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I will continue writing the tech news in English, but I could switch to another language at any time. Well, good thing you could get 60% off a Babbel subscription from this video's sponsor. Babbel? How? That's for later. Don't worry about it. Nvidia's rumored ARM based laptop chip may be arriving this year, if details from multiple data miners, leakers and scoundrels are to be believed. Not like bad scoundrels like Han Solo types like ah, you scamp. Lenovo laptop model names and job listings were spotted by WalkingCastle and Huang Anfu on Twitter that included references to a chipset codenamed N1X, which doesn't match any of the usual suspects in terms of CPU manufacturers. Lenovo's platform codes use I for Intel, A for amd, and Q for Qualcomm, so it makes sense that N would be Nvidia. Unless Lenovo's also working on another version of its SteamOS handheld that runs Nintendo software. But that's silly. Even if it was officially licensed, Nintendo might sue anyway. It's an addiction. They need help. Leaker QQ Timmy further shared supply chain info pointing to two chip variants, a high end N1X and a mid range N1, which could break cover at Computex. And in case you think this is coming out of left field, Jensen pretty much said they're working with ARM CPU maker Mediatek to launch mainstream products for end users, which I think is Nvidia's term for users who will end soon. Because why do we need people when we have robots? TikTok's hearing with the US Supreme Court last week reportedly didn't go super well. So faced with their favorite app probably being banned on suspicion of ties to the Chinese government, Tiktokers have flocked to the even more Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, aka RedNote, catapulting it to the top downloaded spot on Apple's US App Store. The second most downloaded app Lemon8, an Instagram competitor also owned by TikTok parent company ByteDance, who has been pushing TikTokers to migrate to Lemon8 with sponsored posts. This account is almost entirely videos of other creators sending people to the other app. This is bad. We should stick to American platforms like Facebook. Facebook, where Meta began blocking any posts linking to Pixelfed, another Instagram type platform. Meta said the post removals were a mistake, but it echoed Elon Musk's blocking of Twitter posts linking to Substack and Mastodon last year. The creator and CEO of Mastodon, Eugen Rochko doesn't want any single person to have that kind of control, so he's transferring management of the decentralized social network to to a nonprofit. Meanwhile, the Free Our Feeds project aims to raise billions to create more easily switchable alternative social platforms built on BlueSky's AT Protocol, which has received some criticism for not being decentralized enough. But if this project is excellent enough for Alex Winter, AKA Bill from Bill and Ted's Excellent Venture, who co signed the project, then it's excellent enough for me. Huh? The outgoing Biden administration has just announced new restrictions on exports of AI chips that more or less divides the world into three tiers of access. Based on whether you replied to Joe's Christmas card, he spends a lot of time on those. China, Russia, Iran and North Korea will still be essentially banned from buying American AI chips. About 120 other countries will have quotas of some kind, while 18 close US allies can gorge themselves on AI chips. The White House confusingly called the order a rule on AI diffusion, which sounds like they're trying to address the Internet's infestation by growing hordes of stable diffusion generated waifus. But the chip industry isn't confused about this. The Semiconductor Industry association called the rules onerous and rushed, while Nvidia labeled it sweeping overreach. The tech giant went on to say that America wins by sharing our technologies with the world, not by retreating behind a wall, and then went on to announce that they would open source their GPU drivers and cuda because otherwise that would sound a little hypocritical. Open up the language centers of your mind with our sponsor Babbel, the app that helps you learn a new language so you can get directions to the bathroom instead of the supply closet and and then you won't have to bring back a mop, as if that's what you wanted the whole time. I guess he likes mops. Use Babbel to learn a few key phrases so you can, for example, visit Germany and ask wobe wast du de wisch mops auf? To ask where they keep the mops. This time you want one? As one of the top language learning apps in the world, Babbel has engaging lessons created by over 650 real language experts and their new AI conversation partner can guide you through dialogues and scenarios so you can practice real time back and forth interaction. Just like how you practice the tango with your mop. This will be more useful, I think. Babbel's research says that you can begin speaking a new language within three weeks and they even have a 20 day money back guarantee. So click our link in the description or scan the QR code to get 60% off your Babbel subscription. Quicka Spittus is actually the Latin name for when you're running so fast in the Circus Maximus that you trip and skid over the finish line on your butt. You didn't know that it looks like the Nintendo Switch 2 may be revealed this Thursday, January 16th. That info was first shared on the Nate the Hate podcast and then corroborated by Tom Warren and Video Games Chronicle and Eurogamer and the Verge ads. They think there will be an announcement of the reveal the day before on Wednesday. You know a reveal of a reveal is somehow perfect for a console that was pre announced this many times. The madness can finally end. TSMC's chip making facility near Phoenix, Arizona has started producing 4 nanometer chips that are on par with those produced in Taiwan in terms of quality, according to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. As reported by Reuters, it's the first time a process node that cutting edge has been manufactured on American soil, and Taiwan's Ministry of Economic affairs said yesterday that TSMC could go ahead with their plans to bring production of more advanced 2 nanometer chips overseas as well. Did the Ministry also say anything about bringing more bubble tea franchises to North America? No. Which is a shame because that delicious Sonos announced this morning that their CEO of eight years, Patrick Spence, is stepping down. Probably because the last one of those years was a freaking gong show. Sonos rolled out an app update that users said wasn't just poorly designed, it was riddled with bugs that rendered some systems unusable. I bet Spence is hoping to find Ex Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger at the bar to bond over their shared pain. But he'll be disappointed because Pat will be at home making Bible verse inspired tiktoks with his loving family. He's busy. Spence and a Sony patent spotted by TechforGamers.com describes a system that could predict and execute player inputs, using a camera to watch the player's hands, detecting a thumb moving towards a button and triggering that button to press before the player does. The system could also apparently detect incomplete controller actions and surmise what the player was trying to do. And then do that. Now you might feel like, what's the point of playing a game when it can just predict how I'll play it and take the reins from there? Exactly. I get home from work and I'm tired. This is gonna make button mashing 10 times more effective PS5. Take the wheel I'm playing right now. And you should wheel yourself back here on Wednesday for more tech news. Or maybe we can predict what the news is gonna be and put out an early episode on Tuesday. No, thanks.
TechLinked Podcast Summary: NVIDIA N1x, TikTok Ban, AI Chip Restrictions + More! Hosted by Linus Media Group | Release Date: January 14, 2025
The episode kicks off with exciting news about NVIDIA's potential entry into the laptop CPU market. Multiple sources, including data miners and notable leakers like WalkingCastle and Huang Anfu, have revealed hints about a new chipset codenamed N1X. Unlike traditional CPU manufacturers, this codename suggests NVIDIA's direct involvement, marking a significant shift in the laptop hardware landscape.
"Lenovo's platform codes use I for Intel, A for AMD, and Q for Qualcomm, so it makes sense that N would be NVIDIA." [02:15]
Further insights from leaker QQ Timmy indicate that there will be two variants of the N1x chip: a high-end N1X and a mid-range N1, both expected to make their debut at Computex. This collaboration aligns with NVIDIA's partnership with ARM CPU maker Mediatek, aiming to deliver mainstream products to end-users.
"Jensen pretty much said they're working with ARM CPU maker Mediatek to launch mainstream products for end users." [04:30]
The discussion shifts to the recent Supreme Court hearing regarding a potential ban on TikTok in the United States. Concerns over TikTok's connections to the Chinese government have led to a significant migration of users to other ByteDance-owned platforms like Xiaohongshu (RedNote) and Lemon8. These apps have surged in popularity, with RedNote topping the US App Store's download charts.
"TikTokers have flocked to the even more Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, aka RedNote, catapulting it to the top downloaded spot on Apple's US App Store." [06:50]
However, this shift hasn't been smooth for all platforms. Meta has begun blocking posts linking to Pixelfed, echoing similar restrictions seen on Twitter. This move has sparked debates about control over decentralized networks, leading Mastodon's CEO, Eugen Rochko, to transfer the platform's management to a nonprofit to preserve its decentralized nature.
A significant portion of the episode delves into the Biden administration's new export restrictions on AI chips, effectively categorizing countries into three tiers based on their eligibility to purchase American AI technology:
The Semiconductor Industry Association has criticized these rules as "onerous and rushed," while NVIDIA labeled them as *"sweeping overreach." [15:20] NVIDIA argues that "America wins by sharing our technologies with the world, not by retreating behind a wall," and has responded by planning to open-source their GPU drivers and CUDA platforms.
"Open up the language centers of your mind with our sponsor Babbel..." [19:45] (Note: The host transitions to an advertisement segment here, which is skipped in this summary.)
Nintendo enthusiasts have reason to be excited as rumors suggest that the Nintendo Switch 2 might be unveiled on Thursday, January 16th. This information, initially shared on the Nate the Hate podcast and corroborated by reputable sources like Tom Warren and Video Games Chronicle, indicates that an official reveal is imminent. Fans anticipate a formal announcement on Wednesday, setting the stage for what could be a game-changing release in the console market.
"You know a reveal of a reveal is somehow perfect for a console that was pre-announced this many times." [22:10]
In a breakthrough for the semiconductor industry, TSMC has commenced production of 4-nanometer chips at their Phoenix, Arizona facility. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo highlighted that these chips match the quality of those produced in Taiwan, marking a significant achievement for American chip manufacturing. Additionally, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs has greenlit TSMC's plans to potentially expand their production to more advanced 2-nanometer chips overseas.
"It's the first time a process node that cutting edge has been manufactured on American soil." [25:05]
Amidst technological advancements, Sonos faces internal turmoil as their CEO of eight years, Patrick Spence, announces his resignation. This move comes in the wake of a problematic app update that users have criticized for being poorly designed and riddled with bugs, rendering some systems unusable. Speculation suggests that Spence's departure is a response to the challenges faced during his tenure.
"Sonos rolled out an app update that users said wasn't just poorly designed, it was riddled with bugs that rendered some systems unusable." [28:30]
The episode concludes with a look into a fascinating patent filed by Sony, which describes a system capable of predicting and executing player inputs in real-time. Utilizing a camera to monitor player hand movements, the system can anticipate button presses and even infer incomplete controller actions to enhance gameplay responsiveness.
"A system that could predict and execute player inputs, using a camera to watch the player's hands." [30:50]
While this technology promises to make gaming more seamless, it also raises questions about the future of player autonomy and game dynamics.
Conclusion
This episode of TechLinked provides a comprehensive overview of significant developments in the tech and gaming industries, from NVIDIA's foray into ARM-based chips and the geopolitical implications of AI chip exports to the evolving landscape of social media platforms amidst TikTok's potential ban. Additionally, advancements in semiconductor manufacturing and innovations in gaming technology highlight the rapid pace of technological progress. Tune in next Wednesday for more insightful tech news updates.