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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Two possible futures for AI

October 29, 2024 1:32:26 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: Sam Altman: The Intelligence Age Dario Amodei: Machines of Loving Grace Anthropic’s CEO thinks AI will lead to a utopia — he just needs a few billion dollars first OpenAI plans Orion AI model release for December ShakeAlert If you live on the West Coast and you have an iPhone, here's how to turn on the "Local Awareness" feature that speeds up WEA messages: Download the MyShake app on for iOS or for Android Ready.gov's earthquake advice: About emergency and government alerts on iPhone Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Plus review: all caught up 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

The confusing state of Apple Intelligence

October 25, 2024 1:29:43 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: Apple iPad Mini 2024 review: missing pieces iOS 18.2 will let everyone set new default phone and messaging apps Apple’s first iOS 18.2 beta adds more AI features and ChatGPT integration Apple teases ‘week’ of Mac announcements starting Monday Apple is preparing an M4 MacBook Air update for early next year Tim Cook says he uses every Apple product every day — how does that work? Tim Cook on Why Apple’s Huge Bets Will Pay Off Anthropic’s latest AI update can use a computer on its own Humane slashes the price of its AI Pin after weak sales Apple is ‘concerned’ about AI turning real photos into ‘fantasy’ News Corp sues Perplexity for ripping off WSJ and New York Post Kevin Bacon, Kate McKinnon, and other creatives warn of ‘unjust’ AI threat Industry groups are suing the FTC to stop its click to cancel rule The Boox Palma 2 has a faster processor and adds a fingerprint reader Seniors are PISSED that T-Mobile won’t honor its “lifetime” price guarantee. 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

AirPods are good for your (hearing) health

October 22, 2024 1:19:08 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: We tested six smart rings, and there’s a clear winner Oura Ring 4 review: still on top — for now Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing health features are as good as they sound Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 could forever change how people access hearing aids Super Mario Run hands-on: like Mario, just simpler Microsoft’s Phil Spencer says acquiring Nintendo would be ‘a career moment’ 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

The tech YouTuber who opened a coffee shop

October 20, 2024 0:44:54 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kindle's future with Panos Panay

October 18, 2024 1:54:32 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: The Optimus robots at Tesla’s Cybercab event were humans in disguise The Tesla Cybercab is a cool-looking prototype that needed to be much more than that Tesla’s Robovan is the surprise of the night Apple just announced a new, faster iPad Mini  AMD and Intel are teaming up to fend off ARM chips Sonos announces ‘breakthrough’ Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4  Analogue’s 4K Nintendo 64 launches next year for $249 Amazon’s new Kindle family includes the first color Kindle Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition hands-on: color E Ink looks pretty good Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024: a new design and AI tools for note takers Amazon’s new Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite are faster and brighter Amazon discontinues the last Kindle with physical buttons  Google is replacing the exec in charge of Search and ads Here’s a bunch of bananas shit Trump said today about breaking up Google Trump says Tim Cook called him to complain about the European Union Anthropic’s CEO thinks AI will lead to a utopia — he just needs a few billion dollars first  The New York Times warns AI search engine Perplexity to stop using its content 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"

October 15, 2024 1:06:22 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The putt-putt champions of the internet

October 13, 2024 0:51:47 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: @dannysanicki on TikTok Twin Tour Golf on Instagram Twin Tour Golf on YouTube From Golf Digest: How college golf twins and some friends with time to kill accidentally created a viral mini-golf sensation 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

The Google breakup is looming

October 11, 2024 1:44:17 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: The bill finally comes due for Elon Musk In the past week, 4 of Elon Musk's direct reports have announced their exits from Tesla All the buzz about Nintendo’s Alarmo clock I totally forgot we wrote about Nintendo’s sleep tracking alarm clock 10 years ago. Nintendo’s original alarm clock prototypes were a lot less playful A closer look at Nintendo’s adorable Alarmo clock Shrunken Mac Minis and a new iPad Mini might come in November Apple’s Vision Pro leader, Dan Riccio, is retiring A Google breakup is on the table, say DOJ lawyers How the DOJ wants to break up Google’s search monopoly Google must crack open Android for third-party stores, rules Epic judge The filing: Microsoft Word - FINAL - Google Remedy Framework Google’s response: DOJ’s radical and sweeping proposals risk hurting consumers, businesses, and developers Google Docs is making it much easier to organize information Zoom will let AI avatars talk to your team for you - The Verge Hurricane Milton hits tonight, and it’s past the point of evacuation. Creators are still there. Instagram and Threads moderation is out of control - The Verge FEMA adds misinformation to its list of disasters to clean up 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

AI is fixing — and ruining – our photos

October 08, 2024 1:36:32 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: Halide Halide’s Process Zero feature captures photos with no AI processing Let’s compare Apple, Google, and Samsung’s definitions of ‘a photo’ No one’s ready for this Google’s AI tool helped us add disasters and corpses to our photos The AI photo editing era is hare, and it’s every person for themselves This system can sort real pictures from AI fakes — why aren’t platforms using it? 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

Get ready to meet your AI best friend

October 04, 2024 1:50:59 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: Microsoft gives Copilot a voice and vision in its biggest redesign yet Read Microsoft’s optimistic memo about the future of AI companions Shh, ChatGPT. That’s a Secret. - The Atlantic College students used Meta’s smart glasses to dox people in real time Sonos has a plan to earn back your trust, and here it is Chromebooks are getting a new button dedicated to Google’s AI Microsoft is discontinuing its HoloLens headsets Google’s Pixel Buds are now fully supported on Windows and macOS. Automattic demanded a cut of WP Engine’s revenue before starting WordPress battle DirecTV and Dish are merging Nintendo has reportedly shut down Ryujinx, the Switch emulator that was supposedly immune 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

Your front door is the key to the smart home

October 01, 2024 1:24:40 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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:  Ki is bringing wireless power to kitchen appliances The Eufy Smart Lock E30 is the company’s first Matter device The Ultraloq Bolt Mission from U-tec is the first smart lock with UWB Assa Abloy buys Level Lock to bolster its smart lock business TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera review Ring’s entry-level wireless doorbell gets a head-to-toe view iOS 18 lets you control Matter devices without a smart home hub The Thread 1.4 spec is here, but it will be a while until we see any benefit Google TV gets a big upgrade Google is set to supercharge Google Home with Gemini intelligence And on wireless earbuds: The best wireless earbuds to buy right now Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are its best earbuds yet Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review: big upgrade, much smaller earbuds Bose’s new QuietComfort Earbuds offer top-tier ANC for under $200 Apple AirPods 4 review: defying expectations Nothing’s first open-ear headphones keep you aware of your surroundings 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

The future of AI might look a lot like Twitter

September 29, 2024 0:55:02 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meta's new smart glasses look like the future

September 27, 2024 1:44:36 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: Meta Connect 2024: biggest news and announcements Hands-on with Orion, Meta’s first pair of AR glasses Meta’s Ray-Bans will now ‘remember’ things for you Why Mark Zuckerberg thinks AR glasses will replace your phone Meta’s VR app store is about to fill up with phone-style 2D apps Mark Zuckerberg: creators and publishers ‘overestimate the value’ of their work for training AI Meta’s AI can now talk to you in the voices of Awkwafina, John Cena, and Judi Dench Kristen Bell told Instagram to ‘get rid of AI’ before she became its official voice OpenAI CTO Mira Murati is leaving Just 5,000 people use the Rabbit R1 every day Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review: big upgrade, much smaller earbuds I played the PS5 Pro, and it’s clearly better Inside Jony Ive’s Life After Apple and His LoveFrom Design Business 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

September 24, 2024 1:14:32 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The chatbot becomes the teacher

September 22, 2024 1:00:06 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

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: NotebookLM Steven Johnson’s website / newsletter From Steven Johnson: Listening To The Algorithm Google teases Project Tailwind — a prototype AI notebook that learns from your documents Google’s AI-powered note-taking app is the messy beginning of something great Google is using AI to make fake podcasts from your notes 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