Better Offline – "The State of Consumer Tech with Lisa Eadicicco"

Podcast: Better Offline (Cool Zone Media / iHeartPodcasts)
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Ed Zitron
Guest: Lisa Eadicicco (CNN)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the current state and recent evolution of consumer tech, with a focus on the latest gadgets, the cultural impact of smart devices, the underwhelming reality of AI, and a longing for the quirky innovation of past tech eras. Host Ed Zitron and guest Lisa Eadicicco, a veteran tech journalist, trade candid takes on everything from mixed reality headsets and foldable phones to AI fatigue and the search for “weird” devices that break the monotony of current product design.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What’s Good in Gadgets? (03:13–04:18)

• Lisa’s Favorites in 2025:
  • Everyday staples: Nintendo Switch 2, the new Apple Watch.
  • Reporter’s curiosity gadgets: Samsung Galaxy XR headset.
• Two Ways to View Tech:
  • "There’s one, like the gadgets I would actually buy and use every day. And then two, the ones that are interesting for what they say about the industry..." (Lisa, 03:37)

2. Mixed Reality Headsets: Cool, Uncomfortable, and Still Niche (04:18–10:26)

• Comfort & Usability
  • Both the Galaxy XR and Vision Pro are described as cumbersome.
  • "I do think the Galaxy XR was, like, very easy to adjust... but none of these things are super comfortable, to be honest." (Lisa, 04:23)
  • Extended use—over an hour—remains impractical for most people.
• Software Differences
  • Galaxy XR’s standout feature: Gemini integration for context-based questions (“Where do those trees grow?” based on a photo).
  • Vision Pro: superior for spatial media, but neither device establishes must-have everyday use cases.
• Market Fit Doubts
  • "Who is this for?" (Ed, 07:26)
  • "The ones that haven't [caught on] are when you really try to force a user behavior that isn't there. And sometimes I feel like that's what's happening with these headsets..." (Lisa, 07:51)
• Desire for Evolution
  • Both agree: Headsets remain a stepping stone to something more natural—ideally smart glasses or an unobtrusive wearable.

3. The Social Challenge of Smart Glasses (10:26–12:29)

• Social Awkwardness
  • Wearing smart glasses can be off-putting in social contexts (“dead-eyed stare”), raising privacy and interaction concerns.
  • "If someone was wearing them when I was at a bar, I wouldn't want to look at them." (Ed, 10:26)
• Possible Use Cases
  • Lisa sees a future where smart glasses combine the utility of wireless earbuds and smartwatches, offering notifications, directions, and easy communication.

4. Apple’s Device Strategy: The iPhone Air & “Peak Phone” (16:14–24:27)

• The Fate of the iPhone Air
  • Apple’s in-between models like the Air haven’t generated strong demand—too little differentiation, awkward pricing.
  • Lisa: “Apple’s audience has a hard time latching on to... an in-between model… It seems like it’s hard for them to generate demand.” (17:00)
• Peak Phone Era
  • The consensus is that phone innovation has plateaued.
  • “I feel like we’ve been there for a while.” (Lisa, 19:00)
  • Thinness, once novel, no longer excites consumers.
• Speculation about Foldables
  • Lisa suggests the Air could be a precursor to a foldable iPhone; Ed doubts Apple will commit until reliability improves.

5. Yearning for Weird Phones & Quirky Devices (21:02–24:27; 29:54–31:05)

• Nostalgia for Experimentation
  • The hosts reminisce about the Microsoft Kin, Samsung Juke, and other unconventional devices.
  • “I want phones to be weird again.” (Lisa, 21:04)
  • Foldable and trifold phones from Samsung, Motorola, and Chinese brands evoke excitement for reintroducing novelty.
• Problem with “In-Between” Phones
  • Ed: “The iPhone Air wasn’t weird enough. That’s the problem.” (23:31)

6. Tech Industry’s Reluctance to Innovate (30:21–31:05)

• Stagnation Observed
  • Ed wishes American firms would “try shit” again, lamenting that oddball innovation is largely relegated to Chinese startups.
  • Lisa notes a short-lived “smart home” boom (Alexa rise) that fizzled.

7. AI: Hype, Sameness, and Limited Impact (31:05–39:10)

• AI Sameness & Brand Fatigue
  • Gemini, ChatGPT, and other LLMs offer incremental improvements but little consumer loyalty or clear use case differences.
  • Lisa: “I don’t see that much of a difference between ChatGPT and Gemini in terms of what I use them for.” (31:30)
• The Google/OpenAI Rivalry
  • Both companies struggle to make AI stand out, with Google’s ecosystem advantage and OpenAI’s early name recognition.
  • Both see AI’s core value as “better search,” not true agents or revolutionary assistance.
• Skepticism Toward ‘AI Agents’
  • Ed dismisses “AI agents” as little more than glorified chatbots.
  • Lisa: “We’ve been talking about these agents for years… I’m skeptical that people are going to trust it enough to handle things.” (37:33)
• Security Concerns & Criminal Innovation
  • The most creative uses of AI seem to be in fraud and cybercrime (North Korean hackers using deepfakes to get jobs).
  • “There is innovation—crime. …Fraud, massive fraud.” (Ed, 39:10)
• Cynical Take on AI Adoption
  • Ed speculates the endgame is Google absorbing OpenAI’s market, then reducing offerings as costs mount:
    • “Of course, if this is. That actually is probably how it ends. Just like a large company destroying a startup and nothing happening. I hope so. The sooner the better.” (Ed, 35:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “None of these things are super comfortable, to be honest.”
  —Lisa Eadicicco on headsets (04:23)
• “I was so torn because 85% of the time I fucking hated it.”
  —Ed Zitron on the Vision Pro (05:31)
• “Who is this for?”
  —Ed Zitron, questioning XR headsets (07:26)
• "As cool as it is, what's the point of the smart glasses as well?"
  —Ed Zitron (11:05)
• “I want phones to be weird again.”
  —Lisa Eadicicco (21:04)
• “Everything’s a brick... it’s a shame.”
  —Ed Zitron on phone sameness (23:29)
• “I feel like we’ve been at peak phone for a while.”
  —Lisa Eadicicco (19:00)
• “I’m skeptical that people are going to trust [AI agents] enough to handle things.”
  —Lisa Eadicicco (37:43)
• “There is innovation—crime.”
  —Ed Zitron (39:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:13 – Lisa’s favorite gadgets of 2025
• 04:18–07:26 – XR headset experiences, comfort, and category skepticism
• 10:26–12:29 – Social challenges and possible use cases for smart glasses
• 16:14–19:19 – iPhone Air outlook, “peak phone”, and the idea of foldables
• 21:02–24:27 – Longing for weird, unique phones from the past
• 29:54–31:05 – The lack of risk-taking in American consumer tech
• 31:05–39:10 – AI’s underwhelming impact, Gemini vs. ChatGPT, and “agent” fatigue
• 39:53–41:04 – Looking for something fresh in tech (and hope for weird gadgets returning)

Closing: What’s Next in Consumer Tech? (39:53–41:15)

• No Standout Innovation on the Horizon
  • Lisa: “There isn’t really just one thing right now. …I want weird phones again. That’s what I’m looking forward to.” (39:53)
• Desire for Disruption
  • Both agree that what the industry needs most is genuine experimentation and strangeness, not just incremental upgrades to existing devices.

Where to Find the Guests

• Lisa Eadicicco:

  • X, Blue Sky, Threads: @lisaeadicicco
  • Writing: CNN.com

• Ed Zitron:

  • betteroffline.com
  • Newsletter, webverse, and Reddit at r/betteroffline

The tone throughout is candid, humorous, and often skeptical—reflecting a shared fatigue with tech industry hype and a desire to see real, joyful innovation return to consumer technology.