The Vergecast: Ad-Free Edition

Apple makes a lot of gadgets. You've probably heard of some of them. Most of them are very good! Few companies in tech, or anywhere, can claim a track record as impressive and consistent as the folks in Cupertino. But only one Apple product can be the best Apple product. The Verge's Victoria Song and Allison Johnson join David to rank Apple's nine product categories — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, AirPods, AirTags, HomePod, and Apple TV — in order of their best-ness. The gang agrees on a few, disagrees on a few, and gets in one argument that threatens to end the show forever.We want to hear what you think of our ranking! If you have thoughts, on Apple gadgets or anything, you can always call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11 or email us at ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠. Further reading: ⁠Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not⁠ ⁠Apple HomePod (second-gen) review: playing it safe⁠ ⁠Apple TV 4K (2022) review: unmatched power, unrealized potential⁠ ⁠Apple Watch SE 3 review: major glow-up⁠ ⁠Apple iPad Pro (2025) review: fast, faster, fastest⁠ ⁠AirTag location trackers are smart, capable, and very Apple⁠ ⁠Apple iPhone 17 review: the one to get⁠ ⁠Apple iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max review⁠ ⁠Apple AirPods (third-gen) review: new design, same appeal⁠ ⁠Apple MacBook Air M4 review: a little more for a little less⁠ Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Raycast is an unusual app with an unusual amount of access: it's a launcher and application platform that can directly interact with all the files and apps on your computer. Raycast didn't start as an AI-centric product, but Thomas Paul Mann, the company's co-founder and CEO, thinks AI is the key to making Raycast even better. For this episode, the first in our two-part miniseries about how developers are using and building AI, Mann explains how he plans to turn models loose on your files and apps, how he's thinking about the security risks and privacy issues associated with that plan, and what it takes to build AI products that actually, you know, work. Mann also talks through how he uses AI, both in and out of Raycast, and how he became a prompt-first computer user. Further reading: Raycast From the Raycast blog: One interface, many LLMs How to use Raycast and how it compares to Spotlight and Alfred Raycast’s iOS app is now available for AI chat and notes Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a holiday week for many of us, which means a lot of Turkey Trots and a lot of TV. We have something for both in this episode! First, Nick Thompson, the CEO of The Atlantic and author of the new book, The Running Ground, joins the show to talk about his lifelong journey as a runner, and all the tech — from smartwatch to shoes to custom GPTs — he uses in training. After that, The Verge's John Higgins makes his first Vergecast appearance to help us understand how motion smoothing works, why you should turn it off, and all the other ways you can improve your TV watching experience this holiday season. Finally, David follows up on a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠!) with some recommendations on inexpensive earbuds worth cranking up the volume on. Further reading: ⁠Nick Thompson's book, The Running Ground⁠ From The Atlantic: ⁠Why I Run⁠ ⁠TV manufacturers unite to tackle the scourge of motion smoothing⁠ ⁠Dear Roku, you ruined my TV⁠ ⁠How to turn off motion smoothing on your high-definition TV⁠ ⁠Samsung’s Frame TV is finally getting the knockoffs it deserves⁠ ⁠Samsung announces The Frame Pro: could this be the perfect TV?⁠ Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vine was the original short-form video platform, and pioneered so many of the ideas we now take for granted in reels and TikToks. It was a cultural engine whose executives clashed with the creators who made it famous, before everybody decamped for other platforms. Marina Galperina, Sarah Jeong and Mia Sato join David Pierce to revisit their favorite Vines and discuss the platform's lasting impact on creator culture. If you like the show, ⁠⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode. Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like it or not, you may not be able to avoid the AI agents for long. David and Nilay discuss the ways Microsoft is pushing agents to practically every corner of Windows, and where Google plans to put Gemini 3 now that it's confident it makes the best model. After that, the hosts dig into the ruling in Meta's monopoly case, which has a lot to say about TikTok — and about the state and future of the internet. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for an extra-long Brendan Carr is a Dummy, some thoughts on domain names, and a quick Boox screen test. Further reading: ⁠Google cracked Apple’s AirDrop and is adding it to Pixel phones⁠ ⁠Talking to Windows’ Copilot AI makes a computer feel incompetent⁠ ⁠Microsoft is turning Windows into an ‘agentic OS,’ starting with the taskbar⁠ ⁠Microsoft Agent 365 lets businesses manage AI agents like they do people ⁠ ⁠Screw it, I’m installing Linux⁠ ⁠Google is launching Gemini 3, its ‘most intelligent’ AI model yet ⁠ ⁠Google Antigravity is an ‘agent-first’ coding tool built for Gemini 3 ⁠ ⁠Google’s AI Mode can now help you visualize your travel plans ⁠ ⁠Google Gemini is getting better at identifying AI fakes | The Verge⁠ ⁠Google’s Nano Banana AI image model goes Pro and is free to try | The Verge⁠ ⁠Meta is not a monopolist, judge rules⁠ ⁠FTC v. Meta: the antitrust battle over Instagram and WhatsApp ⁠ ⁠Inside the courthouse reshaping the future of the internet⁠ ⁠Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI laws ⁠ ⁠Here’s the Trump executive order that would ban state AI laws ⁠ ⁠Republicans are looking for a way to bring back the AI moratorium⁠ ⁠Brendan Carr’s FCC launches probe into BBC’s Trump edit | The Verge⁠ ⁠The FCC wants to roll back steps meant to stop a repeat of a massive telecom hack | The Verge⁠ ⁠Matter 1.5 brings camera support at last — here’s what it means for your smart home ⁠ ⁠MSNBC’s website is now MS.NOW ⁠ ⁠Future Google TV devices might come with a solar-powered remote ⁠ ⁠Disney loses bid to block Sling TV’s one-day cable passes ⁠ Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enshittification. It's fun to say, hard to spell, and a useful descriptor of exactly how the internet has gone wrong. Cory Doctorow, the author and activist who coined the term a few years ago, recently published a book on the subject, called Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. He was on Decoder a few weeks ago to explain what happened, and joins The Vergecast this week to help us figure out what to do about it. Can we, as regular people on the internet, help to de-enshittify the place? What responsibility do we have, and what kinds of choices should we be making? Cory has lots of thoughts on whether you can shop your way out of a monopoly, and what it really takes to enact structural change online. Further reading: ⁠Cory Doctorow on Decoder⁠ ⁠Read Cory's book, Enshittification⁠ ⁠Cory's last Vergecast appearance⁠ From Pluralistic: ⁠How monopoly enshittified Amazon⁠ ⁠AI is killing the old web, and the new web struggles to be born⁠ ⁠FTC files a massive antitrust lawsuit against Amazon⁠ ⁠Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you like the show, ⁠⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode. Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The console wars are back on. This week, Nilay Patel sits down with Jake Kastrenakes, Sean Hollister, and special guest Joanna Stern, senior columnist at The Wall Street Journal, to talk about Valve's return to the living room gaming race with the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset. Then, Joanna discusses her time putting the Neo robot to the test and seeing whether it's capable of loading a dishwasher. Finally, it's time for the Lightning Round, where the crew is talking the YouTube/Disney spat, Apple's new mini apps, and letting Waymo speed down the highway. Further reading: ⁠Our first look at the Steam Machine, Valve’s ambitious new game console ⁠ ⁠Valve enters the console wars ⁠ ⁠Valve just built the Xbox that Microsoft is dreaming of ⁠ ⁠Valve’s new Steam Controller might be my dream controller⁠⁠The Steam Frame is a surprising new twist on VR ⁠ ⁠Steam Machines have returned: all the news about Valve’s new hardware universe ⁠ ⁠The Steam Frame has two speakers on each side of your face for vibration cancellation⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠Valve’s new VR streaming trick won’t just work with its own headset ⁠ ⁠How the Steam Frame compares to other VR headsets ⁠ ⁠Valve thinks Arm has ‘potential’ for SteamOS handhelds, laptops, and more ⁠ ⁠Valve is welcoming Android games into Steam ⁠ ⁠Valve has stopped manufacturing its Index VR headset⁠ ⁠Valve has no news about Steam Deck 2 — because it’s still waiting for the right chip ⁠ ⁠We tried Valve’s new VR headset, PC, and controller — ask us anything! ⁠ ⁠I Tried the First Humanoid Home Robot. It Got Weird⁠ ⁠Know Your Meme⁠  ⁠1X Neo is a $20,000 home robot that will learn chores via teleoperation⁠  ⁠Meet NEO, the AI-Driven Robot That’s Coming to Lend a Hand Around the House — for a Steep Price⁠ ⁠The Problem with this Humanoid Robot⁠ ⁠Samsung brings a generative AI-powered Bixby to its TVs ⁠ ⁠Gemini for TV is coming to Google TV Streamer starting today ⁠ ⁠Google says its confusing Gemini Home rollout is going just great⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠Google Photos lets iPhone users edit images by describing changes⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠Disney is losing over $4 million a day in revenue on the YouTube TV blackout⁠ ⁠Disney is “trying really hard” to get ESPN back on YouTube TV⁠ ⁠Peyton and Eli Manning Drop the Ball, Embarrass Themselves With Bob Iger Interview⁠ ⁠Apple made a $230 crossbody… sock ⁠ ⁠Steve Jobs introduces iPod socks in 2004⁠ ⁠Mini apps⁠ ⁠Apple will take a mini commission from mini app developers⁠ ⁠⁠Amazon is cracking down on illegal streaming on its Fire TV Stick ⁠⁠ Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David has a new house, and no idea what to do with it. So he taps The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy to help him make the place a lot smarter. Jen and David go room by room, figuring out how to improve everything from his lighting to his fridge to his front door. Some of the decisions are easy, like betting on Matter. Some are more complicated: what do you do when you have a split household between Android and iOS? Some are downright existential — how much would you spend for a better cup of coffee? Jen has ideas, and a vast set of product recommendations as well. Kitchen: Fridge - Bosch 100 Series I found the first Matter smart fridge Samsung  Bosh Home Connect app Echo Show 8/11 Echo Show 15 Echo Dot Max Thermomix My smart kitchen: the good, the bad, and the future GE Profile Nugget Ice maker Typhur Dome 2 air fryer Instant Pot Pro Bosch 800 Series Coffee Machine Living Room FireTV Omni FireTV Stick with voice remote Inovelli smart switches Philips Hue essentials bulbs Philips Hue lights get bigger, brighter, and cheaper with a major product refresh Philips Hue Bridge Pro / Motion Aware Inside Philips Hue’s plans to make all your lights motion sensors Ikea Bilresa Buttons Lutron Caseta SmartWings shades Sonos / Hue Bedroom: Philips Hue Twilight Fall into smarter lighting Switchbot Air Purifier table AIDot WeLov Air Purifiers Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor Ikea Alpstuga air quality monitor Belkin Boost Charge Pro Echo Spot Big Ass Fans Kids room: Echo Glow  Echo Dot Kids Switchbot robot vacuum K11 Plus Office Basement: Philips Hue downlights  Nanoleaf downlights Nanoleaf Blocks Nanoleaf Skylight  Sense Plus Switch Nanoleaf launches a smart switch after eight years of trying Govee Floor lamp Philips Hue Floor Lamp Nanoleaf Floor Lamp Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Gardyn Studio Gen 2 Aqara Smart Lock U300 Lever Lock Garden Hue Festavia Globe Outdoor Lights Nanoleaf String Lights Lifx String lights Eve Aqua Apollo PLT-1 indoor plant multisensor Others: All Ikea’s new stuff Shelly Relays Third Reality Zigbee sensors Zooz Z-Wave sensors  Eve Energy smart plug Home Assistant The little smart home platform that could Home Assistant Green  Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 Home Assistant Z-Wave Home Assistant Energy Management Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2014, the tech world was abuzz with the prospect of a phone made by Amazon. When the Fire Phone arrived, it was chock full of ideas — a "dynamic perspective" feature that created 3D illusions, an image-recognition feature called "Firefly," and many, many opportunities to buy Amazon products. Allison Johnson and Sean O’Kane join David Pierce to discuss why, unlike Amazon's successful e-readers, this device was a gigantic flop. If you like the show, ⁠⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode. Thank you for subscribing to The Verge. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠⁠⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. (edited) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices