Technology

Max has arrived, and it’ll feel very familiar to HBO Max customers

Published

12 months ago

May 23, 2023

Max has arrived, and it’ll feel very familiar to HBO Max customers

Today marks Warner Bros. Discovery’s big debut of Max, the new streaming service that bundles all of the company’s entertainment together inside one single destination. All the eggs are going into one basket, and yes, HBO is still getting a prominent focus — even if it’s no longer in the name.

I got an early preview of Max at Warner Bros. Discovery’s New York City office last week, and I was initially struck by just how closely it resembles the HBO Max app that it’s replacing. The homescreen, show and movie pages, and general user experience will feel instantly familiar to everyone switching over. But just because it looks similar doesn’t mean it’s a recycled app: Warner Bros. Discovery has largely rebuilt Max with a focus on simpler navigation, deeper personalization, and more reliable offline downloads. The company wants to showcase the breadth of additional content that’s arriving with Discovery without overwhelming customers.

We dove straight into the app demo, so I can’t speak to the account signup process or how smoothly the migration from HBO Max to Max will go for current customers. (Max does at least include new login options like Wi-Fi Sign In and a QR code that you can scan to log in from a mobile device that’s easier to type on than a TV.) Some day-one glitches seem inevitable. But what I saw seemed like a promising starting point. “Both companies had great technology stacks. But we wanted to build something that was the best of both,” said Avi Saxena, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief technology officer.

One area that’s gotten a lot of attention is navigation. On TV platforms, the left-side navigation has been dramatically simplified to just three sections: Search, Home, and My Stuff. The primary homescreen features the usual expansive artwork and autoplaying video that we’ve come to expect from major streaming services. At the top are categories (or “lenses,” as Warner Bros. Discovery calls them) like Home, Series, Movies, HBO, and New and Notable. Yes, HBO gets its own spot here to make it easier to drill into that network’s acclaimed programming. You can avoid Discovery’s stuff altogether if you want. But on the main homescreen and throughout the rest of the app, Max isn’t shy about mixing content from all of Warner Bros. Discovery’s properties. New and Notable is where you can find the service’s latest additions and see what’s leaving Max in the near future.

“We’re exploring what to do with live content and sports and news”

Throughout the app — across the content carousels and various collection pages — Warner Bros. Discovery says it’s offering greater personalization than before. It’s a mix of human curation and algorithms at play; the latter will factor in more heavily once people start actually using the app and signaling what content fits their taste. All told, Max will have double the amount of total content that HBO Max did, so Warner Bros. Discovery wants to surface whatever shows are most relevant to you. And while sports and live, linear streaming aren’t major focuses of Max right out of the gate, it sounds as though that could change down the road.

“We’re exploring what to do with live content and sports and news, and we’ll have more to share on that as we get later in the year,” Tyler Whitworth, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief product officer, told me last week. “We think there’s some really interesting opportunities there.”

Like HBO Max, Max will support several different profiles per account. New signups will notice a default kids profile added alongside the primary profile; this account is limited to PG-rated content and lower, but parents can customize their own ratings threshold. You can also set a PIN to prevent kids from switching profiles when you’re not around. Migrated accounts will see all of their existing profiles when switching over to Max, so if you didn’t have a kids account previously, you won’t now either.

Max’s offline downloads should be more reliable than they were on HBO Max.

Image: Warner Bros. Discovery

Smoother offline downloads

A few months ago, I was on a plane with an iPad loaded up with a handful of HBO Max downloads. But when I went to play them, the app threw up an error saying it couldn’t reach the internet — and I couldn’t access any of that offline content. I later discovered that this was a common complaint. There were workarounds; putting your device into airplane mode would help HBO Max realize that it was offline and made your downloads playable. But I didn’t learn that pro tip until after landing, and it was a super frustrating experience.

Warner Bros. Discovery has heard some of this feedback, and with Max, the company’s development team has totally reengineered the codebase for offline downloads. The result should be a more stable and reliable system that doesn’t fail on you at the worst possible time — like on a plane runway. “We improved the speed drastically,” Saxena told me. “We have our own encoding platform, so we encode the videos in a very efficient manner, so the download size is very small and the downloads are very fast.” The team has also tried to better account for varying network conditions.

Max is launching on every popular platform you can think of: there are 15 in all. AirPlay and casting features are still present, though Apple’s SharePlay isn’t supported at launch and neither are frame rate or dynamic range matching on the Apple TV. And Warner Bros. Discovery is using its own player instead of the native tvOS version, so you can’t as easily scrub through content with the Apple TV’s remote.

4K is an Ultimate-only perk

If you want to experience Max with the best possible picture quality, you’ll need to subscribe to the $19.99 Ultimate plan. Some customers are frustrated that 4K resolution is still being gated to specific tiers and now costs even more than it did on HBO Max.

“We recognize there’s many customers that love getting their content in the best video and best audio possible,” Whitworth said. “The amount of shows we’re offering in 4K is significantly more.” The company confirmed as much on Monday, publishing a long list of movies and TV shows that are streaming in 4K at launch. Warner Bros. Discovery has said it will add more 4K content to the service on a monthly basis. “As we thought about how to give customers the right options for what they want, with the expanded offering, it would be well-positioned in the Ultimate tier going forward,” said Whitworth.

The good news for current HBO Max subscribers is that they’ll get to keep all of their existing plan benefits (including 4K) at the same price they’ve been paying for at least six months.

This is just the beginning

From my chat with Warner Bros. Discovery, it’s clear that there’s already a roadmap in place for where Max will go from here. The company plans to closely monitor customer feedback and prioritize updates and tweaks based on what subscribers are saying. There are large teams in place to support the service’s debut and keep things humming along, but bugs and occasional problems seem all but certain with this large of a migration.

You can try Max yourself starting today: the new app has begun rolling out on many platforms — streaming devices, smart TVs, game consoles, and more — and Warner Bros. Discovery has said “a large portion” of HBO Max subscribers will see their apps change over to Max with today’s software update. In some cases where that’s not possible, you might need to download a standalone Max app to get started. Don’t be surprised if it all feels very familiar. But if Warner Bros. Discovery has done its job, Max should work more smoothly across the board than HBO Max did.

Technology

The best new browser for Windows

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 36, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, hello, I’m thrilled you found us, the Installerverse loves you, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

I missed you all last week! I was at a friend’s bachelor party in South Carolina, playing golf and eating burgers and mostly staying offline. Thanks to everyone who reached out to say you missed the newsletter! But I’m back now, and so is Installer. We are so back. This week, I’ve been writing about AI gadgets and iPads, watching Baby Reindeer and The Fall Guy, reading A Drink Before the War, and listening to the excellent Challengers score.

I also have for you a new browser for Windows, some new mobile audio options, a couple of fun things to watch this weekend, apps for coffee nuts, and much more. Let’s dig in.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you into right now? What should everyone else be into right now? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here.)

The Drop

Arc for Windows. Arc is still my favorite browser, and even in this first version, it’s surprisingly solid on Windows. (Though it is missing a couple of Arc’s more advanced features and some of the AI stuff.) If you try it, give it time — it’s a really big change from Chrome, but I’m still sold on it. (The iOS app also got some big and much-needed updates this week.)
Claude for iOS. I’m sure there’s a good rubric out there for which AI model is good for which purposes, but mostly I just gravitate toward whichever app is nicest? The new one from Anthropic is nice: clean, simple, faster than the web app for sure. I also really like the icon.
“‘No CGI’ is really just invisible CGI.” The fourth and final installment in a really cool series about CGI, from the great The Movie Rabbit Hole YouTube channel. I learned so much about moviemaking and the good and bad tricks filmmakers use from these videos.
Sofa 4.0. A huge update to one of my favorite movie / book / show trackers. Sofa now lets you collect and organize anything, any way you want — MacStories has a great rundown of all the stuff you can do, and I’m already using it to plan summer trips.
The Bose SoundLink Max. $399 is steep for a Bluetooth speaker, but I’m very into this one. Super-long battery life; an AUX port; a fun little handle; presumably excellent sound. I’ve been a UE Wonderboom believer for years, but I’ll be trying this one out this summer.
The Beats Solo 4. I agree with Chris Welch that it’s weird to not have ANC in these headphones. But I’m still into the look, love how light they are, and am stoked about the wired options as well.
Hacks season 3. I was late to this show about the lives and relationships of two comedians, but it’s funny and weird and extremely worth your time. Only 18 episodes to catch up on! You can do it this weekend!
The Idea of You. I’m currently biased toward Anne Hathaway because I just found out she’s also an Arsenal fan, which makes her cool and smart and great. But I keep hearing good things about this movie on Netflix about modern life and fame and the weirdness of both.
“Phone Apps for (Weird) Coffee People.” James Hoffmann is a must-subscribe for all things coffee, but I especially loved this look at all the apps for coffee drinkers. I’ve become a huge Filtru fan in particular, and my coffee process is now fussier than ever. I love it.

Screen share

Riley Testut has had a busy couple of weeks. Couple of months, really. Years, honestly. He’s the developer behind Delta, the game emulator that has taken over the App Store over the last few weeks and that might also be the signal of a new app era entirely. He’s been working on bringing his app store, AltStore PAL, to users in the EU, while also just trying to get some Pokémon playing in.

I asked Riley to share his homescreen, in part just to see if I could snoop on his Delta and ROM setups. I got my wish! Here’s Riley’s homescreen, plus some info on the apps he uses and why:

The phone: Purple iPhone 12 Mini. I absolutely LOVE this phone, and I’m dreading having to upgrade to a larger one eventually. (I would’ve gotten the 13 Mini, except it doesn’t come in purple.)

The wallpaper: A photo of a Pokémon drone show in the shape of Mew, originally taken by Joe Merrick (of Serebii fame), then slightly edited.

The apps: Phone, FaceTime, Photos, Camera, Notes, Maps, Calculator, Find My, Files, Pokémon Sleep, Settings, 1Password, Alamo Drafthouse, Messages, Mail, Safari.

My co-founder / roommate Shane and I are obsessed with Pokémon Sleep (we compete to see who gets the most shinies), so that’s earned a spot front and center. My social folder contains my most heavily used apps (Ivory and Threads), and then below it is the Alamo Drafthouse app, which I use a LOT because I love going to the movies and have the annual pass ¯_(ツ)_/¯

1Password contains literally everything important in my life, so it’s also a staple, but I only made the Delta folder recently once it was released in the App Store. It contains the app itself as well as launchers for Pokémon Emerald and Pokémon HeartGold as well as the amazing Ketchup pokédex app so I can easily look up Pokémon stats.

And because I can’t use AltStore PAL outside the EU, I have the regular AltStore widget to remind me to refresh my apps every week!

I also asked Riley to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he shared:

I bought myself a Steam Deck a few months ago and have been absolutely loving it! In fact, it’s the main way I kept myself entertained while we were stuck in Europe trying to launch AltStore PAL (god bless Dolphin emulator and Super Mario Galaxy 2).
I’m also a sucker for super nerdy science YouTube videos, and the History of the Universe channel is literally the perfect thing to put on in the background while I build some Legos or something. I also recently discovered Technology Connections’ channel, which basically scratches the same itch but for tech. I’ll also forever be a fan of Nirvanna the Band the Show, and Shane and I love their “Update Day” video so much we even used it to tease AltStore PAL’s launch.
At the same time… I’m also deeply invested in the ongoing UFO discourse. Exciting to see something that was dismissed for so long being taken seriously by Congress and others because that’s how science makes progress!

Crowdsourced

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. If you want even more good stuff, check out the replies to this post on Threads.

“Neal Brennan’s Crazy Good is the funniest stand-up on Netflix since Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra.” – Christopher

“I’ve been obsessing over note-taking apps again because I am insane. Recently tried Tana, and it’s incredible. Feels like the most natural way for me to take notes (bullet journaling, tasks, project management) and is probably going to convince me to ditch Logseq and Obsidian and everything else.” – Rin

“Voiijer. This interesting social media app is focused on posting trips. From day hikes to overnight adventures abroad. I’ve tried it out a little bit, but it seems geared toward being a travel journal. Seems new and interesting.” – Nicholas

“3Blue1Brown. Really like this YouTube channel in general and have thoroughly enjoyed watching this playlist. He breaks down super complicated mathematical concepts into easy-to-digest, bite-size chunks using examples and excellent visualizations. This playlist feels particularly relevant for anyone who wants to dive a little deeper into the technologies and algorithms that are driving this wave of AI hype.” – Abie

“The new video from David Imel about how the ✨ emoji became the symbol for AI is about 1,000 times more interesting than I thought it would be. I don’t want to spoil anything, which is weird to say about a video like this, but honestly, the name of the video is just scratching the surface of how cool it is.” – Luke

I’ve been playing Bonk’s GameBoy games using Delta and writing about games on Backloggd, which is a fun video game-focused review site built very similarly to Letterboxd.” – Sawyer

“My latest rabbit hole is comics and graphic novels, and as someone who strips his ebooks of DRM, I’m still trying to find the Calibre of comics. I landed on YACReader and YACReader Library. It’s good enough, but I feel there’s still space for a really good app.” – Kevin

“Starting to pay more attention to healthy eating, and I remember hating MyFitnessPal. Found the app Cronometer, which is a great freemium alternative. Highly recommended!” – Jonathan

“I just wanted to share how much I’ve been loving the new AppleTV Plus series Sugar starring Colin Farrell as private detective John Sugar, that’s on a case of a missing daughter. It has a great camera, vibe, and overall, the aesthetics are amazing. The plot is even better, with subtle details all around the show. I’ve just rewatched it for the third time (there are only four episodes so far), and I noticed many clues for later development that I hadn’t noticed before. I feel like the showrunners must’ve spent ages on developing this show.” – Vojtěch

“Just got back on the Castro podcast app bandwagon. It’s under new management and they are iterating. The queue system is 🔥.” – Advay

Signing off

For the last few weeks, I’ve been reading and hearing a lot about how much people like the Boox Palma. It’s basically just an Android phone, but it has a Kindle-style E Ink screen, which means it’s awful at a lot of things but can download all your reading apps and news apps. I have a lot more testing to do with it, but so far, I love this thing. It’s kinda slow and a little wonky, but it fits in my pocket and is a perfect device for reading and taking quick notes. For years, I’ve cycled between carrying a notebook everywhere, relying on my phone for everything, trying to shove some other device into my workflow, and even occasionally being a weirdo who carries around an iPad. The Palma’s not perfect, but this form factor — Android device with an E Ink screen — might be. I’ll have a bigger piece on this thing in the next couple of weeks, but if you’re intrigued, I love it so far.

Technology

Underwater kite can harness the ocean’s power for sustainable energy

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Underwater kite can harness the ocean’s power for sustainable energy

The Swedish company Minesto is making waves in the renewable energy sector with its innovative Dragon 12, an underwater kite that promises to generate clean electricity.

The Dragon 12 (Minesto)

A kite underwater?

Imagine a kite flying through the air, tracing a figure-eight pattern as it soars.

Now, picture that same motion deep under the sea. That’s the essence of the Dragon 12, Minesto’s groundbreaking machine designed to harness the power of ocean currents to generate electricity.

MORE: DIVE INTO THE SEA WITH THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART UNDERWATER DRONE

How Dragon 12 is helping to create sustainable energy

Nestled in the North Atlantic, the Faroe Islands have embarked on an ambitious journey toward 100% clean on-shore electricity by 2030. The Dragon 12 figures to play a pivotal role in this plan, complementing existing wind, solar and hydroelectric power sources.

MORE: CRAZY FUTURISTIC UNDERWATER JETPACK LETS YOU FLY IN THE WATER LIKE AN AQUATIC SUPERHERO

The science behind the Dragon 12

It generates electricity by harnessing the kinetic energy of tidal currents. Here’s how it works:

Movement: The Dragon 12 is designed to fly in a figure-eight pattern underwater, similar to how a kite moves in the air. This movement accelerates the flow of water over its wings.

Energy Conversion: As the water flows over the wings, it spins a turbine attached to the kite. This turbine converts the kinetic energy of the moving water into mechanical energy.

Electricity Production: The mechanical energy from the turbine is then converted into electrical energy, producing up to 1.2 megawatts of power.

Grid Integration: The electricity generated by the Dragon 12 is transmitted via cables to an onshore station. From there, it’s integrated into the national grid system, making it available to power homes and businesses.

Diagram of the Dragon 12 (Minesto)

MORE: A CAR-BOAT COMBO THAT CAN HIT THE ROAD OR THE WATER WITH THE SAME VEHICLE

Minesto’s vision: Affordable, clean energy for all

Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto, envisions a world where renewable energy is sustainable and cost-effective. The Dragon 12’s lower cost of electricity suggests that this vision is well within reach, potentially making green energy cheaper for consumers worldwide.

Dragon 12 blueprints (Minesto)

MORE: UNFORGETTABLE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 2024

A deep dive into Minesto’s technology

Founded as a spin-off from aerospace giant Saab, Minesto has perfected its technology since 2007. With 92 patents and a successful track record, the company’s utility-scale tidal power plant, Dragon 12, delivers electricity to the Faroe Islands’ grid.

The future of tidal energy: prospects and challenges

While the Dragon 12’s innovative design offers many advantages, questions remain about its long-term reliability and impact on marine life. As Minesto continues to refine its technology, the answers to these questions will shape the future of tidal energy.

CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER

Kurt’s key takeaways

As we stand on the brink of a renewable energy revolution, companies like Minesto are in charge of technologies that could redefine how we harness the power of nature. The Dragon 12 is more than just a machine; it symbolizes human ingenuity and our relentless pursuit of a sustainable future. With its potential to provide clean, affordable energy, the Dragon 12 could be a game-changer for communities around the globe.

What are your thoughts on the potential of underwater kites like Minesto’s Dragon 12 to shape the future of renewable energy? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The newest Star Wars Acolyte trailer seems to reveal the show’s big bad

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

The newest Star Wars Acolyte trailer seems to reveal the show’s big bad

Disney’s newest Star Wars show, The Acolyte, is just a month away on Disney Plus, and the newest trailer for it hints that the show will pull on a thread that Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi tugged on back in 2017: Is the Jedi order actually all that good?

Set well before the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, The Acolyte sees High Republic-era Jedi master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) investigating a string of murders (which include at least one Jedi). Today’s trailer reveals that the mysterious black-clad Mae (Amandla Stenberg), is a former student of his, and it seems like she’s probably a suspect in the murders. It also reinforces the idea that this will be a particularly grim series.

The Acolyte’s spooky new villain.

Screenshot: Disney

It also introduces a zipper-faced villain whose red lightsaber sparks to life in a foggy jungle, apparently just before a fight with Sol. It’s a mystery who’s wearing the scarred-up helmet, which bears more than a little resemblance to Kylo Ren’s in the most recent Star Wars trilogy. Maybe it’s the series’ big bad, or maybe it’s just a spooky dream Sol is having. Or Perhaps Disney is preparing to tell us the “Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise” Sith legend that Emperor Palpatine regaled Anakin Skywalker with in Star Wars Episode III.

One thing’s for sure: Whoever this villain is, they keep up the long tradition of the Sith (assuming that’s what they are) making the Jedi look like total dorks. The Acolyte’s stars include Carrie-Anne Moss, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Joonas Suotamo, and it will premiere June 4th with two episodes on Disney Plus.