In this episode of Tech News Weekly, Mikah Sargent and CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti talk the latest developments in self-driving tech, Sonos' work on a new streaming box, an AI-assisted Beatles song winning a Grammy, and the current state of Meta's Quest platform according to developers. - Uber is expanding its partnership with Waymo, allowing people in Austin to summon a Waymo robo-taxi through the Uber app. Abrar shares her experiences with self-driving cars and discusses the evolving relationship between Uber and Waymo. - Sonos is reportedly working on a new streaming box codenamed "Pinewood," which includes an HDMI switch to address inconsistencies in smart TV firmware and software. The device is expected to cost between $200 and $400, and it aims to provide a full-featured streaming sound setup. - An AI-assisted Beatles track, "Now and Then," won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance, sparking conversations about the role of AI in music and art. The US Copyright Office has stated that AI tools used to assist in the creative process don't undermine the copyright of the work. - Developers are struggling with declining sales and visibility on the Meta Quest app store, despite record revenue for Meta Reality Labs. Meta's focus on its own Horizon Worlds app seems to be at the expense of traditional VR games. Some developers find it more profitable to sell on other platforms like Steam and PlayStation VR. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Bookshop.org is now offering a Kindle alternative. How hackers are hijacking WordPress sets to put out malware. And how people are freaking out about DeepSeek since it made a huge splash this past week. Dan Moren is joining Mikah Sargent this week! Dan talks about how Bookshop.org is now selling e-books, but Dan has concerns about how this could present technological challenges with DRM and app store fees. Mikah shares how hackers are hijacking WordPress sites and using them to push out malware for both Windows and Mac machines. Mikah also talks about how DeepSeek has made a huge splash in the technology world since this past Sunday and what has happened with the technology community and AI as a whole. And Eric Migicovsky, founder of the smartwatch company Pebble, joins Mikah to talk about exciting news with Pebble. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Guest: Eric Migicovsky Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com zscaler.com/security veeam.com

A massive data breach affected millions of students, parents, and teachers. Someone discovered security flaws within Subaru vehicles. And everything that was announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025. Emily Forlini is joining Mikah Sargent this week! Emily talks about a massive security incident with software company PowerSchool, in which 62 million students' personal data was stolen, along with parents and teachers. Mikah talks about how a security researcher discovered a security flaw within a Subaru vehicle that gave them access to its location data through web vulnerabilities. And Patrick Holland from CNET joins the show to discuss everything unveiled at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, including the S25 phones. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini Guest: Patrick Holland Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly Melissa.com/twit

Kaya Yurieff, a reporter for The Information, discusses the looming shutdown of TikTok in the U.S., diving into the national security debates surrounding the app and its impact on users. Ben Wilson from Windows Central highlights the end of Microsoft 365 support for Windows 10, set for October 2025, urging listeners to upgrade to ensure security. Additionally, the show explores cutting-edge smart home technology unveiled at CES 2025, emphasizing innovations in interoperability and robotic cleaning devices.

This week on Tech News Weekly, host Mikah Sargent is joined by guest co-host Dan Moren to discuss Siri privacy concerns and how Apple could leverage AI to improve the user experience. Jason Hiner of ZDNET.com reports on CES 2025 on the latest TV displays, NVIDIA's AI innovations, and more. Then Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, weighs in on Meta's controversial decision to end fact-checking on its platforms. Dan's latest column explores how Apple could use AI to benefit users by improving spam filtering, search capabilities, and automation. Implementing these features would align with Apple's focus on simplifying technology. Apple released a statement clarifying that Siri recordings are not being used to build ad profiles, despite an ongoing conspiracy theory that devices are always listening. In reality, ad targeting is based on online behavior. At CES 2025, new TV display technologies were announced including brighter OLED panels likely using "tandem OLED" and a new mini-LED backlight system from Hisense for improved color depth. Lenovo showcased an expensive laptop prototype with a screen that rolls up to double in size, though it may have limited practical appeal for now. NVIDIA unveiled COSMOS, an AI framework to generate synthetic training data for robots and self-driving systems, which could accelerate future autonomous innovations. Offbeat CES products included an electric spoon that makes low-sodium foods taste saltier to promote healthier eating, and aggressively priced TVs from TCL. Meta announced it will end fact-checking and rely on community moderation, which CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed argues will amplify the spread of misinformation and cause real-world harms. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Guests: Jason Hiner and Imran Ahmed Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: veeam.com uscloud.com Melissa.com/twit

In the first episode of 2025, Mikah and Abrar discuss Meta's plans to add AI bots to their social media platforms, the rise of AI-generated phishing scams, the trend of parents giving their kids retro tech devices to reduce screen time, and the current state and future potential of passkeys for secure logins. Meta plans to populate Facebook and Instagram with AI-generated bot accounts that can create content, share posts, and interact with users, in an effort to drive engagement as user growth stagnates. Abrar and Mikah debate the pros and cons of AI bots on social media. Cybersecurity experts have seen a significant increase in sophisticated phishing scams using AI to generate hyper-personalized messages mimicking people's communication styles, with over 90% of successful cyberattacks now beginning with phishing emails. Abrar and Mikah discuss cybersecurity training and email filtering used by companies to combat this. There's a growing trend of parents gifting their kids retro tech like Walkmans, portable CD players, and MP3 players in an effort to reduce screen time. Mikah and Abrar reflect on the appeal of single-purpose devices and bonding over music. Passkeys, a new login technology aiming to replace passwords, have seen increasing adoption but face usability challenges and inconsistent implementation across sites and devices. Mikah explains how passkeys work and recommends using password managers for now, as both hosts agree passkeys aren't quite ready for mainstream adoption yet. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT cachefly.com/twit

Emily Forlini, a PCMag journalist, shares her humorous and lackluster experiences with AI dating apps. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy discusses the Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against Apple, raising alarm over monopolistic practices. Abrar Al-Heeti reveals how Harvard students created i-XRAY, an app using smart glasses for real-time data access, prompting privacy concerns. Meanwhile, Nick Steele and David Turner from the FIDO Alliance dive into new standards for passkey portability, emphasizing security in digital authentication.

Scott Wilkinson, a home theater expert from Home Theater Geeks, shares insights on the latest advancements in home theater tech, including OLED displays and ultra short throw projectors. Nasha Addarich Martínez, Managing Editor at CNET, discusses innovative sleepwear technology designed to improve napping experiences. They also explore Nvidia's new affordable AI supercomputer that empowers hobbyists and the launch of Flipboard's Surf Social, a platform for curated content sharing. Tune in for a blend of tech insights and quirky anecdotes!

This week features Jason Howell, a technology expert who gives an insider’s view of Google's Android XR, an innovative operating system designed for augmented and virtual reality. He discusses its advanced capabilities like multimodal controls and eye tracking, showcasing how it redefines user experiences. Amanda Silberling also delves into OpenAI's Sora video generation model, discussing its training on gaming content, while the ongoing legal tussle between Automattic and WP Engine sheds light on the complexities of the tech industry.

Scott Stein, a CNET journalist known for his insights on tech innovations, discusses the innovative Xreal One Smart Glasses, highlighting their augmented reality capabilities. Joseph Cox from 404Media delves into the FTC's crackdown on data companies like Venntel, addressing privacy concerns and the ethical implications of location data sales. The conversation also touches on TikTok's ban on beauty filters for teens, promoting healthier digital self-image, and a controversial AI app that predicts life expectancy, sparking debates on the morality of mortality forecasts.