What will it take to make online or app-based voting safe, secure, and reliable? Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet are joined by John Kheit to discuss the future of voting. They also explore the idea of corporate platforms (i.e. private platforms) becoming so big that they become synonymous with the public square and subject to the First Amendment. Then Bryan goes off on a weird tangent about how cool Patrick Stewart’s new episode of Star Trek could be if Jean-Luc Picard was a broken and bitter man. Good times!
A List of Google Alternatives You Can Use
Some people don’t want to use Google services because of privacy or other reasons. Whatever the case may be, here are some Google alternatives.
AI Limitations, iMac Pro Kernel Panic Problem, Bryan’s HomePod Experiment - ACM 472
In this episode, Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss the current limitations of AI, and what real AI in the future might be like. They also talk about Apple’s T2 kernel panic issue and follow up on Bryan’s dual-HomePod TV experiment.
Thoughts on Google Chrome and Its New HTTP/S Warnings
Google Chrome is gradually changing the alert in the search bar regarding the security of its website connection. John had mixed feelings about the early announcements.
ISO: 5G TV Provider. Must Be Apple or Google
Later this year the carrier plans to launch 5G in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
How to Control Which Apps Can Access Your Google Account
If you’re concerned about, or just aren’t sure, which apps and services have access to your Google account there’s an easy way see and even revoke access. Read on to learn how.
Google Says No One is Reading Your Email, Sort Of
Earlier this week a report claimed third-party app developers could read messages in your Gmail account without your knowledge. Google now says that’s not true. Sort of.
Apple and Other Tech Companies Meeting in San Francisco to Chat about Privacy
The trade group organizing the meeting includes Apple, Google, Amazon, Adobe, Ebay, Facebook, HP, Twitter, Salesforce, IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung, Dropbox, and many others, though it’s not clear how high up the org chart this meet-up will go.
The AR Demo and the Benefits of Surveillance Capitalism - ACM 466
If you’ve been wondering what all the fuss was about augmented reality, Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet have an AR Demo for you to see. They also take time out from ranting about being the product to talk frankly about the benefits of surveillance capitalism.
TMO Background Mode Interview with Freelance Tech Journalist Rob Pegoraro
Rob Pegoraro is a freelance technical journalist who writes about interesting problems and possibilities in consumer technology. Previously, he was a technical columnist for the Washington Post from 1999 to 2011. Lately he has written for Yahoo Finance, USA Today and The Wirecutter. Rob graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1993 with a degree in international relations without taking a single course in journalism or computer science. But along the way he discovered his real talent: learning new things about computer tech and then explaining it to readers. Rob told me how his time with the Washington Post was both rewarding but also prepared him for a better family life as a freelancer. We chatted about Google I/O 2018, the Android platform, his writings about the FTC, the GDPR, 8KTV, and his recent DIY update of his 2009 iMac.
Share Buybacks and Apple's Future, Same Old Facebook, Google Duplex - ACM 461
Warning, this one went long: Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss what Apple’s share buybacks say about Apple’s future. They also weigh WhatsApp’s founder leaving Facebook, and what it says about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. They go over when diving into Google Duplex, a demonstration that was as awesome as it was devoid of real value.
Amazon Cyberpunk King, Tim's State Dinner, GrayShift Pudding - ACM 459
In this episode, Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet talk about how Amazon has quietly become the Cyberpunk king. They also discuss Tim Cook’s choice of dinner companions for the White House’s state dinner, and how Grayshift’s data breach is the proof in the pudding that backdoors and cracks get mishandled.
Mac Keyboards, Trusting Facebook, and Being Profitable and Green - ACM 457
In this episode, Bryan and Jeff discuss Mac keyboards, and what they like about clicky, long-throw keyboards, including the Azio Classic Retro BT keyboard Bryan just reviewed. They also go through a thought experiment on whether Facebook could ever earn our trust on privacy by radically reshaping their policies. They cap the show with a look at how Apple manages to be profitable and green, both.
Apple Hires an Amazon Tech Exec for Software VP Role
Jon McCormack previously worked at Google’s Advanced Technology & Products Group, but he was hired from his gig at Amazon, where he was Chief Technology Officer of the devices group.
Mark Zuckerberg vs. Tim Cook, Apple's New AI Chief, and Making HomeKit Great - ACM 456
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook have been trading public barbs on privacy, and Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss the public tiff. They also discuss Apple’s hiring of Google’s former head of artificial intelligence and what it might mean for Siri (hint: good things!). They cap the show with a look at what it would take to make HomeKit the premier home automation platform.
Apple Hires Google's AI Chief, Tim Cook Touts His Commitment to Privacy
In a letter to employees, Tim Cook said that John Giannandrea shared Apple’s commitment to privacy and “our thoughtful approach” to machine learning.
Here's How You Can Download Your Google Data Into an Archive
Google allows you to download an archive that contains a tremendous amount of information, for example, your bookmarks, calendars, activity, searches, requested map directions, photos and so on. The list is long. Here’s how to do it.
Apple's Texture Purchase, Google's Education Win - TMO Daily Observations 2018-03-13
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at why Apple bought Texture, plus they discuss Google’s rise in education at Apple’s expense.
Apple Uses Google Servers for iCloud Storage, and that's no Big Deal - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-27
Bryan Chaffin, along with Adam Christianson from the Maccast, join Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple using Google’s servers to store our iCloud data, plus the media’s reaction to the years-old news.
The Spotify Platform Problem, Tim Cook Insights, and Apple TV Gaming - ACM 450
Bryan and Jeff talk about the Spotify Platform problem and the problems facing any independent music streaming service. They also talk about the things they learned from Tim Cook’s interview with Fast Company, and whether or not Apple is signaling a bigger play in Apple TV gaming.
Inside Apple's Shareholder Meeting, Profiling Hypocrisy, and HomePod Isn't a Wiretap - ACM 449
Bryan and Jeff go inside Apple’s annual shareholder meeting, and talk about the things that seemed to get Tim Cook excited. A listener also calls them out for being hypocrites on ad profiling, and they talk about how Apple’s new HomePod isn’t a home wiretap.
Can Social Media Be Humane, Smartwatch Diabetes Detection, and Nice Apple Content - ACM 448
Can social media be “humane,” or is the push for addictive platforms just par for the course? Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss The Center for Humane Technology’s push for reform. They also talk about Cardiogram’s ability to detect diabetes from Apple Watch activity data, and they talk about Apple’s penchant for avoiding dark and edgy content.
DOJ/SEC Investigate Throttlegate, Facebook Google Doom, New Macs in 2018 - ACM 447
The DOJ and the SEC are investigating Apple’s Throttlegate controversy, and Bryan and Jeff think it won’t go well for Apple. They also talk about Facebook, Google, and social media, and recent comments from philanthropist and political activist George Soros predicting their demise. They close the show with the implications of rumors that say Apple has three Macs coming out this year with Apple coprocessors.
Apple Admits Video Platform Defeat to YouTube
By launching another YouTube channel, Apple is admitting it is still behind in the video game.