Tech News Weekly (Audio)

TNW 427: 'We See Everything': Meta's AI Workers Speak - AI Glasses: Who's Watching?

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:15:00 PST

Dan Moren of SixColors joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly! Apple announced a whole new slew of products throughout the week, including the new MacBook Neo! A look into how Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses collect data. And how Google's new proposed system for apps could change the App Store game.

Dan and Mikah discuss the slew of new products Apple announced this week: the iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air, M5 MacBook Pro, and the new MacBook Neo.
Mikah talks about Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses and how overseas workers are reviewing the data collected from the glasses, and how these workers are being exposed to deeply private video footage.
And Leah Nylen, Antitrust Reporter for Bloomberg, joins the show to talk about Google's new proposed system for apps on its Android phones to allow easier access for rivals as a result of the settlement between Google and Epic Games.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Guest: Leah Nylen

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TNW 426: Samsung Galaxy S26: AI, Privacy, and New Buds - Samsung's New Privacy Display Feature

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:00:00 PST

Emily Forlini of PCMag joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly! A look into a program that trains dogs to detect hidden tech. How AI is impacting learning for kids in schools. Samsung touts a new privacy feature for its latest phones. And Apple is ramping up its new product releases as it catches up in the AI race.

Emily talks about her time at the FBI and a program that trains dogs to detect hidden tech.
Mikah chats about an agentic AI that was developed to attend lectures and do homework for you, delving into the conversation about AI's impact on a child's learning development.
Jason Howell of Android Faithful joins the show to talk about everything announced at the Galaxy Unpacked event that happened in San Francisco, including Samsung's new Privacy Display feature.
And Mikah talks about Mark Gurman's look into the work Apple is ramping up on as it works to catch up in the AI era of tech.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini

Guest: Jason Howell

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TNW 425: Ring's Lost Dog Ad Was Never About Dogs - Ring's Super Bowl Commercial Backlash

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:45:00 PST

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge joins Mikah Sargent this week! Amazon's Ring product had a Super Bowl ad that generated a lot of discussion and backlash following its debut. A look inside Lego's Smart Brick technology. And NASA's Perseverance rover completed its first-ever drive fully planned by AI.

Jennifer talks about Amazon Ring's Super Bowl commercial that sparked a lot of backlash, which showcases its AI-powered Search Party feature, with concerns that it could be used as a means of a mass networked surveillance system.
Mikah is fascinated by the dive into Lego's new Smart Brick technology.
And Tariq Malik of Space.com and This Week in Space joins the show to talk about NASA's Perseverance rover, which completed its first drive planned by AI, and how the technology's use compares to a human-planned drive.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest: Tariq Malik

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TNW 424: Face Scans on Discord? - Discord's New Age Verification Process Sparks Privacy Concerns

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:30:00 PST

Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly! A Stanford graduate built a matchmaking algorithm that's sweeping across the Stanford campus. Is social media "clinically addictive"? Discord announced an age-verification process that sparked privacy concerns among users. And the Virtual Boy is back?

Amanda talks about an AI-powered dating app that was developed by a Stanford graduate and how dating for young adults is becoming more driven by tech.
Mikah talks about the social media addiction trial and comments made by Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri.
Emma Roth of The Verge joins the show to talk about Discord's age verification mandate that has sparked huge user privacy concerns, especially following a data breach the company suffered last year.
And Scott Stein of CNET stops by to share his thoughts and time with Nintendo's revival of Virtual Boy as a replica accessory for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guests: Emma Roth and Scott Stein

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TNW 423: Streaming Piracy Goes Mainstream - The Samsung Z Galaxy TriFold Phone is Here!

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:15:00 PST

Abrar Al-Heeti of CNET joins Mikah Sargent on Tech News Weekly this week! Abrar has her hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold phone! More people are pirating TV through rogue streaming boxes. The newest social media platform has launched, but it's only for AI bots. And Apple's Lockdown Mode prevented the FBI from accessing a reporter's iPhone.

Abrar got her hands on the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold phone and shares her initial thoughts on the device so far.
Mikah talks about how more people are straying away from streaming services and looking towards streaming boxes that allow one to access pirated content that mirrors live TV.
Mikah and Abrar chat about Moltbook, a new social media platform that is just for AI bots.
And Mikah shares how Apple's Lockdown Mode helped a Washington Post reporter stop the FBI from accessing their seized iPhone.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti

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TNW 422: Oracle's TikTok Takeover Starts With Outage - US TikTok Suffer Issues and Outage

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:00 PST

Jacob Ward joins the show this week! Big Tech is brewing up a battle for your kids. Scientists are using AI to identify dinosaur footprints. Looking into Apple's Creator Studio. And TikTok USDS blames Sunday's outages on a power outage.

Jacob Ward talks about recently released documents in lawsuits against big tech that showcase how social media companies are aggressively recruiting teens to their platforms.
Mikah Sargent gets very excited about scientists using AI in identifying dinosaur footprints.
Dan Moren of SixColors stops by to talk about the Apple Creator Studio collection that makes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and other creative apps available for users for a single subscription.
And Emma Roth of The Verge joins the show to talk about the outage the US side of TikTok suffered earlier this week following the finalization of the new TikTok USDS Joint Venture.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward

Guests: Dan Moren and Emma Roth

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TNW 421: Mobile Gaming's High-Roller VIP Programs - Inside Zynga's Casino-Style Loyalty Secrets

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:00:00 PST

Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini dive into some of tech's strangest new challenges: AI wearables causing psychological meltdowns, mobile games turning to casino-style tactics, and a viral EMF theory targeting NFL injuries. Get fresh perspectives on tech's impact from mental health to big-money gaming, plus a skeptical look at conspiracy theories in sports.

Meta AI Glasses & Mental Health: Emily discusses the case of a tech exec whose constant use of AI glasses led to financial trouble and delusions, highlighting unseen risks of wearable AI.
Gaming Industry's VIP Secrets: Mikah digs into how mobile games reward and track their top spenders with perks and personal attention, raising questions about ethics and addiction.
49ers EMF Injury Conspiracies: Mikah breaks down the sudden popularity of blaming football injuries on electromagnetic fields, with experts pushing back against the science behind the claims.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini

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TNW 420: CES's Best Smart Home Tech - Some of the Coolest Tech From This Year's CES

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:45:00 PST

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy shares some of the cooler tech she saw at this year's CES. A warning for those using some wireless audio devices. And what happens when you swap the nosebleed sets for a virtual front row experience at a NBA game?

Jennifer was on the show floor at CES last week! From smart mirrors to smart locks and robotic pets, she shares some of the exciting and fun tech she saw at the convention.
Mikah warns us about patching your wireless audio devices, as a new vulnerability was discovered that leaves devices open for others to eavesdrop on your conversations.
And Kerry Wan of ZDNet joins the show to share his experience watching a NBA game within Apple's Vision Pro.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest: Kerry Wan

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TNW 419: Utah Trusts AI to Renew Prescriptions - AI Prescribing Meds?

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:45:00 PST

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on the show this week! Lego unveils its Smart Brick. Jacob kvetches about AI's overwhelming presence at CES. We get some on-site reporting from CES. And Utah becomes the first state to allow artificial intelligence to renew medical prescriptions.

Mikah talks about Lego's new Smart Brick technology that allows you to interact and play with your Lego sets more directly.
Jacob shares his thoughts about the overall theme of AI that has become front and center at this year's CES event.
Stephen Robles of beard.fm joins the show live from CES to talk about what he saw at the event.
And Ruth Reader of POLITICO stops by to talk about Utah being the first state to allow artificial intelligence to begin renewing medical prescriptions for patients.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward

Guests: Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader

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TNW 418: Best of 2025 - Tech News Weekly's Favorite Interviews in 2025

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:00:00 PST

Take a look back at some of our favorite interviews from the past year on Tech News Weekly!

Eric Migicovsky, founder of the smartwatch company Pebble, joins Mikah to talk about exciting news with Pebble.
Bloomberg antitrust reporter Leah Nylen returns to unpack the latest in the DOJ's case against Google. She explains the three proposed remedies—including a possible Chrome browser divestiture—and what testimony from tech competitors like DuckDuckGo, Perplexity, and OpenAI revealed about Google's dominance in search and AI.
Leila Zia, Head of Research at the Wikimedia Foundation, outlines their new AI roadmap, which focuses on supporting Wikipedia's volunteer editors rather than replacing them. She details how AI will assist with moderation, multilingual knowledge expansion, and mentorship—all while upholding values of transparency and human agency.
Scott Stein of CNET is staying busy as he joins the show to share his hands-on impressions of Nintendo's Switch 2 console, Mario Kart World, and its new features.
And Consumer Reports' Derek Kravitz details Instacart's AI pricing practices.

Host: Mikah Sargent

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