POP | TECH | JAM
The independent audio magazine devoted to mashing up pop culture, technology and more. J.D. Biersdorfer and Pedro Rafael Rosado are your hosts. It's an Internet Radio revolution!
After a seven-month commute through space, NASA's Perseverance rover is due to arrive on Mars next week! So, some science to go with our science-fiction television on this week's episode, as El Kaiser shares his thoughts regarding later seasons of The Expanse on Amazon Prime and WandaVision on Disney+ . And J.D. has a smattering of tech news, including reports that Twitter is looking at subscription possibilities, along with resources on how to find out when you and your family can get the Covid-19 vaccine. It's all here on PTJ 350!
As the last week of January rolls in, so do the Internet themes and memes — including TikTok's flirtation with sea shanties and the cold-weather fashion of Senator Bernie Sanders. El Kaiser and J.D. ponder the latest Web whimsy, as well as Google and Apple's fight against the ongoing problems of the world, other tech news and fun things to do with your smartphone's camera. Hear it all on PTJ 349!
After long, unintended absence, El Kaiser and J.D. are back to praise The Mandalorian, chew on the news, talk audio hardware and mourn the loss of the iconic radio telescope at Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory. As 2020 continues its quest for Worst Year Ever (Modern Edition), we remind ourselves to stay flex in the Q-Zone. PTJ 346 is here for you.
What day is it? Does it matter? Time may be a flat circle that got hit by the Covid Truck for many people, but things have happened this month: Apple finally rolls out its four iPhone 12 models, Facebook finally bans Holocaust-denial content and and a House committee finally produces its report on Big Tech and monopoly. El Kaiser and J.D. muse upon it all, along with with a new set of headphones that gets the Rosado Review. Hear it all on PTJ 345!
Labor Day has been here and gone for weeks now, so El Kaiser and JD get back to business with a pile of news, including the new PlayStation and Xbox consoles arriving on November and recap of Apple's September event. And because the year is only going to get more intense from here, this week's episode also offers suggestions for science-fiction television entertainment to temporarily make you forget the current state of this world. Come on along for PTJ 344!
Epic Games has fired antitrust shots at Apple and Google over their app stores, Facebook does a bit of cleaning and fans of Microsoft Fight Simulator can take to the virtual skies again in a glorious new version of the program . Meanwhile, back on the ground, El Kaiser has thoughts on Star Wars: Resistance and J.D. shares some tips on what to do with your old gear after you upgrade to new stuff. All this and more, right here on PTJ 343!
The recent weather across much of North American isn't the only thing that's been a little toasty — TikTok, Big Tech and the kids who hacked Twitter last month are also feeling the heat. El Kaiser and J.D. take in the latest headlines from the technology world and also offer more tips for entertaining yourself in a partially closed pandemic city. Come join us here on PTJ 342!
How long until a hacked social-media platform causes real damage in the world? Are TikTok's days in the US numbered? Is time running out for political ads on Facebook? Is anybody watching Quibi? El Kaiser and JD have questions — and opinions. Also, what local stores and restaurants are still open as the COVID-19 pandemic eases up or crashes down around the country?
As a boycott from major advertisers heats up, Facebook announces it will finally start taking action against hate and harmful posts. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss The Social Network's latest moves, along with the other tech news of recent days, like Apple's World Wide Developers Conference announcements and product updates from Google. J.D. also spins up a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about searching newspaper archives for mention of your ancestors back in their day. PTJ 340 is right here ready to go!
Welcome to June here in the year 1918 + 1929 + 1968! El Kaiser and J.D. drop in for a quick roundup of tech news, including rising tensions at social media companies, ongoing pandemic fallout and the newfound popularity of... online word-processing software. Take a break and dial up PTJ 339!
Twitter’s act of adding fact-checking labels to a couple of presidential tweets set off a storm in the social-media world — almost at the same time real-life stormy weather caused officials to scrub the NASA-SpaceX launch to the International Space Station, the first on an United States rocket since 2011. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss it all ahead of America’s rescheduled return to space this weekend. Blast off with PTJ 338!
Are podcasts The Next Big Thing — again? With Spotify, Amazon and Apple all scrapping to get big names and fresh content while throwing around big money, it sure seems like something’s going on. After El Kaiser and J.D. roll through the rest of the week’s headlines, El Kaiser also offers a few suggestions for remote podcasting software. It’s all right here in PTJ 337 from the comfort of your own home!
Thinking of spending some of your inside time recording a podcast or your own music? After a tour through the week's technology headlines with J.D., El Kaiser offers some shopping tips on microphones that make you sound way better than the one built into your laptop. Just click the Play button to hear it all on PTJ 336 — starting with a suggestion for another binge-worthy show to pass the time in the Quarantine Life.
Comic-book worlds (and their heroes) are great for passing the time or taking your mind to new places when you're stuck inside — and this week's episode offers insights on the Batwoman TV show as well as making your own comics (even if drawing isn't your strong point). El Kaiser and J.D. also discuss news from the video-game world and other headlines from around the technosphere. Spin up PTJ 335 right here!
Contact tracing! It's all the rage around the world as countries try to track the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus though voluntary smartphone apps. In this week's news segment, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the various approaches these apps take before moving on to other headlines around the tech world. El Kaiser also shares his adventures with cloning a hard drive. All this and more on PTJ 334!
As much of the United States drifts into its second month of lockdown to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the joy of playing old predictable games in decidedly unpredictable times. This week's episode also includes a roundup of the past week's technology news and a sharing of feelings about the Titans show on DC Universe. Spin up PTJ 333 to hear it all!
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its spread, Apple and Google join forces to create a platform to track the disease — even though privacy advocates have concerns. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the program, along with the other tech headlines of the week. And, with network connectivity more important than ever, El Kaiser offers some tips on getting the most out of your home Wi-Fi. It's all here waiting for you in PTJ 332!
As much of the country continues huddling at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. keep themselves busy with a look at the recent technology news — including the Zoom boom (and bust), Apple's control of the weather and the debut of the new Quibi short-form video app. And for those who've now watched everything online, J.D. has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about digitizing your documents since you're already stuck in the house. PTJ 331 is here to keep you company!
As the COVID-19 virus batters the global economy, El Kaiser and J.D. continue to self-isolate and offer up their own ideas to keep from getting too shackwacky. This week's episode also takes a quick look at recent technology news, including two online gifts from Sir Patrick Stewart. PTJ 330, engage!
As more states and cities tell citizens to stay out of public places and do their part to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. fire up the microphones in their respective recording bunkers to discuss the latest tech news. El Kaiser also offers his pro tips for looking and sounding better on those office video-conference meetings, and J.D. has a few ideas for parents trying to keep the kids busy after they've finished their online lessons for the day. It's all here on PTJ 329 — right in the comfort of your own home!
With COVID-19 disrupting life all over the world, El Kaiser and JD get socially distant and take to their respective bunkers to discuss the pandemic's effect on life, work and everything. Click into PTJ 328 to have a listen wherever you happen to spending your international public health crisis!
As El Kaiser and J.D. discuss in the week's news, the global spread of the coronavirus is starting to take a bite out of the tech industry in multiple ways. But hey, the news wasn't all bad — a major fast-food chain is now selling a bag of bacon as a tasty snack. Just hit the Play button on PTJ 327 to hear it all, plus a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about reining in your phone's constant alerts and notifications.
Greetings from the depths of February, where El Kaiser shares an appraisal of his recent binge-watching content, The Good Place and Letterkenny. February also means Mobile World Congress — but not this year, thanks to concern over the coronavirus. After a stroll through the other recent tech headlines, J.D. also offers a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about protect you and yours from an increasingly common bank scam. Punch up PTJ 326 to hear it all!
On this week's show, El Kaiser holds forth on the current state of three of his favorite things: DC Comics, Doctor Who and Star Wars. J.D. has a quick roundup of recent tech news, including the return both of a beloved flip phone and a popular short-form video platform. All this and more on Pop Tech Jam 325!
2020 is here and with it, new laws and other rules that might make life as a technology consumer a little easier. After a quick recap of the recent headlines by J.D., El Kaiser shares his adventures as both an impulse buyer of a brand new iMac Pro, and as the custodian of a trusty old 2008 Mac Pro tower that still has some life in it. Happy New Year, Pop Tech listeners, and here's Episode 324!
As 2019 winds down, so does another decade of consumer technology. After a quick tour through recent headlines, El Kaiser and J.D. reflect on the highs and lows of the past 10 years in the world of gadgets and services. Come take a trip down geek memory lane here on PTJ 323!
On this week's episode, El Kaiser and J.D. offer their initial impressions on The Mandalorian, the new Disney+ live-action show set in the Star Wars universe. After a quick trip through recent tech headlines, J.D. also supplies a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about getting started with touch-screen drawing apps. Use the Force and punch the button for Episode 322!
On this week's episode, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss recent happenings at Twitter, Apple's housing project, YouTube's redesign and new smartphone apps from Google that are supposed to make you use your smartphone less. J.D. also takes a look at the current state of mobile wallet apps. All this and more on PTJ 321!
On this week’s episode, El Kaiser continues his foray into the world of wireless Bluetooth earbuds after the weekly news roundup with J.D. And in these news this week: The stress of Internet shopping on New York City streets, more software updates from Apple and a leak peak at Windows 10X.
El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the recent technology headlines, including Facebook’s wobbly Libra cryptocurrency, yet another iOS 13 update and political chaos around the globe. Also, there's a giant Ouija board up in Salem, Massachusetts. And, leaving his beloved 3.5-mm headphone jack behind, El Kaiser takes a walk on the wireless side with a pair of Jabra Bluetooth earbuds. Listen up here in PTJ 319!
As crisp autumn breezes swirl through New York City at last, El Kaiser and J.D. get back to business, pondering new studies on social media's effect on news and mental health, Apple's bugfest of an iOS 13 release and a recent addictive video game about a horrible little goose loose in a quiet English village. El Kaiser also shares his observations on some recently acquired gear. Pour yourself a cup of hot cider and settle in for PTJ 318!
Brand new iPhones in pastel-candy colors, two deluxe "Pro" models with three cameras on the back and a spiffy new iPad were in Apple's basket of fall announcements this week — along with an updated Apple Watch and two new monthly subscription services for games and movies. El Kaiser and J.D. wade into the Apple news-stream after a look at other headlines, including new government scrutiny for Big, er, Gigundo Tech. Welcome to PTJ 317!
As The Summer of 2019 winds down, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss (among other things) the buzz around Apple's annual fall iPhone event, Twitter's account security issue with one of its major users, Facebook's latest attempts at transparency in political advertising and Amazon's growing video-surveillance network. And, as nerds, we used to always run after the shiny new gadget to have the latest and greatest gear — but have we gotten over that particular fear of missing out? Spin up PTJ 316 to hear it all!
Hoverboard travel is here! In experimental trips across the English Channel, anyway. El Kaiser and J.D. take off through the week's headlines, including more accusations of retaliatory workplace culture at Google, the move toward "pay with your face" forms of authentication and requirements for getting one of those new Apple Cards. J.D. also hosts a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about getting more of that notepad program on your smartphone. PTJ 315 awaits!
Pop Tech Jam returns from Summer Vacation Phase 1 to buckets of money from the Equifax data-breach settlement — or alleged buckets of money. While El Kaiser files his Equifax claim online, J.D. serves up the news of the week, including the Fortnite World Cup results, pocket air-conditioners and worrisome multimedia surveillance. And for those who dove headfirst into the Apollo 11 50th-anniversary coverage in July, J.D. has tips on where to find more archival material from that historic 1969 event — and the many other Apollo missions through the years.
Jump on PTJ 314 right here!
On this week's episode. El Kaiser and JD discuss Jony Ive's departure from his long-time design post at Apple, Facebook’s attempts at civil rights and the latest in cat-flap technology. And, after decades of living the 3.5mm life, El Kaiser also unboxes his very first set of Lightning-connector earbuds and tests them out. Have yourself a listen here on Episode 313!
Big Government finally seems to be paying attention to Big Tech, but will anything actually change? El Kaiser and JD discuss some of the assorted bits of legislation aimed at regulating intrusive technology. And, in a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint, JD offers tips for whipping up your own letterhead in case you need to fire off an old-fashioned epistle by post or PDF. Episode 312 awaits!
On this week's show, JD takes a short break from watching the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 to round up some news with El Kaiser — including the annual Mary Meeker Internet Trends presentation, legal looks at Big Tech and game-world announcements. El Kaiser, ever on the hunt for good-sounding audio gear at reasonable prices, offers his review of the Mixcder E9 wireless headphones. Have a listen to PTJ 311!
El Kaiser and J.D. were off binging Good Omens, but finished just in time for Apple's 2019 edition of its World Wide Developers Conference. This week's episode discusses the major announcements from the keynote — including a revamp of El Kaiser's absolute favorite piece of Mac desktop hardware. Looming government regulation, verified Rotten Tomatoes reviews and a virus-riddled laptop celebrated as art are also in this week's headlines. Listen in to Episode 310!
Game of Thrones may be over on HBO, but El Kaiser and J.D are still here talking tech, pop culture and everything else in between. This week’s episode ponders the blacklist effect on Chinese telecom company Huawei and potential problems with accurate weather forecasting because satellites measure water vapor in the 23.8 GHz band on the wireless spectrum and the Federal Communications Commission is selling off adjacent frequencies. J.D. also has a suggestion for parents who need a project for their bored kids. All this and more, right here on Episode 309!
El Kaiser and JD finally got out of Avengers: Endgame and are back in the recording bunker to discuss recent tech news – including Google’s I/O conference and a former Facebook founder’s call for the government to bust up his former company. JD also explores the new movement that have some people spending less time staring at their smartphones screens. Episode 308 awaits!
On this week’s episode, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the current legal heat on Facebook over data privacy and misuse of its customer’s personal information. Google’s delivery drone program and Samsung’s woes with its Galaxy Fold smartphone are also in the mix. And, on the heels of Avengers: Endgame taking over cineplex screens, PTJ 307 looks down the list of other geekworthy movies headed to theaters this summer.
Freshly returned from spring break, El Kaiser and JD jump into the week's headlines — including government attempts to regulate technology platforms and robots rolling through Walmart. JD also has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint for wrangling the massive photo collection stuffed on your smartphone. Push play to hear it all on Episode 306!
El Kaiser and J.D. wade through the highlights of Apple’s big March 25 event, which brought three new subscription services, a revamped TV app and…a new Apple credit card. And for those who don’t care about Apple’s swerve into paid services, there’s always data privacy and drones to talk about! Spin up PTJ 305, where you can also get tips on finding music-theory and instrument instruction.
On this week’s episode, El Kaiser and J.D. work through the recent headlines — the good, the bad and the completely horrible — and offer a few tips for backing up personal content you’ve posted on social media. Because it’s not like any of those free services can be trusted to DO IT FOR YOU. Spin up PTJ 304 right here!
Can Big Tech get busted up and does Facebook’s pivot to privacy seem legit? El Kaiser and J.D. roll through the recent news, stopping to ponder the “Save the Internet” Act, a slew of new streaming channels and the success of Captain Marvel at the box office — despite concentrated efforts from certain quarters to drag down the film’s ratings. It's all here on PTJ 303, where we also have our annual guide to helping your friends and family avoid tax-season scams this spring.
Has social media become more trouble than it’s worth? El Kaiser and J.D ponder the topic while discussing virtual-reality pioneer Jaron Lanier’s 2018 book, “Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now.” And as always, this week’s episode of Pop Tech Jam serves up a look at the recent tech headlines. Fire up Episode 302 to hear it all!
As NASA declares its Mars Opportunity rover's mission to be over, El Kaiser and J.D. raise a glass to the plucky little machine who did far more than what was expected of it — and sent back so much science. This week's batch of headlines also brings a potential new subscription service (or two) from Apple, Amazon bailing out of New York City and a Tinder-like app for cattle. J.D. also discusses apps to better plan your home renovation. Here's a toast to Opportunity from PTJ Episode 301!
As Pop Tech Jam hits the canonical 300-episode mark, El Kaiser and J.D. ponder the skill (or lack thereof) needed to create a good grilled-cheese sandwich — before discussing the week's technology news and a roundup of public-safety and information apps. Cook yourself up a toastie and have a listen!
The winter temperatures in the American Midwest may have plummeted, but in the technology world, it's Apple and Facebook bouncing off the floor — and into each other over user privacy. El Kaiser and J.D. chew through the events of the past week, and also pause to ponder another question: How many streaming services can one actually have until it feels like paying the same old big bucks for a cable subscription? Click up Episode 299 to hear it all!
Famous eggs, self-delivering scooters, rabbit-ears making a comeback and YouTube triesto ban stupidity — El Kaiser and JD catch up on a big pile of technology news from the past week or two. And in a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint, J.D. explains how to use a free, pre-built spreadsheet to track your finances. Roll on into PTJ 298 to hear it all!
Early January is here at last and El Kaiser and J.D. are ready to explore all the unique creations launched on the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. And as with last year's round-up, the specifications and features on the Kohler Intelligent Toilet amaze. This week's episode also features a look at recent technology news and a rave review for the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film. Jump into 2019 with Episode 297!
As 2018 comes clanging to a close. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss Amazon's healthy holiday sales, Instagram's effects on people, Snapchat's "dog lenses" and a new essay that wonders just how much of the Internet is real anymore. And in the last (Hopefully) Helpful Hint of the year, J.D. offers a guide for preserving your one-of-a-kind family photographs and slides in the digital realm.
Ring up Episode 296, right here!
The year is winding down, but the movie selection at the local cineplex is heating up with several sizzling releases this month. Also in the hot seat: Google's CEO Sundar Pichai, who got to have his belated chat with Congressional members, and social-media companies who missed the massive amount of misinformation spread across their platforms in 2016 and beyond. And for those don't want to burn a lot of cash on wireless headphones, El Kaiser has a a review for you. Fire up Episode 295!
Of course, your apps are tracking you! El Kaiser told you that years ago, but The New York Times now fills in the details. J.D. rounds up the headlines from the past two weeks for discussion and also offers a (Hopefully) helpful Hint about recording your family's history in audio and video this holiday season. Pull up a chair and join us for PTJ 294!
Facebook's horrible, bad, no-good, you-brought-it-on-yourself-pal year continues with major revelations about how the company handles its problems and Apple's iPhone orders have dipped, but at least we have a NASA event next week. El Kaiser and J.D. wade through the headlines of the week — including a long-awaited podcast-discovery announcement from Pandora. And El Kaiser takes a look at a sleek new pedestal to charge multiple devices. Once you put down the pie, spin up PTJ 293 — and everyone, have a happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Smartphones that open up into mini-tablets are on the way, thanks to several companies gearing up to expand the traditional rectangular slab into new form factors. Samsung had a big event to introduce its bendy Galaxy X, even though a smaller company called Royole jumped out in front of the pack with its own FlexiPai device a few weeks ago. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss this new look for phones, as well as East Coast expansion efforts by Google and Amazon, and other news of the week. J.D. also explains what those "waterproof" and "water-resistant" ratings for mobile devices really mean. Press the Play button to unfold Episode 292 of Pop Tech Jam!
There's been a lot of movement in the tech world the past week — Google employees got to their feet to protest the company's treatment of women, Apple rolled out new hardware and Facebook got slapped officially with a big fine for misuse of customer data. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the tech news from the past 10 days or so, and with the U.S. elections looming, also offer a few resources for voters. Roll on over to PTJ 291!
Facebook's public-relations department probably had another busy week, with all sorts of walkbacks and investigations concerning the company's products and practices. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss some of the major events, as well as changes to the way Twitter enforces its rules and the State of New York investigating the net neutrality comments wars. J.D. also offers a look at the SmartNews app — which as its name implies — tries to gather online news in an intelligent way. Set your nav computer for Episode 290!
Apple possibly giving away stuff for free! A Windows 10 update that ate people's files! Crackdowns on cyberbullying and political spam on social media! Some surprises are better than others, but then there were things that were NO surprise, like Facebook trying to hoover out even more personal data from users. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss it all, as well as a recent guide to deleting some of your social media accounts for good. Come on in from the cold and have a listen to PTJ 289!
It's not just the leaves starting to waft through the air here in North America — plenty of lawsuits are swirling as well. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss some of the bigger ones, including legal action aimed at California's new net neutrality rules and Facebook's latest woes. And for those who aren't fans of the new Gmail web design, J.D. has some tips for making the interface feel more familiar. Click on through to PTJ 288!
If it's September, Apple has a new iPhone to sell you. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss this year's crop of gear, along with news from FitBit, Amazon and GoPro. And, as election season looms closer, J.D. has some advice and links for those who see misinformation on social-media sites and want to stop it from spreading. Buckle up for Episode 287, y'all!
Hot times were had on Capitol Hill at the Senate and House hearings with leaders of Facebook and Twitter — but not with Google, which declined the invitation to come testify about such things as election influencing and political bias on its platform. El Kaiser and J.D. also discuss Apple's new global portal for law enforcement pros, Amazon's new tablet and a new study from the Pew Internet Research Center about how people's feelings have changed about a certain Social Network over the past year. This week's show also includes a highlight tour of some of the more popular features in Google's Android 9.0 (Pie) system and Apple's iOS 12. Jump into Episode 286 now!
While the tussles between politicians and Big Tech heat up as August sizzles to a close, El Kaiser and J.D. sip fizzy water in the shade and explore the accusations and rebuttals coming from both sides of America's political divide. Apple's latest acquisition, Twitter's recent experiment and a blockchain that few people realized was hiding in plain sight are also in the news mix this week, and J.D. has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about hopefully helping friends and family with their computer problems, even when you're miles away. Crank up the air conditioner and PTJ 285!
American Innovations is hosted by Steven Johnson and will take give you a different outlook on how we got to today. Subscribe to American Innovations on Apple Podcasts or wherever you’re listening to this
Election security — or lack thereof — dominated the headlines this week as social-media platforms moved to boot trolls and industry leaders met to discuss what to do with the U.S.midterms looming. Meanwhile, Walmart and Kobo teamed up on ebooks, rumors about Apple's fall event popped up right on time, Samsung released its Galaxy Note9 and Google is trying to find regular doses of good news out there. All this and more on Episode 284!
Celebratory adult beverages were likely consumed around the technosphere these past few days as Apple became the first trillion-dollar company, Motorola announced 5G phone hardware was on the way and fans of white wine pushed for their very own emoji. El Kaiser (fresh off an appearance on the Wide Range Media podcast) and J.D. explore those stories and more, and a soon-to-be-vacationing Kaiser shares packing tips for his traveling gear bag. Grab a cold one and chill out to Episode 283!
Note: Pop Tech Jam is on vacation next week.
On this week's episode, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the things that are making the tech world shake, rattle and roll — including Amazon's facial recognition software not passing muster with the American Civil Liberties Union, Facebook's stock price plummeting and the possibility of the Broadway musical Hamilton coming to Netflix. In the (Hopefully) Helpful Hint, J.D. also describes a new scam going around that shows off an old password you've actually used in the past. Ride along with Episode 282!
In this week's show, J.D. and an overworked El Kaiser discuss the week's news, including Google's big fine and Amazon Prime Day's big fail. There's also an exciting turn of events for those wishing rocket jet-packs were real. J.D. also has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about making your Windows PC or Mac clean up after itself. Hear it all now on Episode 281!
Several companies have now stepped up the fight against fake news — most noticeably, Twitter, as the service finally began to delete fake accounts and return follower totals back to the realm of real people. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the efforts, as well as the state of streaming television, Apple's latest updates and the things one can find for sale on the Dark Net. In a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint, J.D. has some tips for how to stay charged up when traveling. All aboard Episode 280!
In that quiet time of the year between developer conferences and the back-to-school sales, product announcements are scarce — but the hazy, lazy days of summer are no vacation for the legal world! As El Kaiser and J.D. discover on this week's episode, court rulings and decisions by lawmakers dominated the news this week, with a few bug revivals thrown in for good measure. J.D. also explores the new Windows 10 Timeline feature in Microsoft's latest operating-system update, so beat the heat and find a cool place to settle in with Episode 279!
On this week's episode, El Kaiser discusses his return to gaming and adventures with hardware, and J.D. explores the world of indoor maps. In tech news this week, Disney marches on to a Fox acquisition, Facebook tries a way to block spoilers, the Dark Net gets busted and this fall's new Doctor Who series will have its own unique look and sound. Find a cool spot to kick back and spin up PTJ 278!
It's been a week of heavy legal news, deals and global affairs — almost enough to make you want to escape to a fantasy realm to take a break over a pint of butterbeer. El Kaiser and J.D. sort through the stories of the week before moving on to a discussion of how the Harry Potter franchise is keeping active far beyond the original seven books. PTJ 277 awaits behind that Play button — Alohomora!
A judge cleared the way for AT&T and Time Warner to merge, Apple plans to reinforce its iPhone security, Microsoft made a bunch of announcements — but hey, here comes the annual E3 event to bring in the fun. El Kaiser and J.D. sort through it all before a discussion about the VPNFilter malware — you know, that one the FBI was warning about the other week — and how to protect your router from it. Spin up PTJ 276 to hear it all!
If it's early June, odds are the technology-news business will be dominated by announcements coming out of Apple's annual World Wide Developers Conference. However, new revelations about Facebook's privacy practices did draw attention and even CEO Tim Cook found time to comment — as Apple unveiled new tools designed to hamper companies like Facebook who have been quietly hoovering up personal data from unsuspecting users for years. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the week's events and a few other non-Apple headlines on this week's episode before offering a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about recording a video of the action on your phone screen. Roll PTJ 275 to hear it all!
Even without the NBA finals in the mix, it's been a busy time out in California with a fierce net-neutrality bill passing a hurdle in the state senate and Mary Meeker's mega-slideshow on Internet trends. El Kaiser and J.D. surf through the week's tech news before stopping to ponder life without Twitter — if only just for a little while. Punch up Episode 274 and have a listen!
Yanny or Laurel? El Kaiser was too busy mixing up podcasts to weigh in, and J.D. thought the whole thing was dumb and tuned into Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band instead — but The New York Times built a handy little tool to demonstrate how audio frequencies factor into the matter. Beyond all that, Episode 273 serves up the week's tech news, pours one out for Tom Wolfe and contemplates the strange notion of secure and private email. Give a listen!
This past week saw two big developer conferences unload several boxes of announcements, as Google I/O and Microsoft Build fought for media attention like "Godzilla vs. Gamera". El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the ramped-up interest in artificial intelligence coming out of both conferences, along with other headlines from around the technosphere. J.D. also offers suggestions for dealing with an excess of emoji, and previews new characters under consideration by the Unicode Consortium. Come sit a spell and join us for Episode 272!
Fresh off the latest Facebook user-abuse apology media tour and visit with the U.S. Congress, Mark Zuckerberg made a slew of announcements at this week's F8 Developers Conference in California, which El Kaiser and J.D. discuss on this week's episode — along with other news from the tech realm. Episode 271 also sports a quick look at the big geek movies headed into theaters this summer and an explanation of "malvertising." Spin up this latest installment of Pop Tech Jam to hear it all!
California fires a shot across the bow of the FCC's net neutrality repeal, Amazon's Alexa has a new do-it-yourself project for users and even aquariums aren't safe on the Internet of Things. El Kaiser and J.D. sort through the technology news of the past 10 days before discussing a great vacation destination for aviation and NASA nerds: The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virgina, home to the National Air and Space Museum's big collection of airplanes and spacecraft. Jump into it all here in Episode 270 of Pop Tech Jam!
