TechStuff

2022 was a tough year for Meta. From historic earnings calls to increased regulatory scrutiny to skepticism surrounding the metaverse, the company has faltered a bit over the last 12 months. We look back on some of the big stories involving Meta in 2022. Plus, we chat briefly about streaming! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cryptocurrencies (and blockchain and NFTs and Web3) had a rough year. Things started with a boom and then went bust. What happened? What led to the collapse of FTX? Where is crypto going from here? And is Web3 ever going to be anything more than hype? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're going to look back over the big stories in tech this past year, and we're starting off with the trend of governments and regulators pushing back against big tech companies like Meta, Google, Apple, and more. Should Big Tech companies be worried? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Industrial Revolution transformed the world. Cities grew, new jobs were created and technology transformed the world. In part one, we take a close look at the textile industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senators voted to ban federal employees from loading TikTok on government-owned devices -- the vote now goes to the US House of Representatives. Plus Sam Bankman-Friend could face more than a century in jail if convicted. And Twitter stopped paying rent on its office space? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We conclude the epic series of episodes about the history of social networks by rushing through 2011 to present day. We look at Google+ and its failure, the rise and growth of Twitch, the arrival of Discord and Mastodon, and the emergence of far-right social networks like Gab, Parler and Truth Social. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has been arrested in the Bahamas. It turns out a lot of people are very interested in speaking with him about the collapse of FTX. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is also asking FTX competitor Binance some tough questions as customers pull their money from the exchange. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

After the wave of microblogs, social networks started turning to some interesting places. You had image-oriented networks like Pinterest and Instagram. And you had Snapchat, which introduced the idea of content that only stays online temporarily before disappearing. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Comcast become such a huge, powerful company? What happened with the doomed Time Warner deal? And where does the company go next? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple's security plans have upset the FBI. The EU rules that Google is legally obligated to remove links to sites if users can prove the sites host misinformation. And Dyson has some super expensive headphones that have an interesting peripheral. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From 2006 to 2008, the trend in social networks was short and sweet: the micro-blog. Learn how Twitter, Jaiku, Plurk and Tumblr all took different approaches to micro-blogging. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta threatens to pull news feeds off Facebook if the US passes a proposal giving media outlets collective bargaining power. Tesla is having a hard time filling positions in Germany. And Chinese hackers were able to steal millions of US dollars meant for Covid relief. Plus more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We continue our trip through the history of social networks. This time we look at Flickr, Orkut, Bebo, YouTube and Reddit. Two of those don't exist anymore!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comcast is a powerful player in the cable and Internet space. How did the company get its start? And how did cable television take off in the first place? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity researchers find that only 13% of defense contractors in the US pass a basic set of cybersecurity regulations. Elon Musk wants to put a chip in someone's brain within six months. And could hydrogen fuel your next trip on a jet? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our profile on the history of social networks continues with two of the big competitors in the mid 2000s -- Myspace and Facebook. From the infamous News Corp buyout of Myspace for 580 million bucks to the even more infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal at Facebook, we take a look at how these networks shaped the web. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Salesforce platform can empower businesspeople to create digital solutions without writing code. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Jacob Goldstein, host of What’s Your Problem?, and guest Phil Weinmeister, Head of Product, Salesforce Americas, at IBM. They discuss human-centric design, the low-code/no-code approach, and how IBM Consulting powers...

Twitter and Facebook are struggling right now, but both have outlasted many other social networks. In this retrospective, we look at early attempts to bring people together online. Some are gone, some remain, and some transformed into something else entirely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the story with Volkswagen and emissions testing? How did the car manufacturer hide vehicle emissions? Scott Benjamin of CarStuff joins us to talk about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do companies really implement planned obsolescence to get you to buy more stuff? (Spoiler: yes). And do they really resist giving you the option to repair gadgets? (Spoiler: Also yes). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Numbers stations are mysterious, creepy and part of the world of espionage. We learn how shortwave radio works, why it's used for numbers stations and how you might tune in to find one yourself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as Twitter headcount dwindles, Elon Musk announces an ambitious vision for the service's future. Alphabet is gearing up for layoffs. Tax prep services have been sending Americans' financial info to Meta. And more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No copyright infringement intended. Does that matter? Does it even mean anything? We look at the complicated issues of copyright and fair use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the holiday season coming up, it's time to look at some gift ideas for the filthy rich. From ridiculous watches to a multimillion dollar mobile home, we explore some of the most ridiculously expensive tech out there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk allegedly fires Twitter employees who criticize his decisions. A billionaire is calling for Google to stop paying its employees so darn much. Amazon gears up for corporate layoffs. And Chinese gamers will soon lose access to games like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.