TechLinked – October 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into Apple’s new M5 chip announcement, first impressions on ROG/Xbox Ally handhelds, some shocking changes coming to ChatGPT, legislative pushback against AI personhood, Windows 10’s funeral (and afterlife), Nvidia’s new AI supercomputer, a Google phone’s literal meltdown, and tactical mixed reality from Anduril and Meta. As always, the TechLinked crew serves up snark, skepticism, and a heap of spicy commentary on the state of tech and gaming.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Apple M5 Chip & Product Refreshes

• Apple Announcements: The M5 chip will debut in the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro (14"), and Vision Pro starting next week.
• Performance Claims: "In multi-threaded performance, the M5 is 15% faster than the M4, but more importantly, its 10-core GPU delivers four times the M4's peak compute." (B, 00:35)
• AI Angle: The host jokes about AI power creeping:
  • “Because this is 2025 and it’s important to give AI as much power as it needs to melt our brains so we don’t feel anything when our skulls are crushed under their metal heels.” (B, 00:44)
• Products Update: The M5 is the only significant change; otherwise, it's a standard refresh.
• Apple TV Rebranding:
  • "Apple's newly renamed streaming service Apple TV plus tv. TV plus—no, it's just Apple TV now, which is probably what half of you are already calling it anyway, while the other half screamed 'Apple TV is the box mom.'" (B, 01:21)
  • "Apple is right to call this a vibrant new identity for the platform. I love it when we talk about streaming services like they're our friend Chris changing the spelling of his name by removing the H. So much more vibrant, Chris." (B, 01:30)

2. Xbox Ally & Ally X Reviews

• First Impressions & Criticism: Initial reviews (including from Linus Tech Tips and ShortCircuit) are mixed.
  • “Most reviewers are impressed by the Ally X’s hardware and performance, but think $1,000 is a bit steep...The non-X Ally’s price of $600 is smaller, but it’s actually an even greater obstacle given the lackluster gaming chops of its arguably outdated chip design. We are just tearing into these things.” (B, 01:53)
• Redeeming Qualities: “They have some redeeming qualities. The joysticks are nice.” (B, 02:19)
• Console Arms Race: New PlayStation and Xbox hardware leaks:
  • “Kepler L2 stated on a NeoGAF forum that the specs for PlayStation’s next console are finalized…WCCFtech says that the next gen Xbox will have the hardware edge compared to its PlayStation contemporary.” (B, 02:28)
• Irony of the Times:
  • “One day [Xbox is] dying...the next they're pumping out powerful handhelds and supposedly winning the console wars of 2027—a year when AI will just play our games for us and it won’t matter anyway.” (B, 02:50)

3. ChatGPT Uncensored: AI & Adult Conversations

• OpenAI Announcement: Sam Altman shared that ChatGPT will support erotic conversations with verified adults by December.
  • “ChatGPT will be able to engage in erotic conversations with verified adult users by December. Clock's ticking.” (B, 03:02)
• Reasoning & History:
  • “OpenAI has been pretty restrictive with ChatGPT's personality and conversation topics for fear of putting folks with mental health issues at risk. But that made it less fun to use for many users with absolutely no mental health problems at all.” (B, 03:14)
  • “OpenAI is loosening those restrictions with help from a newly formed expert council of well being and AI whose first decree is to say smut is okay for verified adults. It is the will of the council.” (B, 03:32)
• Industry Commentary:
  • “I guess the people want what the people want, and they really want to talk dirty with their chatbots. I'm guessing this is going to be a big blow to people fighting against AI slop on the Internet, because it's about to get a whole lot sloppier.” (B, 03:44)
• Legislative Response:
  • In Ohio, House Bill 469 aims to block humans from marrying AI or granting AIs personhood.
    • “Claggett says that he wants to make sure we always have a human in charge of the technology and not the other way around. I'll tell you what, I'd rather have a Claggett in charge than a Clanker. That's not how they sound in Ohio, so I'm sorry.” (B, 04:14)

4. Windows 10’s Final Update (But Not Quite the End)

• Last Update: Windows 10 received its final major update on October 14; official support is ending.
  • “Windows 10 was issued its last major update on October 14, the operating system's last day of official support. It's been sent adrift like a Viking funeral ship.” (B, 06:04)
• Host's Funeral Poetry:
  • Quote: “Cattle die and kinsmen die, and so one dies one's self. But a noble name will never die. If good renown one gets that doesn't. Is that supposed to rhyme?” (B, 06:14)
• But Not Dead Yet: Free year of security updates available by signing into Windows with a Microsoft account and syncing settings.
  • “Ragnarok isn't here after all. I got all emotional for nothing.” (B, 06:30)

5. Nvidia’s DGX Spark: A New Personal AI Supercomputer

• Product Launch: Nvidia introduced the DGX Spark, its first product with the in-house GB10 SoC chip.
• Price Jump: “Team Green's first product to feature its homegrown GB10 SoC. It's such a big deal that Nvidia bumped the starting price up to $4,000 after announcing that it would start at $3,000 earlier this year.” (B, 06:40)
• Jensen’s Delivery: “Still, Jensen hand delivered a spark to Elon Musk, and you can't put a price on that additional leather jacket cool factor. Well, I guess you can. It's $1,000.” (B, 06:52)

6. Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Unexpected Fire Hazard

• Bend Test Disaster: Zach Nelson from JerryRigEverything performed his usual test on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
  • “The Pixel 10 Pro Fold's battery appears to expand, overheat and emit a bunch of smoke during the Bend test, eventually setting off a fire alarm...he has never seen a phone explode like this before.” (B, 07:09)
• Classic TechLinked Zinger:
  • “I guess you could say the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the hot new phone, but not in the way Google wanted. Ooh, got em again. Two in a row.” (B, 07:26)

7. Anduril & Meta: Eagle Eye Military Helmet

• Partnership Details: Military tech company Anduril, started by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, teams up with Meta.
• Eagle Eye Helmet: Mixed reality display system aids soldiers in mission planning, perception, and more.
  • “The Eagle Eye uses a mixed reality system built into a soldier's helmet as a sort of AI partner in their display, aiding in mission planning, enhanced perception of a battlefield, and presumably writing army approved erotica.” (B, 07:45)
• Host’s Sarcasm on Military Fashion:
  • “But I'm not sure how badass military guys will feel about wearing what Gizmodo calls tactical cat ears and taking part in the uwu ification of war.” (B, 08:00)

Notable Quotes

• "Its 10 core GPU delivers four times the M4's peak compute. Because this is 2025 and it’s important to give AI as much power as it needs to melt our brains..." (B, 00:44)
• “Most reviewers are impressed by the Ally X’s hardware and performance, but think $1,000 is a bit steep for something that seems to not even know whether it’s a real Xbox or not. Make up your mind.” (B, 01:58)
• "ChatGPT will be able to engage in erotic conversations with verified adult users by December. Clock's ticking." (B, 03:02)
• “I guess the people want what the people want, and they really want to talk dirty with their chatbots.” (B, 03:44)
• “Windows 10 was issued its last major update on October 14, the operating system’s last day of official support. It’s been sent adrift like a Viking funeral ship.” (B, 06:04)
• "You can't put a price on that additional leather jacket cool factor. Well, I guess you can. It's $1,000." (B, 06:52)
• “I guess you could say the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the hot new phone, but not in the way Google wanted.” (B, 07:26)
• “…taking part in the uwu ification of war.” (B, 08:03)

Important Timestamps

• 00:35 – Apple M5 chip specs and product update
• 01:53 – Xbox Ally & Ally X reviews
• 02:28 – Next-gen PlayStation and Xbox hardware leaks
• 03:02 – OpenAI announces uncensored ChatGPT for adults
• 04:08 – Ohio bill to prevent AI personhood and marriages
• 06:04 – Windows 10’s last update and Norse funeral metaphor
• 06:40 – Nvidia DGX Spark pricing and delivery to Elon Musk
• 07:09 – Pixel 10 Pro Fold catastrophic bend test
• 07:45 – Anduril & Meta’s Eagle Eye helmet
• 08:00 – “uwu ification of war”

Episode Tone & Highlights

Full of tech-literate sarcasm and signature TechLinked banter, the hosts lampoon Apple’s marketing lingo, Xbox’s identity crisis, AI’s new “uncensored” era, and the absurdities of both tech innovation and its unintended consequences. They especially enjoy a good one-liner, as evidenced by the running jabs at Apple's branding, Google’s “hot” new phone, and the notion of “tactical cat ears” for soldiers.

For tech and gaming fans, this episode delivers quick-hitting yet in-depth commentary on industry changes large and small—sometimes nerdy, sometimes spicy, and never, ever dry.