Radio Leo (Audio)

Will Elon Musk really launch a million data centers into orbit, and why is McDonald's so worried about you using "McNuggets" as your password? This week's tech roundtable takes on wild new frontiers and everyday security headaches with insight and a bit of irreverence. More schools are banning phones so students can focus. Ohio's results show it's not that simple After Australia, Which Countries Could Be Next to Ban Social Media for Children EU says TikTok must disable 'addictive' features like infinite scroll, fix its recommendation engine Anthropic and OpenAI release dueling AI models on the same day in an escalating rivalry Sam Altman says Anthropic's Super Bowl spot is 'dishonest' about ChatGPT ads, but he agrees it's funny Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 uncovers 500 zero-day flaws in open-source code Alphabet reports Q4 2025 revenue of $113.8 billion Amazon's blowout $200 billion AI spending plan stuns Wall Street A New Gilded Age: Big Tech goes on a $600 billion AI spending splurge Hidden Cameras in Chinese Hotels Are Livestreaming Guests To Thousands of Telegram Subscribers AI-generated ads hit the Super Bowl SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it Russia suspected of intercepting EU satellites Notepad++ hijacked by state-sponsored actors New York Wants to Ctrl+Alt+Delete Your 3D Printer Western Digital Plots a Path To 140 TB Hard Drives Using Vertical Lasers and 14-Platter Designs A Crisis comes to Wordle: Reusing old words The Wayback Machine debuts a new plug-in designed to fix the internet's broken links problem Project Hail Mary is getting its own LEGO set Dave Farber Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Larry Magid, Mike Elgan, and Louis Maresca Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT meter.com/twit trustedtech.team/twitCSS zscaler.com/security

he podcast dives into the explosive advances in agentic AI, where developers and even Fortune 100 companies are racing to use powerful tools like Gastown, despite their unfinished and sometimes dangerous edges. If you thought ChatGPT was a revolution, wait until you hear how developers are orchestrating armies of AIs with real-world impact. Anthropic's Move Into Legal Is Sinking Data Services Stocks Data centers in space makes no sense The hitchhiker's guide to Musk's SpaceX memo Two kinds of AI users are emerging. The gap between them is astonishing. Does AI already have human-level intelligence? The evidence is clear - Nature OpenAI will retire several models, including GPT-4o, from ChatGPT next month Jensen Huang says Nvidia would love to back an OpenAI IPO, and there's 'no drama' with Sam Altman Firefox will soon let you block all of its generative AI features Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army HHS Is Making an AI Tool to Create Hypotheses About Vaccine Injury Claims French office of Elon Musk's X raided by Paris prosecutor's cybercrime unit An AI Toy Exposed 50K Logs of Its Chats With Kids To Anyone With a Gmail Account Darren Aronofsky's AI Studio Used Artificial Intelligence Tools for Revolutionary War Animated Series — but Hired Human Actors to Voice Founding Fathers Forget Hinge or Bumble. This App Promises a Personal AI Matchmaker Scientists Launch AI DinoTracker App That Identifies Dinosaur Footprints Project Genie: Experimenting with infinite, interactive worlds Anthropic Takes Aim at OpenAI's ChatGPT in Super Bowl Ad Debut Move to Ban Social Media for Kids Gains Traction in Europe The Matrix Resurrections Is a Messy, Imperfect Triumph The Thatcher Effect and other Optical Toys Fascinating Research: AIs are highly inconsistent [i.e., random] when recommending brands or products Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Steve Yegge Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT monarch.com with code IM zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/machines

Microsoft is burning through billions on AI, but Wall Street is finally demanding to see where the payoff is. The earnings announcement triggered a $357 billion valuation wipe-out, the largest in Microsoft's history and the second-largest in history overall (Nvidia managed to lose $593 billion in value in the wake of DeepSeek in early 2025).Windows Windows 11 has over one billion users - and, surprise, it got their faster than Windows 10 without any of the shenanigans Microsoft to address the quality issues in Windows 11 in 2026 There is already evidence that Microsoft is trying to make Windows 11 suck less: Recent OneDrive changes that address a key ensh*ttification, and let's not forget all those security advances What did Microsoft really promise? Not much Microsoft has new EVPs for Security and Quality Microsoft belatedly delivered the January Week D update last Thursday, a preview of this month's Patch Tuesday Dev and Beta builds both deliver Mark Russinovich's sysmon tool Microsoft earnings deep dive Microsoft reported a net income of $38.5 billion on revenues of $81.3 billion in the quarter ending December 31. Those figures represent gains of 60 percent and 17 percent, respectively, year-over-year Earnings analysis: All eyes are on AI and no one is happy Microsoft spent $37.5 billion on AI infrastructure (capex) in the quarter, up 66 percent YOY, and it's on track to spend $150+ billion in the fiscal year Every single question was about this and how it will ever recoup the costs There are now 15 million paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats out of 450+ million Microsoft 365 seats OpenAI is Microsoft's biggest Azure customer, but it's unclear if there is any real money there because of accounting tricks Windows, Edge, and Bing all "gained share," PC maker revenues were up just 1 percent, the Windows 10 upgrade cycle was mostly a bust (it's likely that most of it was tied to RAM pricing fears, too) Xbox fell off a cliff with content and services revenues down 5 percent in a holiday quarter somehow and Xbox hardware revenue declined an astonishing 32 percent YOY Standalone Office 2025 suite was a surprise hit, Hood is curious if that continues Microsoft 365 "cost of business" up 10 percent YOY because of AI costs AMD revenues up 34 percent to $10.3 billion Apple delivers record revenues of $143.8 billion; iPhone made more revenues by itself than all of Microsoft AI Microsoft is going to basically make an app store for content makers who wish to be paid for use by AI Anthropic advertises that Claude will be advertising-free, unlike ChatGPT The next Firefox will include the promised AI kill switch and Vivaldi "extends the middle fingerˮ to AI Xbox and games AMD reveals next Xbox console in 2027 We're getting a solid collection of Xbox Game Pass titles for the beginning of February Battlefield 6 was the best-selling shooter of 2025 and EA made $1.9 billion in Q4 Epic Games has big plans for its PC launcher/store Nintendo has now sold 17 million Switch 2s as OG Switch hits 155 million units Tips and picks Tip of the week: Make OneDrive Folder Backup work for you App pick of the week: Bitwarden (TWiT sponsor) RunAs Radio this week: Getting Started using Purview with Erica Toelle Brown liquor pick of the week: Glendronach Ode to These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/969 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

When a popular antivirus and even Notepad++ turn into infection vectors after supply chain breaches, it's clear no software is safe from attack—or from its own update system. Steve and Leo unpack the risks hiding right inside your next auto-update. An anti-virus system infects its own users. Apple's next iOS release "fuzzes" cellular locations. cURL discontinues bug bounties under bogus AI flood. AI discovers and fixes 15 CVE-worthy 0-days in OpenSSL. Ireland did NOT already pass their spying legislation. AI irreversibly deletes all project files. Says it's sorry. Windows has a serious global clipboard security problem. ISPs have the ability to monetize their subscriber's identities. MongoDB has lowered the hacking skill level bar to the floor Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1063-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/securitynow bitwarden.com/twit material.security guardsquare.com

Apple had a very strong Q1 2026, thanks to iPhone 17 sales. Apple acquires an AI company, its second-largest acquisition behind Beats by Dre. An Apple-1 computer prototype board #0 sold for $ 2.75 million. And new tech spec leaks of Apple's potential iPhone Fold hit the web! Apple's record quarter: Is this what a hit iPhone looks like?. Apple reveals it has 2.5 billion active devices around the world. Apple's historic quarter doesn't change the need for AI reckoning. Apple revamps how you buy a Mac online, removes preconfigured options. Apple's second biggest acquisition ever is an AI company that listens to 'silent speech'. Apple Design Team gains Halide co-founder, but the pro camera app isn't going anywhere. Apple to soon take up to 30% cut from all Patreon creators in iOS app. Apple was fined a total of $851M last year for privacy and antitrust violations. Continuity Camera lands Apple in legal trouble for 'Sherlocking' Camo. Apple-1 computer prototype board #0 sold for $2.75M. Very first Apple check & early Apple-1 motherboard sold for $5 million combined. New iPhone Fold specs revealed, including design, cameras, more. Report: Apple 'exploring' clamshell foldable iPhone as potential follow-up model. New MacBook Pro release date: Here's when M5 Pro and M5 Max might debut. Agentic coding comes to Xcode. Auto-resizing columns in Finder. iOS 26's Passwords app has a new feature that can save you a headache. Apple Maps gets a 'Drops of God' wine guide curated by actor Tomohisa Yamashita. Apple C-series modem enables new privacy-focused limit precise location feature. Today's Apple TV press day. New 'Humans of Apple TV' video debuts, watch it here. Apple TV launches F1 programming in app ahead of season kickoff. Two years after release, Apple still hasn't decided what to do with Apple Vision Pro. More Accessibility for Winter Olympics. Picks of the Week Shelly's Pick: Transit App Leo's Picks: AppleUnsold and Bugs Apple Loves Andy's Pick: ReelGood Mikah's Pick: Picky Pad Hosts: Leo Laporte and Andy Ihnatko Guests: Shelly Brisbin and Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

What happens when AI bots get their own social network, Silicon Valley execs cozy up to power, and Apple takes a cut from creators? This week's panel calls out the bold, bizarre, and often problematic ways tech's biggest players are reshaping everything from AI assistants to your everyday privacy. There's a social network for AI agents, and it's getting weird Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site Pentagon clashes with Anthropic over military AI use, sources say Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army Angry Norfolk residents lose lawsuit to stop Flock license plate scanners SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit Elon Musk reportedly wants a June SpaceX IPO to align with his birthday, the planets Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings in Q2 as gaming declines What We Learned From Meta, Microsoft and Tesla Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products TikTok, YouTube, and Meta are headed to court for a landmark trial over social media addiction The 'Social Media Addiction' Narrative May Be More Harmful Than Social Media Itself TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection — here's what it means A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica Autonomous cars, drones cheerfully obey prompt injection by road sign Samsung's TriFold phone will cost $2,899 in the US Groundhogs are bad at predicting weather, but they're valuable animal engineers Satellites encased in wood are in the works Belkin reminds users that its Wemo smart home products are shutting down this week Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Devindra Hardawar, and Victoria Song Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday blunder triggers emergency fixes, surprise layoffs ripple through Amazon, and the crew debates whether rapid AI advances spell the end of traditional apps. Also, password managers do a lot more than manage passwords, so there's one thing everyone needs to get right. Windows 11 Dev splits from Beta, tests what will surely be 26H1 - After last week's show, Microsoft did issue that same Beta build in the Dev channel for some reason Dev and Beta get same fixes in different builds, but no new features 24H2 and 25H2 Release Preview update(s) are a peek at the next Patch Tuesday, lots of changes January Patch Tuesday update was so terrible it required two emergency fixes, the second of which went out late Sunday Earnings/industry Intel falls flat in Q4, full year 2025 despite U.S. "investment" Amazon lays off 16,000 employees Microsoft, Apple, earnings this week, Alphabet, Amazon are next week AI Microsoft announces Maia 200 AI datacenter processor Like Baldric in Black Adder, Apple has a cunning plan for an AI Siri With AI costs soaring, cheaper new AI plans appear somehow OpenAI was last week with big expansion of ChatGPT Go Google does the same this week with AI Plus plan OpenAI, Anthropic (this week), others are adding "apps" to their chatbots Microsoft is exposing app features as AI Actions in Windows 11 Paul opined that this semantic/programmatic capability was the end of apps But we can now essentially vibe-code our own custom apps - this is vaguely reminiscent of the home computer/DIY era, but without the technical knowledge requirements The age of native apps is over, at least on desktop. Will mobile fall next? Dev Microsoft introduces the Windows App Development (winapp) CLI. For some reason Xbox and gaming Microsoft refreshes the Xbox Cloud Gaming web experience — bigger changes coming? Fable is coming to Xbox, PC, PS5 in late 2026 Tips and picks Tip of the week: Choose a single password manager, make your life easier App pick of the week: Proton Pass RunAs Radio this week: Business Process Automation in 2026 with Ian Cooper Brown liquor pick of the week: Tullibardine 18 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: trustedtech.team/windowsweeklyCSS joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit

Can AI stay open, ethical, and for the people? Mozilla's president joins the show to reveal their game plan—and $650 million war chest—for taking on Big Tech's monoculture with a "Rebel Alliance" approach to AI. State of Mozilla 2025/26 Codeless: From idea to software - Anil Dash Clawdbot is the new AI techies are buzzing about — and it's renewing interest in the Mac Mini Qwen3-TTS Demo - a Hugging Face Space by Qwen I Let AI Analyze My Davos Reporting Trip. Here's What It Missed Dario Amodei — The Adolescence of Technology Proof of Corn Trump admin reportedly plans to use AI to write federal regulations Wikipedia volunteers spent years cataloging AI tells. Now there's a plugin to avoid them. China Lagging in AI Is a 'Fairy Tale,' Mistral CEO Says How Playing Pokémon Became the Ultimate Test of AI's Intelligence Sir Demis Hassabis becomes the latest to say that ChatGPT is a dead-end and that we must turn our focus to world models Claude's new constitution "Infinite Jest" Has Turned Thirty. Have We Forgotten How to Read It? Sony's TV business is being taken over by TCL Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Mark Surman Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: trustedtech.team/intelligent365

Can AI really write malware better than hackers ever could? This episode exposes the first real-world case of advanced, fully AI-generated malware and why it signals a seismic shift in cybersecurity risk. CISA's uncertain future remains quite worrisome. Worrisome is Ireland's new "lawful" interception law. The EU's Digital Rights organization pushes back. Microsoft acknowledges it turns over user encryption keys. Alex Neihaus on AI enterprise usage dangers. Gavin confesses he put a database on the Internet. Worries about a massive podcast rewinding backlog. What does the emergence of AI-generated malware portend? Show Note - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1062-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: hoxhunt.com/securitynow trustedtech.team/securitynow365 zscaler.com/security

Apple launches the next generation of its AirTags. Is Apple developing its own take on an AI wearable pin? Apple is holding an event in LA for creators: could this coincide with an announcement of the next MacBook Pro? And Apple snags a Best Picture nomination for 'F1: The Movie'. Apple launches AirTag 2 with improved range, louder speaker, more. Incremental iOS 26.2.1, iPadOS 26.2.1, watchOS 26.2.1 updates support the new AirTag. Apple developing AI wearable pin. Apple hosting LA event for creators on January 27-29 that could coincide with MacBook Pro announcement. Apple reportedly aiming to upgrade the MacBook Pro twice this year. Tim Cook slammed for attending 'Melania' screening on night of Alex Pretti killing. Apple TV earns Best Picture nomination for 'F1: The Movie' in 2026 Oscars. I let ChatGPT analyze a decade of my Apple Watch data. Then I called my doctor. Ongoing RAM supply and cost crisis isn't an issue for Apple's iPhone — right now. Picks of the Week Dave's Pick: Anker Prime Foldable Wireless Charging Station (Feb 2026) Andy's Pick: Mermaid Jason's Pick: ChapterPod Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Guest: Dave Hamilton Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: cachefly.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Think you know the story of AI's rise and fall? This episode upends conventional wisdom with guest historian Thomas Haigh, who reveals why the infamous "AI winter" might just be a myth and why the field's biggest failures fueled today's breakthroughs. Two Thinking Machines Lab Cofounders Are Leaving to Rejoin OpenAI NVDA, GOOGL, META: AI Spending Forecast to Hit $2.53 Trillion This Year Nvidia, Eli Lilly just say yes to making drugs together, using Vera Rubin GPUs Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files We put Claude Code in Rollercoaster Tycoon How Generative AI is destroying society - by Gary Marcus Anthropic rewrites Claude's guiding principles—and entertains the idea that its AI might have 'some kind of consciousness or moral status' Claude's new constitution Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Thomas Haigh Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit monarch.com with code IM

This week, the hosts go deep on out-of-band updates, unwanted "innovations," and the uneasy cost of tech's latest gold rush. Plus, securing a Microsoft account is not as hard as some think, and neither are passkeys once you get past the jargon. And for developers, AI Dev Gallery offers a fascinating glimpse at what you can do for free with AI used against a CPU, GPU, or NPU. Windows 11 Microsoft issues an emergency fix for a borked Windows Update. Right. A fix for a fix. Hell freezes over, if only slightly: Microsoft quietly made some positive changes to forced OneDrive Folder Backup. Donʼt worry, itʼs still forced (and appears to be opt-in, but isnʼt). But you can back out more elegantly. So itʼs opt-out, not opt-in, but a step forward. Plus, a new behavior Windows 11 on Arm PCs can now download games from the Xbox app (previously only through the Insider program) Over 85 percent of Xbox games on PC work in WOA now Prism emulator now supports AVX and AVX2 and Epic Anti-Cheat, and there is a new Windows Performance Fit feature offering guidance on which titles should play well. Beta: New 25H2 build with account dialog modernization, Click to Do and desktop background improvements. Not for Dev, suggesting itʼs about to move to 26H1 Notepad and Paint get more features yet again. Notably, these updates are for Dev and Canary only, suggesting these might be 26Hx features (then again, versions don't matter, right?) AI Just say no: To AI, to Copilot, and to Satya Nadella Our national nightmare is over: You can now (easily) hide Copilot in Microsoft Edge ChatGPT Go is now available worldwide, ads are on the way because of course Wikipedia partners with Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, more on AI Xbox & gaming January Xbox Update brings Game Sync Indicator, more Solid second half of January for Xbox Game Pass Microsoft will likely introduce a free, ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming tier because of course Tips & picks Tip of the week: Secure your Microsoft account App pick of the week: AI Dev Gallery RunAs Radio this week: Ideation to Implementation with Amber Vandenburg Liquor pick of the week: Estancia Raicilla Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Soaring RAM prices are about to hit your security gear where it hurts, and the fallout could change what's protecting your network. Find out who's about to pay and why the AI gold rush is reshaping more than just your server specs. RAM pricing to affect enterprise firewall equipment. Anthropic provides sizeable support to Python Foundation. The FTC clamps down on GM's secret sale of driving data. "ANCHOR" replaces "CIPAC" for industry-government sharing. Germany planning to legislate total access to global data. Grubhub becomes the latest ShinyHunters extortion victim. Let's Encrypt's 6-Day certs are available to everyone. Iran planning to permanently take itself off the Internet. HD Tune before and after a SpinRite Level 3 refresh. Some great listener feedback, and More trouble from GhostPoster malicious browser extensions Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1061-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/securitynow joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Rumors are starting to pick up in 2026, with more information emerging about the upcoming iPhone 18 and M5 MacBook Pros. Could we finally see new Studio Displays this year? And end-to-end encryption for RCS messages could finally be coming to iOS. iPhone 18 Pro: Dynamic Island may move to top-left screen corner. Some MacBook Pro configurations see up to a two-month delay ahead of possible next-gen M5 MacBook Pro release. The icon history of various Apple software. New Studio Display or Pro Display XDR spotted in regulatory database. Google Gemini-Powered Siri will reportedly have these 7 new features. Apple Watch blood sugar monitoring a step closer as new tech launches. The Smartlet dual watch band is the most ridiculous Apple Watch accessory yet. Apple Vision Pro owners will get a great assortment of classic arcade games in VR soon. Red Bull's 2026 Formula 1 launch puts Apple hardware front and center. Civilization VII is coming to Apple Arcade. As pressure mounts for Apple to pull the X app, xAI says Grok will stop undressing people. In case you ever doubted it, Apple Car was real -- reveals Airbnb. End-to-end encryption for RCS messages surfaces in iOS 26.3 beta. Apple is fighting for TSMC capacity as Nvidia takes center stage. Apple testing new App Store design that blurs the line between ads and search results Picks of the Week Andy's Pick: Dolly Parton & Trio, with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt Stephen's Pick: Aqara U400 Smart Lock UWB Jason's Pick: Also the Aqara U400 Smart Lock, but UWB locks in general. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Guest: Stephen Robles Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: bitwarden.com/twit

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Disinformation expert Craig Silverman joins the crew to break down why AI makes scams and fake news easier, faster, and nearly impossible to spot—while Big Tech quietly profits. If you think spotting digital deception is tough now, wait until you hear how deep the rabbit hole goes. Claude Code Indonesia and Malaysia block Grok over non-consensual, sexualized deepfakes Apple taps Google to power a new Siri and future AI tools Introducing Cowork "In China, driverless delivery vans have become a total meme, they plow through crumbling roads, fresh concrete, motorcycles, anything. Nothing stops them." : r/SelfDrivingCars Meta refocuses on AI hardware as metaverse layoffs begin Creepy Link Matthew McConaughey has secured eight trademarks of himself from the USPTO in the past several months to protect his likeness and voice from unauthorized AI use Senate Passes a Bill That Would Let Nonconsensual Deepfake Victims Sue X says Grok will no longer edit images of real people into bikinis Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California J.R.R. Tolkien, Using a Tape Recorder for the First Time, Reads from The Hobbit for 30 Minutes (1952) | Open Culture Digg launches its new Reddit rival to the public Postal Arbitrage New protein tests The Traitors Season 4 WikiFlix MTV REWIND - 33,000+ Music Videos • Zero Ads • Zero Algorithms 'A bombshell': doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Craig Silverman Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit zscaler.com/security

Satya Nadella gave up much of his CEO duties in 2025. Are we on the cusp of a new CEO? And does some money manager/political duo like Amy Hood and Brad Smith actually make more sense in this role than an engineer-type for the modern Microsoft? Microsoft is trying to win our hearts and minds on AI After spending three years trying to jam AI down our collective throats, Microsoft has only met resistance. Now, the real marketing begins Governments and regulators: Microsoft will build out its AI infrastructure by actually paying for it and respecting the communities in which this happens Customers: Satya Nadella is blogging, and he wants us to stop complaining about AI. He's the wrong messenger Windows 11 First Patch Tuesday of 2026 brings security and bug fixes but no new features First update of 2026 brings Copilot-powered image descriptions in Narrator, new IT policies for Copilot, other changes to Dev & Beta Dev is about to switch to 26H1 IDC says that PC sales rose 8.1 percent in 2025, warns again about 2026 The good & bad of Paul's Panther Lake laptop Dell doesn't sell any PCs to consumers so it obviously has opinions about why consumers don't buy PCs for AI Microsoft will soon retire its Lens mobile app AI Apple predictably partners with Google to bring Gemini to Siri Samsung correctly points out we're all using AI already so there's no reason to complain about it We can't trust AI, so Microsoft is letting Copilot go shopping with our credit cards We can't trust AI, so OpenAI is giving ChatGPT access to our private health data Gmail is getting more AI because email is the low-hanging fruit of data collection Xbox and gaming Developer Direct returns on January 22 with Fable and Forza 6 gameplay Microsoft to bring Avowed to PS5 in February Tips and picks Tip of the week: Kick off 2026 with a security checkup App pick of the week: Microsoft Local Foundry RunAs Radio this week: Azure in 2026 with Jeremy Winter Brown liquor pick of the week: Don Julio 70 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/windows

Why are code signing certificates suddenly so expensive, short-lived, and tangled in red tape? Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson dig into Microsoft's "three-day certificates," the hidden costs for developers, and the security tradeoffs no one saw coming. A look at Microsoft's Azure cloud code signing. California implements DROP, global data broker opt-out. Where's the town of "Whata Bod" Idaho. iOS built-in Mail app worked itself out of a job. A 30-minute tutorial for non-coders about AI coding. Claude Code appears to be winning over the AI coding world. Various listener musings on code signing. A bit of Magnesium feedback. What use are 3-day code signing certs? Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1060-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: material.security zscaler.com/security hoxhunt.com/securitynow

Why are code signing certificates suddenly so expensive, short-lived, and tangled in red tape? Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson dig into Microsoft's "three-day certificates," the hidden costs for developers, and the security tradeoffs no one saw coming. A look at Microsoft's Azure cloud code signing. California implements DROP, global data broker opt-out. Where's the town of "Whata Bod" Idaho. iOS built-in Mail app worked itself out of a job. A 30-minute tutorial for non-coders about AI coding. Claude Code appears to be winning over the AI coding world. Various listener musings on code signing. A bit of Magnesium feedback. What use are 3-day code signing certs? Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1060-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: material.security zscaler.com/security hoxhunt.com/securitynow

Apple & Google enter a multi-year collaboration to integrate Apple's AI with Google's Gemini model. Apple unveils its Apple Creator Studio app collection. And JPMorganChase will become the new issuer of the Apple Card. Joint statement from Google and Apple. Introducing Apple Creator Studio, an inspiring collection of creative apps. Some first thoughts about live immersive basketball. Apple: You (still) don't understand the Vision Pro. Chase is taking over Apple's credit card. Apple loses Safari lead designer to The Browser Company. Removing Tahoe's unwanted menu icons. iOS 26 shows unusually slow adoption months after release [updated]. Global smartphone shipments grew 2% YoY in 2025; Apple emerged as market leader. Exclusive: India proposes forcing smartphone makers to give source code in security overhaul. Verizon no longer needs to unlock phones after 60 days, thanks to FCC. Apple scores at the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards with Best Comedy and Best Actor wins for record-breaking hit "The Studio," alongside a Best Actress win for "Pluribus". Legendary classic Macintosh game 'Dark Castle' is coming back to the Mac. Texas man discovers 2.09-carat brown diamond at Arkansas State Park after asking Siri for mining tips. Lego iMac G3 clears key hurdle, moves closer to release. Picks of the Week Doc's Pick: Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5" LCD Touchscreen Leo's Pick: Insta360 Link 2 & 2CPro Jason's Pick: xteink x4 Andy's Pick: Dark Castle on Internet Archive Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Guest: Doc Rock Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Jason Hiner gives us a look at the AI products at CES 2026, as big tech and chip makers blurred the lines between consumer gadgets and enterprise innovation, leaving even veteran insiders wondering: will this tech boom actually benefit everyday users? NVIDIA's Christmas Eve 'Hackquisition' Miracle No, Grok can't really "apologize" for posting non-consensual sexual images Introducing ChatGPT Health 'We have to reject that with every fiber of our being': DeSantis emerges as a chief AI skeptic Waymo Updates Vehicles to Better Handle Power Outages - But Still Faces Criticism The most exciting AI wearable at CES 2026 might not be smart glasses after all 2025's AI-fueled scientific breakthroughs Google engineer says Claude Code built in one hour what her team spent a year on Microsoft CEO Begs Users to Stop Calling It "Slop" Stanford's AI class on YouTube Tamiflu Babka from Zabar's (or elsewhere) Happy birthday Nic Cage Floor796 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code IM joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT helixsleep.com/machines

PC makers are shaking up CES with wild designs and next-gen chips, but the real story is Microsoft's bold software moves, AI's hardware hunger, and a candid debate over whether any tech company still puts users first. Come for the Windows updates, stay for the whisky warnings and robot bathroom assistants. CES 2026 is here with the 4K hummingbird feeder of your dreams New PCs and more from HP consumers/commercial, HP gamers, Lenovo, others The first official Copilot+ PC desktops Snapdragon X2 Plus joins X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme Intel Panther Lake has meaningful CPU and graphics performance gains, but predictable reliability issues AMD Ryzen AI 400 series is a minor bump Windows Paul was the first to report that Microsoft is refactoring it all with Rust A Microsoft distinguished engineer wrote about his desire to refactor all C/C++ code in the company with Rust by 2030 Some mistook this to mean "rewriting Windows with Rust,ˮ so he had to issue a clarification. But I never wrote that. Heads-up: That will happen, but this is really about Azure first and the core underlying code in Microsoftʼs most important platforms Microsoft released hardware-accelerated BitLocker in late 2025 and never told anyone. It requires the latest PC CPUs Copilot app update that adds text editing actions to Copilot Vision across channels Dev and Beta got first previews of AI agents on the Taskbar, starting with the Researcher agent, plus underlying Agent Launchers experience IDC says the global memory shortage (thanks, AI!) could screw up PC and smartphone growth this year AI ChatGPT now has an app store, but it has a ways to go Mozilla Firefox will have a "killswitchˮ for AI Our national nightmare will soon be over, LG will let users remove Copilot app from their smart TVs Xbox and gaming First Xbox Game Pass releases of 2026 include Resident Evil Village and Star Wars Outlaws Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming to Hisense smart TVs and to the latest Fire TV smart TVs GOG goes independent, will continue DRM-free push "Have a blastˮ and other FPS throwbacks from the 1990s Valve quietly killed the LCD Steam Deck model Tips and picks Tip of the week: Itʼs time to give Little AI a look App pick of the week: Bonjourr RunAs Radio this week: What AI can do for SysAdmins in 2026 with Cecilia Wiren Brown liquor pick of the week: The Singleton of Dufftown 12 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Why are code signing certificates suddenly getting shorter, pricier, and more restrictive? Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte expose the "cabal" rewriting the rules for everyone who builds software—and what it means for your security and your wallet. Code-signing certificate lifetimes shortened by two years. Sadly, ChatGPT is heading toward an advertising profit model. The Python Package Index is strengthening its security. BitLocker gets hardware acceleration, but not today. New York City's mayoral inauguration banned Raspberry Pi's. An astonishingly good British time travel series. A critical link between Vitamin D and Magnesium. A look inside the very bad MongoBleed vulnerability Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1059-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/securitynow threatlocker.com/twit material.security bitwarden.com/twit

A look back at what Apple did, and did not deliver in 2025. What will Apple do in 2026? Could Apple benefit from Alan Dye, former design lead for Apple, leaving the company? And you can watch an upcoming NBA game, live, in the Vision Pro! 2025 will be remembered for what Apple didn't deliver. And Stay Out! It's hard to justify Tahoe icons. Wish List: A more flexible Apple display strategy. AppleVis announces winners of the 2025 Golden Apple Awards. Los Angeles Lakers games on Spectrum Front Row in Apple Immersive tip off January 9. Apple scores at the Critics Choice Awards with top wins for global hit feature "F1" and Best Comedy Series "The Studio". Pluribus season 2 isn't happening for a while, says Vince Gilligan: 'We're working on it'. Steve Jobs' Desk, Bow Ties, 8-Track tapes, and other personal ephemera featured in Apple 50th Anniversary auction Picks of the Week Shelly's Pick: PiccyBot Andy's Pick: Bounce Jason's Pick: LosslessCut Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Guest: Shelly Brisbin Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: material.security

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

Our interviews with: Ray Kurzweil Alex Hanna Emily Bender Mike Masnick Pliny the Liberator Kevin Kelly Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

This isn't your usual Windows Weekly. Pour a glass and settle in as Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell ditch the headlines for whisky-soaked tech stories, behind-the-scenes Microsoft confessions, and the unexpected joys (and disasters) of vintage hardware. These are the tales you only hear when the mics are (almost) off. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

In this special holiday episode, Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte revisit their classic conversation about vitamin D—diving into the science, surprising updates, and practical tips for your health. Whether you've heard it before or are tuning in for the first time, this "blast from the past" is the perfect way to kick off 2026 with wisdom, laughs, and a little bit of eggnog recovery. Read more at https://www.grc.com/health Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Join us again as we take a look back at some of MacBreak Weekly's favorite stories and moments from 2025: The unveiling of the iPhone 16e. The UK's effort to keep Apple Encryption fight secret is block & White House blames iPhone's auto-correct contact for Signal scandal. Apple's fairly underwhelming, and hilarious, 'Celebrity Snapshot' page. Another new product announcement from Apple: the iPhone Air! MacBreak Weekly celebrates its 1000th episode! And the departure of one of the original panelists of MacBreak Weekly... Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

What if your smart TV and Firefox extensions were secretly hijacking your security and privacy? This episode reveals the jaw-dropping discovery of a massive TV botnet and the surprisingly clever malware lurking behind innocent browser icons. North Korea's profitable fixation on cryptocurrency. Amazon uncovers a cryptomining sneaking into customer clouds. Insecure Docker API servers are also hosting cryptominers. A new and truly massive SmartTV-based botnet discovery. DNS Benchmark's 4th release. Who, besides Let's Encrypt, offers free automated certs. Some interesting listener feedback. And how a PNG Icon was used to infect 50,000 Firefox users Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1057-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

An update on the story about an Apple developer who lost access to their Apple ID. Apple receives clearance to activate the Apple Watch hypertension detection feature in Australia. Italy fines Apple $115 million over App Tracking Transparency. And we say goodbye to one of the original MacBreak Weekly panelists. Apple developer's account restored after compromised gift card incident. Apple receives clearance to activate Apple Watch hypertension detection/notification feature in Australia. Apple agrees to third-party App Store alternatives in Brazil. Apple's iOS 26.3 will introduce proximity pairing to third-party devices in the EU. Free two-hour delivery from Apple Stores now available for a limited time. 1.5 TB of VRAM on Mac Studio - RDMA over Thunderbolt 5. Italy fines Apple $115 million over App Tracking Transparency. Apple announces more ads are coming to App Store search results Apple quietly discontinued flyover city tours in Apple Maps. Why Apple's foldable iPhone may be smaller than expected. Apple TV releasing Pluribus season finale early. Picks of the Week Alex's Pick: Homey Pro Andy's Pick: Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas & Patrick Stewart's 'A Christmas Carol' Jason's Pick: Some of his favorite books, TV shows, and podcasts from the past year. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: auraframes.com/ink

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

Forget the "AI is killing the planet" panic—this episode unpacks what's actually driving tech's power grab, the financial bubble no one wants to talk about, and why the big models are starting to look eerily similar. CJ Trowbridge - cjtrowbridge.com - https://www.tiktok.com/@cjtrowbridge Gemini 3 Flash: frontier intelligence built for speed The new ChatGPT Images is here | OpenAI Last Week on My Mac: How good is AI at solving Mac problems? Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI - Slashdot OpenAI are quietly adopting skills, now available in ChatGPT and Codex CLI "I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off." Copywriters reveal how AI has decimated their industry Roomba Maker iRobot Files for Bankruptcy, With Chinese Supplier Taking Control Coursera to buy Udemy, creating $2.5 billion firm to target AI training Purdue University Approves New AI Requirement For All Undergrads It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal This major cruise line just banned Meta Ray-Ban and other smart glasses — is this category already doomed? Woman Hailed as Hero for Smashing Man's Meta Smart Glasses on Subway Oscars Bolts from ABC to YouTube Starting in 2029 When AI Takes the Couch: Psychometric Jailbreaks Reveal Internal Conflict in Frontier Models Simulating Life Paths with Digital Twins: AI-Generated Future Selves Influence Decision-Making and Expand Human Choice The worst person in tech bracket Banned fonts Subway bagel rats Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: CJ Trowbridge Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: agntcy.org auraframes.com/ink

We were inundated with new Windows features in 2025, but which ones actually moved the needle? Fortnite isn't just back on iPhone and Android, it's available on Windows 11 on Arm, and it works great! Plus, 2 big mobile wins for Epic Games and some thoughts on the "right" way to roll out AI features.Windows 11 Best Windows 11 updates of 2025, in no particular order... Dark mode improvements to File Explorer Widgets major overhaul with separate widgets and Discovery feed Xbox Full Screen experience - especially good on handhelds, of course, but also any PC you use for gaming with a controller Click to Do (Copilot+ PC only) External fingerprint reader support for Windows Hello ESS -External/USB webcams supported by Windows Studio Effects (Copilot+ PC only) Quick Machine Recovery is the tip of a wave of new foundational features like Admin Protection, Smart App Control (updates), and more that go beyond surface-level look and feel Redesigned Start menu isn't perfect but it's a nice improvement Copilot Vision, though this type of thing may make more sense on phones AI features in Paint, Photos, Notepad, and Snipping Tool Natural language interactions like the agent in Settings, file search, and more (mostly Copilot+ PC only, but you can do this in Copilot as well) Bluetooth LE support for improved audio quality in game chat, voice calls Gaming on Windows 11 on Arm and Snapdragon X: Major steps forward, but the same issue as always Looking ahead to 2026: 26H1, Agentic features that work, potential Windows 12, and AI PCs AI An extensive new interview with Mustafa Suleyman confirms why this guy is special and how confusing it is that Copilot is so disrespected Microsoft Copilot is auto-installing on LG smart TVs and there's no way to remove it GPT-5.2 is OpenAI's answer to Gemini 3 ChatGPT Images is OpenAI's answer to Nano Banana Pro Disney invests $1 billion OpenAI, sues Google Opera Neon is now generally available for $20 per month AI is moving quick as we all know but the bigger issue may be the incessant marketing about features like agents that don't even work now Microsoft is getting pushback on forced Copilot usage, price hikes Google is expanding its use of "experiments" outside of mainstream products with things like NotebookLM, Mixboard, CC, and much more. Maybe this is the better approach: Test separately and then integrate it into existing products Oddly enough, Microsoft does have a Windows AI Lab for this kind of experimentation Many small models vs. one big LLM in the cloud Mobile Fortnite is back in the Google Play Store in the U.S. as Google plays nice Apple loses its contempt appeal, the end of "junk fees" (Apple Tax) is in sight Xbox and gaming Xbox December Update has one big update for the mobile app and one big update for Xbox Wireless Headphones There's a new Xbox Developer Direct coming in January Half-Life 3 may really be happening, but it will be a Steam Machine launch title so it could be a while Tips & picks Tip of the year: De-enshittify Windows 11 App pick of the year: Fortnite RunAs Radio this week: Zero Trust in 2026 with Michele Bustamante Brown liquor pick of the week: Lark Symphony No. 1 These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/963 Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink framer.com/design promo code WW outsystems.com/twit cachefly.com/twit

Australia's nationwide social media ban has put tech's age verification tools under the spotlight, exposing the flaws and privacy risks in today's facial detection systems and sparking worldwide debate about what's coming for the rest of us. Home Depot's puzzling reluctance to close a bad hole. GNOME's shell extension manager is unhappy with AI. How attacks on open source repositories compares in 2025. China's researchers have taken aim at the US power grid. How bad has the React2Shell vulnerability turned out to be. More new React vulnerabilities. Apple moves to iOS 26.2. Let's Encrypt's crosses into one billion servers managed. A DNS Benchmark update. Some interesting listener feedback, then... How things going with Australia's social media ban and what we are learning https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1056-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zapier.com/securitynow threatlocker.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT veeam.com bitwarden.com/twit

Apple releases OS 26.2 right before the holidays! Pluribus becomes Apple TV's most-watched show ever. And why you should consider backing up more of your stuff locally. Apple releases OS 26.2 updates. With iOS 26.2, Apple lets you roll back Liquid Glass again — this time on the Lock Screen. 26.2: Here are the security fixes for all of Apple's operating systems. tvOS 26.2 brings kids mode to the Apple TV app. iOS 26.3 beta reveals how Apple plans to handle EU-required notification forwarding. Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case. Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect. Pluribus becomes Apple TV's most watched show ever. Cadillac and Chevy are getting native Apple Music. Apple buys two new buildings in Cupertino, topping $1B spend. UK to push for nudity-blocking software on devices to protect children. 20 years of digital life, gone in an instant, thanks to Apple. Picks of the Week Jason's Pick: Fosi Audio BT20A Pro Bluetooth 5.0 Amplifier Andy's Pick: "Will Return" Screensaver Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Jason Snell Download or subscribe to MacBreak Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/macbreak-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: framer.com/design promo code MACBREAK outsystems.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

What happens when every major AI model gets jailbroken within days? This week, the world's most prolific AI red teamer lifts the curtain on how and why "safe" AI might be an impossible promise. Pliny the Liberator | pliny.gg - discord.gg/basi ChatGPT Nears 900 Million Weekly Active Users But Gemini is Catching Up From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion Google Tells Advertisers It'll Bring Ads to Gemini in 2026 Meta Acquires Limiteless, an A.I. Pendant Company Backed by Sam Altman Here's how Google is laying the foundation for our mixed reality future OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice Svedka's First Super Bowl Ad Will Be Made Primarily With AI AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone TESCREALers paying journalists at major outlets to cover AI The Resonant Computing Manifesto (from Masnick) Techdirt fundraiser From Sam Lessin: Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style Bare Metal Email Jeff in Austria Golden Globes enter the world of podcasts and tread carefully, avoiding controversy Who says AI isn't useful? Real-time Cricket Sorting By Sex Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Mike Elgan Guest: Pliny the Liberator Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink ventionteams.com/twit agntcy.org outsystems.com/twit

December 2025's Patch Tuesday brought major shifts, but the real action is in Microsoft's pricing, privacy battles, and the arms race to control AI-enabled browsers. Plus, Paul recommends Tiny11 Builder for a clean install, or Win11Debloat for an existing install. Then, Rufus to create installation media without the forced Microsoft account (MSA) sign-in or hardware requirement checks. Use MSEdgeDirect to use the default web browser for stories from Widgets, web-based search results, etc. And ExplorerPatcher can fix the performance and reliability issues in File Explorer. It's the final Patch Tuesday of 2025 Major dark mode updates (with a fix for the "flashbang" problem) AI Agent in Settings, Click to Do, Windows Studio Effects, and Search improvements for Copilot+ PCs Many other improvements: FSE, Share, Settings, Widgets, more More Windows 11 New 25H2 preview build on Beta/Dev adds MCP public preview, Quick Machine Recovery auto-enabled, Unified Update Orchestration Platform, Windows MIDI services Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 is getting a lot more expensive in mid-2026. You didn't think all those free AI updates were free, did you? AI Paul has been talking about "programmatic" apps and services because he wasn't sure of a term for this type of interaction. But there is a term for this: Semantic. As in semantic web. And there you go Microsoft one of 1,000 companies partnering on Agentic AI Foundation because you're getting agents whether they work or not Gartner says NO to AI web browsers The New York Times is suing Perplexity for all the obvious reasons After a big win in the legal battle with OpenAI Opera for Android gets a big AI update Google Workspace Studio brings code-free agent creation to business users - automation is a solid AI use case Xbox Xbox Series X|S notably absent during Black Friday sales Call of Duty won't repeat the mistakes of the past anymore since it didn't work out twice now MS Flight Simulator 2024 is now available on PS5 Red Dead Redemption comes to mobile for the first time, free with a Netflix account Tips & Picks Tip and app(s) of the week: De-enshittify Windows 11 RunAs Radio this week: Incident Management and the Crowdstrike Event with Liam Westley Brown liquor pick of the week: Old Farm Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: 1password.com/windowsweekly auraframes.com/ink helixsleep.com/windows ventionteams.com/twit