In late 1985, a company called Worlds of Wonder introduced a new toy -- a teddy bear that could tell stories and sing. It could blink and move its mouth. And it turned out not to be a teddy bear at all. This is the long and winding road that leads to Teddy Ruxpin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 11 min
How did the Pixar studio get started? How did it evolve from a small operation to a power player in the Disney empire? And how has the company led innovation in animation? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 02, 2023•47 min
An organization in charge of a hotline to help people with eating disorders finds out that chatbots aren't a good substitute for a human operator. A judge in Texas explains that generative AI has no place in his courtroom. And Meta and Amazon both face some challenges around the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 01, 2023•21 min
What's the difference between a capacitive and a resistive touchscreen? Which came first? And are there other types of touchscreen technologies? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 31, 2023•17 min
A lawyer finds out the hard way that ChatGPT isn't a reliable legal assistant. Nvidia's CEO says that, with the help of AI, anyone can be a programmer now. And China plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 30, 2023•32 min
Grace Hopper was a Navy officer, a teacher, a computer programmer and a legend in the tech field. We look back on her life and achievements. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 29, 2023•38 min
Temple University scientists have found a new way to improve chocolate and it involves electric fields. Learn about the technology and physics behind improving a nearly perfect food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 26, 2023•32 min
Twitter hit some technical snags yesterday while Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis announced his 2024 campaign. OpenAI's CEO issues a bit of a warning to the EU regarding AI regulation. And Sony has a new gaming peripheral on the horizon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 25, 2023•21 min
Microsoft jumped into the mp3 player space a little late. Apple had been producing iPods for five years when the first Zune hit shelves. But that was just the beginning of a series of problems Microsoft encountered. We explore the sad (and short) story of the Zune. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 24, 2023•34 min
Meta sells Giphy for a fraction of what it paid just a few years ago. Spain's government has it out for end-to-end encryption. And the US Surgeon General advises families about the potential dangers of social media. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 24, 2023•20 min
While the streaming media landscape is crowded, it could be worse. In this episode, we look at some streaming services that didn't stand the test of time. From platforms that were a bad idea from the start to ones that were victims of corporate mergers, we find out what went wrong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 22, 2023•46 min
After my recent (tenth) cruise on the Disney Cruise line, I decided to look into what makes the ship work.How does it steady itself in rough seas? How much is automated? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 20, 2023•56 min
The state of Montana has said that, starting January 1st of next year, the app TikTok is banned statewide. How will the state enforce the rules? Is this an overreaction to TikTok? And will the law stand up to legal challenges? Plus lots of news about AI because why not? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 19, 2023•38 min
Screen resolution can be confusing. What do all those numbers mean, and is bigger necessarily better? We go over some of the more common screen resolutions out there and talk about how (and when) they make a difference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 17, 2023•41 min
Last week, Elon Musk revealed he had tapped Linda Yaccarino to be the next Twitter CEO. But Musk won't be leaving Twitter completely. And now Tesla shareholders want him to create a succession plan at that company. Plus we get a bunch of updates on AI news, as well as some good news for Microsoft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 16, 2023•33 min
The idea behind net neutrality is pretty simple -- fair access to legal content for all consumers regardless of what ISP they use. But how do you implement this idea? That's become the focus of a massive political battle in the United States that's been going on for two decades. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 15, 2023•48 min
From Amazon to Google to Apple, companies are creating digital assistants to make our lives easier. What's the technology behind them and are they safe to use? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 12, 2023•45 min
Google has announced a ton of stuff at the 2023 I/O event, including how AI will show up in future Google searches if you opt into it. We also learn how Microsoft's deal to buy Activision is going, how YouTube is discouraging ad-blockers and how one influencer is using AI to make clones of herself for people to date. For a fee, of course. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 11, 2023•41 min
Dr. Geoffrey Hinton recently retired from Google, saying that he wanted to be able to speak freely about his concerns regarding artificial intelligence without having to consider the impact to his employer. So what is the Godfather of AI worried about? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 10, 2023•45 min
Defendants in court cases are trying the deepfake defense and judges are not having it. Think twice before you commit a huge investment into AI companies. SBF is asking courts to throw out most of the charges against him. And Peter Thiel has some icy plans after his demise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 09, 2023•32 min
Special guest Jack Pattillo joins the show to talk about the former Disney Hollywood Studios attraction, The Great Movie Ride. From immersive storytelling to the implementation of a new kind of animatronic, Jack and Jonathan explore this long-gone ride. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 08, 2023•1 hr 6 min
The Kepler Telescope has detected hundreds of exoplanets in our galaxy. What's the story behind it and how does it work? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 05, 2023•41 min
Sadly, we don't have any Star Wars news today. But we do have tons about AI, Meta facing governmental scrutiny, Microsoft making a questionable decision with regard to Edge and lots more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 04, 2023•35 min
Recently, I mentioned in a Tech News episode that the FBI and the FCC are warning folks to stay away from public charging stations for mobile devices. But it turns out that warning by be like a certain Shakespearean comedy: Much Ado About Nothing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 03, 2023•20 min
IBM's CEO reveals that the company has paused on hiring approximately 7,800 people in order to consider AI for those roles instead. A pioneer in deep learning is concerned about the potential dangers of AI. And the Web celebrates 30 years of being in the public domain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 02, 2023•31 min
What process does Nissan follow when designing a new vehicle? We dive into the complicated process of going from concept to finished vehicle and learn how Nissan combines cutting edge technology with traditional artistic expression to get there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 01, 2023•24 min
Producer Noel Brown joins the show to talk about the science, theory and practice of soundproofing. How does sound work? How can you protect a room from sound? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 28, 2023•56 min
A man in Thailand claims that, with a little coaxing, ChatGPT helped him pick winning numbers for the lottery. Plus we hear a lot of other stories about AI, how Meta had a very good first quarter after laying off 21,000 people, and why Netflix might be worried after rolling out a password sharing crackdown initiative in Spain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 27, 2023•19 min
What is a quantum bit, and how is it different from a normal bit? What kinds of problems are quantum computers good at solving? And how many dumb jokes can Jonathan shove into this episode? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 26, 2023•18 min
In less than a week, Twitter's blue checkmark went from a desired status symbol to a mark people want to avoid at all costs. What happened? Plus, news on GM phasing out the Chevy Bolt, Google abandoning a mega campus project and an update on the Apple vs Epic legal battle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 25, 2023•29 min