Tech Life

Latest Episodes:

A tale of two ecommerce giants Feb 05, 2021

Show notes

Jeff Bezos's Amazon and Jack Ma's Alibaba report bumper profits, but both online shopping giants face challenges. Rory Cellan-Jones speaks to the BBC's Asia business correspondent Karishma Vaswani about Jack Ma's run-in with Chinese regulators, while BBC technology reporter Jane Wakefield assess the impact of Jeff Bezos's decision to step away from day-to-day running of Amazon. Plus we hear from Eliot Higgins, founder of online investigators Bellingcat, about how the internet has changed intelligence gathering. And Leo Kelion speaks to social networking pioneer Michael Birch about his plans to relaunch the social network platform Bebo.

(Photo: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Alibaba’s Jack Ma, Credit: EPA/ Reuters)

Robert Downey Jr. on backing green tech Jan 29, 2021

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The Iron Man star tells us how he wants to help tackle the climate crisis. Plus, how small investors on a Reddit forum took on Wall Street and won - for now at least. And have your shopping habits changed in the last year? A retail expert tells us how the pandemic has shown which brands have managed to adapt to the online revolution. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones with BBC senior tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Robert Downey Jr. against a pink and yellow gradient background, Credit: Getty Images).

Biden’s plan for big tech Jan 22, 2021

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Will the new US President bring a new era in relations with the tech giants? Plus, as schools remain closed in many places, how online learning is helping educate children. And why a global semiconductor shortage is hitting carmakers. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with senior BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: President Joe Biden against a pink/ yellow gradient background, Credit: Getty Images).

Amazon gives Parler the boot Jan 15, 2021

Show notes

The social platform favoured by Donald Trump supporters loses its online home after Amazon Web Services withdraws its cloud hosting. Plus, how the pandemic has fired the imagination of gadget-makers exhibiting at CES. And why the tech behind apps to help women track their menstrual cycles is leaving many users disappointed. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC Online tech team Chris Fox, Leo Kelion, and Zoe Kleinman. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Composite image of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and the Parler logo. Credit: BBC).

Facebook and Twitter block Trump Jan 08, 2021

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Social giants act after the President praises supporters who broke into the US Congress building. Plus, how Singapore’s Covid-19 contact tracing data may be accessed by police despite earlier assurances it would only be used to control the pandemic. And we look ahead to next week’s CES, the biggest annual tech event. Can it deliver in a virtual format? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC senior tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Donald Trump rallies supporters to march on the US Capitol to protest against the certification of the election result. Credit: Getty Images).

Tech Trends for 2021 Jan 01, 2021

Show notes

Rory Cellan-Jones and guests on how tech will shape the coming twelve months. Featuring BT innovation researcher Dr Nicola Millard, and BBC senior tech reporter Jane Wakefield. With contributions from remote working consultant Dave Coplin, futurist Peter Schwartz, and Kate Bevan, editor of Which? Computing. Produced by Jat Gill.

Image: Stock photo of a woman runner checking and logging health data. Credit: Getty Images.

Tech Quiz of the Year 2020 Dec 25, 2020

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Test your knowledge of the year’s biggest tech stories with Rory Cellan-Jones and the Tech Tent team. With BBC tech reporters Chris Fox, Zoe Kleinman, David Molloy, and Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

Image: Stock photo of a man sitting outdoors in front of a festive background, listening to earphones. Credit: Getty Images.

Hackers breach US government Dec 18, 2020

Show notes

Key government agencies are among thousands of organisations believed to have been hit using compromised network software from SolarWinds. Plus Facebook goes to war with Apple over its plans to restrict the targeting of iPhone users by advertisers. And the man whose school photograph became a viral meme without him knowing it. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

Will Facebook be broken up? Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

US regulators launch lawsuits accusing the giant of buying rivals to stifle competition. Plus, does Uber’s sale of its autonomous driving division indicate a roadblock for driverless tech? And why a paper by leading AI ethics researcher Dr Timnit Gebru has caused a storm at her employer Google. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC cybersecurity reporter Joe Tidy. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, October 2019. Credit: REUTERS/ Erin Scott/ File Photo).

Life after Covid Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Will a digital means of showing you’ve been immunised be the passport to living normal everyday life? Plus, what does China’s new law banning the export of goods deemed important for national security mean for Western tech giants? And we attend Web Summit - virtually - to consider whether the future of giant conferences is online. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: A health worker processes a sample for a Covid test in New Delhi, India. Credit: EPA/ RAJAT GUPTA).