The Vergecast

• The Slate Truck is a whole new kind of car

  Sometimes you want more tech in your life — and sometimes you want a lot less. This episode is all about less. First, Tim Stevens joins the show to talk about his story about the Slate Truck, an ultra-minimal electric vehicle that has almost no features to speak of and yet still promises to reinvent the way we think about cars. After that, Casey Johnston tells us about her journey in managing her screen time. She has tips for how to get the most problematic apps of your phone, is a big proponent of a factory reset, and has seen first-hand what happens when you look at your devices just a little less. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email [email protected]!) about whether there's a MacBook Air equivalent in the Windows world. The answer surprised us, and it might surprise you too. Further reading: The $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen Is this the antidote to America’s truck bloat problem? From TechCrunch: Inside the EV startup secretly backed by Jeff Bezos Around the Next Bend on Substack Slate is the American truck scene's Ctrl+Alt+Del moment From She's a Beast: The DIY Dumbphone Method Casey's book: A Physical Education Framework Laptop 13 (2025) review: getting better with age Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Everybody wants to buy Chrome

  Some weeks, it just feels like everything is up in the air all at the same time. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge’s Jake Kastrenakes to talk about all the unrest, starting with the ever-changing tariff rules that are making gadgets hard to price, hard to find, and hard to bet on going forward. (Maybe that’s why it seems everyone on Earth tried to pre-order a Switch 2 this week.) After that, the hosts catch up on the Meta and Google antitrust trials happening this week, and try to figure out who might be interested in the internet’s most popular browser. Finally, in the lightning round, we talk Brendan Carr (who is a dummy), the wood-backed Motorola Razr Ultra, and the 20th anniversary of YouTube. Further reading: Nintendo Switch 2 preorders were a total mess — at first Nintendo Switch 2 preorders are sold out everywhere GameStop’s Switch 2 preorders started poorly, too Auto industry tariffs are doing what now? 24 hours of White House confusion Did Tim Cook finagle a special tariff deal? Senator Warren wants to know The US hikes tariffs on solar products from Asia DHL halts international deliveries to US consumers worth over $800 Game Boy clone maker Anbernic suspends all shipments to US Ayn, like Anbernic, is pausing retro handheld shipments to the US. Perplexity wants to buy Chrome if Google has to sell it OpenAI tells judge it would buy Chrome from Google  Former DOJ antitrust chief says a Google break up will benefit the internet Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom says Zuckerberg “saw us as a threat” Instagram launches its CapCut clone, Edits Threads adds more ads Former Google exec testifies about the company’s attempt to buy WhatsApp. Google’s antitrust trial begins with a fight over Chrome, money, and AI Google is paying Samsung an ‘enormous sum’ to preinstall Gemini Google reveals Gemini AI has 350 million monthly active users. Apple and Meta hit with the EU’s first DMA antitrust fines The EU isn’t happy with Apple’s tax on alternative app stores  Brendan Carr is a dummy From Puck: David Ellison’s Carr Trouble The Trump FCC’s Coercion Cartel Motorola’s new Razr Ultra brings the wood back panel back YouTube’s TV changes include a redesign and more multiview YouTube is everything and everything is YouTube 20 years ago, the first videos uploaded to YouTube were short and swee Email us at [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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  1:51:17
• How to keep your data safe when you travel

  If you’re heading on vacation this summer, you’re going to want to listen to this. The Verge’s Gaby del Valle joins the show to explain how worried you need to be about your digital data when you cross borders, and what you can do to protect yourself. Even if you don’t think you have anything to hide, a little precaution goes a long way. After that, Puck’s Matt Belloni joins the show to explain why Apple, Amazon, Google, and other tech companies continue to pour money into the streaming business, when it seems so far removed from what those companies do well. (Spoiler alert: it’s fun to be friends with Ben Stiller.) Finally, we answer a hotline question about the Google Pixel’s ascent to “best Android phone for people who just want a phone.”  Oh, also: thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Webby Awards! We’ll know soon whether we won, but however it shakes out, we’re so grateful to everyone who voted for us. Further reading: Is it safe to travel to the United States with your phone right now? DHS’s airport panopticon is getting people deported and detained Trump says he wants to deport US citizens to El Salvador Matt Belloni at Puck The Town podcast From Puck: How Long Can the Apple TV+ Experiment Sputter On? - Puck Google Pixel 9A review: a midrange phone done right Google Pixel 9 review: the phone that Android needs Email us at [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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  1:10:43
• Big Tech is back on trial

  We promise, this episode is only a little bit about header bidding. Nilay and David are joined by The Verge’s Alex Heath to talk about some big news in tech regulation: Google lost its ad-tech monopoly trial, which could reshape both Google and the internet altogether. And that’s not the only monopoly news! Meta’s trial also started this week, and Alex was there to see Mark Zuckerberg and others try to defend Instagram, WhatsApp, and the company as a whole. After all that, we talk about OpenAI’s plans to build a social network, and how this company seems to never run out of ambition. Finally, in the lightning round, it’s time for another round of Brendan Carr is a Dummy, and some news about viral cameras and the Switch 2. Which we’ll be yeeting into our homes as soon as possible Further reading: Google loses ad tech monopoly case FTC v. Meta live: the latest from the battle over Instagram and WhatsApp Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defends Instagram purchase in antitrust trial Zuckerberg defends his empire during FTC antitrust trial Mark Zuckerberg suggested spinning off Instagram Mark Zuckerberg tells court that Meta made WhatsApp, Instagram better Mark Zuckerberg once suggested wiping all Facebook friends lists to boost usage Meta reportedly offered $1 billion to settle the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit. Zuckerberg defends his empire during FTC antitrust trial Google, Apple, and Snap aren’t happy about Meta’s poorly-redacted slides Meta’s antitrust trial slide redactions aren’t actually hiding anything OpenAI is building a social network OpenAI debuts its GPT-4.1 flagship AI model OpenAI might finally get better model names soon. OpenAI’s upgraded o3 model can use images when reasoning ChatGPT will now remember your old conversations OpenAI is reportedly considering a $3 billion deal to buy AI coding tool Windsurf. Netflix is testing a new OpenAI-powered search Brendan Carr on X The Media and Democracy Project on Bluesky Trump excludes smartphones, computers, chips from higher tariffs Smartphone tariffs are coming back in ‘a month or two,’ says Trump admin TSMC is unfazed by tariffs. Microsoft’s Phil Spencer: “I want to support Switch 2.” In pursuit of a viral, five-year-old compact camera Email us at [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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  1:55:52
• The 2025 Vergecast Streaming Draft

  It's time, once again, to see what's what in the streaming wars. For the third year in a row, our hosts — this time Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes — have to build a roster of streaming options that will win awards, show 4K content, satisfy their live TV needs, and much more. First, the hosts decide who won last year's competition, and then they pick their favorites for 2025. Make sure you listen to the episode before you read this, but here are the results of the draft: Jake's picks: Cheap: Tubi Awards: Netflix 4K: Hulu Live: Instagram Live Niche: PBS Passport Content: LoFi Girl Wild Card: Kanopy Nilay's picks: Cheap: TikTok Awards: Max 4K: Disney Plus Live: Sunday Ticket Niche: Kaleidescape Content: CNBC Wild Card: F1 TV David's picks Cheap: Peacock Awards: Amazon Prime 4K: YouTube Premium Live: YouTube TV Niche: BritBox Content: Stranger Things season 5 Wild Card: Paramount Plus We want to know who you think won the draft! Email us at [email protected], or call The Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, and tell us all your thoughts. And if you want to catch up, you can check out our draft from 2024 and from 2023. A lot has changed, and nothing has. The Vergecast was nominated for a Webby, which means we can win a Webby People’s Voice Award and that’s voted online by you! So we’d love your support. You can vote at the link:https://bit.ly/3DXFgpN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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