Richard Lawler
Senior News Editor Richard Lawler joined The Verge as Senior News Editor in 2021 after several years covering news at Engadget. He's been a tech blogger since before the word was invented, and will never log off. richard.lawler@theverge.comTWITTER The Asus ROG Ally X is now available for $799. Can a Windows handheld beat Valve’s Steam Deck OLED? This sequel to last year’s ROG Ally answers with more storage, faster RAM, double the battery, and USB4. We’ll need more time for benchmarking and battery testing before we can publish our review, but if you can’t wait, it is available now from Asus and Best Buy. Note: If you buy something from these links, we might get affiliate revenue. Microsoft insists Game Pass isn’t ‘degraded,’ as the FTC claims. The FTC called Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass price hike “exactly the sort of consumer harm” it had predicted ahead of the company’s Activision-Blizzard buy. Microsoft’s response (PDF) claims that with included multiplayer and the upcoming day-and-date release of Call of Duty, the offering isn’t degraded at all. Screenshot: Re: Federal Trade Commission v. Microsoft Corp. No. 23-15992 (PDF) The CrowdStrike CEO’s latest apology. In a tweet and blog post, George Kurtz says: As this incident is resolved, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and the steps we’re taking to prevent anything like this from happening again. We are working on a technical update and root cause analysis that we will share with everyone as well. Other updates from CrowdStrike about Friday’s global IT misadventure warn about threat actors impersonating it in phishing attempts and other attacks or advise automated methods (PDF) to track down systems that have been affected. State and city governments are recovering from the CrowdStrike outage. The State of Connecticut DMV reported a return to normal services this afternoon, while CyberScoop points out some of the other entities that have reported issues to varying degrees in NYC, Ohio, Pennsylvania — you name it. Oh good, the SEC is also aware of the CrowdStrike problem. That should just about cover the various federal agencies looking into this global problem, right? Even if it took them...12 hours to mention it, although maybe their systems were down too? According to 404 Media, the list of directly impacted agencies included the Treasury and the Department of Energy. Even the Mercedes F1 team had CrowdStrike problems today. A bad time to get hit with the Blue Screen of Death is probably when you’re preparing for a practice session ahead of the Hungarian GP, especially when the problem has been caused by a team sponsor. But the Mercedes F1 team’s trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, told reporters they were back up after updating affected PCs. The impact in FP1 was minimal, if not nil. So, it created a bit of work, but we’re back where we need to be now. Windows error screens on the Mercedes pitwall prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary. Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
90%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
90%
Examples:
- Richard Lawler has a slight bias towards reporting the facts without much analysis or opinion.
- The articles provided show a focus on reporting recent tech news and events.
Conflicts of Interest
90%
Examples:
- The author has reported on the tech industry for several years and may have connections or conflicts of interest with various companies and individuals within the industry.
- There are instances where the author has covered news related to companies like Apple, Google, and Tesla which may have financial interests at stake.
Contradictions
85%
Examples:
- In one article, it is mentioned that SpaceX has been granted a license by the FAA for the Starship test flight, but later in the same article it states that they are still waiting for approval from NASA.
- There is also a contradiction in another article where OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman was fired and then later there is mention of creators of ChatGPT.
Deceptions
90%
Examples:
- In one article, it is mentioned that Exact timelines depend on meeting our high safety and reliability bar.
- The author also uses vague language in some articles to describe events or products without providing clear information.
Recent Articles
Asus ROG Ally X: A New Contender in Handheld PC Gaming with Improved Performance and Battery Life
Broke On: Monday, 22 July 2024The Asus ROG Ally X, released in 2024, is a high-performance PC gaming handheld with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and improved cooling system. It offers longer battery life, more storage, and faster RAM than its predecessor. The device's larger battery results in twice the gaming battery life benchmark and design tweaks for extended comfort. However, it runs on Windows 11, which is not optimized for handheld gaming, and may have compatibility issues with certain games due to its reliance on AMD technology. The ROG Ally X retails at $799. 
Google Abandons Plan to Eliminate Third-Party Cookies in Chrome, Introduces New User Choice Experience
Broke On: Monday, 22 July 2024Google reverses course on eliminating third-party cookies in Chrome, instead introducing a new user consent platform following feedback from advertisers and regulators. Critics argue that Google's proposed alternatives, FLoC and Topics API, could lead to new privacy risks and harm competition. 
FTC and Microsoft Disagree Over Xbox Game Pass Changes: Price Hike or Value Addition?
Broke On: Thursday, 18 July 2024The FTC and Microsoft clash over Xbox Game Pass price hike and changes, with Microsoft arguing that the new tiers offer more value despite the removal of day-one exclusives and increase in cost. The FTC contests this, claiming that consumers are losing valuable benefits. /cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25537085/pixel_fold_launch.jpg)
Google's New Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Built for the Gemini Era with Innovative Selfie Camera Design and Improved Photography Capabilities
Broke On: Thursday, 18 July 2024Google unveils the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, built for the 'Gemini era'. The innovative selfie camera design of the foldable model places it on the inside screen for a wider field of view. All Pixel 9 series phones come with new Gemini AI and improved photography capabilities through triple-camera sensors, LED flash, and LiDAR sensor. The foldable model boasts a reduced fold crease on its display, potentially addressing consumer concerns about durability. 
Google Shifts Pixel Event to August 13, 2024: Unveiling the Pixel 9 Series, New Foldable Device and Wear OS Update
Broke On: Tuesday, 02 July 2024Google shifts Pixel event to August 13, 2024, revealing AI advancements, Android software updates, and potential launches of the Pixel 9 series, Pixel Fold 2 or Pixel Watch 3. Registrations begin July 31. 
Jury Rules NFL Violated Antitrust Laws with Sunday Ticket, Orders $4.8 Billion in Damages
Broke On: Thursday, 27 June 2024A jury ruled that the NFL violated antitrust laws by selling its premium Sunday Ticket subscription service exclusively through DirecTV, resulting in a $4.8 billion damages award for residential subscribers and $96 million for businesses. The NFL maintained its right to sell the service under broadcasting exemptions but was found to have applied it incorrectly, potentially leading to changes in how teams generate revenue. 
OpenAI Delays Release of Voice and Emotion-Reading Features for ChatGPT Amid Safety Concerns and Legal Investigations
Broke On: Tuesday, 25 June 2024OpenAI, the AI research lab behind ChatGPT, has postponed the release of voice and emotion-reading features due to safety testing concerns and potential legal issues. The delay follows demonstrations of these capabilities during OpenAI's Spring Update event that resembled Scarlett Johansson's voice from 'Her'. Google and Microsoft have faced similar challenges with their AI projects, leading OpenAI to prioritize safety and reliability before a fall release to paying subscribers. 
New Features in Google's June 2024 Update: DisplayPort Support, Car Crash Detection, and More
Broke On: Tuesday, 11 June 2024Google's June 2024 update introduces DisplayPort support and AI capabilities to Pixel phones, upgrades Find My Device and adds reverse phone lookup. The Pixel Watch 2 gains Car Crash Detection and Google Wallet expansion, while the Pixel tablet receives richer doorbell notifications and a new Google Home Favorites widget. /cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25451189/image002__4_.png)
EA Sports Announces the Return of College Football Video Games with College Football 25
Broke On: Thursday, 16 May 2024EA Sports announces the return of college football video games with College Football 25 on July 19, 2024. The game features all 134 FBS teams, popular modes like Dynasty and Road to Glory, and covers athletes Quinn Ewers, Travis Hunter, and Donovan Edwards. Student-athletes receive compensation for likeness use. Standard edition costs $70; deluxe edition retails for $100. /cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25450390/videoframe_33450.png)
Samsung's 'UnCrush': A Response to Apple's Controversial iPad Pro Ad
Broke On: Wednesday, 15 May 2024Samsung and Apple engage in a marketing battle following the release of Apple's controversial 'Crush' ad for iPad Pro. Samsung responds with 'UnCrush,' featuring a woman playing on Galaxy Tab S9 and AI, while Apple apologizes and removes the ad. Samsung has a history of attacking Apple in ads, including mocking iPhone fanboys and notch design.