TechStuff

Powerful Lasers and Their Uses

24 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do lasers work? What are the most powerful lasers out there today and what do they do? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodc...

E-Waste and What To Do With It

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is electronic waste? What makes it so problematic? And what's the best way to deal with it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihea...

AI Gone Rude

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Science fiction authors have thoroughly explored what could happen if we implement artificial intelligence irresponsibly. But they didn't predict that...

TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Stares at Laser Eye Surgery

19 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How does laser eye surgery work? How does the human eye work? What types of eye problems can laser eye surgery correct? Join Jonathan and Chris for a ...

Could we make a sarcastic supercomputer?

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As we develop more advanced natural language systems, will we ever reach a point where a computer can detect not just what we say but what we actually...

More Space Planes

17 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we learn about more recent and proposed space planes. What happens when they transition from experimental aircraft to practical vehic...

Planes in Spaaaace

16 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is a space plane and how does it work? From the Space Shuttle to the super secret X-37B, we look at the designs and proposals for reusable spacec...

Voting and Technology

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Bob Sullivan of the Breach Podcast joins the show to talk about the intersection between tech and voting. Is there a sweet spot? And do voting machine...

TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Ponders an Enigma

12 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What was the Enigma machine? What is a cipher? How did the Enigma machine work? Join Chris and Jonathan to learn more about cryptography. Learn more ...

Death of the Amiga

11 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Amiga computers had a reputation for being incredibly powerful, particularly for video applications. But numerous problems at Commodore meant the ...

The Amiga 500 and Amiga 2000

10 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Following the somewhat disappointing performance of the Amiga 1000, Commodore released two new computers to try and capture both the high-end market a...

Building the First Amiga Computer

09 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jay Miner and his team of engineers were hard at work building the components for the Amiga 1000. Meanwhile, Atari and Commodore were maneuvering agai...

The Birth of Amiga

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff listener Matt wanted to know more about the Amiga line of computers. We take a look at how an engineer from Atari took a big leap in order t...

TechStuff Classic: What does NASA's Mission Control Do?

05 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Reaching space is difficult, and returning safely is even trickier. Luckily for astronauts, Mission Control follows each shuttle launch in minute deta...

TechStuff Gets a MoviePass

04 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Susannah asked that I do an episode about the company MoviePass. Where did it come from? What impact did it have on the entertainment industry? And do...

The Podcast Patent Problem

03 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How did a patent filed in 1996 cause huge headaches in the podcasting industry? And how did a decision in 2018 finally put the matter to rest? We look...

What is Apple's Neural Engine?

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listener Dan wanted to know more about Apple's "neural engine." What exactly is it, and what can it do? We explore how a system on a chip can power ma...

The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On October 1, 1982, EPCOT Center opened at Walt Disney World. But that Epcot wasn't the same thing as Walt Disney's initial vision. We look into the h...

TechStuff Classic: The Tech of Firefighting

28 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Firefighters are an invaluable part of every community, but how does firefighting work? What tech will you find on a fire truck? Join Jonathan and Chr...

How Game Engines Work

27 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is a game engine? What are the notable game engines out there today? And how do they work? A request from listener Tongki. Learn more ab...

The Worst Video Games of All Time . . . Since 2011

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 2011, we asked listeners what they thought the worst video games of all time were. In this episode, we look at games that received some of the...

Netflix to Today

25 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix has shifted focus to streaming video, though it still operates a DVD rental service. What were some of the challenges and roadblocks the compa...

Netflix vs Blockbuster

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix has faced many competitors, but none gave the company as much trouble as Blockbuster. In this episode, we continue Netflix's story and how Blo...

TechStuff Classic: Can we stop an asteroid from hitting Earth?

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Could we blow up an asteroid like in the movie Armageddon? Join Jonathan and Chris as they tackle what may become one of Earth's most important questi...

Netflix's Early Years

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In our continuation of the story of Netflix, we look at how the young company changed dramatically over the first few years of its existence. Learn m...

The Netflix Story

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listener Kevin wants to know the story behind the company that buried Blockbuster. In this episode, we look at the early years of Netflix and how it w...

The Nvidia Story So Far

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our look at the company that created the term GPU. How did Nvidia rise to dominance after such an uncertain start? Learn more about your ...

Graphics and Nvidia

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia is a company perhaps best known for its graphics processing units. Where did it come from and how has it impacted computing? A request from lis...

Techstuff Classic: Eureka Archimedes

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Archimedes, and what did he actually invent? Join Chris and Jonathan as they take a closer look at the works of Archimedes -- including his hi...

TechStuff Goes Dark

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is the dark web? What is its purpose? What sort of stuff is on there? We shine the light on a dark topic, as requested by listener Tyler. Learn ...

The Cambridge Analytica Scandal

12 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In early 2018, the data analysis and marketing firm Cambridge Analytica came under fire in both the United States and the United Kingdom for different...

The Founding of Cambridge Analytica

11 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cambridge Analytica made headlines multiple times during its relatively short history. Where did the company come from and what did it have to do with...

Silencing the Echo Chamber

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We've changed the way we get information, and that has changed our perceptions of the world. How have echo chambers formed through tech and what can y...

TechStuff Classic: What are QR Codes?

07 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do QR codes store information? What’s the difference between a QR code and a barcode? Why did it take so long for QR codes to take off? Join Chr...

Three Nuclear Disasters

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What happened at the nuclear power plants at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima? What did we learn from those disasters? And how bad were they...

The Hot Take on Cold Fusion

05 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cold fusion would transform our world in ways we can't even imagine. Is it really possible? Jonathan explores the science to find the answer. Learn m...

How a Fusion Reactor Would Work

04 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nuclear power can generate a lot of electricity, but fission brings with it some drawbacks. What if we used fusion? We look at the difference between ...

How Nuclear Power Plants Work

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How does a fission-based nuclear reactor work? What are some of the proposed modifications of this technology that could potentially make it a more at...

TechStuff Classic: How Sonar Works

31 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sonar uses sound to gauge the distance between objects. Although most people associate sonar with submarines, humans use sonar for a lot more than und...

The Decline and Fall of Pebble

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Just a few short years after it burst on the scene with an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, the Pebble company fell apart. What happened an...

The Origin of Pebble

29 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Where did the Pebble Smartwatch come from? We look at the story behind one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns. Learn more about your ad-cho...

Web Analytics and Your Data

28 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How much of your personal information gets collected on the Web? Can you protect your information from prying eyes? And should you? Learn more about ...

How Web Analytics Work

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do web analytics companies gather data? How much could these companies know about you? How hard is it to identify a person based off their browsin...

TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Tests the Emergency Broadcast System

24 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What was the Emergency Broadcast System? What did it have to do with the Cold War? How is the Emergency Alert System different from the old EBS? Liste...

How Fender Changed After the Acquisition

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When CBS bought Fender guitars, the new bosses had some big changes in mind. How did that turn out and how is the Fender of today different from the c...

TechStuff Shreds on Fender Guitars

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What's the story behind Fender Musical Instruments? From the iconic Stratocaster to today's company, we take a look at this iconic name in American mu...

Making Tech Accessible

21 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listener Kenn wanted to know about the process of designing assitive and accessible technologies. Technology has the potential to assist people with d...

TechStuff Builds a Sound System

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What are the different components in a high-tech sound system and what does each one do? TechStuff gives a rundown on audio equipment. Request by Karl...

TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Gets Curious About Mars

17 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is the success rate for sending missions to Mars? What made the Curiosity rover mission so special? What would it take to get people to and from ...

The Death of Blockbuster

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The once mighty franchise has dwindled down to a single location. What led to the downfall of Blockbuster? Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

The Birth of Blockbuster

15 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff listener Paul wanted to know the story behind the company Blockbuster. How did this franchise emerge to threaten mom and pop video rental st...

The Cutting Edge of Forensic Technology

14 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our look at forensic technology. What sort of cutting edge tech do investigators use? And how close is it to Hollywood's version? Learn m...

TechStuff Investigates Forensic Technology

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We've seen the Hollywood version of forensic scientists, but what sort of tech do real forensics experts rely upon when conducting an investigation? F...

TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Listens in on Sound Files

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What do sound files do? Why are there so many different kinds of sound files? What's the difference between uncompressed, lossless and lossy formats? ...

TechStuff Boards the Space Shuttle Program

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Space Shuttle program in the United States was a story filled with triumph and tragedy. We take a closer look at the technology of the space shutt...

It Is, In Fact, Rocket Science

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I covered a lot of early spacecraft. But how did we get those darn things into space in the first place? In this episode, I trace the histor...

More Apollo and The Soyuz Spacecraft

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We conclude our look at the Apollo space program and climb aboard a Soyuz spacecraft, which are still used to this day. Learn more about your ad-choi...

The Apollo Missions

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Gemini project was a stepping stone to what seemed like an impossible goal - put astronauts on the Moon and return them to Earth safely. The Apoll...

TechStuff Classic: The MMORPG Story

03 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is an MMORPG? What was the first MMORPG? Who coined the term MMORPG? Get online with Chris and Jonathan as they explore the massive, multifaceted...

From Voskhod to Gemini

02 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our episodes about early spacecraft. This time, we go beyond the Vostok and Mercury missions and take a look at what came next.  Learn m...

The First Manned Spacecraft

01 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From the Vostok to the Mercury, we take a look at some of the spacecraft responsible for keeping astronauts and cosmonauts safe as they entered the fi...

Cisco Systems Today

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our look into Cisco Systems, a huge company responsible for key technologies that make the stuff you use work. Learn more about your ad-c...

The Origins of Cisco Systems

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff listener Gage wanted to hear about the company Cisco Systems, which went from a startup in 1984 to one of the biggest corporations in the US...

TechStuff Classic: How Nuclear Weapons Work

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

During this classic episode, Chris and Jonathan explore one of the world's most dangerous technologies. How do nuclear weapons work? Why are uranium a...

More on NLP and where voice assistants come from

26 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We conclude our investigation into what makes natural language processing tick and explore the history of assistants like Siri, Alexa and Cortana. Le...

The challenge of natural language processing

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff listener Nate wanted to know about natural language processing. How can computer scientists teach machines to understand human language and ...

I'm sorry, what did you say?

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We explore the history and evolution of speech recognition, one of the foundational technologies behind voice assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google A...

Phishing, Spear Phishing and Whaling

23 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is phishing and how does it work? From corporate espionage to political manipulation, we explore how people leverage old, deceptive strat...

TechStuff Classic: Slow Motion Film and High Speed Photography

20 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How does film work? What are the basic parts of a camera? How can you take a photo of a high-speed subject and get a clear picture? Tune in as Chris a...

How ASIMO Worked

19 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Superfan Kat asked for an episode all about Honda's robot ASIMO, which was recently retired. Learn all about the bot meant to interact with human bein...

Scams, Hoaxes and Technological Flim Flam

18 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's Ben Bowlin joins the show to talk about some of the biggest shams, hoaxes and flim-flam in tech. Put that skeptici...

How Critical Thinking Works

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1000th episode of TechStuff, Jonathan explores the concepts of skepticism and critical thinking and why they are important not just in the worl...

The State of AI

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In June 2018, Ian Hogarth and Nathan Benaich released a report on how far AI has advanced over 12 months. We take a look at artificial intelligence, w...

TechStuff Classic: Anonymity

13 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that privacy is becoming less of a social norm? In this episode, Chris and Jonathan explore how the internet and online social networks...

Over Hill and Over Dell (Dell Story Part Two)

12 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After Dell Computers' meteoric rise, the company hit some rough waters. In this episode, we learn what happened, how Michael Dell was able to buy back...

Dude, You Got a Dell

11 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Dell founded his company when he was a teenager. In this episode, we learn how he took a good business idea and turned it into a billion-dolla...

What exactly is GDPR

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Legisliation from the European Union has forced many companies to scramble to comply to new rules and regulations. What exactly is General Data Protec...

TechStuff Update Grab Bag

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, after I cover a topic, stuff keeps happening. It's pretty rude. But this episode is all about following up on recent tech stories. Learn m...

TechStuff Classic: Say My Name

06 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Heisenberg? What was his contribution to quantum mechanics? What is the uncertainty principle? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

The Best and Worst of Crowdfunding

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Crowdfunding and platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGogo have changed the way people get funding for projects, including big tech projects. In this e...

TechStuff Moments with Mr. Lincoln

04 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Disneyland attraction Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln originally started out as a World's Fair attraction before taking up residence in the Happies...

Vaporware: The Software Edition

03 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From computer games that never made it out of development to entire operating systems, we look at some of the greatest software that never made it to ...

Go Go Gadget Vaporware!

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we round up some examples of promised gadgets that never delivered. From a self-adjusting belt to a pair of camera glasses promoted b...

Techstuff Classic: What about (Microsoft) Bob

29 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What was Microsoft Bob? What was the major security flaw in Bob? Why did Bob flop? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they explore the rise and fall of Micro...

What is Microsoft up to Today?

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From mixed reality to political controversy, we explore the recent activity of the world's largest software company: Microsoft. Learn more about your...

An Update on Microsoft

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff listener Rob asked "What has Microsoft been up to since you recorded The Microsoft Story Part 2 in 2013?" We find out. Learn more about you...

Defense against the Dark DDoS Arts

26 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We take a closer look at different DDoS strategies as well as how cyber security experts try to handle attacks. Is there anything you can do to help l...

DDoS Attacks 101

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is a denial of service attack? And what makes one a distributed denial of service? In this episode, we learn more about the basics of DDo...

Techstuff Classic: Techstuff Talks to Rooster Teeth

22 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What is Rooster Teeth Productions? What is machinima? How did Red vs. Blue get started? Listen in as Jonathan and Chris interview Burnie Burns, the pi...

Frequency Hopping

21 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We finish our story about Hedy Lamarr and look at how frequency hopping works and is un underlying technology for many modern communications systems. ...

Hopping with Hedy Lamarr

20 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Classic film star Hedy Lamarr was celebrated for her appearance but what many people didn't know was that she also co-invented a method of communicati...

How to Make a Podcast

19 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Podcasting has become increasingly popular over the years. What do you need to know to start your own? We give tips on how to go about creating your v...

Caught up with eBay

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What has eBay been up to over the last few years? We catch up with the company and bring our story up to the present day. As long as that present day ...

Open vs Closed: A TechStuff Debate

15 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What are the benefits of each type of system? What are the drawbacks? Who won the debate? Tune in as Jonathan and Chris explores the respective pros a...

eBay Goes Corporate

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Meg Whitman's tenure at eBay changed the company's culture dramatically. Why did eBay buy Skype, and why do some people say that was a huge mistake? ...

Stuff Younger than TechStuff

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We look at some more companies and services that launched after TechStuff became a show back in 2008, including some stuff that didn't get the chance ...

TechStuff is Older Than...

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff has been a podcast for 10 years. In that time, several companies and services have launched. In this episode, we look at some familiar names...

TechStuff's 10th Anniversary Spectacular!

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff launched in June, 2008. What has changed in tech over that decade? Jonathan looks back at 10 years of the biggest hits, flops and stories in...

Techstuff Classic: The Sad Tale of Hitchbot

08 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What was HitchBot all about and what happened to it? From hitchiking across Canada to a violent end in Philadelphia, we tell the robot's story. Scott ...

eBay Makes Billionaires

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It only took a couple of years for eBay to go from a hobby to a multi-million-dollar corporation. In this episode, we trace eBay's journey to its init...