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TechStuff

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TechStuff is getting a system update. Everything you love about Tech Stuff now twice the bandwidth with new hosts, Oz Woloshyn (Sleepwalkers) and Karah Preiss (Sleepwalkers). 

Oz and Karah bring humour and wit to the table as they break down what's happening in tech...and what it says about us. 

TechStuff is the podcast where technology meets culture. 

We speak to the folks building the future to understand what tomorrow will look like and how our technology is changing us: how we live, how we love, how we work and even how we die. With a healthy dose of drama, too, as tech titans clash over their interstellar ambitions. 

Get in touch here: [email protected]

Episodes

The History of Social Networks: Here Come the Micro-Blogs!

From 2006 to 2008, the trend in social networks was short and sweet: the micro-blog. Learn how Twitter, Jaiku, Plurk and Tumblr all took different approaches to micro-blogging. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 07, 202243 min

Tech News: Meta Says No News is Good News

Meta threatens to pull news feeds off Facebook if the US passes a proposal giving media outlets collective bargaining power. Tesla is having a hard time filling positions in Germany. And Chinese hackers were able to steal millions of US dollars meant for Covid relief. Plus more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 06, 202219 min

The History of Social Networks: Flickr to Reddit

We continue our trip through the history of social networks. This time we look at Flickr, Orkut, Bebo, YouTube and Reddit. Two of those don't exist anymore! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 05, 202249 min

TechStuff Classic: The Comcast Story: Part One

Comcast is a powerful player in the cable and Internet space. How did the company get its start? And how did cable television take off in the first place? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 03, 202233 min

Tech News: US Defense Contractors Flunk Basic Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity researchers find that only 13% of defense contractors in the US pass a basic set of cybersecurity regulations. Elon Musk wants to put a chip in someone's brain within six months. And could hydrogen fuel your next trip on a jet? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 01, 202232 min

The History of Social Networks: Myspace and Facebook

Our profile on the history of social networks continues with two of the big competitors in the mid 2000s -- Myspace and Facebook. From the infamous News Corp buyout of Myspace for 580 million bucks to the even more infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal at Facebook, we take a look at how these networks shaped the web. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 30, 20221 hr 7 min

Smart Talks with IBM- Clicks, Not Code: Transforming Digital Experiences with Salesforce

The Salesforce platform can empower businesspeople to create digital solutions without writing code. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Jacob Goldstein, host of What’s Your Problem?, and guest Phil Weinmeister, Head of Product, Salesforce Americas, at IBM. They discuss human-centric design, the low-code/no-code approach, and how IBM Consulting powers digital transformations with the Salesforce platform. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See om...

Nov 29, 202233 min

The History of Social Networks: From TheGlobe to hi5

Twitter and Facebook are struggling right now, but both have outlasted many other social networks. In this retrospective, we look at early attempts to bring people together online. Some are gone, some remain, and some transformed into something else entirely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 29, 202249 min

TechStuff Classic: The VW Scandal

What's the story with Volkswagen and emissions testing? How did the car manufacturer hide vehicle emissions? Scott Benjamin of CarStuff joins us to talk about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 25, 20221 hr 11 min

Rerun: Planned Obsolescence and the Right to Repair

Do companies really implement planned obsolescence to get you to buy more stuff? (Spoiler: yes). And do they really resist giving you the option to repair gadgets? (Spoiler: Also yes). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 24, 202248 min

Rerun: TechStuff By the Numbers (Stations)

Numbers stations are mysterious, creepy and part of the world of espionage. We learn how shortwave radio works, why it's used for numbers stations and how you might tune in to find one yourself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 23, 202250 min

Tech News: Twitter 2.0, Son of Musk

Even as Twitter headcount dwindles, Elon Musk announces an ambitious vision for the service's future. Alphabet is gearing up for layoffs. Tax prep services have been sending Americans' financial info to Meta. And more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 22, 202233 min

Rerun: Copyright and Fair Use

No copyright infringement intended. Does that matter? Does it even mean anything? We look at the complicated issues of copyright and fair use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 21, 202254 min

TechStuff Classic: Expensive Consumer Tech

With the holiday season coming up, it's time to look at some gift ideas for the filthy rich. From ridiculous watches to a multimillion dollar mobile home, we explore some of the most ridiculously expensive tech out there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 19, 20221 hr 12 min

Tech News: Do Not Question the Musk

Elon Musk allegedly fires Twitter employees who criticize his decisions. A billionaire is calling for Google to stop paying its employees so darn much. Amazon gears up for corporate layoffs. And Chinese gamers will soon lose access to games like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 17, 202234 min

7 Types of Malware

Malware has come a long way since the humble computer virus. We look at the seven types of malware (as defined by Cisco) and learn what they do and how they work, as well as how to protect your computer devices from malicious code. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 16, 202239 min

Smart Talks with IBM - Unlocking Data Strategy: Data Literacy for Better Business

Having a good data strategy can streamline the way a company does business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Ronald Young Jr., host of Solvable, and guest Nicholas Renotte, Data Science and AI Technical Specialist at IBM. They discuss how data literacy can help make a business more efficient, the fundamentals of data management, and why data is step one to AI solutions. A study quoted by Nicholas and referenced in this episode can be found here ....

Nov 15, 202231 min

The FTX Collapse

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX spectacularly imploded over the last two weeks. What happened? How did SBF go from crypto wunderkind billionaire to having assets in the neighborhood of $0? Is Binance CEO CZ the Lex Luthor to FTX's Clark Kent? Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 14, 20221 hr 5 min

TechStuff Classic: What was Web 2.0?

Once upon a time, a buzz term called Web 2.0 dominated discussions about web sites. What did Web 2.0 really mean? Or does it mean nothing? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 11, 202238 min

Tech News: Meta Cuts 13% of Workforce

Mark Zuckerberg oversees more than 11,000 job cuts across Meta. Twitter continues its bumpy ride post Musk acquisition. And IBM breaks a quantum processing record. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 10, 202242 min

Tech News: Twitter Fires and then Re-hires Some Employees

The dumpster fire that is Twitter continues this week as we learn about Twitter reps scrambling to re-hire some of the employees let go in last week's layoffs. Elon Musk toys with putting Twitter behind a paywall. Meta may be holding layoffs of its own this week. And the creator of the Oculus makes a VR headset that kills you for real if you die in a game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 09, 202242 min

The Dangers of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) can bring with it a ton of benefits, but it can also introduce security and privacy vulnerabilities. In this episode, Jonathan describes a few notable cases where IoT devices caused some massive headaches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 07, 202240 min

TechStuff Classic: DNA Forensics

Ben Bowlin of Stuff They Don't Want You to Know joins the show to talk about DNA forensics, cold cases and science. How reliable is DNA evidence? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 04, 202257 min

Tech News: It's Not Easy Being Green

Pantone's licensing agreement with Adobe means that designers will have to cough up fifteen bucks a month to access certain colors. Twitter continues to have a tumultuous week. Meta is testing out NFTs in Instagram. And TikTok is facing scrutiny around the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 03, 202221 min

The Rise and Fall of Vine

With rumors that the video app Vine is set to return, we look at Vine's history. Where did it come from? Where did it go? Did Cotton Eye Joe have anything to do with it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 02, 202237 min

Tech News: Twitter is Full of Musk

Last week, Elon Musk completed his Twitter acquisition and began to clean house, firing multiple executives. This week, he continues with launching projects and planning future layoffs. Plus news about Meta, Google, Microsoft and Sony! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 01, 202236 min

Spooky Action at a Distance

Why did Einstein refer to quantum entanglement as "spooky action at a distance?" What is locality? Could quantum systems allow for faster than light communication? Could that violate causality? It's a spooky quantum episode of TechStuff! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 31, 202243 min

TechStuff Classic: Patronage Makes a Comeback

How has the Internet fueled a return to the old system of patronage? This episode explores crowdfunding resources like Indiegogo and patronage services like Patreon. Can they work for anybody? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 28, 202235 min

Tech News: Apple Begrudgingly Adopts USB-C for iPhones

The EU will require Apple to switch to a USB-C port on iPhones starting in late 2024 and the company isn't happy about it. Plus Elon Musk is on the verge of closing his deal for Twitter, the US Department of Justice is reportedly investigating Tesla and gamers might be shocked to learn that physical copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II have no game on the physical disk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 27, 202237 min

TechStuff Tidbits: Exploring the Uncanny Valley

What is the uncanny valley? What causes that feeling of uneasiness we get when we see certain robots or CGI characters? What makes them creepy? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 26, 202220 min