Matter and OpenADR team up to connect smart homes to the grid
Matter and OpenADR team up to connect smart homes to the grid

Smart energy management just took a step closer to becoming simpler. This week, the organizations behind Matter, the smart-home interoperability standard, and the OpenADR protocol, which sends signals between the grid and the home, announced an agreement to work together. This should make it easier for connected appliances to participate in demand response programs (DR) […]

Joanna Stern is not a robot, but she lived with them
Joanna Stern is not a robot, but she lived with them

My guest today is longtime friend of the show Joanna Stern. You all know Joanna: she is the former senior personal technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal, a former Decoder guest host, one of my cofounders here at The Verge, and also just one of my very closest friends. I mention that because Joanna […]

The Tom’s Guide Savings Squad is here to help you upgrade your life for less — here’s how

The Tom’s Guide Savings Squad wants to provide the best purchasing advice for you and your budget

TikTok is letting UK users pay to remove ads
TikTok is letting UK users pay to remove ads

TikTok is preparing to roll out a paid, ad-free version of its app in the UK. The new subscription announced today will be available to users over 18 “over the coming months,” according to TikTok’s announcement and will cost £3.99 (about $5.40) per month. In exchange for that, TikTok will remove ads from the user’s […]

Discord adds a free Xbox Game Pass ‘starter edition’ for Nitro subscribers
Discord adds a free Xbox Game Pass ‘starter edition’ for Nitro subscribers

Discord is announcing the launch of Nitro Rewards today, a new program for subscribers that bundles benefits from third parties like Microsoft, Logitech, and SteelSeries, into a Nitro subscription. The main addition is that Nitro members will now get a new starter edition of Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost. Xbox Game Pass starter […]

Venmo finally takes privacy seriously
Venmo finally takes privacy seriously

Venmo is starting to test a big redesign of its app, and as part of the changes, it will be implementing a major new privacy measure: the onboarding process for new users will set their posts to only be viewable by their friends by default instead of being public. It’s a notable update for a […]

Windows 11 is getting a macOS-like speed boost
Windows 11 is getting a macOS-like speed boost

Microsoft is currently testing a new speed boost feature in Windows 11 that is designed to improve app launch times and make things like the Start menu feel more responsive. The feature, which is reportedly called “Low Latency Profile,” will ramp up CPU frequency in short bursts to improve the speed of menus, flyouts, apps, […]

Forza Horizon 6 has been leaked and cracked a week before its release
Forza Horizon 6 has been leaked and cracked a week before its release

The full version of Playground Games’ upcoming Forza Horizon 6 game has leaked online over the weekend and has already been cracked by pirates. The download appeared on file sharing sites after some Steam users were allegedly able to obtain access to an unencrypted preload version of the game. Forza Horizon 6 isn’t supposed to […]

Logitech’s tiny folding mouse improves upon the laptop trackpad
Logitech’s tiny folding mouse improves upon the laptop trackpad

Logitech is reportedly developing a new wireless mouse that folds in half to make it easier to carry around in a bag or pocket. According to leaked marketing images shared by WinFuture, Logitech’s foldable mouse caused “22 percent less muscle strain” compared to using a laptop trackpad, and can be used across “multiple operating systems.” […]

The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano
The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano

Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don’t really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend in for a little acoustic spice, but it’s mostly driven by the synth engine that combines physical modeling and FM. The tines are […]