Ring’s Flock breakup doesn’t fix its real problem
The most striking thing about Ring’s statement that it had parted ways with Flock Safety is what the home security company didn’t say. There was no mention of the public backlash around ties to ICE, or any promise to address users’ concerns about the company’s relationships with law enforcement. In an increasingly authoritarian political […]
How to un-Big Tech your online life
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 116, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy National Ferris Wheel Day to all those who celebrate, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about Letterboxd and […]
Anker’s USB-C cable that lets you charge two gadgets at once is 20 percent off
Monday, February 16th, is Presidents Day, and there are plenty of good deals happening on tech in the run-up to the holiday. Even if you don’t snag any huge upgrades, though, you likely already own multiple gadgets that you need to recharge each and every day. It would sure be nice to be able […]
Returning stolen artifacts becomes a thrilling heist in Relooted
Colonialism is not merely about occupying nations. It’s a project of mass violence, part of which involves total erasure and the widespread theft of some of the most culturally significant artifacts in the world. Even today, colonizing nations proudly display stolen artifacts, acting as peacocking robbers under the guise of tourism. See, for example, […]
The DJI Romo robovac had security so poor, this man remotely accessed thousands of them
The DJI Romo robot vacuum in its translucent dock. | Image: DJI Sammy Azdoufal claims he wasn’t trying to hack every robot vacuum in the world. He just wanted to remote control his brand-new DJI Romo vacuum with a PS5 gamepad, he tells The Verge, because it sounded fun. But when his homegrown remote […]
DJI’s first robovac is an autonomous cleaning drone you can’t trust
It’s been eight years since I last reviewed a robot vacuum. Having spent the last two months with a new flagship, I’m shocked by how much they’ve advanced from early bump-and-run models. In October, DJI launched its very first robovacs in Europe. I’ve been testing the top-of-the-line Romo P model, which doesn’t yet have […]
