29 Sept 2025
This Tektak episode, number 128, covers a wide array of recent tech news, from user lawsuits against Apple Intelligence and new scientific studies on sleep to space tourism and advancements in AI. The discussion critically examines market trends, product features, and societal issues, often with a humorous and skeptical perspective on industry claims and local consumer experiences.
Tektak 128, a weekly show, began with greetings and a mention of anti-drug hotlines, setting a casual and informative tone for the week's tech news, including some 'strange stories'.
Greene Green is highlighted as the episode's sponsor, featuring a PC base designed for upgradeability, a 150-watt power supply, support for Intel's 14th generation processors, TPM capability, and competitive pricing.
Dissatisfied users are suing Apple over alleged misleading advertising for iPhone 16 features, particularly affecting users with specific 'CH' part numbers who found promised features unavailable. Plaintiffs claim they would not have purchased the iPhone 16 if they had known these features would not be released on time.
The American complaint process is contrasted with Iran's, where consumer complaints often face ridicule and are disregarded, highlighting a systemic issue in addressing consumer grievances for local brands like car manufacturers.
A new study indicates that looking at screens before bed increases the likelihood of insomnia, with Norwegian researchers analyzing data from 45,202 students and finding a 60 times higher chance of insomnia, leading to 24 minutes less sleep per night.
Katy Perry safely traveled to space as part of Blue Origin's N31 mission, which notably included an all-female passenger list; the flight cost approximately $150,000 for a seat.
Iran announced its readiness to build joint satellites with neighboring countries, despite a history of past failures with domestically launched satellites, with the head of the Iranian Space Research Institute emphasizing technological diplomacy and a shift towards transparency in space activities.
Apple surpassed Samsung to become the world's best-selling mobile brand in the first three months of 2025 with 19% market share, followed by Samsung (18%), Xiaomi (14%), and Vivo/Oppo (8% each), with other brands accounting for the remaining share.
A new initiative to insure student mobile phones and laptops for significant amounts (e.g., 50 million tomans for a laptop, 25 million for a mobile) is criticized as impractical and expensive, with users advised to carefully read terms and conditions due to difficulties in claiming payouts.
Nothing unveiled its CMF Buds, featuring custom 11mm drivers, Direct Opto audio settings, Ultra Bass 2.0, upgraded Bluetooth 5.4, Google and Microsoft fast connection support, 48dB active noise cancellation, IP55 rating, and a combined 55 hours of battery life with the case, priced at $60.
The Windows Snipping Tool received an update, enabling users to extract text content directly from screenshots, offering a convenient new feature for quickly accessing information from images.
Apple introduced new Beats-branded charging cables in red, blue, black, and bone colors, available in 20-centimeter and half-meter lengths, priced at 1.8 million tomans.
Car insurance pricing in Iran is subject to unusual rules, with vehicles priced below 50 times the monthly 'blood money' designated as 'conventional' cars, and premiums often calculated based on the most expensive models, leading to disproportionately high costs for average cars.
macOS 15.4.1 was released to fix two critical security vulnerabilities, including a CoreAudio flaw that could allow remote code execution through malicious media files, enabling hackers to steal data or take full control of devices.
Samsung is developing new One UI features focused on concise information display, with new Quick Share functionality, while anticipation builds for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, and the Vanios 8 is introduced, available only to South Korean users initially.
Grok, the AI on X/Twitter, now includes a memory feature, allowing it to remember past conversations and build context for future interactions, enhancing user experience.
Instagram officially unveiled a new 'long' feature for Reels, an invite-only function enabling users to watch Reels together in group chats or one-on-one calls, with notifications for reactions to encourage continued direct conversation.
Google introduced Gemini 1.5 Flash, a more affordable and efficient AI model that builds on its predecessor, designed for speed and cost-effectiveness with a million-token context window, and is set to replace previous preview versions.
The 'Dune' book series by Frank Herbert and his son Brian Herbert is highly recommended for its deep, vast, and mysterious world-building, with a suggestion to read the English version due to potential censorship in Persian translations.
The segment addressed various reader comments, including appreciation for the program's content, questions about Sony's plastic battery, AI recommendations for writing, volume adjustments, and inquiries regarding electronic component pricing discrepancies in Iran.
The business community, with respect, has two rules: if the dollar becomes expensive, prices rise; if the dollar becomes cheap, prices remain high because goods were bought expensively.
| Topic | Key Insight | Impact/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Intelligence Lawsuit | Users are suing Apple over misleading advertising of iPhone 16 features, especially for 'CH' part numbers. | Plaintiffs claim they would not have purchased the iPhone 16 if promised features were known to be delayed or unavailable. |
| Insomnia Study Findings | Looking at screens before bed significantly increases the likelihood of insomnia. | Norwegian study of 45,202 students found a 60x higher chance of insomnia, resulting in 24 minutes less sleep per night. |
| Katy Perry Space Flight (Blue Origin) | Katy Perry completed a space flight with Blue Origin's N31 mission, an all-female crew. | A seat on Blue Origin's flight costs approximately $150,000. |
| Q1 2025 Mobile Market Share | Apple overtook Samsung as the best-selling mobile brand globally. | Apple: 19%, Samsung: 18%, Xiaomi: 14%, Vivo/Oppo: 8% each. |
| CMF Buds by Nothing Features | New earbuds offer advanced audio and noise cancellation at a competitive price. | Custom 11mm drivers, 48dB ANC, Bluetooth 5.4, IP55, 55-hour battery life (with case), $60 price. |
| Windows Snipping Tool Update | The Snipping Tool now allows text extraction from screenshots. | Users can take a screenshot and subsequently extract its textual content. |
| Car Insurance Pricing in Iran | Car insurance calculations in Iran are inconsistent and often disadvantageous to consumers. | Prices rise with dollar value but don't fall; 'conventional car' definition affects premiums, often making insurance disproportionately expensive. |
| macOS 15.4.1 Security Fix | A critical security update addresses vulnerabilities that could lead to remote code execution. | The CoreAudio flaw allowed hackers to steal sensitive data or take full device control via malicious media files. |
| Google Gemini 1.5 Flash AI | Google launched a more affordable, efficient, and powerful AI model. | Features a million-token context window, designed for speed and cost, soon to replace previous preview versions. |
