Navigating Smartphone Pricing and Features

Lots of gadget news this week! David, Jake Kastrenakes, and Allison Johnson start by talking about the iPhone 16E, which is both the cheapest compelling iPhone in a long time and a deeply odd addition to Apple's phone lineup. They also discuss the end of the Humane AI Pin, the latest from the Rabbit R1, and whether AI gadgets are even going to be a thing. After that, it's time for the lightning round: David and Jake talk about Amazon Chime, Mira Murati's new startup, and the future of James Bond. Then, in a special DOGE lightning round, Lauren Feiner joins the show to discuss everything happening with Trump, Musk, DOGE, and the US government. Because there's a lot of it.

Further reading:

• Apple launches the iPhone 16E
• 8 important things to know about the iPhone 16E
• The iPhone is done with home buttons — here’s why I’ll miss it
• Verge staffers react to the iPhone 16E: what we love and don’t love
• Apple no longer sells new iPhones with Lightning ports
• How the new iPhone 16E compares to the rest of Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup
• Apple’s first in-house iPhone modem is the C1
• Oppo Find N5 review: the final evolution of foldables
• The world’s thinnest foldable phone doesn’t come cheap
• Humane is shutting down the AI Pin and selling its remnants to HP
• The Humane AI Pin never had a chance
• Rabbit shows off the AI agent it should have launched with
• Amazon’s revamped Alexa might launch over a month after its announcement event
• Microsoft announces quantum computing breakthrough with Majorana 1 chip
• A death knell for Chime
• Mira Murati launches rival to OpenAI called Thinking Machines Lab
• The New York Times adopts AI tools in the newsroom
• Amazon now has creative control over the James Bond franchise
• Spotify’s HiFi streaming could finally arrive this year
• Treasury inspector general will investigate DOGE payments access | The Verge
• Trump threatens 25 percent ‘and higher’ tariff on chips.
• Acer is the first to raise laptop prices because of Trump
• Trump issues an executive order claiming more oversight of independent agencies like the FTC and FCC.
• Trump administration cancels approval for NYC congestion pricing.
• DOGE’s alleged cost-cutting achievements included a few extra zeroes.
• A SpaceX team is being brought in to overhaul FAA’s air traffic control system
• Trump admin pulls hundreds of videos from CFPB’s YouTube channel
• DOGE can keep accessing government data for now, judge rules

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