The Ars Technicast

*/ ?>

Latest Episodes:

Ars Technicast Episode 30: How to ruin a NASA capsule with a sandwich Jul 12, 2013

Show notes

In this episode we talk about NASA in light of next week’s 44th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. We are excited to welcome special guest Amy Shira Teitel, who specializes in writing about the history of NASA. According to Amy, the Apollo 11 trip was the beginning of the end of our perception of space travel. The mission set up the expectation that space travel was only limited by our imaginations, but the facts and requirements of actual space travel tell a different story, Amy tell us.

In this episode we also cover many historical events and controversies in NASA’s history.Amy talked to us about the differences between the feasibility of traveling to the Moon versus Mars. She also discussed the roles of women in NASA mission and space travel. She also shares with us the story of how a rogue sandwich might make history in outer space. To hear the rest of these stories in NASA history, tune in to the show.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 29 – Microsoft's 180 on DRM makes us do a double take Jun 21, 2013

Show notes

In this episode of the Technicast, we set out to take a look back at the announcements we covered at E3 last week. Gaming Editor Kyle Orland and Senior Products Specialist Andrew Cunningham were on site at the event, and they joined me and co-host Casey Johnston to provide some analysis on announcemnts.

But then a funny thing happened. Just a couple of hours after we recorded, Microsoft announced that it was reversing its stance on used games in the XBox One. (Kyle also wrote about some of its implications afterward).

At the top of this episode, you’ll hear us talk about the breaking news, and what we think it means for the battle between Microsoft and Sony for gamer’s console of choice. Then we time shift back to our recap of E3, where we noticed that a few items, like DRM, flew “under the radar.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 28–WWDC rumors and what's missing from them Jun 07, 2013

Show notes

While the Internet’s saturating itself like a wet sponge with rumors about what Apple has in store for iOS at the World Wide Developers conference, the Ars Technicast is staying dry and packing its bags to cover the conference next week. As we do so, we thought we’d talk about what we can expect from Apple this time around.

In this episode we discuss a few areas of iOS that we feel could use an overhaul or some much-needed attention, while staying away from the old rehash of Internet rumors about what Apple will include in iOS 7. We also talk about some of the possible refreshes that Apple may announce for product lines, such as MacBook Air and MacBook Pros. Join Social Editor Cesar Torres, Ars Associate Writer Casey Johnston, Senior Products Specialist Andrew Cunningham in this episode as we prepare to send off our crew to WWDC.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 27–Will the revolution be 3D-printed? May 24, 2013

Show notes

In this episode we debate the issue of 3D printers and the patterns and designs available to make handgun components. We shed some light on the previous coverage we have written here at Ars Technica on the subject, and we talk about how difficult or expensive it might be to try to print out these handguns or try to mass produce them. We also talk about the potential regulation of this phenomenon, and how handmade guns compare to other technologies that can be put to nefarious uses. Join hosts Social Editor Cesar Torres and Ars Contributing Writer Casey Johnston, and Senior Products Specialist Andrew Cunningham, and Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson as we delve into the world of 3D printing and its ramifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 26–Summer movie season is here: Engage! May 09, 2013

Show notes

Now that you can watch a movie on your laptop, tablet, or even your phone, the cinema has a lot of new options to compete against. The cinema is not dead, but it sure is evolving. Many of us at Ars Technica enjoy the trip to the theater to see a movie, and as the summer movie season gears up, we talk about some of the upcoming films we want to see, including Man of Steel, Pacific Rim, Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Great Gatsby, and more.

Also, we explore whether movies have the same impact for us when we watch them on a tv or mobile screen. And inevitably, we also talk about the ways in which television has evolved and eventually competed against standalone movies. Yeah, there’s a lot of folks who think a tv series might actually be better than a 2-hour feature film. That’s sure to get some fans riled up. Join host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson, Contributor Casey Johnston, and Social Editor Cesar Torres in this episode dedicated to our love affair with the movies.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast Episode 25 – Would you like some social media with your news? Apr 25, 2013

Show notes

Nowadays, when a big story breaks, one of the first places that people go to for information are social sites. Reactions on social media have become part of the headlines themselves, as social networks like Facebook and Twitter are used to both distribute and consume news. These are not like the news cycles of the past. With so much immediate information in the form of news, rumor and analysis, we set out to discuss what makes news in 2013 different than before the arrival of social. But even if people are using social media to disseminate the news, have the behaviors of people changed all that much?We set out to discuss these topics in this episode of the Ars Technicast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 24 – Is it time to move into our Facebook Home? Apr 12, 2013

Show notes

Facebook announced Facebook Home last week, and they want users to get really cozy. So cozy that your friends' news feed updates will take over the screen of the phone, putting Facebook interactions and messaging at the forefront of the OS. Will this be a success for Facebook? In this episode of the Ars Technicast, we talk about the specs and features of the HTC handset that comes pre-loaded with Facebook Home. As we discuss Facebook home itself, we talk about user experience, messaging habits, and what we do and don’t want in our feeds. Join host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Reviews Editor Florence Ion, Contributor Andrew Cunningham, and Social Editor Cesar Torres in this episode that touches on social networking, smart phones and the way we connect.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 23 – Ghosts of online services we abandoned Mar 29, 2013

Show notes

Over the years, some of us have left behind online services. In some cases, we closed out the account, and in others, it languished in the graveyard of the Internet. Today, we talk about the ghosts they left behind. Some of the services we talk about in this show include the original Hotmail, AOL, LiveJournal and MySpace. Join Host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Ars Contributors Casey Johnston and Andrew Cunningham, and Social Editor Cesar Torres, in this look back at the things we abandoned as our lives grew more connected with the Internet.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Tecnicast, Episode 22 – Tech horror stories Mar 15, 2013

Show notes

Most computer and gadget owners have lived through the nightmares of failed hard drives, fried circuits, cracked screens and other horror tales. Here at the Ars Technicast, we have had our own shares of tech mishapss. On this episode, Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Ars Contributors Andrew Cunningham and Casey Johnston, and Social Editor Cesar Torres share their own tech horror tales, but they also share some of the ways they solved the problems. You'll also want to watch this archived clip of the day Jacqui's phone shattered, and everyone at the table laughed.

What is your tech horror story? Leave us a message in the comments and tell us what you did to resolve it. If you have pro tips on how to dry out hardware or perform extensive backups, share those with us, too.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ars Technicast, Episode 21 – And then we met the PS4 Feb 27, 2013

Show notes

Sure, a little bit of mystery is not a bad thing. Mystery helps us feel a bit of anticipation, and in the case of Sony, they are teasing us with the PlayStation 4, the follow-up to the Playstation 3. It’s been seven years since the release of their last console, and this time around, Sony held an event in New York City to tells us a lot, but not to show us a lot. We know the specs of the machine and some of its social features, but what about the casing, and what about the games? Sony were so vague that they also didn’t indicate what countries get the PS4, or when they can buy it. In this episode of the Ars Technicast, we talk about what we want to know more about, and what we think this might mean for gaming for the consoles and for PCs. Host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Gaming Editor Kyle Orland, Ars Contributor Casey Johnston, and Social Editor Cesar Torres.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected