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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

Smart Talks with IBM: An AI advantage for the US Open

As AI technology progresses, its impact on our daily lives—including how we consume our favorite sports— will grow alongside it. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Jacob Goldstein, host of Pushkin’s own What’s Your Problem? , sat down with Brian Ryerson, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at the US Tennis Association. They discuss the impact of data on the fan experience, the role that storytelling plays in sports, and how AI has unlocked innovative features, such as AI Commentary and Ma...

Aug 13, 202434 min

The Tale of the RCA VideoDisc

In 1981, RCA released a new media format on the market. It was the CED -- the Capacitance Electronic Disc, and it was meant to compete with Betamax, VHS and LaserDisc. How did it do? Not so great! But I own one, so I'm doing an episode about it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 12, 202448 min

It's Just a Matter of (Anti)trust

Google and Amazon are the subject of antitrust proceedings, while an antitrust lawsuit from Elon Musk's X has prompted an organization to disband. Trust me, you'll want to hear this. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 09, 202421 min

Hitting the Road with GPS

How does GPS work? How can satellites tell you where you are? And what does Einstein have to do with all of this? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 07, 202436 min

The Global Economy and the Hype on Artificial Intelligence

As the US teeters on the brink of a recession, we're seeing economies around the world take a hit. What role, if any, did the hype around AI play? We take a critical look at the Gartner Hype Cycle and whether it applies to artificial intelligence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 06, 202439 min

Tech News: Is the Honeymoon Over for AI?

Some folks are getting impatient while waiting on AI to transform the world (or at the very least their investment portfolio). Plus, we learn about how a controversial online safety bill has been left to fizzle out in the US House of Representatives. And much, much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 02, 202438 min

This Episode Was Written By AI (Sort Of)

Can generative AI write a good episode for a technology podcast? We find out with this experiment about airbags written by ChatGPT. What worked, what didn't work, and what does Jonathan find really troubling? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 01, 202458 min

Jamming the Signal

What does it mean when a signal is "jammed?" From radar to radio to some cheeky broadcast TV signal intrusions, we look at how signal jamming works. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 29, 202437 min

AI is Smart At Math But Stupid With Love

Meta and Google both brag on how their respective AI models are good at math. Meanwhile, OpenAI unveils its prototype AI-enhanced search engine. Plus, we learn about why video game voice actors are going on strike and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 26, 202432 min

Pinball: From Electromechanical Machines to Solid State Tables

We continue to explore the evolution of pinball and learn how the humble solenoid powers so much of the game. Plus, what happens when transistors, integrated circuits and computers join the party? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 25, 202447 min

The Southern Fried Gaming Expo and Pinball

After attending the 2024 Southern Fried Gaming Expo, TechStuff looks into the origins and evolution of pinball machines. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 22, 202439 min

Tech News: A Software Update Crashed Computer Systems Around the World

A company called CrowdStrike pushed out a software update to Windows-based systems. But the update had a defect, bringing computer systems around the world to a standstill. Plus, stories about the FBI cracking into a would-be assassin's phone, how X is appealing a California law and Google's plans to get rid of crappy apps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 19, 202421 min

How a medieval king influenced a modern technology

King Harald of Denmark had a little quirk that would, centuries later, provide inspiration for the naming of a modern technology. We learn how his lack of oral hygiene led to the naming of a wireless protocol. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 17, 202419 min

Smart Talks with IBM - Transformations in Al: why foundation models are the future

Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of Al in both business and society. In this special rebroadcast episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern Al with Dr. David Cox, VP of Al models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of Al and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology. When we fi...

Jul 16, 202441 min

AI Model Collapse and the Dangers of AI-Generated Content

An AI image of a devious banker with way too many fingers can be entertaining, but could it also be a warning sign for the future of the Internet? We learn about some research that indicates future generative AI may be a real mess if it trains on other AI-generated content. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 15, 202445 min

Tech News: The Death of Physical Media

Sony will stop producing rewritable Blu-rays and a DVD rental service went belly up. Are we looking at the end of physical media? Plus, AI causes more headaches, Goldman Sachs warns we might be in an AI bubble, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 12, 202445 min

What are AI Chips?

As chip manufacturers rush to meet the needs of all this artificial intelligence work going on, we're left to ask the question "What the heck is an AI chip anyway?" We find out! From GPUs to ASICs, this is the episode for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 10, 202443 min

Artificial Artificial Intelligence

The AI startup scene is bonkers. Investors are pouring so much money into AI startup companies that some of those businesses are making unsubstantiated AI claims. We explore stories of a few companies that weren't as AI-focused as they initially claimed to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 08, 202442 min

Tech News: What a hack!

There's a lot of hacker news this week, with updates on the severity of the Ticketmaster hack, a credit union in California is doing its best to restore services after a ransomware attack, and a Chinese company turned an innocent, helpful tool into a malicious trick. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 05, 202421 min

Rerun: Machine Learning and Catastrophic Forgetting

While an elephant may never forget, the same cannot be said for artificial neural networks. What is catastrophic forgetting, how does it affect artificial intelligence and how are engineers trying to solve the problem? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 03, 202445 min

Big Recalls: When Tech Goes Wrong

Sometimes, a tech company pushes out a product that has a flaw bad enough to prompt that company to issue a recall. From television antennas to the Tesla Cybertruck, we look at some notable (perhaps Galaxy Note-able) recalls in tech history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 01, 202443 min

No Australian News is Good News for Facebook

Meta says it may start blocking links to Australian news sites on Facebook -- again. Hackers create a massive headache for US automobile dealerships. An Arkansas attorney general argues that China's Temu app is malware in disguise. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 28, 202419 min

More Startups that Died in 2023

A couple of grocery delivery services, a neobank catering to the LGBTQ+ company and a company that used robots to make pizza walk into 2023. No one gets out. Here are the stories of more startups that failed in 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 26, 202445 min

Smart Talks with IBM: AI & the Productivity Paradox

In a rapidly evolving world, we need to balance the fear surrounding AI and its role in the workplace with its potential to drive productivity growth. In this special live episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell is joined onstage by Rob Thomas, senior vice president of software and chief commercial officer at IBM, during NY Tech Week. They discuss “the productivity paradox,” the importance of open-source AI, and a future where AI will touch every industry. This is a paid advertisement...

Jun 25, 202444 min

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
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