Techathlon podcast: Net Neutrality, publicity stunts, and streaming stats
Play along with the most competitive tech podcast around.
Remember back in January when you swore that you were really going to get in shape this year? You bought new workout clothes and ordered some of those “super food” shakes your friends are constantly trying to sell you from their pyramid scheme business. But then, somewhere in the middle of frigid February, it all fell apart and you found yourself neck deep in Taco Tuesdays that lasted well into Thursday. It’s OK, though. Even if you don’t hit your physical fitness goals for summer, the new episode of Techathlon is here to help you tone those brain abs.
This week’s episode has lots of content packed in, so pick your favorite way to listen to podcasts (iTunes, Stitcher, Anchor, and pretty much anywhere else you find excellent podcasts loitering around) and then dive in. Oh, and be sure to follow us on Twitter so you can talk smack. Here’s a preview of what to expect.
Last Week in Tech
Before we get into the games, we take a look back at some of the big technology stories that happened last week. Here’s a taste.
Facebook will maybe, sort of, kinda make its services more secure, possibly.
The fight for Net Neutrality is heating back up.
A 10 million pound undersea cable set an internet speed record.
Show & Tell
We get a lot of weird gadgets in the Pop Sci offices and this week’s edition of Show & Tell was a secret to two of our hosts. Here’s a hint: It involves listening to U2 songs and looking like Danny McBride from Eastbound and Down.
Shut the Stunt Door
Tech companies love publicity stunts, so for this game, we’re recapping some of the most ridiculous feats of self-promotion ever attempted. Did you know that a major tech company once considered sponsoring a streaker at a large sporting event?
Hacking Poetic
The Jibo home companion robot will soon die because its servers are shutting down. It told its users about it in a sad goodbye routine that involved some sappy robot emotions and a dance. We honor some other recently-discontinued gadgets by writing haikus for them.
Don’t Stat Me: Streaming Music Edition
The Recording Industry Association of America recently released some statistics about how people bought and listened to music in 2018 and it revealed some interesting bits. We dig into the numbers before heading back to our desks to listen to our shameful Spotify playlists that we hope no one ever finds out about. How many Dire Straits songs is too many?
