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The big AI apps now have research modes that make you wait for a report full of sources. Is the wait worth it? Mikah Sargent gives ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity the same complicated question, plus ChatGPT with regular web search as a control, and compares how long they take, where they look, what they miss, and how much cleanup each report needs. Then he checks every answer against a rebate and tax-credit answer key built from official sources. Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On AI at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-ai 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. Sponsor: canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Meta Muse's security flaw. Reviews of the iPhone Duo are starting to come out. Microsoft's plans to overhaul the Xbox department. And Meta is ordered to pay $25 billion in a New Mexico court ruling. Mikah shares a PSA on Meta's new Muse AI agent: A security firm found that Muse's share button put conversation titles in the subdomain of public share links! Allison Johnson of The Verge joins the show to talk about her time with the iPhone Duo so far and things that she misses on the device so far compared to the Pro lineup. Sebastian Herrera of Fortune stops by to talk about how Xbox has lost its focus over the years and what new CEO Asha Sharma, who has no gaming background, is doing to fix it. And Isaiah Poritz of Bloomberg Law breaks down the verdict made in a New Mexico court that orders Meta to pay $25 billion in penalties to the state, related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Host: Mikah Sargent Guests: Allison Johnson, Sebastian Herrera, and Isaiah Poritz 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: threatlocker.com/twit PaloAltoNetworks.com/Idira

Is your digital life a scattered mess or a finely tuned "second brain"? This episode reveals how Rosemary and Mikah may organize everything from 3D printer hacks to family chaos using iOS power tools and apps you've never tried. Building a "second brain" for knowledge management on iOS Comparing digital note-taking systems: OmniFocus, Notion, Craft, Obsidian Importance of cross-referencing and linking between apps Notion deep dive: databases, AI features, and integration tips Craft as an alternative for flexible, visual note organization Drafts as a staging ground for notes and quick capture Daily journaling and agenda apps: Parchment and Kan Do highlights Community discussion: Using TextEdit, Notes, and minimal scratchpad workflows iPhone Duo preorder chaos: launch supply snags and shipping delays News: iOS 27 Reminders and Notes app updates App Caps: Scrappy digital scrapbook and Everlog journaling app picks 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.

Paul Thurrott gets hands-on with NVIDIA's new RTX Spark AI PCs and reveals why all that power isn't translating into practical results for certain users. Expect strong opinions and a few surprises about the state of local AI on computers. Plus, Tolaria is a free, open source, vibe-coded replacement for Notion that's based on Markdown files. And now it's on mobile too! Llama Windows is also free/open source and natively supports Windows 11 on Arm and RTX Spark. It may be the easiest way to interact with local AI on Windows. Windows Microsoft discusses second round of pain points updates for Windows 11, starting with a new Photos app plus the ability to work well with just 8 GB of RAM Six (!) new builds, including two to the Release Preview Channel Microsoft Edge is working towards no-reboot updates Opera Air gets a nice refresh The Proton roadmap is spectacular RTX Spark: HP OmniBook Ultra 16 RTX Spark: Lenovo Pro 9n 15 RTX Spark: ASUS ProArt P16 arrives with 128 GB of RAM Microsoft 365 OneDrive is getting a Copilot-infused upgrade for files and photos in the AI era AI/dev RTX Spark hands-on: Local AI is more frustrating than useful Microsoft is working on a comprehensive strategy to secure AI agents OpenAI releases an AI coding model for Visual Basic, other older programming languages XBOX and gaming Report: Project Helix starts with a gaming handheld in 2027, not a console, with a new console in 2028 Microsoft reveals standalone Cloud Gaming costs - 10 hours for $3.99, 25 for $7.99, 50 for $11.99 ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 is here for $1300 and up ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 is here for $1300 and up AMD is bringing FSR Upscaling 4.1 to XBOX consoles, ROG XBOX Ally Final Fantasy VII Remake is the star of the late October Game Pass releases NVIDIA touts games already optimized for RTX Spark XBOX highlights new indie titles coming to PC, console, and Game Pass over the next year EA is shutting down BioWare Tips and picks App pick of the week: Tolaria App pick of the week #2: Llama Windows RunAs Radio this week: OWASP Top 10 for Agentic Applications with Will Velida Brown liquor pick of the week: Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Year Old Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Mikah Sargent 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/twit PaloAltoNetworks.com/Idira

An unreleased AI solved a 26-year-old cryptographic secret in less than half an hour, exposing the origins of a widely used standard. Discover what this jaw-dropping breakthrough means for the future of trust and transparency in cybersecurity. Another record smashing Patch Tuesday. But again, all those updates were not without consequences. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 reports on an agentic attack. A mass-compromised hardware cryptocurrency wallet attack. How to create your own known-safe crypto wallet. Feedback about AI, coding and SpinRite from a listener. What the reverse-engineering of the ECDSA curves means for security Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1101-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Mikah Sargent 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 joindeleteme.com/twit-biz threatlocker.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT guardsquare.com

On this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers a question from Lyle who wants to know whether a coworker can really tell when he has opened her emails. Send in your questions for Mikah to [email protected], and he'll answer them in a future episode! 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.

Apple recently unveiled its Apple HomeView, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy got a first-hand look at Apple's foray into the smart home market! Apple also unveiled its Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2. And some US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI. Jennifer shares her hands-on impressions of Apple's HomeView, the company's first smart display that she describes as a cross between a HomePod mini and a giant Apple Watch. She also talks about how the device uses Siri AI and facial recognition to show different calendars and messages for different users. Also, Apple unveiled a new Apple TV 4k at a $299 price point, and a new lineup of what they call the Apple Home Collection of LG and Schneider smart home accessories as part of its Smart Home lineup. And Mikah talks about how eight US states have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, claiming that ChatGPT was built to be easily agreeable and to feign human compassion in ways that can harm users. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy 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 Sponsor: framer.com/tnw

What happens when AI stops talking and starts doing? Mikah Sargent puts Meta's Muse agent to work on simple jobs, hard ones, and a couple of weird ones: a weekly news brief, a day trip, a shopping cart that stops for his approval, a web page it builds itself, and a podcast about whether a hot dog is a sandwich. Along the way, he explains what makes an agent different from a chatbot, what Muse can and can't touch, and the settings to check before you hand any AI the keys. Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On AI at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-ai 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. Sponsor: threatlocker.com/twit

Apple finally steps into the smart home display race with HomeView, shakes up its HomeKit lineup, and partners with major brands for "second-party" devices. Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard break down what these big changes mean for everyday users and power tinkerers alike. Apple debuts major Home app updates in iOS 27 HomeKit Secure Video gets AI-powered descriptions, smarter notifications, and search New HomeKit features: Thread, Matter support, energy monitoring, 4K streaming Apple reveals HomeView: smart display for the home with speaker or wall-mount options HomeView's features, FaceTime, and multi-user support Apple TV 4K updated with better Siri AI, microphones, and Find My remote Four-speaker HomePod/HomePod mini surround sound with latest Apple TV HomePod mini 2 announced: new sounds, color-matched features, and Siri AI caveats Apple's "second-party" Home accessories line launches with LG, Schneider Electric Overview of new cameras, video doorbell, floodlight, thermostat, and smart lock Matter support in Apple Home devices: features, pitfalls, and real-world advice Shortcuts Corner: Advanced HomeKit automations, weather integration, and triggers App Caps: HomePass for HomeKit and Signals for HomeKit automate and simplify smart homes 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.

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, Clyde, who is shopping for a new phone after his last one died in a sink full of dishwater, asks what an IP68 water resistance rating actually promises, whether it wears off as a phone ages, and what to do in the first few minutes after a phone gets wet. Send in your questions for Mikah to [email protected], and he'll answer them in a future episode! 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: scribe.how/hot

What's actually inside an AI model? Mikah Sargent opens up the file from last week's episode and finds tokens, billions of numbers, and one surprisingly simple job: guess the next piece of text. Along the way, he shows why the same question can get a different answer every time, where all those numbers came from, and why a chatbot can sound completely sure of itself and still be wrong. Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On AI at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-ai 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. Sponsor: joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Amanda Silberling joins Mikah Sargent on this week's episode of Tech News Weekly! Common Sense Media labels ChatGPT for Teens as an "unacceptable risk." AI agents from companies such as Meta and OpenAI are "cute washing" to make them feel friendlier. A federal judge ruled a Flock license plate search unconstitutional. And organs-on-chips, simulations, and AI models are starting to replace animal testing. Amanda talks about Common Sense Media's labeling of ChatGPT for Teens as an "unacceptable risk", as its friend-like design, engagement incentives, and rarely appearing "take a break" prompts can keep teens talking to a chatbot instead of a trusted adult. Mikah shares an article from Fast Company's Grace Snelling, who coined the term "cute washing" for how SpaceX AI's Grokbot, Meta's Muse, and OpenAI's Dot all use big eyes and soft shapes to make autonomous AI agents feel friendly. Jason Koebler of 404 Media joins the show to discuss the first federal ruling to call an automated license plate reader search unconstitutional, and explains how Flock's network of more than 100,000 cameras feeds federal programs like HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area). And Mikah explains how organs-on-chips, computer simulations, and AI models are beginning to replace animal testing as regulators like the FDA shift their rules, as noted by IEEE Spectrum's Brandon Kim. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling Guest: Jason Koebler 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: joindeleteme.com/twit-biz bitwarden.com/twit

Discover how iOS and watchOS are quietly transforming the way you track, customize, and automate every second, from modular lock screens to Siri-powered alarms. Plus, hear why third-party apps are still running circles around Apple's timer tools. Customizing lock screen time display and widgets on iOS Apple's system clock app features: timers, alarms, world clock Multiple timers and AlarmKit integration for developers Timer controls, volume settings, and kitchen use tips Handling time zones, world clock widgets, and third-party time apps Apple Watch faces, complications, and ongoing third-party face debate Accessibility tools: haptic feedback, chimes, and clock customization Third-party timer apps: Just Timers, (Not Boring) Timer, Timer+, Overlap Frustrations with time zone selection in clock apps Time drift, manual clock changes, and device sync issues iPhone Duo preorder details and Apple's "get ready" system Shortcuts Corner: calendar event alarms and automation tricks App Caps: Tiimo planner for ADHD/time blindness, Signal for group messaging 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.

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, Barry asks whether anything inside a QR code can actually hurt you, or whether the real danger lies somewhere else, and what a person should check before scanning one out in the wild. Send in your questions for Mikah to [email protected], and he'll answer them in a future episode! 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.AI/HOT

Your next chatbot doesn't need the cloud. Mikah Sargent installs a free app, downloads an AI model, turns off the Wi-Fi, and keeps right on chatting, all on an ordinary computer. Along the way, he explains how to read a model listing, including what the size and "Q4" labels mean, so you can pick a model that runs well on your own machine. Then the local model goes head-to-head with a cloud assistant to see where it holds up and where it falls short. Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On AI at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-ai 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.