TechStuff

Who was Alexander Graham Bell? Why did he create the Bell Telephone Company? How was AT&T created? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the story of a video game console that tried to make a big change in the market but failed, and the man who dreamed it all up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Siri evolve once it became part of Apple? From controversial decisions, dramatic departures and reviews that were, well, mixed, we look at Siri's evolution since 2011. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the premise of the horror film Event Horizon? What is an event horizon? How do black holes work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple introduced Siri to the public on October 4, 2011, but the story of Siri goes further back and beyond Apple. We learn about how Siri evolved from a US Department of Defense project in the early 2000s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know nearly 90% of all startups fail? In this episode, we look at a few tech startups that didn't cut it and explore some of the reasons that contribute to failure, and how to avoid them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are scientists improving solar panel efficiency? What do moth eyes have to do with solar panels? How long until solar panels are cheap enough for the average homeowner? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In September 2020, PC gamers went bonkers for new graphics cards called the RTX 3080 and the 3090. What do these cards do, and why was the launch a bit of a headache? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan gives a peek behind the curtain at how TechStuff used to be produced versus how it happens now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are there really companies working on building underwater hotels? What considerations do you have to make to build an underwater structure? When will these hotels open? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once ARM Holdings began to license its processor designs and instruction sets, it was off to the races. Learn how this English company came to dominate the mobile processor market and what might be next. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human trafficking to create slave labor has persisted globally for centuries, devastating the lives of millions, and frustrating those who work tirelessly to end it. On today's episode, John McGrath, Sr. Solution Architect at IBM, and Neil Giles, CEO of the Traffik Analysis Hub, discuss how the IBM Cloud-based Hub, powered by IBM Watson helps organizations securely share and analyze data to help curb modern human slavery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, news broke that Nvidia is seeking to buy ARM Holdings, designers of ARM processors, for 40 billion dollars. Where did ARM come from and what's the big deal about it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How old are steam engines? How do steam engines work? Are there steam engines in common use today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twitch is mostly known as a streaming service that allows people to broadcast themselves playing video games live to an audience. For most, it's a fun hobby. For a few, it's the path to riches. And some high-profile streamers have come and gone and come back recently. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to talk about uninterruptible power supplies, surge protectors, circuit breakers and other systems designed to make sure the electricity we use is safe for us and our devices. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does mobile advertising differ from other online advertising? Why is mobile advertising such a big deal? How will mobile advertising shape online content? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we develop more advanced natural language systems, will we ever reach a point where a computer can detect not just what we say but what we actually mean? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's a Generative Adversarial Network? How can a program create a deepfake video? And how do we tell the difference between what's real and what's computer-generated? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a pacemaker? How do pacemakers control the rate of heartbeats? What was the first pacemaker? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In tech, a black box is any technology that hides the processes that take input and generate output. We see what goes in, we see what comes out but what's going on inside? We look at the black box problem in tech. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we look at the technologies that deliver water to your home, whether it's a well or a municipal water system. Let's get pumped up! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was an online service provider? How did Prodigy get started? Why did Prodigy lag behind other companies? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A TV and movie producer thought that he could do for video games what MTV did for music videos. But the G4 channel would end up alienating the very viewers it sought to attract. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In August 2020, Epic Games and Apple began a very public war involving the video game Fortnite and how Apple processes in-app transactions. We look at the disagreement and what's at stake. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Heisenberg? What was his contribution to quantum mechanics? What is the uncertainty principle? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A computer-generated blog post made it onto a hacker news site. How does computer generated communication work, and is it good enough to fool us? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the video streaming service Quibi all about? How did the COVID-19 crisis throw a monkeywrench in the service's launch? We look at the short, troubled history of this media company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the differences between the three big video streaming services? How do these services earn revenue? Which services have exclusive deals? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the tech powering some of the iconic rides at Disney theme parks? From Omnimovers to Indiana Jones, we explore innovations that put the thrill in thrill rides. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's only been a few months since our last episode about TikTok, but a lot has happened since. We learn about the mysterious Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States and how it could play a role in changing TikTok forever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What tech is used in body modification? Why is Kevin Warwick sometimes called a cyborg? Can grinders give themselves extrasensory powers? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to long-term data storage on computers, there are two main camps. In this episode, we learn how hard disk drives are different from solid state drives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the history of E3? What purpose does it serve? And can anyone attend? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the origin of tattooing? Who invented the tattoo gun? How do piercings work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being left-handed in a world primarily shaped by and for right-handed people can be a challenge, particularly with technology. In this episode, we look at how a right-handed bias can create frustrations for left handers, and how bias in tech can take on more sinister aspects. That was a pun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 has shined a spotlight on the already pressing disparities in public health. In this episode of Tech Stuff, Jonathan Strickland chats with Dr. Kyu Rhee, Chief Health Officer at IBM, and Dr. Irene Dankwa-Mullan, Deputy Chief Health Officer of IBM Watson Health, about how data and technology are helping to address these issues during the pandemic and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the 1970s, Panasonic has moved further from the control of the Matsushita family. But the process hasn't always gone smoothly. From recessions and political events to a dependence on plasma televisions, we learn about the obstacles the company has had to deal with recently. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who invented BitTorrent? How do BitTorrent transfers work? What exactly is a torrent file? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Panasonic, or rather Matsushita, went through a tumultuous period of ups and downs, including allegations of some shady business practices. From high prices in Japan to undercutting American competitors in the US, we look at how the practices of Panasonic shaped not only the company but the electronics industry as a whole. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Japanese electronics company Panasonic is more than a century old. In this episode, we learn of its founding in 1918, how the company survived World War II, and how its founder positioned his company to enter the global marketplace in the 1950s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are storm chasers? What kind of equipment do storm chasers use? What useful information have storm chasers gathered? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next Mars rover scheduled for launch is the Perseverance, which NASA hopes will be able to uncover signs that life once existed on Mars. It also will carry a helicopter-like drone. We learn about the rover, its instruments and why flying on Mars is tricky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the world struggles with the chaotic realities of COVID-19, cybercriminals are pouncing. In this episode of Tech Stuff, Jonathan Strickland chats with Wendi Whitmore, VP of IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence, and Allison Ritter, Program Leader, IBM Security Command Center, about how they are helping businesses stay prepared and resilient within a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are robots and automated systems going to replace human workers? And if so, what then? The fear about automation has a long history and it's not an irrational fear. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is plasma and how do we use it? Why are plasma weapons so popular in science fiction? Are plasma weapons realistic? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to our civil liberties when an algorithm is used by law enforcement to make an arrest? Even more concerning, what happens when that facial recognition technology is racially biased? As we enter an age of ubiquitous surveillance, it’s minorities - especially people of color - who are disproportionately affected. The ACLU has recently filed a complaint on behalf of a Black man who was wrongfully arrested due to faulty police facial recognition tech. It’s the first case in the US, but it’s unlikely to be the last because, according to the ACLU - the tech often can’t tell Black people apart. The organization that has been fighting for civil rights protections for over 100 years, is now calling on lawmakers nationwide to stop law enforcement use of facial recognition technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It started off as an incredible project that promised to bring science fiction into science fact. But years later, the company Magic Leap struggles to stay afloat. What happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How well does the film treat science and technology in Independence Day? What are the big goofs committed in the movie? How realistic is the plan to defeat the aliens? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do the theories of special relativity and general relativity apply to satellites? Why is the speed of light constant, but time and distance are not? We get all Einstein up in here! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.