1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production from I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. I'm your host, 3 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio. 4 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: And how the tech are you. It's time for the 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: tech News for May third, twenty twenty two, and let's 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 1: just get into it. So in a previous episode, I 7 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: talked about how we're heading towards a real bottleneck when 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: it comes to electric vehicles because of supply chain issues. Namely, 9 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: you know, more places around the world are starting to 10 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: pass laws and regulations that are going to require automakers 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: to migrate away from producing new internal combustion engine vehicles 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: and switch to electric vehicles or maybe hybrid vehicles or 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: even fuel cell vehicles, but mostly we focus on e vs. However, 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: a massive challenge that faces us is that currently the 15 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: world doesn't produce nearly enough batteries to make that kind 16 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: of future possible. One estimate is that right now we're 17 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: making around ten percent of the batteries we're going to need, 18 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: assuming we do see this massive change from internal combustion 19 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: engine vehicles to electric vehicles. Now that doesn't mean we're stuck, 20 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: but it does mean we have to put more money 21 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: and effort into battery production. To that end, the US 22 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: Department of Energy announced it will be granting three point 23 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: one billion dollars that's billion with a B two various 24 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: companies that are meant to use that money for a 25 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: quote the creation of new, retrofitted and expanded commercial facilities 26 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: end quote within the battery ecosystem, and that includes everything 27 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: from the processing of raw materials all the way to 28 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: recycling old batteries once they've reached the end of their 29 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: useful life. Now, not only is this meant to give 30 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: battery production of boost, it's also an attempt to bring 31 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: the cost of electric vehicles down. With more R and 32 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: D dedicated to battery production, the thought is that companies 33 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: are going to find more efficient ways to produce more batteries, 34 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: and that will bring the overall cost of production down, 35 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: and ultimately those savings would theoretically pass on to customers 36 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: so that electric vehicles aren't prohibitively expensive for the majority 37 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: of drivers those Right now, electric vehicles are more expensive 38 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: than their internal combustion engine counterparts, unless you happen to 39 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: live in a place where there are a lot of 40 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: government incentives to get an electric vehicle where you might 41 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: get tax breaks or refunds that sort of thing. Now, 42 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: I may need to do a full episode about the 43 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: challenges when it comes to, you know, producing batteries at scale, 44 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: because because there's a lot of um, you know, there's 45 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: not just the monetary cost, but there are social and 46 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: political costs as well, particularly when you start looking into 47 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,399 Speaker 1: things like mining the materials that we use to make batteries. 48 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: A lot of those are those operations are centered in 49 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: countries that have absolutely horrible human human rights records. Uh, 50 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: So we're gonna probably do a full episode about that 51 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 1: in the future. Apple continues to face opposition among EU regulators. 52 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: The company now must fend off charges from the European 53 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: Union regulators that Apple has restricted competitor access to its 54 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: NFC chip technology found on iPhones. UH. NFC stands for 55 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: near field communication, and these types of chips are used 56 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: for short distance wireless communications, typically of very small amounts 57 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: of data. It's UH it's ideal for something like using 58 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: your smartphone as a payment device, where it sends a 59 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: little bit of data to a point of payment and 60 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: authorizes the payment so that it goes through. So it's 61 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: NFC technology that allows for this kind of thing. These 62 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: you know, when you see someone holding or if you 63 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 1: hold your smartphone over that mobile payment space, Uh, that's 64 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 1: the technology that allows that to happen. So closing that 65 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: off means that you're effectively discouraging iPhone users from relying 66 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: on any payment system other than Apple's own. If Apples 67 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: is the only one that works with it, then people 68 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: aren't even gonna bother using alternatives. Now, Apple reps dispute 69 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: the allegations and say that Apple has quote ensured equal 70 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: access to NFC while setting industry leading standards for privacy 71 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: and security end quote. If the regulators conclude that Apple 72 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: has restricted access to NFC and that the restriction isn't 73 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: solely based off of security concerns, which is something that 74 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: Apple has suggested in the past, like the reason why 75 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: it doesn't open up n FC more is beca because 76 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: it could it could stand as a security vulnerability. If 77 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: Apple can't prove that that that's the reason why they've 78 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: they've limited NFC accessibility, then hypothetically, the EU regulators could 79 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: levy a fine against Apple equal to up to ten 80 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: percent of the company's global revenue, which, let me see, 81 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 1: let me check my notes is yeah, it says here 82 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: a crap ton of money. Yeah whoo. Finance reports that 83 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: a survey of Apple employees shows a growing opposition to 84 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: the company's requirement that corporate workers return at least part 85 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: time to the office. Now, I have a whole bunch 86 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: of caveats I want to put out there before I 87 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: go any further with this story. First, the survey was 88 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 1: really tiny. I'm not sure how many people currently work 89 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: in Apple's corporate offices, but it's famed spaceship campus is 90 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: designed to allow for up to twelve thousand employees. But 91 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: the survey includes just six hundred fifty two responses, So 92 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: that would be less than five and a half percent 93 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: of all employees, or at least all the total potential 94 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: employees at Apple headquarters. And with a sample size that small, 95 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: it's really not possible to extrapolate. And I'm sure you've 96 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: also noticed that people who are really upset are far 97 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: more likely to engage in feedback than those who are happy. Like, 98 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: you know, it's just people are more prone to writing 99 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: a negative response than a positive one. Positive they're just like, yeah, 100 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: that was nice. Sometimes they'll they'll go to trouble but 101 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: the folks who are mad, they are not shy about 102 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: letting you know, So that means it's also possible that 103 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: the most disgruntled employees were the ones who participated in 104 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: the survey, while the UH the grunt old employees didn't 105 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: bother anyway. This survey found that more than half of 106 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: those who respond and did fifty six percent of them 107 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,799 Speaker 1: in fact, said they are looking to leave Apple explicitly 108 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: because of the required return to office. So we're seeing 109 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: some headlines talk about how more than half of Apple 110 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: corporate employees planned to leave UH. I think we can 111 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: safely say that there are a lot of Apple workers 112 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: who do not like the return to office requirement. I 113 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: also believe that some of them might actually be looking 114 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: for work elsewhere and they do plan to leave the company. 115 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: But I suspect that the total number is well below 116 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: even of those who responded to the survey. I bet 117 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: that a lot of the people who said they were 118 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: doing that aren't really doing that, and that you know, 119 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,119 Speaker 1: once you expand that to the population as a whole, 120 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: obviously we can't make any real determination because five and 121 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: a half percent is just way too small of a 122 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: size for us to base any firm belief on our 123 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: estimation on um so. I've already heard predictions of a 124 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: mass exodus of Apple employ ease. In fact, there was 125 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: one that was supposedly going to happen in the middle 126 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: of April, when people's UH share options were maturing, but 127 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: it didn't happen. We didn't see a mass exodus, so 128 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: I'll honestly be shocked if we do see something like that. Now. 129 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: I do think some people are gonna leave, and it 130 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: may even be a fairly significant number, but I don't 131 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: think it's gonna be anything close to or even twenty 132 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: who leave the company. I think this is more likely 133 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: a case of frustrated employees attempting to send a message 134 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: to management that their current policies are unpopular to say 135 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: the least. Now, all that being said, if this does 136 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 1: lead to massive employee turnover, I think the employees are 137 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: in the right. We've heard a lot about Apple's culture 138 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: and how it can be beyond demanding. We've also heard 139 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: stories about Apple culture fostering harassment and other despicable behaviors. 140 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 1: Whether anything changes or not remains to be seen. Currently, 141 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: all eyes are on May. That's the day that Apple 142 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: is going to step up it's in office policy and 143 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: require corporate workers to go to the office at least 144 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: three days a week. So if there is going to 145 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: be something that will be a turning point, a lot 146 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: of people are thinking it's going to be that. Over 147 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: at Google, the company's AI division continues to court controversy 148 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: in Google and AI ethicist Timnant Gebriu parted ways after 149 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: gebrie published a paper about ethics and AI that Google 150 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: claimed failed to meet the company's qualifications for publication, and 151 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: Gebrie says that Google subsequently fired her, but the company 152 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: claimed that Gebriu resigned. Now there is a reason for 153 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: this apparent contradiction. Gebrew said that she pushed back against 154 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: Google's objections to her paper and said that if her 155 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: conditions were not met, she would resign, like this was 156 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: essentially an ultimatum, and then Google subsequently accepted her resignation. 157 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: Like first, Google said, we're not changing anything. We accept 158 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: your resignation. And Gebrie at the time was was on vacation. 159 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: She wasn't even at work, which is a big old 160 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: yikes to me. And in February twenty one, David Baker, 161 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: and engineer with sixteen years of employment with Google, left 162 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: the company, stating that Gebber's departure was evidence that the 163 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:27,479 Speaker 1: company was actively suppressing diversity and dissenting voices within its departments. 164 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: A software engineer named Venesh Canan also left, citing Gebber's 165 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: treatment as one of the reasons for his decision to resign. 166 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: Also in March of one, Google fired Margaret Mitchell, not 167 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: the author of Gone with the Wind, but rather the 168 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: other co lead of the Ethical AI Research Division. In 169 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: February twenty two, Dr Alex Hannah and Dylan Baker also 170 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: left Google, joining Gebra's new Distributed AI Research Institute nonprofit organization. 171 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: And now Google has fired the tragic chatter Gee and 172 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: my apologies for the butchering of that pronunciation. He's a 173 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: scientist specializing in machine learning. He was part of a 174 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: group within Google who wrote a paper pushing back on 175 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: earlier research that Google published about using AI to design 176 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: computer chips. His group raised concerns about the findings of 177 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: the earlier research and argued that they weren't totally valid. 178 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: In other words, that maybe AI isn't ideally suited for 179 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: creating superior computer chip architecture. UH. He was later fired 180 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: by Google. Now complicating this particular story, however, are reports 181 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: that he harassed one of the authors of that original 182 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: research and quote unquote impugned her work. Um. He has 183 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: claimed that he was being scientifically rigorous in challenging the 184 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: research and that was it. But obviously if harassment is 185 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: a part of this, it does complicate things and may 186 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: not fall into the general narrative of Google executives wanting 187 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:01,599 Speaker 1: AI research to follow a specific perspective and any deviation 188 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: from that perspective ends up being suppressed. That's kind of 189 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: what we're hearing. We're also hearing a lot from these 190 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: same researchers that Google uh is overwhelmingly white in its hierarchy, 191 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 1: and that that is also a big issue. So those 192 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 1: are the kind of things that we're hearing from this UH. 193 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: It's a very complicated topic and one that I think 194 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: requires lots of investigation to see. You know, which stories 195 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: are the most supported. I honestly don't know, but you know, externally, 196 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: just looking in on this, it doesn't look great. It 197 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: does look like Google has taken steps to kind of 198 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: get rid of anyone who brought up anything that would 199 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: potentially slow Google down with its deployment of AI products. 200 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: But again that's just my perspective and it could be 201 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: that it's off base. We have more stories to cover, 202 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 1: but before we get to that, let's take a quick break. 203 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: The Information reports that Meta Slash Facebook has plans for 204 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: four different virtual reality headsets in addition to the company's 205 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: work on developing an augmented reality headset. So these four 206 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: headsets currently have names like Arcata, which was previously known 207 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: as Project Cambria, Funston, Stinson, and Cardiff. Arcata and Funston 208 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,199 Speaker 1: sound like they're gonna be higher end headsets with greater 209 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: resolution and the ability to do stuff like code in VR. 210 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: Imagine you can wear that VR headset, you can read 211 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: the text floating in front of you, and all you 212 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: have to do is is wear something on your face, 213 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: which is so much easier than you know, typing on 214 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: a keyboard and using a computer display. Anyway, Stinson and 215 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: Cardiff sound like they'll be updates to the company's Quest 216 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: line of head sets, which are a tad less expensive. 217 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: So on the Quest side, we're looking at hardware that 218 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: costs between two and the Arcata and Fundstone levels sound 219 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: like they're going to be closer to seven I'm still 220 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: not entirely sold on all this, But then I'm also 221 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: notoriously critical of Meta, and I have no plans to 222 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: get a mixed reality headset that requires me to be 223 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: an active part of Meta's ecosystem. So I admit I 224 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: do have a strong bias against this. I do want 225 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: to see more advanced VR and a R headsets out there. 226 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: I just would prefer some that don't require me to 227 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: feed yet more data to Facebook. I have no desire 228 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: to be part of that machine. Now we've got a 229 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: couple of podcasting related news items. First up, back to Facebook. 230 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: It is shuttering its podcast platform service. And you might 231 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: not know that Facebook had a pod cast platform, and 232 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: it launched last year. In fact, it hasn't even been 233 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: a full year since launch, and now it's shutting down. 234 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: And the selling point to podcasters is the one that's 235 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: the same for advertisers, namely that you know, there are 236 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: a couple of billion people who have Facebook accounts, So 237 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: wouldn't you just love it if your show could reach 238 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: this huge audience? And yeah, that's like incredibly tempting. It's 239 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: the same thing that tempted tons of content companies out there, 240 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: like companies that create online content to engage with Facebook, 241 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: because that looked like that was gonna be the big benefit, 242 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: you know, instead of s e O, make sure that 243 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: your stuff's on Facebook so that audiences find it. I'm 244 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: sure a lot of podcasters were eager to jump on 245 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: that opportunity, but apparently didn't work out so well. Now. 246 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: I don't know the details behind all of it, but 247 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: if I had to hazard a guess, just based on 248 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: the way I've observed people using Facebook, I would say 249 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: that when most folks or on Facebook, they're not really 250 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: looking to engage in audio content like that. Like they're 251 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: not likely to open the Facebook app in order to 252 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: listen to a podcast. They're probably using a dedicated podcast 253 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: app for that. Facebook will also be shutting down a 254 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: couple of other audio related features. The one that I 255 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: saw was Soundbites, which is kind of a short form 256 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: audio service, so sort of like TikTok, but audio instead 257 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: of video. In addition, Facebook is moving is Live Audio 258 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 1: Rooms feature into the overall umbrella of Facebook Live. And 259 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: if you're not familiar with the live Audio rooms offering, 260 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: it's essentially what clubhouses, you know, the app that allows 261 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: for streaming audio. Facebook is famous for imitating anything that 262 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: gets buzz around it. Like, if there's anything that could 263 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: theoretically take even a moment away from someone staying on Facebook, 264 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: then Facebook wants to incorporate those features directly into Facebook 265 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: and thus hopefully discourage people from leaving Facebook for even 266 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: even a split second. Um. Unfortunately for Facebook, the buzz 267 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: around clubhouse died out pretty darn fast. Like just last year, 268 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: people were essentially saying that clubhouses is kind of a 269 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: ghost town now, like once it once it stopped being exclusive, 270 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: then people stopped wanting to be part of it, which 271 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: just tells you, like people want to be part of 272 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 1: a a an exclusive club. If a club says you're 273 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: not allowed in, people really want to get in. And 274 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: then once everyone's allowed in there are people are like 275 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: it's not that special and they leave. Same thing happened 276 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: to Google Plus, by the way. Anyway, Facebook found that 277 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: making podcasting work on the platform was more trouble than 278 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: what it's worth I reckon. So Bloomberg reports that Facebook 279 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: will close down its podcasting platform on June three. Meanwhile, 280 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: over at Spotify, the co founder of the podcasting platform, 281 00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 1: anchor Michael mcgano, has submitted his resignation from Spotify. He'll 282 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: stay with Spotify until the end of June and then 283 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: he's out Skis. So Spotify is obviously a big player 284 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: in the podcast space. It's infamous for the incredibly lucrative 285 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: and controversial deal with podcast provocateur Joe Rogan. It also 286 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: went on something of an acquisition spree over the last 287 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: few years, buying up companies like Anchor, Gimlet, wushaka, Megaphone, 288 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: pod Sites, Charitable Podcast, and The Ringer, all of which 289 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 1: are involved in the production, publication, marketing, ad sales, and 290 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: content creation of podcasting. Spotify also has had some recent 291 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: challenges in the space. Uh the company shut down its 292 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: own in house podcast studio group, which internally was called 293 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: Studio four. I should probably do a whole episode about 294 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: Studio for, because I mean, it's it's kind of ugly. 295 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:00,719 Speaker 1: Spotify called its own podcast division Studio for because presumably 296 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: Studios one through three were acquisitions like Gimlet Podcast and 297 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: The Ringer. So if you work for a company that 298 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: company acquires other companies and then the company says your 299 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,479 Speaker 1: department is fourth in line to those acquisitions, that just 300 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: doesn't feel good. That's bad for employee morale anyway. Mcgono's 301 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: upcoming departure follows other executives like Courtney Holt. Holt spearheaded 302 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: the Joe Rogan deal for Spotify, so her departure was 303 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: a big surprise, and Lydia Paul Green, who was head 304 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: of Gimblet Media. Uh. I don't think this necessarily means 305 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: that Spotify's podcasting division is in trouble. I do think 306 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 1: that the company is having to reckon with some tough criticisms, 307 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: mostly centered around the whole Joe Rogan situation and um 308 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: and also just find a a settling point from which 309 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: it can grow. Right now, a lot of the growth 310 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 1: has been through acquisitions, which you can only continue for 311 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: so long. It's not it's not something that you can 312 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:14,479 Speaker 1: sustain long term. Also in Spotify news, the company has 313 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: announced it has opened an interactive space within the Roadblocks 314 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: online universe called Spotify Island. And at Spotify Island, visitors 315 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 1: can hang out in virtual venues, or they can make 316 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: music like you can actually make music on Spotify Island, 317 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: or of course they can purchase virtual merchandise. Because ultimately, 318 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 1: what the metaverse really represents is ways for people to 319 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: make more money. Now Apparently part of this island's offerings 320 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: is a chance for musicians to connect with and thus 321 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: sell their music to their audiences. I think that's kind 322 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,919 Speaker 1: of cool, right, Like this idea of being able to 323 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: connect with artists that you really like, maybe you're able 324 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: to like get rare recordings or demo recordings, that kind 325 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: of stuff. I think that would be really neat and 326 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 1: would really create a sense of community among fan bases. 327 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,439 Speaker 1: That could be actually really really cool thing to be 328 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: part of. Um. Spotify, however, will also take a chunk 329 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: of sales because you know they're facilitating those sales, so 330 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: it's this isn't surprising. It's the same thing that Google 331 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: and Apple do where they take a chunk of every 332 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: sale that goes through their app stores. Spotify would be 333 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: doing the same thing. We don't know yet how much 334 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:36,479 Speaker 1: of a chunk that would be. Um Uh. This story 335 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: I found on engadget, and you know, in gadget also 336 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: didn't have any any further information about what that that 337 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: revenue split would be like. Roadblocks is one of those 338 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 1: things I've really been meaning to check out. I've been 339 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: hearing about it like for a couple of years now, 340 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 1: but I've never have never actually experienced going on roadblocks 341 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: at all. I know that I would probably find it 342 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: really fascinating. I love this idea of user generated content, 343 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:10,360 Speaker 1: where users can create games and experiences. I'd probably put 344 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: on the parental controls because I don't want to run 345 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: into the weird stuff. I'm just tired of weird stuff. 346 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: I'm not yucking anyone's yum. If weird stuff to your thing, 347 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: more power to you. I just I don't know. I 348 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: only got so many spoons, y'all, and I don't think 349 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,880 Speaker 1: I can use them to handle all the crazy things 350 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: that people come up with that my my, my limited 351 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: brain is incapable of processing. So again, more power to y'all. 352 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: Let your freak flags brought fly. I just think I'm 353 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: gonna be putting on those controls to preserve my own sanity. Uh. 354 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if this is in for the long 355 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: haul or not. We saw a lot of similar enthusiasm 356 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: around Second Life when it was first starting to gain attention. 357 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 1: Like early on in the hype cycle of Second Life, 358 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: there was this assumption that every single company in the 359 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: world was going to establish a Second Life um presence, 360 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: but it didn't really work out. That way, and Second 361 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 1: Life is still a thing. It's just it's kind of 362 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: faded into semi obscurity. Like there are people who still 363 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: go to Second Life, but it's not nearly the massive 364 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: amount of people that we were expecting it to be 365 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,640 Speaker 1: back when Second Life was first getting hyped up. Hopefully 366 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: Roadblocks doesn't follow that same pathway. I guess we'll have 367 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: to wait and see. Honestly, I'm curious to check out 368 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: both Roadblocks and Spotify Island. I really want to see 369 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: what kind of environment they've created and what you can 370 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: experience there. I think it could be potentially pretty neat. Okay, 371 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: we've got a couple more stories to cover, but before 372 00:23:49,600 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: we get to those, let's take another quick break. Okay. 373 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: Activision Blizzard, which I'm sure we all know, is heading 374 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: towards being acquired by Microsoft, assuming regulators don't block the deal. 375 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: Activision Blizzard has sent shareholders a notice about five proposals 376 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: that are up for shareholder voting. This is something that 377 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: happens with all companies that they'll send out to their shareholders. Hey, 378 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: there's a big shareholder meeting. These are proposals that are 379 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: up for vote. Uh, you know you can submit your vote, 380 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: that kind of thing. The notice from the Board of 381 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: Directors suggests that shareholders support three of the five proposals. 382 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: Those three include approval of executive compensation, which of course 383 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: they want that approved. Please let us pay our executives, 384 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 1: those poor, poor executives, they make so few millions. And 385 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: then there's also the ratification of the company's accounting firm, 386 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: which is important. And finally, the election of the directors 387 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: themselves is directors stand for election every so often. Uh, 388 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: sometimes they stand for reelection, sometimes they'll step down and 389 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:09,959 Speaker 1: new people will new candidates will be considered. The notice 390 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: also suggests that shareholders vote down to other proposals. One 391 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: of those would allow for the nomination of an employee 392 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: representative director, which I guess means that they Board of 393 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 1: Directors does not want employees to have a spot at 394 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: the table. I guess um, considering Activision blizzards past, that 395 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: is a bad look. Uh. Perhaps an even worse look 396 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: is that the fifth proposal would authorize the preparation of 397 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: a report about how Activision Blizzard has been doing insofar 398 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: as its effort to prevent abuse, harassment and discrimination. Uh. Yeah, 399 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: that's even worse, right, Like it just looks bad because 400 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: Activision Blizzard is has really gained a terrible negative reputation 401 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: for having a a toxic workplace that foments harassment. Um 402 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 1: that this has stretched back for years in the company, 403 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: that prominent people in the company had been part of this, 404 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 1: many of whom have subsequently left the company, though the 405 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: CEO is still there, and the company says Activision Blizzard 406 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: says that this report would just be surperfluous and it'd 407 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: be a waste of time and resources because really, Activision 408 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: Blizzards should just be focusing on making positive change rather 409 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: than you know, dwelling on how well it's doing towards 410 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: creating that change. Uh. The notice also argues that the 411 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: criteria for the proposed report is really too generic and general, 412 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 1: and that it uses metrics that aren't necessarily meaningful for 413 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: Activision Blizzard. So really shareholders shouldn't support it because, according 414 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: to the notice, the report wouldn't even It would be 415 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: trying to measure the wrong thing. It'd be like it's 416 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: it would be like if you were asked to find, uh, 417 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: how much water is in a bowl and you're given 418 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: a ruler. It's the wrong tool for the job. That's 419 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: what the notice argues. But y'all, considering that laundry list 420 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: of complaints that former and current employees have brought against 421 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: the company, it really does look kind of questionable for 422 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: the Board of directors to urge shareholders to vote against 423 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 1: making such a report. Still, it's up to the shareholders themselves, 424 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: and my guess is a lot of folks will just 425 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,479 Speaker 1: kind of vote the way the board suggests, because you've 426 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: got to protect your investment, right Blich, a Swedish video 427 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: game company called Embracer Group, formerly known as THHQ Nordic 428 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: and then known before that as Nordic Games Publishing, is 429 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: now set to acquire game companies Crystal Dynamics, Idos Montreal 430 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: and Square Enix Montreal for three hundred millions smackaroos. So 431 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: I actually had to cup Embracer Group. I don't remember 432 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 1: ever seeing that name before. I know th h Q, 433 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: and so I had to look it up and it 434 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: turns out that, you know, Nordic Games Publishing Public purchased 435 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: the assets of th h Q when th HQ was 436 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:19,880 Speaker 1: going bankrupt, then it became th HQ Nordic, then eventually 437 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: would rename itself to Embracer Group, and this company has 438 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: bought up a lot of various video game assets over 439 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,640 Speaker 1: the years, often as companies were teetering on the verge 440 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 1: of bankruptcy. Those acquisitions mean that Embracer Group has a 441 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: really large I P pool under its ownership, including really 442 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: well known franchises like Saints Row, Borderlands, Dead Island, Time 443 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: Splitters That's a throwback, and and many more. So, these 444 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: new acquisitions would allow for new titles to come into 445 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: that same pool, like tomb Raider and d oh Sex, 446 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: among others. Now, I need to do some further digging, 447 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: but it sounds like this game company is really more 448 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: known for perch seeing other game companies than producing games, 449 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: and I guess that's one way to do it anyway, 450 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: I doos Montreal has announced that it will produce a 451 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: new title in the dios X franchise, which is absolutely wild. 452 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: And finally, aerospace company rocket Lab recently celebrated a partly 453 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: successful attempt of a helicopter catching a descending first stage rocket. 454 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: All right, so rocket Lab creates launch vehicles called Electron, 455 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 1: and the plan is to reuse that first stage of 456 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: the launch vehicle for future launches. Right cuts way, back 457 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: on costs if you can reuse components. Now, in the 458 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: old days of space launches, NASA would plan for the 459 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: first stage to fall into the Atlantic Ocean, where you're 460 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: not likely to squash somebody. But seawater can really do 461 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: a number on electronics and such, So it would be 462 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: much better if you could I their return the first 463 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: stage too, from to where it you know it launched, 464 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: which is what SpaceX does right. SpaceX uses a a 465 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: an approach where it either returns to its launchpad, or 466 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: it can land on a floating launchpad in the ocean, 467 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: or you could catch it right. So this would greatly 468 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: improve the chances you could refurbish that rocket stage for 469 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: reuse because it didn't get into the saltwater. Uh, that's 470 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: less for you to have to deal with now. I 471 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: said that it was a partly successful attempt because while 472 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: the helicopter did catch the descending rockets parachute line as 473 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: planned and the rocket dangled from the helicopter, the way 474 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: that the rockets settled beneath the helicopter concerned the pilot. 475 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: He wasn't certain that it would be safe to land 476 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: with the way that the rocket was hanging from the 477 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: helicopter or that it would be safe to continue to fly, 478 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 1: and since safety is obviously way more important than you know, 479 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,959 Speaker 1: a rocket stage, the pilot elected to drop the rocket 480 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,239 Speaker 1: into the ocean as a safety measure. However, this is 481 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: a huge step toward making rocket labs approach a viable one, 482 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 1: which could expand options beyond companies like SpaceX, which again 483 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: uses you know, the the approach of trying to land 484 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: a first stage launch vehicle onto a landing pad, whether 485 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: on land or in the ocean. Um Both both approaches 486 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: are really difficult, but it's cool to see that we've 487 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: had a lot of progress made on both of them. 488 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: And that wraps up this news episode of tech Stuff. 489 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: If you have suggestions for topic, session cover in future episodes, 490 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 1: please reach out to me on Twitter. The handle for 491 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 1: the show is text stuff H s W and I'll 492 00:31:51,800 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: talk to you again really soon. Tech Stuff is an 493 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio production. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, 494 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 495 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.