Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge joins Mikah Sargent this week on Tech News Weekly! How AI is helping elders stay independent & provide companionship. How Apple and Google's app stores are pushing users toward deepfake nude apps, per an organization's report. And inside the crazy backstory behind an AI plush companion.

• Jennifer talks about Samsung's newest updates to its SmartThings Family Care service and how technology and AI are increasingly being used to help take care of elderly people & provide companionship.
• Mikah talks about a report from the Tech Transparency Project that found both Apple & Google's app stores that host & direct users to apps that generate non-consensual nude images of women.
• And Victoria Song of The Verge joins the show to share her review of a $399 AI companion and her very unique experience with the device overall.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest: Victoria Song

Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!
Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Sponsors:

• zscaler.com/security
• Simply CX

Whether you're lending your phone to a kid or relying on maps off the grid, what you don't know about your device's security could come back to bite you. This episode shows why a few simple settings make all the difference when it counts.

• Setting up Medical ID and emergency contacts for safety
• Using Face ID and Guided Access to lock and protect apps
• Offline maps: how and why to download before you travel
• Find My and Life360 for tracking people and devices, with privacy tips
• Apple Messages' Check In and third-party safety apps like bSafe
• WiFi Assist and WiFi Calling: improving the reliability of calls and data
• News: Apple removes outdated Pages, Keynote, and Numbers from App Store
• Feedback: Free access to the Calm app via insurance and company perks
• Picks of the Week: Pokemon Go auto-catch gadget and Picsew screenshot tool

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv.

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!
Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Sponsor:

• shopify.com/ios

A forum called DIYAudio.com recently conducted a fascinating test among its readers: Could they tell the difference between audio signals passed through professional audio cables, wet mud, and bananas? The results might surprise you.

Host: Scott Wilkinson

Download or subscribe to Home Theater Geeks at https://twit.tv/shows/home-theater-geeks

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!
Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.