The Engadget Podcast

The Switch 2 has finally launched, and we've got our systems in-hand to show them off. This week, Devindra, Sam Rutherford and Nathan Ingraham will dive into their first impressions of Nintendo's new console and Mario Kart World. And of course, we'll discuss the chaotic launch experience. Also, we chat about what to expect from Apple's WWDC 2025, where we'll likely see a new naming scheme and facelift for Apple operating systems, as well as more details about their AI plans with Apple Intelligence. 
 

The Switch 2 is finally out! Here’s our first thoughts – 1:05

Switch 2 display: bigger, brighter, and has HDR! – 8:53 

Switch 2 games: Mario Kart world is the king of the castle for now – 12:11

WWDC 2025 preview: what to look forward to after last year’s botched AI Siri announcement – 26:02

Working on: how to stop worrying and love the Dad EV – 39:01 

This week we're fielding your burning tech questions, as well as diving into a bunch of AI web browser news. Opera has started testing its fully agentic AI browser, the Browser Company is dumping the Arc browser in favor of something AI related and Mozilla is getting in a bit of hot water with experimental AI preview summaries. Try as we might, we just can't escape AI.

Listener Mailbag: How to set up an Xbox account for your kids, will screens be obsolete, and more – 1:34

Web browsers go AI ‘agentic’: The Browser Company leaves Arc behind. Opera and Firefox debut new features – 25:37

xAI is paying Telegram $300m this year to use Grok – 54:04

Apple’s self repair program extends to iPads – 56:30

Apple might switch its OS numbering next year, iOS26 could be on the way – 58:57

Working on – 1:02:41

Pop culture picks – 1:09:26 

Would you believe Google really wants to sell you on its AI? This week, we dive into the news from Google I/O 2025 with Engadget's Karissa Bell. We discuss how Gemini is headed to even more places, as well as Karissa's brief hands-on with Google's prototype XR glasses. It seems like Google is trying a bit harder now than it did with Google Glass and its defunct Daydream VR platform. But will the company end up giving up again, or does it really have a shot against Meta and Apple?

Lots of AI and a little XR: Highlights from Google I/O 2025 – 1:15

OpenAI buys Jony Ive’s design company for $6.6B, in an all equity deal – 29:27

Fujifilm’s $850 X Half could be the perfect retro camera for the social media age – 39:42

Sesame Street is moving from HBO to Netflix – 44:09

Cuts to IMLS will lead to headaches accessing content on apps like Libby and Hoopla – 45:49

Listener Mail: Should I replace my Chromebook with a Mac or PC Laptop? – 48:33

Pop culture picks – 52:22

It looks like we're entering the era of crazy-thin phones. This week, Samsung finally announced the Galaxy S25 Edge, its slimmest smartphone yet. Is there actually a point to it, or is Samsung just trying to beat Apple to its rumored super-thin iPhone? Engadget's Sam Rutherford joins us to dive into the S25 Edge, as well as some pre-Google I/O news from the Android Show.

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge: How much does thin mean to you? – 1:32

What’s new at The Android Show 2025 – 16:50

Apple touts a bunch of new features for Global Accessibility Awareness Day – 30:34

Apple Carplay Ultra is finally here, but only if you have a new Aston Martin – 39:08

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro is the new standard for consumer drones – 45:28

Our review of the WH-1000XM6, Sony’s standard-bearing wireless headphones just dropped – 52:33

Max No More: HBO’s app will be HBO Max once again – 57:09

Around Engadget – 1:01:53

Listener Mail: Switch 2 details with T-minus 20 days until launch – 1:09:38

Pop culture picks – 1:15:57

This week we're diving into the new 12-inch Surface Pro, which, alongside the 13-inch Surface Laptop, is a foray into smaller Surface hardware. You can thank Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chips for that. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonifacic explore the compromises Microsoft had to make for these devices, and they dive into the rumors around Half Life 3 and the surprise leaked photos of Microsoft and ASUS's potential Xbox handheld. Also, Devindra chats with the head of Google's X division, Astro Teller, about the past and future of the "moonshot factory."

Surface Pro 12-inch review: less weight, less power? – 2:04

ASUS’ Xbox handheld photos leak in FCC filing – 21:39

OpenAI restructures business, announces plan for hostile takeover-proof public benefit corp – 26:14

The EPA announces plans to shut down the Energy Star Program – 31:16

Telemessage, a Signal clone favored by Trump administration officials has been hacked – 34:44

Samsung subsidiary buys Masimo and now it owns all the fancy speakers – 36:35

Half-Life 3 is fully formed and playable?! – 40:59

Around Engadget – 49:53

Pop culture picks – 51:42

This week Meta held its first-ever AI dev conference, LlamaCon, focused on the development of its Llama generative AI model. But while there was plenty of hype, not much happened, besides the launch of the Meta AI app and a new Llama API. In this episode, Engadget Senior Reporter Karissa Bell joins us to talk about her thoughts on LlamaCon after attending in person. After just announcing its latest Llama models a few weeks ago, it was as if Meta didn't have much else to say.

Meta’s Muted LlamaCon: who was the AI dev conference really for? – 1:31

Court orders Apple to stop collecting app fees outside of the iTunes store – 21:44

Microsoft announces Xbox series X and S prices are going up – 25:22

NPR report: DOGE employees may have access to U.S. nuclear secrets – 26:44

New EV startup Slate to offer a barebones pickup for $20k (after tax breaks) – 30:47

Swiss academics use AI to influence public opinion on Reddit – 35:08

Duolingo to replace contract workers with AI – 40:19

Working on – 47:50

Pop culture picks – 50:56

4chan, one of the trolliest places on the internet, could be gone for good following last week's hack. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn break down what 4chan was and why it's influence can be found practically everywhere now. It's like we're living in  a poster's paradise. Also, we discuss YouTube's 20th birthday and all of the memories (and frustrations) it's given us over the years.

4chan is dead, RIP? – 2:08

Youtube turns 20 – 15:59

Nintendo’s Switch 2 is finally available for preorder at the same price – 33:03

Apple and Meta fined a combined €800m under Europe’s New Digital Markets Act – 34:44  

OpenAI might be interested in Chrome if Google was compelled to sell – 35:30

Google pays Samsung an “enormous” amount to put Gemini on phones – 37:50

The Washington Post partners with OpenAI to bring its content to ChatGPT – 38:43

Around Engadget – 41:52

Listener Mail: Transitioning from Windows to Mac for CAD / 3D design – 47:01

Pop culture picks – 54:55

This week, we're diving into Engadget's coverage from the 2025 New York Auto Show. There are tons of EVs, as we expected, as well as some surprising disappointments (what the heck did Subaru do to the Outback?!). Also, we once again try to make sense of the Trump administration's tariff mess. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for a chat with Isaiah Saxon, the director of A24’s The Legend of Ochi, about his puppet-filled kid’s adventure.
 

What’s hot in EVs from New York Auto Show 2025 – 1:56

Federal Judge rules that Google has a monopoly on U.S. digital ads – 17:42

Facebook antitrust trial begins after several attempts to scuttle the case – 22:18

Tariff Watch: tariffs on semiconductors and electronics to be announced later – 31:16

PS5 prices are rising around the world – 34:22

NPR: Whistleblower shows evidence DOGE took sensitive data from federal labor board – 42:35

Sidewalk alerts in Seattle and Palo Alto hacked to play AI-generated messages – 47:18

New details for Mario Kart World – 48:43

Around Engadget / Working On – 51:42

Picks – 54:31

Interview with Legend of Ochi director Isaiah Saxon – 59:59

This week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford dives into his experience with Google's new $499 mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 9a. Is it really the new mid-range king, as we previously predicted? Or is it worth spending more for the Pixel 9? Also, we chat about how the Trump administration's volatile tariff strategy will affect consumer technology (not to mention everything else you buy).  

Sam Rutherford’s Pixel 9a Review: Basic in just the right way – 1:16

Tariff Watch: Switch 2 preorders delayed, Razer pauses laptop sales in the U.S. – 30:27

TikTok ban deadline extended for another 75 days – 42:40

Samsung’s Ballie robot with Google Gemini arrives this Summer (allegedly) – 43:31

Listener Mail – 46:53

Working on – 57:41

Pop Culture picks – 59:23

After Nintendo revealed the full details around the Switch 2 this week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford got some hands-on time with the new console. In this episode, he talks about the major improvements in the new hardware (especially that 1080p, 120 fps screen) and why he doesn't really miss the older Switch OLED. Also, Sam discusses his time with Mario Kart World, the new semi-open world version of Nintendo's classic racer. 

In other news, we dive into the latest updates around the TIkTok ban, and we discuss how the Trump administration's tariff push will affect everything in the technology world and beyond. Stay tuned to the end of the show for our chat with Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop, about his new anime series Lazarus.

Switch 2 details are finally here, Sam Rutherford got hands-on time with it – 1:47

U.S.’s broad new tariffs on China and beyond could make everything from keyboards to cars more expensive – 49:32

TikTok’s divest-or-ban deadline is April 5, here are the possible buyers – 54:57

xAI buys X, but how much does that matter? – 58:24

Working on – 1:00:59

Pop culture picks – 1:02:31