Notnerd Podcast: Tech Better

We're recovering from Christmas, ending the year, and getting ready to head to CES in Vegas next week. We have tech news to catch up on and so much more, all to help you get out there and tech better!

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

INTRO (00:00)

We're heading to CES (04:40)

MAIN TOPIC: Gift guide results & Christmas (12:15)

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Track Flights Directly via Messages and Spotlight (24:00)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (28:20)

AI minted more than 50 new billionaires in 2025

Ireland's Diarmuid Early wins world Microsoft Excel championships

Some of the DOJ's careful redactions can be defeated with copy and paste

Breach forces Ubisoft to take "Rainbow Six Siege" offline

New York to require social media platforms to display mental health warnings

New NASA boss Isaacman says U.S. will return to the moon within Trump's term

Russia plans a nuclear power plant on the moon within a decade

TAKES:

YouTube shuts down channels using AI to create fake movie trailer watched by millions (32:00)

ChatGPT launches a year-end review like Spotify Wrapped (36:00)

Spotify music library scraped by pirate activist group (37:30)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Floor 796 Project (39:00)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: NEEWER Magnetic RGB Camera Light, 360° Full Color RGB61 Small LED Panel Video Light with 3 Cold Shoe Mounts/CRI 97+/20 Scene Modes/2500K-8500K/2000mAh Portable Recording Photography Selfie Lighting (45:30)

Nate: Camping Table Folding Portable Camp Side Table Aluminum Lightweight Carry Bag Beach Outdoor Hiking Picnics BBQ Cooking Dining Kitchen Black Medium (49:15)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (52:40)

https://notpicks.com/2025-gadget-gift-guide-for-geeks/

The tech news has definitely slowed for the holidays, so we've got a fun, abbreviated Christmas show for you tonight. There's still some tech to talk about, but some fun surprises as well. Merry Christmas!

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

INTRO (00:00)

MAIN TOPIC: 2025 Night Before Christmas Tech Version (02:40)

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Find photos by Maps (07:00)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (12:25)

Samsung is putting Google Gemini AI into your refrigerator, whether you need it or not

Confused Waymos stopped in intersections during San Francisco power outage

White House website mysteriously streams personal finance YouTube creator

The Oscars are moving to YouTube in 2029

Trump's social media business is merging with a nuclear fusion company

Google AI summaries are ruining the livelihoods of recipe writers

James Webb Space Telescope confirms 1st 'runaway' supermassive black hole

BONUS ODD TAKE: NORAD Tracks Santa (17:15)

PICKS OF THE WEEK: Favorite Christmas foods (19:30)

Dave:

Mashed potato's

Ham

Charcuterie

Apple pie

Muddy Buddies

Nate:

Egg Nog

Cheese Log

Fruit Cake

Pecan Pie

Peanut butter cookies with Hershey kisses

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (27:00)

https://notpicks.com/2025-gadget-gift-guide-for-geeks/

Just weeks ago, OpenAI declared a code red. This week, they are rolling out announcements of new partnerships all over the place. Where does AI go from here? Will it bust or continue to grow. We discuss a bunch of interesting stories on the AI front. Plus we get you caught up on other tech news and have some tips and picks to help you get out there and tech better.

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

INTRO (00:00)

Amazingly Awkward Christmas Playlist (02:40)

MAIN TOPIC: The State of AI: bust, boom, or bologna? (04:35)

Sam Altman issues 'code red' at OpenAI as ChatGPT contends with rivals

The Architects of AI Are TIME's 2025 Person of the Year

Adobe Announces Image and PDF Integration with ChatGPT

The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI Reach Landmark Agreement to Bring Beloved Characters from Across Disney's Brands to Sora

Disney Accuses Google of Using AI to Engage in Copyright Infringement on 'Massive Scale'

Apple Music is coming to ChatGPT, OpenAI announces

Not lovin' it: McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas ad after social media backlash

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Selectively Copy Messages Text (22:55)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (28:15)

Merriam-Webster's 2025 word of the year is 'slop'

Rubio stages font coup: Times New Roman ousts Calibri

Authorities intercept drone carrying crab legs, Old Bay seasoning, weed for prison inmates

Russia continues tech crackdown by blocking Snapchat, FaceTime access

Texas sues TV makers for taking screenshots of what people watch

RAM is so expensive, Samsung won't even sell it to Samsung

Hollywood director found guilty of blowing $11 million Netflix budget on crypto and Ferraris

TAKES:

Robot vacuum Roomba maker files for bankruptcy after 35 years (34:15)

SpongeBob and PowerWash Simulator headline today's six additions to Apple Arcade (37:35)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Alien Baby Name Generator (42:10)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Insta360 X5 8K 360 Action Cam (47:15)

Nate: INKEE GC12 Portable LED Photography Light Wand,Bi Color Magnetic Handheld Video Wand Stick 2700K-6500K,2500mAh Built-in Rechargable Inflatable Light for Video Recording Dimmable Camera Light Tube (50:55)

https://notpicks.com/2025-gadget-gift-guide-for-geeks/ (54:20)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (55:55)

Some staffing changes near the top at Apple were announced this week, with Alan Dye, design guy, moving to Meta getting a lot of press. But many say good riddance. There was also plenty of other tech news dropping this week, we try to get you caught up with what you need to know. Of course, we have some great tips for you and even a special guest during our picks of the week. All so you can get out there and tech better!

Gadget Gift Guide for Geeks

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

INTRO (00:00)

After Apple refusal, Indian government completes U-turn on mandatory iPhone app (03:00)

MAIN TOPIC: Apple Design is a changing (04:45)

Apple design executive Alan Dye poached by Meta in major coup

Apple design boss Alan Dye departing for Meta

Alan.app

Apple announces executive transitions

Apple chief Johny Srouji confirms he isn't going anywhere

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Get a Callback Reminder for a Missed Call (13:10)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (19:10)

End-to-end encrypted smart toilet camera is not actually end-to-end encrypted

Cloudflare says it has fended off 416 billion AI bot scrape requests in five months

Amazon starts testing 'ultra-fast' 30-minute deliveries

Woman hailed as hero for smashing man's Meta smart glasses on subway

All of Russia's Porsches were bricked by a mysterious satellite outage

HBO Max forgot to remove a 'vomit hose' crew member in Mad Men 4K

Oregon sportswear giant Columbia pledges to give 'the company' to anyone who can prove the Earth is flat

TAKES:

YouTube introduces its own version of Spotify Wrapped for videos (21:30)

Even Microsoft's retro holiday sweaters are having Copilot forced upon them (26:35)

Bending Spoons to acquire Eventbrite in $500M all-cash deal (30:00)

Netflix agrees to buy Warner Bros. in an $82.7-billion deal that will transform Hollywood (32:05)

Microsoft December 2025 Patch Tuesday (34:55)

BONUS ODD TAKE: An online collection of found cassette tapes (36:25)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Headlamp Rechargeable 2PCS, 230° Wide Beam Head Lamp LED with Motion Sensor for Adults - Camping Accessories Gear, Waterproof Head Light Flashlight for Hiking, Running, Repairing, Fishing, Cycling (39:30)

Nate: Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D Printer, Support Multi-Color 3D Printing, Set Up in 20 Mins, High Speed & Precision, Full-Auto Calibration & Active Flow Rate Compensation, ≤48 dB Quiet FDM 3D Printers (44:00)

Gadget Gift Guide for Geeks

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (52:35)

Apple is still working on releasing a folding phone, but Samsung is adding more folds to theirs. But Apple has some good news in the smartphone world this week. We've got some great Just the Headlines, tips, and picks, all to help you tech better!

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

INTRO (00:00)

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Cyber Week Update (02:25)

MAIN TOPIC: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold phone (07:20)

Apple iPhone shipments to beat Samsung for the first time in 14 years, report says (12:00)

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Assign Action Button (18:55)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (27:10)

Austria's rebel nuns refuse to give up Instagram to stay in their convent

Crime rings enlist hackers to hijack trucks

ChatGPT is going to start showing you ads

A Windows update broke login button, and Microsoft's advice is to click where it used to be

MKBHD is shutting down his iPhone wallpaper app

More than half of new articles on the internet are being written by AI

Australia spent $62 million to update its weather web site and made it worse

TAKES:

Netflix quietly drops support for casting to most TVs (30:55)

Apple AI chief John Giannandrea to step down (33:40)

India orders Apple to pre-install an undeletable state security app on iPhones (38:40)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Stone Simulator – Just Be a Rock (41:35)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Kernel Season's Popcorn Seasoning Mini Jars Variety Pack, 0.9 Ounce (Pack of 8) (45:30)

Nate: Shashibo Shape Shifting Box (50:00)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (53:50)

Apple announced their 45, yes 45, finalists for the App Store Awards. We take a look at what made the list and see if we used any of them. Apple also had another new limited edition product this week and released some interesting details about 3D printing Apple Watches. Just the Headlines has some gems this week, and of course, we have some tech tips. We also add a few new entries to the Gadget Gift Guide!

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

INTRO (00:00)

Apple launches second limited-edition iPhone accessory (02:35)

MAIN TOPIC: Apple announces finalists for the 2025 App Store Awards (05:10)

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Sections in Apple Reminders (22:45)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (30:00)

Robots in your bloodstream could deliver drugs with greater precision

London thieves gave stolen phones back when they weren't iPhones

British Army will use Call of Duty to train soldiers

Magician forgets password to his own hand after RFID chip implant

Quantum teleportation between photons from two distant light sources achieved

More than 60 US and Canadian police units now use Boston Dynamics' robot dog

Rapper 50 Cent, adjusted for inflation, is 109 Cent

LISTENER MAIL: Matt - Looking for advice on a gimbal for both DSLR and Smartphone (32:45)

FeiyuTech [Official] SCORP

EUCOS 62" Phone Tripod

Insta360 X3

Matt's Drumming About YouTube Channel

TAKES:

Gmail can read your emails and attachments to power "smart features" (42:10)

Mapping the future with 3D-printed titanium Apple Watch cases (45:30)

This 'iPhone 17 vs 16 vs 15 vs 14 vs 13 vs 12' speed test video is a must-watch (48:05)

BONUS ODD TAKE: PhotoFunia - From Hey Grandma (52:20)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Apple AirTags (55:55)

Nate: AirPods (58:40)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (01:05:35)

We all have that one person on our holiday list who already seems to have everything. Whether they're a full-on tech geek or just impossible to shop for, we dug through YEARS of Notnerd picks to bring you the ultimate list of gadgets, gear, and oddball gifts — perfect for anyone. 💡 Some gifts are seriously useful. 🤪 Some are just weird and fun. 🔥 All of them are awesome. Before you start holiday shopping, check out our Gadget Gift Guide — and make your gift-giving life WAY easier. Plus, as always, we've got the week's tech news and tips to help you get out there and tech better!

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

INTRO (00:00)

iPhone Pocket did not make our list (05:10)

YouTube TV and Disney reach deal ending the two-week blackout (06:30)

Cloudflare outage disrupts internet (07:20)

MAIN TOPIC: 2025 Gadget Gift Guide for Geeks (08:35)

BLUETTI Portable Power Station EB3A (09:25)

Ambient Weather WS-2902 WiFi Smart Weather Station (11:10)

Ear Wax Removal Endoscope Otoscope (12:50)

Anker Nano 3-in-1 Portable iPhone Charger (14:00)

Babelio Travel White Noise Machine (16:50)

Magnetic Tripod for iPhone (17:55)

Apple Watch Power Bank (20:05)

TP-Link Tapo 1080P Indoor Security Camera (21:05)

Neewer Selfie Quad Pod (23:20)

WOLFBOX MF100 Electric Air Duster (24:55)

OneSnap Magnetic Wireless Charger (27:30)

GoveeLife E-Ink Bluetooth Thermometer Hygrometer (28:25)

Tyvek Mighty Wallet (30:20)

Anker MagSafe Charger Stand (31:40)

Knork (35:15)

Kasa Matter Smart Outdoor Plug (36:10)

Jinkies from Nerdwax (40:20)

OREiN Matter Smart Light Bulb (41:55)

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: More space on iPad screens (45:05)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (50:30)

Russia's AI robot falls seconds after being unveiled

Red Dead Redemption is coming to iOS next month

Miami is testing a self-driving police car that can launch drones

AI-generated song "Walk my Walk" tops country music chart

TiVo stops selling DVRs, exiting the hardware business after 26 years

An AI podcasting machine is churning out 3,000 episodes a week

US ends penny-making run after more than 230 years

TAKES:

Only half the homes in America have cable TV anymore (52:25)

OceanGate Titan sub's camera found mostly intact with SanDisk SD card still holding images and videos (53:25)

2B email addresses and 1.3B passwords compromised in multiple data breaches (54:35)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Space Type Generator (56:30)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (59:25)

Were you a fan of the iPod Socks and have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket? Then the iPhone Pocket might be for you. Also, what is going on over at Meta? Are they reading all your messages for AI? How much are they making from scam ads? What are the chances Elon gets his $1T payday? Plus plenty more tech news to get caught up on, and some great tips and picks to help you tech better.

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

INTRO (00:00)

Apple launches iPhone Pocket: a limited edition designer strap accessory (02:40)

MAIN TOPIC: What's going on at Meta? (07:40)

Is Meta really reading your DMs?

Leaked documents show Meta makes billions from scam ads

Mark Zuckerberg is excited to add more AI content to all your social feeds

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative shifts focus to AI and science

Tesla shareholders approve new $1 trillion pay package for Musk

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Tinted Liquid Glass (21:15)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (27:30)

The Louvre's video surveliance password was Louvre

Google plans secret AI military outpost on tiny island overrun by crabs

SpaceX disables 2,500 Starlink terminals allegedly used by Asian scam centers

Logitech open to adding an AI agent to board of directors, CEO says

China launches stealth jet from electomagnetic catapult aircraft carrier

Alien worlds may be able to make their own water

Grand Theft Auto 6 delayed again to November 2026

TAKES:

YouTube TV blackout is costing Disney an estimated $4.3 million per day in lost revenue (30:25)

Nintendo Store app launches on iPhone (31:50)

OpenAI sued for trademark infringement over Sora's 'Cameo' feature (34:35)

Meta is killing off the external Facebook Like button (37:30)

Commercial spyware "Landfall" ran rampant on Samsung phones for almost a year (39:00)

Microsoft November 2025 Patch Tuesday (40:20)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Super Mario Bros. Remastered (42:05)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Otamatone Classic Ninja [Officially Licensed] Japanese Character Electronic Musical Instrument Portable Synthesizer from Japan Maywa Denki for Children Kids and Adults Gift (44:15)

Nate: Temdan Magnetic iwatch Charger Portable Wireless Charger for Apple Watch 1200mAh Power Bank Camping Travel Essentials for Series 10/9/8/7/6/Se/5/4/3/2/1/Ultra/Ultra 2-Black - Episode 385: Live from Dongletown (50:55)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (55:15)

The 1X Neo home robot has been everywhere this week, cooking, cleaning, and having problems. Will the dream of the Jetsons come true, and we'll all have a Rosey to take care of us? We don't think so, but they will only get better from here. Plus, we've got plenty of other tech news to get caught up on from Apple, Canva, Nvidia, and more. We've also got 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 OS 26.1s are out (04:25)

Apple launches rich new web interface for the App Store (05:50)

Quarterly Results (08:35)

MAIN TOPIC: Neo Robot wants to be in your home (09:00)

1X Neo is a $20,000 home robot that will learn chores via teleoperation

Can I Turn A Robot Into A MasterChef?

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Currency converter in Apple Calculator app (17:30)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (22:45)

Withings launches iPhone-connected urine reader that goes in your toilet

New China law fines influencers if they discuss 'serious' topics without a degree

Nvidia takes $1 billion stake in Nokia

Nvidia becomes world's first 5 trillion dollar company

Someone snuck into a Cellebrite Microsoft Teams call and leaked phone unlocking details

Three decades after Clippy, Microsoft launches AI Mico

Mathematical proof debunks the idea that the universe is a computer simulation

TAKES:

Apple One gets new colorful logo following Apple TV rebrand (25:50)

Affinity is now an all-in-one free app with native Canva integration (32:45)

YouTube TV loses ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels (35:05)

Security & Privacy: Two Windows vulnerabilities, one a 0-day, are under active exploitation - iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1 bring multiple critical security fixes; here's the full list (37:55)

BONUS ODD TAKE: https://playclassic.games (40:35)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Slickwraps Wood Series (44:10)

Nate: NEEWER Wireless Lavalier Microphone for iPhone Android Tablet PC Laptop 131ft/40m Range Noise Cancellation Omnidirectional Mic for Vlogging Live Streaming (1x RX + 2x TX), KM23 (48:00)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (51:25)

We're all dressed up and talking tech. Samsung released its new Galaxy XR to compete with the Apple Vision Pro. We discuss our thoughts on the devices and the AR/VR industry as well. There's plenty of other tech to get caught up on, like Elon Musk's new Grokopedia. Get caught up so you can get out there and tech better.

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

INTRO (00:00)

Apple hits $4 Trillion market value, joining Nvidia and Microsoft (05:00)

Report: 'Virtually No Demand' for iPhone Air (06:35)

MAIN TOPIC: Samsung Galaxy XR (08:20)

Samsung takes on Apple's Vision Pro with new Galaxy XR headset

Vision Pro M5 vs Galaxy XR – Apple finally meets a match?

DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Apple Focus modes (19:15)

JUST THE HEADLINES: (29:30)

Internet archive celebrates 1 Trillion web pages archived

Jaguar Land Rover hack cost UK economy an estimated $2.5 Billion

California is about to run out of license plate numbers

Coca-Cola's new hydrogen-powered vending machine doesn't need a power outlet

Astronomers discover hidden moon orbiting Uranus

Apple Vision Pro now made in Vietnam

Scientists invented an entirely new way to refrigerate

TAKES:

Reddit sues over 'industrial-scale' scraping of user comments (34:00)

Elon Musk launches Grokipedia to compete with online encyclopedia Wikipedia (36:30)

Meta launches 'ghost posts' that disappear after 24 hours on Threads (38:25)

Eight Sleep adds 'outage mode' to smart beds after AWS problems left them frozen (42:45)

BONUS ODD TAKE: Leo Labs Low Orbit Satellite Visualization (44:00)

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Dave: Cookie Clicker (50:25)

Nate: NEEWER Basic Magnetic RGB Video Light, 360° Full RGB Mini LED Camera Light CRI96+ 2500-9000K 18 Scenes 3 Cold Shoes & 1/4", 2000mAh Rechargeable Portable for Selfie/Tripod Photography Lighting, BL60C (57:15)

RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (59:15)