The Vergecast: Ad-Free Edition

Nilay, Dieter, Chaim, and Chris dive deep into all the gadget news that dominated this week, including all the announcements at IFA 2020's virtual event showcase.Stories discussed this week: Apple and Google announce new automatic app system to track COVID exposures  Apple releases iOS 13.7 with support for new automatic COVID-19 notification system The CDC’s testing guidance will make the pandemic worse Emergency COVID-19 vaccines will have to convince a skeptical public Robert Pattinson reportedly has COVID-19, and The Batman has halted production Super Mario 3D World and other classic Mario games are coming to the Switch Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a Switch racer that uses RC cars Nintendo is releasing a 35th anniversary Super Mario Bros. Game and Watch Intel announces its new 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs, available ... Intel debuts a new logo alongside its 11th Gen chips Asus’ latest ZenBook laptops feature Intel’s 11th Gen CPUs and Thunderbolt 4 ports Acer’s new Swift laptops include Intel’s 11th Gen processors Toshiba laptops are no more, but here are Dynabook’s new notebooks with Intel’s 11th Gen parts Samsung launches Galaxy Book Flex 5G, the first 5G Intel Evo laptop Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080: launching September 17th for … Nvidia's new RTX 3090 is a $1,499 monster GPU designed for ... Qualcomm's next budget Snapdragon 4-series chips could ... Qualcomm’s 8cx Gen 2 5G processor promises a new wave of better ARM-based laptops Qualcomm hopes to topple AirPods Pro with ‘adaptive’ noise cancellation for true wireless earbuds Sonos patent gives possible first look at unannounced headphones Bang & Olufsen’s $800 noise-canceling headphones copy the best part of Microsoft’s Surface Headphones Samsung announces The Premiere, a luxury ultra-short throw 4K laser projector The new Philips Hue lightstrip mounts to your TV and syncs with what’s on-screen Lenovo Smart Clock  8BitDo made a mod-friendly, wireless arcade stick for the Nintendo Switch and Asus Zenfone 7 Pro review: fun flipping cameras with a bulky phone attached Samsung announces its cheapest 5G phone and new Trio … We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: voxmedia.com/podsurvey.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nilay Patel talks with Verge reporter Bijan Stephen and video producer Mariya Abdulkaf about The Verge's new multimedia project Capturing the Police. Capturing the Police is a project from The Verge about how people use technology to bring awareness of police brutality and racism — and what it costs them when they agitate for justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wired's Lauren Goode returns to the show to discuss Microsoft's soon-to-be released Surface Duo, Amazon's new fitness tracker, and an update on Apple's battle with Epic over the App Store. Stories this week: FDA authorizes Abbott’s fast $5 COVID-19 test FDA authorizes convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19  Tracking COVID-19 through symptom monitoring will be harder when flu season starts Facebook chose not to act on militia complaints before Kenosha shooting Facebook takes down ‘call to arms’ event after two shot dead in Kenosha  Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman interview Amazon announced Halo, a fitness band and app that scans your body and voice Amazon Look review (2017) Fitbit’s new Sense smartwatch can take your skin’s temperature to help you manage stress Microsoft Flight Simulator players are flying into Hurricane Laura Fall Guys is the feel-good game of the summer Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 doesn’t have a release date, but you can already watch this review This could be the first real picture of the Pixel 5 Sony Xperia 5 II leak reveals a new 120Hz display and a headphone jack The Asus Zenfone 7 adds a third lens to its neat flipping camera LG’s swiveling ‘Wing’ phone allegedly revealed in video leak TikTok sues Trump administration over US ban Kevin Mayer quits as TikTok CEO due to ongoing political turmoil Walmart says it’s partnering with Microsoft on a TikTok deal Epic judge will protect Unreal Engine — but not Fortnite Why Epic can’t afford to lose the Unreal Engine in its legal fight with Apple Read the emails between Epic and Apple that led to Fortnite’s App Store ban Apple is holding the Unreal Engine hostage, Epic says in new motion Epic confirms Fortnite’s new season won’t be on iPhone, iPad, or Mac Fortnite is splitting into two different games because of Epic and Apple’s fight Apple apologizes to WordPress, won’t force the free app to add purchases after all Fortnite on iOS already feels empty and dated  Apple’s move to make advertising harder on iOS 14 is part of a trend Announcing the Get Wired podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Antitrust criticism of big tech companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon have been louder than ever — from the consumers to the tech companies who compete with them. Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman has been vocal for years about the problem with Google’s dominant market share in maps, local search, and reviews.“I’ve been working on it for over a decade and it’s great to see that more people have jumped on board.” Stoppelman says. “When we started out criticizing Google and highlighting some of their abuses, we got — especially from Silicon Valley — so many eye rolls.”The Verge’s Nilay Patel and Casey Newton recently caught up with Stoppelman to discuss the evolving view of the media and the public on the tech monopolies, as well as how Yelp is handling their competition and what possible changes can be made with regulation from the government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dieter, Dan, and Becca discuss reviews of Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Watch 3. They also discuss a potential BlackBerry phone coming to the market...in 2021. Stories from this week: Attack of the gaiters  Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review How Samsung’s beans broke the mold of wireless earbuds iFixit’s Galaxy Buds Live teardown shows that even Samsung calls them beans Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: good sound, unique … Google’s Pixel Buds are now available in more colors nearly four months after launch Google’s Pixel Buds get new transcribe mode, attention alerts, and sharing detection Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 review: time for a change Fossil updates its Gen 5 smartwatches with sleep tracking and more fitness features The Nubia Watch is a decadent OLED smart bracelet New images of Fitbit Versa 3 and Fitbit Sense leak Epic says Apple threatens ‘catastrophic’ response in two weeks if Fortnite doesn’t comply with rules Apple tells Epic ‘we won’t make an exception’ for Fortnite Uber CEO on the fight in California: ‘We can’t go out and hire 50,000 people overnight’ Here’s your best look yet at ZTE’s first smartphone with an under-display camera Apple is now a $2 trillion company A new 5G BlackBerry phone with Android and a physical … theverge.com/newsletters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to Lana Swartz, assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia about her new book New Money: How Payment Became Social Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nilay, Dieter, Tom, and Dan discuss the timeline of events that lead to Epic Games suing Apple and Google after being kicked out of mobile app stores. They also discuss Microsoft's announcement of the Surface Duo's release date and technical specs.Stories discussed this episode: Big Tech pledged a billion to racial justice, but it was pocket change US passes 5 million coronavirus cases Big airlines are hoarding cash to survive the pandemic Vaping linked to higher risk of COVID-19 in teens and young adults, study finds Microsoft opens xCloud game streaming beta early on Tuesday Apple confirms cloud gaming services like xCloud and Stadia violate App Store guidelines Microsoft condemns Apple’s App Store policies Facebook slams Apple’s App Store policies, launches Facebook Gaming on iOS without games Fortnite vs Apple vs Google: a brief and very incomplete timeline Epic offers new direct payment in Fortnite on iOS and Android to get around app store fees Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store Watch Epic’s Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short mocking Apple right here Epic Games is suing Apple Fortnite for Android has also been kicked off the Google Play Store Epic is suing Google over Fortnite’s removal from the Google Play Store Google forced OnePlus to decimate a Fortnite launcher deal, claims Epic Games Fortnite vs Apple vs Google: a brief and very incomplete timeline Epic rallies Fortnite players against Apple with a warning that they’ll miss the next season Microsoft’s Surface Duo arrives on Sept 10th for $1,399 Microsoft releases Surface Duo press event video with 30 minutes of demos The Xbox Series X could launch on November 6th Microsoft’s new Xbox Series S console confirmed in leaked controller packaging When I don’t buy the new Xbox, Microsoft will laugh all the way to the bank Android is becoming a worldwide earthquake detection network Google is re-adding a Calendar app to Android Auto so you can see how to get to your next appointment Google Maps finally works with CarPlay’s excellent dashboard mode Google promises the next Wear OS update will launch apps up to 20 percent faster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks with New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz about what actually happens to TikTok users, creators, and the influencer economy if a ban on the app was implemented in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nilay, Dieter, Becca, Chris, and Dan discuss the products announced at Samsung's virtual event this week, as well as the Google Pixel 4a review, a new 27-inch iMac, and Greg Joswiak replacing Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing.Stories discussed this week: Apple and Google’s COVID-19 tracking system will make its full US debut in new Virginia app We can’t skip steps on the road to a COVID-19 vaccine Twitter blocked Trump campaign account from tweeting over COVID-19 misinformation Facebook removes Trump post for falsely claiming children are ‘almost immune’ to COVID-19 One tweet tried to identify a cop — then five people were charged with felony harassment President Trump withdraws FCC renomination after 5G controversy Donald Trump trying to control the FCC is a ‘disaster,’ says Sen. Ron Wyden President Trump says he will ban TikTok in the US today How the Trump administration could ‘ban’ TikTok Apple is not interested in buying TikTok Instagram launches Reels, its attempt to keep you off TikTok Google announced Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 4a all at once Pixel 4a review Galaxy Note 20 first look  The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is Samsung’s big promise that it can fix its foldable future Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review The best part of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is its screen Sony WH-1000XM4 review Greg Joswiak replaces Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing The new 27-inch iMac’s webcam isn’t just better; it’s smarter Scientists rename human genes to stop Microsoft Excel from misreading them as dates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's Nilay Patel and Adi Robertson talk to Senator Ron Wyden, who co-authored Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.Wyden discusses the forced sale of TikTok to a US-based company, the bills out to reform Section 230, his new privacy bill preventing law enforcement from buying data on the open market, and how Trump's handling of recent FCC nominations is a "disaster." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices