iOS Today 800: Our Top Favorites

Big Tech is pouring hundreds of billions into AI, but with rising signs of an industry bubble and some real-world fallout, this week's episode digs into who actually wins, who stands to lose, and whether Apple's patient strategy may outsmart the hype. Big Tech firms beat earnings expectations amid AI spending questions RIP the $599 Mac Mini, you were too beautiful for this world Microsoft lifts 2026 AI spend by $25 billion to cover component price rises Microsoft speeds up in Big Tech's data center spend-off Crosswording the Situation Meta's historic loss in court could cost a lot more than $375 million Utah first state to hold websites liable for users who mask their location with VPNs — law goes into effect, designed to prevent bypassing age checks Australia unveils a 2.25% levy on Meta, Google, and TikTok Meta found in breach of EU law for failing to keep children off Facebook and Instagram Meta inks deal for solar power at night, beamed from space Musk v. Altman week 1: Elon Musk says he was duped, warns AI could kill us all, and admits that xAI distills OpenAI's models OpenAI-backed 1X opens California factory targeting 10,000 home humanoid robots in year one Sam Altman asked GPT-5.5 to plan its own launch party. Its requests were 'beautiful' but 'strange.' Sam Altman says Elon Musk can come to his GPT 5.5 party: 'World needs more love' The US Senate unanimously passed a rule barring senators from trading on prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, amid rising concern over insider trading 'We Know You Live Right Here': No Secrets in America's New Surveillance Dragnet California to begin ticketing driverless cars that violate traffic laws China Suspends New Autonomous Driving Permits After Baidu Outage China has decided that firing a worker because an AI can do their job is illegal. No Western country has done the same. Maryland Is First to Ban A.I.-Driven Price Increases in Grocery Stores The most severe Linux threat to surface in years catches the world flat-footed Hackers are actively exploiting a bug in cPanel, used by millions of websites The Hottest Anti-AI Gadget Is a Cyberdeck Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot Divine launches to the public GameStop eyes eBay takeover in audacious $46 billion bet on Ryan Cohen's e-commerce vision AI-generated actors and scripts are now ineligible for Oscars Ukraine says it's training drone pilots in 'Grand Theft Auto V' This free website is like Wikipedia meets the CIA Light Phone III Is a Delightfully Minimalist Smartphone Alternative Valve Steam Controller is here, it's a gamepad in search of a console Bluetooth Connected - The Voices Behind the Connection Spirit Airlines shuts down after Trump's war on Iran doubled jet fuel prices Ask.com has shut down, marking the official farewell to the Internet's favorite butler Pioneering geneticist and decoder of the human genome J. Craig Venter dies at age 79 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Nicholas De Leon, Devindra Hardawar, and Mikah Sargent 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: helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT Melissa.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit box.com/AI

In this episode of Hands-On Tech, a listener asks how to properly activate Windows 11 on an Apple Silicon Mac using UTM, and whether there are other virtualization options available now that Boot Camp is no longer supported. Continue to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show to [email protected]! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-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 Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: NetSuite.com/hot

Ubuntu has announced their AI future, and it's ... not actually terrible. CopyFail has us all patching, though thankfully it's not an "Internet-melter". There's a DDoS on FOSS infrastructure, a new directory in your home folder, and finally good news on the HDMI 2.1 front. For tips we talk toofan for typing practice, why copy and paste needs "shift", and a quicker primer on getting the most out of bash history. You can find the show notes at https://bit.ly/4cZ2jOj and enjoy! Host: Jonathan Bennett Co-Hosts: Rob Campbell and Ken McDonald Download or subscribe to Untitled Linux Show at https://twit.tv/shows/untitled-linux-show 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 Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: bitwarden.com/twit

Lander, lander... who's got a lander? With NASA planning orbital tests of the Artemis landers in 2027 and a crewed landing in 2028, the pressure is on for SpaceX and Blue Origin to make good on their Human Landing System contracts. Who's actually going to put American astronauts back on the Moon first? This week's episode digs into the high-stakes race between the companies, surfacing new details and doubts about whether either lander will be ready in time. Both have to fly into Earth orbit, refuel multiple times, and perform robotic test landings on the moon (in addition to the Artemis III rendezvous and docking tests) before NASA can land astronauts on the moon — and they need to get it all done by 2028. We talk to Space.com's senior space guy, Mike Wall, about the risks and realities of the new space race to the moon. Headlines: Artemis 2 Astronauts Tour White House and Late Night Shows Private Company Plans Asteroid Rendezvous with Apophis NASA's Artemis Moon Lander Readiness and Delays Main Topic: Lunar Landers and Artemis Program Artemis 4 Moon Landing Delays and Timeline Uncertainty SpaceX Starship vs. Blue Origin Blue Moon: Designs and Progress Technical Hurdles: Life Support, Refueling, and Descent Systems Starship's Role as Lander, Cargo Hauler, and Potential Space Station Alternative Blue Origin's Test Schedule Impacted by Launch Mishap International Lunar Landers: China's Upcoming Missions Lunar Surface Infrastructure, Moon Bases, and Resource Rights Legal Uncertainty Around Moon Land Rights and Exclusion Zones Artemis Momentum, Funding, and Political Support Long-Term Prospects for Sustained Human and Robotic Lunar Presence Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Mike Wall Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. 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: helixsleep.com/space

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on Tech News Weekly! Jacob shares firsthand impressions from the Elon Musk v. OpenAI trial. Razr unveiled the latest iterations of its foldable phones. And Microsoft released the earliest known DOS source code to the public! Jacob just returned from covering the Elon Musk v. OpenAI trial in person! He shared his experience getting inside the courthouse to cover the trial and shares firsthand observations from the courtroom. Patrick Holland of CNET stops by to talk about the new Razr foldable phones, his first impressions with the devices, and laments the price hikes with the phones. And Mikah shares how Microsoft has released the earliest known DOS source code on GitHub - a collection of 870+ pages of dot matrix-printed assembler listings from the early 1980's! Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward Guest: Patrick Holland Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-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: outsystems.com/twit rippling.com/twit framer.com/tnw scribe.how/tnw

With 800 episodes and counting, Rosemary Orchard and Mikah Sargent dive into how their favorite Apple apps and accessories have evolved with them, challenging old opinions and uncovering unexpected uses that make everyday tech truly indispensable. Third-party indie app picks: Drafts, PCalc, Soulver, Halide Spotlight on indie developers and app customization strategies Favorite iOS and iPadOS features: Shortcuts automation, Focus Modes, Action Button, Continuity Top accessory picks: AirPods Pro versatility, MagSafe evolution, retractable USB-C cables App Caps segment: stoic journaling app and UGREEN retractable charging cable. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard Contact iOS Today at [email protected]. Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today 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 Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Despite Microsoft's promises, real Windows 11 annoyances like forced telemetry, aggressive Edge defaults, and stubborn online account requirements remain unaddressed. Paul Thurrott calls out what isn't changing and why power users should care. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows 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 Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Sign in with Apple feels effortless, but is that convenience worth putting all your digital eggs in one basket? Get the practical advice you need to balance seamless logins with long-term account access. How Sign In With Apple works across devices and platforms Demonstrating account creation and login using Hide My Email Managing, editing, and removing Sign In With Apple logins Risks of account loss if Apple ID becomes unavailable Tips for safely using Sign In With Apple for critical accounts Benefits and limitations of federated logins like Apple, Google, Facebook Key privacy advantages: no tracking, Hide My Email, and two-factor authentication Recommended management routines and account recovery precautions Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Rajesh Goel is buying a new house, and the builder offers only one option for installing speakers in his media room. That option does not include Atmos. What's the best way to add overhead sound? Host: Scott Wilkinson Download or subscribe to Home Theater Geeks at https://twit.tv/shows/home-theater-geeks 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 Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Are you ready for a world where true personal computing is under threat? This week's candid conversation with Framework CEO Nirav Patel tackles why owning your own AI hardware matters more than ever—and what's at risk if we don't. Alphabet tops Q1 estimates on strong Google Cloud growth Is OpenAI Falling Further Behind in the A.I. Race? OpenAI Releases 'Spud' GPT-5.5 Model OpenAI Breaks Free From Exclusive AI Pact With Microsoft Google signs classified AI deal with the Pentagon for 'any lawful government purpose' Elon Musk appeared more petty than prepared OpenAI Set to Redefine Smartphones; MediaTek, Qualcomm & Luxshare Key to Its AI Agent Phone Why Manus has become a crucial prize in the global AI race - Fast Company Australia unveils a 2.25% levy on Meta, Google, and TikTok The Man Behind AlphaGo Thinks AI Is Taking the Wrong Path Amateur armed with ChatGPT 'vibe-maths' a 60-year-old problem Introducing talkie: a 13B vintage language model from 1930 Cursor-Opus agent snuffs out startup's production database OpenAI Really Wants Codex to Shut Up About Goblins Now we know who paid $100,000 to unlock a Sam Altman podcast interview Study Finds A Third of New Websites are AI-Generated The Bloomberg Terminal Is Getting an AI Makeover, Like It or Not Generative AI vegetarianism To buy this Bay Area home, you'll need Anthropic equity | TechCrunch * Chloe vs. History Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot Divine launches to the public | TechCrunch noscroll Felvidek Amazon's AI product podcasts 64″D Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Timmy's rescue Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Nirav Patel 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: scribe.how/machines outsystems.com/twit zscaler.com/security