As the back-to-school season approaches quickly, especially for college students heading back to campus soon, preparation is key for success inside and outside the classroom. The Verge has curated a list of dorm-friendly essentials and tech upgrades to help students from high school to college. Highlights include Apple's AirPods 4 and Roku's latest smart TV, perfect for enhancing the student living experience and study environment.
The Fujifilm X-E5 introduces a beautifully refined design while maintaining its familiar feel. Known for being a compact powerhouse, the X-E5 stands out with its sleek, sharp-edged body and elegant button layout. Originally viewed as a budget-friendly alternative, it now commands a price of $1,699, reflecting its enhanced features and premium build. This marks a notable evolution for the X-E line, blending class and functionality in a petite frame. Despite being new to the X-E series, users will appreciate the blend of familiarity and modern flair in this model.
GPD's upcoming handheld, the Win 5, promises to be the most powerful yet, featuring the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip with AMD's top integrated graphics in a PlayStation Vita-like design. To accommodate this high-performance chip, the Win 5 will not include an internal battery. Instead, it can be powered by an 180W wall charger or an optional 80 watt-hour external battery "backpack" sold separately. The Win 5 sports a 7-inch screen, is larger and thicker than its predecessor Win 4, and even rivals the Asus ROG Ally X in size. The external battery pack adds noticeable bulk and may connect via a dedicated cable. Additional features include a 120Hz variable refresh rate screen, configurations with up to 128GB unified memory, USB-4 with 100W charging and 8K output, advanced cooling with two fans and four heat pipes, and an optional dock with HDMI and USB ports. Notably, it lacks the integrated sliding keyboard found in earlier Win models. The Win 5 is set to debut at Chinajoy 2025.
When new employees join Weta Workshop, they are taken to a conference room adorned with five Oscars, four of which were won for their work on Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films. New hires can hold an Oscar, but this comes with a superstition that it curses them from ever winning one themselves, so few accept. While Weta Workshop has a prestigious history in film, its fledgling Game Studio is still striving to reach the same level of recognition.
The OnePlus Nord 5 stays true to the Nord series' promise of offering robust specifications at an affordable price. It stands out as one of the most powerful smartphones within its price range, outperforming pricier models from Samsung and Google. Prioritizing function over form, the phone emphasizes a high-performance processor and extended battery life—features crucial in midrange smartphones. However, the Nord 5 faces competition from other midrange devices available in Europe and India, which offer even faster processors and larger displays. Notably, the Nord 5 is not available in the US market.
Point-and-click adventure games are typically light and humorous, like the Monkey Island series featuring the pirate Guybrush Threepwood. However, The Drifter from Powerhoof takes a different approach by delivering a dark, twist-filled thriller. The game’s format, usually used for humor, is cleverly used here to immerse players in a gripping story. In The Drifter, you play as Mick Carter, a stowaway on a train, unfolding a suspenseful narrative that captivates like a novel.
The MAGA influencer network, while defending Donald Trump against serious accusations, has traditionally used whataboutism, pointing fingers at Democrats as equally or more guilty. This approach persists amid the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, with a new twist emerging as the MAGA community increasingly blames Democrats, not Trump, for withholding the "Epstein Files." Despite Trump having the power to release these documents, he has been inactive recently regarding their publication.
As summer winds down, it's time to gear up for the school year by choosing the perfect laptop. With so many options available, it can be tough to find a balance between cost, performance, and longevity. Start by deciding the operating system based on preference or school requirements, then invest in the best specs you can afford. Look for laptops with at least 16GB RAM and 512GB storage for durability over four years, prioritizing RAM when on a budget. Recommended picks range from Apple's MacBook Air and Pro models for general use and content creation, to Framework laptops for modular upgradeability. Microsoft Surface devices offer great battery life with some app compatibility considerations, while various Chromebooks provide excellent choices under different budgets and needs. For those wanting larger or gaming laptops, options like Asus Zenbook S 16 and Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 deliver power and portability. These selections cover students from young learners to college creatives, ensuring reliable performance throughout the academic journey.
This week offers insights into Google's robust position in the tech industry, with Meta appointing a new chief AI researcher among other updates. Following Google's I/O conference in May, executives express strong confidence in their strategy. Contrary to concerns, ChatGPT is not rendering Google Search obsolete; rather, AI advancements seem to be enhancing Google's services. Additionally, there's an engaging discussion on the future of deepfakes in the latest Decoder episode. Users are also invited to share their experiences with AI coding tools like Cursor or GitHub Copilot.
DJI has largely disappeared from U.S. retail shelves, likely due to an unofficial ban at U.S. customs. Meanwhile, the SkyRover X1, a drone nearly identical to the DJI Mini 4 Pro, is available on Amazon for $758. Security experts suspect DJI is behind the SkyRover X1's creation as a workaround to the U.S. ban, a claim DJI neither confirmed nor denied when contacted. The drone shares the same specifications, features, and app as DJI's Mini 4 Pro, suggesting a close connection between the two.