TechLinked Podcast Summary
Episode: New W11 Start Menu, Fake Ryzen benchmarks, YouTube TV vs Disney + more!
Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Linus Media Group (Host B)
Theme: Fast-paced, humorous rundown of recent technology and gaming news with cultural commentary.
Episode Overview
This episode focuses on several major headlines in tech and gaming:
- Redesign and marketing changes for Windows 11
- Fake AMD CPU benchmark leaks and new hardware leaks
- The contract standoff between YouTube TV and Disney
- Quick bites on memory price hikes, AI misuse in legal cases, cybersecurity concerns in electric vehicles, and a bizarre real-world video game exoskeleton collaboration.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Windows 11 Start Menu Redesign & Marketing Push
- [00:31] Microsoft is releasing a significantly redesigned Start menu for Windows 11, merging "pinned" and "all apps" into a clean, scrollable list.
- New layout options: category, grid, or list.
- Notably, users can finally hide the "recommended" section.
- Quote:
"A brand new Start menu that actually looks finished."
— Host B ([00:33]) - Rollout will be gradual.
- Light ribbing of past bad MS releases and marketing:
"Unlike Windows Millennium Edition, installing this one won't make you pray for a time traveler to eliminate it from existence."
— Host B ([00:53])
- Copilot AI Marketing Campaign:
- Microsoft is hiring TikTok and social media influencers to promote Copilot's productivity benefits.
- Host is skeptical and sarcastic about the influencer approach:
"Nothing says trustworthy productivity tools like TikTokers, explaining how they use AI to teach them Excel formulas between skincare routines."
— Host B ([01:11])
- Windows 11 2026H1 Testing:
- Upcoming release to focus on ARM processor support, apparently at the expense of broader features.
2. Fake Ryzen Benchmarks & Real Hardware Leaks
- [01:38] Fake benchmarks for AMD's upcoming 9700X3D CPU made headlines.
- Originated from a Reddit user faking reported specs on an overclocked chip.
- Quote:
"Canadians would just go on the Internet and tell lies... at least they came clean about it in true Canadian fashion anyway."
— Host B ([01:53]) - Highlights the need for skepticism around single-source leaks.
- New Ryzen Hardware in Retail:
- Micro Center is selling prebuilt PCs with the not-yet-released Ryzen 5 7500X3D, for $100 less than similar existing CPUs—only a slight clock drop differentiates them.
- (Joking):
"If Micro center makes a Reddit post admitting they faked those pre built PC listings with their buddies on the weekend, I am gonna be livid."
— Host B ([02:25])
3. YouTube TV vs Disney Blackout
- [02:33] Disney channels have been removed from YouTube TV as contract negotiations break down.
- Dispute is over pricing:
- Google claims Disney is raising costs for users.
- Disney insists Google wants special, below-market rates.
- During the standoff, Disney streamed college football for free on Twitter to appease fans.
- YouTube TV subscribers are reported as becoming "increasingly irate."
- Quote:
"Age old solution of throwing money at your problems that solved nothing."
— Host B ([03:28])
- Dispute is over pricing:
Quick Bits (Rapid-fire Tech & Gaming News)
4. Flash Memory Price Hikes
- [05:06] Sandisk to increase flash memory prices by up to 50% due to AI-driven NAND demand.
- Other suppliers (Transcend, Innodisk) pausing shipments to reset prices.
- Joked that buying drives is now more about investing:
"At this rate, backing up your files won't be about data safety, it'll be about diversifying your investment portfolio."
— Host B ([05:23])
5. AI Misuse in the Legal Field
- [05:30] US lawyers have documented 509 court cases involving AI-related misbehavior, such as fake citations and imaginary cases from tools like ChatGPT.
- AI is allowed in legal work if the user is responsible for output.
- Host jokes about passing the blame:
"Nothing says justice like your attorney blaming copilot for contempt of court."
— Host B ([05:53])
6. Cybersecurity Risks in Chinese Electric Buses
- [06:01] UK officials investigating if Yutong electric buses can be remotely disabled by the manufacturer after a Norwegian incident.
- Raises deeper concerns about remote access in connected vehicles.
- Host parallels to the movie "Speed," joking about ransom scenarios:
"Keanu's gonna be paying a Chinese business a ransom to get the bus to move. Gut jangling thrills. Whoa, listen, you gotta start that bus."
— Host B ([06:23])
7. Death Stranding 2 Exoskeleton Crossover
- [06:37] Kojima Productions is collaborating on a real exoskeleton inspired by the game "Death Stranding".
- The Z1 Exoskeleton Pro Death Stranding 2 Edition boosts walking power and has game-like battery indicators.
- Jokes about "walking simulator" memes and whether the world needs this.
- Quote:
"I think Kojima may have taken the walking simulator memes a little too seriously and decided to give us some real life DLC."
— Host B ([07:03])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On tech marketing trends:
"I think Microsoft may be entering its influencer era. What's next? Miko's OnlyFans? You're like, who's Meco? Exactly."
— Host B ([01:28]) -
On hardware leaks and trust:
"Fans and tech journalists shouldn't trust one-off online benchmarks."
— Host B ([01:58]) -
On business management ad (Odoo):
"[Odoo] brings them all together on one user friendly and customizable platform. ...because we only need the one app, Odoo's free. Yippee."
— Host B ([04:54]) -
On the exoskeleton/cosplay blurring line:
"Blurring the line between cosplay and physiotherapy."
— Host B ([07:10])
Important Timestamps
- 00:31–01:28: Windows 11 Start Menu redesign & Copilot AI campaign
- 01:38–02:25: Fake Ryzen benchmark controversy + Prebuilt CPU leak
- 02:33–03:28: YouTube TV vs Disney contract blackout details
- 05:06–05:23: Flash memory/SSD price hikes
- 05:30–05:53: AI misuse in legal filings
- 06:01–06:23: Chinese electric bus cybersecurity risks
- 06:37–07:10: Death Stranding 2 themed exoskeleton news
Tone & Style
- Fast-paced, witty, heavy use of sarcasm and pop-culture references
- Pokes fun at tech companies and marketing trends
- Blends straightforward reporting with comedic interjections
Summary
This episode delivers a humorous and insightful look into both the day-to-day drama and the bizarre undercurrents shaping the tech and gaming culture in late 2025. From UI redesigns and fake CPU leaks, to legal AI shenanigans and game-inspired exoskeletons, TechLinked offers commentary that’s both informative and entertaining—especially for listeners who want to stay up-to-date without taking things too seriously.