Meadow lets you leave your smartphone at home without sacrificing the essentials | TechCrunch
“We’re not Luddites... it’s just we don’t want social media, browsing, and that kind of stuff," said 25-year-old founder Shreyas Narlanka.
Gadgets
1,417 stories
You can customize the EQ on some AirPods now.
After a recent software update, the custom EQ option is now available on a handful of supported AirPods, 9to5Mac reports. You can find it in the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac — on my MacBook Air the new Equalizer feature was under Audio & Routing in my AirPods Pro 3 settings. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-25-at-9.57.18-AM.png?quality=90&strip=all]
VW’s ID Buzz is taking another year off.
The all-electric minibus was supposed to come back this year, but now Volkswagen is pushing it the first half of 2027. When it does return, it will be slightly different, with only two-tone exterior paint, physical buttons on the steering wheel, NACS charging, and a Tourer trim aimed at camping enthusiasts. According to Automotive News, other changes include updated software, vehicle-to-load functionality, and digital key integration. In the meantime, MOIA America is using the previous generation versions as robotaxis. [Link: VW ID Buzz U.S. return delayed to 2028 model year | https://www.autonews.com/volkswagen/an-id-buzz-2028-model-year-0924/ | Automotive News]
The screens are now coming for your cables.
It’s not a new idea, but following the proliferation of status screens on power banks and chargers, tiny inline displays are becoming more common on USB cables. Ugreen’s latest offering comes with a full color LCD on one end displaying the current power draw up to 240W, and is available in 3.3 ($22.99) or 6.6-foot ($26.99) options. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/ugreen3.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/ugreen1_b91b92.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/ugreen2_958d3b.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
Elvish Yadav gifts a brand new car to Orry for his Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 journey; latter pens a heartfelt note
Orhan Awatramani aka Orry, who is currently winning hearts with his performance in stunt-based reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, received a special
Insta360 conquered 360 cameras — now it’s eyeing glasses
Insta360 has 73 percent of the 360 camera market. What’s next?
Zuck wants everyone to know, he doesn’t need everyone to know he’s jacked.
The NYT takes a look at Mark Zuckerberg’s style metamorphosis from “robotic coder in a gray hoodie to fashion-conscious bro next door.” Unlike, say, the newly buff Jeff Bezos who loves a tight tee, Zuck is trying to find 20 polo-collared shirts with boxier ’fits favored by MMA fighters. > “That’s like a fun thing to go do, right? […] Everyone knows I’m in really good shape, so I don’t need to show my muscles.” [Image: He’s also experimenting with “fun shorts.” https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/gettyimages-2284791227.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
Budget phones are disappearing fast, report says by 2030, 40% of sub-Rs 20,000 smartphones may be gone
The era of the budget smartphones is rapidly shrinking.
Here’s the Tesla Semi… again
Tesla re-launched its long-delayed Semi truck with a new list of customers who plan to use the heavy-duty EV for freight delivery.
I tried the Meta VR Glasses, too — here are my first impressions.
[Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/20260924_130228.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] * “VR Glasses” is the right name. These don’t have a VR headset’s huge, immersive field of view at just 70° horizontal by 66° vertical, but it’s similar to looking through glasses, without a headset’s significant weight. * I didn’t terribly mind the reduced immersion outside of games. Movies and desktop windows opened at the proper size without edges cut off. * I carried on a conversation with several real human beings in a room and didn’t feel like I had tunnel vision. * You can’t see your hands unless they’re in your direct field of view, but the headset can track hands far outside that FoV. I could hit Beat Saber targets while looking an entirely different direction. * I got 32WPM touch typing on a keyboard that doesn’t physically exist. That’s less than a third my normal speed, but not bad for a first try.
Qualcomm’s new ‘Elite’ sound chip might finally deliver the Wi-Fi earbud dream
Also, they can power earbuds with cameras.
Today’s Vergecast: Meta and Snap battle for your face.
Meta and Snap both want to get on your face. The Verge’s Victoria Song and Jay Peters tried out all the new hardware: Specs, audio-only Ray-Bans, and Meta VR. Today, they join guest host David Imel to talk about how these new smart glasses feel, both physically and emotionally. Watch | Listen | Get ad-free [Media: https://youtu.be/ZWA9h334GoQ]
Is everyone bricking their phone to stop doomscrolling?
The $59 Brick device promises to help curb phone addiction, but free iPhone and Android tools may already do the job. Here's what to try first.
Sadly, this $1,549 RTX 5070-equipped gaming PC is a very good deal
We also spotted a discounted ASRock OLED gaming monitor, Anker wireless chargers, and there are still Nintendo games and accessories on sale.
Meta wants to make game development multiplayer.
During a Meta Connect developer keynote today, the company showed off a “glimpse of the future” where multiple people were in a shared virtual world as playable characters but were also developing it in real time (including with the help of AI). I saw a live demo of it yesterday. As a concept, it’s pretty wild. Check it out at the one hour and seven minute-mark of Meta’s Developer State of the Union. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/live/EwIIOgEzRJY?si=kX2XD2lxrWb4P9OD&t=4020]
This over-engineered desk wirelessly charges your phone wherever you place it.
Instead of relying on a large array of charging coils to power up a Qi-compatible smartphone, this desk uses an overhead camera to locate devices and reposition a single moving charging coil beneath them. It first prioritizes charging phones before moving on to other devices and incorporates a transparent LCD as the desk’s surface that plays animations as power flows. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvLWuK2TU-w]
Meta's Muse Charm looks like a Tamagotchi, but it's tapping into a much newer trend | TechCrunch
Meta’s new AI gadget may look like a Tamagotchi, but its dangling form factor taps into a much broader Gen Z trend around bag charms, retro tech, and turning gadgets into fashion accessories.