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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2296 episodes

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
Invented by Accident

Not all inventions are the product of careful experimentation. Sometimes, someone pulls a whoopsie and learns something new. This episode is all about those types of discoveries. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18m
Feb 14
When Did Google Stop Being a Search Company?

For a couple of years in Google's early history, it was a real search company. But that would change in 2000 as Google would embrace advertising. Learn how Google would shift to become a dominant force in online ads. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43m
Feb 12
Tech News: Power-Hungry AI and Malicious Toothbrushes

Sam Altman of OpenAI wants to see a huge investment in new semiconductor fabrication plants to support AI implementations. The FTC hopes to reverse the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger. And did hackers really take over millions of smart toothbrushes? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21m
Feb 09
Pivot to Video

Back in 2015, Facebook made a claim that would lead advertisers and content creators to shift focus to online video. There was one problem -- the claim ended up being bogus. How did the pivot to video strategy become a dark, grim joke in the tech sector? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

41m
Feb 08
A Small Episode About Big Data

What does Big Data actually mean? How has the science of Big Data changed recently? What are the potential benefits and pitfalls of Big Data?  See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

39m
Feb 05
Tech News: US Senate Grills Big Tech CEOs

The Senate Judiciary Committee met with CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg with accusations that their companies are actively causing harm to children, and they weren't happy with the response. Plus, a judge tells Elon Musk that he will not be getting the massive compensation package promised to him by Tesla's board of directors. And TikTok says goodbye to Taylor Swift's music (and all other UMG tracks). Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

36m
Feb 02
HOVERCRAFT!!!

Who invented the hovercraft? What happened to all the hovercraft that used to provide transportation options in the UK? How do they work? We look into all this, plus a classic Jackie Chan action flick. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

44m
Jan 31
Operating Systems that Time Forgot

Sometimes, an operating system has served its purpose and it's time to go live on a farm. We take a look at some operating systems that are no longer supported and explore why moving on can sometimes cause a problem. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43m
Jan 29
Tech News: The Political War Against Social Media

From New York City to the state of Florida, politicians are getting serious as they face off against social media companies like Meta TikTok. Plus, we have a bunch of news around AI, an update on Tesla that has investors upset and we say farewell to an amazing little helicopter on Mars. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37m
Jan 26
Moving Around in VR

An interesting set of challenges crop up when you want to translate movements in a physical space to a virtual one. How do you keep people safe? How do you manage groups in the same physical space? And can you still look cool if you're running around on an omni treadmill? See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

47m
Jan 25