1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production from I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. I'm your host, 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: and I love all things tech and this is our 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: news episode for January one, Thursday. I'm recording this on January, 6 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: so there will likely be more stories that I did 7 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: not cover between when this episode finishes recording and when 8 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: it publishes. I apologize for that. Things are changing pretty 9 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: darn quickly right now. But let's get to the topics 10 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: as I chose for today's episode. First, we're going to 11 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: look at a changeover at Intel. After serving as CEO 12 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: of Intel for two years, Bob Swan is getting the boot. 13 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: Swan had taken over the job in two thousand nineteen 14 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: when the previous Intel CEO, Brian Kerzanitch, resigned after it 15 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: was discovered he had had an undisclosed affair with another 16 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: Intel employee. Yikes. Now the chip manufacturing company has made 17 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: this decision to replace Swan after losing the coveted most 18 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: valuable computer chip company. It's kind of like beauty pageant, 19 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: I guess, but no. Intel had been the most valuable 20 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: chip company in the unit US before Video took that 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: crown in July. Intel has had more than its share 22 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: of problems lately, including manufacturing issues that have resulted in 23 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: delays for Intel's next generation of chips, and once the 24 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: company had to say, you know, we are a year 25 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: behind where we're supposed to be, it really hurt the 26 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: company big time. The stock market saw shares in Intel 27 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: dropped by seventeen. Replacing Swan will be Pat Gelsinger, who 28 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: currently serves as the chief executive of vm ware, but 29 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: before that ten years before joining vm Ware, Gelsinger spent 30 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: thirty years of his career at Intel, so he is 31 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: no stranger to the halls of Intel. We'll have to 32 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: see if Gelsinger can guide Intel back to its former 33 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: leadership status in the industry in chip manufacturing. And because 34 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: that last story was about chips, and because we all 35 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: know you can't have just one, by the way, message 36 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: me if you happen to get that reference I made. 37 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: But let's talk about Qualcom. Qualcom is also known as 38 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: a semiconductor microchip company, primarily known for developing chips for 39 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: mobile devices like smartphones. Now, the company is making a 40 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: one point for billion dollar acquisition of another chip company 41 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: called Nuvia. Nuvia has a core chip design that was 42 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: originally based on ARMS architecture. ARM meanwhile, is in the 43 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: process of being acquired by in Vidia. So we're kind 44 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: of seeing some big chip manufacturing companies, you know, big 45 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: titans of industry, kind of squaring off against each other. 46 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: In Vidia, but you know, they added Armed to their arsenal. 47 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: They're sitting at the top right now. Intel's trying to 48 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: regroup and regain that old top dog spot, and then 49 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: Qualcom is adding Nuvia to its business in an effort 50 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: to carve out a bigger space for itself in the 51 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: chip game. Will have to keep an eye and see 52 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: where this goes from here. Apple announced an initiative in 53 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: which the company will contribute sixty million dollars to help 54 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: fund various projects that share the goal of challenging systemic racism. 55 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: The company will provide funds to venture capital firms like 56 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: Harlem Capital, which in turn will use that money to 57 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: help entrepreneurs who are people of color and help them 58 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: get their projects funded. There has long been a distinct 59 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: lack of diversity in tech in general, but when we 60 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: look at venture capital in particular, there is a stark gap. 61 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: So in ten, for example, out of the eighty five 62 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: billion dollars in VC funding that went to various projects, 63 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: less than one percent of that money went to projects 64 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 1: helmed by women of color. Now, these problems are multi layered, 65 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: from a lack of visibility for these projects, a lack 66 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: of diversity in the banking institutions themselves, a lack of 67 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: support for STEM education projects for people. It's it's sort 68 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: of an enormous challenge that has lots of different facets 69 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: to it. So projects like this aim to change that, 70 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: which is great news for everybody because, as I've often said, 71 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: when we get to hear everyone's idea, we all benefit 72 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: from the best ideas that are out there. But for 73 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: a really long time, there have been entire populations of 74 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: people who have had their ideas unheard. My hope is 75 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: that we are going to see more companies support efforts 76 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: like this, and the tech sector will tackle the problem 77 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: head on. Because while sixty million dollars is a lot 78 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: of money, I mean, we were talking about eighty five 79 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: billion dollars in VC funding total, so that tells you 80 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: that sixty million is just it's just a drop in 81 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: the bucket. Really, when we're looking at the big picture. 82 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: It is, however, a step in the right direction. So 83 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: I wanted to give a shout out to Apple for 84 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: making that move. And we also have a couple of 85 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: Facebook stories here. It wouldn't be a tech stuff news 86 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: without them. One of them is that signal a messaging 87 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: app has experienced quote unquote unprecedented growth, a warning to 88 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: a report on Reuter's the reason for the apps sudden 89 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: rapid adoption, Well, that actually goes back to Facebook changing 90 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: the terms of service for WhatsApp, indicating that the company 91 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: would be mining data in the WhatsApp messaging service and 92 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 1: then sharing that information with Facebook proper. Likewise, another messaging 93 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,119 Speaker 1: service called Telegram has also seen an uptick in user 94 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: numbers as people begin to move to alternatives. When Facebook 95 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: first purchased WhatsApp, I remember seeing people concerned about issues 96 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: like security and privacy. Now it seems those fears were 97 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: well warranted. And just to be clear, I'm not saying 98 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 1: I predicted any of this. Rather, I'm saying some very 99 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: smart people who pay much closer attention to messaging services 100 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: than I do. We're pointing this out years ago. So 101 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: how big of an uptick are we talking about with signal. 102 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: They saw downloads hit seventeen point nine million over the 103 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: last week, which is sixty two times greater than the 104 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: number of downloads they saw the previous week, which is 105 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: a significant signal. WhatsApp saw a decline in downloads, but 106 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: it was still downloaded ten point six million times, So 107 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: it's not exactly going anywhere anytime soon. And as I mentioned, 108 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: I'm recording this on Wednesday, janu as I record this episode, 109 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: Reuters reports that a Facebook spokesperson has indicated that the 110 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: company has seen an increase in messages and activities that 111 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: indicate potential future acts of violence in the ongoing political 112 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: chaos unfolding in the United States. The spokesperson called the 113 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: siege on the US capital a galvanizing event and that 114 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: numerous groups were posting messages indicating a possible repeat of 115 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: what we saw on January six in various states around 116 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: the country. All capitals in the United States, all the 117 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: dates capitals are on alert for this sort of thing. 118 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: The FBI actually has issued warnings about planned armed protests 119 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: set to occur across the US in the days leading 120 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: up to and including Joe Biden's inauguration and The spokesperson 121 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: said that Facebook is sharing more information with law enforcement 122 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: across the nation. In related news, YouTube has suspended President 123 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: Trump's YouTube channel, following a similar course set by companies 124 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: like Facebook and Twitter. While communication channels are being more 125 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: carefully monitored or in the cases of parlor or if 126 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: you prefer parley, uh, they're being removed entirely, and it 127 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: appears as though will be having to deal with the 128 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: long term consequences stemming from years of misinformation and propaganda campaigns. 129 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: And again, as I have said many times on this show, 130 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: I advocate everyone employing critical thinking and compassion. I think 131 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: the lack of both of those things leads us to 132 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: terrible violence and a general disregard for the welfare of 133 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 1: our fellow human beings. And we can be better than that. 134 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: We just have to put forth the effort to do it. 135 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: And our last story for this section is again about 136 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: parlor or parley. I'm just gonna keep saying parlor. I 137 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: know that it could be the French word parlay, but 138 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 1: I'm I'm gonna stick with what most people are saying. 139 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: In the US, Parlor filed a lawsuit against Amazon. The 140 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: company has accused Amazon of making an illegal, politically motivated 141 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: choice to shut down Parlor specifically to benefit Twitter, which 142 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: is an odd thing to to say. However, Amazon has 143 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: responded in this lawsuit by providing a large amount of 144 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: correspondence from Amazon to Parlor, pointing out how many times 145 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: there were cases of Parlor posts that violated the terms 146 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:03,439 Speaker 1: of service that Parlor agreed to when they secured the 147 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: server space with Amazon Web Services. So, in other words, 148 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: Amazon is saying, listen, we told you numerous times about 149 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: this illegal material that was appearing on your platform, and 150 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: it was only getting worse, and it was clear that 151 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: you could not stop it, so we had no choice 152 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: but to boot you because you were your your platform 153 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: was violing the terms of service. This is probably not 154 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: going to go so well for Parlor, I would think. 155 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: I think that the evidence is pretty strong, and I 156 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 1: think the public sentiment is also fairly strong on this matter. 157 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: So this I expect we'll see end up being dismissed. 158 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: And as it turns out, Parlor still having trouble figuring 159 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: out where it will go next, if it will go 160 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: anywhere next. So that story is still unfolding as I 161 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: record right now. Well, that wraps up that first section. 162 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: It was a short one today, but I wanted to 163 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: spend more time talking about less heavy stuff. So when 164 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: we come back, we'll take another look at some of 165 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,959 Speaker 1: the crazy stuff going on at the virtual c S 166 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: one after this short break. Okay, over at the virtual 167 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: cs let's say it's a virtual Las Vegas. Razor showed 168 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: off a couple of interesting ideas. There's Project Hazel, a 169 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:41,599 Speaker 1: k a. The World's smartest smart mask. During the pandemic, 170 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 1: Razor actually used its manufacturing facilities to create disposable medical 171 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: grade masks for people who work in healthcare, for frontline employees, 172 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: that sort of thing, because there was a real lack 173 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: of that, and that's really cool. I think it's awesome 174 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: that tech companies were able to pivot quickly and start 175 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: to reconfigure their manufacturing processes to make stuff that there 176 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: was a real need for. It actually reminds me a 177 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: lot of the stories we would hear about the Second 178 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: World War and how the manufacturing facilities across Europe and 179 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: the United States would all get reconfigured to produce things 180 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: for the war efforts. Now we're seeing that with the pandemic. However, 181 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: Razors also said the new normal has inspired them to 182 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: make their own smart mask, and according to Razor, it's 183 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: classified as an in n respirator, meaning this would be 184 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: an incredibly efficient mask for fil trading airborne particles. This 185 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: is the kind of stuff that verse responders need to 186 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 1: be wearing. It's also the kind of stuff that tends 187 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: to be at a real shortage, and so the general 188 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: public is encouraged not to get in respirators because it 189 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: means fewer for everybody else who needs them. However, this 190 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: is sort of a concept Razor is showing off, and 191 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: it has an active heat exchange system. It's supposed to 192 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 1: allow cool air into the mask and release hot air 193 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: exhaled by the wear. The mask also has a clear 194 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: face plate, so instead of it being like a solid 195 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: cover over your mouth you see, it's transparent so people 196 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: can see your mouth, and ideally that would mean to 197 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: be easier to understand what someone is saying. It also 198 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 1: apparently has a microphone built into it and a speaker 199 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: built into it so that people can hear you. You 200 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: don't sound muffled personally. I hope it has a voice 201 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: modulator in it so that way I could talk like Bain. 202 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: I just wear a mask. I was born in the dock. Okay, 203 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: enough of that. There are LED lights on it because 204 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 1: I mean, Razor makes gaming material stuff like gaming keyboards 205 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: and controllers, so a core their LED lights on it. Uh. 206 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: I don't know that that's necessary, but I guess it 207 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: makes it more cool. The recharging case, because obviously it 208 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: has to have a recharging case if it's got these 209 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: other electronic components in it has ultra violet lights built 210 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,559 Speaker 1: into the inside of the case in order to sterilize 211 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: and disinfect the mask in between uses. And just as 212 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: a reminder, there is no actual product here. There there 213 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: are prototypes, but this is not a thing you can 214 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: go out and buy. And Razor also has a history 215 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: of showing off things that are interesting ideas at c 216 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: e s, but they never make it to market. So 217 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: I wouldn't expect this to become the new fashion accessory 218 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: of one, but it might encourage some other companies to, 219 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of give it a go and innovate 220 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: in the mask space. Razor also showed off Project Brooklyn, 221 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: which I think is best described as the Iron Throne 222 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: but for gamers, like if a Project Brooklyn gaming chair 223 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: with the grand prize and a Fortnite tournament, I would 224 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: not be surprised. Now, again, this is a concept. It 225 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: is not a commercial product, but it looks pretty sick. 226 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: Imagine a gaming chair. It's got a dusk that can 227 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: be built into the front of it just attaches to 228 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: the front of the chair, so you can put your 229 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,479 Speaker 1: keyboard and mouse there. And it has a sixty inch display, 230 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: a curved sixty inch display giving a panoramic view that 231 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: hangs in front of view at head level. The concept video, 232 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: which I should add, is all just concept. It's not 233 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: an actual thing. It's like c g I. It shows 234 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: this chair with a screen emerging out of the back 235 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: of the chair on extendable arms that then move the 236 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: screen so that it is in front of the player 237 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: sitting in the chair and stretch it to the full 238 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: width of that sixty inch display. Motors in the seats 239 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: would provide haptic feedback, so when you're piloting that chopper 240 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: in a game, you would feel the thud of the 241 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: rotors as you beat the air into submission. And except 242 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: this is again just a concept, is not an actual product. 243 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: It is cool. But then if I said, imagine I 244 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: made a pair of shoes that can make you fly. 245 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: That would sound cool too, but it doesn't make them real. Now, 246 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: if you do want a gaming chair that can hold 247 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: displays right in front of you with an arm that 248 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: extends over your head to hold those displays in place, 249 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: and you can look like a member of the Legion 250 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: of Doom in the process, you can check out a 251 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: gaming chair from Aser called Thrown Nose. They have such monstrosities, 252 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: and according to the website, the going price for one 253 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: of those babies is just a low, low fourteen thousand dollars. 254 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: Over at LG, the company showed off the Rollable, a 255 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: smartphone device with a flexible oh Lad screen. It's a 256 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: little hard to describe an audio, but imagine you've got 257 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: a smartphone. It's a typical smartphone size. It's in your hands. 258 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: But then you decide you want to tablet. So you 259 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: take the edges of your smartphone and you pull them 260 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: so that they are more of a tablet shape. You 261 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: actually stretch the frame of your smartphone and the screen 262 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: stretches along with it. That's kind of what we're talking 263 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 1: about here, although you would probably have a control to 264 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 1: do this automatically. The oh Lad screen rolls up inside 265 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,640 Speaker 1: the device and it's kind of like a window shade 266 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: in that way, and the device can change shape based 267 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 1: on whatever form factor you need at any given time. LG, 268 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: by the way, is not the only company to show 269 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: off rollable oh lad screens like this. There's a couple 270 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: of others, like TCL. Foldable smartphones are so last year. 271 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: This year it's all about rollable smartphones. Now. There's no 272 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: word yet on when something like this might come to market, 273 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: or how much it will cost if it does, or 274 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: you know, if people will actually think it's you know, 275 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: useful enough to spend money on it. But the technology 276 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: behind this is super interesting, and there are a lot 277 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: of other possible applications for flexible to place, so I 278 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: think this is neat even if it never becomes an 279 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: actual phone. A lot of car companies skipped this year's 280 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: c E S, but one that showed off an interesting 281 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: concept was GM, and it's called the E v O 282 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: t L. This is a flying car concept. Those letters 283 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: stand for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing and it looks 284 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: like a funky quad copter drone, just you know, a 285 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: drone that's large enough to carry people in it. So 286 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: the two front propellers are mounted at the base of 287 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 1: the front of the vehicle, and the rear propellers are 288 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 1: mounted at the top of the back of the passenger cabin, 289 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 1: so it does have a bit of an odd look. 290 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: The four rotors are not all on the same plane. 291 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: In other words. The company also showed off another concept 292 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: vehicle called the Cadillac Halo, a silvery van looking like 293 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: thing that would be autonomous and it would have various 294 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: entertain ament systems on the interior to keep people occupied 295 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: as they get, you know, robos shuttled around. I don't 296 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: think we're going to see either concept transform into actual 297 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: vehicles anytime soon, but they were cool to look at. 298 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 1: The company Sigma Phase really knows how to speak my language, 299 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: because that company has introduced an ice cream making machine 300 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: that produces ice cream out of single serve pods, kind 301 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: of like how curig machines use pods to make coffee. 302 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: This machine is called the cold Snap Now. According to 303 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: c Net, it takes between sixty and nineties seconds for 304 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: this machine to make your ice cream, you know, or 305 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: your sorebet or your frozen margarita. There are apparently many options. 306 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: The pods themselves are made from aluminum not plastic, and 307 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: the company says this was done in order to make 308 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: them easier to recycle. But like a lot of things 309 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: on this list, it's a prototype and a heavy one. 310 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: Apparently it weighs about fifty pounds. Uh it way is 311 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: that much because it has to have a heavy duty 312 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 1: compressor in there to do rapid heat exchange in order 313 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: to to create the freezing action needed to produce ice cream. 314 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: The company does not expect this to go to market 315 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: until at least two and it will likely set you 316 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: back a big chunk of change, maybe as much as 317 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: a thousand dollars. Plus the pods will be a couple 318 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: of bucks each, so this is definitely more expensive than 319 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: buying an ice cream maker and just getting the ingredients 320 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: together to do it yourself. Still, it looks super you 321 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: know cool. Pana Sonic introduced the Nano e H in 322 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,199 Speaker 1: a six seven w hair dryer. Thanks Pana Sonic. That 323 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: name is very easy to say. We'll just call it 324 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: the Nano by the way, that's nano with an E 325 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: at the end, not to confuse it with nano from 326 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:58,719 Speaker 1: like nanotechnology. Panasonic says this thing pulls moisture from the 327 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: air in order to dry your hair, which, yeah, I don't. 328 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: I don't know how that works. Like that sounds wrong 329 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,640 Speaker 1: to me. I mean, is the idea that the hair 330 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 1: dryer actually just makes the air more dry around you, 331 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 1: and then the moisture in your hair moves from an 332 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: area of high concentration to low concentration, making the laws 333 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 1: of thorout dynamics do all the work for the hair dryer. 334 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: I really don't know. Also, I haven't had hair since, 335 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: so hair dryers frightened and confused me. As a matter 336 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 1: of course. Oh, I hear you say, but what about toilets? 337 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: Can you tell me about any smart turlets? And I sure, 338 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,239 Speaker 1: can you know me and my toilet humor? Or at 339 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: least I can tell you about another concept product. This 340 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: one is called the Wellness Toilet from Toto, and as 341 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: the name suggests, this toilet monitors your health by well 342 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: by by looking at your poop. Yeah, it's meant to 343 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: analyze waste to help provide recommendations for living a healthier lifestyle. 344 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: But as I mentioned, it's a concept. It's not an 345 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: actual thing you can buy, so I guess that's kind 346 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: of crappy. There are, of course, a lot of other 347 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: products on display at c S. One that I did 348 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: not mention is Samsung showed off a one hundred and 349 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: ten in television of four K resolution TV. It is 350 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: a monstrosity. It looks gorgeous, it is huge, and it's 351 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: going to actually go on sale in March, So this 352 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: is a product that's actually going to market. We don't 353 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 1: know how expensive it is, but I have seen people 354 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: make guesses, and the guesses tend to be around the 355 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: neighborhood of a hundred fifty thousand dollars. Yikes. But yeah, 356 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: it is a pretty impressive thing to look at, at 357 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: least the videos. I obviously haven't seen one in person. 358 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: So there are a lot of other things to cover. 359 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: Maybe next week I might do a quick wrap up 360 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: on anything that was, you know, particularly interesting or was 361 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: standing out. But it's mostly the stuff you would come 362 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: to expect, the various consumer electronics that we're all familiar with, 363 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: just with sometimes new bells and whistles, and sometimes they 364 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: are literal bells and whistles. When we come back, will 365 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: cover some assorted news items, but first let's take a 366 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: quick break. All right, we're back. Disney has been making 367 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: some big changes in the company's strategy for video games 368 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: set in the Star Wars franchise. So for eight years, 369 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 1: e A has had the exclusive rights to create titles 370 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 1: using licensed properties from Star Wars. But then e A 371 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: has also been the target of a lot of criticism 372 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: from the game's industry in general, the game's journalism world 373 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 1: because of how it has handled that responsibility, from canceling 374 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: highly anticipated games that people really were excited about to 375 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: instituting a pay to win micro transaction mechanic in Battlefront two. 376 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:20,360 Speaker 1: Before you know, public pressure made them move it out 377 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: of there. EA has managed to take off Star Wars 378 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: fans a lot, But now Disney has formed Lucasfilm Games, 379 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: which will oversee the licensing of properties and will partner 380 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: with game studios to create new Star Wars titles. One 381 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 1: we've recently heard about is coming from Ubisoft and will 382 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: be an open world game set in the Star Wars universe. 383 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: We do not have much more information than that, other 384 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: than it will depend on the Snowdrop game engine, which 385 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: is the same game engine used by games like The 386 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: Division and The Division two. There's no word on what 387 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: the game will be like, who it's going to focus on, 388 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,919 Speaker 1: what era in the Star Wars mythology. It will be 389 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: set in or anything like that, but the move shows 390 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: that Lucasfilm Games is going to be working with some 391 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: heavy hitters in the video games space, and e A 392 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: is no longer the exclusive developer for these sort of things. 393 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: On a similar note, Lucasfilm is also partnering with Machine Games, 394 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: subsidiary of Bethesda, and Machine Games produced the most recent 395 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: Wolfenstein games. Machine Games will be developing an Indiana Jones game, 396 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: So here's hoping we'll see some high quality titles for 397 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 1: these franchises. I still haven't played Star Wars Squadrons. I 398 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 1: feel like I missed the boat on that one. But 399 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: that was a game that had me hopeful that we'd 400 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: see more great titles come out. It was the first 401 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: Star Wars title in a while then I really got 402 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:55,239 Speaker 1: excited about and then failed to play, So that's on me. 403 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 1: NASA announced that data from the New Horizons mission indicates 404 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: that there are actually far fewer galaxies out in the 405 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: universe than we had previously estimated. So back when the 406 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: Hubble Space telescope was making observations, it led scientists to 407 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: estimate that there may be as many as two trillion 408 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: galaxies in our universe. We're in the Milky Way, We're 409 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,360 Speaker 1: in one galaxy. Just imagine that there would be two 410 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: trillion other ones out there, yelza. However, New Horizon says, Yo, 411 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: it's real dark out here, man Like, it is so dark, 412 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: there cannot be that many galaxies out here, or else 413 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,119 Speaker 1: I would see the light coming from them, which has 414 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: led scientists to now revise those estimates, and now we're 415 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: talking more about the number of galaxies being in the 416 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 1: hundreds of billions rather than trillions, which, don't get me wrong, 417 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: that's still a lot of galaxies. However, this really does 418 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 1: illustrate how little we know about our universe, including how 419 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: much stuff is in it. Personally, I find this interesting 420 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 1: because it tells us we've got a lot more to learn, 421 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: and I'm always excited to see how we do that. 422 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 1: How do we find ways to discover more information about 423 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: our universe? Really exciting stuff. I'm sure that James Webb 424 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 1: Space Telescope, when it goes online, will be looking into 425 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: these mysteries as well. Over at the International Conference on 426 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: Intelligent Robots and Systems, engineers from the University of Pennsylvania 427 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: submitted a paper that suggests we could construct robots with 428 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: parts that are made out of ice, because ice would 429 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: allow robots to be able to do lots of stuff. 430 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: If you needed to change the shape of a part, 431 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: you can do it by melting and refreezing ice. If 432 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 1: you need to replicate robots, ice is a pretty easy 433 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: material to replicate. I mean, you just get some water 434 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: and make it cold and then shape it the way 435 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 1: you want it to be. And if you need a 436 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 1: robot to repair itself, getting access to more water to 437 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 1: more ice could be an easy thing, depending on where 438 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,680 Speaker 1: you are. Obviously, some planets would be completely devoid of ice, 439 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: and that would make it difficult. But it's a really 440 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 1: interesting idea. Now, obviously not all parts of the robot 441 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: would be made out of ice. Then you would just 442 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: have an ice sculpture instead. Imagine a robot that has 443 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,360 Speaker 1: maybe a solid body of ice, or wheels that are 444 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: made of ice connected to an axle made out of metal, 445 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 1: or maybe it's you know, some other form that I'm 446 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 1: not even considering right now. It's a really nifty idea. Now, 447 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,679 Speaker 1: I'm still working my way through the paper as I 448 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: record this episode, so I haven't been able to digest 449 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 1: all of the stuff they were talking about, but I 450 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: find the concept really intriguing. Another paper, this one published 451 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: in Nature, reveals that scientists have sequenced the DNA of 452 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: dire wolves, a species that doesn't just exist in Game 453 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: of Thrones. In fact, it was a real species that 454 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 1: when extinct here on Earth thirteen thousand years ago. The 455 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: research shows that dire wolves split off genetically speaking from 456 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: gray wolves more than six million years ago and evolved 457 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: as a separate species. In fact, this branching was so 458 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: prominent that the DNA tells us the dire wolves and 459 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: gray wolves would not have been able to breed with 460 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: one another. According to one researcher, Kieran Mitchell, the dire 461 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: wolves appeared to be the last member of a line 462 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: of canines that were distinct from all the living canines today, So, 463 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: in other words, they don't resemble anything from a DNA 464 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: standpoint to any canines that are around today on Earth. 465 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: As to why the dire wolves went extinct when gray 466 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 1: wolves managed to survive, scientists don't have all the answers. 467 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: It is possible that the prey that the dire wolves 468 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: were depending upon also when extinct. So if your food 469 00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: source goes away, then you're not very long to follow behind. 470 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: Or it could be that other canines like gray wolves 471 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: were interbreeding with each other with other canines, and that 472 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: this actually led to better immune systems, that these animals 473 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: that resulted from this interbreeding were better able to withstand 474 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: stuff like disease, and the dire wolves, because they didn't 475 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: have this genetic diversity in their line, were more vulnerable 476 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,959 Speaker 1: to disease. That's another possibility, but we don't have all 477 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: the answers, so I'm sure we will learn more as 478 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: time goes on. Finally, TikTok users are uploading videos of 479 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: themselves singing sea shanties or singing along with someone else 480 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: who already created a video, and they're creating these really 481 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: fun mashups and harmonies along the way. And I'm fully 482 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: on board so to speak with this trend. As I 483 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: was singing sea shanties before it was cool. Okay, now 484 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: technically I was singing them way way way after it 485 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 1: was cool, but before it was cool. To do it again. 486 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: And if you want a really nice see shanty, I 487 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: recommend leave her, Johnny, leave her. This was nice. There 488 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: was one time where I can cover a TikTok story 489 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: and not be the grumpy old man yelling at people 490 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: to get off of his lawn. That was a refreshing change. 491 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: That wraps up the news stories for January four twenty one, 492 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: and I will be back next week with more news stories. 493 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: You will also have your your normal Tech Stuff episodes 494 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: as well. I look forward to hearing from you guys. 495 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 1: If you have suggestions for things I should cover in 496 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 1: future episodes of tech Stuff, be sure to reach out 497 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: to me. The handle is text stuff H s w 498 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: Over on Twitter and I'll talk to you again really soon. 499 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: Text Stuff is an I Heart Radio production. For more 500 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 501 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 502 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: H