In 2018 I bet my reputation and self-worth on a huge crowdfunded game design project. It could have been a failure for many reasons, but the one I became most worried about was losing all of the work that was stored locally on my home-built PC - a scenario that would have left a lot of people very upset and placed me in deep trouble. I wasn't irresponsible, I had local backups, but at some point I found myself in custody of so many important files that it scared me. And no matter how many redundancies I could build at home, they'd all still be in the same place - a risky bet. So I bought a subscription to Dropbox. Years later, it's still one …
This year has already proved bountiful for brilliant EV releases, with the likes of BMW unleashing the debut models from its groundbreaking Neue Klasse series, Mercedes-Benz unveiling the impressively efficient CLA and Hyundai pushing electric high performance to the max with its Ioniq 6 N.
Granted, I haven’t been able to drive absolutely everything that has gone on sale globally this year, but I have done my best to get behind the wheel of what, to me, feels like a crop of groundbreaking electric vehicles that push the powertrain forward.
From enormous, opulent vans to arguably the first 'kei car' to be sold in the UK, the spectrum of brilliant, battery-powered vehicles is as wide and as interesting as any internal combustion engine counterpart. Here’s my pick of the bunch.
6. Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
(Image credit: Hyundai)
I didn’t think Hyundai could improve much on the brilliant Ioniq 5 N, but the Ioniq 6 N seemingly takes everything that was great about the Korean marque's super hatch and seemingly turns performance up to eleven, while somehow making it more practical.
It takes the same recipe of simulated gears, synthesized engine noise and absurd straight-line performance and packages it in a more mature, long-distance-friendly sedan.
With 650 hp, 770 Nm of torque and a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds, it is seriously quick, but the revised suspension geometry and lower roll center make it considerably more composed at speed than its hot-hatch sibling.
The N e-Shift system now adds another simulated gear, while the upgraded sound system makes the artificial pops, bangs and revs remarkably convincing.
Yet it can switch back into a quiet, comfortable cruiser when the fun is over. Add 291 miles of WLTP range and 350 kW charging, and this might be the most complete performance EV I've driven, erm, ever.
The Kia EV2 might be small, but it has the sort of big-car technology and practicality that makes it surprisingly easy to live with. At just over four meters long, it packs a slick triple-screen infotainment setup, a huge array of driver-assistance systems and an interior that feels considerably roomier than its dimensions suggest. Imagine an EV5 or EV9 that’s been hit with a shrink ray and you’re not far off.
The 144 bhp version I drove didn’t feel particularly sporty, taking almost nine seconds to reach 62mph, but that isn't really the point. Its ride is excellent, it remains impressively composed at highway speeds and the Long Range version should comfortably break out of the usual urban EV routine.
Charging is also respectable, with a 10-80% session taking just under 30 minutes. Best of all, it makes a compelling case for ignoring that massive, heavy SUV for daily driving duties and settling for something that will happily slot into a supermarket parking space.
The Cupra Raval VZ is proof that small EVs don't have to be sensible or boring. With its squat proportions, aggressive styling and 19-inch wheels, it looks like a proper hot hatch, and the driving experience backs that up.
The 222 bhp front-wheel-drive powertrain can deliver 0-62 mph in 6.8 seconds, while Cupra mode brings huge amounts of grip, adjustable dynamic chassis control and a synthesized soundtrack to the party.
Yet it can settle down into a surprisingly comfortable and refined cruiser when required. I averaged around 4.5 miles per kWh during a day of enthusiastic driving, suggesting more than 200 miles of real-world range from the 52 kWh battery.
There's also a surprisingly spacious cabin and useful trunk, making the Raval an unusually convincing blend of fun and practicality — like all great hot hatches should be.
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric is a handsome demonstration of just how far EV performance has come. With up to 1,156 hp available using Launch Control, it can hit 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds and reach 162 mph, making it the most powerful production Porsche yet.
Those figures are astonishing, but what impressed me most was how effectively Porsche hides the car's considerable bulk. Despite weighing around 2.5 tons, it feels remarkably composed through corners, with superb feedback through the steering wheel, active suspension and optional rear-axle steering helping shrink its footprint on the road. It is also a seriously capable long-distance EV, with up to 415 miles of range in Coupe form and 390 kW charging capable of delivering a 10-80% top-up in as little as 16 minutes.
Oh, and the world’s first 11 kW wireless charging functionality is far from a gimmick, showcasing just how effortless life with an EV can be if you can afford it.
The Honda Super-N might be one of the least practical cars I've driven this year on paper, but that's completely missing the point. This tiny electric runaround is an absolute riot, with 94 bhp sent through the front wheels, a perfectly composed chassis and a big Boost button that encourages you to attack corners with old-school hot-hatch enthusiasm.
At just 1,097 kg, it feels wonderfully light and responsive, while clever regenerative braking and virtual gear changes add to the fun. The 29.6 kWh battery only offers around 128 miles of range and charging tops out at 50 kW, so it's hardly a road-trip machine. But for urban driving, it makes a brilliant case for small EVs, proving that you don't need huge power or battery capacity to have a genuinely entertaining car.
It’s the posh electric van that makes you wonder if that massive family SUV is really the right vehicle for your daily needs. Mercedes’ all-new VLE combines huge amounts of space with the sort of refinement more commonly associated with an S-Class, while the excellent air suspension delivers an exceptionally smooth, quiet ride.
The clever Roll & Go rear seats are by far my favorite feature, sliding along built-in rails and rolling out of the vehicle on their own wheels when removed — transforming the plush people-mover from a seven-seat bus into the ultimate transportation for active outdoor lifestyles.
Range is impressive, too, with the single-motor VLE 300 capable of a claimed 435 miles thanks to its 115 kWh battery, while 300 kW charging makes long-distance driving much more realistic. Add superb infotainment technology, rear-wheel steering and limousine levels of comfort, and this is a hugely compelling EV for large families… so long as said families have a healthy vehicle budget.
X wants to make money on previously used handles. | Image: The Verge
X is ending its controversial revenue-sharing program for content creators, which has seen numerousrevisions under Elon Musk's reign. In its place, it's launching a new Original Content Rewards program on September 8th. To be eligible, creators must have at least 500 verified followers and at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users in the last 90 days, among other requirements.
Creators will then earn revenue based on "qualified impressions" on "original content."Qualified impressions are unique impressions from Premium subscribers "on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50% of the post is visible." What qualifies a …
To power its new West Texas data center, Amazon is investing in the construction of a new power plant that could be one of the largest single producers of greenhouse gases in the US, according to the New York Times. The new gas-burning plant in Pecos County, Texas has received significant investment from Amazon and, at least initially, would not be connected to the state's power grid. Instead, its 35 natural-gas turbines would primarily deliver its 7.65 gigawatts of electricity to the new data center.
According to Cleanview, which tracks data centers and their associated power projects, GW Ranch received a permit from Texas allowing for the …
Tom Vek burst onto the scene in 2005 with his album We Have Sound, which garnered a solid 7.6 from the tastemakers of the day over at Pitchfork. His undeniably catchy brand of dancy indietronica landed him an appearance on The OC and placement on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack. His follow-up, Leisure Seizure, had a lengthy gestation period, but arrived in 2011 to similar success, reaching No. 79 on the UK charts.
Vek has continued to release music at regular intervals over the last 15 years, dropping Newer Symbols in 2022. But in 2020 he started toying with this idea he had for a music player called Sleevenote. Inspired by viny …
European energy operators are braced for next week's solar eclipse, which is expected to cause a temporary dip in power generation, and have taken steps to keep electricity flowing to businesses and consumers, an industry body said Friday.
Cute name, especially if it were a wookiee. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Finding a good laptop under $500 was hard enough before RAMageddon. They nearly always had cheap hardware and underpowered, often outdated chips. That's what made the MacBook Neo so disruptive: It offered great build quality and good-enough performance starting at $599. Windows laptops couldn't touch it. Even though it's gone up to $699, it's still the laptop to beat.
So when little-known Chinese brand Chuwi announced a $450 Windows laptop with an aluminum build and a brand-new Intel Wildcat Lake processor, it sounded too good to be true.
It is.
Chuwi UniBook
Score: 3
Pros
Cons
It's $450
Tons of ports for a small laptop (though none are very …
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 139, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, barbecue sauce, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)
Keele scientists have developed a new kind of electrolyzer that produces both hydrogen and the base materials for sustainable plastic production, opening avenues for a range of applications in green technology and sustainable development.
Amazon confirmed Friday that it is financing a massive private gas power plant in Texas that could become the single-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
This week, we reviewed Samsung’s latest foldables (including the best-in-class Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra), and we found out when Google Assistant will shut down for good.
To catch up on all this and more, scroll down for our roundup of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories.
And when you’re all caught up, be sure to test your knowledge in our weekly quiz.
7. Kojima Productions collabed on a CD player
(Image credit: KM5 / Kojima Productions)
As Sony plans to wind down the production of PlayStation game discs, auteur game developer Hideo Kojima is celebrating physical media with a new collaboration. His studio, Kojima Productions, has teamed up with the boutique Japanese audio brand km5 to produce a limited edition version of the Cp1 CD player inspired by the world of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
This special model comes in a luminous translucent orange inspired by the BB Pod from the game — that's the glowing jar that contains the adorable baby used to detect invisible enemies in its post-apocalyptic world.
It has all the same features that make the regular Cp1 a capable pocket-size CD player. This includes Bluetooth 5.3 support and a 3.5mm headphone jack for all your connectivity needs, a rechargeable battery with roughly eight hours of juice to take it on the go, and even a little LED display to display the track number.
6. The Google Assistant got an official shutdown date
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
It’s now over a decade old, which makes it a veteran by Google standards — but this week we finally learned when the Google Assistant will be retired on Android and Wear OS.
According to emails sent out to many Assistant users, the shutdown will begin on September 4. This means you won’t be able to use Google’s original Assistant on Android phones, tablets, paired wearables, and Android Auto after that date.
Instead, Google Gemini will inevitably take its place. You can download Gemini now from the Play Store, and if you want to see your old Assistant interactions, they’ll be available on the Web & App Activity page in your Google account. Goodbye, Assistant — it was nice knowing you.
Samsung’s new foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, are the talk of the town right now, but this week also saw the announcement of a unique foldable ereader for avid notetakers.
The InkLeaf is a notebook-like, dual-screen ereader that’s “built for the way you actually work,” according to its manufacturer — and the USP here actually makes sense. Kindles are great for reading, but not note-taking. iPads are great for note-taking, but not reading. And while a reMarkable tablet lets you do both, you can’t read and write simultaneously. By opening up to reveal two distinct 10.3-inch E Ink Carta displays, the Inkleaf aims to let you do just that.
These screens are separated by an aluminum frame — so this isn’t a foldable device in the modern sense — but they can also display the same type of content, so you can annotate documents or even treat the Inkleaf like a hardback novel. Who says reading is dead?!
Initially, we were perhaps a bit harsh on that limited edition ‘Eucalyptus’ finish at TechRadar HQ. The DreamWorks Animation hero they put us in mind of is a household name, but ogres aren’t known for their winsome looks.
The thing is, team members are now saying words such as ‘wasabi’ and ‘matcha’ to describe them, and you know what? The more we look at those Shrek-green cans, the more we kinda like ’em.
What you’re looking at is the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (Gen 2). It's been three long years since the Bose QuietComfort Headphones landed (which weren’t an inaugural set exactly; they simply updated the iconic Bose QuietComfort 35 II from way back in 2017, without all the odd letters and numbers).
What you need to know is that the brand has finally updated this model, which now slots into Bose’s headphone lineup as a more affordable option to the flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
The Bose QC Headphones (gen 2) also bring a range of upgrades over the original pair alongside a price that’s the same as, or even a little lower than, the 2017 set, depending on where you live.
3. Grand Theft Auto’s next teaser will debut on Netflix
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
Grand Theft Auto 6 marketing is finally getting into gear. With the game set to arrive on November 19, excitement is high, and Rockstar Games is kicking things off with a… Netflix documentary?
This week the developer announced that Netflix subscribers will be able to watch a special ‘Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look’ video at 3PM ET / 12PM PT / 8PM BST on August 27. It’s not exactly clear what this means, but it sounds like it could be some kind of behind-the-scenes video talking about the highly anticipated game’s development.
It’s expected to contain at least some new gameplay footage, though, making it a must-watch for eager fans. If you’re not a Netflix subscriber, then you don’t have to worry about missing out. The developer said that the video will come to YouTube a few hours after it premieres.
2. Our Garmin Cirqa review dropped, and it's a Whoop-beater
(Image credit: Future)
We've been wearing the Garmin Cirqa for 10 days now, and it's finally time to give it a score. It beats Whoop in terms of value, and Fitbit Air in terms of features, to land the coveted title of 'best screenless fitness tracker to buy in 2026'. It's generally very accurate when measured against an electrical heart rate monitor, and provides a certainty in tracking that other screenless wearables don't have thanks to the addition of a tactile start-stop button to sit alongside its automatic activity detection. It's also comfy enough for constant wear. We've got a video review embedded in the article too, so you can see it in action for yourselves.
At a glance, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is unchanged since its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but far more than just the name changed. In my review, I found the flagship foldable has a more powerful CPU, lots of AI, better cameras, and overall improved photography.
And this only scratches the surface. Perhaps the most surprising and delightful bit about the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is that it unfolds flat and the crease is almost gone (mostly thanks to a pair of titanium panels). Overall, it's a great folding phone and is — despite the existence of the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 (it’s wide!) — my current favorite folding phone.
The Nitecore NB10000 Gen 4 power bank is a great option for endurance athletes and backpackers. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
There's two things you should know about me, your intrepid reviewer: I hate the feature creep associated with modern power banks, and I love shaving grams off the gear I carry when backpacking, bikepacking, and trail running. So imagine my delight when Nitecore released a new generation of its ultralight NB10000 battery. After a few weeks with it I can confidently say: Haribo be damned!
The $83.95 NB10000 Gen 4 weighs just 146 grams, according to my scale, and measures 1.45 x 11.6 x 4.68cm (0.57 x 4.57 x 1.84 inches), according to Nitecore's spec sheet. That makes it the lightest and most compact 10,000mAh power bank I can find. Even when …
The wildfires afflicting communities across the world can now be tracked more easily by anyone using Europe’s free and open satellite imagery service—all thanks to a wildfire visualization script originating from nearly a decade ago.
The Copernicus Browser provides free access to the latest satellite imagery taken by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel satellites for the European Union’s Earth observation program. The three satellites of the Sentinel-2 mission have proven especially useful for wildfire monitoring by providing multi-spectral imaging at resolutions as granular as 10 meters in visible light and near-infrared bands—and the Copernicus Browser previously offered 10 default visualization layers using different combinations of spectral bands.
Now Copernicus Browser has also added a straightforward “wildfires” visualization layer for Sentinel-2 imagery that went live on August 4. Anyone clicking on this layer while looking at a wildfire location can see active fires in white or yellow, burning vegetation in red, and burned landscapes in dark brown or black.
The wildfires afflicting communities across the world can now be tracked more easily by anyone using Europe’s free and open satellite imagery service—all thanks to a wildfire visualization script originating from nearly a decade ago.
The Copernicus Browser provides free access to the latest satellite imagery taken by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel satellites for the European Union’s Earth observation program. The three satellites of the Sentinel-2 mission have proven especially useful for wildfire monitoring by providing multi-spectral imaging at resolutions as granular as 10 meters in visible light and near-infrared bands—and the Copernicus Browser previously offered 10 default visualization layers using different combinations of spectral bands.
Now Copernicus Browser has also added a straightforward “wildfires” visualization layer for Sentinel-2 imagery that went live on August 4. Anyone clicking on this layer while looking at a wildfire location can see active fires in white or yellow, burning vegetation in red, and burned landscapes in dark brown or black.
OpenAI’s upcoming smart speaker will probably cost over $300, “people familiar with the matter” have told Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The generative AI company has “discussed” charging up to $400, Bloomberg, which has been reporting on the yet-to-be-announced smart speaker since July, said today. The publication said that OpenAI is viewing the smart speaker as a smartphone replacement.
OpenAI has declined to comment on its product roadmap.
OpenAI’s upcoming smart speaker will probably cost over $300, “people familiar with the matter” have told Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The generative AI company has “discussed” charging up to $400, Bloomberg, which has been reporting on the yet-to-be-announced smart speaker since July, said today. The publication said that OpenAI is viewing the smart speaker as a smartphone replacement.
OpenAI has declined to comment on its product roadmap.
Un youtube converter en ligne promet de transformer n'importe quelle vidéo en fichier audio ou vidéo téléchargeable en quelques secondes, mais cette simplicité apparente cache des risques réels qu'il faut connaître avant de coller la moindre URL. Derrière une interface épurée, la majorité de ces...
MobileX and Boost Mobile founder Peter Adderton (pictured) rebuffed the reported view of T-Mobile US CEO Srini Gopalan that Starlink poses little threat to mobile operators.
Financial Times (FT) reported Gopalan is struggling to see what consumer problem satellite services solve by entering the mobile market.
“You’ve got to ask the question of ‘What is the gap in the market that they’re looking to serve?'” he reportedly said, adding a broader network is “clearly not” what would draw customers to a new mobile service.
In a post on LinkedIn, Adderton said Gopalan’s position misses the point entirely.
“I always find it funny when wireless executives ask, ‘Why would a customer switch? It’s clearly not because they have a broader cellular network,'” he said. “That’s exactly the point.”
He argued Starlink is not trying to out-build T-Mobile’s network, but to offer something terrestrial operators cannot easily replicate: a single service combining terrestrial and satellite connectivity, spanning cities, rural areas, highways, mountains and water, with plans to eventually extend worldwide.
Adderton drew a comparison to Uber, arguing consumers did not choose the service because it built better roads, but because it created a better experience on infrastructure which already existed.
He explained the mistake operators make is assuming customers are shopping for another mobile network, when they may instead be shopping for connectivity which “just works”.
Adderton also took aim at the broader response from operator executives to Starlink’s mobile ambitions, suggesting a coordinated messaging effort.
“Seems every MNO CEO in the JV got the same script and, credit where credit’s due, they’re sticking to it beautifully,” he wrote on X. “Their PR teams must be very proud. Not a rogue talking point in sight.”
Plans Gopalan’s reported comments were made before Elon Musk confirmed SpaceX plans to build a US mobile service.
On SpaceX’s Q2 earnings call, Musk said Starlink’s terrestrial mobile network would likely offer better connectivity and higher bandwidth than what is currently available from mobile operators.
SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said she expects to draw a significant number of customers from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, with Starlink Mobile satellites launching in 2027 and services due to commence by the year-end.
Gopalan told FT satellite technology would remain “complementary” to existing networks rather than a replacement.
T-Mobile is one of several operators which holds satellite access deals with SpaceX to supplement rural coverage.
FT reported Gopalan also addressed T-Mobile’s growth strategy, stating it aims to more than double its broadband customer base to 20 million within four years and grow its rural market share beyond its current 24%.
The use of AI systems to create viruses opens up new possibilities for combating bacterial resistance. It also raises concerns about the pace at which technology is outstripping regulation.
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