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Artwork for Version History

Version History

The Verge
Apple
The Verge
Hoverboards
Streaming Services
Iphone 4
Television
Zune
Instant Messaging
File Sharing
Antenna Gate
Power Glove
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL
Flappy Bird
Music Industry
Google Glass
Copyright Law
Facetime
The Wizard
Video Games

Version History is a show about the best gadgets ever. And the worst ones. And the ones that might have changed the world, if they ever actually shipped. Every week, your favorite people from The Verge and beyond hang out to tell and debate the story of a gadget, app, website, or any other tech product, and try to determine the item’s true legacy. Because not every product is a hit, but every prod... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes34Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TechnologyHistory

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Artwork for Version History

Latest Episodes

For decades, practically every classroom in the United States had one thing in common: a big, bright overhead projector at the front of the class. How it got there is a story that takes hundreds of years, and a war or two, to explain. David Pierce is... more

For multiple years, the hottest toy in the United States was a book. But not just any book: a smart book, which could play sounds and respond to taps and help kids learn to read. David Pierce is joined by The Verge’s Andru Marino and Jennifer Pattiso... more

Google didn’t even call the first Chromebook a “Chromebook.” The CR-48 had no interesting design and no bright logos – it wasn’t even designed to be a product you could buy. Instead, it was a portal to a big new idea about computers. David Pierce is ... more

The idea was big, exciting, and inspiring: What if we could get every kid in the world access to a computer? For a bunch of thinkers and executives in Silicon Valley, it felt like the way to fix everything. But the One Laptop Per Child initiative, an... more

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Recent Guests

Jake Kastrenakes
Journalist at The Verge
The Verge
Episode: Overhead projectors: Turn around
Antero Garcia
Professor in Stanford's Graduate School of Education and former high school English teacher
Stanford University
Episode: Overhead projectors: Turn around
Jen Tuohy
The Verge's Jen Tuohy
The Verge
Episode: LeapPad: Book smarts
Marques Brownlee
Tech YouTuber, host of Waveform
MKBHD
Episode: Google Chromebook CR-48: Black box
Adi Robertson
Technology journalist, writer
The Verge
Episode: OLPC XO-1: The price of free
David Imel
Tech reviewer and videographer
The Verge
Episode: OLPC XO-1: The price of free
Vee Song
Guest described in studio introduction
Episode: TI-84: Monopoly math
Philip Bouchard
Key developer on the Oregon Trail revamp at MEC
Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (Mech)
Episode: Oregon Trail: Saddle up
David Berry
Professor at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
Episode: Vergecast: ELIZA, the world's first chatbot

Hosts

David Pierce
Host focused on tech history and storytelling; affiliated with The Verge/Vox Media Podcast Network.
Nilay Patel
Co-host and interviewer with deep coverage of technology and policy.
Jen Tuohy
Senior smart home reviewer and in-studio contributor; brings hardware and product context.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 288 ratings
  • Please add video versions

    Pretty please

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    y4kenz1
    Poland14 days ago
  • Must listen for everyone

    History!!! We need more people appreciating how history pops up in all manner of podcasts. The process of having folks discuss some product or time invariably results in the history of other times and places and things being introduced. Soon, I hope, you’re happily ensnared, all sorts of good brain hormones being released making you better informed, wiser, and, most importantly, you’ll surely agree, better looking. lol! The folks associated with the show can’t say it but I will: listening to Ver... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dhugot
    United States20 days ago
  • Video Dependant

    Has fully become a YouTube show, no longer even doubles as an audio podcast. Regretting my paid subscription.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Rerowrodney
    United States21 days ago
  • Hit and Miss

    The quality and value of the episodes are highly dependent upon which guests David Pierce includes on his “panel” in each episode. Mostly the episodes with experienced, knowledgeable, and charismatic folks (e.g. Nilay Patel) are awesome, for example the Nest Thermostat episode, and it holds your attention and is very entertaining. Just as often, though, unfortunately there are episodes with vapid and clearly low—intelligence folks that make the episode very boring and uninteresting (e.g. the Cl... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Walleye Ch0p
    United States3 months ago
  • Video Show, Not a Podcast

    The content is really good, but quite often this isn’t a podcast. The hosts will do things like play a video, or talk about physical objects in a way that the audience is clearly expected to be able to see video. I listen to other shows where they do a good job of keeping the video additive, but this show doesn’t do a good job of that. The audio only audience is often left in the dark.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    PNW_Matt
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are hit or miss, but strong when featuring charismatic experts.
Audio/video balance is crucial; many listeners want audio-only clarity.
Long-form, detailed history is highly valued by core listeners.
Some episodes feel nostalgic without enough fresh perspective.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#127
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#120
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#125
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#102
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#178
Germany/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#23
Saudi Arabia/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Overhead projectors: Turn around
Q: Was that sort of the start of a new movement in how we think about education, or was it just a thing built around a specific technology and then we changed for a new technology?
Garcia connects the projector to broader shifts in schooling, including high-stakes assessment, one-to-one devices, and the rise of educational technology, while noting that its classroom influence also left lasting routines and display practices.
Overhead projectors: Turn around
Q: As you look back, do you have a hypothesis as to what killed OHPs?
Garcia points to the arrival of classroom VHS video and computer labs, which offered different ways to deliver educational content and gradually displaced overhead projectors.
LeapPad: Book smarts
Q: Where in this graph does the LeapPad belong?
It sits near the ideal middle: a right idea at the right time, with potential to last longer but ultimately facing disruption from newer screen-based tech.
OLPC XO-1: The price of free
Q: Was this the right idea at the right time, or the wrong idea at the wrong time?
The hosts conclude it was a nuanced mix of right idea and timing—innovative education hardware that arrived when the market and technology backdrop (netbooks, smartphones) shifted, making it hard to realize the original ambitions.
Vergecast: ELIZA, the world's first chatbot
Q: Where does Weizenbaum stand after observing Eliza's impact and its demos?
Weizenbaum experiences a crisis of faith, recognizing the allure of the 'magic trick' while warning against equating computational illusion with human understanding, a tension the guests connect to ongoing debates about AI manipulation, mental health, and the risks of commercializing these technologies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Version History

What is Version History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Version History is a tech-history podcast that explores the stories behind influential gadgets, apps, and devices—how they came to be, what they changed, and why some failed to ship. Across episodes, listeners get a mix of technical detail, design decisions, and culture-shaping impact, with guests ranging from historians and academics to industry veterans and veteran tech journalists. The show tends to favor deep-dive storytelling about interface design, hardware engineering, and the social implications of technology, often anchored by long-form discussions and nuanced perspectives on legacy hardware and early tech ecosystems. A standout angle is how seemingly ordinary products became cultural touchstones, and how branding, partnerships, an... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Version History?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Version History:

1. The Vergecast
2. Decoder with Nilay Patel
3. The Talk Show With John Gruber
4. Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
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How many episodes of Version History are there?

Version History launched a year ago and published 34 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Version History?

Recent guests on Version History include:

1. Jake Kastrenakes
2. Antero Garcia
3. Jen Tuohy
4. Marques Brownlee
5. Adi Robertson
6. David Imel
7. Vee Song
8. Philip Bouchard

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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