TechStuff

Where did the WhatsApp messaging service come from, how did it get so popular, and why did Facebook spend so much money to acquire it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does the DMCA exist? What is safe harbor? What does the DMCA have to do with boats? Tune in to learn more with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did IBM define computer graphics standards for the PC? What's the difference between the different standards? And why did the company get out of the graphics game? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While we're not likely to ever see something as sophisticated as Iron Man's suit, there are a number of robotic exoskeleton designs that have made the rounds. In this episode, we look at some of those designs, how they were developed and what they are meant to do. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Wikipedia get started? What was the predecessor to Wikipedia? What are the pros and cons of Wikipedia? Learn more about Wikipedia with Jonathan and Lauren Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It took a lot of time and experimentation for the clamshell laptop to become standard. Today, most laptops follow that style. But companies have made big changes in other features. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cameron Clayton, the General Manager of IBM Cloud Ecosystem and of The Weather Company, an IBM business, joins the show to talk about how artificial intelligence and cloud computing provide the horsepower needed to provide localized tracking tools for the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the very first 55-pound portable computer to establishing the clamshell form factor, we take a look at the history of the laptop computer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the Voyager program? What systems are onboard the Voyager spacecraft? What is on the golden record on the Voyager spacecraft? Tune in and learn more with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the departure of Ken Kutaragi, Sony executives decided that the next PlayStation console wouldn't be as dramatic a departure as the PS3. And we look forward to what might be around the corner with the PS5. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second PlayStation console exceeded all sales expectations, setting the bar for the PS3 incredibly high. But a change in processor architecture would mean the third PlayStation would have a tougher time getting traction in the market. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does radar work? How can stealth planes avoid radar? How many stealth vehicles are in active service in the US? Learn more about the science of stealth with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sony built on the success of the PlayStation and launched an even more popular console: the PlayStation 2. We look at how the PS2 established itself as the best selling home video game console of all time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of the Smart Talks series, Jonathan talks with Bryan Knouse of Project OWL, winner of IBM's Call for Code, and Alisa Maclin of IBM, to learn about how mesh networks can help restore communications to areas devastated by natural disasters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A failed collaboration between Nintendo and Sony would lead to the birth of one of the most popular video game consoles of all time: the PlayStation. This is the story of how that console was born. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are the wealthiest tech billionaires? How did they get so wealthy? Which ones have been on the list a long time? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they explore the life and times of the wealthiest people in the world of tech. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 2000s, a company called Infinium Labs promised to revolutionize gaming with a console called The Phantom. It never materialized. What happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From professional streamers to full-blown championship tournaments, where did eSports come from and is it really that big a deal? We talk with representatives from Alienware and ELEAGUE about professional gaming. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Internet Radio to the emergence of TechStuff, we look at the long and colorful history of podcasts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did broadcast radio get its start? What were the challenges and controversies? And how did the golden age fade into history? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan and Chris discuss the most famous weapon in the "Star Wars" universe -- the lightsaber -- in this episode of TechStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 1, pranks run wild in the tech sector. In this podcast from HowStuffWorks, the TechStuff guys tickle your funny bone with a list of famous April Fool's tech pranks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 1, 1982, EPCOT Center opened at Walt Disney World. But that Epcot wasn't the same thing as Walt Disney's initial vision. We look into the history of a futuristic community. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Lisberger, writer and director of the 1982 film Tron, joins the show to talk about the tech of making the film and the mythology of Tron itself. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess Royal and John Hilton drop what they're doing on Stranger Things to come by the studio and talk about what their jobs require. From Christmas lights to the upside down, we learn about what it takes to make a show work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The creators of Homestar Runner hop on TechStuff to talk about their pioneering work in web series production and how StrongBad is going to catch up on that huge email backlog. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From factory shutdowns to canceled events, the novel coronavirus has wreaked havoc in the tech industry and beyond. In this episode, we explore some of the early consequences and consider what the long-term effects might be. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA is soliciting applications for its astronaut program in anticipation of sending men and women to the Moon. Learn all about the Artemis program, its goals and what comes next! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is fusion? Why is fusion power so challenging? What is cold fusion? Learn more about the challenges -- and potential promises -- of fusion power in this podcast with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 20 years, the Seti@Home program is going on hiatus. How did this project let the average computer user lend a hand in the search for alien intelligence? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a social platform. It's a meme generating machine. It's a . . . threat to national security? It's time to learn about TikTok. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does Han Solo's line about parsecs not make any sense? In the Star Wars universe, what exactly is hyperdrive? Why would hyperspace cause huge causality problems if it were real? Learn more about hyperspace with Lauren and Jonathan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gamification is exactly what it sounds like -- adding an aspect of gameplay to an activity. So why would someone add a game layer on top of an application or service -- and how old is gamification, exactly? Join Chris and Jonathan to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could we blow up an asteroid like in the movie Armageddon? Join Jonathan and Chris as they tackle what may become one of Earth's most important questions: What do we need to do to be better prepared for an asteroid impact? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the purpose of Napster? Who created Napster? How is the Napster of today related to the original Napster? Join Lauren and Jonathan as the explore the rise of Napster. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Archimedes, and what did he actually invent? Join Jonathan as he revisits this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have created a way to 3D print small objects by using beams of light directed at special resin. It's all based off tomography and photopolymers. Here's how it works. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the history of the Segway? How does a Segway work? What are gyroscopes? Listen in and learn more about Segways with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special guest Shea Lee joins the show to talk about Internet folklore, conspiracy theories and hoaxes and how platforms like Facebook and communities like 4chan can perpetuate misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Washington Post published an article revealing that the CIA secretly owned and operated an encryption company for decades. How did that happen and what does it mean? And what lessons should we learn from it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the history of refrigerators? How is a refrigerator like an air conditioner? How does vapor compression work? Learn the cold, hard facts about refrigeration with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What exactly is radiation? How is electromagnetic radiation different from particle radiation? What is ionizing radiation? And how do Geiger counters work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smoke detectors save lives, but how do they work? From photoelectric effects to nuclear radiation, we explore how smoke detectors let you know when there's a fire. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a digital pet? What was the first digital pet? Why did the digital pet craze fizzle out so quickly in the United States? Learn more about the rise and fall of digital pets in the U.S. with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do lighters work? Jonathan explains the mechanics and chemistry behind lighters from their earliest forms to the type you can buy today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How were matches invented? From toxic chemicals to pee science, we learn about matches. And a fictional character stops by to irritate our host. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Nikola Tesla, really? What did he invent? What are some of the popular misconceptions about Tesla and his work? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they explore Nikola Tesla: the man, the myths and the truth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just a few years ago, optimism was running high that we'd have fleets of autonomous vehicles by early 2020. What happened? We learn more about autonomous cars and their limitations in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do all those smart speakers actually work? From basic speaker technology to the complicated science behind voice recognition and natural language processing, we find out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are tractor beams? How do photons normally react with matter? How are scientists using beams of light to pull microscopic objects? Listen in as Jonathan and Lauren explore the tech behind tractor beams. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.