The Verge·3yYou can now try Microsoft Loop, a Notion competitor with futuristic Office documents
Microsoft is now letting anyone preview Microsoft Loop, a collaborative hub offering a new way of working across Office apps and managing tasks and projects. The main interface looks a lot like Notion, a workspace app that is used by Adobe, Figma, Amazon, and many other businesses. Loop pages are like blank canvases where people can share and collaborate.
The Verge·3yI don’t want to log in to your website
Websites requiring logins to access free content are becoming more common, but the author argues that not reading is easier than reading and logging in. This trend reduces the value of the open web and creates a worse user experience. The author also discusses privacy concerns and the shift away from making websites feel like semipublic places.
The Verge·3yHow hackers took over Linus Tech Tips
The Verge YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips and two other YouTube channels have been restored after a major hack allowed a bad actor to do things like livestream crypto scam videos, change channel names, and even delete videos. In a new video, owner Linus Sebastian explains that the breach bypassed things like password and two-factor protections.
The Verge·3yThe Raspberry Pi 5 is finally here
The Raspberry Pi 5 has launched with notable upgrades, including a 64-bit quad-core processor, improved graphics performance, and in-house silicon. It is priced at $60 for the 4GB version and $80 for the 8GB version. The Raspberry Pi 5 will be available to purchase before the end of October.
The Verge·3yElon Musk founds new AI company called X.AI
The company, which a Nevada filing indicates was incorporated last month, currently has Musk as its director and Jared Birchall, the director of Musk’s family office, listed as its secretary. Musk has been openly opposed to OpenAI, the AI organization that he co-founded in 2015 but walked away from in 2018.
The Verge·3yElon Musk says ‘get off your work-from-home bullshit’
Elon Musk called remote work ‘morally wrong’ and ‘bullshit,’ arguing it was unfair to those workers who can’t work from home. Musk imposed a strict return-to-the-office policy for Tesla in June 2022, warning them they would lose their jobs if they refused.
The Verge·3yMicrosoft Copilot leak shows AI automatically creating a PowerPoint presentation
Microsoft has leaked details of a PowerPoint Copilot feature that utilizes AI to automatically create presentations based on Word documents. The feature allows users to customize slides without needing to know complex PowerPoint features. Google recently announced similar AI additions to their productivity apps.
The Verge·3yThe excellent Arc browser is now available for anyone to download
The Verge Arc, the Mac and iOS browser from The Browser Company, is now available for all iOS and Mac users to download. Arc’s version number just jumped to 1.0, and anyone who wants to use Arc can go to arc.net and get the browser.
The Verge·3yAdobe made an AI image generator
The Verge Adobe is finally launching its own AI image generator. The company is announcing a ‘family of creative generative AI models’ today called Adobe Firefly and releasing the first two tools that take advantage of them. At launch, Adobe is calling Firefly a beta, and it’ll only be available through a website.
The Verge·3yWhy note-taking apps don’t make us smarter
This is Platformer, a newsletter on the intersection of Silicon Valley and democracy from Casey Newton and Zoë Schiffer. For decades now, software tools have promised to make working life easier. But on one critical dimension - their ability to improve our thinking - they don't seem to be making much progress.
The Verge·3yBest laptop 2023: 15 best laptops you can buy
Best laptop of 2023: 15 best laptops to buy in 2023 can come with a variety of brands, prices, and features. We've got the rest of the best laptops, Windows 10 business notebooks, gaming laptops, Chromebooks, laptops for school, and 2-in-1 convertibles.
The Verge·3yWindows 11 is getting a force quit option to close apps without the Task Manager
Windows 11 is getting a force quit option to close apps without the Task Manager. Similar to macOS, it will allow Windows users to force crashed apps and buggy ones directly from the taskbar without having to open Task Manager. Microsoft has confirmed at its Build developers conference this week that it's adding the feature soon.
The Verge·3yValve announces Counter-Strike 2, a free replacement for CS:GO
Valve announces Counter-Strike 2, a free replacement for CS:GO. The full game is expected to release in summer 2023, according to a FAQ. CS2 is based on Valve's Source 2 engine and includes updates to some of the game’s core mechanics.
The Verge·3yTwitter says source code was leaked on GitHub, now it’s trying to find the culprit
Twitter says source code was leaked on GitHub, now it's trying to find the culprit. Twitter has asked for the names and IP addresses of anyone who downloaded the code. The name of the account is listed as “FreeSpeechEnthusiast,” in an apparent reference to Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
The Verge·3yThe best mechanical keyboards to buy right now
The Verge lists the best mechanical keyboards of 2023 - The Verge. It’s hard to beat the tactility, durability, or good looks of a mechanical keyboard, but if you’re looking for one, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are our top picks, including both wired and wireless models.
The Verge·3yLinkedIn gets a free verified badge that lets you prove where you work
Microsoft-owned LinkedIn is rolling out a free verification system that will allow users to prove their identity and where they work. The verification options include the ability to use CLEAR to prove your identity, verification of your workplace through an email address, and Microsoft’s Entra verified ID platform to obtain digital workplace IDs for free.
The Verge·3yMimestream is the Mac app every Gmail user needs
Mimestream is the email app for Mac that just came out of a yearslong beta. The app, created by a small team led by Neil Jhaveri, does almost everything Gmail does at least as well as Gmail. It doesn’t do IMAP and POP3 and all the standard email app stuff.
The Verge·3yElon Musk reportedly tried and failed to take over OpenAI
Elon Musk reportedly tried and failed to take over OpenAI in 2018. Musk was part of a small group that founded the AI lab in 2015 as a nonprofit, intending the firm to share research for the wider benefit of society. But, says Semafor, by early 2018 Musk was worried the company was falling behind Google.
The Verge·3yMozilla is creating a startup to build more open and trustworthy AI
Mozilla is creating a new startup called Mozilla.ai, which the company hopes ‘will build a trustworthy and independent open-source AI ecosystem’ Moez Draief, a longtime AI researcher and scientist, is leading the new startup, and Mozilla is investing $30 million to get it started.
The Verge·3yThe best noise-canceling headphones to buy right now
The most important measures are comfort, how well they can eliminate outside noise, sound quality, battery life, and whether they support multipoint pairing. The right headphones for you will differ based on which of those things you prioritize. The best wireless headphones for most people are Sony’s WH-1000XM5s.
The Verge·3yKeychron Q1 Pro review: they actually pulled it off
Keychron Q1 Pro is a premium wireless mechanical keyboard with a customizable layout, great typing feel, and reliable Bluetooth connectivity. It offers excellent battery life and is available in different switch options. The keyboard is designed for those who prefer a 75 percent layout and want the flexibility of wireless connectivity.
The Verge·3yMicrosoft to support Windows 11 on Apple M1 and M2 Macs through Parallels partnership
Microsoft is officially supporting Windows 11 on Apple’s M1 and M2 Macs through Parallels partnership. Microsoft has only licensed Windows versions of Arm directly to OEMs. It's not clear how Microsoft has changed its licensing rules here, so we’ve asked the software giant to comment further.
The Verge·3yGoogle’s Bard chatbot can now find answers in your Gmail, Docs, Drive
Google’s Bard AI chatbot is no longer limited to pulling answers from just the web. It can now scan your Gmail, Docs, and Drive to help you find the information you’re looking for. With the new integration, you can ask Bard to do things like find and summarize the contents of an email.
The Verge·3yMicrosoft Paint is finally adding some of Photoshop’s best features
Microsoft Paint is finally adding some of Photoshop’s best features, including layers and transparency. This is part of an update rolling out for testing by Windows Insiders(version 11.2308.18.0, available to some people in the Canary or Dev channels. It may not be immediately available to everyone.