Apple’s iOS 26, Xbox’s Open Future, AMD’s 256-Core Beast – Late June | DogHouse25
From stolen Switch 2 consoles and heartbreaking save data losses to game-changing tech breakthroughs and heartwarming family stories, this week’s DogHouse Download has it all. Discover how Apple’s new iOS 26 is empowering parents, Microsoft’s Xbox is breaking free, and a man with ALS is speaking (and singing) again thanks to AI. Plus, meet Leon—a young gamer creating his own Roblox universe on a seasoned PC and a spark of imagination. Dive in and get caught up fast with DogHouse25!
Wanna listen? Check out: DogHouse 25 | iOS 26 Parental Controls, Xbox Update, Switch 2 Heist & More (Show Notes!)
Bark Bits Articles
Apple’s iOS 26 Brings Major Parental Control Upgrades.
LINK: Here’s How iOS 26 Helps Parents Keep Their Kids Safe | PCMag
At Apple’s June Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company unveiled iOS 26, the latest software update. This fall, Apple will roll out an iOS with a focus on digital safety. The update, currently in beta, will add a few tools for parents to keep their kids safe, including being able to approve or deny new contacts on messages and FaceTime (Directly from the Messages App).
Parents will also be able to specify an age range for apps instead of providing a specific birthday. The App Store also offers tiers for age ranges and more precise ratings. Safety tools are also expanding: iOS 26 will blur nudity in FaceTime and Shared Albums, and extend web filters to teens up to the age of 17.
Apple’s aim is simple: to empower parents while keeping kids’ data and privacy protected.
$1.4 Million Nintendo Switch 2 Heist.
LINK: Someone Stole 2,800 Nintendo Switch 2 Consoles Worth Over $1 Million | PCMag
If you live in Texas, you might see a shortage of Switch 2s in stock at the moment. In early June, a shipment of Switch 2 consoles was en route from Nintendo’s headquarters in Washington to GameStop in Grapevine, Texas. However, during the inspection in Colorado, the driver discovered that pallets of Switch 2’s had been stolen, 2,810 to be exact, estimated to be worth around $1.4 million.
Local authorities in Colorado are investigating to determine if the incident occurred in Colorado or somewhere else along the way, and are treating this as a felony cargo theft. Investigators urge anyone who might have information to contact their tip line.
So, what does this mean for those consoles? It raises concerns specifically around the reselling of these consoles. Buyers are warned not to purchase from unauthorized sellers, as Nintendo can track the serial numbers, rendering them unusable and potentially banning them.
Switch 2 Save Transfer Nightmare: Pokémon Players Lose Decades of Progress.
LINK: Pokémon players say they’ve lost years of gameplay due to Switch 2 save data transfer issues
Unfortunately, the Switch 2 news isn’t finished. Early adopters of the Switch 2 have discovered a major flaw in the console, which is causing significant grief and frustration.
Originally posted to Reddit, the user ThatOtaku26 reported losing over 1,000 hours of Pokémon gameplay, including those collected since the Game Boy Advance era, after transferring Pokémon Scarlet/Violet from the original Switch to the Switch 2. Even though the transfer process appeared to complete without error, their save file vanished entirely, leaving only the language-selection screen on both consoles.
This issue isn’t limited to Pokémon. Other players report losing saves from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8, and more. Nintendo currently relies solely on local transfer with no cloud backup for these games. While Pokémon HOME offers cloud storage, it only secures individual Pokémon—not game progress—unless you pay for a premium plan. The lack of automatic backups highlights a significant vulnerability: any hiccup during migration, hardware failure, or device replacement could result in the loss of years of gameplay.
Please don’t risk it before switching consoles; manually back up your progress. Transfer Pokémon not just individually via HOME, but also consider preserving other essential game data, though options are limited. Nintendo’s silence leaves users calling for robust cloud-save support for all major Switch 2 titles.
Microsoft’s Next‑Gen Xbox: Powered by AMD, Liberated from Store Locks
LINK: Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox has an AMD chip inside and is ‘not locked to a single store’ | The Verge
Microsoft has officially confirmed its next-gen Xbox will be powered by a custom AMD chip, developed through a new multi-year partnership. But the real game-changer? This console won’t be locked to a single storefront. Players will be able to access and install games from multiple platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, marking a significant shift toward openness and flexibility in the console space.
According to Xbox president Sarah Bond, this move aligns with Microsoft’s broader goal of creating a unified gaming ecosystem across console, PC, cloud, and handheld devices. The next-gen Xbox will still support full backward compatibility, meaning your existing library comes with you. In many ways, this device is shaping up to be more like a gaming PC built for the living room, blurring the lines between traditional consoles and open-platform gaming.
Intel’s Nova Lake Leak Raises the Stakes in the Core Wars
Intel is reportedly preparing a major leap with its upcoming Core Ultra 9 “Nova Lake‑S” desktop CPUs, rumored to boast an eye-popping 52-core setup (16 high-performance Coyote Cove P‑cores, 32 standard Arctic Wolf E‑cores, plus four low-power Arctic Wolf E‑cores) under a 150 W TDP. Even more compelling are the platform features: support for staggering DDR5‑8000 memory, a total of 32 PCIe 5.0 lanes for graphics and SSDs, and an impressive 16 additional PCIe lanes for peripherals. However, using a shared 2 MB cache per chiplet pair suggests a performance tradeoff—especially for compute-heavy P‑cores—a compromise Intel might offset with the ultra-fast memory support.
AMD’s EPYC Venice: 256-Core Powerhouse for AI & Cloud
LINK: AMD unveils 2nm Epyc Venice with 256 cores for next-gen AI and cloud workloads | TechSpot
AMD has unveiled its upcoming EPYC “Venice” server CPUs, built on the cutting-edge 2 nm TSMC process and based on the new Zen 6 architecture. Slated for launch in 2026, Venice will support up to 256 cores (512 threads) in its Zen 6 C high-density variant—an impressive 33% core increase over the current Turin lineup—and deliver up to 70% faster performance per socket thanks to both higher core counts and enhanced per-core efficiency. It will also dramatically boost memory bandwidth, reaching 1.6 TB/s via support for 16 channels of DDR5 and advanced memory modules, while doubling CPU-to-GPU data rates with up to 128 PCIe lanes (likely PCIe 6.0), ideally positioning Venice for AI training and analytics workloads.
Venice will debut on AMD’s new SP7 platform, which supports the higher power and I/O demands of these massive processors, including up to 600 W TDP for full 256-core chips. AMD also plans a smaller SP8 variant limited to 128 cores. With up to 1 GB of L3 cache, expanded PCIe lanes, and compatibility with the upcoming Instinct MI400 GPU ecosystem, Venice aims to power AMD’s next-gen Helios rack-scale AI systems. As the flagship of AMD’s server roadmap, Venice represents a major leap in performance density, keeping AMD ahead in the high-performance data center and cloud markets.
Honda’s Rocket Test Could Signal a New Space Race
LINK: SpaceX’s Next Big Rival Is…Honda? Watch the Carmaker’s Test Rocket Fly | PCMag
In a surprising move, Honda successfully launched and landed its first experimental reusable rocket, marking a bold step into the space industry. The compact test vehicle reached nearly 900 feet, hovered midair, and landed with incredible precision, within just 37 cm of its target. The demo highlights Honda’s growing focus on reusable rocketry, a field dominated by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Although still in its early research stages, Honda aims to achieve suborbital flight by 2029 and possibly enter the satellite launch market. Backed by JAXA and part of a broader push to become a mobility company beyond cars, Honda’s entry could reshape the private space landscape. SpaceX may not have a direct rival yet, but Honda’s on the launchpad.
Man With ALS Speaks Again Thanks to Brain Implant and AI Voice
LINK: A Man With ALS Can Speak and Sing Again Thanks to a Brain Implant and AI-Synthesized Voice
In a breakthrough, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have enabled a man with ALS to speak and even sing again using a brain-computer interface (BCI) and an AI-generated voice. After receiving four microelectrode implants in his speech motor cortex, the system decodes his brain signals in real time, allowing him to speak at around 32 words per minute with up to 97.5% accuracy.
What sets this apart is the realism: the AI replicates his pre-ALS voice, complete with emotion, pauses, and even filler words like “hmm.” After just 1.5 hours of training, the system expanded to recognize over 125,000 words, enabling natural, expressive conversation. This represents a huge step toward restoring real-time, human-like speech for people who’ve lost their voice to disease or injury.
AI-Powered Hearing Aids Reconnect Mainers to the Hearing World
LINK: AI-powered hearing aids reconnect Mainers to the hearing world
In Maine, residents with hearing loss are experiencing life-changing improvements thanks to AI-powered hearing aids. These devices utilize artificial intelligence to distinguish speech from background noise, automatically adjust to various environments, and offer a more natural and effortless listening experience. For many, it’s the first time in years they’ve been able to hear loved ones, join conversations, or enjoy simple sounds like birdsong.
The technology doesn’t just amplify sound—it learns from the user’s habits and surroundings, offering personalized enhancements over time. By making hearing more intuitive and less frustrating, AI hearing aids are helping Mainers reconnect with their communities, regain confidence, and improve overall quality of life.
Gaming Spotlight
- Escape from Duckov: A solo top-down shooter set in Duckov, where you scavenge supplies, build a hideout, and upgrade your combat skills—just don’t get caught, or you’ll lose your gear and fight to bounce back. (Free Demo on Steam, To Be Released: 2025)
- Metro Gravity: Explore, fight, solve puzzles, and bend gravity to escape the dream-like world of the Halls! (demo released 6/19)
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria: The only survival crafting game set in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth™. (As of this recording, it is on sale for 40% until June 26th)
- The Operator (Epic Game of the Week – Available until 6/26 at 10 am) Welcome to the FDI: where your detective skills and our cutting-edge software combine to crack cryptic cases, assist field agents, and unravel the truth behind the world’s most mysterious crimes.
A Heartwarming Pack Talk!
We got a message the other day from Dianne, a longtime customer of ours, that was truly heartwarming. Fourteen years ago, Dianne purchased an Armor ES from us. She loved playing World of Warcraft on it. About 3 years ago, we helped her upgrade it so Leon, her grandson, could continue using it.
Leon and his sister have been getting into Roblox, but they’ve been experiencing some performance issues with it, particularly on the graphics side. He did a bunch of research, and they ended up getting an RTX 3060. He installed it completely on his own!
He and his sister are spending their summer building their own game in Roblox. How incredible is that?
At the end of the day, this is what it’s all about. We get to play a small part in helping families create, play, and grow closer through the computers that we build. Leon, we can’t wait to hear about your Roblox game that you and your sister end up making this summer!
Check out Leon putting his own graphics card in!
Tags: Gaming News, Tech News, Nintendo Switch 2, Save Data, Apple iOS 26, Parental Controls, Xbox, AMD, Intel, Brain Computer Interface, ALS, AI Hearing Aids, Honda Rocket, Roblox, Gaming Community, Game Development, Family Gaming, PC Gaming, Podcast Episode, DogHouse Systems
Wanna Join Our Mailing List? Click Here!
Contact Us:
Email: podcast@doghousesystems.com
Leave us a voicemail: 214-810-4347
Direct Message: Instagram | Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | Threads
© 2025 DogHouse Systems, Inc.
