Pixel 9a review + Bracing for tariffs

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 – 1:15OpenAI buys Jony Ive’s design company for $6.6B, in an all equity deal – 29:27Fujifilm’s $850 X Half could be the perfect retro camera for the social media age – 39:42Sesame Street is moving from HBO to Netflix – 44:09Cuts to IMLS will lead to headaches accessing content on apps like Libby and Hoopla – 45:49Listener Mail: Should I replace my Chromebook with a Mac or PC Laptop? – 48:33Pop 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? – 1:32What’s new at The Android Show 2025 – 16:50Apple touts a bunch of new features for Global Accessibility Awareness Day – 30:34Apple Carplay Ultra is finally here, but only if you have a new Aston Martin – 39:08The DJI Mavic 4 Pro is the new standard for consumer drones – 45:28Our review of the WH-1000XM6, Sony’s standard-bearing wireless headphones just dropped – 52:33Max No More: HBO’s app will be HBO Max once again – 57:09Around Engadget – 1:01:53Listener Mail: Switch 2 details with T-minus 20 days until launch – 1:09:38Pop 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? – 2:04ASUS’ Xbox handheld photos leak in FCC filing – 21:39OpenAI restructures business, announces plan for hostile takeover-proof public benefit corp – 26:14The EPA announces plans to shut down the Energy Star Program – 31:16Telemessage, a Signal clone favored by Trump administration officials has been hacked – 34:44Samsung subsidiary buys Masimo and now it owns all the fancy speakers – 36:35Half-Life 3 is fully formed and playable?! – 40:59Around Engadget – 49:53Pop 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? – 1:31Court orders Apple to stop collecting app fees outside of the iTunes store – 21:44Microsoft announces Xbox series X and S prices are going up – 25:22NPR report: DOGE employees may have access to U.S. nuclear secrets – 26:44New EV startup Slate to offer a barebones pickup for $20k (after tax breaks) – 30:47Swiss academics use AI to influence public opinion on Reddit – 35:08Duolingo to replace contract workers with AI – 40:19Working on – 47:50Pop 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? – 2:08Youtube turns 20 – 15:59Nintendo’s Switch 2 is finally available for preorder at the same price – 33:03Apple 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 – 35:30Google pays Samsung an “enormous” amount to put Gemini on phones – 37:50The Washington Post partners with OpenAI to bring its content to ChatGPT – 38:43Around Engadget – 41:52Listener Mail: Transitioning from Windows to Mac for CAD / 3D design – 47:01Pop 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 – 1:56Federal Judge rules that Google has a monopoly on U.S. digital ads – 17:42Facebook antitrust trial begins after several attempts to scuttle the case – 22:18Tariff Watch: tariffs on semiconductors and electronics to be announced later – 31:16PS5 prices are rising around the world – 34:22NPR: Whistleblower shows evidence DOGE took sensitive data from federal labor board – 42:35Sidewalk alerts in Seattle and Palo Alto hacked to play AI-generated messages – 47:18New details for Mario Kart World – 48:43Around Engadget / Working On – 51:42Picks – 54:31Interview 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 – 1:16Tariff Watch: Switch 2 preorders delayed, Razer pauses laptop sales in the U.S. – 30:27TikTok ban deadline extended for another 75 days – 42:40Samsung’s Ballie robot with Google Gemini arrives this Summer (allegedly) – 43:31Listener Mail – 46:53Working on – 57:41Pop 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 – 1:47U.S.’s broad new tariffs on China and beyond could make everything from keyboards to cars more expensive – 49:32TikTok’s divest-or-ban deadline is April 5, here are the possible buyers – 54:57xAI buys X, but how much does that matter? – 58:24Working on – 1:00:59Pop culture picks – 1:02:31 

This week, we learned that even government officials are addicted to their group chats -- except with the Trump administration those chats include war plans and potentially classified information. In this episode, we dive into the sheer recklessness and stupidity of Signalgate. And speaking of reckless, we also discuss 23andMe's bankruptcy and the privacy concerns around selling off customer DNA data.Signalgate: What happened, who was involved, and how to safely add someone to a Signal group chat – 0:4823andMe files for bankruptcy, customers are urged to delete their sensitive data – 21:25Canon’s PowerShot V1 and R50 V cameras go all in on vlogging – 27:21Apple announces WWDC dates, updates Airpods Max, and dodges fines in the EU – 32:52How did Napster sell for $207 million in 2025? – 45:32Around Engadget – 48:44Working On – 55:22Pop Culture picks – 57:56 

After a ton of leaks, Google officially announced the $499 Pixel 9a, which has the potential to be the new king of mid-range phones. It has dual cameras and access to Google's AI features -- in many ways, it's everything the iPhone 16e should have been (especially its price). In this episode, Senior Writer Sam Rutherford joins us to discuss what's great about the Pixel 9a, as well as its potential downsides compared to the Pixel 9.Google’s announces the Pixel 9a - potentially the new midrange king – 1:15Fujifilm’s GX100RF: a 102MP medium format camera (nice!) with only one F4 lens (boo!) – 21:31Karissa Bell’s roundup of the craziest stuff from Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams’ book – 24:14Donald Trump attempts to fire FTC’s two Democratic commissioners – 29:34Amazon will send all Alexa recordings to the cloud, no more local processing – 32:52Chinese EV maker BYD announces chargers that give 249 miles of range in 5 minutes – 39:10Pebble founder introduces two new e-paper smartwatches – 46:47Listener Mail: Trying to choose an OLED TV – 57:35Around Engadget – 1:03:49Working on – 1:09:56Pop culture picks – 1:10:28