The Verge·Wednesday, December 24, 2025

The Verge - Wednesday, December 24, 2025

10 stories~15 min

Listen to this episode

Hear all 10 stories summarized and read aloud.

▶Play on Tera.fm

Stories Covered

Anker’s beefy Laptop Power Bank has returned to its Black Friday low

As you might expect, things have been relatively quiet on the deals front since Black Friday, particularly when it comes to discounts on charging accessories. Thankfully, Anker’s aptly titled Laptop Power Bank is once again on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $87.99 ($47 off), which matches the record-low price we last saw at the end of November. Anker Laptop Power Bank Where to Buy: $119.99 $87.99 at Amazon $119.99 $89.99 at Best Buy $119.99 $87.99 at Walmart Unless you’ve been living under

Read original →

Sony’s souped-up PlayStation 5 Pro is $100 off for the rest of today

Sony’s full suite of PlayStation 5 consoles jumped in price in August due to increased US tariffs, but now through Christmas, you can save $100 on several models. This discount is especially great if you planned to go big with Sony’s PS5 Pro, the company’s priciest, most powerful console yet. Normally $749.99, you can currently grab one at Amazon, Walmart, and Target for around $689.99. Sony’s PlayStation Direct storefront indicates that the PS5 Pro sale ends on December 25th at 3AM ET, although

Read original →

The best shows and movies to stream on Netflix in 2025

Netflix has had an interesting year. Its ad tier, introduced last year, has grown significantly, and its live TV initiative has expanded to include not only weird one-offs like hot-dog-eating grudge matches but also WWE programming. Taking KPop Demon Hunters off Sony's hands for the business equivalent of $200 in a potato chip bag also turned out to be a pretty smart move for Netflix. The animated feature about, well, demon-hunting K-pop stars, became the most watched movie in the platform's his

Read original →

In 2025, AI became a lightning rod for gamers and developers

2025 was the year generative AI made its presence felt in the video game industry. Its use has been discovered in some of the most popular games of the year, and CEOs from some of the largest game studios claim it's being implemented everywhere in the industry including in their own development processes. Meanwhile, rank-and-file developers, especially in the indie games space, are pushing back against its encroachment, coming up with ways to signal their games are gen-AI free. Generative AI has

Read original →

The Pluribus finale showed there’s a lot more to the story

It's a good thing that we already know a second season of Pluribus is on the way. Because the season finale for the show - a sci-fi drama on Apple TV, helmed by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan - made it clear that things are just getting started. The episode brought together a number of significant threads but, more importantly, opened up potentially explosive (literally) new lines of inquiry for what comes next. Spoiler to follow for the first season of Pluribus. First, a little reminder of

Read original →

Trump administration bars former EU official and anti-disinformation and hate researchers from US

Thierry Breton, former EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, speaks at the event "Economic Transformation, Net-Zero Valley and Digitalization" in May 2024. On Tuesday, the Trump Administration followed through on a threat of retaliation targeting foreigners who are involved in content moderation. The State Department announced sanctions barring US access for former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, as well as four researchers, while issuing an intentionally chilling threat to others,

Read original →

Apple is going to allow third-party app stores in Brazil, too

Apple is set to allow third-party app stores on iOS in Brazil next year after settling with the country's competition watchdog in a legal battle dating back to 2022, as reported by 9to5Mac. According to a machine translation of a press release from the Brazilian regulator CADE, it has approved a Term of Commitment to Termination (TCC) made by Apple that obligates the company to allow third-party app stores and let developers use external payment systems. Warnings about third-party app stores an

Read original →

The Pixel 10, our favorite Android phone, is nearly 50 percent off right now

If you’re in the market for a new Android smartphone — or on the hunt for a solid last-minute gift — Google’s Pixel 10 is a great place to look. We consider it the best Android phone you can buy, and right now, you can grab it at Amazon starting at $449 ($350 off) when you use promo code PIXEL10, which drops Google’s entry-level flagship to its lowest price to date. If you prefer a better cameras or a bigger screen, Amazon is also offering the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL for $649 ($350

Read original →

We found 30 great gifts that are on sale and will arrive in time for Christmas

The CMF Buds 2A are currently on sale starting at just $19.99, making them a great stocking stuffer. You don’t need to deal with long mall lines or crowded parking lots just to wrap up your holiday shopping, but you probably already knew this. Some of the best deals are online, and even though Christmas is now a day or two away, a lot of Verge-approved gifts should still arrive on time if you order them online. You may have to pay expedited shipping in some instances; however, retailers like A

Read original →

Samsung’s 2026 gaming monitors promise 6K, 3D, and up to 1,040Hz

Samsung is breaking new ground with its 2026 lineup of gaming monitors, with the Odyssey 3D G90XH becoming the first to feature a 6K display with "glasses-free 3D." The new monitor comes with a 32-inch IPS panel, offering real-time eye-tracking that "adjusts depth and perspective" based on your position, along with a speedy 165Hz refresh rate that you can boost to 330Hz with a Dual Mode feature that switches to 3K. The 2026 Odyssey 3D is an upgrade to the display Samsung revealed during CES last

Read original →