Better Offline
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.
Episodes
Mentioned books
46 snips
Jan 27, 2026 • 13min
AI Is Worse Than The Dot Com Bubble: Part One
A sharp look at why the AI boom may inflict far heavier damage than the dot‑com shakeout. The conversation contrasts past winners and spectacular startup flops. It digs into enormous GPU and data‑center spending, depreciation burdens, and how layoffs hide AI economics. The human costs of market collapses and long recovery timelines are also highlighted.
41 snips
Jan 26, 2026 • 56min
Working In The Dot Com Bubble ft. Matt Rosoff
Matt Rosoff, longtime tech journalist and editor-at-large at The Register, recalls life inside 90s web startups and CNET’s rapid rise. He tells stories of early product misses, the cultural excesses that hinted at a bubble, and comparisons between dot-com burn and today’s AI hype. Conversations touch on telecom excess, retail trading mania, and why many premature ideas later succeeded.
112 snips
Jan 23, 2026 • 34min
The Enshittifinancial Crisis: Part Four
In the final discussion of this series, the host explores the dark side of the AI industry. He highlights how banks are hedging risks related to AI loans and details the alarming cycle of debt fueling unprofitable AI startups. Concerns mount as real demand is overshadowed by an oversupply of computing power. Predictions of price collapses and potential market failure raise alarms. The discussion emphasizes the need for accountability in the face of hype surrounding AI, setting the stage for future inquiries.
42 snips
Jan 22, 2026 • 32min
The Enshittifinancial Crisis: Part Three
In the latest discussion, the spotlight is on the looming disaster facing data centers fueled by inflated AI valuations. The podcast delves into how unsustainable business models and immense debt threaten major players. A case study on CoreWeave reveals significant red flags in its financial structure. Concerns about banks heavily backing these ventures, as the impending supply glut looms, raises alarms about potential defaults. There's a fascinating look at contract risks and the fragile nature of financing in this rapidly evolving sector.
57 snips
Jan 21, 2026 • 44min
The Enshittifinancial Crisis: Part Two
The discussion explores how tech giants like AMD and NVIDIA mislead investors through misleading announcements and media hype. Analysts are called out for failing to scrutinize unrealistic financial commitments in the AI sector. The podcast dives into the fragile financial state of AI startups, highlighting the challenges they face with profitability and funding. Ed urges for greater transparency and skepticism regarding corporate promises, pointing out that many rely on dubious financing strategies.
68 snips
Jan 20, 2026 • 36min
The Enshittifinancial Crisis: Part One
In a deep dive into the enshittification of the stock market, listeners are taken through the alarming decline of company value amidst toxicity. The discussion highlights how hypergrowth alters tech priorities, leading to wasted capital and poorer products. Facebook/Meta exemplifies product decay and questionable revenue practices. Analysts are critiqued for ignoring dangerous trends and perpetuating hype, while the role of AI as a growth catalyst draws attention. Ultimately, stocks are likened to casino chips, raising questions about true ownership.
27 snips
Jan 16, 2026 • 8min
Monologue: The Year Ahead
Ed Zitron dives into the unraveling story of Thinking Machines and its founder, Mira Murati, questioning the sustainability of the AI bubble without OpenAI's influence. He critiques NVIDIA's overpriced GPUs and highlights the turmoil within Thinking Machines, including talent poaching from OpenAI. Ed expresses skepticism toward AI jargon and warns that wasted investments could lead to a financial reckoning. He emphasizes OpenAI's critical role, predicting a domino effect on funding if it falters, and promises to track this unfolding narrative throughout the year.
76 snips
Jan 14, 2026 • 1h
The Anti-Consumer Electronics Show with Steve Burke
In a lively conversation, Steve Burke, founder of GamersNexus and expert in hardware analysis, joins to dissect CES keynotes from tech giants like AMD and NVIDIA. They critique NVIDIA's unfocused presentations and AMD's puzzling policy theatrics featuring a White House advisor. The duo dives into the surreal AI promises made and the lack of genuine consumer focus. They also tackle the growing consumer fatigue and the industry's troubling shift towards debt-driven AI investments, leaving listeners pensive about the future of tech.
27 snips
Jan 10, 2026 • 56min
CES 2026: Part Ten (Epilogue)
Cory Doctorow, a passionate advocate for digital rights and technology policy, joins seasoned bartender Phil Broughton to reflect on the 2026 CES. They dive into the quirky traditions of the CES suite and discuss the importance of practical, beautifully designed consumer products versus vaporware. Cory shares insights on Emotional Design, while Phil recounts oddities from the floor, including the bizarre history of shoe fluoroscopes. The conversation also touches on tech industry challenges, online harassment solutions, and the complexities of AI in the workforce.
Jan 10, 2026 • 2h 1min
CES 2026: Part Nine (Friday)
In this engaging discussion, Kyle Chouinard, a local reporter for the Las Vegas Sun, reveals how CES impacts Vegas tourism and the city's efforts to cultivate a tech sector. Garrison Davis, a journalist from It Could Happen Here, dives into the pitfalls of AI hype in product design. Robert Evans from Behind the Bastards shares thoughts on CES's emptiness despite flashy innovations. The trio exchanges humorous anecdotes about bizarre gadgets while addressing serious concerns like AI's influence on jobs and healthcare.
