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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A huge portion of the tech industry has decided that smart glasses are the next big thing. But why? Smart glasses are incredibly hard to make, hugely socially complicated, and require users to want to wear a gadget on their face. The Verge's Victoria Song helps us figure out which features, if any, will make smart glasses worth all the trouble. Further reading: All these smart glasses and nothing to do Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com , subscriber-exclusive newsletters...
Valve has been trying to crack the living room for more than a decade, and the new Steam Machine is its best attempt yet. It's a little bit PC, a little bit console, and a lot pricy — starting at $1,049, it had a lot to live up to. The Verge’s Sean Hollister has been testing the device, and shares his findings on whether the Steam Machine can hang with PlayStation and Xbox. He also explains why, despite a never-ending list of challenges, Valve is still trying to make this device work. Further re...
The Harmony Universal Remote was supposed to be the only controller you needed for all the devices in your life. So what happened? David Pierce is joined by The Verge ’s Nilay Patel and John Higgins, as well as Nest co-founder (and current Harmony user) Matt Rogers, to follow the Harmony's timeline from its origins as the "Easy Zapper," through Logitech's acquisition, all the way to its slow death at the hands of smart TVs. And their vastly inferior remotes. If you like the show, follow the V...
The new smart glasses from Snap look like an impressive bit of technology, and some of the most advanced glasses we've seen. But Nilay and David start the show by wondering, does that matter if nobody wants to put them on? What would it take to overcome the ear-smashing? After that, they discuss the reasons for (and problems awaiting) Fox's acquisition of Roku, the latest updates from Matter, Facebook's wild AI Mode, and more. Further reading: Snap is finally about to ship AR glasses — and they ...
Your headphones' microphone matters. A lot. And yet we never know how we sound to others, or whether we're clear to our AI assistants! So from time to time, we like to grab a bunch of headphones and put their microphones through some tough real-world tests. This time, with the help of The Verge's John Higgins, we discover the best-sounding mic we've ever tested. And no, it's not on a pair of AirPods. Not even close. Further reading: Anker’s new earbuds have the best call quality I’ve ever heard ...
Anthropic and the US government are once again at odds, this time over the Claude Fable 5 model that either is, or is not, or might be, far too dangerous to release to the world. The Verge's Hayden Field explains what's going on with Fable, Mythos, and the whole idea of American AI exceptionalism, before also answering your questions about how WhatsApp and Siri might one day work together, and whether Apple messed up by calling it Siri AI.[10:24 AM] Inside the fight over Claude Mythos 5 Anthr...
Markdown is a system for writing that makes it readable to both humans and computers. It's all about the symbols. You use - to make a list, * for emphasis, ** for even more emphasis. Brackets and parentheses turn into links. Once you know Markdown, you might begin to think in Markdown. Right now it is absolutely everywhere: people are maintaining their Claude.MD files for conversing with AI bots, and writing their notes in Markdown editors like Obsidian. So where did Markdown come from? It came ...
We're all starting to test Apple's newest software post-WWDC, and the most surprising thing has happened: Siri actually seems to be pretty good now. Nilay and David discuss how that happened, and what it means for the AI industry, and all of us, that Apple's voice assistant is finally useful. Then, we have some news about Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube that adds up to a big change in social networks, plus the Hype Desk, Brendan Carr, the Trump Phone, and a really great deal for iPad users Further...
Movies directed by YouTubers are suddenly blowing up at the box office. Backrooms and Obsession are both smash hits, and The Amazing Digital Circus had a big debut last week. Is this the moment YouTube truly takes over Hollywood? Julia Alexander, media correspondent at Puck, walks us through the much longer history of YouTube on the big screen, and helps us figure out where this all goes next. Is the future just really, really big YouTube videos? Further reading: Backrooms is at the forefront o...
Now that we've had a couple of days to digest all the Siri AI updates, the new corner radii, and everything else Apple announced at its developer conference, we spend the episode answering all your most burning questions. What non-AI stuff are we excited about? How much catching up did Siri really do this week? And wait: what about the HomePod? Further reading: WWDC 2026: All the news from Apple’s developers conference 5 things I already love from the iOS 27 beta Subscribe to The Verge for...
Delving into Geoffrey Cain's book "Steve Jobs in Exile," this episode recounts Jobs' journey after being ousted from Apple, including his struggles at NeXT and the unexpected success at Pixar. It examines how these experiences, marked by early tyrannical behavior and a "reality distortion field," ultimately humbled him and taught him the pragmatic lessons necessary to become the effective leader who orchestrated Apple's historic comeback. The discussion reveals the complexity of his character and the pivotal moments that shaped his enduring legacy.
This episode breaks down Apple's unexpected WWDC 2026 keynote, which was dominated by AI announcements and a focus on user trust and device management. The hosts analyze Apple's strategy of playing catch-up in the AI space, integrating Gemini technology, and navigating the fine line between useful and " creepy" features. They also cover the new Siri voice, significant device compatibility cutoffs for OS 27, and what this means for the future of Apple's ecosystem.
It's developer conference season, and one of the themes so far has been big swings at AI apps. We've seen Gemini Spark, Microsoft Scout, and so many other attempts to figure out what people, and companies, actually want their AI to do. Nilay and David discuss their experiences with the apps, before turning to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's vision for the AI-filled laptop of the future. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for the Hype Desk, Brendan Carr is a Dummy, a deeply dumb Meta hack, and ...
Microsoft's commitment to AI is not news. Copilot has been everywhere for... a while now. But at this week's Build developer conference, the company made clear that it wants — and needs — to be a bigger player in the space. The Verge's Tom Warren joins David to talk about the new Scout AI assistant, the Solara operating system concept, and whether Microsoft can hang with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Also: How's the new era of Xbox going? We’re also on video! Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe ...
How far can we push the limits of the human body? At the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, a few dozen athletes tried to find out, and The Verge's Victoria Song was there to watch. She tells us the story of the swimmers, weightlifters, and other athletes who competed, the intense training and drug regimens they underwent, and the complicated mix of pseudo-science and actual science behind the event. Then, she tells us where this project goes from here — because the Enhanced Games experiment is just b...
Nvidia is betting that AI is going to change the way you use your computer — and with a new chip, the RTX Spark, it's hoping to ensure it powers that new-fangled AI machine. During a big week for the PC industry, with the Computex trade show and Microsoft's Build developer conference happening simultaneously, The Verge's Sean Hollister explains what's inside the Spark, why Nvidia is taking on Apple, Intel, AMD, and the rest of the chip industry, and whether the world's most valuable company has ...
David Pierce welcomes veteran YouTuber Casey Neistat to discuss the challenges and rewards of daily content creation as The VergeCast goes daily. Neistat shares insights into his early motivations for daily vlogging, the importance of building genuine audience relationships, and his philosophy on maintaining quality amidst high output. They delve into the complexities of sharing personal life online, the impact of algorithms on creativity, and practical advice for staying sane while consistently producing content in today's media landscape.
The Vergecast hosts delve into the controversial Ferrari Luce, an electric vehicle designed by Jony Ive that defies traditional Ferrari aesthetics, sparking debate about brand identity and the future of EVs. They also explore widespread discontent with AI's integration into Google Search and YouTube's struggle with AI content labels, highlighting the tension between AI development and user experience. Finally, the discussion touches on the increasing prices of gaming consoles and devices, alongside Meta's "enshittification" strategy with new paid subscriptions.
It's now surprisingly easy to watch most of a movie without ever trying to, or to spend hours with a podcast without ever playing an episode. In the burgeoning clip economy, everything is being cut into bite-sized pieces and being blasted around the internet hoping to land in your feeds. The Verge's Mia Sato explains the machinery of how all this works, and wonders what it means for our social media experience. After that, The Verge's Victoria Song joins to discuss the Fitbit Air, the new $99 Go...
Before we get into this week's tech news, we have some corporate news to discuss, and some very exciting Vergecast news to share. (If you have questions about either one, hit us up: vergecast@theverge.com or 866-VERGE11!) Then, Nilay and David get back into the weeds on all things Google I/O, and in particular the ways AI is changing the Google Search experience. When Gemini can find things for you, make things for you, even buy things for you, are you even searching anymore? Finally, in the lig...
Google I/O was, predictably, all about AI this year. And if it actually works, a lot of this stuff could be pretty useful! Immediately after the two hour long keynote (that contained approximately 190 total mentions of the terms "AI" and "Gemini") The Verge’s senior AI reporter Hayden Field and executive editor Jake Kastrenakes went live on YouTube with their reactions. Further reading: The 13 biggest announcements at Google I/O 2026 The 5 biggest changes coming to Gemini Google Search is gettin...
The Musk v. OpenAI trial continues, which means so do the allegations and leaks surrounding some of the most influential people in tech. Nilay and David recount the most interesting and entertaining moments from the courtroom this week, before digging into what we've learned about when Sam Altman was fired. After that, the hosts discuss OpenAI's apparent plans to build a phone, which seem utterly necessary and utterly doomed, along with the new Fitbit Air and a truly strange new home robot. Fina...
The Vergecast dives into how AI is transforming the automotive industry, drastically speeding up car development from design to engineering, while also raising concerns about the future of human jobs and traditional artistry. The episode then pivots to a broader AI industry update, covering the intense competition between Claude Code and OpenAI's Codex, Anthropic's complex relationship with government contracts, and a critical look at OpenAI's public image. Finally, the discussion addresses the 'death' of Artificial General Intelligence as a singular event and questions whether recent tech layoffs are genuinely AI-driven or a result of pandemic overhiring.
Elon Musk spent a lot of his week trying to explain how OpenAI wronged him — but mostly just seemed to annoy everyone else in the courtroom. Nilay and David discuss Musk's testimony in the OpenAI trial, and what it might mean for the trial going forward. After that, the Hype Desk gang recommends a couple of new things to watch, before the hosts chat about the week's new gadgets, including the Steam Controller and the dual-screen Zephyrus Duo laptop. Finally, in the lightning round, Brendan Carr ...
The Vergecast examines the contentious legal battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI, where Musk seeks to destabilize the company and humiliate Sam Altman, with Liz Lopatto breaking down the motivations and potential consequences for the broader AI ecosystem. Later, Sean Hollister highlights Framework's impressive new Laptop Pro, which finally offers a premium, upgradable experience comparable to a MacBook Pro, alongside an innovative couch keyboard. The episode concludes with a discussion on the resurgence of small, powerful ARM-based laptops, prompted by a hotline question about the Surface Go.
Now that we've had a few days to digest the Apple CEO succession news, Nilay and David get some help from Daring Fireball's John Gruber to discuss Tim Cook's legacy, the potential for change under John Ternus, and whether the Touch Bar actually could have been great. Then, Nilay and David react to some breaking news: Microsoft is going back to the Xbox. And everything is an Xbox now. Finally, in the lightning round, we have a round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, a very 2026 new microphone, a BMW we...
We get a lot of questions about how we make The Vergecast. And why we make The Vergecast. And how we make money, and journalism, and everything. So every once in a while, we try to answer those questions! In this episode, David and Nilay are joined by The Verge's publisher, Helen Havlak, to talk about video podcasts, ads, subscriptions, Nilay's jackets, and much more. Curious about those video podcasts we discussed? Check us out on YouTube. Jealous of those Verge subscriptions we discussed? Subs...
For the first time in 15 years, Apple is getting a new CEO. Tim Cook is stepping down, and John Ternus is taking the biggest job at one of the biggest companies in the world. News this big can only mean one thing: emergency Vergecast! Nilay and David broke down the news, their immediate reactions, and what they think might be in store for Apple going forward. To watch our livestreams as they stream live, check us out on YouTube. Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com , subsc...
The AI vibes continue to find all-time lows. David and Nilay open the show by talking through the absurd Allbirds pivot to AI, the attacks on Sam Altman, and the increasing divide between what AI companies say is inevitable and what people actually want. Then, the Hype Desk crew talks Coachella and RAMageddon, before David and Nilay catch up on the Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly suit and the increasing price of everything. In the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a dummy, satelli...
Actor Ben McKenzie exposes the flaws and fraudulent nature of cryptocurrency in his documentary "Everyone Is Lying to You for Money," highlighting its use in gambling and crime. The episode then features Victoria Song, who shares her personal descent into data obsession while testing continuous glucose monitors, revealing their potential for disordered eating and the lack of medical consensus for non-diabetic use. Finally, the hosts tackle a listener's question about why modern gadgets lack design diversity.
