Tech Brew Ride Home – February 19, 2026
Episode Title: A Canticle For Leibowitz
Host: Brian McCullough & Tech Brew Ride Home Co-host
Podcast Theme: A brisk, 15-minute roundup of the most significant headlines and evolving trends in tech. Today’s show covers rapid-fire AI model updates, courtroom drama with Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s financial triumph, Apple’s AI wearables roadmap, and Microsoft’s futuristic data storage innovation.
Main Theme
Today's episode delivers quick, insightful updates on headline tech stories:
- Google's release of Gemini 3.1 Pro and its implications for AI reasoning
- Mark Zuckerberg’s notable appearance and testimony in the ongoing social media trial
- Amazon officially surpasses Walmart as the world’s largest company by revenue
- Apple’s secret move toward AI-driven wearables
- Microsoft’s experiment in "Canticle For Leibowitz"-esque, millennia-proof data storage
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Google Gemini 3.1 Pro – AI Reasoning Gets Smarter
(Starts ~01:04)
- Release Overview: Google is rolling out Gemini 3.1 Pro, highlighting an upgrade in "core reasoning" for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.
- Quote (Co-host, 01:07): “A step forward in core reasoning for AI Pro and ultra subscribers.”
- Product Evolution: Unlike previous mid-year upgrades labeled as ‘.5’, this is the first ‘.1’ version—marking faster iteration cycles (01:25).
- Performance Leap: Now available in Gemini App, NotebookLM, the Gemini API, and tools for developers.
- Quote (Co-host, 01:45): “This model achieves an Arc AGI 2 score of 77.1%, or more than double the reasoning performance of 3 Pro.”
- Practical Impact: Improved capabilities for synthesizing information, visual explanation, and creative tasks.
- Deployment: Rolling out to more users, with preview access for developers to test ambitious "agentic workflows" before wider release.
- Quote (Co-host, 02:35): "...continue to make further advancements in areas such as ambitious agentic workflows before we make it generally available soon."
2. Mark Zuckerberg Takes the Stand – Social Media Trial
(Starts ~02:44)
- Key Testimony Focus: Zuckerberg questioned on Meta’s use of beauty filters, company’s decisions despite expert warnings about harm to teenagers—especially young girls.
- Quote (Zuckerberg, 03:36): “I genuinely want to err on the side of giving people the ability to express themselves.”
- Company Dissent: Recognized that not all Meta employees supported the choice; dissent welcomed as part of company culture (04:14).
- Debate Over Causation: Zuckerberg notes lack of "causal evidence" for harm as his rationale, despite not holding a relevant degree.
- Quote (Zuckerberg, 04:32): “I don’t have a college degree in anything.”
- Quote (Zuckerberg, 04:40): “...I think I have a pretty good idea of how statistics work.”
- Engagement and Company Goals: Plaintiffs allege Meta prioritized “time spent” by young users; Zuckerberg pushes back, calls increased engagement an “aspiration” rather than a set goal (05:11).
- Underage Users on Instagram: Documents showed millions under 13 on Instagram; Zuckerberg claims the platform removes all identified underage users, and pushed responsibility for age verification onto Apple and Google.
- Quote (Lawyer, 06:05): “You expect a nine year old to read all the fine print?”
- Retention Controversy: Raised by lawyers; Zuckerberg says words were mischaracterized, says not all in-development products are released (06:34).
- Courtroom Oddities: Judge threatens contempt for anyone using AI smart glasses (06:44). Meta staff were spotted with Meta Ray Ban AI glasses.
- Quote (Judge Cole, 06:56): “You will be held in contempt of the court. This is very serious.”
- Meta Board Dynamics: Zuckerberg asserts he could reinstate himself if fired due to his voting power (07:14).
- Quote (Zuckerberg, 07:29): "He is, quote, very bad at media, end quote."
3. Amazon Surpasses Walmart in Global Revenue
(Starts ~07:41)
- Historic Revenue Milestone: Amazon reported $717B for 2025 vs. Walmart’s $713.2B, unseating Walmart from a decade-long top spot (07:41).
- Quote (Host via Bloomberg, 08:03): “Amazon has officially dethroned Walmart...”
- Drivers of Growth: Not only e-commerce but also Amazon Web Services (AWS). Without AWS, Amazon would still trail Walmart.
- Quote (Host, 09:21): “Without AWS, Amazon’s 2025 revenue would have been $588 billion...”
- Market Comparison: Amazon leads in web/mobile; Walmart dominates physical retail.
- Expert Perspective: Some analysts call the revenue win a “hollow victory” since AWS, not direct retail, made the difference.
- Quote (Krithi Kaliman, 09:43): “Amazon didn’t beat Walmart in the retail game, it just beat them in revenue by launching a new business Walmart doesn’t operate in.”
4. Apple’s Next AI Wearables – Smart Glasses, Pendant, and AI AirPods
(Starts ~11:38)
- New Devices in Pipeline:
- AI-powered smart glasses (code-named N50),
- An AI pendant (wearable on a shirt/necklace),
- Camera-equipped AirPods (for live translation and more).
- Quote (Co-host, 11:43): “Apple is ramping up work on smart glasses, a pendant... and AirPods with expanded AI capabilities...”
- Core Design: All devices use advanced Siri, leveraging camera systems for real-world context and tasks (12:01).
- Target Market & Features:
- Glasses: Positioned upscale, with two cameras (for high-res imagery and computer vision), environmental context awareness, and Apple-made frames featuring premium materials.
- Features: Real-world assistance (“What am I looking at?”), reading printed text, context-aware reminders, navigation using landmarks (14:09-14:45).
- Pendant: Designed as "eyes and ears" for the iPhone, might have speaker for direct Siri interaction (15:06–15:23).
- AI AirPods: Rolling out soon; rumor started in early 2024, now with advanced audio AI — live translation modes included (15:42).
- Glasses: Positioned upscale, with two cameras (for high-res imagery and computer vision), environmental context awareness, and Apple-made frames featuring premium materials.
- Development Timeline:
- Glasses: Production targeted for December 2026, public release as early as 2027.
- Pendant & AirPods: Sooner, but timing not set for all products.
- Competitive Position: Glasses directly pitched against Meta, Google’s wearable projects; progression from off-the-shelf hardware to in-house Apple design.
5. Microsoft's 'Canticle For Leibowitz'-Style Data Preservation – Project Silica
(Starts ~16:07)
- Futuristic Storage: Project Silica stores digital data by engraving with femtosecond lasers into millimeter-thick borosilica glass (16:19).
- Quote (Host, 16:19): “A thin slice of glass carrying an impressive load of data, all thanks to physics that sounds borderline magical.”
- Potential Longevity: Storage medium could last “10,000 years” (16:58).
- How It Works: Encodes data in “phase voxels” (3D data blocks) with a single laser zap, no ongoing energy cost.
- Archival Implications: Hailed as disruptive for researchers, institutions needing robust long-term data archives.
- Quote (Researcher, 17:43): “There’s no ongoing cost...that’s actually a really big change.”
- Quote (Host, 17:49): “This will change the way we think about keeping data and archival preservation.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Tech News’ Fast Pace:
- Co-host (00:42): “Honestly, can we even keep up at this point?”
- Zuckerberg’s Self-Awareness:
- Zuckerberg (07:29): “He is, quote, very bad at media, end quote.”
- AI in the Courtroom:
- Judge Cole (06:56): “You will be held in contempt of the court. This is very serious.”
- On archival tech:
- Host (16:19): “A thin slice of glass carrying an impressive load of data, all thanks to physics that sounds borderline magical.”
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Google Gemini 3.1 Pro AI upgrade: 01:04–02:44
- Mark Zuckerberg’s court testimony: 02:44–07:41
- Amazon overtakes Walmart in revenue: 07:41–10:00
- Apple's AI Wearable Devices: 11:38–15:56
- Microsoft Project Silica (Glass Data Storage): 16:07–17:50
Closing Tone
The show closes on a whimsical note with an AI-generated “Gilbert and Sullivan”-style podcast theme, reflecting both the show’s fast pace and the underlying playfulness of Tech Brew Ride Home.
- AI Song (18:17): “The daily toil at last is done. We've pondered on the latest tech... So hear the joyful, jovial theme of the Tech Brew Ride Home a Happy Dream.”
Summary:
This episode covered a whirlwind day in tech, from boundary-pushing AI and legal drama to game-changing market leaders, futuristic wearables, and digital preservation worthy of science fiction. For listeners wanting to stay a step ahead but only have 15 minutes, Tech Brew Ride Home delivers clarity, attitude, and a wink at tech’s absurd speed.