The Google Pixel 10a is one of the best mid-range phones you can buy right now. It's retail price of $499 is more than fair, but the discount that drops it to $424 makes it even better. This is close to the lowest price that we've seen for this phone, making it a fantastic time to pick one up.

With the price of every Raspberry Pi single-board computer hitting the unhinged mark, the original RPi Zero is the only one that’s still in the affordable range. Unfortunately, it’s a tad too outdated and underpowered for anything other than simple projects that can leverage its GPIO pins in 2026 – and that’s something I recently learned when attempting to deploy typical Docker containers on the SBC.

There are a lot of movies that have tried to seamlessly integrate modern tech - text messages, livestreams, etc. - into their storytelling. Some of the most novel attempts have been in the genre space, like the Twitch-style horror flick Deadstream. But the most chaotic to date might just be Vintage Violence, an absurd crime thriller with lots of blood, jokes, and screentime.I was able to catch Vintage Violence, the latest from director Eugene Kotlyarenko, on my fifth day at the Toronto International Film Festival. Kotlyarenko has previously explored our hyper-connected culture in 2020's Spree, a movie in which Stranger Things' Joe Keery pl …Read the full story at The Verge.

Fujifilm announced a follow-up to its tiny and quirky Instax Pal camera that debuted three years ago bundled with an instant printer. While the original Pal was a palm-sized camera with a round design that lacked a screen or viewfinder, the new Instax Pal 2 includes both in a design that looks like a miniaturized analog film camera. It's also reminiscent of trendy pocket-friendly cameras like the Kodak Charmera, but with specs that may actually produce decent shots.The Instax Pal 2 will launch in the US later this month for $169.95, according to PetaPixel, and uses a ⅓.06-inch sensor paired with an f/2.2 28mm lens to capture images up to 1 …Read the full story at The Verge.

More than a decade after its Kickstarter proposed a "cell phone designed to be used as little as possible," Light is adding a direct connection to Uber and Lyft with a new Rideshare tool. For owners of either the Light Phone III or the upcoming Light Flip, they can use it to find pick up / drop off locations, see fares and ETA, and select different trip options or saved locations they frequently visit. They can use it to book the ride, and then see information about the driver and ETA, and call the driver if necessary. It's an early preview of the LightOS "tool library" SDK that will allow developers to expand the phones' features while st …Read the full story at The Verge.

Whether you played it in the back of your classroom or on your computer at home, if you were a kid in the last 30 years you almost certainly grew up playing The Oregon Trail.On the season 5 premiere of Version History, our fearless wagon leader David Pierce is joined by gaming journalist Chris Grant and Philip Bouchard, the designer and team leader of the game's most iconic version. They talk about the academic origins of The Oregon Trail, the game's complicated legacy, and whether anyone ever really died of dysentery.This is the first episode of the fifth season of Version History, and this time we're going back to school. In the week …Read the full story at The Verge.

Shortly after launching its new do-everything AI assistant Muse, Meta's launching subscription bundles that pair its standalone app subscriptions with extra AI usage. Some of the new Meta One bundles were in testing earlier this year, but are now available globally starting today, with several tiers for individual users, creators, and businesses. Meta says the "core experience" on its apps and Meta AI will still be free, and users can still get its subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp without a bundle. It also says it plans to expand the bundles to include "Edits, AI glasses, and more over time." There are two bundles for in …Read the full story at The Verge.

You may not know it, but minivans are making a comeback in the US. Look around, and you'll start to notice an uptick in these breadboxes on wheels. Sales were up 21 percent in 2025, suggesting that the humble minivan is shaking off its "uncool" stigma and finding new fans among an SUV-weary public. I'm here for it.One of the companies currently carrying the torch for minivans is Kia, which has sold its popular Carnival minivan here since 2021. Kia is also one of the few automakers making all-electric vans. This week, the Korean automaker rolled out its new PV7 at IAA Transportation in Germany. This is the second electric van from Kia's Pla …Read the full story at The Verge.

The Centauri Carbon 2 stores the filament on the outside to fit the bowden tube in the build space. | Image: The Verge If the high price tag of premium 3D printers have kept you from exploring the hobby, this deal is a great entry point. Elegoo has its Centauri Carbon 2 Combo on sale for $369, almost $100 off its usual price of $449. This capable 3D printer can handle four filament rolls at once, with a fully enclosed printing area, auto-leveling bed, and big touchscreen for easy project management. It’s altogether very capable 3D printer for beginners, or just anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time tinkering with settings just to print occasional trinkets and brackets.Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 ComboWhere to Buy: $449 $369 at ElegooThe Centauri Carbon 2 is fast and capable right out of the box, though first-time setup is a little involved (I found it tough to get the upper shield and filament hub to fit together, for example). But I really like its fully-enclosed build area, which results in consistent prints, and the auto-leveling bed checks that everything is locked in the right place before each print. It’s worth noting that the filament rolls are stored externally, so if you’re in a particularly humid environment and don’t print often, you may want to remove them between uses. window.HYPE_DESK_CONFIG = { productImageUrl: "https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-3-2026-10_19_50-AM.png", productImageAlt: "HOTO Pulse 4-in-1 Cordless Stapler", productTitle: "HOTO Pulse 4-in-1 Cordless Stapler", shortDescription: "The stapler that tells you what it is doing.", longDescription: "Most staplers give you no information until the moment they fail. The HOTO Pulse tracks your remaining staples in real time, confirms when it is ready to fire, and handles four staple and nail types so one tool covers more of your projects. A built-in remover means quick fixes happen on the spot. Compact, lightweight, and genuinely useful.", purchaseUrl: "https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H74SXNTQ?&linkCode=ll2&tag=theverge02-20&linkId=186f55593bda58be43b5d716980c0045&language=en_US&gaOptInStatus=true&ref_=as_li_ss_tl", purchaseLinkText: "Shop At Amazon" };Other deals to considerThe JBL Go 4 in purple is on sale for $15 off at B&H Photo for a limited time, bringing the price down to just $35 when the $5 coupon is applied in your cart. This very portable Bluetooth speaker is IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, with up to seven hours of playback on a single charge, and USB-C charging.Nintendo has temporarily dropped the price on a variety of accessories as part of its “Customer Appreciation” sale, including the Switch Joy-Con. Amazon has the neon purple and orange pair on sale for $62.97, almost $30 lower than the list price. These work wirelessly with the Switch 2 as well, although you’ll need a dedicated charging dock.If you’re running out of ports and plugs nearby, Anker’s Prime Charging Station is a great purchase to consider while it’s $59.99 (usually $79.99) at Amazon. This 6-in-1 travel-ready charging station has two AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports (either tops out at 140W when it’s the only port in use). The included power cable is five feet long, and detaches from the unit for easier storage.

When Nvidia's 616.56 driver landed on my Nvidia App at the end of August, I installed it the way I'd installed every single Game Ready driver, which was, without a second thought. That very same evening after work, I booted Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 like I always do, but after a few minutes of flying, I started seeing strange artefacts across the screen. A few minutes later, the game dropped me on the desktop, ruining over 30-ish minutes of progress.

Home Assistant is quite the compelling smart home platform. It can bring together all of your smart devices, be it Philips Hue bulbs, Sonoff Zigbee smart plugs, and Sonof speakers. With Home Assistant fully configured, it's easier than one may initially believe to create the ultimate interactive home. That said, there's one area where things can get a little messy, and that's controlling everything. The official apps are brilliant on the smartphone, but having an old Android tablet can make all the difference, especially if you use it for security.

Every week, I repeat an embarrassing number of tasks that require almost no thought. I mean things like sorting files, checking my inbox, tracking phone, credit card, and other bills, and more. I have never liked doing these, so I decided to automate them with a shell script. I have managed to build a single automation system that tidies my files, processes emails, updates financial and health trackers, and even prepares a weekly agenda. It does this by connecting to services including Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, and Standard Chartered Bank, and using scheduled jobs to run the right tasks at the right time.