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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 12 Days of Tech Christmas

While Christmas 2023 might be over, I have a little present for all of y'all -- 12 days out of 2023 that were important in the tech world for one reason or another. From cryptocurrency controversies to Apple getting into augmented reality, we look at a dozen days that stood out in 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 28, 202322 min

Rerun: The Tech of Stranger Things

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 26, 202351 min

Rerun: Lighting Up the Holidays

We look at the history of incorporating lights in winter holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah and how electricity changed things dramatically. We'll also dive into those over the top displays that sequence lights with sound and talk about why it was such a challenge for the electrician on Stranger Things to make lights blink a specific way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 25, 202345 min

Big Stories of 2023: X - The ex-Twitter

At the beginning of 2023, Twitter was still called Twitter. It was facing multiple challenges in the wake of an acquisition. Elon Musk had reduced the staff by more than half. Advertisers were getting antsy. And then it all got much worse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 24, 202320 min

Big Stories of 2023: The Mounting Opposition to TikTok

The video sharing platform TikTok faced opposition and scrutiny around the world. Some suspect it of being a surveillance tool used by the Chinese Communist Party. Others worry that it is warping young minds. We look back over TikTok's rocky 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 23, 202320 min

TechStuff Classic: The Macintosh Story Part 2

After its launch, Apple tweaked the Macintosh a bit. Then Apple executives gave Steve Jobs the boot. He would return many years later. We look at the Macintosh during this era. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 22, 20231 hr 22 min

Tech News: Time's Up for These Apple Watches in the US

The ITC shuts down Apple's attempt to delay a ban on certain Apple Watches and so they leave store shelves today. A Reuters investigation shows that Tesla has been blaming customers for design problems for nearly a decade. And leaked documents indicate that Sony is worried about Microsoft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 22, 202320 min

Big Stories of 2023: The Year of AI

Artificial intelligence was in the news all throughout 2023. From legislators debating regulations to drama in corporate boardrooms to concerns about copyright infringement, AI touched just about everything. We take a look back on how the year played out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 21, 202320 min

Tech News: X Marks the Spot for an EU Investigation

The EU announced a preliminary investigation into the social networking platform X out of concerns that it allows the transmission of illegal content and disinformation within the EU and potentially violates the Digital Services Act. Apple is pulling some popular tech off shelves in the US out of anticipation of a ban by the ITC. Plus lots more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 19, 202320 min

I Feel Fntastic

Video game developer released a long-anticipated game called The Day Before on December 7th, 2023. Four days later, the company shut down. What the heck happened? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 18, 202331 min

TechStuff Classic: The Macintosh Story Part 1

What's the origin story for the Macintosh computer? We look at the early days of Apple leading up to the launch of one of the most famous Apple products of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 15, 20231 hr 4 min

Tech News: An Elon-Gated Episode

Elon Musk has had a busy week, with issues at X, Tesla and Neuralink. Plus, hackers say that a Polish train company has sabotaged its own vehicles if railways don't stay within the company's ecosystem. And the FCC says that cable and satellite providers can't charge customers early termination fees anymore. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 15, 202325 min

E3 Is Dead for Reals

The ESA announced that E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is well and truly over. What was E3's purpose, and why has the ESA decided to pull the plug? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 13, 202319 min

Tech News: Tesla Pumps the Brakes on Cybertruck Resellers

A hidden clause in Tesla's Cybertruck contracts forbids owners from reselling their new Cybertruck within a year of purchase. Google loses an important anticompetitive lawsuit against Epic Games. And the Wi-Fi 7 standard should become official early next year. Plus lots more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 13, 202340 min

A TechStuff Carol

A tech miser and cryptobro learns the true meaning of Christmas. This episode of TechStuff is as goofy as the Dickens! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 11, 202336 min

TechStuff Classic: The Samsung Story Part 2

Picking up where we left off, we look at some of the more recent stories about Samsung, including the tricky relationships between the heirs to the Samsung throne. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 08, 202358 min

Rerun: Seti Not At Home

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? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 07, 202349 min

Rerun: How Smoke Detectors Work

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 06, 202348 min

Beep - Autonomous Mobility for Al

In this episode, we delve into the groundbreaking technology behind autonomous driving vehicles in Lake Nona, a living lab community in Orlando, Florida, America's first smart town. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of Beep, the organization powering a transformative mobility solution operating in Lake Nona. Beep CEO Joe Moye joins Graeme and Tavistock Senior Vice President Juan Santos, to discuss how artificial intelligence has revolutionized transportation within the Lake Nona project. D...

Dec 05, 202335 min

Rerun: When Secrets Aren't Secret

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? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 04, 202357 min

TechStuff Classic: The Samsung Story Part 1

How did the company Samsung get its start? From its humble beginnings as a grocery and shipping company, we look at the complicated history of one of South Korea's most influential companies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 01, 202353 min

Tech News: Elon Has Some Choice Words for ex X Advertisers

Elon Musk once again demonstrates his leadership style by telling advertisers who are pulling out of X to go eff themselves. Also, an update on the OpenAI leadership situation, how some researchers got ChatGPT to share more than it was supposed to and say goodbye to those inactive Gmail accounts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 30, 202321 min

How Not to Achieve Diversity: Inventing Fake Female Keynote Speakers

Diversity and representation is important for all types of organizations. But one company decided the solution to finding the right women to serve as keynote speakers was to invent them. We look at the wild story of the DevTernity 2023 conference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 29, 202332 min

Smart Talks with IBM - Salesforce & IBM: Revolutionizing Experiences with Generative AI

The capabilities of artificial intelligence are increasing at a breakneck speed. Companies must leverage generative AI to transform everyday customer and employee experiences. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein sits down with Susan Emerson, Senior Vice President of Product: AI, Analytics & Data at Salesforce & Matthew Candy, Global Managing Partner of Generative AI at IBM Consulting. They chat about the latest evolution of the two tech innovators’ decades-long relat...

Nov 28, 202341 min

Why is Meta's Andy Stone wanted by Russia?

While Meta communications director Andy Stone has ruffled more than a few feathers since joining the company in 2014, it seems that in Russia things are a bit more serious. Apparently, he's on a wanted list created by Russia's Ministry of the Interior. But why? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 27, 202333 min

TechStuff Classic: The National Facial Recognition Database

Are you an adult citizen in the US? If so, there's a 50% chance your face is in a law enforcement database. We look at this problematic law enforcement tool. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 24, 20231 hr 15 min

Rerun: TechStuff In Front of a Green Screen

Where did green screen technology come from? How does it work? From the dawn of cinema to the latest Zoom meeting, we take a look at the tech that lets us combine different images into a single film or video. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 23, 202347 min

Binance Pleads Guilty

We get a very quick update on the OpenAI/Sam Altman situation and then turn our attention to the blockbuster news that Binance and its co-founder, Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, have entered a guilty plea on charges that include money laundering. What does this mean for Binance in particular and cryptocurrency in general? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 22, 202348 min

Tech News: More Aftermath From OpenAI's Chaotic Weekend

We've got a few updates on what's going on after OpenAI's board of directors fired CEO Sam Altman (and then asked if he wouldn't mind coming back, please). Plus, X is looking at a pretty rough holiday season as advertisers flee the platform. And SpaceX deals with another exploding spacecraft. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 21, 202330 min

The Fallout from OpenAI Firing CEO Sam Altman

In a dramatic turn of events, OpenAI's board of directors fired CEO and co-founder Sam Altman. Then they tried to hire him back. Then they announced a former Twitch CEO will lead the company. What the what? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 20, 202351 min