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Everybody.
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These are violent criminals, so they're not.
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Gonna go down easy. ABC Tuesdays let's get this done. The rookie is back.
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We have two new rookies starting today.
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Howdy.
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Being a cop is stressful 24 7.
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Every year on the job is different and training day. We have a serial killer at large. Never ends.
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We need an ambulance.
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The Rookie all new Tuesdays on ABC and stream on Hulu.
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Look, in tech news and in life, you can't control leaks. Trust me, I've tried. We're not sure if all the leaks forced Nintendo to finally reveal the Switch 2 yesterday in a two minute video, but given that it, like the leaks, focused almost entirely on the console's physical design, the reveal gave off some clear vibes of fine here. Now shut up. Shut up. Stop. The video confirmed many previously leaked details, like the adjustable kickstand, bigger joy cons with a mysterious extra button, and even pretty clearly hinted at the rumored mouse mode with the cons clicking into flat sided attachments and gliding along a surface with wrist straps trailing behind like mouse tails. Nintendo Switch Master Race Boom. Headshots for days Lacking actual specs, Ars Technica calculates we're looking at maybe a 7.9-inch screen with a 33% bigger body than the Switch one. And yeah, that about matches my own estimates. Nintendo promised to host a direct with more info on April 2, perhaps because they've got lots of prep to do. The Switch 1 sort of kicked off the whole handheld craze, but now the Switch 2 has to deal with a market full of Steam deck alikes. Plus Nintendo has to convince people to be okay with the way Donkey Kong looks now and the fact that their top IP lawyer admitted that emulators are technically legal. Can't sue anyone anymore. You said it. Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court said it is upholding the federal law that would ban TikTok from the country on Sunday unless China based parent company ByteDance sells the app. Prior to the ruling, TikTok said it's preparing to shut down on Sunday, but what will actually happen is still up in the air. Sunday is President Biden's last day in office and he said he will leave TikTok's fate in President Trump's capable orangish hands, although it's not clear if Biden knew where he was at the time. See, I made a joke about both, so it's okay. Trump may try to save TikTok following a jovial phone chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but who knows, he'll have to think about whether he wants more Chinese hackers breaking into computers like they did to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, probably because she couldn't stop doom scrolling TikToks of custom slime creations. She's a freak like you and me she and a flood of other TikTokers, some of whom signed up for the even more Chinese app Xiaohongshu, aka RedNote, specifically so the CCP can get their data, may be bothering its existing user base. The app reportedly plans to segregate accounts with China based IP addresses from those in the US which is sad for Chinese Americans and others who use the app because it's Chinese. Meanwhile, American social apps are trying to attract the TikTok refugees with Substack straight up offering $25,000 in cash for the most popular TikTok video, convincing users to join Substack. But they'll probably just get there and start poking around like, you know, do you have any Chinese articles? You don't even read Chinese. Oh, I like the way it looks. Reviews are up for Intel's second Battlemage based Arc graphics card, the B570, and so far the consensus is with an MSRP of 220 USD, 10 gigs of VRAM and in general slightly diminished specs across the board compared to the B580. It's it's like a less powerful version of the B580. It's not an RTX 5090. I don't know why you think that. As originally discovered by Hardware Canucks and expanded upon by Hardware Unboxed, both of Intel's new cards have worse than expected performance on some older chip sets, but overall the B570 can serve as a less powerful alternative to the RTX 4060, particularly at 1440p. So when is AMD gonna stop dragging its feed and give us more details about that RX9070 and 9070 XT they announced at CES? You know, the ones with a bad name. Shame on you amd. The shame. Bad. I mean. I mean Momomo on Twitter is leaking the full specs and the cards are reportedly already in stock at European retailers. Amd this is getting a little ridiculous. Just come out from behind. We can all see you hiding there. You clearly want me to talk about our sponsor boot.dev, the most fun way to learn how to code for backend web development because it's self paced online and feels like a riveting RPG game instead of sitting through lectures or video tutorials. Don't do that to your fingers. We wanna code and you will boot.dev is built to get you writing a ton of code and actually shipping projects, because the smartest way to learn is to make sure you're never bored. But why learn this at all? Did a stack overflow survey show that the 2023 median yearly SAL backend devs in the US was well over $100,000 or something? Yes, but this isn't a get rich quick scheme. The folks at boot.dev believe in going deep and taking time on the fundamentals, so you are well prepared for your job search. And if you ever get stuck, there's an active discord community ready to help. So click the link in the description box and use the code TechLink to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. that's 25% off your first month or first year, depending on the subscription you choose. Oh, I tried to hold the quick bits in but no luck. Here they come. Cause they're leaking okay, Microsoft has clarified that blog post from Wednesday about the free Upgrade to Windows 11 going away. It was just a funny joke. It's not going away. In fact, they want you to upgrade so bad, they're now forcing Windows 11 users to update to the infamously bug ridden version 24H2. You can postpone for a week, but that's it. Microsoft is also making the decision for you to hike the price of Microsoft 365, aka office personal and family plans by three bucks a month. But don't worry, you get copilot integration for your trouble. So right there in Word you can ask it to create recipes instantly that authentically taste exactly like something thought up by a machine with no taste buds. Do you like it? SpaceX's massive Starship rocket experienced a rapid unscheduled disadvantage assembly during its latest test flight on Thursday, forcing aircraft to divert their flight paths but leading to some spectacular footage of flaming debris. Here, this one's a better view. Plus the guy tagged tmz. What are they gonna do? What TMZ Emergency Squad roll out on the plus side, SpaceX did catch the Starship's booster for the second time, hours after Blue Origin, owned by rival billionaire Jeff Bezos to Elon Musk. I just realized I didn't even say his name successfully achieved orbit for the first time with its new Glenn rocket. And those two are gonna have so much fun together up there. And that's what's important. Apple is pausing AI generated notification summaries in the latest iOS 18.3 beta after numerous complaints from users and the press about those summaries sometimes being completely inaccurate, which is very much a You had one job situation. Apple wants to fix the feature. But now I'm wondering how the AI will summarize all the articles about this Apple pausing AI summaries. Wait, that's me.
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No.
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The world's largest battery power plant erupted into flames Thursday afternoon, causing evacuations of the surrounding area, which is known as Monterey County, California. Really? Isn't it someone else's turn to have a fire? What caused it is unclear, although the batteries were lithium based, so someone may just have been poking around with something sharp. You know, just wanted to see what's inside. And the iPhone. Air and Samsung Galaxy Slim are arriving later this year and regular Ozempic might not be enough. Good thing a new weight loss drug is on the way. That's right, it's Super Ozempic. Or at least that's what Gizmodo called it in their report on drug maker Novo Nordisk's findings showing study participants losing weight faster than vanilla Ozempic when given a higher dose. Fascinating results. So you're gonna want to get your soon to be bony hands on this if you're buying one of these thin phones. The effect we're going for with the arms is bat wings. Okay. It's so, it's so in right now, and I'm so into the idea of you coming back here on Monday for more tech news. Just, just imagine you there, me here, you know, basically the same as this. But again, wow.
TechLinked Podcast Summary: "Switch 2 Reveal, TikTok Ban, Intel Arc B570 + More!"
Release Date: January 18, 2025
Host/Author: Linus Media Group
Duration: Approximately 8 minutes
Timestamp [00:30]
Speaker B dives into the highly anticipated reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, addressing the impact of persistent leaks on its official unveiling.
Design Enhancements: The Switch 2's physical design closely mirrors leaked images, featuring an adjustable kickstand, larger Joy-Cons with an additional mysterious button, and a hint towards a rumored mouse mode. Speaker B remarks, “The video confirmed many previously leaked details... adjustable kickstand, bigger Joy-Cons with a mysterious extra button.”
Specifications and Performance: Without official specs, Ars Technica estimates a 7.9-inch screen and a 33% larger body compared to the original Switch. Speaker B concurs, stating, “That about matches my own estimates.”
Market Positioning: The Switch 2 faces competition from numerous Steam Deck alternatives and must persuade gamers to embrace design changes, including updates to iconic characters like Donkey Kong. Additionally, Nintendo grapples with legal challenges as their top IP lawyer admits that emulators are technically legal, limiting their ability to prosecute unauthorized software.
Upcoming Announcements: Nintendo plans a direct event on April 2 for further details, indicating extensive preparation behind the scenes.
Timestamp [02:15]
Speaker B discusses the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold federal law potentially banning TikTok unless ByteDance divests its ownership.
Legal Implications: The ruling maintains pressure on TikTok, with President Biden deferring the app's fate to President Trump’s administration. Speaker B humorously notes, “Biden will leave TikTok's fate in President Trump's capable orangish hands.”
Security Concerns: The ban stems from fears of Chinese data access and potential cybersecurity threats, highlighted by incidents like Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s alleged hacking.
Alternative Platforms: In response to TikTok's uncertainty, American social apps are vying for its user base. Speaker B mentions, “Substack straight up offering $25,000 in cash for the most popular TikTok video,” aiming to attract creators to their platform.
Impact on Users: The Chinese app Xiaohongshu (RedNote) plans to segregate accounts based on IP addresses, affecting Chinese Americans and other international users who rely on the platform.
Timestamp [04:00]
The conversation shifts to Intel's release of the Arc B570 graphics card, Intel’s second offering in their Battlemage series.
Specifications and Pricing: The B570 is priced at $220 USD, equipped with 10GB of VRAM. However, it features slightly reduced specifications compared to its predecessor, the B580. Speaker B explains, “It's like a less powerful version of the B580. It's not an RTX 5090.”
Performance Analysis: Initial reviews indicate underperformance on older chipsets, as highlighted by Hardware Canucks and Hardware Unboxed. Despite this, the B570 serves as a viable alternative to the RTX 4060 for 1440p gaming.
Timestamp [04:45]
Speaker B expresses frustration over AMD's delayed release of the RX9070 and RX9070 XT graphics cards, first announced at CES.
Market Expectations: The names RX9070 and 9070 XT have been criticized for poor branding. Speaker B laments, “Amd this is getting a little ridiculous. Just come out from behind.”
Speculations and Leaks: Despite the delays, rumors suggest that full specifications are being leaked by influencers like Momomo on Twitter, with reports that the cards are already available in European retail markets.
Timestamp [05:30]
Microsoft's recent updates have stirred conversations around Windows 11 and its associated services.
Windows 11 Upgrade Path: Speaker B clarifies misinformation regarding the discontinuation of free Windows 11 upgrades. Instead, Microsoft is actively encouraging upgrades by mandating updates to the problematic 24H2 version. Speaker B quips, “They want you to upgrade so bad, they're now forcing Windows 11 users to update.”
Microsoft 365 Price Increase: The subscription fee for Microsoft 365 has increased by $3 per month, now including Copilot integration. This AI feature allows users to generate content within applications like Word, albeit humorously noted for creating "recipes that authentically taste exactly like something thought up by a machine with no taste buds."
Timestamp [06:45]
A discussion on SpaceX’s recent Starship rocket test flight highlights both setbacks and successes.
Test Flight Challenges: The Starship experienced a "rapid unscheduled disadvantage assembly," leading to flaming debris and flight path diversions. Despite the mishap, spectacular footage captured by Media Tricks was shared, including a humorous mention of TMZ's involvement.
Competitive Milestones: On a positive note, SpaceX successfully recovered the Starship's booster for the second time. Additionally, Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, achieved orbit with its new Glenn rocket, setting the stage for future collaborative and competitive endeavors in space exploration.
Timestamp [07:30]
Apple has temporarily halted its AI-driven notification summaries feature in the iOS 18.3 beta following negative feedback.
User and Press Backlash: The AI summaries were criticized for inaccuracies, leading to the feature's suspension. Speaker B sarcastically remarks, “Apple wants to fix the feature. But now I'm wondering how the AI will summarize all the articles about this Apple pausing AI summaries.”
Future Fixes: Apple plans to refine the feature to address the accuracy issues before relaunching it in future updates.
Timestamp [07:50]
Largest Battery Power Plant Fire: Monterey County, California, saw a major lithium-based battery power plant fire, resulting in evacuations. The cause remains unclear, with speculation ranging from tampering to accidental damage.
New Smartphones: The release of the iPhone Air and Samsung Galaxy Slim is anticipated later in the year. These models emphasize sleek designs, though humorously critiqued for promoting "bat wings" through their arm designs.
Super Ozempic: Novo Nordisk's new weight loss drug, dubbed "Super Ozempic" by Gizmodo, promises faster weight loss results compared to the standard Ozempic, pending further studies and approvals.
Speaker B wraps up the episode with a light-hearted invitation to listeners, encouraging them to return for more tech news and updates. The discussion spans a broad spectrum of current technology trends, product releases, and industry challenges, providing listeners with comprehensive insights into the latest happenings in the tech and gaming worlds.
Notable Quotes:
[00:30] Speaker B: “The video confirmed many previously leaked details... adjustable kickstand, bigger Joy-Cons with a mysterious extra button.”
[02:15] Speaker B: “Biden will leave TikTok's fate in President Trump's capable orangish hands.”
[04:00] Speaker B: “It's like a less powerful version of the B580. It's not an RTX 5090.”
[05:30] Speaker B: “They want you to upgrade so bad, they're now forcing Windows 11 users to update.”
[07:30] Speaker B: “Apple wants to fix the feature. But now I'm wondering how the AI will summarize all the articles about this Apple pausing AI summaries.”
This episode of TechLinked provides a thorough overview of significant tech developments, blending technical analysis with a touch of humor, ensuring both engagement and informativeness for listeners seeking to stay updated in the ever-evolving tech landscape.