The Vergecast: Ad-Free Edition

The Verge
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Mar 31, 2026 • 1h 24min

Apple at 50: the good and the bad

Jason Snell, longtime Apple journalist known for deep product analysis, and Anil Dash, blogger and tech culture commentator, dig into Apple at 50. They debate Apple's hardware strengths, software struggles, design risks, ecosystem control, and leadership paths. They also tackle podcast openness, why video moved toward platforms, and how Apple’s moves could reshape creator choice.
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Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 37min

Meta's court losses could be just the beginning

They dig into landmark court rulings that target social platforms’ design and features rather than just content. There is a deep look at how these legal fights could reshape platform behavior and user recourse. They also unpack the messy new US router manufacturing ban, recent AI-driven music fraud, and fallout from a controversial AI impersonation feature.
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Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 29min

Choosing Apple's 50 best products ever (subscriber exclusive)

Two tech journalists argue over which Apple products truly belong in a top-50 list. They spar about defining a "product," pick iconic Macs, iPhones, iPods, AirPods, and the M1 chip, and debate software, peripherals, and retail as milestones. The conversation revisits choices, trims duplicates, and settles contentious inclusions before sending the list to readers to rank.
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Mar 24, 2026 • 55min

Welp, I bought an iPhone again

Allison Johnson, senior phone reviewer with hands-on smartphone testing experience, joins to dissect modern phones. They debate flip versus fold hardware and software. They compare Android and iOS strengths, from notifications and spam handling to app quality. They explore AI like Gemini for automations and whether AI can simplify device use.
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Mar 20, 2026 • 1h 41min

Why people really hate AI

Allison Johnson, a technology reporter known for reviewing consumer devices, recounts her odd Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold experience. She discusses the device’s abrupt cancellation and the strange hurdles reviewers faced. Short takes cover foldable phone tradeoffs, software scaling, and whether large foldables can find a mainstream audience.
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Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 3min

The future of code is exciting and terrifying

Paul Ford, writer-technologist who runs Aboard and the F-Train blog, shares conflicted excitement about AI tooling and its impact on coding. Dominic Preston, mobile hardware reporter, breaks down global phone trends from MWC and why big sensors and telephoto tech matter. They explore AI-led ‘vibe coding,’ job risk versus usefulness, and which phone innovations Americans might be missing.
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Mar 13, 2026 • 1h 45min

The MacBook Neo is a winner

Two tech writers describe why a $599 laptop is suddenly unignorable, from keyboard quirks to repairability and macOS Tahoe complaints. They debate how an affordable Mac could reshape the iPad and PC markets. A deep dive into Project Helix explores Xbox turning into a PC and PC features becoming Xbox-native. Quick-fire segments mock regulators, unpack studio merger news, and flag Grammarly identity concerns.
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Mar 10, 2026 • 1h 6min

The twist in the Ticketmaster antitrust fight

Lauren Feiner, tech reporter covering antitrust and Live Nation/Ticketmaster, breaks down the surprise settlement and its courtroom twists. Hayden Field, senior AI reporter, walks through Anthropic, OpenAI, and the Pentagon’s fraught dealings. They discuss settlement terms, DOJ strategy, supply chain risks, and how defense contracts reshape AI companies.
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Mar 8, 2026 • 1h 12min

Version History: Furby

Sean Hollister, gadget journalist with hands-on Furby reviews, and Vee Song, culture reporter tracking toy trends, explore Furby’s invention, design choices, frenzy at Toy Fair, and the viral media mania that made it a 1998 phenomenon. They trace Furby’s sensors, language design, security scares, hacking scene, and debate whether a modern Furby renaissance could happen.
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Mar 6, 2026 • 1h 39min

This phone starts fires on purpose

Sean Hollister, senior reporter covering platforms and gadgets. Dominic Preston, mobile-hardware journalist who scoured Mobile World Congress. They tour MWC’s weirdest phones and accessories. Talk about a fire-starting rugged phone, Honor’s gimbal-style Robot Phone, modular and waterproof foldable designs. They also dig into Lenovo modular laptops, Nothing’s Phone 4A updates, and the Google–Epic settlement saga.

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