macOS Mojave beta, Microsoft Surface USB-C dongle, and this week in Elon Musk

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode ranges across major tech and internet-culture stories: Microsoft’s absurdly large $80 Surface USB-C dongle becomes a symbol of USB-C’s messy ecosystem; Apple’s MacBook keyboard failures and Mojave/iOS 12 betas hint at longer-term platform shifts; Intel’s leadership and manufacturing troubles suggest a declining x86 era; Google Duplex shows remarkably human-like phone reservation AI; and rapid-fire segments cover Tesla, phone rumors, AT&T fees, WPA3, Alexa on Fire tablets, and internet culture around Elon fans and TanaCon.

Main Topics: Microsoft’s giant Surface USB-C dongle: The hosts roast Microsoft’s $79.99 Surface USB-C adapter for being oversized, single-port, and emblematic of the awkward state of USB-C adoption and compatibility. Apple’s keyboard repairs and Mojave/iOS 12 betas: Apple finally acknowledges widespread butterfly keyboard failures with a repair program, while Mojave’s Marzipan/iOS-app direction is framed as part of a future ARM transition. Intel’s decline and platform shifts: Krzanich’s resignation, Intel’s manufacturing struggles, and the broader move toward custom ARM/ASIC chips are used to argue Intel and x86 are losing strategic ground. Google Duplex and conversational AI: A hands-on demo of Google Duplex shows highly natural reservation calls with disfluencies and apology loops, raising questions about disclosure, acceptance, and real-world use. Rapid-fire device and carrier news: The episode briefly covers BlackBerry Key2, LG’s five-camera V40 rumor, Samsung Bixby points, Note 9 speculation, and AT&T’s fee increase after the Time Warner merger. Internet culture and fandom: This Week in Internet Culture covers the ambiguity of ‘big dick energy,’ the emotional pull of Elon Musk fandom, and the chaos of TanaCon as a cautionary tale of creator-event hype. Voice assistants and smart displays: Amazon’s Alexa app gains more native functionality and Fire tablets gain Show-mode ambitions, while the hosts debate whether smart displays have a compelling future.

Key Arguments: USB-C’s promise has been undermined by incompatible accessories, poor implementation, and missing ecosystem support rather than the connector itself. Apple’s butterfly keyboard is not just an isolated defect but a design failure serious enough to force a repair program and raise questions about future Mac redesigns. Intel’s problems are structural: manufacturing delays, missed mobile/wireless opportunities, and inability to match the industry’s shift toward specialized chips. Google Duplex is impressive because it imitates human conversational pragmatics, not just speech recognition, making phone automation genuinely useful. The future of Apple’s Macs may be tied to ARM and iOS app convergence, with Mojave’s Marzipan apps seen as a stepping-stone. AT&T’s fee hike illustrates how post-merger “efficiency” promises can quickly turn into consumer price increases. Internet celebrity fandom can resemble religion or crisis support, as seen in Elon Musk fans, while creator-festival failures like TanaCon show how hype can collapse into public disaster.

Data Points: Surface USB-C dongle price: $79.99 - Microsoft’s new Surface USB-C adapter Surface dongle port count: 1 port - Hosts complain it is not a hub and can’t support multiple peripherals Surface dongle power requirement: minimum 27 watts at 12 volts - Required to power displays and the laptop MacBook keyboard warranty extension: 4 years - Apple’s butterfly keyboard repair program coverage window MacBook keyboard model scope: Virtually every MacBook and MacBook Pro with butterfly switches - Eligible devices under Apple’s repair program Intel CEO resignation: 2018 resignation - Brian Krzanich stepped down after violating fraternization policy Tesla layoffs: 9% or about 3,000 jobs - Cuts included a significant portion of Tesla Energy efforts Tesla Model 3 production target: 5,000 cars per week - Musk’s end-of-quarter production milestone Tesla pickup range: 400–500 miles - Musk floated a long-range option in Twitter discussion Tesla pickup towing capacity claim: 300,000 pounds - Musk’s exaggerated-sounding crowd-sourced specs AT&T fee increase: 80 cents to $1.60 - Administrative fee charged to wireless customers doubled AT&T projected extra revenue: $970 million - Estimated from the fee increase across its customer base TanaCon attendance expectation: under 5,000 people - Organizer expectations for the event TanaCon actual turnout: 20,000 people - Reported crowd that caused the convention to collapse Google Duplex rollout status: limited testing in the coming weeks - Google’s planned early deployment WPA3: Announced as successor to WPA2 - New Wi‑Fi security standard meant to fix known vulnerabilities

Pivotal Quotes: "When Type-C is ready for our customers to make it easy for them, we'll be there. But it'll be a dongle." — Panos Panay: Referenced to mock Microsoft’s earlier justification for not fully embracing USB-C "Hi, I'm the Google Assistant. I'm calling on behalf of somebody. And so this call will be recorded." — Google Duplex system (demoed by Google): Shown during the reservation-call demonstration to illustrate disclosure and transparency "I think that Apple's long-term play is to bail on Intel." — Dieter Bohn: Used in the discussion of Mac hardware, Mojave, and ARM transition

Implications: The episode suggests a tech industry in transition: standards are messy, old platforms are weakening, AI is becoming socially usable, and consumer trust will depend on whether companies can deliver convenience without hidden costs or bad design.