Tech Talk

If you've got an old gadget you love to use even though it's a struggle because of its age, then using one of the best power banks might help you extend its lifespan. This is something I discovered when trying to eke extra mileage from my iPad Pro 12.9 , because while I still like using it for creative and professional tasks, several years of intensive use has made it hard to rely on for stints of work. That is, until I employed a portable charger to help me improve the way it works. Taking a battery-ing The thing that most affects a gadget over time is its battery life ⁠— constant cycles of discharging and recharging can greatly reduce its power capacity, meaning it lasts less and less time while unplugged. You might not notice it from day-to-day use, but over several years of use, the power drain will become noticeable. If you've got an old iPhone that seems to burn through the battery percentages, you'll know what I mean. I used to take my iPad for days out w

We've been covering Google Pixel Watch rumors for years now, but it seems that the smartwatch is finally about to see the light of day: Google just filed a trademark application for the Pixel Watch name. As reported by 9to5Google , the trademark filing doesn't really tell us too much apart from the name of the long-awaited wearable. The documents submitted by Google to the United States Patent and Trademark Office are described as relating to smartwatches and smartwatch accessories. It's another sign that the device is going to be unveiled in the not-too-distant future. Earlier leaks have suggested that the wearable might be announced in May, although we've also heard that it might not go on sale until October. Set your watches We've certainly got a decent idea of what to expect from the Google Pixel Watch at this stage. It looks as though the smartwatch will have a sleek, rounded design , and there might be a physical crown button on the wearable as well.

After a groundswell of complaints from customers and reviewers alike, it looks like there might be a fix coming for the ridiculously loud fans on the Steam Deck , courtesy of iFixit. Since its launch in late February, some Steam Deck owners have complained about the high-pitched whirring of the handheld's fans, with some finding it especially bothersome like our colleagues over at PC Gamer – though our own Matt Hanson wasn't especially bothered by the noise. Hi! We are planning on selling the replacement fans, and we've been looking into which ones we'll have available. April 18, 2022 See more The difficulty seems to be availability of the 50mm x 10mm 5V fan, which might have some inconsistent performance since there aren't a whole lot of those in supply chains, and Valve has been looking at different fans to address the issue. Fortunately, iFixit is on the case. The online self-repair clearinghouse has partnered with Valve to provide support for fixing

You can save $150 on the AirPods Max. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge With more people working from home than they used to, owning a good pair of noise-canceling headphones has become more appealing than ever. However, they can be expensive and difficult to shop for due to the range of available models, many of which cater to different lifestyles and priorities. Some are better suited for long-haul flights, for instance, while others are ideal for multitasking and marathon listening sessions. That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best deals on noise-canceling headphones. Here, you’ll find sales on all kinds of on-ear and over-ear headphones, all of which are designed to eliminate outside noise but come with their own strengths and weaknesses. And if you want to do even more research before making a buying decision, we’ve put together a guide to the best noise-canceling headphones , which can help you determine which is right for you. Bose QuietComfort 45 deals Ph

It looks like the next Sonos product due out this year is the new Sonos S36 Soundbar - a budget soundbar that’s smaller than the Sonos Beam and could cost $250 (around £190, AU$340). Information about the soundbar was delivered to The Verge confidentially, which was then disseminated to the public. We’ve reached out to Sonos to confirm these reports but have yet to hear back.  According to the publication’s report, the soundbar will measure in at 550 x 69 x 100mm (WxDxH) and looks like it will contain just two front-facing drivers. That will mean the new budget soundbar won’t be capable of Dolby Atmos audio but, according to The Verge, it could be used to add up-firing speakers to another Sonos soundbar to create a more immersive experience. Unlike the larger Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam soundbars, the S36 doesn’t have an HDMI port on it and instead uses digital optical audio, however it seems like it will be compatible with Sonos One speakers, allowing you to build a surround sound

Dieter Bohn / The Verge My favorite kind of software update is the kind that unlocks secret hardware features, and the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack is the latest surprise — you’ll be able to cordlessly charge an iPhone at a faster 7.5 watts instead of the original 5 watts, once you apply firmware update 2.7 (via 9to5Mac ). You can wait for an update over the air, or plug a Lightning to USB cable from the pack to a connected Mac or iPad to get the fix, and then you’re off to the races, as they say. But if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t install the update quite yet — I might wait until we hear back from Apple (or reviewers) on whether it’ll affect how warm the battery gets. You see, I bought a MagSafe Battery Pack myself last year for my iPhone mini , but I returned the pack pretty quick. As I’ve written , the Mini-MagSafe combo felt uncomfortably warm without a case — but with a case, the MagSafe Battery Pack felt a bit too loose and tended to slide around while I held it. (Yes, I w

Lexus’ first ever electric vehicle is the RZ 450e SUV. | Image: Lexus Lexus gave us a glimpse at the 2023 RZ 450e today: an all-electric SUV with an estimated 225-mile range and a 71.4kWh battery. The company’s first-ever electric vehicle (EV) will also come with Direct4. That’s its new all-wheel-drive system that automatically calibrates weight distribution on all four wheels, leading to “improved start-up acceleration, handling stability and low power consumption.” On the inside of the vehicle is a sleek interior with a 14-inch touchscreen and a panoramic sunroof that extends from the front seats to the back. As for a steering yoke, which my colleague Andrew Hawkins lamented about in a previous post, that’s optional. Image: Lexus The steering yoke will be optional. Lexus included an image of the yoke in its initial tease of the car, but Lexus spokesperson Amanda Roark confirmed to The Verge that Lexus will sell the vehicle in the US for one year with a standard wheel. Af