Episode 329 — Future Dead Startups

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sign: The Future is Unwritten
Photo by Max Böhme on Unsplash

Space travel contests, startup toy models, intellectual property rights, portable computing, cloud-based Windows, Clippy, and a LEGO flux capacitor. 

Going back to the future is one of the leitmotifs for this week’s episode, as Michael and Michael reflect on the news stories.  Starting off with the Virgin Galactic sweepstakes to win a spot on the upcoming flight, the co-hosts wonder what happened to the Mars-One contest discussed way back in episode 34.  Spoiler alert: check out the link in the show notes below to see the current status of this project!  After a quick detour to the Defender space-based video game link courtesy of Ian, Michael and Michael take a look at a site dedicated to selling scale model toys based on failed startups.  Here, you can buy a non-functional replica of the jibo robot, theranos minilab or Coolest Cooler.  

After a couple of stories dealing with solutions to prevent people from playing games past curfew or riding a scooter while under the influence, the co-hosts turn their attention to real (and replica) versions of portable computing from a Raspberry Pi version of the Кибердек RA01 from William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer, to the TVA’s TemPad to the real Valve Steam Deck which will be available for reservations starting now with anticipated delivery later this year.  See if you can help Michael R remember the Steam game he was mentioning during the podcast!  


Staying on the thought of portable computing, Michael and Michael discuss Microsoft’s Windows 11 which will execute on Macs and iPads, and the Windows 365 cloud PC subscription which can also be executed on any internet connected device.  One has to wonder whether Clippy will be available on each of these platforms, with all the likes for this nostalgic support avatar.  

Around your wallet, a perimeter create!  So says the subtitle for the LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship, and boy, is it a doozy. Michael M remembers the ball turrets from the Flying Fortress models he built as a kid.  Andy also shared a link to a LEGO flux capacitor that will take you back to the future.

Thanks for listening!  

Selected Links

The Verge article: Virgin Galactic has opened a sweepstakes offering a trip to space — https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/11/22572643/virgin-galactic-omaze-sweepstakes-richard-branson-trip-to-space 

Omaze article: Win Two Seats on One of the FIRST Virgin Galactic Flights to Space — https://www.omaze.com/products/virgin-galactic-2021 

Games at Work Episode 34 — One Way Ticket to Mars — https://gamesatwork.biz/2013/01/27/one-way-ticket-to-mars-episode-34/ 

Mars-One.com — http://www.mars-one.com 

Duke Alumni Magazine article: How a robot shaped like a dragonfly could help with environmental concerns — https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/articles/how-robot-shaped-dragonfly-could-help-environmental-concerns

New Yorker article: Who Owns Mike Disfarmer’s Photographs — https://www.newyorker.com/news/us-journal/who-owns-mike-disfarmers-photographs 

Fast Company article: See the road sign that’s about to take over America — https://www.fastcompany.com/90654931/see-the-road-sign-thats-about-to-take-over-america 

Dead Startup Toys — https://deadstartuptoys.com 

The Verge article: How Tencent’s sweeping new facial scans will catch Chinese kids playing past curfew — https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/9/22567029/tencent-china-facial-recognition-honor-of-kings-game-for-peace 

Mashable article: Bird attempts to make it harder to scoot under the influence — https://mashable.com/article/bird-electric-scooters-drunk-riding-checkpoint 

Notebook check article: Cyberdeck RA01: A DIY Cyberdeck based on a Raspberry Pi that can be used on the move — https://www.notebookcheck.net/Cyberdeck-RA01-A-DIY-Cyberdeck-based-on-a-Raspberry-Pi-that-can-be-used-on-the-move.551064.0.html  

The Verge article: TVA TemPad review: who needs TikTok when you can control time and space? — https://www.theverge.com/tldr/22576224/tva-tempad-review-loki-season-1-review-marvel-timedoor 

Input article: Valve finally announces its handheld gaming system, Steam Deck — https://www.inputmag.com/gaming/valve-finally-announced-steam-deck-holy-hell-does-it-look-great 

iDrop News: You’ll Soon Be Able to Run Windows 11 on Your M1 Mac (and Even Your iPad) — https://www.idropnews.com/news/youll-soon-be-able-to-run-windows-on-your-m1-mac-and-even-your-ipad/163452/ 

BBC News article: Clippy returns – as an emoji — https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57849880

BBC News article: Microsoft announces Windows 365, a subscription cloud PC — https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57836326 

Brickstuff Build Your Own LEGO Back to the Future Flux Capacitor with LED Lights — https://www.brickstuff.com/store/p182/fluxcap.html 

Lego’s New Star Wars Republic Gunship Is Here, And Larger Than Your Torso — https://gizmodo.com/legos-new-star-wars-republic-gunship-is-here-and-large-1847298674 

Revel B17 Flying Fortress model airplane — https://www.revell.de/en/products/modelmaking/revell-usa/planes/b-17g-flying-fortress.html

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Episode 328 — Classic BMW

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BMW 3 series about to enter the skidpad at BMW's Performance Center in Greer, SC
Photo by Michael Martine, BMW Performance Center, Greer, SC 2007

Brickit AR app for LEGO bricks, AI voices & immortality, Fibonacci, cooling PCs & t-shirts, cool NASA code and one cool Asgardian (Loki)

Andy, Michael and Michael assemble to consider a wide variety of topics in this week’s episode.  While on vacation, Michael M puts the Brickit iOS app from last week’s episode to the test with fantastic results.  Appropriate for the beach, he builds a LEGO sailboat from the app, and is helped to find the necessary pieces by the AR functionality.  

Turning to the world of AI, the co-hosts talk about the rapidly evolving AI voice actors, and how quickly they are sounding more and more natural in their inflection and cadence.  After a quick hit dealing with NaviLens, a new QR code type of communication, the trio unpacks the Windows patch for the PrintNightmare vulnerability.  Fractals, Fibonacci numbers and phi are all part of how cauliflower grows – have a look at the referenced Ars Technica article to learn more.  

Given the summer heat gripping many areas in the world, the next stories deal with cooling – hardware and software.  The hardware is a custom build that uses mechanical bellows to cool a PC – check out the video to see how.  The software deals with titanium dioxide nanoparticles embedded in polymer fibers to reflect photons away and generate a cooling effect of 3º C for a person wearing a vest made from these fibers.

In the automotive world, a business article highlights that analysts are thinking of car companies more as technology companies, complete with the associated valuation multiples.  Given the explosive growth expected in the race to provide to electric vehicles, this is not quite a surprise.  And Michael R found an article about the very cool Peugeot 9X8, a new hybrid hypercar that will race in the World Endurance Championship series.

Next up, space, the final coding frontier.  Michael, Michael and Andy take a look at the free catalog of NASA software that was developed as part of NASA’s space mission.  Take note that NASA is hosting a webinar on their software this Tuesday where you can ask questions and learn more about all the software available.  

On the subject of immortality enabled by AI, the Wall Street Journal covers this topic in a recent article.  Longtime Games At Work listeners will remember an intriguing discussion about this way back in 2012.  See the link to episodes 26 and 218 in the show notes below.  

Wrapping up this episode, the cohosts are getting excited about the next Alto’s Odyssey game, the next episode of Disney’s Loki and enjoys the Simpsons-Loki crossover.

Oh, and this week’s title is because 328 is an iconic BMW model, so of course the episode had to have that in the title.  Have an idea for an upcoming episode number you’d like to name?  A new and intriguing way that AR/VR/AI is being used?  Drop the Games At Work team a tweet and perhaps your story will find it’s way into the next episode.  Thanks for listening!  

Selected Links

MIT Technology Review article: AI voice actors sound more human than ever — and they’re ready to hire — https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/07/09/1028140/ai-voice-actors-sound-human/

BBC news article: The codes helping visually-impaired people shop —  https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57679943

The Verge article: Microsoft issues emergency Windows patch to fix critical ‘PrintNightmare’ vulnerability — https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/6/22565868/microsoft-printnightmare-windows-print-spooler-service-emergency-patch-hotfix

Ars Technica article: What fractals, Fionacci, and the golden ratio have to do with cauliflower — https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/what-fractals-fibonacci-and-the-golden-ratio-have-to-do-with-cauliflower/

Yanko Design article: World’s First DIY Breathing PC Uses Magnetic Bellows To Stay Cool — https://www.yankodesign.com/2021/07/05/worlds-first-diy-breathing-pc-uses-magnetic-bellows-to-stay-cool-watch-the-video/

Ars Technica article: New fabric passively cools whatever it’s covering — including you — https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/new-fabric-passively-cools-whatever-its-covering-including-you/

Barron’s article: GM Is a Tech Stock, and Its Valuation Could Soar.  Here’s Why. — https://www.barrons.com/articles/general-motors-is-tech-stock-51625779777

The Verge article: Peugeot reveals a wicked wingless hypercar — https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/6/22565547/peugeot-le-mans-hypercar-wec-endurance-sports-car

Slashgear article: NASA’s most popular free software was originally designed to enable space exploration — https://www.slashgear.com/nasas-most-popular-free-software-was-originally-designed-to-enable-space-exploration-03680950/

NASA Technology Transfer Program — https://software.nasa.gov 

NASA free webinar on the Technology Transfer program, July 13, 2021 — https://go.nasa.gov/3iPFX7l 

TechCrunch article: Can advertising scale in VR? — https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/08/can-advertising-scale-in-vr/

Boy Genius Report article: Be careful: Apple’s latest software update is bricking some HomePods — https://bgr.com/tech/be-careful-apples-latest-software-update-is-bricking-some-homepods/

Wall Street Journal article: Could AI Keep People ‘Alive’ After Death — https://www.wsj.com/articles/could-ai-keep-people-alive-after-death-11625317200 

Games At Work episode 26 — Business Process Management and Immortality — https://gamesatwork.biz/2012/11/04/episode26/ 

Games At Work episode 218 — Virtually Married — https://gamesatwork.biz/2018/11/26/episode-218-virtually-married/ 

Engadget article: ‘Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City’ trailer previews the new urban backdrop — https://www.engadget.com/altos-odyssey-the-lost-city-apple-arcade-teaser-trailer-152416933.html

The Simpsons, The Good, the Bart and the Loki — https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-good-the-bart-and-the-loki/umc.cmc.23c8srvfp978rj3i3hp3itif3

Loki — https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/loki 

Daffy Duck — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daffy_Duck 

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Episode 327 — Virtually Athletic

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Draw Something gameplay dragon
Michael M & Michael R’s Draw Something gameplay from 2012

Virtual taekwando sparring, AI painting, LEGO brick finding & building, flying cars and cloud gaming

Michael and Michael start things off with this episode riffing on Ian Hughes’ blog post, focused on the use of Refract technology by the World Taekwando federation for distanced sparring.  Ian’s blog post drew parallels to the Microsoft Kinect in the way that Refract’s use of body sensors provided information to a video game style experience where the player’s body was the controller.  Michael R was impressed with the concept that future Olympics might consider such contests for inclusion.  Michael M loved the thought of this applied to other training experiences to help people develop their martial arts skills and provide the instructor the dynamic feedback from their students.  The HomeCourt app is a great example of AI applied via an iOS app to improve your basketball skills.

Painting with AI

Continuing on the AI theme, a listener tweet highlights nVidia’s Canvas application, which takes simple MS-Paint style brushstrokes and converts them into realistic landscape images.  So, if your PBS lessons from Bob Ross didn’t quite get you to the artistic level you hoped for, give this a try.  And if you’d rather try drawing dragons instead of waterfalls, you can chase your artistic dreams using the AI from CLIPDraw instead.  These stories reminded the cohosts of playing Draw Together, and the image above is from a game they played several years ago.

Flying Cars & Cloud Gaming

For those of us continually saying “I thought we’d have flying cars by now”, rest assured that you’re right.  A BBC article shows such a flying car, that looks much like a gravity bound surface transportation, only with wings that really made a trip between airports.  And this brought forward an article with new updates for MSFT Flight Simulator.  While Michael M has noted on several recent episodes how he does not have a Windows gaming rig, more and more companies are moving their games to the cloud, which means that any internet device could theoretically be used to play games.  Check out the NYT article on this topic.  

AI and LEGO builds

A fantastic new iOS app called Brickit can take a pile of LEGO bricks, scan them, and then show you what you could build from them.  Complete with step-by-step instructions.  And it remembers where the brick is in the pile, showing you the brick you need with AR.  Michael and Michael were both in awe.  LEGO Education is partnering up with NASA for Artemis I with specialized lesson plans and builds to inspire STEM learning.

Mini Mac & Dancing Droids

This week, we have an intriguing build of a miniature computer that runs MacOS — check out the show notes for the video.  And in addition to this mini Mac, there’s a fun video of synchronized Boston Robotics Spot robots dancing in a most mesmerizing way.  

Space Robots

NASA is also in the news this week with good news from Mars in the form of a dramatic picture of the rover.  More challenging is the story about the Hubble telescope, whose computers are experiencing difficulties.  Thinking about the expected useful life of these spacefaring systems, it is amazing that they continue to last years and years longer than originally designed.  

Pick of the week: iSmartClock 

While Games At Work has not had a software recommendation recently, this week is a bit different.  iSmartClock v2.0 was just updated on the MacOS app store, and it is a tremendous update, chock full of bug fixes and new features.  Michael M loves the minimal design quality of this app.  He especially likes having a translucent analog clock that floats above the windows at all times, and that gracefully disappears when he needs to get to something under it.  

Wrapping up this week’s episode are several stories of movies and miniseries – check out the notes below.

Selected Links

Feeding Edge blog post – Martial arts in the metaverse: https://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/2021/06/29/martial-arts-in-the-metaverse/

Refract — https://refract.gg 

NPR article: Tug Of War, Bike Polo Among Retired Olympic Events — https://www.npr.org/2012/07/20/157129988/tug-of-war-bike-polo-among-retired-olympic-events

Microsoft Kinect — https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/kinect/ 

HomeCourt: Basketball Training — https://www.homecourt.ai 

nVidia’s Canvas — https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/studio/canvas/ 

PBS WUCF Artisodes: Bob Ross — https://www.pbs.org/video/wucf-artisodes-wucf-artisodes-short-bob-ross/ 

ClipDraw AI Telephone — https://colab.research.google.com/github/kvfrans/clipdraw/blob/main/clipdraw.ipynb 

Kevin Frans blog post: CLIPDraw: Exploring Text-to-Drawing Synthesis — https://kvfrans.com/clipdraw-exploring-text-to-drawing-synthesis/ 

Draw Something — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/draw-something/id488627858 

BBC article: Flying car completes test flight between airports — https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57651843

The Verge article: Microsoft Flight Simulator is getting huge PC performance improvements — https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/1/22558803/microsoft-flight-simulator-pc-performance-improvements-patch 

New York Times article: ‘Crucial Time’ for Cloud Gaming, Which Wants to Change How You Play — https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/technology/cloud-gaming-latest-wave.html

TechCrunch article: Lego should snap up this rapid-fire brick-finding iOS app — https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/30/lego-should-snap-up-this-rapid-fire-brick-finding-ios-app/ 

Brickit — https://brickit.app 

LEGO Education: Build to Launch — https://education.lego.com/en-us/build-to-launch?cmp=social-zwe9rh

Artemis I — https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1 

The Verge article: An intrepid YouTuber created a handheld that runs macOS Big Sur — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/30/22557725/handheld-pc-macos-big-sur-diy-youtube-video-iketsj

The Verge article: Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot challenges BTS to a boy band dance-off in latest video — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/29/22555535/bts-k-pop-boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dancing-hyundai

Engadget article: NASA’s Perseverance rover shot 62 images for its iconic selfie with Ingenuity — https://www.engadget.com/nasa-perseverance-selfie-behind-the-scenes-195152269.html

Digital Trends article: Hubble has a computer problem and it’s proving difficult to fix — https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/hubble-computer-problem/

iSmartClock — https://www.ismartclock.com 

Consequence article: Terminator 2: Judgement Day Turns 30: Better Than The Terminator? — https://consequence.net/2021/06/terminator-2-judgment-day-anniversary-comparison/ 

The Verge article: Good Omens is returning for a second season on Amazon Prime Video — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/29/22555489/good-omens-second-season-amazon-prime-video-neil-gaiman-terry-prachett

Gizmodo article: Star Wars Detours Probably Won’t Ever Be Released and Here’s Why — https://gizmodo.com/star-wars-detours-probably-wont-ever-be-released-and-he-1847205926

iMore article: Minecraft Earth officially shuts down, just two years after WWDC keynote — https://www.imore.com/minecraft-earth-officially-shuts-down-just-two-years-after-wwdc-keynote

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Episode 326 — 11 Hot Dawgs

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11 hot dogs
11 hot dogs – Photo by Rich Smith on Unsplash

Microsoft’s Windows 11, UGA podcasters, remote controlling thermostats, tiny urban forests, concerts in Sims & Fortnite, Mountain Dew and

Andy, Michael and Michael start things off with all things Windows 11, barely resisting to make the expected Spinal Tap joke.  OK, so the joke does make it into the podcast.  You knew it would.  So much news about the newest release of the operating system, focused on the consumer market.  See the extensive Verge links in the show notes for many more details.  

Then the co-hosts turn to the University of Georgia, where Michael R did his undergraduate work, and an article about all of the amazing alumni podcasters from the university – just missing one important podcast host that’s been recording this fine podcast for just a few episodes!  Plus it was great fun teaching Andy how to pronounce dawgs properly for the episode title.

Next up, remote controlled thermostats in Texas, and the challenges that IOT systems bring, especially when people who install the smart metering devices don’t read the fine print and understand what they’ve agreed to.  

Tiny urban forests loom large in the next set of stories and then things get incredibly interesting with “Operation Soda Steal” — an engineering story from 2008 for how a user decided to take advantage of the free refills at Taco Bell to enjoy Mountain Dew Baja Blast from the comfort of his home.  The link in the show notes is worthwhile just to see the MS Paint graphics.  By the way, MS Paint remains in Windows 11!  

Other topics in this episode include virtual concerts in The Sims (in Simlish) and Fortnite, AI fighter jet pilots, hackers using gamers to become “crypto-rich” and this weekend’s LEGOcon! 

Selected Links

The Verge article: Here are the visual changes Microsoft showed off in Windows 11 — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/24/22548895/windows-11-ui-visual-change-roundup-microsoft-upgrade 

Microsoft’s Windows 11 event — https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/event 

The Verge article: Microsoft wants Steam to be part of its new Windows 11 app store — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/25/22550103/microsoft-new-windows-app-store-steam-welcome 

The Verge article: Windows 11’s Intel-powered Android apps will run on AMD and Arm processors, too — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/24/22549303/windows-11-intel-bridge-android-apps-amd-arm-processors 

Microsoft Windows Developer Blog post: What Windows 11 Means for Developers — https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2021/06/24/what-windows-11-means-for-developers/ 

The Verge article: Microsoft’s Panos Panay on building Windows 11 during a pandemic, Android, and the leak — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/25/22550134/microsoft-windows-11-panos-panay-interview 

Nathan W. Pyle — https://www.nathanwpyle.art 

University of Georgia, UGA Today article: Talking Dawgs — https://news.uga.edu/talking-dawgs/ 

Ars Technica article: Texans regret opting in to power plan that remotely raises thermostat temps — https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/06/texans-regret-opting-into-power-plan-that-remotely-raises-thermostat-temps/ 

The Verge article: This VR remake of Myst is also coming to the Mac and PC this fall — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/22/22545252/myst-vr-pc-mac-cyan-worlds 

The Sims is getting an in-game music festival with Simlish songs — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/24/22548640/the-sims-4-sessions-music-festival-concert-bebe-rexha 

TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com 

National Geographic article: Why ‘tiny forests’ are popping up in big cities — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/why-tiny-forests-are-popping-up-in-big-cities 

Tuiny Forest najaar 2021 from sprinklr — https://www.sprinklr.co/products/tuiny-forest-najaar-2021 

Aforestt methodology — https://www.afforestt.com/methodology 

Kotaku article: The True Crime Story Of A GameFAQs User Who Just Wanted More Mountain Dew — https://kotaku.com/the-true-crime-story-of-a-gamefaqs-user-who-just-wanted-1847161600 

Laptop Magazine article: Microsoft Paint and Notepad get a ‘Fluent Design’ overhaul in Windows 11 — https://www.laptopmag.com/uk/news/microsoft-paint-and-notepad-get-a-fluent-design-overhaul-in-windows-11 

Mountain Dew Baja Blast — https://www.mountaindew.com/products/mtn-dew-baja-blast/ 

Mountain Dew Code Red — https://www.mountaindew.com/products/mtn-dew-code-red/ 

The Verge article: Fortnite’s new virtual concert might be its trippiest yet — https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/25/22550240/fortnite-easy-life-concert-o2-arena 

Schneier on Security article: AI-Piloted Fighter Jets — https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2021/06/ai-piloted-fighter-jets.html 

Slashfilm article: ‘Q-Force’ Trailer: Netflix Introduces the First All-Gay Spy Team — https://www.slashfilm.com/q-force-trailer/ 

BBC article: Crackonosh: How Hackers are using gamers to become crypto-rich — https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57601631 

LEGO Con — https://www.lego.com/en-us/lego-con 

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