Queens of the Drone Age

In this gadget chat, Rae tries and fails to successfully use the Belkin SCREENFORCE™ TemperedCurve 2-in-1 Treated Screen Protector + Bumper for Apple Watch Series 7 (yes, that's its full name). She also explored if screen protectors are even necessary, digging into what materials modern screens are made of - and just how hard they really are. Meanwhile, Rad takes a look at Samsung's new OLED TV ra...

In this Deep Dive, the Queens take a look at one job the robots should have taken from us long ago - cleaning. From cleaning via Artificial Intelligence, to science to get the mould off your silicone, to giant wardrobe machines that refresh your clothes - we've got you covered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's gadget chat: Amanda exposes us all to the joys and horrors of Pokemon created by an Artificial Intelligence generator, Rae shares her own horror story with a journey through iOS16 hell and Rad gives us the ins and outs (and twists and turns and bends and folds) of the Lenovo Yoga 9i. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

For thousands of years, extreme beauty treatments have been a thing. Humans are obsessed with finding new ways to make themselves feel beautiful - from urine-laced teeth whiteners to tapeworm diet pills. So in this episode, the Queens look at some modern beauty tech marvels, including foundation robots and acne treatments. Tegan even personally tests out a cryotherapy chamber. Full show notes are...

iOS 16 is now officially here! So this week Tegan (who has cheekily been using it since the dev beta) runs through her top 3 features so far. And if you're wondering about the iPhone 14 , the Queens got their hands on a few models so stay tuned for our review in the near future. Meanwhile, Rad clears the air (quite literally) with the very fancy Samsung BESPOKE air purifier , and emphatically shar...

Tech can be good; but it can also be bad, and very, very ugly. In this deep dive from the archives, we take a look at some lofty promises tech could not live up to - like video streaming platform Quibi, exploding hoverboards, 3D TV's, Uber (but it's just a bus), and a $400 machine that gives you "fresh" juice from a vacuum sealed packet. Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age...

Science Fiction is the land where all our technological fantasies flourish. From flying cars to lifelike holograms to teleportation, sci-fi has given has a rich catalogue of wishlist items that may even be possible one day (if it weren't for those pesky laws of physics). In this deep dive from the archives, the Queens chat about all the things sci-fi has conjured that they wish they could get thei...

In this Deep Dive special from our archives, it's all about the best ways to actually buy the tech we talk about. The Queens reveal their insider hints and tips and tricks - and warnings - when it comes to handing over your hard-earned cash in return for some shiny electronics.  Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age website . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

The Metaverse isn’t a new concept, and it certainly isn’t one exclusive to the blockchain space. Over the years, there have been plenty of online communities and spaces that fit the brief. In this deep dive, the Queens revisit the metaverses we used to haunt online - from Habbo to Second Life - while also taking a look at the mental health impacts of these spaces. Learn more about your ad choices....

From the original eyeglasses and questionable 19th-century contacts to bionic eyes; we're going back to the week the Queens explored everything about pimping your peepers. Full show notes are available at the Queens of the Drone Age website . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure we've talked about foldable phones before, but what about laptops with foldable screens? This week the Queens check out the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and surprise themselves with how taken they are with it. And not just because of the bendable screen. From the detachable wireless keyboard to the fancy leather case, this foldy boi is pretty special. Rae and Tegan also get into Card Shark - a g...

You know how old-school villains would threaten to steal weather machines? It turns out, weather alteration technology is absolutely a real thing that is being used to make it rain during droughts and lessen the impact of cyclones.  But it hasn't just been used for wholesome purposes. It's also been harnessed to guarantee good weather during certain Olympic Games and weaponised during wartime. Whi...

The Queens hit the road in a very special electric vehicle. Tegan has spent the week testing the Audi e-tron S Sportback , which costs a casual $175,000. She and Rae even managed to drive it around the Blue Mountains so they could report back on all their favourite features (and there are a LOT)...and stick Tegan in the boot. They also touch on the current state of the EV market in Australia. Mean...

Time isn't real, meaning it's nearly Father's Day again. So the Queens are bringing that Big Dad Energy with some gift recommendations for whoever in your life deserves a nice treat at this time of year. Tegan is all about the outdoorsy dad, recommending the very fancy Leatherman Free P4 and Bose Soundlink Flex outdoor speaker. The fact she actually wants these things for herself is irrelevant. Ra...

Another week, another gadget chat! In this episode, Tegan reviews the Logitech Aurora range: a group of PC gaming accessories aimed at women. She puts the headset, keyboard, and mouse to the test - from the design and ergonomics to the comfort and price point. Rae also gets on the hiking trail with a set of Uniden walkie-talkies . She specifically looks into the Kid Zone feature and what safety (i...

It may seem like the bath is a bad place to inject tech into, but we say that's wrong. We love a bath here at Queens of the Drone Age and refuse to limit our tech to the outside of its warm sudsy waters. While we may not recommend you ruin your Nintendo Switch with condensation like Tegan did, we are big advocates for bath tech in general. So in this episode, we're looking at the innovations in th...

It's been a great week for game releases and the Queens got some sneak peeks so they can give you the low down.  Tegan fulfilled her destiny by becoming a cult leader. No, not in real life. Yet. She's gotten heavy into Cult of the Lamb and we're surprised she stopped playing to record the episode. A cross between a cult management sim and a roguelike, you'll probably like it if you're a Stardew Va...

In celebration of LEGO's 90th anniversary this week, we take a look at some of the wonderful things LEGO has inspired: from velcro-covered building blocks to thermal storage blocks that could (potentially) end fossil fuel usage altogether. Rae also goes digging in human poo to find swallowed LEGO pieces (metaphorically). Join us for this exploration of the engineering and creativity that LEGO has...

In this gadget chat, Rad checks out the WHOOP 4.0 - the fitness band, not the loud excited sound. And for those of you who love gaming and/or productivity, Amanda and Rad check out the SteelSeries Aerox 9 wireless mouse, up to and including its casual 12 side buttons, while Rae checks out the Aerox 5, with slightly fewer side buttons.  Rae also takes a look at Our Pure Planet's Bluetooth Headphone...

With more and more of our lives being lived online, the way we represent ourselves in digital spaces is becoming more complex. While many of us have been using avatars and connecting with online representation for years, the looming metaverses of the future raise an array of important questions. Is it okay to wander around as an idealised version of yourself online or should you portray yourself m...

In this catch-up, Rad tells the Queens about her recent trip to Coonabarabran, NSW, to check out the Huntsman Telescope - the first (and only!) of its kind in the southern hemisphere (which you could technically build yourself for a cool $30k). She also got to take a Canon R7 mirrorless camera with her, in celebration of the Canon lenses used on the Huntsman. Also, Amanda gives us the lowdown on a...

Artificial Intelligence is a term thrown around so much that it can be difficult to know what it actually means and how it’s used in the real world. Spoiler alert - it’s not just Skynet (even though it is sometimes Skynet). So this week the Queens are looking at some of the different types of AI and what it's doing - from saving the turtles to Tesla's autonomous vehicles. They also look at some of...

The Queens get aggressively clean as Rae explains the genius and therapeutic nature of Powerwash Simulator.  Meanwhile, Tegan gets back on her mid-range phone soap box with a review of the brand new Google Pixel 6a. Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Apps are great, except for when they're not. And some are just downright dodgy. So in this episode, the Queens put some unethical apps under the microscope as well as some of the practices that have allowed them to stay live and make money on the App Store and Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rad reviews the very fancy SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset, Rae checks out the wholesome farming (and witchy!) mobile game Wylde Flowers, and Tegan takes issue with BMW announcing a subscription service for heated seats. Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age website . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for...