Tech Life

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Tesla’s $500bn valuation Nov 27, 2020

Show notes

Does the electric car pioneer’s technology justify its stock value exceeding that of the major traditional carmakers combined? Plus, will Apple’s new M1 silicon chips end the decades-long dominance of Intel and Microsoft in computing? And have you received an Amazon delivery you didn’t order? We find out what’s going on. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones with BBC tech reporter Zoe Kleinman. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Tesla Model 3 cars at the company’s Shanghai factory, Credit: REUTERS/ Aly Song/ File Photo).

Electric cars in the fast lane Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

The UK government says new petrol and diesel-powered cars will be banned by 2030. Will developments in battery tech deliver electric vehicles for the mass-market? Plus how Kenya is looking to wind energy to bring cleaner power to off-grid communities. And has the pandemic permanently changed how we look at screen-time? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Electric Mini Cooper charging on a central London street, Credit: BBC).

Will Biden go after Facebook? Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

Facebook faces more criticism for its handling of misinformation around the US election, this time by members of Joe Biden's team. Could the next US president lead a crackdown on the social media giant? We speak to Siva Vaidhyanathan, professor of media studies at the University of Virginia and author of Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy. Also on the show: Apple launches a range of new laptops, but it's the chips inside them that are causing a stir. We ask Raspberry Pi creator Eben Upton if it's the end of the road for endlessly faster processors. Plus Hyperloop makes some headlines with a high-speed test in the desert, but is it really going to revolutionise transport systems around the world? Railway engineer and writer Gareth Dennis has his say. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones with BBC tech reporter Zoe Kleinman.

(Photo: Cutouts of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg outside the US Capitol, Credit: Getty Images)

Social giants label Trump’s posts Nov 06, 2020

Show notes

Facebook and Twitter warn President Trump’s post-election remarks may be misleading. Plus, what a verbal battle between chatbots tells us about machine learning. And the plan to beam 5G connectivity from hydrogen-powered drones. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC reporters Jane Wakefield and Marianna Spring. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about the 2020 presidential election at the White House in Washington DC, Credit: Carlos Barria/ Reuters).

Senators accuse big tech of bias Oct 30, 2020

Show notes

US politicians clash over how social media firms will moderate content in future. Plus, how inkjet printing tech could help ramp-up Covid-19 testing and research. And a solar-powered solution to a shortage of medical oxygen in developing countries. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporters James Clayton, Leo Kelion, and Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies remotely to the US Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Credit: EPA/ Greg Nash/ POOL).

Election stakes for US tech Oct 23, 2020

Show notes

What changes will a new Presidential term bring for the tech we use? Plus, how TikTok may be influential in the vote, despite paid political ads being banned. And what the social platforms are doing to try to stem disinformation ahead of polling day. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC reporters James Clayton, Sophia Smith Galer, and Marianna Spring. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Combination of images showing Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the first Presidential debate, Credit: Jim Watson/ Saul Loeb/ AFP/ Getty Images).

iPhone 12 goes 5G Oct 16, 2020

Show notes

Apple pushes 5G as a key selling point of its new iPhone 12. But is it useful anywhere right now? We get the view from South Korea, where 5G has been available for 18 months, and from Ghana where the previous 4G network is just rolling out. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Illustration of the iPhone 12, Credit: Apple/ EPA).

US Congress slams big tech Oct 09, 2020

Show notes

Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple are compared to oil barons by US lawmakers. But the firms insist they are not monopolies and they operate in a competitive market. Plus, Facebook takes further action to ban content relating to the QAnon conspiracy theory across its platforms. And the opportunities for women whose jobs have been hit by the pandemic to retrain as programmers. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Chris Fox. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Congresswoman Val Demings, (D-FL), questions tech leaders during a hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on "Online Platforms and Market Power", Credit: Graeme Jennings/Pool via REUTERS).

A Pixel for the times Oct 02, 2020

Show notes

Google pushes affordability and 5G for its flagship Pixel 5 mobile handset. But can it compete in a crowded middle-market? Plus, has quantum computing reached a point at which it is genuinely useful for businesses? And the push-back against China-led plans to replace the internet’s underlying protocols. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Press photo of a woman using the Pixel 5 smartphone, Credit: Google).

How misinformation spreads Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

Rory Cellan-Jones examines how misinformation spreads across online platforms. Plus, why Tesla’s Elon Musk is promising a $25,000 fully autonomous electric car. And former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Facebook’s new oversight board, on how the body will handle controversies relating to the US election. With BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.

(Image: Anti coronavirus-lockdown protest in Trafalgar Square, London, August 2020. Credit: Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images).

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