that the two firms are striking a major $1 billion cloud deal.

A good day for the defense! | Photo illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Bloomberg, Getty Images Nishad Singh looks less reliable. Is it enough? Continue reading…

Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Windows 11 is reportedly in use by more than 400 million monthly active devices. Windows Central reports that it has seen “Microsoft internal data” that shows Windows 11 is expected to hit 500 million monthly active devices by early 2024. All signs have pointed towards a slower adoption of Windows 11 than its predecessor and this leaked data backs up the assumption.Windows 10 first reached 400 million active devices just over a year after release, an adoption rate that Microsoft proudly noted was 115 percent faster than Windows 7. It has taken Windows 11 two years to reach that same adoption rate, a significant slowdown considering Windows 10 reached 600 million devices a few months after its two-year anniversary. I... Continue reading…