Image: Roku One day after the Google TV Streamer hit stores, Roku is announcing its latest streaming player. And unlike Google’s big design overhaul, the new Roku Ultra is playing things very safe. I’d argue maybe too safe. It’s still $99.99, still delivers Dolby Vision and Atmos, and it looks exactly the same as before, though the company says there are notable improvements inside. The 2024 Ultra is 30 percent faster than any of Roku’s other players, and it now features Wi-Fi 6. That upgrade puts it ahead of the Google TV Streamer, which stuck with Wi-Fi 5. Roku is now on par with the Apple TV but behind Amazon’s flagship Fire TV streamers, which include Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. And yes, there’s still a built-in ethernet jack for those of you who... Continue reading…

Ecovacs’ Deebot N30 Omni includes a dock that cleans and dries its spinning mopping heads. | Image: Ecovacs Ecovacs has announced new additions to its budget-focused N-family line of robovacs. The Deebot N30 Omni includes a base station that can clean and dry the vacuum’s mopping heads, while the N20 Pro Plus’ dock can empty the robot’s dirt bin and store it in a plastic bin that eliminates the need for replaceable dust bags. Both robovacs debut at under $800. The Deebot N30 Omni isn’t the cheapest robovac you can buy with mopping capabilities and a dock, but at $799.99, it includes features typically only found on autonomous cleaners well over $1,000, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and the DreameBot X30 Ultra. The robot includes a spiral brush with a design that helps prevent long hairs from getting tangled around it and a pair of spinning... Continue reading…

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Nothing has announced its first pair of open wearable stereo (OWS) earbuds that could be better suited for activities where you actually want to hear what’s going on around you. With a design that rests just inside your ear, the new Nothing Ear Open could also be a more comfortable alternative to earbuds that rely on silicone tips inserted into the ear canal. The Nothing Ear Open join a growing trend in headphones where active noise cancelling technology is eschewed for a design that deliberately lets outside sounds in. Shokz’ headphones have long offered this through the use of bone conduction technology that keeps your ears completely open. In February, Bose introduced its $299 Ultra Open earbuds and positioned them as headphones that... Continue reading…

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge OpenAI’s new model, called o1, appears to think and ponder as you use it. But is it thinking? Or pondering? And what does it mean if it is? Would that make it worth the risks, which appear to be both greater and more plausible than ever? How do you balance the risks of destroying humanity with the possibility of improving it? This is the thing about talking about artificial intelligence: it has this nasty penchant of getting all existential on you. On this episode of The Vergecast, we get all existential about AI. The Verge’s Kylie Robison joins the show to discuss why OpenAI built o1, why it’s launching the way it is, what to make of the folks who are worried about what they’re seeing from the model, and how we should think about this... Continue reading…

Image: SteelSeries SteelSeries is launching its latest lineup of Apex Pro Gen 3 gaming keyboards today, and there’s a noticeable focus on improving how the keyboards sound and feel. SteelSeries is upgrading its Hall effect switches, adding dampening foam, improving its switch stabilizers, and even factory lubricating each key in an effort to create a thockier sounding board. SteelSeries is moving to new OmniPoint 3.0 switches on the Apex Pro Gen 3 lineup, which includes a full-size board and TKL (tenkeyless) wired and TKL wireless variants. SteelSeries says it’s the “most technically advanced switch on the market,” and it has improved sensors that are designed to reduce noise. Image: SteelSeries The Apex Pro Gen 3 lineup also includes... Continue reading…

Get ready for a new Mozilla look with old-school internet vibes. | Image: Mozilla Mozilla has overhauled its branding to pay homage to its Netscape roots and better distinguish the wider organization from its Firefox web browser. The most notable change is to the company’s logo: what was previously a sans-serif wordmark styled as “Moz://a,” has been updated to correctly spell out the Mozilla name, featuring a new customized typeface and an M-shaped flag. According to Mozilla, the flag symbolizes the brand’s “activist spirit.” That fits with the image that the Mozilla Foundation which is leading the company is attempting to build: describing itself as “a non-profit organization that promotes openness, innovation, and participation on the Internet” and regularly releasing privacy reports that investigate tech companies’... Continue reading…

Interview excerpt A sparkling green emerald in a turquoise sea, crowned by an azure sky and formed by volcanic rock, Mauritius is a small independent island nation of 787 square miles in the Indian Ocean with a population of 1.2 million people. It is known for its beaches, reefs, and tranquil sea. Jayshree Mungur-Medhi, an archaeologist and heritage expert on the island, participated in the excavations at Mare aux Songes, where a cache of dodo bones and other fossils were uncovered. MP: When did we first become aware of the existence of the dodo? JM: “Dumb as the dodo” is a saying which is famous worldwide, but actually the dodo only existed in Mauritius. Endemic to Mauritius, the dodo, Raphus cucullatus, became extinct in the late 17th century shortly after its existence was discovered and described. It seems that it was first seen and reported by the Portuguese in 1507, who named it “Dodo” as doido means “stupid” in Portuguese. However, the origin of the name is still debated by scientists. In any case, reported in the 16th century and extinct by the late 17th century, the existence of the live dodo was only known for about 100 years. MP: The dodo is often depicted in caricature form, but what did the strange bird look like? Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyEvolution & Human OriginsScienceAsiaWeird FactsHistoryPreviewRead Later 

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized the presence of a U.S. nuclear submarine in the South Korean port of Busan, state media KCNA said on Tuesday. Kim called it a proof of U.S. ambition to "bring out its nuclear strategic assets,...

Anti-Jewish hate crimes in the U.S. soared 63% in 2023, the highest on record, according to data released Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

American actor Meryl Streep has said a "squirrel has more rights" than a girl in Afghanistan, adding her voice to a call by Afghan women to end the Taliban government's severe restrictions on their lives.