Starfield is here! It’s just too bad we only like some of it. This week, Devindra chats with Senior Editor Jessica Conditt about Bethesda’s latest massive open world title, and why it just feels like Fallout 4 in space. Also, we dive into reports around Nintendo demoing the Switch 2 at Gamescom, and we dream up what our ideal sequel console could be. (Just call it the Super Switch!) Engadget’s Starfield review: You will like some of it – 1:25 Baldur’s Gate 3 is a big win for games in Early Acces...
Sep 07, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 189
It wouldn’t be the end of summer if we weren’t gearing up for another iPhone launch! This week, Devindra and Cherlynn are joined by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the purveyor of many Apple rumors, to discuss what we expect from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Based on Gurman’s reporting so far, the iPhone 15 will likely get Apple’s Dynamic Island and improved tech from last year’s Pro phone. The iPhone 15 Pro, meanwhile, will see thinner bezels, a titanium frame and a periscope camera for the Pro Ma...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 188
The PSP is back! Sort of. This week, Sony announced the PlayStation Portal, a $200 handheld that can only stream games from your PS5. In this episode, Devindra and Producer Ben Ellman try to figure out what the heck Sony is doing. Is the Portal something gamers actually want? Or did Sony completely miss an opportunity to build a better portable? Also, we discuss why we’re excited for Armored Core VI and some serious big mecha action. Sony announces $200 Playstation Portal handheld – 1:10 Armored...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 187
This week, Cherlynn and Sam are joined by noted foldables lover Michael Fisher (aka Mr Mobile) to talk all about their respective reviews of Samsung’s latest products. Why are our hosts more excited for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 than the Z Fold 5? Is Samsung coasting? Then, we discuss the latest happenings in X vs Threads, as well as a bunch of lighthearted news in tech this week. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 reviews with MrMobile – 1:22 Will Elon actually pay for lawsuits related to posts on X?...
Aug 10, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 186
While our reviewers spend time testing the numerous Samsung devices that were just announced, this episode Cherlynn and Sam dive into the relatively slow week in tech. Of course, we can’t escape the onslaught of news coming from X-Twitter-Musk land, just like how residents from a building across from the company’s San Francisco headquarters were unable to escape from blinding lights this weekend. We also go over some updates from Meta and Google and discover why Cherlynn loves clowns. This week ...
Aug 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 185
Samsung made a huge flex this week by hosting its first Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea (sorry NYC!). In this episode, Cherlynn, Devindra and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford dive into all of Samsung’s news: The Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, Watch 6 and Tab S9. Is Samsung playing it safe this year, or is it actually bringing something new to the world of foldables? Also, we discuss Twitter’s rebrand to “X” ( sigh ), as well as why astrophysicist Avi Loeb is likely wrong about his extraterrestrial ...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 184
AI can now place us inside South Park episodes – should we be worried? This week, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham chat with Edward Saatchi, the CEO of The Simulation, about his company’s new AI technology that can generate TV episodes, movies and more. We preview a test South Park episode featuring Devindra, and discuss if this technology is actually a good thing for creatives. Also, Editor at Large James Trew joins to discuss his piece on AI-powered immortality. And to keep the sci-f...
Jul 20, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 183
It looks like Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is trucking along, following a court rejection of the FTC’s injunction attempt. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Jordan Minor, a Senior Analyst at PCMag covering games, about this massive deal and what it means for the gaming industry. Will further consolidation end up being harmful for consumers (as we’ve been saying for a while), or will Microsoft actually help the beleaguered Activision? Also, we dive into our experiences ...
Jul 13, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 182
It’s been a wild week for social media! While Twitter encountered many self-inflicted wounds, users jumped to Blue Sky and Mastodon. Then Meta decided it was a fine time to drop its Twitter copycat, Threads. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Engadget’s Karissa Bell about where all of these services are headed. Will Threads be the clear winner, thanks to Instagram’s social graph? Or will the future lie with fully decentralized platforms like Mastodon? Twitter continues to crumble, Meta i...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 181
This episode, Cherlynn is joined by senior writer Sam Rutherford and senior commerce editor at Wired Julian Chokkattu to talk about our reviews of the Pixel Fold. Will the recent spate of foldables by companies like Motorola and Google give Samsung some real competition and motivation to step up its game? We can only wait to find out. Samsung is holding its next Galaxy Unpacked in late July, and we’ll see what it has to unveil then. This episode, we also take a look at the latest addition to the...
Jun 29, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 180
This episode, Cherlynn is joined by senior reporter Jess Conditt and special guest Michael Fisher to talk about the week of reviews. From the Moto Razr+ to the Pixel Tablet, we look at how these devices fit into our lives and make them better (or worse). Than, we go over the highlights from Summer Games Fest and dig into that Titanic situation. Moto Razr+ review: a foldable with an external display you’ll actually want to use – 1:56 Pixel Tablet review: Google made a great smart display and a pa...
Jun 23, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 179
What good is Reddit without the support of its community? This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss the recent subreddit revolts, following the company’s decision to dramatically increase the cost of its API for third parties. They’re joined by Ryan Broderick, the internet culture reporter behind the must-read newsletter Garbage Day . Will the protests amount to any sort of change? Or will Reddit CEO Steve Huffman prevail and make the company ready for a potential IPO? Also, we dive into our revi...
Jun 15, 2023•44 min•Ep. 178
After tons of typing and running around Apple’s campus, we’re ready to wrap up WWDC 2023. This week, Devindra chats with Editor-in-Chief Dana Wollman and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford about Apple’s foray into spatial computing with the Vision Pro, the 15-inch MacBook Air, and the company’s many ( many ) software announcements. Also, we discuss Spotify’s latest podcast flubs, Diablo 4 , and the new Genndy Tartakovsky animated series Unicorn: Warriors Eternal. Wrapping up WWDC 2023: a few more thou...
Jun 08, 2023•54 min•Ep. 177
We’ve survived day one of Apple’s WWDC ‘23, and we’re ready to talk about the company’s new Vision Pro mixed reality headset. In this bonus episode, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into their thoughts on Apple’s spatial computing play, as well as Devindra’s 30-minute hands on session with the headset. It’s undoubtedly the best AR/VR experience we’ve seen yet, but there are still plenty of issues Apple needs to solve.
Jun 06, 2023•25 min
It’s only a few days until the beginning of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference next week, and we’re eager to see what the iPhone maker is cooking up. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Engadget Senior Writer Sam Rutherford to dive into all of the Apple rumors: That fabled mixed reality headset, a potential 15-inch MacBook Air and more! But really, all eyes are on the headset. Is Apple setting itself up for failure, or for a future where smart glasses are actually a thing? Also, ...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 176
It’s a bigger than usual AI week for Microsoft, thanks to its Build developer conference. This week, we chat with Panos Panay, Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer, about Windows Copilot, a new “AI assistant” headed to Windows 11. Is this just a smarter Clippy, or will AI actually transform the way we use Windows? Also, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss what’s up with Apple’s Mixed Reality headset as we gear up for WWDC in a few weeks. Microsoft announces AI in just about everything at Build 2023 – 1:4...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 175
This week, we’re focusing on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), an annual event meant to promote the need for accessible tech solutions. Cherlynn returns to tell us what Apple, Google, Adobe and others are doing to make their products more useful for people with disabilities (and, it turns out, many general users too). We also discuss Sam Altman’s trip to Congress, and why we’re not entirely impressed with the OpenAI CEO’s calls for AI regulation. Finally, we explain why the BlackBerry m...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 174
It’s a huge week for news: Google I/O happened, and we finally got a close look at the Pixel Fold and the company’s latest AI plans. Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham also joins to discuss his review of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the follow-up to one of the greatest games ever made. (No pressure, Nate!) We also chat about Nintendo’s confirmation that it won’t be announcing any new hardware until next year, and the perils of chatbots serving as the latest avatars for Hindu go...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 173
This week, Senior Editor Jessica Conditt joins to discuss what went wrong with Redfall, Microsoft’s latest Xbox exclusive that launched to middling reviews. Jess says it’s good enough for Game Pass, but that’s pretty disappointing for a game from Arkane, the studio behind Dishonored and Prey. Also, they chat about Star Wars: Jedi Survivor and its horrendous PC port, and weigh in on how AI and streaming affects the WGA strike. Stay tuned at the end for an interview with Nida Manzoor, the director...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 172
This week, Devindra chats with Sam Rutherford about his recent experiences with ASUS’s ROG Ally, a powerful new Steam Deck competitor, and Nintendo’s long-awaited The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The ROG Ally sounds like one of the best portable gaming systems yet, though we’re still waiting for pricing details. And Zelda was apparently a blast to play, but of course it was. Also, Devindra and Podcast Producer Ben Ellman dive into the latest news, including the FAA grounding SpaceX’s S...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 171
Is Google’s foldable coming soon? This week, Cherlynn, Devindra and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford discuss the rumored Pixel Fold, which may debut at Google I/O next month. Also, Devindra and Sam compare the Razer Blade 16 to the Razer Blade 18, two powerful (and expensive!) gaming laptops. In other news, we dive into SpaceX’s exploding Starship rocket, and the fake AI generated collab between The Weeknd and Drake. Google’s Pixel Fold is rumored to launch at Google I/O – 1:25 Sam Rutherford’s revi...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 170
So long HBO Max, hello… Max? This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss Warner Bros. pivot away from the beleaguered HBO Max service, and towards something that unifies HBO and Discovery’s content. Does Max help, or hurt the HBO brand? And does the name even matter when people will always line up for the next Game of Thrones spin-off? Also, we dive into the NVIDIA RTX 4070, a champ of a mid-range GPU, as well as the latest from Elon Musk’s disastrous Twitter reign. Max (just Max) is replacing HBO ...
Apr 13, 2023•48 min•Ep. 169
This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into our review of Amazon's Halo Rise and look into the role it plays in the company's overall strategy as a healthcare provider. Then, our hosts contemplate the cancelation and possible end of E3, as well as the spate of odd news around April Fools day, including Twitter's doge-ification and ASUS' ill-timed gaming handheld launch. Our review of Amazon’s Halo Rise bedside sleep tracker – 2:02 E3 2023 has been canceled – 29:20 This week in Twitter mess: bluec...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 168
With the Tetris movie hitting Apple TV+ this week, we chat with the game’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov, and Henk Rogers, the man who helped bring it out of the Soviet Union. We discuss just how realistic the film is (it definitely takes plenty of fantastical liberties), the impact of Tetris on gaming and where it could be headed in the future. Also, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the recent letter from the Future of Life Institute, which was signed by Elon Musk and other tech leaders, and called f...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 167
Google finally opened up its Bard AI for testing, and it turns out it’s a little loopy. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into their experience with Bard, as well as how it compares with Microsoft’s BingAI (and GPT4, consequently). Also, we discuss even more AI news from NVIDIA, Microsoft and Midjourney, as well as TikTok CEO Shou Chew’s date with Congress. Google opened its Bard AI chatbot to the masses, it seems a little drunk – 1:22 So many other AI updates from Microsoft, NVIDIA, Adobe a...
Mar 23, 2023•59 min•Ep. 166
The downfall of Silicon Valley bank affects the entire technology industry. This week, we chat with Alex Wilhelm, editor in chief at TechCrunch+, about why SVB failed and what it means for the broader ecosystem. Where were the regulations? And why were VCs so quick to abandon it? Also, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the latest AI news from Google, Microsoft and the launch of OpenAI’s GPT4. Like we’ve said before, the AI news will never end! What caused Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse? – 1:13 FBI...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 165
This week, we chat with Senior Editor Andrew Tarantola about Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain computer interface (BCI) company. The FDA reportedly denied approval for human trials last week—Andy explains why that happened, as well as what BCIs could mean for humans in the future. Also, Cherlynn dives into the accessibility news from Microsoft’s Ability Summit. What’s going on with Neuralink and BCI tech? – 2:05 Elon Musk goes after disabled Twitter employee, quickly apologizes – 19:52 Microsoft tout...
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 164
This week, our hosts are joined by UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith to dive into the most interesting devices that were announced at Mobile World Congress, which has been happening this week in Barcelona. Are foldables getting more interesting, or are they going to become as stale as regular smartphones have become? Also, just how fast is too fast when it comes to charging? Then, we go over Cherlynn’s review of the Galaxy S23+ and why Microsoft bringing Bing AI to the Windows 11 taskbar isn’t what it s...
Mar 03, 2023•48 min•Ep. 163
The AI news just won’t stop! This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss the latest on Bing AI – Microsoft is loosening up some recent restrictions, following reports of its bad behavior – as well as the rise of ChatGPT stories on the Kindle store. Spotify is also launching its own AI DJ, starring the digitized voice of one of its current hosts. In other news, we discuss Microsoft’s recent agreements with NVIDIA and Nintendo, which could warm regulators towards approving its Activision Blizzard acq...
Feb 24, 2023•52 min•Ep. 162
The PlayStation VR2 is here, and it’s mostly great! But its high price and limited library make it hard to recommend for many gamers. This week, Devindra and Nathan Ingraham dive into our review of the PS VR2, and why our feelings about it are sort of complicated. Also, we discuss why Bing’s AI search is catching a bad attitude, and what Microsoft has to say about it. And be sure to stay tuned for our thoughts on HBO’s The Last of Us as we reach the middle of its first season. Playstation VR2 re...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 161
