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The Vergecast

The Vergewww.theverge.com
The Vergecast is the flagship daily podcast from The Verge about small gadgets, Big Tech, and everything in between. Every Friday, Nilay Patel and David Pierce hang out and make sense of the week’s most important technology news. And Monday through Thursday, David leads a selection of The Verge’s expert staffers in an exploration of how gadgets and software affect our lives – and which ones you should bring into yours.
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Episodes

Quibi's launch week, Asus laptop reviews, and Sony's PS5 controller

Stories discussed this week: Webcams have become impossible to find, and prices are skyrocketing Why the 5G coronavirus conspiracy theories don’t make sense UK mobile carriers politely ask people to stop burning 5G towers No one’s getting new emoji in 2021 because of the pandemic Foxconn will produce ventilators at its controversial Wisconsin plant Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review: AMD has rewritten the rules Nvidia’s RTX Super GPUs for laptops have arrived — here’s where you’ll see them first Asus’...

Apr 10, 20201 hr 9 minEp. 400

Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott on AI for rural America

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott about his new book Reprogramming the American Dream: From Rural America to Silicon Valley―Making AI Serve Us All . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 07, 20201 hr 7 min

Zoom's privacy concerns, Apple buys Dark Sky, and Sprint is dead

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul talk to Tom Warren about Zoom's privacy and security concerns . The crew also looks back at the history of Sprint after it finally merged with T-Mobile. Paul's weekly segment "If I were a rich man" updates the keyboard-in-the-front club. The show ends with some chat about Apple buying the weather app Dark Sky and allowing in-app rentals on their mobile devices. Stories discussed in this episode: After walkouts, Amazon pledges temperature checks and masks in all warehouses...

Apr 03, 20201 hr 22 minEp. 399

Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to founder and CEO of The Future Today Institute Amy Webb. Amy is also a professor at NYU's Stern School of Business and recently came out with a book called The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity. During the coronavirus pandemic, Amy and Nilay discuss whether we could have predicted this outbreak, how it can change trends in the future, and how it may even accelerate trends like AI and cloud-based robotics. They ...

Mar 31, 202053 min

Reviews for the Macbook Air and iPad Pro (2020) and how the coronavirus is affecting tech companies and culture

Stories discussed this week: Amazon warehouse workers are outraged after a coworker tested positive for COVID-19 and they weren’t notified ‘We’re all going to get sick eventually’: Amazon workers are struggling to provide for a nation in quarantine It’s time for a regular Amazon daily coronavirus briefing Twitter locks account encouraging coronavirus ‘chickenpox parties’ Zoom is 2020’s hottest yoga studio Apple says customers must wait to pick up repairs locked inside its retail stores Best Buy ...

Mar 27, 20201 hr 19 min

Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown on a new kind of meat

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown about Impossible's mission to replace animal-derived meat worldwide and what that would mean for our climate and culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 24, 202050 min

Apple announces new iPad Pro and Macbook Air, Sony reveals PS5 specs, and confusion around the coronavirus testing website

Nilay, Dieter, and Paul discuss the new iPad Pro and Macbook Air that Apple announced this week, the confusion around Google's coronavirus testing website, and the specs revealed for the PS5. Stories discussed this week: Comcast modestly raises slow internet speeds for low-income users because of coronavirus AT&T is suspending broadband data caps for home internet customers due to coronavirus AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and others agree not to overcharge customers during coronavirus Verily’s ...

Mar 20, 20201 hr 20 minEp. 397

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on broadband access across America

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly talk to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel about American broadband policy and the advocacy for internet access, broadband competition, and net neutrality. While the coronavirus pandemic is happening and people are working online at home, now is a perfect time to talk about who has access to the broadband, who doesn't, how much it costs, and how we can get it to more people for less money. Learn more about your ad choices...

Mar 17, 202055 min

Galaxy S20 review and leaks of iOS 14, watchOS 7, and Pixel 4a

Stories discussed this week: Dr Disrespect is the villain who could change the future of TV This backpack has it all: Kevlar, batteries, and a federal investigation The art and craft of scientific glassblowing Samsung Galaxy S20 review: just right Leaked watchOS 7 code reveals new ‘International’ watchface Apple watchOS 7 features leak: sleep tracking, watchface sharing, and more Apple Watches may soon detect blood oxygen levels More iOS 14 leaks hint at next Apple hardware and a new home screen...

Mar 13, 20201 hr 27 minEp. 396

COVID-19: How it spreads, how to test for it, and economic impact

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with Verge health reporter Nicole Wetsman and Verge deputy editor Liz Lopatto about the health concerns of the coronavirus outbreak as well as its economic effect in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 202056 min

Mac Pro and Pro Display review, TCL's folding phone concepts, and rumors of an iPad keyboard with a trackpad

Stories discussed this week: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus The Verge Guide to 2020 Election Congress proposes anti-child abuse rules to punish web platforms — and raises fears about encryption The Verge tech survey 2020 Apple reportedly releasing an iPad keyboard with a trackpad later this year Apple is planning to launch a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with a ... Mac Pro review: the price of power - The Verge Apple Pro Display XDR review: category of one TCL’s new foldable and rolla...

Mar 06, 20201 hr 33 min

Political advertising on social media, privacy and encryption legislation, broadband access in rural communities, and other tech policy in 2020

Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly chats with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel about important points in US tech policy recently as we go into the 2020 presidential election. Nilay and Makena get into the policy topics that The Verge will be covering heavily this year — including political advertising on social media, amendments to Section 230, encryption and privacy legislation, and broadband access in rural areas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Mar 03, 202046 min

Galaxy S20 Ultra's camera issues and Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO

Stories discussed this week: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review: shutter bug Samsung pledges to improve Galaxy S20 camera after reviewers see issues Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO, replaced by Bob Chapek Meet Bob Chapek, Disney’s new CEO and the Tim Cook to Iger’s Steve Jobs Disney’s new corporate synergy nightmare is personified in Simpsons promo New Juul patent application hints at AI-powered vape to help users quit nicotine Apple’s new Mac Pro and Pro Display technology overviews show off jus...

Feb 28, 20201 hr 26 minEp. 394

Argo’s CEO explains why its fleet of self-driving taxis won’t be all-electric (at first)

One of the burning questions facing the world of self-driving cars is whether it makes sense to go all-electric or not. Some, like GM-owned Cruise, is all in on battery-electric vehicles. Others are going half-and-half, like Waymo building a fleet that includes both all-electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and gas-burning Chrysler Pacifica minivans. Argo, the Pittsburgh-based self-driving company backed by Ford and Volkswagen, has concerns about an all-electric fleet, especially when it comes to the need...

Feb 25, 202052 min

Galaxy Z Flip review, CBS streaming service revamp plans, and Android 11 features so far

Stories discussed this week: Folding glass: how, why, and the truth of Samsung’s Z Flip A Motorola Razr’s screen is reportedly peeling right on the fold Galaxy Z Flip teardown reveals that its hinge brushes may not block much dust Galaxy Z Flip durability test calls Samsung’s Ultra Thin ‘Glass’ into question Leaked images show TCL prototype phone with expandable, slide-out display Dish Network floats merger with DirecTV over pace of cord-cutting CBS is planning an improved streaming service afte...

Feb 21, 20201 hr 27 min

Chief Product Officer of Adobe Scott Belsky returns

Chief Product Officer of Adobe Scott Belsky chats with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and reporter Dami Lee about what he learned from putting Photoshop on the iPad, adapting products to new creators and platforms, Creative Cloud for the Mac Pro, and the goals of the Content Authenticity Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 202055 min

Motorola Razr review, Samsung's Galaxy S20 event, and T-Mobile and Sprint allowed to merge

Stories discussed this week: Motorola Razr review: folding flip phone flops Motorola Razr undergoes iFixit’s ‘most complicated’ teardown yet Samsung learned some tough lessons from the Galaxy Fold debacle Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip beats the Motorola Razr in nearly every way Samsung Galaxy Z Flip first look: folding glass changes everything The Galaxy S20 is the first high-refresh display phone many people will own Why Samsung’s 108-megapixel camera isn’t just a gimmick All of the biggest announcem...

Feb 14, 20201 hr 32 minEp. 392

New Jersey’s former attorney general on Ring cameras and facial recognition

In this week’s Vergecast , former New Jersey attorney general Anne Milgram stopped by the studio to talk with Verge editor in chief Nilay Patel and me, senior reporter Colin Lecher. As Nilay notes, Milgram, who also co-hosts the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara, is “the first cop we’ve ever had on the show,” and gave some thoughtful responses to questions about surveillance, predictive policing, and more. “We all, I think, have the right reaction, which is we don’t want to use data that’s b...

Feb 11, 202057 min

Iowa caucus app issues, Panos Panay takes over both Microsoft’s hardware and software, and Google reveals Q4 earnings

Stories discussed this week; Election tech was supposed to clean up the Iowa caucus … Iowa's caucus fracas shows we're still too ignorant about how … America is bad at voting (it isn’t just Iowa) US attorney general says tech and telecom industries should invest in Huawei competitors Donald Trump ‘apoplectic’ in call with Boris Johnson over Huawei US pushing tech and telecom industries to build 5G alternative to Huawei Microsoft’s Windows future is now tied to hardware Microsoft's Surface chief ...

Feb 07, 20201 hr 9 minEp. 391

How 5G and edge computing fit into the future of Intel’s traditionally chip-focused lineup

Intel is one of the biggest names in the tech world, with chips that quite literally are the brains behind most of the computers and servers that we use every day. But the world of computers is expanding and Intel is changing, too, with a focus on both edge computing that puts processing resources in the cloud and the power that’s available directly on the physical device. And at the head of that is Dr. Venkata (Murthy) Renduchintala , the chief engineering officer and group president of the Tec...

Feb 04, 202046 min

iPad turns 10, Apple's first quarter earnings, and what Google is doing with the Search design

Stories discussed this week: Former Windows chief reveals Microsoft's reaction to the iPad … Apple's iPad changed the tablet game 10 years ago today … The iPad is still finding its place ten years in Microsoft's Surface Pro X is the world's most extravagant ... Apple's iPhone 11 and AirPods help company hit a new … Apple reportedly working on tracking tags, high ... Google's ads just look like search results now How much longer will we trust Google's search results? Google is backtracking on its...

Jan 31, 20201 hr 31 minEp. 390

Neil Young says the Macbook Pro has “Fisher-Price” audio quality

Musician Neil Young and tech executive Phil Baker have been trying to push the tech industry to make it easier for consumers to listen to high-quality audio for almost a decade now. The duo’s hi-res music player Pono aimed to fix problems they said plagued MP3 players like the iPod and music software like iTunes — like compressed, lossy, and low-fidelity audio files that were not similar enough to their original recordings. But five years after the Pono was released, Young believes the tech indu...

Jan 28, 202045 min

Apple's encryption controversy, Bezos's hacked phone, and Sonos stopping old product updates

Stories from this week: Trump demands Apple unlock iPhones: ‘They have the keys to so many criminals and criminal minds’ How to FBI-proof your encrypted iPhone backups Can Apple live up to Apple’s privacy ads? Apple rejects AG Barr’s claim that it didn’t assist with Pensacola shooting probe The FBI has asked Apple to unlock another shooter’s iPhone Senator asks Jeff Bezos for more information on Saudi-linked hack Saudi Arabian prince reportedly hacked Jeff Bezos’ phone with malicious WhatsApp me...

Jan 24, 20201 hr 25 minEp. 389

Rep. David Cicilline on regulating big tech monopolies

After a congressional hearing with executives from Sonos, Tile, Basecamp, and PopSockets, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), speaks to The Verge’s Nilay Patel and Adi Robertson about leading an investigation into how big tech platforms like Google, Amazon, and Apple are affecting competition for other tech companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Jan 23, 202028 min

August's Yves Behar and Jason Johnson unlock the smart home

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel interviews Yves Behar and Jason Jason, co-founders of the smartlock company August about their new products, the state of the smart home, and making products that work in both European and American homes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 23, 202033 min

AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su talks new Ryzen 4000 chips and out-performing Intel

Editor-in-chief of The Verge Nilay Patel talks to CEO of AMD Dr Lisa Su at CES 2020 about AMD's new Ryzen laptop chips , the competition with Intel for consumer laptops, and if she is going to take on the high end of Nvidia's GPUs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Jan 21, 202039 min

Microsoft’s Edge Chromium launches, NBC reveals Peacock details, and our CES takeaways

Stories this week: The Verge Awards at CES 2020: welcome to the land of the concept Eight big takeaways from CES 2020 These gaming PCs want to compete in the console wars Laptops were boring at CES, but there’s hope for the future The most important TVs of CES 2020 were finally for the masses Microsoft’s new Edge Chromium browser launches on Windows and macOS How to install extensions on Microsoft’s new Edge browser The browser wars are back, but it’s different this time Google is finally killin...

Jan 17, 20201 hr 15 minEp. 388

Anna Wiener's Uncanny Valley

Anna Wiener talks to Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel about her book Uncanny Valley, a memoir about her time in Silicon Valley working for startups when they were new and flashy. Wiener also discusses the shift in tone to the reality of what technology and connection do to us and our culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 16, 202049 min

OnePlus' CEO Pete Lau doesn't think folding phones are good enough

At CES 2020 , The Verge's Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn sat down with OnePlus CEO Pete Lau in his first podcast appearance to talk about the OnePlus concept phone with a disappearing camera as well as his thoughts on newer technologies in the smartphone world, like 5G and folding phones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Jan 14, 202027 min

CES 2020 roundtable: Concept cars, Quibi, foldables, and more

Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, Ashley Carman, and Sean O'Kane highlight the most important, weird, and surprising things The Verge saw at CES 2020. Stories from this episode: Sonos said what every smaller tech company was thinking: working with big tech sucks Amazon’s hardware boss responds to Sonos accusations of stolen technology Sony’s electric car is the best surprise of CES Byton’s 48-inch screen might not be as distracting as it looks Mercedes-Ben’s Avatar-themed concept car with scales Sony su...

Jan 10, 20201 hr 14 minEp. 387
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