Abrar Al-Heeti joins Tech News Weekly this week! OpenAI launches Sora 2. AI is powering more fraudulent ads. Amazon updates its lineup of products. And Google incorporates Gemini into its smart home devices.

• OpenAI launches Sora 2, its latest video generator app. Sora 2 seeks to rival platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• DoubleVerify's DV Fraud Lab has detected a rise in fraudulent apps available for download, with AI powering these apps to hijack mobile devices.
• Amazon held its Fall Hardware Event this past week, unveiling the latest Echo devices, Ring security cameras, and its next-gen Alexa+ chatbot being available in these devices.
• And Florence Ion joins the show to discuss Google's revamp of its smart home devices, introducing Gemini for Google Home and the new Google Home Speaker, which is slated to launch in Spring 2026.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti

Guest: Florence Ion

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Are Windows 11's evolving context menus about to become useful or just cluttered chaos? This episode unpacks Microsoft's bold new interface tweaks and how third-party developers could shake up your right-click routine.

Host: Paul Thurrott

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Spotlight is getting a serious upgrade in macOS Tahoe, surfacing your files, windows, and even cloud content with smarter, faster results. Allow Mikah to walk you through the surprising shortcuts and hidden tricks that will change how you find everything on your Mac.

• Quick access to Spotlight via keyboard or menu bar
• Recentering Spotlight Search bar with control-click shortcut
• Enhanced search rankings based on personal use and relevance
• Refined filtering by app, file type, provider, or folder
• Spotlight displays results from open windows and browser tabs
• Cloud storage integration expands search to Dropbox, Google Drive
• Website search shortcuts for popular sites like Amazon and YouTube
• Direct questions and smart queries supported with Siri and ChatGPT
• Spotlight suggests actions and deeper settings directly from search
• Performance quirks and indexing delays still present in Spotlight

Host: Mikah Sargent

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Confused by Apple's ever-expanding Watch lineup? Mikah and Rosemary cut through the specs and hype to help you decide which Apple Watch (SE 3, Series 11, or Ultra 3) is actually worth your money! Get honest advice about brightness, battery, bands, and who should actually skip this year's upgrade

• Apple's latest Apple Watch lineup explained: SE 3, Series 11, Ultra 3
• Key Apple Watch features: displays, sensors, health tracking compared
• Choosing the right case size and reusing Apple Watch bands
• Pricing and material differences across Apple Watch models
• Always-On displays, chip parity, and precision finding detailed
• Health features: ECG, hypertension, blood oxygen—who needs which model?
• Battery life breakdown for SE3, Series 11, Ultra 3, and what "all day" means
• SE3 vs. Series 11: What features justify upgrading?
• Ultra 3 advantages: screen size, battery, ruggedness, satellite SOS, diving
• Sizing issues with Ultra 3 for smaller wrists
• Upgrade recommendations: who should buy which Apple Watch?
• Feedback: iPhone battery life obsession and deep power-saving tips
• Troubleshooting group iMessage notification bugs with multiple devices
• App Caps: Cassette Home Video Player app brings VHS nostalgia to iPhone

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

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Terrence Huntington, who composed the theme music for Home Theater Geeks, built his own home theater in the basement of his house way back in 2014. The space was very limited, but he made the most of it with a killer system. He called it the Duck and Cover Theater because it was barely big enough to stand up in, but once you were seated and the lights went down, it was movie magic.

Host: Scott Wilkinson

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What happens when ex-Google innovators build an AI-powered app that turns your emails, favorite subreddits, and even your calendar into a custom radio station you can talk to? In this episode, the creators of Hux reveal how they're reimagining the way we consume information and why radio and podcasts might never be the same.

• Pluralistic: The real (economic) AI apocalypse is nigh (27 Sep 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
• It's time to prepare for AI personhood
• Creator of AI Actress Tilly Norwood Responds to Backlash: "She Is Not a Replacement for a Human Being"
• Link to the podslop podcasts
• California Governor Signs Sweeping A.I. Law
• Sen. Mark Kelly's big plan for an AI future isn't ambitious enough
• ** DeepMind defines levels of AGI
• Pissed-off Fans Flooded the Twin Peaks Reddit With AI Slop To Protest Its AI Policies
• AI passed the hardest CFA test in minutes
• ChatGPT is now 20% of Walmart's referral traffic — while Amazon wards off AI shopping agents
• Amazon event live blog: we're here for new Echos, Kindles, and more
• Introducing ChatGPT Pulse | OpenAI
• Marissa Mayer Is Dissolving Her Sunshine Startup Lab to make AI digital assistant
• That Secret Service SIM farm story is bogus
• Judge Gives Preliminary Approval to Anthropic Settlement
• It's official: Google says the Android and ChromeOS merger is coming 'next year'
• Blippo+
• Guardian sliders
• Ive's $4,800 lantern

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau

Guest: Raiza Martin

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Windows 11 version 25H2 is here, but blink and you might miss the difference from last year! Also, Microsoft just hiked Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $30/month and is leaving gamers everywhere weighing their subscriptions—and their loyalty.

25H2 is here?!

• Microsoft announced that 25H2 is GA! But where is it?
• And what is it? Microsoft has a list of "new" features

More Windows 11

• Microsoft delivers the 24H2 Week D update in Week E
• No, it's not the preview version of 25H2 for some reason
• But it is a massive update. And it is essentially 25H2
• Pavan Davuluri was promoted to president and his first change was to bring Windows engineering back in-house and out of Azure
• Dev and Beta: Minor changes to File Explorer, Quick settings, Get Started
• Photos app is getting AI-based categories
• Windows 10 Extended Security Updates to be free-free in the EU

Snapdragon X2

• It's real and it's really better than almost anything out there. The bad news: Not until next year
• Hardware prototypes point the way for device makers
• Arm is the epiphany we need for everything to just work
• Also, apparently Qualcomm still makes phone chips
• Qualcomm declares "total litigation victory" against Arm Holdings. More like Harm Holdings, ammmi right?

AI

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella steps aside to focus on engineering
• Microsoft enters a new era for Copilot/AI
• "More Copilot" is the new "more cowbell"
• Microsoft 365 Premium is the AI-powered subscription you were looking for, Copilot Pro is out
• This maps neatly to the three app structure model and to Paul's "I will not pay for AI" thing
• Tied to this, Microsoft also announced inside app vibe working updates across Office apps
• Is this also tied to low uptick on paid AI? Report claims just 8 million seats for Microsoft 365 Copilot
• Stevie Bathiche came to Hawaii to talk about the importance of NPUs and on-device AI
• "Directive AI, 80 TOPS NPUs enable concurrent AI, AI agents are the "outside app" structure, Orchestration is evolving
• Copilot users can talk to a cartoon now

Xbox and gaming

• Major revamp to Xbox Game Pass with some good and some bad
• Xbox Cloud Gaming is out of beta after what feels like 17 years, now on all Game Pass tiers
• Game Pass Ultimate gets big price hike but also some improvements
• Game Pass Premium replaces Standard
• Game Pass Essential replaces Core
• Amazon Luna got a big update too
• You can preorder a ROG Xbox Ally Gaming handheld now
• And Microsoft announces how it will handle compatibility
• Costco drops Xbox consoles
• Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to P5 in 2025
• EA goes private for $55 billion

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Videogames are getting expensive
• App pick of the week: Proton Mail
• RunAs Radio this week: HaveIBeenPwned with Troy Hunt
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Compass Box Vellichor
  

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Cisco's routers just exposed more than two million networks thanks to a "security optional" SNMP setup that's being actively exploited—Steve and Leo break down why this is a worst-case scenario for the industry and how easily it could have been avoided.

• Gmail's spam filtering false-positive spree.
• iOS 26's Safari randomizes its fingerprint by default.
• Cisco's SNMP stands for "Security Not My Problem".
• Windows' "stuck" Extended Security Updates (ESU).
• Europe complains, gets 1-year of ESU with no strings.
• Where to get $6 TLS certs (really) while they last.
• The lessons to learn from Jaguar Land Rover's mess.
• The NEON app: get paid to have your voice recorded.
• Bluesky's age verification, now coming to Ohio.
• What is "Kids Web Services" for age verification.
• More than 10K Ollama instances publicly exposed.
• GRC's DNS Benchmark reaches "release candidate"

Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1045-Notes.pdf

Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte

Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now.

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Intel has reportedly approached Apple about investing in the company. Some of Apple's new features will be delayed in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act. A study showcases a dramatic rise in fraudulent mobile apps on both iOS and Android. And Apple is working on its own ChatGPT-style chatbot app, which is being tested internally by employees.

• Intel is seeking an investment from Apple as part of its comeback bid.
• Apple warns of more feature delays in Europe.
• New study shows 'massive spike' in fraudulent apps powered by AI.
• Apple releases iOS 26.0.1 with fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and camera issues on iPhone 17 models.
• Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 with M3 Ultra bug fix.
• Apple working on all-new operating system.
• New iPad Pro with M5 chip leaked in unboxing video.
• Two new Apple displays nearing mass production, may launch this year.
• Apple's ChatGPT-style chatbot app deserves a public release.
• Apple researchers develop SimpleFold, a lightweight AI for protein folding prediction.
• Jessica Chastain 'not aligned' with Apple's decision to delay series about hate groups.
• Why did Apple get cold feet about 'Savant'?
• Tigers-Red Sox clash on Apple TV+ will feature live game footage on new iPhone 17 Pro.
• College football keeps picking iPad over Surface as fourth conference joins team Apple.
• Now available: Adobe Premiere on iPhone brings pro-quality video editing to creators.
• FCC mistakenly leaks confidential iPhone 16e schematics.
• Apple responds to iPhone 17 Pro scratch and durability concerns.
• Meet the new light of Jony Ive's life.
• Why Ford's CEO doesn't love Apple CarPlay Ultra.

Picks of the Week

• Jason's Picks: Relay for St. Jude
• Alex's Pick: Vertical Heart Set Insert Tool
• Andy's Pick: UGREEN Phone Stand
• Leo's Pick: Nomat Goods Horween Leather Folio for iPhone 17 Pro Max

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell

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With Nvidia's plan to invest $100 billion over time in OpenAI, is this type of investment in other competitors healthy for AI? Can LLMs actually handle enterprise tools and tasks? Meta launches a new AI short-form video feed. Apple is testing a new internal chatbot called Veritas as part of its efforts to revamp Siri.

• Nvidia (intends to) invest (up to) $100B in OpenAI (over time).
• Spending on AI is at epic levels. Will it ever pay off?.
• Jensen Huang: "We're already seeing trillion-dollar AI investments".
• How Anthropic and OpenAI are developing AI 'co-workers'.
• OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs.
• OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs.
• Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop.
• Trump signs executive order supporting proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership.
• Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement over allegations it misled Prime users.
• Is GenZ unemployable?
• Top economists and Jerome Powell agree that Gen Z's hiring nightmare is real—and it's not about AI eating entry-level jobs.
• AI startup friend bets on foes with $1M NYC subway campaign.
• Peter Thiel wants everyone to think more about the Antichrist.
• Apple builds a ChatGPT-like App to help test the revamped Siri.

Host: Alex Kantrowitz

Guests: Brian McCullough, Dan Shipper, and Ari Paparo

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Could mutli-kernel's be the next thing? The latest beta of KDS Plasma 6.5 is out now. Raspberry PI announces the 500+ as its next all-in-one desktop computer. And APT is finally getting the much needed history features.

Catch the show notes here! http://bit.ly/3Wc0TrL

Host: Jonathan Bennett

Co-Hosts: Rob Campbell, Ken McDonald, and Jeff Massie

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After a week of real-world use, Mikah Sargent shares his review of the iPhone 17 Pro Max on Hands-On Tech. He discusses whether the device lives up to the hype, what falls short, and whether it is worth upgrading to.

Continue to send your questions to Mikah for the show! hot@twit.tv

Host: Mikah Sargent

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It's almost time for Artemis II to fly to the moon! We got together with Space.com writer Josh Dinner, who joined our own Tariq to attend the "astro unveiling" of NASA's newest class of astronauts and a major press event surrounding the crew of Artemis II. The mission is currently scheduled to loop the moon in early 2026. Join us for the newest details!

Headlines:
• NASA's Escapade Mission Gears Up for Mars Launch
• Rocket Lab Prepares for First Interplanetary Mission
• Dream Chaser Space Plane's ISS Debut Delayed, Contract Adjustments Announced
• Simulated Universe Creates 3.4 Billion Digital Galaxies
• Reflections on the Evolution of Space Missions—From Apollo to Artemis

Main Topic: Artemis II Updates and NASA's Next Generation Astronauts
• Our Reporters Go Behind the Scenes at Johnson Space Center
• Artemis II Launch Windows Announced for Feb-April 2026
• Overview of Artemis II Crew and Their Spaceflight Experience
• Mission Profile: Free Return Trajectory, Timeline, and Unique Features
• Naming of Orion Capsule as "Integrity"
• NASA Preps for Extensive, Real-time Media Coverage During Artemis II
• Discussion of Public Enthusiasm and Challenges for Engaging a Modern Audience
• Artemis II Crew Details, Training, and Scientific Goals
• Addressing Orion Heat Shield Issues and Design Updates
• Training for Artemis III: Simulating Lunar Gravity and EVA Preparation
• NASA Unveils New Astronaut Class with Diverse Backgrounds
• Discussion of Astronaut Demographics, Public Messaging, and International Partners

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Josh Dinner

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Emily Forlini of PCMag joins Mikah Sargent this week! The EU is considering ending the cookie consent banners. Amazon reaches a $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC. Some insight into why the new iPhone 17 Pros are more prone to scratches and dings. And is TechWoven truly better than FineWoven?

• Emily talks about how the EU is considering ending the cookie consent banners that pop up when users visit websites.
• Mikah shares how the FTC is bringing Amazon to trial over allegations that the company misled users into signing up for Amazon Prime. However, Amazon has settled the matter for a cool $2.5 billion!
• And Liz Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability of iFixit, joins the show to discuss what has led to the iPhone 17 Pro showing more wear than the other models, the organization's teardown of the iPhone Air, and how Apple's TechWoven improves on some of the failures of the previous FineWoven material.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini

Guest: Liz Chamberlain

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From high frame rate movies to Bluetooth lossless technology, Scott answers audience questions and throws a bit of shade at industry trends. Get the unfiltered truth about what matters and what doesn't in this 2nd live chatroom special of 2025!

Host: Scott Wilkinson

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Why does Microsoft quietly ship important new protections without enabling them, and should you trust the defaults? Join us as we unpack Windows 11's quiet security secrets and what they mean for your digital life.

Host: Paul Thurrott

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Apple created a dedicated phone app for macOS Tahoe, standing apart from FaceTime and bringing live voicemail transcripts, call screening, and real-time translation to your Mac.

• Initial setup steps for using the new Phone app
• Key settings and features: ringtones, call routing, and permissions
• Hold Assist notifies when support hold time ends
• Live Voicemail previews and real-time screening for incoming calls
• Options for silencing and filtering unknown callers
• Calling experience: dialing, FaceTime audio/video, and call options
• In-call features: adding people, call recording, and live transcription
• On-call live translation with language downloads and beta limitations
• Managing call history, favorites, filtering, and blocked numbers

Host: Mikah Sargent

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Mikah and Rosemary share candid reactions to Apple's latest iPhone, revealing why features like the vapor cooling, revamped cameras, and an unexpectedly handy crossbody strap might change how you use your phone day to day.

• Hands-on experiences with iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max and launch day delivery
• Setup process: phone-to-phone transfer vs iCloud and USB-C cable speeds
• Cooler operation, aluminum unibody, and vapor cooling
• 48MP sensors, 8x optical zoom, and new selfie features
• Camera and action button: usability, custom settings, and accessibility tricks
• Crossbody strap and tech woven case: practicality, design, and user reactions
• Accessory talk: screen protectors, AirPods Pro 3, and lanyard compatibility
• Performance bumps: chip responsiveness, battery life, wifi 7 first impressions
• Color and model picks: regrets, capacity choices, and Air vs. Pro Max debate
• News: Apple Restore Fund is investing in California redwoods for carbon removal
• Feedback segment: integrating task management with calendar apps
• App Caps: Apple TechWoven case and Spigen glass screen protectors

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

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Are we repeating the mistakes of the dot-com boom with today's AI gold rush? Intelligent Machines tackles why runaway spending, circular investments, and looming government deals could mean a hard reckoning for tech's biggest promise yet.

• Interview with Steven Levy
• Levy: Wasn't Sure I Wanted Anthropic to Pay Me for My Books—I Do Now
• Steven Levy: I Thought I Knew Silicon Valley. I Was Wrong
• OpenAI Teams Up With Oracle and SoftBank to Build 5 New Stargate Data Centers
• Can We Afford AI?
• Meta's AI system, Llama, has been approved for use by U.S. federal agencies
• China's DeepSeek says its hit AI model cost just $294,000 to train
• Seeing Through the Reality of Meta's Smart Glasses
• Parents outraged as Meta uses photos of schoolgirls in ads targeting man
• Former NotebookLM devs' new app, Huxe, taps audio to help you with news and research
• Fat Bear Week is back—and the bears are bigger than ever
• "My Boyfriend is AI": A Computational Analysis of Human-AI Companionship in Reddit's AI Community
• ChatGPT is 3-8% of Google's search volume
• The Lovelace Test of Intelligence: Can Humans Recognise and Esteem AI-Generated Art?
• Data-Driven Analysis of Text-Conditioned AI-Generated Music: A Case Study with Suno and Udio
• The LLM Has Left The Chat: Evidence of Bail Preferences in Large Language Models
• More! Shrimp!
• Wounded robots
• Pope nixes 'virtual pope' idea, explains concerns about AI

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau

Guest: Steven Levy

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Paul Thurrott reports live from Maui with exciting details on Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon X2 Elite chip and how it could shake up the PC world, while behind the scenes, Microsoft quietly drifts further from OpenAI just as an NVIDIA mega-deal makes headlines. Is Windows about to get its biggest reboot in years, and can ARM finally topple Intel?

Windows

• 25H2 is imminent: The real ISOs and eKBs are here!
• Paul's Arm-based trip to Mexico and Arm-based Apple-tastic experience at Snapdragon Summit
• And yet. It's Week D. And we didn't get any preview updates (for 24H2)
• Windows AI Labs is a thing
• If you're migrating from Windows 10 get a Windows 11 on Arm PC, Microsoft suggests
• New AI features coming to Notepad, Paint, and Snipping Tool
• New Dev and Beta (and Canary) builds: Click to Do translation, Share with Copilot, Accounts management improvements

AI

• The Microsoft/OpenAI rift widens yet again
• NVIDIA invests $100 billion in OpenAI, days after "investing" $5 billion in Intel
• Intel will keep making its own GPUs because who gives a crap
• Microsoft is bringing Anthropic Claude to Microsoft 365 Copilot - "Model choice"
• Microsoft reportedly trying to pay publishers for content used by AI
• Microsoft Teams is getting more agents
• Google Chrome is getting a major AI update

Snapdragon Summit 2025

• 6G, AI as the new UI, glasses as the next wave, Android PCs out of nowhere
• X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme (with up to 18 cores for ultra-premium PCs)
• 3rd Gen Oryon CPU (X2 was 1st gen, last year's phone chip was G2)
• 75 percent faster CPU perf than competition at ISO power
• First Arm chip to hit 5+ GHz
• New Adreno GPU architecture with 2.3x perf per watt and power efficiency over previous gen
• Hexagon NPU with 80 TOPS for "concurrent AI experiences" on Copilot+ PCs
• Supports latest 5G SD X75 modem, Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.4
• 75 percent faster CPU perf than competition at ISO power
• Bad news: First half of 2026 availability
• Not in the press release: The secret of why X2 Elite Extreme is so fast

Xbox

• Microsoft raises Xbox console prices for the second time in 2025
• Here comes the Gaming Copilot on Windows 11
• Google is copying it on Android and bringing Android and native games to Windows now

Tips and Picks

• Tip of the week: Think of 1 story for everyone you care about
• App pick of the week: Notion 3.0
• RunAs Radio this week: Managing Vendor Incidents with Mandi Walls
• Brown liquor pick of the week: High Coast Whisky Quercus IV Mongolica

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

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