The Verge staff has done it again. Their annual summer in/out list is back, and the takes are predictably chaotic.
Motion sickness glasses? In. AI “pervert” glasses? Very out. Fiber is apparently in, protein is out. Bootleg sports merch beats official tech company merch. And floating in water has replaced touching grass as the cool thing to do.
Senior AI reporter Hayden Field is riding the NYC ferry (in) while abandoning the subway for summer (out — “sorry it’s too hot rn”). Using AI to draft letters to your landlord? Fine. Using AI to write breakup texts? Absolutely not.
Victoria Song, senior dystopia reviewer (yes, that’s her actual title), has Flintstones vitamins in and gray market peptides out. Drugstore moisturizer is in, looksmaxxing is out. The FDA approving a new sunscreen filter is in. Whatever RFK Jr. is doing? Out.
Editorial director Kevin McShane says a single plain text file is in. Vibecoding your own to-do app? Out. Silo season three is in. Ted Lasso season four is out.
Kevin Nguyen is in on any movie theater that doesn’t serve food to your seat. Alamo Drafthouse is out. Proton Mail beats Gmail. Buying refurbished is in, buying new is out.
Senior tech editor Marina Galperina has leaks in and press releases out. Practical effects over generative AI in movies. Making computers over buying them. Webrings over X, the everything app. Letting your phone battery die over doomscrolling.
Senior internet typist Liz Lopatto’s list cycles through “unconstitutional Iran war” vs “peace” and “ceasefire” in a dizzying loop that makes a point — whatever it is. McCartney II is in. Taylor Swift is out. JD Vance is out. Excommunication is in.
Strong feelings all around.
