Bring back the iBook, you cowards
Bring back the iBook, you cowards Apple is reportedly working on a low-cost laptop powered by an iPhone chip. This could be a small deal, a decision made by supply chain economics and the fact that the M1 MacBook Air continues to sell well at Walmart. Or it could be huge, a return to form […]
Your smart home questions, answered
Your smart home questions, answered There are a couple of universal truths about the smart home. Yes, you will come to treat your robot vacuum like a member of the family, and no, you cannot escape the fact that there will always be one light that doesn’t turn on even though there’s simply no reason […]
God will be declared by a panel of experts
God will be declared by a panel of experts What is AGI? We know it stands for Artificial General Intelligence. That’s a good start. But what does AGI mean, really? And how do we know when we’ve achieved it? For that matter, who decides we’ve achieved it? Does the AGI decide? This week, as OpenAI […]
AI can’t even turn on the lights
AI can't even turn on the lights Large language models are currently everyone’s solution to everything. The technology’s versatility is part of its appeal: the use cases for generative AI seem both huge and endless. But then you use the stuff, and not enough of it works very well. And you wonder what we’re really accomplishing here. […]
Google gadgets, ranked
Google gadgets, ranked Is a smartwatch better than a smartphone? Not which one is more important or which would you rather have, but simply which one is better? This is the kind of question you really never need to ask – but we’re here to ask it. Why? Because Google has had a terrific year […]
The real price of a free TV
The real price of a free TV Back in 2023, Telly CEO Ilya Pozin came on The Vergecast and made a surprisingly compelling case for the existence of a TV that doesn’t cost you a dime – but shows ads all the time. It’s a reasonable business model, and a pretty good deal for consumers! […]
Tick tock, TikTok
Tick tock, TikTok After more than five years of machinations, secret meetings, legislative actions, and confusing messaging, it appears a deal is coming to keep TikTok alive in the US. On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order that didn’t quite make a deal, but at least gave everyone space to make deal. It’s a […]
Meta’s quest to own your face
Meta's quest to own your face Meta obviously believes in smart glasses. It’s not alone: Google, Apple, Samsung, and others all appear to be heavily invested in the idea that the next big gadget will be on your face. But at least for now, it appears Meta is the company building the best, most interesting, […]
Who is the iPhone Air really for?
Who is the iPhone Air really for? It’s very thin. And very light. And quite nice to look at. It also only has one camera, the battery life isn’t amazing, and it’s not like Apple saved some special new software feature for its fanciest phone. The new iPhone Air is just… the nice one. So […]
Our hottest takes on AI’s wild summer
Our hottest takes on AI's wild summer There’s a lot happening in the world of artificial intelligence. There is always a lot happening in the world of artificial intelligence. The money is enormous; the stakes are high; the products are, well, all over the place. Sit on your couch and read about it all long […]