
Grumpy Old Geeks
We dissect the tech news train wrecks of the week, calling out what went wrong and who’s to blame. Think of this podcast as if Kurt Cobain threw down with Tom from MySpace, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg in a back alley brawl. No mercy, no filter—if tech had a walk of shame, this would be it.
Latest episodes

Dec 14, 2024 • 57min
677: What’s in the Bag?!
In this episode, Jason DeFillippo and Brian Schulmeister dig into the Hawk Tuah meme coin disaster and where influencer-driven crypto schemes go off the rails, leaving chaos in their wake. They unpack WP Engine’s big win against Automattic in a high-stakes WordPress legal battle and take a closer look at Waymo’s rapid rise to match Lyft’s market share in San Francisco.The discussion heats up with GM’s decision to shut down its troubled Cruise robotaxi brand, Amazon’s bold move into the car-selling business with Hyundai, and reports of mysterious car-sized drones over New Jersey raising more questions than answers. They also dive into Google’s new quantum chip, Willow, which promises to rewrite the rules of computing and science.On the legal and policy front, the guys covers Apple’s billion-dollar lawsuit over abandoned child safety tools, updates to the Kids Online Safety Act, and Google’s push to break Microsoft’s grip on OpenAI’s cloud hosting. Meanwhile, LG’s exit from the Blu-ray market marks the end of an era, and MasterClass’s new AI-powered mentorship platform points to the future of learning.In Media Candy they spotlight upcoming releases like The Wheel of Time season three, Reacher season three, and the new documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. They also revisit music nostalgia with an acoustic set from the Descendents and a deep dive into the origins of pop-punk.Finally, they tackle a troubling lawsuit involving a chatbot allegedly influencing a teen’s behavior and the emotional fallout from a failed robotic companion for kids. This episode is packed with tech updates, big moves, and a glimpse into the evolving digital landscape. Don’t miss it!Sponsors:Mint Mobile - Get a new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MintMobile.com/Grumpy. DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/677FOLLOW UPExposing the hawk tuah scamHowie Mandel’s Son-In-Law Behind Disastrous 'Hawk Tuah Girl' Meme Coin LaunchThe Hawk Tuah Memecoin Rug Pull Is The Apotheosis Of Bag CultureWP Engine wins preliminary injunction in WordPress legal battleWaymo's market share is now equal to Lyft within SF.IN THE NEWSGM ends support for Cruise robotaxisAmazon Is a Car Dealership NowMystery "Car-Sized" Drones Reach the Skies of New YorkPentagon says mystery drones over New Jersey are 'not US military,' not likely foreignWhat do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?White House: Drones are manned aircraft; NJ lawmakers say that's not what they were toldMeet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chipApple sued for failing to implement tools that would detect CSAM in iCloudX helped senators update the Kids Online Safety Act so it can't be ‘used to stifle expression’Google Asks Feds to Kill Microsoft’s Cloud Hosting Deal With OpenAIAI Firm’s ‘Stop Hiring Humans’ Billboard Campaign Sparks OutrageBogus AI-Generated Bug Reports Are Driving Open Source Developers NutsHow Cryptocurrency Turns to Cash in Russian BanksCloudflare 2024 Year in ReviewMEDIA CANDYThe Wheel of Time Spins Back Up Again in March 2025Day of the JackalLionessSiloDune ProphecyShrinkingLower DecksReacher Season 3AfraidInside Out: Dream ProductionsMusic by John WilliamsBeatles ‘64Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve StoryApple Music expands its live radio offerings with three new stationsDescendents go Acoustic! | Taylor Guitars SoundcheckWHO INVENTED POP-PUNK??Before Dookie 1: How Punk Became Pop (1976-87)Before Dookie 2: How Punk Became Pop (1988-94)LG stops making Blu-ray players, marking the end of an era — limited units remain while inventory lastsAPPS & DOODADSApple Watch just gained a helpful new feature for inspiring you to stay activeWSKEN for Apple Watch Ultra 2/Ultra Screen Protector 49mm,9H Tempered Glass + Titanium Alloy Frame, [Keep Original] [Touch Sensitive] Lightweight Protective Film iwatch 2 Pack,OriginalGoogle Wallet can now hold your US passportMasterClass On Call gives you on-demand access to AI facsimiles of its expertsMom sues after AI told autistic son to kill parents for restricting screen timeStartup will brick $800 emotional support robot for kids without refundsDvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E MinorDashaun Wesley - Labels! Out Now!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 7, 2024 • 1h 15min
676: Gay Nuclear Frogs
We dive into the TikTok ban drama, Elon Musk’s Tesla pay controversy, and a Chinese ship crew allegedly sabotaging undersea cables. In the news, the former Celsius CEO pleads guilty, Canadian media takes on OpenAI, and Elon Musk wants to rein in ChatGPT. Plus, drug smugglers with Starlink, Meta’s nuclear ambitions, and Apple spying allegations. For media candy, we’ve got Dune: Prophecy, Rings of Power shake-ups, and a Harry Potter baking showdown. In apps & doodads, Spotify’s CEO is richer than Taylor Swift, Cybertruck complaints hit the snow, and Walmart’s $2.3B Vizio deal closes. At the library, check out Starter Villain and learn why “brain rot” is the Oxford word of the year. Finally, on The Dark Side with Dave, it’s malware madness, radioactive toys, and indie Christmas tunes. Don’t miss it!Sponsors:HelloFresh - Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/freegogDeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/676FOLLOW UPTikTok Ban Upheld In Court@davidfindlay.bsky.socialInvestigators say a Chinese ship’s crew deliberately dragged its anchor to cut undersea data cablesElon Musk’s massive, multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package was blocked by a judge againIN THE NEWSFormer Celsius CEO pleads guilty to two fraud chargesCanadian news organizations sue OpenAI for ChatGPT copyright infringementElon Musk asks court to stop OpenAI from becoming a for-profitOpenAI CEO 'not that worried' about Elon Musk's influence in Trump administrationDrug Smugglers Caught With $4.25 Billion Worth Of Meth Were Using SpaceX Starlink for NavigationX says The Onion can’t have Alex Jones’ Infowars accountsAmazon secretly slowed deliveries, deceived anyone who complained, lawsuit saysMeta jumps aboard the nuclear-powered data center bandwagonEmployee lawsuit accuses Apple of spying on its workersMEDIA CANDYA Man on the InsideDune: ProphecyLOTR: The Rings of PowerLord of the Rings: Rings of Power’s Adar actor Joseph Mawle explains why he’s quit seriesHarry Potter: Wizards of BakingHarry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of HousesAPPS & DOODADSThe FTC is investigating Uber for its subscription policiesSpotify CEO Daniel Ek Is Richer Than Any Musician—Yes, Even Taylor SwiftWhere's our friend in the hoodie when we need him?Walmart closed its $2.3 billion acquisition of TV maker VizioCybertruck Owner Complains About Snow Blocking His HeadlightsAT THE LIBRARYStarter Villain by John ScalziCold Eyes - First Contact by Peter CawdronBeacon 23 by Hugh Howey‘Brain rot’: Oxford word of the year 2024 reflects ‘trivial’ use of social mediaTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingStar Wars: Skeleton CrewCaptain EORadioactive 'Most Dangerous Toy in History' Goes on SaleGilbert U-238 Atomic Energy LaboratoryBitter Americans React to UnitedHealthcare CEO’s MurderUnitedHealth FB Group's Post80s(ish) Alternative ChristmasIndie ChristmasNoelTernative 90s Alt Rock ChristmasClassical ChristmasA Christmas Together - John Denver & the MuppetsChipmunks ChristmasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 30, 2024 • 1h 7min
675: A Thanksgiving Blast from the Past with Tim Ferriss
Welcome to our Thanksgiving Weekend Blast from the Past! This is a cleaned-up replay of our very first Thanksgiving with Tim Ferriss. We hope you enjoy and we’ll be back next week in all of our Grumpy Glory!This week, author Tim Ferriss is our special guest. Tim sat with us for an hour, and we talked about his new show on HLN, his fantastic new book club, cool stuff about the quantified self, sleep hacking, and more. We even got a story that wasn't in the books!Sponsors:Mint Mobile - Get a new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MintMobile.com/Grumpy. DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 23, 2024 • 1h 20min
675: Your Own Personal Jesus
In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we dive into the wild, wacky, and often worrying world of tech, media, and everything in between. From a Swiss church using AI to preach the gospel to OpenAI facing a copyright conundrum, and a DNA testing company ghosting its customers, the news is packed with surprises. We also explore Neuralink’s Canadian trials, bizarre domain drama between Alex Jones and The Onion, and why Google might be forced to part ways with Chrome. Plus, a study reveals Tesla’s troubling accident stats, and Germany investigates an undersea sabotage.On the media front, we break down The Old Man, The Day of the Jackal, and Ken Burns’ deep dive into Leonardo da Vinci. Catch teasers for How to Train Your Dragon and The Studio, while Apple TV+ and streaming giants reshuffle strategies. In the gaming and cinema crossover universe, the Minecraft Movie and Silo Season 2 are making waves.We also geek out over Perplexity’s new shopping tool, Bluesky’s rise to 21 million users, and the evolving quirks of Threads and X. Meanwhile, Ghosts by Peter Cawdron lands on our reading list, and Dave Bittner brings the dark side of cybersecurity into focus, including reverse-engineered iPhone hacks and Graykey’s tech secrets.In closing, we pay tribute to Thomas E. Kurtz, co-creator of BASIC, and share some lighthearted shout-outs to the schmactors of the world. Tune in for all the grump and geek you love!Sponsors:HelloFresh - Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/freegog1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/675IN THE NEWSDeus in machina: Swiss church installs AI-powered JesusThere’s No Longer Any Doubt That Hollywood Writing Is Powering AIOpenAI accidentally deleted potential evidence in NY Times copyright lawsuitDNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic dataNeuralink gets approval to start human trials in CanadaThe Weirdest Domains Alex Jones Has to Give to The OnionDOJ: Google must sell Chrome to end monopolyTrump Admin Reportedly Wants to Unleash Driverless Cars on AmericaStudy Finds Tesla Has Higher Rate of Fatal Accidents Than Any Other CarGermany says cut undersea data cables were sabotagedAnyone Can Buy Data Tracking US Soldiers and Spies to Nuclear Vaults and Brothels in GermanyMicrosoft is building wooden data centers to slash carbon emissionsMEDIA CANDYJake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Did Super Bowl Viewership NumbersThe Old ManThe Day of the JackalLeonardo da Vinci by Ken BurnsThe Studio — Official Teaser | Apple TV+Apple TV+ will license its movies to other services to reduce lossesHow To Train Your Dragon | Official Teaser TrailerHow to Train Your Dragon Director Justifies the Live-Action Film’s ExistenceA Minecraft Movie | Official TrailerSilo S2Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi ArabiaDune: ProphecyWilliam Shatner’s Captain Kirk Faces a Long Goodbye in This Stunning Star Trek Anniversary Short765874 - Unification (4K)Daniel Ek just cashed out $35.8 million in Spotify shares. But that’s nothing compared to his co-founder… who just cashed out $383.8 million.Dashaun Wesley: LabelsElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Promise New Podcast to Discuss Destruction of U.S. GovernmentAPPS & DOODADSIntroducing Shop with PerplexityApple Lost the Plot on TextingBluesky hits 20 million usersBluesky CEO Jay Graber says X rival is 'billionaire proof'Bluesky Post Count and Author StatsThreads will prioritize accounts you follow instead of randosAT THE LIBRARYGhosts (First Contact) by Peter CawdronTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the Building‘Star Wars: Visions’ Renewed for Season 3 at Disney+Researcher reverse engineers iPhone's Inactivity Reboot featureLeaked Documents Show What Phones Secretive Tech ‘Graykey’ Can UnlockThomas E. Kurtz, a Creator of BASIC Computer Language, Dies at 96CLOSING SHOUT-OUTSSchmactorsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 16, 2024 • 1h 20min
674: Welcome to DOGE! The Department of Grumpy Entertainment
Dave Bittner, a regular guest and cybersecurity expert, joins the conversation on the latest tech mayhem. They discuss the chaos from a massive Ticketmaster hack and Chegg's struggles against ChatGPT. The outrageous antics of a bear costume insurance fraud group showcase humanity's absurdity, while fresh platforms like Bluesky are gaining traction away from Twitter. On the pop culture front, they reflect on major shows like The Penguin and the bizarre collaborations in the tech world—illustrating the intertwining of entertainment and technology in hilarious ways.

Nov 9, 2024 • 1h 10min
673: Copyright Win for OpenAI, Internet Shock for North Koreans, and much more...
Just Some of the Topics Covered in this Episode:Copyright Lawsuit Dismissal: A federal judge dismissed a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI, filed by news outlets claiming misuse of their content in AI model training.Truth Social’s Stock Drop: Despite a political victory for Donald Trump, shares in his media platform, Truth Social, have plummeted by 22%, leaving investors wary of its future value. Layoffs Roundup:Mozilla Foundation reduces its workforce by 30%, affecting advocacy and global programs.iRobot (makers of Roomba) lays off 105 employees following Amazon’s abandoned acquisition attempt.Nissan announces 9,000 job cuts and a CEO pay reduction by 50%.Tech Housing Crisis in San Francisco: High demand for $700 monthly pod-style beds emphasizes the city’s ongoing housing struggles.NYT Strikes and AI Replacement Controversy: The CEO of Perplexity offered to replace striking New York Times staff with AI, sparking debate over ethical implications.Disney’s New Tech Office: Disney establishes an Office of Technology Enablement focused on AI, AR, and VR, led by former NFL tech executive Jamie Voris.Meta’s Halted Nuclear-Powered Data Center: Meta’s plans for a nuclear-powered data center face delays due to environmental concerns, including a rare bee species found at the site.AI’s Real-World Impact: Thousands in Dublin fell for an AI-generated fake Halloween parade announcement, demonstrating AI’s unintended consequences in misinformation.Canadian TikTok Ban: Canada mandates TikTok to shut down operations, impacting the social media giant’s presence in the country.Australia’s Proposed Social Media Ban for Minors: Legislation aims to limit under-16 access to social media, pushing for stricter age verification.Tesla Summon Feature Update Malfunction: A Tesla owner’s vehicle becomes immobile due to recent software changes, highlighting software update issues in electric cars.Sponsors:Mint Mobile - Get a new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MintMobile.com/Grumpy. DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/673FOLLOW UPOpenAI defeats news outlets' copyright lawsuit over AI training, for nowTruth Social Stock Is Crashing Even Though Trump WonIN THE NEWSMozilla Foundation cuts 30 percent of its staffiRobot lays off another 105 employeesNissan is laying off 9,000 workers and giving its CEO a pay cutSan Francisco Startup Sees Big Demand for Sleeping Pods That Cost $700 a MonthPerplexity CEO offers to replace striking NYT staff with AIStriking ‘NYT’ workers are asking you to skip Wordle—but they made other games for you to playDisney forms dedicated AI and XR group to coordinate company-wide use and adoptionEndangered bees stop Meta’s plan for nuclear-powered AI data centerAI Slop Website Sent Thousands of People to a Halloween Parade That Didn’t ExistNew report details ‘vast spying’ by China-linked telecom hackersCanada orders TikTok to shut down its business operations in the country due to 'national security risks'Australia proposes 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16Tesla updated its summon feature. Now this owner can’t get to his car.Google has no duty to refund gift card scam victims, judge findsNvidia ousts Intel from Dow Jones Index after 25-year runNorth Korean Soldiers Deployed to Ukraine Reportedly "Gorging" on Uncensored Internet's PornMEDIA CANDYAI Replaced All the Staff at a Radio Station in PolandYou can now post tracks to TikTok from Spotify and Apple MusicSquid Game: Season 2 | Official Teaser | NetflixThe Apprentice - An American Horror StoryThe Diplomat Season 2THE CURE :: SONGS OF A LOST WORLD :: FULL LIVE STREAMAPPS & DOODADSAmazon Kindle Colorsoft e-reader shipping is cancelledX now lets blocked users see your postsAI Has Come for Sweet, Innocent NotepadNew Apple repair program will fix iPhone 14 Plus' rear camera issue for freeiPod fans evade Apple’s DRM to preserve 54 lost clickwheel-era gamesApple Acquires Photo Editing Software Company PixelmatorAmazon reportedly bumped back its AI-powered Alexa to next yearWant to make a website look like Windows 98? You'll be needing 98.cssTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingGuy calls the ISS with an Amateur RadioA New Star Wars Trilogy Is Coming, and It Could Be Episodes 10, 11, and 12Police Freak Out at iPhones Mysteriously Rebooting Themselves, Locking Cops OutCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSGreg Hildebrandt, iconic Star Wars and Lord of the Rings artist, has died at 85Quincy Jones, music legend who shaped Michael Jackson's career, dies at 91Voice of AOL’s Iconic ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Alert Dies at 74See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 2, 2024 • 1h 12min
672: Elon or Not?
Cash App class action; Tesla camera-based FSD questioned; Trump Media stock swings; standing desks are the new eggs; Dropbox layoffs; OpenAI Whisper invents parts of transcriptions, frequently; ChatGPT search; post scarcity AI BS; AI coding ouroboros of confusion; Musk crypto scams; Underworld; The Cure; A Man on the Inside; the Diplomat; Instagram throttles video quality; META to fill feeds with more AI; SetApp; Echoes of Extinction; Polostan; the Cube Rule of food identification; Disney hack; this is Halloween.Sponsors:HelloFresh - Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/freegog1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/672FOLLOW UPCash App users can claim thousands of dollars in a data breach settlementElon Musk May Have Made a Huge Mistake on Full Self-Driving That It's Too Late to CorrectIN THE NEWSTrump's social media company is now worth more than Musk's X after recent surge in stock priceTrump loses $1.3 billion in net worth after the worst-ever day for his social media stockStanding Desks Aren’t Just Useless—They Might Also Be Bad for Your HealthFacebook Is Auto-Generating Militia Group Pages as Extremists Continue to Organize in Plain SightDropbox is laying off 20 percent of its workforceOpenAI's Whisper invents parts of transcriptions — a lotIntroducing ChatGPT searchOpenAI CEO Sam Altman says lack of compute capacity is delaying the company's productsGoogle CEO says a quarter of the company’s new code is already AI generatedOpen-source AI must reveal its training data, per new OSI definitionElon Musk Fans Are Losing So Much Money to Crypto ScamsMEDIA CANDYUnderworld - Strawberry HotelThe Cure - Songs of a Lost WorldA Man on the InsideAPPS & DOODADSMosseri confirms Instagram reduces video quality for posts that aren’t raking in viewsMark Zuckerberg Pledges to Fill Facebook With Even More AI SlopFeds Recall Humane AI Pin Charger Due to Fire RiskFrom Goodreads' founder, Smashing debuts its AI-powered app for online readersSmashingSign up for SetApp today!Mac Geek Gab PodcastObsidianUlyssesCraftApple NotesAT THE LIBRARYDestiny: Echoes of Extinction: Book 4 by D. Ward CornellNexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah HarariTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingSkeleton Crew | Official Trailer | Disney+The Cube Rule of Food IdentificationA fired Disney employee allegedly altered menus to change allergy markersCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSJeri Taylor, Co-Creator of Star Trek: Voyager, Dies at 86Teri Garr, Star of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ Dies at 79See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 26, 2024 • 1h 8min
671: Lorum Ipsum Is My Sister
San Fran embracing self-driving cars; not-Bitcoin creator in hiding; i h8 ai; anti-AI artist open letter; X updates their policies; more people leave OpenAI; SynthID; 23andMe and your genetic data; no more fake online reviews; private equity acquires Squarespace; right to repair; Tesla Blade Runner AI ripoff; Star Trek frogs; the Riker Maneuver; de-extinction; a whole slew of great new shows dropping - Star Trek, Dune, Silo & more; Good Omens season 3 now just a movie; Cruel World and nostalgia fatigue; are we not retired? we are Devo; Fresco, free; Penguin adds a robots.txt file to their books.Sponsors:HelloFresh - Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/freegogPrivate Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordDeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Show notes at https://gog.show/671FOLLOW UPHow San Francisco Learned to Love Self-Driving CarsPeter Todd Is in Hiding After a Documentary Named Him as Bitcoin’s CreatorIN THE NEWSi h8 aiMore than 10,500 artists sign open letter protesting unlicensed AI trainingX updates its privacy policy to allow third parties to train AI models with its dataFormer OpenAI Researcher Says the Company Broke Copyright LawOpenAI and Microsoft are funding $10 million in grants for AI-powered journalismByteDance intern fired for planting malicious code in AI modelsLongtime policy researcher Miles Brundage leaves OpenAIGoogle offers its AI watermarking tech as free open source toolkit23andMe faces an uncertain future — so does your genetic dataA federal ban on fake online reviews is now in effectPrivate Equity Firm Permira Acquires Squarespace for $7.2 BillionThe Feds Are Coming for John Deere Over the Right to RepairMeta bans private jet tracking accounts on Instagram and ThreadsElon Musk, Tesla and WBD sued over alleged 'Blade Runner 2049' AI ripoff for Cybercab promotionSeven newly named frog species make whistles that sound like Star TrekRiker sits downDe-extinction company provides a progress report on thylacine effortsMEDIA CANDYShrinking S2 - Out nowThe Diplomat S2 - Oct 31Star Trek: Lower Decks S5 - Oct 24Silo S2 - Nov 15Dune: Prophecy - Nov 17Star Trek: Section 31 - Jan 25, 2025Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S3 - 2025‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Gets Early Season 2 Renewal, Adds Tatiana Maslany As Recurring‘Black Mirror’: ‘Outer Banks’ & ‘She Hulk’ Actor Nicholas Cirillo Joins Cast Of Season 7‘Good Omens’ To End With One 90-Minute Episode As Neil Gaiman Exits Following Sexual Assault AllegationsMidnight MassBuffy the Vampire Slayer Is Finally Streaming for Free in Time for HalloweenThe Lincoln Lawyer Season 3Lioness | Season 2 Sneak Peek | Paramount+ - Oct 27thCruel World FestDevo Has the Uncontrollable Urge to RetireAPPS & DOODADSAdobe made its painting app completely free to take on ProcreateMidjourney launches AI image editor: how to use itStartup School: Gen AIAI in Marketing: Fast-track your skillsPerplexity AI app for macOS now available on the Mac App StoreBluesky Teases Creator Payments While New Sign-Ups Explode After Elon Musk’s Destruction of TwitterNew AirPods Pro 2 firmware now available for iOS 18.1’s hearing health featuresApple’s macOS Sequoia lets you snap windows into position — here’s howWeb Design MuseumDiff Text - Compare Text OnlineSetAppJOIN TIMBALAND AND DISCOVER HOW SUNO CAN ELEVATE YOUR SOUNDSan Francisco to pay $212 million to end reliance on 5.25-inch floppy disksAT THE LIBRARYPenguin Adds a Do-Not-Scrape-for-AI Page to Its BooksBookcase by AstropadCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSPhilip G. Zimbardo, the Stanford psychologist behind the controversial 'Stanford Prison Experiment' dies at 91Ward Christensen, BBS inventor and architect of our online age, dies at age 78Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela is gone. But 'Fernandomania' will live forever.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 19, 2024 • 1h 12min
670: Just Buy the Thing!
More Wordpress & WPEngine shots fired; hate mail; European road organizations reject the Cybertruck; EU fines against X; civil rights commission pans FART (facial recognition technology); FCC looking into broadband caps; NYT tells Perplexity to stop using its content; AI writing police reports; Instagram becoming Myspace; TikTok knows damn well how bad their product is; Google, Amazon go nuclear for their AI; the Diplomat; Lincoln Lawyer; Shrinking; Silo; Apple digital car keys; new Amazon kindles; robot vacuum hacked; Ham license update; fridges; old songs on road trips.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/670FOLLOW UPThe GOG Store is OPEN!Response to DHH - OriginalResponse to DHH - EditedWordPress.org’s latest move involves taking control of a WP Engine pluginSecure Custom FieldsInternal blog post reveals Automattic's plan to enforce the WordPress trademark using 'nice and not nice lawyers'Employees Describe an Environment of Paranoia and Fear Inside Automattic Over WordPress ChaosIN THE NEWSEuropean Road Safety Orgs Are Terrified of the CybertruckThe EU’s Fines Against Elon Musk May Be Much Larger Than AnticipatedCivil Rights Commission Pans Face Recognition TechnologyFCC launches a formal inquiry into why broadband data caps are terribleThe New York Times tells Perplexity to stop using its contentFrom Elon Musk to cop car chases, how a software engineer launched a police AI startupProsecutors in Washington State Warn Police: Don’t Use Gen AI to Write ReportsInstagram is introducing profile cards to help users find new friendsTikTok is reportedly aware of its bad effects on teen usersGoogle strikes a deal with a nuclear startup to power its AI data centersAmazon goes nuclear, to invest more than $500 million to develop small modular reactorsNASA's Europa Clipper mission is on its way to JupiterMEDIA CANDYThe Diplomat, Season 1The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3Apple TV+ announces sixth season for “Slow Horses,” starring Gary OldmanShrinking on Apple TV+ gets early season 3 pickupSilo — Season 2 Official Trailer | Apple TV+APPS & DOODADSApple may be adding digital car key support for specific Volvo, Polestar and Audi vehiclesGoogle is purging ad-blocking extension uBlock Origin from the Chrome Web StoreAdobe starts rolling out generative AI video tools in betaAdobe shows off 3D rotation tool for flat drawingsAmazon announces first Kindle ever with color screen, retailing for $279Robot vacuums spew racial slurs at owners in wake of hackWalk the Distance app deleted...THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingWP Engine asks court to stop Matt Mullenweg from blocking access to WordPress resourcesHamStudyShe'll Be Coming Around The MountainRoll Out The BarrelOh! SusannaI’ve Been Working On The RailroadThis Land is Your LandOh My Darling ClementineClementine (Live) - Tom LehrerThis Land Is Your Land (Live) - The Clancy BrothersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 12, 2024 • 1h 14min
669: HamFest
The beginning of the end for Wordpress; open source, or not; police Cybertrucks; Apple Intelligence rolling out; dystopian AI text summaries; X sends money to the wrong bank, argues that Twitter ceased to exist; Internet Archive attacked; Instagram, Threads moderation out of control; the Penguin; Beetlejuice; Salem's Lot; Joker; Kaos cancelled; Bitcoin doc; Green Day demastered; Roblox; Megalopolis; Tesla's Cybercab; is Elon a modern PT Barnum, or worse; ham radios, HamFests, TRS-80, cameras, Disneyland and chasing the nostalgia dragon.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/669FOLLOW UPJason’s Threads PostMatt Mullenweg: ‘WordPress.org just belongs to me’Why WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg has gone 'nuclear' against tech investing giant Silver LakeWPEngine, Matt, Automattic & Wordpress.org megathreadWordpress.org/Matt vs WPEngine megathread, Part 2Automattic is doing open source dirtyThe Pettiest Drama in the Tech World Is Taking Place at … WordPress?DirectusCalifornia Cops Show Off Absurd New Cybertruck With Music From Terminator MoviesTeslas "nearly unusable" for police workIN THE NEWSThe first Apple Intelligence features are expected to arrive on October 28Man learns he’s being dumped via “dystopian” AI summary of textsX reportedly paid its Brazil fines to the wrong bank, causing further delay in reinstatement caseX lost a court battle after trying to claim ‘Twitter ceased to exist’The Internet Archive taken down by DDoS attacksInstagram and Threads moderation is out of control - The VergeChina Joins SpaceX in Ruining Astronomy for EverybodyMEDIA CANDYThe PenguinBeetlejuice BeetlejuiceSalem’s LotSalem’s Lot 1979Joker: Folie à Deux Bombed—What Went Wrong?Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan in Talks for Guy Ritchie’s ‘Ray Donovan’ Offshoot ‘The Donovans’'Kaos' Canceled: Jeff Goldblum Netflix Comedy Series Won't Get Second SeasonReacher Gets Early Season 4 Renewal At Prime VideoControversial HBO Documentary Concludes Peter Todd Invented BitcoinGreen Day's Dookie has been demastered into Game Boy carts, a toothbrush and other weird formatsAmazon Seeks to Dismiss Prime Video Ad Tier LawsuitAPPS & DOODADSRoblox Is Playing Dumb About the Bots and Predators on Its Platform, Hindenburg Research SaysMeta is working to fix Threads' engagement bait problemAT THE LIBRARYConstituent Service - A Third District Story by John Scalzi and narrated by Amber BensonEarn It: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers by Steve PrattPolostan: A thrilling historical epic from #1 New Yortk Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson, perfect for fans of historical fiction and espionage thrillers. (Bomb Light) Kindle Edition by Neal StephensonMists of Time: Echoes of Extinction: Book 3 by D. Ward CornellTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingEnable iPhone orientation lock for specific appsA Look Inside Apple's $130 USB-C CableMegalopolisTesla's Cybercab Is HereI am seriously considering getting my ham radio license. I want this, but I do not need this - stuff vs. experiencesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.