Kate Cox
@kcoxdc.bsky.social
Now: Running Decoder @ The Verge. Earlier: editor/reporter for Protocol, Ars Technica, CQ Roll Call, Consumerist, and Kotaku; decades of other writing strewn across the internet. Boston-born, now DC-dwelling. She/her.
I feel like, "AI to do what?" is most of the work of Decoder this year.
November 12, 2025 at 7:36 PM
I feel like, "AI to do what?" is most of the work of Decoder this year.
As there is a new VR headset in the news today I am finding the one thing I've REALLY learned since my spouse got one: None of these were designed by or for people with long hair lolol, I have to go do a french braid in mine before I can get the headset to stay on my head.
November 12, 2025 at 6:46 PM
As there is a new VR headset in the news today I am finding the one thing I've REALLY learned since my spouse got one: None of these were designed by or for people with long hair lolol, I have to go do a french braid in mine before I can get the headset to stay on my head.
Reposted by Kate Cox
Thank you to @reckless.bsky.social and @kcoxdc.bsky.social for this thoughtful episode and for elevating teachers’ voices (including mine) on this issue.
The problems with AI in schools
Teachers had one big question: What are we even doing here?
www.theverge.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Thank you to @reckless.bsky.social and @kcoxdc.bsky.social for this thoughtful episode and for elevating teachers’ voices (including mine) on this issue.
The overwhelming majority of my days "off" in 2025 have not been. They are filled with chores, errands, care work, estate work, etc etc etc.
So today I let both my kids sleep in late while I played video games in my pajamas and this afternoon we're doing a baking project together.
So today I let both my kids sleep in late while I played video games in my pajamas and this afternoon we're doing a baking project together.
November 11, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The overwhelming majority of my days "off" in 2025 have not been. They are filled with chores, errands, care work, estate work, etc etc etc.
So today I let both my kids sleep in late while I played video games in my pajamas and this afternoon we're doing a baking project together.
So today I let both my kids sleep in late while I played video games in my pajamas and this afternoon we're doing a baking project together.
Freeze warning means today is a soup day, and now I'm having the problem where my whole house is going to smell delicious for hours all day.
(Sausage, white bean, spinach, and tortellini.)
(Sausage, white bean, spinach, and tortellini.)
November 10, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Freeze warning means today is a soup day, and now I'm having the problem where my whole house is going to smell delicious for hours all day.
(Sausage, white bean, spinach, and tortellini.)
(Sausage, white bean, spinach, and tortellini.)
Took the 7yo to school and then was confused why my house didn't smell like coffee when I got home, since the pot should have started while I was out.
Welp.
Sure is a Monday, I guess.
Welp.
Sure is a Monday, I guess.
November 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Took the 7yo to school and then was confused why my house didn't smell like coffee when I got home, since the pot should have started while I was out.
Welp.
Sure is a Monday, I guess.
Welp.
Sure is a Monday, I guess.
Tiny, petty annoyances of the modern age: Every time this line I'm on hold with gives the, "Thank you for waiting, please hold for the next available..." spiel, the hold music resets to the beginning and so this song never actually gets across the bridge.
November 9, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Tiny, petty annoyances of the modern age: Every time this line I'm on hold with gives the, "Thank you for waiting, please hold for the next available..." spiel, the hold music resets to the beginning and so this song never actually gets across the bridge.
Okay, I admit when the 12yo called, "uh, dad??" at 10pm I was expecting "PLEASE can I have YouTube time," not "there's a slug on the ceiling"
That was a novel problem.
That was a novel problem.
November 9, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Okay, I admit when the 12yo called, "uh, dad??" at 10pm I was expecting "PLEASE can I have YouTube time," not "there's a slug on the ceiling"
That was a novel problem.
That was a novel problem.
I would very much like to thank the roughly two dozen educators and experts who answered my call when I started in on the research for this episode. It took longer than I meant to make it, but we got there. ❤️
www.theverge.com/podcast/8154...
www.theverge.com/podcast/8154...
The problems with AI in schools
Teachers had one big question: What are we even doing here?
www.theverge.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I would very much like to thank the roughly two dozen educators and experts who answered my call when I started in on the research for this episode. It took longer than I meant to make it, but we got there. ❤️
www.theverge.com/podcast/8154...
www.theverge.com/podcast/8154...
My small contribution: Five-and-a-half years later, I'm still learning how to hand over control.
www.theverge.com/games/814497...
www.theverge.com/games/814497...
The nostalgia and surprise of returning to Animal Crossing: New Horizons
And in one case, horror.
www.theverge.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
My small contribution: Five-and-a-half years later, I'm still learning how to hand over control.
www.theverge.com/games/814497...
www.theverge.com/games/814497...
When *I* was a kid, we still had school on Election Days -- we just weren't allowed to use or go near the gym.
I get the reasons this has changed but also my children are already driving me up a wall and it's not even 10am.
I get the reasons this has changed but also my children are already driving me up a wall and it's not even 10am.
November 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
When *I* was a kid, we still had school on Election Days -- we just weren't allowed to use or go near the gym.
I get the reasons this has changed but also my children are already driving me up a wall and it's not even 10am.
I get the reasons this has changed but also my children are already driving me up a wall and it's not even 10am.
We trick or treated at a house that had a piece of paper on the door with a lovely hand drawn blue jay head and the message "closing shop at 8:00, GAME 6"
November 1, 2025 at 12:11 AM
We trick or treated at a house that had a piece of paper on the door with a lovely hand drawn blue jay head and the message "closing shop at 8:00, GAME 6"
The "early Black Friday" emails are already arriving in my inbox (like, my personal inbox, not work pitches), if we're wondering how Holiday 2025 is going
October 31, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The "early Black Friday" emails are already arriving in my inbox (like, my personal inbox, not work pitches), if we're wondering how Holiday 2025 is going
This is my new favorite menu in any game ever, bless them from the heart of my queasy, queasy soul
October 31, 2025 at 12:34 AM
This is my new favorite menu in any game ever, bless them from the heart of my queasy, queasy soul
Welp, now I know what "cat falling asleep on a magna-tile structure that then collapses and falls off the side of the bed under him, taking him with, and indignantly waking up while falling onto magna-tiles" sounds like. That sure is a weirdly specific sound to now live in my head forever.
October 30, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Welp, now I know what "cat falling asleep on a magna-tile structure that then collapses and falls off the side of the bed under him, taking him with, and indignantly waking up while falling onto magna-tiles" sounds like. That sure is a weirdly specific sound to now live in my head forever.
lol I was "19" on the internet the day we got AOL, when I was in fact a 14-year-old high school freshman, and I'm preeeeeeetty sure today's kids do not lie less than we did.
character AI says "sub-10 percent" of users identify as minors, but I find that pretty dubious and the age verification system they're promising seems less than foolproof on giving us real numbers there
Character.AI is banning minors from AI character chats
Teens are no longer welcome to talk to Character.AI’s chatbots.
www.theverge.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:10 PM
lol I was "19" on the internet the day we got AOL, when I was in fact a 14-year-old high school freshman, and I'm preeeeeeetty sure today's kids do not lie less than we did.
October always sneaks up on me every year, having to re-learn concepts like "turn the porch light on for people to come home from work and school" and "why is it dark in my office after 2pm"
You'd think I'd know by now, but apparently not.
You'd think I'd know by now, but apparently not.
October 28, 2025 at 8:04 PM
October always sneaks up on me every year, having to re-learn concepts like "turn the porch light on for people to come home from work and school" and "why is it dark in my office after 2pm"
You'd think I'd know by now, but apparently not.
You'd think I'd know by now, but apparently not.
"That trick NEVER works!" is in fact a thing we have said aloud about WB in our house, a lot, because we are both media nerds.
www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
Warner Bros. mergers never work, but they’re trying again anyway
It’s a tale as old as time.
www.theverge.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:18 PM
"That trick NEVER works!" is in fact a thing we have said aloud about WB in our house, a lot, because we are both media nerds.
www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
I swear it feels like there are fighter jets over my house all the damn time now and I miss when it was just the Cemetery flyovers.
So that flyover was announced (if incorrectly), but wow was that loud and low. Anyone see/ID it? I don’t think it was the usual Arlington Cemetery route. #dcflyover
October 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I swear it feels like there are fighter jets over my house all the damn time now and I miss when it was just the Cemetery flyovers.
I am trying to do my JOB like a GROWN-UP and write PROFESSIONAL WORDS and stop being a bottleneck for my team and this is just running on an absolute unbreakable loop in my head, welp
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFE...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFE...
Hades II - I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death)
YouTube video by Supergiant Games
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I am trying to do my JOB like a GROWN-UP and write PROFESSIONAL WORDS and stop being a bottleneck for my team and this is just running on an absolute unbreakable loop in my head, welp
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFE...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFE...
When I went to WDW with my family in September there was a guy in the Tron queue who was wearing the Ray-Bans and kept turning in circles, clearly recording everything, and I was really surprised by the level of revulsion I felt -- even though everyone and their grandma was recording at WDW. Welp.
People are opening up Meta AI Ray Ban glasses and modding out the LED recording light, then selling them on eBay. There is huge interest in disabling this functionality, which means basically you cannot trust anyone wearing these (i'm sure you already weren't)
www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light
Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses usually include an LED that lights up when the user is recording other people. One hobbyist is charging a small fee to disable that light, and has a growing list of customers ar...
www.404media.co
October 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
When I went to WDW with my family in September there was a guy in the Tron queue who was wearing the Ray-Bans and kept turning in circles, clearly recording everything, and I was really surprised by the level of revulsion I felt -- even though everyone and their grandma was recording at WDW. Welp.
Do I know why I have Candide firmly stuck in my head today? No. Is it ever a bad day to have Candide stuck in one's head? Not really. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmc7...
Candide - The best of all possible worlds (Groves/Chenoweth/Allen/Blumenkrantz/LaManna)
YouTube video by arnau884
www.youtube.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Do I know why I have Candide firmly stuck in my head today? No. Is it ever a bad day to have Candide stuck in one's head? Not really. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmc7...
Not just college kids. Our schools were off yesterday, which is just as well, because a HUGE amount of my middle schooler's, er, schooling relies on Canvas. www.wired.com/story/the-aw...
The AWS Outage Was a Nightmare for College Students
The outage impacted online learning platform Canvas, which is used by half of college students across the US, leaving many unable to access course materials or contact professors.
www.wired.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Not just college kids. Our schools were off yesterday, which is just as well, because a HUGE amount of my middle schooler's, er, schooling relies on Canvas. www.wired.com/story/the-aw...
I hate the days when I have to know what cloud providers host all the different services I need to be able to do my job
October 20, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I hate the days when I have to know what cloud providers host all the different services I need to be able to do my job
The OTHER question we get asked every single week is: "Why aren't you on YouTube?"
Well GUESS WHAT!
www.youtube.com/@decoderpod
Well GUESS WHAT!
www.youtube.com/@decoderpod
October 20, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The OTHER question we get asked every single week is: "Why aren't you on YouTube?"
Well GUESS WHAT!
www.youtube.com/@decoderpod
Well GUESS WHAT!
www.youtube.com/@decoderpod