The Vergecast

The 'AI is inevitable' trap

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000

The AI vibes continue to find all-time lows. David and Nilay open the show by talking through the absurd Allbirds pivot to AI, the attacks on Sam Altman, and the increasing divide between what AI companies say is inevitable and what people actually want. Then, the Hype Desk crew talks Coachella and RAMageddon, before David and Nilay catch up on the Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly suit and the increasing price of everything. In the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a dummy, satellite internet, brain-computer interfaces, and the Trump Phone.

Further reading:

Allbirds announced a switch from shoes to AI and its stock jumped 600 percent

The Allbirds pivot to… meme stock?

The attacks on Sam Altman are a warning for the AI world

Sam Altman reportedly targeted in second attack

Altman attack suspect proposed “Luigi’ing some tech CEOs.”

Stanford’s AI study

NYT: Half of Gen Z Uses AI, but Their Feelings Are Souring, Study Shows

Reese Witherspoon on Threads on AI

Ticketmaster is an illegal monopoly, jury finds

A jury is about to decide the fate of Ticketmaster

Microsoft counters the MacBook Neo with freebies for students

YouTube Premium is getting pricier

RAMageddon has come for Microsoft’s Surface Pro and Surface Laptop

Meta blames RAM shortage for $100 Quest 3 price hike

FCC’s Brendan Carr again blasts deals between NFL and streaming services

The FCC just saved Netgear from its router ban for no obvious reason

Netgear and the FCC have not responded to our emails.

Did Neuralink make the wrong bet?

Apple and Amazon are teaming up to challenge Starlink’s smartphone ambitions

Point, Musk.

Amazon’s Starlink competitor now has an airplane antenna.

Amazon’s Starlink competitor Leo gets a new date

The new Trump Phone design is here

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

--EPISODE RUNDOWN--

(Timestamps are approximate.)

00:00:00 Allbirds Goes AI

00:06:00 From Shoes to Tech Hype

00:09:00 Altman Attacks and Backlash

00:13:00 Why AI Feels Threatening

00:18:00 Gen Z Polls and Trust Gap

00:29:00 Reese Witherspoon AI Pushback

00:35:00 Hype Desk Returns

00:36:00 RAM Apocalypse and Wikifeet

00:39:00 Coachella Livestream Era

00:43:00 Ticketmaster Monopoly Verdict

00:47:00 MacBook Neo Spurs Microsoft

00:49:00 OpenAI Clouds and Copilot Backlash

00:51:00 Windows vs Mac Value Shift

00:54:00 The Pricing Apocalypse Hits

00:55:00 Why YouTube Premium Costs More

01:02:00 Lightning Round

01:03:00 Brendan Carr is a Dummy

01:07:00 NFL Antitrust Exemption Fight

01:15:00 Amazon Buys Globalstar

01:22:00 FCC Router Ban Chaos

01:27:00 Trump Phone Gets Realer

01:31:00 Neuralink Bet

01:32:00 Wrap Up

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Ben McKenzie vs. crypto

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000

During the height of the cryptocurrency craze a few years ago, the actor Ben McKenzie found himself wondering why no one else was seeing what he was seeing. He joins the show to explain his yearslong attempt to understand Bitcoin and the crypto world, all of which is in his new documentary Everyone Is Lying to You For Money. (You can probably guess how he feels.) After that, The Verge's Victoria Song tells us about her testing of continuous glucose monitors, which have gone from medical device to influencer trend in some worrying ways. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about why all our gadgets seem the same these days.

Vote for The Vergecast in the Webby Awards! A vote for The Vergecast is a vote that Brendan Carr is a dummy, that buttons are good, and that party speakers rule the world. Voting is open until April 16. https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/technology

Further reading:

Everyone is Lying to You for Money

Low interest rates and loneliness: the origins of the pandemic crypto boom

Continuous glucose monitoring made me continuously crazy

(Timestamps are approximate.)

00:00:00 Sprinkler Duty Intro

00:03:00 Ben McKenzie Crypto Journey

00:04:00 Is Crypto Really Money

00:09:00 El Salvador Reality Check

00:11:00 Could Crypto Ever Work

00:14:00 Crypto Culture

00:19:00 Casino Capitalism And Crime

00:23:00 Why Bitcoin Keeps Rising

00:30:00 CGMs Explained

00:32:00 FDA OTC And Wellness Boom

00:33:00 Government Push For Wearables

00:39:00 Longevity Wearables Boom

00:41:00 Why Try CGMs

00:44:00 Scary Readings Doctor Visit

00:47:00 Living in the Data

00:48:00 Apps Scores Calibration

00:51:00 Disordered Eating Spiral

00:54:00 No Consensus for Non Diabetics

00:57:00 Medication Tradeoffs

01:00:00 Wellness vs Medical Regulation

01:04:00 Using CGMs Thoughtfully

01:10:00 Vergecast hotline

01:11:00 Why Gadgets Got Bland

01:22:00 Final Thoughts

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Fear and loathing at OpenAI

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000

In a week filled with important news about important people, David and Nilay start the show with the biggest news of all: their silly tech projects. After some updates on iMac repurposing and vibe-coded productivity tools, the hosts turn to the state of OpenAI, and the big story from The New Yorker about whether we should trust CEO Sam Altman with the future of AI. After that, it's time for the lightning round, with the latest Brendan Carr is a Dummy shenanigans, and the New York Times' latest attempt to identify Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. Is it, in fact, Adam Back? And does it even matter?

Vote for The Vergecast in the Webby Awards! A vote for The Vergecast is a vote that Brendan Carr is a dummy, that buttons are good, and that party speakers rule the world. Voting is open until April 16. ⁠https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/technology⁠

Further reading:

⁠First photos of solar eclipse from Artemis II crew look almost too good to be real ⁠

⁠Artemis II astronauts break a record, name a crater ⁠

⁠Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted? | The New Yorker⁠

⁠The vibes are off at OpenAI ⁠

⁠Sam Altman is “unconstrained by truth.” ⁠

⁠OpenAI’s AGI boss is taking a leave of absence ⁠

⁠OpenAI made economic proposals — here’s what DC thinks of them⁠

⁠CNN Defends Authenticity Of Iranian “Victory” Statement After Donald Trump Posts Irate Claim It Was A “Fraud”⁠

From The New York Times: ⁠Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? My Quest to Unmask Bitcoin’s Creator⁠

⁠The latest Satoshi Nakamoto unmasking. ⁠

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The case for banning cookie banners

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000

Cookie banners — those pop-ups that appear on practically every webpage demanding you accept their tracking systems — are one of the most consistent low-grade annoyances of life online. But Kate Klonick, a professor and writer, argues they're actually much worse than that, and the only plausible solution is to get rid of them entirely. After that, The Verge's Allison Johnson tells us about her AI-enhanced Google Maps experience, and why the new Ask Maps feature has the potential to be both incredibly cool and incredibly creepy. Then, she helps David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠!) about whether E Ink phones might solve all our problems.

Vote for The Vergecast in the Webby Awards! A vote for The Vergecast is a vote that Brendan Carr is a dummy, that buttons are good, and that party speakers rule the world. Voting is open until April 16. ⁠https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/technology⁠

Further reading:

⁠Ban Cookie Banners: A Case Study in Tech Regulation by Kate Klonick⁠

⁠Kate’s website⁠

⁠Google Maps is getting AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’ feature and more immersive navigation ⁠

⁠I let Gemini in Google Maps plan my day and it went surprisingly well ⁠

⁠TCL’s new Nxtpaper phones have a dedicated button for maximum monochrome ⁠

⁠Boox Palma 2 Pro review: one step forward, one step back ⁠

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Apple's best product ever

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0000

We love a ranking here on The Vergecast, and it’s time for the hardest one yet: David and Nilay compare notes on the 50 best products Apple has ever made, and see how their answers stack up to the many, many voters on The Verge this week. Before that, though, it’s time for a bit of AI news — surprise, it’s enterprise software! — and the comeback of the Hype Desk. After all that, and after the rankings, we do a round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, talk about the fediverse, and repurpose our old iMacs.

Vote for The Vergecast in the Webby Awards! A vote for The Vergecast is a vote that Brendan Carr is a dummy, that buttons are good, and that party speakers rule the world. Voting is open until April 16. ⁠https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/technology⁠

Further reading:

⁠OpenAI’s big numbers: $122 billion funding round, 900 million weekly ChatGPT users. ⁠

⁠Why OpenAI killed Sora ⁠

⁠I think Google is taking a couple digs at OpenAI about Sora. ⁠

⁠Apple’s third-party Siri Extensions could lead to an AI App Store. ⁠

⁠Microsoft’s new ‘superintelligence’ game plan is all about business⁠

⁠OpenAI acquires TBPN | OpenAI⁠

⁠Apple turns 50: celebrating five decades of the tech giant ⁠

⁠Everything is iPhone now ⁠

⁠Steve Jobs and the greatest run of products in tech history ⁠

⁠How the invention of QuickTime changed computers forever ⁠

⁠The triumphs and failures of Apple without Steve Jobs ⁠

⁠The Apple product that really changed the industry: the MacBook Air ⁠

⁠Apple at 50: a visual history ⁠

⁠The origin story of Apple’s long-running relationship with Foxconn ⁠

⁠Apple’s long, bitter App Store antitrust war ⁠

⁠Snazzy Labs' iMac - Studio Display Mod Guide⁠

⁠Flipboard Surf launches social websites combining Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, and more⁠

⁠These Raspberry Pi price hikes are no joke ⁠

⁠Today is the final day to save up to $150 on a PS5 before the price goes up ⁠

⁠Sony temporarily suspends memory card sales due to shortages ⁠

⁠The White House has an app now, and Trump wants you to report people to ICE on it ⁠

⁠What’s inside the White House app? ⁠

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Apple at 50: the good and the bad

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

It's Apple 50 week, so we've got an Apple-filled podcast. First, longtime Apple journalist Jason Snell joins the show to talk about the state of the company as a hardware maker, a software maker, a force for good in the world, and more. Then, blogger and entrepreneur Anil Dash explains why he's worried about the rise of video podcasts, and the role Apple could play to make it better. Finally, The Verge's Allison Johnson helps answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about swapping your phone for a watch. And a tablet. And some other things.

Further reading:

Rank the 50 best Apple Products⁠

⁠Apple in 2025: The Six Colors report card⁠

⁠Apple turns 50: celebrating five decades of the tech giant⁠

⁠Apple II Forever!⁠

“Wherever you get your podcasts” is a radical statement.

Why Apple’s move to video could endanger podcasting's greatest power

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Meta's court losses could be just the beginning

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:00 -0000

We start with some important business: Nilay has a flight to catch, and is very worried he won't catch it. Also, it's Apple's 50th anniversary next week, and we're going to spend the week debating which Apple products are the best Apple products. (Head to the ad-free Vergecast feed to hear our selection show!) But mostly, this episode is about social media. In two key trials this week, juries found social platforms liable not for the content they display but for the actual structure and features of the platform. That could change the way social media companies act, and how users fight back. After that, it's time for the silliness of the router ban, the latest in the chatbot wars, and an update on what's happening with Grammarly's Expert Voices feature.

Further reading:

Rank your top 50 Apple products

Verge subscribers, here’s how to set up ad-free podcasts

The TSA is broken — is privatization next?

What is ICE actually doing at American airports?

Meta misled users about its products’ safety, jury decides

Meta and YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction case

Social media on trial: tech giants face lawsuits over addiction, safety, and mental health

What it was like to watch grieving parents stare down Mark Zuckerberg in court

A bombshell child safety leak changed Meta — for the worse

Internal chats show how social media companies discussed teen engagement

2026 is the year of social media’s legal reckoning

The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the US

The United States router ban, explained

FCC green-lights Nexstar's $6.2B merger with rival TV station owner Tegna

Cox Communications not liable for pirated music, Supreme Court rules

Confronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated me

North Carolina man pleads guilty to AI music streaming fraud.

Apple is testing a standalone app for its overhauled Siri

OpenAI is planning a desktop ‘superapp’

This is Microsoft’s plan to fix Windows 11

OpenAI just gave up on Sora and its billion-dollar Disney deal

The age of piracy ended with LimeWire | Version History

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Welp, I bought an iPhone again

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

David is bored with his iPhone. Over the last few months, he has been testing every other phone he could get his hands on, from the Pixel to the Razr to the Unihertz Titan. And at the end of it all... David bought another iPhone. The Verge's Allison Johnson joins the show to recount some of her own phone-testing experiences, to litigate the quality of foldable and flippable phones, to debate Android vs. iOS, and ultimately to help David decide whether he actually bought the right phone. After all that, David answers a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether AI can help us figure out how to use our devices better. Or maybe just use them for us. Devices are too complicated.

Further reading:

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) review: looking sharp

Google Pixel 10 review: perfectly fine

Apple iPhone 17 review: the one to get

The iPhone Air makes a strong statement

Why flip phones should be the future of smartphones

Who needs a laptop when you have a folding phone?

Gemini’s task automation is here and it’s wild

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Why people really hate AI

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

David and Nilay start the show by exploring the increasing disconnect between the people who make AI products, and the people who keep saying they don't want them. (Or, at least, don't want to pay for them.) The AI industry is starting to retrench to a business-first approach, because there's simply no killer app for it yet. Speaking of no killer apps! Allison Johnson then joins the show to talk about the shockingly short life of the Samsung TriFold, and her bizarre journey to try and review the now-dead foldable. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the fate of the metaverse, and some important internet debunking.

Further reading:

⁠OpenAI cuts back on “side quests.” ⁠

⁠OpenAI’s adult mode will reportedly be smutty, not pornographic ⁠

NYMag: ⁠Should You Be Able to Have Sex With ChatGPT?⁠

⁠I think VCs are starting to panic about the lack of *broad* consumer | TikTok⁠

⁠For the second time this week we have VCs vocalizing their frustration | TikTok⁠

⁠Poll: Majority of voters say risks of AI outweigh the benefits⁠

⁠How Americans View AI and Its Impact on Human Abilities, Society | Pew Research Center⁠

⁠Samsung discontinues its Galaxy Z TriFold after just three months ⁠

⁠Oppo’s nearly creaseless foldable isn’t launching in Europe after all ⁠

From last year: ⁠Just look at Huawei’s trifold phone⁠

⁠This is not a fly uploaded to a computer⁠

⁠ChatGPT did not cure a dog’s cancer⁠

⁠Meta is actually keeping its VR metaverse running, for now⁠

⁠Nvidia just announced DLSS 5 and Digital Foundry already has a video. ⁠

⁠Jensen Huang, on the critical reaction to DLSS 5: “Well, first of all, they’re completely wrong.”⁠

⁠DLSS 5 looks like a real-time generative AI filter for video games ⁠

⁠Nvidia has lost the plot with gamers ⁠

We're hiring a new podcast producer. Come work with us!

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The future of code is exciting and terrifying

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

A new era of software development is upon us. Career coders are no longer writing code, but rather managing teams of agents that do the work on their behalf. You can Claude Code your way through seemingly just about any problem. So what does that mean for the software we use, and the people who make it? Paul Ford, a writer and technologist who both writes about code and manages a team of coders, joins the show to explain his somewhat conflicted excitement about the new crop of AI tools, and his worries about what they’ll do to the world. After that, The Verge’s Dominic Preston helps answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠!) about the differences between the US phone market and the global phone market, and whether US buyers are missing anything important.

Further reading:

⁠The A.I. Disruption Has Arrived, and It Sure Is Fun⁠

⁠Claude has been having a moment — can it keep it up?⁠

⁠How the creator of Claude Code sees the future of AI⁠

⁠Ftrain⁠

From Bloomberg: ⁠What Is Code?⁠

⁠Xiaomi, unlike Google and Samsung, thinks camera hardware comes first⁠

⁠Oppo’s new foldable isn’t quite creaseless, but it’s pretty damn close⁠

⁠Honor’s Robot Phone is a bad robot, interesting camera, maybe a friend⁠

⁠Vivo and Oppo’s telephoto extender comes to iPhone⁠

⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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The MacBook Neo's a winner

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 19:57:00 -0000

David and Nilay bought new computers this week, as the MacBook Neo turned out to be a surprisingly great cheap Apple laptop. The hosts discuss their experiences with the machines, from the processor to the keyboard to the mess that is MacOS Tahoe. After that, they talk about the future of Xbox, Project Helix, and what it might mean for every gaming PC to become an Xbox... and for the Xbox to become a gaming PC. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the latest on Paramount and Warner Bros, Grammarly's sloppelgangers, and more.

Further reading:

MacBook Neo review: the Mac for the masses

Asus chief says Macbook Neo's affordable pricing came as a shock to the entire PC market — compares $599 notebook to a tablet and content-consumption device

The MacBook Neo is surprisingly easy to disassemble and repair.

From 2007: Ballmer Laughs at iPhone

Apple Studio Display XDR review: a great, but expensive, pro option

The iPhone 17E is good, but you probably shouldn’t buy it

iPad Air review 2026: the M4 and other chip bumps make a difference

Apple is going high-end with new ‘Ultra’ products next

iPhone Fold rumor: iPad-like multitasking, but no iPad apps and no Face ID

Microsoft’s next Xbox, Project Helix, won’t reach alpha until 2027

Microsoft’s ‘Xbox mode’ is coming to every Windows 11 PC

Microsoft says you should build next-gen Xbox games by building them for PC.

FCC chair blasts Amazon after it criticizes SpaceX megaconstellation

Brendan Carr on X

FCC chief tells CNBC WBD-Paramount merger deal is ‘cleaner’ than Netflix’s, will be approved ‘quickly’

Grammarly is using our identities without permission

Grammarly is turning off the expert review AI feature that stole our identities

Grammarly will keep using authors’ identities without permission unless they opt out

The Live Nation settlement has industry insiders baffled

Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus review: This again

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The twist in the Ticketmaster antitrust fight

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

Last week, it appeared the US Department of Justice was off to a strong start in its antitrust case against Live Nation Ticketmaster. Then, this week, the two sides surprised everyone by settling. The Verge's Lauren Feiner joins the show to explain the stakes of the case, the facts of the settlement, and why things aren’t entirely over just yet. Then, The Verge’s Hayden Field catches us up on what’s happening between Anthropic, OpenAI, and the Department of Defense. OpenAI got the contract, but it looks like Anthropic might be the real winner here. If the company’s business can survive, that is. Finally, David answers a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether you should get a foldable phone. And why foldable phones even exist.

Further reading:

Live Nation settles government antitrust suit — that probably doesn’t include a breakup

How Live Nation allegedly terrorized the concert industry

Did Live Nation punish a venue by taking Billie Eilish away?

Inside Anthropic’s existential negotiations with the Pentagon

We don’t have to have unsupervised killer robots

How OpenAI caved to the Pentagon on AI surveillance

Trump orders federal agencies to drop Anthropic’s AI

Iran Strikes: Anthropic Claude AI Helped US Attack. But How Exactly? - Bloomberg

My favorite folding phone is the one that doesn’t exist yet

Google Pixel Fold review: closing the gap

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) review: looking sharp

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Version History: Furby

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0000

In 1997, David Hampton and Caleb Chung took one look at a Tamagotchi and decided they could bring the virtual pet craze into the real world. Their robotic companion, Furby, packed a bunch of advanced technology into a small, adorable, often annoying package. But for all the irritation it caused (Furby famously had no on-off switch) there was a surprising amount of thoughtful philosophy in its design. The Verge’s Vee Song, Sean Hollister and host David Pierce are joined by Coco the Furby to discuss the lore behind the hottest toy of 1998.

⁠Geocities chat with Furby co-inventor David Hampton⁠

If you like the show, ⁠⁠follow the Version History audio podcast feed⁠⁠ to get every new episode.
Version History is also on video! Check us out on YouTube.
⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.
We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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This phone starts fires on purpose

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0000

While most phone makers work hard to ensure their products don’t start fires, Oukitel made a phone that starts fires on purpose. This week on The Vergecast, Dominic Preston joins Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel to wrap up all the weird and wonderful phones he and the team saw at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Then, Sean Hollister takes us through Google and Epic’s enemies-to-lovers saga: A secret $800 million deal, a non-disparagement agreement, and something about the metaverse for some reason. Plus: Nilay just had the best home movie experience of his life thanks to the Kaleidescape 8TB solid-state server, Dom’s charging his smart phone on a mini racecar, and Sean delivers some disappointing news about the Lego smart brick we were all rooting for. And Brendan Carr is still being a dummy.

Further reading:

⁠Nothing is finally covering up with the slim, metal Phone 4A Pro⁠

⁠Nothing couldn’t wait to show off the Phone 4A⁠

⁠Nothing’s Headphone A are something worth considering⁠⁠

Honor’s Robot Phone is a bad robot, an interesting camera, and maybe your friend⁠

⁠Honor claims its Robot Phone will launch later this year⁠

⁠Honor’s Magic V6 is the first foldable with an IP69 rating ⁠

⁠Xiaomi’s Leica Leitzphone mostly earns the name⁠

⁠Xiaomi, unlike Google and Samsung, thinks camera hardware comes first⁠

⁠Xiaomi 17 is a small(ish) phone with a big(ish) battery⁠

⁠Here’s the upgrade to my favorite phone camera of last year⁠

⁠Tecno is doing a modular phone (again)⁠

⁠Lenovo made a Framework-like laptop with modular ports — and a second screen⁠ ⁠

Google isn’t waiting for a settlement — the 30 percent Android app store fee is dead⁠

⁠Here’s how Google describes its fee-reducing Apps Experience and Games Level Up programs⁠

⁠Epic and Google have signed a special deal for a new class of ‘metaverse’ apps⁠

⁠Tim Sweeney signed away his right to criticize Google until 2032⁠

⁠Fortnite is returning to Google Play globally⁠

⁠FCC Chair Brendan Carr is pushing for US-based call centers⁠

I’m not ashamed to admit the Kobo Remote is the best gadget I’ve bought this year⁠

Did Live Nation punish a venue by taking Billie Eilish away?⁠

I charge my phone on a racing car. Do you? ⁠

⁠Investigating the 61-pound machine that eats plastic and spits out bricks

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MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and iPad Air: The Vergecast Livestream

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:54:00 -0000

Apple released a bunch of new iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Studio Displays this week. The Verge’s Nilay Patel and David Pierce tried them all this morning, and are back to share their thoughts live.

Further reading:

All the news about Apple’s MacBook Neo, iPhone 17E, and more

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The 6G, modular, robot phones of the future

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Most mainstream phone options are kind of the same, year in and year out — but that doesn’t mean there’s no innovation to be found. The Verge’s Allison Johnson is at Mobile World Congress, and joins the show to report on all the modular phones, robot phones, small phones, big phones, and (alas) 6G phones set to hit the market this year. After that, The Verge’s Jess Weatherbed explains the phenomenon of the gadget strap, and makes the case that they’re an increasingly useful accessory as our phones become even more important to our daily lives. (Yes, even if you have pockets.) Finally, The Verge’s Jay Peters helps David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether the metaverse, however you want to define it, is ever going to be realized.

Further reading:

Oh great, here comes 6G

Honor claims its Robot Phone will launch later this year

Lenovo made a Franken-laptop with modular ports and a second screen

Vivo’s next phone will launch with a professional camera rig

Tecno’s latest concept phone is lit by neon

Honor’s Magic V6 is the first foldable with an IP69 rating

The Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagship

Xiaomi’s super-slim power bank costs extra in orange.

Honor’s thinnest tablet doesn’t come cheap.

Peak Design has wearable gadget straps for people who hate bags

Apple’s misunderstood crossbody iPhone strap might be the best I’ve seen

Meta confirms Reality Labs layoffs and shifts to invest more in wearables

Meta’s VR metaverse is ditching VR

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The Galaxy S26 is a photography nightmare

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Samsung just launched its newest phones, the Galaxy S26 lineup, and wow is it full of Vergecast stories. There’s the very cool new Privacy Display, which seems genuinely useful; there’s the AI-powered camera, which seems like a disaster waiting to happen; and there’s the new agentic AI in Android, which Google and Samsung might be positioned to actually pull off. After talking through all the new stuff, Nilay and David discuss the recent executive shakeup at Xbox, and try to figure out why Microsoft just can’t win in games. Finally, in the lightning round, it’s time for Brendan Carr is a dummy, some truly remarkable charts, and much more.

Further reading:

⁠Samsung Unpacked 2026: live updates from the Galaxy S26 ⁠⁠announcement event ⁠

⁠Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus hands-on: More of the same ⁠

⁠Samsung AI photos⁠

⁠Google Gemini can book an Uber or order food for you with new agentic AI features ⁠⁠Google and Samsung just launched the AI features Apple couldn’t with Siri⁠

⁠I’m super impressed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new Privacy Display ⁠

⁠Samsung announces Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro at Unpacked 2026⁠

⁠Xbox shakeup: Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are leaving Microsoft ⁠

⁠Xbox chief Phil Spencer is leaving Microsoft ⁠

⁠Read Xbox chief Phil Spencer’s memo about leaving Microsoft ⁠

⁠Sarah Bond is leaving Xbox ⁠

⁠Read Xbox president Sarah Bond’s memo about leaving Microsoft. ⁠

⁠Inside Microsoft’s big Xbox leadership shake-up ⁠

⁠Read Microsoft gaming CEO Asha Sharma’s first memo on the future of Xbox ⁠

⁠New Microsoft gaming CEO Asha Sharma says “hear you” to complaints about a lack of Xbox exclusives.⁠

⁠New Xbox CEO: ‘The plan’s the plan until it’s not the plan.’ ⁠

⁠Microsoft says today’s Xbox shake-up doesn’t mean game studio layoffs ⁠

⁠Billions of dollars later and still nobody knows what an Xbox is ⁠

⁠Chairman Carr Announces Pledge America Campaign⁠

⁠Does Anthropic think Claude is alive? Define ‘alive’⁠

⁠Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas AI Scenarios chart⁠

⁠Youtube Chair Drama⁠

⁠OpenAI’s Stargate struggles. ⁠

⁠OpenAI’s first ChatGPT gadget could be a smart speaker with a camera ⁠

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How Claude Code Claude Codes

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Few AI products have found the kind of product-market fit we’ve seen from Claude Code. On the eve of the product’s first anniversary, Anthropic’s Boris Cherny explains why Claude Code is so powerful, all the work left to do, and why he no longer writes any code himself. After that, The Verge’s Hayden Field joins the show to talk about how we should think about giving our data (and our computers) to AI, even when it seems useful. Finally, The Verge’s Allison Johnson helps David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11) about whether you should go buy a phone, like, right now.

Further reading:

Claude Code is suddenly everywhere inside Microsoft

Claude has been having a moment — can it keep it up?

The AI security nightmare is here and it looks suspiciously like lobster

OpenClaw’s AI ‘skill’ extensions are a security nightmare

Humans are infiltrating the social network for AI bots

Anthropic connects Claude to Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive

MCP extension unites Claude with apps like Slack, Canva, and Figma

The RAM shortage is coming for everything you care about

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The speech police came for Colbert

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Once again, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and his bad ideas about free speech have rankled a late night host. And once again, Nilay and David talk through what the equal-time rule actually means, why organizations keep caving, and why it's apparently up to people like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel to fight back. After that, the hosts discuss the facial recognition feature Meta hopes to launch for its smart glasses, plus the gadgets we're likely to see Apple launch in the couple of weeks. In the lightning round, we get some bleak news on Tesla's self-driving skills, a robovac security disaster, and the future of Warner Bros.

Further reading:

Why CBS Didn't Broadcast Stephen Colbert's Interview With James Talarico

Stephen Colbert says CBS banned him from airing this James Talarico interview

Why Everyone's Talking About Stephen Colbert, CBS, The FCC And James Talarico

Meta reportedly wants to add face recognition to smart glasses while privacy advocates are distracted

From the NYT: Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses

Apple’s doing something on March 4th

Apple is reportedly planning to launch AI-powered glasses, a pendant, and AirPods

Apple starts testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messages on iPhone

Apple’s Podcasts app will let you ‘seamlessly’ switch between audio and video shows

Looks like we can expect more AI from the Galaxy S26 camera. | The Verge

Google announces dates for I/O 2026

Western Digital says it’s “pretty much soldout” for 2026.

Valve’s Steam Deck OLED will be ‘intermittently’ out of stock because of the RAM crisis

Switch 2 pricing and next PlayStation release could be impacted by memory shortage

Tesla’s robotaxis have crashed 14 times in 9 months.

Tesla won’t use the term ‘Autopilot’ in California anymore

Why are Epstein’s emails full of equals signs?

4chan’s creator says ‘Epstein had nothing to do’ with creating infamous far-right board /pol/

DJI’s first robovac is an autonomous cleaning drone you can’t trust

The DJI Romo robovac had security so poor, this man remotely accessed thousands of them

DJI says yes, it will fix its other Romo robovac security hole within weeks

Samsung ad confirms rumors of a useful S26 ‘privacy display’

Warner Bros. Discovery gives Paramount one week to present its ‘best and final’ offer

WordPress’ new AI assistant will let users edit their sites with prompts

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Your next laptop could be a foldable phone

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Allison Johnson has recently been doing the unthinkable: she's been leaving her laptop at home. Allison joins the show to explain how she turned her Samsung foldable into a useful computer, and why it feels so good to do so. Then, Sportico's Jacob Feldman joins the show to talk about the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the overall state of sports streaming in 2026. (Unfortunately, it's all still very complicated.) Finally, David answers a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether flip phones might have a future in an AI world.

Further reading:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: stunning, bendy, and spendy

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) review: looking sharp

Logitech’s Keys-To-Go 2

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Ring's adorable surveillance hellscape

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Did you see Ring's Super Bowl ad and see happy puppies reunited with their owners? Or did you see the seeds of a complete, always-on surveillance nightmare coming for us all? David and Nilay discuss which is the right answer, why so many people don't want to trust tech companies, and why Ring might not care much about the difference. After that, the hosts discuss the ads coming to ChatGPT, the surprising number of AI executives quitting their jobs and issuing dire warnings on the way out, and the fake ad for OpenAI gadgets. In the lightning round, it's time for an extra long Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the latest Ferrari EV, the future of Siri, and more.

Further reading:

Jeffrey Epstein’s digital cleanup crew

Jeffrey Epstein might not have created /pol/, but he helped carry out its mission

Amazon Ring’s lost dog ad sparks backlash amid fears of mass surveillance

Wyze is sticking it to Ring

Sen. Markey calls on Amazon to “discontinue” Ring monitoring features

Ring’s new Search Party feature is on by default; should you opt out?

Ring launches upgraded cameras with Retinal Vision 4K recording

What the Guthrie case reveals about your ‘deleted’ doorbell footage

FBI releases recovered footage from Nancy Guthrie’s Nest cam

OpenAI’s first hardware slips to 2027

OpenAI’s supposedly ‘leaked’ Super Bowl ad with ear buds and a shiny orb was a hoax

Two more xAI co-founders are among those leaving after the SpaceX merger

OpenAI reportedly disbanded its Mission Alignment team

OpenAI fired exec who opposed ‘adult mode’

Read an Anthropic AI safety lead's exit letter: 'The world is in peril'

Opinion | I Left My Job at OpenAI. Putting Ads on ChatGPT Was the Last Straw.

What Is Claude? Anthropic Doesn’t Know, Either

ChatGPT’s cheapest options now show you ads

Here are the brands bringing ads to ChatGPT

Claude gets more free features to capitalize on ChatGPT ads

Ex-OpenAI researcher has “deep reservations” about its approach to ads

Brendan Carr is a Dummy theme submitted by Michiel Vanhoudt on BlueSky

FTC says it’s ‘not the speech police’ in letter warning Apple News about its alleged promotion of left-leaning outlets

Ferrari’s first EV will have an interior designed by Jony Ive

Here’s what the Ferrari Luce’s buttons, switches, and knobs sound like.

The early reviews of the Rivian R2 are starting to roll in

Live Nation’s monopoly trial is reportedly fracturing Trump’s Justice Department

YouTube is coming to the Apple Vision Pro

Apple keeps hitting bumps with its overhauled Siri

The iPhone 17e could launch soon with MagSafe and an A19 chip

Apple might let you use ChatGPT from CarPlay

Paramount ups its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, again

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Could the Trump Phone be a good phone?

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

The Trump Phone is real! Ish! The Verge’s Dom Preston has seen a T1 on a video call, that we can say for sure. Dom joins the show to explain what’s new about the phone, whether it has a chance to be a decent device, and why it’s taken so long for Trump Mobile to ship the thing. After that, The Verge’s Hayden Field explains the excitement around OpenClaw and Moltbook, and whether either one is a big moment for the AI industry. Finally, The Verge’s Andy Hawkins helps us answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11) about whether, and when, Tesla might get out of the car business altogether.

Further reading:

This is the Trump Phone⁠

⁠The Trump Phone no longer promises it’s made in America⁠

⁠600,000 Trump Mobile phones sold? There’s no proof.⁠

⁠OpenClaw: all the news about the trending AI agent ⁠

⁠OpenClaw’s AI ‘skill’ extensions are a security nightmare

⁠There’s a social network for AI agents, and it’s getting weird

⁠Humans are infiltrating the social network for AI bots

⁠Tesla discontinuing Model S and Model X to make room for robots⁠

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How Epstein became a tech influencer

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

A new tranche of Jeffrey Epstein’s emails makes one thing painfully clear: Epstein was a central figure in the lives of a lot of big names in tech, and had influence on a surprising number of companies and executives. David and Nilay talk through what we’ve learned from the new emails so far. Then they turn to Anthropic’s spicy new Super Bowl ads about... ads, which caused a big reaction from OpenAI (which is betting big on ads). They also discuss this week’s antitrust hearing about Netflix’s purchase of Warner Bros., the latest in Brendan Carr is a Dummy, Google Home’s big buttons upgrade, and much more.

Further reading:

Here's how Epstein broke the internet

Former Windows 8 boss recruited Epstein to help negotiate his messy Microsoft exit

Jeffrey Epstein arranged a meeting with Tim Cook for the former head of Windows

The Epstein files

Google co-founder Sergey Brin visited Epstein’s private island and traded emails with Ghislaine Maxwell.

It turns out Elon Musk didn’t exactly ‘refuse’ the invite to Jeffrey Epstein’s island.

Will Elon Musk’s emails with Jeffrey Epstein derail his very important year?

Bill Gates says accusations contained in Epstein files are ‘absolutely absurd'

Jeffrey Epstein was permanently banned from Xbox Live

‘We’ve basically funded an elite global pedophile ring since 2015.’

Anthropic says ‘Claude will remain ad-free,’ unlike an unnamed rival

Anthropic’s blog post: Claude is a space to think

Sam Altman responds to Anthropic’s ‘funny’ Super Bowl ads

OpenAI’s CMO on X

Nvidia CEO denies he’s ‘unhappy’ with OpenAI

Netflix lands in the middle of a culture war during Senate hearing

Everyone is stealing TV

Disney says Josh D’Amaro will replace Bob Iger as CEO

FCC aims to ensure “only living and lawful Americans” get Lifeline benefits

Elon Musk is merging SpaceX and xAI to build data centers in space — or so he says

Peloton’s gamble on expensive new hardware has yet to pay off

Google Home finally adds support for buttons

Raspberry Pi is raising prices again as memory shortages continue

Valve’s Steam Machine has been delayed, and the RAM crisis will impact pricing

Aluminium: Why Google’s Android for PC launch may be messy and controversial

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Millions of books died so Claude could live

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0000

AI companies want all the data, everywhere, to make their models bigger and better. That means a lot of questions about piracy and copyright, and at least in one case it means Anthropic systematically destroying countless books just to feed them to the model. The Washington Post's Will Oremus joins the show to explain how that worked, why Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI and others are doing it, and what the law has to say. Then, Puck's Julia Alexander helps David figure out whether Netflix is serious about showing movies in theaters, and what theaters need to do to survive in the entertainment business going forward.

Further reading:

From The Washington Post: Anthropic ‘destructively’ scanned millions of books to build Claude

Anthropic wins a major fair use victory for AI — but it’s still in trouble for stealing books

Meta’s AI copyright win comes with a warning about fair use

Did AI companies win a fight with authors? Technically

From Puck: Why Netflix Needs Warner Bros.

Welcome to the big leagues, Netflix

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Tim Cook is destroying his own legacy

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

We've been covering what's happening in Minnesota, and the killing of Alex Pretti, all week on The Verge. To begin this episode, Nilay explains why — and why so many others seem to feel the same way right now. After that, the hosts talk about the CEO-studded screening of Melania Trump's documentary last weekend, the disastrous public appearance from Tim Cook, and whether Cook and other CEOs have any other option but to capitulate to the Trump administration. Then it's time for some gadgets: we talk about the super-foldy, super-expensive Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold, the Clawdbot / Moltbot phenomenon, and whether Google can finally put Chrome OS and Android together the right way. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a dummy, Tesla's anti-car pivot, Apple's design hires, and more.

Further reading:

On the ground in Minneapolis after the killing of Alex Pretti

I grew up with Alex Pretti

Creators and communities everywhere take a stand against ICE

It doesn’t matter if Alex Pretti had a gun

Why won’t anyone stop ICE from masking?

Tim Cook, Andy Jassy, and AMD CEO Lisa Su are at the White House for a VIP screening of the Melania doc.

Tim Cook had ‘a good conversation’ with Trump about deescalation

Cook in 2020: Speaking up on racism

From The New York Times: Amazon’s $35 Million ‘Melania’ Promotion Has Critics Questioning Its Motives

From The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Melania’ Set for a $3 Million Opening Despite Amazon’s $35 Million Marketing Push

Here’s Tim Cook hanging out with accused rapist Brett Ratner at the Melania screening

What TikTok’s new owners mean for your feed

TikTok USA is broken

TikTok is still down, here are all the latest updates

TikTok is still struggling in the US due to a “cascading systems failure.”

TikTok US is mostly back up and running

TikTok blames its US problems on a power outage

Oracle admits it broke TikTok.

Congress doesn’t seem to know if the TikTok deal complies with its law

Is New TikTok banning the word “Epstein” in DMs? Not really.

TikTokers are heading to UpScrolled following US takeover

Mark Zuckerberg is all in on AI as the new social media

Meta is stopping teens from chatting with its AI characters

Bluesky is testing ‘live’ features to take on X

Best gas masks

The Samsung Trifold will cost nearly three grand

Google just leaked a first look at Android for PC in action

Chromebooks train schoolkids to be loyal customers, internal Google document suggests

Moltbot, the AI agent that ‘actually does things,’ is tech’s new obsession

Clawdbot’s bad day

I used Claude to vibe-code my wildly overcomplicated smart home

The FCC’s Late Night Comedy Show

Tesla discontinuing Model S and Model X to make room for robots

Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon

Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline

Elon Musk invests $2 billion in Elon Musk

Hang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too?

Halide co-founder Sebastiaan de With is joining Apple’s design team

The Stream Deck-packed gaming keyboard is a monster of good ideas

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Truth and AI in Minneapolis

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Like so many others, we’re still reeling from the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. To open the show, we talk with Adi Robertson about how videos of the incident moved around social platforms, how even well-intentioned people got confused by AI imagery, and what we’ve learned about the state of misinformation. Then Adi explains the new TikTok, which is both the same and very different from the old TikTok. The newly US-centric version of the app has had some switching pains so far, and the changes may only be just beginning. After that, it’s time for a hard pivot, as Vulture’s Nick Quah joins the show to talk about Netflix’s entry into podcasts — and whether what Netflix is doing can even be called “podcasts” anymore. Finally, David answers an old Vergecast Hotline question that got him thinking about all the ways we hold our phones to make calls, and which one is the best.

Further reading:

It doesn’t matter if Alex Pretti had a gun

The day of the second killing

TikTok USA is broken

Everything (Including Netflix) Will Become YouTube This Year

It’s finally time to retire the word ‘podcast’

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The end of the Sony era in TVs

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay owns a Sony TV. He loves his Sony TV, and he's a little sad that it appears this era of Sony TVs is ending. He and David talk through the news of a new joint venture between Sony and TCL, before digging into OpenAI's new-fangled plan to make money (spoiler alert: it's ads!), and some new news about an AI gadget Apple may or may not be working on. Then it's time for the lightning round: Brendan Carr, Netflix, the Trump Phone, and much more.

Further reading:

The TikTok deal could finally close this week.

Epic and Google have a secret $800 million Unreal Engine and services deal

Sony’s TV business is being taken over by TCL

What a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVs OpenAI’s 2026 ‘focus’ is ‘practical adoption’

OpenAI releases a cheaper ChatGPT subscription

Ads are coming soon to ChatGPT, starting with shopping links

Opinion | A.I. Is Real. But OpenAI Might Still Fail.Apple is reportedly working on an AirTag-sized AI wearable

Apple is turning Siri into an AI bot that’s more like ChatGPT

FCC Targets Colbert and Kimmel in New Crackdown on Late-Night TV - The New York Times

Bureau Provides Guidance on Political Equal Opportunities Requirement | Federal Communications Commission

Free TV startup Telly only had 35,000 units in people’s homes last fall

Microsoft wants to build 15 data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin

OpenAI says its data centers will pay for their own energy and limit water usage

Netflix will revamp its mobile UI this year

600,000 Trump Mobile phones sold? There’s no proof.

YouTubers will be able to make Shorts with their own AI likenesses

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How BYD beat Tesla

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

There’s a new biggest name in EVs, and if you live in the US, you pretty much can’t buy one. But before we get to that, we have some stuff to catch up on: The Verge's Hayden Field joins us for a round of “Big Deal Medium Deal Small Deal” with some AI news, from the launch of ChatGPT Health to the recent viral moment for Claude Code. After that, The Verge’s Andy Hawkins joins the show to explain how BYD recently eclipsed Tesla as the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles, what makes its cars so desirable, and when you, too, might be able to buy a Dolphin Surf. Finally, David tackles a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about giving your kids iPads instead of iPhones, and whether all screen time is created equal.

Further reading:

Car influencers love Chinese EVs — and China loves them back

Tesla’s fourth quarter sales fell a lot more than expected

From Inside EVs: A Guide To BYD, The Chinese Automaker That Just Surpassed Tesla

Anthropic wants you to use Claude to ‘Cowork’ in latest AI agent push

Anthropic shakes up C-suite to expand its internal incubator

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health, encouraging users to connect their medical records

Google brings buy buttons to Gemini and AI search

Grok is undressing children — can the law stop it?

Google is taking over your Gmail inbox with AI

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Siri is a Gemini

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

Nearly two years ago, Apple showed off what an AI-powered Siri might do. That Siri never materialized, but thanks to a deal with Google for its Gemini tech, it might finally have a chance to work. David and Nilay discuss the ins and outs of the deal, and what it might mean for both Apple's and Google's ambitions in AI. (They also talk about the onslaught of new lawsuits from publishers related to Google's adtech antitrust case, including from our parent company Vox Media. Disclosure is our brand.) After that, they talk about Grok's horrific deepfake problem on X, and why everyone involved deserves the blame. Then it's time to pour one out for VR and the metaverse, which is losing steam as Meta loses interest and continues to pivot to AI. RIP Supernatural, a surprise hit of an exercise app! Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the latest Paramount / Warner / Netflix drama, the Trump Phone, and the Digg reboot.

Further reading:

The Atlantic, Penske, and Vox Media have all sued Google for antitrust violations

Apple picks Google’s Gemini AI for its big Siri upgrade

What Apple and Google’s Gemini deal means for both companies

Google’s Gemini AI will use what it knows about you from Gmail, Search, and YouTube

Why Google Gemini looks poised to win the AI race over OpenAI

A “conscious decision” from OpenAI.

X hasn’t really stopped Grok AI from undressing women in the UK

Advocacy groups demand Apple and Google block X from app stores

UK pushes up a law criminalizing deepfake nudes in response to Grok

X claims it has stopped Grok from undressing people, but of course it hasn’t

Meta plans to lay off hundreds of metaverse employees this week

Meta confirms Reality Labs layoffs and shifts to invest more in wearables

Meta is closing down three VR studios as part of its metaverse cuts

Meta’s layoffs hit the studio that made Batman: Arkham Shadow, too.

Supernatural Will No Longer Get New Content Or Features

FTC won’t appeal court decision permitting Meta to buy Within

The best thing to do in VR is work out

FCC chair Brendan Carr is pressed on removing ‘independent’ from its website.

Verizon gets FCC permission to end 60-day phone unlocking rule

Anthropic wants you to use Claude to ‘Cowork’ in latest AI agent push

Paramount sues after Warner Bros. Discovery rejects its latest deal Netflix is reportedly considering an all-cash offer for Warner Bros.

The new Digg is launching an open beta.

Elon Musk Cannot Get Away With This

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How Lego’s Smart Brick works

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

January brings two things in Vergecast-land: CES, and New Years' Resolutions. We start this episode with a dive into the story of this year's biggest tech show, the Lego Smart Brick, which is either a clever way of thinking about creativity or the end of creativity as we know it. Sean Hollister explains how the Smart Brick works, and how Lego can make sure it ends the right way. Then, Platformer's Casey Newton discusses his productivity system, his adventures in Claude Code, and how you too can make yourself a little more productive this year — with or without AI.

Further reading:

Lego announces Smart Brick, the ‘most significant evolution’ in 50 years

Lego’s Smart Bricks aren’t just an experiment

I played with the Lego Smart Brick

From Platformer: The project that turned me into a Claude Code believer

From Platformer: What I learned about productivity this year

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Live from CES: What is the point of a robot that falls over?

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

The theme of CES 2026 is gadgets. It's always gadgets. This year more than most, though, the world's biggest tech show is about how fast the hardware world is moving — and how much work the software, and the AI, have to do to catch up. On stage live at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, David and Nilay talk through some of the biggest news of the week, from robots to laptops to AI cuddle buddies, to see what's really going to matter in tech this year.

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The robots, phones and Lego of CES 2026

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:51:00 -0000

2026 is just beginning, and it's already time for the biggest gadget event of the year. As the Verge team heads to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, David and Nilay run through as many of the newly announced products as they can. There are robots, art TVs, phones, more robots, smart Legos, smart home gizmos, and still more robots. Some of this stuff will ship, and might even be a big hit. Some of it, well, won't. But it's all an interesting look into what's happening in tech right now.Also: if you're in Vegas for CES, come see us live! We'll be at the Brooklyn Bowl on Wednesday, January 7th, for live recordings of Decoder and The Vergecast, and we'd love to see you there.

Further reading:

⁠This robot companion is a cameraman for your pet ⁠

⁠LG says its CLOiD home robot will be folding laundry and making breakfast at CES ⁠

⁠SwitchBot brings a humanoid home robot to CES ⁠

⁠You can’t buy Zeroth’s WALL-E robot in the US, but you can get its cousin ⁠

⁠This startup brought WALL-E to life and will also sell you WALL-E’s weird cousin⁠

⁠Kicking Robots, by James Vincent⁠

⁠The Clicks Power Keyboard is also a backup battery for your phone ⁠

⁠The Clicks Communicator is a BlackBerry for your phone ⁠

⁠I just want to keep unfolding the Samsung Z TriFold ⁠

⁠The Aliro smart lock standard for NFC and UWB unlocking will launch this year ⁠

⁠Lutron adds smart wood blinds to its Caséta line. ⁠

⁠Bosch’s fancy coffee machine is getting Alexa Plus ⁠

⁠The new Ultraloq smart lock uses both your face and your palm to let you in ⁠

⁠Lockin’s new vein-scanning smart lock has a video doorbell and recharges wirelessly ⁠

⁠Hands-on with the Mui Board: a wooden smart home controller ⁠

⁠The Mui Board will support mmWave sleep tracking and gesture control ⁠

⁠You can unlock SwitchBot’s first deadbolt smart lock with your face ⁠

⁠Lifx launches a smart mirror and a $30 dimmer switch that can control smart bulbs ⁠

⁠Lockly’s new smart locks will support Matter and NFC ⁠

⁠GE Lighting’s new Matter-compatible smart shades start at just $300 ⁠

⁠The LG OLED evo W6 Wallpaper TV makes its return at CES ⁠

⁠RGB is the next big thing in OLED gaming monitors ⁠

⁠Belkin’s new HDMI adapter wirelessly connects to screens from 130 feet ⁠

⁠LG’s new Gallery TV, designed for displaying art, will be at CES 2026 ⁠

⁠Samsung brings back the Timeless Frame with its biggest Micro RGB TV at CES. ⁠

⁠TCL debuts a new quantum dot and color filter technology with the X11L ⁠

⁠Gemini on Google TV is getting Nano Banana and voice-controlled settings ⁠

⁠Amazon announces a Samsung Frame competitor with the Ember Artline TV ⁠

⁠Amazon Fire TV OS gets a revamp that’s more modern and pleasing ⁠

⁠LG’s new karaoke-ready party speaker uses AI to remove song vocals ⁠

⁠Would you let AI cut your hair? ⁠

⁠A developer for a ‘major food delivery app’ says the ‘algorithms are rigged against you⁠

⁠Lego announces Smart Brick, the ‘most significant evolution’ in 50 years | The Verge⁠

⁠Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is now blogging about AI slop ⁠

⁠“Feed is dead.” ⁠

⁠Adam Mosseri on how Instagram exists in the age of AI-generated images⁠

⁠The Trump phone just missed another release date ⁠

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Version History: iPhone 4

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The iPhone 4 was one of the best iPhones ever — and definitely the most dramatic iPhone ever. It was lost in a bar in California, sold to Gizmodo, and published for the world to see months before its launch. The phone itself had a bunch of important new features, and one that spawned Antennagate. In this episode, David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and longtime tech columnist Walt Mossberg tell the whole story of the phone, its legacy, and its place in tech blog history.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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The Vergecast RAM Holiday Spec-Tacular

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The world runs on RAM, and RAM is harder than ever to get your hands on. What’s happening here? Every year, the Vergecast team spends the holiday season going deep on a single spec or technology, and this year it’s all about Random Access Memory. (No, that’s not a Daft Punk album.) Nilay, David, and Sean Hollister explain what RAM is, why it matters, how it became a precious commodity, and what it means for the future of chips around the world. We also play some games. We do… okay at the games. Happy Holidays!

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Version History: Google Glass

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Google didn't invent the concept of smart glasses, but it was one of the first companies to actually put them on people's faces. It was a revolution, and also a problem: Google made face computers extremely uncool, and its early user base was so off-putting they became collectively known as “Glassholes.” The Verge’s Victoria Song and Waveform’s David Imel break down why Glass failed — despite being shockingly right about the future of technology.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠follow the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode as soon as it drops.

⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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Brendan Carr is a dummy

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Åhead of our last Friday episode of 2025, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr did The Vergecast an enormous favor: he went in front of Congress and said a bunch of wild things about regulation. So, of course, Nilay and David have to talk about them. For a really long time. After that, the hosts look at all the ways YouTube and Netflix are becoming more like one another, and then update the Go90 Scale of Doomed Streaming Services to round out the year. Finally, in the lightning round, there's talk of web apps, EVs, Bluesky, and the metaverse.

Further reading:

The Vergecast live at CES

Brendan Carr doesn’t regret his threats to broadcasters

Former FCC Chairman Michael Powell: ‘Cable companies are at the mercy of content companies’

The Oscars will stream on YouTube in 2029

Netflix’s next big TV game is FIFA soccer

My Favorite Murder and The Breakfast Club podcasts are ditching YouTube for Netflix

Warner Bros. wants its shareholders to reject Paramount’s latest offer

Netflix is “100% committed” to releasing WB films in theaters.

Even Jared Kushner thinks the Paramount WB bid sucks.

Peacock will bombard you with ads as soon as you open the app

HBO Max’s new channels keep Friends and Game of Thrones playing 24/7

Instagram is putting Reels on your TV

LG forced a Copilot web app onto its TVs but will let you delete it

Mercedes-Benz discontinues feature that syncs music to driving

Ford’s big bet on EVs didn’t pan out — now it’s pivoting to hybrids and energy storage

Bluesky claims its new contact import feature is ‘privacy-first’

Gemini 3 Flash is here, bringing a ‘huge’ upgrade to the Gemini app

The ChatGPT app store is here

Alexa Plus’ website is live for some users

Meta pauses third-party Horizon VR headsets program

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Everything is gambling now

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Who's going to win the Super Bowl? What about the latest season of Survivor? Or the race to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve? Who will be Portugal's next president? How many times will Elon Musk tweet in the next week? On Polymarket, and other prediction markets, you can bet on all these things and more. Are we entering a world in which everything is gambling and gambling is everything? Bloomberg's Joe Weisenthal joins the show to explain the rise of prediction markets, what's betting and what's investing, and more. Then, The Verge's Hayden Field teaches us about Model Context Protocol, a wonky bit of AI infrastructure that might be key to making AI agents work. MCP is barely a year old, and practically all of tech is ready to embrace it. Finally, Hayden helps David answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about why every AI company seems to want you to go shopping.

Further reading:

Are prediction markets gambling? Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev is betting not

Election night at Kalshi HQ

Joe Weisenthal at Bloomberg

From Bloomberg: My Biggest Question About Prediction Markets

Anthropic launches tool to connect AI systems directly to datasets

AI companies want a new internet — and they think they’ve found the key

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The end of OpenAI, and other 2026 predictions

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

A year ago, David and Nilay sat down with Wall Street Journal senior tech columnist Joanna Stern to make a bunch of confident predictions about 2025. We got them... you know what, never mind. Let's look ahead to 2026! This year, we gather again to make increasingly bold bets about the year to come, including the future of a few of the world's biggest companies and whether we're finally going to get a foldable iPhone. Last year's predictions may not have been our best, but we're feeling good about these.

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How to vibe-write a country hit

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Technically, the Netflix / Warner Bros. news is almost a week old, but what a week it has been! And so, after some follow-up on smart shades and CES, Nilay and David talk through all that’s at stake in the fight between Paramount and Netflix — and whether it’s even possible for someone to win this deal. After that, Charlie Harding, co-host of Switched on Pop and honorary Vergecast intern, explains how AI is taking over the country music scene in Nashville. He also makes us a song, and it’s a jam. Lastly, the hosts talk about font news (with a special guest), Brendan Carr, smart rings, garage wars, and more.

Further reading:

The Verge subscription turns one

Netflix is buying Warner Bros. for $83 billion

Paramount launches a hostile $108 billion bid to snatch Warner from Netflix

David Ellison pitches Paramount’s $108 billion hostile bid for WBD as “pro consumer.”

Behind Paramount’s Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump

New Paramount Speaks: Theatrical Films, Streaming Investment and Tech Upgrades Are Top Priorities

Netflix CEO made a visit to the White House before buying Warner Bros.

Trump isn’t sold on the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal

Netflix’s leadership thinks the Warner Bros. deal won’t be like other big media mergers.

Welcome to the big leagues, Netflix

There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale

OpenAI’s billion-dollar Disney deal puts Mickey Mouse and Marvel in Sora

Get ready for an AI country music explosion

Brendan Carr is a Dummy

Chamberlain’s new technology blocks aftermarket controllers from working with its garage door openers

The Pebble Index 01 is a smart ring with a built-in microphone

Calibri is too woke for the State Department | The Verge

Gruber got a copy of the thing

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2025 year in review

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Well, friends, it's been a year. And before we turn the page to 2026 and all the stories of 2025 begin to blur together, we decided to take stock of things. Nilay and David are joined by Wall Street Journal senior tech columnist Joanna Stern to debate the best products of the year, the biggest policy moves, the people who broke bad, the good AI things, the bad AI things, and much more. It's been a vibe-everything kind of year, and there's a lot to discuss.

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A very human vision for going all-in on AI

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

AI models are very good at summarizing things, finding other things like those things, and helping you find those things again. But does that mean we should leave all the work of finding and understanding to those models? Sari Azout, the founder of an app called Sublime, doesn't think so. For this episode, the second in our two-part series about how developers are using AI and building models into their products, Azout explains how Sublime tries to balance being a thoroughly human-focused app with the efficiencies that come with new technologies. She has thoughts on curation, taste, and the differences between AI as a creative partner and AI as a creative replacement.

Further reading:

Sublime

From Sari's newsletter: What matters in the age of AI is taste

From The Atlantic: Good Taste Is More Important Than Ever

AI Is a Lot of Work

Making human music in an AI world

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It's code red for ChatGPT

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

First things first: David and Nilay are both having some TV problems, and they need to talk it out. But then they get to the news of the week, including Samsung's new extra-foldy foldable phone, and a big change in the design departments at both Apple and Meta. What does it all say about the future of smart glasses? After that, the hosts talk through why Sam Altman declared a code red inside of OpenAI in order to redirect focus to ChatGPT — and whether the technology that has made all these products possible is actually the right technology moving forward. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, recap season, "dear algo," and thermostats.

Further reading:

Samsung’s Z TriFold is official and it looks like a tablet with a phone attached

Huawei tris again.

Huawei’s first trifold is a great phone that you shouldn’t buy

Apple’s head of UI design is leaving for Meta

Apple AI chief steps down following Siri setbacks

Louie Mantia’s blog post about Dye

Zuck’s post about the new team

Linux usage on Steam hits a record high for the second month in a row

OpenAI declares ‘code red’ as Google catches up in AI race

OpenAI just made another circular deal

Anthropic’s AI bubble ‘YOLO’ warning

Anthropic’s racing OpenAI to go public

Normalizing extraterrestrial data centers

I tested five AI browsers and lost my mind in the process

The AI boom is based on a fundamental mistake

Ilya Sutskever – We're moving from the age of scaling to the age of research

FCC boss Brendan Carr claims another victory over DEI as AT&T drops programs

First there was nothing, then there was Hoto and Fanttik

This new Honeywell Home smart thermostat can answer your Ring doorbell

Spotify Wrapped 2025 turns listening into a competition

YouTube introduces its own version of Spotify Wrapped for videos

Amazon Music Delivered puts your top tunes on a festival poster.

Google Photos Recap will tell you how many selfies you took this year

“Dear algo.”

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Apple gadgets, ranked

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Apple makes a lot of gadgets. You've probably heard of some of them. Most of them are very good! Few companies in tech, or anywhere, can claim a track record as impressive and consistent as the folks in Cupertino. But only one Apple product can be the best Apple product. The Verge's Victoria Song and Allison Johnson join David to rank Apple's nine product categories — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, AirPods, AirTags, HomePod, and Apple TV — in order of their best-ness. The gang agrees on a few, disagrees on a few, and gets in one argument that threatens to end the show forever.
We want to hear what you think of our ranking! If you have thoughts, on Apple gadgets or anything, you can always call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11 or email us at vergecast@theverge.com.

Further reading:

Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not

Apple HomePod (second-gen) review: playing it safe

Apple TV 4K (2022) review: unmatched power, unrealized potential

Apple Watch SE 3 review: major glow-up

Apple iPad Pro (2025) review: fast, faster, fastest

AirTag location trackers are smart, capable, and very Apple

Apple iPhone 17 review: the one to get

Apple iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max review

Apple AirPods (third-gen) review: new design, same appeal

Apple MacBook Air M4 review: a little more for a little less

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I just want AI to rename my photos

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Raycast is an unusual app with an unusual amount of access: it's a launcher and application platform that can directly interact with all the files and apps on your computer. Raycast didn't start as an AI-centric product, but Thomas Paul Mann, the company's co-founder and CEO, thinks AI is the key to making Raycast even better. For this episode, the first in our two-part miniseries about how developers are using and building AI, Mann explains how he plans to turn models loose on your files and apps, how he's thinking about the security risks and privacy issues associated with that plan, and what it takes to build AI products that actually, you know, work. Mann also talks through how he uses AI, both in and out of Raycast, and how he became a prompt-first computer user.

Further reading:

Raycast

From the Raycast blog: One interface, many LLMs

How to use Raycast and how it compares to Spotlight and Alfred

Raycast’s iOS app is now available for AI chat and notes

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The geek's guide to running faster

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

It's a holiday week for many of us, which means a lot of Turkey Trots and a lot of TV. We have something for both in this episode! First, Nick Thompson, the CEO of The Atlantic and author of the new book, The Running Ground, joins the show to talk about his lifelong journey as a runner, and all the tech — from smartwatch to shoes to custom GPTs — he uses in training. After that, The Verge's John Higgins makes his first Vergecast appearance to help us understand how motion smoothing works, why you should turn it off, and all the other ways you can improve your TV watching experience this holiday season. Finally, David follows up on a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) with some recommendations on inexpensive earbuds worth cranking up the volume on.

Further reading:

Nick Thompson's book, The Running Ground

From The Atlantic: Why I Run

TV manufacturers unite to tackle the scourge of motion smoothing

Dear Roku, you ruined my TV

How to turn off motion smoothing on your high-definition TV

Samsung’s Frame TV is finally getting the knockoffs it deserves

Samsung announces The Frame Pro: could this be the perfect TV?

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Version History: Vine

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Vine was the original short-form video platform, and pioneered so many of the ideas we now take for granted in reels and TikToks. It was a cultural engine whose executives clashed with the creators who made it famous, before everybody decamped for other platforms. Marina Galperina, Sarah Jeong and Mia Sato join David Pierce to revisit their favorite Vines and discuss the platform's lasting impact on creator culture.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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AI agents are invading your PC

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Like it or not, you may not be able to avoid the AI agents for long. David and Nilay discuss the ways Microsoft is pushing agents to practically every corner of Windows, and where Google plans to put Gemini 3 now that it's confident it makes the best model. After that, the hosts dig into the ruling in Meta's monopoly case, which has a lot to say about TikTok — and about the state and future of the internet. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for an extra-long Brendan Carr is a Dummy, some thoughts on domain names, and a quick Boox screen test.

Further reading:

Google cracked Apple’s AirDrop and is adding it to Pixel phones

Talking to Windows’ Copilot AI makes a computer feel incompetent

Microsoft is turning Windows into an ‘agentic OS,’ starting with the taskbar

Microsoft Agent 365 lets businesses manage AI agents like they do people

Screw it, I’m installing Linux

Google is launching Gemini 3, its ‘most intelligent’ AI model yet

Google Antigravity is an ‘agent-first’ coding tool built for Gemini 3

Google’s AI Mode can now help you visualize your travel plans

Google Gemini is getting better at identifying AI fakes | The Verge

Google’s Nano Banana AI image model goes Pro and is free to try | The Verge

Meta is not a monopolist, judge rules

FTC v. Meta: the antitrust battle over Instagram and WhatsApp

Inside the courthouse reshaping the future of the internet

Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI laws

Here’s the Trump executive order that would ban state AI laws

Republicans are looking for a way to bring back the AI moratorium

Brendan Carr’s FCC launches probe into BBC’s Trump edit | The Verge

The FCC wants to roll back steps meant to stop a repeat of a massive telecom hack | The Verge

Matter 1.5 brings camera support at last — here’s what it means for your smart home

MSNBC’s website is now MS.NOW

Future Google TV devices might come with a solar-powered remote

Disney loses bid to block Sling TV’s one-day cable passes

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It's not your job to fix the internet

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Enshittification. It's fun to say, hard to spell, and a useful descriptor of exactly how the internet has gone wrong. Cory Doctorow, the author and activist who coined the term a few years ago, recently published a book on the subject, called Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. He was on Decoder a few weeks ago to explain what happened, and joins The Vergecast this week to help us figure out what to do about it. Can we, as regular people on the internet, help to de-enshittify the place? What responsibility do we have, and what kinds of choices should we be making? Cory has lots of thoughts on whether you can shop your way out of a monopoly, and what it really takes to enact structural change online.

Further reading:

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Version History: LimeWire

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

You wouldn't steal a car. You wouldn't steal a handbag. But plenty of people used LimeWire and other file sharing services to share music, movies and more. If Napster was the beginning of the piracy story, LimeWire may have been the final chapter. Nilay Patel and Sarah Jeong join David Pierce to chart the history of LimeWire and the legal cases that shaped U.S. copyright law and the lives of college students taxing the bandwidth of their dormitory internet.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.⁠

Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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Valve made Microsoft's dream console

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The console wars are back on. This week, Nilay Patel sits down with Jake Kastrenakes, Sean Hollister, and special guest Joanna Stern, senior columnist at The Wall Street Journal, to talk about Valve's return to the living room gaming race with the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset. Then, Joanna discusses her time putting the Neo robot to the test and seeing whether it's capable of loading a dishwasher. Finally, it's time for the Lightning Round, where the crew is talking the YouTube/Disney spat, Apple's new mini apps, and letting Waymo speed down the highway.

Further reading:

Our first look at the Steam Machine, Valve’s ambitious new game console

Valve enters the console wars

Valve just built the Xbox that Microsoft is dreaming of

Valve’s new Steam Controller might be my dream controller The Steam Frame is a surprising new twist on VR

Steam Machines have returned: all the news about Valve’s new hardware universe

The Steam Frame has two speakers on each side of your face for vibration cancellation

Valve’s new VR streaming trick won’t just work with its own headset

How the Steam Frame compares to other VR headsets

Valve thinks Arm has ‘potential’ for SteamOS handhelds, laptops, and more

Valve is welcoming Android games into Steam

Valve has stopped manufacturing its Index VR headset

Valve has no news about Steam Deck 2 — because it’s still waiting for the right chip

We tried Valve’s new VR headset, PC, and controller — ask us anything!

I Tried the First Humanoid Home Robot. It Got Weird

Know Your Meme

1X Neo is a $20,000 home robot that will learn chores via teleoperation

Meet NEO, the AI-Driven Robot That’s Coming to Lend a Hand Around the House — for a Steep Price

The Problem with this Humanoid Robot

Samsung brings a generative AI-powered Bixby to its TVs

Gemini for TV is coming to Google TV Streamer starting today

Google says its confusing Gemini Home rollout is going just great

Google Photos lets iPhone users edit images by describing changes

Disney is losing over $4 million a day in revenue on the YouTube TV blackout

Disney is “trying really hard” to get ESPN back on YouTube TV

Peyton and Eli Manning Drop the Ball, Embarrass Themselves With Bob Iger Interview

Apple made a $230 crossbody… sock

Steve Jobs introduces iPod socks in 2004

Mini apps

Apple will take a mini commission from mini app developers

⁠Amazon is cracking down on illegal streaming on its Fire TV Stick ⁠

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Extreme smart home makeover

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

David has a new house, and no idea what to do with it. So he taps The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to help him make the place a lot smarter. Jen and David go room by room, figuring out how to improve everything from his lighting to his fridge to his front door. Some of the decisions are easy, like betting on Matter. Some are more complicated: what do you do when you have a split household between Android and iOS? Some are downright existential — how much would you spend for a better cup of coffee? Jen has ideas, and a vast set of product recommendations as well.

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Version History: Fire Phone

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In 2014, the tech world was abuzz with the prospect of a phone made by Amazon. When the Fire Phone arrived, it was chock full of ideas — a "dynamic perspective" feature that created 3D illusions, an image-recognition feature called "Firefly," and many, many opportunities to buy Amazon products. Allison Johnson and Sean O’Kane join David Pierce to discuss why, unlike Amazon's successful e-readers, this device was a gigantic flop.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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Bring back the iBook, you cowards

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The DoorDash problem just became Amazon's problem. Perplexity's Comet browser is allegedly stealthily shopping on the internet's largest mall, and the folks in Seattle want it to stop. It's just one example of the fast-moving power dynamics on the internet, as AI companies try to change the way we search, shop, and do everything else. Lots of companies are not going to settle for being dumb databases, and Nilay and David discuss how this fight might play out. After that, the hosts talk about the reports of an impending cheaper Mac with an iPhone chip, and whether that might mark Apple's true return to consumer laptops — or be something else entirely. Finally, in the lightning round, they talk Brendan Carr, late-night shows, party speakers, and sonic logos. Lots and lots of sonic logos.

Further reading:

Amazon and Perplexity have kicked off the great AI web browser fight

WEB WAR III

Apple is planning to use a custom version of Google Gemini for Apple Intelligence

OpenAI launches its Sora app on Android

Perplexity is going to power AI search in Snapchat .

Easier access to AI Mode, if that’s your thing.

Google Gemini’s Deep Research can look into your emails, drive, and chats

Google Maps taps Gemini AI to transform into an ‘all-knowing copilot’

Amazon is building Alexa Plus into its Music app

The AI industry is running on FOMO

Apple is reportedly working on a cheaper Mac laptop with an iPhone chip

iOS 26.1 lets you tweak Liquid Glass, and it’s out now

YouTube wants a piece of the late-night TV pie.

Apple TV’s new name now comes with a new sound

Brendan Carr votes to eliminate cybersecurity requirements

Epic and Google agree to settle their lawsuit and change Android’s fate globally

I’m amused by how Google is complying with the Epic injunction.

xAI used employee biometric data to train Elon Musk’s AI girlfriend

Into the Huluverse: The sonic evolution of Hulu

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Your smart home questions, answered

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Here at The Vergecast, we get a lot of questions. Questions from you, which we love! Questions that, for some reason, often tend to be about the smart home and why it's often not so very smart. So on this episode, the first in a two-part series, The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy helps us answer a whole bunch of your questions. Questions like: what's Apple's deal with the smart home? Are there any good smart faucets? And what's about to happen to my robot vacuum cleaner? Jen helps us wade through all that and more. We also go on a long diversion about smart smoke detectors, which are pretty awesome.

Further reading:

My smart kitchen: the good, the bad, and the future

Moen’s Smart Faucet with Motion Control is totally hands free, and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

The future of the Roomba, and the best robot vacuums

This smart smoke alarm could be a worthy Nest Protect replacement

Home Assistant’s next era begins now

Apple’s plan for AI could make Siri the animated center of your smart home

What’s in a smart home reviewer’s backyard

How Matter works, where it’s headed, and why it matters

The problems with AI in the smart home and how Amazon and Google plan to fix them

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Version History: Zune

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In 2006, Microsoft came for the iPod's throne with an innovative MP3 player called the Zune. It had a bunch of features the iPod didn't: WiFi, music sharing, a bigger screen, a beautiful UI, even an FM radio. And to hear Microsoft describe it, it was even kind of a social network. Nilay Patel and Victoria Song join David Pierce to break down why, despite all that, the Zune never really took off. And why it came in brown.

If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com ⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11.

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God will be declared by a panel of experts

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

If you want to understand the full spectrum of AI software, from "straightforward problem-solving tool" to "never-ending slop machine," all you need to do is pay attention to everything Adobe launched at its conference this week. David and Nilay run through the news, which will change how people use Photoshop but also maybe change our social feeds forever. After that, they talk about OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit business, and specifically the truly wild way OpenAI and Microsoft talk about the future of AGI. Finally, in the lightning round, they discuss Brendan Carr, Cybertrucks, the Trump Phone, Ghost Posts, and more.

Help us improve The Verge: Take our quick survey at theverge.com/survey.

Further reading:

⁠Photoshop and Premiere Pro’s new AI tools can instantly edit your work ⁠

⁠You can tell Adobe Express’s new AI assistant to edit designs for you⁠

⁠Adobe’s AI social media admin is here with ‘Project Moonlight’ ⁠

⁠Mark Zuckerberg is excited to add more AI content to all your social feeds⁠

⁠Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defends AI spend: 'We're seeing the returns'⁠

⁠OpenAI completed its for-profit restructuring — and struck a new deal with Microsoft ⁠

⁠The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership⁠

⁠OpenAI lays groundwork for juggernaut IPO at up to $1 trillion valuation | Reuters⁠

⁠OpenAI has an AGI problem — and Microsoft just made it worse ⁠

⁠OpenAI made ChatGPT better at sifting through your work information ⁠

⁠Sam, Jakub, and Wojciech on the future of OpenAI with audience Q&A⁠

⁠The Kingmaker | WIRED⁠

⁠Congratulations to the Tesla Cybertruck on its 10th recall.⁠

⁠Trump℠ Mobile | All-American Performance. Everyday Price. $47.45/Month⁠

⁠Threads is getting disappearing posts ⁠

⁠Ads will arrive on Samsung Family Hub smart fridges next month. ⁠

⁠The FCC is going after broadband nutrition labels. ⁠

⁠Brendan Carr is a Dummy⁠

⁠Bending Spoons is buying AOL for some reason ⁠

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An Apple Shortcuts masterclass

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Meta's smart glasses have been a hit in part because they don't try to do too much. With the new Display glasses, though, Meta is trying to do... a lot more. The Verge's Victoria Song joins the show to tell us about her experience with the glasses, from the impressive but very first-gen hardware to the somewhat underwhelming set of things you can do. After that, podcaster and creator Stephen Robles explains to David why he's dead wrong about Apple Shortcuts. Stephen shares how he uses Shortcuts, why he's found such a big audience of Shortcuts fans on YouTube and elsewhere, and why it's worth doing the work to learn Apple's most powerful app. Finally, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about which wireless earbuds you should buy — and why it might be the pair you already own.

Help us improve The Verge: Take our quick survey at theverge.com/survey.

Further reading:

⁠The future I saw through the Meta Ray-Ban Display amazes and terrifies me⁠

⁠I regret to inform you Meta’s new smart glasses are the best I’ve ever tried⁠

⁠The smart glasses race is really on now⁠

⁠Stephen Robles' YouTube channel⁠

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Version History: Guitar Hero

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Millions of basements have fake plastic guitars in them thanks to the 2005 smash hit Guitar Hero. Chris Grant and Ash Parrish join David Pierce to rock out with a game created over a matter of months by a niche developer and a peripheral manufacturer, fueled by word-of-mouth and viral videos on a nascent YouTube. You probably don’t play Guitar Hero anymore, but you might still find it in surprising places.

If you like the show, subscribe to the Version History feed⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

Let us know what you think: 866-VERGE-11 or vergecast@theverge.com.

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ChatGPT enters the browser wars

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

The era of the AI browser is here, and OpenAI is finally in the game. Nilay, Jake, and Hayden sit down to chat about what it means to have ChatGPT in your browser and able to control your cursor and surf the web for you. Also this week: Nilay's warning about using old surge protectors, the devastating and inevitable outcome of the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, and Samsung's Galaxy XR headset, which looks a lot like a Vision Pro. Finally, Brendan Carr Is A Dummy makes its triumphant return. And we wrap it all up with the Lightning Round, talking about the the Friend protest, GM's decision to ditch CarPlay, the AWS outage, the future of the Xbox, and more.

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Further reading:

OpenAI’s AI-powered browser, ChatGPT Atlas, is here

The ChatGPT Atlas browser still feels like Googling with extra steps

OpenAI teases a string of updates for its AI-powered browser, ChatGPT Atlas

Opera’s Neon shows just how confusing AI browsers still are

Perplexity’s Comet browser is now available to everyone for free

Google is expanding Gemini in Chrome and letting it do stuff for you

Reddit sues Perplexity for allegedly ripping its content to feed AI

The Dia browser is a big bet on the web — and an even bigger bet on AI

OpenAI’s latest legal request is raising eyebrows

Meta is axing 600 roles across its AI division | The Verge

Warner Bros. Discovery is ready for a sale

WBD already rejected three offers from Paramount Skydance,

Netflix, Amazon, and Apple are reportedly interested in buying Warner Bros.

HBO Max is raising prices for the third year in a row

Hulu with Live TV now costs $90 monthly but you can lock in $65 for three months

Apple TV will be the only place to watch F1 in the US, starting next year

Samsung Galaxy XR hands-on: It’s like a cheaper Apple Vision Pro and launches today

The future I saw through the Meta Ray-Ban Display amazes and terrifies me

These Oakley smart glasses are perfect for weekend warriors and T-ball coaches

The Friend AI pendant’s creator publicized a ‘Friend protest’ in NYC

These nonprofits lobbied to regulate OpenAI — then the subpoenas came

Why GM will give you Gemini — but not CarPlay

Did Microsoft just tease that the next Xbox is a PC and console?

Major AWS outage took down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and more

Pitchfork is beta testing user reviews and comments as it approaches 30

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The new Xbox is not an Xbox

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

We're very bullish on the handheld future of gaming. But we're not bullish on the new ROG Xbox Ally. The Verge's Sean Hollister joins the show to explain why this Xbox-branded device barely feels like an Xbox, and why it's definitely not a threat to the Steam Deck, before he and David debate whether the future of Xbox is even in good hands. After that, The Verge's Hayden Field walks David through a couple of important recent studies, asking the same basic question: is AI making us dumb? Finally, Sean returns to answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about hybrid computers, which are an extremely 2012 idea and also maybe the future of computing. But probably not.

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Further reading:

Xbox Ally and Ally X review: this is not an Xbox

Prongs rock

MIT: Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task

How chatbots — and their makers — are enabling AI psychosis

Sam Altman says ChatGPT will stop talking about suicide with teens

Some doctors got worse at detecting cancer after relying on AI

Microsoft Research: The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers

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Version History: Sony Watchman

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

1982's coolest gadget was the Sony Watchman portable TV. Decades before everyone was glued to YouTube on their smartphones, the Watchman popularized the concept of video on the go. In the early days of the personal-tech revolution, you’d find the Watchman antennas up everywhere from the church pew to the baseball bleacher. Victoria Song and Allison Johnson join David Pierce to dive into the engineering feat that made the first Watchman possible.

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AI can't even turn on the lights

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay’s back! And you can listen to The Vergecast with no ads, if you’re a Verge subscriber! Big week, really. Nilay and David start the show by talking about ads, podcasts, platforms, and subscriptions. Then they talk a bunch about Apple’s new M5-powered MacBook, iPad, and Vision Pro, and whether a chip bump is worth getting excited about. After that, Nilay reflects on a summer of using AI products, and explains why you can tell the whole story of this generation of AI just by talking about the smart home. Finally, in the lightning round, the hosts talk about AI song covers, Apple TV, TiVo, Roku, Cybertrucks, and the exploding Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Help us improve The Verge: Take our quick survey at theverge.com/survey.

Further reading:

Ad-free Verge podcasts have arrived

Netflix is making a big bet on video podcasts

Apple’s 2025 iPad Pro comes with an M5 chip inside

Apple just upgraded the Vision Pro with an M5 chip and new strap

Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro gets an M5 chip bump and faster storage

Logitech made an Apple Pencil-like stylus for the Vision Pro

Apple’s rumored smart home display hub might start at $350

Samsung officially teases Moohan headset launch for next week

Apple’s future smart glasses could have two separate UIs.

ChatGPT will soon help you shop at Walmart.

How OpenAI plans to make all its money.

Microsoft wants you to talk to your PC and let AI control it

As Microsoft bids farewell to Windows 10, millions of users won’t

Spotify says it’s working with labels on ‘responsible’ AI music tools

DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver

OpenAI partners with Broadcom to produce its own AI chips

Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults

Apple TV Plus is being rebranded to… Apple TV

Apple exec on Apple TV rebranding: ‘let’s just do it’

Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first to ‘go up in smoke during a bend test,’ JerryRigEverything says

Roku’s AI-upgraded voice assistant can answer questions about what you’re watching

DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver

Soul Against the Machine

TiVo has sold its last DVR

Tesla Cybertruck sales are flatlining

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Announcing an ad-free Vergecast feed for Verge subscribers

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:06:00 -0000

If you're a paid subscriber to The Verge, there's great news: You can now listen to Decoder, Version History, and The Vergecast completely ad-free.

Just head to your Account Settings page to opt-in and start listening without ads.

Not a member of The Verge yet? No worries! You can sign up at theverge.com/subscribe to get ad-free podcasts, plus other perks like exclusive newsletters and unlimited access to everything we publish.

More here: Verge subscribers, here’s how to set up ad-free podcasts

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Google's gadgets, ranked

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Google is on a bit of a heater when it comes to gadgets. The Pixel 10 lineup is one of the best Android phone options; the Pixel Watch 4 is suddenly a winner; the Pixel Buds are an excellent accessory; even the Pixel Fold got some welcome upgrades this year! With the help of The Verge’s Victoria Song and Allison Johnson, we do the impossible: we rank all six of Google’s Pixel gadgets, from worst to best. Are headphones better than smartphones? Can you really compare a tablet to a smartwatch? Who knows, but we try. After that, Allison and David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether the dumbphone movement is a real one.

Further reading:

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review: finally, a more durable foldable

Google Pixel Buds 2A review: the right kind of compromise

The Google Pixel Watch 4 is the Android watch to beat

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Version History: BlackBerry Messenger

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Back when text messages cost 10 cents each, BlackBerry came up with a better way: BlackBerry Messenger, commonly known as BBM. It was the first new idea about messaging in a long time, and it was a huge hit… for a while. Nilay Patel and Joanna Stern join David Pierce to talk about a messaging service that was years ahead of WhatsApp and iMessage, but ultimately fizzled.

If you like the show, ⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠ to make sure you get every new episode.

Let us know what you think: 866-VERGE-11 or vergecast@theverge.com.

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Maybe it's real, maybe it's Sora

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Say this for OpenAI: it's very good at raising money, and it's very good at getting attention. David and Jake are joined by The Verge's Hayden Field to talk about OpenAI's demo day, the company's app store plans, why it's trying to build every possible ChatGPT feature all at the same time, and more. After that, the hosts talk about the ongoing popularity of the Sora app, and whether OpenAI has truly built a new kind of social network. Then Hayden has to leave, so David and Jake take on the lightning round to discuss Intel chips, Alex Cooper's Google deal, Starry internet, and more.

Further reading:

OpenAI will let developers build apps that work inside ChatGPT

ChatGPT apps are live: Here are the first ones you can try

OpenAI: all the news about the makers of ChatGPT

OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT said it will significantly evolve in the next six months.

OpenAI will eventually allow “mature” ChatGPT apps.

OpenAI and Jony Ive’s secret device won’t be ‘your weird AI girlfriend’

AMD teams up with OpenAI to challenge Nvidia’s AI chip dominance

Sam Altman says there are no current plans for ads within ChatGPT Pulse — but he’s not ruling it out

A busy week for OpenAI’s social video machine.

Sora now lets users limit how their AI double is used

OpenAI teases licensed fictional characters on Sora

OpenAI wasn’t expecting Sora’s copyright drama

Developers can bring Sora 2’s AI video generation into their own apps.

Katie Notopolous on Threads

Sora’s Slop Hits Different

A new iPhone setting will stop CarPlay from stealing your AirPods’ audio

Here is Panther Lake, Intel’s 2026 laptop chip with next-gen graphics\

Facebook is turning into TikTok

Alex Cooper is making ads for Google / Pixel

Here’s how Apple is locking down iPhones to comply with Texas’ age verification law

Verizon buys the not-quite-5G wireless ISP Starry to expand wireless broadband

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Google's extreme smart home makeover

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Oh, you thought AI was just in your browser and on your phone? Well, the AI is coming from inside the house. The Verge's Jen Pattison Tuohy and Google's Anish Kattukaran both join the show to discuss last week's Google smart home news, including the company's big bet on the Gemini assistant. Anish explains why Google cares about the smart home in the first place, why things haven't exactly gone great so far, and why he's so convinced the new generation of AI can make it work. After that, The Verge's Vee Song joins the show to talk about Peloton's newest gear, including a $6,695 treadmill and a huge new push into personalized AI training features. Vee then sticks around to help David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about how many smartwatches is too many smartwatches. Spoiler alert: the answer is two. But it's not quite as simple as that.

Further reading:

Peloton increases fees and introduces new hardware including a $6,695 treadmill

Peloton appoints Apple Fitness Plus cofounder as new CEO

Peloton is a media company now, with media company problems

Google dismantled Nest — can Gemini save what’s left?

Hey Google, meet Gemini: the new voice of your smart home

The new Google Home Speaker is built for Gemini

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Version History: Hoverboards

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

In 2015, self-balancing scooters (which quickly became known as hoverboards) exploded in popularity, and then began literally exploding. Andrew Hawkins and Sean O’Kane join David Pierce to explore the multiple conflicting origin stories behind the hugely popular rideable, the many knockoffs, and why a device that doesn't actually hover ended up being called "hoverboard."

If you like the show, subscribe to the Version History feed to make sure you get every new episode.

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The real price of a free TV

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0000

This week, everything is a HomePod. And has ads. The Verge’s Jen Pattison-Tuohy joins the show to talk about all of Amazon’s new hardware, the current state of Alexa Plus, and whether the new Kindle Scribe is the one we’ve been waiting for. Then, The Verge’s Emma Roth tells Jen and David about her experience with Telly, the TV that ships to your house for free in exchange for showing you ads all the time. Telly may not be for everyone. Finally, in the lightning round, the gang talks about a handy new Spotify feature, Emma’s first Waymo ride, and the glory that is Chunk.

Further reading:

Amazon’s 2025 hardware event: the 8 biggest announcements

Here’s where to preorder all of Amazon’s new Alexa devices and when they arrive

Amazon finally did the damn hardware right

Amazon’s new Echo Dot Max smart speaker bumps up the bass

Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough

Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone

Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough

Alexa Plus on the TV is made to save you from your phone

Amazon sticks two cameras together for the 180-degree Blink Arc

The new Google Home Speaker is built for Gemini

Hey Google, meet Gemini: the new voice of your smart home | The Verge

I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that’s always showing ads

OpenAI made a TikTok for deepfakes, and it’s getting hard to tell what’s real

Spotify now lets you exclude specific songs from your algorithm

All hail the new Fat Bear Champion

Ring launches upgraded cameras with ‘Retinal Vision’ 4K recording

Microsoft is giving Copilot AI faces you can chat with

Waymo adds YouTube Music

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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My other car is a cargo bike

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Sure, you could drive to the grocery store and to school. But wouldn’t you rather grab a few hundred of your friends and bike-bus everywhere? The Verge’s Andy Hawkins joins the show to tell us all about his adventures with electric cargo bikes, and why he thinks they’re the ride of the future. After that, Lauren Feiner calls in from just outside a courthouse in Virginia, where she’s watching the remedies trial in Google’s adtech monopoly case. Google already lost the case; what happens next is still anyone’s guess. Finally, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about how to feel about summarizing YouTube videos with AI. The short version: you should feel a lot of things.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Tick Tock, TikTok

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

After more than five years of backing and forthing, secret meetings and loud screeds, it appears the fate of TikTok in the US has finally been decided. Maybe. There are still a lot of unknowns, but we're pretty sure we know the bones of the deal — and we know which of President Trump's allies stand to benefit the most. Before we get to all that, though, David and Jake run through some big news in future gadgets, including the long-awaited-and-maybe-happening combination of Android and ChromeOS and the possibilities for a touchscreen MacBook. Then, The Verge's Liz Lopatto joins to talk TikTok. And Trump. Then, in the lightning round, the three hosts talk through Jimmy Kimmel's return, Nvidia's money problems, a surprising AmEx perk, and much more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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YouTube wants you to go live

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

In all the tech news and world news last week, YouTube's Made On event got a little lost. So we circled back: The Verge's Mia Sato explains why YouTube is suddenly all-in on livestreaming, why it seems to be rapidly turning into a shopping mall, and whether all these AI features will improve YouTube or destroy it. After that, it's time for a second round of David's Summer Takes, in which he subjects The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes and Hayden Field to his thoughts on Threads, podcasts, and social media. Finally, Hayden sticks around to answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about the words we use when we talk AI.

Further reading:

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Meta's quest to own your face

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

There’s a lot of gadget news this week! But we begin the show in an unprecedented way: with a bit of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, America’s favorite podcast within a podcast. Nilay pops on the show to discuss what happened to Jimmy Kimmel, why the FCC’s assault on speech is so dangerous, and why a couple of broadcast TV companies matter so much to the story. After that, Jake Kastrenakes and Richard Lawler join to talk about all of Meta’s new smart glasses, including the company’s first pair with a built-in display. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk about Reddit’s new AI deal with Google, Nvidia’s new chip deal with Intel, and Samsung’s terrible plan to put ads on your fridge.

Further reading:

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Who is the iPhone Air really for?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 12:09:00 -0000

It's been a busy week for The Verge's product reviewers! We've got three new phones, three new watches, and a set of earbuds on the docket, and the team is ready to talk about (almost) all of it. First, Allison Johnson and Jake Kastrenakes join to talk about their experiences with the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro. One is fabulous with some compromises, one is just a down-the-middle excellent phone, and the other is for camera nerds. After that, Victoria Song talks about the AirPods Pro 3, which are also a stellar upgrade, and then helps us make sense of the new lineup of Apple Watches. There's the SE 3, the Series 11, and the Ultra 3, but there's only one clear winner for most people. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about Apple's up-and-down focus on AI

Further reading:

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Our hottest takes on AI's wild summer

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

One thing you should know about the iPhone launch is that there’s... not usually a lot of other tech news around the iPhone launch. So David and Jake start this episode with some more information about the iPhone launch, including some controversial details we missed about the AirPods Pro 3 and the argument in favor of the crossbody strap. After that, with David back on the mic, it’s time for a round of AI-focused hot takes with The Verge’s Hayden Field. The gang talks ChatGPT, Claude, money, more money, and what counts as a real friend. (And money.) Finally, in the lightning round — yes, once again the LIGHTNING ROUND — the three co-hosts talk about Canon’s confusing new camera, the future of Reddit, Claude’s spreadsheet-y future, and much more.

Further reading:

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The orange iPhone stole the show

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 16:00:00 -0000

Fresh off a day filled with new Apple products, The Verge’s ground team reports back on everything they’ve seen — and touched. Allison Johnson walks us through the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro lineups, making sense of all the new camera features and wondering just how thin a phone really can be. After that, Victoria Song talks about why the AirPods Pro 3 may have been the big hit of the day, plus all the details on the three new models of Apple Watch. Finally, Jake Kastrenakes tells us about his first experience live at an Apple event, explains the appeal of a crossbody strap, and has a theory about why an orange phone is such a big deal.

Further reading:

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Your robot is about to get its own robot

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's a big week for the smart home. Jake, Vee, and Jen sit down to chat about all the new tech out of IFA, from robots that carry robot vacuums up stairs to upgrades that turn 10-year-old Hue bulbs into motion sensors. Then, Lauren joins the show to talk about the Google antitrust remedies ruling and what Google is going to have to do to allow more competition in the search market. Finally, the Thunder Round is back and better than ever. We're talking $2,000 smart watches, Amazon yanking a major Prime perk, the Pixel 10 Pro's 100x AI zoom, Instagram for iPad, and drama at the FTC.

Further reading:

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Why are online puzzle games having a moment?

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Hooked on LinkedIn’s Queens? Gotta extend your Wordle streak in the New York Times games app before you start your day? You’re in good company on today’s Vergecast episode. Allison Johnson is joined by Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, world-class puzzle champs and hosts of the delightful Cracking the Cryptic, a YouTube channel where they solve a puzzle on camera every single day.

They specialize in Sudoku — and not just the classic number games you might be familiar with. Simon and Mark tackle mind-bending, seemingly impossible puzzles, working through it all in realtime, sometimes over the course of several hours. What happens when you get stuck? How can you tell the difference between a puzzle made by a human and a computer-generated one? Why are we addicted to puzzle games all of a sudden? They help us crack the clues.

Then Allison sits down with Marc Levoy, one of the pioneers of computational photography, to talk about his new camera app: Project Indigo. Levoy is known for his earlier work on the Pixel camera, and was a driving force in shaping phone photography into what it is now. We last caught up with him in 2020 when he left Google for Adobe, so we got up to speed on what the heck he’s been doing for the last five years — and the important difference between HDR and an HDR-ish photo.

Finally, Allison takes a hotline question from someone who is not particular about their phone camera’s image quality, but does have a beef with camera bumps.

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The Pixel 10's AI screamed at us

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

The Pixel 10 is in the house, and we’ve been testing them for over a week now. Allison and Vee sit down with Jake to discuss their tests — the good, the bad, and the poorly translated. They demo the Pixel 10's live phone call translations and dive into Pro Res Zoom, which uses AI to enhance photos zoomed in up to 100x. Then, it’s time to talk Dish, Intel, and Elon. Dish is giving up on being a major mobile carrier, Intel is now partially owned by the US government, and Elon has filed a questionable lawsuit against Apple. Finally, we wrap up with a Thunder Round to discuss K-Pop Demon Hunters, YouTube Shorts’ secret “AI,” Android’s registration requirement for developers, Taco Bell’s drive through AI attempt, and a delivery locker on wheels.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Zooming in on weird cameras

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake of PetaPixel’s YouTube channel join The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Vjeran Pavic to geek out about the last half-decade of camera advancements — the good, the bad, and the Sigma BF of it all.

Then, Allison is joined by Verge News Editor and fellow phone nerd Dominic Preston to help answer a boatload of listener questions from people contemplating which smartphone to buy next. They help navigate the intricacies of living in a mixed iOS/Android household to the best options for someone who wants a headphone jack (spoiler alert: there aren’t many).

It’s a mega-hotline-turned-therapy session for iPhone Mini owners reluctant to let go of their tiny phones in a world where phones come in two sizes: big and bigger.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Google's AI-stuffed Pixel 10 event

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It’s Pixel week. Jake, Vee, and Allison are chatting about all things Google. First, there’s the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold, which get a mix of hardware upgrades (dust-proofing on a foldable!) and downgrades (a worse camera on the Pixel 10?) and a ton of new AI features, including Magic Cue and Pro Res Zoom, which puts AI right inside the camera app. Next, there’s the Pixel Watch 4, Fitbit’s AI fitness coach, the Pixel Buds 2A, and a tease of Google’s next smart home speaker. Finally, we wrap it up with the Thunder Round and a discussion of Hank Green’s Focus Friend, Ricoh’s GR IV, Netflix’s new content strategy, Masimo’s attempt to sue over the Apple Watch again, and most importantly, Chipotle’s drone delivery.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Do we really want Rosie the Robot?

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, the co-founder and former CEO of iRobot, Colin Angle, joins The Verge’s smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, to discuss what the ideal home robot is. Are we close to creating a Rosie the Robot — an all-in-one humanoid robot that can take care of our homes, or should we take an entirely different approach to home robotics? They dive into the advances in technology powering this shift and ponder what purpose robotics in the home should really serve.

Then, Jen takes a journey back into smart home history to help us understand its future. Grant Erickson, Principal of Nuovations, a former Apple, Nest, and Google engineer who was part of the team that developed Thread, joins the show.

He shares the story of how and why, back in 2011, the Nest team, led by Tony Faddell and Matt Rogers, decided to create a smart home protocol. It involves a thermostat, fragmented ecosystems, and one of the best smart home products ever made.

They discuss how Thread became the foundation of the Matter smart home standard — an unprecedented industry collaboration with a herculean task — to make the smart home simpler.

To close out the show, Grant sticks around to help answer a Vergecast hotline question (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com) about how Matter manages your data.

Further reading:

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Vibe coding through the GPT-5 mess

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

GPT-5 is here, and it’s not going so well. This week on The Vergecast, Jake, Vee, and Hayden discuss the bumpy launch of OpenAI’s latest model and why GPT-5 isn’t as big of a leap as GPT-4.

Then, everyone shares their vibe coding projects and the bumpy journey to making anything usable. After that, our newest segment: Corporate Shenanigans, where we rate the week in strange corporate moves on a scale from “actually serious” to “total joke.”

Finally, the Thunder Round returns, new and improved, to discuss ditching your phone for a smartwatch, doctors relying too much on AI, AOL dial-up shutting down, the Pebble Time 2, and why you shouldn’t trust what AI chatbots say about themselves.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How to save a smart home company

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, we enter the Jen-era of Hot Girl Vergecast Summer, with a deep dive into the business of the smart home. The Verge’s smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy (aka Jen), chats with Ken Fairbanks, a longtime customer of Insteon who ended up buying the smart lighting company when it went into bankruptcy.

Ken shares the story of how one of the original smart lighting protocols, founded in the post-X10 era when home automation moved from wired to wireless, floundered, and how he and a band of users brought it back from the dead. He dishes what he’s learned about how to keep the lights on — from customer loyalty and the value of subscriptions, to what tariffs are doing to the industry and how some hardware companies are just pyramid schemes.

Then, in a special supersized (and we mean SUPER) Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com), Jen is joined by smart home expert Richard Gunther, co-host of The Smart Home Show, to tackle a bunch of your burning smart lighting questions. They answer everything from how to move your smart home to which Thread border router you should buy for your Matter setup. Plus, they run down their own smart lighting set-ups.

Further reading:

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We found stuff AI is pretty good at

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

In this bonus episode of The Vergecast, Senior Reviewer Victoria Song sits down with a bunch of Verge staffers to talk about how they use AI tools in their everyday lives. Not all of it went smoothly — we definitely get into the ways these tools fall short — but we explore how AI can be used to help bedtime go more smoothly for parents, plan big cross-country moves, supplement your internet searches (always double-check!), and even vibe code an app for your next tabletop role-playing game.

If you have any examples where AI was useful to you, we’d love to hear them. (For what it’s worth, we’d also love to hear stories where it spectacularly failed.) Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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GPT-5's big new feature: less lying?

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It’s a huge week in AI, with OpenAI releasing GPT-OSS and GPT-5, Grok getting deeply problematic again with its “spicy” video generator, and Tim Cook admitting that Apple may need to cut some deals. Then we talk the age gating of the internet and how you might soon need an ID card to get just about anywhere online. Finally, the Lightning Round gets re-rebranded. Adi Robertson and Alex Heath join the show to discuss.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Online shopping is full of copycats

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, guest host Mia Sato talks to YouTube fitness pioneer Cassey Ho (better known as Blogilates) about the well-oiled machine that is the dupe economy. Ho shares her experience creating her own line of athletic wear that sooner or later gets ripped off by countless copycats — and how she tries to fight back.

Then, Mia brings an audio diary from a visit to Fabscrap, a textile recycling facility in Brooklyn, that is working to save fabric and other materials from the landfill. Fashion is a wasteful industry, not unlike tech — luckily, there are people like Fabscrap staff and volunteers who are working towards solutions.

Finally, Victoria Song swings by to help answer a hotline question about how to make the high-tech Clueless closet a reality. If you have a question for us, call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com.

Diving into Apple’s Liquid Glass

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It’s time. The public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more are finally out for everyone to try. Jake Kastrenakes, Vee Song, and Antonio G. Di Benedetto give their takes on Apple’s Liquid Glass design language after two months of living with it. Antonio shares his experiences with macOS and the upgraded Spotlight, and Vee dives into the ups and downs of watchOS’s AI fitness coach. Then, Andy Hawkins and Eater's Matthew Kang talk about Tesla’s rough quarter, the new Tesla Diner, and what Epic Bacon has to do with it all. Finally, the Thunder Round returns, and we all learn what Labubus are.

Further reading:

Faraday Future is back with another wild EV that probably will never get made
Amazon buys Bee AI
Jake: AppleCare One is a good deal, but not for everyone
Uber’s making it easier for women riders and drivers to find each other
The frenzied, gamified chase for Labubus

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A-lister antics and Schedule A shenanigans

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Summer blockbusters like the new Superman and Jurassic World movies may be doing great at the box office, but promoting them is more complicated than ever. The old celebrity playbook of magazine profiles, TV chat shows and press junkets isn’t enough in an era of audience fragmentation. Publicists now have to strategize which podcasts to make time for, and whether their clients will eat chicken on YouTube with Amelia Dimoldenberg or Sean Evans.

This week on The Vergecast, guest host Mia Sato talks to Vulture’s Fran Hoepfner to break down the ever-changing new media circuit, whether you’re a beloved A-lister, a formerly-beloved A-lister, or an aspiring A-lister.

Then, we take a deep dive with Sarah Fackrell into a controversial legal tactic brands are using to go after online sellers hawking everything from grumpy cat T-shirts to closet hooks.

Finally, Victoria Song joins Mia to answer a Vergecast hotline from a listener wondering whether an AI translator will be able to keep up with his partner’s Colombian mother. If you’ve got a question for us, call 866-VERGE11 or e-mail vergecast@theverge.com.

Further reading:

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The creepy AI era is here

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Would you like Siri more if it had a face? This week on The Vergecast, we’re talking about AI assistants getting smarter… and uncomfortably personal. The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to talk about her early tests of Alexa Plus, which is finally AI-powered and a lot more capable. Jake shares his uncomfortable first interaction with Grok’s anime girlfriend. And Waveform cohost David Imel is here to talk about Sony’s RX1R III and other premium “compact” cameras.

Finally, the THUNDER ROUND is back. New, improved, and still loud.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How the low-vision community embraced AI smart glasses

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

On this episode of The Vergecast, we’re going to dive deep into why accessible design is universal design. First, guest host Victoria Song will chat with Jason Valley, a visually impaired Verge reader. Jason initially reached out to Victoria after her Live AI hands-on, challenging the notion that the feature was a “solution looking for a problem to solve.” Jason shares how the tech has helped him live a more independent life, what he’s hoping to see improve, and how the blind and low-vision community has enthusiastically embraced the technology.

After that, Victoria sits down with Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley. Be My Eyes is an app that pairs blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers to help them go about their day. Buckley gives his thoughts about how accessible tech design benefits everyone, why smart glasses and AI are a natural combo, and what challenges and opportunities in this space remain.

And finally, we have features reporter Mia Sato on to answer a spicy question about smart glasses from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com). Specifically, do smart glasses belong in the bedroom?

Further reading:

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All eyes on Samsung's thin new foldable

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:36:00 -0000

Summer phone season kicks off with Samsung’s latest launch. Jake, Vee, and Allison talk about Samsung’s new lineup of foldables, including the very thin new Z Fold 7 and Allison’s disdain for the Z Flip 7 FE. Vee has impressions of Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 8 lineup and its squircle-y new redesign. Then, it’s time to talk Big Tech shakeups. Apple’s COO is leaving, Zuckerberg is buying himself an AI dream team, X’s CEO is out — and its chatbot Grok is on a rampage. Finally, big things are in store for the Lightning Round… which shall henceforth be known as the THUNDER ROUND. Lots to talk about, including Lorde’s CD problems, Apple’s Liquid Glass changes, and HBO Max finally becoming HBO Max again.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A quest for the best headphone mics

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

On this episode of The Vergecast, we kick off Hot Girl Vergecast Summer with a classic Vergecast segment: the mic test. Guest host Victoria Song is joined by Vergecast producers Andru Marino and Erick Gomez to see how the Nothing Headphone 1, Sony WH-1000XM6, Apple AirPods Max, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra hold up against what’s possibly the noisiest street in Brooklyn.

After that, Victoria is joined by Ladder CEO Greg Stewart to talk about what it takes to build a successful strength training app — especially for people just starting out. As it turns out, it’s quite challenging, between curating playlists, accommodating users’ different access to equipment, skill levels, and preferences for coaching styles. (And maybe, some occasional beef with Peloton?)

Lastly, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com) about AI fitness summaries, whether people actually like them, what’s frustrating about them, and what scenarios they might actually be useful for.

Want to learn more about the topics in this episode? Here are some handy dandy links for your reference:

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The movie and TV tech we actually want to use

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

One way to think about the tech industry is just as a series of people trying to build stuff they saw in movies and on TV. Some of that tech is great, some of it is deeply dystopian, and most of it would make the world a very different place if it suddenly existed. In this episode, a bunch of us try to figure out which tech we actually want to use. David is joined by The Verge’s Allison Johnson, Jennifer Pattison-Tuohy, Mia Sato, and Victoria Song — aka the hosts of Hot Girl Vergecast Summer — to draft their way through the movie, show, and game tech they’d want to make real. Some of the picks you’ll expect, and some we bet has never crossed your mind. And some big-name tech goes undrafted!

Once you've finished the show, make sure you take the poll and tell us who won: https://forms.gle/Q1wFhpzCdM3B5bqj9

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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What Meta and Anthropic really won in court

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's already the heat of summer, and the news keeps coming. Nilay, David, and Jake start the show with a bunch of tech news, including the latest on Tesla's robotaxi launch, some updates on the Trump Phone, new devices from Fairphone and Unihertz, and Meta's shifting strategy for face computers. After that, The Verge's Adi Roberston joins the show to talk about two important AI lawsuits that were both decided this week — one involving Anthropic and the other involving Meta — and what this particular battle means for who will win the AI war. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for another round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, some huge news in the HDMI world, and the end of the Blue Screen of Death.

Further reading:

Anthropic wins a major fair use victory for AI — but it’s still in trouble for stealing books

Meta’s AI copyright win comes with a warning about fair use

The HDMI 2.2 specification supports 16K video at 60Hz

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Tesla's robotaxi reality check

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Tesla is famous for throwing caution to the wind in the name of rolling out cool technology, so it was somewhat surprising to see its robotaxi service launch over the weekend in somewhat muted fashion. The Verge's Andy Hawkins joins the show to explain what, exactly, Elon Musk and co. launched, and what it says about the state of the self-driving revolution. After that, The Verge's Allison Johnson takes us through the history of MVNOs, and why they might just be the best deal in wireless carriers. We talk about Trump Mobile, Ryan Reynolds, e-SIMs, and what it would mean to make it easier to switch service. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about how to free up storage on your iPhone. It's harder than it should be, but hopefully easier than you think.

Further reading:

Tesla’s robotaxi is live: here are some of the first reactions
The Tesla Cybercab is a cool-looking prototype that needed to be much more than that
Waymo says it will add 2,000 more robotaxis into 2026
How Donald Trump and Ryan Reynolds can easily sell you phone plans
Trump Mobile is a bad deal
How to clear up space on your iPhone when you’re running out of storage

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Truth, lies, and the Trump Phone

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Starting a wireless carrier is easier than you might think. So is building a half-decent Android phone! But doing all the things Trump Mobile promises, at the price and on the schedule it says, seems awfully close to impossible. While Nilay's out, David and Jake chat with The Verge's Dominic Preston about what we know about Trump Mobile and the T1 Phone, why everyone wants to be a wireless carrier, and what it would actually take for this to work out. After that, David and Jake talk through some big news in the TV world, and the streaming takeover that appears to be happening faster all the time. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for some brief FCC news, a check on the state of Siri, big questions about the ad-rich future of WhatsApp, a look at the new fediverse feed in Threads, and some thoughts on the Framework Laptop 12.

Further reading:

Eric trump interview

Trump is giving TikTok another ban extension

Vivo wants its new X200 Ultra smartphone to replace your camera

Streaming is eating cable and broadcast TV’s lunch. | The Verge

From Nieman Lab: For the first time, social media overtakes TV as Americans’ top news source

Max will show autoplaying video previews suggested by AI

Senate confirms Trump’s FCC pick, Olivia Trusty

Threads is adding fediverse content and search to its feeds

Framework Laptop 12 review: plastic fantastic | The Verge

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Life with the Nintendo Switch 2

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's a small miracle that a bunch of us managed to get our heads out of Mario Kart World long enough to make a show about the Switch 2. But that's what we did! First, we chat with The Verge's Andrew Webster about his review, and why it feels like the Switch 2 is both everything we wanted and somehow still a little underwhelming. (Or at least just... whelming.) After that, The Verge's Ash Parrish tells us about her adventures traveling with the Switch 2, plus her recent time with the new Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and what she's learning about the future of consoles. Finally, The Verge's Sean Hollister helps us answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline all about console prices: why they keep going up, and whether they'll continue to be worth it.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Switch, Xbox, and the portable future of games

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:49:00 -0000

There's a lot of news this week, so today's episode turned into a whole bunch of lightning rounds. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes talk through all the vibes and news at WWDC, and why F1 seemed to outshine everything else. We also talk about the Switch 2 launch, and the news this week that Microsoft and Asus are building Xbox handhelds in both clever and confusing ways. After that, we run through for a bunch of AI news, including the ongoing decline of Google traffic to the web, the new Dia browser, and Sam Altman's ideas about how much water ChatGPT uses. Finally, it's time for another edition of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, followed by the news of Warner Bros. Discovery breaking up, some very fast flash drives, and a new Meta messaging app.

Further reading:

Nintendo’s Switch 2 is the fastest-selling game console of all time

Nintendo says your bad Switch 2 battery life might be a bug

Microsoft and Asus announce two Xbox Ally handhelds with new Xbox full-screen experience

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Liquid Glass, Spotlight, and the rest of WWDC 2025

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:46:00 -0000

Apple spent 90 minutes talking about the future of its software, and we're pretty sure only said the word "Siri" once. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge's Victoria Song and Allison Johnson, both of whom were with Nilay at the keynote, to talk about all the news of the day. They talk about the Liquid Glass design language, and why Apple decided to redesign all its software. They talk about Spotlight on the Mac, the new multitasking features on the iPad, the typing indicators on the iPhone, Workout Buddy on the Watch, personas on the Vision Pro, and everything else that Apple announced — or, in a few cases, pointedly didn't announce — on stage. We're just starting to try out some of this software, and it's all likely to change a lot before it hits your devices this fall. And we'll have lots of thoughts along the way.

Further reading:

Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign doesn’t look like much

Apple’s ChatGPT integration makes it easier to search for more context on images and shop for things they see.

Apple Intelligence takes on language barriers in messages and phone calls.

Apple launches iPadOS 26 with a new look and way better multitasking

Apple announces watchOS 26 with a wrist flick gesture and AI ‘Workout Buddy’

Apple’s visionOS 26 adds PSVR2 controller support and spatial widgets

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Previewing Apple's 2025 WWDC

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Developer conference season is almost over, but we've got one show left to see: Apple's WWDC begins on Monday. Nilay, David, and Joanna Stern spend time going through both what they expect to see at the show, and why this year's WWDC might feel a bit different than in years past. Apple is in a tricky place with regulators, developers, and users alike, and has some genuine explaining to do. After that, they talk about the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, and David's surprisingly easy adventure to acquire one. We also have a bit of smart glasses and AI gadgets news to discuss, so we do that too. Then it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, and an update on a couple of the interesting new fediverse projects launching this week.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Help us plan for the future of The Vergecast by filling out a brief survey: voxmedia.com/survey.

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One company's quest for the perfect charger

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 14:42:00 -0000

We've talked many times on The Vergecast about the dream of the perfect charger. We call it The God Cable, and imagine it would charge everything, at full optimized speed, no matter what you plug in. Well, one company tried to make it – sort of. TwelveSouth founder Andrew Green joins the show to talk about how his company developed its newest product, the PowerCord, and why actually the God Cable might be both impossible and a bad idea. After that, The Verge's Tina Nguyen joins the show to talk about her experience at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, the rise of $TRUMP, and how crypto and the government became so intertwined. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about AI agents, and the tasks we should (and shouldn't) offload to our chatbots.

Further reading:

The TwelveSouth PowerCord
The Vergecast USB-C Holiday Spec-tacular
Everything you need to know about switching to USB-C
How a crypto bro shorted $TRUMP coin — and scored a dinner with the President
Presidential seals, $100,000 watches, and a Marriott afterparty
Trump’s media company says it’s buying $2.5 billion in Bitcoin
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act will soon ramp up in Congress.
Crypto funds seized by the government may go into a ‘digital Fort Knox’
Google’s future is Google googling
OpenAI’s new Operator AI agent can do things on the web for you

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Fill out a brief survey and tell us what you want from The Vergecast: voxmedia.com/survey.

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Can a redesign save Apple's software?

Fri, 30 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's a slowish news week ahead of some very busy news weeks, so of course Nilay and David start the show with a long discussion about party speakers. Eventually, they get into the news, beginning with some of the huge Apple redesigns planned for WWDC in June. For the first time in a long time, the stakes for Apple's software teams feel really high. After that, the hosts talk about Nilay's recent interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and what the AI-ification of everything means for the future of the web. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for another Brendan Carr is a Dummy, plus some talk about the Nintendo Switch 2, a bit of confusing tariff news, and more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Inside the Meta monopoly trial

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

After more than a month of testimony, the Meta antirust trial is beginning to slow down. The Google search remedies trial, meanwhile, is about to heat up again, with closing arguments coming soon. The Verge’s Lauren Feiner has been in the DC courthouse for all of it, and has finally emerged to tell us about what she’s seen, and learned, from two all-important monopoly trials. After that, The Verge’s Victoria Song tells us about her latest experience with Google’s smart glasses prototypes, what Google is doing differently from Meta and Apple, and what she thinks Jony Ive and OpenAI might be building. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about what to do now that Mozilla is shutting down Pocket.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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OpenAI and Jony Ive's AI super-gadget

Fri, 23 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Bad news if you don't care about AI: this week was absolutely chock-full of AI news. First, Nilay, David, and The Verge's Alex Heath talk about the news that OpenAI and Jony Ive are teaming up to build... something. A gadget, for sure, maybe lots of gadgets. We don't know much, but we have a lot of thoughts, and a lot of questions. After that, the hosts talk through all the news at Google I/O, including what's new with Gemini, Google Search, Project Astra, Project Mariner, and the countless other ways Google is putting AI absolutely everywhere. Finally, in the lightning round, we buckle up for another round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, talk through some late-breaking Apple gadget news, and marvel over the future of conference calls.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Razr Ultra proves flip phones are almost ready

Tue, 20 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Kids these days, you know? They love the '90s, they want everything to be colorful and bold and bouncy, and they really, truly love Snapchat. And the tech world is listening. On this episode, The Verge's Allison Johnson joins to talk about her review of the new Razr Ultra, the new-look Android 16, and why she thinks we're getting ever closer to a true flip phone resurgence. (Also: why we're not quite there yet.) After that, The Verge's Alex Heath explains what's going on with Snapchat, and how it's possible that the app is more popular than ever but still can't figure out how to cash in. It all makes us wonder: is there a business in chat at all? Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about a possible outcome for Chrome after the Google search trial ends.

Further reading:

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HBO's no good very bad rebrand

Fri, 16 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Names are hard — but they don't have to be this hard. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes start the show with some personal news, before digging into the monumentally silly thinking behind Warner Bros. Discovery re-re-naming its streaming service HBO Max. After that, and some more streaming news, we turn our attention to the gadget news of the week, including the long-awaited release of CarPlay Ultra and the latest announcements from the Android team at Google. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, some debate on the future of Airbnb, and a brief party speaker update. Because the mystery continues.

Further reading:

Apple’s CarPlay Ultra is finally here, if you have a new Aston Martin

Apple’s fancy new CarPlay will only work wirelessly

Android 16 Material Three Expressive UI coming in beta this month

Google’s splashy new Android UI is coming in beta this month.

It’s Dieter!

Warner Bros. is launching a cinematic universe for brands

Airbnb’s new app has all of your vacation extras in one place

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A buggy Sonos mystery

Tue, 13 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Will Poor recently came home from vacation and discovered he had an insect problem. More specifically, his Sonos speaker had an insect problem. Will brings us the story of what really happened there, and what he discovered about how the animal kingdom — and the electronics world — works. After that, The Verge's Andru Marino tells us about his research on all things AI podcasts. He tells us why people are so hooked on NotebookLM's Audio Overviews, where these generated shows fall short, and what all us human podcasters could learn from the bots. Finally, The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy helps us answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) all about smart lights. Which get complicated faster than you think.

Further reading:

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Why Apple is trying to save Google

Fri, 09 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Where will Meta, Apple, and Google be three years from now? It's starting to look like they might all be very different. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Richard Lawler start the show with Eddy Cue's testimony in the Google search trial, in which Cue argued that AI is taking over — and that Google should be allowed to keep paying Apple gobs of money. The hosts also chat about the latest in the Meta trials, and how the recent Apple ruling is already changing the App Store. Then, there are some gadgets to talk about: the panopticon-slash-killer-app coming for Meta's smart glasses, the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, and a lot of new iPhones. In the lightning round, we do another round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, then talk about some new Netflix designs and the latest in our worldwide hunt for party speakers.

Further reading:

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The AI wearables are always listening

Tue, 06 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Victoria Song joins the show to talk about a new genre of gadget, which both she and David have been testing a lot: the AI-powered, always-on voice recorder. Vee shares what she’s learned from devices like Bee, and why it’s going to be so hard for AI to figure out what really matters in our lives. After that, The Verge’s Nathan Edwards and keyboard maker Ryan Norbauer tell the story of the Seneca, a $3,600 keyboard that Norbauer built to his own incredibly exacting specifications. They tell David about what it really takes to make a great keyboard, and why making one is worth the effort. Finally, in the lightning round (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!), we answer a couple of questions about the future of Chrome.

Further reading:

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How Apple lost control of the App Store

Fri, 02 May 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Everywhere you look, antitrust fights have the potential to reshape the tech industry. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes start by digging into the latest ruling in the Apple / Epic trial, in which a furious judge rips open the App Store in a way Apple likely never saw coming. The way we pay for apps is about to change, and fast. After that, it's time for an update on the Google and Meta trials, as Google tries to preserve its search empire and Meta tries to make the case that basically every company on the web is its vicious competitor. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for another installment of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, plus some notes on this week's Worldcoin launch and the strange new Meta AI app. Also: party speakers. Always party speakers.

Further reading:

Meta prepared for a ‘flood in traffic’ ahead of the TikTok ban.

Google had a ‘long shot’ chance of becoming competitive in social with WhatsApp.

‘This shit is getting scary.’

Facebook didn’t fear WhatsApp becoming a social competitor.

Meta releases AI app to compete with ChatGPT

Brendan Carr congratulates himself

Brendan Carr’s FCC is an anti-consumer, rights-trampling harassment machine

Brendan Carr’s Bizarro World FCC

Sam Altman-backed Worldcoin cryptocurrency launches in the US

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Slate Truck is a whole new kind of car

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Sometimes you want more tech in your life — and sometimes you want a lot less. This episode is all about less. First, Tim Stevens joins the show to talk about his story about the Slate Truck, an ultra-minimal electric vehicle that has almost no features to speak of and yet still promises to reinvent the way we think about cars. After that, Casey Johnston tells us about her journey in managing her screen time. She has tips for how to get the most problematic apps of your phone, is a big proponent of a factory reset, and has seen first-hand what happens when you look at your devices just a little less. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about whether there's a MacBook Air equivalent in the Windows world. The answer surprised us, and it might surprise you too.

Further reading:

The $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
Is this the antidote to America’s truck bloat problem?
From TechCrunch: Inside the EV startup secretly backed by Jeff Bezos
Around the Next Bend on Substack
Slate is the American truck scene's Ctrl+Alt+Del moment
From She's a Beast: The DIY Dumbphone Method
Casey's book: A Physical Education
Framework Laptop 13 (2025) review: getting better with age

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Everybody wants to buy Chrome

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Some weeks, it just feels like everything is up in the air all at the same time. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge’s Jake Kastrenakes to talk about all the unrest, starting with the ever-changing tariff rules that are making gadgets hard to price, hard to find, and hard to bet on going forward. (Maybe that’s why it seems everyone on Earth tried to pre-order a Switch 2 this week.) After that, the hosts catch up on the Meta and Google antitrust trials happening this week, and try to figure out who might be interested in the internet’s most popular browser. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk Brendan Carr (who is a dummy), the wood-backed Motorola Razr Ultra, and the 20th anniversary of YouTube.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How to keep your data safe when you travel

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

If you’re heading on vacation this summer, you’re going to want to listen to this. The Verge’s Gaby del Valle joins the show to explain how worried you need to be about your digital data when you cross borders, and what you can do to protect yourself. Even if you don’t think you have anything to hide, a little precaution goes a long way. After that, Puck’s Matt Belloni joins the show to explain why Apple, Amazon, Google, and other tech companies continue to pour money into the streaming business, when it seems so far removed from what those companies do well. (Spoiler alert: it’s fun to be friends with Ben Stiller.) Finally, we answer a hotline question about the Google Pixel’s ascent to “best Android phone for people who just want a phone.”

Oh, also: thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Webby Awards! We’ll know soon whether we won, but however it shakes out, we’re so grateful to everyone who voted for us.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Big Tech is back on trial

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

We promise, this episode is only a little bit about header bidding. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge’s Alex Heath to talk about some big news in tech regulation: Google lost its ad-tech monopoly trial, which could reshape both Google and the internet altogether. And that’s not the only monopoly news! Meta’s trial also started this week, and Alex was there to see Mark Zuckerberg and others try to defend Instagram, WhatsApp, and the company as a whole. After all that, we talk about OpenAI’s plans to build a social network, and how this company seems to never run out of ambition. Finally, in the lightning round, it’s time for another round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, and some news about viral cameras and the Switch 2. Which we’ll be yeeting into our homes as soon as possible

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The 2025 Vergecast Streaming Draft

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's time, once again, to see what's what in the streaming wars. For the third year in a row, our hosts — this time Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes — have to build a roster of streaming options that will win awards, show 4K content, satisfy their live TV needs, and much more. First, the hosts decide who won last year's competition, and then they pick their favorites for 2025.

Make sure you listen to the episode before you read this, but here are the results of the draft:

Jake's picks:

Cheap: Tubi

Awards: Netflix

4K: Hulu

Live: Instagram Live

Niche: PBS Passport

Content: LoFi Girl

Wild Card: Kanopy

Nilay's picks:

Cheap: TikTok

Awards: Max

4K: Disney Plus

Live: Sunday Ticket

Niche: Kaleidescape

Content: CNBC

Wild Card: F1 TV

David's picks

Cheap: Peacock

Awards: Amazon Prime

4K: YouTube Premium

Live: YouTube TV

Niche: BritBox

Content: Stranger Things season 5

Wild Card: Paramount Plus

We want to know who you think won the draft! Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call The Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, and tell us all your thoughts. And if you want to catch up, you can check out our draft from 2024 and from 2023. A lot has changed, and nothing has.

The Vergecast was nominated for a Webby, which means we can win a Webby People’s Voice Award and that’s voted online by you! So we’d love your support. You can vote at the link:https://bit.ly/3DXFgpN

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How the tech world is responding to tariff chaos

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Welcome to tech in 2025, where everything's made up and the numbers don't matter. Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes start the show by running down the latest tariff news, the uncertain future facing tech companies of all sizes, and what we're learning so far about how they're responding. After that, the hosts talk about a big week in AI news, including Meta's sketchy benchmark numbers and the latest damning reporting about the future of Siri. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for America's favorite podcast within a podcast, Brendan Carr is a Dummy, along with some news about the TikTok ban and the Pixel 9A. And then some more tariff numbers, because they just never stop.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Switch 2: the good news and bad news

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Last week, The Verge's Ash Parrish got to play with the new Nintendo Switch 2. We got over our outrageous jealousy long enough to ask her all about it: what it's like to hold, how the screen looks, whether the mouse-control is any good, and much more. Ash gives us the good news, and the bad news, on everything we now know about the Switch 2. (We do talk about the price, but we recorded before the Trump administration launched its massive new tariff push — so you can consider the price even worse news than we thought.) After that, The Verge's Tom Warren joins the show to talk about Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebration, how the company has stayed so resilient for so long, and whether AI is really the next five-decade project for one of the world's biggest companies. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11, or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about how you should change your shopping habits in a tariff-filled world. It's hard to know where we'll be in a few months, but it sure doesn't look like gadgets are getting any cheaper.

Further reading:

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How tariffs will change your gadgets

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It's a Nintendo Switch 2. What could it cost, a thousand dollars? In this episode, Nilay, David, and The Verge's Richard Lawler talk through why we don't really know. But first, we talk about the Switch 2, and some of the reasons we're excited — and maybe just a little concerned — about Nintendo's new console. This is likely to be the most interesting device of the year, and we learned an awful lot more about it this week. We also talk about Microsoft's 50th anniversary, the fate of TikTok, and other gadget news. Then we get to tariffs, with the help of Tuneshine creator Tobias Butler, who explains how tariffs affect the way hardware companies do business — and how they're navigating the current uncertainty. After that, in the lightning round, it's time for a little Brendan Carr is a Dummy, followed by the latest on Tesla's sales numbers, Alexa Plus, and Coyote vs. Acme.

Further reading:

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Searching for the perfect minimalist smartphone

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0000

David has a Light Phone III, and it's making him wonder a lot of things about technology. So The Verge's Allison Johnson joins the show to talk about the whole trend of minimalist smartphones, and to figure out which features a smartphone absolutely needs, and which ones we could all probably do without. After that, The Verge's Andy Hawkins takes us through a big weekend in the Tesla Takedown movement, what's happening with Elon Musk's car company, how automakers are responding to impending tariffs, and whether we're wrong to be excited about the new Nissan Leaf. Finally, The Verge's Jen Tuohy answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11, or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about all-seeing cameras in our homes. Which mostly don't exist yet. Mostly.

Further reading:

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OpenAI has a Studio Ghibli problem

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:39:00 -0000

In this episode, we do a Studio Ghibli-like rendition of The Vergecast. First, Nilay and David discuss some big news in the gadget world, from the mysteriously viral midrange Canon camera to the upgrades we're expecting out of Apple in the next few months. Plus, is it over for Amazon's Echo brand? After all that, The Verge's Kylie Robison joins the show to discuss everything happening at OpenAI: the company launched a new image generator inside of ChatGPT, and it immediately became both a huge hit and a big mess. (Par for the course with OpenAI, really.) Kylie also explains why Perplexity is probably not buying TikTok, no matter how much it might want to. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for everyone's favorite segment, Brendan Carr Is a Dummy, followed by the latest on the Signal attack-planning chaos in the government, some news about Elon Musk pressuring Reddit CEO Steve Huffmann, and what's next for the car industry with huge tariffs looming. Oh, and a little bit of exciting e-bike news

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How Roomba got stuck

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Some products are so successful they become snynonymous with their whole category — nobody asks for a facial tissue, they ask for a Kleenex, you know? Today's episode is, at least in part, about two of those products. First, The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to chart the rise and fall of the Roomba, the robot vacuum that practically invented the category and yet seems to have been left behind. Can iRobot get its robot back on its feet? After that, Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn discusses the state of e-readers, what it's like to always be "the best non-Amazon option," and what we all want from devices that aren't our smartphone. Finally, The Verge's Chris Welch helps us answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11, or email vergecast@theverge.com!) about which TV you should buy in 2025. It's a complicated question, but there are answers.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Trump's confusing crusade against Big Tech

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Starlink is in the White House, Siri is still bad, Pebble is back, up is down, everything is chaos. In this episode, Nilay and David start the show by running through some big gadget news, from a Siri-related shakeup at Apple to the new Google Pixel 9A. After that, The Verge's Lauren Feiner talks us through some of the latest in tech regulation: Trump's illegal firings at the FTC, the confusing state of the TikTok ban, OpenAI and Google arguing their case for free-for-all AI, and more. Finally, in the lightning round, Nilay and David talk about the latest Tesla recall, the hugely popular book about Meta, some exciting ActivityPub news, and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos gently zinging Apple TV Plus.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Switch 2, Steam Deck, and the next-gen console wars

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Handheld gaming looks like the future — so why isn't it more popular? The Verge's Sean Hollister joins the show to talk about some new data about the handheld console market, what it says about the Steam Deck's dominance, whether the Switch 2 might change everything all over again, and why Sony and Microsoft don't appear to be in the game at all. After that, David reports on his trip to Florida to see TGL, the golf league aiming to bring the sport to new places and new fans, with the help of a truly enormous amount of technology. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about iPads — and more specifically, one particularly good reason to upgrade to the Air or the Pro.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The fake promise of better Siri

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Big tech companies are forever making promises about the future. And you might (or might not) be surprised how often they don't come true. On this episode, Nilay and David start by discussing the good and bad of Apple's new iPads and Macs, before diving into the supposedly AI-powered, all-powerful Siri that is delayed indefinitely. Maybe this whole "AI will fix everything" plan wasn't such a good one. After that, The Verge's Andy Hawkins joins to discuss what's going on with Tesla: why sales are down, how the perception of the company has shifted as Elon Musk's job description has changed, and how it happened that President Trump did a Tesla sales pitch on the White House lawn. Everything's computer, you know? Finally, in the lighting round, the hosts discuss Brendan Carr's ongoing shenanigans, Jay Graber's sartorial burns, the future of Pokemon Go, and much more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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China has some big ideas about smartphones

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0000

In this episode, what's old is new again, and what's new is... AI again. The Verge's Allison Johnson and Dominic Preston join David to discuss their experience at Mobile World Congress 2025, where they saw the latest devices from Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, and others — and found themselves confronted with some big, surprising new ideas about how our smartphones should look and work. After that, Kevin Rose and Justin Mezzell talk about the process of bringing Digg back, and how AI can improve the way social networks operate. Digg got a lot of things right two decades ago, and plans to do it all over again now. Finally, we answer a question about printers from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!), with some help from Framework CEO Nirav Patel.

Further reading:

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Apple's chip bumps, big and small

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Apple's new gadgets this week were pretty minor updates, so of course we talk about them for a long time. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes, and the three hosts discuss the latest iPad, iPad Air, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio. All three have... a lot of thoughts. After that, they run through some more tech news, including the Digg reboot, the end of Skype, VW's cheap new EV, and more. Finally, in the lightning round, they talk about the latest from DOGE and the Trump administration, Brendan Carr's latest assaults on free speech, and a smartphone that is mostly (but not entirely) a camera.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The James Bond Cinematic Universe

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0000

On this episode, we're diving deep into new ideas about old things. First, Framework CEO Nirav Patel joins David and The Verge's Sean Hollister to talk about Framework's new Laptop 12 and Desktop, plus the company's plan to bring its upgradeable, repairable ethos to other gadgets. After that, Daring Fireball's John Gruber joins the show to talk about the future of James Bond, now that Amazon has complete creative control over the 007 franchise. Do we want to live in the James Bond Cinematic Universe? Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about using smart glasses to replace your computer monitor.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The high stakes for AI Alexa

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

AI will fix everything, right? In this episode, friend of The Verge (and Waveform co-host) David Imel joins Nilay and David to talk all about Alexa Plus, and the AI-powered voice assistant Amazon thinks can do everything from turn on your lights to order your friend an Uber. The hosts also talk about the other gadgets of the week, from the wild new Sigma BF camera to the boring iPhone 16E. Finally, in the lightning round, they talk about TikTok becoming YouTube and YouTube becoming TikTok and Instagram becoming YouTube and TikTok, plus the latest in Brendan Carr being a dummy and what's coming next from Automattic, DOGE, and everything.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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We can’t quit electric cars — or robotaxis

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Robotaxis: in. EVs: Out? The Verge's Andy Hawkins joins the show to talk about the goings-on in the transportation industry, including the reasons car makers are slowing down on EV production (but not giving up entirely) and why suddenly everyone's back in on robotaxis. Then, The Social Web Foundation's Evan Prodromou tells us what's new with the fediverse. We talk about Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, and the increasingly ambitious plans for the ActivityPub protocol. Finally, we talk through some feedback on last week's episode about the pricing of the iPhone 16E, and how the way you buy your phone changes the way you feel about its price.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The ups and downs of the iPhone 16E

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Lots of gadget news this week! David, Jake Kastrenakes, and Allison Johnson start by talking about the iPhone 16E, which is both the cheapest compelling iPhone in a long time and a deeply odd addition to Apple's phone lineup. They also discuss the end of the Humane AI Pin, the latest from the Rabbit R1, and whether AI gadgets are even going to be a thing. After that, it's time for the lightning round: David and Jake talk about Amazon Chime, Mira Murati's new startup, and the future of James Bond. Then, in a special DOGE lightning round, Lauren Feiner joins the show to discuss everything happening with Trump, Musk, DOGE, and the US government. Because there's a lot of it.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Can Meta still make the metaverse?

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

This episode is all about companies in flux. First, we chat with The Verge's Alex Heath about all things Meta — whether the company is still serious about the metaverse, why its AI plans seem to be going so well, what "OG Facebook" really means, and what headsets to expect this year. After that, The Verge's Chris Welch takes us through the last year at Sonos, from the disastrous app launch to the pretty good headphones that were totally derailed by the disastrous app launch. Can the company get it together in order to launch its next big swing, a set-top box codenamed Pinewood? Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline all about business cards. Because, yes, it's 2025, but sometimes you still need a place to put a business card.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Elon Musk: agent of chaos

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

On today's episode, once again, it's OpenAI and DOGE. And some other things! Nilay and David start the show by talking about Elon Musk's surprise bid to buy the nonprofit arm of OpenAI, along with the company's plans for new models and new rules for those models. After that, The Verge's Lauren Feiner joins to catch us up on what's happening with DOGE, how Musk and co. are making boring government information into something deeply fascinating and deeply confusing, and what it's like to work for the government now. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk about rumors of a new Apple Studio Display and iPhone SE, the new Powerbeats 2 Pro, Brendan Carr still being a dummy, and some surprising streaming moves from Apple and YouTube.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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What $200 of ChatGPT is really worth

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

AI and politics, politics and AI. That's the story of 2025. On this episode, The Verge's Kylie Robison joins the show to talk about ChatGPT's big new features, Operator and deep research, both of which promise to make the chatbot more useful and more autonomous. To access either one costs $200 a month — is it worth it? After that, The Verge's Liz Lopatto catches us up on the latest from Elon Musk and Doge, including why Musk is doing this thing, this way. Liz also makes the case that this isn't going to slow down anytime soon. Finally, Nilay Patel helps us answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline, and tells us how he felt about the Super Bowl's 4K stream.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Elon Musk's computer coup

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay, David, and Richard Lawler take on a big week in confusing news stories. First, they talk through the latest from Elon Musk's DOGE, which is running rampant through government computer systems with little pushback. Then they explain the latest on the US government's tariff strategy, and the mass confusion it's causing across tech. Then they pivot away from politics and talk about streaming: the Super Bowl coming to Tubi, the deeply confusing forthcoming Fox streaming service, whatever Comcast is doing this year, and more. Finally, in the lightning round, they talk about Sonos's streaming box, Brendan Carr's latest assaults on free speech, OpenAI's "new" logo, and more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Samsung’s S25 Ultra and the end of the flagship phone

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Today on the show, it’s all about the future of phones… and your data. The Verge’s Allison Johnson joins the show to talk about the new Samsung Galaxy S25, what’s new in this high-end phone, and what it means for all the other smartphones coming this year. After that, Cooper Quintin, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, talks us through how to think about the privacy implications of RedNote, TikTok, DeepSeek, and all the other tech that puts us in contact with China. Finally, we enlist The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to help us answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline all about the Meta Portal. Remember the Meta Portal?? If you’re missing yours, we have some ideas.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How DeepSeek crashed the AI party

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay and David dig into the week's biggest story: the new Intel-powered Surface Pro. Kidding! They talk about DeepSeek, the out-of-nowhere AI company that sent both Silicon Valley and the stock market into uproar this week. Then, after the hosts debate what the real killer app for AI is — and whether we've even found one yet — we follow up on our question from last week about how people are actually using AI. We got so many good answers, and we talk through what to make of them all. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk about Brendan Carr being a dummy, the return of the Pebble, the continued rise of Bluesky and Threads, and Meta's $25 million check to Trump.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A lazy person’s guide to getting in shape

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Victoria Song joins the show to talk about the most popular and most-bailed-on New Year’s Resolution of all: getting in shape. She tells us about the apps that help you work out more without being rude about it, the data you really need to care about in your fitness tracker, and much more. After that, we talk to Anna Valtonen, one of the curators and researchers behind the new Nokia Design Archive. She tells us about the concepts, presentations, and overall culture that made Nokia such an important company in the history of phones. Finally, we answer another question on the Vergecast Hotline about how audio works on your phone. It’s all still too complicated.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Samsung's thin, big, boring AI phones

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay, David, and The Verge's Allison Johnson run down all the biggest news from the latest Samsung Unpacked. The S25 Edge had everyone excited, but the other new Galaxy S25 models feel a little familiar. Then, The Verge's Lauren Feiner updates us on the many goings-on in the first days of the new Trump administration, from the TikTok ban delay to the executive orders on citizenship and AI. Finally, in the lightning round, David and Nilay talk about Netflix's price increase, smart-home standards, and more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How the future of sports streaming died

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

First in this episode, a quick update on the TikTok ban (which didn't turn out to be much of a ban at all.) Then, Sportico's Jacob Feldman joins the show to talk about Venu, the much-hyped streaming service that planned to bring all sports into a single platform — and never even managed to launch. After that, The Verge's Kevin Nguyen tells us how to read more books this year, and how to turn all your aimless scrolling time into more productive reading time. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about audio sources on your phone, and why you can't listen to a thousand things at once.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Nintendo's Switch 2 is here — sort of

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

David Pierce and Richard Lawler are joined by The Verge's Ash Parrish and Andrew Webster to talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 launch — all the things we know, and all the things we don't. (There's a lot of both.) Then The Verge's Adi Robertson joins to talk about the latest machinations in the potential TikTok ban, plus a Supreme Court hearing about adult content that might just be about the future of the internet. Finally, in the lightning round, David and Richard talk about Patrick Spence leaving Sonos, the Blue Origin launch, Drake's latest beef with Kendrick Lamar, and more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The TikTok ban, and what comes next

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In five days, TikTok as we know it could be finished in the US. The Verge's Lauren Feiner joins the show to discuss last week's Supreme Court arguments over the ban, why things don't look good for TikTok, and what's likely to happen in the next five days. After that, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor talks about the state of the gadget inventor, and what it means to be part of the creator economy in 2025. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about magic-link logins, and why passwords remain such a disaster.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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CES 2025: the biggest stories and best gadgets (Live)

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In this special live episode of The Vergecast, from the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, it's time to talk CES. Nilay and David run through some of the show's biggest stories, plus the Meta news that dominated the conversations all week in Vegas. Then Allison Johnson, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Victoria Song join the show to talk about all the newest, best, weirdest, and worst gadgets they've seen this year. AI is everywhere, everyone's making smart glasses, the smart home might be turning a corner, and we've seen it all this week.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the live show! And if you couldn't make it, stay tuned — this won't be the last time we all get to hang out.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A Vergecast holiday re-run marathon

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Happy Holidays! The Vergecast is off this week, but we also know you might be doing a lot of traveling and / or avoiding of your family this time of year, so we figured we'd do something a little different. We compiled a bunch of our favorite Vergecast segments and moments from this year — a full six hours of them! — in case you need something to listen to. You may have heard them all before! They might all be new! Maybe it'll be a mix! This one's an easy skip if you're looking for one, but if you need some Verge in your ears this holiday season, we've got you covered. We'll be back for real in January, starting at CES. If you'll be in Vegas, come see us live on Wednesday, January 8th! https://voxmediaevents.com/vergecast And in the meantime, have a great holiday, and rock and roll.

Here are the segments we picked, in order, with timestamps (because we can't do chapters, we know, we hate it too):

The wild world of undersea cables — 00:04:32
Meet Tony Delivers — 00:42:19
The story of the Delta emulator — 00:56:29
Phones are the ultimate AI gadget — 01:37:12
The history and future of notebooks – 02:04:34
What is a photo? — 02:41:07
An existential gaming console crisis — 03:17:46
Inside the AI music lawsuits — 03:52:12
The history of podcasts — 04:40:59
Our Vision Pro score debate — 05:03:15
A road trip on the hydrogen highway — 05:35:13

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Vergecast Matter Holiday Spec-tacular

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Happy holidays! Before we disappear into family time and catching up on our favorite shows, we have one more episode for you. And it's 90 minutes of deep nerdery about the smart home. Every year, we try to dig into one standard or spec that has impacted our lives this year, and we couldn't think of anything more potentially great and occasionally infuriating than Matter. Matter is supposed to be the protocol that makes the smart home work — so, uh, how's that going? The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins to discuss the state of the smart home, before we play a game to see how well we understand things. Then, Home Assistant creator Paulus Schoutsen tells us what it's like to try and make Matter work, and where we might be headed next year.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Gemini, GTA, and the search for the next big thing

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Victoria Song and Kylie Robison join the show to talk about all of Google's recent AI and XR announcements, and the company's big and Gemini-powered vision for the future of computing. Then Chris Grant, the group publisher for Polygon and The Verge, explains why GTA VI and the Nintendo Switch 2 are so important to the future of gaming — plus a few predictions about how they'll turn out. Finally, The Verge's Helen Havlak answers a hotline question about how she plans her garden in Figma. Which is a real thing she really does.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Tech in 2025: who's in and who's out

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

For the second episode in our two-part 2025 preview, Nilay and David are once again joined by Wall Street Journal columnist (and friend of The Verge) Joanna Stern to talk about what will, and won't, happen in tech next year. This time, David joins us after a quick jaunt to the end of next year, and relays a bunch of things that happened in tech in 2025. But some of them are lies. Joanna and Nilay have to decide which things really will happen next year, and which won't. As always, the hosts get points for good guesses and negative points for bad ones. And once we're all in late 2025, we'll declare a winner.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Searching for the first great AI app

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay, David, and The Verge's Richard Lawler talk about a big week in AI news. First, they go over all the latest on Google's Gemini 2.0 launch, and try to figure out whether Project Astra and Project Mariner will ever turn into products people use. They also discuss OpenAI's release (and un-release) of Sora, the new Reddit Answers tool, and what's new in iOS 18.2. Finally, in the lightning round, there's talk of YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Sonos, and Cruise. There also is and isn't talk of quantum computing. Because that's possible now.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Vergecast Vergecast, part two

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

A week ago, The Verge launched a subscription. And you had questions! So we have answers. The Verge’s Helen Havlak and Nilay Patel join the show to talk about how we priced the subscription, why ad-free podcasts are hard to do, Apple News, what we do during ad breaks, and much more. And if we didn’t answer your question, let us know! Call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, or email vergecast@theverge.com, with all your questions. Thanks to everyone who sent them in!

Further reading:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our hottest and coldest 2025 takes

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Welcome to our two-part preview of the year to come! For the first installment, Nilay, David, and Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern bring all the predictions for 2025 — their mildest, medium-est, and spiciest ideas about the year to come. Each host presents their take on TikTok bans, social platforms, smart homes, streaming services, and more, and the others get to decide whether they agree. Whoever gets the most right at the end of the year will win a big prize. (There's a points system for determining all that, but we'll figure that out later.)

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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AGI is coming and nobody cares

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:45:00 -0000

Nilay and David talk a bit about this week’s launch of the Verge subscription, plus what’s coming next. (There’s still time to send questions for next week! 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com.) Then they talk about the streaming news of the week, and the ways streaming services are continuing to act like cable companies. Then Kylie Robison joins to talk about the lowering stakes for AGI, shipmas at OpenAI, and more. Finally, in the lighting round, it’s crypto and browsers and Intel. And more crypto.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A gadget lover's guide to the great outdoors

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Thomas Ricker joins the show with an update on his question to live the #vanlife. He shares stories about Starlink Mini, the new Peak Design backpack everyone loves, converting a Sprinter van to a mobile apartment, and more. Then, The Verge's Andru Marino takes us through his tests on a bunch of new creator- and social-friendly microphones, which plug into your phone and promise to make everything sound better. Finally, we answer a question about web browsers on the Vergecast Hotline.

(Don't forget to send us your questions about The Verge and The Vergecast for next week's episode! Call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com with all your most meta questions.)

Further reading:

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Our biggest stories and favorite things of 2024

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

2024 is almost over, somehow. So we gathered a bunch of our Verge colleagues and told them each to tell us three things from the year: the biggest story, their favorite new tech thing, and their favorite new non-tech thing. We got a collection of big stories, cool gadgets, great movies, and more good stuff from the year that was.

We're also planning a special episode for Tuesday, December 10th, all about The Verge and The Vergecast. So if you have questions about how we work, what we cover, why we talk about copyright law so much, or what Nilay is actually like to work with every day, tell us! Call 866-VERGE11, or email vergecast@theverge.com, and we'll answer as many as we can on the 10th. Thanks in advance!

Further reading:

Jay Peters:

Story of the year: Google is a monopoly
New thing of the year: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Non-tech thing of the year: XOXO Field Notes notebooks

Jake Kastrenakes:

Story of the year: All things AI
New thing of the year: The Wiim Ultra amp
Non-tech thing of the year: Chronoloy

Justine Calma

Story of the year: The US election, and the rise of nuclear power
New thing of the year: Nurse Unseen
Non-tech thing of the year: Sugarcane

Vjeran Pavic:

Story of the year: The Apple Vision Pro
New thing of the year: The Fujifilm X100VI and the Kino app
Non-tech thing of the year: Mountain Gazette

Kylie Robison:

Story of the year: Billionaire crybabies
New thing of the year: Stardew Valley
Non-tech thing of the year: Curated playlists

Barbara Krasnoff:

Story of the year: The US election
New thing of the year: The Elgato Stream Deck
Non-tech thing of the year: Googly eyes

Alex Heath:

Story of the year: The AI rat race
New thing of the year: Granola
Non-tech thing of the year: Shochu

Ash Parrish:

Story of the year: Grand Theft Auto VI and the Nintendo Switch 2, and more industry layoffs
New thing of the year: The Playstation Portal
Non-tech thing of the year: Bucephalus the puppy

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The government's plan to break up Google

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:14:00 -0000

The Verge's Lauren Feiner joins Nilay and David to talk about the US government's proposal in its search antitrust case against Google. They discuss the future of Chrome, what a white-label search engine might look like, and how a Trump administration might change the course of this case altogether. Then Nilay and David talk about the week in AI and gadget news, from the latest on Amazon's new Alexa to Google bailing on tablets all over again. Finally, in the lightning round, they discuss Comcast spinning off its cable channels and the latest in the Threads / Bluesky competition.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Netflix can't make live work, can anyone?

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Richard Lawler joins the show to chat about the Tyson / Paul fight, and more importantly the fact that Netflix didn't seem to be able to keep up. As live sports — and TV in general — move toward streaming, are even the biggest names in tech ready for what's coming? After that, Roland Allen, the author of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper, tells us about the history of the notebook, and why we've been writing things down about our lives for centuries. Even in a digital world, Allen argues, you just can't beat the notebook. Finally, a question from the Vergecast Hotline sends producer Will Poor down a TikTok Shop rabbit hole.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Making human music in an AI world

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

For the third episode in our series about the future of music, we talk with Ge Wang. Ge is a professor at Stanford, a co-founder of Smule, the conductor of Stanford’s laptop orchestra, and has been at the center of technology and artistry for most of his life. We talk about how humans can use AI without giving in to it, what it means to truly play with technology, and the value of art and creativity and friction when it feels like all those things are being taken away.

Further reading:

Ge Wang’s website
The future of computer music | Stanford University School of Engineering
Ge’s viral TED talk: The DIY orchestra of the future
From Wired: Behind the Scenes With the Stanford Laptop Orchestra
Ge Wang: Human Well-Being Should Be AI Creators’ Goal

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Bluesky's quest to be the next Twitter

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay and David talk about the future of social, in light of Bluesky's recent surge in growth. Threads is huge, Bluesky is ascendent, Mastodon is... around, but can any of them become the next Twitter? Is that even the goal? After that, Kylie Robison joins the show and the gang discusses Apple's smart home device (which is just an iPad), the AI scaling slowdown, and a new twist in the delivery wars. In the lightning round, it's all about disclosures, wireless carriers, and the sad end of Freevee.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Smart sleep is worth the cost

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

On today's show: sleep gadgets, AI DJs, and sneaky TVs. Victoria Song joins the show to talk about her experiences with the Eight Sleep mattress pad, the Oura Ring 4, and other sleep gadgets. Can you really measure your way to a better night of sleep? After that, Allison Johnson gives us her take on Spotify's AI DJ, and we wonder exactly how an AI tool is supposed to help us find and listen to music. Finally, Nilay Patel comes on to answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about the Samsung Frame TVs — and how to figure out whether you need a TV at all.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Auto-Tune always and forever

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

For the second episode in our three-part miniseries about the future of music, Charlie Harding, a music journalist and co-host of the Switched on Pop podcast, joins the show to tell the story of Auto-Tune. He walks us through how a simple plugin became such a recognizable sound in music, why both artists and fans gravitated to the Auto-Tune sound, and why Auto-Tune has continued to grow even through backlash in the music business. Then we look ahead to AI, and try to figure out what — if any — lessons we might be able to learn about the sound and culture of the AI era to come.

Further reading:

Charlie Harding on X
Switched on Pop
From Pitchfork: How Auto-Tune Revolutionized the Sound of Popular Music
From Rick Beato: How Auto-Tune DESTROYED Popular Music
From Gabi Belle: The Problem with Autotune on TikTok

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The PS5 Pro made us sit closer to the screen

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay and David talk about the election, and how The Vergecast plans to cover and talk about the next four years of the Trump administration. But only for a minute. Then it's onto our reviews of the new Mac Mini and MacBook Pro, which reset Apple's desktop and laptop lineup in an excellent way. After that, Sean Hollister joins the show to discuss his review of the PlayStation 5 Pro, the news about backwards compatibility for the Nintendo Switch successor, and the state of Nintendo's fight against emulators. In the lightning round, we talk about really expensive domain names, oddly named smart home standards, and cloud gaming whales. Which apparently exist.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexa at 10: Amazon's assistant is a winner and a failure

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

November 6th marks 10 years to the day since Amazon surprise-launched a new, cylindrical device called the Echo. It introduced the world to smart speakers, and to the idea that you might be able to get stuff done just by shouting aloud in your living room. But a decade in, what has Alexa really accomplished? The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to talk through the history of Alexa, Amazon's struggles to improve and extend its voice assistant, and the promise of a language model overhaul that might in theory make Alexa far more useful. There's a chance Alexa's second decade might be even more interesting than the first.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Your favorite musician's favorite TikTok show

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0000

For the first episode in our three-part miniseries on the future of music, we tell the story of Track Star, a music game show that has become a viral hit on TikTok and Instagram. Jack Coyne, the show's friendly host, tells us how Track Star came to be, why the format works so well, and why A-list celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Ed Sheeran, and Kamala Harris are all clamoring to be on the show. Coyne also tells us where Track Star might go next — and why the future of music content might look a lot like the past.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The AI garage door mystery

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay and David discuss a big week in AI news, including the new web search features in ChatGPT and the reporting that Meta is working on something very similar. They also briefly talk about this quarter's tech earnings, and what they say about the ways AI is really being used. Then, Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern joins the show to talk about Apple Intelligence, Apple's week of Mac launches, and why Siri still can't open her garage. Finally, in the lightning round, the hosts talk about Netflix's gentle push into social features, Tony Fadell's AI thoughts, and our endorsement of Kamala Harris.

Further reading:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two possible futures for AI

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Kylie Robison joins the show to talk about the recent dueling AI blog posts from OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei. What do these CEOs think the future of AI looks like? Then, Will Poor tells us the story of ShakeAlert, an earthquake alert system that has huge potential and some surprising challenges. On The Vergecast Hotline, Allison Johnson joins Will to figure out whether the iPhone's new Camera Control is really as fast as advertised.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The confusing state of Apple Intelligence

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay, David, and Richard Lawler talk about all of the coming Apple gadgets and software, from the new iPad Mini to the upcoming week of Mac announcements to the many flavors of iOS and Apple Intelligence heading to a device near you soon. Then they talk about the other news in AI, from Anthropic's new computer-using model to the growing set of lawsuits against AI companies. In the lightning round, they discuss the Boox Palma 2, T-Mobile's "lifetime" deals, and the battle over FTC's click-to-cancel rule.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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AirPods are good for your (hearing) health

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Victoria Song joins the show to talk about her year of testing smart rings, and which of the many new options is the one you should buy. Then Chris Welch takes us through his testing of the new hearing health features for Apple's AirPods, including the surprisingly intense hearing test you can take right on your phone. Finally, Andrew Webster helps us answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline: why doesn't Apple buy Nintendo, and what would happen if it did?

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The tech YouTuber who opened a coffee shop

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

For the last eight months, David Cogen has been living a double life. By day: a YouTuber and creator, the face of the TheUnlockr channel, reviewing phones and testing ebikes and explaining how food smokers really work. By night and morning and every single other available in-between moment: a coffee shop entrepreneur, working to get a Brooklyn spot called Coffee Check up and running. In this episode, the second in the two-part miniseries that we’re calling How To Make It In The Future, Cogen tells the story of how a YouTuber becomes a coffee shop owner — and how to bring those two things together without ruining them both.

Further reading:

TheUnlockr on YouTube
David’s Coffee Check announcement
Coffee Check’s website
Another fun YouTuber story: Me, Myself, and iJustine

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The future of the Kindle with Panos Panay

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay and David talk about the week in gadget news, after scoring their predictions on last week's Tesla event. (Spoiler alert: nobody did very well.) They talk about the new iPad Mini, the new Sonos Ace Ultra soundbar, and the new Analogue N64 emulator. Then Amazon's Panos Panay joins the show to discuss this week's big Kindle news, and where he thinks the future of e-readers is headed. Finally, Nilay and David do a lightning round, with a lot of Google org chart news and just a little bit of Trump news.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They're called "Podcasts"

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Before a podcast was a “podcast,” it was… well, it wasn’t really much of anything. It was in 2004, though, that many of the earliest names in on-demand audio began to smush “iPod” and “broadcast” into the word we’ve come to know as the way we all download and listen to shows now. In this episode, we go back two decades to the first days of the podcast. Then we hit the skip button to today and look at where podcasts are headed next.

Further reading:

From PodNews: The history of the word 'Podcast'
From The Guardian: Audible revolution
From Wired: The First Podcast: an Oral History
From The New York Times: An MTV Host Moves to Radio, Giving Voice to Audible Blogs

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The putt-putt champions of the internet

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Danny and Steven Sanicki are twins, competitive golfers, and suddenly the biggest names in online mini golf. They started making mini golf content on TikTok about a year ago, and it took off; since then they've been trying to ride the viral wave and also turn it into something that lasts. For this episode, the first in a miniseries we're calling How To Make It In The Future, we talk to the Sanickis about their journey to turn putt-putt into their life's work — without killing the fun in the process.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Google breakup is looming

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 11:08:00 -0000

Nilay and David make some predictions about Thursday evening’s Tesla event — which you’ve already seen, but we haven’t! Then they talk about the week’s gadget news, from Nintendo’s new Alarmo alarm clock to Apple’s upcoming iPads and Macs. Then Lauren Feiner joins to talk about the latest on all fronts in Google’s antitrust fight, and how the government might be planning to break up the company altogether. Then it’s time for a lightning round about Google Docs tabs, FEMA misinformation, and Zoom AI avatars.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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AI is fixing — and ruining – our photos

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

For this full-on “what is a photo” episode, we start by chatting with Halide developers Ben Sandofsky and Sebastiaan De With about what it means to build a camera app in 2024 — and what it means to try and accurately capture a photo. Then The Verge’s Allison Johnson joins the show to talk about her experiment going all-in on AI-ifying her photos. Finally, we answer a hotline about which gadgets to attach to your head when you go for a run.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Get ready to meet your AI best friend

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Alex, and David discuss Microsoft's new Copilot announcements, and the friendlier face the company is trying to put on its chatbot. They also wonder: what, exactly, is an AI companion supposed to do for you, and how is it supposed to do it? They then dive into OpenAI's huge funding round, before exploring all the new gadgets of the week and some deep drama in the WordPress universe. Finally, it's time for a lightning round of news about Dish and DirecTV, Progressive Web Apps, and Nintendo's fight against emulation. We also send off Alex, our sadly departing co-host, with cake and Plex servers.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Your front door is the key to the smart home

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to discuss a bunch of updates in the smart home world, including what's new from Google Home and in iOS 18, plus some big news in the world of smart locks and video doorbells. Then, The Verge's Chris Welch comes on to test some new earbuds, and see which pair has the best sound – and the best mic. After that, a new take on the Vergecast's chaotic wearables theory.

Further reading:

And on wireless earbuds:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The future of AI might look a lot like Twitter

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Michael Sayman, the creator of a viral new app called SocialAI, joins the show to discuss why he built a social network where you're the only human around. He tells us how he thinks about AI interfaces, what's next for ChatGPT and other chatbots, and why posting to a language model might be better than posting on a social network.

Further reading:

SocialAI
Michael Sayman on LinkedIn
SocialAI: we tried the Twitter clone where no other humans are allowed
From TechCrunch: Friendly Apps raises $3 million, pre-product, for apps that improve people’s well-being
From Wired: I Stared Into the AI Void With the SocialAI App
From New York Magazine: Does Anyone Need an AI Social Network?
From Ars Technica: “Dead Internet theory” comes to life with new AI-powered social media app

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Meta's new smart glasses look like the future

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Alex Heath joins Nilay, Alex, and David to talk about all the announcements coming out of Meta Connect: the impressive (and expensive) Orion glasses, the new features for the Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, and lots and lots of new AI. Then they discuss the latest executive departures at OpenAI, as the industry's foremost AI company undergoes a huge shift. In the lightning round, it's time for more AI gadgets, the PS5 Pro... and then some more AI gadgets.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They think they’re building God

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Kylie Robison joins the show to talk about OpenAI’s new model, o1, and what this new “reasoning” model says about the state of the art in AI — and what AI companies are willing to put up with in the name of building God. Then, Gaby Del Valle and Adi Robertson talk through the latest on the TikTok ban, the Trump crypto chaos, and the ongoing adtech antitrust trial against Google. (All with as little politics-talk as possible.)

Further reading:

OpenAI releases new o1 reasoning model

OpenAI’s new model is better at reasoning and, occasionally, deceiving

TikTok ban: all the news on attempts to ban the video platform

TikTok oral arguments will weigh security risks against free speech

TikTok faces a skeptical panel of judges in its existential fight against the US government

Donald Trump is hawking tokens for a crypto project he still hasn’t explained

US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial

How Google got away with charging publishers more than anyone else

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The chatbot becomes the teacher

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

For the first episode in our new miniseries about the impact of AI in our everyday lives, we chat with Steven Johnson, a longtime author who has spent the last couple of years at Google working on an AI research and note-taking tool called NotebookLM. We talk about whether AI can really help us learn better, how Google has tried to make NotebookLM more accurate and helpful, and whether AI-generated podcasts are the future of learning.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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You’re cute no matter what phone you have

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Alex, and David are joined by Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern to talk about this year’s iPhone – and Joannabot, the AI chatbot Joanna made to help you make buying decisions. They also answer some questions about the new phones as Apple gets ready to ship them. They also talk about Snap’s new Spectacles, the future of YouTube communities, Instagram teens, and AI social networks.

Further reading:

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Reviewing the iPhone 16

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0000

We've finally finished testing, scoring, and reviewing Apple's new gear for the fall. On this episode we talk through our reviews of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, the Apple Watch 10, and the AirPods 4, to see whether they're real upgrades and whether they're worth your money. And then, on the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11), we make the case for the Pixel in 2024.

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The great Evernote reboot

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0000

Peak Evernote was roughly a decade ago. Since then, the product has often felt stagnant (or worse), the company churned through executives and business plans, and it seemed like Evernote was slowly turning into a zombie app. Not gone, not even forgotten, just sort of... there. For the third and final installment in our series about productivity and digital life, we sit down with Federico Simionato, the Evernote product lead at Bending Spoons. We talk about the acquisition process, how he perceives Evernote in today’s landscape, what it took to start shipping new stuff again, why Bending Spoons changed the subscription price, and much more.

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The real cost of the PS5 Pro

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:46:00 -0000

Nilay, David, and Alex talk about the new PlayStation 5 Pro — why it's so expensive, why it doesn't have a disc drive, and why it made so many people feel feelings. They also talk about the fallout from this week's iPhone launch, the first days of the Google ad trial, Kamala Harris's earrings, Huawei's triple-folding phone, and much more.

Further reading:

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The iPhone 16 is here — but it's not finished

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:35:00 -0000

Apple launched the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4 at its annual fall event in Cupertino. The devices come with some big upgrades — a new camera control on the iPhone, a new design on the Watch — but also a lot of promises about AI. Today on the show, we discuss everything that's new, everything that's missing, and all the reasons you might or might not want to upgrade your Apple gear this year.

Further reading:

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What’s in store for the iPhone 16

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:27:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss previews for the Apple event, gadgets at IFA, the latest with Snap, and a whole lot more.

Further reading:

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The problem with Telegram

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 15:24:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss Telegram CEO being charged in a French criminal investigation over content moderation, Yelp suing Google for antitrust violations, a week in AI-generated nonsense, and more.

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Can a YouTube video really fix your wet phone?

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the native resonance of your smartphone:

02:32 -The Verge’s David Pierce tries to find out if those YouTube videos promising to remove water from your phone with sounds actually work.

32:42 - Then, David chats with The Verge’s Alex Heath about some AR glasses that are reportedly set to launch from Snap and Meta this fall.

59:16 - Later, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about competition in the AI industry.

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What’s in a productivity system?

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0000

You can learn a lot about somebody just by learning about how they get things done. Are they the sort of person who might have a perfectly color-coded email inbox, a flawlessly organized to-do list, and what’s that, they just sent you a calendar invite for happy hour next week? Or are they more likely to have a giant pile of sticky notes they never look at, a computer desktop with so many files you can’t even see the wallpaper, and today’s main tasks written on their arm? Neither is wrong, but they’re very different.

On this episode of The Vergecast, the second in our three-part miniseries about work and productivity and how to get more done in a digital world, we decide to get to know our colleagues in a new way: by asking them to share their own productivity systems. We didn’t give them much specific instruction or homework, other than to come ready to answer a question: how do you get stuff done? Eight Verge staffers showed up, with eight very different ideas about what being productive means and how best to pull it off. Along the way, we found some ideas to steal, a few new apps and tools to try, and a lot of new thoughts about our co-workers.

If you want to know more about the things we discuss in this episode, here are a few links to get you started:

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The Pixel 9 is great – and a problem

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, Allison Johnson, and Richard Lawler discuss the Google Pixel 9 review and its controversial reimagine AI feature, a Chick-fil-A streaming service, Sonos app updates, and more.

Further reading:

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A road trip on the hydrogen highway

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of hydrogen futures:

The Verge’s William Poor, Andrew Marino, and Alex Parkin head to California to figure out why hydrogen fuel cell technology, once a super-promising successor to gasoline, lost out to battery electric cars. They also put the embattled tech to the test with a road trip across California’s “hydrogen highway.”

Further reading:

Check out the interactive map of our trip here, and the video version of the story here.

Read Andrew Hawkins’ story about the future of hydrogen fuel cell tech here.

Read Justine Calma’s coverage of federal green hydrogen programs here.

Go deep into California zero emission transportation policy here.

Credits:

Fact Check by Jasmine Arielle Ting

Thanks to:

Bill Elrick, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership

Michael McCurdy, California State Library

Archival footage courtesy of Global ImageWorks, LLC

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A Googler’s guide to getting things done

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Laura Mae Martin is a big believer in the settings menu. Martin is Google’s Executive Productivity Advisor, and spends much of her time working with other Googlers on improving their productivity and communication systems — and one of the things she often recommends is taking a few minutes to poke through the options. “With your phone, with your email, your Slack, all these things, the features are there but we don’t take the time to dive into them,” she says. She even thinks you should maybe have to look at settings before you can use the app. “Like, you can’t get into the app unless you spend 10 minutes figuring out what it can do.”

On this episode of The Vergecast, the first in our three-part miniseries about all things productivity and work, we talk to Martin about how she sees things changing. Four years after the pandemic forced us all to work from home, are we finally figuring out remote and hybrid work? Are managers realizing that butts-in-seats isn’t, and maybe was never, a good metric for productivity? And is the era of the hard-charging hustle bro finally giving way to a healthier, more holistic way of thinking about being productive? Martin sees all these things from so many perspectives, and has lots of thoughts on everything from communication styles to energy flows.

We also talk about the rise in digital productivity tools like Notion and Slack, and why email is still so important — and still so terrible. One of Martin’s jobs at Google is to consult with the teams building Workspace apps like Docs and Gmail, and she has lots of thoughts on how those product works and how they could be better. We also talk about whether AI stands to change the way we get things done, and whether it’ll help us do more or just give us more to do.

Along the way, Martin offers us lots of practical tips on how to manage our digital lives a little better. Charging your phone outside the bedroom, no-tech Tuesdays, and a couple of prettier email labels might actually go a long way. And if you have too many notes in too many places, it’s time to get a Main List going.

If you want to know more on everything we talk about in this episode, here are a few links to get you started:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Gemini is taking over Google

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:12:31 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss AI tools announced at this weeks Pixel 9 event, Nilay's TV competition, tech regulatory news, and more.

Further reading:

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Google’s next big Pixel

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the correct height-to-width ratio of a foldable phone:

The Verge’s David Pierce, Allison Johnson, Victoria Song, and Chris Welch discuss all the new gadget announcements from Google’s Pixel event — including the Pixel 9, the Pixel Watch 3, the Pixel buds, and more.

Further reading:

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Google lost its first antitrust case, so what happens next?

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:33:27 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Alex Heath, and Lauren Feiner discuss a federal judge ruling that Google violated US antitrust law, X suing a group of major advertisers over an “illegal boycott”, and the rest of this week's wild tech news.

Further reading:

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Quibi's epic fall and the future of books

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of what the future of Kindle turns out to be:

We’re once again trying out a couple of our favorite new show formats.

In Version History, we talk through the whole story of Quibi, from its early days as NewTV to its extremely ill-timed launch to its ultimate demise.

Next, we try out our as-yet-untitled debate show. The Verge’s Kevin Nguyen and Alex Cranz take on a surprisingly contentious topic: is the future of books print or digital?

Later, producer Andru Marino answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about a very unusual shopping situation for MP3 players.

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Apple's Intelligence beta and more AI chaos

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:02:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Allison Johnson, and Victoria Song discuss Apple iOS 18.1 beta. upcoming Pixel 9 rumors, Olympics coverage, AI deepfake regulation, and more.

Further reading:

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The history of Roku and the fight over CarPlay

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of dedicated streaming hardware:

We try out a couple of show formats we’ve been planning for a while.

In Version History, we tell the story of the Roku Netflix Player, debate its legacy, and try to decide whether this thing belongs in the Version History Hall of Fame.

From Fast Company: Inside Netflix’s Project Griffin: The Forgotten History Of Roku Under Reed Hastings
From CNBC: How Roku used the Netflix playbook to rule streaming video
From CNN: Netflix Player offers PC-free movie watching
From Wired: Review: Roku Netflix Set Top Box Is Just Shy of Totally Amazing
From The New York Times: Why the Roku Netflix Player Is the First Shot of the Revolution

After that, it’s time for debates. Nilay Patel and David Pierce yell at each other about who should own the screens in your car. Are CarPlay and Android Auto the answer, the solution to universally crappy automaker software?

Later, David answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about political spam texts.

From The Washington Post: How to stop receiving spam texts
From PCMag: Stop Robotexts: How to Block Smishing and Spam Text Messages

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In search of the perfect movie recommendation

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0000

On this episode of The Vergecast, we look at why TV and movie recommendations are so complicated, and whether AI might be able to make them better. If Spotify can build infinite playlists of music you’ll like, and YouTube and TikTok always seem to have the perfect thing ready to go, why can’t Netflix or Hulu or Max seem to get it right?

If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are a few links to get you started:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Search as we know it is officially over

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Jake Kastrenakes discuss OpenAI's new SearchGPT product, Amazon's plan to launch a paid version of Alexa, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold review, and whole lot more.

Further reading:

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Inside the global computer crash

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:09:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of configuration changes:

The Verge's Tom Warren joins the show to to talk about the story and legacy of the CrowdStrike crash.

Then we talk with The Verge's Victoria Song and Zombies, Run creator Adrian Hon about making exercising fun without making it competitive and awful.

Finally, we answer a hotline question about handheld gadgets for new parents — because there's a lot of time to kill when there's a baby around.

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The all-seeing AI webcam

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

On this episode of The Vergecast, senior producer Will Poor explores the AI-tinged worlds of Dries Depoorter. Depoorter has built all manner of quirky and provocative installations and online experiments. There’s a clock that tells you how much of your life you’ve already lived; a phone charger that only works when your eyes are closed; a mobile chat app that you can only use when your phone has less than 5% battery.

His most eyebrow-raising work, though, is around AI and surveillance. In his projects Depoorter takes publicly available webcam footage from around the world, and uses it to stalk celebrities, catch jaywalkers in the act, keep politicians honest, and generally make you wonder about your own privacy and anonymity.

We talked with Depoorter about how he creates his work, how he thinks about the future of AI, and how he responds to the people who see his art and want to turn it into commerce. It’s a wild conversation, so check it out above. To see all of Dries’ work, head over to his portfolio.

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Gadgets are getting weird — and so are iPhone homescreens

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Alex, and David talk about what's happening on social media — and around the web — in the wake of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Then they talk about their early impression of Apple's public betas, from the redesigned homescreens to the iPad's fancy new math abilities. After that, it's time for a bunch of gadgets all asking the same idea: is this anything? Then it's off to the lightning round, filled with 4K streams and leaky infinity pools.

Further reading:

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Picking the perfect portable console

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of nose bridge microphones:

03:10 - The Verge’s David Pierce enlists help from Alex Cranz and Sean Hollister to figure out the best gadget setup for his handheld gaming needs.

42:10 - Victoria Song joins the show to test out the microphones on a bunch of smart glasses and headsets.

01:10:26 - Later, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline.

North Focals glasses review: a $600 smartwatch for your face

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Inside the AI memory machine

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Humans are terrible at remembering things. On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk to one of the people who has been working on this problem for a very long time: Dan Siroker, the CEO of Limitless. We talk about what it takes to build a great memory aid, how we might use them in the future, and why it’s so tricky to get right.

We also talk about the human side of it all — what does it change about our lives when we stop forgetting things? Is remembering your friend’s birthday different when it’s actually an AI model doing the remembering? And will these tools ever really work outside of work? Tools like Limitless are coming fast and improving quickly, and we’re going to have to figure out how to live with them.

Further reading:

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Samsung’s new folds, flips, and Apple clones

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:14:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the announcements from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, Redbox shutting down, and more tech news from this week.

Further reading:

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The Vergecast builds a tech company

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of corporate infighting:

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz roleplay as CEOs of Vergecast Inc., tasked with creating a tech company by acquiring product lines from various industry giants. They select established products ranging from smartphones and PCs to messaging and audio solutions, sourced from companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, Meta, and others.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Apple’s Vision Pro: five months later

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of spatial computing:

The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Victoria Song and Wes Davis about using the Vision Pro for the five months that it's been available to the public. The group details what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next for the device.

David chats with the folks at Sandwich Vision, who create Vision Pro apps called Television and Theater, about why they made 3D-rendered versions of CRT TVs in virtual reality.

Sandwich Vision

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The music industry’s AI fight

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 08:32:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel and David Pierce chat with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding about the RIAA lawsuit against AI music startups Udio and Suno. Later, Nilay and David discuss the rest of this week's tech and gadget news.

Further reading:

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New chips, new screens, new gadgets

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the many definitions of electronic paper:

03:12 -The Verge’s David Pierce takes a look at the Boox Palma, a phone-shaped e-reader that runs Android. He also compares notes with Clockwise’s Matt Martin and writer Craig Mod.

30:06 - The Verge’s Nathan Edwards and Tom Warren join the show to discuss their experience using Microsoft’s new Surface Copilot PCs. They also answer a question from The Vergecast Hotline.

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The next next thing in AI and AR

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:03:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Apple's Vision Pro team reportedly refocusing on a cheaper headset, Meta launching a new "Wearables" organization, a new AI company startup from former OpenAI chief scientist, and a whole lot more tech news.

Further reading:

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Tesla’s big, epic, confusing future

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of super helpful humanoid helper robots:

05:07 - The Verge’s David Pierce and Andy Hawkins discuss the latest at Tesla: new products, new initiatives, and a payday for Elon Musk.

40:21 - Vee Song joins the show to discuss updates to the Apple Watch, a new Samsung Galaxy Watch, and more wearable news.

1:02:54 - David and Liam James answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about weather apps.

Forecast Advisor

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Apple and OpenAI make a deal

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss takeaways from WWDC, this week's gadget news, and Elon Musk dropping his lawsuit against OpenAI.

Further reading:

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Apple Intelligence, iPhones, and the rest of WWDC 2024

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:19:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Allison Johnson, and David Pierce discuss all the announcements from Apple's WWDC event.

Further reading:

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Apple’s AI moment is coming

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss what they expect to see next week at Apple's WWDC, or "dub dub" as it's more affectionately known. But first, we take you through all the gadgets previewed at Computex.

Further reading:

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Sonos' headphones are extremely Sonos

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of audio over Wi-Fi:

03:02 - The Verge’s Chris Welch shares his review of Sonos's Ace headphones.

28:58 - MoviePass, MovieCrash director Muta’Ali and MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes discuss what went wrong with the MoviePass subscription service and how that story was documented in the film.

56:47 - Jennifer Pattison Tuohy answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about smart home gadgets for renters.

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Inside the Google algorithm

Fri, 31 May 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss Google's algorithm leak, OpenAI content deals, and more tech news from this week.

Further reading:

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Why Microsoft bet on Surface

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of open smart home standards:

03:25 - Microsoft’s Pavan Davuluri, leader for Windows and Devices, joins the show to discuss the future of the AI PC and what’s next for Microsoft’s hardware

30:25 - The Verge’s Jen Tuohy and David Pierce discuss the latest updates in the smart home world in a segment called “Does Matter matter yet?”

01:13:20 - David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about AI-powered search engines.

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Seeing the real world inside a virtual one

Sun, 26 May 2024 09:00:00 -0000

On this episode of The Vergecast, the fourth and final installment of our series on the five senses of video games, we asked Polygon’s Charlie Hall to help us make sense of the current state of the art in flight simulation. Hall, who once spent more than four months in VR mapping the edge of the Milky Way galaxy in Elite: Dangerous, has more experience in a virtual cockpit than most. We wanted to know how the pros set up their simulators to get the most realistic experience and why it’s so complicated to make a virtual world look like the real one.

Further reading:

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ChatGPT has a Scarlett Johansson problem

Fri, 24 May 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss announcements from Microsoft Build, the OpenAI's trouble with Scarlett Johansson, new Sonos headphones, and more.

Further reading:

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Microsoft is in its AI PC era

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of Arm-based chipsets:

03:08 - The Verge’s Tom Warren and David Pierce discuss the announcements from Microsoft’s Surface event, including the new Arm-powered Surface Laptop, and Copilot Plus PCs.

27:29 -Verge senior AI reporter Kylie Robison joins the show to chat about OpenAI’s GPT-4o demo and where we’re headed in the next few years of AI.

57:40 - Nilay Patel answers a question about iPads for this week’s Vergecast Hotline.

Apple iPad Pro (2024) review: the best tablet money can buy

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The smells and tastes of a great video game

Sun, 19 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of refillable scent cartridges:

Producer Andru Marino tries out a gadget called the Gamescent, an AI-powered scent machine that syncs with your gaming and movie watching experience. He walks David Pierce through the experience and whether integrating olfaction could be the future of gaming.

We also hear from Nimesha Ranasinghe, an assistant professor at the University of Maine working on taste sensations and taste simulation in virtual reality experiences, which can lead to adding another sense into the world of gaming.

Further reading:

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AI assistants are so back

Fri, 17 May 2024 10:20:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss announcements from Google I/O and OpenAI's GPT4o event.

Further reading:

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The case for the iPad Pro

Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of tandem OLEDs:

The Verge’s David Pierce and Chris Welch discuss the new iPad Pros with an OLED screen, Sonos’ controversial new app, and Sonos’ leaked headphones.

The Verge’s Will Poor buys a bunch of broken iPhones on eBay, and pits the Apple Store against independent repair techs.

David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about why some people think the iPad should be a Macbook replacement.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The rise of the audio-only video game

Sun, 12 May 2024 09:00:00 -0000

In episode two of our Five Senses of Gaming miniseries, David Pierce dives into the world of hearing with audio-only video games with Paul Bennun, who has been in this space longer than most. Years ago, Bennun and his team at Somethin’ Else made a series of games called Papa Sangre that were among the most innovative and most popular games of their kind. He explains what makes an audio game work, why the iPhone 4 was such a crucial technological achievement for these games, and more.

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The beginning and end of the iPad

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:23:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple's iPad event, the evolution of the streaming business, updates on the Wisconsin Foxconn site, and much more tech news.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Delta's 10-year journey to the top of the App Store

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of enterprise certificate hacks:

03:22 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Riley Testut, founder of AltStore and developer of the game emulator app Delta, about how his app finally made it into Apple’s App Store.

46:17 - David walks us through his experimentation with the many software and hardware solutions for “AI voice notes.”

Cleft Notes is an AI voice notes app that really works

1:02:02 - David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about the Rabbit R1.

Rabbit R1 review: nothing to see here

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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A speedrunner’s quest to (re)build the perfect N64 controller

Sun, 05 May 2024 09:00:00 -0000

We’re kicking off our “Five Senses of Gaming” miniseries today, starting with “touch.” The Verge’s William Poor explores a controller crisis in the Nintendo 64 speedrunning community, and follows one speedrunner’s quest to recreate a mythical controller he lost.

Rabbit, Humane, and the iPad

Fri, 03 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss this week's tech and gadget news.

Further reading:

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Phones are the ultimate AI gadget

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of dedicated AI hardware:

The Verge’s David Pierce and Allison Johnson debate whether the emergence of standalone AI gadgets like the Humane Pin and the Rabbit R1 are better off as apps or should exist as its own hardware.

The Verge’s Alex Heath joins the show to discuss Meta’s big move into AI with its multimodal AI smart glasses and a new AI model called Llama 3.

Nilay Patel answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about Microsoft and antitrust.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Anyone want to buy TikTok?

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 11:20:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss President Biden signing the TikTok ban bill, Apple's May 7th iPad event, Tesla's flop era, and more.

Further reading:

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Congress takes on TikTok, privacy, and AI

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of forced app divestiture:

03:07 - The Verge’s David Pierce and Lauren Fiener discuss the latest tech policy bills floating through Congress, including a privacy bill, a generative AI bill, and the TikTok divest-or-ban bill.

34:17 - David talks with Nikola Todorovic and Tye Sheridan about their company Wonder Dynamics, which is creating AI-powered production tools for filmmakers.

1:09:16 - David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about messaging apps.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Emulators are taking over the App Store

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss third-party iPhone app stores, game emulators, Google Android and hardware team restructuring, the latest TikTok news, and more.

Further reading:

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The internet really is a series of tubes

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of undersea cable management:

04:10 - The Verge’s David Pierce and Josh Dzieza discuss the industry of laying and maintaining undersea cables that connect us to the internet.

The invisible seafaring industry that keeps the internet afloat

43:43 - Tom Warren and Joanna Nelius join the show to discuss the future of Arm chips on PCs and whether or not we’re about to get a huge jump in performance on most laptops.

1:11:18 - Alex Cranz answers questions from the Vergecast Hotline about e-readers and the latest Kobo devices.

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The good, the bad, and the Humane AI Pin

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:30:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Piece, and Alex Cranz discuss David's review of the Humane AI Pin, Taylor Swift's music back on TikTok, a new party speaker, and much more.

Further reading:

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The TikTok ban and the iPhone monopoly

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz answer questions from The Vergecast Hotline all about the TikTok ban debate and the US v Apple case.

Further reading:

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How much MacBook is enough MacBook?

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:40:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz discuss the Apple Macbook Air M3 review, Jon Stewart's take on AI, and a whole lot more of this week's tech news.

Further reading:

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A better keyboard than QWERTY

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of alternate keyboard layouts:

03:36 - The Verge’s David Pierce talks to Jonas Hietala about his ultra-custom keyboard he built from the ground up to fit his specific needs.

Jonas Hietala: The T-34 keyboard layout

30:40 - The Verge’s Tom Warren explains the next phase of Microsoft with a new leader on the Windows and Surface team.

57:32 - David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about tricks for Netflix recommendations.

How Planet Earth — and the Netflix homepage — get made

Vote for The Vergecast in the Webby's Technology Podcast category!

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Power User: Taylor Lorenz on the TikTok ban

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Today we're sharing an episode of a new podcast called Power User, which explores how technology and the internet are upending our lives and the world around us, hosted by tech journalist Taylor Lorenz.

Follow Power User with Taylor Lorenz wherever you get your podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/poweruserpod

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AI headphones and clicky phone keys

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of canceled-out cricket sounds:

03:29 - David, Andru, and Will react to prototype headphones that use AI to take noise cancellation to a whole new level.

31:30 - Michael Fisher, aka Mr. Mobile, joins the show to discuss mobile phones with physical keyboards and his latest project, “Clicks,” an iPhone case featuring an integrated keyboard.

56:30 - Andru Marino answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about the best microphone for recording your parents.

How to get great audio for podcast interviews

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Apple’s antitrust fight begins

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 09:50:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, Lauren Feiner and Nilay Patel discuss the breaking news about the the US Department of Justice accusing Apple of operating an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market in an expansive new antitrust lawsuit.

Further reading:

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DoorDash, Uber Eats... and Tony

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of scaled EV production:

02:50 - Verge producer Will Poor tags along with a former Uber Eats driver who ditched the delivery apps and is trying to start a one-man gig work revolution.

18:54- The Verge's David Pierce and Andrew Hawkins discuss Rivian's new vehicles they announced last week, and what it will take for the company to compete with Tesla.

54:37 - David and Allison Johnson answer a question from The Vergecast Hotline about foldable phones.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Are we really about to ban TikTok?

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge 's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the US House of Representatives passing a bill that could ban TikTok, the streaming news of the week, a Dyson robot, and more.

Further reading:

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The 2024 Streaming Draft (live from SXSW)

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz choose their picks for The Vergecast Streaming Draft of 2024 in front of a live audience at SXSW.

Watch video version with a scoreboard on YouTube

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Hello and goodbye to the MacBook Air

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:11:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple's upgraded MacBook Air, the EU's Digital Markets Act deadline for tech’s biggest “gatekeepers”, and a bunch of tech news from this week.

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AI gadgets, bendy phones, and more from MWC

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of region locked phones:

The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Jon Porter report back on all the tech we saw at Mobile World Congress this past week.

Later, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about web crawlers and AI.

With the rise of AI, web crawlers are suddenly controversial

The Vergecast and Decoder are live at SXSW this weekend, March 8th and 9th. SXSW attendees can see both shows live on the official Vox Media Podcast Stage at the JW Marriott, presented by Atlassian. Learn more at voxmedia.com/live.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How smart is the smart kitchen, really?

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has as smart a kitchen as any reasonable person possibly could; she has smart appliances, a smart sink, a smart fridge, and more voice assistants than anyone could ever talk to. And for a few days, she tried to let her kitchen do the work: telling her what to cook, getting everything set up just right, and even taking some of the cooking and cleaning load off her shoulders. Jen kept a diary during her adventures, and then joined The Vergecast to tell the tale. The fun, frustrating, exciting, harrowing tale.

Links:

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The Apple Car crash

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel and David Pierce talk through the weird and winding history of Apple's "secret" car project now that it's officially dead. And later, senior policy reporter Lauren Feiner makes her Vergecast debut to catch us up on the arguments made this week in the Supreme Court about online speech and the First Amendment.

Further reading:

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Tales of a shopping influencer

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the economic theory of Dave and Busters:

02:50 - The Verge’s Mia Sato shares her experience on a new shopping app called Flip, which is filled with only videos that earn affiliate revenue.

Where everyone’s an influencer and everything’s for sale

35:34 - The Verge’s Vjeran Pavic and Becca Farsace chat with David Piece about the new Fuji X100VI, and why this line of cameras was a sensation on social media.

57:44 - Verge producer Will Poor answers a follow-up question about the right to repair legislation in this week’s Vergecast Hotline.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The smart kitchen is a great idea — and a strange reality

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0000

Over the next two Sundays on The Vergecast, The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison-Tuohy and David Pierce dig into the dream smart kitchen, the less-than-dreamy reality of the situation, and what it might take to make cooking, cleaning, meal-prepping, and eating more efficient and more fun.

On this episode, Jen takes us on a tour of her own smart(ish) kitchen, and explains why the kitchen often feels left behind in the overall smart home race. Then, Jen and David are joined by Ben Harris, the CEO of Fresco; and Nick Holzherr, the co-founder of Samsung Food. They tell us about the opportunities and challenges in reinventing the way we cook and eat, and explain why the AI revolution might usher in huge change.

Further reading:

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The AIs are officially out of control

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss ChatGPT and Gemini updates, Walmart acquiring Vizio, Apple's Sports app, and more.

Further reading:

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The right to repair – and play games anywhere

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of sneaky gaming strategies:

03:45 - Verge producer Will Poor reports on a right-to-repair bill in Oregon and what's next in the right-to-repair movement.

33:13 - Tom Warren breaks down the news from Microsoft’s gaming chief about Xbox games coming to PS5 and next-gen hardware.

Microsoft’s gaming chief on Xbox games coming to PS5, next-gen hardware, and more

1:00:49 - David Pierce and Alex Cranz answer a question from The Vergecast Hotline about the crackdown on password sharing for streaming services.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The shine comes off the Vision Pro

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss Apple fans starting to return the Vision Pro, Xbox exclusive games, Super Bowl streaming troubles, and more.

Further reading:

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Passkeys might really kill passwords

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of video podcasts:

02:52 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with 1Password's Anna Pobletts about good password hygiene, passkeys, and the upsides of a third-party password manager.

31:56 - Victoria Song joins the show to discuss the state of wearables and why this may be the year for the smart ring.

58:46 -Later, David answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Disney’s big bets on sports, streaming, and Fortnite

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss sports streaming, Apple Vision Pro updates, Bluesky removing its invite system, and more.

Further reading:

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How AI will change phones — and the whole internet

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of anti-glare coatings:

03:58 - Josh Miller, CEO The Browser Company, joins the show to chat about the Arc Search mobile browser.

48:34 - Allison Johnson shares her review of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S24 phones.

1:18:54- David Pierce answers a question from The Vergecast Hotline about the Apple Vision Pro.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Is this peak TikTok?

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the Apple Vision Pro review rating, changes to the TikTok app, streaming news, and more.

Further reading:

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The Apple Vision Pro review

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:57:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Nilay's review of the Apple Vision Pro, and then answer questions from our listeners.

Further reading:

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Apple (grumpily) opens up the App Store

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple allowing alternative browser engines in the EU, Netflix getting WWE, Pixel 9 leaks, and more.

Further reading:

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From the Macintosh to the Vision Pro — and beyond

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of really old computers:

03:54 - Walt Mossberg, former Verge executive editor and longtime Wall Street Journal tech columnist, joins the show to discuss forty years of the Macintosh computer.

40:28 - Ali Abdaal chats about his new book "Feel Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters To You" and why overthinking your productivity system might not be such a good idea.

1:06:53 - David Pierce answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about laptops.

The best laptops you can get

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Vision Pro, Galaxy S24: it’s gadget season again

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:19:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Victoria Song, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the Apple Vision Pro demo, the Samsung Galaxy S24 announcement, and more of this week's tech news.

Watch the video here

Further reading:

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Who will win the 2024 streaming wars?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of endlessly looping sounds:

02:33 - David Pierce dives into one piece of music that has taken over "North Sea TikTok"

20:45 - Alex Cranz joins the show to preview new TV shows coming to streaming in 2024, and gives predictions about which streaming service will come out on top this year.

55:36 - This week's Vergecast Hotline question about E Ink at CES.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love to hear from you.

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Rabbit, Ballie, and the other gadgets of CES 2024

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:12:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz follow up on all the rest of the gadgets and tech seen at CES 2024.

Further reading:

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The TVs, monitors, and laptops at CES 2024

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz are discuss all the things with screens announced at CES 2024.

Further reading:

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It’s already the year of AI again

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 13:43:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz kick off the new year with a preview of what we're excited to see at CES 2024 next week, but not before a brief discussion on copyright, the open web, and the first movements of a battle between The New York Times and OpenAI.

Further reading:

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The USB-C Holiday Spec-tacular

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 13:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz start the final show of 2023 with some chat about the state of USB-C: the ups and downs of charging gadgets, the ubiquity of one cable, and what the future looks like for gadgets with ports.

The crew competes in a few rounds of USB-C Price is Right, a game we completely made up to show how confusing USB-C and its specs can be. Nilay, David, and Alex each play for a Vergecast listener to win an awesome Verge swag basket from our merch store. Check out the video version of the game below.

David and Nilay end the holiday show with Noah Dentzel, the CEO and co-founder of Nomad Goods, to talk about how USB-C on the iPhone has changed his business, the challenges of building cables, and what tech accessories he’s most excited about in 2024.

Have a happy, safe, and fast-charging holiday. We’ll see you in 2024!

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2023's biggest tech stories

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 12:02:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Richard Lawler discuss Apple pulling the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from its website, the potential Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount merger, and what the biggest stories were on The Verge Dot Com.

Further reading:

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Epic wins for Epic and Threads

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 12:30:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple responding to Beeper's iMessage for Android and the various other text-based platform news from this week.

Sean Hollister joins the show to discuss his time covering the Epic v Google trial, and what we learned from it all.

Further reading:

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Saying goodbye to Twitter

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of good tweets:

03:40 - The Verge’s William Poor goes on a vintage tech odyssey in the hopes of future-proofing his family’s heirloom Mac Classic.

28:35 - David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Nilay Patel discuss why they spent so much time on Twitter for so many years.

1:05:40 - David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline about organizing your digital photos.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The race to win AI — and hack iMessage

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:49:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss Google Gemini's attempt to compete with ChatGPT, Beeper Mini bringing iMessage to Android, and shakeups in the podcast industry, and much more.

Further reading:

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The Verge guide to holiday shopping

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Victoria Song, Dan Seifert, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy answer questions from the Vergecast Hotline about what to buy for your loved ones this holiday season.

Keep emailing us at vergecast@theverge.com or leave a voicemail at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The Cybertruck lives, and so does OpenAI

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:12:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss the Tesla Cybertruck event, the latest with OpenAI leadership, and what Elon Musk and Bob Iger said at Dealbook Summit 2023.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How Planet Earth — and the Netflix homepage — get made

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of multi-drone camera setups:

03:19 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with Planet Earth III producer Alex Walters and director Theo Webb about the gear used to make the latest nature documentary series.

30:13 - Netflix's Pat Flemming joins the show to discuss how Netflix figures out what to show when you open the app, and how to keep you coming back.

1:20:29 -The Verge's publisher Helen Havlak and editor-in-chief Nilay Patel join the show to answer this week's hotline question.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Emergency podcast: chaos at OpenAI

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:23:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel and Alex Heath join David Pierce after a long, winding weekend reporting on the dramatic shakeup at OpenAI, still in progress.

Further reading:

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Fortnite, GTA VI, and the fate of AAA games

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0000

In episode three of our video game miniseries, The Verge's David Pierce and Polygon's Russ Frushtick and Chris Plante discuss the state of the industry's blockbuster games like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, and others — and what they signal for the future of gaming.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Apple’s in on RCS — and everybody’s out on Bing

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Apple announcing it will support RCS next year, AI news that came out of Microsoft Ignite, YouTube's new policy on deepfakes, and much more.

Further reading:

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Spotify and Disney have everything-app dreams

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of machine learning-based recommendation systems:

03:31 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Spotify’s co-president and chief product officer Gustav Söderström about recommendations, audiobooks, app design, what Spotify wants to be, and whether it’s possible to do it all well.

Spotify - The Verge

44:08 - Alex Cranz joins the show to discuss a bunch of recent streaming news, including the plan to combine Disney Plus and Hulu.

Streaming - The Verge

1:10:28 - Chris Welch joins the show to help answer this week’s Vergecast Hotline question about mp3 players.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The fight to save old games

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:19:00 -0000

In episode two of our gaming mini series, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Polygon's Russ Frushtick and Chris Plante about the obstacles around both preserving and emulating video games from discontinued hardware.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Humane Pins and your own ChatGPT

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 13:56:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss the debut of Humane's AI Pin, OpenAI's DevDay, GPT-4 updates, and more.

Further reading:

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The tech trials keep coming

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of anti-steering provisions:

02:57 - The Verge's David Pierce and Makena Kelly discuss Epic v. Google, a trial about the future of app stores.

28:49 - Liz Lopatto joins the show to detail her experience covering the Sam Bankman-Fried trial from start to finish.

58:27 - Richard Lawler helps answer this week's Vergecast Hotline question.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or leave a voicemail at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Handheld gaming is the future — again

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0000

In the first episode of our series about the future of gaming, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Polygon's Chris Plante and Russ Frushtick about handheld game consoles. Is this portable, all-in-one form factor where all of gaming is headed?

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Apple events, SEO, and other fights

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 11:08:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the takeaways from Apple's Mac event, the problem with SEO on the internet, streaming news, and much more.

Further reading:

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Macs and M3s, shot on iPhones

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of spec bumps:

02:21 - The Verge’s David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss the announcements from Apple’s “Scary Fast” Mac event.

Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ Mac event: all the news from Apple’s online keynote

27:56 - Becca Farsace joins the show to share her thoughts on smartphone photography in 2023, and if the “Pro” branding can live up to its name.

52:06 - Adi Robertson answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline.

Xreal’s Air 2 AR glasses ship in November in the US

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An impossible journey into self-hosting

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of network-attached storage:

This is the fourth in our four-part series all about connectivity. This week we're talking about software: how software connects us, how we connect to software, and how software connects to other software.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The next Macs and the next Twitter

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the next Apple event, a Twitter successor, and Windows Phone regrets.

Further reading:

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Everything you’ve always wondered about The Vergecast

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz dedicate the show to talk about their feelings. The crew answer a bunch of questions from listeners about The Vergecast, The Verge website, and the future of it all.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The poster’s guide to the new internet

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In episode three of our connectivity mini series, The Verge's David Pierce explores the idea of POSSE and PESOS, two syndication models for posting on the internet that don't rely on a single platform.

Buckle in, it gets nerdy.

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Into the iPad Confusion Zone

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 11:20:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss a whole bunch of tech news from this week — a new Apple Pencil, the latest Cybertruck confusion, streaming updates, and more.

Further reading:

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The smart glasses era is (kind of) here

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of glassholes:

The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Victoria Song about her experience using the new Ray-Ban smart glasses from Meta.

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses hands-on: in pursuit of content

The Verge’s Sean Hollister and iFixit’s Kyle Wiens join the show to discuss the latest legislation in the right to repair and what’s next for the future of fixing your own gadgets.

Right-to-repair is now the law in California

The Verge’s Nathan Edwards answers this week’s Vergecast Hotline question.

The iPhone 15 and 15 Pro launch with ‘future Qi2 wireless charging.’ Here’s why.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The better, smarter future of messaging

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In episode two of our connectivity mini series, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Eric Migicovsky co-founder of Beeper. Beeper is a universal messaging app trying to take all your messages from all your apps and put them in one place. Is this the future of chat?

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Sonos loses to Google, and Threads takes on Twitter

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the Meta Quest 3 review, Google gadgets, and Threads continuing to compete with X.

Chris Welch joins the show to discuss the result of Sonos' legal battle with Google.

Further reading:

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Good Pixels, better Watches, great Chromebooks

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of AI-generated wallpapers:

03:22 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with Allison Johnson about her review of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Pixel 8 and 8 Pro review: in Google we trust?

29:18 - Victoria Song joins the show to discuss her review of the updated Pixel Watch 2.

Google Pixel Watch 2 review: better battery, better watch

56:02 - Monica Chin stops by to explain the new "Chromebook Plus" certification on higher-end Chromebooks.

Chromebook Plus is Google’s new certification for premium Chromebooks

1:22:42 - Keep listening for the Vergecast Hotline question all about music playlists.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The TV of the future costs zero dollars

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In episode one of our miniseries all about connectivity, The Verge’s David Pierce talks with Ilya Pozin, founder and CEO of Telly, a new startup promising to give you a free 55-inch TV with an additional second screen for ads and apps.

Before founding Telly, Ilya Pozin also founded PlutoTV, one of the first and most successful ad-based streaming services. There are many similarities between these two companies, and Ilya has a grander vision for how he sees the world and how he thinks he can revolutionize the TV hardware and TV show business.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The great Pixel 8 camera debate

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the announcement of Google’s Pixel 8 phone, along with the new AI tools that raise lots of questions.

Further reading:

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Amazon, Google, and crypto are on trial

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890:

01:43 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with policy editor Adi Robertson and reporter Makena Kelly about US v. Google, and what we’ve learned so far. They also talk about the FTC’s lawsuit against Amazon, which could be the next big tech trial.

28:46 - Later, senior correspondent Liz Lopatto joins the show to preview the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX.

FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried is on trial for fraud and conspiracy

52:36 - Keep listening for this week’s Vergecast hotline question with Alex Cranz.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Meta's AI headset future — and that X interview at Code

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:44:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz break down an awkward interview out of the Code Conference from X (formerly Twitter) CEO Linda Yaccarino. Then, the crew gets into all the big news from Meta's Connect event where the Quest 3 and Meta Smart Glasses were announced.

Further reading:

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RIP DVDs

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the laserdisc resurgence:

While Netflix’s DVD.com service shuts down later this week, The Verge's David Pierce chats with Bill Rouhana, the CEO of Chicken Soup for The Soul Entertainment, about the potential of Redbox and physical media in 2023.

Netflix’s DVD service shuts down: here’s the complex tech behind it

Later, David and Alex Cranz talk with New York Magazine’s John Herrman about his recent story on social media metrics and what they actually mean.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Social-Media Metrics

Keep listening for this week’s Vergecast hotline question.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The 50-year quest for AI virtual assistants

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In part three of our AI mini series, David Pierce dives into the decades-long endeavor to build a virtual assistant. What can a virtual assistant do? What do we want it to do?

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Amazon and Microsoft's AI parades

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:48:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss all the announcements from Amazon's fall product launch event and Microsoft's Surface and AI event.

Further reading:

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iPhone and watches and wallpapers, oh my

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the Action Button:

03:34 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with Allison Johnson and Dan Seifert about their reviews of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.

41:02 - Victoria Song joins the show to talk about her review of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

1:07:58 - David chats with Isaac Mosna and Widgetsmith's David Smith about customizing your iPhone wallpaper and widgets.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Can AI make a hit song?

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In episode two of The Vergecast's AI mini series, David Pierce sits down with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding and music producer Ian Kimmel to share how they made an entire song from scratch using a bunch of AI tools.

Later, Nilay Patel joins the discussion to talk about the future of AI in the music industry.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Apple mysteries and Google trials

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 18:51:00 -0000

It's been a week! The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz rejoin the studio to process all the tech news and announcements. Apple had its annual hardware event where the iPhone 15 and new Apple Watch lineup were shown off.

Later, senior tech and policy reporter Adi Robertson joins the show to walk us through the US v Google antitrust trial that kicked off earlier in the week.

Further reading:

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iPhone 15: the good, the bad, and the titanium

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:30:00 -0000

After attending Apple's fall hardware event, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Allison Johnson, Dan Seifert and Victoria Song break down the biggest announcements: the iPhone 15, 15 Pro, the new Apple Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2.

AI voices are taking over the internet

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0000

In part one of The Vergecast's AI mini series, David Pierce dives into the boom of voice synthesis and artificially generated speech. The process is a lot more accessible for everyone, but how realistic can it sound?

Further reading:

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How the iPhone 15 could still surprise us

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Dan Seifert discuss what to expect at Apple's iPhone 15 event, the drama behind the scenes with Disney's CEOs, and some more gadget news.

Further reading:

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It's gadget season again

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler discuss all the gadgets announced at IFA 2023, the next flagship phone events from Apple and Google, and a whole lot more.

Also: Nilay Patel breaks news about the 5G banana surgery.

Further reading:

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Who built the internet? And who will save it?

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of social media monetization strategies:

04:05 -The Verge''s David Pierce and Nilay Patel chat with Taylor Lorenz about her new book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet

55:26 - Adi Robertson joins the show to explains why publishers, and the music industry, would have a bone to pick with the Internet Archive.

1:23:13 -Vjeran Pavic helps out with this week's Vergecast Hotline question.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Threads' big moment, and Sony's big controller

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Richard Lawler discuss Threads' new web app, Sony's Playstation handheld, NFL 4K streaming, AI music copyright, and a whole lot more.

Further reading:

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Mythical computers and super apps

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of payment processing fees:

04:36 - The Verge's David Pierce travels to meet Keegan McNamara, an artisan who is making unique computers for more purposeful use cases.

A visit to the one-man computer factory

27:11 - Liz Lopatto and Alex Heath join the show to discuss the future of "super apps" in the United States — notably the one Elon Musk is trying to build with X, formerly known as Twitter.

1:09:54 - Keep listening for this week's Vergecast Hotline question.

What is a custom feed and how do I make one? – Reddit Help

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Big screens, bigger screens, suitcase screens

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss the iMac's 25th anniversary, the state of streaming, a TV in a suitcase, and a whole lot more.

Further reading:

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How YouTube and ESPN control the future of everything

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of non-exclusive distribution deals:

02:15 - The Verge’s David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Richard Lawler discuss how the future of sports streaming will have a lot to say about the future of entertainment.

41:57 - David chats with director Alex Winter about his new documentary The YouTube Effect.

1:12:00 - Keep listening for this week’s hotline question about Windows 11.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Streaming goes up, Zoom comes down

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:58:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz break down the chaotic and increasingly more expensive state of streaming video. Are we just recreating cable TV? And afterwards, the crew explores the wild world enterprise software.

Further reading:

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How Tesla became the Elon Musk Co. from Land of the Giants

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today we're sharing an episode of Land of the Giants: The Tesla Shock Wave

Not many people can name the original founders of Tesla. So how did two guys who wanted to build an electric car create a company synonymous with Elon Musk?

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Samsung fans and video apps: they’re everywhere

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 11:10:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss YouTube adding a slew of new TikTok-like features to Shorts, Elon Musk's extravagant 'X' sign, and much more.

We also go through this week's emails. The Samsung fans have spoken.

Further reading:

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Samsung foldable software, eye-scanning orbs, and the future of the arcade

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of texting on the outside screen:

03:28 - The Verge’s David Pierce chats with Allison Johnson and Dan Seifert about the software design of Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5.

32:54 - David takes a trip to the Dave & Busters to find out why the games on your phone ended up in your local arcade.

49:48 - Alex Heath joins the show to discuss his experience getting his eye scanned by an orb from Worldcoin, a crypto startup co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

1:14:45 - Our hotline question of the week about wearables without screens.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Twitter rebrands as X, and Samsung's Galaxy Flip 5 and Fold 5 event

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler discuss Twitter being rebranded as X.

Allison Johnson joins the show to discuss everything announced at Samsung’s Galaxy Flip 5 and Fold 5 Unpacked event.

Also: we read your emails!

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Gadget tips for your next upgrade | Vergecast Hotline

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of answering machines:

We answer your questions from The Vergecast Hotline!

01:51 - LDAC and other audio codecs

06:21 - Samsung TV

07:58 - Smartwatches for marathons

16:38 - iPhone upgrades

23:09 - Threads

29:52 - Security cameras

40:46 - Laptops

39:13 - Google Pixel

50:54 - Android phones

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The future of EV charging and Hollywood on strike

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss all the gadget news from this week, the state of EV charging for non-Tesla owners, the unions of Hollywood on strike, and much more.

Further reading:

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Nothing’s gadget renaissance, and our favorite TV remotes

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of sustainable supply chain economics:

03:27 - CEO of Nothing Carl Pei sits down with The Verge’s David Pierce to discuss the new Phone 2, Carl’s vision for the company, his thoughts on AI, foldables, VR, and much more.

Nothing Phone 2 review: the vibes abide
Nothing CEO Carl Pei on the Phone 2, AI, and the future of gadgets (video version of interview here)

50:02 - Later, Vergecast producers Andru Marino and Liam James debate with David the best and worst TV remotes, and what makes a good remote design. Watch the YouTube version to see all the remotes we talk about.

1:25:19 - Keep listening for the Vergecast Hotline question of the week.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Microsoft beat the FTC, and the Nothing Phone 2 is here

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Microsoft winning the case against the FTC for its Activision Blizzard deal. Also: the Nothing Phone 2 and more gadgets.

Further reading:

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Apple OS betas, how to talk about AI, and our video game picks

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of transformers (both the movie and the AI thing):

03:46 - The Verge’s Victoria Song, Chris Welch, Allison Johnson, and David Pierce discuss using the new features and tools in beta versions of Apple’s watchOS 10, tvOS 17, iOS 17, and iPadOS 17.

28:36 - The Verge’s James Vincent joins the show to discuss how we should think about using the popular vocabulary terms in AI like GPT, LLM, transformers, hallucinations, etc. Are we using them the right way? Does it matter how we use them?

54:20 - David is joined by The Verge’s Ash Parrish and Polygon’s Chris Plante to share the video games they are most excited about after a string of announcements from Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Summer Game Fest, and others.

1:25:46 - We answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Instagram Threads is here to crush Twitter

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Meta's launch of Threads, a new competitor to Twitter. Later, Nilay Patel calls in to give his take.

Further reading:

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AI might break the internet

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz discuss results from our AI survey, this week's AI news, our Apple Mac Pro review, and more.

Later, Adi Robertson and Tom Warren join the show to discuss the latest in the FTC v. Microsoft trial, including what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had to say on the stand.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Google Pixel Fold review, Microsoft vs FTC, and Congress’ child safety bills

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:24:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the console wars:

02:42 - David Pierce chats with Verge senior editor Tom Warren about the five-day trial between Microsoft and the FTC that will determine the future of its $68.7 billion proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

35:00 - Policy reporter Makena Kelly joins the show to explain what Congress is trying to do to address child safety online.

1:03:07 - The Verge’s Allison Johnson and Dan Seifert discuss our Google Pixel Fold review, and how it stacks up against other foldables and flippables.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Meta and Reddit prove the social web is over

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss the vibe shift that is happening on social media and the communal internet.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How AI really works, and how the smart home broke

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of open-source lightbulbs:

David Pierce chats with Verge investigations editor Josh Dzieza about his story detailing how humans matter far more to AI development than we may have thought.

Inside the AI Factory: the humans that make tech seem human

Later, smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy explains why we're probably getting the idea of a “smart home” all wrong.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Reddit vs. Reddit: the latest on the fight for the platform

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Jay Peters discuss all the news about the API changes infuriating Redditors, as well as takeaways from Jay's interview with Reddit CEO Steve Huffman.

Later on the show: will the Apple Vision Pro replace the TV?

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The war for Reddit, new MacBook Air, and Meta's Twitter competitor

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of suddenly private subreddits:

01:45 - David Pierce and Nilay Patel call up Christian Selig, who runs the popular Reddit app Apollo, to talk about the changes to the platform that have infuriated Redditors, and what it means for the future of Reddit.

46:15 - Then, David talks with deputy editor Alex Heath about Meta’s reaction to the new Apple Vision Pro headset, and that new Twitter competitor the company is launching.

1:09:54 - After that, senior reviewer Monica Chin joins the show to discuss her review of Apple’s new 15-inch Macbook Air.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: exactly what was asked for

1:33:24 - Keep listening for this week’s Vergecast hotline question.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Widgets are back, and everything else from WWDC

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss all the updates to Apple's iOS, macOS, watchOS, and iPadOS announced at WWDC this week.

Later, Verge senior correspondent Liz Lopatto joins the show to explain the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) suing crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase, and what it means for the future of crypto.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Vergecast vs WVFRM trivia!

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 22:00:00 -0000

The Vergecast's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Dan Seifert are challenged to a game of tech trivia by Waveform's Marques Brownlee, Andrew Manganelli, and David Imel.

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Apple’s Vision Pro: the headset of the future?

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0000

On Apple's campus, The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss the long-rumored Apple Vision Pro that was announced this week at WWDC.

Later, Marques Brownlee, Andrew Manganelli, and David Imel of the Waveform podcast join the show for a lightning round of everyone's favorite WWDC announcements.

Coming soon: the Vergecast and Waveform team challenge each other to trivia!

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Meta’s Quest 3 revealed and a WWDC preview

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 11:49:33 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss Meta's new Quest 3 VR headset that was announced ahead of Apple's WWDC event, which is widely believed to showcase an Apple headset.

Deputy editor Dan Seifert joins the show to discuss the rest of the WWDC rumors and theories.

Further reading:

Email us vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The two computers that made Apple

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of third-party operating systems:

The Verge's David Pierce chats with Laine Nooney, author of The Apple II Age: How The Computer Became Personal.

Later, lead video producer Will Poor chats with David about The Verge's new documentary Lisa’s Final Act: How Apple invented its future by burying its past.

To end the show: a hotline question.

How to transfer playlists from Spotify to Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, or Tidal

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. We'll be answering a question every Wednesday!

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Microsoft’s big AI Build and Max’s messy streaming launch

Fri, 26 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Tom Warren discuss the biggest announcements from Microsoft Build 2023.

Later, the crew discuss the launch of Warner Bros. Discovery’s combined streaming service Max.

Further reading:

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Why AM radio and Ethernet still matter, and why Zelda keeps winning

Wed, 24 May 2023 14:01:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the Purah Pad:

02:19 - Senator Ed Markey chats with Nilay Patel about the importance of keeping AM radio in cars after many EV manufacturers have started to remove it from new models.

22:09 - Alex Cranz and Sean Hollister talk with SVP of networking at Nvidia Kevin Deierling live at the Computer History Museum for the 50th anniversary of ethernet about the future of connectivity.

52:51 - David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Ash Parrish discuss why The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom works so well and what the rest of the gaming world should do about it.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Montana bans TikTok. Also, FREE TV

Fri, 19 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Adi Robertson discuss Montana being the first state to ban TikTok, the Supreme Court ruling against reexamining Section 230, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifying before the Senate.

Then, David interviews vlogger Hank Green about the TikTok ban in Montana.

Later, Verge senior news editor Richard Lawler joins the show to discuss this week in gadgets, from the free Telly TV to the Beats Studio Buds Plus.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Into It: The Conversation We’re NOT Having About AI

Wed, 17 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today we're sharing an episode of Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders

AI is making fake Drake/The Weeknd songs, weird images, and there’s a worry that TV and movie scripts could be written by ChatGPT. But it’s also about to dramatically change the way we consume, share, and obsess over pop culture. Nilay Patel, Editor-in-Chief of The Verge, explains to Sam how pretty much everything we search on the internet is mediated by Google… and how AI is about to disrupt it all.

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Google I/O recap: AI is taking over Search

Fri, 12 May 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the big announcements and takeaways from Google I/O 2023.

Further reading:

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Google AI and foldable phones

Wed, 10 May 2023 18:57:55 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of unfolded aspect ratios:

01:03 -The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz discuss the present and future state of Google — it’s this big, complicated, massively successful company that suddenly feels like it’s under threat in a huge number of ways. The crew lay out the stakes and try to figure out where Google is headed. Hot takes included.

38:55 - David, Allison Johnson, and Dan Seifert talk about the hardware revealed at Google I/O: the Pixel 7A, the Pixel Tablet, and the Pixel Fold.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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Bluesky's rise and AI's fall

Fri, 05 May 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Sarah Jeong discuss Bluesky gaining popularity and why it may be Twitter's most chaotic successor.

Also: is AI going too far too soon?

Further reading:

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The director’s episode: how tech makes movies

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of questionable .mkv files:

02:46 - The Verge's David Pierce chats with Matt Johnson, director of the upcoming movie BlackBerry about what tech movies get wrong, why the BlackBerry really died, and how to portray the rise and fall of a top-of-the-world gadget.

BlackBerry director Matt Johnson on why the iPhone won and why most tech movies suck

30:38 - David and Vergecast producer Andru Marino try to find out why it's so hard to find director's commentary on streaming services and the obstacles movie fans go through to listen to them.

Where’s the director’s commentary on streaming?

57:25 - David talks with the directors and producer of the movie Missing about a new genre of movies that take place entirely on a computer screen, and how they get made.

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Apple’s headset, Humane’s weird demo, and the pretty Prius

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Andrew Hawkins discuss what's happening in the world of EVs and where that industry is headed.

Also: more Apple headset rumors and whatever the heck that Humane demo was last week.

Further reading:

Come see a screening of Blackberry with us!

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you!

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ActivityPub is the next big thing in social

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of overthinking thermometers:

The Verge's David Pierce and Dan Seifert discuss what’s happening in the weather app world, and hear from the developers of Carrot Weather and Hello Weather.

Flipboard CEO Mike McCue joins David and Nilay Patel to discuss the potential of ActivityPub, a new standard for social networking that is more open, more user-centric, and potentially more powerful than Twitter and Facebook.

Can ActivityPub save the internet?

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AI Drake, AI friends, AI everything

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

Today, things got a little loose in the studio of The Vergecast. Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding joins Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce to make their own version of Drake's AI summer classic. We're not saying a laser bong was involved, but we're not not saying that either.

Then deputy editor Alex Heath stops by to tell us about Snaps latest announcements and give us an update on the latest round of layoffs at Meta.

Finally, a lightning round with all the big headlines in tech from this week.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How a TikTok ban could actually work

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of quantum dots:

02:33 - Makena Kelly explains the various attempts from the US government to ban TikTok, and how that could actually work.

25:06 - Allison Johnson explains the state of the Android phone market, and where it’s headed next this year.

The best Android phone to buy in 2023

51:28 - Chris Welch explains why this may be the best time to buy an OLED TV.

Vote for us in the People’s Voice Webby Awards for Best Technology Podcast: http://bit.ly/3moCTDs

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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HBO vs. Max and Twitter vs. Substack

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Warner Bros. Discovery's new streaming service, Sony's mobile gaming move, and Twitter's feud with Substack.

Further reading:

Vote for us in the People’s Voice Webby Awards for Best Technology Podcast

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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The best streaming services in 2023

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0000

What are the best streaming services in 2023? Nilay, Alex, and David decide in the most chaotic way possible: with draft-style picks. The crew debates the best roster for the future of entertainment — from Netflix to Hulu to HBO Max to a few surprises. Who is the MVP, and who gets snubbed? Find out in our inaugural Vergecast streaming draft.

Twitter blue check chaos and CarPlay squabbles

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the end of Twitter and the future of infotainment.

Links:

Vote for us in the People’s Voice Webby Awards for Best Technology Podcast!

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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How to use Microsoft’s AI Copilot, laptop microphones, and Amazon Sidewalk

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of peer-to-peer wireless networking:

02:31 - David Pierce talks with smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy about Amazon’s network of smart home devices called Sidewalk and the state of Matter, the promised smart home standard.

Amazon just opened up its Sidewalk network for anyone to build connected gadgets on

32:16- Monica Chin brings six laptops to Times Square in New York City to test out the microphones.

48:47 - Tom Warren joins the show to explain how AI is being integrated into Microsoft’s products, which may be more promising than Bing’s chatbot.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

Vote for us in the People’s Choice Webby Awards for Best Technology Podcast!

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The swaggy AI Pope and Apple headset rumors

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss AI image generators getting better, Apple WWDC 2023 rumors, and the other big stories in tech this week.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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The best laptops for school, tablets for reading, and routers for home

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge answers questions from The Vergecast Hotline.

We hear from David Pierce on balancing privacy and modern conveniences for digital journaling, Alex Cranz on tablets for reading, Dan Seifert and Allison Johnson on tech reviews at The Verge, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on smart home routers and doorbells, and Monica Chin on laptops for college.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.

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TikTok goes to Washington

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce are joined by policy reporter Makena Kelly, who is on the ground in Washington for the House Energy and Commerce Committee's hearing on TikTok. Later, we dive into all the other news from this week, from Google's release of Bard to OpenAI's rapid expansion of ChatGPT. It was a big week.

Further reading:

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How to buy an iPad, hike 2,600 miles, and watch free TV

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of over-the-air interactive television:

David Pierce is joined by Alex Cranz and Janko Roettgers to talk about ATSC 3.0, the new standard for over-the-air broadcasting.

The future of TV is up in the air

Mitchell Clark joins the show to discuss his next endeavor.

Mitchell's gear list

Dan Seifert explains which iPad you should buy and how to make the iPad work better for writing by hand.

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Solo Acts: Marco Arment and his podcast app Overcast

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

For the final episode of our Solo Acts mini series, Ashley Esqueda talks with Marco Arment about being a solo app developer, going from Tumblr to Instapaper to his own podcast app Overcast.

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GPT-4 is coming for your work tools — and your job

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, David Pierce, and James Vincent discuss OpenAI announcing GPT-4, the next generation of its AI language model.

Further reading:

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Samsung's fake moon photos and Silicon Valley Bank's collapse

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Samsung faking photos of the moon on its phones, what happened with Silicon Valley Bank, and hottest topic of the season: ChatGPT and AI.

This episode was recorded live at SXSW 2023.

Further reading:

Email us at vergeast@theverge.com or call us on the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11.

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Solo Acts: Tinymakesthings' custom keycaps

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

On today's episode of our Solo Acts mini series, Ashley Esqueda talks with Tiny of tinymakesthings, who makes artisan keycaps for mechanical keyboards. Tiny explains how she got started making her projects on Twitch, the process for designing the keycaps, and the community she built with her art.

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Spotify's redesign, streaming boxes suck, and Gigi Sohn withdraws from FCC nomination

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler discuss Spotify's changes within its app, what happening this week at Twitter, Gigi Sohn withdrawing her nomination for FCC commissioner, and a whole lot more.

Further reading:

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Giles Martin and Sonos CEO Patrick Spence on the new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:00:00 -0000

Today, Sonos announced a new line of speakers — the Era 100 and the Era 300 — with the latter finally taking on this format that has been a hit-or-miss experience for music lovers, supporting Amazon Music and Apple Music’s spatial audio. Though spatial format Dolby Atmos has been supported on the Sonos Arc soundbar, the Era 300 signals a music-first approach to its speakers supporting 3D soundscapes. Sonos CEO Patrick Spence believes this is the right time to do it. “We didn’t know that, in 2022, 85 of the top Billboard 100 artists would actually release Atmos tracks, but they did,” Spence says. “We feel like we’re at an inflection point.”

On board with Sonos for this shift in music listening is record producer Giles Martin, who mixed the first-ever spatial audio album (a remix of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles album that his father, George Martin, originally produced) and several albums and live experiences in Dolby Atmos since. Martin is also the senior vice president of sound experience at Sonos and was involved in the development of the speaker. “When you’re building a product which has multi sort of use and orientations, you do prioritize ... in a way of, what’s the wow factor?” Martin explains. “The wow factor, which I think is truly extraordinary out of the 300, is the fact that it does spatial out of a single box. And it’s really compelling.”

Both Patrick and Giles joined Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel for The Vergecast to talk about the new speakers, supporting spatial audio, and why this is the time to do it.

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Solo Acts: Madison Karrh on her adventure puzzle game 'Birth'

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0000

On episode three of our Solo Acts miniseries, Ashley Esqueda chats with Madison Karrh, an indie game developer who launched her most recent game Birth a few weeks ago. Birth is an adventure puzzle game about constructing a creature from spare bones & organs found around the city in order to quell your loneliness. Madison explains the challenges of making an entire game on your own and why that path is so important to her.

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MWC 2023 gadgets, Meta's AR / VR roadmap, and TikTok's Bold Glamour filter

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler discuss the phones and laptops announced at Mobile World Congress, Meta's AR and VR hardware roadmap for the next few years, Tesla's "Master Plan", and more of this week's tech news.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call our Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Apple glucose monitor rumors, Marvel fatigue, and podcast misinformation

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of hyper specific wearable sensors:

01:19 - Victoria Song joins Alex Cranz to talk about the latest rumors around Apple’s big progress in blood glucose monitoring.

17:14 - Ariel Shapiro talks with Valerie Wirtschafter, a data analyst at the Brookings Institution, about how often podcasts spread political misinformation, and what that means for the medium.

43:57 - Alex and Charles Pulliam-Moore chat about the latest episode of The Last of Us and all the Marvel movie fatigue that has cropped up since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania came out. [Warning: Spoiler alert]

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11

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Solo Acts: McRib Locator's Alan Klein

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0000

In this next episode of our Vergecast Solo Acts mini series, Ashley Esqueda talks with Alan Klein, the creator of the McRib Locator, a website that helps people track and submit where McDonald's BBQ pork sandwich is available in stores.

Alan shares what drove him to make this free tool for people back in 2009, what he does with the data he's collected, what's next for the site after the McRib's "farewell tour" this past fall, and more.

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The Supreme Court hears Section 230 arguments, Sam Bankman-Fried's latest woes

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, T.C. Sottek, and Adi Robertson discuss the Supreme Court cases that could reshape the future of the internet.

Later, Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly joins the show to discuss new charges against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

Further reading:

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PSVR 2 review, and the best multiroom audio gadgets

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of not-yet-announced Sonos speakers:

Adi Robertson and Sean Hollister discuss their review of the PSVR2, and how it ranks among the other VR options today, along with its predecessor.

Alex Cranz, Chris Welch, Chris Person, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy discuss the world of multi-room audio devices to play music. How do smart speakers like Sonos, Amazon Echo, and Google Home compare to audiophile gadgets like the WiiM Mini and the Raspberry Pi?

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Solo Acts: Raluca Pop, founder of Hive Social

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000

This is episode one of our Vergecast mini-series "Solo Acts", which features people who are working independently to create great things on the internet, hosted by Ashley Esqueda.

Today, Ashley talks with Raluca Pop, founder of the social media app Hive Social, which was created when Raluca was only 19. Ashley and Raluca discuss the challenges of building a social media app from scratch in the world of Big Tech, what happens when you need to address problem like a mass influx of users and security issues, and working with such a small team.

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Bing is a liar, Elon's tweets are everywhere, and YouTube CEO steps down

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of wanting to smooch your laptop:

01:23 - The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, Adi Robertson, and James Vincent discuss the flaws with Microsoft's Bing AI, and why it can be an "emotionally manipulative liar."

34:56 - Platformer managing editor Zoë Schiffer joins to explain why Twitter is showing everyone all of Elon Musk's tweets.

50:33 - The crew discuss YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki stepping down after nine years at the helm.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call our Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Fixing your own gadgets, from HomePods to Harmony remotes

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of home theater remotes: repairing broken gadgets and why you should do it.

01:55 - David Pierce talks with Nic of Nic’s Fix, a repair service specializing in Apple’s original HomePod.

28:15 - Alex Cranz talks with Quin at Harmony Remote Repair, who offers fixes for the discontinued universal remote from Logitech.

47:07 - iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens joins the show to talk about the state of fixing your own stuff and what’s next in the fight for the right to repair.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call the Vergecast hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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We tried Bing powered by ChatGPT AI and things got dark

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and James Vincent discuss Microsoft's upgraded Bing search engine with ChatGPT AI. Can Microsoft beat Google at search? Is it actually an upgrade? Also: Disney layoffs, Elon's Twitter reach is dropping, and more of this week's tech news.

Further reading:

Email at vergecast@theverge.com, we love to hear from you. Or call our hotline at 866-VERGE11.

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“The Hidden Hand Behind Your Swipes” from Land of the Giants

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000

We are sharing an episode of Land of the Giants: Dating. Big tech is transforming every aspect of our world. But how? And at what cost? In this season of Land of the Giants: Dating Games, The Verge and New York Magazine's The Cut trace the evolution of the multi-billion dollar dating app industry. Hosts Sangeeta Singh Kurtz and Lakshmi Rengarajan explore the modern dating landscape forged by companies like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, and their impact on our hopes for connection. They answer the question – are the business goals of dating app companies aligned with users' romantic aspirations?

Follow Land of the Giants to hear new episodes every Wednesday.

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Samsung announces the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy Book3 Ultra

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Richard Lawler, Allison Johnson, and Monica Chin discuss the announcements from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event.

Further reading:

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HomePod (2023) review, the Steam Deck one year later, and faking your death online

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of removable power cords:

02:14 - The Verge’s Alex Cranz, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, Chris Welch, and Nilay Patel discuss the updated version of the Apple HomePod.

43:23 - Katharine Trendacosta joins the show to discuss why and how faking your death has been a common practice in online communities.

1:05:19 - Verge senior editor Sean Hollister gives an updated review of Valve’s Steam Deck, which had a buggy start in 2022.

The Steam Deck wasn’t born ready, but it’s ready now

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Apple M2 reviews, DOJ sues Google, and this week in Elon

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:53:54 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of staring directly down the barrel of a camera, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Monica Chin start the show with an inside look at our M2 MacBook Pro and Mac Mini reviews. After that, the crew breaks down the case the US Department of Justice has filed against Google's ad business and of course we try to make sense of the latest Elon Musk shenanigans.

Further reading:

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The Last of Us recap, lessons learned from Silicon Valley, and Vergecast Hotline

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of zombie kisses:

02:02 - The Verge’s managing editor Alex Cranz chats with film & TV reporter Charles Pulliam-Moore about HBO’s The Last of Us and how it handles the video game adaptation. [Spoilers for episode 1 + 2]
22:40 - Historian and author of the book The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America Margaret O'Mara talks about how the lack of non-compete clauses shaped Silicon Valley.
38:30 - We answer your questions left on our Vergecast Hotline! Thunderbolt docks, end-to-end encryption, and smart assistants.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Apple announces M2 MacBook Pros, a Mac Mini, and a new HomePod

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of automated content creation:

02:23 - The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Alex Heath start the show with an overview of what we've learned from Elon Musk running Twitter over the past few months.

24:50 - Inside CNET’s AI-powered SEO money machine

48:34 - Apple's Mac and HomePod announcements from this week

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call the hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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2023's laptops and wearables we may (or may not) see

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Alex Cranz talks with senior reviewer Monica Chin about the laptops she saw at CES this year and what it means for 2023’s computer trends. Verge reviewer Victoria Song joins the show to discuss the FDA regulations behind health tech, and whether the stuff we saw at CES will ever be available in the United States.

Further reading:

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Apple might make a touchscreen Mac / Samsung S23 images leak

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Dan Seifert discuss the numerous Apple rumors we heard about this week, a Samsung Unpacked preview, and the latest gadget news.

Further reading:

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The smart TVs, Matter gadgets, and concept cars from CES

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge’s Alex Cranz, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, Chris Welch, and Andrew Hawkins discuss the best TVs, cars, and smart home gadgets they saw at CES 2023 — from a color-changing car to a vacuum suction system on an OLED TV.

Further reading:

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CES is back! Sony announces a car, everything has Matter, and Lenovo puts screens on top of screens

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0000

CES 2023 is in full swing! The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler parse the vapor ware from the cool new tech we hope to see ship this year.

Further reading:

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The Bluetooth Holiday Spec-tacular

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 07:22:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Chris Welch, and Sean Hollister celebrate the holiday season with a full show dedicated to Bluetooth.

03:57 - We play Bluetooth Jeopardy! Play along here

30:38 - The crew discuss the many codecs layered onto the Bluetooth spec, and where the standard is headed.

46:56 - Former Bluetooth SIG executive director Dr. Mike Foley joins the show to discuss his time in charge of Bluetooth.

Happy Holidays!

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Apple could open up iOS, Elon gets booed, and the golden age of streaming is coming to an end

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler break down all the news from this week.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Streaming winners & losers of 2022: Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Alex Cranz, Nilay Patel, and Charles Pulliam-Moore focus on the big streaming services — Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount Plus — and discuss which are the winners and losers are for this year.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call the hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Livestreaming is back!

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:38:48 -0000

In the final episode on our series about creator economies, David Pierce is joined by producer Hadley Robinson to explore the world of livestreaming and its recent popularity across every social platform. Livestreaming is certainly not a new thing though, so why does it seem to be having a moment?

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ChatGPT explained, the FTC suing Microsoft, and Apple adding encryption to iCloud backups

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and James Vincent discuss the popularity of ChatGPT.

Also: the FTC sues Microsoft to block its Activision Blizzard purchase, Apple is adding end-to-end encryption to iCloud backups, and some gadget news.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Kindle 15th anniversary and the problem with US broadband

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0000

This week on the flagship podcast of mounting TVs way too high in the hospital room:

The Verge's David Pierce chats with Russell Brandom about the state of US broadband, and what we learned from 22,000 people’s internet bills.

David also talks with Verge managing editor Alex Cranz about the Amazon Kindle's 15th anniversary, why the Kindle has been so successful, and maybe also why it hasn’t done more. Keep listening for Alex's review of the Kindle Scribe.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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The dark, uncertain world of creator funds

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Producer Hadley Robinson reports on the often uncertain world digital creators find themselves in trying to make a living on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Should platforms pay creators directly? Are creator funds even good? Creators and experts tell us what they have found behind the curtain and what it's like to chase the dream of making a living as a digital creator.

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Elon Musk meets with Tim Cook, Neuralink's show and tell, and FTX's collapse

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss this week in Elon Musk, everything that went wrong with FTX, and the latest gadget news.

Further reading:

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The creator of the future is smart, attractive... and animated

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0000

As we spend more time in digital spaces, our avatars are becoming part of our personality. And digital creators and influencers are becoming part of our culture. Producer Gina Pollack join's The Verge's David Pierce with stories about why advertisers love digital creators, why a dancing hot dog will never leave your brain, and what the creator industry is learning from mascots. Next time you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, keep your eyes peeled — not everyone’s as human as they look.

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A very smart Vergecast Thanksgiving

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of connected meat thermometers:

It’s Thanksgiving week, so we’re going to do something a little different. We’re going to make Thanksgiving dinner! Jen Pattison Tuohy, The Verge’s smart home reviewer and reporter, is also an excellent cook. So she’s at home in South Carolina, and she’s going to make us a meal and tell us all about the state and future of the smart home and kitchen gadgets. This episode, fair warning, will make you very hungry. I’m sorry in advance.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Meta Quest Pro review, Taylor Swift crashed Ticketmaster, and more

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Piece, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss the Meta Quest Pro review.

Later, the crew discuss Ticketmaster crashing after Taylor Swift fans try to buy concert tickets. Also: Elon Musk's Twitter saga continues and some weekly gadget news.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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The AI-generated, oddly colored future of art

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of the difference between CMYK and RGB colors:

02:19 - David talks about the future of Photoshop with Adobe's Chief Product Officer Scott Belsky.
13:37 - Verge senior reporter James Vincent joins the show to discuss generative AI art and all its possibilities and complications.
43:05 - The Verge's Kristen Radtke and Jess Weatherbed chat with David about Pantone's new subscription service and what it means for artists and designers.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Meta announces job cuts and Twitter prepares for difficult times

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss week two of Elon Musk as CEO of Twitter and Meta announcing job cuts.

Later in the show: What's next for Binance and FTX, a stretchable screen by LG Display, and the Surface Pro 9 review.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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The politics and laws changing tech in the US

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0000

This week on

02:10 - The Verge's David Pierce tries out Neeva's Bias Buster, an attempt to get people out of their echo chambers and show them new information in its search engine.

20:25 - Senior reporter Adi Robertson talks about her story How America turned against the First Amendment

42:27 - Policy reporter Makena Kelly explains the CHIPS and Science Act, and how it could reshape the tech industry in America.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Elon Musk's first week at Twitter / Matter's newest smart home devices

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 04:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss what has happened with Twitter since Elon Musk has taken over the company.

Then, Nilay, David and Alex discuss the first Matter-compatible devices since the launch of the smart home standard.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Why Signal won’t compromise on encryption, with president Meredith Whittaker

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0000

Today we're sharing an episode of Decoder with Nilay Patel featuring an interview with Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal.

Signal is the popular messaging app that offers encrypted communication. You might recognize Meredith’s name from 2018 when she was an AI researcher at Google and one of the organizers of the Google walkout. Now she’s at Signal, which is a little different than the usual tech company: it’s operated by a nonprofit foundation and prides itself on collecting as little data as possible.

Listen to more of Decoder with Nilay Patel anywhere you get your podcasts.

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Twitter is now an Elon Musk company

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 16:56:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Liz Lopatto, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Elon Musk officially becoming the owner of Twitter, and what that means for the future of the company.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Apple's new App Store tax, Microsoft Surface reviews, and Meta's earnings

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 04:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Tom Warren discuss Microsoft Surface reviews, Apple's new App Store tax, and Meta earnings.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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The two cryptos and the future of the iPad

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of all-screen designs:

02:38 -Verge senior audio director Andru Marino dives into the world of a different type of crypto community.

17:51 - David Pierce examines iPadOS 16, Stage Manager, and Apple's attempt at task managers.

iPadOS 16's Stage Manager is not the future of multitasking you were hoping for

34:05 - Dan Seifert and Monica Chin join David to discuss and explain Apple's confusing iPad lineup.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Cybersecurity Hotline Special

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0000

We asked listeners to send in all their questions related to cybersecurity for this special Vergecast Hotline episode. David Pierce talks to Nilay Patel and Russell Brandom to get you the best advice for staying safe online.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Confusing new Apple products, Netflix password sharing, and NFT cults

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler discuss the announcements from Apple this week, HDR video standards, and all the news out of Netflix and Tesla.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Kanye wants Parler, smartwatch showdown, and the Vergecast Hotline returns

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of slightly inaccurate fitness trackers:

02:15 - David Pierce and Makena Kelly chat about Ye buying Parler, as well as the other new set of apps and app owners entering the space.

24:44 - Victoria Song and Dan Seifert return to the show for a smartwatch showdown between the Pixel Watch, the Apple Watch Series 8, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch.

1:02:07 - Lastly, we return to the Vergecast Hotline to answer your burning tech questions.

Fitbit Sense 2 review: it doesn’t make much sense

1:14:55 - We explain why we still don't have chapters on The Vergecast

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Microsoft's Surface event, Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch reviews, and Meta Connect 2022

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss the announcements at Meta Connect, the new products from Microsoft's Surface event, and reviews for Google's Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Zuckerberg on the Quest Pro, our impressions, and the state of VR games

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:32:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of low-latency head tracking:

02:35 - Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg chats with deputy editor Alex Heath about Meta's new headset, the Quest Pro.

22:00 - Alex Heath and senior reporter Adi Robertson chat with David Pierce about their first impressions using the Quest Pro.

47:45 - Group Publisher for The Verge Chris Grant chats with David about what's happening in VR for video games.

You can listen to the rest of the chat with Mark Zuckerberg on Decoder with Nilay Patel, watch it on The Verge's YouTube channel for the video version, or read it on our site.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Google's Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch event / Elon Musk vs. Twitter trial update

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 04:28:28 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss all the announcements from Google's Pixel 7 event.

Senior correspondant Liz Lopatto joins the show to explain the latest in the Elon Musk/Twitter trial saga.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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Amazon’s Kindle Scribe, printer problems, and earbuds on a bike

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of hardcopy peripherals:

02:27 - David Pierce and Alex Cranz chat with Dave Limp, SVP of devices and services at Amazon.

Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

24:04 - David also tries to answer a listener question about why it feels like printers haven't improved in years.

Best Printer Buying Guide (Consumer Reports)

39:55 - Lastly, Becca Farsace tests out which earbuds sound the best when calling from a bike ride.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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What does music feel like in the metaverse?

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce dives into the world of virtual concerts in digital spaces like Roblox and Fortnite. Is this the future of live music?

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Google is shutting down Stadia / Amazon's hardware launch event

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Jay Peters discuss Google deciding to shut down its game streaming service Stadia. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to chat about all the products Amazon announced at its hardware launch event this week, including the new E Ink tablet for reading and writing.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Handheld gaming, scooter subscriptions, and a Techtober preview

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today on the flagship podcast of low-latency controller input:

02:12 - David Pierce talks with Tom Warren about the trend of handheld gaming devices like Valve's Steam Deck and the Logitech's G Cloud Gaming Handheld.
21:20 - David tries subscribing to a scooter rental service and starts to rethink the concept of ownership.
33:40 - David chats with Nilay Patel and Alex Cranz about the ten big tech events happening this October.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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The complicated relationship between musicians and platforms

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0000

Today’s Future of Music episode comes from Ariel Shapiro, The Verge’s lead reporter of HotPod, our weekly newsletter about the audio industry. Last week on the show we talked about old music… specifically how the back catalog is a big part of what makes “new” music. This week Ariel picks up right where we left off, with the revival of stars from the past on platforms like TikTok. But what about new… undiscovered talent? Is that even a thing anymore? Can a budding artist find their place in the world of viral video? Ariel explores the complicated relationship between musicians and platforms.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Apple Watch Ultra review: an aspirational debut

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, David Pierce, and Victoria Song discuss using the new Apple Watch Ultra, the next-gen GPUs, and a bunch of gadget news.

Future reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

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GTA leaks, TikTok search, and Apple reviews hotline

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Welcome to the flagship podcast of measuring changes in gravitational force.

02:13 - David Pierce chats with video game reporter Ash Parrish about how footage of Grand Theft Auto VI has leaked online.

19:40 - David tries to use TikTok's search feature as a replacement for Google.

31:40 - Nilay Patel, Allison Johnson, and Victoria Song answer listener questions about the new iPhones and Apple Watch.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.

We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!

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Will the future of music sound a lot like the past?

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0000

In part 1 of our Vergecast: Future of Music series, Alex Cranz talks with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding about the trends in music today that make new songs out of old material, and whether it's foreshadowing the future of pop.

Further reading:

Music played in this episode:

Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti - Selena
My Way - Frank Sinatra
I'll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday
We Can't Stop - Miley Cyrus
bad guy - Billie Eilish
Through The Wire - Kanye West
Breaking News - Michael Jackson
Real Love - The Beatles
Free As A Bird - The Beatles
2000 Light Years Away - Green Day
Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy
Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club
Fantasy - Mariah Carey
Big Energy - Latto
I'm Good (Blue) - David Guetta, Bebe Rexha
Bang Bang - Rita Ora, Imanbek
Higher Love - Kygo, Whitney Houston
Don't Start Now - Dua Lipa

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Reviews of the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, and more

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss The Verge's reviews of the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14, and Apple Watch Series 8.

Further reading:

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Websites are back: inside The Verge's redesign

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 04:00:00 -0000

David Pierce and Nilay Patel discuss the ideas behind The Verge's brand new redesigned website, which officially launched on September 13th.

David also chats with senior product manager Tara Kalmanson and senior engineer Matt Crider, who worked on the redesign, about what went into implementing those ideas.

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Apple’s iPhone 14 event: the biggest announcements and our first impressions

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 20:53:23 -0000

Apple held their annual hardware event on their campus, debuting new iPhones, new Watches, and new AirPods. Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss everything that happened at the "Far Out" event, first impressions of the products, and their expectations for Apple in the next year.

Further reading:

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The future of Apple: our biggest questions and hottest takes

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Alex Cranz each discuss the big open questions they have about the future of Apple, and the hottest takes about the company.

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Snap laying off 20 percent of employees, Twitter starts testing edit button, and Logitech’s cloud gaming handheld leaks

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss this week's gadget news.

Casey Newton joins the show to discuss Twitter finally adding the edit button for tweets.

Further reading:

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Land of the Giants: It's a WhatsApp world

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

We're sharing an episode of Land of the Giants: The Facebook / Meta disruption, a collaboration between Recode and The Verge.

Meta’s most expensive acquisition ever and one of the most used communication apps in the world: WhatsApp. With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp is embedded in the social, economic, and political infrastructure of countries across the globe. For better and worse. The story of WhatsApp’s incredible power, as told through its largest market: India.

NOTE: There are descriptions of graphic acts of violence in this episode. If you want to skip these descriptions, the section begins at 20:45 and ends at 22:05.

Hosted by Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) and Alex Heath (@alexeheath)
Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear next week's episode by hitting the plus sign in your favorite podcast app
Follow @recode and @verge for more coverage of Meta and Big Tech

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Twitter is a mess, Apple 'Far out' rumors, and this week in streaming

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss this week in tech news.

Further reading:

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The Elgato Stream Deck's endless buttons

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Today’s whole episode is about buttons. We’re talking about the Stream Deck from Elgato, a desk accessory that is basically just a bunch of buttons. We hear how people use their Stream Deck, how to hack it to do even more, and how to turn your old devices into something like it.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

Call our Vergecast Hotline! 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311)

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Android 13 arrives, Galaxy Watch 5 review, and Instagram gets competitive

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss the Android 13 update, the battle between the vertical video apps, and a bunch of gadget news.

Further reading:

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Ford F-150 Lightning review, stress-testing earbuds, and a Galaxy foldable Q&A

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

02:33 - The Verge's David Pierce brings in deputy editor Dan Seifert, reviewer Allison Johnson, and managing editor Alex Cranz to answer Vergecast Hotline questions about Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4.

24:18 - Chris Welch returns to the show for more earbuds voice call testing, this time on the NYC ferry with the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the Google Pixel Buds Pro.

41:18 - Nilay Patel shares his experience reviewing the Ford F-150 Lightning, and the troubles with its touchscreen control panel.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked August 2022 biggest announcements

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler to discuss all the announcement from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event this past week.

Further reading:

Call 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311) to ask The Verge about this week's Samsung announcements. We may answer them on Wednesday!

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Amazon buys Roomba, non-watch wearables, and the best cheap(er) phones

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

David Pierce taps into The Verge's reviews team to explore where we're headed with smart home gadgets, wearables, and midrange phones.

01:56 - Verge smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy comes back to the show to break down the news of Amazon acquiring iRobot, maker of the ever popular Roomba robot vacuum.

24:46 - Verge wearable tech reviewer Victoria Song joins David to explore the fascinating world of non-watch wearables: rings, earbuds, sports bras, and sleep trackers. Afterward, we hear from Whoop CEO Will Ahmed about his approach to wearable technology.

53:40 - Verge mobile reviewer Allison Johnson and David discuss the ideal version of a mid-range smartphone, and what are the best trade-offs for the price.

Further reading:

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HBO Max might get maimed, Apple might remove the headphone jack from the iPad

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce discuss this week in tech news — including what's happening with HBO Max, Apple iPad rumors, some handheld gaming updates, and this week in EVs.

Further reading:

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Work from anywhere: sailboats, solar generators, and Starlink

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0000

David Pierce hosts a special "work from anywhere" episode of The Vergecast while he is on vacation.

02:33 - CEO of Rove Jonah Hanig chats about his approach work-friendly travel. Reflect's Alex MacCaw shares his experience working from a sailboat in the middle of the ocean.

17:12 - Verge deputy editor Thomas Ricker talks about his review of the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro, as well as his experience of working remotely in Europe.

36:28 - Verge policy editor Russell Brandom and senior reporter Loren Grush discuss the state of using satellites like Starlink to access the internet in rural areas.

Further reading:

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Microsoft Q4 earnings, Spotify’s subscribers rise, and Instagram walks back its changes

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 04:52:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce. and Alex Cranz discuss the quarterly tech earnings from Apple, Microsoft, Spotify, and more.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

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Instagram is TikTok now, BeReal is everywhere, and the Vergecast Hotline is back

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0000

02:30 - The Verge's David Pierce talks with deputy editor Alex Heath about how Meta is pivoting Facebook and Instagram away from your friends and more towards short form video from creators.

24:04 - Casey Newton chats with David about the social media app BeReal, and whether it's able to succeed among social media titans.

Why BeReal is breaking out

40:55 - The Vergecast Hotline is back! Experts at The Verge answer your tech questions.

Call our Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311).

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

Find us on Twitter:

Alex Heath is @alexeheath

Casey Newton is @caseynewton

Monica Chin is @mcsquared96

Dan Seifert is @dcseifert

Becca Farsace is @BeccaFarsace

David Pierce is @pierce

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Netflix wants linear TV to die, Thread border routers are Matter-ready, and Tesla sold most of its Bitcoin

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz run discuss Tesla earnings, Netflix's next move, and an upgrade to smart home standard Thread.

Further reading:

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Project Gene5is adventures, Congress takes on VPNs, and Nothing Phone 1 review

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0000

02:30 - The Verge's David Pierce talks with tech reporter Mitchell Clark about what it took to get service from Project Genesis and they conclude a FOIA may be the only way to get the facts.

I became a Dish influencer to get a 5G NFT

20:21- David talks with senior policy reporter Makena Kelly about US lawmakers suddenly discovering that VPNs are a thing that exists and that they aren't very honest about their business practices.

Lawmakers push FTC to clean up the VPN industry

41:50 - And finally, reviews editor Allison Johnson and news reporter Jon Porter go deep on Nothing Phone — our review, the hype leading up to its launch, and the reality of it now that we got our hands on it.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

Call our Vergecast Hotline! 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311)

Find us on Twitter:

Mitchell Clark is @strawberrywell

Alex Cranz is @alexhcranz

Makena Kelly is @kellymakena

Jon Porter is @JonPorty

Allison Johnson is @allisonjo1

David Pierce is @pierce

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MacBook Air M2 review, Elon Musk tries to bail on buying Twitter, and Apple beta software preview

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0000

06:32 - The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and David Pierce chat with deputy editor Dan Seifert about his review of Apple's M2 Macbook Air.

34:45 - Verge senior correspondent Liz Lopatto joins the show to discuss the latest in the Elon Musk's Twitter battle.

59:27 - The crew preview the beta software for macOS Ventura, iPadOS 16, and iOS 16.

Further reading:

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The JWST's first space images, YouTube TV's bundle bet, and the Vergecast Hotline Q&A

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Last week, we put a call out to people on Twitter about our new Vergecast Hotline, a phone line we set up for anyone to leave a message about a tech-related question they may have — whether it’s how to find your next router, when Spotify HiFi is actually coming, how to track when all of your favorite shows have new episodes, or whatever — so we can answer them on The Vergecast.

We plan to do this about once a month, so if you missed it, that number is 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311). It’s still open, and you can call at any time.

We have a ton of great questions already, so we picked out a few voicemails we liked for today’s episode. Our colleagues — Verge reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, Hot Pod reporter Ariel Shapiro, Verge writer Cameron Faulkner, and managing editor Alex Cranz — help answer these questions on the show. You can hear that segment at around 31:00 in the episode.

There’s a lot more in today’s episode as well. David starts the show with senior science reporter Loren Grush to chat about what it took to get those beautiful images from the James Webb Space Telescope we saw this week.

In the middle of all of this, David spends some time on the show talking about YouTube TV — the video platform that is trying to make the cable bundle model work for streaming. Christian Oestlien, VP of product management at YouTube, talks about the goals for YouTube TV and its approach to bundling packages. You can listen to that segment around 20:44 in the episode.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

Call our Vergecast Hotline! 866-VERGE11 (866-837-4311)

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Land of the Giants: The Facebook / Meta Disruption

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0000

We’re sharing the trailer for the new season of Land of the Giants: The Facebook/ Meta Disruption.

Our friends over a Recode along with The Verge explore how the social media juggernaut has arrived at this unprecedented moment of transition. Senior reporters Shirin Ghaffary of Recode and Alex Heath of The Verge speak with top Meta executives and some of its biggest critics and ask how the company has shaped our lives, and what lies ahead.

Subscribe to Land of the Giants to get new episodes starting Wednesday, July 13th.

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This week in EVs, Starlink's wireless battle with Dish, and Sony announces gaming monitors

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz chat with transportation editor Andrew Hawkins about EVs, trucks, Tesla, and Starlink.

Segment 1 - 02:07

Segment 2 - 23:44

Segment 3 - 46:27

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

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Privacy risks in post-Roe USA, the internet's recommendation problem, and our Asus gaming laptop guide

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's David Pierce and Alex Cranz chat with health technology reporter Nicole Wetsman and senior privacy and cybersecurity reporter Corin Faife about the privacy vulnerabilities for people seeking abortions in a post-Roe United States, and how people can protect their information.

29:28 - David reports on why the internet is so bad at recommendations, with insights from executives at Yelp, Pocket, Pinterest, and Likewise.

46:27 - Senior reviewer Monica Chin explains the confusing names behind Asus' ROG gaming laptop line, and which laptop may be the right for you.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

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Microsoft Surface Duo 2 updated review, Solana's Saga phone, and the M2 MacBook Pro review

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Alex Cranz chat with Verge senior reviewer Monica Chin about her review of Apple's Macbook Pro 13" with the M2 chip.

Alex, David Pierce, and Dan Seifert continue the show, focusing on this week's tech stories from The Verge: Nothing's Phone 1, Solana's Saga phone, and a second look at Microsoft's Surface Duo 2.

Further reading:

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

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Meta's VR prototypes, the best earbuds for phone calls, and our dream E Ink device

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0000

The Vergecast is now the flagship podcast of twice-a-week podcasts. Our new Wednesday episode digs even deeper into The Verge’s reporting and the products you care about. And it launches today!

03:00 - David Pierce talks with Adi Robertson about Meta's VR prototypes she previewed.

19:44 - Chris Welch tests a bunch of wireless earbuds to find out which has the best phone call quality.

40:44 - Alex Cranz and David discuss what their dream E Ink device is, and why it still doesn't exist.

We’re going to do a lot of experimenting on this show, so I hope you’ll tell us what you like and don’t like.

Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, we'd love to hear from you.

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Dish says their 5G network is available , Apple will stream every MLS match, and Google suspends engineer who claims its AI is sentient

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss Dish Network's 5G network (@11:07), Google's LaMDA AI (@ 32:32), Apple streaming Major League Soccer (@47:38), and more.

Stories mentioned on this show:

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WWDC 2022: Apple's iOS 16, new M2 processor, macOS Ventura, and more

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 04:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss all the important announcements from Apple's WWDC.

Also: USB-C will be mandatory for phones sold in the EU ‘by autumn 2024 and the Xbox game streaming TV app feels almost like the real thing

All stories discussed this week:

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Sheryl Sandberg leaving Meta, Volvo using Unreal Engine in its cars, and a WWDC '22 preview

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg stepping down after 14 years.

29:45 - Transportation editor Andrew Hawkins joins the show to discuss that latest car news, including Volvo using Epic's Unreal Engine to create 'photorealistic' graphics in its cars.

1:00:04 - Segment three covers what to expect at Apple's WWDC next week.

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Computex 2022 laptops, Elon vs Twitter bots, and Apple ‘testing’ foldable E Ink display

Fri, 20 May 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the most interesting laptops announced this week at Computex 2022.

33:03 - Senior reporter Liz Lopatto returns to update us on Elon Musk's deal to buy to Twitter.

1:00:30 - Gadget rumors continue in segment three.

Stories discussed in this episode:

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How video game controllers got a lot more accessible

Tue, 17 May 2022 11:00:00 -0000

In the final chapter of our Vergecast “creators series,” Alex Cranz talks with Ben Heck, who has been modding game systems and controllers since the early 2000s, which led to his project creating single-handed video game controllers.

Alex also talks with Bryce Johnson, who is one of the inventors of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, the game controller designed for gamers with limited mobility.

Relevant links:

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Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Google I/O 2022 📲 Stablecoins struggling to survive the crypto crash, and Apple discontinues the iPod

Fri, 13 May 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and David Pierce interview Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai after Google announcing a bunch of products at their I/O conference.

34:25 - Dan Seifert joins the show to discuss the hardware previewed at Google I/O 2022.

55:38 - Liz Lopatto explains "the crypto crash" in this week's Crypto Corner.

1:07:19 - Alex Cranz hops in to run through this week's gadget rumors, reviews, and announcements.

Further reading:

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How Google is trying to make ambient computing work

Wed, 11 May 2022 19:01:24 -0000

Google has big visions for the future of computing. It’s working on building what it calls an ambient computer: a virtual helper that can accomplish anything, anywhere, any way you want. But that vision won’t come easy. Ahead of Google’s I/O developer conference, The Verge sat down with some of Google’s most important executives to talk about the company’s vision, its new hardware and software, and how the company is changing to build the future it imagines.

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3D printing and trackballs: the future of gadgets?

Tue, 10 May 2022 11:00:00 -0000

In episode two of our Vergecast "creators series," Alex Cranz talks with the creators of Ploopy, the open source trackball that has a dedicated fanbase on Reddit.

Alex also talks with Chris Person, who recently wrote about Ploopy for The Verge, about how 3D printing and online communities are creating opportunities for gadget enthusiasts.

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"After Steve" author Tripp Mickle / Fortnite’s back on iOS / Sonos’s voice assistant

Fri, 06 May 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and David Pierce chat with Tripp Mickle, a New York Times reporter and the author of a new book titled After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost its Soul. They talk about the rise of Jony Ive and Tim Cook, the power struggle between the two, and how Apple is grappling with everything from building a car to managing its relationship with the Chinese government.

After that, Verge managing editor Alex Cranz joins the show to talk about Starlink’s new Portability mode, HP’s super high-end new Chromebook, Fortnite coming back to iOS courtesy of Xbox Cloud Gaming, Sonos’s upcoming soundbar and voice assistant, and why Siri can’t seem to successfully close Nilay’s garage.

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How the mechanical keyboard went mainstream again

Tue, 03 May 2022 11:00:00 -0000

For the next three weeks on Tuesdays, Verge managing editor Alex Cranz hosts some shows focused on the creator space and, in Vergecast fashion, the nerdiest part of the creator space we can think of.

In this episode, Alex talks with Jacob Alexander, a member of Input Club, one of the first groups to start making their own mechanical keyboards, and Julie Muncy, a writer and consultant who runs a service called Keyboard Concierge, which helps customers navigate the keyboard space for personalized customization.

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Twitter accepts Elon Musks' buyout / Snap Pixy drone hands-on / Apple releases fix for Studio Display

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Liz Lopatto discuss Elon Musk buying Twitter and what's next for the social media company.

Senior reporter Alex Heath joins the show to discuss his experience with Snap's selfie drone.

Managing editor Alex Cranz refreshes the crew on the latest in E Ink tech.

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Sonos' new budget soundbar / CNN Plus is shutting down / Netflix loses subscribers for the first time in over a decade

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0000

David Pierce rejoins The Vergecast with Nilay Patel and Alex Cranz. The crew discuss Netflix losing subscribers for the first time in over a decade, CNN Plus shutting down only a month after it launched, and a whole lot more.

Verge editor Chris Welch joins the show to discuss Sonos' new budget soundbar that is set to release in June.

Relevant links:

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Mark Zuckerberg’s big plans for AR glasses / Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter in takeover attempt

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 19:50:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Liz Lopatto, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Elon Musk's offer to buy 100 percent of Twitter and what it could mean for the company.

Senior reporter Adi Robertson joins the show to discuss Elon's limited thoughts on content moderation and Alex Heath's scoop on Meta's plans for their AR glasses.

Further reading:

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Elon Musk buys 9.2 percent of Twitter / OnePlus 10 Pro review / QD-OLED monitors and TVs

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0000

Verge managing editor Alex Cranz leads this week's show with Dan Seifert, Liz Lopatto, and Allison Johnson to discuss Elon Musk buying stock in Twitter, Allison's review of the OnePlus 10 Pro, and the newest monitors and televisions in 2022.

Further reading:

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Steve Aoki on why he’s a ‘crypto believer’

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 04:00:00 -0000

Vergecast is on spring break this week! In the meantime, check out Nilay's discussion with Steve Aoki from this week's episode of Decoder with Nilay Patel.

Steve Aoki is a superstar DJ, producer, record label owner, and prolific entrepreneur. He has been part of the music industry since 1996, so he’s been through a lot of these big tech transitions, and now he’s heavily invested in another, with Web3, the Aokiverse. It involves selling tokens and NFTs and, over time, is meant to be part of the metaverse. Because, of course.

Subscribe the Decoder in your favorite podcast app.

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Asus’ ROG flow Z13 / Samsung’s Freestyle Projector / Apple's iPhone subscription service plan

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss the tech headlines from this site this week — including Google's deal with Spotify over app fees, Nothing's first smartphone, and the struggle with TV projectors.

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We reviewed the Mac Studio, the Studio Display, the iPhone SE, and the iPad Air

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Monica Chin, Allison Johnson, and Dan Seifert discuss The Verge's reviews of the Apple products announced last week: the new iPhone SE, iPad Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display.

Further reading:

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Apple announces new iPhone SE, Mac Studio, M1 Ultra, and more

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss all the announcements from Apple's Peek Performance event this week.

Further reading:

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Goodbye to Dieter Bohn, with special guest Walt Mossberg

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 18:00:00 -0000

This was a tough one. The Verge co-founder and Executive Editor Dieter Bohn is leaving us. Nilay Patel, Walt Mossberg and Dieter Bohn walk down memory lane and discuss their first meeting, founding The Verge, CES memories, and what Dieter is doing once he leaves.

Behringer's iNuke Boom is the essence of Vegas

And now, a brief definition of the web

Dieter on Twitter

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Russia starts a star war / Ford splits itself in two / Apple “Peek Performance” event preview

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 18:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Dan Seifert discuss what could possibly be announced by Apple next week.

Senior reporter Loren Grush explains what's going on with Russia and space. And Andrew Hawkins talks about Ford splitting itself into two companies.

Further reading:

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Steam Deck review / Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 22:31:00 -0000

Senior news editor Sean Hollister joins Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz to discuss his review of the Steam Deck, the latest portable gaming system.

Verge reviewer Allison Johnson continues the gadget talk with her review of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Further reading:

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Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review / Spotify is acquiring two major podcast tech platforms / The LinkBuds are Sony’s strangest earbuds yet

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Monica Chin discuss phones, laptops, and chips announced and reviewed this week.

Senior reporter Ashley Carman joins the show to discuss the latest podcast industry news.

Further reading:

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Samsung announces Galaxy S22 Ultra / Microsoft announces open app store rules / Peloton fired 2,800 employees and gave them free Peloton memberships

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Chris Welch discuss all the announcements from Samsung's Galaxy S22 Unpacked event.

Senior reporter Adi Robertson explains Microsoft's Open App Store Principles and the other tech policy news from the week.

Wearables reporter Victoria Song joins the show to discuss Peloton's business troubles.

Further reading:

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YouTube chief product officer Neal Mohan on new features for creators in 2022

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and streaming reporter Catie Keck talk with YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan about new features coming to YouTube: more tools for Shorts, interactive live streaming, a new YouTube TV interface, and more.

Further reading:

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Facebook lost daily users for the first time ever / Spotify CEO defends Joe Rogan deal

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Ashley Carman, and Alex Heath discuss Meta's rough week: Facebook reported its first-ever quarterly decline of daily users globally, along with lower-than-expected ad growth that sent its stock plunging roughly 20 percent.

The crew also discuss Spotify's response to the Joe Rogan controversy and how it will be handling moderation going forward.

Further reading:

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Spotify picks Joe Rogan over Neil Young / Intel’s $20 billion bet on Ohio / Q4 earnings for Big Tech

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Tom Warren discuss Q4 earnings for the big tech companies like Microsoft, Samsung, Intel, and Tesla.

Casey Newton joins the show to discuss Spotify's controversy regarding Joe Rogan's podcast, leading to musician Neil Young removing his music from the platform.

Further reading:

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Microsoft to acquire Activision for $68.7 billion / Google is building an AR headset / The 5G battle between the FAA, AT&T, Verizon, and airlines

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 05:30:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with games reporter Ash Parrish and senior reporter Alex Heath about Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion and Google building a new AR headset.

Policy editor Russell Brandom joins the show to discuss the battle between the FAA, AT&T, Verizon, and airlines over 5G and the antitrust bills in Congress this week.

Further reading:

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Wordle and the App Store clones / FTC’s Meta antitrust lawsuit moves forward / PCs big year

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Russell Brandom discuss the FTC proceeding with an antitrust lawsuit against Meta, the success of Wordle and its app clones, and more RCS drama.

Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert stops by to chat about this week's gadget news and the state of the PC market.

Stories discussed:

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CES 2022: all the TVs, concept cars, laptops, and gadgets announced this week

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz run through the huge amount of products announced at the Consumer Electronics Show 2022 this week — from QD-OLED TVs, to EVs, to a hair-coloring gadget.

All the stories discussed:

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James Webb Space Telescope to launch next week / cool gadgets announced this week

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Loren Grush discuss NASA's plan for launching the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to NASA’s Hubble telescope.

Second half of the show, the crew go through all the gadgets and software updates announced this past week.

Stories discussed this week:

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Can Matter save the smart home?

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0000

In our final Vergecast Spec-tacular of the year, Dieter Bohn dives into Matter, the new tech standard that smart home gadgets will use to communicate with each other, making compatibility between gadgets significantly easier.

Guests include:

Verge smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Michelle Mindala-Freeman, Head of Marketing for the Connectivity Standards Alliance.
Tim Both, brand manager and product manager for Eve
Samantha Fein, VP of Marketing and Business Development at Samsung SmartThings

Further reading:

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Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 demo / Snap’s first AR Spectacles / Android games come to Windows in 2022

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Heath discuss Epic Games' Matrix experience in Unreal Engine 5, Snap’s first AR Spectacles, streaming news, and more.

Stories discussed:

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Behind the scenes of our Treo documentary, Springboard

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 14:00:00 -0000

Live at On The Verge in New York City, Nilay and Dieter discuss The Verge's documentary Springboard: the secret history of the first real smartphone and conduct at Q&A with the audience.

Springboard is now streaming worldwide. You can watch it on The Verge’s new app on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, or Apple TV. It is now also available to watch on our YouTube channel.

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Jack Dorsey steps down from Twitter / The future of the blockchain / FTC is suing to block Nvidia’s purchase of Arm

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:29:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn chat with Alex Heath and Casey Newton about Jack Dorsey stepping down as CEO of Twitter and what's going in the world of crypto.

Managing editor Alex Cranz stops by to share news that the FTC is suing to block Nvidia's $40 billion purchase of Arm.

Stories referenced:

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Eero CEO Nick Weaver on 5G, Thread, and the future of the smart home

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 14:06:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn interview CEO of Eero Nick Weaver live at On The Verge in New York City.

The discussion includes how the Ring Alarm Pro came together, Eero supporting Thread and Matter, integration of 5G, and what's next for the smart home.

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Apple will make repair manuals and parts available to public / Russia blows up a satellite / Biden signs infrastructure package

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn chat with policy reporter Makena Kelly about Pres. Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure package and what it will do to improve broadband access in the US.

Senior science reporter Loren Grush joins the show to talk about Russia destroying one of its own satellites with a ground-based missile.

Managing editor Alex Cranz stops by to chat about Apple opening up iPhones and Macs to DIY repairs.

Stories referenced:

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Let's Chat about RCS

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn dives into the messy past and uncertain future of Rich Communication Services, or RCS, a new texting standard that Google had been pushing for Android users.

Guests include:

Sanaz Ahari, Senior Director of Communications Products at Google
Ron Amadeo, reviews editor at Ars Technica

Relevant links:

Produced by Andru Marino, Liam James, and Dieter Bohn

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EV startup Rivian goes public / Judge orders Apple to allow external payment options / Microsoft announces Windows 11 SE

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Sean O'Kane discuss electric vehicle startup Rivian becoming a publicly traded company after executing one of the biggest initial public offerings in history.

The crew also cover multiple stories about Apple from this week, Microsoft's Windows 11 SE release, and a new Surface Laptop for schools.

Further reading:

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What’s next for USB-C

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn dedicates this week's Tuesday episode to the fractious history and fraught future of USB-C.

Guests include:

CTO of ASTC Rod Whitby, who has worked with USB-C standards since its infancy
Verge senior reporter Chaim Gartenberg, who explains the many variations of USB-C cables
Ken Pillonel, a hacker in Switzerland who figured out how to replace his iPhone's lightning port with USB-C

Relevant links:

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Microsoft enters the metaverse race / Beats Fit Pro review / Apple’s software chief speaks out against sideloading

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Tom Warren discuss Microsoft's take on the metaverse at their Ignite event this past week.

Verge editor Chris Welch joins to chat about his review of the Beats Fit Pro and Apple's third-gen AirPods.

Stories from this week:

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Vergecast Live @ On The Verge 2021

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 11:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn are joined by Verge alums Joanna Stern and David Pierce live on stage at The Verge's 10th anniversary party.

Stories discussed from "Episode 69"

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Facebook becomes Meta / Pixel 6 review / Macbook Pro review

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 22:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Facebook's new name. Dan Seifert joins to discuss the reviews for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro as well as MacBook Pro.

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Inside our MacBook Pro 2021 review

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Dieter Bohn hosts a discussion with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge reviewer Monica Chin about The Verge's approach to reviewing gadgets, focusing specifically on Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro.

The crew are still in the process of reviewing the laptop, so the conversation also leads to topics like how battery testing has evolved the past decade, how The Verge scores reviews, and how to find the right angle for writing a review.

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Apple’s Unleashed event / Facebook is planning to rebrand the company / Google holds Pixel 6 event

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Facebook's plan to rebrand the company with a new name, the products announced at Apple's Unleashed event, and what happened at Google's Pixel 6 event.

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Google’s Pixel 6 with Sundar Pichai and Rick Osterloh

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0000

Dieter Bohn sits down with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and SVP of Devices and Services at Google Rick Osterloh to discuss the launch of the Pixel 6 — including its tensor processing chip, the Android ecosystem, and what makes this Pixel launch different from the rest.

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HTC Vive Flow announced / Apple Watch Series 7 review / Apple's Oct 18th event preview

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss HTC's new VR headset the Vive Flow.

Also: Apple, Google, and Samsung all have events next week. The crew discuss what to expect.

Further reading:

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Surface extravaganza: a review of Windows 11 and Microsoft’s new Surface lineup

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Dieter Bohn hosts a discussion on reviews for the newest Microsoft products launched this fall — Windows 11, Surface Pro 8, Surface Laptop Studio, and Surface Go 3 — with The Verge's Monica Chin, Dan Seifert, and Tom Warren.

Further reading:

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Land of the Giants: This Changes Everything

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0000

In Land of the Giants: The Apple Revolution, Recode’s Peter Kafka explores the company that changed what a computer is — and then changed what a phone is. From its beginnings as a niche personal computer company, Apple became the preeminent maker of consumer tech products, a cultural trendsetter, and the most valuable company in the world. And along the way, it changed the way we live.

Listen to Land of the Giants on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Facebook's bad week: a 60 Minutes interview, a six-hour outage, and a Senate whistleblower hearing

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Russell Brandom discuss Facebook's bad week: from a 60 Minutes interview, to a 6-hour outage, to a Facebook whistleblower hearing.

The crew also get into Android 12, Pixel 6 rumors, iOS 15.1, and more.

Further reading:

Vergecast - A Tech Podcast by Derek Rhoads bit.ly/cutthroughthenight

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Teaching AI to taste and smell could help the future of product design

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0000

For the next four Tuesdays, Verge senior reporter Ashley Carman will explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning are shaping the future of a variety of industries.

In this episode, Ashley explores how AI can be used for product design, but more specifically, for creating fragrances and flavors.

Guests include founder of ScentTronix Fredrick Duerinck, computer scientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Saket Navalkha, and Michael Spranger from Sony AI

This podcast was made by producer Liam James, senior audio director Andru Marino, senior reporter James Vincent, and senior reporter Ashley Carman.

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Amazon’s fall hardware event / Google’s Search On / Code Conference 2021

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 20:42:44 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz discuss all the product announced at Amazon's fall devices event, as well as Google's Search On fall event.

Verge senior reporter Alex Heath joins the show to discuss news that came out of the interviews at Code Conference.

Further reading:

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AI can be your writing buddy, your blogger, or your Dungeon Master

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0000

For the next four Tuesdays, Verge senior reporter Ashley Carman will explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning are shaping the future of a variety of industries.

In this episode, Ashley explores the wild world of AI writing and storytelling to find out if her job is in jeopardy. Is AI ready to replace seasoned writers or experienced reporters?

Guests include Nick Walton (co-founder and CEO of Latitude), Samanyou Garg (founder of Writesonic), and artist K Allado-McDowell.

This podcast was made by producer Liam James, senior audio director Andru Marino, senior reporter James Vincent, and senior reporter Ashley Carman.

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iPhone 13 review / Microsoft’s Surface event biggest announcements

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Tom Warren discuss the reviews of the iPhone 13/iPhone 13 Pro and the many new devices Microsoft announced at their Surface event this week.

Further reading:

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AI might help edit the next generation of blockbusters

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0000

For the next four Tuesdays, Verge senior reporter Ashley Carman will explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning are shaping the future of a variety of industries.

In this episode, Ashley explores how AI is being used to streamline video creation.

Guests include VP of Adobe Sensei Scott Prevost, co-founder and co-CEO of Flawless Scott Mann, and Verge senior reporter James Vincent.

This podcast was made by producer Liam James, senior audio director Andru Marino, senior reporter James Vincent, and senior reporter Ashley Carman.

Apple’s iPhone 13 event: the biggest announcements

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz discuss all the products announced at Apple's hardware event this week: iPhones, iPads, the Apple Watch, and more. Keep listening for some gadget news, including Nintendo finally adding Bluetooth audio to the Switch.

Further reading:

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Everyone will be able to clone their voice in the future

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0000

For the next four Tuesdays, Verge senior reporter Ashley Carman will explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning are shaping the future of a variety of industries.

In this episode, Ashley talks to AI companies that are working with voice synthesis to see why they are targeting the field of voice talent and podcasting and what cloning your voice can be used for in the future.

This podcast was made by producer Liam James, senior audio director Andru Marino, senior reporter James Vincent, and senior reporter Ashley Carman.

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Epic v. Apple judge rules that Apple must allow other forms of in-app purchases

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 00:15:00 -0000

In an emergency Vergecast, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Adi Robertson, and Russell Brandom discuss the ruling today in the Epic v. Apple trial.

Further reading:

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Facebook debuts Ray-Ban smart glasses / Apple’s iPhone 13 event will take place on September 14th / Amazon announces its first-ever lineup of smart TVs

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss Facebook's newest endeavor into sunglasses with cameras on them, predictions for next week's Apple event, and of course some new gadgets announced this week.

Further reading:

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Microsoft announces Surface event for Sept. 22nd / Apple concedes to let apps link to the web sign up / iPhone 13 could have satellite connectivity

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Chaim Gartenberg discuss a bunch of new Apple App Store policies, the upcoming Microsoft Surface event, and some fun strange new gadgets from this week.

Further reading:

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OnlyFans' back and forth on adult content ban / Tim Cook’s Apple, ten years later

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex, Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss why OnlyFans planned to prohibit sexually explicit content on their platform and why it reversed its position days later.

Second half of the show, the crew discuss Tim Cook's ten years as Apple CEO, iPhone 13 rumors, and the whole bunch of tech news you may have missed.

Further reading:

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Google Pixel 5a review / Facebook's metaverse for work / Apple, Epic, and Google emails

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, Allison Johnson, and Dan Seifert discuss reviews for the Google Pixel 5a, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, and the T-Mobile data breach that exposed personal info of more than 47 million people.

Second half of the show, the crew discuss Facebook's new metaverse conference software, the emails from the Apple vs Epic trial, and Intel's new PC gaming GPUs.

Further reading:

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Samsung announces Galaxy Z Flip 3, Z Fold 3, Watch 4 and Buds 2 / Apple’s controversial new child protection features, explained

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Chris Welch discuss what was announced at Samsung's August Unpacked event, including new foldables.

Senior reporter Adi Robertson explains the important changes coming to Apple's Messages and iCloud.

Further reading:

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Pixel 6 preview / Apple reveals new efforts to fight child abuse imagery

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz discuss Google's preview of the Pixel 6 and its Tensor chip.

Verge policy editor Russell Brandom explains how Apple will reportedly scan photos on iPhones and iCloud for child abuse imagery.

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The summer Intel fell behind / earnings for Apple, Google, Samsung / Nothing's Ear 1 earbuds

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 19:46:44 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Chaim Gartenberg discuss this week in tech news: quarterly earnings for the big tech companies, the state of Intel, and the Nothing's Ear 1 earbuds.

Further reading:

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Verizon switches to Android Messages as default RCS / Jeff Bezos goes to space / Biden and Big Tech

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn and Alex Cranz discuss Verizon switching to Android Messages as default for RCS, as well as the many gadgets from this week.

Verge policy editor Russell Brandom joins to talk about President Biden's criticism of Facebook's handling of misinformation on their platform and the nomination of Google critic Jonathan Kanter to lead the Department of Justice's antitrust division.

The Verge's Liz Lopatto and Joey Roulette talk with Dieter about Jeff Bezos' space flight this week.

Further reading:

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Interview: Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook’s metaverse

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0000

Casey Newton talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about his vision for an embodied internet (or "the metaverse), the challenges of governing it, and gender imbalance in virtual reality today. They also discuss President Biden’s fierce criticism of Facebook’s failures in removing anti-vaccine content in the headlines.

Transcript: https://www.theverge.com/e/22352063

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The Steam Deck is Valve's new handheld / iPhone 13 rumors grow / Virgin Galactic sends Richard Branson to the edge of space

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Alex Cranz discuss this week in tech news — the new Valve Steam Deck, Netflix potentially getting into gaming, a lot of Apple news, and some billionaires going into space.

Further reading:

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Google faces antitrust lawsuit over Google Play Store fees / Nintendo announced OLED Switch / 'EV Day' event held for Stellantis

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Adi Robertson discuss the new antitrust lawsuit Google faces from 36 states, the new hardware Nintendo announced this week, and what happened at Stellantis' ‘EV Day’.

Further reading:

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Microsoft announces Windows 11, with a new design, Start menu, and more

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Tom Warren discuss the official reveal of Windows 11 at Microsoft's event on Thursday.

Further reading:

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Google adds RCS encryption to Messages / Congress gearing up to fight big tech / Windows 11 leaks

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk to Verge senior editor Tom Warren about leaks of Microsoft's Windows 11 UI and announcements from E3 2021.

Verge politics reporter Makena Kelly explains how Republicans and Democrats are gearing up to fight tech monopolies.

Verge managing editor Alex Cranz joins the show to talk about Google's updates to Messages and a bunch of gadget news from this week.

Further reading:

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WWDC 2021: Apple's iOS 15, spatial audio, macOS Monterey, and more

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Alex Cranz, and Chris Welch discuss all the announcements from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference that took place this week.

All the links:

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Huawei’s HarmonyOS arrives / Microsoft's next gen Windows / Apple's WWDC preview

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Co-hosts Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk with Verge senior editor Tom Warren and managing editor Alex Cranz about operating systems — what's coming up at Apple's developer conference next week, where Microsoft will take Windows next, and the debut of some new systems like HarmonyOS and Fuchsia OS.

Further reading:

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Tim Cook's bad day in Epic vs Apple

Sat, 22 May 2021 00:06:00 -0000

In part 2 of this week's episode, Nilay talks with Adi Robertson about the judge's harsh questioning of Tim Cook on the last day of testimony in Epic vs Apple.

Further reading:

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Google I/O announcements and iPad Pro M1 review

Fri, 21 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

In part 1 of this week’s episode, Nilay and Dieter talk with deputy editor Dan Seifert about Google I/O and reviews for the M1 iMac and iPad Pro.

Further reading:

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Starlink, Epic v. Apple, and laptops laptops laptops

Fri, 14 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The Epic v. Apple trial continues with big drama about naked bananas and weird game definitions. Nilay tries to get Starlink space internet working, and there's new Intel chips. Adi Robertson and Monica Chin join this week.

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Apple v Epic week 1 roundtable

Fri, 07 May 2021 21:48:43 -0000

Nilay and Dieter talk with Verge senior reporter Adi Robertson and senior editor Tom Warren about the first week of the Epic Games v Apple trial.

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iOS 14.5 update features / Apple sales skyrocket / Podcast platforms amp up their product

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:50:00 -0000

Nilay Patel is joined by Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert and news editor Chaim Gartenberg to discuss i0S14.5, Apple's earnings, Epic vs. Apple, chip shortages, and Samsung's new laptops.

Senior reporter Ashley Carman joins the show to talk about the wave of action in the podcast industry this past week.

Further reading:

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Apple announces new iMacs, AirTags, and iPad Pro / Congress is diving into the App Store fight

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Vergecast hosts Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn discuss all the product announcements from Apple's Spring Loaded event this week with Verge news editor Chaim Gartenberg.

Verge politics reporter Makena Kelly details what happened at Wednesday's congressional hearing focusing on competition in Apple's App Store.

Further reading:

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LG quits the smartphone business / Sonos Roam review / Apple "Spring Loaded" event preview

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Chris Welch dive into the tech and gadget news from this week — including theories on what will be announced at Apple's spring event next week, LG quitting the smartphone business, and Sonos' next speakers.

Further reading:

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Land of the Giants: The Google Empire

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Vergecast is on vacation this week, so instead we'll share an episode of Land of the Giants from our friends at Recode.

Land of the Giants is a podcast that explores the five biggest tech companies and their impact on our world, and this season is all about Google.

The episode we're sharing tells the story of how two grad school students with a unique way to search the internet launched a company that would become the gateway to the internet for the entire world.

In the rest of the season, Land of the Giants: The Google Empire will cover issues like Google’s relationship with the government, the origins of their antitrust troubles, and what their future may look like as they face off against Congress and the Biden Administration.

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The rise of Clubhouse competitors / Apple's WWDC rumors / What is Google Chrome FLoC?

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk with Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert about this week's Apple rumors ahead of WWDC 2021 — from their AR headset to new iPads.

Senior reporter Ashley Carman joins the show to discuss social audio platform Clubhouse and the rise of competitors from other companies.

Further reading:

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OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro review / Zuckerberg, Dorsey, and Pichai testify before Congress once again

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk with Verge reporter Allison Johnson about her review of the One Plus 9 and how it compares with their 9 Pro and other Android flagship phones.

Politics reporter Makena Kelly joins the show the discuss Congress’ first hearing of 2021 with the chief executives of Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

Further reading:

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Samsung Unpacked 2021 / Zack Snyder's Justice League is in 4:3 aspect ratio / EVs, e-bikes, and batteries

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk to Verge reporter Julia Alexander about the long-awaited release of "the Snyder cut" of the Justice League film on HBO Max and more updates in the world of streaming services.

Verge senior reporter Andrew Hawkins joins the show to discuss the new electric vehicles that were announced this week, talking to Sen. Chuck Schumer about infrastructure, and the state of e-bikes in America.

Further reading:

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NFTs explained / Sonos' new bluetooth speaker / Asus ROG phone 5 review

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:25:58 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk to Verge deputy editor Elizabeth Lopatto about the NFT craze from the past few weeks and explains how the transactions work.

Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert joins the show for a gadget roundup — from the Asus ROG phone 5 review to the new Sonos Roam bluetooth speaker.

Further reading:

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A conversation about Section 230 and the future of the internet

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Last week, The Verge held a virtual event about regulating the internet — from antitrust to privacy to the many proposals for changing Section 230, hosted by Verge senior reporter Adi Robertson.

The event kicked off with a keynote from Sen. Amy Klobuchar, followed by a panel on Section 230 reform with general counsel at Vimeo Michael Cheah, researcher, writer, and strategist Sydette Harry, and general counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation Amanda Keton.

In this bonus Vergecast, Adi Robertson and Verge policy editor Russell Brandom discuss takeaways from the event and what's next for the future of regulation on the internet.

Further reading:

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Jack Dorsey’s Square, Inc. buys Tidal / Microsoft Mesh and the future of Microsoft Teams / Apple not switching to USB-C iPhones

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk to Billboard's Micah Singleton about Jack Dorsey’s Square, Inc. buying a majority stake in Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal.

Verge senior editor Tom Warren joins the show to discuss the announcement of Microsoft's Mesh mixed reality platform and the various updates to Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and more.

Further reading:

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Spotify's big plan for podcasting / Where 5G is headed in 2021 / Everything to know about Paramount Plus

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Hosts Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk with Verge reporter Allison Johnson about T-Mobile bringing back their unlimited 5G plan with no throttling, the results of the C-band spectrum auction, and the state of 5G in America.

Ashley Carman returns to the show to discuss Spotify's big event this week announcing their plans for podcasters and artists.

Julia Alexander joins to report on the details on Paramount Plus' streaming catalog.

Further reading:

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Australia's bargain with Google and Facebook / Apple TV on Chromecast / Nintendo Direct's biggest announcements

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel talks with Adi Robertson and Casey Newton about what Australia's News Media Bargaining Code means for Google, Facebook, and the open web in Australia.

Chris Welch and Julia Alexander join the show to discuss the new Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV on Chromecast, and the state of streaming services in 2021.

Andru Marino and Taylor Lyles discuss the announcements from this week's Nintendo Direct.

Further reading:

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Google's mysterious lack of app updates / Apple’s rumored VR headset / Microsoft’s Surface Duo price drops to $999

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Adi Robertson discuss Google's mysterious lack of iOS app updates, the rumors around Apple's potential VR headset, and the rest of this week's gadget headlines.

Further reading:

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Jeff Bezos steps away as Amazon CEO / Ford's electric Mustang Mach-E / Apple Car rumors

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Sean O'Kane, and Becca Farsace discuss driving Ford's electric Mustang, what's next for Tesla's product line, rumors around Apple's Car endeavors, and Jeff Bezos stepping down as Amazon CEO.

Further reading:

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GameStop, Reddit, and Robin Hood: How r/WallStreetBets gamed the stock of GameStop

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Elizabeth Lopatto explain how the users of the subreddit r/WallStreetBets sent GameStop, AMC and other stocks rocketing up through the stock market.

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Galaxy S21 Ultra review / Apple redesign rumors / Paramount Plus and 2021's streaming services

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Julia Alexander, and Chaim Gartenberg discuss the Verge review of Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra, the numerous rumors about Apple's future products, and ViacomCBS's new rebranded streaming service.

Further reading:

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CES 2021 / Samsung’s S21 lineup and Galaxy Buds Pro

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 21:28:50 -0000

The Verge’s Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Monica Chin, and Chris Welch dive into all of the important announcements from both inside and outside of CES — including Samsung’s new flagship S21 smartphone line, the many new TVs with HDMI 2.1, Mini LED, webOS, and the next laptops with new chips from Intel and AMD.

Further reading:

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Trump banned from Twitter, Facebook, and others / Parler banned from app stores

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Adi Robertson, and Casey Newton chronicle the week since the Capitol riot: Trump gets deplatformed and Parler is removed from app stores.

Further reading:

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The HDMI Holiday Spec-tacular

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0000

For a special Vergecast holiday episode, The Verge’s Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Chris Welch talk to three industry experts about the new HDMI 2.1 standard: Polygon's front page editor Samit Sarkar, Vizio CTO Bill Baxter, and HDMI Forum president David Glen.

The Vergecast crew discuss what to look for when buying a new TV, how serious the TV manufacturers are on supporting 2.1, and how the new standard is being implemented throughout the industry.

Happy holidays!

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Two new antitrust lawsuits against Google / AirPods Max review / iOS 14.3 has arrived with ProRAW for iPhone 12 Pro

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn, Nilay Patel, and Adi Robertson discuss the two antitrust lawsuits against Google announced this week. Chris Welch joins to discuss his review of Apple's AirPods Max.

Further reading:

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Apple announces AirPods Max / Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon interview

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Chris Welch discuss Apple's announcement of their AirPods Max noise-canceling headphones and give their first impressions.

Second half of the show, Nilay and Dieter talk with Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon about Qualcomm's new flagship processor the Snapdragon 888, the potential of 5G, and what he thinks about Apple's new M1 processor.

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The FTC is suing Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 02:35:00 -0000

In a bonus episode of The Vergecast, Nilay Patel talks with Verge policy editor Russell Brandom, senior reporter Adi Robertson, and contributing editor Casey Newton about the FTC suing Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.

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Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor for 2021 Android phones / Warner Bros. will release new 2021 movies simultaneously on HBO Max / FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will step down on January 20th

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge reporter Julia Alexander joins Nilay and Dieter to discuss WarnerMedia's decision to release all of its new 2021 movies simultaneously on HBO Max. News editor Chaim Gartenberg explains Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 processor for upcoming Android phones in 2021.

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Decoder: Alamo Drafthouse CEO on the future of movie theaters

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0000

On this episode of Decoder, Nilay talks with Shelli Taylor, the CEO of Alamo Drafthouse. Shelli stepped into her new role as CEO during the pandemic.

In the conversation, Nilay and Shelli discuss the steps she had to take to get her company back on solid ground — including justifying high fixed costs of expensive lightbulbs — and how the government has failed to manage the pandemic effectively for business owners. They also talk about what it will take to safely reopen theaters and what the future looks like, especially in the streaming age.

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Decoder: Microsoft's Phil Spencer on launching the new Xbox

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Decoder Nilay Patel talks to Phil Spencer, the guy in charge of Xbox at Microsoft. They discuss not only the next-generation Xbox and PS5 just arriving in stores now, but how gaming itself has become part of mainstream culture, a trend that has definitely accelerated during the pandemic. We’ve also reached an inflection point for game streaming: Google, Amazon, and Microsoft all have services that allow consumers to play games on any device by streaming them over the internet, kind of like Netflix for games. Is that the future?

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Apple Macbook Air with M1 review / Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent / end-to-end encryption for RCS in Android

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Walt Mossberg joins the show to discuss his experience with Apple's Macbooks with the new M1 chip. Nilay, Dieter, Chris, and Dan discuss The Verge's reviews of the computers.

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Decoder: The future of remote learning with Sal Khan of Khan Academy

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

For the next few Tuesday's, we'll be sharing Nilay Patel's new podcast Decoder, an interview show that puts a spotlight on how innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology are navigating an ever-changing landscape.

On this week’s episode of Decoder, Nilay Patel talks with Sal Khan, the co-founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a nonprofit online learning platform for students in kindergarten through high school. Khan Academy is an organization that exists because of technology. What started with Sal tutoring his niece in math over video using off the shelf cameras and software, has grown into an organization with nearly 20 million users per month, available in 46 languages and used in more than 190 countries. And online learning has gotten even more vital with the pandemic.

In this conversation, Nilay and Sal discuss the future of learning, what online education is good at and where it struggles, how Khan Academy is growing, and how Sal’s thinking about handling trickier subjects like history and social studies.

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Apple announces M1 chip computers / iPhone 12 mini and Pro Max review / HomePod mini review

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Dan, and Chaim discuss the new computers Apple announced at their "One More Thing" hardware event, as well as their reviews of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and HomePod mini.

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Introducing Decoder with Nilay Patel: Mark Cuban on the future of American business

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

This is the first episode of Nilay Patel's new podcast Decoder, an interview show that will put a spotlight on how innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology are navigating an ever-changing landscape.

On the first episode of Decoder, Nilay interviews Mark Cuban. Mark is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, he’s a tech investor, and is on the hit show, Shark Tank. The conversation, recorded as last week’s election results rolled in, covers how interwoven business, technology, and policy are, whether its 5G, or the NBA bubble, or AI, or his investments into healthcare -- if you want to understand the landscape of the future, you have to understand tech, you have to understand business, and you have to understand policy.

You can subscribe to Decoder anywhere you get your podcasts.

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Xbox Series X, Series S, and PS5 review / Apple announces 'One More Thing' event for November 10th

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 13:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Tom Warren discuss reviews of the new game consoles — Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S, and Sony's PS5.

Oh yeah one more thing, there's an Apple event next week.

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Facebook, Twitter take steps to limit the president’s false election claims

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0000

While the counting for the 2020 presidential election still goes on, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Adi Robertson discuss what steps social media platforms have taken to limit misinformation.

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Tearing down the iPhone 12 with iFixit

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Dieter Bohn talks with iFixit's Kyle Weins and Kay-Kay Clapp about their teardown reviews, the right to repair, and how to fix the Phone 12.

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This week's Section 230 hearing / gadgets go to QVC / Motorola Razr 2020 review

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 13:05:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Adi discuss the latest Section 230 congressional hearing featuring the CEOs of big tech. Ashley Carman stops by to talk about how gadget makers are turning to shopping channels to market their products.

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iPhone 12 and 12 Pro review with Joanna Stern and Nilay Patel

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn is hosting a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter brings back Vergecast co-host Nilay Patel and senior personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal Joanna Stern to discuss their reviews of the latest iteration of the iPhone.

Dieter reviewed the iPhone 12, Nilay reviewed the iPhone 12 Pro, and Joanna reviewed them both side by side. The trio discusses what they focused on in their reviews — like 5G, Dolby Vison, and MagSafe — and how significant the upgrades are for this year’s devices.

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Quibi is shutting down / Google faces antitrust charges / Foxconn’s LCD factory is Wisconsin isn’t real

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Dieter Bohn and Nilay Patel talk to Julia Alexander about Quibi shutting down, Adi Robertson about the US government filing antitrust charges against Google, and Josh Dzieza about his report on Wisconsin's empty Foxconn factory.

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Pixel 5 with Android Central and Android Police

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn hosts a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter talks with managing editor of Android Central Daniel Bader and Android Police editor-in-chief David Ruddock about the Google’s Pixel 5.

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Apple announces iPhone 12, MagSafe charger, HomePod mini

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Samsung 2020 with Marques Brownlee

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn hosts a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter talks with MKBHD aka Marques Brownlee about the various phones released by Samsung this year, from the S20 Ultra to the Z Fold 2 5G. The two also discuss the process of reviewing different tiers of phones and how it's changing the smartphone market.

This episode was brought to you by Novartis. To learn more about Cell and Gene Therapy visit vox.com/ad/novartis

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Congress releases tech antitrust report / Apple’s next iPhone will be announced on October 13th

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn bring in Russell Brandom and Adi Robertson to discuss congressional report about whether Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google are violating antitrust law.

Dan Seifert stops by to discuss Apple's upcoming iPhone event on October 13th.

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Pixel vs Nexus with UrAvgConsumer

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn hosts a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter talks with YouTube's UrAvgConsumer about how the recently announced Google Pixel 5 shares some common ground with Google's 2013 smartphone project the Nexus 5.

This episode was brought to you by Novartis. To learn more about Cell and Gene Therapy visit vox.com/ad/novartis

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Google announces Pixel 5, Chromecast with Google TV, and Nest Audio

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Dan, and Chris discuss all the announcements from Google's fall hardware event from this week, as well as Sonos suing Google for infringing five more wireless audio patents.

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Apple Watch Series 6 with WSJ's Joanna Stern

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn hosts a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter talks with senior personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal and Verge alum Joanna Stern about Apple's Watch Series 6.

Dieter and Joanna also discuss the process of reviewing gadgets on video and the complications of reviewing a product that has this many variants.

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Amazon announces Ring security drone, new Echo devices, a gaming service, and a whole lot more

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 22:27:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Dan discuss all the important announcements from Amazon's fall hardware event this week, from a security drone for your home to a new cloud gaming service.

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Microsoft Surface Duo with Engadget's Cherlynn Low

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Every Tuesday this month, Vergecast co-host Dieter Bohn hosts a series of discussions diving deep into tech review season, each focusing on a specific product.

This week, Dieter and Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert talks with Engadget's Cherlynn Low about Microsoft's Surface Duo.

The trio discuss how the process of reviewing this device differs from others in the past, where it stands in the phone and tablet market, and other notable points from Dieter and Cherlynn's time with the Duo that didn't make it into the review.

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Apple announces Watch Series 6 and new iPad Air / PS5 reveals price tag / Oculus announces Quest 2

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Chaim, and Nicole discuss Apple's newly announced products including the Apple Watch Series 6 and the new iPad Air. Also discussed: the PS5 announced pricing, Oculus has a new headset, and TikTok acquisition news continues to brew.

We ask a biostatistician about the timeline of a COVID-19 vaccine

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 10:00:00 -0000

There’s a lot of information coming and going about the coronavirus, and the next steps for vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 — The Verge even has a newsletter dedicated to it.

But how do we asses all this information in a logical way, to prevent confusion, chaos, or something worse? The Verge’s Nilay Patel, Mary Beth Griggs and Nicole Wetsman talked to Dr. Natalie Dean, assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida, about what we know so far about the timeline of a COVID-19 vaccine, and the best way to evaluate the flood of information coming in every day.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review / Android 11 review / Xbox Series S and X preview

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Tom discuss reviews of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2, Microsoft's Surface Duo, and Android 11. Also, previews of the Xbox Series X and Series S.

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Marc Levoy on moving from Google to Adobe and the ethics of computational photography

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 13:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel talks with former Google engineer Marc Levoy about his move to Adobe, the state of the smartphone camera, and the future of computational photography.

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IFA 2020 gadgets / Intel announces 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs / Nvidia announces RTX 3080 and 3090

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Chaim, and Chris dive deep into all the gadget news that dominated this week, including all the announcements at IFA 2020's virtual event showcase.

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Recording police brutality: how technology is driving the new civil rights movement

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:41:00 -0000

Nilay Patel talks with Verge reporter Bijan Stephen and video producer Mariya Abdulkaf about The Verge's new multimedia project Capturing the Police.

Capturing the Police is a project from The Verge about how people use technology to bring awareness of police brutality and racism — and what it costs them when they agitate for justice.

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Surface Duo hands on / Amazon's Halo fitness tracker / Epic vs Apple: the latest

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Wired's Lauren Goode returns to the show to discuss Microsoft's soon-to-be released Surface Duo, Amazon's new fitness tracker, and an update on Apple's battle with Epic over the App Store.

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Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman welcomes you to Team Antitrust

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:40:00 -0000

Antitrust criticism of big tech companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon have been louder than ever — from the consumers to the tech companies who compete with them. Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman has been vocal for years about the problem with Google’s dominant market share in maps, local search, and reviews.

“I’ve been working on it for over a decade and it’s great to see that more people have jumped on board.” Stoppelman says. “When we started out criticizing Google and highlighting some of their abuses, we got — especially from Silicon Valley — so many eye rolls.”

The Verge’s Nilay Patel and Casey Newton recently caught up with Stoppelman to discuss the evolving view of the media and the public on the tech monopolies, as well as how Yelp is handling their competition and what possible changes can be made with regulation from the government.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review / Galaxy Watch 3 review / BlackBerry 5G?

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Dieter, Dan, and Becca discuss reviews of Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Watch 3. They also discuss a potential BlackBerry phone coming to the market...in 2021.

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How money and payments have become social media

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Lana Swartz, assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia about her new book New Money: How Payment Became Social Media.

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Fornite kicked off the App Store and Microsoft’s Surface Duo arrives on Sept 10th

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 19:08:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Tom, and Dan discuss the timeline of events that lead to Epic Games suing Apple and Google after being kicked out of mobile app stores. They also discuss Microsoft's announcement of the Surface Duo's release date and technical specs.

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How a TikTok ban would affect the influencer economy

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz about what actually happens to TikTok users, creators, and the influencer economy if a ban on the app was implemented in the United States.

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Samsung Unpacked, Google Pixel 4a review, and Apple's new 27-inch iMac

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, Becca, Chris, and Dan discuss the products announced at Samsung's virtual event this week, as well as the Google Pixel 4a review, a new 27-inch iMac, and Greg Joswiak replacing Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing.

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Sen. Ron Wyden says Trump’s Section 230 FCC shuffle is a ‘disaster’

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 17:37:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel and Adi Robertson talk to Senator Ron Wyden, who co-authored Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Wyden discusses the forced sale of TikTok to a US-based company, the bills out to reform Section 230, his new privacy bill preventing law enforcement from buying data on the open market, and how Trump's handling of recent FCC nominations is a "disaster."

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Tech antitrust hearing: the important moments and what comes next

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Makena, Adi, and Casey discuss the important moments from Congress' antitrust hearing with Apple’s Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Google’s Sundar Pichai.

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Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief talks with Wired senior editor Andy Greenberg, author of Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers.

Greenberg's book is all about a group of hackers inside the Russian government called Sandworm, who were responsible for damaging cyber warfare attacks in various countries over the past few years.

Andy and Nilay discuss the origins of Sandworm, the intricacies of their attacks, and how they escalated what we think of as "cyber war."

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Big tech antittrust hearing preview and the Xbox Games Showcase breakdown

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 15:15:56 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn talk with Casey Newton and Makena Kelly about what to expect at the upcoming big tech antitrust hearings featuring Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai. Megan Farokhmanesh and Andrew Webster return to discuss the games announced at the Xbox Games Showcase this week.

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Election cybersecurity: How ready are we for November 3rd?

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter talks with The Verge's Nilay Patel and Russell Brandom about the state of election security in the US — what methods are being proposed to stop potential interference in the voting process, the problems with mail-in voting during a pandemic, and how voting machines are not always the best solution for a presidential election.

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Twitter gets hacked / NBC's streaming service Peacock debuts / TikTok in the US is threatened

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 18:24:00 -0000

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Russell Brandom, and Julia Alexander discuss an unprecedented Twitter hack this week, the release of NBCUniversal's new streaming service Peacock, and the potential restrictions on TikTok in the US.

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Will virtual dates stick around after the pandemic?

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 12:00:00 -0000

The Verge's Why’d You Push That Button? is back for a special episode all about virtual dating in 2020. The pandemic has forced us all to stay at home when we can, which means if you want to go on a date, it may have to be done online.

Ashley Carman and Kaitlyn Tiffany return to talk to online daters and app makers about how they are adapting to virtual-only dating, and what features and behaviors will stick around after social distancing and the pandemic end.

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How Color of Change helped lead the Facebook boycott

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel talks to Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change.

Color of Change, an online racial justice organization, is one of the groups leading the ad boycott against Facebook and other social media companies in response to hate speech appearing on the platforms.

In the interview, Robinson talks about how the boycott campaign came together; his history pushing Facebook on issues of hate speech and civil rights; and meeting with Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and fellow leaders of the boycott to discuss the Facebook civil rights audit and how the company can improve the platform.

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iOS14 public beta is released, Google’s Pixel 3A is discontinued, and Samsung's event is coming soon

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Dan Seifert discuss Apple's iOS14 public beta, the future of Google's phones, and what to expect at Samsung's next hardware event.

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Bug bounties: the good and the bad of computer security

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to founder and CEO of Luta Security Katie Moussouris.

Moussouris has a long history in computer security, working at Microsoft and the Department of Defense creating their first bug bounty programs to incentivize catching and reporting security bugs and vulnerabilities in software systems.

Nilay and Katie discuss the good and bad of bug bounties, encryption dilemmas with consumer devices, voting security in elections, and overall how we keep our software and networks secure.

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Introducing Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0000

This week we’re sharing an episode of Land of the Giants, a podcast from our friends at Recode and the Vox Media Podcast Network that examines the most powerful tech companies of our time.

The second season is called The Netflix Effect, and it’s hosted by Recode editors Rani Molla and Peter Kafka.

The Netflix Effect explores how a company that began as a small DVD-by-mail service ultimately upended Hollywood and completely changed the way we watch TV.

It’s a fascinating look at what really goes on behind the scenes at Netflix, one of the few companies that’s actually growing during the pandemic, and how they’re continuing to transform entertainment for you and me.

New episodes are released every Tuesday morning.

listen and subscribe to Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect wherever you get The Vergecast.

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Apple announces macOS Big Sur, new silicon chips, and iOS 14

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn welcome back Verge alum and Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern to discuss the big announcements from Apple's developer conference this week. Verge news editor Chaim Gartenberg joins in the second half to discuss the Apple updates you may have missed.

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Why activists need to think about cybersecurity

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and policy editor Russell Brandom talk to founder of CryptoHarlem and cybersecurity expert Matt Mitchell, who works with activists to develop strategies to leave less data behind and help mitigate threats to their cause.

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WWDC predictions / Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn run through the most interesting rumors and predictions of announcements at Apple's WWDC next week. Adi Robertson joins to discuss the latest threat to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

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Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson and Rep. David Cicilline on Apple's monopolistic app store fees

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 18:25:39 -0000

Apple is acting like a monopolist and a bully, according to the chairman of the House Antitrust Committee.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) joined The Vergecast along with Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson to discuss the plight of Hey, Basecamp’s new $99-a-year premium email service. Earlier this week, Heinemeier Hansson revealed that Apple had rejected the Hey iPhone app from the App Store because it didn’t offer any way to sign up and pay in the app itself — which would require giving Apple a 30 percent cut of the fee.

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Sen. Ed Markey on the politics of technology

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge reporter Makena Kelly talk to Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts about bringing broadband access into rural areas, the technology plights caused by the pandemic, privacy concerns over contract tracing, and the race to 5G.

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Android 11 beta / PS5 reveal / Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft ban facial recognition tech for police

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 21:30:32 -0000

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Tinder CEO Elie Seidman on finding love during the pandemic

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Tinder and its parent company Match Group have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic relatively well, all things considered. User engagement is up, as is interest around new product features, like video calls. More than six years after its launch, Tinder is finally introducing a one-on-one video calling feature that it says will be heavily moderated for content and safety. At the same time, Tinder CEO Elie Seidman says he and his team are focusing on how to keep young people coming to the app and how they can build digital relationships inside of it, especially as in-person dates slow down.Seidman joins Vergecast host Nilay Patel and Verge senior reporter Ashley Carman for a chat about the future of the platform, how it’ll keep people safe over video calls, and what happens to its Tinder U initiative that it’s focused on for years. Plus, he explains how Joe Exotic might be more important to a relationship than living near each other.

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SpaceX launches humans to space / Facebook's ongoing moderation controversy / Sonos Arc's convincing surround sound

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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The head of HBO Max on launching without Roku, adding 4K HDR, and the Snyder Cut

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge reporter Julia Alexander talk to Otter Media CEO Tony Goncalves on his new project overseeing HBO Max.

Goncalves discusses AT&T's strategy for the WarnerMedia streaming service, the dispute with getting the app on Roku and Amazon, HBO Max's place in the streaming wars, and how their data usage works on mobile.

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Trump signs executive order targeting social media companies / HBO Max launches in the US

Fri, 29 May 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn welcome back Adi Robertson and Casey Newton to the show to discuss Trump's executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google. Julia Alexander also stops by to discuss the launch of WarnerMedia's new streaming service HBO Max.

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Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield on competing with Microsoft, the future of work, and managing all those notifications

Tue, 26 May 2020 10:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield about remote working, competition with Microsoft, and the way technology changes how we communicate.

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Microsoft Build 2020, Elon Musk's factory play, and Joe Rogan moves to Spotify

Fri, 22 May 2020 10:46:00 -0000

It’s Friday, which means there’s a new episode of The Vergecast to fill you in on all of the news from this week. Join Nilay, Dieter, and a rotation of other editors for everything that you need to know. The three topics covered this week are:

During the first part of the show, Verge senior editor Tom Warren joins Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn to discuss what was announced at Microsoft Build 2020 and what’s next for Windows software.

A little over 35 minutes into the show, Verge deputy editor Elizabeth Lopatto updates us on Elon Musk’s latest endeavors, including his battle with Alameda County over opening his factory, his protests against lockdown orders, and SpaceX’s upcoming Crew Dragon spacecraft launch.

Last but not least, senior reporter Ashley Carman stops by to explain the importance of Spotify landing The Joe Rogan Experience podcast as an exclusive.

There’s a whole lot more discussed in this episode, so listen here or in your preferred podcast player to hear it all.

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Sundar Pichai on managing Google through the pandemic

Tue, 19 May 2020 11:45:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and executive editor Dieter Bohn interview Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Pichai disusses Google’s COVID-19 response: the way the company is handling the pandemic and how he’s working with Tim Cook from Apple on exposure tracking.

They also talked about how he is running one of the biggest companies in the world remotely and how the company is handling employees working from home

Of course they talk about their products and services: the future of the Pixel, competing with companies like Apple and Samsung, and RCS messaging.

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Questions about Facebook's oversight board, Quibi's popularity, and the rumored Pixel 4a

Fri, 15 May 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn welcome Dan Seifert, Casey Newton, and Julia Alexander to talk about gadget news, Facebook's oversight board, and updates in the streaming world.

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How pandemic disinformation is affecting social networks

Tue, 12 May 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Alex Stamos, former chief security officer of Facebook and director of the Stanford Internet Observatory talks to Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and editor Casey Newton about his role consulting on security for Zoom, disinformation around the pandemic on social media, and the threat of foreign interference in the 2020 election.

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New releases: Surface Go 2, Macbook Pro 13-inch, and the first Xbox Series X gameplay footage (Goodbye Paul)

Fri, 08 May 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Sonos CEO discusses the Arc and customer backlash over leaving old products behind

Wed, 06 May 2020 21:36:00 -0000

This week we saw Sonos announce several new products, most significantly the Arc, which is the company’s first soundbar to support Dolby Atmos. Other new devices include the Sonos Five speaker and a refreshed Sub, and all three will only work with Sonos’ new S2 app that launches next month.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence sat down virtually with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel for The Vergecast to discuss the new products, the S2 update, the backlash that Sonos took from customers over its “Recycle Mode”, and the perception that the company is leaving customers with older Sonos hardware behind.

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The 3 new CEOs of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, Big Tech's quarterly earnings, and Zoom's misleading user numbers

Fri, 01 May 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul discuss quarterly earnings from tech companies, the new CEOs of the three biggest mobile carriers, and how Trolls World Tour may be changing the movie theater business.

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How Amazon's dominance is more visible during a pandemic

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel interviews co-director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance Stacy Mitchell about her critique of Amazon's power in America's marketplace.

As Amazon becomes more essential infrastructure during the coronavirus pandemic, Nilay and Stacy discuss the increased visibility of Amazon's monopoly power and the way it treats its workers.

Is it possible to regulate a company that people use and love so much?

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Reviews of Apple's Magic Keyboard, iPhone SE, and Logitech Combo Touch

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Interface Live: Casey Newton and Sarah Frier talk Instagram’s hidden history

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:04:16 -0000

Part of The Verge's Interface Live series, silicon valley editor Casey Newton talks with Bloomberg reporter Sarah Frier about her new book No Filter, which delves into the history of Instagram and how the app became what it is today.

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Apple's new iPhone SE, OnePlus 8 Pro review, and Verizon buys BlueJeans

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Apple and Google are building a coronavirus tracking system into iOS and Android

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 22:53:00 -0000

Nilay Patel talks with The Verge's Adi Robertson, Casey Newton, and Nicole Wetsman about Apple and Google announcing a system for tracking the spread of the new coronavirus, allowing users to share data through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmissions and approved apps from health organizations.

Links:

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Quibi's launch week, Asus laptop reviews, and Sony's PS5 controller

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott on AI for rural America

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott about his new book Reprogramming the American Dream: From Rural America to Silicon Valley―Making AI Serve Us All.

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Zoom's privacy concerns, Apple buys Dark Sky, and Sprint is dead

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul talk to Tom Warren about Zoom's privacy and security concerns.

The crew also looks back at the history of Sprint after it finally merged with T-Mobile.

Paul's weekly segment "If I were a rich man" updates the keyboard-in-the-front club.

The show ends with some chat about Apple buying the weather app Dark Sky and allowing in-app rentals on their mobile devices.

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Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to founder and CEO of The Future Today Institute Amy Webb.

Amy is also a professor at NYU's Stern School of Business and recently came out with a book called The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Amy and Nilay discuss whether we could have predicted this outbreak, how it can change trends in the future, and how it may even accelerate trends like AI and cloud-based robotics.

They also talk about The Future Today Institute's 2020 Tech Trend Report that was released this month — which is a quantitative look at the big trends that may dominate the future.

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Reviews for the Macbook Air and iPad Pro (2020) and how the coronavirus is affecting tech companies and culture

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown on a new kind of meat

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown about Impossible's mission to replace animal-derived meat worldwide and what that would mean for our climate and culture.

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Apple announces new iPad Pro and Macbook Air, Sony reveals PS5 specs, and confusion around the coronavirus testing website

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul discuss the new iPad Pro and Macbook Air that Apple announced this week, the confusion around Google's coronavirus testing website, and the specs revealed for the PS5.

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FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on broadband access across America

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly talk to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel about American broadband policy and the advocacy for internet access, broadband competition, and net neutrality.

While the coronavirus pandemic is happening and people are working online at home, now is a perfect time to talk about who has access to the broadband, who doesn't, how much it costs, and how we can get it to more people for less money.

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Galaxy S20 review and leaks of iOS 14, watchOS 7, and Pixel 4a

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

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COVID-19: How it spreads, how to test for it, and economic impact

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with Verge health reporter Nicole Wetsman and Verge deputy editor Liz Lopatto about the health concerns of the coronavirus outbreak as well as its economic effect in the United States.

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Mac Pro and Pro Display review, TCL's folding phone concepts, and rumors of an iPad keyboard with a trackpad

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Political advertising on social media, privacy and encryption legislation, broadband access in rural communities, and other tech policy in 2020

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly chats with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel about important points in US tech policy recently as we go into the 2020 presidential election.

Nilay and Makena get into the policy topics that The Verge will be covering heavily this year — including political advertising on social media, amendments to Section 230, encryption and privacy legislation, and broadband access in rural areas.

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Galaxy S20 Ultra's camera issues and Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Argo’s CEO explains why its fleet of self-driving taxis won’t be all-electric (at first)

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

One of the burning questions facing the world of self-driving cars is whether it makes sense to go all-electric or not. Some, like GM-owned Cruise, is all in on battery-electric vehicles. Others are going half-and-half, like Waymo building a fleet that includes both all-electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and gas-burning Chrysler Pacifica minivans.

Argo, the Pittsburgh-based self-driving company backed by Ford and Volkswagen, has concerns about an all-electric fleet, especially when it comes to the need to recoup the cost of all the expensive technology that makes the car autonomous. The company’s CEO, Brian Salesky, sat down with The Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and senior reporter Andrew Hawkins to explain why.

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Galaxy Z Flip review, CBS streaming service revamp plans, and Android 11 features so far

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Chief Product Officer of Adobe Scott Belsky returns

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Chief Product Officer of Adobe Scott Belsky chats with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and reporter Dami Lee about what he learned from putting Photoshop on the iPad, adapting products to new creators and platforms, Creative Cloud for the Mac Pro, and the goals of the Content Authenticity Initiative.

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Motorola Razr review, Samsung's Galaxy S20 event, and T-Mobile and Sprint allowed to merge

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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New Jersey’s former attorney general on Ring cameras and facial recognition

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

In this week’s Vergecast, former New Jersey attorney general Anne Milgram stopped by the studio to talk with Verge editor in chief Nilay Patel and me, senior reporter Colin Lecher.

As Nilay notes, Milgram, who also co-hosts the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara, is “the first cop we’ve ever had on the show,” and gave some thoughtful responses to questions about surveillance, predictive policing, and more.

“We all, I think, have the right reaction, which is we don’t want to use data that’s biased or we don’t want to have problems,” Milgram says. “And yet in our personal lives, we give access to a huge amount of information and a lot of it is not public.”

The rise of home security systems like Amazon’s Ring camera have raised serious questions about privacy, and Milgram weighed in on the issue. Below is an excerpt for that conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity.

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Iowa caucus app issues, Panos Panay takes over both Microsoft’s hardware and software, and Google reveals Q4 earnings

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Stories discussed this week;

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How 5G and edge computing fit into the future of Intel’s traditionally chip-focused lineup

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Intel is one of the biggest names in the tech world, with chips that quite literally are the brains behind most of the computers and servers that we use every day. But the world of computers is expanding and Intel is changing, too, with a focus on both edge computing that puts processing resources in the cloud and the power that’s available directly on the physical device.

And at the head of that is Dr. Venkata (Murthy) Renduchintala, the chief engineering officer and group president of the Technology, Systems Architecture and Client Group at Intel. Renduchintala joined Intel in 2016, having previously headed up competitor Qualcomm’s chip business.

Renduchintala is the person in charge of almost all of Intel’s hardware, from design to engineering to manufacturing. He joined Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and news editor Chaim Gartenberg for an interview episode of The Vergecast this week to discuss the present and future of Intel, including the company’s place in the development of 5G, the changing landscape of personal- and cloud-based computing, and what the next-generation of processors could look like.

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iPad turns 10, Apple's first quarter earnings, and what Google is doing with the Search design

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Neil Young says the Macbook Pro has “Fisher-Price” audio quality

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0000

Musician Neil Young and tech executive Phil Baker have been trying to push the tech industry to make it easier for consumers to listen to high-quality audio for almost a decade now. The duo’s hi-res music player Pono aimed to fix problems they said plagued MP3 players like the iPod and music software like iTunes — like compressed, lossy, and low-fidelity audio files that were not similar enough to their original recordings.

But five years after the Pono was released, Young believes the tech industry has still not advanced enough for consumers to easily listen to high resolution audio. The two men’s new book, To Feel the Music: A Songwriter’s Mission To Save High Quality Audio, details the hurdles they had to overcome to create the Pono, as well as what the tech industry should do in order to get consumers to realize what their missing with streaming and “CD-quality” music.

In an interview with The Vergecast, Young tells Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel that even though Grammy-winning artists are able to make music almost anywhere they go on their laptop or mobile devices, they’re still sacrificing on audio fidelity.

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Apple's encryption controversy, Bezos's hacked phone, and Sonos stopping old product updates

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Rep. David Cicilline on regulating big tech monopolies

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:11:00 -0000

After a congressional hearing with executives from Sonos, Tile, Basecamp, and PopSockets, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), speaks to The Verge’s Nilay Patel and Adi Robertson about leading an investigation into how big tech platforms like Google, Amazon, and Apple are affecting competition for other tech companies.

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August's Yves Behar and Jason Johnson unlock the smart home

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel interviews Yves Behar and Jason Jason, co-founders of the smartlock company August about their new products, the state of the smart home, and making products that work in both European and American homes.

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AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su talks new Ryzen 4000 chips and out-performing Intel

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Editor-in-chief of The Verge Nilay Patel talks to CEO of AMD Dr Lisa Su at CES 2020 about AMD's new Ryzen laptop chips, the competition with Intel for consumer laptops, and if she is going to take on the high end of Nvidia's GPUs.

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Microsoft’s Edge Chromium launches, NBC reveals Peacock details, and our CES takeaways

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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Anna Wiener's Uncanny Valley

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

Anna Wiener talks to Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel about her book Uncanny Valley, a memoir about her time in Silicon Valley working for startups when they were new and flashy. Wiener also discusses the shift in tone to the reality of what technology and connection do to us and our culture.

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OnePlus' CEO Pete Lau doesn't think folding phones are good enough

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0000

At CES 2020, The Verge's Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn sat down with OnePlus CEO Pete Lau in his first podcast appearance to talk about the OnePlus concept phone with a disappearing camera as well as his thoughts on newer technologies in the smartphone world, like 5G and folding phones.

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CES 2020 roundtable: Concept cars, Quibi, foldables, and more

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0000

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Ashley Carman, and Sean O'Kane highlight the most important, weird, and surprising things The Verge saw at CES 2020.

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CES 2020 Day 1: Sero rotating TV, Galaxy Chromebook, and a preview of the week

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 16:27:00 -0000

Recorded live in Las Vegas, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Ashley Carman discuss what has already been announced at the start of CES 2020 as well as what to expect throughout the week.

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The lives of YouTube moderators, a new smart home standard, and the Xbox Series X announced

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0000

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The toxic work environment at Away

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 15:41:20 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks Verge news reporter Zoe Schiffer about the concerning work conditions at luggage startup Away and the details from the Verge investigation.

Further reading:

Former Away employees describe a toxic work environment

Away replaces CEO Steph Korey after Verge investigation

The Away scandal is a moment of reckoning for Slack

Here’s the leaked memo in which Away tells employees not to fave The Verge’s investigation

Away’s new CEO was going to be second in command — until a toxic workplace story blew up

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Apple's expensive Mac Pro, gadgets of the decade, and Twitter's project Bluesky

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0000

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FaZe Clan CEO talks growing pains, global expansion, and lawsuits

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0000

Editor-in-chief of The Verge Nilay Patel and Verge reporter Julia Alexander sit down with CEO/Co-Owner of FaZe Clan Lee Trink. Lee talks how he runs a multifaceted company from working with talent to the dependence on platforms to selling apparel.

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Tesla Cybertruck first ride, Elon Musk's bad tweets trial, and Google's founders leaving

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0000

2:00- Tesla Cybertruck first ride: inside Elon Musk’s electric pickup truck

23:55 - Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is an electric SUV with up to 300 miles of range

30:30 - No, e-bikes aren’t cheating

37:03 - Elon Musk tries to explain Twitter in ‘pedo guy’ defamation case

1:00:55 - Paul’s weekly segment “In the apocalypse, we don’t need space bars”

1:03:23 - Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin relinquish control of Alphabet to CEO Sundar Pichai

1:19:05 - Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 865 flagship is here — without integrated 5G

How to fight lies, tricks, and chaos online

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 14:00:00 -0000

Verge reporter Adi Robertson talks to Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel about how to spot lies, false information, and trolling online and how to handle it as a user on the internet. Adi just published a guide on The Verge that details a system for slowing down and thinking about information — whether that information is true, false, or something in between.

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Pirate Radio » The PIRATE Act

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:00:00 -0000

Congress is in the process of passing a non-partisan bill to increase support for enforcement against illegal pirate radio operations: Fines can now go as high as $2 million, and the FCC will fund “enforcement sweeps” in major radio markets. Does this target well-intentioned community radio, designed to speak to immigrant communities?

Episode three of The Verge's Pirate Radio mini-series featuring Bijan Stephen.

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Pirate Radio » Dial up!

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 11:00:00 -0000

How the Hmong diaspora uses the world's most boring technology to make something weird and wonderful.

Episode two of The Verge's Pirate Radio mini-series featuring Mia Sato.

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Pirate Radio » Outside the wire

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 14:00:00 -0000

When the US entered Afghanistan, local DJs were hired to help with the war effort. And when the American military pulled out, they abandoned those voices, leaving many of them for dead.

Episode 1 of The Verge's Pirate Radio mini-series featuring Chris Harland-Dunaway.

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Apple releases 16-inch Macbook Pro, Motorola announces a new Razr, and Disney+ launches

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, Nilay, Dieter, and Paul go through the products announced this week including Apple's 16-inch Macbook Pro and Motorola's new Razr foldable phone. Julia Alexander then joins the show to cover the initial launch of Disney+ and the ongoing streaming wars.

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How America gave up on free markets with Thomas Philippon

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:00:00 -0000

On this week’s Vergecast interview, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to finance professor and an economist at the NYU stern school of business Thomas Philippon. Thomas just wrote a book called The Great Reversal: How America Gave Up on Free Markets all about competition and consolidation in different markets.

When Thomas moved to the United States from France in the 90s, he noticed everything from laptops to internet access was cheaper in America, but over time has gotten more and more expensive. In the interview Nilay and Thomas discuss why that is — unsurprisingly the answer is consolidation in a lot of our markets.

Thomas makes a point that in some places, concentrations are actually good and creates value for the consumers, but in some markets like healthcare, technology, and airtravel, that consolidation has resulted in way higher prices for Americans. Since the prices go up slowly, we don’t actually notice.

If you have been listening to The Vergecast and been paying attention to our big conversations about whether or not we should be breaking up big tech companies, whether we should regulate them, or whether tech companies with network effects like Google and Facebook are different than companies like AT&T and GE, this conversation is up your alley. Below is lightly edited except of the conversation.

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Microsoft Surface roundup: Surface Pro X, Surface Laptop 3, and their processors

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 11:00:00 -0000

In a bonus episode of The Vergecast this week, Dieter Bohn hosts a Microsoft Surface roundup with deputy editor Dan Seifert and senior editor Tom Warren. The trio go through reviews of this years new product lineup and how they compare with their counterparts.

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Adobe Max 2019 announcements, AirPods Pro, and missed texts from Valentines Day

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, everything that happened at Adobe Max 2019, reviews for the Microsoft Surface Pro X and AirPods Pro, and missed text messages from Valentines Day.

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What happened in the comments section of the FCC's net neutrality hearing?

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 09:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with Jeremy Singer-Vine, the data editor for the BuzzFeed News investigative unit, about his story that was published recently regarding the fake comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s online net neutrality debate.

If you haven’t read the piece, you should. The investigation details where all of the fake comments in the FCC’s net neutrality process came from, including dead people leaving comments and shady political operatives involved in the scam.

It’s not really a story about net neutrality; rather, it’s about how systems designed for public participation in the government are so easily scammed, and what the challenges are for preventing such scams from happening.

Nilay and Jeremy discuss why it happened, how it happened, and what happens next if we want to use the internet to encourage open access participation in government without corruption.

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The future of photos with Google Pixel camera's product manager and Instagram's director of product

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 13:00:00 -0000

Live at The Glass Room in San Francisco, Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Ashley Carman are joined by Google Pixel camera product manager Isaac Reynolds and Instagram head of product Robby Stein to talk about how the photos we share influence the photos we take — and vice versa.

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Amber Baldet on what blockchain technology can do for us beyond cryptocurrency

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel interviews cryptocurrency expert Amber Baldet, co-founder of Clovyr and on the board of the Zcash foundation. Nilay and Amber discuss where cryptocurrencies on the blockchain are going, the potential of Facebook's Libra project, and how the blockchain can revive our trust in putting our data online.

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Reviewing the Pixel 4, the calm before the streaming war, and a Foxconn Wisconsin update

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

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Will the Sprint and T-Mobile merger create competition?

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

This week for our interview series on The Vergecast, host and Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Gigi Sohn, a distinguished fellow at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Technology Law and Policy. We’ve had Gigi on the show before to talk about the ramifications following the repeal of net neutrality.

This time, we brought her back to talk about some recent developments in the tech policy world, including lawmakers in states like California introducing net neutrality bills.

We also talk to Gigi about the Sprint and T-Mobile merger and the issues surrounding how that merger will seemingly go through unless it’s stopped by a lawsuit from several states. Can Dish become a fourth mobile carrier?

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Pixel 4 hands-on and Mark Zuckerberg's speech on free speech

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

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Google's Rick Osterloh shows off new Pixel and Nest hardware

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Vergecast hosts Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn attended Google's hardware event on Tuesday and sat down with SVP of Devices & Services Rick Osterloh to discuss Google's new products: the Pixel 4, the Pixelbook Go, the Nest Mini, and the Pixel Buds 2.

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Twitter's Kayvon Beykpour on product features Twitter is prioritizing

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Twitter’s head of product Kayvon Beykpour sits down with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Silicon Valley editor Casey Newton to talk about how Twitter juggles its policy with trust and safety, the state of verification, the future of video in your feed, and how tweets can become more ephemeral.

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A deep dive into macOS Catalina, iPadOS, and the 2019 iPad

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast, Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Paul Miller go deep on Apple's updated operating systems: macOS Catalina and iPadOS.

Also, Sony confirms their next console will be the PS5 in 2020.

Stories this week: Apple’s macOS Catalina update is coming today Catalina Review Photoshop and Lightroom users should wait before updating to macOS Catalina Netflix confirms it won’t port its iPad app to macOS You need a MacBook with a butterfly keyboard or a modern Mac desktop to use macOS Catalina’s Sidecar Why I’m turning off auto-updates Apple starts selling Microsoft’s Xbox controller after adding support in iOS, macOS, and tvOS iPadOS review: it’s complicated, finally Linksys' mesh routers can now detect motion using Wi-Fi Apple’s Siri can now play music through Spotify iOS 13 has gotten better, but there’s still a long way to go Apple iPad (2019) review: no competition Sony confirms next console is called PlayStation 5 and coming holiday 2020 The next console war is going to be way more fun than the last one Samsung made the smartwatch Google couldn’t

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Logitech's CEO Bracken Darrell on going beyond hardware

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

This week on The Vergecast interview series, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel speaks to current CEO of Logitech Bracken Darrell.

Logitech has acquired a couple of companies over the past few years, notably Blue Microphones and Ultimate Ears. Recently, Logitech acquired their first software company Streamlabs, a streaming software company used by almost half of all streamers on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

Nilay and Bracken talk about how acquiring this software company makes sense for Logitech, its own hardware that works with Streamlabs, and what it’s like making hardware for big companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google.

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Facebook's leaked audio, Microsoft's Surface event, and net neutrality's battle this week

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Stories this week: Mark Zuckerberg leaked audio Read the full transcript of Mark Zuckerberg's leaked internal Facebook meetings Elizabeth Warren: companies like Facebook ‘repeatedly fumble their responsibility to protect our democracy’Microsoft is building a phone again, it’s called the Surface Duo Windows 10X is Microsoft’s latest stab at a ‘Lite’ operating system, exclusively for dual-screens Microsoft announces dual-screen Surface Neo, coming next holiday Microsoft’s future is built on Google’s code Microsoft doesn’t think Windows is important anymore A first look at Surface Duo, Microsoft’s foldable Android phone Microsoft Surface Neo first look: the future of Windows 10X is dual-screen Inside Microsoft’s new custom Surface processors with AMD and Qualcomm Microsoft announces Surface Pro 7 with long-awaited USB-C port The Surface Pro X and Surface Laptop 3 are upgradable, but only a little Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 3 comes in two sizes and with two different processors Microsoft Surface Pro X and Surface Pro 7 hands-on: It’s ARM vs. Intel Microsoft Surface Earbuds first listen: live transcribe your life Political Operatives Are Faking Voter Outrage With Millions Of Made-Up Comments To Benefit The Rich and Powerful The FCC can repeal net neutrality, but it can’t block state laws, says court iOS 13.1.1 now available with fixes for battery drain, third-party keyboard bug, and more Apple is fixing iOS 13’s bugs at a breakneck pace with another new update today

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