Technology

Filed under: p>span:first-child]:text-gray-13 [&_.duet–article-byline-and]:text-gray-13″> By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Share this story In late September, Automattic CEO and WordPress cofounder Matt Mullenweg started a public dispute with the hosting provider WP Engine, calling the company “a cancer to WordPress.” He accused WP Engine of not contributing enough to the WordPress ecosystem and profiting off of trademark confusion. As a result, WP Engine was blocked from accessing WordPress.org’s servers. Automattic has since sent a cease and desist order to WP Engine to stop it from using its trademarks, while WP Engine has followed up with a lawsu...

/ Following a wave of criticism, free Panels users can download full-res wallpapers, too.

/ The fledgling Fortnite ecosystem continues to grow with a trio of adaptations. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Hasbro Epic is trying to turn Fortnite into an ecosystem of games and has enticed the likes of Lego to build experiences for the platform. Now, Hasbro is jumping in as well, with plans to create Fortnite adaptations of its most popular board games. The first is called Murder Mystery: Clue, and it’s available today. It’s not exactly a board game (see the screenshot above) but, rather, a reimagining in the form of a multiplayer murder mystery that takes place over ...

/ On The Vergecast: what AI companions are really for, all-knowing smart glasses, and the sordid history of DirecTV and Dish. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge The new Microsoft Copilot is a big departure. It shed some of its Bing-y styling and increasingly corporate vibes in favor of something warmer and friendlier, all in an effort to be more than just a work tool. It might just be a website redesign, but it feels like a shift in how Microsoft perceives the future of AI assistants. On this episode of The Vergecast, we try to make sense of that future...

/ Ford’s 2025 Expedition runs the new Digital Experience infotainment system like new Lincoln models but without the pillar-to-pillar panoramic display. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Ford Ford is launching a redesigned version of the largest SUV in its lineup, now including Ford’s brand-new Digital Experience infotainment system. The 2025 Expedition is the second Ford to get the Android Automotive-based system after the new Explorer, but the new SUV’s dashboard and UI look like a chopped-down version of the giant panoramic display first introduced in the 2024 Lincoln Naut...

/ A tentative agreement on wages has ended the three-day strike while negotiations continue. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Many ports along the East and Gulf coasts were shut down, threatening the country’s supply chains, after unionized port workers went on strike on Tuesday. But those workers will return to work after reaching a tentative agreement on wages with the group representing port employers. As part of the agreement on wages, the United States Maritime Alliance has offered to up wages by 62 percent over a six-year contract, The Ne...

/ iPadOS 18 is available for M4 iPad Pros again, too. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Apple has just released iOS 18.0.1, the first official update for iOS 18, and it includes a handful of bug fixes that particularly benefit the iPhone 16 lineup. And after yanking iPadOS 18 just a day after it came out in September for bricking some M4 iPad Pros, Apple has released iPadOS 18.0.1, and it’s available for those M4 iPads, MacRumors reports. According to the patch notes, the update addresses the issue of iPhone 16 and 16 Pro touchscreens beco...

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is the latest in the long-running 4X strategy franchise that first debuted in 1991 on MS-DOS. The new turn-based game from Firaxis Games and the titular, legendary designer is set to release on PC and modern consoles in on February 11th, 2025 — over eight years after the last installment. Civ VII promises to expand the scope of how players can write their own historical fantasy, offering the freedom to mix and match civilizations with different historical figures, such as Hatshepsut reigning over the Roman empire in the Age of Exploration. It’s the kind of game that easily consumes hundreds of hours of playtime, constantly offering new and unexpected ways to engage with its deep city-building systems. Our own Ash Parrish details in her hands-on impressions how ...

Journalist Jason Schreier discusses his new book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. By Nick Statt, a Senior Producer on Decoder. Previously, he wrote about technology and gaming for Naavik, Protocol, and The Verge. Share this story *:last-child>*:last-child]:mb-0″> Listen to Decoder, a show hosted by The Verge’s Nilay Patel about big ideas — and other problems. Subscribe here! The state of California filed a massive sexism and discrimination lawsuit against Activision Blizzard in 2021, a moment that would change the course of the company and precipitate its sale to Microsoft’s Xbox division the following year. (Activision Blizzard and California settled the suit in 2023, shortly after the Microsoft deal closed.) There’s a lot going on here. An...

A revolving set of tech, together with some great family art. David Pierce is The Verge’s editor-at-large. What is an editor-at-large? It means, he says, “well, nothing. I write stories and make podcasts, and I write a newsletter called Installer, but mostly, I spend a lot of time trying to convince people to like to-do list apps as much as I do.” We asked him to tell us a bit about his workspace. It looks like you’ve set up your office in a basement rec room.  Yeah, it’s a basement / office / guest room / storage closet / play area / designated dog sleeping spot, all in one. I used to have a more office-y office in our house, but then we had a kid, so now that’s my wife’s office — I got shunted to the basement because I don’t mind how cold it is down here all the time. Whenever ...

/ Amazon warned customers three years ago — in a very shady way. a]:text-gray-13″>If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Price hike.a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>“Don’t worry, everything else is staying the same.”a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:ho...