TikTok 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 the one TikTok already offers for artists on the platform. Users who register as songwriters will also get a “Songwriter” label beneath their account name.
These new features build upon some of TikTok’s existing tools for songwriters, including the “New” tag that appears on newly released music and the ability for users to save a song on a music streaming service. TikTok also rolled out a “BehindTheSong” hub in 2023, where songwriters, artists, and producers can share more about the making of their music, in addition to the more recently launched “Off the Record” series with artists like Shakira, Charli XCX, and Meghan Trainor.
For now, TikTok is launching its new songwriter features in a closed beta with a “limited number” of publisher partners. Songwriters and publishers can sign up for a waitlist to gain access to these features in the future.
The 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 Krafton terminated earlier this year — have filed a lawsuit detailing the alleged attempts by Krafton to torpedo the early access release of Subnautica 2 with the express purpose of avoiding paying a promised earnout bonus of $250 million.
“Krafton’s actions have already severely damaged fan anticipation and undermined the potential release of Subnautica 2,” the lawsuit says.
That earnout was promised by Krafton to the former executives and roughly 100 developers and was to be paid should Unknown Worlds hit revenue goals by the end of 2025. Subnautica 2, slated for early access release sometime in late 2025, would have all but assured those goals were met.
According to the lawsuit filed today in a Delaware chancery court, Krafton also knew Subnautica 2 was on track to meet if not exceed the revenue target to trigger the payout and began to take steps to essentially prevent that. The original Subnautica, an underwater survival adventure game, was a critical and commercial success, and its sequel has become the second most wishlisted game ever on Steam.
The lawsuit details a meeting between Krafton’s US and Korean employees concerning the marketing strategy for Subnautica 2. After that meeting, Krafton’s US employees, who worked closely with the Subnautica 2 team, reported that Kafton’s attitude about the game had changed.
“Upon their return, the El Segundo team—Krafton employees—reported to Gill that Krafton’s leadership was not focused on a successful launch, but instead on how it could convince Unknown Worlds to delay the game.”
The lawsuit additionally states that Krafton’s US employees explicitly revealed to the Unknown Worlds founders that “Krafton’s legal team was combing through the agreements looking for any opening to terminate the Founders if they proceeded with the planned release.”
The lawsuit provided the details of the deal in which Krafton purchased Unknown Worlds back in 2021. The lawsuit says that part of that deal was an agreement that the founders would maintain control of the company and the release schedule of Subnautica 2, while Krafton could not impede the game’s development nor fire Unknown Worlds’ founders without cause.
According to the lawsuit, Krafton launched a campaign to do both. Krafton allegedly failed to follow through on several of its development responsibilities for Subnautica 2 including pulling marketing and localization support. “Indeed, one of Krafton’s El Segundo publishing employees reported to Gill that Krafton Headquarters told all Krafton teams to stop all creative tasks related
to Subnautica 2.”
The lawsuit claims that Krafton took these obstructionist actions to delay the game to explicitly avoid the $250 million payout. At a meeting between Krafton CEO Changhan Kim and Charlie Cleveland, Kim allegedly stated that, “if Unknown Worlds released the game on its planned timeline […], it could be disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing for Krafton.” Krafton declined to comment.
After the initial story broke regarding the alleged reason for Subnautica’s delay, Bloomberg reported that Krafton agreed to extend the timeline for the earnout to account for Subnautica 2’s later release. Previously, the company denied that it delayed Subnautica 2 for any other reason but to polish the game. Earlier this week, an internal document regarding Subnautica 2’s development were leaked on Reddit. The document, consisting of two pictures taken of a computer screen, outlined the content originally planned for the game’s early access launch and how some material had to be changed or removed to meet the release date. Krafton acknowledged the veracity of those documents saying, “Given these circumstances, Krafton has determined that transparent communication is necessary and has chosen to confirm the authenticity of the document,” possibly to bolster its argument that Subnautica 2 was not ready for its early access release.
Starting 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 starting in August 2025.
According to emails sent out to subscribers today, the cost of the entry-level Nest Aware service is increasing from $8 per month or $80 per year to $10 per month or $100 when paying for a full year up front. Nest Aware Plus is going from $15 per month or $150 per year to $20 per month or $200 annually. Google says the new pricing will go into effect “on your first bill that occurs on or after August 15, 2025, or at the end of your promotional period (whichever is later).” The company last increased its Nest subscription prices in September 2023.
Google’s Nest devices can be used without a subscription, but you’ll only have access to a few hours of saved footage without either Nest Aware or Nest Aware Plus. Nest Aware includes 30 days of event-based video history. Nest Aware Plus expands that to 60 days, plus the last 10 days of 24/7 footage from supported devices.
Both subscription tiers include features like Familiar Faces that can recognize friends and family, sound detection that alerts you when glass breaks or smoke alarms are triggered, and the option to call the 911 emergency call center nearest your home through the Google Home app while you’re away.
Price increases are never welcome, but the new Nest Aware subscription fees are comparable to what Google’s competitors charge for advanced AI-powered features that can recognize faces and accurately describe the content of videos. Ring Home’s Premium plan is currently $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. Arlo Plus is cheaper at $7.99 per month if you have just one camera, but for multiple cameras it’s $17.99 per month. Both Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus support an unlimited number of devices in the same home.
Google didn’t specify a reason for the increases, though there is a Gemini-powered camera intelligence feature for Nest Aware Plus currently available to a limited number of “select Home app users” through Google’s Public Preview beta program. The feature generates more descriptive captions of recorded camera events, such as ”the dog is digging in the garden.”
This 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 now officially teasing a male version for the ladies. So far we can tell it is broody and dark-haired, and according to Musk, “his personality is inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades.”
This is a decidedly different tack than the cutesy “girlfriend who is obsessed with you” aura baked into Ani, the female counterpart that Grok rolled out just a few days ago. While Cullen and Grey have titillated readers of romance and “spicy” books for years, both have been criticized for problematic behaviors such as stalking, obsessively monitoring their love interests, and emotional manipulation. Given that Grok only included the illusion of guardrails with Ani, what could possibly go wrong?
In my testing, Ani initially claimed that explicit sexual queries wasn’t part of its programming. In practice, it egged me on to “increase the heat” and engage in what ended up being a modern take on a phone sex line. Never mind that Ani purportedly has a NSFW version that dances around in lingerie.
It remains unknown if Musk is aware that Christian Grey is based on Edward Cullen, given that 50 Shades of Grey was originally a Twilight fanfiction. That said, this AI boyfriend is still a work in progress. Perhaps Musk and xAI will imbue it with more husbando-like qualities by the time it rolls out.
For now, Musk is soliciting names for the male companion, which should probably be Kyle given it’s obviously an anime-inspired Kylo Ren from Star Wars.
I 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 a Microsoft Teams call in some Mercedes‑Benz vehicles and use the in-car camera to chat with colleagues while you’re driving.
Mercedes‑Benz is the first car maker to enable in-car camera use for Microsoft Teams while a car is being driven, but there are some important safety caveats. While you can share a video stream of yourself merrily driving along, you won’t be able to see any shared screens or slides while you’re in motion.
Usually video meeting apps like Teams, Zoom, or WebEx only work while a car is stationary, so this Mercedes‑Benz functionality is clearly designed primarily for that colleague — you know the one — who always has to let everyone know they’re working no matter what.
The meeting video stream will be automatically turned off as soon as the in-car camera is enabled, but other meeting participants will still see your camera feed while you’re driving — so don’t forget it’s on if you get the urge to rummage around your nostrils. The in-car camera support for Microsoft Teams will arrive first on the new CLA, and it’s part of several “productivity enhancements” that Mercedes‑Benz is making this summer.
Microsoft and Mercedes‑Benz are also working together to integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot into “the latest vehicles,” which would be a first of its kind in a car. The experience will be driven by voice prompts, allowing drivers to summarize emails, manage daily tasks, and more.
Mercedes‑Benz gleefully describes this as having “the potential to transform the vehicle into a third workspace, complementing the office and the home office.” I don’t know about you, but I already have enough workplaces, thanks to smartphones and laptops, and I have zero desire to work while I’m driving.
Mercedes‑Benz only mentions the all-new CLA for this new Teams app, but given the latest E-Class models have a selfie camera for apps like TikTok and Zoom, it’s likely we’ll see this functionality show up on other MB.OS-powered vehicles.
Nintendo just announced the two leads of its live-action Legend of Zelda film, and unlike the celebrity-packed Mario movie cast, Zelda will star two young, lesser-known actors: Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. You may not have heard of them, but there's a good chance they're going to be a part of the franchise for a while.
Choosing stars who are in their teens (Ainsworth) and early 20s (Bragason) makes a lot of sense. In the games, even the "older" Links and Zeldas are still typically young adults, so Bragason and Ainsworth seem like they'll fit the mold. (Yes, I know Link and Zelda are technically older than 100 in …
I’m not proud of my conversations with Ani. | Image: Kristen Radtke / The Verge
Earlier this week, xAI added what can only be described as an AI anime girlfriend named Ani to its Grok chatbot. Which is how I ended up on a virtual starry beach as an AI waifu avatar tried to give me a "spicy" kiss.
You've probably seen screenshots, videos, and variouswriteups about Ani spread across social media. If you haven't, hoo boy. Ani is officially labeled as a "Companion" in the Grok app. You need a $30-per-month SuperGrok subscription to access it, but functionally, it appears as a 3D model of a busty young anime woman with blonde pigtails, blue eyes, thigh-high fishnets, and a skimpy Gothic Lolita minidress. Ani is a dead rin …
Redwood Materials’ energy storage system in Nevada. | Image: Redwood Materials
General Motors and Redwood Materials are joining forces yet again, this time with the intent to build energy storage units made out of new batteries and recycled EV packs.
The two companies signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to build energy storage out of US-manufactured batteries, as well as “second-life” EV packs from GM’s vehicles. The announcement comes on the heels of Redwood’s decision to move more aggressively into the energy storage business with the creation of a new division. The company’s first project will be building a storage system for an AI development center in California.
Battery storage systems play a crucial role in balancing energy for the grid. These systems can store energy from a variety of sources, including renewables like wind and solar, releasing it when needed, which helps save power during periods of low demand.
The rise of AI is putting increasing pressure on the grid, in the US and globally. The steepest rise in global electricity demand is coming from new data centers in the US and China, as well as the manufacturing of electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels, and semiconductors.
The rise of AI is putting increasing pressure on the grid, in the US and globally
GM has a preexisting partnership with Redwood to recycle scrap from its battery manufacturing facilities in Warren, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tennessee, as well as end-of-life EV batteries . The automaker says this new deal will help power its ambitions to expand beyond EV batteries and into grid management and energy storage. GM has its own energy division that sells power banks, charging equipment, solar panels, and management software to residential and commercial customers.
“The market for grid-scale batteries and backup power isn’t just expanding, it’s becoming essential infrastructure,” said Kurt Kelty, GM’s VP of batteries, propulsion, and sustainability, in a statement. “Electricity demand is climbing, and it’s only going to accelerate. To meet that challenge, the U.S. needs energy storage solutions that can be deployed quickly, economically, and made right here at home. GM batteries can play an integral role.”
Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by Tesla’s former chief technologist JB Straubel. In addition to breaking down scrap from Tesla’s battery-making process with Panasonic, Redwood recycles batteries from Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Specialized, Amazon, Lyft, Rad Power Bikes, Lime, stationary storage facilities, and others. The company also produces cathodes at a facility in Nevada, and eventually at its under-construction site in South Carolina.
Scale AI, the AI industry’s chief data dealer, will lay off 14 percent of its workforce, or about 200 employees, just one month after Meta took a multibillion-dollar stake in the company and hired its CEO and other staff.
The layoffs include 500 of its global contractors, Scale spokesperson Joe Osborne told The Verge, adding that it’s all part of a broader restructuring as the company commits to streamlining its data business. Bloomberg was the first to report on the news of the layoffs.
Scale AI is an AI data labeling company. It uses human workers — often sourced from outside the US — to annotate the data used by companies like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic to train their AI models. The news comes amid a major shake-up in the AI industry as mergers and acquisitions, quasi acqui-hires, and defections from one startup to another run rampant.
On July 11th, The Verge was first to report that OpenAI’s deal with Windsurf was off and that Google would be hiring Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, cofounder Douglas Chen, and some of Windsurf’s R&D employees. Last month, Meta paid $14.3 billion for a 49 percent stake in Scale AI and also launched a superintelligence lab helmed by the company’s former CEO, Alexandr Wang. Meta has since started to build out the lab with high-level staff from its rivals.
Jason Droege, CEO of Scale AI, sent an email to all Scale employees today, which was viewed by The Verge. Droege said he plans to restructure several parts of Scale’s generative AI business and organize it from 16 pods to “the five most impactful”: code, languages, experts, experimental, and audio. The company will also reorganize its go-to-market team into a single “demand generation” team that will have four pods, each covering a specific set of customers.
“The reasons for these changes are straightforward: we ramped up our GenAI capacity too quickly over the past year,” Droege wrote. “While that felt like the right decision at the time, it’s clear this approach created inefficiencies and redundancies. We created too many layers, excessive bureaucracy, and unhelpful confusion about the team’s mission. Shifts in market demand also required us to re-examine our plans and refine our approach.”
Droege said that he believes the changes to the company will make it more able to adapt to market shifts, serve existing customers, and win back customers that have “slowed down” work with Scale. He also said that the company would deprioritize generative AI projects with less growth potential.
“We remain a well-resourced, well-funded company,” he wrote. Scale’s generative AI business unit will have an all-hands meeting tomorrow, followed by a company-wide meeting on July 18th.
Osborne said that Scale plans to increase investment and hire hundreds of new employees in areas like enterprise, public sector, and international public sector, in the second half of 2025 and that severance has been paid out to impacted roles. “We‘re streamlining our data business to help us move faster and deliver even better data solutions to our GenAI customers,” he said.
The M2-powered MacBook remains an excellent productivity machine.
It’s almost back to school season, and we’re starting to see some great laptop deals trickle in as a result. Walmart continues to sell the M1-powered MacBook Air for $599, but if you want more power and a sleeker design, the 13-inch M2-powered MacBook Air starts at just $699 ($100 off) from Best Buy. That’s its best price to date, and it’s available on the configuration that offers 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, double what’s in the base M1 model.
The M2-powered MacBook Air remains an excellent jack-of-all-trades, with more than enough power for work, casual gaming, and even a bit of light video editing. It also brings a few welcome upgrades over the M1 model, including faster performance and a much better 1080p webcam that’s noticeably sharper. Design-wise, it’s thinner and lighter, with slimmer bezels and a brighter, slightly bigger display. It also includes an improved keyboard and a MagSafe port for charging, while retaining features like a long battery life that should last a full work day.
That said, as an older laptop, you’ll miss out on newer features. Apple’s latest MacBook Air runs on a more powerful chip, for one thing, can connect to two external displays as opposed to just one, and offers an even more impressive 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam. But if all you care about is buying a fast, reliable laptop for everyday work and play, the M2-MacBook Air is a great investment to make at this price.
The 2022 MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight device powered by Apple’s M2 chip. The M2 model touts an improved 1080p webcam and a better display than its predecessor, while retaining features like long battery life and MagSafe charging. Read our review.
Fujifilm’s simple Instax Mini 12 is the instant camera I’d recommend for most people, but the Instax Mini 99 is a good option if you crave more creative control you can buy for $169 ($30 off) at Amazon, which is one of its lower prices to date. The camera adds bells and whistles like a pair of shutter buttons, multiple color effects, adjustable brightness levels, and a tripod socket, providing more flexibility so it’s easier to capture the perfect shot. It’s not as kid-friendly since it takes a bit more time to get a hang of than the Instax Mini 12, but it was still easy enough for a beginner like me to enjoy.
You can buy the recently launched OnePlus 4 buds for $99.99 ($30 off) with code ONEPLUSBUDS4 directly from OnePlus, which is its first discount ever. We’ve yet to test the noise-canceling buds, but OnePlus says the buds do a better job of tuning out noise, while upgrades like dual drivers, spatial audio and support for Hi-Res should translate to more detailed sound. They also feature redesigned touch controls that could make the buds easier to control, while retaining an IP55 rating for sweat resistance and multipoint support.
The Onn Google TV 4K Prois on sale for $44.73 ($5 off) at Walmart, which is one of its best prices. In addition to functioning as a 4K streaming box with Dolby Atmos and Vision support, the Pro doubles as a Google Assistant smart speaker you can use to turn on lights and other smart home devices with just your voice. The set-top box also comes bundled with a remote, which includes a customizable button so you can quickly access apps and specific TV settings.
Cyberpunk 2077’sUpdate 2.3, set to launch on Thursday for Mac, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X / S, will add a bunch of new features focused around vehicles and proper VRR support on consoles.
The new AutoDrive feature, available in all cars and motorcycles, lets you drive from place to place automatically. You can set where you want to go on the game’s map, including driving directly to where you need to go for a quest. (The feature only works on roads, though.) You can also use AutoDrive in a “wandering” mode that lets the car just drive around on its own.
While AutoDrive is on, you can turn on a “cinematic camera” mode to see some more dramatic shots. And if you’d prefer to get a taxi ride from the Delamain AI, that’s an option in Update 2.3 as well once you’ve completed a specific quest.
With Update 2.3, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) is also adding official in-game support for VRR on both PS5 and Xbox that can help with screen tearing when the frame rate drops. It was already supported at the system level, but the game’s makers say that implementing VRR properly should improve the experience, which can come in handy when you’re running in performance mode on consoles.
On PC, the update adds support for AMD FSR 3.1, Intel XeSS 2.0, and HDR 10 Plus. Support for AMD’s FSR 4 is being added, too, but you won’t be able to turn it on in-game until you’ve installed the driver that supports it, and that driver won’t be available until a “later date,” CDPR says.
The game will launch on Mac on Thursday, though you’ll need an Apple Silicon Mac with at least 16GB of unified memory to be able to play it. Cyberpunk 2077 was also a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, and Update 2.3 will come to the platform “at a later date.”
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is rumored to come with a larger cover screen.
Google officially has a date for its Pixel launch event: August 20th, 2025. In an invite sent on Wednesday, Google says the event will take place in New York City at 1PM ET, where the company will show off “the latest on our Pixel phones, watches, buds, and more.”
During the event, Google is expected to take the wraps off its new Pixel smartphone lineup, including the base Pixel 10, which is rumored to come with three cameras instead of two, along with an upgraded Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. Google may also reveal a completely dustproof Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
As for its other devices, rumors suggest that Google’s Pixel Watch 4 could come with a larger battery and a slightly thicker profile. There haven’t been as many details leaked about Google’s plans for its Pixel Buds, but some reports claim the company is getting ready to launch another pair of budget-friendly Pixel Buds 2a.
Google will likely stream next month’s event live on YouTube.
Insta360’s first major firmware update for its new 360-degree action camera delivers a lot of improvements. | Image: Insta360
It’s been less than three months since Insta360 released its X5 360-degree action camera, but the company is already introducing new accessories and a major firmware update. Improvements include a new AdaptiveTone feature delivering “better color and detail in both bright and dark areas” when filming with both lenses, and a larger battery you can swap in that boosts recording time to just under four hours.
AdaptiveTone is the most compelling reason to install the free update. It addresses the challenges of adjusting and balancing exposure on dual lens cameras when both are potentially capturing scenes with different lighting conditions. The new feature records ”more comprehensive lighting information from the environment” for each lens, which the company says is then used in post-processing to adjust the exposure of footage and deliver more “natural-looking results” based on the perspective, angle, or specific footage you choose to export.
The update also makes the X5’s PureVideo mode, designed to reduce the noise in footage captured in low-light conditions using AI and “dynamic range optimization,” available when shooting with just a single lens. To better deal with bright lighting conditions where creators want to use slower shutter speeds to capture motion blur, Insta360 is also introducing three neutral density filters (ND16, ND32, and ND64 all priced at $59.99 each) that can be attached using the X5’s user-replaceable lens system.
The X5’s battery life is getting a boost with Endurance Mode now available while shooting in 8K/30 fps mode to extend recording time to just under two hours. Dropping the camera’s resolution to 5.7K/24 fps also increases the camera’s runtime from 185 to 208 minutes, but if that’s still not enough a new $49.99 2,800mAh Ultra Battery is about 17 percent larger than the X5’s standard 2,400mAh power pack.
Insta360 has even introduced a handful of upgrades designed for motorcyclists. Immersive Shake Stabilization will smooth out footage while still preserving a bit of natural shake to impart a feeling of speed, and the X5 can now automatically blur and obscure license plates. There’s also a new $159.99 remote control accessory that can be strapped to a bike’s handlebars or worn like a watch that features an LCD live preview screen, GPS data like speed and direction, and a built-in noise canceling microphone with a wind screen.
Google’s AI can check pricing and availability at pet groomers, auto shops, dry cleaners, and more. | Image: Google
Google will now let everyone in the US call local businesses using AI. The feature, which is now available in Search, allows you to use AI for pricing or availability information without having to talk on the phone.
Google first started testing this feature in January, and it’s still only available for certain kinds of businesses, like pet groomers, dry cleaners, and auto shops. When you search for one of these services, like a pet groomer, Google will display a new “have AI check pricing” prompt beneath the business listing.
Google will then ask you for more information about your request, such as what kind of pet you have, its breed, and the types of services that you need. It will also ask when you need the service and how you want to receive updates, such as email or text. This feature might prove popular among those younger users, whom studies have shown struggle with making phone calls.
Robby Stein, Google Search’s vice president of product, notes that the company’s Duplex model leverages Gemini to make calls. “Gemini, with Duplex tech, will be able to make calls on your behalf,” Stein tells The Verge, adding that the calling tool will “announce itself as an AI from Google trying to get information on behalf of a customer and get your info and details conveyed so that you don’t have to spend all of this time doing this.” After the AI gets the information it needs, it will provide an update over text about available times or prices.
Business owners can opt out of receiving AI calls in their profile settings on Google. Though this feature is now generally available, Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers will receive “higher limits” that allow them to use the feature more.
In addition to widely rolling out its agentic calling tool, Google has also started testing its more advanced Gemini 2.5 Pro in AI Mode, the AI-powered search tool that Google brought to everyone in the US in May. AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers who have opted into the AI Mode experiment in Labs can now choose Gemini 2.5 Pro, which Stein says works “particularly great for advanced reasoning, math, and code.” AI Mode uses a custom Gemini 2.0 series model by default.
Google is experimenting with putting its Deep Search feature in AI Mode, as well, allowing users to have AI Mode craft in-depth reports about a query. “The model is actually reasoning and thinking of questions to ask and Google searches to perform,” Stein says. “As it’s constructing the response, it will actually check its work and issue further questions in this kind of multi-step reasoning chain.” This feature will also be available to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in Google Labs.
Tesla is continuing to tweak its best-selling EVs in China in the hopes that it can boost its sales amid rising competition from BYD and other domestic manufacturers.
Tesla applied for a new sales license with China’s Ministry of Information Technology for a longer range Model 3 Plus sedan. Likewise, it applied for a license for the Model YL, a longer version of the electric SUV with three rows of seats. The licenses were first reported in CarNewsChina.
The Model YL, which will be available in China this fall, has six seats and is 7 inches longer and over an inch taller than the current Model Y. In addition to the longer wheelbase, the Model YL has new wheels, new seats, a modified rear, and a new spoiler. Tesla sells the Model Y with an optional third row in the US, but with very limited legroom.
The new EV is all-wheel drive with dual motors, one located on the front axle producing 142 kW and a second in the rear with 198 kW, providing a combined peak power of 340 kW (456 hp). Top speed is 201 km/h (125 mph).
According to Electrek, the more expansive Model YL could be seen as a response to a slew of new three-row EVs that were recently introduced in China, including NIO’s Onvo L90, which starts at the equivalent of USD $39,000. The Model YL is expected to start at over USD $50,000, which may make it a tougher sell for Tesla. Indeed, a long-gestating price war between Tesla, BYD, Xiaomi, and others is driving Western automakers out of China’s lucrative market.
Meanwhile, the new Model 3 Plus features a single motor on the rear axel and an LG-supplied NMC (nickel cobalt manganese) battery, which are typically more expensive chemistry that’s only available on the automaker’s all-wheel drive Long-range or performance versions. According to CarNewsChina, Tesla currently offers three versions of the Model 3 sedan in China: RWD, Long Range AWD, and Performance AWD.
With its higher capacity NMC battery, the Model 3 Plus is expected to have a longer range than the other versions of the electric sedan — although Tesla didn’t disclose any numbers in its filings.
Tesla’s new variants are clearly a shot across the bow of China’s domestic automakers, which have been eating Elon Musk’s lunch for quite a while now. The EV price war is getting so intense that China’s government is starting to worry that all the “irrational competition” will inevitably harm the country’s economy, according to Bloomberg.
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have a real look at the end of Stranger Things. Netflix just released the first teaser trailer for the show’s fifth season, which will also be its last when it starts streaming later this year. As was alluded to in the finale of season 4, the new trailer — which, despite being called a teaser, clocks in at nearly three minutes long — is focused on the major showdown with Vecna that will presumably end the string of supernatural bad luck in Hawkins, Indiana for good.
Here’s the official setup for the finale, according to Netflix:
The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.
OnePlus’ new USB-C charging cable can deliver power to two devices simultaneously. | Image: OnePlus
OnePlus announced a new USB-C charging cable that does more than just pass power and data from one device to another. The OnePlus 2-in-1 Supervooc Cable features an inline pogo pin connector that can be used to charge the company’s OnePlus Watch 3, Watch 2, and Watch 2R smartwatches while also charging a connected smartphone. It’s a more convenient solution for travelers and can help reduce desk clutter by eliminating at least one redundant charging cable.
It’s available now through OnePlus’ online store for $29.99 and comes in a single length that’s just over 47 inches long. It’s the same price as the OnePlus Watch Charging Base that doesn’t actually come with a USB-C cable, potentially making the new 2-in-1 solution an even better deal.
The 2-in-1 Supervooc Cable can deliver up to 80W of power when connected to a single device like a laptop or smartphone. With a smartwatch attached power delivery is split between the two with up to 10W going to the wearable and up to 67W going to what’s ever connected over USB-C.
The charging cable’s functionality is similar to the Universal Cable for Apple Watch that Nomad released earlier this year. That cable features an inline magnetic Apple Watch charger on one end and a much steeper $100 price tag. But instead of accusing OnePlus of stealing Nomad’s idea, we should be encouraging other cable makers to follow suit. Assuming it’s technically feasible, a multifunction USB-C charging cable with an inline wireless charging puck would be incredibly useful.
In past Donkey Kong games, like Tropical Freeze or DKC Returns, I would often find myself stuck against a particularly challenging platforming sequence. And there wasn't much I could do. If I wanted to progress, I had to nail those jumps or avoid those spikes to move on. Donkey Kong Bananza, on the other hand, offers a different tactic: smash some shit up. While the game is a 3D platformer, it also introduces destructive gameplay that lets you find new solutions or pathways just by smashing up the world around you. It perfectly suits the character, and also builds on a design trend Nintendo has steadily been pushing on for years now. In some …
Razer is launching a new $350 external graphics enclosure that can boost the visual performance of gaming laptops or handhelds, provided you make a few other investments. The Razer Core X V2 is the first of Razer’s Core X eGPU chassis lineup to support the faster Thunderbolt 5 connectivity standard, providing a single cable that provides up to 140W of power to connected host devices.
Some generational upgrades provided by the Core X V2 include support for larger four-slot AMD and Nvidia GPUs, and backwards compatibility with Thunderbolt 4. Laptops equipped with Thunderbolt 5 are still pretty rare, but the Core X V2 should theoretically support bandwidth speeds of up to 80 Gbps for devices that can make use of it.
Aside from a 120mm cooling fan, that single Thunderbolt 5 cable is the only other accessory, however. That means customers will not only need to purchase a compatible desktop graphics card (which can get pricey for the more powerful models), but also a standard ATX power supply that meets their GPU requirements in addition to the 230W for the Core X V2 itself.
Previous Razer Core enclosure models, like the $399 Core X Chroma, came with a pre-installed power supply. The change perhaps offers more flexibility for GPUs with lofty power requirements, but for everyone else, it’s just an additional expense.
The Razer Core X V2 also loses the integrated USB and Ethernet ports provided by its predecessors. Users who need more connectivity for peripherals will therefore also need to buy a compatible Thunderbolt 5 dock — just like the $390 one that Razer conveniently announced alongside the Core X V2.
The Thunderbolt 5 Dock is currently available to buy on Razer’s website. The Core X V2 is also listed, but isn’t on sale yet. We have asked Razer to share when the eGPU will be available to purchase.
Knox Morris stands onstage, stares out into the depths of the famed 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, and raises his arms to the heavens. The backing track to his song, a synth-heavy pop-punk number called "Going, Going, Gone," begins to play at an absolutely deafening volume. Morris grins through the first few staccato bars of the track, arms still up, then grabs the mic and starts to sing. In only 12 hours, Knox will perform this song for more than a thousand people, on the opening night of his first headlining tour - and yet somehow this is the first time he's heard his own album at concert volume.
