Some ESP32 boards become community favourites because they're small, cheap, or easy to flash. The ESP32-A1S (known also as the "AI Thinker") became popular for a different reason: it promised an audio-capable board on a budget years before the modern wave of ESP32-based smart speakers, dev kits, and AI modules. But despite being one of the few ESP32 boards designed from the ground up for serious audio work, featuring an onboard ES8388/AC101 DAC/ADC, dedicated amplifier circuitry, headphone jack detection, and a layout meant for real playback rather than just experimentation, it never quite earned the mainstream recognition it deserves.

The Department of Defense is announcing its own "bespoke" AI platform, GenAI.mil, and Google Cloud's Gemini will be the first AI tool available on it, according to a press release.Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (who has dubbed himself Secretary of War, though the name has not been legally changed by Congress) promised that the platform "puts the worlds [sic] most powerful frontier AI models directly into the hands of every American warrior" and will "make our fighting force more lethal than ever before." In a video, Hegseth says that "the future of American warfare is here, and it's spelled A-I." Today, we are unleashing https://t.co …Read the full story at The Verge.

The idea of the perfect home media server often starts with excitement and quickly goes into an endless cycle of manual maintenance. After all, you shouldn’t have to be a full-time system administrator just to ensure your favorite shows and movies are available in the best quality.

If you're having a stressful holiday season, the answer is McDonald's - at least, that's what a now-removed AI-generated ad suggested, as reported by Futurism. Set to a song calling holiday season "the most terrible time of the year," the ad shows AI-generated people falling victim to a slew of wintery woes, including family dinners, shopping, caroling, baking cookies, and putting up a Christmas tree, each of which goes wrong somehow. The ad concludes by telling viewers to "hide out in McDonald's until January's here." McDonald's has unveiled its own AI-generated Christmas ad that somehow looks even worse than Coca-Cola's.Terrible AI vi …Read the full story at The Verge.

It finally happened. After years of going head-to-head against each other, going in different directions, often meeting, but always being two distinct IPs, Battlefield and Call of Duty met once again this year. Battlefield 6 became the series' strongest return to roots in a very long while, while Black Ops 7... did its own thing. Still, despite this longstanding "rivalry," there was only ever one clear winner when it came to constant sales and big numbers, and that was Activision's Call of Duty.

For Microsoft, Copilot is its golden goose. As the AI model race heats up, Microsoft sees its Copilot project as nothing but beneficial, to the point where it finds it confusing that people don't want Windows 11 to be completely agentic.

I'm the first one to admit that I've been too lazy when it comes to PC maintenance. Despite knowing how important a clean PC or updated BIOS is for the overall health of my PC, I tend to procrastinate as much as I can. Well, I've decided not to ignore crucial PC maintenance tasks starting in 2026. I've even decided to set periodic reminders for PC cleaning, removing junk files, updating the BIOS, and verifying backups. If you're like me, and haven't been able to dedicate enough time to PC maintenance, this is your sign to make it your new year's resolution (and hope it helps).

Holiday shopping on a budget can feel constricting, especially if you've been invited to a white elephant or need a last-minute stocking stuffer. The good news is that, with this guide, you can leave that stress behind.Whether you're aiming for something practical or fun, we've found plenty of great gifts for under $25 - heck, we found several under $10 - that don't scream "I bought this at the gas station on my way over." You might not expect to find a worthwhile Nintendo Switch / iPad-compatible controller, a 4K-ready streaming stick, or a waterproof speaker in this guide, but here we are. And that's just the start. Mini Buddha BoardY …Read the full story at The Verge.

Over two films, Rian Johnson's Knives Out series has offered something largely absent from the modern movie landscape: intricate murder mysteries full of humor and gasp-worthy moments. The original Knives Out started things off relatively small with a cozy whodunit, which then became a larger and more elaborate puzzle with the sequel Glass Onion. Both were crowd-pleasers, and in a lot of ways Wake Up Dead Man follows the same formula, with its stacked cast and plentiful revelations. But it's also much darker and deeper, showing off the franchise's range.First off, this is a somber-looking film, particularly compared to the bright and color …Read the full story at The Verge.

Hello and welcome to Regulator. If you're a subscriber, you are stalwart and true, and if you're here from the internet, prove your chivalry and worth by subscribing to The Verge here. (And if you're David Sacks: we said what we said.) As of Tuesday, President Donald Trump has committed to signing some sort of executive order that would do something that would give him some federal control over AI regulation. I state this in the vaguest of terms for two reasons: First, there's still no good constitutional rationale for an executive order to override laws that states pass for themselves, let alone on artificial intelligence, and the vers …Read the full story at The Verge.

If you're someone who likes dissecting every piece of technology that you come across, especially older retro tech, then keep an eye on this newly revealed Steam game. At the Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards 2025 Edition indie game showcase, I Am Future developer Mandragora and Hello Neighbor publisher tinyBuild revealed ReStory, which is set to launch on Steam in 2026.

The AirPods Pro 3 make for a nice upgrade or gift, especially at $30 off. | Image: The Verge If you didn’t catch the Black Friday deal on Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, the good news is the price has dropped again ahead of the holidays. Right now, the noise-canceling earbuds are matching their all-time low price of $219.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. It’s a great deal considering the AirPods Pro 3 only just launched in September.AirPods Pro 3Where to Buy: $249 $219.99 at Amazon $249.99 $219.99 at Best Buy $249 $219.99 at WalmartThe AirPods Pro 3 provide a number of notable upgrades over their predecessor, including improved active noise cancellation, a more comfortable fit, and better audio performance. In her review, senior reporter Victoria Song called the wireless earbuds a “no-brainer upgrade,” saying the ANC performance was among the best she’s tested. She also noted that the earbuds deliver a richer overall listening experience, adding more depth to new and old favorites.The earbuds offer around eight hours of battery life and an IP57 rating for water and dust resistance. The design has also been improved, allowing them to fit more naturally in your ear canal — something that not only helps them stay secure, but makes them more comfortable to wear over extended periods. Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro 3 include a heart rate sensor, allowing iPhone owners to track calories burned in over 50 types of workouts from the Fitness app.Read our AirPods Pro 3 review.Other deals worth checking outSilent Hill F is a fantastic original story and a great follow-up to the Silent Hill 2 remake. Right now, you can snag a copy of the Day One Edition on PlayStation 5 for just $47.49 ($22.50 off) at Best Buy through December 9th. The game features stunning visuals and a brilliant central character who must navigate a nightmarish landscape set in 1960s Japan. It features all the hallmarks that put Silent Hill on the map, blending atmospheric storytelling, intricate mysteries, and intense combat into a unique psychological horror experience. Read our review.The Wuben G5 is one of our favorite everyday carry items, and it’s currently down to around $20 (about $7 off) at Amazon and Wuben (with code 20G5). The compact rechargeable flashlight features a head that can rotate 180 degrees and an adjustable brightness dial from 2 to 400 lumens. A sliding switch prevents accidental activation, while a secondary LED allows you to customize the output color. It offers about 65 hours of battery life, too, all in a package that’s roughly the size of a Zippo.The Genki Dual Wield Charging Station has returned to its all-time low of $31.99 ($8 off) at Amazon. The four-port magnetic docking station can charge up to four Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con at once, with LED halos showing each controller’s battery. The included grips snap together into play-ready controllers and can quickly detach from the weighted base using an eject button. If you primarily game on your Switch 2 while it’s docked, Genki’s Dual Wield is a great way to put your Joy-Con to good use.