TechStuff

Did a pair of programmers make a chatbot that passed the Turing Test? What exactly is the test and has anyone beaten it before? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot has happened since we first talked about the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. We present the Rift's history and how prototypes work, then explore news from military interest to a lawsuit claiming the Oculus team stole the technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have seen the Indiegogo solar roadway project. What are the goals of solar roadways? Are they realistic? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the manufacturing process for carbon fiber? What properties does carbon fiber possess? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inventor Dean Kamen created a robotic prosthesis, nicknamed the Luke arm, to help patients regain self-sufficiency. The FDA recently approved it, so we wanted to revisit a classic episode about Kamen and one of his other inventions: the Segway. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carbon fiber is an amazing material. Where did it come from? And were people really making it in the 19th century? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Twitch and why is Google so interested in it? We take a closer look at the video streaming service giving gamers huge audiences. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the technology behind the British warship, HMS Victory? How was it constructed? Where is it now? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clothes dryers have evolved from precarious, fire-bellied devices to the increasingly green machines we know today. We cover the history of dryer tech, plus the newest innovations and NASA-funded research. And, of course, explain how they work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What goes into making a planetarium work and where did they come from? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, a documentary crew went out to the desert to dig up some legendary Atari cartridges. It reminds us of this classic TechStuff episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, HBO is known for its original programming that's so popular people can't stop pirating it. We look at the company's current strategy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happened to HBO once cable subscriptions hit a saturation point? We look at how the company transitioned from startup to corporate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the Home Box Office network get its start? And how did it grow into the giant it is today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Solar Impulse 2 is scheduled to fly around the Earth in 2015 using only solar power. Say what? How is that even possible? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are we using hydrogen today and how might we use it in the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could hydrogen be the fuel of the future? We look at the most plentiful element in the galaxy and discuss the possibility. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes washers tick? How have they evolved over time to become more energy efficient and conserve water? And what's going on in there? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Tor? What's the web under the web? What's really going on? We dish out the details. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the Heartbleed bug and is it really as bad a security flaw as people make it out to be? We look at what Heartbleed is and why you should be concerned. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's PerkinElmer been up to lately? From spy sattelites to medical screening procedures, we take a close look at the company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did two different divisions come together to form PerkinElmer? What does the company do? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has the Digital Age improved the centuries-old practice of fingerprinting? We explore the history of fingerprint tech and explain how modern scanners use optics, capacitance, heat and ultrasound to create prints that are harder than ever to hack. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are ads on the Web a necessary annoyance? The creators of ad-blocking software don't think so. We dig into the history of browser extensions like AdBlock and explore the controversies around them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did TechStuff get started? What's the story with hosts Lauren and Jonathan? We take you behind the mic to explore our recording process and the HowStuffWorks audio studio -- with help from a few special guests. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Internet Relay Chat? How does IRC work and what does it do? TechStuff looks at this legacy chat tech. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where is the Tesla Motor company today? Tesla hasn't always traveled on a smooth road - pun intended. How did the company weather tough financial times? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the Tesla Motor company get its start? We examine the ambitious and troubled early history of the electric vehicle company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is happening with Bitcoin? What was Mt Gox and Flexcoin and why have they shut down? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's going on with Bitcoin? Is the digital currency doomed? We look at how it works and the recent problems surrounding the cryptocurrency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the story behind some of the more recent handheld gaming devices? Which ones failed and which succeeded? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did handheld gaming get started? We look at the origins of the electronic handheld game craze and how it evolved in the early years. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has near-field communication (NFC) technology changed credit cards? We explain the principles behind NFC and its applications in the credit card industry. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a polymer banknote? We look at this special type of currency, how it's made and why it's important. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Twitter grow to become the juggernaut it is today? We look at the company as it changes regimes (twice). Where could Twitter be heading to next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Twitter get started? We explore the controversial history of Twitter and how it emerged from a company called Odeo. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is net neutrality and why is it in trouble? We reexamine the concept of net neutrality and look at how recent court decisions in the US put it in jeopardy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are Beacons and what do they have to do with Bluetooth? We look at how a simple technology could make shopping a breeze - or track your every move. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the deal with Steamboxes? Jonathan and Lauren look at Valve's approach to the living room gaming market and debate the pros and cons of the Steambox. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Ray Dolby? TechStuff takes a look at the life and work of a man whose inventions changed how we experience sound. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are archaeologists using high-tech tools to study ancient, forgotten ruins? We look at everything from radar to satellite imagery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dust off your fedoras as we look at the tools and techniques used in archaeology! In this first part, we explore basic tools and carbon dating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can a company that makes thermostats be worth $3.2 billion? We look at Nest Labs and how it may fit into Google's future. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan recently returned from CES 2014, and has loads of information about the newest tech hitting the marketplace. What were the big winners of CES 2014? Were there any surprises? Tune in as Jonathan and Lauren catch you up on the details. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite all the Y2K hype, the world kept turning on January 1, 2000. Did we have nothing to fear to begin with, or did we narrowly avoid technological Armageddon? We explore how the Year 2000 Problem worked. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ultrasonic waves let medical professionals see what's going on inside us without ever making an incision. But what makes sonography so effective? Join Lauren and Jonathan as they look into the history and amazing applications of ultrasound technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are invisible cars and exploding pens just the stuff of James Bond fiction? We look at spy gear both real and imaginary in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are the amazing gadgets in James Bond films possible? We look at the tech found in the early James Bond movies and compare it to real life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do our hosts have to say about what will happen this year? Jonathan and Lauren stick their necks out to predict the future in tech stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Lauren and Jonathan's predictions for 2013 pan out? We take a look at the results of our educated guesses. Did we totally whiff it or will we win the squid? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.