The Vergecast The new Xbox is not an Xbox
182 snips
Oct 21, 2025 
Sean Hollister, a Senior Reporter at The Verge, delves into the controversial Xbox Ally handhelds, arguing that they don’t truly embody the Xbox spirit and face stiff competition from the Steam Deck. Hayden Field, an AI and technology specialist, examines how AI might be dulling our cognitive skills based on recent studies, revealing concerning trends like reduced neural connectivity among users. The discussion wraps with an intriguing listener question about hybrid devices, rekindling nostalgia for modular technology.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Microsoft’s Opportunity And Windows’ Barrier
- Microsoft has an opportunity to own handheld gaming by combining Xbox and Windows into a unified experience.
- Sean Hollister argues Windows currently blocks that vision and needs a dedicated OS layer for handhelds.
Good Hardware, Weak Integration
- The Ally hardware uses solid components and proven screens but adds little innovation.
- The base parts are good, yet software and integration determine success more than raw specs.
Painful Out‑of‑Box Updates
- Sean describes reviewers' experience with long update sequences out of the box that consumers will also face.
- The handheld can take 40 minutes to 90 minutes installing Windows and OEM updates before gaming.
