Tech News Weekly (Audio)

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly! Apple is rumored to announce a major OS redesign and unified naming scheme at WWDC this year. How YouTube creators are competing against traditional television. Insights into research showing technology use and association with reduced cognitive decline. And how North Koreans have stolen over $6 billion in cryptocurrency through U.S. remote jobs.

• Dan Moren talks about how Apple is rumored to unveil an upcoming OS redesign and unified naming scheme later at WWDC this year, internally dubbed 'Solarium'.


• Mikah talks about YouTube creators and how they are building full production studios as they create more original content for the platform, as YouTube is slowly replacing channel surfing and more linear TV consumption.


• Mikah gets excited and dives into research showing how more technology use can reduce cognitive decline in older adults, showing that tech engagement strengthens cognitive function.


• And Mikah shares a story of how North Koreans are infiltrating U.S. tech jobs, recruiting workers in financial distress for tech support roles, to steal cryptocurrency through laptop farms, which has totaled over $6 billion to date.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

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Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io.

• Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time.


• Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease.


• Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly.


• And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company.

Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest: Lauren Goode

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Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! A quick preview of Android 16 and Material 3 Expressive ahead of Google I/O with CNET. If you received a 'Lopez Voice Assistant' email, you may be owed a settlement. Apple is finally rolling out its rebranded 'CarPlay Ultra', which was unveiled years ago. And the age of paranoia with deepfakes and scams.

• Patrick Holland of CNET joins Mikah to talk about his first look into Android 16 and Material 3 Expressive's redesign, ahead of Google I/O on May 20th.


• Mikah shares that if you received an email titled 'Lopez Voice Assistant,' don't delete it! You could be eligible for up to $100 as part of Apple's Siri settlement.


• Dan Moren talks about Apple rolling out its 'CarPlay Ultra' that was unveiled three years ago, and the car brands supporting this new iteration of CarPlay.


• And Mikah chats about a great Wired piece about the 'Age of Paranoia', which talks about AI-driven frauds and how more people are proactively verifying their online interactions.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Guest: Patrick Holland

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Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed.

• Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle."


• Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills.


• Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet.


• Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guest: Brian Westover

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In this episode of Tech News Weekly, Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti explore the growing role of AI in consumer tech, the latest legal setback for Apple's App Store policies, and two in-depth interviews: Bloomberg's Leah Nylen breaks down the DOJ's proposed remedies in the antitrust case against Google, and Wikimedia's Leila Zia shares the foundation's new AI strategy that centers humans—not machines.

• ChatGPT Adds Shopping Tools: Abrar Al-Heeti highlights OpenAI's new AI-powered shopping experience in ChatGPT, which personalizes product recommendations and integrates purchase links—all without leaving the chat window. She and Mikah explore the implications for consumer trust, affiliate marketing, and the future of Amazon and Google as default shopping destinations.


• Apple vs. Epic: Court Strikes Back: Mikah breaks down a dramatic new ruling against Apple, in which a judge found the company in violation of a 2021 injunction and imposed strict limits on how it can control third-party payments. Mikah and Abrar discuss how this could reshape the App Store's fee model and what it means for developers and users alike.


• Google's Antitrust Remedy Phase: Bloomberg antitrust reporter Leah Nylen returns to unpack the latest in the DOJ's case against Google. She explains the three proposed remedies—including a possible Chrome browser divestiture—and what testimony from tech competitors like DuckDuckGo, Perplexity, and OpenAI revealed about Google's dominance in search and AI.


• Wikipedia's Human-Centered AI Strategy: Leila Zia, Head of Research at the Wikimedia Foundation, outlines their new AI roadmap, which focuses on supporting Wikipedia's volunteer editors rather than replacing them. She details how AI will assist with moderation, multilingual knowledge expansion, and mentorship—all while upholding values of transparency and human agency.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti

Guests: Leah Nylen and Leila Zia

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