Google's extreme smart home makeover

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. Let us know what you think: 866-VERGE-11 or vergecast@theverge.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Loka 1h 7min

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

3 Loka 1h 52min

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: Why your next car should be an electric cargo bike Electric cargo bikes are rewiring cities Can Google be trusted without a break up? US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial 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

30 Syys 1h 6min

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: Google’s Android for PC: ‘I’ve seen it, it is incredible’  Our biggest questions about ChromeOS and Android merging The foldable iPhone might look like two iPhone Airs stuck together  The touchscreen MacBook rumors are never ending  OpenAI might also be developing AI glasses, a voice recorder, and a pin  Trump claims the US is about to get a tremendous fee for taking TikTok out of China Trump signs executive order approving TikTok deal Some details of the TikTok deal have been worked out. What Trump Wants from a TikTok Deal with China American Investors Will License and Oversee TikTok’s U.S. Version, White House Says TikTok Deal Could Make Oracle Founder Larry Ellison a New Kind of Media Mogul Anker’s party speaker projector hits Kickstarter with a sizable discount.  Montblanc is getting into the digital notepad game  Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro can be easily scratched  It costs $895 per year to get American Express’ premium app theme Nvidia is partnering up with OpenAI to offer compute and cash  Kimmel returns to television to mock FCC Chair Brendan Carr  Sinclair won’t air Kimmel.  Trump on Truth Social 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

26 Syys 1h 36min

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: YouTube makes it easier and more lucrative to go live YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel YouTube is going all in on AI New YouTube AI tools help creators give viewers what they want 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

23 Syys 1h 31min

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: Here’s the Jimmy Kimmel clip that got him pulled off the air  Jimmy Kimmel Live pulled after FCC threat over Charlie Kirk joke  Republicans are honoring Charlie Kirk’s memory by declaring war on the First Amendment  Charlie Kirk’s death got complicated by “extremely online” culture  The right wing is creating a society of snitches Meta Ray-Ban Display hands-on: the best smart glasses I’ve ever tried  Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: what athletes actually want Meta’s new Ray-Ban smart glasses have twice the battery life Conversation focus is the first new feature on deck. I sat down with Mark Zuckerberg to try Meta’s impressive new Ray-Ban Display glasses Meta is opening up its smart glasses to developers | The Verge Snap OS 2.0 is a small step towards AR glasses you might actually wear Android’s next flagship processor is the ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’  Nothing wants you to talk to your earbuds’ charging case  Nvidia invests $5 billion into Intel to jointly develop PC and data center chips  The US and China might finally have a TikTok deal  U.S. Investors, Trump Close In on TikTok Deal With China Samsung brings ads to US refrigerators Reddit wants a better AI deal with Google: users in exchange for content YouTube is inching closer to becoming a shopping channel  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

19 Syys 1h 32min

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: ⁠The iPhone 17 is the one to get this year⁠ Apple iPhone Air review: statement piece Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro is a bold redesign but a basic upgrade AirPods Pro 3 review: tripling down on a good thing The Apple Watch SE 3 is the one to buy Apple Watch Series 11 review: stuck in the middle The unbearable sameness of Liquid Glass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Syys 1h 21min