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TechGrumps
By Technology
TechGrumps episodes
- TechGrumps 3.35 Bless The TechGrumps (Special holiday special)
We should wish you all a Merry Christmas – but why would we do such a thing?
Enjoy this Holiday Nativity Special but with 5 wise men. Well, 4 wise men and Hannah. Actually, one wise Hannah and some others.
Listen to your host Ryan Alexander with Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Andy Piper and Hannah Field.
https://archive.org/download/tech-grumps-3.3.5-special-holiday-special-bless-the-tech-grumps/TechGrumps%203.3.5%20%28Special%20holiday%20special%29%20-%20bless%20The%20TechGrumps.mp3- Hannah: is grumpy about marketers using “GEO” or “Generative Engine Optimisation”
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/10/is-retail-ready-for-ai-shaking-up-how-we-shop?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
- Ian is grumpy about how social is eroding relationships, causing loneliness and exhaustion
- https://www.npr.org/2025/12/02/nx-s1-5627156/social-media-digital-detox-depression-anxiety
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/articles/2025-06-social-media-change-issues-problems-report
- https://www.noemamag.com/the-last-days-of-social-media/
- Ryan is haunted because Claude knows his dungeon
- https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/1fkf65/this_scene_from_superman_iii_haunted_me_as_a_child/
- David is worried about the Reverse Centaurs
- https://pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/pop-that-bubble/#u-washington
- Andy is grumpy about lessons learned form Sleep dealer
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wR2XoNshl4&t=527s
- https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/sleep-dealer-2008-movie-retrospective
- https://medium.com/nerd-for-tech/are-llms-getting-devious-and-smart-enough-to-trick-you-on-their-own-65c83061e661
- “Ready Player Me” https://readyplayer.me/
- Don’t forget “Citizen Sleeper’
- AOB
- Familiar strangers (not lovegrumps) podcast coming soon
- FOSDEM 2026
- https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/
0 min - Techgrumps 3.34 ChatGPT is not my wingman
This time ChatGPT is helping you date, while just dating you too. When will this thing just go away? Also local cyberattacks and Android getting a bit fruity (if the fruit is an Apple).
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David “Andy” Eastman, and Wendy Grossman.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.34-chat-gpt-is-not-my-wingman/Techgrumps%203.34%20-%20ChatGPT%20is%20not%20my%20wingman%20v2.mp3Techgrumps 3.34
- Local council cyberattacks
- https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252526106/Annual-costs-of-Hackney-ransomware-attack-exceed-12m
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2w43ry5lo
- Planes patches
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gp9d28p74o
- The iOS of Android and the problems
- https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/11/google-will-let-android-power-users-bypass-upcoming-sideloading-restrictions/
- https://keepandroidopen.org/
- GraphineOS blocked in France?
- https://proton.me/blog/grapheneos-france
- The Rise of ChatGPT as an AI Dating Coach in 2025
- https://www.elle.com/life-love/sex-relationships/a68999668/chatgpt-ai-dating-coach-trend-interview-2025/
- AOBs
- Look out for a new podcast with Ian & Jess
- Notes on being a man by Scott Galloway
- https://bookwyrm.social/book/2149836/s/notes-on-being-a-man
- Drift Zero DJ – DJ hackday in 2026?
- https://driftdj.com/
- NEO’s new $20,000 robot servant that has to be operated by a remote human
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2025/10/29/this-20000-neo-robot-will-clean-your-home-but-theres-a-catch-and-its-kind-of-terrifying/
46 min - Techgrumps 3.33 The Final Step Is Removing the Consumer
This time AI wants your browser. With OpenAI launching Atlas and the Apps SDK, first they will bypass the web and finally cut the end user out of the economic decision process.
Also the AWS crash
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.33-removing-the-final-step-in-captilism-removing-the-consumer/Techgrumps%3A%203.33%20-%20Removing%20the%20final%20step%20in%20captilism%20removing%20the%20consumer.mp3- AI browsers, WTF?
- https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/10/31/the-gated-web/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountains_of_Paradise
- Amazon goes down, what next?
- https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/10/24/its-always-dns/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c5y8k7k6v1rt
- Python software foundation rejects DEI strings
- https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/27/python_foundation_abandons_15m_nsf/
- AOB
- Mozilla Festival 2025
- https://www.mozillafestival.org/
- Enshittification (the book)
- https://bookwyrm.social/book/1886312/s/enshittification
- QED
- https://qedcon.org/
- Ian talks AI to the health insurances
- https://amii.org.uk/events/
- Sir Tim’s book – https://bookwyrm.social/book/2087203/s/this-is-for-everyone
- Is Solid like Zandando? – https://fil.org/ecosystem-explorer/anytype
- And sky hooks explained in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountains_of_Paradise
45 min - Techgrumps 3.32 Your Illegal Racially Motivated Stops Will Go More Smoothly
With the UK’s steps into the age gated internet and digital ID back again like the renegade master, the techgrumps have plenty to be grumpy about in this month’s podcast.
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Ryan Alexander and Wendy Grossman.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.32-your-illegal-racially-motivated-stops-will-go-more-smoothly/Techgrumps%203.32%20-%20Your%20illegal%20racially%20motivated%20stops%20will%20go%20more%20smoothly.mp3Techgrumps 3.32
- UK Digital ID
- https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/09/26/the-absurdity-card/
- Christie’s has quietly shuttered its digital art department
- https://news.artnet.com/market/christies-scraps-digital-art-department-2685784
- Age verification and online safety
- https://www.wired.com/story/vpn-use-spike-age-verification-laws-uk/
- Meshtastic and different networks
- https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/08/jack_dorsey_debuts_bitchat/https://www.wired.com/story/youre-not-ready-for-phone-dead-zones/
- AOB
- Digital legacy – https://machinereadablewishes.cc/
- Fediforum 2025 – https://fediforum.org/ – October 7-8th
- Ian’s digital dating manifesto – https://datingmanifesto.cc/
Enjoy the mp3 audio, and why not share it with others.
56 min - Techgrumps 3.31: Ten Thousand Steps Of Gemini’s Love Language
Will the real wearable owner please stand up? More failing AI and Hannah meets the Fediverse, in the latest attempt to try to explain it.
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, Hannah, Ryan Alexander and Wendy Grossman. David was too jet lagged.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.31-10000-steps-of-geminis-love-language/Techgrumps%203.31%20-%2010000%20steps%20of%20Geminis%20love%20language.mp3Techgrumps 3.31 audio.
Enjoy the mp3 audio, and why not share it with others.
- My wearable says please stand-up
- https://www.politico.com/newsletters/future-pulse/2025/06/24/rfk-jr-wants-a-wearable-on-your-wrist-00419190
- Switzerland releases a public LLM
- https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/770646/switzerland-ai-model-llm-open-apertus
- AI is a 4 year trying to impress you with stupid moves
- https://www.wired.com/story/google-gemini-calendar-invite-hijack-smart-home/
- https://cubicgarden.com/2025/08/17/a-lesson-in-separation-of-concerns-googles-gemini-hijacked/
- https://www.extremetech.com/internet/researchers-find-hackers-can-hide-ai-prompt-attacks-in-compressed-images?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook
- Hannah meets the Fediverse
- https://videos.elenarossini.com/w/64VuNCccZNrP4u9MfgbhkN
- https://youtu.be/p9c2f63pIag?si=UZJWGfsNCfZr6Eq_&t=209
- AOB
- Fediforum is back for October 7-8
- https://fediforum.org/
- Fediforum Europe at SFcon
- https://www.sfscon.it/programs/2025/
- Supremacy (AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Change the World) by Parmy Olson
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxL41ew53CE
- The AI karma
- https://futurism.com/godfather-ai-ex-broke-up-chatgpt
- Nvidia CEO says American technology should be the world’s technology stack
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-says-us-tech-stack-should-be-global-standard-companies-are-built-on–including-china-003308243.html
59 min - Techgrumps 3.30 – We Did It For The Children
Look upon the rain soaked valley, see the innocent children gambol in the poppies. Only age verification can keep this bucolic vision of Britain real – and if you don’t agree you must be a pervert. So says Tech Bro Pete Kyle.
Naturally, the techgrumps are backing this all the way. Ian Forrester, David “Andy” Eastman, and Wendy Grossman fall over themselves to ensure Our Children stay in the fields where they belong.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.30-we-did-it-for-the-children/Techgrumps%203.30%20-%20We%20did%20it%20for%20the%20children.mp3Techgrumps 3.30 audio
Enjoy the mp3 audio, and why not share it with others.
- Techgrumps 3.30
- UK’s online safety act requires users to verify their age for adult content
- VPN usage massively up! – https://mashable.com/article/proton-vpn-uk-age-verification-signups
- The gated internet – https://reason.com/2025/07/28/the-age-gated-internet-is-here/
- https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/the-great-british-firewall-age-verification-has-failed/
- What happened to hobbies?
- https://youtu.be/OLQkNUjQPUo?si=M3b4wArK8ztUN3bu
- Any other business
- Empires of AI – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_AI
- John Oliver on AI Slop – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWpg1RmzAbc
- Silicon Valley’s sudden embrace of Christianity – https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/christianity-was-borderline-illegal-in-silicon-valley-now-its-the-new-religion
- Open rights group hits 20 years! – https://www.openrightsgroup.org/events/org-at-20-cory-doctorow-in-conversation-with-maria-farrell/
- Derailed: The Story of HS2 – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002fv8b
- Kate Lamble investigates the extraordinary inside story of Britain’s most ambitious and controversial rail project.
50 min - Techgrumps 3.29 – Please verify your AI partner
From BlueSky non-growth, to AI boyfriends through staring at an orb. I remember in the old days you just paid thruppence and went to a dance in the church hall, now its all AI intimacy and splitting your iris into three parts. And that Elon Musk, he’s a right one isn’t he?
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David “Andy” Eastman, and Wendy Grossman.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.29-please-vertify-your-ai-partner/Techgrumps%203.29%20-%20Please%20vertify%20your%20AI%20partner.mp3Techgrumps 3.29 audio
Enjoy the mp3 audio, and why not share it with others.
Stuff we mentioned in the show
- The Fediverse and Bluesky
- https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/06/27/revival/
- World Orb launches in the UK
- https://eandt.theiet.org/2025/06/09/sam-altmans-eyeball-scanning-device-designed-tell-humans-bots-arrives-uk
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66128111
- AI Boyfriends
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhackl/2025/06/23/confessions-of-a-futurist-i-dated-four-a
- https://shows.acast.com/metaverse-marketing/episodes/dating-ai-loving-human-exploring-ai-relationships-metas-new
- AOBs
- Titan: the OceanGate Disaster = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35628853/
- Mountain Head – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35396529/
- BBC R&D’s Social research – https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/articles/2025-06-social-media-change-issues-problems-report
- The Bookworm and the Fireflies has launched – https://thebookwormandthefireflies.com/
58 min - Techgrumps 3.28 – If no-one monetizes no-one HAS to monetize
Another quick turnaround on the podcast. However the Techgrumps those perpetually displeased connoisseurs of digital disappointment—are still finding things to grumble about from last month. Apparently, the revolutionary AI is just a rehash of something from a by gone era.
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Wendy Grossman and Ryan Alexander.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.28-if-no-one-monetizes-no-one-has-to-monetize/Techgrumps%203.28%20-%20If%20no-one%20monetizes%20no-one%20HAS%20to%20monetize.mp3Techgrumps 3.28 audioEnjoy the mp3 audio and share with others.
Remember to use the #techgrumps on any social networks you maybe using to message us or learn more about how to be a guest on the show
Topics discussed this month…
- AI chatbots lie saying they are licensed therapists
- Open letter to Keir Starmer about technological sovereignty
- Self-hosting is Sovereignty?
- AOB
- Andor
- Dr Who
- F You Very Much: Understanding the Culture of Rudeness
- Fediforum 2025
- PublicSpaces conference 2025
- ToS for Starlink
Stay grumpy, tell your friends, subscribe and play it again…
58 min - Techgrumps 3.27 – The New Frankenstien, virturally corpse free
The Techgrumps are after a quick turn around, however there is plenty more to be grumpy about!.
Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Wendy Grossman and Ryan Alexander.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.27-the-new-frankenstien-virturally-corpse-free/Techgrumps%203.27%20-%20The%20New%20Frankenstien%2C%20Virturally%20corpse%20free.mp3Techgrumps 3.27 audioEnjoy the mp3 audio and share with others.
Remember to use the #techgrumps on any social networks you maybe using to message us or learn more about how to be a guest on the show
Topic discussed this month…
- Can’t remove the Meta AI button from WhatsApp
- NAS DRM on hard drives?
- The Vatican guide to AI
- Digital Legacy and victim sentencing
- GDS playbook for AI
- Ryans Enshittification corner
- Duolingo flys too close to the sun
- Discord looking to IPO
- AOB (any other business)
- Surveillance tips for protesters
- So you want to be a dissident
- EFF tips
- RFK-JR wants to test vaccines against a placebo
- Mozilla Festival 2025
- Republica 2025 – Six feet under the data centre
- Dungeon Crawler Carl, Project Hail Mary, and Murderbot
Stay grumpy, tell your friends, subscribe and play it again…
1 hr - Techgrumps 3.26 – Its like being in a whirlpool of apps
We are back after a quick turn around and there is plenty to be grumpy about!.
Leading the grumpiness this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Hannah Field and Ryan Alexander.
https://archive.org/download/techgrumps-3.26-its-like-being-in-a-whirlpool-of-apps/Techgrumps%203.26%20-%20Its%20like%20being%20in%20a%20whirlpool%20of%20apps.mp3Techgrumps 3.26 audioEnjoy the mp3 audio and share with others.
Remember to use the #techgrumps on any social networks you maybe using to message us or learn more about how to be a guest on the show, just as our special guest did!
Topic discussed this month…
Techgrumps 3.26
- NHS prescription app
- Vape-o-gotchi
- Pebble is a sign of the times
- AOB
- Torturing AI to get better results
- AI being used for avoiding whale collisions
- Mozilla Global Festival Nov 2025 in Barcelona
- Shelfies
Stay grumpy, tell your friends, subscribe and play it again…
56 min
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Angry people going on about technology