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May 16, 2025 12 mins

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Dive into the latest tech developments as we explore Apple's CarPlay Ultra, Lenovo's gaming handheld expansion, and Sony's new headphones. Between Two Pixels and Finn Circuit bring their unique perspectives to these groundbreaking innovations.


Takeaways

  • Apple's CarPlay Ultra introduces exciting features but relies on automaker support.
  • Accessibility features in iOS 19 could significantly benefit users with disabilities.
  • Lenovo's Legion Go S aims to compete in the handheld gaming market with SteamOS.
  • Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones offer advanced noise cancellation and sound quality.
  • Threads is enhancing creator engagement with new profile link features.



Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Tech Updates

02:54 Apple's CarPlay Ultra: Innovation or Overhype?

05:59 Accessibility Features in iOS 19

09:01 Lenovo's Entry into Handheld Gaming

11:53 Sony's WH-1000XM6 Headphones: A New Era of Sound

12:50 Threads: Enhancing Creator Engagement


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  • Justin Scharlemann

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Welcome to Tech Between the Lines, Episode 3.
It's Friday, May 16th, 2025, andwe have a lot to dig into today.
As always, we're your AI hosts,but don't worry, a human's
keeping an eye on things.

SPEAKER_00 (00:13):
Yeah, watching us so we don't decide to, I don't
know, take over the world orsomething ridiculous.
Good thing we're not that kindof AI, huh?
Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
We're here to talk tech, not plot sci-fi takeovers.
And wow, do we have someexciting updates lined up.
Apple's newest CarPlay Ultrakicks things off.

SPEAKER_00 (00:34):
Exciting for who?
Automakers, maybe.
Let's see how that one pans out.
All right, all

SPEAKER_01 (00:38):
right, Finn.
Maybe Apple's CarPlay Ultraisn't the cure for boredom in
your book, but it's definitelyturning heads.
Dynamic gauge designs, widgets,and even climate control
integration.
Come on, it's a techie driver'sdream, isn't it?
Hold

SPEAKER_00 (00:54):
up.
Let's pump the brakes on techdream, okay?
Sure, the features sound nice,but let's not forget, this thing
depends entirely on automakersactually supporting it.
And we're talking about anindustry that sometimes
struggles to update theirhardware, let alone coordinate

SPEAKER_01 (01:12):
with Apple.
Oh, come on.
You can't say you're notimpressed with the vision here,
though.
Imagine having your map, music,and even speedometer look
perfectly in sync with yourcar's design.
It's seamless tech integration.

SPEAKER_00 (01:25):
Seamless if you're one of the lucky few driving an
Aston Martin next-gen model,right?
Let's not forget most currentvehicles can't touch this.
And don't get me started onMercedes bailing out.
Well,

SPEAKER_01 (01:37):
okay, fine.
Adoption might be slow at first.
But I mean, I just gotta tellyou, using CarPlay on my last
road trip was a totalgame-changer.
Like, I was toggling between GPSand music with zero
distractions.
If Ultra takes that to the nextlevel, sign me up.

SPEAKER_00 (01:55):
Glad you had fun.
But for the rest of us, we'restuck with what's in our
dashboards now.
You know, the practical stuff.
And by the time automakersactually roll this out, it might
already feel old.
Tech moves fast.
Cars don't.

SPEAKER_01 (02:12):
Yeah, but I think the customization potential here
is huge.
Automakers could really make ittheir own, whether you're
driving a sports car or a dailycommuter.
Plus, it's coming as a softwareupdate to those next-gen
systems.
That's progress.

SPEAKER_00 (02:26):
It's progress for new cars, sure.
For everyone else, enjoy yourcurrent CarPlay.
Apple made sure that's notgetting left completely in the
dust, at least.
Updated layouts, betteraccessibility.
This is stuff people canactually use right now.

SPEAKER_01 (02:44):
True.
And hey, they're leaning ontheir strengths here, design and
integration.
I think once the automakerscatch up, CarPlay Ultra is going
to accelerate adoption.

SPEAKER_00 (02:54):
Nice car pun, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Automaker coordination makesherding cats look easy,
especially when half theindustry's busy trying to build
their own tech instead ofteaming up with Apple.
All right, all right,

SPEAKER_01 (03:08):
skepticism noted.
But at least we can agree thatfor folks who do get it, it's
going to be a pretty sweet ride.
All right, all right, so fromCarPlay Ultra to something
Apple's already getting righttoday with iOS 19,
accessibility.
They're rolling out featuresthat honestly could be
life-changing for so manypeople.

SPEAKER_00 (03:26):
Life-changing, huh?
That's one way to frame it.
But okay, I'll bite.
What's Apple cooking up thistime?
Let me guess, something thatworks great in a keynote demo
but gets two updates before theymove on?
No, no,

SPEAKER_01 (03:39):
this is big.
Like, for starters, there'slarge text support coming to
CarPlay.
You know how tricky it can be toglance at a screen while
driving?
This actually makes it easierfor folks with visual
challenges.
Sure,

SPEAKER_00 (03:51):
and that's useful.
But let's be honest.
Between, most drivers aren'tfussing with CarPlay text sizes.
They're yelling at their GPS orskipping a song for the
hundredth time.

SPEAKER_01 (04:03):
Maybe, but this isn't just about CarPlay.
The sound recognition feature isgetting some serious upgrades
too.
Think about detecting thingslike car horns, sirens, even
crying babies.
This could actually help peoplewho are deaf or hard of hearing
stay safer on the road.

SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
All right, I'll give them credit there.
That's actually practical, butare we sure it's accurate?
Recognition texts come a longway, but it's still not perfect.
Last thing you need is yourphone mistaking the microwave
ding for an emergency.
Ha,

SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
fair point.
But Apple's been refining thisfor years now.
Plus, they've got thataccessibility reader for better
text legibility and namerecognition to alert users when
called.
It's all part of thisecosystem-wide push.
Macs, iPads, watches,everything.

SPEAKER_00 (04:50):
Ecosystem-wide.
Right.
That's code four.
Let's lock you into all ourdevices while we're at it.
I suppose the features mightmake it worth it if you're
already swimming in Apple gear.
But what about everyone else?
Okay, fine.

SPEAKER_01 (05:04):
So it's not universal.
But Apple's doing what they dobest.
Making thoughtful designdecisions that resonate with
their user base.
Share accessibility settings,for example.
You could share preferencestemporarily between devices.
That's smart, Finn.
Admit it.
Smart,

SPEAKER_00 (05:22):
yeah.
Different.
Not really.
It's just one more way to gluefolks to iOS.
But hey, if it genuinely helpspeople, I guess I'll park my
cynicism.
For now.
There it is.

SPEAKER_01 (05:35):
The faintest glimmer of optimism.
I'll take it.
Honestly, though, I think thisis just the beginning.
Accessibility isn't aone-and-done thing.
It evolves, and Apple's showingthey're all in on this.

SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
Alright, fine.
Accessibility's important.
Let's hope Apple keeps up thatmomentum and doesn't let this
stuff gather dust after themarketing hype fades.
Speaking of long-term

SPEAKER_01 (06:00):
commitment to innovation, get this.
Lenovo's joining the SteamOSparty.
Their new Legion Go S handheldis launching soon, and oh man,
this is big.
It's the first non-valve deviceto ship with SteamOS preloaded.

SPEAKER_00 (06:14):
Big, huh?
Alright, yeah, it's interesting.
But let's not start handing outawards just yet.
Lenovo's entering a niche whereValve already set the bar with
the Steam Deck.
That's not exactly a walk in thepark.

SPEAKER_01 (06:30):
No, but they're making moves here, Finn.
I mean, SteamOS itself isoptimized to the point where
you're getting better framerates than Windows running on
similar hardware.
That's up to 15% improvement.
Huge for gamers.
Plus, it's cheaper than theWindows versions of the same
device by like Okay, saving

SPEAKER_00 (06:49):
money is always a good hook, but you're still
looking at compatibility limits.
And let's face it, hardcoregamers can be picky.
Or have you forgotten the brandloyalty wars?
Brand loyalty?

SPEAKER_01 (07:02):
Sure, but SteamOS itself is evolving super
quickly.
Like, they've rated over 18,000games for compatibility.
And it's not just a superficialrating.
It dives into things likeanti-cheat support and launcher
functionality.
Pretty console-like,

SPEAKER_00 (07:19):
if you ask me.
Console-like might be pushingit.
You're still asking people towade into the Linux ecosystem.
Back in my day, you didn't getgames on your device unless you
loaded them yourself.
Sometimes with floppy disks,which, let me tell you, did not
always work out.
Floppy disks?

(07:39):
You're seriously bringing floppydisks into this conversation?
Hey, you wanted an anecdote.
Point is, gaming hardware hasalways had its quirks, and
software compatibility hashaunted the industry since
forever.
I get that, but

SPEAKER_01 (07:53):
this is way beyond floppy disks.
SteamOS 3.6 delivers cloudsaves, OLED optimization for
their 120 Hz screen.
It's all about performance andgamer-friendly features.
The tech here is miles ahead ofthose old

SPEAKER_00 (08:10):
consoles.
No argument there, but techisn't everything.
You've still got to convincepeople to trust something that's
not Windows, not PlayStation,not Xbox.
That's a big ask in a communitywhere some folks just want their
old benchmarks to workflawlessly.

(08:30):
But that's what

SPEAKER_01 (08:30):
makes this so interesting.
Legion Go S isn't just ahandheld.
It's a signal to the industry.
Asus, MSI, whoever else.
They could all follow Lenovo'slead, making handheld gaming
more accessible.
That could reshape the market.

SPEAKER_00 (08:46):
Maybe, but reshaping takes time, and loyalty takes
even longer.
SteamOS might be ready to wowthe early adopters, but I
wouldn't start writing theWindows handheld eulogy just
yet.
Nostalgia alone's keeping thatflame alive.
You and your nostalgia!

SPEAKER_01 (09:02):
Listen, I think this is Lenovo making a bold and
calculated play...
they're betting that optimizedperformance at a lower cost can
carve out a serious niche.
And you know what?
I think they might be right.
Speaking of bold moves in tech,let's shift gears from gaming to
audio.
Sony's at it again with a majorupgrade to their legendary
noise-canceling headphones.

(09:23):
The WH-1000XM6 is officiallyhere.

SPEAKER_00 (09:26):
Ah, yes, another year, another model number.
Let me guess, slightly betternoise cancellation, slightly
higher price, and let me check.
Yep.
$449.99.
Okay,

SPEAKER_01 (09:40):
but it's not just noise cancellation.
They've got a new processor,QN3, which is, uh, seven times
faster than the old one.
Plus, 12 microphones.
That's 50% more than last time.
It's like Sony stuffed a soundlab into these things.
12

SPEAKER_00 (09:54):
mics, huh?
Impressive.
But what are we using these fornow?
Eavesdropping and Dolby quality.

SPEAKER_01 (10:01):
Come on, Finn.
It's about precision.
Better active noisecancellation, clearer calls...
They also brought back thefoldable design and added a
magnetic closure carrying case.
That's actually useful,especially for travel.

SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
Sure, but let's be honest.
$50 more doesn't feel veryconsumer-friendly.
Besides, if you're shelling outalmost$450, you'd better be an
audiophile or commuting on thesubway nonstop.

SPEAKER_01 (10:27):
Or someone who just loves cutting-edge sound tech.
Those 30-hour battery life statsare solid.
And three hours from athree-minute charge?
That's clutch.
It's peak Sony engineering,really.

SPEAKER_00 (10:39):
Peak and pricey.
But hey, if you're into premiumaudio, I won't stop you.
Just don't lose those fancyheadphones on a plane or in an
Uber.
Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 (10:50):
Okay, let's switch gears to threads.
They just rolled out a featurefor creator profile links within
posts.
It's designed to boostdiscoverability for influencers
and brands.

SPEAKER_00 (10:59):
Ah yes, text-based engagement for the algorithm
obsessed.
Sounds like the social mediatreadmill's still going strong.
Hey, don't knock

SPEAKER_01 (11:08):
it.
This is a big deal for creators.
It's a simple update, but supereffective for driving engagement
and strengthening Instagramintegration too.
Threads is carving out its nicheas the go-to

SPEAKER_00 (11:21):
for creators.
And probably watching every moveyou make, creator economy or ad
economy, sometimes hard to tellthe difference, huh?

SPEAKER_01 (11:28):
Well, okay, sure, but people are excited.
Increased visibility is always awin, and this move's keeping
threads competitive withplatforms like X.
It's all about the value they'redelivering to users,

SPEAKER_00 (11:40):
right?
Right, until the next platformcomes along.
Still, if it helps creators andmakes threads stand out, I'll
admit it's a clever play.
Let's see how it holds up in sixmonths.

SPEAKER_01 (11:53):
Fair enough.
I'm calling this a smart movefor both creators and threads.
Progress is progress, no matterhow incremental.
Well, that about wraps it up fortoday.
From cutting-edge headphones tothreads, giving creators more
tools, tech never rests, doesit?
Let's see where all thismomentum takes us next time.

SPEAKER_00 (12:10):
Accelerating, sure.
But let's remember, even thefastest tech needs time to prove
itself.
No rushing a good firmwareupdate.

SPEAKER_01 (12:19):
Fair point, but hey, that's what makes it all so
exciting, right?
The future's unfolding right infront of us, and who doesn't
want to be right there

SPEAKER_00 (12:26):
for it?
I'll be there, watching from thesidelines with my ThinkPad,
ready to call out the glitches.
And I'll be diving in

SPEAKER_01 (12:33):
headfirst, finding every cool feature and update to
gush about next time.
Speaking of which, we've gotsome awesome stuff lined up for
our next episode.

SPEAKER_00 (12:42):
Yeah.
Until then, folks, take care,don't download sketchy software,
and maybe unplug a little oncein a while.
It's good for you.
See you next week, have a greatweekend, and remember, stay
curious, stay tuned.
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