Geek News Central Podcast

Apple is preparing for a future without its $20 billion annual deal with Google, which pays to be the default search engine in Safari. While losing this revenue stream would be a blow to Apple, it could be devastating for Google, which shares 36% of its Safari search ad revenue with Apple. In court, Apple … Continue reading Apple’s AI Search Ambitions Signal a Post-Google Future #1820 →

The post Apple’s AI Search Ambitions Signal a Post-Google Future #1820 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Apple has appealed to overturn a court ruling in its legal battle with Epic Games. The ruling barred the company from charging developers fees on purchases made outside the App Store. The verdict followed accusations that Apple defied a prior injunction and misused legal privilege to delay the case. The judge also referred Apple’s VP … Continue reading Apple’s Legal Battle with Epic Games Escalates #1819 →

The post Apple’s Legal Battle with Epic Games Escalates #1819 appeared first on Geek News Central .

The Federal Communications Commission is gearing up for a crucial vote on May 22 that could reshape how electronics enter the U.S. market. At the center of the decision is a proposal to ban specific Chinese testing labs from certifying devices like smartphones, game consoles, and cameras—products that must meet safety and technical standards before … Continue reading FCC Targets Chinese Testing Labs Over Security Concerns in US Electronics #1818 →

The post FCC Targets Chinese Testing Labs Over Security Concerns in US Electronics #1818 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, pioneer of neural network AI, voices escalating fears about AI’s rapid development. In a CBS News interview, Hinton outlines growing risks, including a 10–20% chance AI could take over, enhanced cyberattacks, authoritarian misuse, and tech companies prioritizing profits over safety. Comparing AI to a dangerous tiger cub, he warns humanity may face … Continue reading AI’s Rapid Development and Growing Risks #1817 →

The post AI’s Rapid Development and Growing Risks #1817 appeared first on Geek News Central .

NASA and the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel are raising alarms about growing risks to the International Space Station due to structural damage, air leaks, and looming budget cuts. With SpaceX developing a deorbit vehicle, officials stress that the ISS may face an uncontrolled descent unless immediate funding and action are secured. Elon Musk’s call for … Continue reading NASA Issues Dire Warning: Budget Cuts Could Trigger Emergency ISS Deorbit #1816 →

The post NASA Issues Dire Warning: Budget Cuts Could Trigger Emergency ISS Deorbit #1816 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Alphabet is back in court as the DOJ pushes to break up Google’s search empire, proposing divestiture of Chrome and restrictions on Android and AI use. The trial, overseen by Judge Amit Mehta, is the latest in a series of legal battles over Google’s online search and advertising dominance. Google warns that forced remedies would … Continue reading Google Faces Potential Breakup as DOJ Seeks Antitrust Remedies Over Search Monopoly #1815 →

The post Google Faces Potential Breakup as DOJ Seeks Antitrust Remedies Over Search Monopoly #1815 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Community colleges, especially Southwestern College in California, are battling a surge of AI-driven bot students who fraudulently enroll in online classes to collect financial aid. Professors are overwhelmed with vetting enrollees, while administrators scramble to respond. Despite some institutional efforts, faculty feel unsupported, and the problem only worsens, threatening education quality and student access. -Thinking … Continue reading Bot Crisis 101: Community Colleges Overrun by AI-Driven Financial Aid Scams #1814 →

The post Bot Crisis 101: Community Colleges Overrun by AI-Driven Financial Aid Scams #1814 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Apple’s efforts to upgrade Siri and develop Apple Intelligence have been plagued by indecision, leadership issues, and underperforming AI models. Internal conflicts, technical missteps, and a fictitious WWDC demo have highlighted Apple’s struggle to keep pace with competitors. Optimism remains as leadership shifts toward a more open, results-driven approach. -Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use … Continue reading Apple’s AI Turmoil: Inside the Struggles and Setbacks of Siri and Apple Intelligence #1813 →

The post Apple’s AI Turmoil: Inside the Struggles and Setbacks of Siri and Apple Intelligence #1813 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Tech stocks swung wildly as Trump reaffirmed global tariff plans, rattling markets after last week’s $1.8 trillion sell-off. Major players like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Nvidia closed higher despite early losses. Apple and Tesla ended in the red, while hopes of tariff delays briefly buoyed sentiment. Wall Street braced for a broader economic fallout, with … Continue reading Impact of Tariffs on Tech Companies’ Stock Performance #1812 →

The post Impact of Tariffs on Tech Companies’ Stock Performance #1812 appeared first on Geek News Central .

TSMC and Intel have reached a preliminary deal where TSMC will help operate Intel’s chip facilities and own a 20% stake in a new joint venture. The agreement, influenced by U.S. efforts to revitalize domestic chip production, may involve TSMC sharing manufacturing techniques and training Intel staff. While still in early stages, the move marks … Continue reading TSMC and Intel’s Partnership #1811 →

The post TSMC and Intel’s Partnership #1811 appeared first on Geek News Central .

OpenAI’s new image generator has gone viral with Studio Ghibli-style memes featuring public figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump. The tool, part of GPT-4o, allows users to recreate existing images in artistic styles, sparking copyright concerns about training on copyrighted works. Legal experts point out that while the style isn’t protected, how models are … Continue reading ChatGPT’s New Image Model Sparks Additional Copyright Controversies #1810 →

The post ChatGPT’s New Image Model Sparks Additional Copyright Controversies #1810 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In an extraordinary breach, a journalist was mistakenly included in a Signal group chat where top Trump officials coordinated upcoming military strikes on Yemen. Using Signal—a public messaging app—rather than burdensome government-secured systems suggests a deliberate choice to avoid painful legacy systems; unless something has changed, I do not think the app is approved for … Continue reading Extraordinary Signal Chat Breach Tops Trump Officials #1809 →

The post Extraordinary Signal Chat Breach Tops Trump Officials #1809 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Apple and Google are rebelling against the EU’s Digital Markets Act, claiming new interoperability and openness rules hurt consumers and innovation. The European Commission says these tech giants are abusing market dominance, with Google facing potential fines for favoring its services and restricting developer freedom. Apple is under pressure to make iOS more compatible with … Continue reading Apple and Google Push Back Against EU’s Digital Markets Act #1808 →

The post Apple and Google Push Back Against EU’s Digital Markets Act #1808 appeared first on Geek News Central .

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, stranded on the ISS for nine months due to a Boeing Starliner malfunction, will return to Earth on Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Initially planned as a short trip, their extended stay required extra supplies. Their journey home, alongside two other crew members, will be broadcast live. … Continue reading US Astronauts Return Home After Nine-Month Stranded Stay on ISS #1807 →

The post US Astronauts Return Home After Nine-Month Stranded Stay on ISS #1807 appeared first on Geek News Central .

OpenAI’s latest push for influence in Washington. With President Trump revoking Biden’s AI executive order, OpenAI is making its case for light regulations, copyright flexibility, and a stronger U.S. stance against Chinese AI competition. We’ll explore what this means for the future of AI development, government partnerships, and the ongoing legal battles over AI training … Continue reading OpenAI Pushes for Copyright Flexibility and Light AI Regulations #1806 →

The post OpenAI Pushes for Copyright Flexibility and Light AI Regulations #1806 appeared first on Geek News Central .

A shocking new whistleblower complaint reveals that Meta, formerly Facebook, went to extreme lengths to gain access to the Chinese market, even agreeing to censorship demands from the Chinese Communist Party. According to former global policy director Sarah Wynn-Williams, the company developed a censorship system, suppressed dissident voices, and planned to allow the CCP to … Continue reading Meta’s Censorship Deal with China #1805 →

The post Meta’s Censorship Deal with China #1805 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Today, we’re diving into a major policy paper co-authored by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, and AI safety expert Dan Hendrycks. They’re pushing back against the idea of a ‘Manhattan Project’ for artificial general intelligence (AGI), warning that an aggressive U.S. race for AI dominance could escalate global tensions—especially with … Continue reading The AGI Standoff Is Already Happening #1804 →

The post The AGI Standoff Is Already Happening #1804 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Today, OpenAI unveils GPT-4.5, its newest AI language model, promising enhanced writing skills, better knowledge, and a more refined, human-like interaction. Despite impressive upgrades, OpenAI admits GPT-4.5 isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s optimized for more natural conversations, practical problem-solving, and reduced hallucinations. Available first to ChatGPT Pro users, it’s soon rolling out broadly, including on Microsoft’s … Continue reading ChatGPT 4.5 Unveiled and My Experience with it! #1803 →

The post ChatGPT 4.5 Unveiled and My Experience with it! #1803 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Clone Robotics’ Protoclone features synthetic muscles, a polymer skeleton, and advanced sensors. It moves like a human. Future uses may include household chores but my god put some pants on the ugly thing. -Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use my link to support the show. -I am introducing Distil Union as a new sponsor of … Continue reading Protoclone Unveiled Put Some Pants On! #1802 →

The post Protoclone Unveiled Put Some Pants On! #1802 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Two men, aged 54 and 36, were arrested in England for a cryptocurrency fraud that cost a 75-year-old Aberdeen resident a six-figure sum. Police Scotland, with assistance from West Midlands and South Yorkshire Police, led the operation. Authorities stress vigilance as elderly individuals remain frequent scam targets, with crypto fraud surging globally. -Thinking of buying … Continue reading Crypto Scam Targets Elderly Globally #1801 →

The post Crypto Scam Targets Elderly Globally #1801 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In the 1800th episode of Geek News Central, host Todd Cochrane marks a major milestone by reflecting on the evolution of podcasting and the show’s journey over two decades. He dives into 30 major tech stories, including AI industry shakeups, Tesla protests, TikTok’s legal troubles, and Meta’s latest innovations. With a mix of personal anecdotes … Continue reading Celebrating 1800 Episodes of Geek News Central #1800 →

The post Celebrating 1800 Episodes of Geek News Central #1800 appeared first on Geek News Central .

As trust in platforms like Facebook declines, federal employees are increasingly turning to encrypted apps like Signal for private communication. Concerns over surveillance by the Trump administration and tech companies’ cooperation with government data requests have driven many to migrate sensitive conversations away from mainstream services. Employees fear potential monitoring and retaliation, leading to heightened … Continue reading Federal Workers Shift to Encrypted Messaging to Hide Communications #1799 →

The post Federal Workers Shift to Encrypted Messaging to Hide Communications #1799 appeared first on Geek News Central .

T-Mobile is rolling out its Starlink satellite texting feature in beta, free until July. Compatible iPhone and Android users, even on rival networks, can apply. After July, premium T-Mobile plans will include it, while others can subscribe for $10–$20 per month. Limited spots are available. -Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use my link to support … Continue reading T-Mobile Offers Free Starlink Satellite Texting Beta Until July #1798 →

The post T-Mobile Offers Free Starlink Satellite Texting Beta Until July #1798 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Today, I explore a significant shake-up in international shipping. Just hours after the U.S. Postal Service halted parcels from China, it suddenly reversed course. This move follows President Trump’s new tariffs and the elimination of a key duty exemption used by major retailers like Temu and Shein. What does this mean for businesses, consumers, and … Continue reading USPS Reverses China Parcel Ban Amid Tariff Confusion #1797 →

The post USPS Reverses China Parcel Ban Amid Tariff Confusion #1797 appeared first on Geek News Central .

SpaceX’s Starlink has seen explosive growth, with revenue nearly tripling in two years, reaching $8.2 billion in 2024. Analysts project it could surpass $12 billion in 2025, generating $2 billion in free cash flow. With 4.6 million subscribers and rapid expansion across consumer, government, and commercial markets, Starlink is poised for further dominance. However, Elon … Continue reading Starlink 12 Billion in Revenue in 2025? #1796 →

The post Starlink 12 Billion in Revenue in 2025? #1796 appeared first on Geek News Central .

DeepSeek, the AI platform that’s taken the world by storm, is now under fire for a significant security lapse. Researchers at Wiz discovered that DeepSeek left a critical database exposed, potentially compromising over a million records, including user data, API keys, and system logs. While there’s no evidence of malicious access, the ease of discovery … Continue reading DeepSeek Security Lapses #1795 →

The post DeepSeek Security Lapses #1795 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In today’s episode, we dive into the groundbreaking rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup that’s shaking up the industry. With its latest release, the DeepSeek-R1 model, this free AI chatbot rivals ChatGPT in performance yet operates at a fraction of the cost. How did DeepSeek match OpenAI’s cutting-edge models while spending just 3% of … Continue reading DeepSeek 10 Reason To Not Use it #1794 →

The post DeepSeek 10 Reason To Not Use it #1794 appeared first on Geek News Central .

OpenAI unveils “Operator,” an AI agent in research preview for ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S. This browser-based tool automates tasks like filling forms, ordering groceries, and planning trips by interacting with web interfaces. It combines GPT-4 vision and reasoning, can self-correct, and seeks user approval for sensitive actions. Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use … Continue reading OpenAI’s Operator: AI Agent Automates Web Tasks #1793 →

The post OpenAI’s Operator: AI Agent Automates Web Tasks #1793 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In this episode, we dive into the TikTok ban saga. With President-elect Donald Trump pledging an executive order to delay the ban, we discuss the legal battles, national security concerns, and what this means for TikTok’s 170 million US users. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Join the Chat @ GeekNews.Chat Email Todd or follow him on … Continue reading TikTok Ban Drama: Trump’s Executive Order #1792 →

The post TikTok Ban Drama: Trump’s Executive Order #1792 appeared first on Geek News Central .

The Biden administration’s “AI diffusion rule” restricts the export of GPUs crucial for AI, primarily to curb China’s AI advancements. The rule establishes three licensing tiers, with China and other adversarial nations effectively barred from accessing top-tier GPUs. Critics, including the Semiconductor Industry Association and NVIDIA, argue the policy risks harming U.S. competitiveness and fostering … Continue reading Biden’s “AI Diffusion Rule” Targets Export Limits on AI GPUs #1791 →

The post Biden’s “AI Diffusion Rule” Targets Export Limits on AI GPUs #1791 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Elon Musk claims AI companies have exhausted available human knowledge for training models, pushing reliance on synthetic data. While firms like Meta, Google, and OpenAI already use AI-generated data for fine-tuning, challenges such as hallucinations and diminishing returns arise. Experts warn overusing synthetic data risks “model collapse,” while copyright disputes over data usage intensify. Subscribe … Continue reading AI’s Data Dilemma: Exhausting Human Knowledge #1790 →

The post AI’s Data Dilemma: Exhausting Human Knowledge #1790 appeared first on Geek News Central .

I dive into a controversy shaking up the influencer world and online shopping landscape. A viral exposé has accused the popular browser extension, Honey, owned by PayPal, of deceptive practices that have sparked outrage among creators and consumers alike. Stay tuned as we unpack the allegations, the fallout, and the class-action lawsuit that could redefine … Continue reading Influencers Versus Honey: A Fight for Fairness in Digital Revenue #1789 →

The post Influencers Versus Honey: A Fight for Fairness in Digital Revenue #1789 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In today’s show, I explore the controversies surrounding Chinese technology firms in the U.S., the FAA’s drone ban, and the latest in AI with Google’s Gemini 2.0. I dive into the critical security debates, industry advancements, and the implications of government policies on tech and consumer trust. Stay tuned for an insightful blend of tech … Continue reading Chinese Technology Bans in the US Market #1788 →

The post Chinese Technology Bans in the US Market #1788 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Google DeepMind introduces Veo 2, a cutting-edge video-generating AI capable of producing 4K, two-minute clips—significantly surpassing OpenAI’s Sora in resolution and duration. While Veo 2’s capabilities are currently capped at 720p and eight seconds within Google’s VideoFX tool, broader access is planned through Google’s Vertex AI as the technology scales. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Join … Continue reading Google DeepMind Unveils Veo 2: A Next-Gen Video AI #1787 →

The post Google DeepMind Unveils Veo 2: A Next-Gen Video AI #1787 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In this episode, I explore Google’s groundbreaking announcement of Gemini 2.0, its latest AI model family. With twice the speed and enhanced multi-modal capabilities, Gemini 2.0 enables text, image, and audio generation in a single API call. We explore its revolutionary applications, from integrating directly into GitHub workflows with the experimental code agent Jules to … Continue reading Gemini 2.0: A New Frontier in Agentic AI Solutions #1786 →

The post Gemini 2.0: A New Frontier in Agentic AI Solutions #1786 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Sora, the cutting-edge AI video generation model, moves beyond research with the launch of Sora Turbo. Available at Sora.com for ChatGPT Plus and Pro users, the model offers faster video creation with resolutions up to 1080p and versatile aspect ratios. Features include a storyboard tool, remixing options, and community-generated content feeds. Sora’s release emphasizes transparency … Continue reading Sora Turbo: A New Era in AI Video Generation #1785 →

The post Sora Turbo: A New Era in AI Video Generation #1785 appeared first on Geek News Central .

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has reached an impressive milestone with 1 billion daily messages and 300 million weekly active users. CEO Sam Altman shared this growth, highlighting its increasing role in daily life and its widespread adoption by over 1.3 million US developers. This marks a sharp rise from February 2023, when it first hit 100 million … Continue reading The Rise of ChatGPT: OpenAI’s Path to 300 Million Users #1784 →

The post The Rise of ChatGPT: OpenAI’s Path to 300 Million Users #1784 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Have you ever wondered when your time might come? The Death Clock app uses AI and data from 1,200 life expectancy studies to make educated guesses about your lifespan. By analyzing your habits and lifestyle, it provides predictions—and even offers tips to live longer (if you’re willing to pay). Is it science or just a … Continue reading Predicting Your Demise – The Death Clock App #1783 →

The post Predicting Your Demise – The Death Clock App #1783 appeared first on Geek News Central .

In a live interview, GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani discussed the continued relevance of websites in 2024 amidst the rise of generative AI and evolving digital landscapes. Bhutani highlighted GoDaddy’s shift from being just a domain registrar to supporting micro-businesses with tools like the AI-powered platform Airo. He stressed the value websites offer small businesses for … Continue reading Websites in 2024: GoDaddy’s Vision with Aman Bhutani #1782 →

The post Websites in 2024: GoDaddy’s Vision with Aman Bhutani #1782 appeared first on Geek News Central .

Today, I delve into a high-stakes legal battle between OpenAI and major news outlets like The New York Times and Daily News. These publishers allege OpenAI improperly used their copyrighted content to train AI models, and now, a data loss by OpenAI has escalated the case. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Join the Chat @ GeekNews.Chat … Continue reading OpenAI Faces Allegations of Data Loss in Copyright Dispute #1781 →

The post OpenAI Faces Allegations of Data Loss in Copyright Dispute #1781 appeared first on Geek News Central .