For now, Sony’s upcoming gaming device is a PlayStation Direct exclusive. | Image: Sony For months, rumors have been circulating about the release date for Sony’s upcoming handheld, the PlayStation Portal. Now Sony has finally given us an answer: the PlayStation Portal will launch on November 15th. The portable device, which will be able to stream PlayStation 5 games over Wi-Fi, will retail for $199.99. There is a chance the PlayStation Portal will sell out as quickly as the PlayStation 5 did when it was first released, which is perhaps why Sony is currently limiting orders to one device per customer. We have yet to test the Portal, but if you’re someone who wants to secure a unit at launch, rest assured that Sony has already opened up preorders in the US and several other countries. Here’s what you need to know.Where to... Continue reading…

Image: James Bareham / The Verge A federal judge has blocked a Texas law that would require age verification and health warnings for pornographic websites, calling it unconstitutional and poorly defined. In a preliminary injunction decision released today, Judge David Ezra ruled in favor of the Free Speech Coalition, an adult industry trade association. The ruling prevents Texas from enforcing HB 1181, one of multiple state-level bills that would require age verification for accessing adult content online.Ezra, a Ronald Reagan-appointed district judge, said HB 1181 had numerous problems that could limit internet users and adult content creators’ First Amendment rights. “The restriction is constitutionally problematic because it deters adults’ access to legal sexually... Continue reading…

Notepad’s getting autosave. Notepad! | Image: Microsoft Microsoft’s testing some neat new features for the Windows 11 Snipping Tool and the one and only Notepad dot exe. They’re only in the Windows Insider Program for now, but they’re there.Anyone who’s ever tried to shut down their PC or close Notepad in the past, I dunno, 40 years, will be relieved to know that soon Notepad will finally just close without popping up a dialog box for each text file asking if you want to save changes. Notepad is getting autosave. Tabs, dark mode, a little spinny gear thing, and now this? It’s startin’ to look mighty modern around here. In the Windows Insider Program blog post announcing the new features, Dave Grochocki writes:With this update, Notepad will start automatically saving your session state... Continue reading…

Samsung’s new app, Samsung Food, is designed to be a personalized AI cooking assistant. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Wi-Fi-connected kitchen appliances have struggled to prove their worth, but Samsung’s not entirely new app could help realize the potential of connected cooking. Continue reading…

A Skydio 2 drone. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge If there’s a drone flying over your backyard party this Labor Day / J’Ouvert / West Indian Day Parade weekend in New York City, it might be the police — because the NYPD have apparently granted themselves the power to surveil the city that way. “If a caller states there is a large crowd, a large party in the backyard, we’re going to be utilizing our assets to go up, go check on the party,” said assistant NYPD commissioner Kaz Daughtry, at a live press conference earlier today.Lest you think we’re taking that out of context, here’s the full quote I just transcribed:We’re going to be utilizing technology, we’re going to be utilizing drones for this J’ouvert weekend. The drones are going to be responding to non-priority calls and... Continue reading…

Webcams are excellent for streaming, video calls, and recordings. Choosing from the best webcams usually involves parting with a fair sum of cash. However, it's possible to save on this popular PC accessory yet still enjoy a high-quality recording experience. We've compiled a list of only the top webcam deals we'd buy ourselves.

PlayStation Portal. | Image: Sony Sony is officially launching its handheld remote player, the PlayStation Portal, on November 15th. The portable device will stream PS5 games over Wi-Fi and features an eight-inch LCD screen running at 1080p resolution at 60fps. Sony says the Portal will launch in the US, UK, and other regions for $199.99 and, on August 31st, made it available to preorder in select countries via Sony’s official PlayStation Direct storefront. Preorders for other regions — and from other retailers — will follow on September 29th, according to an updated post on the PlayStation blog.“PlayStation Portal will connect remotely to your PS5 over Wi-Fi, so you’ll be able to swiftly jump from playing on your PS5 to your PlayStation Portal,” says Hideaki Nishino,... Continue reading…

There are a lot of great wireless headphones to choose from, but if you're looking for one that has the best battery life, look no further than the Sennheiser Momentum 4. These wireless headphones offer an impressive 60 hours of playback on a single charge. In addition, the headphones deliver great sound and offer great active noise-canceling.

The refreshed 2023 LG Gram Style is one of the best lightweight laptops on the market today. It’s clad in glass on the lid and on the interior and is impressively light. The laptop also has a gorgeous OLED display, with a 2.8K or 3K screen, depending on if you opt for the 14-inch or 16-inch model. With that much style, you want your accessories to match, so we put a list together of the best stylish accessories to go with the LG Gram Style.

There are lots of great laptops out there that support Windows Ink, but the sheer amount of choices can be overwhelming. We're here to help, and in this roundup, we've gathered the best laptops you can buy that feature Windows Ink pen support, ranging from Microsoft's Surface laptops to choices for gamers from Asus.

For most people, school is back in session, but there's still time to get prepared for school. There are still plenty of back to school deals out there, so you're not stuck paying full price at the last minute. Everybody's needs vary; some will need a new laptop (we've got the best Surface deals right here), while others might just need a bag or charger. We've rounded up a list of all the best back to school deals that are available right now to make things easier for you.

The recently released Beats Studio Pro headphones are one of many good deals happening through Labor Day. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Labor Day may mark the unofficial end to summer and the beginning of the school year for many students, but it’s also one of the last big sales weekends before the holiday shopping season ramps up ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (and Amazon’s next not-Prime Day event).While Labor Day is still a few days away, most promotions run through the weekend in the lead-up to the holiday. And these days, when nearly every retailer runs a “Black Friday in (insert month here),” there are already deals available. Because what’s the point of a set promotional period if you can’t jump the gun to try and milk it for all it’s worth?We’ve been combing through all the Labor Day sales and promos in the world of tech and all things Verge-y and... Continue reading…