1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:07,759 I once thought that the Monopoly man had a Monopoly, but then I remembered it's a 2 00:00:05,279 --> 00:00:13,840 fourplayer game, but then I remembered he's not even playing it. So, what is he 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:15,679 doing there? Anyway, tech news. The US 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:21,199 government has officially approved the sale of NVIDIA's H200 accelerator cards 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:25,519 to China with a few caveats. Under the new rules, shipments are only allowed to 6 00:00:23,199 --> 00:00:30,960 be sold to approved customers, require third-party reviews of every unit sold, 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:35,600 and come with a 25% kickback to Uncle Sam. On paper, this means it's all good 8 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:39,520 news for Chinese companies that have been struggling for the last year to get 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:44,160 them into the country, except for one very important piece of bad news. 10 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:49,440 According to Reuters sources, Chinese customs were quietly told this week that 11 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:54,160 H200 chips are not permitted to enter the country and domestic tech firms were 12 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:59,280 summoned and warned not to buy them unless absolutely necessary. Officials 13 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:04,479 didn't clarify if this is a full ban, a temporary pause, or something being 14 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,720 stalled until an upcoming US China talk, 15 00:01:04,479 --> 00:01:12,400 but it is funny to see China blocking the same cards that the country was 16 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:14,560 originally banned from buying. But why? 17 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:19,040 China probably doesn't want to rely on Western tech, but you don't know. Maybe 18 00:01:16,799 --> 00:01:24,720 they're joining the ranks of the AI doomers that are really harshing NVIDIA 19 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:27,119 CEO Jensen Wong's vibe lately. Mocking 20 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:31,920 these hardworking tech bros is, according to Jensen, extremely hurtful, 21 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:36,079 and it's even causing some of them to secondguess whether blindly investing 22 00:01:34,079 --> 00:01:40,560 our entire economy into an unproven technology that still hallucinates 23 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:42,400 nonsense half the time is worth it at all. 24 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:47,680 >> Extremely hurtful. >> They're thinking about morality and stuff. Icky. 25 00:01:46,159 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaking of investing our entire economy, Microsoft just announced a 26 00:01:49,759 --> 00:01:56,320 community first approach to AI data centers, pledging to pay their fair 27 00:01:53,680 --> 00:02:01,360 share of electricity costs so your power bill doesn't spike every time someone 28 00:01:58,479 --> 00:02:05,680 asks Co-Pilot how to uninstall Copilot. In a blog post by Microsoft President 29 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:09,840 Brad Smith, the company outlined five commitments. First, they'll ask 30 00:02:07,759 --> 00:02:13,599 utilities to set electricity rates high enough to cover data center 31 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:17,200 infrastructure costs. basically volunteering to pay what they probably 32 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:21,440 should have been paying all along. Smith wrote that it's both unfair and 33 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,520 politically unrealistic for our industry to ask the public to shoulder added 34 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:29,599 electricity costs for AI. This is a guy that works for Microsoft. Are we sure? 35 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:34,959 This came one day after President Trump posted on Truth Social that AI companies 36 00:02:32,239 --> 00:02:40,640 must pay their own way. He also reminded everyone that America is the hottest 37 00:02:37,519 --> 00:02:42,720 country in the world, which obviously. 38 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:47,360 Have you ever even seen the Appalachian Mountains? They got got. I could hike 39 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:51,040 the Cumberland Gap all day, if you know what I'm saying. I want to those 40 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:55,360 mountains. Microsoft also committed to community development through providing 41 00:02:52,800 --> 00:03:01,280 training programs for AI technology, and achieving 40% better water efficiency by 42 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:04,080 2030, funding $25 million in water 43 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:11,280 infrastructure for Leburg, Virginia, and not requesting local tax breaks. Oh, 44 00:03:07,599 --> 00:03:13,360 good for you paying your taxes. Uh, now 45 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:17,360 can you maybe I don't know, stop pumping Windows full of ads 46 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:21,840 myself? Yeah. Yeah. Okay, that's fair. NVIDIA is reportedly cutting back on 47 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:26,879 higher VRAM graphics cards and doubling down on 8 GB models as memory shortages 48 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:31,360 continue to squeeze the [music] market. According to supply chain chatter from 49 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:37,599 Chinese forum board channels, NVIDIA is expected to ramp up production of 8 GB 50 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:40,400 RTX 5060 and 560Ti models this year 51 00:03:37,599 --> 00:03:44,159 while quietly scaling back the 16 GB variants. The reason should feel 52 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:49,120 familiar by now. Ongoing memory constraints around GDDR6 and 7 are 53 00:03:46,879 --> 00:03:53,040 making larger VRAM configurations harder to source and significantly more 54 00:03:50,959 --> 00:03:57,519 expensive, especially in the low to mid-range markets where margins are 55 00:03:55,040 --> 00:04:02,159 apparently already tight. From NVIDIA's perspective, the move could be pretty 56 00:03:59,519 --> 00:04:06,239 pragmatic. Shipping more 8 GB cards would allow them to say they're trying 57 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:10,480 to keep prices lower, although the same post indicates that more price increases 58 00:04:08,799 --> 00:04:14,560 could be on the way, too. I just hope they're not cutting costs even more by 59 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:18,239 claiming they've got 8 gigs when they've really got less. Like, are they 60 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:21,680 measuring from the base or the bus interface? Sometimes when people are 61 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,960 compensating for something, they pay for a bigger tool. I mean, hey, who who 62 00:04:23,199 --> 00:04:28,800 wouldn't take an extra gig or two? That's probably exactly what happened 63 00:04:26,479 --> 00:04:35,440 when 42 people found the deal of the century on RTX5090s listed at a 64 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,880 measily,000 bucks on Amazon. Wow. 65 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:41,840 Imagine their surprise when they received a package full of fanny packs 66 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:45,040 instead. Mind you, a fanny pack would be a perfect thing to bring along on a 67 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:49,520 journey with our sponsor. Thinking about getting an eim for something? Try SY. 68 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:53,120 They freaking rule. It's the smarter way to stay connected while traveling. You 69 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:58,240 download your eSIM once and use it across over 200 destinations. No weird 70 00:04:55,759 --> 00:05:02,000 local SIM cards and no roaming fees. I freaking hate roaming fees. SE's got 71 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:06,960 global or regional plans that are compatible with both iOS and Android and 72 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:10,960 let you enjoy 24/7 support so you can travel worry-f free. You're flying here, 73 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:15,039 you're flying there, you got a good eim anywhere. With SY, you're always online 74 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:19,440 affordably and securely. Plus, you can get an exclusive 15% discount on sale 75 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:23,440 eim data plans right now. Download the SY app and use code tech at checkout. 76 00:05:21,919 --> 00:05:28,320 The Quickbits have a favorite board game, Hungry Hungry Hippos. It's all 77 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:34,000 about speed and feral intimidation displays. Meta 78 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:39,600 just laid off over 1,000 Reality Labs employees and shut down three VR game 79 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:43,600 studios, Twisted Pixel, Szaroo, and Armature. A Meta spokesperson said 80 00:05:41,759 --> 00:05:49,440 they're shifting investment from metaverse stuff towards wearables and 81 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:55,440 AI. The pivot is partially due to demand for Ray-B band meta glasses being on 82 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:58,080 course for the moon, while Reality Labs 83 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:02,720 has lost over 70 billion dollars since 2021. As they shift their priorities 84 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:07,919 moving forward, they plan instead to lose that money on AI and more cool 85 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:12,639 chains to make Zuck seem a little bit less like an alien. The music hosting 86 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:18,080 and publishing site Band Camp has banned AI generated music entirely. Any use of 87 00:06:15,919 --> 00:06:22,319 AI to impersonate artists is also prohibited. And Band Camp reserves the 88 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:26,319 right to remove content on suspicion of being AI generated. DID YOU HEAR THAT 89 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:31,199 BREAKING RUST? You're going to have to get your millions OF LISTENS ON SPOTIFY. 90 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:36,960 BAND CAMP DON'T WANT YOU. GOD, I WISH I COULD quit you. The policy also bans 91 00:06:33,919 --> 00:06:39,600 training AI models on Band Camp content. 92 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:45,440 That's why all my experimental newwave Prague trash electronic disco funk pop 93 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:47,360 music is only going on Band Camp. Cannot 94 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:54,479 let these robots hear my bleeps and bloops lest they become too strong. GOG 95 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:57,039 owner Mikal Kisinsk, I tried, announced 96 00:06:54,479 --> 00:07:01,360 his intent to go toe-to-toe with Steam this week, stating that Steam's market 97 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:05,680 domination actually makes it easier to take market share from them, which makes 98 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:10,960 total sense as long as you don't think about it at all. Kasinski isn't planning 99 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:15,599 to challenge Steam on AAA releases like Epic tried to do. Instead, he's focusing 100 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:20,639 on deals with smaller developers and publishers like indie devro lane, who 101 00:07:18,479 --> 00:07:26,560 announced that he is delisting his free roglike card game, Hardest from Steam on 102 00:07:23,599 --> 00:07:31,120 January 30th because it used AI art and his girlfriend of one month convinced 103 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:35,120 him AI is unethical. We here at Techlink applaud the move and just want to say 104 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:38,800 congratulations to Lane for getting a girl to listen to you talk about your 105 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:42,960 computer card game long enough for her to have an opinion on it. Police 106 00:07:40,319 --> 00:07:47,280 departments using Flock Safety's license plate surveillance system accidentally 107 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:51,680 leaked millions of surveillance targets by failing to redact license plate data 108 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:56,319 in public records releases. The unredacted Flock safety audit logs have 109 00:07:54,240 --> 00:08:01,520 been compiled into a searchable website called have Ibenflock.com which now 110 00:07:58,879 --> 00:08:06,000 contains 2.3 million license plates and reveals sensitive information including 111 00:08:03,599 --> 00:08:10,240 search reasons, active investigations, and the surveillance targets. Flock 112 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:14,240 responded by frantically trying to take the website down and threatening the 113 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:18,319 website creator, claiming intellectual property violations and public safety 114 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:22,639 concerns. Because as we all know, your license plate number and police data is 115 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:26,720 in fact the property of an incompetent mass surveillance company. Fun fact. And 116 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:34,320 you can now put a deposit on a hotel room on the moon. A startup called Grew 117 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:37,120 Space is taking $1,000 non-refundable 118 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:43,120 applications towards future lunar hotel reservations priced anywhere from 119 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:45,839 250,000 to 1 million big ones. That 120 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:52,959 those are refundable supposedly. Listen up. We are going to steal 121 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:58,560 RENTAL DEPOSITS ON THE MOON. I don't know. The pitch is luxury accommodation 122 00:08:55,839 --> 00:09:05,120 in orbit adjacent real estate made from inflatable habitats and moon bricks 123 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:08,560 constructed from lunar regolith formed 124 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:10,720 by geopolymers whatever that means. It's 125 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:15,760 the moon. Currently the goal is to do their first launch at some point in the 126 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:19,839 next decade. Grrew is also hiring a single engineer to help design the 127 00:09:17,839 --> 00:09:26,279 entire lunar habitat because there's only one guy who could possibly do that 128 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:26,279 job. Dr. Nefario. 129 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:32,880 It's a reference. There's been a murder. Ha. Just kidding. That was just a clue 130 00:09:31,279 --> 00:09:38,160 for what would happen if you don't come back on Friday for more tech news. Clue. 131 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:40,399 A board game. All right. But anyway, see you.