scripod.com

Valve made Microsoft's dream console

Shownote

The console wars are back on. This week, Nilay Patel sits down with Jake Kastrenakes, Sean Hollister, and special guest Joanna Stern, senior columnist at The Wall Street Journal, to talk about Valve's return to the living room gaming race with the Steam Ma...

Highlights

This episode of The Vergecast dives into the latest moves in gaming hardware, AI-driven robotics, and shifts in tech giants' strategies. With Valve reentering the living room with bold new hardware, a closer look at how far home robots have really come, and updates on AI integration across devices, the conversation spans the cutting edge of consumer technology — and its real-world limitations.
04:57
Steam Machine runs Windows games on Linux better than Windows in same form factor
09:52
Valve's Linux-based approach is better suited for gaming than Microsoft's Windows solutions
12:24
Valve's Steam ecosystem gives it a sustainable edge over Microsoft in gaming hardware.
25:07
The Steam Frame can play local flat and VR games wirelessly with low latency using foveated streaming.
40:58
Neo requires extensive remote operation and editing to perform basic tasks
51:35
Microsoft's future lies in building infrastructure for AI agents, not consumer software.
1:14:00
Scientists made protein powder and fat from CO2.
1:39:18
Apple will take a 15% cut on in-app purchases of mini-apps, signaling a shift in App Store policy.
1:44:17
Lilypad, the tablet villain in Toy Story 5, may run on Android

Chapters

What happens when The Vergecast crew reunites for another tech deep dive?
00:00
Is Windows losing its grip on gamers — and is Linux ready to take over?
02:41
How does Valve’s Steam Machine redefine living room gaming?
07:32
Why is Valve outpacing Microsoft in gaming innovation?
12:24
What makes the new Steam Controller and Steam Frame stand out?
20:26
Where do VR headsets land on the spectrum of usefulness vs. hassle?
30:18
Can a $20,000 robot actually do your dishes — or is it all smoke and mirrors?
40:58
Is Microsoft turning its back on consumers to bet everything on AI agents?
51:35
Are we in an AI revolution — or just reliving old tech hype cycles?
1:06:14
From pirate streams to pricy socks: what’s really shaping tech policy and products?
1:19:38
What happens when self-driving cars hit the highway — and Toy Story gets a digital villain?
1:41:49

Transcript

Nilay Patel: If you're a paid subscriber to The Verge, I have good news for you. You can now listen to Decoder, Version History, and The Vergecast completely ad-free. All you have to do is go to theverge.com and head to your account preferences page to opt...