💬 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

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📋 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