podcasts18.72 min read
The Clapper’s unlikely rise: a flawed gadget that became a viral hit
1 month ago•Source: The Verge
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18.33 min•1 month ago
Apple’s OpenAI lawsuit signals a strategic power play
The Vergecast hosts dissect Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI, weighing whether Apple is pursuing a genuine trade-secrets case or making a public move to blunt a potential rival, all against the backdrop of Siri AI betas and a roundup of AI gadget news.
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Meta bets on a gambling-led future with Polymarket-style plans
The Verge•2 months ago
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Iran’s 21st-century leadership reshapes the Middle East after war
vox.com•2 months ago
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Snap’s AR Specs wow, but wearability could derail them
The Vergecast weighs Snap's new AR glasses (Specs) — impressive, cash-heavy, and shipping this fall — but launch imagery highlights their bulk, prompting questions about whether people will actually wear them. Hosts ask what experiences the glasses would need to justify the discomfort and whether four hours of battery life is a bug or feature, with hands-on testing to come. The discussion also covers Fox’s $22 billion Roku acquisition and what it signals for streaming, plus a quick round on AI Mode and Matter 1.6.
Hart, TMZ, and the birth of the 24/7 political tabloid era
Vox explains how Gary Hart’s 1987 downfall—sped by satellite-enabled, round-the-clock coverage and a new wave of tabloid journalism—redefined political accountability and helped spawn TMZ’s Washington bureau, foreshadowing the celebrity-driven scrutiny that now colors politics.
Trump’s DC makeover tests Washington’s design traditions
Vox explains how Donald Trump’s planned DC remodeling—White House East Wing demolition, Rose Garden redesign, a 250‑foot arch near Arlington, Kennedy Center renovations, and other proposals—could bypass long‑standing design‑review processes, potentially reshape the city’s skyline, alter its symbolic landscape, and provoke preservationist backlash about the presidency’s influence on Washington’s built environment.
Vocoder’s unlikely arc: from Bell Labs to the soundtrack of modern music
From a Bell Labs device built to send voices over copper wires, the vocoder became a wartime secret-communications tool and then a global music phenomenon, explored in Version History with Chromeo and friends, and contrasted with Auto-Tune and the Talkbox.
Clubhouse: the audio-first hype that fizzled
The Verge’s Version History episode chronicles Clubhouse’s rapid rise as an audio-first social app during the pandemic, how it captivated tech insiders, and why timing and lockdowns helped it soar only to fade as the moment passed.
Furby’s origin story reveals a blueprint for human-machine talk
Version History traces Furby’s 1998 rise—from a California roots project to a toy sensation—highlighting its clever tech and personality that made it seem alive, and arguing what its history suggests about the future of human–machine interaction and AI design; the episode features David Pierce, Victoria Song, and Sean Hollister and links to primary sources like the Furby patent and contemporary coverage.
Cusp Candidates: Prospects Poised to Enter Baseball America’s Top 100
In the Future Projection podcast, Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo discuss some of their favorite prospects who didn’t quite crack Baseball America’s Top 100 yet but could break in soon, spotlight Braves prospects who might join the list, and consider potential IFA signing-day implications amid a looming 2026 season lockout.
Yearning fuels Heated Rivalry’s viral appeal
Vox argues Heated Rivalry’s surge goes beyond explicit content; it taps into a universal longing for crushes and yearning, especially through queer male romance, connecting the show to broader cultural patterns of vulnerability, desire, and emotional resonance.
Renee Good’s shooting tests when federal officers can be prosecuted
Vox’s explainer weighs whether Minnesota can prosecute the ICE agent who killed Renee Good, given limited federal cooperation, and how two Supreme Court rulings (In re Neagle, 1890, and Martin v. United States, 2025) shape the immunity question, making state charges possible but far from certain and potentially pushing the case toward the Supreme Court.
"Uncovering the Underworld: Inside the Minor Crimes Division"
The New York Times Audio app features "This American Life," a podcast that explores people taking it upon themselves to solve minor crimes, offering lessons learned and not learned from breaking the rules. The app provides news, depth, and serendipity, and is available to Times news subscribers on iOS, with new episodes debuting a day earlier than in the regular podcast feed.