The WAN Show: Ads, AI, Linux Gaming and Tech News

Online ads and spyware

Linus describes websites where ads obscure most of the content and says he is starting to use ad blocking, while still paying for services and subscriptions he wants to support. The hosts discuss how to decide which sites to allow, and the security risks of malvertising.

Spyware delivered through ads

They cover a Citizen Lab report on targeted, zero-click spyware delivered through online advertising. The report describes malicious ads that could trigger an exploit on selected devices, and says spyware was found on devices belonging to Al Jazeera journalists. The hosts explain real-time ad bidding and discuss the limits of what is known about who commissioned the campaign.

OpenAI advertising and Character AI's finances

The hosts read an OpenAI email inviting LTT Store to explore advertising in ChatGPT. They discuss the prospect of ads appearing in chatbot conversations, the value advertisers may see in users expressing intent, and whether the LTT Store will test the option.

They then discuss Character AI's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The report says the company spent about $10 million a month running its AI while subscription revenue peaked at about $2.8 million monthly. The hosts connect the costs to wider questions about whether AI services can become sustainable businesses, and discuss the trade-offs between frontier models and running AI locally.

Xbox Labs and local AI computing

The hosts consider Microsoft's announcement of Xbox Labs, a group exploring ideas including decompiling and recompiling games. They also discuss local AI tools and hardware, including selecting an AI agent during Windows setup, and ways to combine idle computers into a network for local inference. They see potential in these approaches while noting the cost of capable hardware.

LTT Store October product drop

Linus presents new LTT Store items: a soft-shell jacket, an oversized 100% cotton T-shirt, a blank crew neck, and seasonal colors for existing blanks. He describes design and fit details, including jacket adjustments and the fabric used for the crew neck.

Wi-Fi 8 and Meta accelerator cards

In response to viewer questions, the hosts say Wi-Fi 8 is focused on improving reliability rather than increasing speed. They also discuss Meta's MTIA V2 accelerator cards, noting the apparent lack of public documentation and uncertainty about whether they can be used outside Meta's own software environment.

PlayStation piracy and Linux gaming

Overdrive on jailbroken PS5s

The hosts explain that Overdrive was a homebrew app for jailbroken PS5 consoles that presented a store-like interface for free games and downloadable content sourced from third-party hosts. They say the PlayStation Store itself was not hacked, and discuss the reported takedown, Sony's firmware updates, and the possibility of streaming game assets as a way to limit piracy.

Fortnite's planned Linux support

Epic is preparing a Linux version of its launcher and rebuilding its anti-cheat system, but has not announced a release date; the Steam Deck is not currently supported. The hosts discuss what broader Linux game support could mean and connect it to competition that might encourage Microsoft to improve Windows.

Xbox Nano controller and a personal trip

The hosts discuss Microsoft's compact Xbox Nano controller, its intended portability, and how it might suit travel and smaller hands. The conversation briefly turns to Linus's trip to see the Northern Lights in Whitehorse, including the viewing conditions and the group's plans to go out again the following night.

Vibe-coded software alternatives

The hosts discuss ArtCraft and proposed WordCraft, GridCraft, and DeckCraft apps as free, open-source alternatives to established creative and office software. They describe the projects as works in progress and argue that alternatives need ongoing development, reliability, and useful features to displace established products. Linus gives an example of a small household task that a custom AI tool could help organize.

Victor's upgrade and sponsor messages

Linus describes a video about Victor's upgrade, which included refreshing a Toy Story PC, installing a washing machine, and putting together an arm-wrestling training setup. The show then includes sponsor messages for AMD, MSI, UPDF, and Scribe.

Windows search and the RTX 5090

The hosts discuss announced improvements to Windows 11 search, including changes to results and search suggestions, and question whether the feature should be rebuilt rather than incrementally improved. They then cover reports that NVIDIA may stop selling RTX 5090 cards, which NVIDIA has not confirmed. The discussion turns to reported prices, the absence of a clear replacement, and the long period in which games have continued to target older console hardware.

Tape to Tape and show announcements

The hosts discuss the upcoming 1.0 release of Tape to Tape, including its trailer, gameplay additions, and a possible Linus appearance in the game. They also announce the LTT Forum's ninth annual Folding Month, Floatplane content, and a request for pumpkin-carving suggestions for a stream.

Running PC games on Android

The hosts cover GameNative, an open-source Android app for running games owned on Steam, Epic, and GOG locally on capable Android devices. They explain its use of known configurations and discuss DroidDeck, which provides Valve's Steam client interface on Android. They consider how these tools could make fuller gaming experiences available to people whose main gaming device is a phone.

Tesla Roadster 2

The hosts discuss a demonstration of a Roadster prototype using thrusters and performing a flip, as well as the announced versions and claimed performance. They note that production timing and specifications have changed since the original announcement, and question whether the car will ship as described.

Apple's home products and the RTX Spark review

The hosts cover Apple's announced home hub, HomePod mini, Apple TV, and encrypted smart-home accessories. They then compare audience interest in an RTX Spark review with other recent videos and discuss who the laptop is for. They consider local AI use, the device's constraints, and NVIDIA's apparent aim to own more of the AI hardware stack.

Bot traffic, data centers, and military targets

The hosts discuss reports of reduced bot traffic after Ukrainian strikes on Russian Yandex data centers, while noting uncertainty about which kinds of bots were affected. This leads to a broader discussion of data centers as potential infrastructure for military and information operations, and whether they could be considered legitimate targets.

Deezer's AI-music filter and drone simulators

Deezer plans to add a setting to hide fully AI-generated music, and the hosts discuss the service's reported figures on AI tracks and suspected fraudulent streams. Linus describes music recommended to family members that they later identified as AI-generated. The conversation then briefly turns to a drone simulator, including Bodycam's drone support.

After Dark: Intel GPUs, GrapheneOS, and badminton

In the closing question-and-answer segment, the hosts discuss whether Intel might release future discrete GPUs, and check the availability and prices of the Arc B580. Luke says he has not tried GrapheneOS and would first need to make more changes to his own setup to benefit from it. Asked why he plays badminton rather than tennis, Linus says he fell in love with badminton.