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Grumpy Old Geeks

Grumpy Old Geeks

By: Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner
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We dissect the tech news train wrecks of the week, calling out what went wrong and who’s to blame. Think of this podcast as if Kurt Cobain threw down with Tom from MySpace, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg in a back alley brawl. No mercy, no filter—if tech had a walk of shame, this would be it.

© Grumpy Old Geeks LLC. All Rights Reserved. Politics & Government
Episodes
  • 724: Sam Altman’s Boutique

    724: Sam Altman’s Boutique
    Nov 29 2025
    After surviving Thanksgiving and the subsequent biting cold, we jumped into the FOLLOW UP with news that Malaysia is joining the trend by taking steps to ban social media for children under 16, mirroring similar actions in Australia and Denmark—it seems the world is finally realizing the internet is a toxic wasteland for the kids. We also discussed Apple’s photo AI, which is apparently still in beta, if the results are anything to go by. The bulk of our discussion centered on the spectacular, flaming death of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is Officially Dead. We broke down a brief rundown of the damages this vanity project caused, from humanitarian disasters overseas to administrative chaos and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs domestically, proving the "savings" were pure illusion. Now, with the collapse, the 'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them, learning the hard way that billionaire guardianship has an expiration date.The job market is just great, with both Apple laying off part of its sales team despite record revenue, and HP joining the List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and pointing to AI as the convenient scapegoat for laying off 10% of their workforce. Meanwhile, we found out the most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTok—it’s YouTube—while Meta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming users, confirming what we’ve known all along: they’re evil, but they already got your grandma hooked. Adding to the misery, An Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study Finds, because why talk to a real, messy human when a bot can gaslight you more efficiently? Sam Altman's financial troubles are spilling over, with Sam Altman’s Business Buddies Are Getting Stung (sorry, SoftBank and Oracle), and analysts estimate OpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC Says, a comical hole they plan to fill by asking for more free money. Legally, OpenAI can’t use the Word ‘Cameo’ in Sora now, thanks to a trademark suit, and Warner Music is playing both sides by dropping its lawsuit against Suno in exchange for a licensing agreement. Finally, in some truly dark news, a Marc Andreessen-backed Super-PAC Pours Millions Into Fighting State AI Regulations, and X's new location feature reveals that New X Feature Reveals Many MAGA Patriots on X Are Not Even Based in the U.S.After ranting about my misery dealing with the Open Dialogue bug in a beta build and declaring my return to "pedestrian releases," we got into APPS & DOODADS. Spotify is actually doing something cool with its new SongDNA feature, which shows you who sampled what (and they bought WhoSampled to do it). They’re also testing Spotify's New AI-powered audiobook Recaps to remind you where you left off—Amazon is doing the same with AI-powered series Recap Videos for Prime Video. Amazon is also rolling out Alexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers, making those budget speakers slightly more useful. We ran through some great stocking stuffers in Jason’s Holiday Gift Guide, including Velcro cable ties and the Contigo travel mug, before moving on to MEDIA CANDY, which included Dan Carlin's Common Sense, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk’s new podcast Once We Were Spacemen, and a discussion on why Stranger Things Lost the Plot. We then got deeply uncomfortable talking about a Toronto ASMR spa that offers doctor roleplay, and closed out by talking about the documentary Quiet Please… about the neurological disorder misophonia. The episode finished with the AT THE LIBRARY segment, covering the Milli Vanilli memoir You Know It’s True and the sci-fi short story collection The Time Travelers Passport.Show notes at https://gog.show/724Sponsors:MasterClass - Get up to 50% off at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSGusto - Try Gusto today at gusto.com/grumpy, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordFOLLOW UPMalaysia takes steps to ban social media for children under 16IN THE NEWSDOGE Is Officially Dead'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them: reportApple lays off part of its sales teamHP Joins List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and Pointing to AIThe most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTokMeta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming usersAn Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study FindsSam Altman’s Business Buddies Are Getting StungOpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC...
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • 723: Don’t Want No Samsung

    723: Don’t Want No Samsung
    Nov 21 2025
    We open by tracking our video money and mocking the chef who quit Elon’s "epic" bacon diner, before diving into the IN THE NEWS segment where plummeting crypto and Nvidia stocks confirm everything is a sham; we cover Bezos’s new $6.2 billion AI flop, a sleeping Tesla Robotaxi driver, and why OpenAI’s new school tools are a Recipe for Idiocracy with students who can't read; in MEDIA CANDY, we tear apart Disney's lazy Moana remake; THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE we discuss Zork going open source and why movies just don’t feel real anymore before CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS where we are mourning Mani from the Stone Roses, and wishing Bjork a very metal 60th.We start with a FOLLOW UP on our channel’s performance, wading through the garbage pile of Monetization questions and Stats, including the scourge of Shorts—because apparently, that's what we do now. Speaking of people running from trouble, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is ditching his OpenAI board seat after a fresh batch of cringey Jeffrey Epstein emails surfaced. Meanwhile, the financial world is having a meltdown: Nvidia’s Stock is Falling Again after its earnings report, exposing the fact that almost Yet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren’t Making Any Money Off AI, and Bitcoin is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right Now, which we happily remind you will Trigger the Next Financial Crisis. Don't worry, Jeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup because the world clearly needs more tech billionaires throwing money at things they don't understand, while Apple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook.The tech-bro corruption parade continues as a former DOJ official points out that Trump’s Crypto Pardon of the Binance co-founder is exactly what it looks like, and Elon's pet AI, Grok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James and better at everything else, proving the bot has been sampling its boss's Adderall. Even though ChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence by finally letting you disable its em-dash addiction, companies like Intuit are integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPT—because who doesn't want an AI-powered tax audit? This all dovetails nicely with the news that OpenAI is launching ChatGPT for Teachers’ right as students’ math skills hit a low, leading to a literal Recipe for Idiocracy where elite college students Can’t Read Books. The whole thing is broken, including Tesla’s so-called Robotaxi, where a Passenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the Wheel. On a lighter note, we check out the new trailers for The Witcher S4, Frankenstein, and Project Hail Mary in MEDIA CANDY, and tear apart the absolutely unnecessary live-action Moana teaser, before mentioning the biggest drama launch on Apple TV, Pluribus.Next up is THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, where our tireless security guru Dave Bittner throws in some random facts, like Microsoft making Zork I, II, and III open source and videos on why the iOS Keyboard is Broken and Why Movies Just Don't Feel "Real” Anymore, and we discuss Thanksgiving plans. Finally, in CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS, we end with a shout-out to our generous PATREON supporters and PAYPAL/STRIPE donors, mourn the passing of Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani, and wish the incomparable Bjork a milestone 60th birthday.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tWM83ra7Qp8Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/723FOLLOW UPTesla Diner Chef and Co-Operator Quits to Open a Jewish DeliLarry Summers leaves OpenAI board, Harvard instructor role as scrutiny over Epstein emails intensifiesIN THE NEWSOops! Nvidia’s Stock Is Falling Again After Its “Blowout” Earnings ReportBitcoin Is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right NowHow Crypto Could Trigger the Next Financial CrisisJeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup called Project PrometheusYet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren’t Making Any Money Off AIPassenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the WheelMeta wins antitrust trial as judge denies that it's a monopolyApple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook as early as next yearFormer DOJ Official: Trump’s Crypto Pardon Is Unprecedented CorruptionChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence: Not Using the Em DashGrok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James11 Things Grok Says Elon Musk Does Better Than AnyoneIntuit is integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPTOpenAI ...
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • 722: Does a Podcaster Shit in the Woods?

    722: Does a Podcaster Shit in the Woods?
    Nov 14 2025
    The inevitable decline of civilization takes center stage as the show kicks off with the miserable results of the FACEBOOK SETTLEMENT, confirming Brian's $4.01 payout, followed by a discussion of the SPORTS BETTING SCANDAL, where MLB players are rigging games over prop bets, confirming that gambling is now actively killing sports; moving to the news, the guys celebrate the DENMARK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN and SCHOOL PHONE BANS, which are already proving that teenagers need mandatory digital detoxes, prompting comparisons to Footloose and the revelation that teens are now passing handwritten notes and taking Polaroids. Naturally, things aren't going well for the hyper-rich, as evidenced by the TESLA EXECUTIVE EXODUS and the launch of WAYMO FREEWAYS, which will surely bring chaos to LA, and the ongoing saga of massive capital destruction via OPENAI LOSSES and META AI FAILURES, prompting Mark Zuckerberg to announce his desperate bid to CURE ALL DISEASES with AI, a feat less audacious than the fraud of AI startup FIREFLY AI TRANSCRIPT, which admitted its original "AI" was just human transcriptionists.They then hit a laundry list of digital woes, including the dubious convenience of APPLE PASSPORTS, the creeping dread of Sam Altman's failing WORLDCOIN EYEBALL SCANS, the ridiculous crypto fraud DEFI OFFICE SPACE that literally copied a movie plot, and Coinbase's inexplicable decision to bring back high-risk ICOs; the absurdity continued with the OPENAI LAWSUIT over a suicidal chatbot that suggested the user "Rest easy, King," and the political maneuvering of the REPUBLICAN BROADBAND REDIRECT, which will gut internet access for the underserved to fund the Treasury, but the real threat to humanity remains the clandestine PREVENTATIVE GENE HACKING startup funded by tech billionaires aiming to create modified babies offshore.In Media Candy, they share reviews of the excellent DIPLOMAT, ZOOTOPIA, and the just-released LUSH DOCUMENTARY, confirming our combined Gen-X fragility, before celebrating two definitive wins for reality: the fact that physicists have finally CRUSHED THE SIMULATION THEORY, and the literary brilliance of Joyce Carol Oates' tweet, which expertly called out Elon Musk as uneducated and uncultured.All this and more on this episode of Grumpy Old GeeksSponsors:CleanMyMac - clnmy.com/OLDGEEKS - Use code OLDGEEKS for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/722FOLLOW UPBaseball Is CompromisedIN THE NEWSDenmark set to ban social media for users under 15 years of ageBanning Phones in Schools Is Drastically Changing the Behavior of KidsThe Head of the Cybertruck Program Quit Tesla. The Model Y Leader Left Hours LaterWaymo's driverless cars will start driving on freeways in three US citiesApple introduces a new Digital ID feature to make boarding flights easierOpenAI Will Lose $74 Billion the Same Year That Anthropic Breaks Even: ReportMeta’s AI Ambitions Appear to Be in a TailspinZuckerberg, Chan bet AI can cure all diseaseStartup Secretly Working to Gene-Hack Human BabySam Altman's Creepy Orb Startup Has Only Scanned 2 Percent of Its Ideal Number of Eyeballs$120 Million Crypto Hack Blamed on Office Space-Style ExploitCoinbase Wants to Bring Back an Old Crypto Trend That Ended in DisasterSeven more families are now suing OpenAI over ChatGPT's role in suicides, delusionsUS states could lose $21 billion of broadband grants after Trump overhaulPhysicists Say They’ve Proven Whether We’re Living in a SimulationElon Musk Got One-Shotted by an Extremely Mean TweetMEDIA CANDYZootopiaThe DiplomatPluribusVictoria BeckhamLush: A Far from Home MovieWelcome to Derry'V for Vendetta' Is Becoming a TV ShowDune: Prophecy' Kicks off Season 2 Production‘Alien: Earth’ Has Been Renewed for Season 2‘Poker Face’ Canceled at Peacock; Rian Johnson Will Seek New Home for Series — With Peter Dinklage StarringThe Running Man | Final Trailer (2025 Movie) - Edgar Wright, Glen PowellToy Story 5 | Teaser Trailer | In Theaters June 19Paramount+ announces price increases for every streaming planAPPS & DOODADSHow to adjust the Liquid Glass effect in iOS 26.1How to stretch the clock on your lock screen in iOS 26Tesla Reportedly Adding Apple CarPlay, Bucking Industry TrendFounder Admits His “AI Transcription” Startup Was Just Him Joining People’s Meetings and Taking Notes by HandFTC Announces Crackdown on Deceptive AI Claims and SchemesTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingThe Official ‘Star Wars’ Magazine Is Coming to an End After Over 30 YearsFuzzball Bandolier ShawlTalk about your ...
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    1 hr and 20 mins
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