Living with colorblindness is like facing constant, subtle challenges in a world designed for those who see colors differently. From struggling to identify cheap flight dates on Kayak's fare calendar to deciphering colored lights in airport parking garages, everyday situations become unexpectedly tricky. Simple tasks, like booking flights or parking, require extra effort, such as modifying colors on digital tools or relying on luck. Colorblindness can also limit career opportunities in fields that heavily depend on color recognition, highlighting the significant impact this condition can have on daily life and professional aspirations. Read the full story at The Verge.

On Thursday afternoon, numerous users experienced issues with smart home devices connected to Google Home/Nest and streaming on Spotify, receiving error messages or the inability to connect. The problem originated from a Google Cloud outage affecting global server locations starting around 1:51 PM ET, with partial resolution except for servers in the US central region. The disruption also caused error reports for services like Twitch, Snapchat, Shopify, Discord, and Cloudflare's network infrastructure. Google Cloud identified the root cause as an Identity and Access Management service issue and has applied mitigations, with ongoing recovery efforts. Core Cloudflare services remained unaffected despite some limited impact from Google Cloud's outage. Service recovery was expected to complete within an hour from the last update at 5 PM ET.

Bose has introduced the upgraded QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) wireless earbuds, featuring improved adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) that adjusts more smoothly to sudden noise changes. Available later this summer for $299 in black, white smoke, and deep plum, these earbuds enhance the original’s ear-shape personalized audio and ANC with a refined AI algorithm for more subtle ANC adjustments, especially during awareness mode. They also use hearing aid technology to improve call quality by minimizing background noise like wind. Battery life remains up to 24 hours with the charging case, now supporting wireless charging. New features include a wax-reducing guard for easier cleaning and an option to disable touch controls to avoid accidental inputs. Bose is also updating the SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker with USB-C charging, doubled battery life, and app compatibility, while launching a new premium portable Bluetooth speaker, SoundLink Plus, with a subwoofer, tweeter, 20-hour battery life, IP67 waterproof rating, and availability starting June 26th.

Father's Day is a special occasion to honor and appreciate the hard work and love dads bring to families and communities. As a new dad myself, I understand how much they deserve recognition. This year, why not show gratitude with a thoughtful gift? Whether your dad enjoys practical gadgets or unique items, The Verge staff has curated a diverse selection to suit all tastes. Highlights include tech favorites like fast-charging portable batteries and Sony's collapsible WH-1000XM6 headphones, as well as creative non-tech options such as Kurt Vonnegut's two-player board game and a mountable Lego van Gogh replica. The guide has been updated as of June 12th to include new picks like the Ninja Swirl and BioLite's Site Lights, ensuring you have the latest and most appealing choices for 2025. Contributor Brandon Widder also lent his expertise to this curated list. Discover the perfect gift to make this Father's Day truly memorable.

During the recent NBA Finals, betting platform Kalshi aired a $2,000 AI-generated commercial that captivated millions. The ad featured surreal AI-created scenes like an elderly man with a chihuahua, someone swimming in eggs, and an alien drinking beer, showcasing various betting options. Created by AI filmmaker PJ Accetturo using Google's text-to-video tool Veo 3, the commercial was developed over 2-3 days by generating hundreds of clips and editing them into a coherent ad, representing a 95% cost reduction compared to traditional ads. This marks a significant advancement in AI video technology, signaling a new era of AI-driven advertising soon to expand further.

Apple plans to launch the enhanced Siri, initially previewed at WWDC 2024, in spring 2026 with the release of iOS 26.4, Bloomberg reports. The upgraded Siri aims to understand personal context and perform actions based on on-screen content, but these features have been delayed due to development challenges. Apple’s SVP Greg Joswiak confirmed the release is expected sometime in 2026, possibly around March if previous iOS update trends hold. Originally, Apple intended to debut the upgraded Siri alongside the iPhone 16 lineup in fall, but significant delays pushed the launch to well after the phones’ release. At WWDC 2025, Apple introduced iOS 26 featuring a new Liquid Glass design and AI-powered capabilities such as live translation during calls and emoji-based Genmoji creation, marking continued innovation in Apple Intelligence.

President Donald Trump has warned of "very heavy force" against protesters at Saturday's US military parade in Washington, DC, raising alarms among privacy advocates about digital surveillance. Trump's remarks did not differentiate between peaceful and violent protesters, prompting concerns about free speech and safety. Organizers of nationwide "No Kings" protests are notably excluding DC to avoid drawing attention from the parade, which coincides with Trump's 79th birthday. Experts warn of the potential use of surveillance technologies like facial recognition, license plate readers, cell site simulators, and geofence warrants in monitoring protesters. These concerns highlight the need for protester vigilance around privacy and digital security.

Ebook readers offer a focused reading experience with features like adjustable frontlighting, waterproofing, and note-taking capabilities. After nearly a decade of hands-on testing with devices ranging from the Kindle Paperwhite to the Kobo Libra Colour, here are the best ebook readers suited for different needs. The Kindle Paperwhite is ideal for those invested in Amazon's ecosystem, offering a 7-inch 300ppi display, waterproofing, and warm white frontlight. Non-Amazon fans will prefer the Kobo Libra Colour, which supports color display, a stylus for notes, and various file formats including EPUB. For budget-conscious buyers, the base Kindle delivers essential features with a 6-inch screen and USB-C charging. Note-takers should consider the Kobo Elipsa 2E, which allows direct writing on pages, math equation solving, and Dropbox sync. Other notable devices include the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition for color e-paper enthusiasts and the Boox Palma 2, a smartphone-sized e-reader running Android. New releases like the Boox Go 7 and Go Color 7 Gen II continue to innovate with waterproofing, note-taking, and access to Android apps through Google Play. Pricing ranges generally from $109.99 to over $400 depending on features and capabilities.

Jeff Koons, renowned for his Balloon Dog sculptures worth millions, has collaborated with Lexon Design and The Broad museum to create functional versions of his iconic art pieces. Starting June 17th, you can preorder an 11-inch Balloon Dog Speaker and Balloon Dog Lamp from Lexon's website, each priced at $750. Made from high-quality translucent material, these limited-edition items reveal internal electronics. The speaker features six active drivers and four passive radiators for 360-degree high-fidelity sound, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and hands-free speakerphone capability. Pair two speakers for stereo sound at $1,500. The lamp contains nearly 400 LEDs, producing up to 200 lumens with color options from warm white to full spectrum. Lexon's Easy Sync technology lets you synchronize multiple lamps for coordinated lighting effects, perfect for filling a space with matching illumination. Shipping is expected in October 2025.

Apple is rolling out enhanced child safety features across its upcoming iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26 updates, launching this fall. Kids will need parental approval to text new phone numbers, with requests managed directly through the Messages app. Developers can integrate similar controls using Apple's new PermissionKit API. Parental controls will now also offer more nuanced age-appropriate protections for children aged 13 to 17, expanding beyond the existing safeguards for those under 13. Updates to the Communication Safety tool will detect and blur nudity in FaceTime and shared photo albums. The App Store will introduce more detailed age ratings, and apps can request a child's age range via a new Declared Age Range API, without revealing the exact birthdate. These changes come amid ongoing debates over app store age verification legislation in some US states.