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We answer burning questions, like what Google wants with Johnny Cash's likeness and why it ceased development on an AR/VR device with Samsung. Sorry, parents, YouTube has been targeting ads to kids. Links and Show Notes: YouTube is figuring out its AI strategy by working with music labels Our principles for partnering with the music industry on AI technology Google's augmented-reality dream turned into chaos. Insiders say constant pivots are delaying its master plan to chase Apple. YouTube Ads May Have Led to Online Tracking of Children, Research Says Support Material with a Relay FM Membership

Robo taxis are a menace to society, or at least it seems that way in San Francisco. Flo shares her final thoughts on Samsung and Google's foldables. And Google introduces a batch of new AI tools to help summarize web pages on the fly. This episode of Material is sponsored by: Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: These Women Tried to Warn Us About AI Quick fix: restore Chrome download notifications to the bottom of the page Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold Cost the Same, but They're Very Different Devices Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: The Best Folding Phone Still Costs Too Much Driverless cars can now operate like taxis in San Francisco, raising safety concerns Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI Support Material with a Relay FM Membership

Prepare to get more of Johnny Cash singing Europop hits, as Google is working with Universal on deep fake AI-based music. You can listen to it while making Android apps in your browser and sleeping in Google's hotel. The future! Links and Show Notes: Attention K-Mart Shoppers "Ground Beef: Passport to Far-Away Eating" Google and Universal Music negotiate deal over AI ‘deepfakes’ | Financial Times Google's AI-powered code editor enables Android, iOS, and web dev online Judge dismisses major arguments in Google antitrust case $5 billion Google lawsuit over ‘Incognito mode’ tracking moves a step closer to trial - The Verge Support Material with a Relay FM Membership

It's Taco Tuesday, even though we're recording on Wednesday and posting on Thursday: Flo has the Pixel Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 in hand, while Andy leads us in a game of "Is This Thing Google's Doing Evil, Or Not?" Links and Show Notes: Google’s nightmare “Web Integrity API” wants a DRM gatekeeper for the web A 'deeply committed' Google working on 'supercharged Assistant' powered by LLMs Scoop: Google Assistant to get an AI makeover Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News Articles Support Material with a Relay FM Membership

Flo is back! Andy is elated! The two hosts catch up on life over the last nine weeks and discuss the results of Alphabet's latest quarterly earnings. Samsung also puts on a mediocre show for some foldables. Links and Show Notes: Alphabet reports better-than-expected quarterly results driven by growth in cloud Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat leaving role to become president and chief investment officer Samsung’s Galaxy Flip 5 and Fold 5 Unpacked event: biggest announcements Support Material with a Relay FM Membership

Flo is back next week! So Andy is exploiting this final solo episode to make it all about Him. His frustrations about saving web archives from Chrome. His extended thoughts on Indiana Jones. To his credit, he did throw in some news about Google’s new AR Space Invaders game, just so that this Google podcast doesn’t lose its liquor license. But he still heroically pivots to his own opinions about technology’s responsibilities to move the needle. This episode of Material is sponsored by: Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: Support Material with a Relay FM Membership Google and Space Invaders launch an immersive AR game Indiana Jones Wiki | Fandom

Andy’s joined by a special guest this week: Jason Howell, host of All About AndroidA new rash of civil lawsuits that content creators have filed against Google and other makers of AI language models. And then we talk phones. Guest Starring: Jason Howell Links and Show Notes: Support Material with a Relay FM Membership Google hit with lawsuit alleging it stole data from millions of users to train its AI tools | CNN Business The environmentally conscious Fairphone 4 is finally coming to the US - The Verge LineageOS – LineageOS Android Distribution

Canada is the latest country to decide that somebody should be on the hook for the news industry’s financial issues, and it might as well be Google. And, just like the offside rule in professional hockey, this is a Canadian thing that Andy doesn’t really understand. Meanwhile, Google urges its AI models to both learn more and forget more. Isn’t this the sort of contradiction that made HAL-9000 go psychotic? Links and Show Notes: Support Material with a Relay FM Membership Google says it will start blocking Canadian news stories in response to new law : NPR Our approach to news regulation ‘We must think beyond the memes’: Google’s Richard Gingras on the future of news in our societies - WAN-IFRA Google Says It'll Scrape Everything You Post Online for AI Announcing the first Machine Unlearning Challenge – Google Research Blog Opinion | The Alt-Right Manipulated My Comic. Then A.I. Claimed It. - The New York Times Sarah's Scribbles

Andy mourns the loss of Google’s Iris smart glasses, because he knows so way much more than Google or Apple about VR and XR. Reviews of the Pixel Fold are in! It’s a jim-dandy phone except for what happens when you unfold it. And reading coverage of last week’s Vidcon helps Andy be less judgmental about The Avengers. Links and Show Notes: Support Material with a Relay FM Membership Google killed Iris smart glasses, opts for Android OEM model for XR Google execs hope new search feature will help amid Reddit blackouts RIP to my Pixel Fold: Dead after four days | Ars Technica A Tale of Two VidCons — The Information

Reviews of the new Pixel Tablet are in, and it looks like maybe the world is about to fall slap-happy in love! (From a certain perspective, and placed in the correct context). Chromebooks are about to receive the X-gene, and Gannett Newspapers celebrates the first day of Summer with a beach clambake-slash-massive antitrust suit against Google. Links and Show Notes: Support Material with a Relay FM Membership - Sleep as Android Google Pixel Tablet review: the dock makes all the difference - The Verge Gannett Sues Google, Accusing It of Dominating the Ad Market - The New York Times