Somewhat Frank

About Somewhat Frank

Somewhat Frank is a podcast hosted by Frank Gruber, Jen Consalvo, and John Guidos about technology innovations, startups, and personal life. It's produced with the help of our company, Established.

Publisher

Established

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Aug 2018

Latest episode

10 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

89 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Oct 2026

   #0090 - Cord Cutting Costs, OpenAI's Math Breakthroughs, and the Future of AI Safety

   On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber, Jen Consalvo, and Simon Kahan discuss technology, innovation, business, and everything in between, including the rising cost of streaming, AI's growing capabilities, and whether tech companies can be trusted to police themselves. Cord cutting: Are we really saving money? What started as a cheaper alternative to cable has turned into a growing collection of expensive streaming subscriptions. We discuss rising prices, ad-free tiers, subscription hopping, account sharing, bundles, and how households are trying to get more entertainment for their money. OpenAI's math breakthroughs. OpenAI reportedly released full or partial solutions to more than 370 previously unsolved mathematical problems using AI agents. Could AI unlock breakthroughs in medicine and physics, or will we lose something important if machines do all the thinking? AI safety and corporate accountability. Major AI companies have pledged to work together on safety controls and independent assessments. But can companies really police themselves when they're competing to build increasingly powerful AI systems? Maine Tech Week is coming. Frank shares details about the second annual Maine Tech Week, taking place October 19–22 in Portland, Maine. He also highlights the Investor Reverse Pitch on October 21, where investors will explain what they look for in startups and give founders a better understanding of the funding landscape. Learn more: https://mainetechweek.com/ Watching, listening, and doing. Frank talks about seeing Zach Bryan at Gillette Stadium, following the MLB playoffs, and hearing his own songs, "Jellyfish" and "Finger Picking Good," played on 98.9 WCLZ. Jen shares her experience seeing Mt. Joy at TD Garden, while Simon recommends a rewatch of Mad Men and reflects on Don Draper's complicated character. We also upload our episodes to YouTube in video format so you can see us now. Subscribe to Established YouTube for new episodes: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube As always, thank you for listening! Reach out and let us know what you think: somewhatfrank@est.us

2. 

   17 Sept 2026

   #0089 - Remembering Johnny Goodtimes, Apple's New Gadgets, AI Threats, and the Squishy Craze

   On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber (X and IG: @FrankGruber), Jen Consalvo (X: @noreaster), and Simon Kahan (IG: @simonkahan) return after a summer pause and discuss: Remembering Johnny Goodtimes. We honor our friend and co-host John Guidos who passed away recently, and share plans for lasting memorials. Memorial fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/memorials-for-johnny-goodtimes-guidos Frank's tribute: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/frankgruber_this-past-week-we-laid-to-rest-one-of-my-activity-7481398064281202689-iebv Summer adventures and new chapters. Maine memories, Simon's move into documentary production, and Frank's appearance on A Healthy Conversation with Dr. Jeff Barkin and Dr. Lisa Belisle. Listen: https://ahealthyconversation.com/episodes/curiosity-creativity-and-maines-startup-scene-frank-gruber New music. Frank shares Dopamine, Finger Picking Good, and his upcoming release Jellyfish, plus a video filmed with help from his daughter. Dopamine: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/frankgruber/dopamine Finger Picking Good: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/frankgruber/finger-picking-good Jellyfish: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/frankgruber/jellyfish Video reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZxCxHrx06I/ Moonshots and Apple's latest gadgets. From early computer chips to the team's discussion of iPhone Duo, iPhone 18, Apple Watches, and Siri Recap privacy concerns. Apple event: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/ AI's promise and threats. The team discusses Anthropic's September 2026 Threat Intelligence Report, AI misuse, and guardrails. Report: https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026 Better batteries. Jen explores Pure Lithium, lithium-metal batteries, and the challenge of large-scale manufacturing. https://purelithium.io/ (https://purelithium.io/) The squishy craze. Frank's hunt for NeeDoh toys sparks a conversation about collecting, scarcity, trading, and screen-free play. https://schylling.com/brand/needoh/ Testing 1, 2, 3. Decaf coffee, strength training, more water, Frank's ChatGPT menu experiment with The Longevity Diet, and CASEKOO phone cases sent to him to try. The Longevity Diet: https://valterlongo.com/the-longevity-diet/ CASEKOO: https://casekoo.com/ Watching, reading, and listening. Alien Clay, Ted Lasso season four, The Pastor's Wife, and Libby. Jen's recent reads include The Last Romantics, Educated, and Braiding Sweetgrass. Alien Clay: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/adrian-tchaikovsky/alien-clay/9780316578974/ Ted Lasso: https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/originals/ted-lasso/ The Pastor's Wife: https://www.netflix.com/title/81989322 Libby: https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby A final thought: Go do something analog. The Anythink Nature Library in Thornton, Colorado inspires a reminder to explore somewhere new, bring someone you love, and stay curious. https://www.anythinklibraries.org/anythink-nature-library/ We also upload our episodes to YouTube in video format so you can see us now. Subscribe to Established YouTube for new episodes: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube As always, thank you for listening! Reach out and let us know what you think: somewhatfrank@est.us

3. 

   13 Apr 2026

   #0088 - Allbirds, Gold Dust, Claude Mythos Preview and Project Glasswing: The Model Too Dangerous to Release

   On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber (X and IG: @FrankGruber), Jen Consalvo (X: @noreaster), and Simon Kahan (IG: simonkahan) discuss the following topics: AllBirds from Billions to Millions. Pinch of Gold Dust May Be Secret to Bringing Longer Lasting and Safer Batteries to Market. Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview & Project Glasswing: The Model Too Dangerous to Release. We also upload our episodes to YouTube in video format so you can see us now. Check it out on Established YouTube, where you can subscribe to get updates when we drop a new episode at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube As always, thank you for listening, and feel free to reach out and let us know what you think at: somewhatfrank@est.us

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

19

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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