Device Casting Couch

Sources:

AI Fails In School Surveillance

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/florida-schools-plan-to-vastly-expand-use-of-ai-that-mistook-clarinet-for-gun/

Spotify Breach (Anna’s Archive)

https://www.tomshardware.com/service-providers/streaming/pirate-archivist-group-scrapes-spotifys-300tb-library-posts-free-torrents-for-downloading-investigation-underway-as-music-and-metadata-hit-torrent-sites

https://www.billboard.com/business/streaming/spotify-music-library-leak-1236143970/

https://torrentfreak.com/annas-archive-backed-up-spotify-plans-to-release-300tb-music-archive/

Anna’s Archive

https://annas-archive.li/blog/backing-up-spotify.html

https://annas-archive.org/

Asus Router Vulnerability

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/11/thousands-of-hacked-asus-routers-are-under-control-of-suspected-china-state-hackers/

Operation ‘Bluebird’/diVine

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/12/can-twitter-fly-again-startup-wants-to-pry-iconic-trademark-from-musks-x/

https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/12/jack-dorsey-funds-divine-a-vine-reboot-that-includes-vines-video-archive/

https://divine.video/

iRobot (Roomba) Bankruptcy

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/12/roomba-maker-irobot-swept-into-bankruptcy/

FCC Bans Chinese Drones

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/djis-new-drones-will-not-be-available-in-the-us-as-fcc-ban-takes-effect/

Libreboot/Coreboot Release

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Coreboot-25.12-Released

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Libreboot-26.01-rc1

https://libreboot.org/news/libreboot2601rc1.html

Chapters:

AI Fails in Schools 01:00

Spotify Breach (Anna’s Archive) 09:25

Asus Router Vulnerability 21:18

Operation ‘Bluebird’/diVine 22:47

Roomba Bankrupt 26:16

FCC Bans Chinese Drones 28:16

Libreboot/Coreboot Release 30:00

Shenanigans/Outro 32:00

Like the bumper Music? Check out the artist here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ieXm5oA8kQ

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

https://linktr.ee/DeviceCastingCouch

Apple Spying | Nvidia News | Meta Bots | Deepseek | And More! - S01E36

Sources:

Nvidia GPU

https://www.phoronix.com/review/nvidia-rtx5080-rtx5090-linux https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5080-review-more-like-a-4080-super-super/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/review-nvidias-geforce-rtx-5090-is-the-first-gpu-that-can-beat-the-rtx-4090/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/nvidia-winding-down-support-for-older-gpus-including-the-legendary-750-ti-and-1060/

NVIDIA Discontinuing Older GPUs

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/nvidia-winding-down-support-for-older-gpus-including-the-legendary-750-ti-and-1060/

Netflix Raises Prices

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/new-netflix-price-hikes-increase-subscription-fees-by-up-to-2-50-a-month/

Raspberry Pi 16GB

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/new-120-16gb-raspberry-pi-5-is-for-the-people-who-use-it-like-an-everyday-pc/

Dell XPS

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/the-end-of-an-era-dell-will-no-longer-make-xps-computers/

Uncensored Video AI From Tencent

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/12/a-new-uncensored-ai-video-model-may-spark-a-new-ai-hobbyist-movement/

Deepseek R1

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/01/china-is-catching-up-with-americas-best-reasoning-ai-models/

https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/italy-bans-chinese-deepseek-ai-over.html https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/deepseek-ai-database-exposed-over-1.html https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/top-rated-chinese-ai-app-deepseek.html

Hackers Target European Power Grid

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/01/could-hackers-use-new-attack-to-take-down-european-power-grid/

FreeDesktop.org

https://www.phoronix.com/news/2025-XOrg-FreeDesktop-Cloud

Magic Packet

https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/custom-backdoor-exploiting-magic-packet.html https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/01/backdoor-infecting-vpns-used-magic-packets-for-stealth-and-security/

Meta Bots

https://www.404media.co/metas-ai-profiles-are-indistinguishable-from-terrible-spam-that-took-over-facebook/

https://www.404media.co/zuckerberg-the-ai-slop-will-continue-until-morale-improves/

Win10 vs. Win11

https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/02/windows_10_grows/

Apple Admits to Spying on Users

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/apple-agrees-to-pay-95m-delete-private-conversations-siri-recorded/?comments-page=1#comments

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jul/26/apple-contractors-regularly-hear-confidential-details-on-siri-recordings

Like the bumper Music? Check out the artist here!

https://www.looperman.com/users/tracks/4730025

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

https://linktr.ee/DeviceCastingCouch

Intel GPUs | Calling ChatGPT | FBI Says: "Use Signal!" | And More! - S01E35

Sources:

Intel GPUs

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/intel-rumored-to-launch-a-24gb-battlemage-gpu-for-professionals-in-2025-double-the-vram-capacity-of-its-alchemist-counterpart-targeted-at-ai-workloads

https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/intel-arc-b580-review

Compromised Chrome Extensions

https://therecord.media/hackers-target-vpn-ai-extensions-google-chrome-malicious-updates

https://therecord.media/cyberhaven-hack-google-chrome-extension

https://www.extensiontotal.com/cyberhaven-incident-live

FBI/CISA Recommends Using Signal

https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/joint-statement-fbi-and-cisa-peoples-republic-china-prc-targeting-commercial-telecommunications

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/12/us-recommends-encrypted-messaging-as-chinese-hackers-linger-in-telecom-networks/

Calling ChatGPT

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/12/openai-launches-free-phone-hotline-to-let-anyone-call-chatgpt/

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/12/certain-names-make-chatgpt-grind-to-a-halt-and-we-know-why/

Salt Typhoon Breach

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/atandt-and-verizon-say-networks-secure-after-salt-typhoon-breach/

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/salt-typhoon-hack-shows-theres-no-security-backdoor-thats-only-good-guys

Cloudflare/VPNs Banned in India

https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/02/cloudflares-vpn-app-among-half-dozen-pulled-from-indian-app-stores/

CUDA Support Expanding

https://www.phoronix.com/news/ZLUDA-v4-Released

Blu-Ray Drives Slowing Down Production

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/the-optical-disc-onslaught-continues-with-lg-quitting-blu-ray-players/

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

💬 Show Notes

In this tech-packed episode of The Device Casting Couch, Ryan and John return from a hiatus with a treasure trove of topics, from the groundbreaking to the downright concerning. They kick off with a deep dive into the promise of portable nuclear batteries, exploring BetaVolt Technologies' claim of a 50-year charge from a hand-held device. But is it safe, or is it too good to be true?

Next, they shift gears to Apple's tug-of-war with the EU over web apps and browser engines, dissecting the tech giant's resistance to change and the broader implications for user choice and competition.

The duo also touches on a myriad of quickfire stories, from Express VPN's DNS leak debacle to the DOJ's secret mission against Russian malware in routers. They even debunk the viral myth of toothbrushes turned DDoS attackers and share their skepticism about the utility of "smart" everything in our homes.

But it's not all breaches and botnets; they pay tribute to David Mills, the inventor of the network time protocol, who recently passed away. His legacy of synchronizing the digital world is a poignant reminder of the Internet's collaborative roots.

So, whether you're tech-curious or a seasoned pro, tune in for a whirlwind update on the latest in tech, served with a side of critical insight and a sprinkle of humor. Don't miss this episode of The Device Casting Couch—where tech gets real, and nothing is off-limits.

Sources:

Nuclear Battery:

https://www.techradar.com/phones/a-tiny-radioactive-battery-could-keep-your-phone-running-for-50-years

https://citylabs.net/nuclear-batteries/

https://www.androidauthority.com/nuclear-phone-battery-in-development-3402297/

DOJ Removes Russian Malware:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/02/doj-turns-tables-on-russian-hackers-uses-their-malware-to-wipe-out-botnet/

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fbi-disrupts-russian-moobot-botnet-infecting-ubiquiti-routers/

Apple Disables Web Apps:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/02/apple-disables-iphone-web-apps-in-eu-says-its-too-hard-to-comply-with-rules/

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/google-and-mozilla-dont-like-apples-new-ios-browser-rules/

Mozilla Layoffs/to Build AI into Firefox:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/mozilla-lays-off-60-people-wants-to-build-ai-into-firefox/

YouTube TV Now 4th Biggest Cable Provider:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/youtube-tv-is-the-uss-4th-biggest-cable-tv-provider-with-8-million-subs/

Plex Now Offers Movie Rentals:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/plex-where-people-typically-avoid-hollywood-fees-now-offers-movie-rentals/

Prime Video Cuts High-End Audio Without Ads:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/prime-video-cuts-dolby-vision-atmos-support-from-ad-tier-and-didnt-tell-subs/

Hulu/Disney+ Cracks Down On Password Sharing:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/hulu-disney-password-crackdown-kills-account-sharing-on-march-14/

YouTuber Cracks Bitlocker with $10 Raspberry Pi:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/raspberry-pi-bitlocker-hack-is-a-new-spin-on-a-years-old-well-documented-exploit/

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/youtuber-breaks-bitlocker-encryption-in-less-than-43-seconds-with-sub-dollar10-raspberry-pi-pico

https://hackaday.com/2024/02/06/beating-bitlocker-in-43-seconds/

Google No Longer Backs Up The Internet:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/google-search-kills-off-cached-webpages/

Pixel 8 Pro Can Read Body Temps:

https://arstechnica.com/google/2024/01/pixel-8-pro-finally-gets-forehead-scanning-body-temperature-feature/

Fake Toothbrush DdoS Story:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/no-3-million-electric-toothbrushes-were-not-used-in-a-ddos-attack/

Firefox and Chrome Set To Fight Over Ad-Blocking:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/10/23131029/mozilla-ad-blocking-firefox-google-chrome-privacy-manifest-v3-web-request

Linux Distro That Has Windows Feel:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ready-to-ditch-windows-for-linux-this-is-the-ideal-distro-for-you/

Express VPN Leaks DNS Requests:

https://www.howtogeek.com/expressvpn-disables-split-tunneling-while-it-patches-a-dns-leak/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/expressvpn-removes-split-tunneling-feature-for-leaking-dns-requests

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

📋 Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:55 Nuclear Batteries?

11:09 Apple vs. EU

15:42 Mozilla cuts & AI

21:02 So. Many. Ads.

24:56 YouTube TV

35:48 Google backing up the Internet

50:38 DOJ vs. Russian Malware

55:55 Express VPN Leaks

58:56 3 million toothbrushes were hacked

01:05:06 Breaking Bitlocker

01:10:21 Plex is offering rentals now

01:12:09 RIP David Mills

Our Other Platforms/Websites!



Sources:

The Late Kevin Mitnick

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/21/us/computer-hacker-kevin-mitnick-obit/index.html https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/20/kevin_mitnick_obit/

ZenBleed

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/zenbleed-bug-allows-data-theft-from-amds-zen-2-processors-patches-released

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/07/encryption-breaking-password-leaking-bug-in-many-amd-cpus-could-take-months-to-fix/

Debian RISC-V

https://hackaday.com/2023/07/25/debian-officially-adds-risc-v-support/

LK99

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/superconductor-breakthrough-replicated-twice

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/scramble-to-validate-superconductor-breakthrough-confirms-zero-resistance-with-a-catch

https://bigthink.com/hard-science/experts-amateur-replicate-lk-99/ https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/08/whats-going-on-with-the-reports-of-a-room-temperature-superconductor/

Microsoft Supports Right-to-Repair

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/microsoft-now-offers-xbox-controller-parts-manuals-and-video-repair-guides/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/need-to-repair-a-surface-device-microsoft-will-sell-you-the-parts

Bigger Hard-drive Technology

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/western-digital-hdd-capacity-hits-28tb-as-seagate-looks-to-30tb-and-beyond/

Meta AI

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/08/meta-readies-ai-chatbots-for-artificial-companionship-and-user-retention/ https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/08/open-source-audiocraft-can-make-dogs-bark-and-symphonies-soar-from-text-using-ai/

Raspberry Pi Availability Improving

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/some-shops-will-let-you-buy-more-than-one-raspberry-pi-at-a-time-again/

GitHub “92% of Devs Use AI”

https://www.zdnet.com/article/github-developer-survey-finds-92-of-programmers-using-ai-tools/

Acoustic Attack to Steal Data

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-acoustic-attack-steals-data-from-keystrokes-with-95-percent-accuracy/

Remove Your Info From Google Search

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-makes-it-easier-to-remove-your-info-explicit-images-from-search/

Sources:

Lawyers Use ChatGPT and It ‘Fails Miserably’

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/failed-miserably-two-lawyers-used-150000449.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65735769

https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-courts-e15023d7e6fdf4f099aa122437dbb59b

Google Domains is yet another useful service to get the ax in favor of “focus” https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/06/google-is-winding-down-google-domains-by-selling-it-to-squarespace/

As the Reddit war rages on, community trust is the casualty https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/the-reddit-protests-are-winding-down-so-whats-next/

Blue Microphones branding is going away after 28 years https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/blue-microphones-branding-is-going-away-after-28-years/

“Clearly predatory”: Western Digital sparks panic, anger for age-shaming HDDs https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/clearly-predatory-western-digital-sparks-panic-anger-for-age-shaming-hdds/

A company called Atari is releasing a brand-new 2600 cartridge this year https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/06/a-company-called-atari-is-releasing-a-brand-new-2600-cartridge-this-year/

YouTube is bringing unskippable 30-second ads to TV https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/18/23728150/youtube-tv-unskippable-ads-premium-pause-commercial

What to make of Apple’s intriguing $3,499 Vision Pro headset https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/five-ways-vision-pro-is-different-from-anything-apple-or-anyone-has-ever-made/

Netflix Password Sharing—New Data Reveals Surprising Truth https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/06/12/netflix-password-sharing-crackdown-new-data-reveals-surprising-truth/?sh=5e36604f3211

RARBG Shutdown is a Major Blow to the Pirate Ecosystem https://torrentfreak.com/rarbg-shutdown-is-a-major-blow-to-the-pirate-ecosystem-230601/

YouTube Orders ‘Invidious’ Privacy Software to Shut Down in 7 Days https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-orders-invidious-privacy-software-to-shut-down-in-7-days-230609/

Porposed Law Would Ban AI Involvement In Nuke-Launching

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/04/nuke-launching-ai-would-be-illegal-under-proposed-us-law/

Arguments FOR AI Involvement In Nuke-Launching

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/06/the-block-nuclear-launch-by-autonomous-ai-act-is-bad-legislation/

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

Like the bumper music? Check out the original from Prod. Riddiman!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSuKogXJOZld5Dzw_9285w

Sources:

San Francisco allows police to use robots to remotely kill suspects https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/11/san-francisco-allows-police-to-remotely-kill-suspects-with-robots/

AMD’s Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs arrive next month to take on Intel for PC gaming https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/4/23539277/amd-ryzen-7000-x3d-zen-4-cpu-9-7950x3d-specs-release-date-ces-2023

AMD’s new RDNA 3 GPUs will compete with Nvidia for mid-range gaming laptops https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/01/amds-new-rdna-3-gpus-will-compete-with-nvidia-for-midrange-gaming-laptops/

Watch The AMD CES 2023 Keynote Live Here: Ryzen 7000 Mobile, RDNA 3 Laptops, Zen 4 X3D https://wccftech.com/watch-amd-ces-2023-keynote-live-here-ryzen-7000-mobile-rdna-3-laptops-zen-4-x3d/

“Memory Saver” might cure Chrome’s insatiable appetite for RAM https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/memory-saver-might-cure-chromes-insatiable-appetite-for-ram/

Chrome’s “Manifest V3” plan to limit ad-blocking extensions is delayed https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/chrome-delays-plan-to-limit-ad-blockers-new-timeline-coming-in-march/ Framework, Noctua, and other brands add official 3D models to Printables https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/framework-noctua-and-other-brands-add-official-3d-models-to-printables/

PineTab 2 is another try at a Linux-based tablet, without the 2020 supply crunch https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/pinetab-2-is-a-rockchip-based-linux-powered-repairable-tablet/

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

Like the bumper music? Check out the original from Prod. Riddiman!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSuKogXJOZld5Dzw_9285w

Sorry for the degraded audio.. this will be fixed in future episodes.

Signal Update/Linux News/Reuters Breached/Metaverse Madness - Device Casting Couch S01E30

Sources/Timestamps:

00:14-03:30 Signal No Longer Supporting SMS

https://www.androidheadlines.com/2022/10/signal-no-longer-supports-sms-texts-on-android.html

https://www.messengerpeople.com/signal-sms-removed/

03:30-05:40 Linux No Longer Supporting Older Intel CPUs

https://www.zdnet.com/article/linus-torvalds-bids-486-linux-adieu/

08:45-14:15 Reuters Breach

https://siliconangle.com/2022/10/27/thomson-reuters-exposes-3tb-sensitive-data-unsecured-elasticsearch-database/

14:15-18:05 Twilio Breached.. Again

https://thehackernews.com/2022/10/twilio-reveals-another-breach-from-same.html

18:50 Raspberry Pi Shortage

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/still-cant-buy-a-raspberry-pi-board-things-arent-getting-better-anytime-soon/

21:08 Is The Future In The Metaverse?

Our Other Platforms/Websites!

Like the bumper music? Check out the original from Prod. Riddiman!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSuKogXJOZld5Dzw_9285w

Sources/Timestamps:

00:45-07:30 Scanning Rooms for Remote Exams Ruled Unconstitutional:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/08/privacy-win-for-students-home-scans-during-remote-exams-deemed-unconstitutional/

07:31-10:38 T-Mobile/Starlink Team Up:

https://www.notateslaapp.com/news/962/musk-says-spacex-discussed-iphone-satellite-service-with-apple

https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/25/23320722/spacex-starlink-t-mobile-satellite-internet-mobile-messaging

https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/30/22649340/apple-iphone-13-satellite-connectivity-emergency

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/08/30/spacex-t-mobile-starlink-satellite/

10-39-12-30 ‘Sock Puppet’ Phishing:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-now-use-sock-puppets-for-more-realistic-phishing-attacks/

12:30-17:44 Twilio Breach (That Affected Signal Users):

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/twilio-hack-exposed-signal-phone-numbers-of-1-900-users/

17:44-19:46 Queen Elizabeth’s Death Phishing Attack:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/death-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-exploited-to-steal-microsoft-credentials/

19:46-26:00 DuckDuckGo Email Service:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/08/duckduckgo-now-offers-anti-tracking-email-service-to-everyone/

https://spreadprivacy.com/protect-your-inbox-with-duckduckgo-email-protection/

26:00-30:47 DuckDuckGo Controversy/Discussion:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/

30:47-33:37 Outro 

Like the bumper music? Check out the original from Prod. Riddiman!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSuKogXJOZld5Dzw_9285w

Sources:

Educational Apps Spying on Child Students

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/remote-learning-apps-shared-children-e2-80-99s-data-at-a-e2-80-98dizzying-scale-e2-80-99/ar-AAXGt4T

https://thetandd.com/lifestyles/technology/virtual-learning-apps-tracked-and-shared-kids-data-with-advertisers-report-says/article_6b909c67-fb06-559b-9fd5-e11c3fa65db7.html

New AMD CPU

https://gizmodo.com/amd-ryzen-7000-zen-4-cpus-ghz-pcie-5-16-cores-am5-mothe-1848962744

https://www.pcgamer.com/amd-details-its-next-gen-am5-socket/

Russian Hackers Sell VPN Data

https://thehackernews.com/2022/05/fbi-warns-about-hackers-selling-vpn.html

JavaScript Vulnerability

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2022-19/

https://thehackernews.com/2022/05/tails-os-users-advised-not-to-use-tor.html

Like the bumper music? Check out the original from WoodyJ (Isaac)!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZKlv7rWb7EoYyYMO-wshig