Victoria Song, a fitness and tech reporter at The Verge, shares insights on achieving New Year's fitness goals without the pressure. She discusses the importance of realistic expectations and entertaining fitness apps that motivate users. Anna Valtonen, a design professor with a history at Nokia, highlights the company's innovative legacy and the significance of preserving design history. Together, they explore how embracing enjoyable fitness activities and celebrating small wins can reshape our approach to exercise.

Allison Johnson, a consumer electronics expert; Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a smart home specialist; and Victoria Song, a wearables analyst, share their insights on CES 2025. They highlight quirky gadgets like robotic vacuums with arms and whimsical phone toasters. The discussion also delves into the evolution of smart glasses and the challenges of integrating AI in everyday tech. The atmosphere is lively as they reflect on the practicality of this year's innovations amid a subdued CES landscape, inviting listeners to laugh while contemplating the future of gadgets.

Victoria Song, a staff writer at The Verge specializing in sleep technology, shares her experiences with sleep gadgets like the Eight Sleep mattress and Oura Ring 4. She discusses the effectiveness of tracking sleep patterns for better rest. Allison Johnson, also from The Verge, evaluates Spotify's AI DJ, weighing its personalized music curation against the emotional depth of human DJs. They explore the costs of investing in sleep tech while reflecting on the evolving value of technology in balancing aesthetics and functionality, especially in TV selections.

The Verge's Victoria Song joins the show to talk about her year of testing smart rings, and which of the many new options is the one you should buy. Then Chris Welch takes us through his testing of the new hearing health features for Apple's AirPods, including the surprisingly intense hearing test you can take right on your phone. Finally, Andrew Webster helps us answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline: why doesn't Apple buy Nintendo, and what would happen if it did?Further reading: We tested six smart rings, and there’s a clear winner Oura Ring 4 review: still on top — for now Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing health features are as good as they sound Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 could forever change how people access hearing aids Super Mario Run hands-on: like Mario, just simpler Microsoft’s Phil Spencer says acquiring Nintendo would be ‘a career moment’ 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

Joining David Pierce are Alex Cranz, a consumer tech expert, Sean Hollister, a gaming electronics journalist, and Victoria Song, a wearable tech reporter. They dive into the best portable gaming consoles, scrutinizing devices like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, and tackle connectivity issues. Victoria shares insights on smart glasses, testing their audio quality and comparing models like Razer’s Anzu and Amazon's Echo Frames. The group blends humor with tech-savvy discussions, exploring the future of gaming and audio innovations.