TechStuff - podcast cover

TechStuff

iHeartPodcastswww.iheart.com

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

Rerun: The Ghost in the Machine

What does "the ghost in the machine" mean? From philosophy to artificial intelligence, we explore this idiom to understand what it means, how it's used and if the dream of strong AI is realistic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 16, 202448 min

Tech News: AI Stalks Us on Friday the 13th

We've got a lot of stories about artificial intelligence to talk about this week. Plus, Xbox holds more layoffs, Sony announces a new PS5 model, and for the first time, private citizens go on a space walk. Plus much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 13, 202441 min

The One About Plasma Televisions

What happened to plasma televisions? Where did they come from? Let's learn how plasma TVs work and why the industry abandoned this technology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 12, 202444 min

Smart Talks with IBM: Education in the Age of AI

The role of AI in the classroom is evolving rapidly. When students and teachers embrace this technology, it has the ability to democratize access to education through programs like IBM SkillsBuild. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Dr. Laurie Santos, host of Pushkin’s The Happiness Lab podcast, spoke with two innovators in the space. Justina Nixon-Saintil is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility, and April Dawson is an Associate Dean of Technology a...

Sep 10, 202443 min

The Birth of Paypal

Today, Paypal is a 70+ billion dollar company, but how did it start out? And why are the founders sometimes referred to as the Paypal Mafia? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 09, 202441 min

Tech News: Brazil Ditches X and Russia Buys Some Influencers

Brazil's Supreme Court has shut down access to X after Elon Musk defied some questionable court orders. The US Department of Justice says that an American media company was secretly generating propaganda on behalf of Russia. And a musician used bots to both generate and listen to music for nearly a decade before being accused of fraud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 06, 202422 min

Abandoned Tech Projects

From Microsoft's dual-screened tablet concept to a holographic video game system, we take a look at some tech projects that died on the vine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 05, 202443 min

What happened to Facebook's digital currency?

In 2019, Facebook (now Meta) announced it was developing a digital currency called Libra. Just a couple of years later, the project was dead in the water. What happened? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 02, 202421 min

Elon Musk Gets a Lot of Bad News

From X to Tesla to SpaceX to xAI, we've got a bunch of stories about various Elon Musk companies and the challenges they face this week. Plus, the MPA takes down a massive media piracy ring, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 30, 202442 min

Sending Telegram's CEO to Court

French authorities arrested Telegram's CEO on Saturday, August 24th, 2024. What did he do? What is Telegram? And can a balance be struck between secure, private communications and stopping illegal activity? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 28, 202441 min

Smart Talks with IBM: How open source can democratize AI

In a rapidly evolving AI landscape, open-source models can further accelerate the pace of progress and help expand access to all. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell sits down with Mo Duffy, Software Engineering Manager at Red Hat. They discuss InstructLab and the benefits of open-source technology, such as flexible deployment and the ability to enhance transparency, as well as the power of partnerships and collaboration. Mo explains how a community-based approach is essent...

Aug 27, 202440 min

Rerun: How Podcasting Works

In this podtastic episode, Jonathan and Chris explore how podcasting works. Tune in as they touch on everything from how TechStuff got its start to tips for listeners who want to become podcasters themselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 26, 202430 min

Tech News: Augmenting (Or Outright Replacing) Reality

Meta and Snap each plan to introduce new AR glasses, but you probably won't be able to get your hands on them. Plus, Cruise strikes up a partnership with Uber, Google introduces a photo editing feature that muddies the waters and an enterprising hacker attempts to fake his own death. Through hacking. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 23, 202420 min

Disney's Multiplane Camera

While tackling a project that could have bankrupted the company, Walt Disney's engineers created a new method to add depth to two-dimensional animation. The multiplane camera would add an element of realism to an otherwise unrealistic medium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 21, 202418 min

Rerun: Space Suit Evolution

A lack of new space suits is going to push back the Artemis Program. Where did space suits come from? What were the early ones like? We look at flight suits up through the early days of Apollo in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 19, 202445 min

A Bad Hack and a Great Guest

Shannon Morse joins the show to talk about how a data breach might impact you, as well as to clear up a few things the media tends to get wrong about data breaches. Plus, we have news about AI, NASA and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 16, 202428 min

AI and Price Fixing

Business leaders understand that AI can help increase revenue and profit margins. But is using AI to control pricing going to lead to bad outcomes for consumers? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 14, 202431 min

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
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast