Daily Tech News 2 January 2026

Top Story

OpenAI is betting big on audio. (Tech Crunch)
OpenAI is betting big on audio AI, and it's not just about making ChatGPT sound better. According to new reporting from The Information, the company has unified several engineering, product, and research teams over the past two months to overhaul its audio models, all in preparation for an audio-first personal device expected to launch in about a year.
This is going to sink without a trace and I am here for it.
It's not just the tech giants placing this bet. A motley crew of startups has emerged with the same conviction, albeit with varying degrees of success. The makers of the Humane AI Pin burned through hundreds of millions before their screenless wearable became a cautionary tale.
OpenAI's effort is going to burn through far more money and achieve the same results, which is to say none whatsoever.

We already have phones. They already do everything these AI devices do, and more, and if we don't want to look at the screen, we can just not look at the screen.

But there's a reason video killed the radio star.

At least Tech Crunch has an early entry in its "Dumbest Things in Tech in 2026" roundup.
The phone is dead long live... What, exactly? (Tech Crunch)

OpenAI and the unlamented Humane pin are not alone in this folly. There's billions of dollars chasing this lack of ideas.

The one place where I see possibility is AI glasses. You can integrate a camera and a speaker and a microphone and a tiny display. Your hands are free to do whatever. There are problems, yes, but also real value.

Tech News

On the other hand, Apple reportedly shipped just 45,000 Vision Pro headsets in the fourth quarter. (Financial Times) (archive site)

That has all the listed features - but it's bulky, heavy, costs $3500, and does nothing.
Orange Pi's new single board computer runs circles around the Raspberry Pi 5. (Notebook Check)

It has 16 cores running at 1.9GHz, 10 AI cores each able to perform 4096 multiple-and-add operations per clock cycle, and 48GB or 96GB of RAM. Do not expect this one to be cheap.

They have also announced - at least in China - the Orange Pi AI Studio Pro which runs two of these boards linked together. Price not listed for that one either.
It looks like a NES that shrank in the wash. Inside is a Ryzen 370 12 core CPU. (Notebook Check)

It's designed for emulating old video game hardware, and it will certainly do that, but it seems a little bit overkill.
Sony's PlayStation 5 just got hacked forever. Here's why that's a good thing. (Hot Hardware)

The hack here was the leaking of secure boot keys for the hardware, which means that owners can now jailbreak their PlayStation. Sony can release new hardware that can't be jailbroken - and probably will - but it can't do anything about the 85 million consoles already sold.
It's "Fuck the Consumer" year at the Consumer Electronics Show. (WCCFTech)

Nvidia will announced no consumer products at all, AMD will announce only relabels of existing products, and Intel will announce Panther lake, which is not a bad product unless you need more than four full-speed cores because that's all it has. (And all three versions of Panther Lake announced involve major tradeoffs even with that limit stipulated.)
The European Space Agency got hacked. (Bleeping Computer)

Though the biggest question here is why anybody would bother.
I think I bought too many computers. The parts I need for Froppy just shipped, and I've run out of names for all the others.

On the other hand, I'm now thoroughly covered in case I start having hardware failures in the older systems, and I can re-use all the old RAM and SSDs in newer motherboards. And I didn't pay hyper-inflated prices for any of it.

Musical Interlude

Song is Konya wa Hurricane from the anime Bubblegum Crisis. Anime is... Oh. You guessed.

One of the best opening sequences to anything ever. Apart from the great soundtrack, it introduces us to all the major characters without telling you that they are the major characters, and to the premise of the series without saying a word. There are a couple of minutes of establishing shots before the song starts, but I chose this clip precisely because it has those.

Disclaimer: Burning touch? We have pills for that now.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:00 AM (RuTUS)

2 !!

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:01 AM (MXMX4)

3 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 04:01 AM (Z/INn)

4 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

5 Trying to decide to get up or not

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

6 Song is Konya wa Hurricane from the anime Bubblegum Crisis.
-

I heard Carlson and Owen blame the crisis on the.... Chews.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 04:03 AM (Z/INn)

7 Trying to decide to get up or not

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)
-

/tries to type and comment in sleep just like skip - fails

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 04:04 AM (Z/INn)

8 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at January 02, 2026 04:04 AM (BLOW1)

9 This is my very favorite thing in forever:

5:16 AM · Dec 28, 2024
eigenrobot
@eigenrobot
me: so, your excellency, that's basically what the nation is like in 2024. what's your analysis of the situation? is america still your country?

george washington: we put our flag on the moon?

me: does america still have a future?

george washington: the moon in the sky?

[photo of Neil Armstrong taking a giant leap for mankind]

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:05 AM (RuTUS)

10 I could make French Toast

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:11 AM (Ia/+0)

11 I could make French Toast

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:11 AM (Ia/+0)
-

/tries making french toast without getting up like skip - butter in pan ignites

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 04:14 AM (Z/INn)

12 5 Trying to decide to get up or not
Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

In the kitchen, there are sources of caffeine.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:16 AM (RuTUS)

13 AI is a surveillance tool, nothing more, nothing less.

Posted by: Accomack at January 02, 2026 04:16 AM (EJ7WG)

14 /tries to type and comment in sleep just like skip - fails
----

It is afternoon where you are, right? Napping too long?

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:18 AM (MXMX4)

15 poke..poke

uncaps sharpie, thinks about where to start..

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:24 AM (MXMX4)

16 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 02, 2026 04:27 AM (7Pnfz)

17 An AIwalkmanipodponozune is on the way? Awesome. And just like that we have something to make fun of in 2026.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at January 02, 2026 04:30 AM (HTCU3)

18 >>>I think I bought too many computers.

Banish the negative thinking in the new year!

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:36 AM (RuTUS)

19 I can always nap later

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 04:37 AM (Ia/+0)

20 >>>There are a couple of minutes of establishing shots before the song starts, but I chose this clip precisely because it has those.

At about minute one, I was waiting for it to break into the intro for "Eye in the Sky"--which woulda kinda worked with the visuals!

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:42 AM (RuTUS)

21 13 AI is a surveillance tool, nothing more, nothing less.
Posted by: Accomack at January 02, 2026 04:16 AM (EJ7WG)

At the same time, according to the BBC:

'You're invisible, you don't exist': Life without a birth certificate
Millions around the world are living in the shadows as stateless people as they lack official papers.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 04:53 AM (RuTUS)

22 They don't want to say it out loud but the real purpose of the audio work is capturing the sound and mannerism of aged out or dead actors to make the movies that would have been good casting decades ago but with modern production standards. Unless they choose to have something look dated, like a adaptation of 'Scarlett' with the original cast and appearance of 'Gone With The Wind'. Though they could also remake GWTW with that cast but looking like it was made today with no budget limits.

The big one I'm expecting is Disney adapting the Star Wars EU novels that pick up right after 'Return of the Jedi'. They've already secured the use of James Earl Jones' voice for future appearance of Darth Vader. I've no doubt they're already making overtures to the rest of the core cast, to make millions for themselves or their heir in exchange for nothing more than a signature on a contract.

Posted by: Epobirs at January 02, 2026 04:56 AM (/0z9K)

23 It is afternoon where you are, right? Napping too long?

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:18 AM (MXMX4)
-

A few mins before noon. Sashimi prepped, chicken in the oven, assorted nuts roasted. Lunchtime!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 04:57 AM (b88wL)

24 I don't know if there is a special name for computer keyboards with keys that don't pop up, but I can't stand them.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 02, 2026 04:57 AM (ecekB)

25 according to the BBC
----
Bish Be Crazy say wha?

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:59 AM (MXMX4)

26 25 according to the BBC
----
Bish Be Crazy say wha?
Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 04:59 AM (MXMX4)

Indeed.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:00 AM (RuTUS)

27
LB
@beyondreasdoubt

photo in response to:

Ben Smith
@semaforben
14h
"We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

https://tinyurl.com/yc3pj8a5

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:07 AM (RuTUS)

28
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 02, 2026 05:10 AM (tljrc)

29
Ryan Rasins
@RyanRasins
10h
This video of Secretary Rubio at the NYE party last night gets funnier every time I watch it

https://tinyurl.com/yz2r9z52

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:13 AM (RuTUS)

30 "We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

https://tinyurl.com/yc3pj8a5

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:07 AM (RuTUS)
-

100s of thousands - if not millions - of people will suffer.

There will come a point where citizens will need to decide "them" or "us." Chaos and anarchy are gaining strength.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:13 AM (b88wL)

31 "The warmth of collectivism " eh? Mamdani's supporters who expected a block party got corralled off behind barcades in the cold for security purposes, -understandably-but there was no food and no portapotties. The "NY Post" referred to this as "serf and turf". One supporter said, "I could have watched this at home." D'oh!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 02, 2026 05:15 AM (guLpK)

32 We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

Who wrote this stupid bilge? Surely he didn't .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 02, 2026 05:17 AM (guLpK)

33 Who wrote this stupid bilge? Surely he didn't .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 02, 2026 05:17 AM (guLpK)
-

Perhaps Kamala.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:17 AM (b88wL)

34 Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC
10h

REMINDER: New Yorkers born in America flatly rejected this man.

He was elected by foreigners. If we do not stop foreigners from flooding this country, they will all choose this.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:19 AM (b88wL)

35 also great @eigenrobot

Pinned

eigenrobot
@eigenrobot
Feb 23, 2018
everything 👏 is 👏 monocausal 👏 and 👏 specifically 👏 results 👏 from 👏 whatever 👏 shit 👏 I'm 👏 on 👏 about 👏 at 👏 any 👏 given 👏 time

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:23 AM (RuTUS)

36 Let foreigners vote and you get a foreigner for a representative

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 05:23 AM (Ia/+0)

37 34 Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC
10h

REMINDER: New Yorkers born in America flatly rejected this man.

He was elected by foreigners. If we do not stop foreigners from flooding this country, they will all choose this.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:19 AM (b88wL)

Personal anecdote so FWIW one that I know voted for him because NYC rent is high.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:26 AM (RuTUS)

38 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at January 02, 2026 05:27 AM (AN2gy)

39 Christian devotional on Philippians 1:1-11
"To be continued"- about God with us on our life journeys:

https://tinyurl.com/mtmwy527

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 02, 2026 05:34 AM (oT1li)

40 >>>"We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

Trump Tower hardest hit.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:35 AM (RuTUS)

41 "We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

This guy is central casting for the New Soviet Man.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 02, 2026 05:38 AM (7Pnfz)

42
@Breaking911
11h
MAMDANI: "If your landlord does not responsibly steward your home, city government will step in."

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:39 AM (RuTUS)

43 This guy is central casting for the New Soviet Man.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 02, 2026 05:38 AM (7Pnfz)
-

Unhuman.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:39 AM (b88wL)

44 "We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani
----

He took the oath of office on a book that mandates lying to advance the cause. So, every thing he says is a lie. Typical Democrat.

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 05:42 AM (MXMX4)

45 Shame the powers over Mamdani will try and keep him from implementing Marxism. Kind of hope they fail.

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 05:42 AM (Ia/+0)

46 Steak 🥩 for breakfast
@MeatDietDiary
11h
I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:43 AM (RuTUS)

47 This is like a bonus Saturday for me

Posted by: Skip at January 02, 2026 05:43 AM (Ia/+0)

48 I don't know what he's quoting from, but it's funny:

Mark Noonan
@Mark_E_Noonan
10h
“To totally fuck it up. I mean, seriously: you think if you’ve got a clogged sink the city will fix it in less than six months? Look, there’s a lot going on here; sure, your furnace being out is important…but only to you.”

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:46 AM (RuTUS)

49 Evening and morning, late toilers and earlly risers! It's Friday -- normally the consummation devoutly to be wished; but this week has been an odd one. I'll bet a lot of office people have opted to take a vacation day rather than slog to their desks today. I know I would have. For all I know, my old employer might have included today in the "Winter Break," as they'd taken to calling it. (Gag me with a gopher.)

So! 58 F. here, not much wind, but I've worked out several times this week and am going to take off today. If you're free today, what's on your calendar?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 02, 2026 05:46 AM (wzUl9)

50 MAMDANI: "If your landlord does not responsibly steward your home, city government will step in."
----

How many plumbers, electricians and handymen are in NYC? And how many will work for the city when they are ordered to work for whatever wage the city sets (below union scale)? And how many buildings will experience sudden fire syndrome?

Posted by: clarence at January 02, 2026 05:46 AM (MXMX4)

51 there's endless great stuff on X about this:

Nathaniel Hawthorne's Ghost
@Hawthorne_Ghost
8h
“Every high civilization decays by forgetting obvious things.”
- GK Chesterton

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:49 AM (RuTUS)

52
Patriotic Penguin 🐧
@ElectPenguin
8h
Security deposits for apartments about to skyrocket.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:49 AM (RuTUS)

53 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at January 02, 2026 05:50 AM (2Ez/1)

54 I'm up early because of a certain big black cat, who kept leaping around me beginning about 3:45. The joke's on him: He's not going to see breakfast for another half hour at least.

There were scattered fireworks noises last night, and Stirling crept into the bedroom to hide. On the other hand, Linda scooped up Dagny from her sleep pose on the table and slid her onto my lap, on a pillow . . . and she stayed for almost five minutes while we petted her. I'm trying to manage this each night now. Maybe she'll become a lap cat. Maybe.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 02, 2026 05:54 AM (wzUl9)

55 >> Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

Wolfus, you posted this yesterday morning, and I didn't see until way too late:
"Does this mean that in enough time, the Earth's tilt will decrease to the point there are no seasons?"

No. The earth's tilt is pretty stable (you can think our big Moon for that), but varies from 24.5 to 22.1 degrees over a 41K year cycle. We're on the decreasing leg of that now. It was last at maximum somewhere around 8500BC or so, has decreased to 23.44 degrees right now. It will bottom out at 22.1 then start increasing again.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at January 02, 2026 05:55 AM (w6EFb)

56 Patriotic Penguin 🐧
@ElectPenguin
8h
Security deposits for apartments about to skyrocket.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:49 AM (RuTUS)
-

That's a violation of a landlord's legal responsibility for the stewardship of the tenant's home. This is subject to fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of property.

Prove me wrong.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:56 AM (b88wL)

57 I'm trying to manage this each night now. Maybe she'll become a lap cat. Maybe.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere

Did you get your boots exchanged yesterday?

Posted by: Tuna at January 02, 2026 05:56 AM (lJ0H4)

58 56 Patriotic Penguin 🐧
@ElectPenguin
8h
Security deposits for apartments about to skyrocket.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:49 AM (RuTUS)
-

That's a violation of a landlord's legal responsibility for the stewardship of the tenant's home. This is subject to fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of property.

Prove me wrong.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:56 AM (b88wL)

I'll bet you're right.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:57 AM (RuTUS)

59 "We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," says Mamdani

What Mandami does the the coffers of NYC will make the Somalis in Minn. ashamed of their relative amateurism.

Posted by: No one at January 02, 2026 05:57 AM (qFwJc)

60 Patriotic Penguin 🐧
@ElectPenguin
8h
Security deposits for apartments about to skyrocket.

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 05:49 AM (RuTUS)
-

That's a violation of a landlord's legal responsibility for the stewardship of the tenant's home. This is subject to fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of property.

Prove me wrong.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:56 AM (b88wL)
-

And just wait till squatting is encouraged.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 02, 2026 05:58 AM (b88wL)

61 NY State law prevents security and cleaning deposits from being reasonable. Landlords in NYS have been getting screwed for quite a while.

Posted by: No one at January 02, 2026 05:59 AM (qFwJc)

62 Isn't ace in NYC?

Posted by: m at January 02, 2026 06:00 AM (RuTUS)

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