An Incorrect Oral History of Vaping

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode is a sprawling, energetic tech roundtable centered on post-Apple-event analysis, comparing new iPads and the Retina iMac with Google’s Nexus 6/9, Android Lollipop, and Inbox. The hosts argue Apple’s iPad line is hardware-rich but strategically stagnant, while Google is moving faster on software and productivity. They also discuss Microsoft earnings, Apple Pay, Twitter/Gamergate, Amazon’s Kindle Voyage, and Verge’s own programming and social efforts.

Main Topics: Apple’s October event and iPad strategy (Priority: 5/5): The hosts dissect Apple’s unusual, recap-heavy event and conclude the iPad lineup remains best-in-class hardware but lacks software ambition, multi-user support, and a clear product champion inside Apple. iPad Air 2 vs. iPad mini 3 (Priority: 5/5): The iPad Air 2 is praised as the best tablet to buy, while the mini 3 is criticized as a minor update to the mini 2 with Touch ID added for a higher price. Google’s Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Lollipop, and Inbox (Priority: 5/5): The group is more excited by Google’s software direction and productivity features, especially Inbox’s bundling/reminders and Lollipop’s overview/pinning changes, than by Apple’s tablet roadmap. Tablet, phone, and computing market shifts (Priority: 4/5): They argue the growth story that was supposed to belong to tablets has largely moved to phones, especially larger phones, reducing the urgency of small tablets and weakening the iPad’s role as a laptop replacement. Apple Pay, carrier plans, and buying phones (Priority: 3/5): Apple Pay is described as easy and promising, while the process of buying iPhones through carriers is mocked as confusing and contract-laden, with praise for Apple's simpler financing model in some cases. Twitter, platform control, and abuse (Priority: 3/5): The discussion shifts to Twitter’s closed platform, harassment, and the limits of an open ecosystem versus centralized control, especially in the context of Gamergate and the new developer platform. Verge programming and audience outreach (Priority: 2/5): The show closes with self-promotion: podcast returns, more video series coming back, and plans to grow on YouTube and social platforms.

Key Arguments: Apple’s iPad hardware is exceptional, but the product feels stagnant because Apple has not meaningfully advanced tablet software or multitasking. The iPad mini 3 is a poor value because it is effectively an iPad mini 2 with Touch ID for $100 more. Google is currently outpacing Apple in software/productivity experimentation, especially on mobile and tablet UX. Big phones have absorbed much of the use case that once justified small tablets, changing the market Apple and Google are designing for. Multi-user/shared-device support matters for tablets; Android’s pinning/guest tools are ahead of iOS in this area. Inbox represents a more realistic vision of email by helping users process the flood of incoming messages instead of pretending email should be used like letters. Twitter’s centralization plus weak abuse tooling creates a bad middle ground: it controls the platform but does not adequately protect users. Apple Pay is significant because it removes friction from transactions and may change consumer behavior in the real world, even if the underlying payment system is longstanding.

Data Points: Apple iPad Air 2 review score: 9.5 - The hosts say it is the best tablet available and give it the highest praise. Apple iPad mini 3 review score: 8.5 - Considered a minor update and weaker value than the previous model. Price difference: $100 more - The iPad mini 3 costs $100 more than the iPad mini 2 despite very small changes. Apple Sim carrier support: Most carriers except Verizon in the U.S. and EE in the U.K. - Discussed as a reprogrammable SIM feature for iPad cellular models. Nexus 9 screen size: 8.9 inches - Praised as a good portable size and finally bringing 4:3 to Nexus tablets. Nexus 6 preorder date: 10/29 - Mentioned while one host was looking to order the device. Microsoft Surface revenue: $908 million - Used to illustrate Microsoft’s billion-dollar-business pattern. Microsoft Surface revenue growth: Doubled - The hosts note that Surface revenue doubled year over year. Apple event recap duration: About 45 minutes - They criticize the unusually long recap section at the start of the Apple event. Review cadence: Two weeks off the air - The podcast had been off for two weeks before this episode.

Pivotal Quotes: "It only gets better from here." — Hosts: Suggested jokingly as a new tagline while opening the episode in a darkly humorous tone. "The iPad completely lacks a champion at Apple." — Neil/Dieter: Used to summarize the perceived strategic neglect of the iPad product line. "The idea of a computer figuring out my email for me ... is maybe the smartest idea about email ever." — Neil: Said while praising Google Inbox’s bundling, reminders, and auto-surfaced actions.

Implications: Listeners are left with a clear sense that tablets are no longer the center of mobile computing, while software and ecosystem features matter more than ever. Apple still leads in hardware, but Google’s UX experiments and platform control battles may shape the next phase of device use.