Diggnation (Rebooted)

Can You Beat a Boa, Understand Time, and Survive Digg IRL? | E18 | Diggnation

This week on Diggnation: Kevin discovers a squatter secretly living in a staged LA home during a house tour, Alex tries to explain time dilation without having a full existential meltdown, and the team breaks down what actually happened at Digg’s first real-world community meetup. We’re talking mind blanking, deep meditation states that register as sleep, and why your brain sometimes just stops working for a bit. Plus: rollable laptops, modular microLED home theaters, ChatGPT’s 700 million users, and why we’re finally moving the Digg app out of TestFlight and into the App Store for real.0:00:00 – Set flipped, drinks poured, chaos begins anew0:07:06 – Found: one squatter, one closet, zero warning0:10:28 – LA meetup: skeeball, tequila, surprisingly deep convos0:12:09 – Groundbreakers now handing out keys to the castle0:13:44 – TestFlight is dead; long live the public app0:15:41 – Your brain sometimes goes full blank on purpose0:17:55 – Kevin meditated so hard his ring thought he died0:23:44 – Time isn’t real and Einstein broke everyone’s brain0:26:27 – Laptops now roll up like scrolls, because of course0:34:50 – ChatGPT hits 700M users, including your mom0:36:54 – Claude, Gemini, Perplexity: the AI hunger games begin0:58:03 – Kevin vs. boa constrictor: a wildly confident mismatch🧪 ZBioticsGo to https://zbiotics.com/DIGG and use code DIGG at checkout for 15% off your first order.💳 SquareVisit https://square.com/go/DIGG to see how Square can simplify your business or next event.🌐 WixStart building your website today at https://www.wix.comOr jump straight into your free trial here: https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd💰 Monarch MoneyGet 50% off your first year at https://monarchmoney.com with code DIGG at checkout.🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People Mentioned:Justin (Digg's CEO)Mau (Diggnation Producer)Will Harlan (winemaker)Neil deGrasse TysonChris Hutchins (points/miles guy)🧑‍💻 Users Mentioned:@michde – Why does your mind go blank?@sabbah – Zoo Asks People To Donate Their Healthy Pets As Food For Its Captive Predators@linux – Defrag 98: Entertainment from My Youth Complete with Sounds🛠️ Products & Brands Mentioned:Z-bioticsOura RingWorld of WarcraftLenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 6MicroLED displaysChatGPTClaudeGemini (Google Ultra)PerplexitySquareMonarch MoneyUbiquitiAmazonGoogle OpalAmerican ExpressFigmaNvidiaStripeSpaceXWixTikTokMacNVRC DriveTestFlightApp StoreGoogle Play StoreOLED displaysPixel 10Apple Intelligence

Naked Bowling, Grok’s Delusions, and the Great American Party Deficit | E017 | Diggnation

Kevin’s 82 days sober. Alex has a new audio toy. And Grok AI thinks “Hitler” is still trending (yikes). This week on Diggnation, we unpack Bitcoin conspiracies, Commodore nostalgia, and why Americans have forgotten how to party. Also: Nanoblocks, nude bowling, and a startup so weird Google only bought the humans. It’s retro futurism, digital privacy, and a kitchen remodel.Merch store is open! swag.digg.com⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Intro and Welcome  01:13 Justin, CEO of Digg.com Joins  03:04 Kevin's Sobriety Update and "Hooch" Mention  04:08 Kevin's Nanoblocks Hobby  08:10 Alex's Kitchen Remodel and Wine Cellar  11:32 Lossless Audio Streaming with Wiim Ultra  16:53 Digg.com Merchandise & Dark Mode Launch  19:28 Digg.com Desktop Beta & Community Feedback  23:56 Bitcoin Hits All-Time High  25:15 Satoshi Wallet Movement & China Conspiracy  31:58 Bitcoin Holding Strategy & Dollar-Cost Averaging  39:49 Commodore 64 Relaunch & Retro Futurism  41:44 First Computer Memories  46:59 Childhood Pranks & 900 Numbers  50:54 Reviving Old Tech Companies (Claude AI Ideas)  52:41 Grok AI Controversy: Returns "Hitler"  57:38 AI, Misinformation, and Source Truth  1:01:04 Re-testing Grok: "Universe Seeker of Truth"  1:03:59 Why AI Defaults to "Bad" / Human Entitlement  1:14:49 Americans Don't Party Enough & "Netflix and Chill"  1:19:11 Call to Action: Throw More Parties  1:27:05 Windsurf Acquisition by Google & Cognition  1:30:37 The Value of Individual AI Talent & Non-Competes  1:32:55 Nude Bowling & Nudism Discussion  Polycade Marquee – Want to see your custom Polycade marquee featured on the show? Submit a still image or short video (MP4, 1920x360 resolution, 30fps).Public Diggnation Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7ZxENxqQl0TLqGwusbsRPS3wkY5PFk0?usp=drive_linkSponsors:ZBiotics – Pre-alcohol probiotic engineered by real scientists: https://zbiotics.com/diggMonarch Money – Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/DIGGLMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix for healthy hydration. Get a free 8-count Sample Pack with any purchase.  https://drinklmnt.com/diggDeleteMe – Privacy protection that removes your personal info from hundreds of data brokers. Get 20% off with code DIGG at checkout.  https://joindeleteme.com/DIGGWix – Build your own website fast with AI tools or over 2,000 customizable templates.  https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd📰 Top Stories:  • Bitcoin hits $122K, Satoshi wallet stirs conspiracy: www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-14/bitcoin-hits-record-high-of-120-000-as-bullish-momentum-builds  • Commodore 64 relaunches with retro flair: www.commodore.net  • Grok AI slammed for “Hitler” surname bug: x.com/goodside/status/1944266538191622624  • Americans party 50% less since 2003: reason.com/2025/07/11/americans-dont-party-enough-heres-how-to-change-that  • Google buys Windsurf team, not company (no link)  • Nude bowling event goes “Balls Out” in PA: www.pennlive.com/news/2025/07/want-to-bowl-in-the-nude-in-pennsylvania-theres-an-event-coming-up-just-for-you.html👤 People Mentioned:/Alex Albrecht – Host of Diggnation  /Kevin Rose – Host of Diggnation  Justin – CEO of Digg Will Harlan – Provided wine for the show  Johnny – Opened "Curated" wine shop on La Brea  Allison – Alex’s G4 friend, works at Curated  Elon Musk – Associated with Grok AI and Tesla integration  Satoshi – Creator of Bitcoin, linked to wallet movement  Ron Burgundy – Referenced during nude bowling chat  Lt. Joe Cable – Musical role Alex played in college  Cory Feldman & Cory Haim – Mentioned in voicemail ad reference  Jesus – Referenced during AI religion discussion  Joseph Smith – Referenced in AI conversation  Dan Trachtenberg – Director of *Prey*, TRS alum  Zuck (Mark Zuckerberg) – Mentioned in AI talent acquisition  /Mau (Mauricio Balvanera) – Producer of Diggnation and Director of Audio & Media Experiences at Digg  🛍️ Products Mentioned:Bitcoin – Cryptocurrency hitting all-time high  Commodore 64 – Classic computer relaunch  Grok AI – AI chatbot model with QA issues  Windsurf – Coding IDE acquired for talent  Claude – AI model referenced in comparison  OpenAI – AI company mentioned in QA contrast  Perplexity – AI search/chat tool  Gemini – Google’s AI model  Tesla – Car company potentially integrating Grok  Wiim Ultra – Lossless streaming audio device  Apple 2e – Alex’s first computer  IBM PS/1 – Kevin’s first computer  Microsoft Flight Simulator  Rock Band – Game Kevin played with friends  Polycade – Retro arcade gaming cabinet  Nanoblocks – Kevin’s mini block-building hobby  Duplo / Mega Blocks – Referenced humorously  Sonos – Audio system in Alex's home  Tailwind – CSS framework for dark mode  MLS records – Real estate data discussed  Netflix – Referenced in “Netflix and chill” bit  Google – Acquired Windsurf’s team  Cognition – Bought Windsurf’s remaining IP  

A First Look at Digg iOS | E016 | Diggnation

In this episode, the Digg CEO drops by to give a private demo of the iOS app that may or may not change your scrolling habits forever. We also dive into reports that Apple’s been sniffing around Perplexity in a possible bid to stay in the AI race it forgot to enter. Kevin opens up about launching his new podcast *Less Than One*, sobriety milestones, and post-fire clarity. Alex reveals the kitchen remodel purgatory he’s barely survived. Plus: autofocus glasses that might kill bifocals, a whole tangent on local LLMs, and a brief appearance from Jeffrey Dahmer’s hypothetical smart speaker voice. It’s a lot. It’s Diggnation.Polycade Marquee – Want to see your custom Polycade marquee featured on the show? Submit a still image or short video (MP4, 1920x360 resolution, 30fps). Submission details and upload info are available at the bottom of the show notes.Public Diggnation Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7ZxENxqQl0TLqGwusbsRPS3wkY5PFk0?usp=drive_linkSponsors:NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get an exclusive discount on a 2-year plan plus 4 bonus months free, risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.  https://NordVPN.com/diggLMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix for healthy hydration. Get a free 8-count Sample Pack with any purchase.  https://drinklmnt.com/diggDeleteMe – Privacy protection that removes your personal info from hundreds of data brokers. Get 20% off with code DIGG at checkout.  https://joindeleteme.com/DIGGWix – Build your own website fast with AI tools or over 2,000 customizable templates.  https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd00:00 - Episode Introduction & Welcome  00:53 - Kevin’s Sobriety Journey  03:33 - New Podcast “Less Than One” & Minimalism Deep Dive  07:27 - Kitchen Remodel Woes & Swedish Death Cleaning  09:16 - Unify Gear Talk & Justin's Summer of Skin  10:59 - Listener Shoutouts18:08 - Apple Reportedly Eyes Perplexity AI Acquisition  25:31 - Offline LLMs, Elevenlabs, and DIY Voice Assistants  30:31 - Autofocus Glasses That Might Kill Bifocals  43:16 - Tesla FSD in Austin vs. Waymo in the Real World  58:25 - Nvidia Invests in TerraPower: Nuclear Energy Gets a Boost  1:04:02 - Molten Salt & Kinetic Energy Storage: Nerding Out  1:06:09 - Digg iOS Alpha App Demo + What “Gems” Are  1:17:36 - Digg Alpha Tour: TLDRs, AI Summaries & Scroll-Worthy Features  1:24:50 - Final Thoughts, Wrap-Up & Shirt TalkPeople Mentioned:Alex Albrecht – Co-host of Diggnation  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_AlbrechtKevin Rose – Co-host of Diggnation, host of *Less Than One* podcast  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_RoseJustin Mezzell – CEO of Digg, led the private iOS alpha demo  https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mezzell/Mauricio Balvanera – Diggnation producer and Digg Director of Video and Audio Experiences  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maubrowncow/Jason Fried – Co-founder of 37signals/Basecamp, first guest on *Less Than One*  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-fried/Jason DeFillippo – Podcast producer/editor (Grumpy Old Geeks, Art of Charm)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpdefillippo/Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_AltmanElon Musk – CEO of Tesla, discussed in Tesla FSD segment  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_MuskBill Gates – Chairman of TerraPower, mentioned for nuclear energy investments  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_GatesArnold Schwarzenegger – Cited as a humorous AI voice example  https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnoldschwarzenegger/Products & Technologies Mentioned:Less Than One Podcast – Kevin Rose’s new audio-only show  https://lessthanone.showPolycade Arcade Machine – modern plug-and-play arcade cabinet  https://polycade.comUnify Products – in-wall speakers and amps used as Sonos alternative  https://store.ui.com Autodesk Fusion 360 – CAD software used for 3D printing custom components  https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/Perplexity AI – AI-powered search engine and research tool  https://perplexity.aiAmazon Alexa – voice assistant used for smart home control  https://www.amazon.com/alexaApple Intelligence & Siri – discussed in context of underwhelming AI rollout  https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/06/introducing-apple-intelligence/OpenAI – referenced in AI competition and hiring  https://openai.comClaude by Anthropic – AI chatbot alternative to GPT models  https://claude.aiEleven Labs – AI voice cloning from short audio clips  https://elevenlabs.ioWaymo – Alphabet’s self-driving car division  https://waymo.comBMW i4 – electric vehicle mentioned during troubleshooting segment  https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/all-electric/i4.htmlGoogle Gemini – AI-enhanced search used for tech help  https://gemini.google.comTerraPower – nuclear energy company backed by Bill Gates  https://www.terrapower.comNew Scale Power – developer of small modular nuclear reactors  https://nuscalepower.com

Flow by Google, Alex Voices a Predator, and 41 Days Sober | E015 | Diggnation

Kevin’s 41 days sober and glowing, Alex voices a Viking, and AI is still deeply weird. This week, Kevin tries Google's "Flow" video tool, which turns your prompt into something between an ad and a fever dream. Alex talks loop group voice work on Predator: Killer of Killers, and Kevin explains why Eleven Labs’ new AI is scarily good at conversations. Also: red-tinted contact lenses that might give you night vision, Builders AI getting caught with 700 human coders, and a hot take on residuals from the streaming wars. Alex's kitchen remodel is still chaos, Kevin's skin is allegedly better, and yes, Apple is skipping straight to iOS 26. Because of course they are.⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Welcome 01:43 Kevin Discusses Recent Travel (NYC) 02:22 Sober Life Update (41 Days), Physical Effects Discussed 06:32 Diggnation 20th Anniversary Mention (July 1st) 07:41 Alex's New Mac Laptop Purchase (M4 Pro) 13:03 Alex Tries Mascot Harlan Wine 14:16 Kevin Shares Google's Flow AI Video Generation Experiments 24:30 Watching the "Plastic Baby" AI Video 28:00 Discussion of Flow Features (Continuity, Extending Scenes) 29:20 Alex Reveals He is In Predator: Killer of Killers 38:17 Streaming Royalties, SAG/AFTRA, and AI Impact 0:50:54 Apple's Reported Jump to iOS 26 0:55:41 Kevin Shows His New iPhone and Hard Graft Sleeve 0:59:45 Reflections on Aging, Time, and Pet Toaster 1:01:04 Antarctica Trip for Kevin's 50th? 1:03:19 Builder.AI Exposed for Using Human Engineers 1:06:53 Satirical Builder.AI AI Video 1:09:34 Bitcoin and Crypto Bro Kidnapping Story 1:13:17 11 Labs Conversational AI 2.0 Demo 1:23:18 Infrared Contact Lenses Development 1:27:05 Apple AirPods Hearing Aid Feature 1:28:22 Attempting Mouse Contact Lens AI Video 1:32:25 Closing Remarks, Continued Sobriety Reflections📦 Sponsors:NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get a deal on a 2-year plan + 4 bonus months: https://NordVPN.com/diggVuori – 20% off your first order of ridiculously comfortable clothes: https://vuori.com/DIGGLMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix. Free sample pack with any purchase: https://drinklmnt.com/diggZBiotics – Pre-alcohol probiotic engineered by real scientists: https://zbiotics.com/diggMonarch Money – Personal finance app that helps you manage your budget without judgment: https://monarchmoney.com/📰 Top Stories: Builders AI bankruptcy: https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/20/builders_ai_real_people/ Flow AI demo: https://ai.googleblog.com/2025/05/introducing-flow-google-video-generation Infrared contact lens tech: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/night-vision-contact-lenses-infrared Eleven Labs Conversational AI 2.0: https://elevenlabs.io/blog/conversational-ai-update Apple skips to iOS 26: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/15/apple-ios26-2026-plan/👤 People Mentioned: Alex Albrecht – / alalbrecht Kevin Rose – / kevinrose Dan Trachtenberg – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1502434/ Will Harlan – / willharlan Alexis Ohanian – https://www.776.com/team/alexis-ohanian Mauricio Balvanera – / maubrowncow Heather (Alex’s wife) – still hates AirDrop Betty White – timeless icon Wim Hof – https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ Tim Ferriss – https://tim.blog/🛍️ Products Mentioned: Flow (Google AI tool) – https://ai.google/tools/flow/ Eleven Labs – https://elevenlabs.io/ Unreal Engine – https://www.unrealengine.com/ MacBook Pro Max – https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/ Mascot Harlan wine – https://www.harlanestate.com/mascot Builder.AI – https://www.builder.ai/ AirPods Pro – https://amzn.to/3ZakGJV Snapchat – https://www.snapchat.com/ FaceTime – https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380 Kore Shorts (Vuori) – https://vuori.com/products/kore-short Hard Graft – https://www.hardgraft.com/ Costco – https://www.costco.com/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/ Bitcoin – https://bitcoin.org/🎧 Follow Diggnation:Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diggnation-rebooted/id1766027468Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvUwHNLiGqlcTCBKJZInstagram –   https://www.instagram.com/thediggnation  

Quitting Booze, Quitting Alexa, and AI Tries to Replace Us All | E014 | Diggnation

Kevin’s 15 days into sobriety, Alex is resin-printing door parts, and the Digg mobile app is quietly becoming a real thing.This week, AI is either your creative assistant or the reason you need a new career—depending on how you feel about Marvel using bots for its opening credits.Jayci Hayes joins with tales of heli-repelling wildfires, building GameCrib, working with Twitch in its early days, and launching a bottled margarita brand designed to protect citrus from UV light.Also: Alex automates his home with Home Assistant (bye Echo), Apple finally loses its grip on in-app payments, and listener Graz emails in to offer custom Diggnation knives.It’s a caffeine-fueled episode with actual emotional depth and at least one sincere conversation about electrolytes.⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:15 Kevin hits 15 days sober, skips red wine and Jack07:19 Mascot wine list opens to listeners08:41 Graz offers custom chef’s knives10:46 Gemini AI codes games, Bolt builds apps13:53 Kevin hits NYC, Alex sees plays15:23 Sponsor: NordVPN17:50 Made In Grill20:59 Starlink camping + Amazon satellites22:59 Digg app update + $115K raised26:33 AI friends? Still weird33:03 Reddit fights persuasive bots39:33 Kevin goes all in on Home Assistant41:48 Sponsor: LMNT44:54 Guest: Jayci Hayes—fires, Twitch, margaritas50:55 Runway AI makes an animated pilot51:57 Will AI replace creatives?1:03:04 Whoop 5.0 features + sleep guilt1:11:27 Alex prints a custom spacer1:19:06 Apple loses in-app payment fight📦 Sponsors:NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get a deal on a 2-year plan + 4 bonus months: https://NordVPN.com/diggVuori – 20% off your first order of ridiculously comfortable clothes: https://vuori.com/DIGGLMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix. Free sample pack with any purchase: https://drinklmnt.com/digg📰 Top Stories:Reddit tightens AI bot rules: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/06/reddit-will-tighten-verification-to-keep-out-human-like-ai-botsRunway launches AI pilot: https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/runway-ai-studio-animated-pilot-mars-siv-1236381403Whoop 5.0 release: https://www.theverge.com/news/661773/whoop-5-news-price-specs-batteryApple ruling on in-app payments: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-02/ruling-apple-app-store-epic-gamesMade In’s new grill: https://madeincookware.com/collections/grill-pans-and-griddles👤 People Mentioned:Alex Albrecht – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alalbrecht/Kevin Rose – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinroseJustin Mezzell – https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mezzell/Mau Balvanera – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maubrowncow/Will Harlan – https://www.linkedin.com/in/willharlanJohn Graziano – https://grazmakes.com/aboutMike Mazer – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaser/Jayci Hayes – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaci-hays-5174a6/Theo Vaughn – https://www.theovon.com/Mark Zuckerberg – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg🛍️ Products Mentioned:Barebones Pulaski Axe - https://amzn.to/4iX08fjMade In Grill – https://madeincookware.com/collections/grill-pans-and-griddlesHome Assistant – https://www.home-assistant.io/Echo Devices – https://amzn.to/3ZakGJVEleven Labs – https://elevenlabs.io/Plex – https://www.plex.tv/Apple Watch – https://amzn.to/3YJNadzAura Ring – https://amzn.to/437ikNbWhoop 5.0 – https://amzn.to/43dJi5ORunway AI – https://runwayml.com/Fusion 360 – https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360Formlabs – https://formlabs.com/Disney+ – https://www.disneyplus.com/Secret Invasion – https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-4cfe6313-7f5e-4544-af84-d31bf718f65aPhotoshop – https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.htmlKindle – https://amzn.to/3GPDnfPCrucial Conversations – https://amzn.to/42Sz3VI🎧 Follow Diggnation:Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diggnation-rebooted/id1766027468Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvUwHNLiGqlcTCBKJZInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/thediggnation