Google is gearing up to reveal a bunch of new Pixel devices on August 12th. A series of leaks leading up to the event suggest that the Pixel 11 lineup will come in an array of colors, with signs pointing to a built-in light coming to Pro models. Teasers from Google also indicate that it will show off a next-gen Pixel Fold alongside a Pixel Watch 5 in four different finishes. There might be a new Pixel Tag tracker as well.Google may take the wraps off the new devices well ahead of its Made by Google livestream. On Google’s website, the countdown for preorders ends on August 12th at 10AM ET — eight hours before its event at 6PM ET. Comedian Trevor Noah will host this year’s show, featuring notable guests like NBA star Stephen Curry, podcaster Alex Cooper, Indian cricketer Shubman Gill, and Japanese actress Ayami Nakajo. We’ll be live blogging the event, so stay tuned!Follow along for all the latest news about Google’s Pixel devices. Google’s upcoming Pixel phones are for the fans, even if its launch event isn’t What to expect from Google’s 2026 Pixel hardware launch event

Apple is seemingly developing an iOS feature that can verify when a photograph was taken using an iPhone camera. 9to5Mac reports that the iOS 27 beta 5 includes code references for an "Apple Reference Image" system that can embed provenance metadata into iPhone photographs at the point of capture - enabling users to prove where the photo originated, and that it isn't AI fakery.Apple Reference Image isn't currently live, but a privacy disclosure in the iOS beta notes that the feature will be off by default. When (or if) it does roll out, 9to5Mac says it can be enabled via Settings > Camera > Reference Image > Reference Mode, and that only p …Read the full story at The Verge.

AI models have become remarkably good at summarizing long documents, which is useful because most of us don’t want to sit through a 100-page report just to understand its main findings. The problem is that if you haven’t read the original document; you have no reliable way of knowing whether the summary is accurate.

The used graphics card market is perhaps the only place where gamers aren't being fleeced in 2026. Most of them are unable to buy a current-gen GPU at a reasonable price, turning to the pre-owned market for more affordable options. While GPUs from a few generations ago are fair game for modern titles at optimized settings, some older models have finally reached the end of the line.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a in hazel. | Image: The Verge Looking for great pair of earbuds that work particularly well with Android phones? The Google Pixel Buds 2a are currently discounted to $99 (usually $129) at various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Google. These very capable Bluetooth earbuds come in four colors, with a lightweight fit that helps them disappear into your ears. With ANC and transparency mode support, and a close integration with Gemini, they’re a great choice for anyone with a Pixel or other Android device.Pixel Buds 2aGoogle’s latest pair of wireless earbuds feature crisp sound quality, a comfortable design, and solid active noise cancellation, which is great considering the budget-friendly price tag. They even offer built-in support for Gemini and, unlike the entry-level AirPods, a purple option! Read our review.Where to Buy: $129 $99 at Amazon $129 $99 at Google $129 $99 at Best BuyMy colleague David Pierce reviewed the Pixel Buds 2a on their release in October of 2025, and was impressed by the excellent sound quality, impressive ANC and transparency modes, and comfortable fit, particularly at the price point. The biggest complaint we had about these earbuds is that they lack some of the advanced features when paired with an iPhone or iPad, similar to how AirPods don’t support their full feature suite with Android phones.Read our Pixel Buds 2a review. window.HYPE_DESK_CONFIG = { productImageUrl: "https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/06_pro_phone_16x9.png", productImageAlt: "iPhone 17 Pro Max Unlocked", productTitle: "iPhone 17 Pro Max Unlocked", shortDescription: "The flagship iPhone, without the flagship price tag.", longDescription: "The 17 Pro Max is Apple's best phone, and Back Market is where you get it for less without giving anything up. The A19 Pro chip handles everything you throw at it, the triple 48MP camera system shoots photos and 4K video that will genuinely impress you, and the 6.9-inch ProMotion display makes everything look better than it has any right to. Every unit is professionally refurbished, unlocked for any carrier, and backed by a one-year warranty and 30-day return policy through the Back Market Promise.", purchaseUrl: "https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=18275&awinaffid=173843&campaign=VergeHypeDesk&clickref=AugustArticle1&platform=dl&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backmarket.com%2Fen-us%2Fp%2Fiphone-17-pro-max-256-gb-deep-blue-unlocked%2F04896795-8ba2-4187-8fb9-d32a631d0aa6", purchaseLinkText: "Buy at Back Market" };Other deals to considerCostco members can grab a discount on Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2. Normally $49.99, digital codes for the game are only $42.99 and deliver via email so you can get playing right away. This reimagining of the classic Nintendo 64 game adds in cinematic new cutscenes and updates the graphics to modern day standards, showing off the improved power of the Switch 2. Read our review.Looking for a charging block with a little attitude? The Anker Nano Smart Display Charger is discounted to $25.99 (usually $39.99) at Amazon and supports up to 45W of power over USB-C. It has a tiny screen that can show charging and device info, or a cute little face in case you need some company while waiting for your phone to recharge. Read our hands-on.Amazon has the Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light discounted to $76.29, a 30 percent discount from its usual price of $108.95, and just slightly above its all-time low price. In addition to slowly lighting up in the morning to help you wake up smoothly, it also functions as an FM radio for quiet music at bedtime, and a reading light with 20 different settings.

Mini PCs or a custom desktop are always the go-to recommendations for a new homelab enthusiast. Reddit threads and tech forums pushed the idea until it became a trend. I was ready to follow the trend and build a new compact PC for my homelab. But right around then, one of my relatives was retiring his work laptop. I grabbed the opportunity and took the laptop from him. I didn’t intend to make the laptop a permanent homelab base; I was running a trial on it before I built the new one. But the moment I started using it, I realized that it solved problems mini PCs don't — before a single app was installed. The realization came from looking at the hardware itself rather than the software I'd run on it.

Mathematician James Maynard has spent a lot of time this past year "soul searching." A professor at the University of Oxford and winner of the prestigious Fields Medal, Maynard told The Verge he's been grappling with the future of his field as the traditionally slow-moving discipline hurries to adapt to AI. Days before we spoke, OpenAI revealed it had produced the solutions to 10 long-standing mathematics problems, some of which had confounded academics for decades. Like generative AI used to produce text and images or propose ideas in science and medicine, the technology learns patterns and connections from the vast amount of material it' …Read the full story at The Verge.

Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's special projects lead and the company's former COO, announced his departure after an eight-year stint at the AI lab. In an internal memo he later posted to X, Lightcap told colleagues he'd be starting "something new.""Over the last few months, I've been focused on the next horizon and what would stand in the way of mission success," Lightcap wrote. "I believe there are a few important new things the world will need to get right as we enter this next period. I … am excited to help you all advance the mission from a different vantage point." He added that he'd still be around for the next few weeks. Lightcap's role …Read the full story at The Verge.

Battery life on my Galaxy Z Flip 5 has never been particularly amazing, but I also don't expect it to last as long as flagship slab phones because there's only so much battery you can fit inside a compact foldable. Still, it hasn't given me any trouble until recently, which isn't surprising considering I've been using it for nearly three years. That's why I've been looking for ways to improve its battery life, from disabling One UI features I don't really use to reducing background processes.

The Pixel 11 Pro has a flashy new light on the back. | Image: Google Last year's Made by Google event for the Pixel 10 resembled a late night talk show, complete with Jimmy Fallon as host, and it aired an hour after the phones were revealed. Spec dives and executive appearances were replaced with celebrity cameos and awkward skits, to the confusion of many diehard Pixel fans. But it served its purpose in reaching a broader audience: Last year's stream racked up 8.4 million viewers on YouTube; the launch the year before only managed 1.4 million.This year, Google has only escalated matters. For tomorrow evening's livestream, Fallon has been replaced by Trevor Noah, who will lead a "stacked" lineup of celebrit …Read the full story at The Verge.

It has been a good few months for people interested in preserving the apps of the past. Back in June, we saw the 30-year-old build of GIMP used to design Tux the Penguin re-released for modern Linux distros. Now, Windows is getting its own retro flashback, as someone has ported Word for Windows 1.1 to x64 systems.

Whether it's the router, network switch, network-attached storage, desktop PC, home server, or a simple smart light bulb, everything needs power, and when outages cause drops in supply, local backups need to take on the load. That's where an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) comes in. The most common version is essentially a power strip attached to a lead acid battery, the same type of power storage used inside your vehicle. If the power goes, it automatically switches supply to ensure everything keeps running.