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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]

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Episodes

Tech Startups that Died in 2023

From cybersecurity companies to a business that provided telehealth services for pets, we look at some of the tech startups that had to close up shop in 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 24, 202438 min

Tech News: Apple Cancels Plans for Vision Pro II

Apple still plans to launch a more affordable mixed reality headset before the end of next year, but the Vision Pro sounds like a one off. Plus, Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple vie for the title of most valuable company in the world. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 21, 202420 min

Rerun: Super Soakers and Rocket Science

How did a nuclear engineer end up inventing the Super Soaker water gun? This is the story of Lonnie Johnson, an inventor and engineer who, among many other things, revolutionized the backyard water pistol fight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 19, 202437 min

New Season of Smart Talks with IBM Coming Soon

Smart Talks with IBM returns with a new season on Tuesday, June 25th. This season, we’re diving back into the world of artificial intelligence, but with a focus on the powerful concept of “open,” and how it applies to AI. Host Malcolm Gladwell will invite curious colleagues from Pushkin Industries to explore how openness is already reshaping industries, ways of doing business, and our very notion of what's possible. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks See omnyst...

Jun 18, 20242 min

GMDs and EMPs

Geomagnetic disturbances and electromagnetic pulses have the potential to cause a lot of problems for us. We learn what causes these events and how they can impact electronic systems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 17, 202439 min

Tech News: Elon Musk Rants About Apple Intelligence

Elon Musk says he'll ban Apple products from his company following the announcement that Apple is partnering with OpenAI. Plus, Microsoft recalls Windows Recall before it can launch next week. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 14, 202421 min

Intellivision and the Blue Sky Rangers

Back in the late 1970s, toy company Mattel waded into the video game console market with the launch of the Intellivision. This year, Atari SA purchased the rights to the Intellivision brand and IP. We look at the story behind this early video game console. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 13, 202445 min

The Origins of Tesla

While Elon Musk owes much of his wealth to Tesla, the truth is that he's not the company's founder. That honor goes to a pair of engineers named Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. We explore the origins of Tesla. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 10, 202443 min

Tech News: AI Might Not Be Ready for Prime Time

Two different consumer products with AI integration have flopped recently, and even big companies like Google have had to backtrack on AI implementations. Is AI just not yet ready for the public? And if so, who the heck will tell AI companies? Plus lots more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 07, 202420 min

The Largest Data Breaches in US History: Part II

We've got more data breaches and leaks to talk about. From an attack that targeted Microsoft corporate customers to one affecting three billion accounts, we look at how hackers and poor data security practices put people and their information at risk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 05, 202449 min

The Largest Data Breaches in US History: Part I

TicketMaster recently acknowledged a massive data breach that has affected more than half a billion customers. Where would it fall on a list of the worst data breaches in US history? We look at instances from LinkedIn to Home Depot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 03, 202443 min

Tech News: TikTok Might Be Working on a Contingency Plan

Reuters reports that TikTok is developing a US-only version of its recommendation algorithm, but the company disputes the report's accuracy. Plus, could AI make your next favorite TV show? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 31, 202423 min

Rerun: How 3D Audio Works

In the late 19th century, a French experiment demonstrated the power of stereo sound. A century later, experiments in binaural audio would help create rich soundscapes that could immerse the listener in audio environments. We learn about the evolution and tech of 3D audio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 29, 202447 min

Rerun: How Medieval Warfare Led to the Lawnmower

We learn who invented the lawnmower, how lawnmowers evolved, and why we even have lawns in the first place. Hint: it has to do with castles in the Middle Ages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 27, 202449 min

Tech News: AI Oh No

OpenAI is in the hot seat. Scarlet Johansson thinks OpenAI might have used her voice without her permission. Former employees are compelled to sign non disparagement agreements or face losing their equity in the company. And much more! Plus, non AI stories too! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 24, 202421 min

The Dramatic Evolution of Hulu

After a tumultuous 2013, Hulu would enter the next phase of its evolution. But corporate maneuvers in huge media empires and growing competition in the streaming space would determine Hulu's path forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 22, 202443 min

The Origins of Hulu

In 2007, News Corp and NBCUniversal announced a joint venture. It would be a video streaming service that would deliver film and broadcast TV content online. Detractors called it the Clown Co, but it took the name Hulu and would become an important force that would shape the business of online streaming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 20, 202440 min

Tech News: The Future of Search is AI

Both OpenAI and Google dominated the tech news this week with announcements relating to AI, and like it or not it seems like AI is bound to become deeply integrated into our tech in the near future. Plus, Elon Musk tussles with the SEC (again) and two brothers are accused of stealing around 25 million dollars in cryptocurrency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 18, 202445 min

The Problem With Live Service Games

From always-on DRM to the heartbreak of online games getting shut down, we look at the issues gamers encounter with the live service game model. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 15, 202437 min

Could Live Service Games Kill the Games Industry?

Recently, Microsoft shut down four video game studios. The industry as a whole has seen major disruption this year. And some worry that a shift toward live service games could be a big part of the problem. What's going on? Part one of two! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 13, 202444 min

Tech News: Microsoft Shuts Down Multiple Video Game Studios

This week, Microsoft announced that game studios like Austin Arkane and Tango Gameworks are closing their doors. Google and Tesla are both dealing with consequences following layoffs. And OpenAI may have plans in the works to rain on Google's I/O conference parade next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 10, 202420 min

The Diffusion of Innovation Theory

What are early adopters, and why are they important? In this episode, we look at Everett Rogers theory of the diffusion of innovation and how new ideas get adopted by a population. Plus, we revisit the sad tale of the HD DVD format. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 08, 202421 min

The Internet Archive

TechStuff gets in the Wayback Machine to look at the origins of the Internet Archive, which preserves information stored on the Internet. How does it work and how did it get started? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 06, 202447 min

Tech News: Tesla Gets Downsized

Elon Musk starts making drastic cuts at Tesla -- is he trying to salvage his enormous compensation package? Plus, Microsoft tells the cops that they aren't allowed to use Asure services for facial recognition. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 03, 202420 min

Technically Speaking (An Intel Podcast): A Safer World With AI Digital Twins

Advancements in AI technology have made it possible to create virtual representations of our real-world environments, and these digital twins could change how we experience just about everything in our lives. These digital twins can create everything from more efficient workplaces to smarter traffic lights, and on the first episode of Season 2 of Technically Speaking: An Intel Podcast, digital twin expert Tony Franklin discusses what’s required to create a digital twin and how different industri...

May 02, 202433 min

The Most Hated Buzzwords in Tech

The tech industry has no shortage of buzzwords and jargon. Some of the terms common in tech are ones that people have come to hate for various reasons. From AI to blockchain to the metaverse, we explore buzzwords that drive some people bonkers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 01, 202447 min

High Frame Rates and the Soap Opera Effect

Why do some films shot in higher frame rates look so weird? We explore the history of the 24 frames per second standard, the filmmakers who are pushing the envelope on frame rates, and how those technological changes affect the viewing experience of film. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 29, 202441 min

Tech News: Tesla and Meta Investors are Not the Same

Several tech companies held Q1 earnings calls this week, with wildly different reactions from investors. Tesla profits are down, but investor hopes are high. Meta keeps spending money on the metaverse and investors are not happy about it. Plus an update on the Voyager 1 and much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 26, 202421 min

The US Passes the Anti-TikTok Bill

The thing I said probably wouldn't happened did happen -- the US Senate voted in favor of a bill that will force the Chinese company ByteDance to divest itself of TikTok or face a US-wide ban. But how the heck did we get here, and how does a political megadonor play into it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 25, 202448 min

The Broken Arrow Episode

Officially, the United States has lost nuclear weapons in six incidents in which the nation couldn't retrieve or destroy them. We look at these six incidents and learn how nuclear weapons work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 22, 202442 min
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