The WAN Show Podcast Summary – March 6, 2026: "I Will Sell Him This Neo"

Hosts: Linus Sebastian & Luke Lafreniere
Special Guest: Rob, Threat Locker Chief Product Officer
Date: March 7, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Linus and Luke broadcast from the Threat Locker studio at Zero Trust World. The show explores several of the hottest topics in tech right now, focusing on Apple’s new MacBook Neo, the paywall move by popular testing site RTINGS.com, major privacy scandals, the ever-changing Linux landscape, and more. Rob from Threat Locker joins to talk about Zero Trust security and the company's latest offerings. The show keeps its classic candid, fast-paced, and banter-filled tone.

Major Segments & Timestamps

• Apple’s New MacBooks & MacBook Neo: [03:25] – [16:14]
• Zero Trust Security & Threat Locker Interview: [16:41] – [27:44]
• RTINGS.com Paywalls Data & The Fate of Tech Review Sites: [28:05] – [38:50]
• Linux Challenge Updates and Misadventures: [39:10] – [55:18]
• Meta's Ray-Ban AI Glasses Privacy Scandal: [63:34] – [70:17]
• Amazon Wish Lists & Privacy Risks: [79:53] – [84:23]
• GrapheneOS Comes to Motorola: [84:23] – [86:45]
• Massive HDDs, PC Price Woes: [86:46] – [90:41]
• 'Microslop' Banning & Discord Community Management: [90:41] – [91:56]
• Yahoo Sells Engadget & Tech Media Consolidation: [92:00] – [92:35]
• Q&A and Tech Kit Essentials: [94:38] – [103:43]

Apple’s New MacBook Neo – Hype or E-waste?

[03:25]–[16:14]

• Product Rundown: Apple announced new MacBook Pro/Air lines and introduced the MacBook Neo, a $600 laptop running Apple’s A18 Pro chip (not an M-series), bringing Apple laptops below $1,000 for the first time in years.

• Specs & Limitations:

  • 8GB unified memory (non-upgradable), 512GB storage (base for Air/Pro, Neo is 8GB/256GB).
  • Aluminum chassis, high-quality display (500 nits), good keyboard/trackpad, solid webcam.
  • Two USB-C ports (only one with display out), no backlit keyboard, and TouchID is a $100 premium.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Linus: "When’s the last time we saw a MacBook for under $1,000?... It only has two USB C ports and a three and a half millimeter jack" [06:34]
  • Luke: "This is a $600 laptop. I’m not expecting any of that [premium features] stuff." [08:40]
  • Linus: "Here’s my pitch... I didn’t say I was going to sell you a MacBook Neo for you... I know you have some family members that are way overdue for a laptop." [09:43]

• Discussion:

  • Neo is positioned as an ideal simple-use machine: web, email, schoolwork—could outlast the competition in updates/support.
  • Some hesitation about its future-proofing; only 8GB RAM in 2026 is tight, but Apple’s RAM handling is efficient.

• Memorable Moment:

  • Luke: "I think at this point I would rather go with this laptop with the OS that it ships with than a Windows 12 laptop." [12:34]
  • Linus: "Windows 12 is shaping up to be an AI-first operating system... when the bar is... the bottom of the Marianas Trench at this point." [12:13]

Special Guest: Rob from Threat Locker – All About Zero Trust

[16:41]–[27:44]

• Explaining Zero Trust:

  • Deny by default/assume breach model—moving away from “allow everything except known bad” towards tight control at every level (network, application, cloud).
  • Quote: Rob: "The fact of the matter is zero trust means computer turned off, locked in a vault, never connected to anything." [25:27]

• New Products:

  • Zero Trust Cloud Access – routes traffic through one trusted IP for cloud apps, greatly limiting attack vectors.
  • Protects against session cookie hijacks, MFA bypass, business email compromise.
  • Zero Trust Network Access – removes VPNs as a weak point, only allows explicitly permitted devices.

• Memorable Moments:

  • Linus: "You say zero trust, but it sounds like I need to trust you." [25:02]
  • Rob: "It's a tiny bit of trust." [25:13]
  • Amusing anecdote on noticing someone left their laptop unlocked at a security expo. [16:47]

• Resiliency: Not a single point of failure; multiple redundant servers per company.

RTINGS.com Goes Paywall: The Future of Lab Review Sites

[28:05]–[38:50]

• Context: Loss of Google search traffic and rampant AI scraping without credit lets to RTINGS.com paywalling most individual scores/test results.

• Discussion Points:

  • Free tier retains limited access: "best in category" lists/overall summaries, but not granular scores/results.
  • Linus & Luke both empathize deeply; LTT Labs faces similar struggles.
  • AI bots can just buy a subscription to scrape anyway.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Linus: "Be angry, but be angry at the right people... at the AI giants that are scraping, stealing the hard work that real actual human people... are doing." [31:17]
  • Luke: "I don't feel like this is going to lead to the growth or the good sustainment that they probably need... but I would so love to be wrong." [34:23]

• Takeaway:

  • Industry-wide loss if sites like RTINGS.com fade. Using numbers in reviews is a double-edged sword: it’s what people want, but lacks nuance.

Linux Challenge: Chaos, Curses, and Surprises

[39:10]–[55:18]

• Linus’s Struggles:

  • Revisits past POP!_OS drama: much of the online blame was misplaced—some genuine bugs, some user error.
  • Tries Bazite and Kubuntu—immediately runs into bizarre boot issues (recorded for posterity).
  • Cursed luck: Even breaks a guest’s (Dank Pods) Bazite install by merely touching the drive.

• Luke’s Smooth Sailing:

  • Mint works flawlessly for him, serving as a stark contrast.
  • "Sometimes that's actually more terrifying. Yeah, I don't know. It just works fine." [53:21]

• Key Insights:

  • The Linux landscape can be wildly inconsistent—even with mainstream distros.
  • Mint emerges as easiest for most users; Linus ponders if he’s uniquely “cursed.”

• Fun Quote:

  • Linus: "There’s just a god of irony somewhere... wouldn’t it be funny if there was this tech media guy and he literally just couldn’t use the operating system that was like almost his name." [54:52]

Meta’s Ray-Ban AI Glasses – A Privacy Nightmare

[63:34]–[70:17]

• Scandal Details:

  • Swedish newspapers expose that Meta sends unfiltered user video—including intimate/compromising scenes— from Ray-Ban AI glasses to data annotators in Kenya.
  • Automatic blurring of faces often fails; workers have to manually watch and label highly private content.

• GDPR Problems:

  • Kenya isn’t approved for data adequacy by the EU, making transfers for European users potentially illegal.

• Luke: "We see everything from living rooms to naked bodies. They risk losing their jobs if they refuse to label said content." [64:39]

• Linus: "Is privacy dead? The answer is yes for sure." [68:28]

• Discussion:

  • Meta’s new "Name Tag" facial recognition feature is deliberately launched when regulators are distracted by bigger political events—shows Meta's attitude towards privacy.
  • Both hosts note the utility of smart glasses while slamming Meta’s gross privacy violations.

News Bites & Lightning Rounds

Amazon Wish Lists Exposing Addresses

[79:53]–[84:23]

• Amazon removes "fulfilled by Amazon only" option—third-party sellers now handle wish list orders, exposing buyers’ addresses. Particularly dangerous for streamers or creators.
  • Luke: "This is a genuine safety hazard for women." [82:06]

GrapheneOS Coming to Motorola

[84:23]–[86:45]

• Security-focused Android fork, previously Pixel-only, will launch on Motorola phones from 2027. Hosts intrigued but note that widespread adoption may still be for enthusiasts.

Massive 44TB HDDs & PC Price Concerns

[86:46]–[90:41]

• Seagate shipping 44TB hard drives using Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR).

  • Linus: "Freakin’ hard drives are still doing stuff!" [87:22]

• Entry-level PCs under $500 predicted to disappear in a couple years (per Gartner)—though skepticism is advised.

Fun with Words: ‘Microslop’ Banned on Discord

[90:41]–[91:56]

• Microsoft’s Copilot Discord server bans “Microslop,” leading to Streisand Effect, more community flair, and general hilarity.
  • Linus: "Why would they Streisand affect this?" [91:12]
  • Luke: "Anyone who gets banned from that server is like, that’s a badge of honor." [91:17]

Yahoo Sells Engadget

[92:00]–[92:35]

• More consolidation of tech media; reflection on Yahoo’s acquisition track record ("Has Yahoo ever sold a company for more than what they paid for it?").

Q&A Highlights & Tech Kit Essentials

[94:38]–[103:43]

• Viewers ask diverse questions, from monitor sharing latency with KVMs (Level1Techs comes highly recommended) to Linus’ tech sac contents:

  • Multiple screwdrivers, wire cutters, Ethernet adapters, various USB/SD cards, pen, Molex tools.
  • Linus: "That’s my tech stack. You’re welcome." [100:45]

• Favorite hardware fails:

  • Linus: Plugged a floppy power connector into a sound card, releasing the magic smoke. [104:03]
  • Luke: Dropped—and may have killed—Linus’s motherboard.

Other Notable/Memorable Moments

• “Dong Tag” for body-part facial recognition on smart glasses, jokingly proposed [66:08]
• Linus’s take on AI scraping destroying the discoverability and business model of factual review/lab sites.
• Candid frustration with Linux: “I’m not going to be gaslit on this” — Linus, about repeating errors with POP!_OS [39:56]

Episode Wrap-up

The show retains its hallmark blend of deeply nerdy insight, honest rants, playful jabs, and earnest advocacy, particularly about the value of independent review sites and user privacy. A classic WAN Show – equal parts friendly chaos, hands-on expertise, and tech reality check.

For more details or specific laughs, check these timestamps for quick reference:

• MacBook Neo review & sales pitch: [03:25]
• Threat Locker Zero Trust deep dive: [16:41]
• RTINGS.com/AI scrapers/paywall: [28:05]
• Linus breaks Linux (again): [39:10]
• Meta Ray-Ban privacy scandal: [63:34]
• Miscellaneous Q&A on hardware: [94:38]

Notable Quotes:

• "Be angry, but be angry at the right people... the AI giants that are scraping, stealing the hard work." — Linus [31:17]
• "I didn't say I was going to sell you a MacBook Neo for you..." — Linus [09:43]
• "Anyone who gets banned from [Copilot Discord server] is like, that's a badge of honor." — Luke [91:17]
• "There's just a god of irony somewhere... tech media guy who literally can't use the OS almost his name." — Linus [54:52]

Original WAN Show energy throughout: Honest, opinionated tech discussion with technical detail, skepticism about industry shifts, and plenty of playful bickering.

Podcast summary by WAN Show fans, for WAN Show fans (and those who want all the hot tech news, drama, and laughs in 10 minutes flat).