Hello! This is The Vergecast, the flagship podcast of The Verge... and your life. Every Friday, Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn make sense of the week's tech news with help from our wide-ranging staff. Join us every week for a fun, deeply nerdy, often off-the-rails conversation about what's happening now (and next) in technology and gadgets.
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A very human vision for going all-in on AI
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's code red for ChatGPT
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.” 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apple gadgets, ranked
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
I just want AI to rename my photos
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The geek's guide to running faster
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? 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Version History: Vine
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
AI agents are invading your PC
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's not your job to fix the internet
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: Cory Doctorow on Decoder Read Cory's book, Enshittification Cory's last Vergecast appearance From Pluralistic: How monopoly enshittified Amazon AI is killing the old web, and the new web struggles to be born FTC files a massive antitrust lawsuit against Amazon 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Version History: LimeWire
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Valve made Microsoft's dream console
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 controllerThe 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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Extreme smart home makeover
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. Kitchen: Fridge - Bosch 100 Series I found the first Matter smart fridge Samsung Bosh Home Connect app Echo Show 8/11 Echo Show 15 Echo Dot Max Thermomix My smart kitchen: the good, the bad, and the future GE Profile Nugget Ice maker Typhur Dome 2 air fryer Instant Pot Pro Bosch 800 Series Coffee Machine Living Room FireTV Omni FireTV Stick with voice remote Inovelli smart switches Philips Hue essentials bulbs Philips Hue lights get bigger, brighter, and cheaper with a major product refresh Philips Hue Bridge Pro / Motion Aware Inside Philips Hue’s plans to make all your lights motion sensors Ikea Bilresa Buttons Lutron Caseta SmartWings shades Sonos / Hue Bedroom: Philips Hue Twilight Fall into smarter lighting Switchbot Air Purifier table AIDot WeLov Air Purifiers Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor Ikea Alpstuga air quality monitor Belkin Boost Charge Pro Echo Spot Big Ass Fans Kids room: Echo Glow Echo Dot Kids Switchbot robot vacuum K11 Plus Office Basement: Philips Hue downlights Nanoleaf downlights Nanoleaf Blocks Nanoleaf Skylight Sense Plus Switch Nanoleaf launches a smart switch after eight years of trying Govee Floor lamp Philips Hue Floor Lamp Nanoleaf Floor Lamp Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Gardyn Studio Gen 2 Aqara Smart Lock U300 Lever Lock Garden Hue Festavia Globe Outdoor Lights Nanoleaf String Lights Lifx String lights Eve Aqua Apollo PLT-1 indoor plant multisensor Others: All Ikea’s new stuff Shelly Relays Third Reality Zigbee sensors Zooz Z-Wave sensors Eve Energy smart plug Home Assistant The little smart home platform that could Home Assistant Green Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 Home Assistant Z-Wave Home Assistant Energy Management 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Version History: Fire Phone
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bring back the iBook, you cowards
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Your smart home questions, answered
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 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Version History: Zune
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices