TechLinked Podcast Summary

Episode: New Steam Machine, Steam Controller, Steam Frame + more!
Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Linus Media Group

Overview

This episode centers on Valve’s major hardware announcements, including a new Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and the Steam Frame VR headset. The hosts also cover tech and gaming culture news, such as a major AI copyright case, innovative medical tech, Google and Microsoft updates, and quirky robotics news, with the series’ signature wit and irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Valve’s Triple Hardware Reveal

[00:20]

• Valve announces three new hardware products:
  1. Steam Controller

  • Based on the Steam Deck’s controls, but screenless
  • Upgrades: Magnetic joysticks for longevity, and a “controller puck” — a wireless transmitter/charging station
  • Opinion:

    “IMO, a much better innovation than the original steam controller from 2015 which made its giant trackpads its whole personality.” (A, 01:10)

  2. Steam Machine (“Gabe Cube”)

  • Cube-shaped mini-PC running Steam OS
  • Specs: 6-core, 30W AMD Zen 4 CPU and Radeon RDNA 3 GPU
  • Capable of 4K60 gaming with AMD FSR
  • Two SSD options: 512GB and 2TB
  • Features: Swappable faceplates, programmable LED strip
  • Aesthetic joke:

    “Help it look a little less like the Xbox Series X had a baby with a Nintendo GameCube.” (A, 02:10)

    • Nickname already emerging: “Gabe Cube”
    • Joke about custom Steam Deck boot animations years ahead

  3. Steam Frame VR Headset

  • Long-rumored, now official
  • Specs: 2160x2160 per eye, up to 110° FOV, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
  • 6GHz wireless adapter for high-speed, low-latency streaming
  • Functions as a standalone SteamOS PC with growing native game library
  • New controllers use inside-out tracking (“Quest style”)—no base stations needed, making older Index controllers obsolete
  • Release info vague: “Shipping in early 2026”

• No news on Half-Life 3, prompting the usual community meme frenzy:

  “There also wasn’t any mention of Half-Life 3, but that hasn’t stopped the folks on the subreddit from losing their minds… the hope is at an all-time high.” (A, 05:00)

Major AI News

[06:00]

• German court rules OpenAI’s ChatGPT violated copyright law over song lyrics, including even short excerpts
• ChatGPT must pay German artists in damages
• AI-generated music’s growing dominance:
  • Example: “Breaking Rust” (AI country band) hits #1 on Billboard digital sales
  • Host’s snark:

    “More like Breaking Wind ’cause it’s a digital fart. Yee haw.” (A, 07:20)

  • Billboard Hot 100 still safer, but a Deezer survey finds 97% of listeners can’t tell AI songs from humans
  • Dystopian humor about “the slop” consumers apparently want

Fast-Tech News ("Quick Bits")

[10:30]

• Hackers revive Google Nest thermostats with open-source firmware—“no Longer Evil”—making them work after discontinuation

• Google sues ‘Lighthouse’, a Chinese phishing ring:

  • Phishing as a service compromised up to 115 million US credit cards
  • “For once, Google’s the good guy and so are the thermostat hackers for fixing the bad guy thing that Google did.” (A, 12:00)

• Microsoft's “agentic OS”:

  • Windows chief tweets about proactive AI features in Windows
  • Internet backlash:

    “The post got absolutely cooked in the comments, with some people saying that nobody wants this, while others took the time to beg for Microsoft to just bring back Windows 7…” (A, 13:00)

Gaming & Hardware Tidbits

[14:00]

• Sony reveals a cheaper, Japan-only, Japanese-language PS5:
  • First region-locked PlayStation since PS2
  • Meant as an affordable domestic option
• New PlayStation gaming monitor:
  • 27", 1440p, 240Hz (but drops to 120Hz on PlayStation)
  • Noted for having “a snazzy charging hook... At least something’s getting plugged in, because it sure isn’t that your imported PS5 because you can't get it here.” (A, 15:10)

Brain Implants & Robotics

[16:00]

• MIT’s injectible brain chips:

  • "Needle injectable chips" use the bloodstream to reach the brain—no surgery required
  • Ride immune cells to bypass blood-brain barrier and treat conditions like Alzheimer’s and MS
  • Matrix reference:

    “When can we get the Kung Fu update? That’s what this is for.” (A, 17:00)

• Russian humanoid robot demo fail:

  • Robot stumbles, falls to pieces on stage
  • “It was actually sad to watch... but at least AI Dolls. Promotional images show the bot got some smooches. The clankers are stealing our potential partners now. Honestly. Predictable.” (A, 18:00)

• China’s Ubtech robots:

  • $112 million in orders for “Walker S2” humanoid
  • Announced with “terrifying Star Wars-esque droid army video. Begun the Clone wars have. And China apparently thinks that's totally fine, I guess.” (A, 19:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Gabe Cube’s look:

  “Help it look a little less like the Xbox Series X had a baby with a Nintendo GameCube.” (A, 02:10)

• On AI-generated music:

  “Small Town Dreams. What does AI know about small towns? It lives in a data center surrounded by concrete and the soothing roar of jet turbines.” (A, 07:50)

• Microsoft’s Windows AI feature:

  “Let’s be so yeah, Microsoft wants Windows to predict your questions before you ask, but will it be able to predict everyone switching to Linux instead? Gotcha.” (A, 13:50)

Segment Time Guide

• Valve hardware news: 00:20 – 05:45
• AI copyright & music: 06:00 – 09:00
• Quick bits (Nest, Google, Windows AI): 10:30 – 13:50
• Sony gaming news: 14:00 – 15:30
• MIT injectable chips: 16:00 – 17:20
• Robotics updates: 17:30 – 19:30
• Outro/Non-content: Skipped

Tone & Style

• Fast-paced, snarky, and irreverent, as is typical for TechLinked
• Lightly self-deprecating and peppered with pop culture jokes (“the hope is at an all time high”, “begun the Clone Wars have”, “When can we get the Kung Fu update?”)

This episode is a great overview of the latest in gaming hardware and tech culture, balancing genuine insights with humor and skepticism about where the industry is heading—plus a heavy dose of Valve-related memes.