Notnerd Podcast: Tech Better

The morning after last week's show, Apple confirmed our thoughts, and the rumors, announcing the all-new MacBook Neo. Starting at $599, this laptop packs a punch. We discuss who it's for (spoiler, a lot of people) and what it means for Windows Laptops. Plus, we have plenty of other tech news to get caught up on and all our usual segments, to help you get out there and tech better!

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Asteroid 2024 YR4 will not impact the Moon (03:45)

MAIN TOPIC: MacBook Neo (06:05)

Say hello to MacBook Neo

I can't believe it: Apple's $599 MacBook Neo just lit a monstrous fire under the Windows laptop market — Microsoft better be panicking

Apple's strange TikTok videos capturing Gen Z's attention

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Set a timer to finish at… (19:20)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (24:45)

United Airlines can now boot passengers who refuse to use headphones with their devices

Seagate just unleashed 44TB hard drives

Walgreens testing body-worn cameras for employees

Robotic surgery performed remotely on patient 1,500 miles away

Hacked Tehran traffic cameras fed Israeli intelligence before strike on Khamenei

Florida woman given major jail sentence for illegally selling Microsoft product keys

IBM scientists unveil first-ever 'half-mobius' molecule

WITHIN REACH! Tied 1-1, this is round 3 (28:10)

TAKES:

Meta's AI display glasses reportedly share intimate videos with human moderators - A new app alerts you if someone nearby is wearing smart glasses (35:10)

Grammarly is using generative AI to provide 'expert' reviews from famous authors and academics (40:20)

Anthropic finds 22 Firefox vulnerabilities using Claude Opus 4.6 AI model (42:40)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Walkmanland (44:35)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Small Cream Cheese Spreader Knives Set,Wooden 5in,Stainless Steel Butter Knife Spreader for Cocktail, Condimets, Dips, Appetizers, Jam, Pastry, Sandwich, Toast, Bagel, Charcuterie Board Serving Party Supplies (49:55)

Nate: Veken Coffee Canister, Airtight Stainless Steel Kitchen Food Storage Container with Date Tracker and Scoop for Beans, Grounds, Tea, Flour, Cereal, Sugar, 16OZ, Gray (54:05)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (56:35)

The rumors were right, Apple is releasing a bunch of new products this week. So far, we have a new iPhone 17e, iPad Air, Studio Display, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pros, and it's only Tuesday. We discuss these products and what Apple might have for the rest of the week. Plus all the regular tech goodness to help you get out there and tech better!

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra hands-on: I need the Privacy Display feature on my iPhone ASAP (04:10)

MAIN TOPIC: New Apple Stuff (06:15)

Apple introduces iPhone 17e

Apple introduces the new iPad Air, powered by M4

Apple unveils new Studio Display and all-new Studio Display XDR

Apple introduces MacBook Pro with all‑new M5 Pro and M5 Max

Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with M5

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Change your login picture on Mac, iCloud (25:30)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (32:35)

Scientists crack the case of "screeching" Scotch tape

Startup plans April launch for a satellite to reflect sunlight to Earth at night

Burger King will use AI to check if employees say 'please' and 'thank you'

Uber previews its Dubai air taxi service

Anthropic's Claude hits No. 1 on Apple's top free apps list after Pentagon rejection

South Korean police lose seized crypto by posting password online

Sam Altman would like to remind you that humans use a lot of energy, too

WITHIN REACH (35:05)

TAKES:

Kalshi reveals insider trading case against editor for MrBeast - OpenAI fires an employee for prediction market insider trading (41:05)

Nano Banana 2: Combining Pro capabilities with lightning-fast speed (44:40)

Block shares soar as much as 24% as company slashes workforce by nearly half - EBay is laying off about 800 workers, 6% of global workforce (49:10)

BONUS ODD TAKE: https://iambored.fun/ (53:55)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: 24 PCS Magnetic Zip Tie Mounts, Magnetic Cables Clips Organize and Secure Cable Wires with Powerful Multipurpose Cable Ties Mount Base for Electrical Wire (56:10)

Nate: Tennedriv Green Soil Moisture Meter for House Plants, Plant Water Meter,Plant Moisture Meter for House Plants and Outdoor Plants, No Batteries Required (01:00:00)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (01:02:30)

Mark Zuckerberg and other social media bigwigs are on trial, facing questions about whether social media is addictive. This could be the starting point for a much bigger look into the issues with social media. We do our best to keep the discussion fun. Plus, we have a bunch of other tech news to get caught up on, and some tips and picks to help you get out there and tech better!

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Apple reportedly plans to unveil at least five new products next week (02:20)

Nate vibecoded an app for his Mac! (04:20)

MAIN TOPIC: Is social media addictive? Creators say no (08:35)

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri defends platform in landmark trial over social media harms

Mark Zuckerberg grilled about underage Instagram users, social media addiction during landmark trial

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: iOS Reachability (16:50)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (23:50)

China's hottest app of 2026 just asks if you're still alive

The Salvation Army opens a digital thrift store on Roblox

Email blunder exposes $90 billion Russian oil smuggling ring

India tells university to leave AI summit after presenting Chinese robot as its own

Thousands of CEOs just admitted AI had no impact on employment or productivity

Study of 12,000 EU firms finds AI's productivity gains are real

Microsoft says bug causes Copilot to summarize confidential emails

WITHIN REACH (28:05)

TAKES:

Amazon overtakes Walmart to lead the world in sales (36:10)

Google releases new low-priced Pixel 10A (39:10)

Man accidentally gains control of 7,000 robot vacuums (43:05)

BONUS ODD TAKE: (46:00)

Drone-a-rama! The best drone shots of the Milan Cortina Olympics

Unusual views of the Winter Olympics

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Anker Zolo USB C Charger Block, 2-Pack 4-Port Wall Adapter with 50W Max Output, 2 USB-C and 2 USB-A, Compact and Stable Design, for iPhone 17/16 Series, MacBook, iPad, Pixel, Galaxy, and More (Black) (53:25)

Nate: Milwaukee 48-22-3104 Inkzall Point Marker, Fine, Black, 4-Pack (58:40)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK and bonus (01:01:00)

Ring is under some heat for sharing your data, but don't worry, they are still going to look for your dog. Surveillance is everywhere these days. What does that mean for all of us? Plus, we have plenty of other tech news to get caught up on, like the app Nate has wanted for his Apple Vision Pro since day 1. Tune in and tech better!

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

YouTube launches on Apple Vision Pro (04:15)

Apple Announces Special Event in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4 (07:30)

MAIN TOPIC: Ring a ling a ding dong (09:10)

Amazon's Ring cancels controversial partnership with tech company Flock amid privacy concerns

Have I Been Flocked?

deflock

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Show Wifi QR Code (20:10)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (26:05)

Western Digital is sold out of hard drives for 2026

Sam Bankman-Fried asks for a new trial in FTX crypto fraud case

Razer launches limited-edition Boomslang gaming mouse for $1337

T-Mobile will live translate regular phone calls without an app

Meta patented an AI that lets you keep posting from beyond the grave

Spotify says its best developers haven't written a line of code since December, thanks to AI

Sony will ship its final Blu-ray recorders this month

TAKES:

Apple Podcasts app gaining 'enhanced video podcast experience' in iOS 26.4 (31:20)

Tomb Raider reboot launches on iOS and Android (37:50)

Anthropic's new model is a pro at finding security flaws (41:25)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Bugs Apple Loves (43:10)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Movo VXR10 Universal Shotgun Mic for Camera (46:45)

Nate: NEEWER Basics Magnetic RGB Camera Auxiliary Light, 1.5W Plastic Small Cold Shoe LED Panel Video Photo Fill Lighting for DSLR Action Cam Phone Cage AC024 OSMO Pocket 3 Mount & M21, CRI95+ 500mAh, M23 (50:40)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (55:35)

Millions tuned into the Super Bowl to escape from AI, but the ads were full of it. We'll discuss our thoughts on the ads and maybe the game. Plus, there's plenty of other news to get caught up on, such as a Ferrari with some Apple touches on it, and so much more.

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

MAIN TOPIC: Super Bowl Ads & AI (06:05)

From Svedka to Anthropic, brands make bold plays with AI in Super Bowl ads

Super Bowl Ads: Top 10 Most-Liked Commercials

Crypto.com CEO buys AI.com domain for $70M

Olympics

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Urgent Reminders in Apple Reminders (28:40)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (41:30)

Amazon delivery drone crashes into North Texas apartment building

MrBeast just bought a popular banking app

China's Meituan snaps up Dingdong to deepen push into fresh grocery retail

Western Digital plots a path to 140 Terabyte hard drivese

Spotify plans to sell physical books

Hidden car door handles are officially being banned in China

Asteroid 2024 YR4 has. 4% chance of hitting the moon

LISTENER MAIL: ClearPath payments linked to Lopez v. Apple Settlement as payments reach users (43:55)

Apple check signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak sells for 4,800x its original value (46:55)

TAKES:

Jony Ive's Ferrari Luce EV interior and interface design (49:45)

AppleUnsold - The Apple products they won't sell you (52:25)

Microsoft Patch Tuesday, February 2026 Edition (55:40)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Xikipedia (57:10)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: American DJ WMX1 MK2 Wolfmix Powered Standalone DMX LED Lighting Controller (59:00)

Nate: OMOTON TP03 [Ultra-Slim] for MagSafe Tripod, 360°Rotating Magnetic Phone Tripod for iPhone 17/16/15 Pro Max Air, Foldable Cell Phone Stand with 1/4" Screw & Hook Fits Vlog, Gym, Travel Essentials (01:02:45)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (01:07:10)

Apple made a big acquisition this week, released some big numbers on their quarterly results, and updated the very big number of active devices worldwide this week. Amazon and Spotify also had some big numbers to share this week, one of them not so great. Plus plenty of other tech news, tips, and picks to help you tech better!

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Apple Vision Pro launched two years ago today (04:30)

'Reddit for bots' Moltbook (probably) isn't being used to plot an AI uprising (06:40)

MAIN TOPIC: Apple's Billions (09:25)

Apple acquires Q.ai for a reported $2 billion

Apple reveals it has 2.5 billion active devices around the world

Apple announces all-time record in revenue, iPhone sales

Apple shares trailer for new Top Dogs immersive 'doguseries' coming to Vision Pro

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Persistent proxy icon finder windows (19:35)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (25:30)

The LEGO Group and Crocs enter multi-year global partnership

Scientists create programmable, autonomous robots smaller than a grain of salt

SoundCloud data breach impacts 29.8 million accounts

Seven of the world's ten best=selling smartphones in 2025 were iPhones

An AI toy exposed 50,000 logs of its chats with kids to anyone with a Gmail account

Los Angeles aims to ban single-use printer cartridges

'Reverse Solar Panel' generates electricity at night

TAKES:

Amazon confirms 16,000 job cuts after accidental email (30:20)

Amazon shuts down controversial payment method (33:15)

Spotify paid out $11B in royalties to music industry in 2025 (37:25)

BONUS ODD TAKE: One Minute Park (40:40)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Twinings Earl Grey Black Tea Individually Wrapped Bags, 100 Count (Pack of 1), Flavoured with Citrus & Bergamot, Caffeinated, Enjoy Hot or Iced, 100 Teabags (45:00)

Nate: Memory Foam Replacement Ear Tips Compatible with AirPods Pro 2nd/1st Generation,with Noise Reduction Hole & Built-in dust Guard Screen,for USB-C Charging Case with Cleaner kit -Black (51:10)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (56:00)

Apparently, the US TikTok deal is settled, but some seem to be more concerned now. Apple dropped some new AirTags. Plus plenty of other tech news and tips to catch up on this week to help you get out there and tech better.

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Apple launches AirTag 2 with improved range, louder speaker, more (02:50)

MAIN TOPIC: TikTok is US owned kinda (09:25)

TikTok finalizes deal to form new American entity

TikTok is now collecting even more data about its users. Here are the 3 biggest changes

TikTok in the US is already broken in some ways, here's why

Meta announces ads are coming to Threads next week

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Move Lockscreen Widgets to Bottom of Screen (18:30)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (23:20)

Food delivery robot obliterated by oncoming train in Miami crash

New Jersey law requires e-bike drivers to have license, insurance after multiple deadly crashes

Television turns 100

Comic-Con bans AI art after artist pushback

Weight-loss drugs could save U.S. airlines $580 million per year

Almost everyone layed off at Vimeo following Bending Spoons buyout

The Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold will cost $2,900 in the US

TAKES:

T-Mobile activates free cellular Starlink in the US as winter storm rolls in (28:20)

There are now more than 1 million ".ai" websites, contributing an estimated $70 million to Anguilla's government revenue last year (33:25)

New California law means big changes for photos of homes in real estate listings (35:40)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Sandcastles (39:25)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Hanzim Tea Light Candles with Remote Control (41:05)

Nate: Amazon Basic Care 24 Hour Allergy Relief, Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets, 10 mg, 300 Count (Packaging may vary) (45:00)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (47:40)

On episode 500, Nate made a bold challenge: That if we did not reach 1000 subscribers by the 10-year anniversary, it was time to shut down Notnerd. Well, here we are, and it's time to take an honest look at where the show is and what the future looks like. Will this be the last time we help you tech better?

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

MAIN TOPIC: 10 years and what happens when you post (05:20)

Episode 500 - Nate's Challenge

Foto Stax Video

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Send Low-Quality Photo Previews - Send Photos Faster (19:00)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (22:35)

Microplastics from washing clothes could be hurting your tomatoes

Matthew McConaughey trademarks himself to fight AI misuse

China builds hypergravity machine 2,000X stronger than Earth

Israel deploys world's first drone defense laser

Roblox's AI-powered age verification is a complete mess

AI has made Salesforce engineers more productive, so the company has stopped hiring them

Officials showed off a robo-bus in DC, it got hit by a Tesla driver

LISTENER MAIL: Producer Todd Voicemail (27:05)

TAKES:

The US Government just followed through on its ban of DJI drones - and it's so much worse than we thought (31:40)

iPhone 17 Pro case offers tribute to original 1984 Macintosh (36:40)

Microsoft Patch Tuesday January 2026 Edition (37:50)

Windows 11 shutdown bug forces Microsoft into out-of-band damage control (39:45)

BONUS ODD TAKE: 360-degree panoramas of the interiors of several Star Trek ships (41:00)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Maclock WB-8 Wonderboy Innovation Design Co., Ltd. (44:10)

Nate: High Fidelity Concert Earplugs for Concerts Musicians，Earplugs for noise reduction，24db Advanced Filter Technology Ear Protection for Music Festivals,DJ's, Nightclub, Drummers - 2 Pairs (Black) (50:15)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (53:55)

Our second year at CES is complete. 4 days, thousands of booths, and all kinds of adventures. We will review the good, bad, and weird at CES. Robots and AI tried to dominate, but there were plenty of interesting products and innovations that we don't need to be scared of.

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com

INTRO (00:00)

Apple introduces new 'Creator Studio' bundle of apps for $129/year (02:35)

Apple picks Google's Gemini AI for its big Siri upgrade (06:50)

MAIN TOPIC: CES 2026 Recap (07:55)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (42:10)

• Dead mosquito proboscis used for high-resolution 3D printing nozzle
• You can now reserve a hotel room on the Moon for $250,000
• Disney+ announces vertical video is coming to the app soon
• Ghana tries to regulate online prophecies
• Vietnam bans unskippable ads
• UK company sends factory with 1,000C furnace into space
• Trump Mobile pushes back release of gold-colored phone

More CES Talk (45:25)

We're in Vegas for CES, just finished day 1, and took a nice, long walk to our hotel. After 8 hours at the show, we give a quick recap of some highlights from day 1. Plenty more stuff to see this week, and we'll have a full report on all the latest tech next week.

Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com