Tech Brew Ride Home

The EU is warning Elon Musk over X content related to the Israel-Hamas war. The biggest DDoS attack of all time, by, like, 8x. New image models from Adobe. New PS5s from Sony. New rules from the FTC to help you avoid hidden fees. And checking in with the Sam Bankman Fried trial. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: EU warns Elon Musk of ‘penalties’ for disinformation circulating on X amid Israel-Hamas war (CNN) New technique leads to largest DDoS attacks ever, Google and Amazon say (The Record) Adobe Firefly can now generate more realistic images (TechCrunch) Sony’s new PS5 with a removable disc drive launches in November (The Verge) The End of Junk Fees? FTC Proposes New Rule (The Hollywood Reporter) Caroline Ellison, Adviser to Sam Bankman-Fried, Says He ‘Directed’ Her to Commit Crimes (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That whole bungled pricing thing has cost the Unity CEO his job. The big 23andMe breach is a different kind of hack. And it turns out if you fall victim to a scam, it’s probably because you were online. Can you charge enough to cover the costs of AI products? And is the Pixel brand finally having a moment. Sponsors: ipn.ibotta.com/ride TryFum.com code ride Links: John Riccitiello steps down as CEO of Unity after pricing battle (GamesBeat) 23andMe says private user data is up for sale after being scraped (ArsTechnica) Social media scams are costing Americans more than ever (TechRadar) Big Tech Struggles to Turn AI Hype Into Profits (WSJ) Google has shipped almost 40 million Pixel phones since 2016, 10 million last year (9to5Google) Elon Musk’s X Cut Disinformation-Fighting Tool Ahead of Israel-Hamas Conflict (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy crap! Anyone coming to the listener meetup tonight, I hope you see this! Turns out Johnny Foley's is closed on Mondays! We will instead try to meet at the Kan Pai lounge in the Hotel Nikko! It's on the 2nd floor. Go up the escalators! Sorry for my error and this late notice! 222 Mason St. Right across the st! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out more at Mimoto.ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looks like Microsoft is inches away from getting the Activision acquisition over the line. Hardware ambitions are one thing, but OpenAI might also design its own silicon. Microsoft’s new version of Teams is finally not the most resource hungry piece of software on your computer. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft eyes closing its giant Activision Blizzard deal next week (The Verge) Exclusive: ChatGPT-owner OpenAI is exploring making its own AI chips (Reuters) Microsoft’s faster and redesigned Teams app now available for Windows and Mac (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How Will A.I. Learn Next? (The New Yorker) How Bandcamp makes more money than Spotify (Fast Company) Long gone, DEC is still powering the world of computing (ArsTechnica) The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (NYTimes Magazine) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new front in the regulation battle is opening up for major cloud platforms. What is the point of removing article headlines in X posts? Amazon’s Project Kuiper is launching… literally. And is the new camera on the iPhone 15 Max the biggest smartphone camera upgrade ever? Sponsors: Netsuite.com/ride Links: Microsoft and Amazon face UK regulator investigation over cloud services (The Verge) Elon Musk Starts Stripping Headlines From Links Shared to X (The Wrap) Galaxy SmartTag 2 launches next week for $30, still only works with Samsung devices (9to5Google) Android 14 is now available for Pixel phones (The Verge) Amazon Prepares to Challenge SpaceX’s Starlink With Maiden Satellite Launch (Gizmodo) Apple Considered, Rejected Switch to DuckDuckGo From Google (Bloomberg) iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Review: Depth and Reach (Lux) Vera wants to use AI to cull generative models’ worst behaviors (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from the Made By Google event this morning. Samsung also announced their low end lineup of phones. Gmail is taking some big new steps to combat spam. And what if I told you Netflix is about to raise prices. Again. Sponsors: DomainMoney.com Links: Google’s Pixel Watch 2 brings new sensors for improved health tracking (TechCrunch) Google’s Pixel 8 brings new camera tricks, better display and a thermometer (TechCrunch) The Pixel 8 Pro has better cameras, a brighter screen, and a lot of new AI tricks (The Verge) Google announces AI-powered photo-editing features for new Pixel phones (TechCrunch) The Galaxy S23 FE, Tab S9 FE, and Buds FE get you flagship specs at way lower prices (XDADevelopers) Google is making big changes to prevent Gmail spam (CNBC) Anthropic in Talks to Raise $2 Billion From Google and Others Just Days After Amazon Investment (The Information) Netflix Plans to Raise Prices After Actors Strike Ends (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Snapchat has led the way, but are we going to see everybody in social media offering subscription plans? An interesting raise for AI investing. Satya Nadella was on the stand yesterday at the Google trial. And what’s up with Threads? Has it missed its moment? Sponsors: Nutrisense.com/ride code ride Links: Meta Plans to Charge $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook (WSJ) TikTok Confirms It Is Testing an Ad-Free Subscription Tier (Variety) Frec steps out of stealth with $26M in funding, aiming to democratize sophisticated investing with AI (VentureBeat) Microsoft CEO Says Google’s Agreements With Apple Unfairly Harmed Bing (WSJ) US issues first ever fine for space junk to Dish Network (BBCNews) Instagram Looks for Ways to Revive Interest in Threads (The Information) The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple says your iPhone might be heating up because of… Instagram? Rumors suggest Apple has a search engine in its back pocket if it ever wants one. Chromebook Plus is the moniker for high end Chromebooks. And we have our first glimpse of that Humane wearable AI device. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride Kolide.com/ride Links: Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Due to iOS 17 Bug, Not Hardware Design (CNET) Apple Has What It Needs to Launch Its Own Google Replacement (Bloomberg) Chromebook Plus is Google’s new certification for premium Chromebooks (The Verge) The synthetic social network is coming (Platformer) Humane shows off its wearable AI pin at Paris Fashion Week (Apple Insider) The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out what we came up with at ResumeWriting.com. And check out Uptech.team. They can help you with any project! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Apple had bought Bing and turned it into its own search engine? Why did France’s competition authority raid, we believe, Nvidia’s offices? Big layoffs and peel offs from Epic shows that the gaming industry is still hurting. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: EarnIn App, enter Techmeme under podcast Nutrafol.com/men enter code ridehome Links: Microsoft Discussed Selling Bing to Apple as Google Replacement (Bloomberg) Google adds a switch for publishers to opt out of becoming AI training data (The Verge) Nvidia’s French Offices Raided in Cloud-Computing Antitrust Inquiry (WSJ) Epic Games cuts around 830 jobs (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions The new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail (Washington Post) Can FTX Be Revived—Without Sam Bankman-Fried? (Wired) Could ‘The Terminator’ really happen? Experts assess Hollywood’s visions of AI. (Washington Post) ‘Nerfball’ introduces Nerf’s smartest foam yet — it detects dart impacts (The Verge) Netflix Prepares to Send Its Final Red Envelope (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Meta Connect keynote was yesterday and they announced a bunch of stuff including AI chatbots, a new Quest 3, and the continuation of those Ray-Ban smart glasses that are actually getting kind of interesting. Looks like OpenAI is serious about working with Jony Ive. A big new open-source LLM available to download now. And the new Raspberry Pi 5. Sponsors: ShopBeam.com/ride and code RIDE for up to 40% off TryFum.com and use code ride for 10% off Links: Facebook and Instagram will soon get a slew of AI-powered creator tools (The Verge) Meta is putting AI chatbots everywhere (The Verge) Meta Rolls Out Higher-Priced Quest 3 Headset, Just Ahead of Apple’s Vision Pro (Bloomberg) Meta’s smart glasses can take calls, play music, and livestream from your face (The Verge) OpenAI and Jony Ive in talks to raise $1bn from SoftBank for AI device venture (FT) Mistral AI makes its first large language model free for everyone (TechCrunch) Elon Musk Wins US Space Force Contract for Starshield (Bloomberg) The Raspberry Pi 5 is finally here (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The big FTC-led lawsuit against Amazon is live. Is Jony Ive working with OpenAI to create an AI hardware product? OpenAI might soon be 3x-ing its private valuation. What the writers won from Hollywood. And what it’s actually like to ride in the only street-legal Level 3 autonomous car. Sponsors: Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme CrucibleMoments.com Links: FTC and 17 states sue Amazon on antitrust charges (CNBC) Designer Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Sam Altman Discuss AI Hardware Project (The Information) OpenAI Seeks New Valuation of Up to $90 Billion in Sale of Existing Shares (WSJ) The iPhone 15 Pro series overheating issues are unrelated to TSMC’s advanced 3nm node / iPhone 15 Pro (Ming-Chi Kuo) The new WGA contract will change how Hollywood works (The Verge) Hollywood Studios Can Train AI Models on Writers’ Work Under Tentative Deal (WSJ) We put our blind faith in Mercedes-Benz’s first-of-its-kind autonomous Drive Pilot feature (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spotify’s new Jam product is kind of the coolest new feature I’ve heard in a while. Looks like the FCC is bringing net neutrality back. Google discontinues some products. New drone reviews and a new drone that either will eliminate police chases… or bring on the panopticon. Sponsors: Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme .Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cd Hatch.co/ride Links: Spotify launches Jam, a real-time collaborative playlist controlled by up to 32 people (TechCrunch) Coinbase Role in Crypto Firm Celsius’s Bankruptcy Plan Questioned by SEC (Bloomberg) FCC Aims to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules After US Democrats Gain Control of Panel (Bloomberg) Google killing Basic HTML version of Gmail In January 2024 (The Register) Not just a Pixel thing: iPhone 15 series users are also reporting heating issues (Android Authority) DJI Mini 4 Pro review: The best lightweight drone gains more power and smarts (Engadget) This New Autonomous Drone for Cops Can Track You in the Dark (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon makes a big bet on Anthropic. A big DeFi hack. The US government is weighing a sort of “know your customer” rule for big cloud providers. OpenAI has rolled out some cool new ways to interact with their AI. And why the number of smartphone brands around the world has basically collapsed. Sponsored: NPR Planet Money Zbiotics.com/ride and code: ride Links: Amazon to invest up to $4bn in AI start-up Anthropic (Financial Times) Defi Project Mixin Network Suspends Services After $200 Million Crypto Hack (Bloomberg) Booking to appeal after EU vetoes $1.7 bln ETraveli deal (Reuters) White House could force cloud companies to disclose AI customers (Semafor) You can now prompt ChatGPT with pictures and voice commands (The Verge) WGA and the studios reach tentative deal to end writers’ strike (Los Angeles Times) Nearly 500 Brands Exited Smartphone Market During 2017-2023 (Counterpoint) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out more about Play at CreateWithPlay.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The UK CMA looks like it’s folding, so the Microsoft/Activision acquisition can go through now? YouTube unveils some cool AI tools. Amazon is adding ads to Prime Video and raising the price. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Nutrisense.com/ride and code ride Links: Microsoft’s Activision Deal Set to Clear Final UK Hurdle (Bloomberg) Apple emergency updates fix 3 new zero-days exploited in attacks (BleepingComputer) YouTube to add AI creator tools to find music for videos, add dubs (TechCrunch) YouTube Shorts to gain a generative AI feature called Dream Screen (TechCrunch) Amazon to Run Ads on Prime Video in Key Markets Starting in 2024 (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Amazon’s rumored home projector can turn anything into a screen (The Verge) The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI (Quanta) Unraveling The AI-Generated Spiral Art Phenomenon (NFTNow) The Early Days of American English (Lapham's Quarterly) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from the Microsoft Fall event. The Amazon Fall event. OpenAI teasing DALL-E 3. And one more review of a recent Apple product, and for the first time in a long time, the consensus seems to be it’s hot garbage. Sponsors: Rocketcard.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Microsoft unveils unified Copilot that extends across Bing, Edge, and Windows (Windows Central) The Surface Laptop Go 3 starts at $799 and arrives on October 3 (Engadget) Microsoft announces the Surface Laptop Studio 2 with upgraded chips and ports (The Verge) The Surface Go 4 comes with a much-needed performance boost (The Verge) All the biggest announcements from Amazon’s September 2023 product launch event (The Verge) Amazon brings generative AI to Alexa (TechCrunch) OpenAI releases third version of DALL-E (The Verge) The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The UK looks like it’s going to make that Online Safety Bill into law. Instacart closed up, but Arm has been trending down on the markets. Could Apple really have considered getting into the stock trading game? Is the iPad finally getting a WhatsApp app? And what if you could get AI to perform better simply by giving it gentle words of encouragement. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: UK opens new chapter in digital regulation as parliament passes Online Safety Bill (TechCrunch) Instacart closes up 12% in Nasdaq debut, after first-day rally sputters (CNBC) Apple and Goldman were planning stock-trading feature for iPhones until markets turned last year (CNBC) WhatsApp appears to be about to launch its long-overdue iPad app (The Verge) Musk's Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients (Reuters) Telling AI model to “take a deep breath” causes math scores to soar in study (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bunch of internal Microsoft documents have leaked, so now we know the new Xbox that is coming next year, and their full gaming roadmap which includes “convergence” by 2028. Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer looks like he might take over Alexa. Google sets Bard loose on your Gmail. And what’s new in those new OS releases from Apple. Sponsors: IPN.Ibotta.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Microsoft's Xbox plans revealed in emails tied to FTC case (NBCNews) Microsoft’s next Xbox, coming 2028, envisions hybrid computing (The Verge) Amazon Is Poised to Hire Departing Microsoft Product Chief (Bloomberg) Google’s Bard chatbot can now find answers in your Gmail, Docs, Drive (The Verge) iOS 17 is a lot of little updates that make a big impact (The Verge) watchOS 10 preview: widgets all the way down (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google won’t support screen repairs on your watch but will extend support of Chromebooks. How Spotify and other streamers have changed the way music sounds. And the software update coming to AirPods that might change the way you listen. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Collective.com/ride Links: Google won’t repair cracked Pixel Watch screens (The Verge) Google Extends Lifespan of Chromebooks With 10-Year Update Policy (WSJ) How the Lazarus Group is stepping up crypto hacks and changing its tactics (Elliptic) AI Startup Writer Raises $100 Million to Pen Corporate Content (Bloomberg) Streaming Is Changing the Sound of Music (WSJ) Apple’s AirPods Pro just got much better — no matter what port is on the case (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big fine in Europe of TikTok. Apple thinks it can fix that iPhone radiation issue with a software update. The whole Unity controversy has gotten crazy. Maybe it’s a bad idea to have AI write obituaries. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: TikTok fined $379M in EU for failing to keep kids’ data safe (TechCrunch) Apple moves to defuse French iPhone 12 dispute as EU scrutiny steps up (Reuters) MGM hack followed failed bid to rig slot machines, ‘Scattered Spider’ group claims (Financial Times) Video-Game Company Unity Closes Offices Following Death Threat (Bloomberg) Microsoft Publishes Garbled AI Article Calling Tragically Deceased NBA Player "Useless" (Futurism) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Startup That Lets You Instantly Talk in Foreign Language Targets a Nasdaq IPO at $1 Billion Value (Bloomberg) From $1 Billion to Almost Worthless: FaZe Clan Runs Out of Hype (Bloomberg) The Pumpkin Spice Latte just turned 20. This is how we got here. (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arm’s IPO is happening as I record these words. Vegas and the casino industry in general seem to be the target of some widescale cyberattacks. Unity acknowledges people’s ire about their proposed pricing change. And the wildest new laptop design you can buy, but you’re gonna need a bigger wallet. Links: Chip giant Arm raises nearly $5 billion in year's largest IPO (Axios) Inside The Ransomware Attack That Shut Down MGM Resorts (Forbes) Caesars Entertainment Paid Millions to Hackers in Attack (Bloomberg) Judge Allows Bankrupt FTX to Sell Its Crypto Holdings, Including BTC and SOL (CoinDesk) Unity Acknowledges 'Confusion and Frustration' Among Developers But Won't Walk Back Install Fee Plan (IGN) The HP Spectre Fold is the world’s thinnest 17-inch foldable PC (The Verge) HP's $5,000 Spectre Fold might be the best flexible-screen laptop yet (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unity has upset game developers across the world with new pricing changes. France has ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 over radiation concerns. Lots of extra drips and drabs from yesterday’s iPhone event. And Stability AI gets into the generative music generation game. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Links: Unity has introduced new fees that could have dire effects on the entire game industry, from indies to Xbox Game Pass (UPDATE) (Windows Central) Sony has launched a major PlayStation 5 system update (VGC) Apple disputes French findings, says iPhone 12 meets radiation rules (Reuters) Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max Pushes Up the Price (WSJ) iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max hands-on (The Verge) Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models are now generally available, get pricing plans (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from the iPhone event today at Apple HQ. Why is Meta blocking some basic terms on their new Threads search feature? TikTok Shop is rolling out broadly. And the US Copyright Office keeps knocking down copyright claims for AI generated Art. Sponsors: TryNom.com/ride Links: Apple Watch Series 9 Unveiled With S9 Chip, 'Double Tap' Gesture, and More (MacRumors) Apple announces new Apple Watch Ultra 2 (9to5Mac) Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island (The Verge) Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button (The Verge) Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 3x the speed over Thunderbolt 4 (VideoCardz) Threads blocks searches related to covid and vaccines as cases rise (Washington Post) TikTok Popularizes Products. Can It Sell Them, Too? (NYTimes) US Copyright Office denies protection for another AI-created image (Reuters) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Instacart IPO is coming with a helluva haircut. Meta is planning a big new LLM trained on its own stuff. Some eye-watering details on how much water ChatGPT uses. If you don’t do that AI tech, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. And what tomorrow’s iPhone event says as about Apple’s high-end strategy. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride DraftKings Sportsbook with code TECHMEME for $200 in bonus bets Links: Instacart targets up to $9.3 bln valuation for much-awaited US IPO (Reuters) Meta Is Developing a New, More Powerful AI System as Technology Race Escalates (WSJ) Roblox’s new AI chatbot will help you build virtual worlds (The Verge) Artificial intelligence technology behind ChatGPT was built in Iowa — with a lot of water (AP) The Technology Facebook and Google Didn’t Dare Release (NYTimes) Apple Renews Qualcomm Deal in Sign Its Own Modem Chip Isn’t Ready (Bloomberg) Apple Bets on Titanium and Cameras to Nudge Buyers Toward Pricier iPhones (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You really need to update your Apple devices. Today. Here come the AI generated misinformation campaigns. Microsoft will defend you from lawsuits if you use their AI. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, might AI finally give us a real life Doctor Dolittle? Sponsors: CrucibleMoments.com Nutrafol.com/men promocode: ridehome Links: Apple discloses zero-days linked to NSO Group spyware (The Record) Ex-FTX Executive Ryan Salame Could Forfeit $1.5B as Part of Guilty Plea (CoinDesk) China turns to AI in hopes of creating viral online propaganda, Microsoft researchers say (Cyberscoop) Microsoft Says It Will Protect Customers from AI Copyright Lawsuits (Bloomberg) Exclusive: ChatGPT traffic slips again for third month in a row (Reuters) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes (Vulture) What OpenAI Really Wants (Wired) How artificial intelligence could help us talk to animals (ScienceNewsExplores) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chrome is getting a new coat of paint. China is increasingly banning iPhones. Are drones about to have a breakthrough moment just like self-driving cars? Apple is increasingly serious about AI. And in a way, are we seeing the first major musical artist of the AI era emerging? Sponsors: Netsuite.com/ride Links: Chrome is about to look a bit different (The Verge) China Seeks to Broaden iPhone Ban to State Firms, Agencies (Bloomberg) FAA Clears Drones for Longer Flights, Opening Door to Deliveries (Bloomberg) Apple Boosts Spending to Develop Conversational AI (The Information) Vitalik Buterin co-authors paper on regulation-friendly Tornado Cash alternative (The Block) OpenAI to Host First Developer Conference in San Francisco (Bloomberg) Ghostwriter Returns With an A.I. Travis Scott Song, and Industry Allies (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The EU has listed 22 services falling under its Digital Markets Act. Britain pulls back from an encryption law. And if that’s not enough, the Google antitrust trial begins next week so the modern antitrust era is officially here. Which cars are spying on us? Maybe all of them. Who has all the money in crypto? And the new law here in NYC that could change Airbnb forever. Sponsors: Hatch.co/ride Links: EU Challenges Apple, Microsoft in New Push to Rein in Big Tech Dominance (Bloomberg) UK pulls back from clash with Big Tech over private messaging (Financial Times) In Its First Monopoly Trial of Modern Internet Era, U.S. Sets Sights on Google (NYTimes) There are just six bitcoin billionaires in the world, new crypto super-rich report says (CNBC) If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare (Gizmodo) The End of Airbnb in New York (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some more controversies surrounding Elon Musk and X. China looks like it is managing its chip situation better than the US might have hoped. Is Spotify’s podcasting bet officially a failure? Is Apple’s Lionel Messi bet already a winner? And will getting rid of Books 3 only help the AI incumbents? Sponsors: DraftKings.com code techmeme Kolide.com/ride Links: Elon Musk to sue ADL for accusing him, X of antisemitism (TechCrunch) Huawei Teardown Shows Chip Breakthrough in Blow to US Sanctions (Bloomberg) Meta Reportedly Partnering With LG For 2025 Quest Pro Successor (UploadVR) Exclusive: Arm signs up big tech firms for IPO at $50 billion-$55 billion valuation (Reuters) Spotify’s $1 Billion Podcast Bet Turns Into a Serial Drama (WSJ) Messi Drives Jump in Apple TV+ and MLS Subscriptions (WSJ) The Battle Over Books3 Could Change AI Forever (Wired) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft unbundles Teams to stay ahead of EU antitrust action. But is that actually good for European consumers? Elon wants to collect your biometric data. Can AI police online smack talking in games? Lessons from the grocery delivery bubble. And, surprise, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Microsoft Fends Off EU Antitrust Probe With Teams Deal (Bloomberg) Microsoft is unbundling Teams from Office in Europe to address regulator concerns (The Verge) X Plans to Collect Biometric Data, Job and School History (Bloomberg) Call of Duty enlists AI to eavesdrop on voice chat and help ban toxic players starting today (PCGamer) Bonfire of the groceries (FT) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Despite Cheating Fears, Schools Repeal ChatGPT Bans (NYTimes) A Startup in the New Jersey Suburbs Is Battling the Giants of Silicon Valley (WSJ) Where do fonts come from? This one business, mostly (The Hustle) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FBI took down a huge botnet. OpenAI is apparently ahead of schedule in terms of making a ton of revenue. Why Samsung wants to apply AI to your refrigerator. Why OnStar is doubling down on AI. And we officially have the deets on the iPhone event scheduled for next month. Links: Qakbot botnet dismantled after infecting over 700,000 computers (BleepingComputer) UAE launches Arabic large language model in Gulf push into generative AI (FT) OpenAI Passes $1 Billion Revenue Pace as Big Companies Boost AI Spending (The Information) Samsung debuts its own 'AI-powered' smart recipe app (Engadget) GM is using Google’s AI chatbot to handle simple OnStar calls (The Verge) Apple Announces 'Wonderlust' Event Expected to Feature iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9 and More (MacRumors) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google’s Cloud Next conference drops a ton of AI announces. OpenAI releases a business-oriented version of ChatGPT. The regulators have come for NFTs and now the question is, are all NFTs securities, or just the ones they just fined? And let me introduce you to Twitch’s big new competitor. But are they really eating their lunch or just a front for gambling related streaming? Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Google to Add AI Models from Meta, Anthropic to Its Cloud Platform (Bloomberg) The new Google Chat borrows from Slack, Teams, Discord, and even ChatGPT (The Verge) Google Meet’s new AI will be able to go to meetings for you (The Verge) OpenAI launches a ChatGPT plan for enterprise customers (TechCrunch) Musk, tech CEOs to attend Schumer’s AI Senate forum (The Hill) SEC takes first action against an NFT project as an unregistered security (The Verge) Twitch competitor Kick is dividing the internet's top streamers (NBCNews) Robotaxis hit the accelerator in growing list of cities nationwide (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple looks to refresh the iPad to reinvigorate sales. Huge network crash is grounding planes in the UK. Some tentative sign that the Tech IPO window might be creaking open. Do you need a 100 year domain renewal? And the Silicon Valley bigwigs who are investing big money to build a new Bay Area city from scratch. Links: Apple Bets on Revamped iPad Pro to Reignite Sluggish Tablet Sales (Bloomberg) China’s BYD to Pay $2.2B to Expand Business With Apple (The Information) UK air traffic control hit by network-wide failure (The Guardian) Klaviyo files to go public in latest sign of life for IPO market (CNBC) WordPress Announces 100-Year Domain Name Registrations (Search Engine Journal) The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon has apparently held talks with Disney about maybe teaming up for a streaming ESPN partnership. Dropbox ends its unlimited storage option. Shein takes over Forever21. A product release so star-crossed, it’s being recalled after just 3 months. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Amazon in Talks With Disney About ESPN Streaming Partnership (The Information) Dropbox Ends Unlimited Cloud Storage Following Google Change (Bloomberg) Shein Strikes Deal With Forever 21 (WSJ) Citizen Is Suspending Sales of Its New Wear OS Smartwatch (Wired) Threads on the web widely rolling out (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: What Happened to Wirecutter? (The Atlantic) Michael Mann Fulfills a 30-Year Journey Directing the Operatic, Thrilling ‘Ferrari’ — And Teases ‘Heat 2’: ‘I Don’t Think About Mortality. I’m Busy’ (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nvidia gives new meaning to the words “earnings beat.” Meta announces Code Llama. TikTok might start banning links to Amazon. SpaceX wants Starlink to be viable in cities too. And turning thoughts into speech via an AI interface becomes real. Links: Nvidia tops estimates and says sales will jump 170% this quarter, driven by demand for AI chips (CNBC) Meta launches own AI code-writing tool: Code Llama (The Verge) TikTok Shop on Track to Lose More Than $500 Million in U.S. This Year (The Information) Epic offers devs 100 percent of net revenue for six months of EGS exclusivity (Engadget) SpaceX Working with Cloudflare to Speed Up Starlink Service (The Information) Brain implants give a voice to people who cannot speak (FT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sony announces the PlayStation Portal handheld device. IBM announces an AI model to translate code from one type to another. OpenAI lets anyone fine tune. Is LinkedIn the big winner in social media right now? And what happens when you 3d printer comes alive like a zombie in the middle of the night. Sponsors: Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cd Links: Sony’s portable PlayStation Portal launches later this year for $199.99 (The Verge) PlayStation Portal: Hands On With Sony's New Remote Play Handheld (IGN) IBM taps AI to translate COBOL code to Java (TechCrunch) OpenAI brings fine-tuning to GPT-3.5 Turbo (TechCrunch) Sorry, But LinkedIn Is Cool Now (Bloomberg) Salesforce Leads Financing of AI Startup at More Than $4 Billion Valuation (The Information) Tiger Global Nears Deal to Sell Slice of Cohere Stake at $3 Billion Valuation (The Information) 3D printers printing without consent is a cautionary tale on cloud reliance (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft tries to appease His Majesty’s Regulators. The Arm IPO is a go. Why Nvidia continues to be huge even in China. A new AI translation model from Meta. I continue to wonder if Elon is tanking things on purpose. And a new social media platform built on top of X? Links: Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval (The Verge) Arm files for Nasdaq listing, as SoftBank aims to sell shares in chip designer it bought for $32 billion (CNBC) Why China remains hungry for AI chips despite US restrictions (FT) Meta releases an AI model that can transcribe and translate close to 100 languages (TechCrunch) X is planning to hide headlines from news links for ‘improved aesthetics’ (TechCrunch) Social Platform Friend.tech Gains 100K Users in Days Even in Depths of a Bear Market (CoinDesk) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More X shenanigans over the weekend. Some solid evidence that some major LLMs have in fact been trained on copyrighted material. A ton of it, in fact. As Arm prepares to IPO, who might join them, depending on how things go? Bad news for Adyen is probably bad news for Stripe. And the rise of high tech sailing ships. Sponsors: Collective.com/ride TryNom.com/ride Links: Twitter Deletes All User Photos And Links From 2011-2014 (Forbes) REVEALED: THE AUTHORS WHOSE PIRATED BOOKS ARE POWERING GENERATIVE AI (The Atlantic) Silicon Valley start-ups revive listing plans as Arm reignites IPO market (Financial Times) Europe’s Stripe rival Adyen saw $20 billion wiped off its value in a single day. Here’s what’s going on (CNBC) UK to spend £100m in global race to produce AI chips (The Guardian) A cargo ship that harnesses wind power has set sail on its maiden journey (Quartz) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More drips and drabs Threads feature releases. Meta is readying a “Code Llama.” Throwback Friday with Uber and Lyft threatening to leave a major municipality. Our first fall hardware event is on the calendar. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Links: Threads gets retweets — sorry, reposts — in the reverse-chronological feed (The Verge) Meta’s Next AI Attack on OpenAI: Free Code-Generating Software (The Information) Lyft and Uber say they will leave Minneapolis if the mayor signs a minimum wage bill for drivers (CNN) Microsoft to hold ‘special event’ in New York City on September 21st (The Verge) Spotify Looked to Ban White Noise Podcasts to Become More Profitable (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A Rare Look Into the Finances of Elon Musk’s Secretive SpaceX (WSJ) How the iMac saved Apple (The Verge) A Living History of The Humble Paper Airplane (Popular Mechanics) A New Role for Werner Herzog: The Voice of A.I. Poetry (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI makes its first acquisition. Has AI really done anything for Bing marketshare? A really cool looking new gaming handheld. The most recent tally of tech industry layoff numbers. And Eric Schmidt says he wants to pull a Sam Altman. Sponsors: Zbiotics.com/ride code ride Links: OpenAI acquires AI design studio Global Illumination (TechCrunch) Microsoft Struggles to Gain on Google Despite Its Head Start in AI Search (WSJ) Exclusive Images: This is the Lenovo Legion Go Gaming Handheld (WindowsReport) Cyber security researchers become target of criminal hackers (FT) Tech Firms Are Slowing Layoffs But Still Not Yet Resuming Hiring (Bloomberg) Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt to launch AI-science moonshot (Semafor) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the time you hear these words, I guess I’ll be a blue subscriber cause I’m locked out of Tweetdeck otherwise. Coinbase gets regulatory approval from one agency, while another is suing them. Generative AI in Google search, while Google DeepMind is contemplating doing it for everything. And I guess we’ve entered the true first self-driving car test phase. Hold on to your hats. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Mindbloom.com/techmeme code techmeme Links: TweetDeck is officially becoming a paid service (The Verge) Elon Musk’s X is throttling traffic to websites he dislikes (The Washington Post) Coinbase obtains regulatory approval to offer crypto futures trading to eligible clients (The Block) Google’s AI search experience adds AI-powered summaries, definitions and coding improvements (TechCrunch) Google Tests an A.I. Assistant That Offers Life Advice (NYTimes) Robotaxis are driving on thin ice (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Very interesting executive departure at Amazon. A popular Mac service is gonna launch an alternative iOS app store. Now nation states are trying to stockpile Nvidia chips, not just tech companies. And what is the maximum capacity of your iPhone’s battery, and should you check on it? Links: Amazon’s Leader on Alexa, Echo and Other Devices Plans to Leave (WSJ) Scoop: X shuts down $100M promoted accounts ad business (Axios) Setapp plans to launch EU-only alternative iOS App Store (Apple Insider) Saudi Arabia and UAE race to buy Nvidia chips to power AI ambitions (FT) Linear TV Falls Below 50 Percent of Viewing for First Time (The Hollywood Reporter) iPhone 14 Pro users complain of major drops in battery health and capacity after less than a year (9to5Mac) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple is planning a huge revamp for the Apple Watch in honor of it’s 10th birthday. Amazon is using generative AI to summarize product reviews. It’s finally official. Paying for all the big streaming services is now more expensive than just paying for cable. And if that self driving car is rocking, maybe don’t go a-knocking. Sponsors: Hillsdale.edu/ride Links: Apple Plans Major ‘Watch X’ Overhaul for Device’s 10-Year Anniversary (Bloomberg) Amazon taps generative AI to enhance product reviews (TechCrunch) Google-backed Anthropic raises $100 mln from South Korea's SK Telecom (Reuters) Hollywood calls time on golden era of cheap streaming (FT) Could a True Streaming Bundle Be Upon Us? (Vulture) San Franciscans Are Having Sex in Robotaxis, and Nobody Is Talking About It (The San Francisco Standard) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A major regulatory breakthrough is going to open the floodgates for self-driving taxis in California. Two different stories about dealing with the China restrictions, including one US company that is directly benefiting, and Meta’s AR ambitions, which are not. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Robotaxis score a huge victory in California with approval to operate 24/7 (The Verge) Skydio closing consumer drone business (TechCrunch) Behind Meta’s ‘Made in USA’ AR Glasses: a Military-Grade Material (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Where have all the fitness bands gone? (The Verge) 4 Actual Use Cases for Blockchain and AI That Are More Than Just Hype (CoinDesk) The Looming Catalog Crisis (Vulture) Paul F. Tompkins Is Getting Back Into It (Vulture) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh why not? Disney+ is raising prices too. A new executive order targeting Chinese tech. New features in Threads, but not the ones they need. Are the robot card shufflers in Vegas easily hackable? And we did the Flip. Now the Galaxy Z Fold 5 review. Links: Prices of Disney+, Hulu Premium Plans to Get Jacked Up but New Duo Bundle Will Offer Deep Discount (Variety) Biden Restricts U.S. Investment in China (WSJ) You can now verify your Threads profile on Mastodon (The Verge) Apple Can Keep App Store Rules for Now as Top Court Spurns Epic (Bloomberg) Hackers Rig Casino Card-Shuffling Machines for ‘Full Control’ Cheating (Wired) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: a little better is just good enough (The Verge) Messina joins Ride Home Fund’s new $15M AI vehicle, backed by Andreessen, Dixon, Crowley (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slack announces its biggest ever redesign. Sony signals that the smartphone recession is real and is not getting better anytime soon. Is WeWork circling the drain? Why a Gizmodo editor is suing Apple over Tetris. And guess what? The bots are better at solving CAPTCHAs than you are. Something something, Turing Test. Sponsors: Zbiotics.com/ride and code ride for 15% off Links: Slack’s biggest redesign ever tries to tame the chaos of your workday (The Verge) Netflix launches a game controller app for playing games on your TV (TechCrunch) Sony Expects Smartphone Rebound Only in 2024 After China Fizzles (Bloomberg) WeWork Tumbles After Raising ‘Substantial Doubt’ About Future (Bloomberg) Apple's 'Tetris' movie ripped off tech writer's book, lawsuit says (Reuters) New ‘Downfall’ Flaw Exposes Valuable Data in Generations of Intel Chips (Wired) Bots are better than humans at cracking ‘Are you a robot?’ Captcha tests, study finds (The Independent) Podcast fantasy league: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/9jpcof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hackers accessed the UK Electoral Commission, so how worried should we be? Apple, Samsung and others can’t wait to buy Arm stock. OpenAI explains how its bot is crawling the web. More details on the new M3 chips Apple is testing. And Apple Music finally edges closer to the one thing Spotify still does so much better. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Millions of UK voters’ data accessible in cyber-attack, says Electoral Commission (The Guardian) Apple, Samsung to invest in Arm as it eyes September IPO (NikkeiAsia) OpenAI Launches GPTBot With Details On How To Restrict Access (SearchEngineJournal) Zoom can now train its A.I. using some customer data, according to updated terms (CNBC) Even Zoom Is Making People Return to the Office (NYTimes) Apple Tests M3 Max Chip, Setting Stage for Most Powerful MacBook Pro Yet (Bloomberg) Apple Music debuts new algorithmic Discovery Station radio (AppleInsider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In earnings last week, Apple was forced to admit softness in iPhone sales. But the big question is, will the iPhone 15 be enough to turn things around? A stablecoin from PayPal. What the world being flooded with cheap AI-produced content already means in the real world. And a review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Collective.com/ride Links: Apple Admits There Is a Smartphone Slowdown Ahead of iPhone 15 Debut (Bloomberg) PayPal Launches a Stablecoin in Latest Crypto Payments Push (Bloomberg) New acoustic attack steals data from keystrokes with 95% accuracy (BleepingComputer) A New Frontier for Travel Scammers: A.I.-Generated Guidebooks (NyTimes) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: the flip phone we’ve been waiting for (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out more about the Ride Home AI Fund at RideHomeFund.com. And subscribe to the Big Technology Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices