TechStuff

Before the United States entered World War II, RCA was developing an electronic television. How did TV work and what did RCA do while the country was at war? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How important is a digital camera’s image sensor? What are the two main types of image sensors? Which type of image sensor is best? Tune in as your favorite tech gurus (that's Jonathan and Chris) answer these question and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RCA is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019. How did this company get started and how did it dominate radio for years? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AOL Time Warner arrangement was doomed not long after it was formed. What led to AOL splitting off and where is the company today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do helicopters work? Why does a helicopter need a tail rotor? What is a quadrocopter? Join Jonathan and Chris as they look at the quirky contraptions called helicopters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When AOL acquired Time Warner, people worried that the new mega company would become an unstoppable force. Instead, the relationship became known as the worst merger of all time. What happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What did the Atari 2600 have to do with the birth of America Online? We look at the company's origins and how it helped usher in the online age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is plasma? How do plasma cutters work? Are plasma weapons possible? In this episode, Jonathan and Chris break down the basics of plasma, along with its potential applications. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan gives a bird's eye view on CES 2019, with a hint of the old, the new, and the just plain view. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan is joined by Daniel Whiteson of Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Daniel works in the field of experimental particle physics and conducts research using the LHC. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is overclocking? What is a clock cycle? Why would you want to overclock a computer? In this episode, Chris and Jonathan explore the pros and cons of overclocking computers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Instead of making predictions for 2019, Jonathan decided to create a show about what he hopes will happen over the next 12 months. From video games to corporate policies, here's his wish list. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of 2017, TechStuff made some predictions for the following year. Now it's time to find out if Jonathan is really a time traveler. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a radio telescope? How can we “see” with radio waves? Why are radio telescopes so large? Join Chris and Jonathan as they explore the nuts and bolts of radio telescopes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We reflect on some of the biggest tech stories to emerge in 2018. From scandals to giant business deals, how did tech impact the world? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After months of speculation (not to mention outlandish competition), Amazon finally announced the location of HQ2, its second headquarters. What's the story behind the decision and how might Amazon change Arlingon and Long Island? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do radio-controlled toys work? What frequencies do RC toys use? Why do some toys interfere with each other? Join Jonathan and Chris as they break down the nuts and bolts of radio-controlled toys. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people talk about the Singularity, what do they mean? How far off might it be? Or is it even a realistic notion at all? We look at the arguments for and against the idea. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concluding our episodes on driverless cars is a look into the arguments for and against the technology. Does it make sense? Is it ready? What are the different levels of autonomy and how far along are we? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is RAM? Why do computers need RAM? How is RAM different from ROM? In this episode, Jonathan and Chris take a closer look at the nuts and bolts of RAM. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the 2007 Urban Challenge, several companies began to pour some serious money and effort into developing driverless car technology that could roll out onto real-world roads. From Google to Uber, we take a look at some of those projects. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the 2007 Urban Challenge differ from the two earlier DARPA Grand Challenges? And how did that set the stage for where autonomous cars would go next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the mid 2000s, the Department of Defense R&D agency DARPA sponsored competitions in an effort to kickstart autonomous car technology. This is the story of the 2004 and 2005 challenges. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wouldn't it be awesome if your car took you where you needed to go without you having to touch the wheel? In this episode, we look at the history behind the driverless car concept. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is abandonware? Can you acquire abandonware legally? What does copyright law have to do with abandonware? In this episode, Jonathan and Chris break down the basics of abandonware, how it occurs and what it means for software users. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If there were a time traveler among us, how would we know? Jonathan takes a look at various strategies to catch that pesky time traveler who may be meddling with your life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no doubt about it: Mars is trying to kill you. It's just not very good at ranged attacks. But get close enough? BAM! What challenges will we have to overcome if we ever visit Mars? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On November 26, 2018, NASA engineers and scientists celebrated upon receiving confirmation that the Martian lander InSight had touched down successfully. What does InSight do and what will it tell us about the Red Planet? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where did the Fallout series of games come from and how have they evolved? From its origins as a game engine experiment from Interplay to the newly released online game Fallout 76, we take a look at this popular franchise. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who invented the automated teller machine? How do ATMs keep track of your money? What is an ATM skimmer? Join Chris and Jonathan as they take a deeper look at the past and present tech of ATMs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems like electric scooters are everywhere and dockless scooter businesses are becoming the next big thing. Where did these companies come from and why have some cities pushed back? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at the history of the Transmission Control Protocol and why the next version of HTTP won't be relying upon it. What does TCP do and how does it work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In mid November, 2018, Sony dropped a bombshell - the company would not attend the 2019 E3 conference. Has the video game trade show outlived its usefulness? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hydrogen is the most plentiful substance in the universe. Could it also be the fuel of the future? In this episode, we look at the challenges and opportunities related to a hydrogen economy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the two main types of night vision? How can you see heat? Why do some night vision systems only display in monochromatic green? Join Jonathan and Chris as they explore the tech behind night vision. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A piece in the New York Times examined how Facebook navigated a tricky situation through questionable strategies in the wake of multiple scandals. What did the journalists find out and how has Facebook responded? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Black Friday, and how did it spawn Cyber Monday? From business trends to marketing schemes, we take a look at the history of holiday shopping online. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, it's possible to manipulate photos and videos in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago. We look at a research project that uses computers and AI to map the movements of professional dancers to the images of people who have two left feet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do tunneling machines work? We look at the science and tech behind burrowing under the Earth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the parts of a thermostat? How do bimetallic thermometers work? What is a mercury switch? In this episode, Chris and Jonathan break down the mechanics of thermostats. Tune in to learn what happens when you flip that mysterious switch on the wall. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did DARPA navigate the choppy political waters in the wake of the Vietnam War and the rise of the counterculture movement? From a re-branding to a new focus on stealth technology, we look at DARPA's work in the 1970s. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From weather satellites to horrifying herbicides, we explore some of DARPA's projects during its first years of operations. How was this agency meant to counteract missile attacks and insurgent uprisings? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a Soviet satellite kickstart the R&D branch of the US Department of Defense? We look at how DARPA was founded and the problems it was meant to solve. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Research in Motion? What did the company do before inventing the Blackberry? Why do so many people direct criticism at RIM today? Tune in as Jonathan and Chris answer these questions and more in this long-awaited episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ongoing debate in Europe concerns whether or not we should extend the concept of personhood to robots. Why would we do such a thing and what would it mean? And why are many computer scientists opposed to the idea? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA launched the Kepler telescope in 2009 to stare out into space. In October, 2018, the telescope "retired." What did we learn from it and how did it work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We continue our story about John von Neumann, the mathematical genius. From his work on the Manhattan Project to creating what we now call von Neumann architecture, we learn how his work changed the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hungarian-born mathematician John von Neumann made numerous contributions to mathematics, computer science and more in his relatively short life. In this episode, we learn about his meteoric rise in academia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the three types of metal detectors? How do metal detectors use electromagnetism to detect stuff? What kind of stuff can create interference when using a metal detector? Tune in as Jonathan and Chris explore the technology behind metal detectors. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October, 2018, a portrait created by an artificial intelligence program sold at auction for more than $400,000. But there's controversy surrounding the story - did the team that created the work of art steal the artist? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.