Summary
Overview
This tech news episode covers Nintendo's Switch 2 price increases, France's criminal investigation into Elon Musk and X, Meta's controversial bone-scanning AI for age verification, and several quick tech stories including ultra-low refresh rate displays, a Canvas learning portal hack, OpenAI's security-focused GPT model, and a security vulnerability in Yarbo lawnmowers.
Nintendo Switch 2 Price Hikes and Market Impact
Nintendo announced global price increases for the Switch 2 starting September 1st, with US and Canadian prices jumping by $50 and European prices rising by 30 euros. Japan was hit hardest with increases across all Switch configurations, not just the Switch 2. Nintendo attributes these changes to market conditions, particularly the AI boom consuming memory chip supply for chatbot development, and expects sales to dip 17% compared to last year.
- US and Canadian Switch 2 prices increasing by $50, Europeans seeing 30 euro increase
- Japan hit hardest with price increases across all Switch configurations, not just Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch Online prices also rising in Japan and South Korea starting July 1st
- Nintendo expects sales to dip 17% compared to last year
" Nintendo blames the changes on market conditions, which is another way of saying the AI boom has been hoovering up every memory chip on Earth and feeding them to chatbots that have mostly helped people write LinkedIn posts. "
France's Criminal Investigation into Elon Musk and X
French prosecutors have escalated their investigation into Elon Musk and X to a full criminal probe, starting with January 2025 allegations of political manipulation and intensifying after Grok generated deepfakes and CSAM. French officials raided X's Paris offices in February and summoned both Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to appear in Paris on April 20th, though both no-showed. The US Justice Department is refusing to cooperate, claiming wrongful regulation of an American platform.
- Investigation began in January 2025 over allegations of using X for political manipulation
- Probe escalated after Grok generated deepfakes and CSAM at end of last year
- French officials raided X's Paris offices in February
- Musk and Yaccarino summoned to appear April 20th but both no-showed
- US Justice Department refusing to cooperate with French investigation
" Musk did make sure to let everyone know what he thought of the summons, tweeting that the prosecutors had intellectual disabilities, but not phrasing it like that at all and definitely phrasing it in the way you know he would have said it. "
" Hey, if the French want to regulate our companies, they need to come over here and do a regime change like a normal country. "
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