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Jack Dorsey pumps $10 million into a nonprofit focused on open-source social media

Twitter co-founder and Block CEO Jack Dorsey isn’t just vibe-coding new social apps, like Bitchat and Sun Day, he has invested $10 million in an effort to fund experimental open source projects and other tools that could ultimately transform the social media landscape. These efforts are funneled through an online collective called “and Other Stuff,” formed in May, whose team includes Dorsey; Twitter’s first employee, Evan Henshaw-Plath; “Calle,” creator of the e-cash platform Cashu; Alex Gleaso

Hate Windows 11? Here's how you can make it work more like Windows 10

Pau Barrena/Bloomberg via Getty Images I wrote the original version of this post when Windows 11 was still less than a year old, after reading a ton of feedback from early adopters. I didn't have to spend a lot of time in support forums and other community sites to hear a steady stream of criticism from people who were annoyed by the changes Microsoft made in the Windows 10 user interface they had grown comfortable with. Enough time has passed since the original Windows 11 release that some of

Mattel’s New ‘Wicked: For Good’ Toys Give Us a Spoilery Glimpse at the ‘Wizard of Oz’ Crew

Let us be glad; let us be grateful for these first looks at one tornado-swept girl and her yellow brick road pals in Wicked: For Good. That’s right, Wicked merch drop Wednesdays return for us Ozian fans, and this time give us clues as to Dorothy Gale’s look in Jon M. Chu’s fall sequel to Wicked, which will incorporate the Wizard of Oz arc we’ve all been waiting for. Some spoilers ahead, as some major plot twists can’t be avoided once you see more of the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and outfit reveals fo

Donkey Kong Bananza's creators reflect on the game's path to delightful destruction

On Tuesday, Nintendo published an interview with the creators of Donkey Kong Bananza. The second big Switch 2 tentpole title comes from the team that made Super Mario Odyssey. The developers explained how they laid the foundation for DK's first 3D adventure since the Nintendo 64 era. Destruction is at the heart of Donkey Kong Bananza. Everything in his environment can be smashed to bits. Not only is that a fun mechanic, but it also adds an element of verticality and freedom of exploration. That

Watch Our Livestream Replay: Inside the AI Copyright Battles

What's going on right now with the copyright battles over artificial intelligence? Many lawsuits regarding generative AI’s training materials were initially filed back in 2023, with decisions just now starting to trickle out. Whether it’s Midjourney generating videos of Disney characters, like Wall-E brandishing a gun, or an exit interview with a top AI lawyer as he left Meta, WIRED senior writer Kate Knibbs has been following this fight for years. Watch the replay of WIRED’s subscriber-only li

Microsoft Is Testing Letting Copilot AI Interact With Your Whole Desktop

Microsoft has confirmed an upcoming expansion to its Copilot AI chatbot's screen-sharing abilities: Soon it will be able to process your entire desktop, not just certain parts of it. The company said Tuesday that this expansion of Copilot's Vision capabilities has begun public testing. This update, now rolling out to the company's Windows Insider program testers, will allow the AI chatbot to view, process and react to all aspects of a user's desktop, where beforehand it was limited to specific

Microsoft's Copilot Vision can now see and analyze your entire Windows desktop

Microsoft Microsoft has expanded the powers and reach of its Copilot Vision AI to help you with all types of content. In a Tuesday blog post, the company revealed that Windows insiders can now opt to share their entire desktop with Copilot Vision where you can ask it to analyze and answer questions about all the items on your screen. A big leap forward Available in the US for Windows 10 and 11 and coming soon to other non-European countries, Copilot Vision on Windows acts as a virtual compani

Donkey Kong Bananza is a worthy successor to Super Mario Odyssey’s legacy

Game details Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Platform: Switch 2 Release Date: July 17, 2025 ESRB Rating: E-10+ for Everyone 10 and Over Price: $70 Links: Amazon | Nintendo eShop | Official website When the Switch 2 was fully unveiled in April, we weren't alone in expecting the announcement of a true follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey—one of the original Switch's best-selling games and our pick for the best game of 2017. Instead, we got our first look at Donkey Kong Bananza, the big

iOS 26 adds CarPlay widgets, a major new feature for your vehicle

iOS 26 is a huge update for CarPlay users, with more new features than we’ve seen in years. One addition that’s especially noteworthy is the introduction of widgets to CarPlay for the first time. Widgets bring glanceable info to CarPlay Widgets are a key feature across nearly all of Apple’s software platforms. They’re a big part of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. This year Vision Pro is even adding spatial widgets in visionOS 26. But CarPlay has had the longest wait for widgets, and t

China’s Wild World of AR Glasses Has Me Convinced Meta Is Cooked

I know I’ve said it 1,000 times, but AR glasses are hot right now, and arguably no one is more on fire than China. While the U.S. is patiently waiting for Meta to release anything even resembling its prototype AR glasses, Orion, China seems to be making strides day by day. The latest example? These glasses with full-color optical waveguide lenses and 900 nits of brightness from a Chinese company called Wigain. In plain speak, they’re full-color AR glasses with enough brightness to actually use o

Why I love my Apple EarPods

Jay Peters is a news editor for The Verge, which means, he explains, “I write and edit news about tech, gaming, and all of the many things The Verge covers. I also write a lot about indie video games. And I’m taking over David Pierce’s Installer newsletter while he’s on parental leave – please subscribe!” He adds that he’s been here for nearly six years, “which, as an obsessive reader of the site before joining the team, is hard for me to fathom.” When we asked him what his current favorite de

Thunderbird: Fluent Windows 11 Design

FluentBird FluentBird is a userChrome.css theme for Mozilla Thunderbird, that implemenets Windows 11 Fluent Design and Mica transparency materials. Created by Danny King - www.dannyking.co.uk Released under the MIT License Features Implements Fluent Design styling in Thunderbird Supports both dark and light modes (system theme) Enhances and highlights Mica transparency on Windows 11 systems This will likely be the last beta release, unless more issues are raised, with 1.0 release to occu

Donkey Kong Bananza turns destruction into joy

My first thought upon starting up Donkey Kong Bananza was, “Why yes, I actually would like to go ape shit.” The game starts by having Donkey Kong smash through a wall to reveal a glittering gem waiting to be liberated from the rock. But instead of punching the bright yellow gem into bite-size pieces, I kept punching through the walls and floors, digging tunnels into the landscape. With the Nintendo Switch 2 finally out in consumers’ hands for more than a month now and the luster of the console’

Best AV Receiver for 2025

AV receivers are notoriously complex, with reams of features and confusing technical specifications. (For example, what's 4K/120Hz anyway?) Yet, what are the things that really matter when buying a new model? I'm going to sum up the most important ones right here. HDMI inputs With most TVs and set-top boxes supporting HDMI, you should buy a receiver that has as many of these HDMI input ports and outputs as possible. Front-mounted HDMI ports are kind of like a human appendix -- unneeded, becaus

The FBI's Jeffrey Epstein Prison Video Had Nearly 3 Minutes Cut Out

Newly uncovered metadata reveals that nearly three minutes of footage were cut from what the US Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation described as “full raw” surveillance video from the only functioning camera near Jeffrey Epstein’s prison cell the night before he was found dead. The video was released last week as part of the Trump administration’s commitment to fully investigate Epstein’s 2019 death but instead has raised new questions about how the footage was edited and a

The new 8BitDo Pro 3 gamepad is open for pre-order now

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . With so many different handheld gaming devices entering the market, having a flexible gamepad that works with many different hardware platforms can be a valuable addition to your gear collection. A promising new option arrived today with the pre-order announcement of the 8BitDo Pro 3 .

The viral Air Purifier Table is my smart home's MVP and it's on sale for under $175

ZDNET's key takeaways The SwitchBot Air Purifier table is available for $258. This large-capacity air purifier has a washable prefilter, a color-changing night light, a wireless charger, and acts as a table. While the air purifier works as intended, the table is small, and the smart capabilities are incompatible with Apple Home. $193.74 at Amazon The SwitchBot 4-in-1 Air Purifier Table is one of my favorite smart home devices ever, and it's on sale for only $174 with an on-page coupon (save $

Does a window-cleaning robot actually work? I tested one to find out (and I'm pleasantly surprised)

ZDNET's key takeaways The Winbot W2 Omni is typically available for $700. The robot works indoors or outdoors and cleans seamlessly, picking up dirt without smearing it around or smudging your glass It also navigates the span of the glass, cleaning the full window without missing spots. I wish the device worked while plugged in and cleaned the edges of windows more effectively. View now at Amazon View now at Best Buy View now at Ecovacs more buying choices I've just finished testing a device

This new power bank is a Qi 2.2 first. Here’s what it means for your next phone

TL;DR The UGREEN MagFlow is the first power bank with official Qi 2.2 certification. Qi 2.2 enables faster 25W magnetic wireless charging with improved heat control. Most Android phones can’t take full advantage yet, but support is expected to grow. Magnetic wireless charging has been a talking point in 2025, with Android phones like the Galaxy S25 offering partial support through accessories, but no true adoption of the full Qi 2 standard. However, UGREEN’s latest announcement of a new miles

This 2-in-1 wireless charger simplified my workspace (and freed me from the cables)

ZDNET's key takeaways Twelve South's HiRise 2 Deluxe is available now for $79. It's a premium, 2-in-1 Qi2 wireless charging solution that's as minimal as it is practical. The price point might turn some people off. $72.79 at Amazon I'm a big fan of Twelve South's lineup of premium accessories. In a world full of cheap, disposable chargers and one-and-done cables, it feels good to invest in high-quality accessories with thoughtful design. Case in point: the new HiRise 2 Deluxe charging stand,

Want to keep using Microsoft 365 in Windows 10 after October? You can - with caveats

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Microsoft is due to cut off support for Windows 10 in October. That means no more security patches, bug fixes, or technical help for the OS (unless you pay for extended security updates or can make the free options work for you). But what does that entail for Microsoft 365? In a recent online support article, Microsoft revealed the status of its popular office suite once Windows 10 becomes persona non grata. First off, Microsoft would rather all Microsoft 365 users

You can try Linux without ditching Windows first - here's how

ZDNET With Windows 10 support due to end soon, many users are looking for an alternative OS, so they don't have to purchase yet another computer. One of the best options for most people is Linux. Modern Linux distributions are user-friendly, rock-solid, and free. If you have zero experience with Linux, you might think it's above your skills, so you have yet to find the courage to use it. Back in 1997, when I discovered Linux, I was clueless about how it worked. When I finally installed the ope

6 most Windows-like Linux distros because old habits die hard

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Windows 10's end of life is coming in 2025, and that means you have to hope your machine can run Windows 11, buy a new computer, or try something different -- like Linux. Linux shouldn't be considered a last-choice alternative, either, because it's every bit equal to Windows or MacOS. It's reliable, secure, user-friendly, and free. What more do you want? Also: You can try Linux without ditching Windows first - here's how I know: You want an operatin

How to maximize your Windows 11 PC's battery life in 9 easy steps

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Over the years, Windows PCs have gotten considerably more capable of squeezing a full day of work out of a laptop battery, but there's still a certain level of anxiety that comes with disconnecting from a fixed power source. That's especially true if you have an older PC that's lost some of its battery capacity with age. Also: Your complete Windows 11 upgrade guide: Everything to know - before you ditch Windows 10 Reducing battery anxiety doesn't require drugs or meditation. A

Form’s Smart Swim 2 goggles add heart rate tracking

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Nearly six years after introducing its original smart swim googles, Form has announced an upgraded version called the Smart Swim 2. The goggles carry forward the same features as the original, including a built-in 72 x 40-pixel display showing a swimmer’s various performance metrics. However, they’re now smaller and lighter, and while battery lif

Topics: form heart new smart swim

Windows 11 has a new battery‑saving feature - here's how to try it

Maria Korneeva / Getty Images Running low on battery juice is one of the most frustrating problems on a Windows laptop. To combat this, Microsoft offers an Energy Saver mode that tries to keep the charge alive. But that option dims your screen, making it more difficult to see, especially in low-light conditions. Now Microsoft has a new trick up its sleeve that aims to preserve your battery without affecting your screen brightness. Introducing Adaptive Energy Saver Currently rolling out as a p

The Promise of Li-Fi Technology: What Is It and Can It Change the Future of the Internet?

It sounds like it's from a sci-fi movie --- but you heard that correctly. The future of connecting to the internet could be as simple as turning on the light. Picture this: Using this technology to connect to the internet promises speeds that will blow Wi-Fi out of the park. The average household requires more and more bandwidth, with users spending an average of 21-plus hours streaming weekly, according to the latest OpenVault report. That makes the promise of Li-Fi convenient. Li-Fi has made p

John Wick Hex will be delisted from all platforms on July 17

John Wick Hex , a stylish and well-received game based on the John Wick movies, will soon no longer be available to purchase. In a statement on the title’s Steam page, publisher Big Fan Games says it will be delisted from all platforms on July 17. After that date, the publisher said, those who have already acquired the tactical action game from a digital storefront will still be able to download it. Physical console copies will still work too. Big Fan didn’t provide an explanation as to why Jo

Win, lose, or draw: trends in English football match results

Is the game getting more exciting? Football (soccer) fans like to see exciting matches. Draws are boring but wins or losses are interesting; fans want to see teams give their all on the pitch. Which begs the question, is the game getting more or less thrilling over time? One way to answer this question is to look at fraction of matches in a league that end in a draw. The most boring extreme is every game is a draw (draw fraction = 1). The most engaging extreme is that every game ends in a win/l

The Morning After: Switch 2 user accidentally banned after playing pre-owned game cards

Be extra careful where you buy your used Nintendo Switch game cards. A Switch 2 owner posted on Reddit about how their account was banned after downloading patches for a few Switch game cards they'd bought from Facebook Marketplace. The Switch 2 user contacted Nintendo support and discovered they were banned, but they provided proof of purchase and were unbanned shortly after. The Redditor said the “whole process was painless and fluid.” Nintendo Nintendo attaches unique codes to its Switch ga