Amazon finally did it! This week the company announced the Kindle Colorsoft, its first color E Ink e-reader. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss where this device sits in a world of cheap tablets, and they dive into the updated Kindle Paperwhite and the writable Kindle Scribe. Also, we've got final thoughts on the Meta Quest 3S, the updated iPad Mini and tons of news.

Amazon announces new Kindle Colorsoft, updated Kindle Scribe and Paperwhite – 0:51

Devindra’s Meta Quest 3S review: impressive VR for a fair price – 38:14

Apple quietly drops new iPad Minis – 45:25

Tesla’s Robotaxi event: lots of big promises that will be hard to fulfill – 51:38

Amazon and Google go nuclear (power) – 54:44

Android 15 starts to hit Pixel devices – 55:51

Analogue 3D will give you 4K N64 games, just don’t call it an emulator – 57:14

Working on – 1:00:48

Pop culture picks – 1:04:38

This week, we’re joined by tech critic Paris Marx to discuss Data Vampires, his latest Tech Won’t Save us podcast series. We discuss how data centers suck up vast amounts of power, water and other resources, and why the AI boom is exacerbating those issues. Also, Devindra and Ben dive into a few news stories, including the DOJ inching closer towards a Google antitrust breakup; Nintendo's adorable motion sensing alarm clock, Alarmo; and why Google's Deepmind AI head won the Nobel Prize for chemistry.

Interview with Tech Won’t Save Us host Paris Marx on his new series, Data Vampires – 2:09

U.S. regulators continue to float the possibility of breaking Google up in antitrust ruling – 25:54

Nintendo announces new hardware…Alarmo, a motion sensing alarm clock – 39:33

Apple Intelligence likely arrives October 28 – 42:27

343 Industries rebrands as Halo Studios and shows off Unreal Engine 5 demo – 44:46

Pop culture picks – 50:36

Is the second time the charm for Google's foldable? In this episode, Devindra chats with Senior Writer Sam Rutherford about his hands-on impressions of the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It has bigger screens and a sleeker design than its predecessor, but how does it compare to the other foldables out there? And why isn't it called the Pixel Fold 2?!

Thoughts on Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the rest of Google’s event – 1:39

Eric Schmidt blames work from home and work-life balance for Google’s loss of AI advantage – 31:07

U.S. Department of Justice considering breaking up Google after monopoly ruling – 33:32

Hackers may have leaked every American’s Social Security Number – 38:04

Meta officially shuts down CrowdTangle, a critical tool for monitoring misinformation on Facebook – 40:50

Apple is opening up its NFC to third-party developers – 43:12

Working on – 47:13

Pop Culture Picks – 49:07

Finally, a Kindle you can write on! This week, we dive into Cherlynn’s review of the Kindle Scribe, Amazon’s first e-reader that can also capture handwritten notes. The hardware is great, but as usual, Amazon’s software feels half-baked. Also, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss the rise of new Twitter alternatives like Hive Social and Post. It looks like many communities are already splintering off to these services, but unfortunately, they can’t yet replicate the magic of Twitter.

Kindle Scribe review – 1:13

Rise of the Twitter clones: Hive Social, Post, and Mastodon – 19:28

Amazon will lose $10 billion on its Alexa division this year – 34:12

We’ve got a new trailer for the Super Mario Bros. animated movie – 38:01

Working on – 43:58

Pop culture picks – 45:30

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Senior Commerce Editor, Valentina Palladino, about our massive Holiday Gift Guide. If you’re looking for a decent laptop to gift, or maybe some budget gear for yourself, we’ve got you covered! Also, they dig into the FTX debacle (which got much worse than last week!), and Elon Musk’s ongoing fail whale Twitter acquisition. And on a surprising note, we end up having strong feelings about Amazon’s chat-based virtual healthcare service.

Engadget 2022 Holiday Gift Guide – 1:24

NASA’s Artemis 1 rocket finally launches – 27:20

Cherlynn got to try Apple’s SOS satellite text message service – 28:56

Qualcomm announces Snapdragon chips with hardware-accelerated ray tracing – 34:33

Tuvalu turns to the metaverse to save its culture from climate change – 38:38

Meta axes its Portal video chat device – 40:21

FTX continues to collapse as regulator investigations begin – 43:15

Elon Twitter is a mess: your weekly update – 48:36

Working on – 1:02:47

Pop culture picks – 1:05:59

We’re still waiting for Apple to deliver a real foldable iPhone, but that didn’t stop a group of engineers in China from crafting their own prototype. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the possibility of a real foldable iPhone, plus they discuss Meta’s massive layoffs and the fast downfall of the crypto exchange FTX. Also, what are the ethics of Apple limiting AirDrop in China (and eventually the rest of the world)?

Chinese modders made a foldable iPhone – 1:32

Meta lays off 11,000 people worldwide – 12:48

Sale of crypto exchange FTX to Chinese-based Binance fails – 20:56

Musk Twitter is a mess: the weekly update – 26:41

Apple sets time limit for receiving Airdrops in China – 31:38

Volvo unveils its EX90 EV SUV – 35:52

Instagram’s web client has finally been redesigned – 39:37

Google starts issuing Stadia refunds – 41:22

Working on – 47:03

Pop culture picks – 49:10

Well, it finally happened: Elon Musk has officially taken over Twitter. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Engadget’s Karissa Bell to discuss how Musk is reshaping the social network. Are all the changes bad, or is there some method to his madness? (Spoiler: It looks more like desperation than anything else.) Also, we dive into some recent Google AI news, and Devindra explains why the new Apple TV 4K is genuinely great.

Elon Musk’s Twitter fiasco – 1:26

Thinking of leaving Twitter? Here are some platforms to check out – 21:49

Google announces package tracking in Gmail – 29:55

Texas AG sues Google over facial recognition data collection – 35:23

The PS VR2 will cost $550, arrives February 22, 2023 – 38:07

Xiaomi’s 12S Ultra concept phone has a massive camera with interchangeable lenses – 40:35

Working on – 43:42

Pop culture picks – 48:57

This week, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham dive into Apple’s latest iPad and iPad Pro. The new base iPad seemingly justifies its price, but it also leaves out plenty of consumers who were well-served by the old $329 iPad. We hope that model sticks around for a long while. Also, we discuss if anyone needs M2 power in an iPad Pro (why not just get a MacBook?!), and we prepare for Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. (Note: When this episode was recorded, his acquisition wasn’t finalized yet.)

Timestamps

• 1:40: iPad and iPad Pro (2022) reviews
• 25:50: Surface Pro 9 5G review
• 37:10: Elon Musk is buying Twitter, for real
• 50:20: Brief thoughts on God of War Ragnarok
• 52:50: Pop culture picks: Barbarian is on HBO Max, thoughts on Bad Sisters

Apple just dropped several new devices on us this week, seemingly out of nowhere. In this episode, Cherlynn and Devindra break down Apple’s new base iPad and iPad Pro with M2. They chat about why the iPad lineup is now more confusing than ever, and what that means going forward. (At least the new Apple TV 4K seems likely a genuinely solid upgrade.)

Apple announces updated base iPad and Apple TV 4K – 1:36

Microsoft lays off hundreds of workers – 20:22

Netflix announces “extra user” fee to crack down on password sharing – 27:40

Intel says the next generation of Thunderbolt is on the way – 35:47

Silent Hill 2 remake and a movie are on the way – 41:29

Working on – 47:37

Pop culture picks – 53:21

What a week! This episode, Cherlynn, Devindra and Engadget’s Sam Rutherford dive into everything we learned at Microsoft’s Surface event. No, there was no new Surface Duo or Neo, and the actual fresh hardware was mostly incremental. We also reviewed the Pixel 7, 7 Pro and Pixel Watch, and Sam had some hands-on time with the latest Quest VR headset. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s some other news from Samsung, Chromebooks and more.

Surface Studio 2+, Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9 – 1:32

Microsoft's new Designer app is powered by Dall-E – 4:56

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro review – 32:48

Pixel Watch review – 40:34

Sam Rutherford’s Meta Quest Pro hands-on thoughts – 55:24

Other news – 1:11:47

Working on – 1:21:23

Pop culture picks – 1:24:32

This week, Cherlynn, Devindra and Engadget’s Sam Rutherford dive into everything we learned at Google’s Pixel 7 event. Sure, it’s nice to have new phones, but it’s even nicer to see Google developing a cohesive design for all of its new devices. The Pixel Watch actually looks cool! And while we were ready to knock the (way too late) Pixel Tablet, its speaker base seems genuinely useful. Google may have finally figured out how to combine its software and AI smarts with well-designed hardware.
Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro first thoughts – 12:04
Pixel Watch – 18:00
Also announced, Google Nest updates – 37:11
Intel Arc A750 and A770 graphics cards review – 42:27
Elon Musk announces intent to buy Twitter (again) – 44:56
Tesla showed off its robot (sort of) – 46:32
Gatorade made a smart water bottle – 47:40
iPhone 14 Plus review – 49:42
Pop culture picks – 52:41

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the massive amounts of news from Amazon’s recent event. There’s a Kindle you can write on! And Amazon also wants to track your sleep on bed. We discuss what’s interesting about all of this gear, as well as why we still don’t trust Amazon with some of our data. Also, Cherlynn tells us what she likes (and doesn’t) about the Apple Watch Ultra, and Devindra explains why the Sonos Sub Mini is a pretty great value.
Stay tuned to the end for our chat with Josh Newman, VP of Mobile Innovation at Intel. He discusses Unison, Intel’s new app for sending texts and taking calls on your PC via your iPhone or Android phone. It’s something PC users have been waiting for, and it sounds like Intel is serious about making it work smoothly.
Amazon hardware event unveils a writable Kindle, QLED Fire TV, and Alexa improvements – 1:19
Google’s Search On event details new features for search and maps – 26:29
Apple Watch Ultra, Fitbit Sense 2, and Sonos Sub reviews – 39:54
Intel and Samsung debut a PC with a slidable screen – 58:37
Intel’s 13th gen CPUs look impressive – 59:54
NASA’s Dart mission might have smacked an astroid out of orbit – 1:05:32
Oura releases 3rd generation smart ring – 1:06:42
Working on – 1:07:34
Pop culture picks – 1:08:24
Intel Unison interview – 1:15:26

Surprise! The iPhone 14 is pretty repairable, it turns out. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Engadget’s Sam Rutherford about this move towards greater repairability and what it means for future iPhones. Also, they dive into NVIDIA’s powerful (and expensive!) new RTX 4080 and 4090 GPUs. Sure, they’re faster than before, but does anyone really need all that power?
The iPhone 14 is surprisingly repairable – 1:17
NVIDIA announces RTX 4090 and 4080 GPUs (and a Portal mod with ray tracing) – 21:08
Huge hack at Rockstar leaks GTA 6 videos and dev code – 34:22
Uber was also hacked last week by the same crew that hit Rockstar – 38:37
Windows 11 2022 Update – 40:21
Google is offering a $30 1080p HDR Chrome cast with Google TV – 44:05
Does anyone need the Logitech G cloud gaming handset? – 46:59
Twitch is banning gambling streams on October 18 – 51:56
Working on – 55:34
Pop culture picks – 1:01:35

Google has officially dropped its major 2024 devices a few months earlier than usual. Today at its Made By Google event, the company unveiled the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, as well as its foldable follow-up, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. As for new accessories, we got the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. In this bonus episode, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about everything from this event, and why the heck we didn't hear more about Android 15.

(Apologies for any audio issues in this episode, it was partially recorded in a noisy hotel room.)

So after all the hype last week, are the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro any good? And are the Apple Watch SE and Series 8 worth an upgrade? This week, Cherlynn chats with Devindra about her furious rush to review all of Apple’s latest gear. It turns out the iPhone 14 Pro is a pretty big step forward, but the same can’t be said for the plain 14. Also, they discuss the wider impact of removing SIM cards from this iPhone lineup, as well as the value of the Pro’s new 48MP camera.
Review of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 – 2:10
How does the iPhone 14 series stack up against this year’s other phones? – 45:07
Apple Watch SE and Series 8 reviews – 48:26
A few thoughts on iOS 16 – 54:25
Northeastern University VR lab targeted by mail bomb – 56:47
Period tracking app Flo gets anonymous mode – 59:22
We finally got a trailer for the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 1:01:11
What we’re working on – 1:03:07
Pop culture picks – 1:07:31

It’s Apple week, everyone! Editor-in-chief Dana Wollman joins Devindra to chat about everything Apple announced, including the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, as well as all of the Apple Watches. Sure, they’re faster and have many more features, but did you know they could potentially save your life? At least, that’s the idea Apple is trying to sell.
We’re still not quite sold on the Apple Watch Ultra, but it’s sure to become the next over-priced wrist accessory for tech bros. Also, Dana discusses Apple’s new ovulation tracking feature in the Apple Watch Series 8/Ultra, which is a big step forward from its previous efforts.
Apple’s Far Out event: overview and what we didn’t see – 1:23
iPhone 14 Pro – 16:39
iPhone 14 – 22:18
Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8 – 34:11
Apple Watch SE – 41:09
Pop culture picks – 50:27

This week, Cherlynn is joined by UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith to discuss what they expect Apple to announce at its upcoming event on September 7th. Besides new iPhones and Watches, what might the company launch? Our hosts are also joined by senior reporter Jess Conditt to go over the highlights from Gamescom, including Sony’s new DualSense controller and PSVR2 update. We’ll be taking a break next week, so come back in two weeks for a new episode!
Apple confirms September 7 “Far Out” event – 1:46
What to expect from the IFA electronics show in Berlin – 32:35
Gamescom brought us a bunch of interesting announcements – 41:56
Other news: Mark Zuckerberg’s bad VR avatar and a Blackberry movie coming soon – 1:11:47
Working on – 1:13:01
Pop culture picks – 1:15:48

This week, Cherlynn and guest co-host Sam Rutherford are joined by the Washington Post’s Chris Velazco to discuss their thoughts on Samsung’s latest foldables and wearables after having spent close to a week with them. Are the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 ready for the mainstream? Is it more fun reviewing these devices than regular phones? Then, our hosts talk Apple’s next iPhone event, as well as Airbnb woes.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 review – 1:54
Galaxy Watch 5 / 5 Pro review – 36:41
Apple might be planning a September 7th event for the iPhone 14 – 49:02
New reports of gender discrimination from Nintendo of America – 56:59
Ready your Pixels: Android 13 is out of beta – 1:03:43
Sam Rutherford’s review of Samsung’s massive Odyssey Ark monitor – 1:05:23
Adidas' solar headphones can be charged by your bedroom light – 1:14:22
Airbnb is working on a way to detect party rentals before they happen – 1:17:47
Working on – 1:25:31
Pop culture picks – 1:26:37

This week, Cherlynn is joined by guest co-host Sam Rutherford and special guest Michael Fisher (aka The Mr Mobile) to talk about all the things Samsung launched at its Unpacked event this week. Is it a bad thing that the new updates were mostly incremental? Does Samsung need more competition to spur it to do better? How do we feel about the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro after spending almost a full day with them in the real world? Then, we look (dubiously) at the resurrected iOS battery percentage indicator, as well as Kim Kardashian's flesh-colored variants of the Beats Fit Pro.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a small improvement, but the company isn’t taking risks – 4:55
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a very solid premium foldable – 9:35
The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro offer minimal aesthetic and hardware updates – 21:42
The iOS 16 developer beta brings back an odd-looking battery percentage display – 50:18
Kim Kardashian’s skin-colored Beats Fit Pro buds are supposed to help you blend in.. or stand out.. – 54:31
Some EV news: Rivian is testing dual motors, while the Ford F-150 Lightning gets a price hike – 58:47
Definitely-still-alive-service Google Stadia gets a new feature: Party Stream – 1:02:50
Working on – 1:04:21
Pop culture picks – 1:05:15

This week on the show, Cherlynn is joined by guest co-host Sam Rutherford to talk about the newly launched OnePlus 10T. Why did the company choose to sacrifice an alert slider, wireless charging and some other features in exchange for extreme speed? How does the OnePlus 10T stack up against other midrange phones like the Pixel 6a? Then, our hosts discuss the cloud-gaming handheld that Logitech and Tencent are working on, as well as the curious headlines that permeated the consumer tech news cycle this week.
OnePlus 10T review – 1:37
Logitech and Tencent want to get into handheld cloud gaming – 24:15
It’s not just your machine: Uber receipts are actually crashing Outlook – 30:34
Spotify finally adds a play button that doesn’t shuffle, but only for premium users – 32:22
PS5 Accolades feature is being discontinued because online gamers don’t like to be nice – 36:09
Microsoft negs Activision Blizzard’s game library amid acquisition process – 37:33
No, Google Stadia isn’t shutting down (yet) – 39:28
Batgirl cancellation and Discovery+ merger leaves HBO Max’s future in doubt – 43:04
Working on – 51:58
Picks – 53:12

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the world of AI art with Senior Editor Dan Cooper and Creative Futurist John LePore. We know Dall-E and Midjourney can create some truly compelling images from a bit of text, but do they owe a debt to all of the images that they were trained on? Also, we explore the sorry state of Meta and Cherlynn gushes about the new Pixel Buds Pro. Stay tuned to the end of the show for our chat with Joshua Stiksma, Design Director of Moss 2, who discusses the current state of VR game development.
Is AI-generated art borrowed or stolen? – 1:30
Meta’s many problems and a reversal on Instagram plans – 27:35
Pixel Buds Pro review – 42:16
Bloomberg report reveals a few details about Grand Theft Auto 6 – 51:37
Playstation VR 2 will have live-streaming support and cinematic mode – 53:25
RIP Car Thing by Spotify – 54:35
Filipino politician wants to make ghosting illegal – 58:08
Listener Mailbag – 1:00:55
Working on – 1:08:05
Pop culture picks – 1:12:34
Interview with Polyarc design director Joshua Stiksma on Moss: Book II – 1:17:56

Is the Pixel 6a the best Android phone under $500? Tune in for Cherlynn’s review! This week, Devindra and Cherlynn also discuss why losing almost a million subscribers was actually a good thing fo Netflix. And they dive into Qualcomm’s latest hardware for smartwatches, as well as the latest updates from Twitter’s ongoing fight with Elon Musk.
The Pixel 6a is the best midrange Android phone on the market now – 1:53
Netflix lost a million subscribers, and that’s a good thing? – 17:11
Delaware judge allows faster trial for Twitter v. Elon Musk – 29:56
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked is happening on August 10 – 32:42
Leaked files show that Uber was shady from early in its life – 37:41
Qualcomm unveils wearable-focused Snapdragon W5 chips – 42:21
Alienware’s m17 R5 gaming laptop is a beast that few people need – 46:25
The new Instagram Map is like Google Maps, but with more selfies – 48:16
OnePlus 10T launch set for August 3 – 52:19
Working on – 53:06
Pop culture picks – 58:01

This week on the show, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into Apple’s new MacBook Air M2 and its recent batch of OS betas. It turns out a redesign and a whole new chip makes the MacBook Air even more compelling than before (at least more than the 13-inch MacBook Pro). Also, we chat with Lisa Grossman, Astronomy Writer at Science News, about the astounding new photos and data from the James Webb Space Telescope. It’s a clear upgrade from Hubble, and NASA is just getting started!
Apple’s M2 MacBook Air is extremely good – 1:21
There’s lots of fun stuff to explore in the iOS 16 beta – 7:39
Stage Manager in MacOS Ventura is a step forward for window organization – 18:11
What’s new in WatchOS 9 beta – 24:11
New pictures confirm the James Webb Space Telescope will revolutionize astronomy – 30:44
Elon Musk is trying to back out of his Twitter deal after three whole months – 53:14
Mat Smith’s Nothing Phone 1 hands-on – 54:49
Listener Mail: a phishing test for employees at Lowe’s – 1:02:45
Working on – 1:05:58
Pop culture picks – 1:06:50

This week, Devindra and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford dive into the Supreme Court’s latest EPA ruling, which severely limits the agency’s ability to curtail power plant emissions. Devindra also chats with ProPublica reporter Lisa Song about what this means for the EPA and other federal agencies. (Basically, it makes fighting climate change much harder.) Also, we discuss Apple’s new lockdown mode, which adds an extreme layer of security to your devices, and why Gen Z is so Minion crazy.
How bad is the Supreme Court’s EPA ruling? – 1:49
Apple is building a lockdown mode for an “extreme” level of security – 27:43
Axie Infinity hack was traced back to a fake LinkedIn job offer – 32:39.359
Toyota has run out of EV tax credits in the US – 37:51
God of War Ragnarok will be released on November 9, 2022 – 46:14
WTF is going on with all the Minions memes? – 48:02
Working on – 51:32
Picks – 1:03:49

We've been reporting on AI PCs, or computers featuring CPUs with neural processing units (NPUs), for over a year. but the concept still feels like a buzz word for most consumers. We're still waiting on potentially interesting AI features, like Microsoft's Recall and Apple Intelligence's smarter Siri. So why should anyone make sure there next computer is an AI PC?

In this interview, Devindra chats with Jason Banta, AMD's Corporate VP and GM of Client OEM, and Rakesh Anigundi, AMD's Ryzen AI product lead, about how their company is thinking about AI PCs. How is AMD courting developers? And now that we've seen Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Pro chips in action, will AMD ever consider making a low-power Arm-based chip in the future?

This week, Cherlynn is joined by senior editors Jessica Conditt and Karissa Bell to discuss the United States ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, and how, in our digital age, it affects the most vulnerable in our communities. Then, our hosts look at the Supreme Court ruling that guts the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to enforce the Clean Air Act. In consumer tech news, we also look at Sony’s new PlayStation-inspired peripherals and Snapchat’s new subscription service.
What digital privacy looks like post-Roe v. Wade – 1:41
SCOTUS nerfs the EPA’s ability to enforce carbon emission limits – 42:10
Layoffs at Unity, Niantic, and Tesla – 45:26
Apple is starting to allow third party payments in Korea – 49:55
Sony's new hardware brand brings headsets and monitors with PlayStation style – 52:17
Snapchat+ is membership model for power users – 56:25
Picks – 59:59

What’s so “Pro” about the new 13-inch MacBook Pro? Devindra and Cherlynn chat with Laptop Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Sherri L. Smith, about Apple’s confusing new ultraportable. Sure, the M2 chip makes it faster, but why does it have a worse screen and fewer features than the new MacBook Air? Are real professionals better off with the faster (but more expensive) 14-inch MacBook Pro? Also, they dive into the wild new VR headset prototypes from Meta, as well as Twitter’s reinvention of blogging.
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 is a strange disappointment – 1:18
Meta’s VR prototypes seek to pass the “visual Turing test” – 22:59
Facebook Pay becomes Meta pay in hopes of becoming the metaverse’s digital wallet – 28:06
Microsoft phases out AI that can detect human emotions – 32:45
Amazon is working on a way to digitize the voice of your dead loved ones – 33:59
Twitter introduces b̶l̶o̶g̶g̶i̶n̶g̶ longform writing feature, Notes – 36:09
Carl Pei’s Nothing phone won’t be coming to the US – 42:22
Working on – 43:28
Pop culture picks – 46:03

This week, Devindra and Cherlynn dig into the story around Google engineer Blake Lemoine’s interview with the Washington Post and his belief that the company’s LaMDA language model is alive. What does it mean for AI (or anything else) to have consciousness? How should we think of AI, and what other areas of concern should we as a society consider as machines become more sophisticated and human-like? Then, we recap some of the biggest gaming news this week, as well as some wacky gadget announcements.
No, Google’s LaMDA AI isn’t sentient – 1:40
First look at gameplay from Bethesda’s Starfield RPG at Summer Games Fest – 25:39
Capcom announces Street Fighter 6 with a gorgeous trailer – 29:22
Hideo Kojima’s next game will be for Xbox – 32:55
Overwatch 2 early access coming on October 4th – 33:43
U.S. proposes legislation banning sale of location data – 34:14
Sony released a $3,700 Walkman for rich, nostalgic audiophiles – 38:42
Working on – 43:13
Pop culture picks – 44:34

This week, Cherlynn and guest co-host Sam dive into all the announcements from WWDC 2022, as well as what it was like to cover the event both remotely and in-person. How did we (and our audience) feel about things that we did and didn’t see at the show? Plus, Sam tells us more about Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Go 2, plus news on regulations around USB-C and our right to repair our devices.
WWDC 2022 – 1:39
M2 MacBook Air and 13 inch MacBook Pro – 4:18
New features in macOS Ventura – 15:27
What’s coming to iOS and iPadOS 16 – 20:13
Big changes to the iOS lock screen – 21:04
WatchOS 9 – 44:46
Surface Laptop Go 2 hands-on – 58:21
The EU reaches deal to use USB-C to charge all devices – 1:06:07
New York state passed a Right to Repair bill – 1:12:31
Working on –1:20:07
Pop culture picks – 1:21:12

We’re gearing up for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference! This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about the announcements they’re expecting at WWDC, including new computers with M2 chips (and potentially a revamped MacBook Air!). What’s next for iOS and MacOS – will lockscreen widgets really be useful? And they hold out hope to hear something about the company’s AR/VR glasses. Also, they discuss the surprising news about Sheryl Sandberg leaving Meta, as well as Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Go 2.
What to expect at WWDC 2022 – 1:29
Could Apple AR Glasses make an appearance? Some rumors – 2:30
Possible news on iPhone 14, iOS 16, iPadOS, and WatchOS – 14:10
Youtube’s TV app now lets you use your phone as a second screen – 30:15
Surface Laptop Go 2 announcement – 33:19
Sheryl Sandberg leaves Facebook after 14 years – 36:23
France bans English e-sports terminology – 42:33
Working on – 44:22
Pop culture picks – 52:38

This week, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham dive into the latest news around Clearview AI, the controversial facial recognition company that’s now seeing pushback from governments and regulators around the world. Will a few fines put a stop to the company’s facial recognition search platform? Also, they discuss how Clearview’s troubles relate to countries being more restrictive about data in general. Finally, they pour one out for Seth Green’s lost Bored Ape – RIP NFT!
Facial Recognition company Clearview AI is on the ropes after several big settlements – 1:22
The era of borderless data may be ending – 15:04
Privacy focused search company DuckDuckGo quietly allowed Microsoft browsing trackers – 23:08
New details about AMD’s Ryzen 7000 chips – 28:34
Oh no, somebody stole Seth Green’s Bored Ape – 33:16
Working on –36:29
Pop culture picks – 41:36

What the heck is going on in the land of cryptocurrency and NFTs? This week, Devindra and Engadget UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith chat with Manda Farough, co-host and producer of the Virtual Economy podcast, about the massive crypto crash. They discuss how the fall of the Luna cryptocurrency and its sibling, TerraUSD, sent shockwaves through the industry. Also, they dive into ICE’s surprisingly robust (and scary) surveillance system, as well the DHS’s stalled misinformation board.
Terra, Luna, and the recent Crypto crash – 2:05
Acer’s glasses-free 3D laptop – 26:35
Report outs U.S.’s ICE as breeching data privacy, has facial recognition data on Americans – 33:37
Homeland Security “pauses” disinformation board – 43:15
There is once again a rumor about USB-C on iPhone – 46:41
Working on – 52:44
Pop culture picks – 59:35
Interview with Love, Death & Robots co-creator Time Miller and animation director Jennifer Yuh Nelson – 1:06:51

This week, Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Cherlynn and Devindra to dive into everything announced at Google I/O. There were plenty of new devices, of course, but Google also showed off how its improved AI tech is making maps, translation and more features even smarter. Also, Cherlynn discusses her exclusive feature on Microsoft’s Adaptive Mouse, as well as the company’s new Inclusive Tech Lab. And in other news, we bid farewell to the iPod and reminisce about the early days of MP3 players.
Google IO overview – 1:45
A return for Google Glass? – 13:24
Pixel 6a announcement – 29:11
Pixel Watch – 33:49
Pixel Buds Pro – 38:27
Notes from Microsoft’s Ability Summit – 43:43
Apple officially discontinues the iPod – 1:01:04
Sonos Ray is real and it’s $279 – 1:08:53
New info on Intel’s 12th Gen HX Chips – 1:20:45
Pop culture picks – 1:26:21

So does the Overwatch 2 beta live up to all of the hype and anticipation? This week, Jessica Conditt joins Devindra to chat about Blizzard’s long-awaited sequel and why she thinks it’s worth the wait. Also, we discuss why you should care about data privacy given the current wave of anti-abortion legislation, and why the Embracer Group is gobbling up so many developers.
Overwatch 2 beta brings some freshness to a stale game, but is it enough? – 1:15
What does the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade mean for online privacy in the US? – 13:28
Swedish game company Embracer buys several Square Enix studios – 17:47
Sonos is reportedly working on a $250 sound bar called the Ray – 21:46
Obi-Wan trailer drops for May the 4th – 23:19
Engadget’s coverage of Formula-E races in Monaco – 24:53
Working on – 27:14
Pop culture picks – 29:59

This week, our hosts are joined by senior editor Karissa Bell and Yahoo Finance’s Tech Editor Dan Howley to break down Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover. How did we get here, what is left before Elon Musk officially owns Twitter (if regulatory approvals go through) and will our lives really be impacted? Then, guest cohost Sam Rutherford and Cherlynn talk about Google’s all-but-confirmed Pixel Watch and Android 13 before ranting about Motorola.
Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion: How, and more importantly, why? – 1:43
The Android 13 public beta is now live – 26:02
Dear Motorola, stop with the endless rehashes! – 39:15
Working on – 46:06
Pop culture picks – 50:04

Google is officially a monopoly, according to a US court. But what does that really mean? This week, Devindra and Senior Editor Karissa Bell dive into the landmark Google antitrust case to explore how it could affect the future of search. Google claims it's simply delivering the best product, but clearly the court thinks otherwise. Also, we chat about X/Twitter's desperate lawsuit against advertisers who boycotted the social network.

Stay tuned to the end of this episode for an interview with the creators of HBO Max's Industry, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay. We discuss season three of the series, which recently premiered, and how they plan to deconstruct the excesses of overhyped tech startups.

A U.S. court declared Google a monopoly, now what? – 1:22

X (formerly Twitter) sues advertisers for “illegal boycott” of their platform – 19:15

Meet Chromecast’s successor, the Google TV Streamer – 33:49

Less than a year after SAG strike, Meta is offering actors millions to use their voice in AI – 41:01

Where does all the Facebook AI slop come from? 404Media found out – 44:30

People are returning Humane’s AI Pin faster than they can sell them – 50:23

Working on – 53:43

Pop culture picks – 53:58

Industry interview with Mickey Down and Konrad Kay - 1:02:00

This week, Cherlynn is joined by guest co-host Jessica Conditt to take a closer look at the Playdate -- the cute little gaming console with a crank. The two go on to rave about Samsung’s new Pokemon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Apple’s BTS dance lessons on Fitness+, before questioning why anyone would want electric chopsticks that make food taste saltier.
The Playdate is an adorable, impeccably designed indie game machine – 1:28
Samsung’s Pokemon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 is also delightful – 17:48
Apple Fitness+: Now featuring BTS dance workouts – 20:11
Netflix announces that it lost subscribers for the first time in a decade – 26:53
Also from Netflix: there's actually going to be a series based on Exploding Kittens – 33:04
WhatsApp is testing an option to hide its “last seen” feature – 37:57
Researchers in Japan invented chopsticks that make food taste saltier – 40:56
Working on – 45:33
Pop culture picks – 48:30

This week, Cherlynn and guest co-host Sam Rutherford discuss the new Nintendo Switch Sports games, a coincidental week of beauty gadget coverage and the ongoing saga of Elon Musk trying to own Twitter. We also go over Activision Blizzard’s new Chief Diversity Officer and Meta laying claim to almost half of all digital asset sales in its virtual world.
Nintendo Switch Sports – 1:53
Theraface Pro and PMD Beauty Personal Microderm Classic reviews – 14:56
Elon Musk isn’t done with Twitter, might be trying to buy the company – 23:59
Blizzard has hired a Chief Diversity Officer to help sort out its whole mess – 36:31
Meta wants a 47.5% cut on all items sold in the Metaverse – 40:45
Vivo’s X Fold has a fingerprint reader on both screens – 44:28
Netflix is pushing out a 2 Thumbs Up rating system for better recommendations - 49:40
Working on – 53:52
Pop culture picks – 55:14

What a week it’s been for Twitter. Elon Musk snapped up 9.2 percent of the company, becoming its biggest shareholder. He soon became a board member and shortly after, Twitter announced it was bringing a long-awaited Edit feature to its Blue service. Senior reporter Karissa Bell joined us this week to discuss how it all went down, as well as the potential repercussions. Then, we looked at Peloton’s newest gadget, Microsoft’s updates to Windows 11 as well as more controversy over Apple’s AirTags.
Why did Elon Musk buy 9.2% of Twitter? – 1:42
Mat Smith’s Peloton Guide hands-on – 27:08
Windows 11 getting a redesigned File Explorer and video call upgrades – 38:31
Dyson’s headphone / mask combo isn’t an April Fool’s joke – 41:01
OnePlus 10 Pro review – 44:07
Dates for Microsoft Build and WWDC have been announced – 46:40
Airtag stalking is a growing problem – 48:34
Snapchat filter helps users learn ASL alphabet – 52:38
Open AI’s DALL E project is making amazing images – 53:41
Working on – 56:25
Pop culture picks – 1:02:15

It’s time to talk about all of those other new Apple gadgets. This week, Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Devindra to dive into Apple’s Studio Display, a nice looking 5K monitor that’s really only meant for the Mac faithful. Also, they discuss why the new iPad Air is a fabulous tablet, and explore what could be the best 5G laptop for RV nomads. Stay tuned to the end for a chat with Dan Erickson, the creator of the excellent Apple TV+ series Severance.
Apple’s confounding Studio Display – 1:28
The M1 iPad Air, however, is great – 16:05
Snap buys brain interface company NextMind – 28:37
Apple acquired UK banking startup Credit Kudos – 33:27
The saga of the LA Tesla jump TikTok stunt – 40:23
Ask Engadget: The best setup for retiree trailer life – 44:54
Working on – 52:40
Pop culture picks – 55:58
Interview with Severance creator Dan Erickson – 1:02:44

Would you believe Samsung has more new phones? This week, Devindra and Senior Writer Sam Rutherford discuss the new Galaxy A53 5G and A33, the company’s new feature-packed mid-range phones. The A53 has a 120Hz screen, four cameras and 5G support for $450! The iPhone SE doesn’t stand a chance against it. Also, Devindra dives into his review of the Mac Studio–finally, Apple has a great desktop for creative professionals.
Samsung announces Galaxy A53 5G and A33 – 1:28
Mac Studio review – 14:46
Disney+ teasers for Ms. Marvel and Obi Wan – 28:20
Working on – 41:18
Picks – 45:21

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into all of the news from Apple’s first 2022 event. What’s so great about the revamped iPhone SE? Is the new iPad Air better than the iPad Mini? And who really needs the Mac Studio anyway? Also, we chat about Android 12L and other Google news, the recently announced Magic Leap 2 and our fond memories of illicit filesharing services.
Apple announces iPhone SE (Gen 3) – 2:52
The iPad Air now has an M1 chip – 12:26
Apple’s next step in processing power, the M1 Ultra – 20:07
Mac Studio announcement – 25:43
Apple Studio Display – 29:05
Android 12L coming to larger screens later this year – 35:52
Google promises Chrome 99 will be faster on Android and Macs – 39:57
New Pixel update brings Samsung exclusives to Pixel – 41:18
Magic Leap 2 announced – 45:17
Limewire is now…an NFT marketplace?? – 50:51
Carl Pei’s Nothing to announce 2022 roadmap – 55:20
Working On – 57:06
Picks – 1:02:29
Interview with Upload creator Greg Daniels – 1:11:13

In spite of everything else going on in the world, Mobile World Congress 2022 took place this week. Companies like Oppo, Huawei, TCL, Samsung and Lenovo showed off a ton of new products, ranging from laptops and tablets to foldable concepts and some phones. While it felt strange to cover the news coming out of the show, especially from a distance, we were still able to check out some interesting tech. UK bureau chief Mat Smith joins us to make sense of all the news.
A not-so Mobile World Congress – 2:23
Huawei MatePad – 5:27
Oppo Find X5 – 15:26
Honor Magic 4 – 20:04
TCL’s latest foldable concept – 31:18
The Thinkpad X13s is powered by Snapdragon – 40:53
Apple’s “Peek Performance” event is scheduled for March 8th – 53:27
Multiple disability organizations call on US DOJ to finalize accessibility rules – 1:00:37
Biden wants to end targeted ads that are aimed at children – 1:07:46
Thermacell’s smart mosquito repellent system – 1:08:37
Working on – 1:12:30
Picks – 1:16:33

It’s a gaming heavy week! Devindra chats with Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt about one of our most anticipated games of the year, Horizon Forbidden West. Plus, they dive into the lackluster Street Fighter 6 reveal, the PlayStation VR 2 and what’s up with Elden Ring. Finally, we explore what went wrong with the Uncharted movie.
Horizon Forbidden West is here – 2:24
PS VR 2 details are finally out – 17:47
Street Fighter 6 was announced – 22:24
Intel and AMD announce powerful new chips for ultraportables – 28:08
A new tool on Steam will check your library for Steam Deck compatibility – 30:17
Working on – 33:00
Pop Culture Picks – 34:29

It’s all about Samsung this week! Cherlynn, Devindra and Engadget Senior Editor Sam Rutherford dive into the company’s newest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra. It’s jam-packed with new features, we just wish they were easier to use. (And what the heck is “Vision Booster” anyway?) Also, Sam gives us his thoughts on Alienware’s x14 gaming laptop, and Cherlynn is introduced to the infamous Bitcoin cryptocouple.
Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra Reviews – 1:35
Alienware X14 Review – 30:49
Android 13 developer preview / privacy sandbox on Android – 39:20
New productivity tools in Google Smart Canvas – 43:38
Chrome OS Flex – 46:36
Motorola and Verizon’s weird 5G neckband – 47:32
Cryptocouple scammers caught trying to launder 25,000 BTC – 52:54
Working on – 57:33
Pop Culture Picks – 1:02:00

Tech news season is in full swing as Samsung launched its Galaxy S22 flagship phones this week, along with new Tab S8 tablets. This week on the podcast, Cherlynn is joined by senior writer Sam Rutherford and special guest Chris Velazco from The Washington Post to discuss Samsung’s new gear. The trio also recap some of the best games announced at Nintendo Direct, followed by a look at the week’s biggest news including Peloton’s layoffs, Steam Deck previews and the Olympics.
Samsung unveiled the S22 Ultra and Tab S8 series – 1:30
Nintendo’s first Direct of 2022 – 27:02
Peloton’s layoffs and terrible severance – 39:33
Microsoft promises COD will stay multi-platform for now – 48:02
Steam Deck: the early impressions are in – 51:15
Louis Vuitton smartwatch mini-review – 55:57
Grindr geofences the Olympic Village – 1:00:31
Working on – 1:04:56
Pop Culture picks – 1:07:15

Samsung's Galaxy Ring is here, and honestly it's just a bit basic. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into what does and doesn't work with Samsung's latest wearable. Also, we discuss Friend's new AI gadget, which listens to your conversations and sends text messages to help you feel less lonely. To get a better sense of the device, Devindra also talks to Friend's CEO, Avi Schiffmann, about why he's leaning away from the productivity side of AI helpers and more towards the vibes of friendly AI. (And yes, we also ask why he spent $1.8 million of Friend's $2.5 million funding just to buy the Friend.com domain.)

In other news, we discuss the potential impact of KOSA (the Kids Online Safety Act) with India McKinney, the EFF’s Director of Federal Affairs. While lawmakers are uniformly positioning KOSA as a way to protect kids on the internet, it could also lead to draconian censorship and destroy free speech on the web as we know it.

Cherlynn reviews the Samsung Galaxy Ring: Great sleep tracking, but needs more features – 2:13

Interview with Avi Schiffmann, founder of AI wearable company Friend – 27:27

KOSA passes the senate – we chat with EFF’s India McKinney about why it matters – 48:22

What we’ve learned since the massive 7/19 Crowdstrike outage – 1:12:07

Elon Musk shared an AI altered video of Kamala Harris without labeling, breaking the rules of his own site – 1:18:57

Apple Intelligence arrives in the iOS 18.1 developer beta – 1:21:57

Google makes peace with third-party cookies after years of mixed signals – 1:26:38

Around Engadget: Mat Smith’s Galaxy Flip 6 review – 1:29:36

Working on – 1:31:44

Pop culture picks – 1:32:22

The big gaming deals keep on coming! This week, Devindra and Cherlynn chat with Senior Editor Jessica Conditt about Sony’s surprising $3.6 billion Bungie acquisition. It’s too soon for it to be a direct response to the Microsoft/Activision deal, but clearly Sony sees the need for new blood. Also, they dive into Spotify’s weak response to protests around the Joe Rogan podcast. Should Spotify be using a stronger editorial hand? And yes, they discuss the whole New York Times/Wordle acquisition too.
Sony buys Bungie for $3.6 billion – 1:41
More artists leave Spotify over Joe Rogan / COVID misinformation – 21:03
New York Times buys Wordle – 38:14
Alphabet (Google) and Apple post huge earnings – 45:42
Working on – 52:58
Picks – 56:09

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra bring you the best and worst of Sundance 2022’s tech-related projects. What films coming out of the show will be worth watching when they’re released? Are VR projects easily viewable? What, if anything, did they say about the metaverse? Then, our hosts go over Samsung’s news on this year's first Unpacked launch event, Neil Young's fight against Spotify and what went down at the Antiwork subreddit.
Sundance 2022 New Frontiers (VR/AR show) – 2:03
Cool tech films at Sundance (After Yang, TikTok Boom, We Met in Virtual Reality) – 12:25
Preview of Samsung’s first Unpacked of 2022 – 37:03
Neil Young vs. Spotify: Young’s music pulled over Joe Rogan’s podcast – 42:30
Reddit’s /r/AntiWork blew up in a big way – 46:45
Listener Mailbag – 55:50
Working On – 1:01:00
Interview with We Met in Virtual Reality director Joe Hunting – 1:03:54

Now that the James Webb Space Telescope is safely on the way to its orbital home, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about why it’s so important with Space.com editor-in-chief Tariq Malik, as well as science and technology journalist Swapna Krishna. They dive into why it’s such a big upgrade from Hubble, as well as the discoveries astronomers hope to make about exoplanets, black holes and our own solar system. Also, Senior Editor Jessica Conditt joins to chat about Microsoft’s mammoth $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Is more consolidating a bad thing for the video game industry? (Spoilers: Probably.)
James Webb Space Telescope post-launch update – 1:07
Microsoft buys Activision/Blizzard for $68.7 billion – 31:03
Working On – 58:46
Pop Culture Picks – 1:01:06