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21 years later, Meta still hasn't given up on the Facebook 'poke'

Meta currently has lots of priorities Mark Zuckerberg likely never would have imagined back in the early days of Facebook. The company has pivoted from social networking to the metaverse and, most recently, to AI. But somehow, one of its earliest — and most useless — features has not only survived but is apparently getting a revamp. I'm talking, of course, about the poke, which Meta is once again trying to revive. The company is making the storied feature easier to find by adding pokes back to

Your Android phone just got 3 useful upgrades for free (Samsung models included)

Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways A new Google update is adding several features to Android phones. A new AI writing tool for Gboard is on the way. An upgraded Emoji Keyboard will help you find the perfect emoji. Your Android phone is getting an upgrade, and it might have a big impact on how you communicate. Also: Google is killing the Android phone feature that once made them popular - and there's a big reaso

The September Pixel Drop is here with Material 3 Expressive for all!

Google TL;DR The September Pixel Drop is here with fresh features for Pixel phones, the Pixel Watch, Pixel Buds Pro 2, and the Pixel Tablet. The update brings the Material 3 Expressive redesign of older Pixel phones and the Pixel Tablet. The Pixel Watch is getting a handy Google Maps feature, while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are being updated with Adaptive Audio and more. It’s time to hit update on your Pixel devices again as Google offloads a bunch of new features and capabilities in its latest P

Threads is testing long-form posts with support for formatted text [U: Launched]

Update, Sep 4: The feature is now live. Find the new details below. While Threads already allows up to 500 characters per post (which is more than enough for casual users used to the microblogging format), it is now testing support for long-form posts through “text attachments”. Here’s how it works. Meta has confirmed the test, but has no ETA for the feature As spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu (via TechCrunch), Threads is testing a new “text attachment” feature on iOS, which could repla

Lego's $1,000 Death Star Is No Moon. It's Not Even a Sphere

Lego has unveiled the UCS (Ultimate Collector Series) Death Star, a $1,000 model and the most expensive Lego set of all time. With a whopping 9,023 pieces, it measures 27.5 inches (70 cm) tall, 31 inches (79 cm) wide and 10.5 inches (27 cm) deep. Yes, it's big. Yes, it's round. No, it's not a sphere. But this model of the Death Star does capture the spirit of the iconic Star Wars space station. The set is divided into smaller dioramas of scenes from both the original Death Star and the Death S

Topics: death lego model set star

Threads posts now support 'text attachments' up to 10,000 characters

That was fast. A week after a new feature for sharing long-form text was spotted in the Threads app, Meta is making the experiment official. Threads users will now be able to append text snippets of up to 10,000 characters to their posts in a feature Meta says is meant to support journalists and creators on the platform. As Engadget detailed last week, the feature is fairly basic for now. Selecting "text attachment" from the post composer opens up a simple text editor that has some formatting o

The first TVs with Gemini built in arrive later this month

TCL has announced the QM9K, its latest flagship QD mini LED television series. The QM9Ks will be the first panels in the industry to feature Gemini on Google TV, a new feature that we first learned about at the start of this year. TCL/Google Using the standard "Hey Google" voice prompt, viewers will be able to find a movie or TV show, ask questions using natural language about any topic and even control smart home products that are synced through Google Home. Google TV on the QM9K also support

Age Simulation Suit

GERonTologic simulator GERT The age simulation suit GERT offers the opportunity to experience the impairments of older persons even for younger people. The age-related impairments are: ■ opacity of the eye lens ■ narrowing of the visual field ■ high-frequency hearing loss ■ head mobility restrictions ■ joint stiffness ■ loss of strength ■ reduced grip ability ■ reduced coordination skills GERT for only € 1390,‑ / £ 1250,- complete as pictured, plus shipping and VAT if applicable N

Your old Google phone may be getting this Pixel 9 livestreaming feature

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Pixel’s Connected Cameras feature is appearing on older models, such as the Pixel 6a, 7, and 8 Pro. Google’s support page still lists the Pixel 9 series as the only officially supported hosts. The tool lets you use another Pixel or GoPro as a remote camera for livestreams in apps like YouTube and TikTok. Google’s Connected Cameras feature is handy for turning another Pixel phone or GoPro into a remote camera for livestreams. It was initially billed as

Google is expanding the Pixel Weather app to Wear OS

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority TL;DR The Pixel Weather app is coming to Wear OS. Pixel Weather on Wear OS has a similar layout to the Weather app, but introduces Material 3 Expressive design. The app is expected to arrive with the Pixel Watch 4, but screenshots are already showing up on the Play Store. Back in 2022, Google gave Wear OS 3 a standalone weather app simply called Weather. It provides pretty much all the information you need from such an app, like the temperature, the daily h

Topics: app os pixel wear weather

This new Spotify feature almost made me ditch Apple Music - but iOS 26 changed my mind

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Last month, Spotify launched Spotify Mix. Since trying Spotify Mix, I'm tempted to switch platforms. Apple Music is slated to get its version, AutoMix, next week. As a loyal Apple Music user who has been curating playlists on the native app since my iPod Touch, none of Spotify's flashy releases have ever been enough to convince me to make the switch -- or at least that was until Spotify Mix. Al

Takeout Containers Should Never Go in the Microwave. This Is Why

When hunger and laziness coincide, reheating last night's leftovers in the microwave seems like a great idea. But if you reheat them in the plastic container they came in, you put yourself at risk for ingesting microplastics and harmful chemicals. You may be wondering, "Is plastic contamination as dangerous as experts say?" Unfortunately, all signs point to yes. Study after study has shown that the resulting chemical exposure of microplastics could pose significant health risks and they have be

Lego’s New $1,000 Death Star Set Is a Big Ol’ Disc

It’s been nearly a decade since Lego last menaced Star Wars fans’ wallets with a full Death Star diorama. But much like the Empire itself after the Battle of Yavin, the brick builder is bringing the battle station back bigger than ever before… and that includes its price, as well as its parts count. This morning Lego finally revealed the plans for its latest fully armed and operational—but not fully spherical—Death Star set. Clocking in at 9,023 pieces (more than double the parts count of the 2

Topics: death lego new set star

Here is Lego’s $1,000 Death Star, the most expensive Lego set ever

is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Eight years after breaking every record with an $800, 7,541-piece Star Wars Millennium Falcon, the Lego Group is introducing its first $1,000 set. It’s an intricately detailed Death Star nearly two feet tall (52.3cm), a foot and a half wide (48cm) and

Topics: death lego like set star

I didn’t think I’d like any of these Pixel 10 features, but Google proved me wrong

If I’m honest, Google made me a little nervous when it introduced the Pixel 10 series. Not because I thought it was about to ruin the things I love about its flagships, but because it seemed like Google was starting to run out of ideas for clever software features. Everything it hung its hat on, from Magic Cue to the Daily Hub, seemed like a careful copy of someone else’s idea, and it took some of the wind out of my sails. I should have known better. Yes, the Pixel 10 series does have a familia

The best VPN service for 2025

As frustrating as it is that governments and businesses are running roughshod over our online freedoms, at least we have plenty of good VPNs to choose from to keep us protected online. There are so many fast, intelligently designed, full-featured and affordable services on the market that the biggest problem is picking one. For any use case, you can bet at least two providers will be neck-and-neck for first place. On the other hand, the VPN world is still the Wild West in some ways. It's easy

I tried the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, and it got big upgrades in several ways

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways The Samsung S25 FE lineup has officially launched with a starting price of $649. It features a better front camera, battery, and chipset, as well as a more compact form factor. With holiday sale season on the horizon, you can expect discounts on the flagship phones soon, making the price difference less enticing. As phones continue to get flashier features, more unique factors, powerful cameras,

Étoilé – desktop built on GNUStep

Project Goals Our goal is to create a user environment designed from the ground up around the things people do with computers: create, collaborate, and learn. Without implementation details like files and operating-system processes polluting the computer's UI, Étoilé users will be able to: have revision history for all objects in the system collaborate with other people on any type of document (text, drawing, code, etc.) shape their own workflow by combining the provided Services use a sys

Your Android phone just got 3 free upgrades - including a big one for Quick Share

Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways A new Google update is adding several features to Android phones. A new AI writing tool for Gboard is on the way. An upgraded Emoji Keyboard will help you find the perfect emoji. Your Android phone is getting an upgrade, and it might have a big impact on how you communicate. Also: Google is killing the Android phone feature that once made them popular - and there's a big reaso

Roborock’s Curv 2 Pro can drop its mop pads to keep your carpets dry

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Roborock is launching an updated Qrevo Curv robot vacuum that offers an impressive 25,000 Pa of suction power — topping the 18,500 Pa available with last year’s model. That’s not all that’s new with the Qrevo Curv 2 Pro, either, as the newly announced robovac co

Netflix now lets you (almost) easily share clips of your favorite shows

The Netflix app now lets you select the start and end points of a clip, so you can share it outside the app. Here’s how it works. You can now save a clip, and then share it outside the Netflix app Historically, most streaming services have been allergic to sharing features, as they feared they would facilitate piracy. For many years, even simple screenshots were a no-no. One day, they realized that the potential gains from a random moment of an original movie or show going viral outweighed th

Roblox will require age verification for all users to access communication features

Roblox announced that it aims to roll out age estimation technology to all of its users by the end of 2025. Users on the gaming and social network will have to confirm their age in order to access communication features within the platform under the new policy. Roblox initially rolled out an age verification option to teen accounts in July as part of an effort to keep users younger than 13 from accessing select chat features. In addition to confirming ages for individual accounts, Roblox also s

AirPods Pro 3 coming next week: Here’s every rumored feature

AirPods Pro 3 are almost here, with a launch at Apple’s September 9 event widely expected. Here’s every rumored new feature coming to AirPods Pro 3. Next-generation H3 chip AirPods Pro 3 will include a brand new H3 chip from Apple. The H2 chip in AirPods Pro 2 has enabled Apple to regularly ship new AirPods features via firmware updates. It’s expected that H3 will similarly bring ongoing improvements for years to come—plus some new audio capabilities at launch. H2 is the reason AirPods Max

ExpressVPN switches to multi-tiered pricing with more feature options

ExpressVPN has tripled its subscription options by switching to a tiered pricing structure, effective today. The new system includes three levels of service, the cheapest offering basic VPN service and the others adding extra features. Each one of those levels — Basic, Advanced and Pro — can be purchased for monthly, yearly or two-year durations. In total, you've now got nine different options for subscribing to ExpressVPN. The company also says legacy plans will remain active "for now," and cu

Your Android phone just got 3 free upgrades - including a custom emoji creator

Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways A new Google update is adding several features to Android phones. A new AI writing tool for Gboard is on the way. An upgraded Emoji Keyboard will help you find the perfect emoji. Your Android phone is getting an upgrade, and it might have a big impact on how you communicate. Also: Google is killing the Android phone feature that once made them popular - and there's a big reaso

Samsung Health levels up with virtual doctor visits, on-demand workouts, and more

TL;DR Samsung is collaborating with three partners to add new features to the Health app. These features include telehealth visits, enhanced prescription management, and expert-guided workouts. These features will start rolling out on September 8. It’s always nice when an app gets new features. That’s exactly what’s happening with the Samsung Health app soon. The update will introduce new features enabled by three new partnerships. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us a

Gboard’s new AI Writing Tools are coming to more Android phones

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Gboard’s AI-powered Writing Tools feature, which debuted on the Pixel 10, is now rolling out to some non-Pixel devices. Powered by the on-device Gemini Nano model, the feature helps users proofread and rephrase text directly within the keyboard. Availability is tied to devices supporting the multimodal Gemini Nano, such as those with the latest high-end chipsets. Update 1, September 3, 2025 (2:45 PM ET): Google has confirmed that Gboard’s AI Writing T

The Best Bluetooth Speaker Is $20 Off

Trying to boost the volume at your end-of-summer parties? The JBL Flip 7 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is discounted by $20 on Amazon, bringing the price down to just $130. That might not sound like a huge discount, but it brings it more in line with its competitors, and temporarily erases the price bump from the previous version. We've given high marks to several rounds of the JBL Flip series speakers, thanks to their great battery life, portable form factor, and impressive volume. JBL upgraded thi

Amazon confirms Sophie Turner as Lara Croft in live-action Tomb Raider series

is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Amazon announced today that its live-action Tomb Raider series will feature Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner as Lara Croft. Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge will serve as the show’s creator, writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner, and filming will begin in January 2026, Va

AirPods Pro 3 are coming, here’s every rumored new feature

AirPods Pro 3 are almost here, with a launch at Apple’s September 9 event widely expected. Here’s every rumored new feature coming to AirPods Pro 3. Next-generation H3 chip AirPods Pro 3 will include a brand new H3 chip from Apple. The H2 chip in AirPods Pro 2 has enabled Apple to regularly ship new AirPods features via firmware updates. It’s expected that H3 will similarly bring ongoing improvements for years to come—plus some new audio capabilities at launch. H2 is the reason AirPods Max