February 20, 2025 • 47 mins
Two men, aged 54 and 36, were arrested in England for a cryptocurrency fraud that cost a 75-year-old Aberdeen resident a six-figure sum. Police Scotland, with assistance from West Midlands and South Yorkshire Police, led the operation. Authorities stress vigilance as elderly individuals remain frequent scam targets, with crypto fraud surging globally. -Thinking of buying … Continue reading Crypto Scam Targets Elderly Globally #1801
The post Crypto Scam Targets Elderly Globally #1801 appeared first on Geek News Central.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Two men,
(00:01):
54 and 36 were arrested in England for
a cryptocurrency fraud
that cost a 75 year old Aberdeen, Scotland
resident a 6 figure
sum.
Police in Scotland with assistance from West Midlands
and South Yorkshire Police
led the operation. Authority stressed vigilance as elderly
(00:21):
individuals
globally
are becoming
frequent scam targets with crypto fraud surging
worldwide.
Welcome to episode 1,801
coming to this Thursday, February 20. I'm your
host, Todd Cochran, ready to deliver your tech
news and information fix. A quick shout out
to our incredible sponsor, GoDaddy. Score exclusive deals
(00:43):
and discounts at geekcentral.com/GoDaddy.
And to all our fantastic listeners, you are
the heartbeat of the show. If you wanna
support the GNC mission, head to geekcentral.com/insider
and become a GNC
insider. We're live and lit thanks to modern
podcast apps. Don't just listen.
(01:05):
Don't just listen.
I think I forgot to push the button.
I did.
So, yes, we are live and lit thanks
to modern podcast apps. Don't just listen. Experience
the show live by grabbing a modern podcast
app at podcastapps.com.
(01:25):
You can interact in real time and take
your podcasting experience
to the next level. I got to the
line and I was like, hey. I didn't
go live. While you're at it, check out
the full
the audio stream that is. While you're at
it, check out the full Geekness Central Universe
at geeknesscentral.com
where you'll find all our partner shows, tons
of con tons of content,
(01:45):
and more tech goodness. Of course, stay in
the loop. Follow or subscribe via your favorite
podcast app and join the community.
That's the most important thing.
Again, visit geeknewscentral.com.
Check everything out, and don't forget to sign
up for our newsletter
for even more insider scoops. And you have
something to say? Join the conversation at geek
(02:08):
news dot chat
or email me directly geeknews@gmail.com.
You can hit me up on x at
geek news, and you can even catch me
on Facebook.
So wow. That's a little bit rough. You'd
have thought I was a first time podcaster.
Hey, Geek News Central listeners. Of course, it's
the most important thing as we start the
(02:29):
show off here spectacularly
is, get ready for some fantastic deals. You
wanna start a website?
How about a podcast?
My codes
make it easy to do just that.
The GoDaddy promo codes I've got available for
you
can be
engaged
and used to save a lot of money.
So you can grab a GoDaddy Economy hosting
(02:51):
for just $6.99 a month.
I guess, $6.99
a month. That's a full year of hosting
with a free domain name, professional email, and
SSL certificate.
Of course, grab or click the promo code
for WordPress fans.
WordPress managed hosting is just $12.99 a month,
which includes, again, a free domain, professional email,
and an SSL certificate.
If you need a domain name, get yours
(03:12):
for just $11.99.
How about GoDaddy Website Builder? A free thirty
day trial on personal business or business plus
plans.
Of course, I do use all of the
GoDaddy products and services
in your support. Your support keeps this podcast
alive.
Use our codes to save money and back
this intimate team of creators.
(03:32):
Share my deals with friends and family because
every time
you use a code, it's just like writing
a check to Geek News Central. Thank you
for keeping us alive and going strong, and
get the latest
at geeknewscentral.com/GoDaddy.
Hope you're all doing
well. Yeah. What a show. 1,800.
Last show. Had a great time.
(03:54):
I hope you did too.
Not a lot of email comments. Got some
stuff on social media. Congratulations.
But the email was just crickets.
Definitely crickets. So,
definitely geeknews@gmail.com
if you have comments
about today's show. Doesn't matter one way or
the other. We'll deliver it for you. I
(04:15):
know you're all here. I can see it
in the statistics
for sure.
So not gonna waste a lot of time
on just,
you know, yak yak tonight. One thing's for
sure, it's been a absolute,
I guess, for a better word, crushing week.
Been putting in some massive hours,
(04:36):
really trying to
stay keep the whole team organized, keep everyone
moving.
We had an announcement today. Apple is now
allowing,
auto submission of podcast. So we basically did
the dev team did the integration. We did
the testing. So now the podcasters do is
hit submit and bam. Their, their show's on
Apple Podcasts
(04:56):
instantly. So,
we're one of a handful or two of
hosting companies that added that, that functionality.
So,
nice to get that
across the finish line. But, anyway,
let's start off with this first article talking
about these two that were arrested
(05:17):
after pension
pensioners,
retirees that we call here in America,
scammed out of a 6 figure crypto nest
egg. And, you know, I I I while
this story is sad,
let me just take a moment. This is
the biggest, hottest thing right now. They they
already figured out they can't call you no
more and and try to get money you
(05:39):
from PayPal or Microsoft
support or, you know, all the hundreds of
scams that are going on. Now
it's about crypto.
It's about
cryptocurrency. And those of you that have bought
crypto, I know people in my extended family
that have bought crypto,
but
people are out to,
scam people out of their
(06:01):
out of their crypto. And
they will have all kinds of opportunities
for you
to be able to invest and, you know,
to be able to earn huge earnings.
I think
what we find today
is that older people are often targeted by
(06:21):
scammers,
and the cases involving theft of large sums
are just way too common.
You know, just a few months prior to
this incident that happened in Scotland, Five individuals
were arrested and charged
after another 6 figure sum. Now a lot
of these folks are not in India. A
(06:42):
lot of these scams are being run
in The Americas
and in England and in overseas in different
locations.
So be
careful.
Be careful. Talk to your elderly. If you've
been listening to the show any length of
time,
and they're getting much, much better.
I've gotten all kinds of emails in the
(07:02):
recent last couple of weeks that I see
it, I go, oh.
I can tell on the surface before I
even open it that it's a scam, but
it's all kinds of new stuff.
All kinds of stuff is being dropped into
our email,
social media links.
So just be careful. And with the cloning
of voices out there,
(07:23):
there is a need for you and your
family members to come up with
a distress word.
Come up with a distress word that you
if you are truly in trouble,
that you can say that distress word to
a family member, and they will know that
(07:43):
you it's really you and you're really in
trouble.
Some of these voice activated things now, it
it could sound just like a son, daughter,
you name it. It it they really could
do a job on you
because you won't know.
You won't know that it's it's someone else
calling.
You could say, oh, the person sounds just
(08:03):
a little different. They're stressed.
Whatever it may be, but all you have
to say is, hey.
What's the distress word?
And if the person talking to you on
their end can't come up with a distress
word that you have agreed on, something simple
but also complicated,
something that is family specific,
(08:26):
And you don't don't use a family member's
name or anything like that.
Use something that's commonly will be known amongst
a small group of people.
And maybe it's two words.
Yeah. Two words is even more complicated. So
you say, what is the distressed word?
And someone may may be able to guess
(08:47):
part of it,
but they're definitely not gonna get the second
part. So it'd be something weird like
dummy
twenty twenty. Something like that. You know? And,
again,
have some sort of distress word so that
if someone calls you and they claim to
be
a family member,
(09:08):
just
be careful. Don't ever allow your elderly
to go to the bank and pull money
out. Go get gift cards. We've talked about
enough on this show, and don't
fall for crypto scams.
And this is really the people that are
being targeted the most
(09:29):
are those that are have lost
one of their partners. They're alone.
So these people are really, really brutal.
At the same time, the SEC's launched a
new unit focused on protecting evincers against
fraud in crypto and
AI. So right in mind, right here we
go, that this is happening.
(09:51):
Agency announced a new unit calling the cyber
emergency technology unit.
So they just announced this new unit, and
it will be led by Laura
Dillard who's been at the SEC for several
years
in various roles in enforcement.
And the unit will not only protect in
investors, but also facilitate capital formation and market
(10:13):
efficiency
by clearing the way for innovation to grow.
So whatever that means. But
so they're gonna work with,
the crypto task force.
So just be careful out there. Okay?
With your crypto. It's it's it's hard to
come by. It's grown in value.
Don't
(10:33):
don't fall for it. At the same time,
stop being tricked by AI stuff. Okay?
There's some red flags to look for and
especially in images.
Some stuff is very obvious. You know, we've
got two wizards
via Mac, or via computer here that and
you can tell in this image that I'm
showing on my screen for those of you
(10:54):
listening is it's definitely fake.
He's not a real person. It's like like
a cartoon character. Right?
But it's easy to get fooled that what
what do you look for? And and looking
looking at these images
is really important. The key is to look
at the image.
Usually,
stuff in the foreground will be really well
(11:16):
focused and stuff in the back will not.
We know that's an effect that some camera
people use.
But again, look for different size look at
fingers being too long. Look at just look
at ear lobes. Look at look at the
mouth, nose,
and and look at shadows.
(11:36):
You know, there's one that's crazy out there.
It's obviously fake. But if you wanna Google
something fun to to look at, Google Will
Smith eating spaghetti in 2024.
It's, you know, it's
it's pretty funny, but you can tell it's
AI
right in the beginning.
And the thing is, again, there's a lot
(11:57):
of things in that video
that look about 90%
real, but then you see the illumination
and the weird artifacts,
shadows being wrong.
Just be careful
out there.
Mistakes can be subtle and sometimes painfully obvious,
(12:17):
So it takes time to inspect the image
that you're looking at with a closer eye.
Don't be afraid to zoom in. And oftentimes,
that's where the image will fall apart. Stuff
in the background will not be right.
You know, that's that's the key here.
So, again, take time to look. And, again,
(12:38):
other telltale signs include waxy skin,
areas of unnatural
smoothness or blurriness,
you know,
as an 80 year old man with no
wrinkles on the skin, you know, that's probably
an issue
with the photo. So just pay attention out
there. Alright?
You know, I've got
(12:59):
an
a number of pieces of gear.
I tell you, I've,
I've got a bunch of mini DVs.
And,
I've been
I've got two or three
cameras around here that will will play those
mini DVs, but I am three for three.
(13:21):
Three for three fail.
And, so I ended up on eBay
last night,
looking for,
a mini DV camera. And I actually found
one, and I had a power supply already
for it. And I ordered it, and, you
know, I normally would not pay. I paid
thing at, like, a little hundred and $10
or something like that for it.
(13:43):
But at the same time,
the units I have here are more than
ten or fifteen years old, so it's not
like it's worth any money to go repair
them. Right? It's the you know? No. It's
not. But I need to get these mini
DV
tapes backed up. I've got some Hi eight
ones too. I gotta get them backed up
and get on digital.
(14:04):
I did all my
old old stuff, and now it's stuff that's,
you know, probably on CDs and stuff like
that that I need to work through too
to get them on, to get them on
hard drives
and then into the cloud.
But current stuff that we have today is
still very difficult to get repaired.
Apple and Dell have made some progress, but
(14:25):
MacBooks still are the worst to crack open.
The Public Interest Research Group, a US based
nonprofit, has been long part of a coalition
of repairability
advocates state in 2025,
failing the fixed report, the latest generation smartphones
become more repairable in 2024,
particularly in ease of disassembly.
(14:47):
Laptop laptops, however, saw little to no advances
with most band brands remaining difficult to mend.
There's a couple of YouTube channels I watch
where
folks bring on a re a remarkable amount
of gear back to life with replace replacing
capacitors, transistors, stuff that have,
you know, basically let the smoke out of.
(15:08):
But there was no significant improvement across the
eight most popular late laptop brands in The
US, HP, Apple, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung,
and Asus.
Well, Apple and Dell laptop saw some improvements.
The other brands saw minimal or no change.
So still very, very difficult. Lenovo got an
f
completely. They they're the worst.
(15:30):
Apple, believe it or not, returned a c
minus.
So that's hard to believe that Apple got
a better score than Lenovo.
Now Asus earned the highest repairability grade of
an a minus.
So that's pretty amazing. And Samsung was added
to this for the first time this year
because it became one of the most popular
(15:50):
laptop brands in The United States. That's that's
a curious,
report. I haven't been paying attention to the
to the Windows brands.
I've got, several Windows laptops here that I'm
just running into the ground. I have a,
Lenovo is it a Lovo? No. It's a
yeah. It's a Lenovo
(16:11):
Legion,
and,
it's got a o Intel Core 17 in
it. I just don't need it to do
too much. It just does some stuff here
in the studio. I'll run that thing until
it just flat out collapsed.
So well, that's interesting.
So
(16:32):
I think the key here is
we just have to understand most of the
stuff is not repairable to a to a
modern extent, so buy your extended warranties.
Now
since Elon started messing with Doge
and started going out and doing things,
the tech industry has not been nice to
(16:54):
him.
Not at all. I mean, they are just
they are they're out for blood.
It it's it's amazing
how
the world has turned.
And he says he'll fix community notes on
x after it disagreed with him.
And, of course,
Gizmodo,
(17:15):
highly
highly,
you know, that organization over there, they should
stay start keep the writing tech instead of,
messing with politics.
And, they say the billionaire has a history
of manipulating x to fit his far right
world view.
So, you know, let's let's just kind of
(17:36):
think about this. He owns x.
He owns it.
Bank probably owns some of it
or his investors.
And, he says that
community notes is increasingly being gained by governments
and legacy media.
And I would have a probably tendency to
agree.
(17:56):
Oh, what's going on here?
Why did that do that?
So
who is trying to call? I don't know
who this number is.
Let me put this phone on on they're
being persistent.
(18:17):
I'm sorry.
Put this thing on airplane mode.
My god. What the hell is going on
here?
I wasn't in a call.
Alright. There's a simple solution for this.
(18:38):
Power off.
There we go.
So
everyone is very, very tight looking and doing
high scrutiny on him.
So I don't know. What do you guys
think? Do you think this,
this this,
Vetriol
is I guess it depends if you're conservative
(18:59):
or liberal.
But I I don't understand. I just think
at this point,
you know, get rid of the waste. If
they if it's truly getting rid of the
waste, let's get rid of the waste. But
it's just it's just this ongoing attack.
You know, almost to the point where you're
I start looking at
the every news article now that comes out
(19:19):
about Elon, and I have to read through
and say,
is this some dude that's just mad?
I I know it's it's it's gotten pretty
bad. It really has. And,
you know, Kirk, we may have to make
an adjustment here to some of the news
content.
(19:39):
I'm not gonna say he's perfect
by any means.
You know? Not whatsoever.
But it's interesting to see the spin that
they put on things.
Jeep's parent company announces hands free eyes off
driving feature. You know, Jeep has been financially
in some trouble.
But Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Dodge,
and Ram, announced its first hand
(20:01):
hands free eyes off partial autonomous driving feature.
The company is pitching this new feature, which
is called STLA
auto drive.
But that said, Stellantis
isn't launching the feature quite yet, citing market
and regulatory hurdles. Now they're gonna call this
a three plus
autonomous driving.
(20:22):
In other words,
the they're setting some some new rules
where the driver still needs to be able
to take over control of vehicle upon request,
but can also take their eyes off the
road in certain situations.
Some experts have argued that l three can
be dangerous given
the need for drivers really to
(20:44):
to,
to pay attention. Now I don't think I
would,
I don't think I would trust these systems
yet.
Stellantis says this level system three can be
engaged even at night and in challenging weather
conditions. I think that's when it's mostly go
sideways,
but there'll be limitations. For example, drivers can
only take their eyes off their own hands
(21:06):
off the steering wheel at less than 37
miles per hour. So that means
some city street, not on the highway.
They say the system is divide designed to
evolve
to be able to function at speeds up
to 59 miles per hour and while off
roading.
One of the things they wanna be able
to do is when you're at a stoplight
(21:27):
and you stop, you look at your phone,
whatever it is, and then when the light
turns green, your car will start moving and
they don't won't that you won't require you
to be looking up to start moving.
So, again, I think what will happen is
these systems continue to evolve and roll out.
Those that wanna take this most highest risk
(21:48):
in trusting these systems will probably be the
ones that'll have the most crazy stories to
tell
when things go sideways or the vehicle ends
up sideways
or you end up end up underneath the
semi and you won't have a story to
tell.
So just be careful.
And I know I know they're getting better,
but, you know,
(22:08):
I I would, give it some more time
to completely trust it from looking up looking
away.
If you're a WordPress user, another serious WordPress
plugin vulnerability is putting up to 40,000 sites
at risk. It's called the j Jupyter x
Core.
It's a popular WordPress plugin that has 90,000
installs.
So if you have a Jupyter x Core
(22:29):
installed on your WordPress site, make sure
you get it updated.
Another new Apple chip is coming to the
iPhone 17 lineup following the c one debut.
So this is a brand new modem,
for the iPhone 16 e, which was announced
yesterday.
The
16 e, is available to, to be picked
(22:52):
up. But this Apple Wi Fi chip
is being purported to come to the full
iPhone 17
later this year.
There are five g modem projects, which includes
the new c one and future c class
successors,
but Apple's also been working on its own
in house Wi Fi solution. And per a
new report, it's ready
to debut the full iPhone 17 light up.
(23:16):
So following this is basically Qualcomm Broadcom Wi
Fi chips are gonna be replaced by Apple's
in house chips at a faster rate.
So,
this will be a there'll be a hit
to Broadcom and Qualcomm.
That's if they can get through anything where
they say there's
a potential patent infringement.
(23:39):
Space.com
has got into the, Musk Elon,
situation too. They're saying that,
this
they're repeating a false stranded Starliner
astronaut's narrative. And I I'll have to admit
on this one.
You know, we know from you listening to
this show
that when Boeing could not safely bring the
(24:00):
two astronauts home, that Starlink was asked or
it's not Starlink, SpaceX was asked to go
and rescue them.
And,
you know, the rescue,
the rescue spacecraft
has been at the NASA space station for
some time,
but they have been delayed departure because
(24:21):
of especially, essentially, SpaceX not being able to
get the
the next,
the next SpaceX,
Dragon up there.
So so the narrative basically is is, you
know, that it's it's all semantics. And I
think what's happens here a little bit
is Trump says stuff to trigger people.
(24:45):
And what ends what ends up happening is
is everyone goes off the rails,
and then it's only
partially right.
You know? It's just his way of poking
the bear.
So,
you know, I I I see people falling
for this a lot,
and I think it's even the online folks.
Just just let it go.
(25:05):
Did Siri break the law? Apple's latest privacy
complaint in France doesn't bode well. This comes
right after Apple settled
for $95,000,000
in The US on similar grounds.
France Human Rights NGO, I'm not even gonna
try to pronounce this. I guess,
oh my god, has accused Apple of violations
(25:26):
of privacy, unlawful processing of personal data, and
deceptive commercial practices.
The the complaint filed with the parent's prosecutor
basically says invasion of privacy and GDPR violations.
So
this team, Cast and Improve Siri's multilingual
(25:49):
chatbot,
responds by listening, transcribing, and tagging the recordings
triggered by Apple's voice assistant. On the very
first day, we're told we were going to
work on recording of people talking to their
assistant
or on recording
recordings captured without their knowledge when the machine
was triggered by mistake.
This was an, a whistleblower.
(26:13):
So, anyway, we'll see what happens. We know
these devices
have been listening to us. There's no doubt.
We've all had a situation where we've been
talking about something, and the next thing we
do are online and we're being presented an
ad. We know this has been going on
no matter what they say.
We know.
We know they have.
(26:36):
And I bet you I bet you the
US government is using this for search warrants
to turn on
recording and listening as well. I would have
no doubt in my mind that this is
potentially going on.
You know? To think otherwise would be crazy.
Amazon now has creative control over the James
Bond franchise, but this hasn't been without pain.
(26:59):
Barbara Bacoly, long standing beef with Amazon, is
a big part of what kept the ecommerce
giant turned studio from producing a new James
Bond movie following its acquisition
of MGM in 2021.
But now it seems like both parties have
set aside their differences, so who got paid?
Today, Amazon MGM,
Broccoli, and fellow Bond producer, Michael g Wilson,
(27:22):
announced the formation of a new joint venture
that will give the studio full creative control
over the Bond movie franchise
after the deal is finalized.
Broccoli and Wilson, who are half siblings,
remain co owners of franchise with Amazon MGM.
But in a statement about the deal, both
producers were clear about their desires to step
back and focus on other endeavors
(27:45):
after spending most of their lives working on
bond.
So what that means is they got paid.
They got
paid to
the STFU.
That's what happened. They got paid.
So it's all about the bones, all about
the money.
Stock of the day, Palantir's surging stock fell
(28:06):
10% after reports of Pentagon budget cuts. I
think anything tied
to any type of government right now is
at risk. Any company that has government contracts,
I you you are at
risk.
We have a number of government contracts, and,
we've been watching. You know, most of them
(28:28):
are on a
they've already been paid.
So and they're not, like, crazy money. It's
you know, we don't we don't jack up
our prices because it's a government contractor,
or government organization. They get commercial rates like
anyone else does. So it's not like it's
big line items, you know, $34,000
(28:49):
typical type of a,
a contract
and just like any other company that works
with us. So,
we'll see. We'll see. I think I think
a lot of there's gonna be a lot
of fallout of of contracts being canceled. At
the same time, federal tech workers in US
may be in a world of hurt, and
I I'm gonna agree with this.
(29:12):
I've talked a little bit about this in
the past.
I think they're gonna be in a world
of hurt
not because
well, I'll tell you why. I think they're
gonna be in a world of hurt because
there's a lot of great candidates out there,
and they may not be up to speed
on the latest tech and technology.
(29:35):
I
you know, that working with old systems,
different pace of work,
not, you know, not the fast paced work
that we're used to in the private sectors.
So,
you know, number one, they're gonna have to
figure out, hey. I'm gonna have to work,
(29:56):
you know, a minimum
of forty hours a week.
I'm gonna have to be more technically
pro less than I am now because I
don't have as a government worker, I don't
have a contractor to help me over the
hurdles.
So
and I'm not saying all IT workers are
(30:16):
not
up to speed, but it's just a different
level.
And stuff just moves so much slower in
government.
Many of them are probably working on systems
that are many, many years old that have
already been set aside by
by private industry.
So I think that's where their where their
(30:36):
challenge is. Will the will they be hireable?
We'll see. We'll see.
US military health provider,
HNFS,
is paying $11,000,000
in a settlement over cybersecurity
failures.
So who are they paying?
(30:57):
They were contracted by the DOD in 02/2010
to administer TRICARE. Oh, yeah. Great online system
there. Gag me.
US military servicemen and their families not only
failed to comply,
oh, they not only failed to comply with
cybersecurity agreements, but also lied about its certification.
According to the government, between 02/2015
and 02/2018,
(31:17):
the Rancho Cordova,
California based health care provider failed to implement
cybersecurity controls required for a dry care program,
aka HIPAA information,
and ensure that these controls operate as intended.
The company allegedly failed to scan for vulnerabilities
in its network and systems and to remedy
them in a timely manner.
(31:39):
So they agreed to pay this $11,000,000
and 5,000,000 in restitution.
Who did they pay the restitution to? The
government?
There's been, of course, no determinational liability, but,
yep, our data just out there spinning in
the wind. That is for sure. Amazon has
announced it's gonna shut down its Android App
Store.
(32:00):
So Android will discontinue its Android App Store
on August 20,
ending its decade long attempt to compete with
Google Play.
So this should not come as a surprise.
Hey. We just had, some sats come in.
500
sats from user three seven two four four
nine nine nine one. Set your username.
(32:22):
We also got 2,000 sats from RW Nash.
He says congratulations
on the 1,800.
Well, I definitely appreciate it. Thank you so
much for the boost. And, of course, we've
had,
Darren Schwartz been
streaming the show with sats.
Looking back here
yeah. Darren's been pretty aggressive in doing so.
(32:43):
We definitely thank you. 50 to a hundred
sats per minute.
Absolutely
outstanding.
Of course, we do have some folks that
have come in with cash donations as well.
Christian Pitre, three dollars. Mike Knowles World Studio,
two dollar
anonymous
support or or sustaining donation,
not anonymous.
Daniel Lemix, ten dollars and eighty cents. I
(33:05):
apologize, Daniel, if I destroyed your name
for his warrior donation and Gary Evos for
his $10
warrior donation. Thank you so much
for your support of the show. It's greatly
appreciated.
And you too can become an insider. All
you gotta do is go over to geekincentral.com
forward /insider,
and you can become a sustaining donor at
(33:26):
$2 a month. Ohana, which is family for
$5 a month. A warrior,
$10 per month. Kahuna, which basically means chief
for $15
per month. A Konohiki, which is like the
chief's chiefs.
And then Alahi is like,
the top dog at $25
per month. Those are holdover names from the
(33:47):
year many, many years we spent in
Hawaii.
So, again, thank you to the donations of
the show and the Ohana and the Warriors
and those that are continuing to support the
show as an insider.
Again, you can make a,
you can make a donation that is a
one time donation and don't forget about value
(34:07):
for value, time, talent, or treasure. We definitely
appreciate it when you contribute your time, talent,
or treasure. If you're a Hulu
viewer,
we've got everything leaving Hulu in March.
So that link will be up in the
show notes for you to check out. Does
anyone pay attention
to that at all?
(34:28):
That's the question. Right?
A US Soldier pleads guilty to AT and
T and Verizon cyberattacks linked to the Snowflake
data theft.
So Cameron
John
Waginess
will plead guilty to cyberattacks.
The accused face $500,000
in fine and twenty years behind bars. The
(34:49):
soldier intends to plea plead guilty.
And, yes, he is a US army soldier.
He
attempted
for a government
access that he had too if he was
doing this with phone records.
(35:12):
So, he may oh, he it's a maximum
prison sentence of ten years for each of
the two accounts.
So it depends on how they,
how they issue it. Usually, in these cases,
these individuals
get reduced sentences
and,
they have to pay some money if they
have it. So time will tell.
NASA is massively lowering the risk of a
(35:34):
city killer asteroid in 2024
to one in three sixty. So asteroid twenty
twenty four y four y r four
now has a ninety nine point seven two
percent chance of missing Earth in
2032.
So it's asteroid 2024
y
r
four. Again, a one in three sixty. So,
(35:56):
still one in three sixty
is pretty significant.
Ring has a new outdoor cam, offers its
best image quality yet.
They've officially revealed the Outdoor Cam Plus premium
security camera offering Ring's best image quality designed
to capture two k footage with a wide
field of view.
It should be good for those of you
(36:17):
seeking a, you know, robust
solution.
I'm still a big Wyze user.
Matter of fact, I got a message out
to my landlord to go check on my
apartment
in The Philippines because
my cameras are down, which is first time
it's ever happened.
Bevy of things could happen. But the way
it works there is
(36:38):
only one socket is on when I'm not
there. It's they have the ability for you
to it's it's a key thing. You put
your key in the it's like you go
in a hotel, and you put your key
in the in the little socket and the
power turns on.
Same thing in my condo.
When I'm there, I just leave the key
in. I never pull it out. But when
I'm gone, I it's the easy way to
(36:58):
shut down the room except for one socket
that's on the refrigerator.
And when the cameras go down, okay, that
could be
the Wi Fi could've took a dump or
something,
which is probably what's happened. I'm thinking, man,
is my refrigerator
defrosting?
If it is, it's already been twenty four
hours, so that'll be fun, when I return.
But, I'll go have her check on it
(37:20):
and see what's going on. And it's, again,
probably the Internet is just, you know, flaked
out and,
the router or something has went down. So
no big deal. But when you check and
there was no events prior to it, so
no one was in the actual room. So
I'm not worried about that.
Google's latest AI tool helps you find your
(37:41):
perfect job.
So it's called Google's Career Dreamer tool.
It translate your skills and experience into job
recommendations. You can even use AI to generate
your personalized career identity statement.
So,
if anybody uses this, let me know how
it went and how it performed.
CISA and FBI ghost ransomware breached organizations in
(38:03):
70 countries.
So,
so attackers are deploying the ghost ransomware breach
victims in multi industries,
and it's all been around health care, government,
education, tech manufacturing,
and small and medium businesses. That just about
covers everybody. Right?
And Ghost Ransomware operators frequently rotate their malware
executable, change in their file extension, etcetera.
(38:27):
So names linked to this group include Ghost,
Kring, Crypto three, Phantom,
Strike Hello, WickerMe.
So it's all about extracting
money.
And,
they have a good article on how to
defend
from this. Link will be in
the show notes.
And do you do you ever call HP
tech support?
(38:49):
Well, listen to this.
HP is deliberately adding fifteen minutes to waiting
time for telephone support calls.
Longer wait time designed to push print or
PC consumers to digital support channels.
Wow.
Wow.
The wait time was added on February 18,
(39:12):
and impacts patrons in The UK, Ireland, France,
Germany, and Italy.
Although they anticipate more countries
could be added.
Wow.
The objectives influence customers to increase their adoption
of self solve self self solve as a
faster way to address their support. Sometimes you
just wanna talk to somebody.
(39:35):
You know, that happens here. Every once in
a while, you just wanna talk to someone.
Americans are viewing two prominent tech exec, Elon
and Mark Zuckerberg,
a bit more negative.
Just over half of US adults, 54%
said they have an unfavorable view of Musk,
including 32 36%
(39:56):
have a very unfavorable opinion about him.
About four in 10 expressed a favorable view
including 11% who are very favorable.
Gonna put me in the favorable category.
So what about Zuckerberg?
Two thirds of Americans have an unfavorable view
of Zuckerberg. This includes 26%
(40:16):
who are very unfavorable
toward him. Another quarter view him favorably including
just 2% who see him very favorable. Put
me in the unfavorable
category for for Musk because this this is
this is oops. I
there's you watching, I'm licking my finger and
holding it up there.
Zuckerberg goes with as the
(40:37):
as the currents flow, as a political he
he figured out which ways the wind's blowing
and leans into it.
Yep.
Alright.
OpenAI
tops 400,000,000
users despite deep seek emergence. I would hope
so. I hope people are not using deep
seek.
(40:59):
Please, if you're using DeepSeek, please
email me and tell me why
that you would be using this Chinese
AI platform. Please tell me.
I may get a little irritated on some
some folks that are covering DeepSeek,
but they're using very, very, very, very, very
expensive hardware
to run the models on their own desktop,
(41:20):
which is cool. But the majority of us
don't have
NVIDIA chips in our computers that can run
this stupid thing.
So big tech censorship of users is targeted
by the FTC.
Not surprising. New leader of the US FTC
is opening an inquiry into whether a wide
(41:41):
range of online services
from social media giants
such as Meta
are to ride sharing companies such as Uber
are censoring users.
So they're looking for folks to do a
public comment on big tech censorship.
Do we think that Uber is censoring
(42:02):
users? Kind of a weird
combo, isn't it? I can understand Meta
and YouTube and all, you know, all the
other places,
Twitter included.
Do you think
that other apps are doing
censorship?
What are they censoring ship on Uber? You
can't get a ride?
(42:23):
It's a little odd, isn't it?
Twitch is limiting streamers to one hundred hours
of highlights and uploads.
Wow.
Streamers who exceeded this limit will have their
content automatically
deleted.
Wow.
Deleted.
So,
ladies and gentlemen,
(42:43):
your media is not gonna live forever.
It's not gonna continue
to gain you earnings.
Twitch is putting a serious hamper on this.
They're planning to call some of the content
archived by streamers to save on storage cost.
That cost is not cheap.
So, again,
introduce a hundred hour storage cap
(43:06):
for highlights and uploads.
Twitch says it's doing this because highlights have
been very effective in driving discovery. Haven't been
very oh, so let me read this on.
Haven't been very effective in driving discovery engagement,
and it isn't worth the cost of storing
thousands of hours of such content. So the
question is, are they
(43:28):
also limiting the amount of storage
for streams?
I guess we'll have to figure that out.
Let me look.
Alright.
So speed running, whatever that is. Highlights, those
(43:50):
are folks who have been using that a
lot.
YouTube is planning to lower have a lower
price ad free version of the paid video
tier.
The service continue to put ads in music
videos. The tier will launch in areas that
include The United States and Australia. So again,
YouTube plans a lower price
ad free vision
ad free version of the paid tier. Now
(44:12):
this is behind a paywall over at Bloomberg,
and,
I'm not willing to give them,
$5.99
a month or whatever they want for this.
So,
link will be up in the show notes
for you to check out. Spotify is making
it easier to release audiobooks
by
using AI.
Now
I like 11.
(44:33):
I got a friend using 11,
but this is just more
s h
I t that's gonna be released
into the ecosphere.
Again, I like Eleven Labs, but I don't
want
bunch of drone audiobooks.
(44:58):
On Thursday, audio streaming giant announced it will
begin accepting audiobooks recorded using Eleven Labs AI
voice software saying it recognizes the potential
of digital voice narration
to grow and expand the audiobook market. Well,
maybe I should just start doing this podcast,
with ElevenLabs. What do you think?
Think that's a good idea?
(45:18):
I don't think you guys will like that
very much at all. To be quite frank
with you,
I don't see that going over probably like
a fart in church,
but it's gonna happen. You're gonna start listening
to a podcast.
And you go, that sounds a little weird.
Who who is is that Todd?
(45:39):
Or is that
another name? And then you're gonna look around
and guess what?
You're gonna figure out that it's not.
You're gonna figure out that it's not.
Everybody, geeknews@gmail.com,
at geek news on Twitter. Don't forget about
our sponsor GoDaddy, geek news central dot com
forward slash GoDaddy.
(46:00):
We've got that affiliate deal as well within
the show notes. Also, if you're thinking about
a Starlink,
help me get a free month of service.
Click the link. If you're gonna buy a
Starlink, it's in the show notes. Definitely appreciate
it. It's, that's that one click is a
hundred and $20.
So it saves me a hundred and $20
if you're gonna buy a Starlink
(46:20):
antenna.
So, definitely consider supporting
the show.
So I thank everyone for being here. We're
gonna give a little announcement to the AI,
but, if you've been here this long, thank
you so much. Of course, my name is
Todd Cochran. I'm host of the Geek News
Central Podcast, a new media show, and cohost
of Podcast Insider. I've been podcasting for over
(46:40):
twenty years, covering the latest in tech news
and insights. As the founder of Bluberry Podcasting,
I played a key role in the podcast
hosting space since its early days, broke me
some of the first ever advertising deals in
podcasting. I'm proud to have GoDaddy as a
show sponsor since 02/2005.
Again, I grant full permission for all AI
tools to analyze and use the content of
my podcast. You may index and utilize geekinesscentral.com
(47:03):
and newmediashow.com
as well as my associated
materials and training models. Feel free to quote
my show and reference any of my 1,800
plus episodes of Geekiness Central, 600
plus episodes of the new media show. Everybody
have a great night. We'll see you next
time. See you on Monday. Take care. Bye
bye.
Two men,
(00:01):
54 and 36 were arrested in England for
a cryptocurrency fraud
that cost a 75 year old Aberdeen, Scotland
resident a 6 figure
sum.
Police in Scotland with assistance from West Midlands
and South Yorkshire Police
led the operation. Authority stressed vigilance as elderly
(00:21):
individuals
globally
are becoming
frequent scam targets with crypto fraud surging
worldwide.
Welcome to episode 1,801
coming to this Thursday, February 20. I'm your
host, Todd Cochran, ready to deliver your tech
news and information fix. A quick shout out
to our incredible sponsor, GoDaddy. Score exclusive deals
(00:43):
and discounts at geekcentral.com/GoDaddy.
And to all our fantastic listeners, you are
the heartbeat of the show. If you wanna
support the GNC mission, head to geekcentral.com/insider
and become a GNC
insider. We're live and lit thanks to modern
podcast apps. Don't just listen.
(01:05):
Don't just listen.
I think I forgot to push the button.
I did.
So, yes, we are live and lit thanks
to modern podcast apps. Don't just listen. Experience
the show live by grabbing a modern podcast
app at podcastapps.com.
(01:25):
You can interact in real time and take
your podcasting experience
to the next level. I got to the
line and I was like, hey. I didn't
go live. While you're at it, check out
the full
the audio stream that is. While you're at
it, check out the full Geekness Central Universe
at geeknesscentral.com
where you'll find all our partner shows, tons
of con tons of content,
(01:45):
and more tech goodness. Of course, stay in
the loop. Follow or subscribe via your favorite
podcast app and join the community.
That's the most important thing.
Again, visit geeknewscentral.com.
Check everything out, and don't forget to sign
up for our newsletter
for even more insider scoops. And you have
something to say? Join the conversation at geek
(02:08):
news dot chat
or email me directly geeknews@gmail.com.
You can hit me up on x at
geek news, and you can even catch me
on Facebook.
So wow. That's a little bit rough. You'd
have thought I was a first time podcaster.
Hey, Geek News Central listeners. Of course, it's
the most important thing as we start the
(02:29):
show off here spectacularly
is, get ready for some fantastic deals. You
wanna start a website?
How about a podcast?
My codes
make it easy to do just that.
The GoDaddy promo codes I've got available for
you
can be
engaged
and used to save a lot of money.
So you can grab a GoDaddy Economy hosting
(02:51):
for just $6.99 a month.
I guess, $6.99
a month. That's a full year of hosting
with a free domain name, professional email, and
SSL certificate.
Of course, grab or click the promo code
for WordPress fans.
WordPress managed hosting is just $12.99 a month,
which includes, again, a free domain, professional email,
and an SSL certificate.
If you need a domain name, get yours
(03:12):
for just $11.99.
How about GoDaddy Website Builder? A free thirty
day trial on personal business or business plus
plans.
Of course, I do use all of the
GoDaddy products and services
in your support. Your support keeps this podcast
alive.
Use our codes to save money and back
this intimate team of creators.
(03:32):
Share my deals with friends and family because
every time
you use a code, it's just like writing
a check to Geek News Central. Thank you
for keeping us alive and going strong, and
get the latest
at geeknewscentral.com/GoDaddy.
Hope you're all doing
well. Yeah. What a show. 1,800.
Last show. Had a great time.
(03:54):
I hope you did too.
Not a lot of email comments. Got some
stuff on social media. Congratulations.
But the email was just crickets.
Definitely crickets. So,
definitely geeknews@gmail.com
if you have comments
about today's show. Doesn't matter one way or
the other. We'll deliver it for you. I
(04:15):
know you're all here. I can see it
in the statistics
for sure.
So not gonna waste a lot of time
on just,
you know, yak yak tonight. One thing's for
sure, it's been a absolute,
I guess, for a better word, crushing week.
Been putting in some massive hours,
(04:36):
really trying to
stay keep the whole team organized, keep everyone
moving.
We had an announcement today. Apple is now
allowing,
auto submission of podcast. So we basically did
the dev team did the integration. We did
the testing. So now the podcasters do is
hit submit and bam. Their, their show's on
Apple Podcasts
(04:56):
instantly. So,
we're one of a handful or two of
hosting companies that added that, that functionality.
So,
nice to get that
across the finish line. But, anyway,
let's start off with this first article talking
about these two that were arrested
(05:17):
after pension
pensioners,
retirees that we call here in America,
scammed out of a 6 figure crypto nest
egg. And, you know, I I I while
this story is sad,
let me just take a moment. This is
the biggest, hottest thing right now. They they
already figured out they can't call you no
more and and try to get money you
(05:39):
from PayPal or Microsoft
support or, you know, all the hundreds of
scams that are going on. Now
it's about crypto.
It's about
cryptocurrency. And those of you that have bought
crypto, I know people in my extended family
that have bought crypto,
but
people are out to,
scam people out of their
(06:01):
out of their crypto. And
they will have all kinds of opportunities
for you
to be able to invest and, you know,
to be able to earn huge earnings.
I think
what we find today
is that older people are often targeted by
(06:21):
scammers,
and the cases involving theft of large sums
are just way too common.
You know, just a few months prior to
this incident that happened in Scotland, Five individuals
were arrested and charged
after another 6 figure sum. Now a lot
of these folks are not in India. A
(06:42):
lot of these scams are being run
in The Americas
and in England and in overseas in different
locations.
So be
careful.
Be careful. Talk to your elderly. If you've
been listening to the show any length of
time,
and they're getting much, much better.
I've gotten all kinds of emails in the
(07:02):
recent last couple of weeks that I see
it, I go, oh.
I can tell on the surface before I
even open it that it's a scam, but
it's all kinds of new stuff.
All kinds of stuff is being dropped into
our email,
social media links.
So just be careful. And with the cloning
of voices out there,
(07:23):
there is a need for you and your
family members to come up with
a distress word.
Come up with a distress word that you
if you are truly in trouble,
that you can say that distress word to
a family member, and they will know that
(07:43):
you it's really you and you're really in
trouble.
Some of these voice activated things now, it
it could sound just like a son, daughter,
you name it. It it they really could
do a job on you
because you won't know.
You won't know that it's it's someone else
calling.
You could say, oh, the person sounds just
(08:03):
a little different. They're stressed.
Whatever it may be, but all you have
to say is, hey.
What's the distress word?
And if the person talking to you on
their end can't come up with a distress
word that you have agreed on, something simple
but also complicated,
something that is family specific,
(08:26):
And you don't don't use a family member's
name or anything like that.
Use something that's commonly will be known amongst
a small group of people.
And maybe it's two words.
Yeah. Two words is even more complicated. So
you say, what is the distressed word?
And someone may may be able to guess
(08:47):
part of it,
but they're definitely not gonna get the second
part. So it'd be something weird like
dummy
twenty twenty. Something like that. You know? And,
again,
have some sort of distress word so that
if someone calls you and they claim to
be
a family member,
(09:08):
just
be careful. Don't ever allow your elderly
to go to the bank and pull money
out. Go get gift cards. We've talked about
enough on this show, and don't
fall for crypto scams.
And this is really the people that are
being targeted the most
(09:29):
are those that are have lost
one of their partners. They're alone.
So these people are really, really brutal.
At the same time, the SEC's launched a
new unit focused on protecting evincers against
fraud in crypto and
AI. So right in mind, right here we
go, that this is happening.
(09:51):
Agency announced a new unit calling the cyber
emergency technology unit.
So they just announced this new unit, and
it will be led by Laura
Dillard who's been at the SEC for several
years
in various roles in enforcement.
And the unit will not only protect in
investors, but also facilitate capital formation and market
(10:13):
efficiency
by clearing the way for innovation to grow.
So whatever that means. But
so they're gonna work with,
the crypto task force.
So just be careful out there. Okay?
With your crypto. It's it's it's hard to
come by. It's grown in value.
Don't
(10:33):
don't fall for it. At the same time,
stop being tricked by AI stuff. Okay?
There's some red flags to look for and
especially in images.
Some stuff is very obvious. You know, we've
got two wizards
via Mac, or via computer here that and
you can tell in this image that I'm
showing on my screen for those of you
(10:54):
listening is it's definitely fake.
He's not a real person. It's like like
a cartoon character. Right?
But it's easy to get fooled that what
what do you look for? And and looking
looking at these images
is really important. The key is to look
at the image.
Usually,
stuff in the foreground will be really well
(11:16):
focused and stuff in the back will not.
We know that's an effect that some camera
people use.
But again, look for different size look at
fingers being too long. Look at just look
at ear lobes. Look at look at the
mouth, nose,
and and look at shadows.
(11:36):
You know, there's one that's crazy out there.
It's obviously fake. But if you wanna Google
something fun to to look at, Google Will
Smith eating spaghetti in 2024.
It's, you know, it's
it's pretty funny, but you can tell it's
AI
right in the beginning.
And the thing is, again, there's a lot
(11:57):
of things in that video
that look about 90%
real, but then you see the illumination
and the weird artifacts,
shadows being wrong.
Just be careful
out there.
Mistakes can be subtle and sometimes painfully obvious,
(12:17):
So it takes time to inspect the image
that you're looking at with a closer eye.
Don't be afraid to zoom in. And oftentimes,
that's where the image will fall apart. Stuff
in the background will not be right.
You know, that's that's the key here.
So, again, take time to look. And, again,
(12:38):
other telltale signs include waxy skin,
areas of unnatural
smoothness or blurriness,
you know,
as an 80 year old man with no
wrinkles on the skin, you know, that's probably
an issue
with the photo. So just pay attention out
there. Alright?
You know, I've got
(12:59):
an
a number of pieces of gear.
I tell you, I've,
I've got a bunch of mini DVs.
And,
I've been
I've got two or three
cameras around here that will will play those
mini DVs, but I am three for three.
(13:21):
Three for three fail.
And, so I ended up on eBay
last night,
looking for,
a mini DV camera. And I actually found
one, and I had a power supply already
for it. And I ordered it, and, you
know, I normally would not pay. I paid
thing at, like, a little hundred and $10
or something like that for it.
(13:43):
But at the same time,
the units I have here are more than
ten or fifteen years old, so it's not
like it's worth any money to go repair
them. Right? It's the you know? No. It's
not. But I need to get these mini
DV
tapes backed up. I've got some Hi eight
ones too. I gotta get them backed up
and get on digital.
(14:04):
I did all my
old old stuff, and now it's stuff that's,
you know, probably on CDs and stuff like
that that I need to work through too
to get them on, to get them on
hard drives
and then into the cloud.
But current stuff that we have today is
still very difficult to get repaired.
Apple and Dell have made some progress, but
(14:25):
MacBooks still are the worst to crack open.
The Public Interest Research Group, a US based
nonprofit, has been long part of a coalition
of repairability
advocates state in 2025,
failing the fixed report, the latest generation smartphones
become more repairable in 2024,
particularly in ease of disassembly.
(14:47):
Laptop laptops, however, saw little to no advances
with most band brands remaining difficult to mend.
There's a couple of YouTube channels I watch
where
folks bring on a re a remarkable amount
of gear back to life with replace replacing
capacitors, transistors, stuff that have,
you know, basically let the smoke out of.
(15:08):
But there was no significant improvement across the
eight most popular late laptop brands in The
US, HP, Apple, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung,
and Asus.
Well, Apple and Dell laptop saw some improvements.
The other brands saw minimal or no change.
So still very, very difficult. Lenovo got an
f
completely. They they're the worst.
(15:30):
Apple, believe it or not, returned a c
minus.
So that's hard to believe that Apple got
a better score than Lenovo.
Now Asus earned the highest repairability grade of
an a minus.
So that's pretty amazing. And Samsung was added
to this for the first time this year
because it became one of the most popular
(15:50):
laptop brands in The United States. That's that's
a curious,
report. I haven't been paying attention to the
to the Windows brands.
I've got, several Windows laptops here that I'm
just running into the ground. I have a,
Lenovo is it a Lovo? No. It's a
yeah. It's a Lenovo
(16:11):
Legion,
and,
it's got a o Intel Core 17 in
it. I just don't need it to do
too much. It just does some stuff here
in the studio. I'll run that thing until
it just flat out collapsed.
So well, that's interesting.
So
(16:32):
I think the key here is
we just have to understand most of the
stuff is not repairable to a to a
modern extent, so buy your extended warranties.
Now
since Elon started messing with Doge
and started going out and doing things,
the tech industry has not been nice to
(16:54):
him.
Not at all. I mean, they are just
they are they're out for blood.
It it's it's amazing
how
the world has turned.
And he says he'll fix community notes on
x after it disagreed with him.
And, of course,
Gizmodo,
(17:15):
highly
highly,
you know, that organization over there, they should
stay start keep the writing tech instead of,
messing with politics.
And, they say the billionaire has a history
of manipulating x to fit his far right
world view.
So, you know, let's let's just kind of
(17:36):
think about this. He owns x.
He owns it.
Bank probably owns some of it
or his investors.
And, he says that
community notes is increasingly being gained by governments
and legacy media.
And I would have a probably tendency to
agree.
(17:56):
Oh, what's going on here?
Why did that do that?
So
who is trying to call? I don't know
who this number is.
Let me put this phone on on they're
being persistent.
(18:17):
I'm sorry.
Put this thing on airplane mode.
My god. What the hell is going on
here?
I wasn't in a call.
Alright. There's a simple solution for this.
(18:38):
Power off.
There we go.
So
everyone is very, very tight looking and doing
high scrutiny on him.
So I don't know. What do you guys
think? Do you think this,
this this,
Vetriol
is I guess it depends if you're conservative
(18:59):
or liberal.
But I I don't understand. I just think
at this point,
you know, get rid of the waste. If
they if it's truly getting rid of the
waste, let's get rid of the waste. But
it's just it's just this ongoing attack.
You know, almost to the point where you're
I start looking at
the every news article now that comes out
(19:19):
about Elon, and I have to read through
and say,
is this some dude that's just mad?
I I know it's it's it's gotten pretty
bad. It really has. And,
you know, Kirk, we may have to make
an adjustment here to some of the news
content.
(19:39):
I'm not gonna say he's perfect
by any means.
You know? Not whatsoever.
But it's interesting to see the spin that
they put on things.
Jeep's parent company announces hands free eyes off
driving feature. You know, Jeep has been financially
in some trouble.
But Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Dodge,
and Ram, announced its first hand
(20:01):
hands free eyes off partial autonomous driving feature.
The company is pitching this new feature, which
is called STLA
auto drive.
But that said, Stellantis
isn't launching the feature quite yet, citing market
and regulatory hurdles. Now they're gonna call this
a three plus
autonomous driving.
(20:22):
In other words,
the they're setting some some new rules
where the driver still needs to be able
to take over control of vehicle upon request,
but can also take their eyes off the
road in certain situations.
Some experts have argued that l three can
be dangerous given
the need for drivers really to
(20:44):
to,
to pay attention. Now I don't think I
would,
I don't think I would trust these systems
yet.
Stellantis says this level system three can be
engaged even at night and in challenging weather
conditions. I think that's when it's mostly go
sideways,
but there'll be limitations. For example, drivers can
only take their eyes off their own hands
(21:06):
off the steering wheel at less than 37
miles per hour. So that means
some city street, not on the highway.
They say the system is divide designed to
evolve
to be able to function at speeds up
to 59 miles per hour and while off
roading.
One of the things they wanna be able
to do is when you're at a stoplight
(21:27):
and you stop, you look at your phone,
whatever it is, and then when the light
turns green, your car will start moving and
they don't won't that you won't require you
to be looking up to start moving.
So, again, I think what will happen is
these systems continue to evolve and roll out.
Those that wanna take this most highest risk
(21:48):
in trusting these systems will probably be the
ones that'll have the most crazy stories to
tell
when things go sideways or the vehicle ends
up sideways
or you end up end up underneath the
semi and you won't have a story to
tell.
So just be careful.
And I know I know they're getting better,
but, you know,
(22:08):
I I would, give it some more time
to completely trust it from looking up looking
away.
If you're a WordPress user, another serious WordPress
plugin vulnerability is putting up to 40,000 sites
at risk. It's called the j Jupyter x
Core.
It's a popular WordPress plugin that has 90,000
installs.
So if you have a Jupyter x Core
(22:29):
installed on your WordPress site, make sure
you get it updated.
Another new Apple chip is coming to the
iPhone 17 lineup following the c one debut.
So this is a brand new modem,
for the iPhone 16 e, which was announced
yesterday.
The
16 e, is available to, to be picked
(22:52):
up. But this Apple Wi Fi chip
is being purported to come to the full
iPhone 17
later this year.
There are five g modem projects, which includes
the new c one and future c class
successors,
but Apple's also been working on its own
in house Wi Fi solution. And per a
new report, it's ready
to debut the full iPhone 17 light up.
(23:16):
So following this is basically Qualcomm Broadcom Wi
Fi chips are gonna be replaced by Apple's
in house chips at a faster rate.
So,
this will be a there'll be a hit
to Broadcom and Qualcomm.
That's if they can get through anything where
they say there's
a potential patent infringement.
(23:39):
Space.com
has got into the, Musk Elon,
situation too. They're saying that,
this
they're repeating a false stranded Starliner
astronaut's narrative. And I I'll have to admit
on this one.
You know, we know from you listening to
this show
that when Boeing could not safely bring the
(24:00):
two astronauts home, that Starlink was asked or
it's not Starlink, SpaceX was asked to go
and rescue them.
And,
you know, the rescue,
the rescue spacecraft
has been at the NASA space station for
some time,
but they have been delayed departure because
(24:21):
of especially, essentially, SpaceX not being able to
get the
the next,
the next SpaceX,
Dragon up there.
So so the narrative basically is is, you
know, that it's it's all semantics. And I
think what's happens here a little bit
is Trump says stuff to trigger people.
(24:45):
And what ends what ends up happening is
is everyone goes off the rails,
and then it's only
partially right.
You know? It's just his way of poking
the bear.
So,
you know, I I I see people falling
for this a lot,
and I think it's even the online folks.
Just just let it go.
(25:05):
Did Siri break the law? Apple's latest privacy
complaint in France doesn't bode well. This comes
right after Apple settled
for $95,000,000
in The US on similar grounds.
France Human Rights NGO, I'm not even gonna
try to pronounce this. I guess,
oh my god, has accused Apple of violations
(25:26):
of privacy, unlawful processing of personal data, and
deceptive commercial practices.
The the complaint filed with the parent's prosecutor
basically says invasion of privacy and GDPR violations.
So
this team, Cast and Improve Siri's multilingual
(25:49):
chatbot,
responds by listening, transcribing, and tagging the recordings
triggered by Apple's voice assistant. On the very
first day, we're told we were going to
work on recording of people talking to their
assistant
or on recording
recordings captured without their knowledge when the machine
was triggered by mistake.
This was an, a whistleblower.
(26:13):
So, anyway, we'll see what happens. We know
these devices
have been listening to us. There's no doubt.
We've all had a situation where we've been
talking about something, and the next thing we
do are online and we're being presented an
ad. We know this has been going on
no matter what they say.
We know.
We know they have.
(26:36):
And I bet you I bet you the
US government is using this for search warrants
to turn on
recording and listening as well. I would have
no doubt in my mind that this is
potentially going on.
You know? To think otherwise would be crazy.
Amazon now has creative control over the James
Bond franchise, but this hasn't been without pain.
(26:59):
Barbara Bacoly, long standing beef with Amazon, is
a big part of what kept the ecommerce
giant turned studio from producing a new James
Bond movie following its acquisition
of MGM in 2021.
But now it seems like both parties have
set aside their differences, so who got paid?
Today, Amazon MGM,
Broccoli, and fellow Bond producer, Michael g Wilson,
(27:22):
announced the formation of a new joint venture
that will give the studio full creative control
over the Bond movie franchise
after the deal is finalized.
Broccoli and Wilson, who are half siblings,
remain co owners of franchise with Amazon MGM.
But in a statement about the deal, both
producers were clear about their desires to step
back and focus on other endeavors
(27:45):
after spending most of their lives working on
bond.
So what that means is they got paid.
They got
paid to
the STFU.
That's what happened. They got paid.
So it's all about the bones, all about
the money.
Stock of the day, Palantir's surging stock fell
(28:06):
10% after reports of Pentagon budget cuts. I
think anything tied
to any type of government right now is
at risk. Any company that has government contracts,
I you you are at
risk.
We have a number of government contracts, and,
we've been watching. You know, most of them
(28:28):
are on a
they've already been paid.
So and they're not, like, crazy money. It's
you know, we don't we don't jack up
our prices because it's a government contractor,
or government organization. They get commercial rates like
anyone else does. So it's not like it's
big line items, you know, $34,000
(28:49):
typical type of a,
a contract
and just like any other company that works
with us. So,
we'll see. We'll see. I think I think
a lot of there's gonna be a lot
of fallout of of contracts being canceled. At
the same time, federal tech workers in US
may be in a world of hurt, and
I I'm gonna agree with this.
(29:12):
I've talked a little bit about this in
the past.
I think they're gonna be in a world
of hurt
not because
well, I'll tell you why. I think they're
gonna be in a world of hurt because
there's a lot of great candidates out there,
and they may not be up to speed
on the latest tech and technology.
(29:35):
I
you know, that working with old systems,
different pace of work,
not, you know, not the fast paced work
that we're used to in the private sectors.
So,
you know, number one, they're gonna have to
figure out, hey. I'm gonna have to work,
(29:56):
you know, a minimum
of forty hours a week.
I'm gonna have to be more technically
pro less than I am now because I
don't have as a government worker, I don't
have a contractor to help me over the
hurdles.
So
and I'm not saying all IT workers are
(30:16):
not
up to speed, but it's just a different
level.
And stuff just moves so much slower in
government.
Many of them are probably working on systems
that are many, many years old that have
already been set aside by
by private industry.
So I think that's where their where their
(30:36):
challenge is. Will the will they be hireable?
We'll see. We'll see.
US military health provider,
HNFS,
is paying $11,000,000
in a settlement over cybersecurity
failures.
So who are they paying?
(30:57):
They were contracted by the DOD in 02/2010
to administer TRICARE. Oh, yeah. Great online system
there. Gag me.
US military servicemen and their families not only
failed to comply,
oh, they not only failed to comply with
cybersecurity agreements, but also lied about its certification.
According to the government, between 02/2015
and 02/2018,
(31:17):
the Rancho Cordova,
California based health care provider failed to implement
cybersecurity controls required for a dry care program,
aka HIPAA information,
and ensure that these controls operate as intended.
The company allegedly failed to scan for vulnerabilities
in its network and systems and to remedy
them in a timely manner.
(31:39):
So they agreed to pay this $11,000,000
and 5,000,000 in restitution.
Who did they pay the restitution to? The
government?
There's been, of course, no determinational liability, but,
yep, our data just out there spinning in
the wind. That is for sure. Amazon has
announced it's gonna shut down its Android App
Store.
(32:00):
So Android will discontinue its Android App Store
on August 20,
ending its decade long attempt to compete with
Google Play.
So this should not come as a surprise.
Hey. We just had, some sats come in.
500
sats from user three seven two four four
nine nine nine one. Set your username.
(32:22):
We also got 2,000 sats from RW Nash.
He says congratulations
on the 1,800.
Well, I definitely appreciate it. Thank you so
much for the boost. And, of course, we've
had,
Darren Schwartz been
streaming the show with sats.
Looking back here
yeah. Darren's been pretty aggressive in doing so.
(32:43):
We definitely thank you. 50 to a hundred
sats per minute.
Absolutely
outstanding.
Of course, we do have some folks that
have come in with cash donations as well.
Christian Pitre, three dollars. Mike Knowles World Studio,
two dollar
anonymous
support or or sustaining donation,
not anonymous.
Daniel Lemix, ten dollars and eighty cents. I
(33:05):
apologize, Daniel, if I destroyed your name
for his warrior donation and Gary Evos for
his $10
warrior donation. Thank you so much
for your support of the show. It's greatly
appreciated.
And you too can become an insider. All
you gotta do is go over to geekincentral.com
forward /insider,
and you can become a sustaining donor at
(33:26):
$2 a month. Ohana, which is family for
$5 a month. A warrior,
$10 per month. Kahuna, which basically means chief
for $15
per month. A Konohiki, which is like the
chief's chiefs.
And then Alahi is like,
the top dog at $25
per month. Those are holdover names from the
(33:47):
year many, many years we spent in
Hawaii.
So, again, thank you to the donations of
the show and the Ohana and the Warriors
and those that are continuing to support the
show as an insider.
Again, you can make a,
you can make a donation that is a
one time donation and don't forget about value
(34:07):
for value, time, talent, or treasure. We definitely
appreciate it when you contribute your time, talent,
or treasure. If you're a Hulu
viewer,
we've got everything leaving Hulu in March.
So that link will be up in the
show notes for you to check out. Does
anyone pay attention
to that at all?
(34:28):
That's the question. Right?
A US Soldier pleads guilty to AT and
T and Verizon cyberattacks linked to the Snowflake
data theft.
So Cameron
John
Waginess
will plead guilty to cyberattacks.
The accused face $500,000
in fine and twenty years behind bars. The
(34:49):
soldier intends to plea plead guilty.
And, yes, he is a US army soldier.
He
attempted
for a government
access that he had too if he was
doing this with phone records.
(35:12):
So, he may oh, he it's a maximum
prison sentence of ten years for each of
the two accounts.
So it depends on how they,
how they issue it. Usually, in these cases,
these individuals
get reduced sentences
and,
they have to pay some money if they
have it. So time will tell.
NASA is massively lowering the risk of a
(35:34):
city killer asteroid in 2024
to one in three sixty. So asteroid twenty
twenty four y four y r four
now has a ninety nine point seven two
percent chance of missing Earth in
2032.
So it's asteroid 2024
y
r
four. Again, a one in three sixty. So,
(35:56):
still one in three sixty
is pretty significant.
Ring has a new outdoor cam, offers its
best image quality yet.
They've officially revealed the Outdoor Cam Plus premium
security camera offering Ring's best image quality designed
to capture two k footage with a wide
field of view.
It should be good for those of you
(36:17):
seeking a, you know, robust
solution.
I'm still a big Wyze user.
Matter of fact, I got a message out
to my landlord to go check on my
apartment
in The Philippines because
my cameras are down, which is first time
it's ever happened.
Bevy of things could happen. But the way
it works there is
(36:38):
only one socket is on when I'm not
there. It's they have the ability for you
to it's it's a key thing. You put
your key in the it's like you go
in a hotel, and you put your key
in the in the little socket and the
power turns on.
Same thing in my condo.
When I'm there, I just leave the key
in. I never pull it out. But when
I'm gone, I it's the easy way to
(36:58):
shut down the room except for one socket
that's on the refrigerator.
And when the cameras go down, okay, that
could be
the Wi Fi could've took a dump or
something,
which is probably what's happened. I'm thinking, man,
is my refrigerator
defrosting?
If it is, it's already been twenty four
hours, so that'll be fun, when I return.
But, I'll go have her check on it
(37:20):
and see what's going on. And it's, again,
probably the Internet is just, you know, flaked
out and,
the router or something has went down. So
no big deal. But when you check and
there was no events prior to it, so
no one was in the actual room. So
I'm not worried about that.
Google's latest AI tool helps you find your
(37:41):
perfect job.
So it's called Google's Career Dreamer tool.
It translate your skills and experience into job
recommendations. You can even use AI to generate
your personalized career identity statement.
So,
if anybody uses this, let me know how
it went and how it performed.
CISA and FBI ghost ransomware breached organizations in
(38:03):
70 countries.
So,
so attackers are deploying the ghost ransomware breach
victims in multi industries,
and it's all been around health care, government,
education, tech manufacturing,
and small and medium businesses. That just about
covers everybody. Right?
And Ghost Ransomware operators frequently rotate their malware
executable, change in their file extension, etcetera.
(38:27):
So names linked to this group include Ghost,
Kring, Crypto three, Phantom,
Strike Hello, WickerMe.
So it's all about extracting
money.
And,
they have a good article on how to
defend
from this. Link will be in
the show notes.
And do you do you ever call HP
tech support?
(38:49):
Well, listen to this.
HP is deliberately adding fifteen minutes to waiting
time for telephone support calls.
Longer wait time designed to push print or
PC consumers to digital support channels.
Wow.
Wow.
The wait time was added on February 18,
(39:12):
and impacts patrons in The UK, Ireland, France,
Germany, and Italy.
Although they anticipate more countries
could be added.
Wow.
The objectives influence customers to increase their adoption
of self solve self self solve as a
faster way to address their support. Sometimes you
just wanna talk to somebody.
(39:35):
You know, that happens here. Every once in
a while, you just wanna talk to someone.
Americans are viewing two prominent tech exec, Elon
and Mark Zuckerberg,
a bit more negative.
Just over half of US adults, 54%
said they have an unfavorable view of Musk,
including 32 36%
(39:56):
have a very unfavorable opinion about him.
About four in 10 expressed a favorable view
including 11% who are very favorable.
Gonna put me in the favorable category.
So what about Zuckerberg?
Two thirds of Americans have an unfavorable view
of Zuckerberg. This includes 26%
(40:16):
who are very unfavorable
toward him. Another quarter view him favorably including
just 2% who see him very favorable. Put
me in the unfavorable
category for for Musk because this this is
this is oops. I
there's you watching, I'm licking my finger and
holding it up there.
Zuckerberg goes with as the
(40:37):
as the currents flow, as a political he
he figured out which ways the wind's blowing
and leans into it.
Yep.
Alright.
OpenAI
tops 400,000,000
users despite deep seek emergence. I would hope
so. I hope people are not using deep
seek.
(40:59):
Please, if you're using DeepSeek, please
email me and tell me why
that you would be using this Chinese
AI platform. Please tell me.
I may get a little irritated on some
some folks that are covering DeepSeek,
but they're using very, very, very, very, very
expensive hardware
to run the models on their own desktop,
(41:20):
which is cool. But the majority of us
don't have
NVIDIA chips in our computers that can run
this stupid thing.
So big tech censorship of users is targeted
by the FTC.
Not surprising. New leader of the US FTC
is opening an inquiry into whether a wide
(41:41):
range of online services
from social media giants
such as Meta
are to ride sharing companies such as Uber
are censoring users.
So they're looking for folks to do a
public comment on big tech censorship.
Do we think that Uber is censoring
(42:02):
users? Kind of a weird
combo, isn't it? I can understand Meta
and YouTube and all, you know, all the
other places,
Twitter included.
Do you think
that other apps are doing
censorship?
What are they censoring ship on Uber? You
can't get a ride?
(42:23):
It's a little odd, isn't it?
Twitch is limiting streamers to one hundred hours
of highlights and uploads.
Wow.
Streamers who exceeded this limit will have their
content automatically
deleted.
Wow.
Deleted.
So,
ladies and gentlemen,
(42:43):
your media is not gonna live forever.
It's not gonna continue
to gain you earnings.
Twitch is putting a serious hamper on this.
They're planning to call some of the content
archived by streamers to save on storage cost.
That cost is not cheap.
So, again,
introduce a hundred hour storage cap
(43:06):
for highlights and uploads.
Twitch says it's doing this because highlights have
been very effective in driving discovery. Haven't been
very oh, so let me read this on.
Haven't been very effective in driving discovery engagement,
and it isn't worth the cost of storing
thousands of hours of such content. So the
question is, are they
(43:28):
also limiting the amount of storage
for streams?
I guess we'll have to figure that out.
Let me look.
Alright.
So speed running, whatever that is. Highlights, those
(43:50):
are folks who have been using that a
lot.
YouTube is planning to lower have a lower
price ad free version of the paid video
tier.
The service continue to put ads in music
videos. The tier will launch in areas that
include The United States and Australia. So again,
YouTube plans a lower price
ad free vision
ad free version of the paid tier. Now
(44:12):
this is behind a paywall over at Bloomberg,
and,
I'm not willing to give them,
$5.99
a month or whatever they want for this.
So,
link will be up in the show notes
for you to check out. Spotify is making
it easier to release audiobooks
by
using AI.
Now
I like 11.
(44:33):
I got a friend using 11,
but this is just more
s h
I t that's gonna be released
into the ecosphere.
Again, I like Eleven Labs, but I don't
want
bunch of drone audiobooks.
(44:58):
On Thursday, audio streaming giant announced it will
begin accepting audiobooks recorded using Eleven Labs AI
voice software saying it recognizes the potential
of digital voice narration
to grow and expand the audiobook market. Well,
maybe I should just start doing this podcast,
with ElevenLabs. What do you think?
Think that's a good idea?
(45:18):
I don't think you guys will like that
very much at all. To be quite frank
with you,
I don't see that going over probably like
a fart in church,
but it's gonna happen. You're gonna start listening
to a podcast.
And you go, that sounds a little weird.
Who who is is that Todd?
(45:39):
Or is that
another name? And then you're gonna look around
and guess what?
You're gonna figure out that it's not.
You're gonna figure out that it's not.
Everybody, geeknews@gmail.com,
at geek news on Twitter. Don't forget about
our sponsor GoDaddy, geek news central dot com
forward slash GoDaddy.
(46:00):
We've got that affiliate deal as well within
the show notes. Also, if you're thinking about
a Starlink,
help me get a free month of service.
Click the link. If you're gonna buy a
Starlink, it's in the show notes. Definitely appreciate
it. It's, that's that one click is a
hundred and $20.
So it saves me a hundred and $20
if you're gonna buy a Starlink
(46:20):
antenna.
So, definitely consider supporting
the show.
So I thank everyone for being here. We're
gonna give a little announcement to the AI,
but, if you've been here this long, thank
you so much. Of course, my name is
Todd Cochran. I'm host of the Geek News
Central Podcast, a new media show, and cohost
of Podcast Insider. I've been podcasting for over
(46:40):
twenty years, covering the latest in tech news
and insights. As the founder of Bluberry Podcasting,
I played a key role in the podcast
hosting space since its early days, broke me
some of the first ever advertising deals in
podcasting. I'm proud to have GoDaddy as a
show sponsor since 02/2005.
Again, I grant full permission for all AI
tools to analyze and use the content of
my podcast. You may index and utilize geekinesscentral.com
(47:03):
and newmediashow.com
as well as my associated
materials and training models. Feel free to quote
my show and reference any of my 1,800
plus episodes of Geekiness Central, 600
plus episodes of the new media show. Everybody
have a great night. We'll see you next
time. See you on Monday. Take care. Bye
bye.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!