The Engadget Podcast

This week, we discuss the problematic launch of Google's Stadia cloud-based games service. Our senior editor and resident games expert Jessica Conditt joins us to share what she thought of the service, how it fares against Microsoft's Xcloud and what she thinks of streaming games in general. Also, as we head into Thanksgiving, it's time to think about your holiday shopping and the deals you might be able to score for you and your loved ones on Black Friday. We have some tips for that. Plus, the recent, old-school, and straight up old games that we've been playing. We'll be taking a break for Thanksgiving, so come back in two weeks for a new post-food coma episode.

Get ready for the holidays with an in depth look at Engadget’s gift guide! This week, editor in chief Dana Wollman joins Devindra to chat about how we pick the best gadget gifts and some of the wildest choices we’ve made. And of course, we find time to dive into the new 16” MacBook Pro.

Apple TV+ just launched, Disney+ is on the way, and HBO Max is coming next year. This week on the Engadget Podcast, Devindra and Cherlynn explore why these companies are launching their own streaming services and what it all means for consumers. Are they actually worth subscribing to? Is there simply too much to watch?

This week it's all about computers in our ears, or hearables, if you prefer. Apple announced the long-awaited AirPods Pro on Tuesday, but even though they helped popularize wireless earbuds, now just about every tech company has their own pair as well. We chat about what's new with the AirPods Pro, as well as how to find the perfect pair of earbuds for you. Plus, we talk about the state of smartwatches. (Note: This episode was recorded before Google's Fitbit acquisition was confirmed.)

This week, we dive into some of our latest reviews: Google's Pixel 4, Microsoft's Surface Pro 7, HTC's Vive Cosmos and Dell's XPS 13 2-in-1.

Google is all about ambient computing. That much was made clear at the company's launch event this week. Its products were leaked so thoroughly that there were barely any surprises left. Yet, finally getting to see Google's full portfolio of devices makes it clear: the company is very serious about getting into every facet of your life. This week, Cherlynn is joined by senior mobile editor Chris Velazco in Devindra's absence, and the two take a long hard look at Google's hardware, software, as well as its experiments to see how it all fits into the concept of ambient computing. And the question is: How concerned do we need to be about all the data Google continues to glean about us?

MacOS Catalina is here, and it's... kind of a mess. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn are joined by Engadget Editor-in-Chief Dana Wollman to discuss Apple's latest desktop OS. The big question: Is Catalina Apple's Vista? (Pro-tip: Don't rush to upgrade.) We also ponder what Google will show off at next week's Pixel event; chat about PG&E's widespread power outages in California; and dive into the weirdness of Andy's Rubin's latest Essential phone, Project Gem.

Microsoft dropped a load of Surfaces on us last week, each impressive in their own right. We were wowed by the Surface Pro X, Pro 7 and Laptop 3 -- and of course, we can't wait to hear more about the dual-screen Surface Neo and Duo. It's hard not to compare all of those computers to Apple and its relatively straightforward lineup of Macbooks. This week on the Engadget podcast, reviews editor Cherlynn Low and I dive into one big question: Is Microsoft making better PCs than Apple? If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us (podcast@engadget.com) or drop a note in the comments! (Apologies in advance for the the Skype audio quality on Cherlynn's side. We'll be in a studio next week!)

Get your headphones ready, the Engadget Podcast is back in action and headed your way soon!

This week, we discuss Amazon's sprawling new product lineup, ranked from "useful" to "weird." Also, we have some thoughts on Twitter's 280-character experiment