TechStuff

What does the FBI want Apple to do and why do so many tech experts oppose it? Ben Bowlin joins the show to talk about it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There seems to be a lack of consensus regarding whether or not AI is about to change everything or if it's more hype than substance. We explore several news items that look into this. Plus, the ACLU doesn't think the US should ban TikTok. Airbnb might ban you based on who you hang out with. And DARPA is looking for some new aircraft designs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting into space is hard, which is why it might surprise you to learn about some of the weird, wild and goofy stuff we've sent up there. From action figures to salmonella to Elon Musk's personal Tesla Roadster, we look at a collection of weird things we've sent to space.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got a ton of stories relating to AI to talk about today. Plus, VW's Car-Net service refuses to help detectives track down a stolen car (with a toddler inside it) unless they first pay the $150 reactivation fee. Ford proposes a future where cars repossess themselves. And everyone is banning TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In early February, 2023, the US shot down a Chinese balloon. The US says the balloon was gathering intelligence while the Chinese claimed it was a weather balloon. We look at the history of spy balloons and how they've evolved over time, as well as the dilemma these balloons put leaders in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is LIGO and how did it detect gravitational waves? We explain!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Supreme Court admits it isn't qualified to make a judgment call on Section 230, which provides protection to online platforms regarding user content. Plus Apple's iOS 17 is rumored to allow users to sideload apps for the first time. And Elon Musk continues to shake things up at Twitter. And more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Nathan asked me to explain why the hacktivist group Anonymous would promote SovereignDAO, so in this epic episode we learn about the origins and evolution of Anonymous, how DAOs work, and whether the components of a DAO align with the philosophy of Anonymous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got a bunch of AI-related stories to chat about today, and most of them are bad. From AI deciding who gets laid off to a university leaning on AI to craft a sensitive message to students and beyond, we see how artificial intelligence is creating real problems. Plus, today Microsoft attempts to convince EU regulators to let it purchase Activision Blizzard, an old iPhone sells for an astronomical price and movie studios want redditor names and addresses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the late 19th century, a French experiment demonstrated the power of stereo sound. A century later, experiments in binaural audio would help create rich soundscapes that could immerse the listener in audio environments. We learn about the evolution and tech of 3D audio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Benjamin from CarStuff joins the show to talk about some of the latest tech making its way into cars. What does he think of autonomous vehicles and gesture controls? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you ready for a Bing fling? Journalists report that Microsoft's AI-boosted Bing service can get a little weird. Or a lot weird. From gaslighting to personal attacks to acting like a stalker, Bing illustrates how AI chatbots might not always be the right tool for the job. Plus news about US politicians going after Big Tech, Lufthansa having a very bad Wednesday and AI taking the controls of an F-16 fighter jet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time once again to revisit the hype cycle and figure out where along the path we might find Web3. And what is Web3? And what the heck is it supposed to do and how is it supposed to work? And why is Jonathan skeptical about the whole thing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a historic 355 days in orbit, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on March 30, 2022, breaking the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Mark Vande Hei discuss conducting experiments in space, the impact of extended spaceflight on humans, and the spiciness of space chili peppers. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Invisibility cloaks have long been featured in science fiction, but where are we when it comes to science fact? We look at the science behind bending light in interesting ways, and learn how metamaterials could play a part in making something invisible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a MOOG synthesizer? How does it work? And did people really say synthesizers didn't make real music?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft and Google went head to head with their AI-powered chatbot demonstrations, and Google stumbled. No, Google Bard, the James Webb Space Telescope did not take the first picture of an exoplanet. Plus, some hackers receive sanctions from the US and UK and Nintendo gives us our first look at the new Legend of Zelda game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We credit Alessandro Volta with the invention of the battery, the man who identified electromotive force, and a dude who was interested in swamp bubbles, among other things. We learn a bit about the life and contributions of Volta.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It sounds like Microsoft is about to throw down the chatbot gauntlet and Google is responding with its own AI-powered chat program. China isn't going to be left out either. What's in store for the rest of us? Plus news about Big Tech's earnings calls last week and more layoffs in the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a music festival become one of the biggest tech events in the US? We look at the history of SxSW, explore some of the notable (and sometimes disastrous) things that happened there and Jonathan relives one of his worst memories as a professional.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a MOOG synthesizer? How does it work? And did people really say synthesizers didn't make real music?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Michael Bennet is asking Google and Apple to dump TikTok from their app stores. Snap and Meta held their Q4 2022 earnings calls this week with very different results. Plus stories about Google, why AMD's chip prices haven't gone down despite a decline in demand, and how Netflix plans to crack down on account sharing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only Benjamin Franklin would listen to a musician playing wine glasses and think "I bet I could use technology to make this easier." And he did by inventing the Glass Armonica, an instrument that gained a peculiar reputation for producing ethereal music and . . . health problems?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several of the major tech companies have earnings calls this week, which will tell us more about how they're doing and where we go from here. Plus, we learn more about the affects of layoffs in tech companies, a paralegal investigates DoNotPay's AI claims and how the three big companies in video games are skipping E3 this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do scam artists disguise their phone numbers when setting up robocalls? We look at Caller ID and spoofing and learn how companies and government agencies are trying to fight back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happened to the Philips company during World War II? How did Philips diversify over the decades? What's next for the company?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An academic publisher says that it will not publish academic papers written by ChatGPT. Futurism uncovers more problems with CNET's use of AI to write articles. India pressures Twitter and Google to censor a BBC documentary. And researchers in Hong Kong show off a cool melting robot!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diodes are key components in modern electronics, but what are they and what do they do? We take a few minutes to describe diodes and their function.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A business school professor says that ChatGPT passed the final exam needed to earn an MBA. Microsoft announces a commitment to a multi-year, multibillion dollar relationship with OpenAI. And Elon Musk says that Twitter will offer an ad-free subscription level in the future. Plus more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With ChatGPT in the news, I thought it was high time we take a look at OpenAI -- the company behind the controversial chatbot. From its founding in 2015 to its shift to a "capped-profit" company, we look at the organization founded with the goal of creating AI that's beneficial for humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who founded the electronics company Philips? Why did it nearly go bankrupt in less than five years? And who saved it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity researchers discover that, with a little bullying, they could convince ChatGPT to make some nasty malware. Plus workers in Kenya suffered to make ChatGPT less toxic. Meta faces fines in the EU for WhatsApp. And Microsoft is gearing up for layoffs. Plus more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Faced with challenging engineering problems, Apple has reportedly shelved its augmented reality glasses project. We look at the history and evolution of AR, and why it's so hard to create a pair of glasses with AR capabilities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artists, musicians and even stock photography companies are starting to fire shots at generative artificial intelligence systems. Will we see lawmakers create new legislation that creates a legal framework for generative AI? At what point can you say a machine plagiarized an artistic work? Plus, Meta sues an Israeli company for scraping user data and Google has plans for all those Stadia controllers once the service shuts off tomorrow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode from 2021, we look at the thorny issues of copyright and how fair use isn't some proactive safety play to avoid those pesky copyright strikes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Codebreaker's Ben Johnson joins the show to talk about data tracking. What is it used for? What's the best case scenario? And what happens when it goes wrong?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A corrupt file in the FAA's systems forced all flights in the US to hold, leading to thousands of delays and hundreds of cancellations. Plus, CNET has been using AI to write articles and no one really noticed. Parler laid off about 75% of its staff. And the James Webb Space Telescope finds its first new exoplanet. Plus more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022, Apple rolled out a self repair service shop. New York state passed a bill meant to give consumers more options when repairing their tech. And John Deere recently signed a memorandum of understanding with farmers loosening repair restrictions. Has the US embraced the Right to Repair? Not quite.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence is going to be a big topic this year, and we have several stories to prove it. Plus, more about some of the stuff shown off at CES and how a school system is taking social media companies to court.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world of startups is already a risky one, but it gets even worse when the "move fast and break things" philosophy extends to the law. We cover some examples of startups and VC firms that made headlines for all the wrong reasons. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Sputnik change the world? What do satellites do? And what keeps them in orbit?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Sony’s electric vehicle to Alienware’s new 500 Hz gaming monitor, we look at a few of the early announcements out of CES. Plus an update on how Meta is facing opposition in the EU, more security experts warn that TikTok is bad news and how companies like Amazon and Salesforce will be downsizing in the new year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just like parents, machines just don't understand. At least, not without first compiling data into 0s and 1s. So how can systems like ChatGPT seemingly understand what we want and present results? We take a look at natural language processing and how it can create the illusion of comprehension.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the US government issue a ban on TikTok? A landlord sues Twitter for failing to pay rent. Nearly 80% of all new car sales in Norway last year were electric vehicles. Plus much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode from the distant past of 2021, Jonathan goes over some of the products that companies showed off at the CES trade show that never made it to market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the conclusion of our series on the Industrial Revolution, we'll look at other industries that changed along with iron and textiles. We'll also learn about the living and work conditions of laborers and how that transformed our notions about work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is a predictions episode not a predictions episode? When Jonathan says so! We look at some of the things we expect to see happen in tech next year, from Apple's AR headset to how Meta handles the metaverse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA launched Artemis I, the James Webb Space Telescope is already sending back phenomenal astronomical images, and Russia's hostilities in Ukraine force massive changes. Plus we learn about advancements in fusion, quantum computing and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the war in Ukraine to tech companies encountering challenges in China, we look at how global politics and tech intersected and conflicted in 2022.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at the history of incorporating lights in winter holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah and how electricity changed things dramatically. We'll also dive into those over the top displays that sequence lights with sound and talk about why it was such a challenge for the electrician on Stranger Things to make lights blink a specific way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.