Reading List

The most recent articles from a list of feeds I subscribe to.

Epic's free PC game this week is a must-play stealthy RPG

The Epic Games Store has a selection of free PC games that changes every week. The latest free offering will be available until April 23.

How Netflix made us fall in love with K-dramas

This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. What do you get if you take a bunch of ripped, shirtless male K-pop idols in boxing gloves and have them spar in the ring until they're sweating? For Netflix: […]

Bonus Thought Regarding the Name ‘iPhone Ultra’

One more thought re: the item I posted this week speculating on what Apple will name their much-rumored two-screen folding iPhone this year. If they do name it “iPhone Ultra”, I think Apple using that name for the folding iPhone will imply that they have no plans whatsoever to ever make a “rugged” iPhone — a model akin to Apple Watch Ultra.

I suspect Apple has no plans for a dedicated rugged iPhone. People who want that just buy extra-thick cases for regular iPhones. A watch is different. I know some people put their Apple Watches in ungainly protective “cases”, but they look hideous, which is why you see so few people using them. For aesthetically pleasing ruggedness, the watch case itself needs to be designed for it. But maybe there is a large enough potential market for such an iPhone — especially if such a device had significantly longer battery life than any regular iPhone, as an Apple Watch Ultra does relative to a regular Apple Watch.

But if Apple calls the folding iPhone “Ultra”, stop holding your breath for such an Apple-Watch-Ultra-style iPhone. In the same way that “Air” means very different things on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, so too might “Ultra”.

It’s slushy season, and Ninja’s frozen drink machine is nearly half off

Woot is making it more affordable to own a frozen drink machine. Ninja’s Slushi that has an 88-ounce container for storing your ice-cold creations is down to $184.99 at Woot, which is a whopping 47 percent off its list price. The Slushi requires no ice, just the liquid of your choosing and a little time […]

Canva unveils Canva AI 2.0, which can generate editable layered designs from conversational prompts using Canva's foundation model built specifically for design (Olivia Poh/Bloomberg)

Olivia Poh / Bloomberg:
Canva unveils Canva AI 2.0, which can generate editable layered designs from conversational prompts using Canva's foundation model built specifically for design  —  Australia's highest-profile tech unicorn is undertaking a risky transformation as it seeks to prove its relevance in the age of generative AI.