The Engadget Podcast

Fitbit Air review + The Pope takes on AI (with Fr. Robert Ballecer) 29.05.2026 1h 18min

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

RGB TVs, OLED and the TVs you should buy today 22.05.2026 1h 2min

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

Google I/O 2026: It's AI all the way down 20.05.2026 48min

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

Everything new coming to Android 17 + Who needs Googlebooks? 14.05.2026 58min

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

Gamestop’s wild eBay gamble + reMarkable Paper Pure review 07.05.2026 1h

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

Let's chat about Valve's Steam Controller 01.05.2026 35min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tim Cook’s Apple era + John Ternus’ Apple future 24.04.2026 59min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Allbirds is AI now + A chat with Exit 8 director Genki Kawamura 17.04.2026 1h 3min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Apple turns 50 + Artemis II is bringing us back to the Moon 02.04.2026 1h 18min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Interview: The AI Doc's director was "scared shitless" by AI, so he made a movie about it 31.03.2026 24min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Can Microsoft fix Windows 11 by dumping AI? 26.03.2026 1h 4min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why does everyone hate NVIDIA’s DLSS 5 AI upscaling? 19.03.2026 1h 6min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Apple's $599 MacBook Neo is astounding + EVs in a world of high gas prices 12.03.2026 1h 22min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Is the MacBook Neo the one? + Anthropic vs. DoD with Spencer Ackerman 06.03.2026 1h 27min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Xbox's leadership shakeup + Samsung's Galaxy S26 is here 26.02.2026 1h 12min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Instagram on trial + RAMaggedon rages on 19.02.2026 57min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

So there’s a social network for AI agents now 06.02.2026 53min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What do prediction markets like Kalshi cost us? + TikTok US stumbles 29.01.2026 1h 4min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

An Apple AI pin? Really? 23.01.2026 57min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why did Apple choose Gemini for next-gen Siri? 15.01.2026 1h 8min

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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy