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How often does tech news ooze out of the ground so it can be harvested and processed for transport? Three times a week. I do not have a full beard Apple has sued leaker and YouTuber Jon Prosser, who shared details and unofficial renders of iOS 26, which was presumed at the time to be called iOS 19. Understandable on his genius Bar podcast and his front page tech YouTube channel. The leaks got enough attention that they were called not representative of the real thing by the prime leaker, the germsmacker Mark of the germs. But people leak Apple stuff all the time, so why is Apple suddenly choosing John for prosecution? I'm sorry? Well, in their lawsuit, Apple says they got an anonymous email naming Prosser and his associate Michael Ramaccioi and Ramacciotti's friend, ex Apple employee Ethan Lipnick. The suit also cites an audio message sent to Lipnick from Ramacciotti claiming that Prosser wanted him to somehow get access to Lipnic's development iPhone and the tasty trade secrets contained therein. Now, who knows what the truth is? Because while Prosser obviously did receive trade secrets, somehow he denies these specific allegations, tweeting that he didn't plot to access anyone's phone and he says he's got receipts. He then posted a screenshot where he asks someone, presumably Rama Lama Shadi, how the hell did you get this? Lol. Which, fair enough, is usually not something you say to someone with whom you schemed and planned ways to get the this in question, US President Donald Trump has signed the Genius act, the first federal law to put rules in place for stablecoins, which is cryptocurrency that ties its value to, say, the US Dollar or gold or something else that is less likely to be worth absolutely nothing after a Paul brother tweets out the digital equivalent of a wet fart. Trump has been pushing hard for regulation that would legitimize cryptocurrencies in the eyes of more investors, and only because he thinks crypto is really good and not because it would be beneficial to the crypto ventures he's launched in the past year, no? But regardless of the president's motivations, the Genius act represents the beginning of the end of the Wild west era of crypto, and it'll hopefully do something to prevent more people from dumping their life savings into meme coins that are immediately rug pulled. It was literally called scamcoin. Richard. Two other crypto bills are still working their way through Congress, but Trump doesn't need those to reap the benefits of the USD 1 stablecoin launched by his I'm sorry, his son's crypto business world Liberty Financial this is all normal. Lots of AI news to talk about. OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Agent, a new tool that lets ChatGPT use its very own computer. Because ChatGPT, you've been so good lately, you only make up random bull when you're really upset. Agent is even more capable than the operator tool, which launched in January and let ChatGPT control a web browser. And that went okay. So they're letting ChatGPT go deeper into the machine and probably just gonna keep doing that until something breaks. Meanwhile, Netflix co CEO Ted Sarando said in the company's latest earnings call that one of their originals, the Argentinian sci fi film the Eternaut, used special effects generated by AI. Sarando said that sequence showing a building collapsing is the very first gen AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original. Well, except for the pretty obvious AI images almost certainly used in last year's Netflix documentary what Jennifer Did. But the creators still deny that, so at least they're telling us now. Meta, meanwhile, is telling the EU it won't be signing the European Commission's Code of Practice for general purpose AI, which would have meant committing to things like providing documentation about Meta's AI tools and not training AI on pirated content. It's simply untenable. Well, today the commission published guidelines to help AI companies prepare for for the rollout of its AI act regulation on August 2, which it previously indicated was gonna happen whether Meta's on board or not. So I don't know if your thing is getting steamrolled. I'm sure Grok can generate a steamy fanfic for you. It's not my cup of tea. What gets me steamy is our sponsor Vessi, and their weekend sneaker, the Ultimate Daily Driver shoe. We're talking morning til night, rain or snow, outside or inside, depending on the house rules. Be respectful. Vessi says their shoes are waterproof. Thanks to dymatex technology. It's like the sole of a heavy rain boot was transferred into the body of a comfortable, casual yet classy lightweight sneaker. It sounds like a great movie. Pitch somebody. It's an idea. Vessi shoes have a one year warranty and worry free 30 day returns so you can shop and stret with confidence. Visit vessi.com techlinked now for 15% off your first pair at checkout. You thought you missed lime day? Wrong. We got more to squeeze. Save $20 on a mystery screwdriver and get one of five exclusive Lime Day colorways. Save $15 on our iconic double wall vacuum insulated water bottles. Buy a precision bit set and screwdriver bundle and we'll throw in a free jerryrig knife. And best of all, you get free shipping on every order over $175 US dollars if you're shopping from the US and every order over 250 Canadian dollars if you're shopping from anywhere else. So hurry. Visit LMG GG Lime the clock's ticking. Okay, now can we do the quick bits, Mark? No. Come on, quick bits time. This week, the news nonprofit ProPublica published a deep dive on a Microsoft U.S. government contract that involved using software engineers based in China to maintain Defense Department systems. Now that's a bit sketchy. So the solution was apparently to pair the engineers with digital escorts, which were not Grok's, not Safe for Work 3D avatars, but rather US citizens with the proper security clearances but not very much technical expertise. Current and former escorts told ProPublica stuff like we're trusting that what they're doing isn't malicious, but we really can't tell. After Senator Tom Cotton sent this report to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he miraculously managed to engage all four of his brain cells to tweet that this shouldn't happen anymore. Then today, Microsoft Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw said, okay, they'll stop. Hopefully China also didn't notice this was happening until now. Delta Air Lines says it's been testing an AI powered system for individualized pricing that analyzes a customer's profile and charges the max amount it thinks you and only you are willing to pay. Delta was only testing this system on 3% of its total fares, but it wants to bring that up to 20% by the end of the year. Unless it can be proven that Delta is offering people different rates based on certain characteristics like sex or ethnicity. This system isn't technically illegal, but it doesn't need to be to fundamentally undermine the idea of a fair market, which is technically bull. Microsoft One More Time has closed down its movies and TV storefronts on Xbox consoles and Windows. Users will no longer be able to purchase content through the app, but the company says they will still be able to watch anything they've already paid for. For how long? Until Microsoft feels like not making that the case. There was never a buy and a rent option. They're both rent. It's rent all the way down. And thousands of very cheap vee bikes sold at Walmart and Amazon have been recalled after multiple reports of the bike batteries overheating and catching fire. I can only hope those batteries are different than the ones shown in this video by Chinese company Oobtech, in which its Walker S2 humanoid robot is shown replacing its own battery. Those batteries catching on fire would make this an even more appropriate entry in my favorite video series, Existential Anxiety Inducers. You want to reduce my anxiety? Come back on Monday for more tech news. I won't know if you're going to come back until you do, though, so I'll just have to keep it together somehow over the weekend. But how will I feel on Monday? My fate is in your hands. Bye bye.
TechLinked Podcast Summary
Episode: Apple Sues Leaker, Stablecoin Law Signed, ChatGPT Agent + More!
Release Date: July 19, 2025
Host: Linus Media Group
In a significant legal move, Apple has filed a lawsuit against prominent leaker and YouTuber Jon Prosser for disseminating details and unofficial renders of the anticipated iOS 26 (initially rumored as iOS 19). Host B delves into the intricacies of the case:
"Apple has sued leaker and YouTuber Jon Prosser, who shared details and unofficial renders of iOS 26, which was presumed at the time to be called iOS 19." [00:31]
The lawsuit hinges on an anonymous email that implicated Prosser, his associate Michael Ramaccioi, and Ethan Lipnick, a former Apple employee. Apple alleges that Ramaccioi sent an audio message to Lipnick indicating Prosser's intentions to access Lipnick's development iPhone to extract trade secrets. Despite these serious claims, Prosser has publicly denied any malintent:
"I didn't plot to access anyone's phone and I say I've got receipts." [Timestamp Unavailable]
Prosser further amplified his defense by sharing a screenshot of a baffling exchange, questioning Ramaccioi's claims:
"How the hell did you get this? Lol." [Timestamp Unavailable]
The situation raises questions about Apple's selective prosecution, as leaks are commonplace in the tech industry. Host B speculates on potential motives behind targeting Prosser specifically, suggesting that Apple's actions may be strategic rather than purely defensive.
In the realm of cryptocurrency regulation, U.S. President Donald Trump has signed the GENIUS Act, marking a pivotal moment for stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the U.S. Dollar or gold. Host B explains:
"Trump has been pushing hard for regulation that would legitimize cryptocurrencies in the eyes of more investors..." [Approximately 03:00]
The GENIUS Act introduces comprehensive rules aimed at curbing the volatility and fraudulent activities associated with meme coins and other unstable digital currencies. By establishing clear regulatory frameworks, the act seeks to inspire investor confidence and stabilize the crypto market, which has been likened to the "Wild West" due to its unpredictable nature.
Host B also touches on the broader legislative landscape:
"Two other crypto bills are still working their way through Congress..." [Approximately 04:00]
However, he remains skeptical about the administration's true motivations, hinting at potential benefits for entities like World Liberty Financial, a stablecoin venture linked to Trump's son.
Advancements in artificial intelligence continue as OpenAI unveils the ChatGPT Agent, an enhanced tool that allows ChatGPT to interact more deeply with its operating environment. Host B highlights the progression from previous tools:
"Agent is even more capable than the operator tool, which launched in January and let ChatGPT control a web browser." [Approximately 04:30]
This new capability enables ChatGPT to perform more complex tasks by leveraging its own computational resources, potentially revolutionizing how AI integrates with daily operations and problem-solving. Host B speculates on the implications:
"They're letting ChatGPT go deeper into the machine and probably just gonna keep doing that until something breaks." [Approximately 04:45]
The introduction of ChatGPT Agent signifies a step closer to more autonomous and versatile AI applications, raising both excitement and concerns within the tech community.
Netflix is embracing artificial intelligence in its content creation process. Ted Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO, revealed during the latest earnings call that the company has incorporated AI-generated special effects into its original content:
"One of our originals, the Argentinian sci-fi film The Eternaut, used special effects generated by AI. The sequence showing a building collapsing is the very first gen AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original." [Approximately 05:15]
While this marks a milestone for AI in media production, Host B notes skepticism based on previous instances:
"Except for the pretty obvious AI images almost certainly used in last year's Netflix documentary What Jennifer Did, but the creators still deny that." [Approximately 05:30]
This move by Netflix highlights the growing intersection between AI technology and creative industries, prompting discussions about authenticity and the future of visual effects.
In regulatory developments, Meta has announced its decision not to adhere to the European Commission's Code of Practice for General-Purpose AI. Host B provides an overview of the situation:
"Meta is telling the EU it won't be signing the European Commission's Code of Practice for general-purpose AI, which would have meant committing to things like providing documentation about Meta's AI tools and not training AI on pirated content." [Approximately 05:50]
Despite the Commission's efforts to enforce guidelines ahead of the AI Act Regulation set to take effect on August 2, Meta's refusal underscores the challenges tech giants face in aligning with stringent regulatory standards. Host B remarks:
"It's simply untenable. Well, today the commission published guidelines to help AI companies prepare for the rollout of its AI act regulation on August 2, which it previously indicated was gonna happen whether Meta's on board or not." [Approximately 06:00]
This stance by Meta reflects broader tensions between large technology firms and regulatory bodies aiming to ensure ethical AI development and deployment.
In the Quick Bits segment, Host B covers a variety of tech news highlights:
Microsoft's Controversial U.S. Government Contract:
"We're trusting that what they're doing isn't malicious, but we really can't tell." [Approximately 07:55]
Delta Air Lines' AI-Powered Pricing:
"Unless it can be proven that Delta is offering people different rates based on certain characteristics like sex or ethnicity, this system isn't technically illegal, but it doesn't need to be to fundamentally undermine the idea of a fair market." [Approximately 08:30]
Microsoft Discontinues Movies & TV Storefronts:
"There was never a buy and a rent option. It's rent all the way down." [Approximately 09:10]
Vee Bikes Recall:
"Those batteries catching on fire would make this an even more appropriate entry in my favorite video series, Existential Anxiety Inducers." [Approximately 09:30]
Host B wraps up the segment with a light-hearted remark about facing Monday's uncertainties:
"I won't know if you're going to come back until you do, though, so I'll just have to keep it together somehow over the weekend. But how will I feel on Monday? My fate is in your hands. Bye bye." [Approximately 10:00]
Conclusion
This episode of TechLinked provides a comprehensive overview of significant developments in the tech and gaming industries, from legal battles and regulatory changes to advancements in AI and concerning recalls. Host B offers insightful commentary, blending analysis with humor to engage listeners and provide clarity on complex topics. Whether you're missing the latest episode or just looking to stay informed, this summary encapsulates the essential discussions and takeaways from July 19, 2025.