The Engadget Podcast

This week on the Engadget Podcast, we dive into the many ways the coronavirus is affecting the tech industry, all the while remembering to wash our hands and not touch our faces. It's not quite a pandemic yet, but there's some hope on the horizon, now that social media companies like Facebook are actually trying to fight coronavirus disinformation. And for something completely different, Devindra chats with Ann Druyan (starting at 26:59), the co-creator of Cosmos, on the show's incredible new season. Links: Facebook will run free WHO ads to counter coronavirus misinformation: https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/04/facebook-free-who-ads-coronavirus/ Fake cures and other coronavirus conspiracy theories are flooding WhatsApp, leaving governments and users with a ‘sense of panic’: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/03/02/whatsapp-coronavirus-misinformation/ Pandemic film Contagion becomes one of iTunes' most-watched movies: https://www.cnet.com/news/pandemic-film-contagion-becomes-one-of-itunes-most-watched-movies/?TheTime=2020-03-05T02%3A31%3A27&ftag=COS-05-10aaa0b&PostType=link&UniqueID=6A8E23A6-5E89-11EA-B599-CCC6C28169F1&ServiceType=twitter TCL's concept device folds twice to fit a 10-inch screen in your pocket: https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/05/tcl-tri-fold-rollable-extendable-concept-hands-on/ Does the Xbox Series X make gaming PCs obsolete?: https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/05/xbox-series-x-vs-gaming-pcs/

Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra: Is This Your 5G King? by Engadget

A bunch of things in tech got the proverbial nails slammed into their coffins this week. Andy Rubin's Essential phone company shut down, MWC got canceled due to fears over coronavirus and the Motorola Razr folding flip phone is pretty likely dead on arrival thanks to Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip. Cherlynn is joined by senior mobile editor Chris Velazco (Devindra is off on vacation, yay!) to talk about their Galaxy phone coverage and commiserate over no longer going to Barcelona.

The logistical and technical debacle of the Iowa Democratic Caucus is exactly why we're not hopeful about online voting in America. This week on the Engadget Podcast, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about what exactly went wrong for Iowa's Democratic Party. The mysterious app from an unknown progressive tech firm was mostly to blame, but it was also helped by some good old fashioned human error. Links: Iowa Democrats say sloppy code led to app failure: https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/04/iowa-democrats-caucus-app-delay/ Iowa caucus results delayed due to app issues: https://www.engadget.com/2020-02-03-iowa-caucus-mobile-app-problems.html LG pulls out of Mobile World Congress due to Coronavirus fears: https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/04/lg-pulls-out-of-mobile-world-congress-2020-coronavirus/ Spotify buys The Ringer: https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/05/spotify-buys-the-ringer/

All of our fears around facial recognition technology are coming true thanks to a little known startup called ClearView AI. This week, Devindra and Cherlynn dive into how ClearView works, and what unchecked access to powerful facial recognition means for the future of privacy. (It's good for cops, not so much everybody else!) Also, managing editor Terrence O'Brien joins to break down how Billy Eilish recorded a Grammy-winning album in a spare bedroom. It's all yet another milestone for DIY home audio production. Links: NYT: The secretive company that might end privacy as we know it: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html?auth=login-email&login=email Billy Eilish proved anyone can have Grammy-winning gear: https://www.engadget.com/2020/01/27/billie-eilish-grammy-2020-bedroom-studio-logic-pro-x/ -What to buy if you want to start producing music at home: https://www.engadget.com/2020/01/29/beginner-home-music-studio-bedroom-producer-guide/

Sonos announced that it'll be killing off several of its older devices this week, and its loyal customers aren't taking very kindly to that. This week, Devindra, Cherlynn and Deputy Managing Editor Nathan Ingraham dive into Sonos' plans, and what it says about the future of every connected device. (How's that Pebble treating you?) Also, they discuss how Saudi Arabia hacked Jeff Bezos's phone via WhatsApp. Yes, it's as crazy as it sounds.

This week, Devindra, Cherlynn and Senior Editor Nick Summers take a relaxing break from the madness of CES by diving into some of this week's news, like the trailer for Japan's Super Nintendo World park. They also question the wisdom of Sony abandoning E3 (yet again), and welcome Microsoft's new Chromium-infused Edge browser.

In this special interview episode from CES 2020, Devindra chats with the minds behind Quibi -- founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO Meg Whitman, Chief Product Officer Tom Conrad and CTO Ben Post -- to see how it's attempting to disrupt streaming mobile video. Meanwhile, Cherlynn speaks with Lioness founder Liz Klinger about the vibrator that finally got to officially display at CES after years of controversy.

It's that time of the year again, CES! This week, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss some of the best (and worst) things they've seen at the show, including ultraportables, cars and a variety of truly weird stuff. Plus, you'll hear about a strange Westworld dinner that freaked them both out. And be sure to stay tuned for our chat with the noted designer and technologist John Maeda, who gave his thoughts on CES, the bad design choices companies like Samsung make, and discussed his new book, How to Speak Machine: Computational Thinking for the Rest of Us.

To celebrate the arrival of 2020, Devindra and Cherlynn are doing what they do every year: Prepping like crazy for CES. This week, we chat about how the infamous tradeshow has evolved over the years, and the new innovations we're actually looking forward to. And we can't help but dive into the products (and celebrity guests) we're already dreading.