Gadgets are getting weird — and so are iPhone homescreens

Jul 19, 2024 08:09 PM - 4 months ago 88341

On The Vergecast: Trump, Apple betas, and a information of ‘is this anything?’

By David Pierce, editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host pinch complete a decade of acquisition covering user tech. Previously, astatine Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired.

Jul 19, 2024, 1:09 PM UTC

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge

In 2024, it’s ever gadget season. But successful these basking mid-July weeks, aft splashy announcements from Samsung and Motorola and earlier we spot what’s coming from Google and Apple, it’s officially Weird Gadget Season.

On this section of The Vergecast, we dive into nan galore weird gadgets that surfaced this week: an iPod-y Apple Watch accessory, an AI-powered Canon camera, nan extremely gangly Essential phone that ne'er made it to market, and more. We talk astir them all, ever asking nan important question: is this anything?

But earlier we get to nan weird gadgets, we spell done immoderate of nan large news of nan week. After nan attempted assassination of Donald Trump, nan existent authorities of societal media contented moderation has revealed itself... and it’s beautiful bleak. We talk astir what it intends that conspiracy theories are everyplace and whether that’s going to alteration anytime soon.

After that, we talk what’s successful nan caller Apple nationalist betas, from nan iPad’s impressive but quirky Math Notes feature to nan new Phone Mirroring tool that is some awesome and benignant of ridiculous. Then it’s weird gadget time.

If you want to cognize much astir everything we talk successful this episode, present are immoderate links to get you started, opening pinch nan aftermath of nan Trump shooting:

And connected Apple betas:

And successful nan “is this anything” gadget bonanza:

And successful nan lightning round: