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Nate Mitchell Exits Facebook, AR/VR Update, Oculus Rift | #213 Aug 31, 2019

Show notes

With the news that Nate Mitchell is leaving Facebook, we thought it'd be a great time to check in on the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) worlds. Gameplay Productions Owner and Director, Cheyenne Decker, discusses the impact of Oculus Rift and the amazing team of visionaries behind the project on the world of virtual reality today. We also chat about the advancement of augmented reality and how it is enabling other industries to perform more efficiently. Closing out the show we talk about the growing risk of regulation for the tech giants of Silicon Valley and how this risk may have influenced the creators of Oculus to leave Facebook. Tune in for more news on augmented and virtual reality.

[00:00:00] Nate Mitchel Leaves Oculus/ What is AR?
[00:06:22] AR in the Real World and Marketing
[00:12:30] How Oculus Rift Brought VR Roaring Back
[00:19:50] Why Did Facebook Buy Oculus Anyway?
[00:27:42] Haptic Suits and Ecosystem Economics
[00:35:52] Tech Giant Regulation/ Great VR Games

Mergers, Tornadoes, and Keeping Your Ears Safe at Concerts | #212 Aug 10, 2019

Show notes

If you've ever thought that big corporate mergers don't affect you, you might be wrong. Mike shines a light on the constant bad hand that consumers get after mergers like the AT&T and Time Warner merger. Then, Writer for The Wirecutter and Editor for SoundStage! and JazzTimes, Brent Butterworth, tells us about the random tornado that came through his part of the greater Los Angeles area and why he's getting a new roof. Switching topics, we chat about cutting the cord, increasing entertainment bills, the effects of mergers on everyday Americans, and great ear protection for loud concerts. Tune in to learn more.

[00:00:00] AT&T/Time Warner Merger Hurts Consumers
[00:06:06] Brent's Rare Tornado and Cutting Cords
[00:12:30] How Do Mergers Affect Content Creation?
[00:19:50] Protect Your Ears with Loop Earplugs
[00:28:07] Wear Protection at Loud Concerts
[00:35:52] Staying Quiet in Your Dorm Room

T-Mobile/Sprint Merger, Its Wacky Facets, and Travel Plans | #211 Aug 03, 2019

Show notes

If there's one thing we've learned as consumers, its that huge corporate mergers never work out in our favor. Freelance Writer, Editor, and Photographer for CNET and The New York Times, Geoffrey Morrison, discusses the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint that has the attorneys general of California, Texas, and New York up in arms. There are a couple of weird facets about this merger that leave us scratching our heads, like its inclusion of Dish Network as a propped up fourth cell phone carrier. We also chat about the roll out of 5G internet and SpaceX's plans with low orbit satellite internet. Geoff also shares why he switched to Google Fi from T-Mobile, how to save money while abroad with your cell phone plan, and how to avoid getting financially destroyed by predatory travel packages. Tune in for more!

[00:00:00] The Best Ways to Be a Cellphone Roamer
[00:05:59] Travel Packages / T-Mobile Sprint Merger
[00:12:31] T-Mobile/Sprint Merger Facing Pressure
[00:19:51] Dish An Unlikely Third Wheel in Merger
[00:27:09] 5G vs Low Orbit Satellite Internet
[00:35:52] Likelihood of T-Mobile/Sprint Merger

Bose's New Headphones, Android's Agent Smith, and Streaming | #210 Jul 13, 2019

Show notes

If you're a frequent listener of Popular Technology Radio, you've probably heard The Wirecutter Writer and Writer and Editor for SoundStage! Solo, Brent Butterworth, talk about the phenomenon called 'eardrum suck'. This painful, psychosomatic condition afflicts some users of high end noise cancelling headphones, but thankfully the new Bose NC 700 Headphones have a remedy. These $399 replacements for the Bose QuietComfort 35 II get high marks from Brent, who claims they are more comfortable, sound better, and have adjustable levels of noise cancellation. We also chat about the oversaturation of the headphone market after Chinese manufacturers decided to start marketing their own products; like Haomeja who promise "Supercar loud boom sounds." Changing topics, we discuss the recent, and rampant, 'Agent Smith' malware afflicting millions of Android devices and how to use best practices to avoid contracting such technological afflictions. Closing up the show we discuss Amazon's new Lord of the Rings prequel TV series and multiplayer video game, as well as the oncoming deluge of new streaming services. Tune in to learn more.

[00:00:00] New Bose Headphones - No Eardrum Suck
[00:06:54] Death of Audio Jack / Rise of Bluetooth
[00:12:31] Oversaturation of the Headphone Market
[00:19:52] Android Virus and iPads for Musicians
[00:27:55] "Agent Smith", Best Practices and Scams
[00:35:53] It's the Golden Age of Television

Jony Ive and His Contribution to Product Design and Tech | #209 Jul 06, 2019

Show notes

The news reached us at Popular Technology Radio recently that Jony Ive will be departing from Apple after many years of splendid and revolutionary product design. This departure comes with an asterisk, as he will be setting up shop in a new design studio and his first customer will be Apple. Award Winning Product Design Consultant, Todd Metlen, discusses Jony Ive's unquestionable impact on the world of design and consumer electronics, the nuances of product design, his time at Nokia, and the impossibility of maintaining brand loyalty. Join us as we toast Jony Ive in his new venture and thank him for what he has given the world thus far.

[00:00:00] Revolutionary Product Designer Jony Ive
[00:05:39] How a Design Focus Elevated Apple
[00:12:30] Limitations of Form Follows Function
[00:19:50] Airplane Mode, Nokia, and Obsolescence
[00:28:18] Difficulty of Maintaining Brand Loyalty
[00:35:51] Product Design vs. Architecture

E3 Wrap Up, Cyberpunk 2077, and Cloud Based Gaming | #208 Jun 29, 2019

Show notes

The biggest trade show in the video games industry recently wrapped up in southern California, and we have our eyes on a few upcoming games revealed at the expo. Gameplay Productions Owner and Director and veteran of the gaming industry, Cheyenne Decker, discusses the rapid pace at which the gaming industry is changing; from trade shows, to consoles, to cloud computing. We also chat about our favorite game reveals at E3 2019, like Cyberpunk 2077, Death Stranding, DOOM Eternal, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Zelda Breath of the Wild 2, and more! Tune in to get an update on the video game industry.

[00:00:00] History of E3 and the Gaming Industry
[00:05:14] The Trouble of Big Gaming Trade Shows
[00:12:29] Video Games: A Brutal Hit-Driven Market
[00:19:49] Cyberpunk 2077 and Cloud Gaming
[00:29:12] Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and Facebook
[00:35:48] Games From E3 That Have Us Excited

iTunes, Streaming, iPod, and the Future of Digital Music | #207 Jun 15, 2019

Show notes

When the iPod was released in October of 2001, the world of music changed and changed further still when it was followed up by the release of the iTunes store. Digital Strategist and Co-Founder of Label Logic, and Host of Your Morning Coffee, Jay Gilbert, remembers the history of the iPod and iTunes in light of the recent announcement that iTunes will see the biggest change since it was established 18 years ago. Then, we discuss how the trends have evolved over the years, from mix-tape cassettes and CDs, to digital downloads and streaming services. Join us for an overall look at the current landscape of the music industry.

[00:00:00] iPod, iTunes, and Portable Music Players
[00:05:51] Remembering iTunes, and Its New Form
[00:12:30] How iTunes Helped the iPod Succeed
[00:19:50] iTunes and Explosion of Digital Media
[00:27:39] The Rise of Spotify and Streaming Music
[00:35:52] Pandora, Voice Command, Mobile Music

A Critical Look at Cable Internet and Streaming Industry | #206 Jun 01, 2019

Show notes

If you feel like your cable internet bill has growing curiously big over the last few years, you're not the only one. Kicking off the show, host, Mike Etchart, remembers the good old days of dial up internet and his $9/month American Online (AOL) bill. Then, we chat with Consumer Columnist for The Los Angeles Times, David Lazarus, about the cable companies stranglehold on regional broadband internet services and how things got to be the way they are. We also explore how the shift of TV consumers from bloated cable TV packages to cord cutting streaming services is making internet service providers (ISPs) charge more to offset their losses; but that doesn't mean these price hikes are justified. David offers a case for having more regulation in the telecommunications industry, not necessarily in a heavy handed sense, but we at least need a referee on the field or an adult in the room. Closing the show, Popular Technology Radio Producer, Cody Castleberry, describes his experience with broadband internet in the pacific northwest. Tune in for more about the under-regulated world of ISPs.

[00:00:00] A Brief History of ISPs
[00:05:23] Are Cable Internet Prices Justified?
[00:12:30] From DSL to Cable to Streaming Video
[00:19:51] Streaming Entices ISPs to Charge More
[00:27:54] The Telecom Industry Needs An Adult
[00:35:52] Largest ISPs and Content Bundles

How to Navigate Buying a TV and Associated Hardware | #205 May 25, 2019

Show notes

The TV market has become saturated with jaw-droppingly cheap televisions that still look nice; but don't get too comfortable, there are still plenty of pitfalls to avoid when making a purchase. Freelance Writer, Editor, and Photographer for CNET and The New York Times and Writer for The Wirecutter, Geoffrey Morrison, has written, and talked, and thought, and ranted, and raved about a lot of the misconceptions in the television industry and is here to shed some light on the topic. We find out why HDR and 4K televisions mean nothing without an appropriate source or signal from a Bluray player or streaming service. Also, don't make the mistake of overpaying for HDMI cables and under appreciating an external sound device like a soundbar. Wrapping up the hour we take a look at the best, and the most cost effective TV brands, from TCL and VIZIO to LG and Samsung. Tune in to find out how Chinese brands like TCL and VIZIO were able to push Korean and Japanese companies out of the mid to low price TV category.

[00:00:00] Mike's Old 32" Sony Wega Was a Beast
[00:06:33] Geoffrey Morrison Explains HDR
[00:12:30] Delicate Dance of 4K Content vs Hardware
[00:19:51] Buy Cheap HDMI Cables + A Nice Soundbar
[00:27:48] VIZIO and TCL Make Best Budget TVs
[00:35:32] Chinese Companies Corner The Market

The Big Four Of Cellular Plans and Their Inner Workings | #204 May 18, 2019

Show notes

Cellular carriers are not loved, but we sure wouldn't want to live without them. As much ire as U.S. telecom companies might face, they are a necessary evil; but which companies have the best plans? Thankfully, The Wirecutter Contributor, Rob Pegoraro, reveals to us some of the inner workings of how cell phone carriers operate, the difference between prepaid and postpaid plans, and the limits of 5G. We also discover how cell carriers rank on the consumer satisfaction index, and what the strengths and weaknesses are of the 'big four' in wireless - AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Tune in to learn how to avoid pitfalls and if your service may be in need of updating.

[00:00:00] Cell Phone Carriers: A Necessary Evil
[00:06:38] The Big 4 of Cell Phone Plans
[00:12:30] Prepaid Plans, Sprint / T-Mobile Merger
[00:19:51] Cellular Resellers, and Limits of 5G
[00:27:26] Communication Customer Satisfaction
[00:35:52] Which Carrier Should You Choose?

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