The Vergecast

The Verge crew is on our way back home after a week at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018. This week, we did a ton of reporting, a ton of videos, and four live Circuit Breaker shows, so we did not have a lot of time to sit down and tape a full-length Vergecast. But what we did do was collect a bunch of audio recorded throughout the show — including clips from Circuit Breaker Live — to give you an idea of what it’s like to be at CES, and what kinds of things we saw this year. Enjoy, and we’ll see you next week. 00:44 - Day -1 03:14 - Day 0 24:54 - Day 1 45:30 - Day 2 1:05:02 - Day 3

CES is next week, and we'll get to it, but first we need to talk to security expert Russell Brandom to make sure we won't all be dead from CPU security vulnerabilities before then. Also, stay tuned for Paul Miller's excellent and enlightening sci-fi short story allegory for how Meltdown actually works. He did a great job. Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn, the world's foremost experts on what to expect from the world's most important technology tradeshow, make their CES predictions, and Paul does his weekly segment "Mustard, back off!" So wow, what a great episode. Sorry about the sad stuff where computers are fundamentally flawed and nothing is safe. 2:56 - Meltdown and Spectre 42:17 - Paul's weekly segment "Mustard, back off!" 48:14 - CES preview

Hello! And happy holidays. This is the last Vergecast of 2017! But we go out with a bang (At least two computers broke down during this recording). The two big things that happened this week was the unveiling of the mysterious Magic Leap augmented reality goggles and Apple confirming they slow down older iPhones. So Nilay, Dieter, and Paul welcome senior reporter Adi Robertson back to the show, who has been reporting on Magic Leap for the past few years. There’s a whole lot more in between that, like Paul’s weekly segment “Robots teach me how to breathe?” so listen to it all and you’ll get it all. 01:41 - Magic Leap finally unveils augmented reality goggles 31:39 - Apple confirms iPhones with older batteries will take hits in performance 50:13 - Paul’s weekly segment “Robots teach me how to breathe?” 52:45 - Google brings Chrome to the Windows Store as just a download link 57:29 - Caavo, the universal remote control that uses machine vision, will ship on February 14th 1:02:50 - Amazon Echo Spot review

The Vergecast three-piece is back together, with Nilay leading the flagship podcast. The biggest news this week is something we’ve seen coming for a while: on Thursday, the FCC voted to repeal net neutrality rules. Nilay, Dieter, and Paul sit down to discuss the action and their viewpoints on what this means going forward for the internet. Also, the iMac Pro is now available to order and Dieter got to write about it. There’s quite a bit of talk about whether this computer is worth the price for its power. There’s a lot more in between that — like Paul’s weekly segment “The internet of claps” — so listen to the whole episode to get everything to need to know in the world of tech this week.  02:10 - The FCC just killed net neutrality 41:53 - The iMac Pro is a beast, but it’s not for everybody 57:23 - What is Layer3 TV and why is T-Mobile buying it? 1:04:16 - Paul’s weekly segment “The internet of claps”

This week, Dieter Bohn runs the show with Paul Miller and Natt Garun, and it's been a wild week of news. Amazon and Google are basically feuding right now: Google is pulling YouTube from the FireTV so the podcast trio ponders what this frightening predicament means for the streaming and the open web. Also, Microsoft launched some ARM-powered Windows 10 PCs, so you bet these tech luminaries are going to talk about it. There’s lots more in between that, like Paul’s weekly segment (say it with me) “Color me surprised,” so listen to it all and you’ll get it all. 05:00 - Microsoft launches ARM-powered Windows 10 PCs with ‘all-day’ battery life 17:44 - Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 845 processor 22:40 - How Messenger Kids takes more from families than it gives them 30:17 - Google and Amazon are punishing their own customers in a bitter feud 40:27 - DeepMind’s AI became a superhuman chess player in a few hours, just for fun 44:21 - Major airlines are about to ban ‘smart luggage’ 49:45 - Paul’s weekly segment “Color me surprised” 52:06 - Instagram is testing Direct, a standalone messaging app that replaces the current inbox 54:57 - Apple's had a shockingly bad week of software problems 1:00:22 - Bitcoin hits $15,000 1:04:01 - CryptoKitties

Let get this out of the way: Nilay and Dieter are not on the show this week. But really, we’ve got a great show hosted by Verge podcast professionals Lauren Goode and Casey Newton. Oh and Paul is still here, too! So what are we talking about on the show today? Well, a lot. Lauren, Casey, and Paul analyze the news that was at the top of the site this week, including a glitch that left American Airlines without pilots during the week of Christmas; a rundown of the new trivia app HQ; and the reveal of the man who deactivated Trump’s Twitter account briefly a few weeks ago. Also, Lauren gives us a closer look into the newest episode of her video series Next Level, which deals with solar panels that turn air into drinking water. There’s a whole lot in between that, like Paul’s weekly segment “Whiskey pods? No.” So, listen to it all, and you know what? You’ll get it all. 02:56 - Google might merge back with Nest to make more smart home products 10:23 - The man who deactivated Trump’s Twitter account has revealed himself 17:35 - HQ 25:35 - Facebook uses selfies as login authentication for suspicious activity 29:02 - Verge holiday book recommendations 32:00 - ‘Only a few hundred’ American Airlines flights still lack pilots after massive computer glitch 34:27 - Inside the decade-long fight to expose Morgan Marquis-Boire 38:53 - Next Level season 2 episode 3 52:07 - Paul’s weekly segment “Whiskey pods? No.” 55:56 - Amazon unveils $250 AI camera and machine learning tools for businesses 1:04:50 - Is now a good time to buy a new phone / laptop / TV?

The FCC decided to bury the news about its plan to end the Net Neutrality rules in the middle of Thanksgiving week here in the US. But that won't stop Nilay, Paul, and Dieter from doing a Vergecast.  This was originally broadcasted live on YouTube on November 24th, 2017.

This week on The Vergecast, Nilay, Paul, and Dieter run through a few things in the tech world that happened this week, like reviews for Google’s Pixel Buds and Microsoft’s Surface Book 2, and the announcement of the OnePlus 5T. Also, Lauren Goode stops by the show to talk about season 2 of her video series Next Level, which takes a closer look at technology's impact on the human experience. This week’s episode featured DJI's Aeroscope technology that can track rogue drones. There’s a lot more in between all of that — like Paul’s weekly segment “Robot dogs are people, too” — so listen to it all, and you’ll get it all. 02:50 - Microsoft Surface Book 2 review 13:12 - Google Pixel Buds review 25:40 - Next Level season 2 episode 2 47:54 - iPhone X: a few weeks later 1:01:04 - OnePlus 5T announced with bigger screen, new camera system, and a headphone jack 1:05:15 - Paul’s weekly segment “Robot dogs are people, too”

There’s a lot of little tech news this week, and we’ve got the perfect podcast to sum it all up. This week on The Vergecast, Nilay, Paul, and Dieter run through topics like Samsung’s ad that mocks the iPhone, the update to Pixel 2 XL screens, and Logitech shutting down Harmony Link hub services. Also, The Verge’s video series Next Level is back! Lauren Goode returns to talk about the season premiere, which deals with creating holographic videos, and how that can be used to preserve memories. There’s a whole lot more in between that — like obviously Paul’s weekly segment “One 2 Won (One)” — so listen to this whole show to get everything you need. 02:23 - Samsung returns to mock iPhone X buyers in latest commercial 06:06 - An iOS bug won't let some users type 'I' 15:02 - Google updates Pixel 2 XL with new 'saturated' color display option 18:21 - How big of a problem is the Pixel 2 XL's screen, really? 21:32 - Next Level S02 E01 with Lauren Goode 43:36 - Logitech will brick its Harmony Link hub for all owners in March 52:49 - Intel and AMD team up against Nvidia to produce a new laptop chip 59:32 - Paul’s weekly segment “One 2 Won (One)” 1:02:26 - Justice Department pushes back against AT&T–Time Warner merger 1:10:32 - Broadcom may acquire Qualcomm amid existential legal battle with Apple

The iPhone X is finally here. Nilay had the chance to review it, so, along with Paul, Ashley, and Dan, he discusses what it’s like to use the phone in the real world as well as what the process of reviewing it was like. We also welcome Phil Esposito, The Verge’s lead video director, to the show for the first time to discuss the roller coaster that is working on the two videos we produced throughout the week. There’s a whole lot in between that — like Paul’s weekly segment about a robot dog — so listen to it all and you’ll get it all. 03:22 - iPhone X first impressions 24:33 - iPhone X review with Phil Esposito 37:16 - Animoji 50:14 - Paul’s weekly segment “Can form an emotional bond with members of the household while providing them with love, affection, and the joy of nurturing and raising a companion” 53:48 - The HTC U11 Plus was originally intended to be the Google Pixel 2 XL

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul run through the news this week on The Vergecast, with a lot of heavy sighs to go around. There's the Pixel 2 XL screen fiasco, Amazon's home camera invasion efforts with Amazon Key, and Amazon's oversized new Fire TV. Plus, Paul is back with his weekly segment about water pods. And more! Listen in and lament the current state of technology with your three best friends. 02:44 - Google 'actively investigating' reports of Pixel 2 XL screen burn-in … 17:39 - Google Pixelbook review 27:50 - Microsoft kills off Kinect, stops manufacturing it 31:38 - Amazon Key is a new service that lets couriers unlock your front door 37:22 - Amazon Echo (2nd gen) review 38:07 - Amazon Fire TV (2017) review 46:00 - Apple’s Face ID struggles detailed in new iPhone X report 55:54 - Paul’s weekly segment “WATER PODS”

The reviews are in and everybody just loves the quality OLED component Google picked for the Pixel 2 XL. Really just can't stop talking about it. And talking? That's what the Vergecast is for. On this episode Nilay, Paul, and Dieter discuss the reviews of Google's new phones, and The Verge's security expert Russell Brandom drops by to explain KRACK and four-way handshakes. It's all the grit and off-axis color shifting of a Pentile display, in podcast form. 03:08 Dieter: Pixel 2 review 10:27 Smartphone screens, display 17:58 Features, camera, speaker 26:12 Russell: Wi-Fi, WPA 2 protocol 39:40 Paul’s Segment 46:45 Dieter: Surface Book 2 52:14 Microsoft fall creator update

We’ve got a bloggy Vergecast today. In between review weeks, a few things popped up in the news that Nilay, Dieter, and Paul needed to talk about. Google is integrating video chat into a phone but still not text; you can now watch all the movies you’ve purchased online in one place; Apple is on a “hype cycle” talking about AR; and Windows Phone died again. But that’s not all. There’s a whole lot in between that — like the segment Paul does every week, “You know Dan, the duck face is no longer cool” — so listen to it all and you’ll get it all.  07:28 - Android Messaging rant 18:49 - Hollywood studios join Disney to launch Movies Anywhere digital locker service 26:07 - Google will “permanently remove” Home Mini feature that led to constant recording 32:21 - Apple hype cycle 38:02 - Oculus announces new $199 self-contained VR headset called Oculus Go 49:59 - Windows Phone is dead 58:17 - Paul’s weekly segment “You know Dan, the duck face is no longer cool” 1:01:50 - Amazon finally makes a waterproof Kindle, after 10 years of Kindles

Another week, another tech event: on Wednesday, Google had its fall hardware event. Nilay, Paul, and Dieter try to fit everything they want to say into 90 minutes. Dieter had some exclusive looks at the products, and was able to talk to CEO Sundar Pichai and senior vice president of hardware Rick Osterloh, so the crew lets Dieter talk this week to get more of the details. There’s a whole lot in between that — including everyone’s favorite segment “Micro is more mini than mini” — so listen to it all and you’ll get it all. 01:46 - Google event 13:12 - Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL 29:02 - Google Buds 51:43 - Pixelbook 1:02:14 - Google Home Mini and Max 1:10:30 - Google Clips 1:26:18 - Paul’s weekly segment “Micro is more mini than mini”

Amazon announced a few more Echo devices this week, and The Vergecast is here to recap it all. Nilay, Dan, Dieter, and Paul discuss Amazon’s strategy with these new products, as well rumors of stuff that will be announced at Google’s event next week. There’s a whole lot of stuff in between that — like Twitter’s new 280 character limit — so listen to it all and you’ll get it all. 02:22 - Twitter just doubled the character limit for tweets to 280 06:08 - The 5 biggest announcements from Amazon’s surprise hardware event 09:23 - Amazon’s Echo and Echo Plus are hiding a lot of new tech 16:41 - Amazon's Echo Spot is a sneaky way to get a camera into your bedroom 24:31 - Google pulls YouTube off the Amazon Echo Show 41:16 - This week in TV stuff 46:52 - Amazon announces new Fire TV with 4K and HDR for only $70 52:33 - Paul’s weekly segment “Kitsch in the Kloud” 54:14 - Google Pixel 2 event: what to expect