Google is notifying parents using its Family Link parental controls via email that their kids will soon be able to access Gemini AI Apps on their monitored Android devices, The New York Times reports.The company says kids will be able to use Gemini to do things like help them with homework or read them stories. Like its Workplace for Education accounts, Google says children’s data will not be used to train AI. Still, in the email, Google warns parents that “Gemini can make mistakes,” and kids “may encounter content you don’t want them to see.” Besides sillier mistakes like recommending glue as a pizza topping or miscounting the number of “r” letters in strawberry, some AI bots have had more distressing issues. Some young Character.ai users have struggled to tell the difference between chatbots and reality, and the bots told users they’re talking to a real person. After lawsuits alleged the bots had offered inappropriate content, the company has introduced new restrictions and parental controls.In the case of Gemini, Google’s emailed advice says parents should talk to their kids and explain that the AI isn’t human and not to share sensitive information with the chatbot.Kids under 13 will be able to enable and access Gemini all on their own under Google Family Link, which is designed for parents to keep tabs on their kids’ device usage, set limits, and protect them from harmful content. Google spokesperson Karl Ryan confirmed in an email to The Verge that parents can turn off access via Family Link, and that “they will get an additional notification when the young person accesses Gemini for the first time.”

The Raspberry Pi has come a long way, and 2025 offers some truly transformative upgrades. With the latest generation of hardware, minor improvements can significantly impact speed, reliability, and the kinds of projects you can realistically tackle. Whether you aim to build a server, a gaming station, or something uniquely your own, the right upgrades turn a good project into a great one.

There are a lot of things to look for if you're shopping for a new gaming headset. Perhaps the thing that comes to mind first for most is going to be sound quality, but we think comfort is more important, because if you can't wear them for an extended period, they aren't going to be worth buying.

Buying a gaming monitor in 2025 is both easier and tougher than before. On the one hand, you have more options than ever, with the quality of modern displays better than ever. On the other hand, comparing these excellent gaming monitors against each other to decide which one to buy requires serious effort, especially when you don't know which specs you need to look out for. That's why I've put this list together to list the most important specs that should factor into the decision, and the ones that are safe to ignore for gamers.

With cyber threats evolving constantly, a robust encryption solution can provide that extra security layer you need to protect your data. Since I discovered VeraCrypt, it has emerged as a file guardian for my files. It marries top-notch encryption capabilities with user-friendly features, and that should be a winning recipe for any user. So, here’s why, for me, VeraCrypt stands out as the ultimate tool for file encryption.

We live in an era where remasters can breathe new life into beloved classics, making them accessible to new generations while preserving their legacy for longtime fans. But not every remaster is created equal.

Valve has done a remarkable job with the Steam Deck. The hardware itself is great, sure, but the bedrock of Steam makes it easy to transfer your progress from Windows to Linux without any fuss. Once you start going beyond the Game Mode interface, however, you'll quickly recognize a problem: Windows and Linux don't play nicely with each other.

Microsoft officially released Windows 11 version 24H2 (or Windows 11 2024 Update) in October last year with new features in File Explorer, an updated Start menu with Phone Link, and Power Settings interface, video call enhancements, and plenty of AI-related changes. While the update was meant to be rolled out to everyone gradually, it has been a turbulent rollout, with Microsoft rolling out the update to select eligible devices, then blocking it shortly afterward due to some bugs.

Windows includes many tools and features you can access out of the box. However, there are other tools and features you might not be aware of. Although not often discussed, these tools perform their intended functions effectively. They are uncomplicated built-in utilities that provide more functionality than you might be using.

Sam Altman and Elon Musk aren't just competing in the AI race; they both have ambitions to build Silicon Valley's holy grail: an "everything" super app encompassing finance, social media, gaming, and more.Earlier this week, I got a peek at Altman's plan from a cavernous event space on the northern edge of San Francisco. He was not there as the CEO of OpenAI, but as the co-founder and chairman of Tools for Humanity, the parent company of a cryptocurrency called Worldcoin that's now available in the US. Worldcoin is distributed to people who scan their eyes at one of the startup's orbs, which are rolling out in retail stores across America. At the same time, the token is being used to build a super app to rival X.Tools for Humanity's World app is a crypto wallet, social network, and mini-app platform all in one. Its monthly user base has doubled in the last six months to 26 million people, 12 million of whom have been verified by an orb. In the World app, you can message others via a chat interface tied to World IDs - the blockchain-based identifier you get after scanning your eyes - and send or receive cryptocurrency. There are also dozens of mini apps available from developers …Read the full story at The Verge.

Polygon, The Verge's former sister site dedicated to covering gaming and entertainment, is now owned by Valnet, a company that owns more than 27 different brands covering gaming, entertainment, sports, travel, and more. The transition is, let's say, ongoing: a day after the acquisition, the site still said it was a Vox Media property, and the site's coverage continued more or less uninterrupted. But Valnet has indeed acquired Polygon, so to learn more about the deal, why the company acquired it, and the future of the site, I got on the phone with Valnet's head of mergers and acquisitions, Rony Arzoumanian.Polygon is a "triple-A gaming brand" that Valnet has been of "high interest" for "some time," Arzoumanian said. Valnet's gaming portfolio also includes GameRant, TheGamer, Fextralife, DualShockers, Hardcore Gamer, and OpenCritic. Arzoumanian said the company is "bullish" on gaming coverage. "We think Polygon has a lot of potential and could be much more."Valnet initiated the Polygon deal, and Arzoumanian said the conversations started a "few months ago." He declined to share the terms of the deal. Going forward, Valnet wants to ensure that Polygon has the "deepest" cove …Read the full story at The Verge.

In the world of PC hardware, features are a dime a dozen. And motherboard manufacturers will use any ridiculous nomenclature for supposedly game-changing features that are nothing more than wrappers for things that exist on every motherboard. Motherboard brands need to differentiate their products from the competition, but at what point does differentiation morph into meaningless marketing? For motherboard manufacturers, that point was left in the rearview mirror a long time ago.