TechStuff

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TechStuff is a show about technology. And it’s not just how technology works. Join host Jonathan Strickland as he explores the people behind the tech, the companies that market it and how technology affects our lives and culture.

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2306 episodes

It's Time to Light the Lights

How do theatrical lighting control systems work? From early attempts to automate lighting through mechanical systems to sleek computer-controlled rigs of today, we look at the evolution of concert lighting. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

47m
Apr 17
TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Shreds on the Electric Guitar

While Jonathan works on a new episode about stage lighting systems, take a listen to this classic episode in which he and his old cohost Chris Pollette talk about the history and workings of electric guitars. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26m
Apr 15
Tech News: Crime, Punishment, and Generative AI

Our news stories today include SBF filing an appeal on his recent sentencing, a UK court denies Apple's request to dismiss a huge lawsuit and Microsoft may soon make the Copilot AI feature an auto-launch program in Windows 11. Plus much more! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20m
Apr 12
Smart Talks with IBM - The Power of Collaboration: How IBM Teams Up with Microsoft

Entire industries are being reshaped around the new capabilities of generative AI. In this special bonus episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Tim Harford leads a conversation between two leaders in the field. Srinivasan Venkatarajan is the Director of Global Partner Business at Microsoft, focusing on Azure Data & AI and Azure OpenAI. And Chris McGuire is the General Manager of the Global Microsoft Partnership for IBM. They discuss the efforts by IBM and Microsoft in the generative AI space, how this relationship has been providing value to clients, and why collaboration is necessary for technological progress. Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks Learn more about IBM Consulting for Microsoft This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12m
Apr 11
Faking a DMCA Takedown to Boost Search Rankings

Journalist Ernie Smith got an odd DMCA takedown notice for a picture he included in his tech newsletter. It turns out that the notice was a ploy to try and trick Smith into including a backlink to another site in an effort to boost that site's search rankings. What the what? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40m
Apr 10
The Sad Tale of Virtual Boy

The Nintendo Virtual Boy was one of the company's infamous flops, but why? Why did the system fail so hard that Nintendo killed it off after just one year?  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

46m
Apr 09
Tech News: The FCC Will Vote in Favor of Net Neutrality. Again.

Net neutrality goes through another flip in the flip-flop history with the FCC announcing it plans to vote to reinstate some of the rules established during the Obama administration but overturned during the Trump administration. Plus, Google agrees to destroy billions of data records and Ford decides to hold off on producing EVs for a bit. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18m
Apr 05
My Test Image is the Centerfold

My blood runs cold, my computer memory has just been sold -- my test image is the centerfold! Today, we look at the story of the "Lenna image," a scan of a Playboy model that has been used in countless papers and articles, and why there's a movement now to bring an end to that practice. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35m
Apr 03
Corporate Espionage in the Tech Sector

Sometimes, folks want to take a short cut. And sometimes that shortcut is illegal. This episode is about companies, managers, employees and others who engaged in some shifty behavior to get access to data that didn't belong to them. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48m
Apr 01
Tech News: TikTok Strikes Back, AI Poses Threats, and Butts!

TikTok is turning up the heat on the US Senate to get a proposed bill that would ban the service tossed out. The US government announces new policies relating to the use of AI in federal agencies. And a streaming service tries to clamp down on butts.  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20m
Mar 29
Introducing: Big Take S3

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1m
Mar 28
Did In-N-Out invent the Intercom?

Is it true Harry Snyder, founder of In-N-Out, invented the intercom? Not quite. But he was the first credited with using a system to create what would become the model for the modern drive-thru.  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35m
Mar 27
The Weaponization of EULAs

The End User License Agreement is that thing you click "I agree" to without having read the whole thing. But you can be forgiven -- some companies make their EULAs freakishly long, hiding some nefarious terms in the process.  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

38m
Mar 25
Tech News: Tech Companies in the Hot Seat

The US government is cracking down on Big Tech. From a House bill that would make it illegal for data brokers to sell American citizen info to foreign adversaries to a massive monopoly lawsuit against Apple, we look at some of the battles the Tech industry faces in the near future. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29m
Mar 22
The Rooster Teeth Story: The End?

After navigating numerous controversies and setbacks, Rooster Teeth attempted to return to a more stable existence. But it was not to be. The corporate overlords at Warner Bros Discovery have decided to shut down the company after it reportedly spent a decade being unprofitable. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

45m
Mar 20
Smart Talks with IBM - AI in Healthcare: How Generative AI Is Expanding Fertility Treatment

As artificial intelligence progresses, healthcare providers are exploring how the technology can be used to offer personalized care at scale. In this episode of , Dr. Laurie Santos sits down with Alice Crisci, co-founder and CEO of fertility-care provider Ovum Health. They discuss the barriers to healthcare access, the ways in which AI can be leveraged to expand the reach of healthcare providers, and how Ovum Health’s partnership with IBM and their use of watsonx has been enhancing the patient experience. Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibm.com%2Fthought-leadership%2Fsmart%2Ftalks%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C2d603ebce4bf483fc2b608dc4782e42c%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638463874702892814%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MlwyveUqAjetIkNFlHgkLjaycY9iVPLHtwGApEVSADs%3D&reserved=0   Learn more about watsonx Assistant https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibm.com%2Fproducts%2Fwatsonx-assistant&data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C2d603ebce4bf483fc2b608dc4782e42c%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C638463874702900922%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=b8C29xAFXlTeRaLi6bvoJ31gNnyQUeEZZXH3j%2BnwXDY%3D&reserved=0   This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35m
Mar 19
The Rooster Teeth Story: The Middle Bits

Fullscreen's acquisition of Rooster Teeth would bring with it new challenges, including corporate bureaucracy, a push for new kinds of monetization, and changes in company culture. Meanwhile, the folks at Rooster Teeth kept making content.  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

44m
Mar 18
Tech News: US House of Reps Votes to Ban TikTok

This week, the House of Representatives in the US voted overwhelmingly in support of a bill that would force TikTok owner ByteDance to divest itself of the app or else face a national ban. What's going on, where does the bill go from here and why am I so exasperated by it all? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

46m
Mar 15
The Rooster Teeth Story: The Beginning

Warner Bros Discovery is shutting down the online media company Rooster Teeth just as it nears its 21st anniversary. We look back on the history of the company, how it made an impact on internet culture, and where things went wrong. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

46m
Mar 13
Better Offline: A conversation with Ed Zitron

Ed Zitron of the Better Offline podcast joins the show, and boy is he mad! Ed and Jonathan get angry over the state of the tech industry, the focus on short term gains at the cost of long term benefits, and why the tech we have at our disposal sometimes just feels like it's not as good as it should be. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

39m
Mar 11
Tech News: OpenAI Spills the Tea on Elon Musk

OpenAI said they didn't wanna do it, but they're sharing emails written by Elon Musk that imply he was totally okay with OpenAI making a ton of money if it also was part of Tesla. Plus the US President speaks out against AI. And much more! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32m
Mar 09
A Holographic Wedding

Artist Alicia Framis plans to wed an AI "hologram" this summer. Before the wedding bells chime, we have some questions. We explore holograms, artificial intelligence, and technical, social, ethical and cultural conundrums. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

45m
Mar 06
What's Your Problem? with Jacob Goldstein: Using AI to Help Doctors Save Lives

Every year in the U.S., tens of thousands of hospital patients die of preventable causes. For many of these patients, warning signs are subtle and easy for doctors to miss. Suchi Saria is the founder and CEO of Bayesian Health, and a professor at Johns Hopkins where she runs a lab focused on machine learning and healthcare. Suchi’s problem is this: How can you use AI to detect when hospital patients are at risk of potentially deadly complications – and how can you get doctors to listen? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

42m
Mar 04
The Tech Pioneers

Sometimes, an invention comes along that defines a new function, form factor, or fashion. In this episode, we celebrate some of these inventions by exploring the stories behind them. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32m
Mar 01
Big Apps that Flopped

The Silicon Valley dream is to come up with an app and make a billion dollars. But not every app hits such heights. And some briefly touch the stars but then plummet back to Earth. This episode is dedicated to the failures! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43m
Feb 28
The History of the Digital Camera

Once upon a time, there were no digital cameras. Who invented them, and how did they become so common that even the most basic smartphone has one? We learn about the tech behind digital cameras and really get into the megapixels. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

39m
Feb 26
Tech News: Google's AI Pushes Diversity Too Far

In what I can only describe as an overcorrection, Google's Gemini AI has tried to promote diversity in situations where it's not appropriate, such as in an image portraying Nazi soldiers. Plus, Bluesky gives more control to users, Cruise looks to resume operations in a different state after California revoked its license, and researchers find a way to double processing power without upgrading hardware. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19m
Feb 23
A Conversation with Jacob Goldstein

Journalist Jacob Goldstein joins the show to talk about the challenges of communicating technology topics to the public, how to sort through the promise and threat of AI, and the way that engineers approach problems. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

57m
Feb 21
TechStuff Classic: The Intel Story Part One

How did the co-founders of Intel go from being "traitors" to two of the early pioneers of Silicon Valley? We learn about Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

58m
Feb 19
TechStuff Classic: History of Electricity Part Two

As the 20th century loomed ever closer, the battle waged to determine how we would transmit electricity. Learn about the current wars and why AC ultimately won. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 8m
Feb 16