EchoStar offloads satellite spectrum to SpaceX for $17 billion
EchoStar offloads satellite spectrum to SpaceX for $17 billion Dish parent company EchoStar is selling wireless spectrum licenses to SpaceX for around $17 billion, the companies announced on Monday. SpaceX says it will use the spectrum to create the “next generation” of Starlink’s cellular satellite service, which customers of the EchoStar-owned Boost Mobile will gain access […]
Sal Khan is hopeful that AI won’t destroy education
Sal Khan is hopeful that AI won't destroy education Hello, and welcome to Decoder! This is Hank Green, cofounder of Complexly, where we make SciShow, Crash Course, and a bunch of other educational YouTube channels. I’m also an author, a TikToker, and what you might call a poster — you might have seen my face […]
The iPhone 17’s potential makeover might be just enough
The iPhone 17's potential makeover might be just enough Out with the old iPhone, in with the new. There’s probably a lot of market research out there by fancy people who analyze consumer data trying to answer one question: Why do people choose an iPhone? Is it a reputation for better privacy? Long-term reliability? Targeted […]
The influencer in this Vodafone ad isn’t real
The influencer in this Vodafone ad isn't real Anyone familiar with the AI slop on Pinterest should recognize how unnatural that hair is. I opened TikTok while visiting Germany last week and stumbled across a Vodafone ad being presented by a woman who probably doesn’t exist. The ad includes several “tells” that suggest the presenter […]
Google finally details Gemini usage limits
Google finally details Gemini usage limits Until very recently it wasn’t clear what usage limits were placed on Gemini at the various tiers. Thankfully Google has finally updated its Help Center article detailing “Gemini Apps limits & upgrades for Google AI subscribers.” Gone are the useless descriptors like “limited access” or vague statements like “we […]
GM slows EV production as tax credit nears expiration
GM slows EV production as tax credit nears expiration General Motors is going to be scaling back production of the Cadillac Lyriq and Vistiq, as well as the Chevy Bolt EV as it expects sales of electric vehicles to slow dramatically. The $7,500 consumer tax credit for purchasing a new EV is set to expire […]
Computer chips, with a side of forever chemicals
Computer chips, with a side of forever chemicals This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on all things at the intersection of environment and technology, follow Justine Calma. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. […]
A really cheap way to get really smart lights
A really cheap way to get really smart lights Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 96, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, has your inbox been as busy as mine the past few days?, and also you can read all the old editions at the […]
Pocket Scion is a synth you play with plants
Pocket Scion is a synth you play with plants A few years ago, artist Modern Biology became a viral sensation when he posted videos of himself controlling a modular synth with mushrooms on TikTok. Pocket Scion gives anyone similar capabilities, but without having to spend thousands of dollars on a Eurorack rig – and in […]
Bluetti says it can reduce vanlife power installations to ‘30 minutes’
Bluetti says it can reduce vanlife power installations to '30 minutes' The RVSolar System living its best vanlife. | Image: Bluetti It only took three years, but Bluetti is following EcoFlow’s lead with a fully integrated power system of its own to make vanlifers, off-grid cabins, and boats energy independent. The RVSolar System’s main advantage over […]