The Engadget Podcast

This week, Cherlynn dives into her review of the new screen-less FitbIt Air, Google's new wearable meant to take on Whoop's popular bands. Also, we dive into Pope Leo's first Encyclical, which is focused on reining in AI and Big Tech's dominance and prioritizing humanity instead. We also chat with "Padre" Fr. Robert Ballecer, who's seen the Encyclical and the ideas around it take shape for years at the Vatican.Cherlynn’s Fitbit Air Review: health tracking for the AI generation with a form that competes with Whoop – 1:31 Pope Leo criticizes AI in his first Encyclical – 26:45We asked Jesuit Priest (and huge techie) Father Robert Ballecer to break down Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence – 38:38Steam Deck price goes up by $300 (almost 50%) for the 1TB model – 54:50 Trump Mobile finally releases phones, immediately leaks customer data – 1:01:10 Meta has paid tiers for Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp Now – 1:05:48 Around Engadget – 1:09:39 Working on – 1:11:11 Pop culture picks – 1:11:29 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s a good weekend to think about buying a new TV! In this episode, Devindra is joined by Dipin Sehdev, the founder of CECritic, to discuss the new RGB TVs and how they compare to OLED, the previous high-end TV technology of choice. Is RGB tech actually worth the premium, especially when OLED TVs have come way down in price? We also offer up a few tips for choosing the best TV today.RGB gets added to the TV alphabet soup, Dipin Sehdev from CECritic explains where it sits in the landscape – 1:10  Elon Musk loses OpenAI lawsuit, plus he owes a lot of xAI employees $420 for their tax returns – 30:50 SpaceX IPO date set for June 12 – 35:02 Alexa+ now makes “”podcasts”” – 37:26 Firefox lets you turn off all AI features with one tap on mobile – 41:32Around Engadget – 49:06Working on – 50:41 Pop culture picks – 50:51Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this bonus episode, Devindra and Executive Editor Cherlynn Low break down all of the major news from Google's I/O 2026 developer conference. And yes, you guessed it, it's pretty much all about AI. We dive into the new Gemini Omni model, the massive AI integration with Google Search, the usefulness of agentic personal assistants like Spark and our impressions of the first Android XR glasses.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As usual, Google delivered much of its consumer-focused news this week during the Android Show, ahead of its I/O developer conference next week. We've gotten a closer look at Android 17, which will sport a slew of new Gemini AI integrations, including some new agentic upgrades. The company also officially announced Googlebooks, its latest line of laptops built around AI features and Android interoperability. It looks like a major evolution on the concept of Chromebooks, though Google says those won't be going anywhere.  What’s new at The Android Show: Googlebooks, Gemini Intelligence, and file sharing with iOS – 1:25eBay rejects Gamestop’s offer as “not credible or attractive” – 32:18 U.S. cell carriers form a joint venture to fix service dead spots – 33:41 OpenAI sued by spouse of FSU shooting victim, who used ChatGPT to plan shooting spree – 38:44Apple is making the iOS Camera app more customizable – 44:06 RIP Rufus, we hardly knew ye: Amazon dubs Alexa its new shopping assistant – 44:58Around Engadget – 47:14 Working on – 49:26 Pop culture picks – 51:15Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Can a meme stock buy a real company? This week, Gamestop proposed a $56 billion takeover of eBay, despite seemingly not being able to afford such a deal. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Daniel Cooper discuss what the heck is going on (and why this deal most likely won't happen). Also, Dan chats about his review of the reMarkable Paper Pure, the company's latest stab at a relatively affordable e-paper tablet.Gamestop submits an unsolicited $56 billion offer to buy eBay. How serious are they? – 1:33Dan Cooper’s reMarkable Paper Pure review: beautiful, but missing a few crucial features – 21:15 Fitbit’s Air band takes aim at Whoop for no-screen fitness tracker dominance – 39:49 Apple ordered to pay $250M to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 users over smarter Siri misfire – 40:33  Anthropic makes a deal with SpaceX’s mega-polluting Memphis data center to increase Claude rate limit – 44:05 Pornhub unblocks UK users who verify ID with Apple – 46:51Starfox 64 remake coming to the Switch 2 – 50:42 Working on – 52:28 Pop culture picks – 53:06Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're still waiting for Valve's Steam Machine to arrive, but until then, the company has finally given us a full look at its new Steam Controller. At $100, it sure is steep, but it looks like a solid way to enjoy games on Steam. In this episode, Engadget's Jessica Conditt joins to chat about her experience with the Steam Controller, and where Valve could be going next with the Steam Machine. And we'll also take some time to chat about the games we're currently playing. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Apple rumors were true, once again. This week, the company announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down from his CEO role on September 1. Replacing him will be John Ternus, who currently serves as Apple's SVP of hardware engineering. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Nathan Ingraham discuss Cook's legacy as Apple's CEO, and pontificate about how Ternus may change things. We're going from Apple being led by a logistics guru, to Apple being driven by a product and engineering wizard. Surely, that will have some impact on future products.   Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO after 15 years, John Ternus will take his place on September 1 – 1:22 Palantir woke up last Saturday morning and posted a comic book villain manifesto on X – 26:01 DHS wants to make facial recognition smart glasses for ICE – 31:53 A lot of people panic bought PCs to avoid RAMageddon – 36:25 Meta faces a new lawsuit over running ads for outright scams – Employees at Meta will have they keystrokes and mouse moves recorded for AI training – 40:10 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price goes down, but it won’t include Call of Duty – 44:55 Around Engadget: a great (expensive) Dyson vac with a silly name – 49:15 Working on – 51:58 Pop culture picks – 52:55 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

So a shoe company turned into an AI company…. That’s it, that’s the joke. In this episode, Devindra chats with Engadget’s Daniel Cooper about Allbirds’ sudden transformation and what it says about the AI economy. Also, they chat about the Artemis II moon mission, Meta being warned about the dangers of facial recognition (again) and how teens think social media is really shaping them.   Near-dead shoe company Allbirds is doing AI now – 1:47 Artemis II safely returns to Earth, did you know they had DLSRs and iPhones up there? – 15:57 Meta warned by dozens of civil rights organizations that facial recognition in its smart glasses will enable predators – 28:41 Social media isn’t bad for teens, say teens – 36:00 NAACP sues xAI over data center pollution – 44:30 Around Engadget –  50:28   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

For a 50-year-old company, Apple remains pretty hip and nimble. This week, Devindra and Senior Reporter Igor Bonifacic dive into Apple's big birthday, the state of the company today and what the next 50 years could bring. Also, we celebrate the successful launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, which will bring us back to the Moon (but just for a close look).   Apple at 50: Why it’s still all about personal computing – 1:16 Artemis II is safely on its way to the moon, but they’re having problems with Outlook – 37:48 SpaceX files for the largest IPO ever, what’s driving their hopes for a 1.75 Trillion valuation? – 40:52 Another Starlink satellite broke up in orbit, the second in 6 months – 47:21 Anthropic accidentally leaked source code for Claude Code – 52:17 FCC issues ban on all foreign-made WiFi routers – 57:18 Around Engadget – 1:02:09 Working On – 1:07:18 Pop culture picks – 1:08:20  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you're feeling anxious about AI and what it means for the future of humanity, you should watch The AI Doc: Or, How I Became an Apocaloptimist. As I noted in my review, the film aims to deliver some clarity amid all the AI hype with a plethora of interviews from AI CEOs, boosters, and critics. Now that it's in theaters, we sat down with the film's Oscar-winning director, Daniel Roher (Navalny), to dive deeper into his complicated feelings around AI.     Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It turns out people don't actually love having Copilot shoved into their faces. This week, Devindra and PCWorld Senior Editor Mark Hachman discuss Microsoft's surprising plan to "fix" Windows 11 by refocusing on customization and core features, instead of bringing Copilot AI into tons of apps. Is there any enthusiasm left for Windows? Or will most people be better off considering macOS or Linux?   Microsoft hits the reset button on Windows 11, de-emphasizing Copilot AI – 1:03 OpenAI pulls the plug on its Sora video generation app after just 5 months – 25:23 Meta’s terrible week in court, part 1: $375 million ruling in New Mexico child engagement case – 33:58 Meta’s terrible week in court, part 2: Meta and Google lose landmark social media addiction suit – 38:49 OpenAI puts erotic chat on hold indefinitely – 43:49 Update your iPhones: iOS exploit ‘Darksword’ released on GitHub – 46:39 Epic games lays off 1,000 workers after Fortnite engagement dips – 47:48 Honda and Sony kill off their Afeela EV collaboration – 49:26 Listener Mail: Which Mac Mini to get for a budding pro photographer – 55:15 Pop culture picks – 57:52 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

NVIDIA started an online firestorm this week when it announced DLSS 5 at its GTC conference. The company claims it's meant to deliver "photorealistic" lighting and materials in games by using neural processing. But it differs considerably from previous versions of DLSS, which were focused on using machine learning to upscale lower resolutions and generate additional frames. To help us break this down, Anshel Sag, VP and principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy joins us to discuss his experience with NVIDIA's DLSS 5 demos. Also, we dive into what's next for Xbox with Project Helix.   NVIDIA announced DLSS 5, the disgust was immediate (with Anshel Sag from Moor Insights & Strategy) – 0:51 Arizona attorney general sues Kalshi for operating an illegal gambling business – 36:22 Polymarket users threaten the life of a reporter at The Times of Israel over accurate reporting – 36:59 Apple announces AirPods Max 2 with improved noise cancellation – 44:33 Elon Musk’s xAI faces class action suit over facilitating CSAM – 47:38 Samsung stops selling Galaxy Z TriFold after 3 months because components got too expensive – 51:22 Around Engadget: Apple Studio XDR review, Dell XPS 16 review – 53:49.346 Listener Mail: Stick with iPhone on Linux? And are there any good Android tablets? – 55:41 Pop culture picks – 58:46 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Somehow, Apple made a $600 laptop that's actually a joy to use. In this episode, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham chat about what makes the MacBook Neo so great. And they also dive into the new M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pros. Also, Roberto Baldwin, SAE International's Sustainability Editor, joins us to chat about the state of EVs today as gas prices explode. MacBook Neo review: Apple puts $600 Windows PCs to shame – 1:47 iPad Air M4 remains Apple’s best overall tablet – 18:05 Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE employee illegally took social security info on 500 million Americans to their new job – 33:37 Valve clarifies their outlook on the Steam Machine, it’ll launch in 2026, still no word on price – 36:08 Grammerly hit with a class action lawsuit for using reporters’ names in an editing ‘expert’ tool – 40:29 A new study claims every major AI chatbot will help users plan a hate attack or political assassination – 44:03 What to look for in a used EV with SAE International sustainability editor Roberto Baldwin – 48:31 Around Engadget – 1:21:04 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's been a wild week for Apple. After announcing a slew of new hardware, the company capped things off with its cheapest laptop ever: the $599 MacBook Neo. It's low on specs, but high on character and value. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham dive into the MacBook Neo, as well as the refreshed MacBook Air M5, MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max and iPad Air M4.  Also, Devindra chats with Spencer Ackerman, author of The Forever Wars and recent Iron Man comics, about the ongoing battle between Anthropic and the Department of Defense. It turns out the DOD still used Claude for attacks on Iran, after banning Anthropic'/s AI last week. And really, what do these AI companies expect to happen when they jump at military contracts? Apple announces a the MacBook Neo priced at $599 and it’s shockingly great – 0:53 MacBook Air got the M5, MacBook Pro got the M5 Pro and M5 Max, and who needs the new iPad Air now? – 22:31 Anthropic vs. DoD with Spencer Ackerman, author of The Forever Wars – 30:34 Gemini encouraged a man to end his own life to be with his ‘AI wife’ – 58:53 Polymarket nixes bets on nuclear detonation after public outcry – 1:01:55 No Yōtei on PC: Sony closes down first party titles outside of PS5 – 1:03:56 Wildlight Studios’ Highguard shuts down after 46 days live – 1:08:23 Working on: Dell’s XPS 14 will be great when the keyboard fix coms through – 1:15:09 Pop culture picks – 1:15:58   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, we're diving into the big changes at Xbox and what it all means for Microsoft's gaming future. Phil Spencer, the longtime face of Xbox, announced he's retiring last week. He'll be replaced by Microsoft's former CoreAI CEO Asha Sharma, instead of his longtime deputy Sarah Bond, who plans to leave the company. Will this change actually help the beleaguered Xbox division, or is it another example of Microsoft shoving AI into everything?  Also, Samsung held its latest Galaxy Unpacked event this week to announce its new Galaxy S26 family. They look pretty much the same as last year, but the Ultra model includes a unique privacy feature that can instantly make the screen unreadable to bystanders. It's one of those features we expect to see in every phone eventually. Xbox leadership falls apart. what happens next with Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond out? – 1:53 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: Privacy display on the S26 Ultra looks amazing – 27:27 U.S. Defense leadership gives Anthropic a Friday deadline to let it use Claude as it sees fit – 42:38 MrBeast editor accused of insider trading on Kalshi – 50:40 Discord delays age verification program after user revolt – 54:09 Around Engadget – 1:04:04 Working on – 1:05:16 Pop culture picks – 1:08:21 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark social media trial, claiming the company only wanted to make Instagram "useful" and not addictive. In this episode, we chat about Zuck's testimony and the potential implications of this trial for social media companies. Also, we dive into the latest effects of the RAMaggedon RAM shortage, including a potential PlayStation 6 delay and a dire future for practically every consumer electronics company.   Mark Zuckerberg testifies that Instagram was meant to be ‘useful’, not addictive in social media addiction trial – 1:27 Meta reportedly plans to launch a smartwatch later this year – 13:23 The RAMageddon will likely kill some small consumer electronics companies – 15:54 Apple could unveil a MacBook, new M5 Pro chip, and iPhone 17e at March 4th event – 26:26 Google’s Pixel 10a arrives on March 5 – 32:17 Email leaked to 404 media suggests Ring had plans to use its Search Party function for wider surveillance – 34:48 Listener Mail – 45:14 Working on – 48:40 Pop culture picks – 49:04  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you haven't heard, there's now a social network for AI: Moltbook, a site that purportedly features AI agents talking to each other. That includes OpenClaw, a personal AI agent (formerly called Clawdbot and Moltbot) that's open source and free for anyone to run on their systems. In this episode, Devindra and Senior Reporter Karissa Bell discuss the rise of these services, and the potential future that AI agents may have for all of us. What is Moltbook and OpenClaw? – 1:31Anthropic reinforces its commitment against ads with Super Bowl ad spots – 19:32SpaceX acquires xAI and plans for a mega IPO – 27:08Alexa + rolls out free for all Amazon Prime subscribers – 33:36Around Engadget: Reviews of the New AirTag and Switch Virtual Boy – 44:12Working on – 46:34Pop culture picks – 49:24 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Somehow, we live in a world where people can bet on practically anything using sites like Polymarket and Kalshi. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget Senior Reporter Karissa Bell dive into the world of betting markets. How did we get here? And is endless betting having an effect on the real world? Also, we chat about the new American version of TikTok, which stumbled during its first weekend with a litany of errors and reported censorship. Who’s going to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Tri-fold for $2900? – 1:18Tesla is killing off the Model X and S lines to focus on its Optimus robot moonshot – 6:46Amazon plans to cut 16,000 jobs and close its grocery stores in another round of restructuring – 10:45Most of the UK will lose access to Pornhub in a fight over age verification and privacy – 21:16Internal messages from Meta about Instagram being ‘a drug’ for teens could be bombshell evidence at trial – 26:59What are prediction markets and why are they suddenly so popular? – 32:11As TikTok US stumbles, users ask ‘is it server problems or censorship?’ – 46:55Around Engadget – 59:11Pop culture picks – 1:01:23  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Apple is reportedly working on an AI pin of its very own to compete with OpenAI's non-existent pin. No, it doesn't really make much sense to us, either. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget Managing Editor Cherlynn Low discuss why Apple might be quick to jump on the AI pin trend, even before it jumps into smart rings.  TCL is taking over Sony’s Bravia TV business in a new joint venture – 0:58Last week’s Verizon outage was resolved after 10 hours, no official word on what caused it – 8:39Youtube CEO promises more AI video tools for creators while also denouncing deepfakes – 12:19The FTC isn’t giving up on its Meta antitrust case – 14:22Trump family earnings from crypto may total $1.4B in 2025, but likely much more – 19:00Adobe Acrobat can now generate presentations and podcasts from your documents – 21:12Why the heck would Apple make an AI pin?? – 25:15Around Engadget: Sony LinkBuds Clip review, Volvo EX60 and Canon EOS R6 III reviews – 43:14Pop culture picks – 46:34  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Apple's next-gen Siri is still far off, but this week the company announced that it'll be using Google's Gemini AI for its new foundation models. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonifacic discuss why Apple teamed up with Google again, instead of OpenAI or Anthropic. Also, they chat about Meta's Reality Lab layoffs, which is refocusing the company on AI hardware like its smart glasses. Meta announces 1000+ layoffs, closes 3 VR studios as it shifts focus to AI hardware – 2:12Gemini can now pull context from the rest of your Google apps including photos and Youtube history – 12:31Framework raises the price of its desktop by $460 because of the global RAM shortage – 18:36NVIDIA may revive the RTX 3060 and kill off 5070 Ti due to its VRAM demands – 21:57Apple creates a subscription bundle for Pro creative apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic, and others – 23:00Tesla’s Full Self Driving is also going subscription only, a year costs $999 – 29:15Matthew McConaughey trademarks himself to fight unauthorized AI likenesses – 33:27Apple announces that its long delayed ’smarter Siri’ will be powered by Google Gemini – 35:15X finally responds to Grok’s CSAM and nudity generation with limits – 51:46Cursor claims their AI agents wrote 1M+ lines of code to make a web browser from scratch, are developers cooked? – 57:52    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

That’s a wrap for CES 2026! In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about their favorite aspects of the show, as well as Engadget’s best of CES awards lineup. Also, Cherlynn chats with Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky about his Pebble smartwatch revival, as well as an intriguing new AI ring that’s built entirely around notetaking.TVs at CES 2026: all eyes on Micro RGB and LG’s super thin OLED – 1:48L'Oréal debuts LED/Infrared face masks seem cool but needs some development – 5:46Engadget’s official Best of CES 2026: Lego’s Smart Brick, Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen, a super quiet leafblower and more – 9:55  Health Tech at CES 2026: Eyebot’s 30-second vision exam, Wheelmove makes manual wheelchairs motorized –  11:41Interview with Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky – 20:43 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're halfway through CES 2026, and one of our biggest takeaways is that it's going to be a rough year for the PC industry. In this episode, Devindra chats with Engadget's Daniel Cooper about Intel, AMD, NVIDIA and the sad state of the PC industry. We've got some new CPUs, but the volatile RAM market will likely make everything expensive this year. Also, they dive into Dell's revival of the XPS brand, as well as iPolish's smart nails and Subtle's AI-powered VoiceBuds.TopicsThe state of the PC industry in 2026 -- 02:22Intel's new Core Ultra Series 3 chips --  12:41Dell's XPS lineup is back -- 17:41Our favorite products from  CES: 26:36 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We’re gearing up for CES 2026! Engadget will be on the ground, once again, to dive into the latest TVs, wearables and other wild tech from the world’s biggest consumer electronics show. In this episode, we chat about some new products we expect to see, like MicroRGB LED TVs and AI devices, and peer into what’s ahead for the rest of 2026. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Over the past two years, the Nex Playground has carved out a niche for itself with kids and parents alike. It's a small box that sits in front of your TV and uses a camera, along with computer vision AI processing, to track your movement for interactive games. Think of it like a simplified version of Microsoft's Kinect (RIP), with a bit of the local multiplayer we see from the original Wii. In this bonus episode, we chat with David Lee, Nex's CEO and co-founder, about how he went from building a basketball tracking app to one of the most intriguing gaming console alternatives on the market. (The Nex Playground even managed to outsell Xbox in November!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Engadget Managing Editor Cherlynn Low joins us to look back at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of 2025. We dive into our favorite gadgets of the year, the many ways Big Tech bowed to Trump, the disappointment of AI PCs and the rise of smart glasses. Our favorite gadgets of 2025: Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, Airpods Pro 3, bluetooth lav mics and more – 2:26Favorite Media of 2025: Andor, self-improvement via podcast, and a shoutout to your library – 34:30iRobot declares bankruptcy – 47:29Warner Bros. Discovery board rejects Paramount’s hostile bid, shareholders yet to vote  – 53:47The Oscars will air on Youtube starting in 2029 – 56:05Ford to turn its F-150 Lightining into a gas generator EV – 57:41Around Engadget: smart glasses had a great run in 2025, against social media age verification – 58:20  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Last week, Netflix surprised us all when it announced plans for an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., a move that would fundamentally reshape the world of streaming video and Hollywood. But Paramount isn't giving up on WB -- this week it launched a $108 billion hostile takeover effort. In this episode, we discuss why everyone is fighting for WB, and why Netflix may be the best worst option for the storied movie studio.What the Netflix bid for Warner Bros. means for at-home streamers and moviegoers – 1:55Disney characters are coming to Sora after OpenAI struck a deal – 32:59Meta may be giving up on open source for Llama – 43:53  Google CEO says we’re just going to have to grin and bear societal disruption via AI – 46:46Around Engadget: The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is good, but is it $630 good? – 49:06The best trailers and announcements from The Game Awards’ Day of the Devs stream – 51:28Here’s why projectors won in 2025 – 54:31Working on – 56:15  Pop culture picks – 57:33 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

RAM prices have gone wild, mostly thanks to AI. In this episode, Devindra chats with Will Smith (Brad and Will Made a Tech Pod) about the state of the RAM industry, as well as other hardware we expect to get more expensive. (SSD prices are definitely creeping up too!). Also, we discuss Meta poaching Alan Dye, one of Apple's design executives, and what this could mean for Meta's upcoming devices. And yes, whatever they have next will likely revolve around AI. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, plans deep cuts to his company’s metaverse development – 1:09Longtime Apple UI designer Alan Dye to join Meta’s AI division – 7:08US DOT cuts fuel efficiency standards, doubles down on gas cars – 25:40Waymo autonomous cars recently started driving more aggressively – 31:30Amazon halts its anime dub beta because it sounded terrible – 38:00WTF, RAM?? Will Smith joins to talk about why RAM prices are spiraling upward – 44:05Around Engadget: Metroid Prime 4 is a return to form after 18 years on ice – 1:04:42Working on – 1:07:36Pop culture picks – 1:08:32 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

So it turns out Meta isn't a monopoly, at least according to a federal judge. In this episode, we dive into Meta's victory in the FTC's antitrust case, which it seems to have won mainly thanks to TikTok's existence. Also, we chat about the Cloudflare issue that took down a huge portion of the web this week, as well as Roblox's plan to collect kids' selfies for age verification. We also carve out some time to chat with the audience and answer your pressing tech questions. Meta won its antitrust case, will keep control of Instagram and WhatsApp – 2:30Chat with the Livestream: Flickr’s repository of aughts memories and who uses Facebook anymore – 23:59The Cloudflare issue that took down a lot of the web? It was a database error – 32:49Google’s new Gemini 3 model is now available – 34:57Roblox wants tens of millions of kids to send them a selfie for age verification – 38:27TikTok’s screen time management function now includes an…affirmation journal? – 41:30Around Engadget – 43:47Working on – 50:36Pop culture picks – 52:27     Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week Valve surprised us all with the announcement of three new devices: The tiny Steam Machine PC gaming desktop, the Steam Frame VR headset and a new Steam Controller. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's gaming reporter Jessica Conditt discuss how these devices fit into the PC gaming world, which has already been reshaped by Valve's Steck Deck portable. Also, we discuss our favorite games of 2025, as well as the upcoming titles we're looking forward to.  Valve reshapes PC gaming with a new Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset and updated Steam Controller – 1:10It’s not just Silksong! A look at our favorite indie games of 2025 with Jess Conditt – 25:25Michael Burry places his next big short on Palantir and NVIDIA – 46:09WSJ Report: OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT encouraged user suicides – 50:57Apple unveils Digital IDs for iPhones, to hold passports and other IDs – 59:35Deezer-Ipsos survey says 97% of people can’t tell if music is AI generated – 1:01:37Around Engadget – 1:07:18Working on – 1:08:42Pop culture picks – 1:09:10 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2025 is almost over (gasp!), so it's time to look back at all of the best devices we've seen so far. In this episode, Engadget Deputy Editor Billy Steele joins Devindra to talk about the highlights of the year, which range from the usual suspects (like Google's Pixel and the iPhone 17 Pro), to surprises like the Ninja Swirl. Also, we chat about yet another super-thin phone and the latest sampler from Teenage Engineering. Engadget’s Best of 2025: phones, tablets, cameras, even EVs! – 1:40Reuters reports Meta projected 10% of its revenue ($16B) came from ads for scams this year – 32:20Moto Edge 70 is another super thin smartphone, but who wants it? – 41:43Netflix is going big on video podcasts in 2026 – 42:56You can now stream PS5 games you own to the PS Portal via the cloud – 48:23Around Engadget: Why DJI drones may be banned in the U.S. – 52:27Pop culture picks – 56:05 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Home robots are moving way beyond Roombas. 1X unveiled its NEO helper bot this week, a terrifying $20,000 machine that can perform basic tasks after you've trained it, and more complex tasks via teleoperation. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonafacic try to figure out why 1X made the Neo look like a murderbot, as well as the future they see for home robots. Also, we discuss last week's AWS outage and our over-reliance on a single cloud provider, as well as Apple's rumored push for OLED devices in 2026.   Devindra also what’s with John Gearty, a former Apple Vision Pro engineer, about the state of Apple’s headset and the world of XR. Interview with John Gearty, former Apple Vision Pro engineer and founder of PulseJet Studios – 1:30Robotics company 1X announces Neo, a $20k home assistant that *might* become autonomous…someday – 33:05Amazon says automation bug caused AWS outage – 45:11NVIDIA is the first company in history to hit a $5T market cap – 50:55OpenAI finishes reorganization that paves path for future IPO – 55:21U.S. Customs and Border Protection announces plan to photograph non-citizens entering the country for facial recognition – 1:08:45Around Engadget: Billy Steele’s Echo Studio 2025 review – 1:17:25Working on – 1:19:39Pop culture picks – 1:22:07  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The era of AI video is upon us, and honestly it's kind of terrifying. Between OpenAI's Sora and official communications from the Trump White House, it's clear that we're not ready for an unending onslaught of AI video. In this episode, Devindra and producer Ben chat with the Washington Post's technology reporter Drew Harwell and Jeremy Carrasco (AKA "ShowtoolsAI"), a former livestream and media producer turned AI video literacy creator. Also, we chat about our final thoughts on Apple's M5 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, with a few quick notes about the new Vision Pro.Google and Open AI’s video generation models have upended our sense of reality online, what comes next? – 1:10Apple’s M5 chip is a significant boost in graphics power on the Macbook Pro – 34:11The iPad Pro M5 is a solid speed boost for whoever wants it – 39:36Preview of the Vision Pro M5 review – 44:00Working on – 50:23Pop culture Picks – 51:45  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Apple just announced its fall slate of devices powered by its new M5 chip: A 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and revamped Vision Pro. In this episode, Devindra and Sam Rutherford dive into what's actually new this time around. (Spoiler: It’s really all about the new GPU.) Also, Sam goes deep on his review of the ROG Xbox Ally X, Microsoft’s first stab at a portable “Xbox.” Apple refreshes of the Macbook Pro, Vision Pro and iPad Pro with M5 chips – 1:24Sam Rutherford’s Review of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X – 18:45Microsoft makes big promises with Copilot Voice, can it follow through? – 39:00OpenAI’s Sora app reaches 1M downloads in less than 5 days, faster than ChatGPT – 50:42Sam Altman announces you’ll be able to sext with ChatGPT starting in December – 54:00Working on – 1:06:50Pop culture picks – 1:09:41  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, EA announced that it plans to go private as part of a massive $55 billion sale, a move that will likely have huge implications for the gaming landscape. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Sam Rutherford chat about what this deal really means (and why it includes a Saudi Arabian investment fund), and also dive into the messy state of Xbox. Is the ROG Ally Xbox X already a failure at $1,000? Electronic Arts to go private in a deal worth $55 Billion – 1:43What the heck is going on with Xbox? The $1,000 ROG Ally Xbox X could be a failure even before launch – 15:23Great games out now: Final Fantasy Tactics, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II and more – 42:46Amazon’s fall hardware event announced new Echoes, a new Fire TV and a panopticon powered by Ring – 59:10Google announces new Nest Doorbell along with a couple of Nest Cams – 1:09:34Hollywood film stars recoil in disgust at Tilly Norwood, an AI actress created by a Dutch production studio –1:14:30OpenAI’s Sora video app is full of fake shoplifting clips – 1:14:13  Working on – 1:17:35Pop culture picks – 1:19:01  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Buying a car in America is usually a hellish experience involving pushy salespeople, mysterious fees, and hours-long financing negotiations. That’s something Carvana aimed to solve with its online used car marketplace when it launched 13 years ago. In this episode, Devindra chats with Carvana Chief Product Officer Dan Gill about how the company moved beyond the flashy marketing of its early car vending machines, and how it’s still trying to perfect the online car buying experience. We also dive into some of the issues the company has faced – including delayed registrations and vehicle issues – and how it’s trying to learn from them.  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're still in iPhone mode this week, as all of our reviews of Apple's new hardware are rolling out. In this episode, Senior Writer Sam Rutherford joins us to chat about his experience with the iPhone Air and our final thoughts on the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. Also, we dive into all of the news from Meta Connect 2025, including the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. Is Meta actually on to something with these smart glasses? Or is Zuck just desperate to get people away from phones?iPhone 17 Air review: Thinness with a purpose – 1:21What’s the iPhone 17 Air’s battery life like? – 14:47iPhone 17 Pro: a more substantive update than meets the eye – 24:54The base iPhone 17 is a great phone for pretty much everyone – 35:26Mark Zuckerberg announces Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses during his Connect keynote – 39:35Other News: The ‘framework’ of a TikTok deal is in place, U.S. may license ByteDance’s original algorithm – 1:09:08New rumors about a touchscreen MacBook Pro – 1:10:41Working on – 1:14:32Pop culture picks – 1:15:02  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, managing editor Cherlynn Low and senior reporter Karissa Bell are joined by The Verge's Allison Johnson to talk all about the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17s. We also answered some questions from Threads and talk about our hopes and dreams from the next Apple event. Also, Devindra and Ben chat about some recent news, including a truly awful AI podcasting company.Cherlynn, Karissa, and a special guest break down the iPhone 17 news from Apple headquarters – 1:04Notes from the iPhone Air hands on – 14:59Once again, a big Apple event with no mention of Apple Intelligence – 40:27Animated movie Critterz will use OpenAI’s tech to try to make a CGI movie on a shoestring budget – 59:24  Inception Point AI wants to use virtual hosts to make 5,000 new podcast episodes a week – 1:04:26David Zaslav thinks HBO Max should be more expensive, because of course he does – 1:23:27Working on – 1:25:41Pop culture picks – 1:28:29  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We've survived Apple's iPhone 17 event and we're here to dive into all of the news. In this bonus episode, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham recap all of Apple's new hardware and try to determine if the iPhone Air has any substance behind all that style.   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're just days away from Apple's September 9th iPhone 17 event, and the hype seems practically nonexistent. Did the many (many) leaks splash cold water on an enthusiasm, or are we just tired of annual iPhone events? In this episode, Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Devindra to discuss why even the rumored iPhone Air isn't really tingling our gadget geek senses. Also, we dive into the final repercussions of the US. v. Google antitrust trial: Turns out Google doesn’t have to sell Chrome, or give up much of anything else.   The iPhone 17 is almost here, does anyone care? – 1:36U.S. antitrust judge rules that Google won’t have to sell Chrome – 23:24More Gemini-powered smart home products will be revealed on October 1 – 30:02The Browser Company’s sale to Jira parent company Atlassian shows how hard upstart browsers have it – 33:15After 15 years Instagram is finally getting an iPad app – 40:41Dolby announces Dolby Vision 2 with a bunch of AI features that seem useful – 44:25There’s AI in your pizza oven: Ooni’s Volt V2 will cook a pie in 90 seconds using machine learning – 49:02Around Engadget: Remarkable Paper Pro Move, Acer Chromebook 14 Spin Plus, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 – 52:51Working on – 56:55Pop culture picks – 57:20 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Now that Apple has scheduled its iPhone 17 event for September 9th, it's time to dive into everything we’re  expecting. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonifacic chat with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman about his latest Apple scoops. We're expecting an ultra-thin iPhone Air (which may turn out to be a dud), but when will we hear more about Apple's rumored move into robotics and that darned foldable iPhone?iPhone 17 event preview with Mark Gurman: Apple’s rumored iPhone Air will be rough around the edges at first  – 1:03What to expect from the main iPhone 17 line: more of the same, for better or worse – 10:24OpenAI faces first known Artificial Intelligence wrongful death lawsuit – 26:32U.S. government converts Intel’s CHIPS act grant into 9.9% equity – 32:28Working on – 37:15Pop culture picks –  39:01 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Google unveiled its full suite of Pixel 10 devices during an event hosted by Jimmy Fallon, of all people. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Sam Rutherford dive into all of the new phone models and try to determine if Google has finally cracked the code on premium smartphones. Also, they chat about a few announcements from Gamescom 2025.Google announces Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro – 1:08The Pixel 10 Pro Fold – 7:13Pro Res Zoom promises up to 100x virtual zoom with an AI assist – 20:34Pixel Watch 4: a more vibrant screen and satellite connectivity – 26:04What’s hot at Gamescom: new details on the Xbox ROG Ally handset – 29:43New updates to NVIDIA GeForce now – 34:43Unfortunately, Elden Ring Tarnished Edition runs poorly on the Switch 2 – 37:43Working on – 40:56Pop culture picks – 41:57   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ford has big plans for 2027: This week, the American carmaker announced a new "Universal EV Platform" for future electric cars, spearheaded by a $30,000 mid-sized EV pickup. In this episode, we're joined by SAE International Editor Roberto Baldwin to break down all of Ford's claims, as well as where its $5 billion manufacturing investment is going. Can Ford really rebound after slow EV sales and last year's disappointing product delays? Ford has a plan for a ‘Universal EV Platform’ and a $30,000 mid-size electric pickup, can they pull it off? – 0:49OpenAI releases GPT-5, the reception so far is mixed – 24:45NVIDIA and AMD may tithe 15% of their Chinese GPU sales to the U.S. government – 30:18Goodbye: AOL will phase out dial-up at the end of September – 33:25AI-powered “Smarter Siri” likely won’t hit iPhones until Spring 2026 – 36:42Perplexity makes an unsolicited offer to buy Chrome for $34 billion, which is more than the company is worth – 41:03Listener Mail: Gaming on a MacBook Air – 52:31Working On – 57:05Pop culture picks – 59:13 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Apple committed another $100 billion towards US investments in a bid to avoid the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff plans. Oh, and Tim Cook gave Trump a unique plaque with a 24-karat gold base. Just a normal business meeting in a normal country. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Sam Rutherford discuss what this latest Apple investment ultimately means (and just how embarrassing appeasing the Trump administration looks). And since the news is fairly slow, we also take some time to answer a few listener questions. Apple attempts to avoid tariffs with another $100 billion U.S. investment and a shiny object for the president – 1:21Nintendo announces blockbuster Switch 2 sales numbers, price hikes for original Switch models – 12:39Trump demands Intel’s new CEO to step down over conflicts of interest – 16:51ChatGPT conversations no longer searchable in Google (why were they there in the first place?) – 18:55Hulu to shut down app in 2026 and be absorbed into Disney+ – 22:15Listener Q&A: HDMI or Optical for sound bar connection, moving off of Windows 10, and good alternatives to the Lenovo Yoga 7 – 26:59Working on – 48:04Pop culture picks – 53:29.   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We’ve been playing around with the developer betas of Apple’s latest software, and now that we’ve spent time with iOS 26, Liquid Glass and more on actual devices, we have thoughts. From representation in Genmoji and Live Translation adventures to Apple Intelligence musings, our hosts Cherlynn Low and Mat Smith share what you can expect on your iPhones later this year. We also go over our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, as well as Microsoft’s SharePoint server vulnerabilities.Cherlynn and Mat on how iOS 26 feels in the developer beta – 1:17Our reviews of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Watch 8 – 43:07Microsoft Sharepoint vulnerability -- who's impacted so far (including the Department of Energy) – 50:58Pop culture picks – 54:15  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

VR filmmaker Eliza McNitt has explored the cosmos with her previous work, but with her short film Ancestra, she taps into Google’s AI tools to tell a personal story. Based on her own birth, the film follows a pregnant woman who is shocked to learn she needs an emergency cesarean delivery. We hear her frightened thoughts as she thinks back to the creation of life and the way all living creatures are connected.In this episode, Devindra chats with McNitt about Ancestra and the creative potential (and many dangers) of AI as a video production tool. While she ultimately believes it’s up to every artist to judge the costs and benefits of every tool on their own, she also agrees that AI companies need to be more transparent about how their models are built, especially when it comes to training them on copyrighted works. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Samsung has finally debuted its latest foldables (after plenty of leaks), and boy they sure look thin. This week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford joins us to chat about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, as well as other highlights from its Galaxy Unpacked event. Also, we dive into a few of the best deals from Amazon Prime Day. You won't believe how cheap huge TVs have gotten.  Breaking down the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 and everything else from Unpacked 2025 – 1:58Galaxy Z Flip 7: bigger screens, bigger battery – 16:06  Galaxy Watch 8: now with an antioxidant sensor? – 20:59  Great deals still available as Amazon Prime Day 2025 comes to a close – 30:38Linda Yaccarino leaves X, xAI’s Grok goes on an antisemitic tirade – 39:03Cloudflare could make AI web crawlers pay a toll – 41:28Jack Dorsey unveils Bitchat, a “secure” Bluetooth mesh messaging app – 43:40Marco Rubio AI imposter attempts to gain access to government information – 46:33A U.S. version of TikTok is currently in development – 49:43Anthropic wins significant Fair Use copyright case – 52:38Working on – 1:00:53Pop culture picks – 1:02:25  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Devindra chats with Sam Chapman, Engadget’s new security reporter who’s been reviewing VPNs and related products. He dives into what led him to security, the VPNs he likes the most and thoughts on potential cyberattacks. Additionally, we discuss Microsoft’s latest news around the Windows 10 Extended Security Update, and Devindra explains why M3GAN 2.0 absolutely rules. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's been a busy week! In this episode, Devindra and Senior Editor Jessica Conditt dive into their final thoughts on the Switch 2, as well as Jess's time covering Summer Game Fest. We also put a bow on WWDC 2025 and explore what works and doesn't with Apple's Liquid Glass redesign. Summer Games Fest 2025: Sword of the Sea, Mouse: PI for Hire, Big Walk and a ton more indies – 1:17Nintendo Switch 2 review: more polish on the Switch form factor with scant new releases – 22:09WWDC 2025 wrap up: what will users think of liquid glass? – 38:11Air Traffic Control audio reveals Predator drones flew over LA protests – 53:31Meta announces large investment in Scale AI and a new AI Superintelligence initiative – 54:24Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two devisions along old company lines – 59:12  Pop culture picks – 1:00:34   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this special episode, recorded live in Cupertino, Cherlynn and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham are joined by the Washington Post's Chris Velazco and Wired's Julian Chokkattu to discuss Apple's announcements at WWDC 2025. Though the announcements were all over the place and felt difficult to judge until they roll out to devices, our guests and hosts agree that they felt more meaningful than past WWDCs. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Switch 2 has finally launched, and we've got our systems in-hand to show them off. This week, Devindra, Sam Rutherford and Nathan Ingraham will dive into their first impressions of Nintendo's new console and Mario Kart World. And of course, we'll discuss the chaotic launch experience. Also, we chat about what to expect from Apple's WWDC 2025, where we'll likely see a new naming scheme and facelift for Apple operating systems, as well as more details about their AI plans with Apple Intelligence.  The Switch 2 is finally out! Here’s our first thoughts – 1:05Switch 2 display: bigger, brighter, and has HDR! – 8:53 Switch 2 games: Mario Kart world is the king of the castle for now – 12:11WWDC 2025 preview: what to look forward to after last year’s botched AI Siri announcement – 26:02Working on: how to stop worrying and love the Dad EV – 39:01  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy