Big Tech Little Tech

The CEO of Ralph Lauren's investment in the metaverse, smart home technology and its misconceptions, smart toilets and snacks, declining TV viewership, Google's collaboration with Samsung and Qualcomm, the wind-powered cargo ship Pixis Ocean, AI-generated art, the EU's battery regulation, Microsoft's bid for Activision, and OpenAI's GPT 3.5.

In this episode of Big Tech Little Tech, Shaun Weston and Rick Huckstep explore the use of eye-tracking technology in various industries, such as retail and automotive, and the potential security concerns associated with it. The conversation touches on companies like Palantir and its collection of eye data, as well as the positive applications of eye-tracking technology in medicine. Finally, what does eye-tracking have to do with gaming? Also in the show, Rick shares his new passion for a video-editing tool called Descript, and Shaun introduces AlterEgo, a non-invasive, wearable, peripheral neural interface developed by MIT Media Lab. It enables humans to communicate with machines, artificial intelligence assistants, services, and other people without any voice or externally observable movements. There's also the wildfires in Portugal and the question of using mountain ice caps to balance out water levels. Episode 32 concludes with a quick quiz about the most downloaded food apps in the world. And did you know there's exclusive content for BTLT fans in our new Patreon channel? Well, there is! Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

In this bonus clip, Shaun Weston and Rick Huckstep discuss Elon Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X. Is Musk making a costly, ridiculous branding mistake, or is there a case for a super app strategy? Enjoy the clip, and we’ll see you for episode 32 very soon! And did you know there's exclusive content for BTLT fans in our new Patreon channel? Well, there is! Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston talk about potential uses of deepfake technology, including creating humour, recreating historical events and generating personal voices for digital assistants. Have you seen the Spanish reality TV show called ‘Deep Fake Love? Contestants are shown deepfake videos of their partners cheating on them, highlighting the ethical concerns and the difficulty of determining what’s real and what’s fake. They discuss the potential role of blockchain technology in verifying the authenticity of videos and the challenges associated with ensuring the originality and trustworthiness of content. Also in the show, Meta Llama2 conversational AI, Barbie and Oppenheimer, Microsoft Teams virtual makeup, Sam Altman’s WorldCoin orb, Black Mirror, Hijack, The Crowded Room, and why Rick always gets the last word (especially concerning Ted Lasso). And did you know there's exclusive content for BTLT fans in our new Patreon channel? Well, there is! Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston discuss satellite internet, with a focus on SpaceX's Starlink. They explain how satellite internet works, the benefits it can bring to areas without access to traditional broadband, and the potential for satellite internet to be used in farming and transportation. They also discuss competition in the market, including Amazon's Project Kuiper, and the geopolitical implications of satellite internet. Also in the show, the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, an AR version of Ryuichi Sakamoto, and the birth of Threads. And did you know there's exclusive content for BTLT fans in our new Patreon channel? Well, there is! Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston invite Charles Radclyffe back to the show to continue last episode's chat about the Apple Vision Pro. This time, we'll discuss how Vision Pro stacks up against the Oculus, the difference between Apple's and Meta's marketing approach, and what this all means for a metaverse future. Plus, the Blackrock Bitcoin ETF, Nick Hungerford's AI legacy, and which industries have the most potential for automation. Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston talk about the much-talked about Apple Vision Pro (if you hadn’t heard enough about it already). What are its fun features, how do they work, and who’s the device really for? Plus, the Nasa/Boeing X-Plane, ChatGPT for organising individually curated content, and researching payment options before travelling. Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston discuss rehabilitation engineering, specifically brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), which enhance the lives of people with disabilities. Also in the show, how dumb (and witty) AI can be, popular TV shows that draw to a close, and an AI reader called Ryan replaces Shaun as chief newsreader. Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston talk about disruption, innovation and the future of search. Google has recently overhauled its search results page with AI, but can the company move away from its lucrative advertising model? Also in this episode, a new AI-powered humanoid robot, Final Cut Pro on the iPad, a Titanic 3D digital scan, and a quick quote quiz. Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.

Rick Huckstep and Shaun Weston discuss the growing trend of AI companions, and whether digital companions can truly provide the emotional connection humans crave. Also in this 1st birthday episode, the Apple Card savings account, 3D crowns, a live demo of Pi, clunky Strava, and no 80s music quiz from ChatGPT. Find ⁠⁠⁠Shaun on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Rick on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Additional music by Jason Shaw on ⁠⁠⁠Audionautix.com⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Beatoven.ai⁠⁠⁠, and Alex-Productions at https://soundcloud.com/alexproductionsmusic.