The Vergecast

Today on the flagship podcast of staring directly down the barrel of a camera, The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Monica Chin start the show with an inside look at our M2 MacBook Pro and Mac Mini reviews. After that, the crew breaks down the case the US Department of Justice has filed against Google's ad business and of course we try to make sense of the latest Elon Musk shenanigans. Further reading: The Vergecast - YouTube Apple Mac Mini (2023) review: Mac Studio junior  Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) review: the core count grows Google is being sued by the US government and eight states over online advertising  Google plans to demo AI chatbot search as it panics about ChatGPT More details come out on which departments saw layoffs at Google, Microsoft, and Amazon  Tesla made more money in 2022 than ever before, but its future still looks rocky Elon Musk is theoretically sad that Tesla investors lost money because of his tweets Elon Musk thinks Twitter is real life Elon Musk’s Twitter is caving to government censorship, just like he promised  Elon Musk gets serious about 420 at securities fraud trial - The Verge   Tesla’s new $3.6 billion Nevada investment includes a ‘high-volume’ Semi factory  Tesla Cybertruck mass production won't start until 2024 Microsoft Q2 2023: Windows, devices, and Xbox down as cloud holds strong Senators and Swifties take on Ticketmaster in Washington  GoldenEye 007 is coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox on January 27th TikTok confirms that its own employees can decide what goes viral Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of zombie kisses: 02:02 - The Verge’s managing editor Alex Cranz chats with film & TV reporter Charles Pulliam-Moore about HBO’s The Last of Us and how it handles the video game adaptation. [Spoilers for episode 1 + 2] 22:40 - Historian and author of the book The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America Margaret O'Mara talks about how the lack of non-compete clauses shaped Silicon Valley. 38:30 - We answer your questions left on our Vergecast Hotline! Thunderbolt docks, end-to-end encryption, and smart assistants. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of automated content creation: 02:23 - The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Alex Heath start the show with an overview of what we've learned from Elon Musk running Twitter over the past few months. 24:50 - Inside CNET’s AI-powered SEO money machine 48:34 - Apple's Mac and HomePod announcements from this week Further reading: Inside Elon Musk’s “extremely hardcore” Twitter Twitter Blue arrives on Android for $11 a month  Inside CNET’s AI-powered SEO money machine Apple announces MacBook Pros with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips Apple announces a Mac Mini with the M2 and M2 Pro How the new MacBook Pros compare to the rest of Apple's MacBook lineup  Apple is reportedly working on an iPad-like smart display  Apple announces revamped full-size HomePod two years after discontinuing original Apple’s new HomePod unsurprisingly sounds close to the original Apple reportedly shelved its plans to release AR glasses any time soon  Reed Hastings is stepping down as Netflix’s co-CEO Microsoft announces big layoffs that will affect 10,000 employees Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call the hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge’s Alex Cranz talks with senior reviewer Monica Chin about the laptops she saw at CES this year and what it means for 2023’s computer trends. Verge reviewer Victoria Song joins the show to discuss the FDA regulations behind health tech, and whether the stuff we saw at CES will ever be available in the United States. Further reading: The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i is the CES 2023 gadget I’m most excited for Lenovo Yoga Book 9i hands-on: the dual-screen future OLED plus E Ink: Lenovo’s ThinkBook Twist is halfway to my dream laptop  Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola hands-on: a ThinkPad’s best friend The new Asus ZenBook Pro 14 leads a line of impressively refreshed OLED laptops  Acer’s new Predator Helios laptops can pack a bright 250Hz Mini LED screen The LG Gram Style might be the prettiest laptop of 2023 With PC sales down, laptop makers turn to services The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is neat, but what's with the RGB? The regulatory maze behind health tech vaporware Withings wants you to pee on its latest device  How do you sell over-the-counter hearing aids when nobody knows who you are? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and Dan Seifert discuss the numerous Apple rumors we heard about this week, a Samsung Unpacked preview, and the latest gadget news. Further reading: Apple might finally make a touchscreen Mac Apple is reportedly making an all-in-one cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth chip iPhone 16 Pro models could feature under-display Face ID  Apple's next custom hardware trick might be its own Micro LED screens  Apple’s MicroLED dream: what it means for the Apple Watch and beyond $99 AirPods could ship as early as next year alongside next-gen AirPods Max Official Samsung Galaxy S23 images leak early  Samsung confirms February 1st Unpacked, its first in-person event in three years  Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can now record lifelike 3D audio HBO Max’s first price hike raises the monthly rate by $1  John Deere commits to letting farmers repair their own tractors (kind of)  At CES one company was showing off...an E-Ink headset?  The Pinecil is the best soldering iron for most people Six smart home finds from CES 2023 you may have missed  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge’s Alex Cranz, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, Chris Welch, and Andrew Hawkins discuss the best TVs, cars, and smart home gadgets they saw at CES 2023 — from a color-changing car to a vacuum suction system on an OLED TV. Further reading: CES 2023: Verge Video’s best of Why Matter mattered at CES The $3,000 totally wireless Displace TV is the definition of CES absurdity Roku does the obvious thing and announces its own TV line  TCL’s 2023 TVs have new branding and are gaming powerhouses Samsung’s 2023 TV lineup bets everything on picture upgrades and AI tricks LG’s latest Signature OLED TV receives all of its audio and video wirelessly LG’s 2023 OLED TVs are brighter (again) and make webOS smarter LG wants to reinvent how you think of TV picture modes Sony breaks from tradition and won’t announce new TVs at CES 2023  Sony and Honda just announced their new electric car brand, Afeela The Peugeot Inception concept is an EV knife aimed straight at the future The BMW i Vision Dee is a future EV sports sedan that can talk back to you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CES 2023 is in full swing! The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler parse the vapor ware from the cool new tech we hope to see ship this year. Further reading: Sony and Honda just announced their new electric car brand, Afeela The BMW i Vision Dee is a future EV sports sedan that can talk back to you Check out BMW’s color-changing concept car in action   Mercedes-Benz and ChargePoint are going to install thousands of EV fast chargers in the US The Ring Car Cam is now available to order for $200  Google’s new high-definition maps are arriving first on Volvo and Polestar electric vehicles  Google’s new split-screen look for Android Auto is rolling out to everyone LG’s latest Signature OLED TV receives all of its audio and video wirelessly LG wants to reinvent how you think of TV picture modes Sony breaks from tradition and won’t announce new TVs at CES 2023  Samsung takes on Apple and LG with its own 5K display for creative pros Dell’s new 32-inch 6K monitor gives Apple’s ProDisplay XDR some competition Samsung's latest Flex Hybrid is a prototype display LG’s 2023 OLED TVs are brighter (again) and make webOS smarter Samsung’s 2023 TV lineup bets everything on picture upgrades and AI tricks Roku does the obvious thing and announces its own TV line  TCL’s 2023 TVs have new branding and are gaming powerhouses Razer made a soundbar that tracks your head to optimize sound AMD’s new Ryzen 7000 mobile processors include a massive 16-core chip AMD promises RTX 3060 desktop graphics performance with new RDNA 3 laptop GPUs Lenovo’s new Yoga Book 9i laptop has a second screen above its screen Lenovo’s new ThinkBook has modular accessories that add LTE, a webcam light, and more Lenovo’s new all-in-one is all screen Lenovo made a Kindle Scribe The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is neat, but what’s with the RGB? Razer's Edge 5G handheld is coming to Verizon this month for $359.99 Delta and T-Mobile are making in-flight Wi-Fi free for all SkyMiles members Qi2: How Apple might finally harness MagSafe by giving it away  Philips Hue is getting a $130 app for TVs Samsung’s SmartThings Station is a smart home hub hidden in a wireless charger Kohler shower pods are here to turn your bathroom into a spa Withings wants you to pee on its latest device Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Chris Welch, and Sean Hollister celebrate the holiday season with a full show dedicated to Bluetooth. 03:57 - We play Bluetooth Jeopardy! Play along here 30:38 - The crew discuss the many codecs layered onto the Bluetooth spec, and where the standard is headed. 46:56 - Former Bluetooth SIG executive director Dr. Mike Foley joins the show to discuss his time in charge of Bluetooth. Happy Holidays! Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Richard Lawler break down all the news from this week. Further reading: FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas Apple is reportedly preparing to allow third-party app stores on the iPhone Twitter Blue is back, letting you buy a blue checkmark again Elon Musk sells yet another $3.58 billion of Tesla shares - The Verge  Twitter suspends @ElonJet after Musk promises not to ban it - The Verge  Elon Musk booed at Dave Chappelle show, claims it was only like ‘10 percent boos’   Jack Dorsey on Musk’s Twitter files: ‘There’s nothing to hide’ - The Verge  https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/15/23511260/everything-ok-in-there-mr-musk-sincerely-the-ftc Twitter’s newsletter tool is shutting down on January 12th The golden age of the streaming wars has ended Apple is expanding Mythic Quest with a new spinoff series Westworld is leaving HBO Max Director Patty Jenkins says there was ‘nothing’ she could do to move Wonder Woman 3 forward Where are all the new Macs? iOS 16.2 arrives with improved always-on display and iCloud end-to-end encryption Google won’t launch ChatGPT rival because of ‘reputational risk’ The Echo Show 15 with Fire TV: a major upgrade with a major flaw Google is beta testing digital state ID cards in its Android Wallet app How to use Instagram’s new Notes feature TikTok starts testing a horizontal full-screen mode Google Nest and Android devices are now Matter compatible — yes, right now Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Alex Cranz, Nilay Patel, and Charles Pulliam-Moore focus on the big streaming services — Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount Plus — and discuss which are the winners and losers are for this year. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call the hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final episode on our series about creator economies, David Pierce is joined by producer Hadley Robinson to explore the world of livestreaming and its recent popularity across every social platform. Livestreaming is certainly not a new thing though, so why does it seem to be having a moment? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, Richard Lawler, and James Vincent discuss the popularity of ChatGPT. Also: the FTC sues Microsoft to block its Activision Blizzard purchase, Apple is adding end-to-end encryption to iCloud backups, and some gadget news. Further reading: ChatGPT proves AI is finally mainstream — and things are only going to get weirder The FTC is suing Microsoft to block its Activision Blizzard purchase Microsoft reaches 10-year deal with Nintendo for Call of Duty EU sets December 28th, 2024, deadline for all new phones to use USB-C for wired charging The race to build a better Twitter Twitter Blue will reportedly cost more from iPhones to offset ‘hidden 30 percent tax’  Apple is adding end-to-end encryption to iCloud backups   Apple claims a new iMessage can alert you if state-sponsored spies are eavesdropping Tim Cook and Joe Biden came to Arizona to announce plans for American-made chips  Huawei’s latest smartwatch has hidden earbuds inside The $949 price for Dyson’s air-purifying headphones is more absurd than the device itself  Coros Apex 2 and Apex 2 Pro review: slightly short of great Amazon Echo Auto (2nd gen) review: smaller but not smarter How CoinDesk’s FTX scoop left a hole in its corporate overlord Sonos and Ikea made a floor lamp speaker that could be perfect for surround sound Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the flagship podcast of mounting TVs way too high in the hospital room: The Verge's David Pierce chats with Russell Brandom about the state of US broadband, and what we learned from 22,000 people’s internet bills. David also talks with Verge managing editor Alex Cranz about the Amazon Kindle's 15th anniversary, why the Kindle has been so successful, and maybe also why it hasn’t done more. Keep listening for Alex's review of the Kindle Scribe. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Producer Hadley Robinson reports on the often uncertain world digital creators find themselves in trying to make a living on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Should platforms pay creators directly? Are creator funds even good? Creators and experts tell us what they have found behind the curtain and what it's like to chase the dream of making a living as a digital creator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss this week in Elon Musk, everything that went wrong with FTX, and the latest gadget news. Further reading: Why some tech CEOs are rooting for Elon Musk  A Twitter executive got a court injunction to prevent Elon Musk from firing her Another major ad agency recommends pausing Twitter ad campaigns  Elon Musk is delaying Twitter’s paid verification to avoid Apple’s 30 percent cut Elon Musk says Apple has ‘threatened to withhold Twitter’ from the App Store Elon Musk says Tim Cook told him Apple ‘never considered’ removing Twitter  Elon Musk is dragging Apple into the culture wars  Elon Musk claims Neuralink is about ‘six months’ away from first human trial   Here’s everything that went wrong with FTX Sam Bankman-Fried Interview: Read the Transcript - The New York Times  Kensington made a new wireless version of its SlimBlade trackball mouse  The Genki Covert Dock Mini lets me put an entire gaming system in my purse  Now the Apple Watch Ultra can actually be your diving computer  Anker’s Eufy lied to us about the security of its security cameras   Canoo repurposed its bubbly electric pickup truck for the US Army Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we spend more time in digital spaces, our avatars are becoming part of our personality. And digital creators and influencers are becoming part of our culture. Producer Gina Pollack join's The Verge's David Pierce with stories about why advertisers love digital creators, why a dancing hot dog will never leave your brain, and what the creator industry is learning from mascots. Next time you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, keep your eyes peeled — not everyone’s as human as they look. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of connected meat thermometers: It’s Thanksgiving week, so we’re going to do something a little different. We’re going to make Thanksgiving dinner! Jen Pattison Tuohy, The Verge’s smart home reviewer and reporter, is also an excellent cook. So she’s at home in South Carolina, and she’s going to make us a meal and tell us all about the state and future of the smart home and kitchen gadgets. This episode, fair warning, will make you very hungry. I’m sorry in advance. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Piece, Alex Cranz, and Adi Robertson discuss the Meta Quest Pro review. Later, the crew discuss Ticketmaster crashing after Taylor Swift fans try to buy concert tickets. Also: Elon Musk's Twitter saga continues and some weekly gadget news. Further reading: Meta Quest Pro review: get me out of here Taylor Swift crashed Ticketmaster following 'historically unprecedented demand' for tickets  Elon Musk ignored Twitter’s internal warnings about paid verification Elon Musk says he fired engineer who corrected him on Twitter Elon Musk is firing Twitter employees even when they criticize him in private Elon Musk says he doesn’t want to be CEO of Twitter, or any company Elon Musk demands Twitter employees commit to ‘extremely hardcore’ culture or leave Amazon’s Alexa Voice Remote Pro is the best streaming clicker of them all Elgato’s new Stream Deck Plus joins the knob mob Sonos plans to enter four new product categories — and the first is coming next year Apple and Major League Soccer will launch MLS Season Pass on February 1st  Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 leans into AI  Razer is upgrading the 2022 Blade 14’s two USB-C ports to USB 4 Canon’s new ‘Pro’ webcam software subscription charges $50 annually The 20-year boondoggle   The unbearable lightness of BuzzFeed The scary truth about AI copyright is nobody knows what will happen next Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of the difference between CMYK and RGB colors: 02:19 - David talks about the future of Photoshop with Adobe's Chief Product Officer Scott Belsky. 13:37 - Verge senior reporter James Vincent joins the show to discuss generative AI art and all its possibilities and complications. 43:05 - The Verge's Kristen Radtke and Jess Weatherbed chat with David about Pantone's new subscription service and what it means for artists and designers. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Alex Heath discuss week two of Elon Musk as CEO of Twitter and Meta announcing job cuts. Later in the show: What's next for Binance and FTX, a stretchable screen by LG Display, and the Surface Pro 9 review. Further reading: Elon Musk tells Twitter staff to prepare for ‘difficult times ahead’ and ends remote work Read Elon Musk’s first email to Twitter employees Elon Musk offloads another $3.9 billion in Tesla shares Elon is putting Twitter at risk for billions in fines, says internal letter Elon Musk’s Twitter Blue with verification is now live Elon Musk's response to fake verified Elon Twitter accounts: a new permanent ban policy for impersonation  Everyone knows you paid to be verified on Twitter  Mario flipped off Twitter for nearly two hours with the blessing of Musk's 'verification'   Twitter rolls back gray ‘official’ checks that popped up on high-profile accounts Twitter’s new double-check verification disappears, Elon Musk says he ‘killed it’ Meta announces huge job cuts affecting 11,000 employees Binance won't bail out FTX, cites reports of 'mishandled customer funds' ‘I fucked up,’ says FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried in public apology Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Intel) review: this is the one to buy LG Display's 'stretchable' prototype display could attach to skin, clothing, and furniture  HP Pavilion Plus 14 review: a powerful, confusing OLED machine The Pixel Watch calorie bug is a reminder of why 'accuracy' isn't everything Razer made a customizable PS5 controller that — you guessed it — is very expensive   Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices