China’s Z.ai claims it can match Mythos on cybersecurity
China's Zhipu AI (Z.ai) released its open-weight GLM-5.2, and some researchers have claimed that it matches Mythos in certain bug-finding and cybersecurity scenarios. While GLM lags behind models...
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Suno launches Spark incubator program to feed independent artists to its AI machine
Suno has ambitions to be more than just a toy to churn out AI slop, it also wants to be a streaming destination and to break new artists. Spark is their new incubator program for independent...
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China claims the world’s fastest supercomputer
Despite trade restrictions, China has reclaimed the title of the world's fastest supercomputer for the first time since 2018. LineShine has pushed El Capitan out of number one on the TOP500...
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The Cube is Jim Henson’s little-known proto-Black Mirror masterpiece
I'm sure we're all familiar with Dark Crystal, so we know that Jim Henson can be weird and tackle slightly more mature subject matter. But there is little in his oeuvre that is quite as...
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Prosecutors used ChatGPT logs as evidence in the Palisades fire trial
Jonathan Rinderknecht was facing arson charges for setting a fire on New Year's Day in 2025, which became one of the deadliest wildfires in LA history. To make their case, prosecutors turned to...
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Nest’s quest to fix your thermostat
The founding story of Nest is pretty much a perfect tech myth. A legendary product maker (in this case, Tony Fadell) helps create one of the most successful products ever (the iPhone) and then...
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Ad-free streaming is a luxury now
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about the streaming industry, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our...
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TMD’s keyless bike lock is a $280 solution to a $60 problem
I've seen lots of so-called "smart" bike locks over the years, but none so far could justify the added cost. A newcomer that got its start securing ATMs for banks is trying to change that. There's...
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Teenage Engineering adds lo-fi mode, USB audio, and more to its KO II sampler
Teenage Engineering has already issued multiple substantial updates for its surprisingly capable $329 EP-133 KO II sampler. Its latest is one of the biggest yet. OS 2.5 adds audio over USB,...
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Margaret Atwood says the problem with AI is ‘garbage in, garbage out’
Maraget Atwood, the storied author of The Handmaid's Tale and The Blind Assassin, was interviewed as part of the Babell Literary and Cultural Festival in Porto, Portugal. As it usually does at...
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Apple wants permission to buy memory from a blacklisted Chinese supplier
Apple is looking to alleviate some of the pressure on its supply chain by seeking an exception from the Trump administration to buy RAM chips from CXMT, a company blacklisted by the Pentagon over...
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The Guardian’s Kai Wright refuses to buy a new phone
Kai Wright is the co-host of Stateside with Kai and Carter over at the Guardian. But Wright has been bringing his unique insights to listeners for years. He's also hosted Notes From America, The...
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Indie developers got tired of waiting for a new Star Fox, so they’re making their own
Nostalgia remains a powerful force. So much so that, in exploring the echoes of a late-'90s childhood spent skimming the water of Corneria and sneering "cocky little freaks!" in time with a monkey...
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Why is Apple asking me to pay more for Big Tech’s AI obsession?
Tim Cook recently said price increases were "unavoidable" and described the company's pricing as "unsustainable." The 16-inch MacBook Pro saw its price go up by $300. The 11-inch iPad Air went...
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Inside the room where the smart home industry is still betting on Matter
Four years ago, overlooking a canal in Amsterdam, the smart home industry collectively launched Matter, the one interoperability standard to rule them all. Heralded as the solution to the...
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This might be the new best smart speaker
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 134, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, hope you're okay in all this heat, and also you can read all the...
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This puzzle game’s simple premise hides surprising depth
What's the Password? has a simple concept: To solve each of the game's more than 100 puzzles, you have to type in the right four-digit password on a number pad. That might sound like a limited...
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Prime Day is almost over, but these are still the best Apple deals I’ve seen
Amazon’s Prime Day is now in its final hours, but whether you’re looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds or a smartwatch, there’s a good chance you’ll still find a discount. The Apple Watch...
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It’s the last day of Prime Day — here are over 140 great deals to choose from
We’ve arrived at the final day of Prime Day, which at this point should probably be called “Prime Week.” We’ve found discounts on all manner of gadgets, including TVs, smart home tech, chargers,...
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24 Prime Day deals Verge readers are grabbing before Prime Day ends
There are an overwhelming number of Prime Day deals to sort through, which is why we spend so much time highlighting products we’ve already tested and can stand behind. But our recommendations are...
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