Sam Abuelsamid, an automotive technology analyst, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a smart home expert, dive into Tesla's ambitious robotaxi plans and the skepticism surrounding its autonomous potential. They discuss the rise of satellite messaging capabilities in smartphones for emergencies and the ongoing debate over TikTok's influence on children's mental health. The duo highlights cybersecurity threats in the smart home space, illustrated by hackers taking control of robovacs. Finally, they explore the playful charm of a Nintendo alarm clock infused with game sounds.

This week, Devindra Hardawar, a senior editor at Engadget, shares insights on Australia's new ban on social media for under 16s, highlighting age verification challenges. Doc Rock, with expertise in live streaming, joins in discussing the latest smart home innovations and the Matter protocol. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy elaborates on the progression of smart technology and energy management. The panel humorously anticipates CES 2024 and examines the surge in Black Friday online sales, showcasing the evolving landscape of consumer behavior.

Today on the flagship podcast of not-yet-announced Sonos speakers:Adi Robertson and Sean Hollister discuss their review of the PSVR2, and how it ranks among the other VR options today, along with its predecessor.  PSVR 2 review: love on a leash We plugged the PSVR2 into a PC, and here’s what it does Meta is improving Quest hand tracking so you can touch buttons and type on virtual keyboards Alex Cranz, Chris Welch, Chris Person, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy discuss the world of multi-room audio devices to play music. How do smart speakers like Sonos, Amazon Echo, and Google Home compare to audiophile gadgets like the WiiM Mini and the Raspberry Pi? WiiM’s Mini and Pro are the Chromecast Audio’s real replacement Exclusive: these are the new Sonos Era speakers  Amazon’s Alexa app gets more Sonos-y with new multiroom audio controls How to set up multiroom music playback with Google Home speakers Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call the Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a technology journalist at The Verge, dives into the decade-long journey of Amazon's Alexa. She discusses its innovative beginnings and how excitement has turned into stagnation over the years. The conversation highlights Alexa's evolution and the reality of integrating it into smart homes. Tuohy also shares insights on the challenges Amazon faces against competitors in the voice assistant arena, while expressing hope for a promising future with potential technological advancements and a new Alexa experience.

Today on the flagship podcast of open-source lightbulbs: David Pierce chats with Verge investigations editor Josh Dzieza about his story detailing how humans matter far more to AI development than we may have thought.Inside the AI Factory: the humans that make tech seem humanLater, smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy explains why we're probably getting the idea of a “smart home” all wrong. Smart homes for smart people How microgrids and smart homes are shaping our energy-independent future Every device that works with Matter What is a smart home, and do you need one? How to pick a smart home platform From brilliant to basic, here are our smart home setups Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a smart home contributor at The Verge, discusses the latest innovations in smart locks and video doorbells, including Google's upcoming upgrades and the integration of generative AI. Chris Welch, also from The Verge, dives into the world of wireless earbuds, evaluating their performance in noisy environments. They tackle the challenges of compatibility in smart home tech and explore the future of home automation, emphasizing personal experiences and the potential for new wireless power solutions.

The Verge answers questions from The Vergecast Hotline. We hear from David Pierce on balancing privacy and modern conveniences for digital journaling, Alex Cranz on tablets for reading, Dan Seifert and Allison Johnson on tech reviews at The Verge, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on smart home routers and doorbells, and Monica Chin on laptops for college.Further reading:  My impossible search for the best, most powerful, most private journaling app ever The best iPad to buy in 2023 Ethics Statement - The Verge  Nest Wifi Pro review: better, faster, shinier Eero Pro 6E review: faster Wi-Fi but flakier performance Aqara Video Doorbell G4 review: this battery-powered buzzer needs to go back to basics The FTC wants to ban those tough-to-cancel gym and cable subscriptions Best laptop 2023: 15 best laptops you can buy Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the flagship podcast of peer-to-peer wireless networking: 02:31 - David Pierce talks with smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy about Amazon’s network of smart home devices called Sidewalk and the state of Matter, the promised smart home standard. Amazon just opened up its Sidewalk network for anyone to build connected gadgets on32:16- Monica Chin brings six laptops to Times Square in New York City to test out the microphones.48:47 - Tom Warren joins the show to explain how AI is being integrated into Microsoft’s products, which may be more promising than Bing’s chatbot. Microsoft’s new Copilot will change Office documents forever Microsoft Security Copilot is a new GPT-4 AI assistant for cybersecurity Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you.Vote for us in the People’s Choice Webby Awards for Best Technology Podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge's David Pierce, Alex Cranz, and Jay Peters discuss Google deciding to shut down its game streaming service Stadia. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins the show to chat about all the products Amazon announced at its hardware launch event this week, including the new E Ink tablet for reading and writing. Google is shutting down Stadia Google is trying to reinvent search — by being more than a search engine  Google’s trying to become a one-stop shopping destination Google will help you find better results without tagging ‘Reddit’ onto every search The 11 biggest announcements at Amazon's hardware launch event  Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing Amazon fifth-generation Echo Dot smart speakers get a host of new features Echo speakers can now be Eero mesh Wi-Fi extenders Amazon’s new Echo Auto is smaller and easier to mount in your car Amazon’s latest 4K TVs improve picture quality and borrow ideas from The Frame The new Amazon Fire TV Cube has an HDMI input for controlling cable boxes  Alexa is getting some much-needed smart home upgrades Amazon’s Halo Rise is a bedside light to track your sleep and wake you up Blink's new Mini Pan Tilt adds robotics to its compact home security camera Ring's new Spotlight Cam Pro mashes its most advanced features into a wireless design   Sonos Sub Mini review: low end for a lower price Intel and Samsung are getting ready for ‘slidable’ PCs Leaked Galaxy S23 renders suggest Samsung could ditch the camera bump A smart lock with long-range wireless power is finally a reality Asus launches massive 17-inch Zenbook with Ryzen 6000 Intel’s 13th Gen processors arrive October 20th with $589 flagship Core i9-13900K Wacom announces the Cintiq Pro 27, its latest display graphics tablet Logitech announces its first mechanical keyboard specifically for the Mac Stage Manager isn’t just for M1 iPads anymore Hands-on with aptX Lossless, the new tech promising CD-quality audio over Bluetooth Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we'd love to hear from you. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Pierce taps into The Verge's reviews team to explore where we're headed with smart home gadgets, wearables, and midrange phones.01:56 - Verge smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy comes back to the show to break down the news of Amazon acquiring iRobot, maker of the ever popular Roomba robot vacuum.24:46 - Verge wearable tech reviewer Victoria Song joins David to explore the fascinating world of non-watch wearables: rings, earbuds, sports bras, and sleep trackers. Afterward, we hear from Whoop CEO Will Ahmed about his approach to wearable technology.53:40 - Verge mobile reviewer Allison Johnson and David discuss the ideal version of a mid-range smartphone, and what are the best trade-offs for the price.Further reading: Amazon to acquire Roomba robot vacuum maker iRobot for $1.7 billion Amazon bought iRobot to see inside your home The best sleep tech you can buy right now Whoop 4.0 Review Oura Ring Gen 3 Review Google Pixel 6a review: midrange parts, Tensor smarts Apple's new iPhone SE is a modern phone stuck in yesterday's design Apple should have followed Google’s Pixel 6A playbook with the iPhone SE OnePlus 10T review: call it a comeback Nothing Phone 1 review: something else Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices