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Tag: gadget lab podcast

  • How a TikTok Ban Would Play Out

    How a TikTok Ban Would Play Out

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    You may only know TikTok as the massively popular social video app for phone-obsessed teens, but lately the app has been caught in the political fray. On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives approved a bipartisan bill that, should it become law, would require TikTok’s parent company, the Chinese firm ByteDance, to sell the app or else see it banned on devices in the US. Lawmakers in the US have expressed concerns that data from American TikTok users is being shared with a Chinese company, and that therefore TikTok poses a threat to national security.

    This week on Gadget Lab, we’re joined by WIRED’s senior politics writer Makena Kelly to talk about those security concerns, what this bill means for the rest of the tech industry, and what could happen if TikTok is actually banned.

    Show Notes

    Read Makena on the bill that would ban TikTok, and read Vittoria Elliott’s update on Wednesday’s vote. We also have instructions to get your videos off TikTok. Read all of WIRED’s TikTok coverage.

    Recommendations

    Makena recommends going to the office. (Really.) Mike recommends Ener-C powdered vitamin drink mix. Lauren reiterates Kate Knibbs’ earlier recommendation of American Fiction, the film that just won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

    Makena Kelly can be found on social media @kellymakena. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

    How to Listen

    You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

    If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app just by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.



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  • Google’s GenAI Bots Are Struggling. But so Are Its Humans

    Google’s GenAI Bots Are Struggling. But so Are Its Humans

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    The last few months have been rough for Google. Company executives have been in the hot seat because of some embarrassing missteps, the most awkward of which was the bungled launch of Google’s latest image generator. The company launched it as part of its suite of GenAI tools named Gemini, but then quickly pulled it back after the generator produced some seriously weird results.

    This week, we welcome WIRED senior writer Paresh Dave back to the show to talk about Gemini’s strange outputs. We also talk about some of the staffing pains Google has been going through recently, including layoffs and accusations of discrimination.

    Show Notes

    Read more about the “woke AI” controversy. Read Bloomberg’s story about Google’s layoffs to its trust and safety team. Read Paresh’s story about the Googler with a disability who alleges workplace discrimination at the company. Listen to our broader discussion about tech layoffs on episode 633.

    Recommendations

    Paresh recommends the food blog The Fancy Navajo. Lauren recommends Lauren Mechling’s story in The Guardian about journalism; the Le Carré Cast podcast, particularly the episode about the secret life of the famous spy author; and Mike recommends the film collection “And the Razzie Goes to …” on the Criterion Channel.

    Paresh can be found on social media @peard33.bsky.social. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

    How to Listen

    You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

    If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app just by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.



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  • How Nvidia Came to Rule AI

    How Nvidia Came to Rule AI

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    Lauren Goode: Let’s go back about 10 years. When you thought of Nvidia back then, what did you think of?

    Michael Calore: I think of big CES press conferences with the company talking about things like Tegra supercomputing chips and these big events that generally just served word soup.

    Lauren Goode: That is very accurate. Can you guess what the stock price of Nvidia was then?

    Michael Calore: I have no idea.

    Lauren Goode: Are you ready for it?

    Michael Calore: Yeah.

    Lauren Goode: It was between $3 and $5.

    Michael Calore: What is it now?

    Lauren Goode: It’s hovering around $800.

    Michael Calore: Oh my god. Stop.

    Lauren Goode: Mm-hmm. Seriously.

    Michael Calore: Well, we don’t own tech stocks here, so sad for us. But what happened to Nvidia?

    Lauren Goode: Basically, Nvidia started to take over the computing world.

    Michael Calore: OK, we need to talk about why.

    Lauren Goode: We really do. Let’s do it.

    [Gadget Lab intro theme music plays]

    Lauren Goode: Hi, everyone. Welcome to Gadget Lab. I’m Lauren Goode. I’m a senior writer at WIRED.

    Michael Calore: And I’m Michael Calore. I am WIRED’s director of consumer tech and culture.

    Lauren Goode: We’re joined this week by WIRED senior writer, Will Knight, who joins us from Cambridge, Massachusetts. He’s on Zoom and he has averted his eyes from the latest AI research paper to humor us on the Gadget Lab. Hi, Will.

    Will Knight: Hello.

    Lauren Goode: Thanks for being here.

    Will Knight: Thanks for having me.

    Lauren Goode: OK. We brought Will on, because today we are talking about the wild rise of Nvidia, the company that started in the 1990s selling graphics chips for video games on PCs. That is oversimplifying it a little, but basically from the earliest days, Nvidia made a bet on accelerated computing versus general purpose computing. They made custom chips that turbocharge the functions of the personal computer. But as Mike and I were talking about, the Nvidia of today is not your Gen X graphic chips maker. Its c-founder and chief executive, Jensen Huang, has consistently positioned the company right ahead of the curve. Right now, Nvidia holds the majority of the market share of AI computing chips. It’s also worth nearly $2 trillion.

    I had a chance to sit down with Jensen in recent months for a WIRED story. I’m sorry to disappoint all of you, but you’re not going to hear those interviews here. You’re going to have to read it in WIRED. I might also recommend checking out the Acquired podcast for a very, very long, multi-part series on Nvidia that does end with a conversation with Jensen. But we wanted to give you the most clear cut story here of how Nvidia ended up where it did and what the future holds for it.

    We should probably start with how Nvidia started and maybe not spend too long on it, but talk about that era of the personal computer, the emergence of it in the ’90s, and how we transitioned to this, right?

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  • Between Layoffs and Tougher Interviews, Tech Workers Are Stressed Out

    Between Layoffs and Tougher Interviews, Tech Workers Are Stressed Out

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    There was a time when getting a job at Google or Amazon would be a ticket to long-term stability and success. Many of the big tech companies seemed immune to large-scale layoffs, and as their profits skyrocketed, those cushy jobs became highly sought-after. But economic headwinds, and the looming influence of AI, are leading to some tumultuous changes in the tech industry.

    In just the first seven weeks of this year, Amazon, Google, Discord, Duolingo, Cisco, Instacart, and dozens of others all made deep staffing cuts. It all adds up to tens of thousands of jobs lost across the industry, and the cuts aren’t slowing down. It doesn’t help that interviewing for tech jobs is getting harder too, with employers asking for more and more work or rigorous testing before making a hire.

    This week, WIRED senior writer Paresh Dave joins us to talk about whether the layoffs will cool off, and why right now is a daunting time to be looking for a tech job.

    Show Notes

    Read Paresh’s story about how Google has been cutting down on its acquisitions lately. Read Amanda Hoover on recent tech industry layoffs, and her story about the TikTok layoff videos folks have been posting. Read Lauren’s story about how tech job interviews are getting even more demanding. And of course, follow all of WIRED’s coverage of how AI and how it affects people’s livelihoods.

    Recommendations

    Paresh recommends making an effort to connect and collaborate with your disabled colleagues. Lauren recommends the documentary The Eternal Memory. Mike recommends listening to Ty Segall’s new album Three Bells and watching his live show.

    Paresh Dave can be found on social media @peard33. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

    How to Listen

    You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

    If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app just by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.



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  • Here Comes the Flood of AI-Generated Clickbait

    Here Comes the Flood of AI-Generated Clickbait

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    Michael Calore: When is the last time you visited the website The Hairpin?

    Lauren Goode: It’s been a while. Why do you ask?

    Michael Calore: You should go check it out right now.

    Lauren Goode: Right now?

    Michael Calore: Yeah, right now.

    Lauren Goode: OK, hold on. I’m going to do this. OK, wow. “Talking With An Actual Tiny-House Future Resident,” “Dream Interpretations,” “The Ultimate Guide To Wearing A Jumpsuit,” “Who’s the Most Important Person in Your Life? Testimonies.” It’s a little different from the Hairpin I remember.

    Michael Calore: This is not the Hairpin you remember.

    Lauren Goode: It’s not. So what’s going on here?

    Michael Calore: Maybe something has happened to it. Maybe somebody else owns it and runs it.

    Lauren Goode: It sure looks like it.

    Michael Calore: All right. Well, our guest today is going to explain what’s going on.

    Lauren Goode: All right, I’m intrigued.

    Michael Calore: Let’s talk about it.

    [Gadget Lab intro theme music plays]

    Michael Calore: Hi, everyone. Welcome to Gadget Lab. I’m Michael Calore. I am the director of consumer tech and culture at Wired.

    Lauren Goode: And I’m Lauren Goode. I’m a senior writer at Wired.

    Michael Calore: We are also joined by Wired senior writer Kate Knibbs, who covers culture, media, and artificial intelligence for us. Hi, Kate.

    Kate Knibbs: Hi. Thanks for having me.

    Michael Calore: Of course. Welcome back to the show. We also, as a special bonus, we have in studio the person who is your boss and mine, Wired’s executive editor of news, Brian Barrett. Brian, welcome back.

    Brian Barrett: Thank you. I like to think of myself as your friend and yours.

    Lauren Goode: Management speak if I ever heard it.

    Michael Calore: I think the last time you were here was 2022. We talked about Peloton.

    Brian Barrett: Yes, we sure did.

    Michael Calore: Do you still row, bike, run?

    Brian Barrett: I still bike. Mike, I’ve added some strength training. I don’t know if anybody has noticed.

    Lauren Goode: Who’s your favorite strength training instructor on Peloton?

    Brian Barrett: You got to go with Adrian, right?

    Lauren Goode: I thought you were going to say Rad?

    Brian Barrett: No, I haven’t.

    Lauren Goode: But Adrian is great.

    Brian Barrett: Maybe I need to give Rad a chance.

    Lauren Goode: Rad Lopez.

    Brian Barrett: I’m familiar.

    Lauren Goode: He’s pretty great.

    Brian Barrett: Yeah. Always a Ben fan too.

    Lauren Goode: Respect. Do you meditate in Peloton?

    Brian Barrett: I do. I tell you what, sleep meditation I feel like is a cheat code.

    Lauren Goode: Ross Rayburn.

    Brian Barrett: Yeah. Also, Krista McKee. This is just the podcast now everybody.

    Michael Calore: Well, unfortunately we’re not talking about Peloton or sleep meditation this week.

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  • Slack Is Turning 10 Years Old, and Wow Has It Changed Everything

    Slack Is Turning 10 Years Old, and Wow Has It Changed Everything

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    At its core, Slack is a chat app. Every day, millions of people use it to communicate, share files, and gossip with coworkers or friend groups in one organized place. That style of free-flowing interaction—which Slack didn’t invent, but made mainstream—has changed the way we talk to each other online for better and for worse. It’s brought us closer together and enabled global collaboration, but it’s also allowed conversations to follow us anywhere … like when you get a notification at 10 pm that your boss has sent you a DM.

    This week, MIT Technology Review editor in chief Mat Honan joins the show to chronicle the history of Slack as the software suit turns 10 years old. We dig into how it helped our work lives bleed into our personal time, and how the company is faring under the auspices of Salesforce and against its competitors.

    Show Notes

    Read Mat’s 2014 story about Slack founder Stewart Butterfield and his boring startup. Here’s Lauren’s story about the Slack soft return and other office hacks you might want to use. Listen to the episode of WIRED’s Have A Nice Future podcast with former Slack CEO Lidiane Jones.

    Recommendations

    Mat recommends Airtags and the ChatGPT sticker bot. Mike recommends the Raw Impressions podcast with Lou and Adelle Barlow. Lauren recommends using the soft return in Slack.

    Mat Honan can be found on social media @mat. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

    How to Listen

    You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

    If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app just by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.



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  • The Apple Vision Pro Lives Deep in the Uncanny Valley

    The Apple Vision Pro Lives Deep in the Uncanny Valley

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    Apple’s first ever mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, arrives tomorrow. Apple has a knack for revitalizing and legitimizing a product category—something that the face computer market really needs right now. But there are some hangups that could limit its initial success: the Vision Pro’s exorbitant $3,499 price tag, the tethered battery pack, and the mere handful of apps available on the device at launch. These issues point to this headset being more of a development kit than a fully realized product for now. It’s a beautiful machine, but its true potential may not be realized for some time.

    This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu joins us to chat about the Apple Vision Pro and whether it’s going to be the device that finally kicks off the face computer revolution. We also talk about the ways Apple is trying to make the headset disappear as part of the experience, both in the virtual space and in the physical realm.

    Show Notes

    Read Julian’s hands-on experience with the Apple Vision Pro. Read Lauren’s story about the Apple Vision Pro’s battery pack. Read Boone Ashworth on the current situation with apps and developers.

    Recommendations

    Julian recommends Thumbtack, a platform to connect homeowners with service vendors. Lauren recommends butter lettuce. Mike recommends the Scottish police show Shetland.

    Julian Chokkattu can be found on social media @JulianChokkattu. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

    How to Listen

    You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

    If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app just by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.



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