Episodes

  • Your front door is the key to the smart home

    Your front door is the key to the smart home
    Oct 1 2024
    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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 25 mins
  • The future of AI might look a lot like Twitter

    The future of AI might look a lot like Twitter
    Sep 29 2024
    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
    Show more Show less
    55 mins
  • Meta's new smart glasses look like the future

    Meta's new smart glasses look like the future
    Sep 27 2024
    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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 45 mins
  • They think they’re building God

    They think they’re building God
    Sep 24 2024
    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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 15 mins
  • The chatbot becomes the teacher

    The chatbot becomes the teacher
    Sep 22 2024
    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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr
  • You’re cute no matter what phone you have

    You’re cute no matter what phone you have
    Sep 20 2024
    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: Our iPhone 16 Review, Brought To You By a Joanna Stern AI Chatbot Snap releases new Spectacles for AR developers Snapchat’s AI selfie feature puts your face in personalized ads — here’s how to turn it off Snap announces “Simple Snapchat” redesign to compete with TikTok Evan Spiegel explains why Snap is betting on Spectacles Meta extends its Ray-Ban smart glasses deal beyond 2030 YouTube’s new Hype feature is a way to promote and discover smaller creators YouTube integrates AI for creators through Veo and the Inspiration tab YouTube Communities let fans and viewers chat and post with creators YouTube confirms your pause screen is now fair game for ads YouTube is adding ‘seasons’ to make your favorite channel more like Netflix SocialAI: we tried the Twitter clone where no other humans are allowed Lionsgate signs deal to train AI model on its movies and shows 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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Reviewing the iPhone 16

    Reviewing the iPhone 16
    Sep 18 2024
    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. 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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 42 mins
  • The great Evernote reboot

    The great Evernote reboot
    Sep 15 2024
    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. 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
    Show more Show less
    1 hr