Weekly Download #87: OpenAI bets big on hardware

Hello , it’s Sunday, May 25 — the day before Memorial Day! Hope you’ve all got some big plans, like seeing a parade, or having a barbecue!

Memorial Day weekend used to mean one thing for me: grilled meat and way too much alcohol with friends. That was the tradition. But I’m 41 now, and this year was a little different.

Instead of barbecue, I spent the weekend tinkering with new AI tools and teaching myself to code. Honestly? I couldn’t have been happier. The wild thing is, you barely need to know how to code anymore. Today’s AI is so advanced, you just describe what you want, and it’ll build it for you.

I’ll probably be talking more about this kind of thing in future editions, so if you’re into it (or totally sick of hearing about AI), let me know in the comments or just reply to this email. I want to hear what you think.

Anyway, we’ve got a packed issue for you this week. Let’s jump right in.

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Giveaway

We’re Running Another Giveaway

The last giveaway we ran was a massive success with over 33K entries. That’s insane.

With that in mind, I promised Weekly Download readers (hey, that’s you) that I would try to secure another prize, so instead of one winner, there would be two. But BLUETTI did one even better and offered two products for an entirely new giveaway.

You can find the new giveaway here. But the gist of it is that we’re giving away two portable solar chargers. And yes, they work independently, so you don’t need a portable charging station to get juice of them.

The giveaway is running now through June 30th. Good luck! c

h Tlerms

Tech Terms

Tech Terms You Should Know

Each week, we’ll break down one buzzy tech term—like “vibe coding”—in plain English, so you can keep up with the latest lingo without needing a computer science degree

How To

How to Make Your Photos Talk Instantly

So, get this: your static photos can now flap their digital gums thanks to HeyGen’s Avatar IV. Yeah, talking photos. What a time to be alive. Or, you know, slightly terrified.

Want to make your old pics say weird stuff? Here’s how:

• Go to HeyGen: From the home tab, look for “Photo to Video with Avatar IV.”

• Upload a Face: Needs to be clear, 720p+, good lighting. No potato-quality snaps if you want something “natural.” Or so they claim

• Add Script & Voice: Type your message. Pick a stock voice, make one, or use a third-party one if you're feeling fancy.

• Click “Generate”: Then wait. And ponder your life choices.

But, Like, Why? Good question. Personalized messages? Next-level memes? The beginning of the end? Probably all of the above. Imagine your stern great-aunt's portrait suddenly cracking jokes. The possibilities are endless, and frankly, a bit alarming.

Just a Heads Up: Look, this is a thing now. It's out there. If you decide to animate your high school yearbook photo, just be prepared for the results. Hilarious? Horrifying? You decide.

So, is this tech genius or just plain creepy? Drop a line if you figure it out

The Big One

OpenAI makes a big bet on devices

This week, OpenAI founder Sam Altman and iPhone designer Jony Ive had a big announcement: The AI giant has acquired Ive’s startup “io” for $6.5B in shares, with a goal of creating a new device that’ll challenge Apple’s dominance.

What does this mean for us, the consumer? So far not much, as information is being kept under lock-and-key. And don’t expect there to be a fount of announcements right off the bat, the company made clear that it could be 2026 (or later) before they have any concrete details.

But you know what? At least they look happy.

Fast Five

Five Stories You Should Probably Know

1.) An AI “Orson Welles” can be your tour guide thanks to Storyrabbit
KnowTechie’s take: If only it could re-create his iconic “drunk commercial outtakes.” [LINK]

2.) Klarna and Zoom CEOs use AI avatars on quarterly calls
KnowTechie’s take: Probably not a smart idea to show your whole workforce that AI can do (part of) your job. [LINK]

3.) Anthropic’s Claude goes off the rails, blackmails developers
KnowTechie’s take: Congrats! You built a snitch bot.[LINK]

4.) Trump signs Take It Down Act against to fight porn, deepfakes
KnowTechie’s take: While this seems like a step in the right direction, some groups are still concerned this could lead to broad censorship. Kevin went deep on the implications. [LINK]

5.) Bluesky letting “authentic and notable” accounts apply for verification
KnowTechie’s take: This is a hell of a way to find out that I’m not notable [LINK]

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Quick Hits

Links Presented Without Comments

JBL announces new audiophile-grade loudspeakers [link]

Marshall releases first-ever Dolby Atmos soundbar [link]

Google I/O 2025: Google debuts AI Ultra, Project Mariner, Gemini app updates and more [link]

OpenAI announces a new coding model at their developer event [link]

Apple vs. Epic Games legal saga continues, with new App Store policy updates [link]

Samsung’s QLED, Neo QLED, and Frame TVs get a Star Wars makeover [link]

Microsoft Build 2025: The age of AI agents and the open agentic web [link]

Apple eyes AI-powered search alternatives, threatening Google’s dominance [link]

Google Search AI Mode launches for all U.S. users [link]

Acer debuts Copilot+ AI-powered laptops [link]

Meta teases new Google Glass–style Ray-Bans [link]

Apple’s iOS 19 and iPhone 17 features leak ahead of fall launch [link]

Lenovo announces ThinkBook Flip AI PC [link]

Gear of the Week

Gear of the Week
Marshall’s First-Ever Dolby Atmos Soundbar

If you’re craving theater-quality sound at home, this is the hardware worth checking out.

Marshall has finally jumped into the home theater game, and their new soundbar doesn’t just look the part—it brings immersive Dolby Atmos audio to your favorite movies and music, wrapped in that classic Marshall design.

It’s a big shift for a brand that’s spent decades focused on guitar amps, and the early buzz suggests it could be a new favorite for both audiophiles and casual listeners alike [LINK].

Tools

Tools

Notion Apps –Turn Notion data into powerful custom apps for your business

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Follow.it –: Designed to simplify content management and subscription services for both publishers and readers. While you’re there, shoot us a follow.

Thanks for reading!

Alright! Thanks for getting all the way to the end. Until next week…….

-Kevin

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