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PC makers are not ready for the MacBook Neo

Apple’s new affordable MacBook should have the Windows world rethinking things.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Today’s Storystream

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Social media on trial

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Youtube
Andrew Liszewski
iFixit calls the Neo Apple’s “most repairable MacBook in 14 Years.”

Following Tech Re-Nu’s dissection, iFixit has shared its teardown of the MacBook Neo. While they still score it just a 6 out of 10 on their repairability scale because of soldered RAM and storage plus Apple’s use of pentalobe screws, iFixit was pleased to find they could swap modular components with another Neo without triggering macOS warnings.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

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Emma Roth
YouTube thumbnails just got an upgrade.

Creators can now upload video thumbnails up to 50MB instead of just 2MB, according to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. Bring on the hi-res YouTube Face.

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The Verge
Sheena Vasani
The AirTag 2 is now our favorite item tracker (for iPhone owners).

If you need a Bluetooth tracker to keep tabs on your stuff during spring break, we’ve updated our buying guide and crowned Apple’s new AirTag 2 as the best for iPhone owners. We’ve also got Android owners covered with recommendations like the latest Tile Pro, Pebblebee Clip 5, and more.

The best trackers for finding your stuff

Sheena Vasani and Victoria Song
MacBook Neo review: the Mac for the masses

9

Verge Score

iPhone chip, no problem.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto
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Danielle Steussy
We want your thoughts about gift links!

Gift links dropped a couple months ago. Have you shared one, opened one, ignored them or are wondering what the heck we’re even talking about? Answer a few Qs and tell us how they’re working for you.

Take our survey now

[Google Form]

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Gaby Del Valle
“Ope, the drones are back tonight.”

Minnesotans who are active in anti-ICE organizing say they’ve spotted drones in their neighborhoods — and in at least one instance, hovering right outside their houses — in recent weeks. The Department of Homeland Security won’t confirm whether the drones are theirs, but ICE has reportedly used license-plate readers and facial recognition technology to surveil activists in Minneapolis.

Lego Smart Brick review: My kids are not impressed

Lego’s tiny toy computer can fly higher than these first Star Wars sets.

Sean Hollister
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Cameron Faulkner
You can stop waiting for Xreal’s Switch 2-ready Neo dock because it’s not coming out.

The Xreal Neo video dock-meets-charger has been canceled. The company shared the news on Reddit, stating its decision was based on concerns about its “3rd party dock reliability” and “battery longevity.” Xreal owners hoping to play the Switch 2 through their glasses now have to rely on third-party products, like a battery dock from Viture, a company that Xreal recently sued for patent infringement.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

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Emma Roth
What is, a Jeopardy mobile game?

This spring, Peacock is bringing a new Jeopardy! game to its mobile app. It will feature daily trivia rounds straight from the Jeopardy! team, along with shareable scores and streak challenges.

Screenshots of the Jeopardy! mobile game
Image: NBCUniversal / Peacock
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Emma Roth
Canada gives TikTok the green light to continue operating in the country.

The decision reverses a 2024 order for TikTok to shut down its operations in the country, and comes after an agreement that TikTok will implement “enhanced protection” for Canadians’ personal information.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, which previously warned against using TikTok, said Canadians should “proceed cautiously” when joining new platforms and “conduct their own research on the type of data being collected,” CTV News reports.

PSA: Don’t buy a $4,400 gray market Samsung TriFold on eBay

Ask us how we know.

Allison Johnson
Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus review: This again

Samsung’s latest Galaxy S phones are going through the motions.

Dominic Preston
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Andrew J. Hawkins
Uber adds Motional to its stable of robotaxis.

Uber out here collecting robotaxi companies like they’re Pokémon! The majority Hyundai-owned Motional is operating a fleet of autonomous Ioniq 5s in Las Vegas. The arrangement is similar to Uber’s other AV partners: riders who indicate they’re interested in robotaxis may get matched with one of Motional’s vehicles.

The cars will have safety drivers behind the wheel, though perhaps not for long: Motional says it’ll remove them by the end of the year.

1/3Image: Uber
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Dominic Preston
Alexa, watch your language.

Amazon has expanded its Alexa Plus personality styles with a new “Sassy” option. The chili pepper icon hints at this Alexa’s “unfiltered personality,” but don’t worry, Amazon is keeping the spice mild, with only “occasional censored profanity.”

Chris K.:

Programming your robot to swear then programming it to censor its own swearing is something

Get the day’s best comment and more in my free newsletter, The Verge Daily.

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Jess Weatherbed
A time capsule for a Time Lord.

Two lost episodes from the third series of Doctor Who have been discovered in a private collection by film preservation trust Film is Fabulous! The six-decade-old episodes — titled “Nightmare Begins” and “Devil’s Planet” — have been restored from their original 16mm telerecordings by the BBC, and will be available on iPlayer.

Apple Studio Display XDR review: pro at a premium

8

Verge Score

Professionals will love the accurate and plentiful reference modes, but far better options exist for the rest of us.

John Higgins
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Robert Hart
Meta’s Avocado AI needs more time to ripen.

The company postponed its next AI model, codenamed Avocado, from this month until at least May, the NYT reports. Performance apparently falls short of rivals like Google.

Meta’s spent billions trying to catch up, and Avocado will be its first major release since hiring Scale’s Alexandr Wang to revamp its efforts.

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Jess Weatherbed
Google Fiber is spinning off into its own company.

The GFiber unit is combining with Astound Broadband to form a new independent fiber provider. Google will hold a minority stake, with the majority owned by investment firm Stonepeak. GFiber CEO Dinni Jain said the partnership “is the next step in our decade-long mission to redefine what customers can expect from their internet provider.”

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Jess Weatherbed
This website revives Newgrounds animations as a roulette.

“Newgrounds used to get 3,000 flash animations a year, most are forgotten,” Newgrounds Roulette creator Mike Wing said on X. “So I made a site that shuffles through them.”

It’s a fun and nostalgic way to waste a few minutes, but just remember — these randomized animations came from Newgrounds in the 2000s and may not be safe for work.

A screenshot taken of Newgrounds Roulette.
The first few randomizations took me right back to my childhood (when I certainly shouldn’t have been watching at least some of the animations posted on Newgrounds).
Image: @immike_wing
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TC Sottek
Xbox parrot alert.

Parrots have legendary intelligence, but perhaps none like this exemplary Halo legend: a Congo African Grey rescue at the Alveus Sanctuary who can mimic Xbox noises. They can also dance to the classic Halo theme song. The sanctuary doesn’t know the bird’s name or gender yet, but may I suggest… “Master Cheep?”

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Sheena Vasani
Prime Day is moving up.

Amazon will hold its annual Prime Day event in June instead of July this year, according to a recent report from Bloomberg. Sources told the outlet the sale will take place in “late June,” though Amazon has yet to confirm the exact timing of its multi-day shopping event.

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Richard Lawler
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen is stepping down after 18 years.

Narayen told investors today that AI-first products “should be our next billion-dollar business,” and that he will leave the role he’s held since 2007 once the board names a successor. He’s overseen its Creative Cloud rollout, big bets on the future of AI, and its abandoned $20 billion attempt to acquire Figma.

Narayen:

The next era of creativity is being written right now — shaped by AI, by new workflows and by entirely new forms of expression. Adobe has never waited for the future to arrive. We’ve anticipated it. We’ve built it. And we’ve led it.

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Emma Roth
The CBP says it’s making progress on its tariff refund system.

In a court filing, US Customs and Border Protection official Brandon Lord says parts of the agency’s new refund processing system are currently 40 to 80 percent complete. According to Lord, the CBP will begin “performance testing in the next few weeks.”

The CBP previously estimated that the system would be done in April, as its existing tech wasn’t equipped to handle $166 billion in refunds.

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Richard Lawler
Amazon’s “sassy” personality style for Alexa Plus has a lot of warning labels.

Brief, Sweet, and Chill options launched in January for Alexa Plus, and now there’s also Sassy, an “unfiltered personality with razor-sharp wit, playful sarcasm, and occasional censored profanity.”

The clever comebacks-equipped voice is adults-only and requires additional verification checks, but it’s no Microsoft Tay, M3gan, or AIA. Where the Sweet version leads with “I’m radiating pure joy,” this one suggests mayhem and being “ready to wreck some things together.”

Tiles showing the different personality options for Alexa Plus
Image: Alexa
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Terrence O'Brien
Tidal is taking on Bandcamp and allowing artists to sell music directly to fans.

People are tired of not owning anything, iPods are popular again, and Tidal is trying to cash in. You don’t need a subscription to buy songs, and the company is only taking a 10 percent cut, but there’s an extra service fee if you use Apple’s in-app payment system.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

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Andrew Liszewski
Ugreen’s crossbody phone strap doubles as a 4-foot long USB-C charging cable.

Crossbody phone straps may become even more popular now that they’re more functional. Ugreen’s alternative to Apple’s iPhone strap doubles as a 47-inch long USB-C charging cable with connectors that use a locking mechanism to securely connect to your phone. It’s currently available from Amazon in Germany for €19.99, or around $23, according to Appgefahren.de.

<em>There are Amazon listings for the lanyard in Italy and France, but </em>The Verge<em> has reached out to Ugreen to confirm US availability.</em>
<em>The cable’s USB-C connectors attach to the lanyard using a twist to lock mechanism to ensure your phone doesn’t fall.</em>
<em>The lanyard includes an adapter to securely connect to smartphones inside protective cases that include a cutout for their charging port.</em>
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There are Amazon listings for the lanyard in Italy and France, but The Verge has reached out to Ugreen to confirm US availability.
Image: Ugreen
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Sean Hollister
‘The era of bargain-priced PCs and tablets is behind us’: PC shipments expected to drop 11 percent.

IDC, Omdia, and Gartner agree: the PC market will shrink because of RAMaggedon. Respectively, they’re forecasting 11 percent, 12 percent, and 10 percent declines in 2026, far bigger than previously predicted.

“The sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028,” Gartner said in late February. Phones will drop similarly. And these forecasts don’t include the impacts of Trump’s war on Iran.

What it was like to watch grieving parents stare down Mark Zuckerberg in court

Parent advocates were determined to make their presence known to Meta’s CEO.

Lauren Feiner
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