Podcast Summary: TechLinked – "Intel Recycles 14nm++, Nepal's Discord Election, Virtual Boy Revived + more!"

Date: September 13, 2025
Host: Linus Media Group

Episode Overview

This episode of TechLinked dives into the tech world's latest quirks and upheavals, with stories ranging from Intel's continued recycling of old chip architecture, to Nepal's unprecedented use of Discord for political crisis management, to Nintendo's nostalgic gambits. The show also highlights several snappy quick bits on iPhone display updates, AI lawsuits, hardware recalls, and scientific breakthroughs in plant carbon capture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intel’s 14nm++ Rebadging and Company Turmoil

Timestamp: [00:30]–[02:25]

• The show opens with a pointed jab at Intel's strategy of "recycling" its 14nm processor architecture yet again, this time by launching the Core i5 110, which is nearly identical in specs to the older Core i5 10,400.
• The new chip is positioned as a "collector’s item"—$200 for what’s essentially a $130 processor.
• Linus comments with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm on both Intel's repeated rebranding and their recent management shakeup (firings of the consumer products boss and Xeon CPU architect), likening the company’s leadership to "week old donuts. Which, for the record, I would still eat. They're fine." ([01:40])

Notable Quote:

"Is it really so bad that Intel just launched the Core i5 110 built with the company’s Comet Lake architecture from 2019... They just kept optimizing it and renaming it for 14 nanometer plus and then 14 nanometer plus plus—recycling. You know, it helps fish and frogs."
— Host, [00:40]

2. Nepal's Discord-Powered Election Amid Crisis

Timestamp: [02:25]–[04:30]

• Nepal experienced major unrest after government crackdowns on social media and protests escalated into riots, arson, and political collapse.
• After the PM fled, a civic group (Hami Nepal) mobilized a massive Discord channel where tens of thousands—including protest leaders—gathered.
• In a stunning turn, the military requested that Discord organizers select an interim PM via a poll, leading to the swearing-in of former Chief Justice Susheela Kharki, who will now oversee fresh elections.

Notable Quote:

"So they had a poll on Discord and the winner, former Chief Justice Susheela Kharki, was officially sworn in as the country’s interim prime minister this morning... It’s nice to know the GamerChat app can replace a parliament in a pinch."
— Host, [04:20]

3. Nintendo Direct: Virtual Boy Revival and Wacky New Games

Timestamp: [04:30]–[06:30]

• Nintendo surprises fans by announcing Virtual Boy game support for Switch Online, requiring a $100 hardware replica or a $25 cardboard version for VR nostalgia.
• The next Mario movie is titled "Super Mario Galaxy Movie," with Princess Rosalina (possibly voiced by Chris Pratt).
• The quirky new game, Pokémon Pocopia, lets players control Ditto in a sandbox similar to Minecraft and Animal Crossing, blending body horror vibes and existential questions about Pokémon sentience.

Notable Quote:

"You play as a Ditto who wakes up in some kind of wreckage... and then it takes on human form in kind of a wiggly, wacky copy of its trainer... morphing its hands into Scyther blades and Hitmonchan’s boxing gloves and, you know, vomiting up furniture."
— Host, [05:40]

"Does the Ditto think it is its trainer? Is this the Ditto’s way of coping with the trauma of loss, along with the usual questions about the morality of enslaving and forcing sentient beings to battle?"
— Host, [06:10]

4. Quick Bits: Major Tech and Science Headlines

Timestamp: [08:15]–[10:15]

- iPhone 17 PWM Flicker Fix

- All new iPhone 17s add a toggle to disable PWM, reducing display flicker for sensitive users—celebrated on the niche subreddit r/pwmsensitive.

- Perplexity AI Lawsuits & FTC Investigation

- AI startup Perplexity faces fresh lawsuits from Merriam Webster and Britannica for copyright infringement, adding to a barrage of similar legal actions.
- The FTC launches an investigation into harm wrought by chatbots on children, targeting tech giants like Google, Meta, and OpenAI, prompting tongue-in-cheek speculation about “AI child defense.”

Notable Quote:

"I fully expect the defense to revolve around arguing that AI is basically sentient and these chatbots are only a couple years old, so if anything, we need to defend them from the heinous plot prompts being slung at them by human kids."
— Host, [09:15]

- Height “Thicc Q80 Trio” Liquid Cooler Recall

- Hardware maker Height recalls its "Thicc Q80 Trio" liquid coolers over leakage risks.

"The Thicc Q80 was too thick. You never go full thick."
— Host, [09:50]

- Taiwanese Scientists Boost Plant Carbon Capture

- By altering plant enzymes, scientists make weeds grow larger and absorb much more CO₂, raising both climate hopes and "Jurassic Park" style apprehensions.

"This could either lead to a great way to mitigate climate change or dinosaurs running amok on the mainland. How? Chaos. Chaos theory. It's just. Yeah, sometimes dinosaurs show up."
— Host, [10:05]

Noteworthy Moments & Memorable Quotes

• On Intel’s Strategy:
  "You're disrespecting the hobby. This isn't the first time Intel has helped the environment." ([00:58])
• Regarding Nepal’s Discord Election:
  "It’s nice to know the GamerChat app can replace a parliament in a pinch." ([04:20])
• Pokémon Philosophizing:
  "I had to stop playing Pokemon because I just start spiraling and the only thing that ever stops it is our sponsor Microcenter..." ([06:22])
• On Group Flicker Sensitivity:
  "…being celebrated by the 17,000 people who apparently visit the subreddit rpwmsensitive every week to participate in a big group cry. Well, not anymore if they buy new iPhones." ([08:35])
• Wild Science:
  "Sometimes dinosaurs show up. Sometimes you show up back here for more tech news on Monday, too. Hey, maybe bring some dinosaurs and we can play around with them. You know, my favorite is Therizinosaurus, just FYI." ([10:20])

Episode Flow & Tone

As always, the episode is rapid-fire, irreverent, and loaded with clever sarcasm and geek culture shoutouts. Linus's delivery blends dry humor with genuine quirks—from self-deprecating takes on recycled tech stories to wickedly meta banter about Discord and Pokémon existentialism. The hosts’ playful tone makes even complex or disturbing news feel accessible and engaging.

Timestamps Recap

• Intel recycling + rebadging, layoffs – [00:30]–[02:25]
• Nepal Discord PM election – [02:25]–[04:30]
• Nintendo Direct announcements – [04:30]–[06:30]
• Quick Bits (PWM fix, AI lawsuits, cooler recall, climate tech) – [08:15]–[10:15]

For listeners seeking an entertaining yet thorough take on this week’s tech happenings, this episode of TechLinked delivers both laughs and insights in their signature style.