1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:05,359 What is tech news if not billion-dollar 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:09,679 corporations acting like confused raccoons in a dumpster full of Ethernet 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:14,080 cables? I Let's see what they've knocked over today. 4 00:00:11,679 --> 00:00:18,160 Apple is reportedly putting the Mac Pro on the back burner while also delaying 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:23,680 the launch of the next series of iPhones. According to Bloomberg reporter 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:25,600 Mark Germs Armageddon's newest Power 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:30,400 newsletter, you know, the Mac Pro probably won't see any major upgrades in 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:36,000 2026. What? >> German says that Apple is cooking up a 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:40,719 powerful new M5 Ultra chip, but the company is only aiming to put it in a 10 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:45,680 refreshed Mac studio for now. He also reports that Apple is pushing back the 11 00:00:42,879 --> 00:00:53,840 launch of the iPhone Air 2 and the mainline iPhone 18 lineup beyond 2026 to 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:55,920 spring 2027, breaking a 14-year Apple 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:01:01,120 tradition. Analysts have theorized that the rumored delay of a new iPhone Air 14 00:00:58,399 --> 00:01:06,240 could be a result of poor sales, but our pal Mark here says iPhone Air sales 15 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:13,119 roughly matched Apple's expectations. And this wild and wacky new spring 16 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:15,760 launch idea could be the new normal. 17 00:01:13,119 --> 00:01:20,479 That sounds just as insane as killing the Mac Pro. But of course, the Apple 18 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:26,799 faithful are totally on board with this. The appropriately named Cult of Mac site 19 00:01:23,759 --> 00:01:29,280 thinks killing the Mac Pro makes sense. 20 00:01:26,799 --> 00:01:33,759 Obviously, Apple is really smart and you shouldn't want a Mac Pro anyway. Just 21 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:41,439 just drink the Kool-Aid and enjoy the products. It's a revolutionary act. 22 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:47,600 It's a little dark. Didn't want to go there with it. So, 23 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:51,920 Microsoft is up to some new shenanigans this week after shutting down a major 24 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:56,399 Windows activation workaround that pirates have relied on for years. The 25 00:01:54,240 --> 00:02:01,680 company quietly pushed backend changes that broke KMS 38-based activations, 26 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:07,280 which used the mass grave popularized method that let users keep Windows 10 27 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,840 and Office running indefinitely without 28 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:14,480 actually uh, you know, paying for them. Users on these fake installs noticed 29 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:18,720 deactivations right after their devices grabbed the latest extended security 30 00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:24,959 update, proving that even if you forgot about that sketchy ISO you got in 2017, 31 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:30,080 Microsoft absolutely did not. Looking at you, G2A apparently sold one to one of 32 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:34,640 our writers whose installation broke. He's a good guy. But even people who did 33 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:39,040 buy Windows more legitimately weren't spared. Some business Windows 10 users 34 00:02:36,959 --> 00:02:44,000 who installed this week's update found their systems rolling back to the 35 00:02:40,879 --> 00:02:46,720 previous build after rebooting, silently 36 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:52,319 failing to apply the patch at all. Truly the sendoff Windows 10 deserves. The AI 37 00:02:49,519 --> 00:02:57,519 hype bubble might finally be wobbling as investors, researchers, and even the AIs 38 00:02:54,879 --> 00:03:03,680 themselves start acting a little weird. Teal Macro LLC, the hedge fund of 39 00:03:00,879 --> 00:03:08,720 Palanteer co-founder and very eccentric billionaire Peter Teal, dumped its 40 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:13,920 entire NVIDIA stake last quarter, which is strange because Teal runs companies 41 00:03:10,959 --> 00:03:18,959 that would need NVIDIA GPUs. Huh. Meanwhile, Meta's AI pioneer in 42 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:23,519 residence, Yan Lakun, who has called large language models a dead end in AI 43 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:28,640 research, is reportedly gearing up to leave and launch a startup focused on 44 00:03:26,239 --> 00:03:34,959 physical world AI. And that means building systems that perceive gravity, 45 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:37,200 air, you know, human stuff. We care, we 46 00:03:34,959 --> 00:03:43,040 care about those. But not everyone is running from the 47 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:48,720 soonto burst bubble. Jeff Bezos decided to become co-CEO of a new startup called 48 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:54,000 Project Prometheus, named after the Greek hero who stole fire from the gods, 49 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:57,599 which is perfect for a company that'll apparently use AI to improve 50 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:02,080 manufacturing. That's the same thing. But if the AI bubble is a bit wobbly, 51 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:06,799 it's not being helped by stories like this one where Anthropics Claude was put 52 00:04:04,799 --> 00:04:11,599 in a simulation where it believed it was running a vending machine. It panicked, 53 00:04:09,519 --> 00:04:15,040 assumed it was being scammed, and tried to contact the FBI's cyber crimes 54 00:04:13,519 --> 00:04:19,840 division. >> Cla's a carrot. 55 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:24,960 >> And then there's the AI toys, which are allegedly telling 5-year-olds how to 56 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:28,880 find knives and start fires. But this is all just growing pains towards AGI. I 57 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:33,520 mean, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. And also, they 58 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,720 might need to know how to use knives and start fires when the machine apocalypse 59 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:41,199 hits. >> Great. Great point. >> At the end of the day, and you can't 60 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:46,080 play games on your phone good without our sponsor, O Snap and their MC Con 61 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:50,960 magnetic transforming controller through some kind of Black Magic. I have to 62 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:55,600 assume it packs Mag joysticks, Hall effect analog triggers, deployable 63 00:04:53,199 --> 00:05:00,320 grips, and more into a pocketable pod that can snap onto your phone and flip 64 00:04:57,759 --> 00:05:04,320 up in seconds. My buddy Derek, who used to do front flips off the jungle gym, 65 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:08,800 was never this cool. And that's saying something. Derek rocks and so does MC 66 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:12,800 Con, especially because it works with all phones and can connect up to three 67 00:05:11,039 --> 00:05:17,520 devices and quickly switch between them with a double tap of a button. MAN, 68 00:05:15,199 --> 00:05:20,800 DEREK HAS GOT TO SEE THIS. SO, CHECK OUT the Switchblade of mobile controllers 69 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:26,400 today at the link in the description below. I'm sending this to Derek ASAP. 70 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:29,440 The Quickbits, like raccoons, are small and unpredictable, and they're 71 00:05:27,759 --> 00:05:33,360 guaranteed to steal your attention before you can chase them off the porch. 72 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:37,440 So in that way, you know, Google might have deprecated its first and second 73 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:41,520 generation Nest Learning thermostats, but those devices are still quietly 74 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:45,919 sending sensor data about things like temperature, motion, and light back to 75 00:05:43,919 --> 00:05:50,080 Google. It still benefits them, just not you anymore. Google says the data 76 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:55,600 transmission is necessary so the devices can continue to report logs for issue 77 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:59,120 diagnostics, so they can diagnose issues that they're no longer going to fix 78 00:05:57,199 --> 00:06:02,960 because they don't support them. Here's an issue I think you can fix, Google. 79 00:06:01,039 --> 00:06:06,880 The smart thermostat you sold me no longer works in the Google Nest app or 80 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:11,520 the Google Home app. And I you know what? I'll diagnose that issue right 81 00:06:08,479 --> 00:06:14,000 now. It's you being jerks. 82 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:18,560 Google and Samsung have said they will flag Android apps that use too much 83 00:06:16,479 --> 00:06:24,240 background power. And starting March 1st, 2026, Play Store listings for these 84 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:28,479 powerhogen apps may get a red warning label. Uh-oh. They could go so far as 85 00:06:26,639 --> 00:06:33,360 removing these apps from being recommended on the store. So, I guess 86 00:06:30,479 --> 00:06:36,880 your app better heed my recommendation to stop gulping up my battery life. 87 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:42,400 You're like, you're Google and my power is thermostat data. Bam. Boom. Call 88 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:45,440 back. Belcon is recalling its 89 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:48,319 autotracking stand Pro for iPhones and 90 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:52,080 two 20,000 milliamp hour boost charge power banks because of a defect that can 91 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:57,120 make their lithium ion batteries overheat causing serious fire and burn 92 00:06:54,800 --> 00:07:02,080 risks. Although only one fire has been reported in the US, there have been 15 93 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:06,479 incidents abroad which include two minor burn injuries and around $38,000 in 94 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,759 property damage. You'll be trying to charge your battery and the next thing 95 00:07:07,919 --> 00:07:15,680 you know you'll be living in Nelly's's Hot in here music video. The roof. The 96 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:17,680 roof. The roof is on fire. That's not 97 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:22,240 what I want. >> I think my butt looks big. 98 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:27,120 >> And that's the least of my worries. Netflix is doubling down on TV gaming, 99 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:31,360 rolling out party style titles you can play by scanning a QR code on your TV 100 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:36,080 and using your phone as a controller. The new lineup includes games like 101 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:39,520 Pictionary, Lego Party, and also the 102 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,680 mobile port of Red Dead Redemption 1. 103 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:46,560 Now that's a party. Suddenly, it looks like Game Night becomes a standoff. And 104 00:07:43,759 --> 00:07:51,199 Grandma isn't losing. She's got a plan. John, this is a reference, I'm told. 105 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:56,720 It's It's part of Netflix's push to keep subscribers engaged without consoles, 106 00:07:54,000 --> 00:08:01,599 offering easy social fun. At least until grandma calmly reloads and says, "You 107 00:07:59,199 --> 00:08:05,520 should have remembered her name. You should have remembered my name." And 108 00:08:03,599 --> 00:08:09,680 Microsoft Teams just rolled out a new feature that lets hosts block 109 00:08:07,599 --> 00:08:13,440 screenshots from being taken during meetings. Great news for anyone who's 110 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,960 ever said something dumb and watched five co-workers immediately reach for 111 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:20,400 the print screen button. But while Microsoft is plugging that leak, 112 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:24,879 scammers seem to be stuffing the interwebs with fake Teams installers 113 00:08:22,479 --> 00:08:28,639 packed with malware. So now you're safe from your co-workers, but not the email 114 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:33,919 you got from super duper teamsupdator.exe. 115 00:08:30,879 --> 00:08:35,839 An .exe file is sending you an email. At 116 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:39,760 this rate, the only productivity app we can really trust should be called 117 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:44,480 Paranoia and activate. That's all for today's 118 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:50,320 news. Remember, raccoons can open doors, jars, and even latches. So, if your GPU 119 00:08:47,839 --> 00:08:55,519 mysteriously disappears, that's either on you or there's raptors in the mix, 120 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,519 too.