This isn't going to help your reputation, Verge...

[Sheep]

I haven't given them many clicks since Joshua Topolsky left but this one cracked me up. The Verge prove themselves again to be completely useless as a tech information source by previewing the current Android Photos app thinking it's the upcoming Google Photos app. A full writeup and video somehow made it online and not a single person realized they were reviewing the wrong app. iVerge indeed because anyone with experience with Android would have noticed that IMMEDIATELY. Adding insult to injury, the actual content is garbage too.

The writeup: https://archive.is/hIppM
The video: https://vid.me/UhbY

No wonder Vox bought Recode...Verge is a tech-flavored Buzzfeed at this point.

 

[blairharrington]

The Verge is a 'tech culture' site which features plenty of content that has nothing to do with tech whatsoever.

They changed the game with their web layout upon launch and their videos forced other tech sites to play catchup. They also currently do a great job at live blogs.

Other than that, they are completely worthless IMO. I didn't like the direction they were heading even before Josh left, but Nilay is a complete jackass and the site has only gotten worse once he took over. The only time I read their stuff is for reviews.

 

[Artdeco]

I've actually met Josh, hated that he left, The whole site has turned into a browser crashing dumbed down lifestyle site that for the most part I don't need or read.

Have had a couple convos with Sam Scheffer, and before he left, David Pierce.

They really don't care about much but page views any more

 

[s44]

They really jumped the shark when they did full-time Boston Marathon bombing coverage just to hoover up hits.

Destroyed any pretense that they were actually a tech site.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Nothing is like Anandtech when Brian was writing.

 

[Sheep]

I didn't like the direction they were heading even before Josh left, but Nilay is a complete jackass and the site has only gotten worse once he took over. The only time I read their stuff is for reviews.

While I agree with you that Nilay can come off as a dick (as evidenced by the studded bracelet incident and some of his Twitter rants), I'm not sure you can pin the Verge turning into a mainstream culture site on him. He's written some good, relevant articles and I doubt one person has enough sway to make the website change directions THAT drastically. I assume the Verge's unfortunate direction is a result of Vox Media wanting page clicks and getting that by covering decidedly non-technology things to appeal to a larger audience.

This is all speculation but I think we can all agree that the Verge currently is a shell of the awesome site that launched after This is My Next.

 

[midwestfisherman]

The Verge sucks!

/thread

 

[openwheel]

I simply don't read/watch iVerge. Problem solved.

 

[WelshBloke]

While I agree with you that Nilay can come off as a dick (as evidenced by the studded bracelet incident and some of his Twitter rants), I'm not sure you can pin the Verge turning into a mainstream culture site on him. He's written some good, relevant articles and I doubt one person has enough sway to make the website change directions THAT drastically. I assume the Verge's unfortunate direction is a result of Vox Media wanting page clicks and getting that by covering decidedly non-technology things to appeal to a larger audience.

This is all speculation but I think we can all agree that the Verge currently is a shell of the awesome site that launched after This is My Next.

Yeah, theres some fucking awful social commentary articles that really couldnt be more shallow and trite if they employed a bunch of emo school kids. You cant blame all that on Nilay, dick that he is.

 

[blairharrington]

While I agree with you that Nilay can come off as a dick (as evidenced by the studded bracelet incident and some of his Twitter rants), I'm not sure you can pin the Verge turning into a mainstream culture site on him. He's written some good, relevant articles and I doubt one person has enough sway to make the website change directions THAT drastically. I assume the Verge's unfortunate direction is a result of Vox Media wanting page clicks and getting that by covering decidedly non-technology things to appeal to a larger audience.

This is all speculation but I think we can all agree that the Verge currently is a shell of the awesome site that launched after This is My Next.

I never said it was entirely Nilay's fault. But I have zero faith in him making any changes for the good. I think he has ruined the current Vergecast and I'm guessing he has little to no objections as to what direction the Verge has headed in since Josh left.

 

[ThisIsChrisKim]

I never said it was entirely Nilay's fault. But I have zero faith in him making any changes for the good. I think he has ruined the current Vergecast and I'm guessing he has little to no objections as to what direction the Verge has headed in since Josh left.

While he may be a dick and the direction of the Verge is meh, Nilay himself seems to be a pretty well educated and smart guy--if highly opinionated and brash. I actually think a lot of his viewpoints are spot on when it comes to things beyond the tech realm (some policy stuff, for instance).

 

[WelshBloke]

While he may be a dick and the direction of the Verge is meh, Nilay himself seems to be a pretty well educated and smart guy--if highly opinionated and brash.

And a dick. Dont forget that hes a dick.

 

[blairharrington]

While he may be a dick and the direction of the Verge is meh, Nilay himself seems to be a pretty well educated and smart guy--if highly opinionated and brash. I actually think a lot of his viewpoints are spot on when it comes to things beyond the tech realm (some policy stuff, for instance).

Never said he wasn't well educated or smart. He's a solid writer. He was great on the Vergecast when Josh was around. Now it's constant laughing at things that aren't funny and even more unfocused discussions then when Josh was on it.

People were putting the Verge down over at their forum and he shows up and starts talking about their daily traffic. Great, you are making money. That doesn't mean you have a clear vision for your site.

He's also hilarious pompous and douchey.

 

[foghorn67]

Agree with most of things said. Nilay is a douche. I don't think he has what it takes to fix anything, especially when he helped create the culture that is making the Verge, the Verge.
The bracelet thing was way out of line. Racist, SOB.
They can't keep a topic during podcasts, painful to listen to.
He likes to think of himself as an educated patent expert. I'll assume he is. But nothing he has written or said makes him credible for un-biased opinion.

I can't say good things about the rest of the staff either. One reviewer (Dietrich IIRC) sounds grating to listen to during video reviews. He simply can't turn off the sarcasm. Must be pleasant to work with.

Their Google I/O 2015 streaming blog/cast/whatever, was the worse thing imaginable. It's like neither of them wanted to be there. Snarky, snide, sarcastic...I'm not sure if they were trying to be funny, or if they were distracted by something horrible, like family life not going well.

 

[deputc26]

Nothing is like Anandtech when Brian was writing.

+1, AT was head and shoulders above the rest during the Anand/Klug era, now they are just one more decent tech site whose reviews I trust to be ~50% accurate.

 

[Artdeco]

Agree with most of things said. Nilay is a douche. I don't think he has what it takes to fix anything, especially when he helped create the culture that is making the Verge, the Verge.
The bracelet thing was way out of line. Racist, SOB.
They can't keep a topic during podcasts, painful to listen to.
He likes to think of himself as an educated patent expert. I'll assume he is. But nothing he has written or said makes him credible for un-biased opinion.

I can't say good things about the rest of the staff either. One reviewer (Dietrich IIRC) sounds grating to listen to during video reviews. He simply can't turn off the sarcasm. Must be pleasant to work with.

Their Google I/O 2015 streaming blog/cast/whatever, was the worse thing imaginable. It's like neither of them wanted to be there. Snarky, snide, sarcastic...I'm not sure if they were trying to be funny, or if they were distracted by something horrible, like family life not going well.

IIRC, he's called Florian Muller an old out of touch white guy.

That just flat pisses me off, racist bullshit from the editor of a insanely PC website.