When Henk Rogers first read the script for the Tetris movie, he was shocked. “There was so much Hollywood in the movie,” he tells The Verge. “It just drove me nuts.” The film largely follows a pivotal period in Rogers’ life, when he traveled to the Soviet Union to navigate the complex rights issues for Tetris to bring it to platforms like the Game Boy. There, he connected with game’s creator Alexey Pajitnov, with whom he eventually formed a lifelong friendship, and turned Tetris into a global phenomenon.
Technology
Henk Rogers on telling the real story of Tetris: ‘I have to set the record straight’
The movie turned this experience into something resembling a high-stakes spy thriller — and while Rogers ended up loving the final product, that initial experience inspired him to tell the story of what really happened. “While reading the script I said, ‘I have to set the record straight,’” he says.
That story now exists in the form of the book The Perfect Game. While Rogers originally sat down to write about the events that transpired in the movie, he soon realized the story was much bigger than that. “I started writing it, and somebody looked at it and said, ‘That could be a book, it’s just not big enough,’” he explains. “I didn’t want to rewrite that part and add water, so to speak, so I added the before and after. So it ended up being about my game career.”
The Perfect Game starts out by exploring Rogers’ early life, bouncing around from the Netherlands to New York City to Hawaii, before eventually landing in Japan, where he founded Bullet-Proof Software and went on to release the influential RPG The Black Onyx. Even before the book gets to the Tetris part of the tale, it’s filled with fascinating insight into the early days of game development. Rogers talks through the many complications and nuances of dealing with publishers and funding, as well as releasing and marketing a game in Japan despite not speaking Japanese.
But things really kicked into gear at CES in 1988, when he flew to Las Vegas in search of a new game to publish and stumbled on a puzzle game about falling blocks. As he tells it, he knew immediately that he found something special. “I left the Consumer Electronics Show with a sense of purpose,” Rogers writes in his book. “I was determined to publish Tetris in Japan.” That proved tricky, of course, due in large part to the web of copyright laws in the Soviet Union at the time. Rogers found himself traveling back and forth between the Soviet Union and Japan, dealing with everyone from the higher-ups at Nintendo — including legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto — to the intimidating employees at Soviet trade organizations.
“There’s times when my memory is a little shady, but it was such an exciting time that I pretty much remember.”
Rogers’ account is a detailed one, and he says that he wrote the book entirely from memory. That said, he did check with his friend Pajitnov on a few details, which resulted in one of the book’s more charming features. At various points, Pajitnov’s thoughts are inserted into the book, where he often disagrees with Rogers on small details, like how impressed he was by the Famicom version of Tetris or the quality of the elevator in his apartment building.
“Alexei read my manuscript and was writing in the margins where his memory is different, so I decided to keep those and put them in the book,” Rogers explains. “There’s times when my memory is a little shady, but it was such an exciting time that I pretty much remember.”
Even if it’s missing the Hollywood thrills of the script that inspired Rogers to write in the first place, The Perfect Game is a fascinating read, particularly if you’re interested in game development anecdotes. And because the story covers the entirety of Rogers’ career to date, which includes setting up The Tetris Company and bringing the game to just about every platform imaginable, there are a lot of stories about pivotal points in the medium, from the launch of the Game Boy to the burgeoning days of mobile gaming.
The story is especially notable as Tetris continues to thrive. In addition to the movie and book, Rogers was also featured prominently in Digital Eclipse’s playable documentary Tetris Forever, and the game still pops up frequently in places like Nintendo’s new music app. Rogers has largely stepped away from the business, which is now run by his daughter Maya. So now when he sees the game appear somewhere surprising, it elicits a different kind of feeling. “It feels like success,” he says. “Every time Tetris pops up somewhere, or a new deal comes down the pike, it’s like, ‘Wow, she’s killing it.‘”
As for that movie, Rogers changed his mind when he actually saw it, describing the film as “emotionally correct,” even if it didn’t get all of the facts right. “The first time I saw it I cried about things that never actually happened,” he says.
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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If you bought a newer iPhone because Apple made Siri sound like it was about to become your personal artificial intelligence sidekick, you may want to pay attention.
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that it misled customers about new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. The case centers on the iPhone 16 launch and certain iPhone 15 models that were marketed as ready for Apple’s next wave of AI. The settlement still needs court approval, and Apple denies wrongdoing.
The lawsuit argues that Apple promoted a smarter, more personal Siri before those features were actually available. For some buyers, that was a big deal. A new iPhone can cost hundreds of dollars, and many people upgrade only when they think they are getting something meaningfully new.
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WHY IPHONE USERS ARE THE NEW PRIME SCAM TARGETS
U.S. buyers of certain iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models may qualify for payments if a judge approves Apple’s proposed settlement. (Getty Images)
What Apple is accused of promising
Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and promoted it as a major step forward for iPhone, iPad and Mac. A key part of that pitch was a more personalized Siri that could understand context, work across apps and help with everyday tasks in a more useful way.
The lawsuit claims Apple’s marketing made consumers believe those advanced Siri features would arrive with the iPhone 16 or soon after. Instead, buyers received phones that had some Apple Intelligence tools, but not the full Siri overhaul that many expected.
That gap is the heart of the case. Plaintiffs say customers bought or upgraded devices based on AI features that were not ready. Apple says it has rolled out many Apple Intelligence features and settled the case, so it can stay focused on its products.
How much money could iPhone owners get?
The proposed settlement creates a $250 million fund. Eligible customers who file approved claims are expected to receive at least $25 per eligible device. That amount could rise to as much as $95 per device, depending on how many people file claims and other settlement factors.
That means this will not be a huge payday for most people. Still, if you bought one of the covered phones, it may be worth watching for a claim notice. A few minutes of paperwork could put some money back in your pocket.
Which iPhones may qualify?
The proposed settlement covers U.S. buyers who purchased any iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Covered iPhone 16 models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. The settlement also includes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not every iPhone 15 model.
The key details are the device model, the purchase date and whether the phone was bought in the United States.
HOW YOU CAN GET A SLICE OF APPLE’S $250M IPHONE SETTLEMENT
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims it misled customers about Apple Intelligence and Siri features on newer iPhones. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)
How will you file a claim?
You do not need to do anything immediately. The settlement still needs a judge’s approval. Once the claims process opens, eligible customers are expected to receive a notice by email or mail with instructions on how to file through a settlement website.
That notice matters because scammers love moments like this. A real settlement notice should not ask for your Apple ID password, bank login or payment to claim your money. If you receive a message about this settlement, do not click blindly. Go slowly, check the sender and look for the official settlement administrator details once they are available.
Why this case matters beyond one Siri feature
This case hits a bigger nerve. Tech companies are racing to sell AI as the next must-have feature. That creates a problem for shoppers. You are often asked to buy now based on what a company says will arrive later.
That can be frustrating when the feature is the reason you upgraded. A smarter Siri sounds useful. A phone that can understand your personal context, search across apps and help with daily tasks could save time. But if those tools are delayed, limited or missing, the value of the upgrade changes.
This settlement also sends a message about AI marketing. Companies can talk about future features, but consumers need clear timing and plain explanations. “Coming soon” can mean very different things when you are spending $800, $1,000 or more.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
FIRST 15 THINGS TO DO OR TRY FIRST WHEN YOU GET A NEW IPHONE
Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle claims tied to its marketing of Apple Intelligence and Siri features. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
What this means to you
If you bought a covered iPhone during the settlement period, keep an eye on your email and regular mail. You may qualify for a payment if the court approves the deal.
You should also keep your receipt or proof of purchase if you have it. Your Apple purchase history, carrier account or retailer receipt may help if the claim process asks for details.
More broadly, this is a reminder to treat AI features like any other big tech promise. Before you upgrade, ask one simple question: Can the feature do what is being advertised today, or is the company asking me to wait?
That question can save you from buying a device for a future feature that may arrive much later than expected.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple has built its brand on making technology feel polished, personal and easy to use. That is why this Siri settlement hits a nerve. People were buying phones they use every day for texts, photos, directions, reminders and everything in between. Many expected AI to make those everyday tasks easier, which is why the delay felt frustrating. The proposed payout may be modest, but the bigger issue is trust. When a company sells AI as a reason to upgrade, customers deserve to know what actually works now and what is still coming later.
Would you still buy a new phone for promised AI features, or would you wait until they actually show up? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls “Instants,” which are ephemeral photos that you can’t edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that’s now in testing in select countries.
To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DMs, but after they see it, the photo disappears for them. Instants also disappear after 24 hours, and they can’t be captured in screenshots or screen recordings.
However, your Instants will remain in an archive for you for up to a year, and you can reshare them as a recap to your Instagram Stories if you’d like. You can also undo sending an Instant right after you post it or delete it from your archive.
The Instants mobile app, which popped up in Italy and Spain in April, gives you “immediate access to the camera” and only requires an Instagram account, Instagram says. “Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. We’re trying this separate app out to see how our community uses it, and we’ll continue to evolve it as we learn more.”
Instagram, in its testing, has seen that people “tend to use Instants to share much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day,” according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. “And we know that this type of sharing of personal moments with friends is a core part of what makes Instagram Instagram, but we also know that a lot of people don’t really share a lot to their profile grids anymore.”
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