Intel Panther Lake, BitLocker Keys Issue, TikTok US updates + more!

Duration: 10:03

Timestamps:

0:00 just bring it next time :)

0:18 Intel Panther Lake reviews

2:10 Microsoft gives up BitLocker encryption keys

4:04 TikTok US changes, confusion

5:38 QUICK BITS INTRO

5:53 W11 update leaves users unable to boot

6:37 Stop Killing Games EU petition update

7:31 Dept of Transportation using Gemini

8:11 JBL speakers split songs into stems

8:50 Ordering Domino's via Wii in 2026

NEWS SOURCES:

MAINS

PANTHER PARTY

Intel Panther Lake Reviews: apparently it’s good

VideoCardz compiled a bunch of different reviews:

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-core-ultra-300-panther-lake-reviews-are-here-cpu-and-igpu-gains-analyzed

Lineup https://www.notebookcheck.net/fileadmin/_processed_/webp/Notebooks/Asus/ZenBook_Duo_UX8407AA/panther_lake_02-png-q82-w2560-h.webp

EDITOR: show the full table, then zoom in and highlight the parts with “X” in their name

‘Biggest Win in Years’ https://www.wired.com/story/intel-panther-lake-core-ultra-series-3-review/

Multi-core performance https://lmg.gg/4uS2n

‘Exceeds Zen 5 in efficiency’ https://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Panther-Lake-Core-Ultra-X9-388H-performance-analysis-Outpaces-Arrow-Lake-and-exceeds-Zen-5-in-efficiency.1212583.0.html

The Phawx benchmarks https://youtu.be/X9eYQTkzxqU?t=2415

40:15 - Intel beating Ryzen at similar wattage

‘Call it a Comeback’ The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/tech/867214/intel-core-ultra-x9-panther-lake-388h-laptop-cpu-review

Intel has no plans for Strix Halo competitor, says AMD iGPU tech is “not that competitive”

https://www.club386.com/intel-no-plans-amd-strix-halo/

SKELETON KEY’S

Microsoft says they handed over BitLocker encryption keys when govt asked

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/01/22/microsoft-gave-fbi-keys-to-unlock-bitlocker-encrypted-data/

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/

Quotes

“If Apple can do it, if Google can do it, then Microsoft can do it.” https://lmg.gg/OK9Th

“simply irresponsible for tech companies to ship products in a way that allows them to secretly turn over users' encryption keys.” https://lmg.gg/x6jQK

Says they'll do it again https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-bitlocker-encryption-keys-give-fbi-legal-order-privacy-nightmare

Context (for writers, don't include in final sources)

https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/s/teDpVYEh3o

Microsoft can’t access your keys if you don’t store them on their servers; if you’re logged in with a Microsoft account, your Endorsement Key is linked to every machine you’re signed in on.

Luckily, local-only account workaround still works https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/s/rqk6jKII9V

TRASH TOK

TikTok quietly expands location tracking and ad targeting for US users

https://www.techspot.com/news/111061-tiktok-quietly-expands-ad-targeting-location-tracking-us.html

People confused though https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/tiktok-users-freak-out-over-apps-immigration-status-collection-heres-what-it-means/

New Privacy Policy (archive because page was down at time of writing)

https://archive.md/SZMXn

Wired article https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-new-privacy-policy/

GPS, if you let them - OLD https://archive.md/m4PFV#selection-1997.308-1997.404

NEW - https://archive.md/SZMXn#selection-313.314-313.556

AI interactions - OLD https://archive.md/m4PFV#selection-2043.0-2049.72

NEW - https://archive.md/SZMXn#selection-237.0-237.170

TikTok Ad Network https://archive.md/SZMXn#selection-367.469-367.602

Outage

https://www.theverge.com/news/867625/tiktok-down-weekend-broke-fyp-video-uploads-review

Statement https://x.com/tiktokusdsjv/status/2015807214871535741?s=20

“Upscrolled” TikTok-like app hits #12 in top iOS App Store Apps https://www.newsweek.com/upscrolled-app-gains-interest-tiktok-outage-11416480

https://apps.apple.com/us/iphone/charts

https://x.com/realUpScrolled/status/2015797730241601808?s=20

QUICK BITS

BOOTLOAD OF PROBLEMS

Windows 11’s Patch Tuesday nightmare gets worse — Microsoft says some PCs might not boot

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/01/25/microsoft-suspects-some-pcs-might-not-boot-after-windows-11-january-2026-update-kb5074109/

https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-admits-windows-11-update-is-nuking-system-drives-albeit-theres-a-limited-number-of-reports-of-these-disasters

Forum post: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5738869/latest-windows-update-causing-pc-to-fail-to-boot

Screenshot with the error report: https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/January-2026-Update-issues-dashboard.jpg

PETITION FRUITION

Final count for Stop Killing Games petition verifies 1.3 million of its 1.4 million signatures, well above the minimum to be formally considered by EU politicians

https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/final-count-for-stop-killing-games-petition-verifies-1-3-million-of-its-1-4-million-signatures-well-above-the-minimum-to-be-formally-considered-by-eu-politicians/

Games Industry: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/stop-killing-games-eu-petition-signed-by-13m-verified-people

Reddit announcement: https://www.reddit.com/r/StopKillingGames/comments/1qluxts/stop_killing_games_final_count_of_verified/

Signature count image: https://lmg.gg/w63Jo

Reiterate that movement’s goal is NOT to force companies to host games forever, just to give gamers an option to keep playing via local servers, or WHATEVER just something

GEMINI CHASES THE BLACK DOG

The Transportation Department, which oversees the safety of airplanes, cars and pipelines, plans to use Google Gemini to draft new regulations. “We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer. “We want good enough.”

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-artificial-intelligence-google-gemini-transportation-regulations

CPI: https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/government-by-ai-dot-plans-to-use-google-gemini-to-write-regulations/

“Perfect Rule” quote: https://lmg.gg/XV0oe

Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/wildly-irresponsible-dots-use-of-ai-to-draft-safety-rules-sparks-concerns/

NO STAIRWAY!

JBL’s New Speakers split songs into stems using offline AI

https://gizmodo.com/jbls-new-speakers-use-ai-to-silence-your-favorite-songs-worst-guitar-solo-2000713951

BandBox Launch page: https://ca.jbl.com/en_CA/portable-amps.html

Guitar World: https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/amps/jbl-bandbox-stem-ai

Launch Video: https://ca.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-ContentBuilders/default/dw154b68bf/module-builder/jbl/mb-portable-amps/media/bandbox-video.webm

Angus Young Flying clip(0:05 and 1:38): https://youtu.be/eTTdW1bJhc0?list=RD54LEywabkl4&t=5

GAMERS GOTTA EAT

Retro gamer resurrects Nintendo Wii Food Channel, uses Wii console to order Domino’s Pizza — the WiiLink project is the magic ingredient (Video came out last month, article is from this weekend)

https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/hungry-retro-gamer-resurrects-nintendo-wii-food-channel-to-order-dominos-pizza-the-wiilink-project-is-the-magic-ingredient-in-this-feat

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/_Z-yPjYAkjY?t=89

TechEBlog: https://www.techeblog.com/nintendo-wii-food-channel-order-dominos-pizza/

WiiLink page: https://wiilink.ca/services/food/

Domino’s connection guide: https://wiilink.ca/guide/accounts/