The Vergecast

Meta's Muse AI agent is cute (sometimes caked-up) and it performs well as a productivity tool. And, if you give it access to your social media and e-mail, it can know basically everything about you. This week on The Vergecast, Nilay Patel, Jake Kastrenakes and David Imel give their reactions to Mark Zuckerberg's demos at Wednesday's Meta Connect keynote. They also talk about the new glasses hardware, including the new VR glasses and audio-only, camera-free Ray-Bans.Then, we take a look at the newly-announced, chimeric Chrome/Android hybrid Googlebooks, find out why Brendan Carr is a dummy this week, analyze the Paramount merger, discuss what YouTube's A/B video testing means for the increasingly tenuous concept of a shared reality, and end on a surprisingly heartwarming story about RODECaster 4K support.

Further reading:

Meta Connect 2026: The 7 biggest announcements

Meta Connect 2026 live blog: On the ground at Mark Zuckerberg’s next big product launch

Meta’s Muse AI works and creeps me out

Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent

Meta ditches the camera on its newest smart glasses

Meta’s next VR device isn’t a headset — it’s glasses

These are the first five Googlebook laptops

Googlebooks feel like the first laptops built for Android owners

I got to see Google’s wild ideas about the future of laptops

The long dream of the Googlebook

Mahershala Ali On ‘Blade’ Being A Big Failure For Kevin Feige: “100%. He Should Feel That Way”

Paramount will need to release way more movies to make this merger work

Xbox is barely Xbox anymore

YouTube is cooking up new Live features.

Free Rodecaster Video firmware update adds 4K support.

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We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

0:00 Welcome Back Banter

00:31 Meta Connect Setup

01:27 Muse First Impressions

05:28 Privacy Trust Gap

07:58 Pervert Glasses Debate

12:55 Passive Surveillance Reality

15:42 Is Muse Actually Winning

18:44 Muse Charm Post Phone

21:38 Do We Need Agents

26:12 Break And Return

26:29 New Meta Hardware

27:00 Audio Only Ray Bans

28:30 Muse Powered Glasses

31:15 Meta Bets on Muse

32:28 Hearing Aid Glasses Pitch

34:40 VR Glasses Return

39:04 Holograms and Splats

42:44 Google Books Arrive

44:57 Android Laptop Lock In

47:49 Windows Fatigue Debate

54:54 Hype Desk Blade Drama

57:14 Remembering Blade Chaos

01:00:37 Blade Reboot Frustrations

01:01:26 Sonos Sponsor Break

01:03:07 Brendan Carr is a Dummy

01:07:38 Lightning Round Kickoff

01:08:02 Meta Muse Mascot Chaos

01:09:26 Paramount Warner Deal Fallout

01:12:37 YouTube AI Channel Agents

01:14:05 A B Video Testing Ethics

01:21:25 Xbox Layoffs And Halo Shift

01:24:45 Rodecaster Free 4K Update

01:26:36 Muse Marketplace Haggling

01:27:35 Wrap Up And Next Episodes

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Meta and Snap both want to get on your face. The Verge's Victoria Song and Jay Peters tried out all the new hardware: Specs, audio-only Ray Bans, and Meta VR. Today, they join guest host David Imel to talk about how these new smart glasses feel, both physically and emotionally.

Further reading:

Meta’s next VR device isn’t a headset — it’s glasses

Meta ditches the camera on its newest smart glasses

I wore Snap’s $2,200 smart glasses

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transportation editor Andrew Hawkins is here to answer your questions about the confluence of cars and gadgets. Could a folding phone replace a dashboard display? What to do about the iPhone Pro Max not fitting the Tesla's built-in wireless charger? And we hear from a listener who -- shockingly -- doesn't care about CarPlay.

Further reading:

The car of the future is an EV golf cart

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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Nvidia's new DLSS 5 (Deep Learning Super Sampling 5) rendering technology uses AI to (theoretically) improve video game graphics. When it was announced, social media declared that it was "yassifying" video game characters, changing faces in a way game developers didn't intend. Linus Tech Tips' own Linus Sebastian and David Gauthier join guest host David Imel to break down the the hype and controversy.

Further reading:

The Beats 360 are what I’d bring to the gym if I hated earbuds

Peloton is back with a ‘cheaper’ folding treadmill

Whoop and Peloton integration is finally here

Xbox is barely Xbox anymore

Apple’s first live music venue is opening beneath its UK headquarters

Nvidia’s DLSS 5, explained

DLSS 5: Has Nvidia’s AI graphics technology gone too far?

DLSS 5 looks like a real-time generative AI filter for video games

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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We tried out the new Googlebooks, which are essentially Chromebooks evolved with an Android elemental stone. They're made by Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer, and Asus (not Google), but all have the new Googlebook OS, heavy Android phone and Gemini integration, and a built-in "Glowbar." Laptop reviewer Antonio G. Di Benedetto went hands-on with the new devices, and reports back to guest host David Imel.

Further reading:

⁠iPhone owners can now submit claims in Apple’s $250 million Siri AI settlement⁠

⁠The M5 Ultra Mac Studio tears through our benchmark tests⁠

⁠Gemini went rogue and hacked 3 companies⁠

⁠I got to see Google’s wild ideas about the future of laptops⁠

⁠These are the first five Googlebook laptops⁠

⁠Googlebooks feel like the first laptops built for Android owners⁠

⁠The long dream of the Googlebook⁠

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices