The Vergecast

• Bring back the iBook, you cowards

  The DoorDash problem just became Amazon's problem. Perplexity's Comet browser is allegedly stealthily shopping on the internet's largest mall, and the folks in Seattle want it to stop. It's just one example of the fast-moving power dynamics on the internet, as AI companies try to change the way we search, shop, and do everything else. Lots of companies are not going to settle for being dumb databases, and Nilay and David discuss how this fight might play out. After that, the hosts talk about the reports of an impending cheaper Mac with an iPhone chip, and whether that might mark Apple's true return to consumer laptops — or be something else entirely. Finally, in the lightning round, they talk Brendan Carr, late-night shows, party speakers, and sonic logos. Lots and lots of sonic logos. Further reading: Amazon and Perplexity have kicked off the great AI web browser fight  WEB WAR III  Apple is planning to use a custom version of Google Gemini for Apple Intelligence  OpenAI launches its Sora app on Android  Perplexity is going to power AI search in Snapchat.  Easier access to AI Mode, if that’s your thing.  Google Gemini’s Deep Research can look into your emails, drive, and chats  Google Maps taps Gemini AI to transform into an ‘all-knowing copilot’  Amazon is building Alexa Plus into its Music app  The AI industry is running on FOMO  Apple is reportedly working on a cheaper Mac laptop with an iPhone chip  iOS 26.1 lets you tweak Liquid Glass, and it’s out now  YouTube wants a piece of the late-night TV pie.  Apple TV’s new name now comes with a new sound  Brendan Carr votes to eliminate cybersecurity requirements Epic and Google agree to settle their lawsuit and change Android’s fate globally  I’m amused by how Google is complying with the Epic injunction.  xAI used employee biometric data to train Elon Musk’s AI girlfriend  Into the Huluverse: The sonic evolution of Hulu Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Your smart home questions, answered

  Here at The Vergecast, we get a lot of questions. Questions from you, which we love! Questions that, for some reason, often tend to be about the smart home and why it's often not so very smart. So on this episode, the first in a two-part series, The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy helps us answer a whole bunch of your questions. Questions like: what's Apple's deal with the smart home? Are there any good smart faucets? And what's about to happen to my robot vacuum cleaner? Jen helps us wade through all that and more. We also go on a long diversion about smart smoke detectors, which are pretty awesome. Further reading: My smart kitchen: the good, the bad, and the future Moen’s Smart Faucet with Motion Control is totally hands free, and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant The future of the Roomba, and the best robot vacuums This smart smoke alarm could be a worthy Nest Protect replacement Home Assistant’s next era begins now Apple’s plan for AI could make Siri the animated center of your smart home What’s in a smart home reviewer’s backyard How Matter works, where it’s headed, and why it matters The problems with AI in the smart home and how Amazon and Google plan to fix them Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Version History: Zune

  In 2006, Microsoft came for the iPod's throne with an innovative MP3 player called the Zune. It had a bunch of features the iPod didn't: WiFi, music sharing, a bigger screen, a beautiful UI, even an FM radio. And to hear Microsoft describe it, it was even kind of a social network. Nilay Patel and Victoria Song join David Pierce to break down why, despite all that, the Zune never really took off. And why it came in brown. If you like the show, ⁠⁠subscribe to the Version History feed⁠⁠ to make sure you get every new episode. ⁠Subscribe to The Verge⁠ for unlimited access to ⁠theverge.com⁠, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ⁠ad-free podcast feed⁠. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to ⁠[email protected]⁠ or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• God will be declared by a panel of experts

  If you want to understand the full spectrum of AI software, from "straightforward problem-solving tool" to "never-ending slop machine," all you need to do is pay attention to everything Adobe launched at its conference this week. David and Nilay run through the news, which will change how people use Photoshop but also maybe change our social feeds forever. After that, they talk about OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit business, and specifically the truly wild way OpenAI and Microsoft talk about the future of AGI. Finally, in the lightning round, they discuss Brendan Carr, Cybertrucks, the Trump Phone, Ghost Posts, and more. Help us improve The Verge: Take our quick survey at theverge.com/survey. Further reading: ⁠Photoshop and Premiere Pro’s new AI tools can instantly edit your work ⁠ ⁠You can tell Adobe Express’s new AI assistant to edit designs for you⁠ ⁠Adobe’s AI social media admin is here with ‘Project Moonlight’ ⁠ ⁠Mark Zuckerberg is excited to add more AI content to all your social feeds⁠ ⁠Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defends AI spend: 'We're seeing the returns'⁠ ⁠OpenAI completed its for-profit restructuring — and struck a new deal with Microsoft ⁠  ⁠The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership⁠ ⁠OpenAI lays groundwork for juggernaut IPO at up to $1 trillion valuation | Reuters⁠ ⁠OpenAI has an AGI problem — and Microsoft just made it worse ⁠ ⁠OpenAI made ChatGPT better at sifting through your work information ⁠ ⁠Sam, Jakub, and Wojciech on the future of OpenAI with audience Q&A⁠ ⁠The Kingmaker | WIRED⁠ ⁠Congratulations to the Tesla Cybertruck on its 10th recall.⁠ ⁠Trump℠ Mobile | All-American Performance. Everyday Price. $47.45/Month⁠ ⁠Threads is getting disappearing posts ⁠ ⁠Ads will arrive on Samsung Family Hub smart fridges next month. ⁠ ⁠The FCC is going after broadband nutrition labels. ⁠ ⁠Brendan Carr is a Dummy⁠ ⁠Bending Spoons is buying AOL for some reason ⁠ Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• An Apple Shortcuts masterclass

  Meta's smart glasses have been a hit in part because they don't try to do too much. With the new Display glasses, though, Meta is trying to do... a lot more. The Verge's Victoria Song joins the show to tell us about her experience with the glasses, from the impressive but very first-gen hardware to the somewhat underwhelming set of things you can do. After that, podcaster and creator Stephen Robles explains to David why he's dead wrong about Apple Shortcuts. Stephen shares how he uses Shortcuts, why he's found such a big audience of Shortcuts fans on YouTube and elsewhere, and why it's worth doing the work to learn Apple's most powerful app. Finally, David answers a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email [email protected]!) about which wireless earbuds you should buy — and why it might be the pair you already own. Help us improve The Verge: Take our quick survey at theverge.com/survey. Further reading: ⁠The future I saw through the Meta Ray-Ban Display amazes and terrifies me⁠ ⁠I regret to inform you Meta’s new smart glasses are the best I’ve ever tried⁠ ⁠The smart glasses race is really on now⁠ ⁠Stephen Robles' YouTube channel⁠ Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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