The new AI-powered Pixel Buds Pro 2 are here — and they claim to fix that 'falling out of your ears' problem - Technology news - NewsLocker (2024)

At the 2024 Made by Google event, the search engine giant announced the brand new Pixel Buds Pro 2.With all of the controversy surrounding Samsung's new Galaxy Buds 3 Series looking like Apple AirPods clones, we should address this: Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 do not look like replicas of the popular Apple earbuds. The design of the earbuds are different — unlike the AirPods Pro and the Galaxy Buds 3, there are no stems in sight.With that out of the way, here are what the Pixel Buds Pr

Senators want investigation of AI-enabled ammo vending machines

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge AI-enabled ammunition vending machines could facilitate mass shootings and let people circumvent federal bans prohibiting people with certain criminal convictions from buying ammunition, two senators warn.
Massachusetts Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) asking it to “closely examine” facial recognition-enabled ammunition vending machines that have recently bee

Google sales reps allegedly keep telling advertisers how to target teens

Illustration: The Verge Google representatives gave ad buyers tips on how they could reach teens, even though the company bars targeted advertisem*nts to users under the age of 18 based on their demographics, according to a report from Adweek.Three unnamed ad buyers told Adweek that Google sales reps suggested they might be able to reach teens by targeting a group of “unknown” users, whose “age, gender, parental status, or household income” Google doesn’t know. Adwe

Microsoft’s Recall AI feature won’t be available for Windows testers until October

Image: Microsoft Microsoft says it’s planning to allow Windows testers to try out its controversial Recall AI feature in October. The software giant was originally planning to launch Recall with its Copilot Plus PCs in June but was forced to hold back the feature after security concerns were raised.At the time of the delay on June 13th, Microsoft promised the feature — that screenshots nearly everything on your PC —would be available for Windows Insiders “in the coming we

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Tesla’s latest Model X recall isn’t just a software update

Image: Umar Shakir / The Verge Tesla is issuing a new recall for more than 9,000 of its Model X SUVs due to roof cosmetic trim pieces that could fly off while driving because they may have been adhered without primer. It’s the second such recall from the company to address the issue on the Model X, the first one issued in 2020, and it is again specific to early 2016 vehicle models.
Tesla often pushes software updates to address recalls, including a repeat Autopilot safety issue where it do

The Best Google Pixel Phones of 2024, Tested and Reviewed Which Model to Buy, Cases and Accessories, Feature Drops

Here’s a guide to all the models—plus Pixel case recommendations and smart software tricks to try.

Google’s AI ‘Reimagine’ tool helped us add wrecks, disasters, and corpses to our photos

Magic Editor’s new tool helped us add the bike and car with nothing more than a text prompt. | Photo: The Verge As it turns out, a rabbit wearing an AI-generated top hat was just the tip of the iceberg.
Google is the latest phone company this year to announce AI photo editing tools, following Samsung’s somewhat troubling, mostly delightful sketch-to-image feature and Apple’s much more seemingly tame Image Playground coming this fall. The Pixel 9’s answer is a new tool cal

Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL review: AI all over the place

The AI is inconsistent, but the hardware is oh so good.Continue reading…

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Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: All Grown Up

Come for the smart design and the fantastic camera. Stay for the reality-blurring image manipulation features and the next-level chatbot.

The Beats Studio Pro headphones add one of Apple’s best features

A new firmware update brings audio sharing to the Beats Studio Pro. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Apple has released a firmware update for the Beats Studio Pro that finally brings audio sharing to the headphones, allowing an iPhone or iPad to stream audio to two pairs of wireless headphones simultaneously. The new feature, spotted by 9to5Mac, was noticeably missing when we reviewed the Beats Studio Pro last year, but now better positions the headphones as an alternative to Apple’s mor

Airbnb makes it easier to get into rentals by connecting with more smart locks

The Yale Assure Lock 2 is one of the many smart locks that work with Airbnb. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Airbnb is expanding its smart lock integration, allowing the company to generate door codes from Yale and August directly within its app. This means more guests can easily find the code they’ll need to unlock their vacation rental, while hosts won’t have to worry about generating and sending new codes to every visitor.
The smart lock company Schlage became the f

Nomad’s updated Stand One Max charger fixes an annoying design flaw

Gimme that excellent desk clock action while charging all the things. | Image: Nomad Nomad is course-correcting from a small design blunder last year on its three-in-one MagSafe charging stand. Like its predecessor, the new Stand One Max for 2024 is a wireless multi-charger for a compatible iPhone, Apple Watch, and set of AirPods. However, now you can charge all of those devices with your phone in landscape orientation, allowing you to use Apple’s nifty StandBy mode for glanceable informat

An ‘AI Scientist’ Is Inventing and Running Its Own Experiments

Letting programs learn through “open-ended” experimentation may unlock remarkable new capabilities, as well as new risks.

Asus brings Wi-Fi 7 to its tri-band ROG gaming router

The ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 is an 80s retro-future headcrab. | Image: Asus Asus announced three new Wi-Fi 7 products today, including a tri-band ROG Rapture GT gaming router, a dual-band router, and a new Wi-Fi 7 USB adapter.
The ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 has a familiar, 80s retro-future look shared by predecessors like the quad-band GT-BE98, along with most of the same specs, including two 10Gbps and five 2.5Gbps ethernet ports. It also supports 320MHz channel bandwidth on the 6GHz band, which unlo

The US Government Wants You—Yes, You—to Hunt Down Generative AI Flaws

AI ethics nonprofit Humane Intelligence and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology are launching a series of contests to get more people probing for problems in generative AI systems.

Amazon cancels the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition’s main feature — focusing on photos

Photo by Alex Cranz / The Verge Last year, Amazon launched the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition that could default to displaying owners’ favorite pictures — as long as they paid an extra fee. Now it looks like that plan has been abandoned, with the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition and its accompanying $2 / month PhotosPlus subscription nearly erased from Amazon’s website.
One customer received a message saying the service has been canceled and that Amazon will no longer offer the subscript

Microsoft’s new Xbox Adaptive Joystick puts accessibility at the center

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is launching a new $29.99 Xbox Adaptive Joystick early next year that’s designed for players with limited mobility. It’s a wired companion for existing Xbox controllers, and includes four buttons, an Xbox thumbstick, and two additional buttons for bumper and trigger controls.
The Xbox Adaptive Joystick allows you to operate a controller without having to use both hands, making it ideal for any players who might have difficulty using the thumbsticks on exist

Ford Steps Back From EVs—and Says Hybrids Are the Future

The automaker is killing its electric three-row SUV, delaying a next-gen pickup, and committing to future gas and diesel vehicles, citing a lack of consumer interest in its full-EV cars.

Lego’s Super Mario: Mario Kart sets will cross the finish line early in 2025

Six Super Mario: Mario Kart-themed Lego sets will debut on January 1st, 2025. | Image: Lego After teasing the next expansion of its Super Mario line back in March, today, Lego announced the first six Mario Kart sets that will release just after the holidays on January 1st, 2025.
Lego’s Mario Kart collection includes new buildable versions of characters like Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Toad; baby versions of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach; and several kart designs, from motorcycles to flying

Paramount Plus plans are 50 percent off ahead of the 2024 NFL season

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Paramount Plus recently raised its prices, and sadly, it’s too late to lock in a subscription at the previous rate. Luckily, in honor of the NFL season opener on September 5th, new and returning subscribers can get 50 percent off an annual subscription to Paramount Plus Essential and Paramount Plus with Showtime through September 6th.
When you do the math, the current discount drops the price of an annual Essential plan to $29.99 (from $59.99), which

Ford cancels its electric three-row SUV and delays futuristic electric truck

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ford is canceling its electric three-row SUV and delaying the launch of a new electric pickup truck until 2027. The Expedition-like SUV had already been delayed to 2027; with its cancellation, the company will now pivot to making new gas and hybrid-powered three-row SUVs.
Ford now says it won’t release any new electric vehicles until it can ensure profitability on the models within the first year of launch and prioritize a new commercial EV van that

Microsoft’s white Xbox Series X and 2TB special edition model launching in October

Microsoft’s new Xbox console options will be available worldwide by the end of October. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft is launching three new Xbox Series S / X console options in October. There’s the $449.99 white discless Xbox Series X, a 2TB “Galaxy Black” special edition Xbox Series X priced at $599.99, and a $349.99 1TB Xbox Series S. All three models will be available in the US on October 15th, with other markets to follow on October 29th.
The white coating on the exte

The Democratic platform is doubling down on tech antitrust and kids online safety

While billionaires have pushed Kamala Harris to depart from President Joe Biden’s antitrust policy, the Democratic Party seems to be doubling down.
The word “competition” comes up 18 times in the party’s 2024 platform, compared to nine in the 2020 version. Other key policy areas, like tackling junk fees and noncompetes, are mentioned several times in the 2024 platform as well, compared to just one passing reference to noncompetes in the 2020 document. Notably, those are

The Democratic platform is doubling down on tech antitrust and children’s online safety

While billionaires have pushed Kamala Harris to depart from President Joe Biden’s antitrust policy, the Democratic Party seems to be doubling down.
The word “competition” comes up 18 times in the party’s 2024 platform, compared to nine in the 2020 version. Other key policy areas, like tackling junk fees and noncompetes, are mentioned several times in the 2024 platform as well, compared to just one passing reference to noncompetes in the 2020 document. Notably, those are

Nothing is requiring employees to be in the office five days a week

Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch After launching remotely during Covid in 2020, Nothing has now mandated that its 450 employees will have to come into the company’s London office five days a week. In an email to staffers last week, Nothing CEO Carl Pei suggested that those unable to transition from remote working should leave the company, and they should “find an environment where you thrive.”
Pei’s goal, according to the email he published on LinkedIn,

This system can sort real pictures from AI fakes — why aren’t platforms using it?

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Chris Strider Big tech companies are backing the C2PA’s authentication standard, but they’re taking too long to put it to use.Continue reading…

Ring’s budget battery doorbell can now see packages left on your porch

Ring has updated its entry-level wireless doorbell with a new field of view showing more vertical space around your door. | Image: Ring Ring has refreshed its entry-level battery-powered doorbell camera, bringing a new head-to-toe view to better capture footage of packages on your porch. According to the company, the Ring Battery Doorbell ($99.99) also has improved battery life and color night vision, plus a new mounting system to make removing the doorbell for charging easier.Ring has been slow

Volkswagen's electric ID Buzz van will start at $59,995 in the US

Photo: Volkswagen Volkswagen has taken one of the final steps toward delivering the ID Buzz in the US, by announcing pricing, battery range, and initial options available at launch later this year. The ID Buzz will start at $59,995 for a Pro S model that comes standard with RWD and, crucially, seven seats, as it’s the bigger long wheelbase version previously confirmed for the American market.
The 2025 ID Buzz now has a finalized EPA-estimated range of 234 miles for RWD models and 231 miles

Lucid CEO calls EV market softness ‘a temporary blip’ and says hybrids are a dead end

Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson demonstrating the Gravity SUV’s front trunk seating.| Image: Tim Stevens Different brands do different things under the hoods of their EVs. Some fill that space with inverters and high-voltage cabling. Others carve out a cubby of extra storage, the frunk that many EV aficionados demand but few actually use.With the Gravity SUV, Lucid is taking the frunk option a step further, creating a space that can be used as a seat. I confess, I thought it was a gimmick

Best Distraction-Free Writing Apps: iA Writer, Ulysses, FocusWriter, Google Docs, Obsidian

Focus on your words and not on your toolbars with these eight minimal writing apps for your computer, your tablet, and even your phone.