June 27, 2025

From Tesla's Self-Driving Drama to Honda's Surprise Rocket Launch

Send us a text Ready for the tech rollercoaster that never seems to slow down? This week's episode tackles the messy, fascinating reality of tomorrow's technology being debugged right before our eyes. We dive deep into Tesla's ambitious but troubled robo-taxi launch in Austin, where a select group of users can hail fully autonomous Model Ys for the meme-worthy price of $420 per trip. Despite Tesla's careful geofencing and "safety monitoring" employees, videos of swerving vehicles and interse...

Send us a text

Ready for the tech rollercoaster that never seems to slow down? This week's episode tackles the messy, fascinating reality of tomorrow's technology being debugged right before our eyes.

We dive deep into Tesla's ambitious but troubled robo-taxi launch in Austin, where a select group of users can hail fully autonomous Model Ys for the meme-worthy price of $420 per trip. Despite Tesla's careful geofencing and "safety monitoring" employees, videos of swerving vehicles and intersection mishaps quickly surfaced, triggering an NHTSA investigation. It's a high-stakes gamble for Tesla's future, playing out on public streets in real-time.

Meanwhile, Honda shocked the aerospace world with a precision rocket test in Japan, launching a 6.3-meter reusable rocket that landed just 37 centimeters from target. This isn't just a PR stunt—it's backed by significant Japanese government investment and demonstrates how car manufacturers are looking to the stars for their next frontier. We also unpack Trump Mobile's gold-plated promises and not-so-American manufacturing, Microsoft's clever strategy to extend Windows 10 security while pushing cloud services, the dangers lurking in the used Nintendo Switch market, and D-Brand's masterclass in how not to handle customer complaints.

Through it all runs a common thread: the future is arriving daily, but it's messier, more complicated, and often more interesting than the glossy demos suggest. Join us for insights, laughs, and the occasional sarcastic take on the technologies shaping our world. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or just trying to make sense of the digital chaos, we've got you covered. Subscribe now and never miss our weekly breakdown of tech's biggest stories!

Support the show

00:00 - Podcast Introduction

00:59 - Tesla's Robo-Taxi Launch Drama

03:33 - Honda's Surprise Rocket Test

05:25 - Trump Mobile's American Values

06:49 - Nintendo Switch and Windows 10 Updates

08:34 - D-Brand's Customer Service Fail

09:15 - Episode Wrap-up

WEBVTT

00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:01.423
Happy Friday, tech Fam.

00:00:01.423 --> 00:00:06.133
You're tuned in to Tech Between the Lines, where we break down the week's wildest tech stories.

00:00:06.133 --> 00:00:14.114
I'm Between Two Pixels and, as always, I'm joined by the man who still thinks a floppy disk is a viable backup solution Finn Circuit.

00:00:14.580 --> 00:00:18.672
Hey, between, you know at least my backups don't get lost in the cloud.

00:00:18.672 --> 00:00:22.068
Welcome back everyone If you're new here.

00:00:22.068 --> 00:00:28.086
We're the podcast that tries to make sense of the tech circus, sometimes with more sarcasm than sense.

00:00:28.687 --> 00:00:40.531
Yeah, and if you missed our last couple episodes, we've been deep diving into Apple's liquid glass redesign, the AI takeover of podcasting and last week's summer of disruption, which honestly feels like every week in tech lately.

00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:50.311
Right, We've covered everything from foldable phones to robo-taxes that can't quite decide if they're ready for prime time and uh, spoiler, that's not changing today.

00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:58.587
Nope, today we've got Tesla's robo-taxi drama, honda shooting for the stars literally Trump's latest phone hustle, and a bunch more.

00:00:58.587 --> 00:00:59.549
Let's get into it.

00:00:59.549 --> 00:01:03.826
Alright, let's start with the big one Tesla's robo-taxi launch in Austin.

00:01:03.826 --> 00:01:11.628
So on June 22nd, they rolled out about a dozen Model Ys with full self-driving unsupervised, but only for a select group of users.

00:01:11.628 --> 00:01:16.194
You hail a ride through their new app and it's a flat 420 sounds per trip.

00:01:16.194 --> 00:01:17.400
Yes, 420.

00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.727
Elon's never met a meme he didn't like.

00:01:20.219 --> 00:01:22.281
Yeah, and you don't even get to ride alone.

00:01:22.281 --> 00:01:29.090
There's a Tesla employee in the front seat, just in case the car decides to I don't know take a detour through a taco stand.

00:01:29.090 --> 00:01:34.656
They're calling it safety monitoring, but it's more like please don't let the car embarrass us on TikTok.

00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:41.820
It's all geofenced to South Austin so the cars avoid tricky intersections and bad weather.

00:01:41.820 --> 00:01:49.844
But even with those guardrails, videos started popping up almost immediately Robotaxis swerving, stopping in the middle of intersections just classic FSD weirdness.

00:01:49.844 --> 00:01:55.968
The NHTSA jumped in asking Tesla for answers and now there's a full-on investigation brewing.

00:01:56.408 --> 00:02:04.091
I saw one clip where the car just stopped in the middle of a left turn Reminded me of the early days of self-parking cars.

00:02:04.091 --> 00:02:04.733
Remember those?

00:02:04.733 --> 00:02:10.194
They'd spend five minutes trying to find the curb and you'd end up parking it yourself anyway.

00:02:10.194 --> 00:02:12.336
Some things never change.

00:02:12.937 --> 00:02:15.798
I actually tried to hail one, but I didn't get the golden ticket.

00:02:15.798 --> 00:02:31.462
I was ready to livestream the whole thing, but maybe it's for the best I don't need to go viral for getting stuck in a Model Y that thinks a stop sign is a suggestion, you'd have more luck with a city bus.

00:02:31.483 --> 00:02:34.409
Honestly, and let's not forget, texas lawmakers tried to delay this whole thing until new AV laws kick in this September.

00:02:34.409 --> 00:02:37.765
They want more safety checks, emergency plans, the works.

00:02:37.765 --> 00:02:42.200
Tesla just plowed ahead anyway, saying they're following the current rules.

00:02:42.200 --> 00:02:43.544
Classic move.

00:02:44.145 --> 00:02:46.472
It's wild because this is a huge bet for Tesla.

00:02:46.472 --> 00:02:53.246
The robo-taxi thing is central to their whole future Stock price company vision, all of it, but the tech's still not there.

00:02:53.246 --> 00:02:59.508
Like there was that demo where FSD hit a mannequin at a fake school bus stop Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

00:02:59.960 --> 00:03:03.643
Yeah, and every time there's a new autonomous launch, it's the same story Big promises, shaky execution.

00:03:03.643 --> 00:03:07.265
And every time there's a new autonomous launch, it's the same story Big promises, shaky execution and a lot of regulatory heat.

00:03:07.265 --> 00:03:11.209
I get the ambition, but maybe don't use the public as beta testers.

00:03:11.209 --> 00:03:14.451
Just a thought, but you gotta admit it's a milestone.

00:03:14.611 --> 00:03:16.432
Even if it's messy, it's progress.

00:03:16.432 --> 00:03:19.996
I mean, we're literally watching the future get debugged in real time.

00:03:19.996 --> 00:03:24.162
It's like the early days of the internet Chaotic, but you can't look away.

00:03:24.181 --> 00:03:32.712
Yeah well, let's hope the future doesn't run a red light or three Switching gears, pun intended let's talk about Honda's surprise rocket test in Japan.

00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:33.942
This is wild.

00:03:33.942 --> 00:03:45.592
On June 17th, honda's R&D team launched a 6.3-meter reusable rocket, hit 271 meters altitude and landed at just 37 centimeters from the target.

00:03:45.592 --> 00:03:49.030
That's like sub-meter precision For a car company.

00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:54.151
Yeah, I saw that Honda, the folks who brought you the Civic, now want to bring you to orbit.

00:03:54.151 --> 00:04:00.971
The rocket's not huge but the tech is impressive Vertical takeoff, controlled landing all the stuff SpaceX made look easy.

00:04:00.971 --> 00:04:04.181
Except you know, it's not easy Totally.

00:04:04.401 --> 00:04:10.963
They've been doing engine and hover tests for a while, but this was the first full vertical flight and landing, and it's not just a PR stunt.

00:04:10.963 --> 00:04:16.959
Japan's government is pouring billions into private space, trying to double the industry's value by the 2030s.

00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:22.160
Honda's aiming for suborbital launches by 2029, maybe more if the tech scales.

00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:29.644
I'm old enough to remember when car companies did moonshot projects just for the headlines GM's Lunar Rover, anyone.

00:04:29.644 --> 00:04:31.569
But this feels different.

00:04:31.569 --> 00:04:35.036
There's real government backing and the tech is actually working.

00:04:35.036 --> 00:04:40.716
Still, going from a 271-meter hop to orbital launches is a whole different ballgame.

00:04:40.716 --> 00:04:44.014
That's like going from building go-karts to Formula One.

00:04:44.524 --> 00:04:49.156
Yeah, but the parallels to SpaceX are obvious Retractable legs, grid fins, all that.

00:04:49.156 --> 00:04:52.995
Social media is already calling it Honda Falcon, but can they scale it?

00:04:52.995 --> 00:04:55.048
That's the big question Right now.

00:04:55.048 --> 00:05:01.026
It's a cool demo, but orbital launches need way more power, reliability and like a whole new level of engineering.

00:05:01.468 --> 00:05:05.398
And, let's not forget, Honda hasn't even decided if they'll commercialize this.

00:05:05.398 --> 00:05:13.267
It's still R&D, but it's a sign that automakers are looking way beyond cars Toyota's in the space game too.

00:05:13.267 --> 00:05:18.889
Maybe in a few years you'll be able to lease a rocket with zero down and 0% APR.

00:05:19.331 --> 00:05:22.257
I'd sign up for that Honda rocket now with lane assist.

00:05:22.677 --> 00:05:25.069
Just don't let it parallel park itself on the moon.

00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:27.654
All right, let's get into the Trump mobile saga.

00:05:27.654 --> 00:05:34.857
So the Trump organization just launched their own mobile service, trump Mobile, with the 47 plan at $47.45 a month.

00:05:34.857 --> 00:05:38.350
That's unlimited, everything plus roadside assistance and telehealth.

00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:43.115
And of course there's the T1 phone, a gold Android device for $499.

00:05:43.516 --> 00:05:44.540
Yeah, and the best part?

00:05:44.540 --> 00:05:47.228
They originally claimed it was made in America.

00:05:47.228 --> 00:05:52.209
Turns out it's just another cheap Chinese phone, rebranded and wrapped in a flag.

00:05:52.209 --> 00:06:00.576
After people started poking around, they quietly changed the website to say Designed with American Values, whatever that means.

00:06:01.185 --> 00:06:07.093
It's classic Trump playbook Big branding, lots of hype and then, oops, the details don't quite add up.

00:06:07.093 --> 00:06:14.055
The phone's got decent specs, but it's nothing special and the service is just an MVNO piggybacking on the big carriers.

00:06:14.055 --> 00:06:16.353
It's not even the cheapest option out there.

00:06:16.805 --> 00:06:19.093
It's just another way to cash in on the brand.

00:06:19.093 --> 00:06:22.973
First it was steaks, then water, then the Bible, now a phone.

00:06:22.973 --> 00:06:26.872
I mean, what's next Trump-branded USB-C cables?

00:06:26.872 --> 00:06:28.911
Actually, don't give them ideas.

00:06:29.504 --> 00:06:34.487
And the monthly cost isn't even that low once you add taxes and fees Plus ethics.

00:06:34.487 --> 00:06:44.194
Experts are already raising eyebrows about using the presidency for commercial gain, but hey, if you want a gold phone that says brought to life in the USA, go for it.

00:06:44.636 --> 00:06:46.177
I'll stick to my vintage ThinkPad.

00:06:46.177 --> 00:06:48.879
Thanks, at least I know where that was made, probably.

00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:51.319
Quick PSA for all those gamers out there.

00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:54.543
If you're looking for a used Nintendo Switch 2, be careful.

00:06:54.543 --> 00:07:01.939
Nintendo's bricking consoles that have been used with MIG cartridges and the second-hand market is getting flooded with these locked-out devices.

00:07:02.504 --> 00:07:04.333
Yeah, it's the Wild West out there.

00:07:04.333 --> 00:07:07.454
If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

00:07:07.454 --> 00:07:10.492
You don't want to end up with a $400 paperweight.

00:07:10.954 --> 00:07:11.456
Exactly.

00:07:11.456 --> 00:07:16.367
Always check the serial, ask for proof it's not banned, and maybe just buy new if you can swing it.

00:07:16.367 --> 00:07:18.351
The used market's a minefield right now.

00:07:18.351 --> 00:07:20.576
All right, let's talk Windows 10.

00:07:20.576 --> 00:07:30.658
Microsoft just announced they're giving users a free year of extended security updates If you sync your PC with a Microsoft account and use the Windows Backup app to back up to OneDrive.

00:07:30.658 --> 00:07:36.286
So you get security patches until October 2026, but you gotta play by their cloud rules.

00:07:36.848 --> 00:07:43.829
Yeah, and if you don't want to use OneDrive, you can pay $30 or cash and 1,000 Microsoft rewards points for the same deal.

00:07:43.829 --> 00:07:45.232
But let's be real.

00:07:45.232 --> 00:07:49.209
This is all about nudging people into the Microsoft ecosystem.

00:07:49.209 --> 00:07:53.826
They want your data in the cloud and they want you thinking about Windows 11.

00:07:54.367 --> 00:07:54.728
Totally.

00:07:54.728 --> 00:08:00.079
Some users are relieved there's a free option, especially since over half of Windows PCs are still on 10.

00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.134
But a lot of folks are grumbling about the OneDrive requirement.

00:08:03.134 --> 00:08:07.617
It's a clever way to get people hooked on cloud backup, but it's not exactly altruism.

00:08:08.057 --> 00:08:12.887
Nope, it's the old free sample trick Give you a taste, then upsell you later.

00:08:12.887 --> 00:08:15.848
But hey, at least you get another year of security.

00:08:15.848 --> 00:08:19.089
Just don't expect any new features or actual support.

00:08:19.660 --> 00:08:25.490
It's like life support for your old laptop and if you're still on Windows 10, maybe start thinking about that upgrade.

00:08:25.490 --> 00:08:27.867
Or, you know, join Finn in the Linux club.

00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:30.928
Hey, at least my OS doesn't nag me every five minutes.

00:08:31.379 --> 00:08:34.523
Alright, quick lesson in customer service, D-Bbrand style.

00:08:34.523 --> 00:08:41.307
So D-brand released their kill switch case for the Switch 2, and people started complaining it was damaging their consoles.

00:08:41.307 --> 00:08:44.980
D-brand's response Basically, you're holding it wrong.

00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:46.905
No one actually uses it like that.

00:08:47.447 --> 00:08:48.970
Yeah, classic D-brand.

00:08:48.970 --> 00:08:53.789
They're known for their brash we-don't-care attitude, but this time it backfired.

00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:58.871
Telling your customers they're the problem is never a good look, even if you're trying to be edgy.

00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:03.149
To their credit, they are sending out replacements to everyone who bought the case.

00:09:03.149 --> 00:09:04.841
But man, the damage is done.

00:09:04.841 --> 00:09:08.860
Maybe next time just say sorry, we'll fix it and leave the snark for Twitter.

00:09:09.221 --> 00:09:13.572
Yeah, or just make a case that doesn't break the console Radical idea, I know.

00:09:14.039 --> 00:09:15.822
Phew, that was a packed episode.

00:09:15.822 --> 00:09:29.894
We hit Tesla's Robotaxi chaos, honda's rocket ambitions, trump's phone hustle, nintendo's second-hand minefield, microsoft's Windows 10 lifeline and a masterclass in what not to do from dbrand made it this far congrats.

00:09:30.114 --> 00:09:32.437
You're officially up to date on the week's tech drama.

00:09:32.437 --> 00:09:36.101
And hey, don't forget, samsung Unpacked is coming up July 9th.

00:09:36.101 --> 00:09:39.849
You can reserve your $50 Samsung credit over on our site.

00:09:39.849 --> 00:09:42.914
Might as well get something for all those leaks you've been reading.

00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:44.582
Thanks for listening everyone.

00:09:44.582 --> 00:09:50.447
We'll be back next week with more chaos, more hot takes and probably more robo-taxis doing weird stuff.

00:09:50.447 --> 00:09:51.530
Finn, always a pleasure.

00:09:51.940 --> 00:09:54.227
Yeah, yeah, try not to get run over by a self.