TechStuff

Invisibility cloaks have long been featured in science fiction, but where are we when it comes to science fact? We look at the science behind bending light in interesting ways, and learn how metamaterials could play a part in making something invisible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a MOOG synthesizer? How does it work? And did people really say synthesizers didn't make real music? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft and Google went head to head with their AI-powered chatbot demonstrations, and Google stumbled. No, Google Bard, the James Webb Space Telescope did not take the first picture of an exoplanet. Plus, some hackers receive sanctions from the US and UK and Nintendo gives us our first look at the new Legend of Zelda game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We credit Alessandro Volta with the invention of the battery, the man who identified electromotive force, and a dude who was interested in swamp bubbles, among other things. We learn a bit about the life and contributions of Volta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It sounds like Microsoft is about to throw down the chatbot gauntlet and Google is responding with its own AI-powered chat program. China isn't going to be left out either. What's in store for the rest of us? Plus news about Big Tech's earnings calls last week and more layoffs in the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a music festival become one of the biggest tech events in the US? We look at the history of SxSW, explore some of the notable (and sometimes disastrous) things that happened there and Jonathan relives one of his worst memories as a professional. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a MOOG synthesizer? How does it work? And did people really say synthesizers didn't make real music? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Michael Bennet is asking Google and Apple to dump TikTok from their app stores. Snap and Meta held their Q4 2022 earnings calls this week with very different results. Plus stories about Google, why AMD's chip prices haven't gone down despite a decline in demand, and how Netflix plans to crack down on account sharing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only Benjamin Franklin would listen to a musician playing wine glasses and think "I bet I could use technology to make this easier." And he did by inventing the Glass Armonica, an instrument that gained a peculiar reputation for producing ethereal music and . . . health problems? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several of the major tech companies have earnings calls this week, which will tell us more about how they're doing and where we go from here. Plus, we learn more about the affects of layoffs in tech companies, a paralegal investigates DoNotPay's AI claims and how the three big companies in video games are skipping E3 this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do scam artists disguise their phone numbers when setting up robocalls? We look at Caller ID and spoofing and learn how companies and government agencies are trying to fight back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happened to the Philips company during World War II? How did Philips diversify over the decades? What's next for the company? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An academic publisher says that it will not publish academic papers written by ChatGPT. Futurism uncovers more problems with CNET's use of AI to write articles. India pressures Twitter and Google to censor a BBC documentary. And researchers in Hong Kong show off a cool melting robot! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diodes are key components in modern electronics, but what are they and what do they do? We take a few minutes to describe diodes and their function. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A business school professor says that ChatGPT passed the final exam needed to earn an MBA. Microsoft announces a commitment to a multi-year, multibillion dollar relationship with OpenAI. And Elon Musk says that Twitter will offer an ad-free subscription level in the future. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With ChatGPT in the news, I thought it was high time we take a look at OpenAI -- the company behind the controversial chatbot. From its founding in 2015 to its shift to a "capped-profit" company, we look at the organization founded with the goal of creating AI that's beneficial for humanity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who founded the electronics company Philips? Why did it nearly go bankrupt in less than five years? And who saved it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity researchers discover that, with a little bullying, they could convince ChatGPT to make some nasty malware. Plus workers in Kenya suffered to make ChatGPT less toxic. Meta faces fines in the EU for WhatsApp. And Microsoft is gearing up for layoffs. Plus more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Faced with challenging engineering problems, Apple has reportedly shelved its augmented reality glasses project. We look at the history and evolution of AR, and why it's so hard to create a pair of glasses with AR capabilities.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artists, musicians and even stock photography companies are starting to fire shots at generative artificial intelligence systems. Will we see lawmakers create new legislation that creates a legal framework for generative AI? At what point can you say a machine plagiarized an artistic work? Plus, Meta sues an Israeli company for scraping user data and Google has plans for all those Stadia controlle...

In this episode from 2021, we look at the thorny issues of copyright and how fair use isn't some proactive safety play to avoid those pesky copyright strikes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Codebreaker's Ben Johnson joins the show to talk about data tracking. What is it used for? What's the best case scenario? And what happens when it goes wrong? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A corrupt file in the FAA's systems forced all flights in the US to hold, leading to thousands of delays and hundreds of cancellations. Plus, CNET has been using AI to write articles and no one really noticed. Parler laid off about 75% of its staff. And the James Webb Space Telescope finds its first new exoplanet. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022, Apple rolled out a self repair service shop. New York state passed a bill meant to give consumers more options when repairing their tech. And John Deere recently signed a memorandum of understanding with farmers loosening repair restrictions. Has the US embraced the Right to Repair? Not quite. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence is going to be a big topic this year, and we have several stories to prove it. Plus, more about some of the stuff shown off at CES and how a school system is taking social media companies to court. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.