Alexa, play Vergecast

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: This VergeCast episode mixes playful banter with sharp analysis of 2015’s odd tech products and industry shifts. The hosts debate Apple’s baffling $99 battery case and other design missteps, test Google’s Pixel C keyboard/tablet combo, discuss the rise of Alexa and the limitations of voice assistants, and examine larger platform moves from Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple TV. The episode also touches on Hamilton, GoPro’s drone, and fashion’s Victoria’s Secret event.

Main Topics: Apple’s $99 iPhone battery case (Priority: 5/5): The hosts dissect Apple’s unusually awkward battery case: its small battery, ugly bump, hidden LED indicator, and incompatibility with the company’s usual design elegance. They debate whether it makes any sense as a product and whether Apple was rushing to ship something for the holidays. Google Pixel C and the state of hybrid tablets (Priority: 5/5): Nicola tries to attach the Pixel C keyboard, revealing its unintuitive hinge/magnet design. The discussion turns to Google’s broader strategy of unifying Chrome OS and Android hardware efforts while leaving Android tablet software largely unchanged. Amazon Echo and voice interfaces (Priority: 4/5): The group talks about the Echo as a surprisingly useful home assistant for weather, timers, measurements, music, and general information, while also noting its current limitations and the importance of opening the platform to third-party development. Apple’s broader product/design issues (Priority: 4/5): Beyond the battery case, the hosts criticize the Magic Mouse charging port, Apple Pencil charging design, and the sense that Apple is releasing multiple half-finished bets without a clear editor. They contrast this with Apple’s traditional strengths in thoughtful integration. Microsoft, Xbox, and the future of Windows gaming (Priority: 4/5): Casey summarizes a story about Microsoft’s plan to reposition Xbox as part of a broader Windows 10 gaming ecosystem, using Windows scale, cross-platform development, and social features to compete with Steam and adapt to a changing console market. Yahoo, AOL, and the business of decline (Priority: 3/5): The conversation frames Yahoo’s restructuring as a tax/financial engineering story rather than a product story. The hosts connect it to AOL, Verizon’s media ambitions, and the shrinking relevance of legacy internet portals. Cultural side notes: Hamilton, GoPro Karma, fashion, and ads (Priority: 2/5): The episode briefly covers Hamilton’s popularity and cultural significance, GoPro’s drone named Karma, CES hoverboard ban, Victoria’s Secret’s unique market position, and some extended ad-read banter that underscores the show’s chaotic tone.

Key Arguments: Apple’s battery case is not a clearly superior or elegant solution; it feels like an existing battery case with an Apple logo and some awkward design decisions rather than a carefully integrated product. The hidden LED on the inside of the battery case symbolizes Apple’s recent willingness to ship products that ignore the company’s usual attention to user experience and visible feedback. Google’s Pixel C shows that hardware alone cannot fix Android tablets; without software changes, it is mostly a big phone with a keyboard. Amazon Echo matters because it makes home information access frictionless, but it will become much more valuable if Amazon opens it as a true platform for third-party services. Microsoft’s best Xbox strategy may be to treat Xbox as a brand and ecosystem layer on top of Windows 10 rather than as a standalone box forever. Yahoo’s future is being determined by corporate finance and tax strategy rather than product innovation, signaling the end of Yahoo as a meaningful consumer tech brand. Apple TV’s long-delayed streaming service matters because content negotiations are becoming ecosystem-wide, and Apple risks being too late to shape the market. Legacy app businesses are hard to sustain because discovery and monetization are concentrated in a few areas like games, messaging, and on-demand services.

Data Points: Apple battery case price: $99 - The newly released Apple battery case for iPhone 6/6s was a major topic of criticism. Battery capacity: 1,877 mAh - The hosts note the Apple case does not fully charge the phone and has less capacity than competing cases. Mophie Juice Pack Air capacity: 2,500 mAh - Used as a comparison to show Apple’s case is relatively small. Battery case thickness issue: adds an inch of thickness - The hosts describe how most battery cases, including Apple’s, add substantial bulk. Apple Watch discount at Best Buy: $249 - Mentioned as evidence that Apple Watch pricing may be drifting downward. Apple Watch price cut: $100 off - Best Buy discount referenced in discussion of weak demand. Windows 10 adoption: 100 million computers - Used to argue Microsoft has a huge base for unifying gaming and software across Windows platforms. Windows 10 growth goal: 1 billion in 3-4 years - Microsoft’s stated ambition for Windows 10 adoption. PlayStation 2 sales: 120 million - Used in a comparison of console market trends. PlayStation 3 sales: a little over 80 million - Referenced to show declining console sales relative to earlier generations. Home-delivery pizza market: more than $10 billion annually - Used to justify why voice ordering and home automation could be valuable. Yahoo spin-off issue: tax hit - The reason Yahoo had to restructure around spinning out its Alibaba stake. Cloud messaging scale: 670 billion messages per year - From the ad read for TCS Cloud Messaging Center. Cloud messaging daily volume: 1.8 billion messages per day - Part of the same TCS ad read.

Pivotal Quotes: "I think what I'm really learning here is none of us do a good Johnny." — Casey Newton / panel: After joking about Jony Ive’s supposed explanation for the Apple battery case and other Apple design choices. "It's just fine. Which is much less than fine." — Casey Newton: A blunt verdict on the Apple battery case after discussing its design and usability flaws. "The killer app for television is television." — Casey Newton: During the Apple TV discussion, arguing that interface layers matter less than access to actual content.

Implications: The episode suggests 2015 tech is entering a phase where design polish, platform strategy, and ecosystem control matter more than standalone hardware gimmicks. Companies that can unify hardware, software, and services may gain leverage; those shipping awkward half-solutions may face backlash.