Time to say goodbye to that legacy Sprint plan. | Image: Alex Castro / The Verge Earlier today, T-Mobile started notifying customers that it will be retiring many legacy plans and moving subscribers onto one of its current rate plans. This move includes plans that date back to the 3G era, and it's going about as well as you'd expect. Affected customers began sharing screenshots of the text on reddit and Threads this morning, and T-Mobile's chief marketing officer Allan Samson confirmed the news to The Verge: We're retiring our oldest plans, some of which were built nearly 15 years ago - in the 3G and 4G eras, and well before our 5G network was fully deployed. Customers will transition to modern plans that provide acc … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/959144/t-mobile-legacy-plan-retire-sprint

The Govee Uplighter in action. | Image: Govee July 4th sales are typically a precursor to what we’d see during a mid-July Prime Day, but obviously things are flipped around this year. Last week’s big Prime Day sale is over, yet there are a number of familiar deals still poking around in the week leading up to the nation’s birthday. Best Buy is hosting its own 4th of July sale, for example. And, if you’re on the hunt for tech and gear for the outdoors, REI is hosting a sale on products that will last through the week. There are even some Apple deals you can get, some of which are selling at pre-price hike levels. We’ll be logging the best July 4th sales we find this week below, keeping the list updated with notable discounts as we spot them. Baseus AM52 power bank (with built-in cable) Through June 30th, Verge readers can get a low price on the best, fastest Qi2 10,000mAh power bank around. This AM52 features a built-in USB-C cable and a soft-touch MagSafe-ready magnet. Where to Buy: $79.99 $42.99 at Amazon (w/ code THEVERGECODE) Asus ROG Falcata The Falcata is stuffed with features (wired / wireless connectivity, split ergo design, Hall effect customization), and it’s a bargain to get it all at Best Buy’s 4th of July pricing. Read our review. Where to Buy: $349.99 $214.99 at Best Buy 11-inch iPad Air M3 The last-gen 11-inch iPad Air comes with Apple’s M3 chip and GPU upgrades. It’s available in dark gray, blue, purple, and a “starlight” cream shade. Read our review. Where to Buy: $749 $499 at Best Buy (128GB, Wi-Fi + LTE) LG C5 OLED TV LG’s C5 features a 120Hz panel, along with four HDMI 2.1 ports and support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync. The gamer-friendly TV also packs all the hallmarks of a modern OLED, including deep black levels and sublime contrast. Where to Buy: $2699.99 $1099.99 at Amazon (65-inch) $1999.99 $1099.99 at Best Buy (65-inch) App... Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/958906/best-july-4th-tech-deal-sale

You can reserve the username you want to use before the feature starts rolling out later this year. | Image: Meta / WhatsApp WhatsApp is introducing a new way to add and chat with contacts, without having to share your phone number. Usernames will be launching "later this year," in a move to make the communications platform "even more private," allowing you to keep your phone number concealed from people who aren't already in your contacts. Usernames are available to reserve starting this week, giving you time to claim a specific handle you may already be using elsewhere before the WhatsApp username feature officially launches. The username launch will be rolling out gradually over the coming months, and users will be notified when the feature is available in the … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/958832/whatsapp-usernames-rollout-reservation-availability

A new proposal would ban the sale of Americans' health and location information to data brokers - including information people reveal to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude. In the coming weeks, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) are planning to debut a new version of the Health and Location Data Protection Act that's better suited to the AI era. The former version of the bill, first introduced in June 2022, prohibited data brokers from collecting and selling health and location data. Four years later, it's expanded to ban other companies from selling such data to brokers, and to specifically cover … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/959033/health-location-data-protection-act-ai-warren-scanlon

Nostalgia remains a powerful force. So much so that, in exploring the echoes of a late-'90s childhood spent skimming the water of Corneria and sneering "cocky little freaks!" in time with a monkey encased in a Gundam suit, I'm simultaneously describing playing Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars if you're nasty) in 1997 and streaming it through Nintendo Switch Online today. The franchise has been revived through a splashy remake on the Switch 2, but it's also a series that has not seen an all-new entry since Star Fox Zero on the Wii U. Yet Nintendo's neglect of the series has been gently offset by indie creators. Ex-Zodiac and Whisker Squadron: Survivo … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/957679/indie-developers-star-fox-games

Apple is looking to alleviate some of the pressure on its supply chain by seeking an exception from the Trump administration to buy RAM chips from CXMT, a company blacklisted by the Pentagon over ties to the People's Liberation Army, according to the Financial Times. The skyrocketing prices of RAM and storage have driven Apple to raise prices on almost all of its products this week, so it makes sense that it would seek alternative sources. Legally, Apple isn't barred from buying chips from CXMT, but doing business with a company tied to the Chinese military would carry serious reputational risks. It's possible that CXMT could still find it … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/958707/apple-ram-buy-memory-blacklisted-china-cxmt

That is an objectively dope couch. | Image: Kai Wright Kai Wright is the co-host of Stateside with Kai and Carter over at the Guardian. But Wright has been bringing his unique insights to listeners for years. He's also hosted Notes From America, The United States of Anxiety, and Indivisible. He's a Peabody Award-winning journalist who has profiled powerful men, explored what it means to be American, and chronicled the AIDS epidemic. When he's not diving deep on sex, race, and politics, he's gardening, listening to John Coltrane, and steadfastly refusing to buy a new phone. Wright was kind enough to give us a glimpse into his daily routine, how he unwinds, and offer some simple but powerful advi … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/report/958695/kai-wright-npr-guardian-interview-questionnaire

Walmart's massive rival Prime Day sale ends Sunday night, but great deals on 4K smart TVs, Apple tech, and laptops are still live. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-amazon-prime-day-walmart-deals-still-live-2026/

I track SSD deals, and found huge markdowns from top brands for Amazon Prime Day. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/last-chance-best-amazon-prime-day-ssd-deals-2026/

Sony's Bravia 8 II might be a generation behind, but it still offers plenty of reasons to buy - especially at this price. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-buy-sony-bravia-8-ii-deal-amazon-prime-day-2026/

Prime Day is officially here. Score record-low early prices on Samsung Galaxy smartphones, smartwatches, and 4K TVs on Amazon today. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-amazon-prime-day-samsung-deals-2026/

The Anker Solix F3000 and solar panel combo is 30% off this Amazon Prime Day. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/anker-solix-power-station-and-solar-panel-combo-deal-amazon-prime-day-2026/

How does the latest Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra stack up against the Garmin Fenix 8? Here's what I discovered after living with both for a month. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/amazfit-cheetah-2-ultra-vs-garmin-fenix-8/

LIVE: Amazon Prime Day 2026 deals are here. Follow our live blog for real-time tracking on editor-approved products like TVs, MacBooks, Samsung devices, SSDs, and more before the sale ends tomorrow. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/amazon-june-prime-day-live-blog-06-25-2026/

This Pokémon Boost Bundle includes 6 booster packs and is a perfect gift for the collector in your life. Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/pokemon-tcg-mega-evolution-chaos-rising-boost-bundle-deal-amazon-prime-day-2026/

To celebrate its new status as No. 1 in JD Power's initial quality ranking among mainstream automakers, Ford is opening up about the challenges it has faced in recent years, especially around its reliance on automated systems in production and design. It turns out that those automated systems were not as robust as previously assumed, requiring Ford to hire experienced technicians - sometimes bringing back former employees - to correct errors made by the company's robots. In Ford's view, AI is both powerful and prone to pitfalls. Its effectiveness depends entirely on the quality of the data used to train the AI models. In addition, the auto … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/transportation/956316/ford-quality-jd-power-ranking-ai-automated-mistakes

Apple is hiking prices in response to the ongoing memory shortage. On Thursday, the company adjusted the price of its new MacBook Neo, which will now start at $699 instead of $599, while the base MacBook Air will jump to $1,299 from $1,099, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. The 14-inch MacBook Pro is getting an increase as well, going from $1,699 to $1,999. Meanwhile, the iPad Air will now start at $749 instead of $599, while the iPad Pro is increasing to $1,199 from $999. As spotted by Bloomberg, Apple is even raising the prices of its HomePod, which now costs $349 instead of $299, as well as raising the price of the HomePod mini to $129 … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/952162/apple-price-increase-ram-shortage

There are some some sizable discounts on new and recent hits from the last few years for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series X / S for Prime Day. Most Amazon game deals are physical copies, but every so often there’s a better or equivalent price on digital versions, as well as some matched deals at Best Buy. In addition to game deals, we’re also on the hunt for discounted gaming accessories. This is usually a pretty good time to save what you can on things like gaming headsets, controllers, gaming mice, etc. While it’s a good time to get a microSD Express card for your Switch 2, don’t bank on any big discounts on SSDs for your PS5. Woof, those are expensive now. Thanks, RAMageddon. The best deals on Nintendo Switch 2 games Pokémon Legends: Z-A Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the first game in the main series with a real-time battling system instead of the traditional turn-based formula. You’re still catching pokémon, leveling up, trading, and battling in the game’s Paris-inspired setting, but the more action-oriented battles and smooth performance (on the Nintendo Switch 2) are very welcome. Where to Buy: $69 $44.99 at Amazon (Switch 2) $69.99 at Best Buy (Switch 2) Resident Evil Requiem The latest entry in the long-running survival horror series, with two different styles of gameplay via its dual protagonists. Read our review. Where to Buy: $69.99 $55.99 at Amazon (PS5) $69.99 $53.19 at Amazon (Switch 2) $69.99 $55.99 at Amazon (Xbox Series X) A preorder of the physical version of the upcoming Star Fox remake is $49.94 ($10 off) at Amazon. The game launches soon on June 25th. Check out our recent coverage. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for the Switch 2 is $44.99 ($25 off) at Amazon, and the original Switch version is an even cheaper $29.99 ($30 off). Read our review. Kirby Air Riders, the high-speed racing game starring everyone’s favorite pink puff ball, is ... Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/951901/prime-day-video-games-switch-playstation-xbox-pc-deal-sale

The Narwal Flow 2 is down to a new low price. | Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge If you’ve been wanting to buy a robot vacuum but have been put off by how much it can cost to get a good one, now is not a bad time to start looking. We’re now on day two of Prime Day, and Amazon, along with retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, is offering discounts on several models we’ve tested from brands like Roborock, Dreame, and Shark. Whether you’re looking for a basic robot vacuum that can cut down on the amount of vacuuming you have to do or a high-end model that can wash and dry its own mop pads and climb over room thresholds, there are deals available across a wide range of price points. Roborock Saros 20 Where to Buy: $1599.99 $1424.99 at Amazon $1599.99 $1359.99 at Roborock Roborock Saros 10 Roborock’s Saros 10 combines powerful 22,000Pa suction with excellent dual spinning mop pads that do a great job tackling dried-on messes. It can also automatically leave its mop pads at the dock before vacuuming carpets. The newer Saros 20 offers more powerful suction and can tackle taller thresholds, but the Saros 10 is still a great cleaning machine. Where to Buy: $1599.99 $999.99 at Best Buy $1599.99 $1299.99 at Roborock The Roborock Q10 S5 Plus is down to $264.99 ($285 off) at Amazon, which matches its lowest price to date. The Q10 S5 Plus is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum / mop hybrids, combining good AI-powered obstacle avoidance with automatic carpet detection. It also features a vibrating mop that does a solid job scrubbing hard floors while lifting itself over rugs, and the set includes a self-emptying dock for added convenience. It can’t match the suction power or tall threshold-climbing abilities of pricier models like the Saros 20, but this is a good value under $300. The Tapo RV30 Max Plus is another excellent budget-friendly option that’s on sale. It in... Source: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/951081/robot-vacuum-mop-deals-amazon-prime-day-2026

Just days after a gunman killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, it became clear that President Donald Trump would use the assassination to fuel a crackdown on free speech. To avenge Kirk's death, the administration vowed to go after so-called "antifa" (otherwise known as antifascist) terrorists. Now that promise is bearing fruit. This week, eight Texas activists were sentenced to between 30 and 100 years in prison - one for attempted murder, but most for supposedly belonging to an insurrectionary "Antifa cell," including one sentenced to 30 years in part for moving a box of zines. These unusually harsh sentences are a major victory for … Read the full story at The Verge. Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/956404/prairieland-sentencing-zines-trump-antifa