- Why AI is moving from chatbots to the browserHappy Friday. I'm back from vacation and still getting caught up on everything I missed. AI researchers moving jobs is getting covered like NBA trades now, apparently. Before I ... read more
- TikTok Makes Space For Songwriting CreditsTikTok is implementing new features designed to appoint credits to singer-songwriters whose original recordings are being shared and reworked by other users. ... read more
- Twelve South’s travel-friendly 2-in-1 Qi2 charger is over 50 percent off right nowThe Twelve South Butterfly SE conveniently folds down, making it easy to throw in a bag. | Image: Twelve South Keeping multiple devices charged while traveling usually means packing several ... read more
- Trump signs first major crypto bill the GENIUS Act into lawIn a landmark victory for the crypto industry, President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, establishing a regulatory framework for a type of digital currency known as stablecoins. ... read more
- I sent ChatGPT Agent out to shop for meThink of OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent as a day-one intern who's incredibly slow at every task but will eventually get the job done. Well… most of the job. Or ... read more
- An electric scooter that accelerates faster than a Tesla Model 3? No thanks!Personally, I think electric scooters are a little goofy, but I’m glad they exist. I know a lot of people who don’t want to drop a couple thousand dollars on ... read more
- RealPage goes from setting rent to collecting itRealPage, the algorithmic rent-setting software company, has announced plans to acquire Livble, a service that lets people pay their monthly rent in installments. Livble describes itself as a “flexible” rent ... read more
- One of the Democrats Trump unlawfully fired from the FTC is backAlvaro Bedoya, then-commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), right, and Rebecca Slaughter, commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), left, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC. Photographer: Al ... read more
- Netflix admits it used generative AI in a big sci-fi hit to cut costs
- Ring reintroduces video sharing with policeRing has once again started letting police request footage from users. Axon, a law enforcement technology company and maker of TASER, announced in April that it’s partnering with Ring to ... read more
- The best Android phonesThe Android ecosystem is all about choice. While iPhone owners have a smaller pool of new devices to pick from when it’s time to upgrade, there’s a wider range of ... read more
- Spotify’s new 30-hour audiobook plans are too short to finish long booksSpotify has launched two new Audiobooks Plus add-on subscriptions that allow Premium users to double their audiobook listening limit to 30 hours. They’re available to individual Premium subscribers and users ... read more
- AI, Personalization and News Are Redefining Marketing, but Fear Still Holds Brands Back: Lou PaskalisCANNES – The marketing industry has finally reached the point where technology can deliver on its long-held promise of truly personalized experiences, but only if marketers are willing to let go of outdated, rigid playbooks. ... read more
- 24,000 e-bike batteries recalled because the US can’t get its shit together
- Microsoft suddenly kills its movies and TV store on Xbox and WindowsMicrosoft has suddenly shut its movies and TV store on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. As of today you can no longer purchase new movies or TV shows from the ... read more
- Nintendo’s slow drip of Switch 2 games is a feature, not a bugWhen Nintendo first announced the Switch 2's slate of launch titles, people were very quick to cry foul about how few original, exclusive games the company had lined up for ... read more
- Microsoft’s constant layoffs risk creating a culture of fearI can't open LinkedIn without seeing a new post from a Microsoft employee who lost their job in the company's latest round of layoffs. Around 15,000 jobs have been eliminated ... read more
- The creepy AI era is hereWould you like Siri more if it had a face? Ever since Elon Musk added a weird anime girlfriend to Grok, I've been wondering if there's a not-so-distant future where ... read more
- CBS Cancels 'Late Show' Days After Colbert Jokes About Trump Deal"This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," says George Cheeks, CBS president and co-chief executive of Paramount Global. Some analysts speculate that Colbert's recent monologue may have been a ... read more
- Streaming Upfront Ad Update: Now At 50% Plus Share?IPG Mediabrands' global chief negotiations office Dani Benowitz said half or more of upfront dollars - $12 billion this year and $14 billion in 2026 - will come from streaming. ... read more
- Perplexity’s Comet is the AI browser Google wantsPerplexity has just launched its agentic answer to Google Chrome — it’s called Comet, and it knocked out a slate of tasks on my behalf, though I think I could’ve ... read more
- TV Blog's Emmy Complaints Are A Thing Of The PastThis week's 2025 Primetime Emmy Award nominations revive memories of TV Blogs past in which various themes have recurred. ... read more
- Delta Air Lines is using AI to set the maximum price you’re willing to payDelta wants AI to set 20 percent of its ticket prices by the end of 2025. | Image: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Delta Air Lines is leaning into dynamic ... read more
- Apple sues leaker Jon Prosser for stealing iOS secretsProsser is accused of stealing trade secrets to leak details of iOS 26’s design before its announcement at WWDC. Apple has sued the well-known leaker Jon Prosser for the alleged ... read more
- YouTube’s AI slop crackdown has creators concerned, marketers cheeringSome creators are wary of YouTube’s AI slop cleanup, but marketers see it as a win for the platform. On July 15, YouTube updated its creator policies for the YouTube Partner Program, renaming the platform’s ... read more
- Generative AI sparks brand safety concerns marketers know all too wellThe speed at which marketers are adopting AI-powered tools is moving faster than rules and regulations can keep up. Inadvertently or not — the ad industry at-large has put concerns over intellectual property, brand misuse and ... read more
- ‘Production is a big topic right now’: With AI moving beyond media, Publicis turns toward creativeIn ad circles most of the AI chatter has centered on media — how it’s bought, sold and optimized. But the conversation is starting to shift. According to Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun, creative is now ... read more
- Jargon buster: The key terms to know on AI bot traffic and monetizationAs generative AI reshapes how content is surfaced, scraped, summarized and monetized, new vocabulary to describe those processes is cropping up daily in the media industry. In strategy decks, licensing talks, research reports and closed-door ... read more
- Omnicom's Q2 Call Featured High-Level Tech TalkThe company's Chief Technology Officer Paolo Yuvienco was given time to talk about the firm's progress over the past year integrating an agentic framework into company processes. ... read more
- Senate Votes To Cut PBS, NPR FundingSenator Tammy Baldwin warns that rural stations will be the first to close if the House goes along with the plan. ... read more
- Nintendo wants you to join its next mysterious Switch Online playtestLate last year, Nintendo hosted a mysterious Switch Online playtest, and on Thursday, the company announced that it would be doing another test as part of the “Nintendo Switch Online: ... read more
- Subaru’s new Uncharted EV looks like an undercover Toyota C-HRSubaru doesn’t have the deepest bench when it comes to EVs. There’s the Solterra, now in its third model year, and the upcoming Trailseeker, which promises to be the Outback ... read more
- As Threads Grows, Meta Names New LeaderLongtime Meta executive Connor Hayes has been named leader of Threads, the tech giant's newest platform in its family of popular social media networks. ... read more
- As Threads Grows, Meta Names A New LeaderLongtime Meta executive Connor Hayes has been named leader of Threads, the tech giant's newest platform in its family of popular social media networks. ... read more
- Netflix says it’s streamed 95 billion hours in 2025, and a lot of ads tooK-Pop Demon Hunters garnered 37 million views following its June debut. Netflix says it’s on track to “double” its advertising revenue this year as the company continues ot build out ... read more
- These overpriced airport battery chargers have been recalled for a fire riskDid you buy a power bank from an airport vending machine over the past two years? | Image: iStore A company called iStore has issued a recall for its 5,000mAh ... read more
- You can once again buy the AirPods 4 for less than $90
- Community-First Approach Boosts Reddit's Ad Revenue: ReportBrands have flocked to Reddit since its recent launch of AI ad features that feel native to the platform. Its ad revenue has grown three times faster than the wider social-media market, according to a ... read more
- Is 'Obsolescence Before Maturity' AI's Fate?I'd say yes. For one, there's too much focus on buzz rather than business, with agentic projects launched to "keep up with the Joneses." ... read more
- Anker’s new charging station battles desktop clutter with two retractable USB-C cablesAnker’s latest desktop charger has two USB-C cables that disappear when not in use. | Image: Anker The current trend in USB chargers isn’t adding more power or ports, it’s ... read more
- Meta's Zuckerberg Settles Shareholder Suit Over Cambridge AnalyticaMark Zuckerberg and other executives agreed mid-trial to settle a lawsuit by shareholders over the Cambridge Analytica privacy debacle. ... read more
- Peacock is raising its prices by $3A subscription to Peacock is about to cost more. NBCUniversal announced on Thursday that it’s raising the price of its ad-supported Peacock Premium from $7.99 to $10.99 per month, while ... read more
- Razer’s new Pokémon collab is not very effectiveRazer's new Pokémon collaboration is a missed opportunity. The four PC gaming peripherals in this lineup are simply reskinned versions of products that already exist, which cost $20 to $40 ... read more
- Donkey Kong Bananza is already cheaper at CostcoToday is Donkey Kong Bananza launch day, and what better way to celebrate than with a discount? The Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive game is currently $62.99 ($7 off) at Costco for ... read more
- Right-wing orgs put pro-Palestinian students on an ICE ‘hit list’
- Bring on the trifoldsI’ll take one of these, please. I've been using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for the past week, and I think I can finally say it: I get folding ... read more
- The Advocate, LGBTQ+ Publication, Creates Membership ProgramSupporters can make donations or become members with a variety of tier levels. ... read more
- Six 'Outstanding' Commercials Nominated For 2025 EmmysSix commercial received Emmy nominations for "Outstanding Commercial" this week including State Farm's "Batman Vs. Bateman," Disney's "The Boy & The Octopus," Uber One's "Brian Cox Goes To College," Apple's "Flock," Apple's "Heartstrings," and Nike's ... read more
- What Big Tech got out of Trump’s Big Beautiful BillThe massive budget bill signed into law by President Donald Trump on Independence Day didn't include everything on Big Tech's wishlist, but the industry's largest players stand to gain significantly ... read more
- News publishers take paywall-blocker 12ft.io offlineThe News/Media Alliance, a trade association behind major news publishers, announced that it has “successfully secured” the removal of 12ft.io, a website that helped users bypass paywalls online. The trade ... read more
- MLB 'Sunday Night Baseball' Suitors: NBC, Apple, ESPNMLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told CNBC he plans to make a decision within a month - possibly splitting the package between two TV networks and/or streamers. The MLB news came a day after the MLB's ... read more
- OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for youOpenAI is going all-in on the most-hyped trend in AI right now: AI agents, or tools that go a step beyond chatbots to complete complex, multi-step tasks on a user’s ... read more
- Anthropic will face a class-action lawsuit from US authorsA California federal judge ruled Thursday that three authors suing Anthropic over copyright infringement can bring a class action lawsuit representing all U.S. writers whose work was allegedly downloaded from ... read more
- The next batch of emoji includes BigfootToday is World Emoji Day, and the Unicode Consortium is sharing a preview of some of the new emoji that should hit your devices early next year as part of ... read more
- Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed series is finally coming togetherIt has been five years since Netflix first announced that it was working with Ubisoft to develop a live-action Assassin’s Creed show inspired by the hit games series. For a ... read more
- Court Lifts Block On Mississippi Parental Consent LawA three-judge panel of the conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday lifted a block on Mississippi's social media law, which requires social platforms to verify all users' ages, and prohibits minors from creating ... read more
- AMD’s new 96-core Threadripper CPU will set you back $11,699AMD’s latest Zen 5-based Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 WX-Series of CPUs go on sale later this month, and the top option will be priced at $11,699. The 9000 WX-Series chips ... read more
- Elgato brightens up its Stream Deck and mics with four new colorsWild lavender is one of Elgato’s four new color options. | Image: Elgato Elgato has released four new color options for its Stream Deck and other streaming accessories as part ... read more
- Lenovo Legion Go S review part two: you were the chosen one!SteamOS rescues the Lenovo Legion Go S from utter failure. But is that enough? | Photo: Sean Hollister / The Verge Valve's Steam Deck has dominated the handheld gaming PC ... read more
- Waymo responds to Tesla’s dick joke with a bigger Austin robotaxi mapEarlier this week, Elon Musk posted an image of Tesla’s robotaxi service area in Austin, Texas, that was in the shape of a penis. Hilarious, I know, but more importantly: ... read more
- Wacom’s new MovinkPad drawing tablet doesn’t need a PCWacom has announced the MovinkPad 11, an all-in-one Android-powered tablet for digital illustrators who want to draw on the go. Unlike other display drawing tablets in Wacom’s lineup, the $449 ... read more
- Apple launches new emoji word game to take on Wordle and the NYTEver since the New York Times acquired Wordle and went all-in on games, there's been something of a slow-brewing arms race in the space. The Times continues to release new ... read more
- Study: Sustainability-Focused Companies Have Better Bottom LinesThat's according to a report from creative consultancy Revolt which found that firms that address environmental issues in meaningful ways generate higher pre-tax operating profits than companies that don't. ... read more
- Perplexity’s CEO on why the browser is AI’s killer appHello, and welcome to Decoder! I’m Alex Heath, deputy editor at The Verge and author of the Command Line newsletter. I’m hosting our Thursday episodes while Nilay is out on ... read more
- A gritty Pac-Man reboot makes for surprisingly solid Metroid-style actionShadow Labyrinth didn't make the best first impression, though I'm not talking about the game itself. The concept of a gritty reboot of Pac-Man first reared its strange head in ... read more
- Dark UsersLike other parts of the "dark media" universe, a new report reveals a growing percentage of internet users - nearly 20% worldwide - are effectively dark to marketers serving ads on the websites they visit. ... read more
- Sony is still stubborn about the size of its cameras
- Eddington gets the pandemic right but still isn’t a great movieA24 is known for its prestige arthouse films, but in its early days as a distributor, it made most of its money from elevated horror films like Ari Aster's Hereditary ... read more
- Adobe’s new AI tool turns silly noises into realistic audio effectsIn this example, you’d record yourself mimicking the sound of a rocket taking off. Have at it. Adobe is launching new generative AI filmmaking tools that provide fun ways to ... read more
- Dyson’s $500 headphones come in even more colorsThis pink is one of the two new colors coming to OnTrac outer caps. Dyson is expanding the range of ear caps and cushions it offers for its customizable OnTrac ... read more
- Uber to invest in Lucid and Nuro in massive robotaxi dealUber plans to make “multi-hundred-million dollar investments” in both Nuro and Lucid as part of a massive new robotaxi deal that was just announced. The three companies are linking ... read more
- Slack says its AI can make sense of your company’s jargonSlack is using AI to help business users quickly understand confusing company language and concentrate on their most important tasks. The communication platform announced that it will “soon” be adding ... read more
- National Park Cop Is Gloomy Gus In 'Untamed' On NetflixFor those who have a high tolerance for keeping company with the moody, then do I have a show for you. ... read more
- Trade Desk Focused On CTV, Amazon DSPAlthough The Trade Desk is seeing gains for joining one of the premiere stock market indexes, a broader picture seems to show it regaining its footing among investors. But Amazon DSP is in the hunt. ... read more
- Unfazed By Macroeconomics, Publicis Delivers 5.9% Q2 GrowthThe strong performance led the Groupe to upgrade its growth outlook for the full year to "close to 5%" from the previous guidance of between 4% and 5% growth. ... read more
- Roblox will require a facial scan or government ID to have unfiltered chatsRoblox is introducing a way to let trusted friends chat more freely among themselves, but it will require that they use a new age estimation tool to verify that they’re ... read more
- TikTok is putting the spotlight on songwritersTikTok will now let songwriters highlight tracks they’ve written or co-written directly on their profiles. The list of songs will live within the “Music” tab on their profile, similar to ... read more
- Digiday+ Research: Publishers identify the top trends among Gen Z readersInterested in sharing your perspectives on the media and marketing industries? Join the Digiday research panel. Gen Z — it’s a group that can feel like an elusive, rare species to today’s publishers. How do ... read more
- Epic Games to rework Fortnite IP rollouts following creator backlashAfter protests from creators over a delay in the launch of Fortnite’s official “Squid Game” integrations, Epic Games has said it will better coordinate future IP rollouts to align with the original properties’ release dates. ... read more
- Instagram offers a new guide to advertisers to convince them to try out its creator marketplaceInstagram is ramping up efforts to drive interest in its Creator Marketplace with a brand new, 26-page how-to document for marketers — aimed at making the whole process quick and painless. All they need is ... read more
- Media Briefing: AI is the new middleman, and it’s coming for the browserThis week’s Media Briefing looks at the rise of the AI browser war, and what this means for publishers who are already feeling the pressure of declining referral traffic due to AI search tools. ... read more
- Overheard at Digiday’s CTV Ad Strategies event: Streaming is reaching 50% of all upfront dollarsThe 2025 upfront season is starting to wrap, with sources claiming digital is on the precipice of dominating spend, bringing a new paradigm to negotiations. Clients’ pricing models often favor cheaper CPMs… the challenge ... read more
- Subnautica 2’s creators sue their publisher for ‘severely’ damaging the game’s releaseThe battle between Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton and the three former executives at its developer Unknown Worlds continues. Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire — the three executives who ... read more
- As Trump Again Threatens Tariffs, J&J Leads Big Pharma In Collective ShrugJ&J cut its projection of 2025 tariff costs in half -- from the $400 million it had predicted in April to $200 million. ... read more
- AI and Data are Transforming Healthcare Marketing, but Privacy Remains Paramount: Swoop’s Marcella Milliet SciorraCANNES — The convergence of real-world health data, artificial intelligence and omnichannel media is reshaping pharmaceutical marketing, but for Marcella Milliet Sciorra, chief marketing officer of healthcare analytics firm Swoop, patient privacy remains the industry’s ... read more
- From Retail Media to Reddit, CVS Media Exchange Celebrates Five YearsCANNES — CVS Media Exchange (CMX) is marking its fifth anniversary this August by expanding beyond traditional retail media placements through a new collaboration with Reddit. CMX allows brands and advertisers to place their products ... read more
- Retailers Feel Left Behind in the AI Race; Topsort’s Regina Ye Wants to Change That
- Missouri Moderation Proposal Slammed By Tech, Free Speech Advocates"While the rule is couched in the language of consumer protection, at its core, it is a sweeping attempt to dictate how platforms design, organize, and deliver speech online," the Vanderbilt University think tank The ... read more
- Missouri Content Moderation Proposal Slammed By Free Speech Advocates, Tech Industry"While the rule is couched in the language of consumer protection, at its core, it is a sweeping attempt to dictate how platforms design, organize, and deliver speech online," the Vanderbilt University think tank The ... read more
- Google is raising the price of Nest Aware subscriptions againStarting in mid-August Google is raising the price of its Nest Aware subscriptions. | Image: Google Google is raising the price of its Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscriptions ... read more
- Tech Group Battles Mississippi Over Parental Social Media ConsentNetChoice is asking the 5th Circuit to preserve an injunction banning Mississippi from enforcing a law that would restrict minors' access to social media. ... read more
- Tech Organization Battles Mississippi AG Over Parental Consent For Social MediaNetChoice is asking the 5th Circuit to preserve an injunction banning Mississippi from enforcing a law that would restrict minors access to social media. ... read more
- Elon Musk teases AI anime boyfriend based on Edward CullenThis is obviously an anime Kylo Ren, but I guess Edward Cullen is the inspiration. | Image: xAI Days after introducing an AI ‘waifu’ companion for Grok, Elon Musk is ... read more
- Stronger AI, CTV Focus Expected For Second-Half 2025, Study FindsIn a new study from Mediaocean, 72% of media and marketing execs said they believe generative AI is "the most important consumer trend," followed by streaming and social media video platforms at 51%. ... read more
- Why traditional monetization tactics are costing publishers revenueTraditional ad models may no longer deliver the revenue publishers need, but better audience strategies can. With privacy regulations tightening, the role of third-party cookies evolving and digital platforms capturing a greater share of advertiser ... read more
- Is Frequency An Effective Strategy?When used in a strategic fashion, frequency is a way to build a relationship, but it needs to be modulated with careful timing. ... read more
- Agency Croud Unveils SearchEverywhereIt's a new service designed to help clients understand how they appear in AI-powered search environments like ChatGPT as well as other channels. ... read more
- xAI's Chatbot 'Companions' Raise Safety, Moderation ConcernsThe Grok chatbot describes the new offerings as "interactive 3D animated AI personas" that "react with movements, expressions, and can handle NSFW modes." ... read more
- xAI's Chatbot 'Companions' Raise Safety, Content Moderation ConcernsThe Grok chatbot describes the new offerings as "interactive 3D animated AI personas" that "react with movements, expressions, and can handle NSFW modes." ... read more
- Mercedes-Benz will let you use an in-car camera in Microsoft Teams while drivingI like to drive without the distractions of my work life interrupting me, but if you’re eager to stay connected then Mercedes-Benz is ready. You’ll soon be able to join ... read more