Laughing as they talk about ignoring environmental impacts in their own lives - Boooo!

I’ve been listening for 2 years. 4 stars because the politics yapping is annoying. We get it, the trump administration is bad and Brendan Carr is a dummy

Too much politics, off putting

Maybe sprinkle a little tech back in once in a while… Just political nonsense veiled as a tech podcast. Really doubt subscribers are tuning in to hear how bothered you are every week. Get back to the good stuff!

There is too much Trump derangement syndrome in this podcast

Thanks for making the pod I listen on Spotify but wanted to give you a review on here anyway and ignore the bad reviews they are just wrong ok? You guys are amazing woooowwwwwww - Tim Cook not fr tho

Stay in your lane, Verge. Go elsewhere for tech info.

Great show for blue haired liberals. I used to like this show even though it was clearly liberal nonsense at times but it's off the rails now. I'm out.

Do people really expect a multi episode per week podcast to just do in-depth gadget reviews while the implications of AI, tech monopolies, etc on politics are happening in the background? Get real, this year’s iPhone is the same as last. My only ask is that Nilay, slow down! Sometimes difficult to hear you.

The long time listeners know how the podcast has morphed from a technology podcast to a political opinion "news" podcast. Like many have commented, I dont go to the Verge site or podcast for my news. I tried to ignore it for awhile...but after the last episode Nilay says they are going all in. Thanks for the memories.

After 18 years following since Engadget, I am done here. You spend significant time on government policy, regulation, and the political stances of CEOs rather than hands-on gadget reviews or deep technical dives. That “Grandstanding", the tone of Nilay is so"judgmental" and "preachy," feeling that the show now carries an air of moral superiority that can be off-putting if you don't share their specific worldview.

The topics no longer relate to technology as the podcast has now become a political show. I used to enjoy listening as an escape from everyday life. I get it that things are not perfect but that’s why we have elections. You’re not telling me something I can’t hear elsewhere.

Report on tech. Your opinions hold no weight in the political arena. We listen to tech podcasts to get away from politics. You’re just loosing subscribers and you’ll change nothing. Goodbye.

Getting too political

You are right and you need to keep going.

I’ve been knee deep in podcasts since they were almost exclusively pirated public radio broadcasts. My tastes have ebbed and flowed, but one constant for me is manifested beautifully in The Vergecast: Smart, knowledgeable, not overly serious hosts who seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. If that is in place, the focus could be just about anything. Video killed the radio star, and I hope it doesn’t do the same to my beloved podcast friends.

The Vergecast is not an aimless, endless ramble of takes about gadgets (except when it delightfully is), this is a well-researched, well-produced, ethics-aware program that isn’t afraid to assert itself as journalism, including when it carries some risk.

I can’t listen to most episodes with Nilay - he interrupts people constantly (especially women), and gives off the impression that he thinks he knows best (one episode they asked the audience to complete an annual survey that Nilay said he will ignore because he does not care about our feedback). Oddly, I actually like Nilay on Decoder a lot - structured one-on-one interviews work well for him and he brings in his organizational expertise/industry knowledge. But in the group/unstructured setting Nilay butts constantly and does not let others with true technical expertise go on for very long. Would love if David was the primary host and voice for all the Vergecast episodes. He asks thoughtful questions, really engages with the guests, and is ok with not being the smartest person in the room. I skip almost all episodes with Nilay in them, which is unfortunately most episodes now.

I know everyone is chasing the YouTube ad revenue but it’s becoming more and more apparent that the Verge’s shows are becoming video-first media. And that will keep making it harder for listeners to actually… listen.

If I could rate this a 7, I would. Updated - 12.14.25 - this podcast turned into a navel gazing challenge after David Pierce took over. Also, and this really tipped me over the edge, why do I care what a tech reporter who has still never been in a Waymo has to say about tech? 🤯 Update - 12.15.25 - I thought more about my past reviews of this podcast and simply needed to update it. David, be a dad or be a tech reporter, stop doing both at the same time. Also, how does it make sense that a tech news company is from New York?

I’ve been listening to Engadget’s podcast since way back, and later moved on to Vergecast. Today, I’m finally unsubscribing after the “Best and Worst Apple Products” episode. Honestly, this has been a long time coming, but that episode was the nail in the coffin. The constant screaming from Victoria and Allison about how they hate everything was unbearable. Calling the iPhone 17 Pro “joyless” — what does that even mean? And dismissing the iPad as “useless” just because they don’t use it? So everyone who draws, uses LiDAR for work, flies planes, practices medicine, or relies on tablets for real workflows… they don’t matter because Victoria’s iPad is never charged? Seriously? Then claiming the Vision Pro “doesn’t do anything.” Really? A portable TV with an arguably better experience than many actual TVs, plus a giant portable Mac display — that alone justifies the device for frequent travelers. But no, the whole segment was just whining, so apparently the Vision Pro “does nothing.” If you genuinely hate every new piece of tech, why work at a tech publication at all?

When I hear a "like" in every other sentence, I want to smash my phone. Instead, I tried to listen to this episode, which was idiotic, narrow-minded, biased, and irritating. This may turn me off this podcast completely.

The thunder round is a better format than the lightning round and it will be missed

Great podcast! The foremost audio publication in all things tech. David has refreshing takes that have genuinely made me think more critically about technology, its industry, the people that influence it and its impact on society. I have one single qualm however, the heartless gutting of the Thunder Round is too much to take. Was it flawed, sure… Was it the start of Jake’s egomaniacal ascent and thrust for power? Absolutely! Should the thunder sounds be replaced with samples from AC/DC’s Thunderstruck? I have my vote cast… If you the Verge want to see my precious subscription, it would be wise to bring it back. I will be holding it hostage until then. That’s a threat Brendan wouldn’t even make. Are you decoding this? Your move Nilay.

I wish they would spend more time on the aspects of tech they enjoyed and not litigating the problems in the industry. It’s very disappointing to hear the host lament on everything wrong in the industry and not excited about what’s working.

Love the pod always but plssss bring back the thunder round! I legit looked forward to it and don’t feel the same for the lightning round. 🌩️🌩️

Painful. That is the Vergecast now and it pains me to say. I’ve been listening for a decade, the Paul, Dieter, and Nilay era. I liked Alex. But David Pierce is a bad podcaster in every way. First off, he’s misanthropic and hates, despises, and abhors everything. Listen to him closely and you will hear him spit negativity about literally everything. Second, can someone teach Dave how to talk. He either rushes through the endofeverysentcne or stops short at the end of a…………………sentence. The final straw was Nilay, the owner of the company, taking the entire summer off and then David comes back and takes away the thunder round, which was the funniest and best thing this pod has done in a while. So so long Vergecast, I’ll be back when you find a good host who isn’t a hater of everything and someone who knows how to speak like a human.

david is like the coworker you have that has a lot to say about a lot of things but when you think hard you can’t seem to recall a single opinion or useful piece of information they ever presented. i can only listen to it on Friday when it’s Nilay who has opinions and thoughts, and anytime david says something Nilay immediately gives context and a good take ps i’m from the hypecheck era

Love everything about the Verge. Bring back the Thunder Round, it was a great format, but just call it Lightning round. Justice for Thunder.

Sorry but these people are so annoying. They laugh at nothing. It comes off as fake/performative. Just be yourselves.

That cheery British voice is my highlight of the dying world (my science teacher thinks humanity will kill itself off. At least the modern version. In the next 30 years!)

I really liked the quick wit of the Vergecast for years, but over the last two years it’s become more of a cynical let’s crush everything that comes out verse let’s be excited podcast.

I don’t get how she can’t see or read anything with the Liquid Glass on the iPhone.. I have a stigmatism and I have been using the Developer beta since the day it released on my IPhone 16 PM and I have not experienced what you say and been saying with any background behind the glass in fact it’s the opposite for me so I’d suggest you use a accessibility feature when it fully releases because its just you honestly & anyone else saying the same I’d suggest using the accessibility features to read it’s like how someone turns up the Size of texts from the default to read or the colors for color blind people. 🤷‍♂️it’s okay to need some accessibility to assist with your use and make it easier. Not you saying you can’t see anything with the music app bar and the album art and me immediately attempting to test and see what u may be experiencing and I can read everything no matter what album is in the background….

I like the show but find the episodes intimidatingly long. Under 90 minutes including breaks allows me to better factor them into my routine. Thanks, and keep up the good work.

The good times are gone. There’s just nothing worth listening to here anymore.

Good vibes , jokes , and a lot of smoke for Brendan Carr

I’ve been listening to The Vergecast all the way back to the Paul-and-Dieter days (the good old days), and the current state of the show has both highs and lows. Nilay is perhaps the smartest and most insightful tech journalist today. He has genuinely interesting things to say about tech and policy, and he is the reason that The Vergecast is a popular show. However, there are a few things that make the podcast hard to listen to. First, Nilay, slow down when you’re talking. Sometimes it sounds as if you’re mumbling through sentences so fast I can barely hear what you’re saying. Second, while tech policy is important and can be interesting, it feels as though the show is built entirely around discussing policy, with the actual technology and products receiving only a small amount of time for discussion. Please balance this out much more. Third, I understand, Nilay, that you’ve been in this business a long time covering big tech. It’s understandable that you’re cynical about them and their antics. However, that cynicism permeates the entire podcast, and genuine interest in technology and products is almost entirely glossed over. It takes the joy out of it. More balance here too, please. Fourth, David is a nice guy, but he seems to be overly deferential to your opinions if you challenge him, and he continually makes sweeping, overly declarative statements about almost everything. His big, bold statements quickly fall apart; I’ve even heard you disagree with them often. Fifth (this is a small personal disagreement of mine): yes, AI has its issues. It has a hallucination problem, clearly. But in my opinion you are far too dismissive of the value that LLMs are currently providing to a lot of people. The products are cool. By all means, point out their flaws and raise the issues that come with them, such as economic displacement, but you write them off so quickly that it comes across as naïveté. Sixth, Dieter was a perfect counterbalance to your strong opinions and self-assurance. Dieter also had strong opinions and was confident enough to push back on things he disagreed with. I just ask that you please not be so sure of yourself all the time during the podcast. Seventh, the theme music for the show is atrocious. I get what you’re going for—it’s creative—but abandoning the old theme music is a tragedy; it was so good. Also, The Verge logo is not as good as the old one, either. The same goes for the podcast cover art. I get that it’s full of great inside jokes and Vergecast history (Ship of Theseus, etc.), but there was something so iconic and “right” about the old logo, old music, and old look of the website. This review is not meant to be negative; it’s honest feedback from a fan. Sincerely, A longtime listener

I used to love this show. David Pierce, like, talks like…a, teenage girl? Annnnnd, it’s like, annoying. Also website paywall. Back to Engadget.

Relaxed, sometimes meandering conversation about gadgets and the tech industry. Great company on a long walk.

See subject line. The reboot to focus on audio was a life saver (6?) years ago. Pivoting back to video has been good esp with more focus and resources for production w mid week episodes

I don’t even care about the very obvious bias in this podcast, but people are expecting a podcast about technology when they click on this, but get one on politics. You should change the subject to be politics.

Ok but the woman they have on the show is so boring. What a bland life this person lives. I start fast forwarding on the 3rd time she confronts the most basic annoyance and makes it into a moon landing. “Oh I didn’t have my app on the phone! Superman save me!”. Pathetic. Find a replacement

I'm going to high school in a year. I'm the go-to person in my family for phone and tablet recommendations but I’m not so sure on laptops. I’ve had a Acer Chromebook for 5 years and it is absolutely awful. I need a laptop for school that is fast and reliable but I need something that is not $1,000,000. Being such a good source, I’m wondering what the Verge’s recommendation is. Thanks. -Rowan Ferrari

Everything is political now. Even tech (often especially tech.) Sorry, no one gets to pretend it isn’t. Also, facts exist — actual factual describable reality. And people can have opinions about this! Coincidentally, this all makes any conversation way more interesting, especially if you’re as consistently quick witted, incisive, and entertaining as The Vergecast. Fresh reality, served up hot with a dash of biting humor.

If i want politics i will listen to a political rant podcast. This is meant to be tech. I guess they just can’t help themselves.

too leftist for you? stay mad. too long? skill issue. i do miss Alex Cranz though. god bless america and god bless THE VERGECAST. peace ✌️

That’s all. Still a great podcast.

I agree with other reviews that the new host tends to ramble too much, and he said once that he doesn’t really care what people say. I hope he changes his mind and listens. Still a great show overall, but it would be great if they would bring back the focus + witty humor they used to have.

I used to enjoy listening to the Vergecast and would do so every time after it came out. Before the election I was getting a little tired of Nilays slightly out of proportion view on AI. Now ever since the last election there has been something that makes the Vergecast something that doesn't seem what they used to be. Nilays super biased leftist views without be able to be a proponent of anything the right does makes this feel like a political show, not a tech show. It makes it feel like fox news always has for me except the vergecast is for the left. I cannot stand when someone sits down and does not have one single good thing to say about the political party they are against because it makes them look like an uneducated person who has shoved their brain into a box. The political content on the Vergecast has been so high that I can no longer peacefully listen to unbiased reporting on tech that I once could. So, either till the next election or maybe I hear that something changed, I'm out.

Great podcast. Sometimes a bit long but it’s good for long commutes to work. They also do a great job reporting facts and not holding back punches when it comes to Trump’s idiotic administration and the rollback this admin is doing to consumer protections.