Version History

The Macintosh wasn't a hit, at least not in its first incarnation. But it was still unquestionably one of the most iconic computers ever made — and it came with one of the most iconic ads ever made, too. In this episode, David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Daring Fireball's John Gruber tell the story of the Macintosh, from its beginnings as a lark inside Apple to its dramatic unveiling to its somewhat middling reception. Not long after the Macintosh came out, Steve Jobs was run out of Apple, but the ideas in this computer eventually took over the company. And the world.

Help us decide where Macintosh ranks among Apple's 50 best products ever.

Version History is also on video! Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The vocoder was never meant to change the music business – it wasn’t meant for music at all. But the research that started a century ago as a way to cheaply move voices over telephone wires took on a life of its own: It turned into a crucial bit of secret military technology, and then inspired generations of musicians to play their own voices like an instrument. On this episode, with the help of Switched on Pop’s Charlie Harding and the electro-funk duo Chromeo, we tell the full story of the vocoder and all that it made possible.

Check out this episode's companion playlist on Spotify!

We’re also on video! Check us out on YouTube.

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you were launching a new app in 2020, it was either the worst timing (see: Quibi) or the best timing (see: Clubhouse). Clubhouse was an initially invite-only, audio-based social network that worked like an old-timey party line or radio call-in show… and it was exactly what people needed who suddenly found themselves stuck at home. Casey Newton (Hard Fork, Platformer) and Ashley Carman (Bloomberg) join host David Pierce to talk about the app where celebrities, venture capitalists and normies hobnobbed during lockdown.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1997, David Hampton and Caleb Chung took one look at a Tamagotchi and decided they could bring the virtual pet craze into the real world. Their robotic companion, Furby, packed a bunch of advanced technology into a small, adorable, often annoying package. But for all the irritation it caused (Furby famously had no on-off switch) there was a surprising amount of thoughtful philosophy in its design. The Verge’s Vee Song, Sean Hollister and host David Pierce are joined by Coco the Furby to discuss the lore behind the hottest toy of 1998.

Geocities chat with Furby co-inventor David Hampton

We’re also on video! Check us out on YouTube.Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're working on season 3 of Version History, and we want to hear from you! Our planned episodes are:

1984 Macintosh

Amazon Echo

Furby

The vocoder

The Western Electric 500 desk phone

Clubhouse

If you have a memory, a story, a question, a comment, or juicy insider information on any of those topics, get in touch! Email [email protected] or call 866-VERGE-11.

And if you've been enjoying the show, consider subscribing to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices