Episode 254 — Red Solo Shots

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Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

Happy #StarWars opening weekend everybody!  Michael M can barely contain his excitement about seeing the newest film The Rise of Skywalker on opening weekend, and true to the sentiment expressed in the podcast, he will not give any spoilers.  Michael M’s one word review can be found in the show notes below.  Both Michaels appreciate the NPR radio plays recorded in 1981 when George Lucas sold the radio rights to the original three films for $1.  And both were glad to know that in these radio dramas, which have not been subject the tweaking and enhancing that the films have, have Han shooting first.  This reminds the co-hosts of another classic radio drama: the BBC’s production of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  

Continuing on the space and droid theme, Michael and Michael discuss a couple of articles on the improvements in satellite cameras, miniaturization and resiliency in small insect-sized bots, and larger autonomous aircraft that can lift and deliver payloads of over 300 pounds over 300 miles.  

Other stories this week include topics such as a specialized garage for your new Cybertruck, HBO Max announcing that they will be making a series on Neal Stephenson’s cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, and Puma’s new cyber (well, gaming) socks.  

Michael and Michael share some holiday game picks — see the show notes for the particulars.

Selected Links

See No Spoilers. Hear No Spoilers. Speak No Spoilers.

Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker film information — https://www.starwars.com/films/star-wars-episode-ix-the-rise-of-skywalker 

Michael M’s one word review of Episode IX video of a brother & sister resorting to light sabers to determine whose turn it is to play with Yoda

Engadget article: These Coca-Cola bottles use OLEDs to light up Rey and Kylo Ren’s lightsabers — https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/06/star-wars-coca-cola-oled-bottles/ 

NPR article: ‘Star Wars,’ The Trilogy That NPR Turned Into Radio Drama — https://www.npr.org/2019/12/19/789279631/star-wars-the-trilogy-that-npr-turned-into-radio-drama 

BBC Radio 4: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03v379k 

TechCrunch article: China shows off its newest satellite’s high-resolution 3D imagery — https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/11/china-shows-off-its-newest-satellites-high-resolution-3d-imagery/ 

TechCrunch article: This tiny, soft robs-bug scoots with smarts and survives swats — https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/18/this-tiny-soft-robo-bug-scoots-with-smarts-and-survives-swats/ 

TechCrunch article: Elroy Air’s autonomous hybrid aircraft can now pick up cargo containers on its own — https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/18/elroy-airs-autonomous-hybrid-aircraft-can-now-pick-up-cargo-containers-on-its-own/ 

Elroy Air — http://www.elroyair.com 

His Boy Elroy — https://thejetsons.fandom.com/wiki/Elroy_Jetson 

Electrek article: Tesla Cybertruck now even gets its own garage: Cybunker — https://electrek.co/2019/12/15/tesla-cybertruck-gets-own-garage-cybunker/ 

Engadget article: A ‘Snow Crash’ TV series is coming to HBO Max — https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/14/snow-crash-tv-series-hbo-max/ 

slashfilm article: AT&T’s “Pause Ads” Will Start Playing Video Ads When You Pause Your TV — https://www.slashfilm.com/pause-ads/ 

Kotaku article: In AI Dungeon 2, You Can Do Anything – – Even Start A Rock Band Made of Skeletons — https://kotaku.com/in-ai-dungeon-2-you-can-do-anything-even-start-a-rock-1840276553 

Game Revolution article: Puma is charging $160 for ‘Gaming Socks’ — https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/624554-puma-gaming-socks-shoes-price 

Michael M’s game picks

The Red Dragon Inn by Slugfest Games — http://slugfestgames.com/games/rdi/ 

Wingspan by Stonemaier Games — https://stonemaiergames.com/games/wingspan/ 

Michael R’s game pick

Warcraft III Reforged by Blizzard Games — https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/warcraft-iii-reforged 


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Episode 253 — I dream of electric cows

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cow
Photo by Dušan Smetana on Unsplash

Michael and Michael reconnect after Thanksgiving to talk about trucks, virtual reality experiencing cows, bacon, slime molds, Stadia, security and Bond.

This episode is bookended with Tesla stories — starting with a funny tweet from Lego on the new Cybertruck, and ending with Elon Musk’s purchase of one of the Mk.1 Lotus Esprit cars from the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me.

In between these automotive pieces, a story about VR-wearing cows moved the co-hosts to consider whether they may dream of electronic sheep, or what virtual reality environment would help increase their milk production.  This reminded Michael M of the California happy cows commercials.

An interesting article on openai.com‘s specifically designed suite of video games to test how quickly a reinforcement learning agent develops the skills needed to master the games also captures Michael and Michael’s attention.  Continuing on the theme of games and game platforms, friend of the show epredator / Ian Hughes’ wrote an insightful blog post about the Google Stadia launch.

Rounding out this week’s episode is a discussion on security, quantum encryption and forward secrecy.

We hope you listen and enjoy! 

Selected Links

TechCrunch article: Lego’s take on the Tesla ‘Cybertruck’ comes with innovative roof racks — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/27/legos-take-on-the-tesla-cybertruck-comes-with-innovative-roof-racks/ 

Verdict article: VR for cows: Moove over Oculus Rift, the cows are in town — https://www.verdict.co.uk/vr-cows/ 

California Happy Cows commercials

Zingerman’s — https://www.zingermans.com 

Science Friday segment: The Most Charismatic Single Cell You’ll Meet Today — https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/curoious-creatures-slime-molds/ 

TechCrunch article: This 16-game arcade for AIs tests their playing prowess — https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/03/this-16-game-arcade-for-ais-tests-their-playing-prowess/ 

OpenAI’s Procgen Benchmark game suite — https://openai.com/blog/procgen-benchmark/ 

Feeding Edge blog: The perils for early adopter — Stadia — http://www.feedingedge.co.uk/blog/2019/11/28/the-perils-for-early-adopters-stadia/ 

Schneier on Security blog: RSA-240 Factored — https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2019/12/rsa-240_factore.html 

Forward secrecy — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy 

MIT Technology Review: Why the rise of the app has put thousands of people in the hospital — https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614861/why-the-rise-of-the-iphone-app-has-put-thousands-of-people-in-hospital/ 

Drivetribe article: Here’s How Elon Musk Bought James Bond’s Lotus Esprit — https://drivetribe.com/p/heres-how-elon-musk-bought-james-JLmFGUfmTFalOeWa_OGYrg?iid=ffM4oq0AR2OXlkojHmHIzQ 

The Spy Who Loved Me — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076752/ 

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Episode 252 — I want a new truck

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classic red truck
Photo by Gilles Desjardins on Unsplash

One of the big news stories from this week was the newly announced Tesla Cybertruck, which caught the eyes of our cohosts Michael and Michael.  The pair discuss the design aesthetics, how it may appeal to the prototypical truck buyer (Michael R reveals he is a past truck owner!), and opportunities to extend the range of the vehicle by loading up the truck bed with Tesla Powerwalls as Michael M suggests.  Over the weekend, there are plenty of memes snared about the Cybertruck, and an amazing number of orders placed.

Tesla is not the only electric vehicle company, and the cohosts talk about, the new Mercedes EQC, and the amazing engineering efforts from Boeing to complete a prototype flying car in only a year.  Check out the podcast for the futuristic challenges that flying cars will bring.

Turning to AI, and how interaction with a chatbot could be ideally suited to the task, Michael and Michael discuss Roo, Planned Parenthood’s chatbot for helping young people learn more about sex education on their own terms, and with privacy being a major factor.  The pair also marvel at the sophisticated technological leaps that Reallusion have made with their new Headshot capability.  

Selected Links

TechCrunch article: What we learned on our Tesla Cyberetruck ride — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/22/what-we-learned-on-our-tesla-cybertruck-ride/ 

Family Handyman article: 10 Vintage Trucks That Never Went Out of Style — https://www.familyhandyman.com/automotive/10-vintage-trucks-that-never-went-out-of-style/ 

BBC News article: Cybertruck: Tesla truck gets 150,000 orders despite launch gaffe — https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50536200 

I want a new duck 

Techcrunch article: Mercedes prices it’s all-electric EQC crossover at $67,900 — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/20/mercedes-prices-its-all-electric-eqc-crossover-at-67900/ 

Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV —  https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/class/eqc/suv 

Boeing’s flying cars

Vox article: America’s sex education system is broken.  This chatbot wants to be the solution. — https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/11/17/20965326/sex-education-planned-parenthood-chatbot-roo-reset-podcast 

Roo by Planned Parenthood — https://roo.plannedparenthood.org/ 

Headshot by Reallusion — https://www.reallusion.com/character-creator/headshot/default.html 

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Episode 251 — Delivering Maclunkey

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fragile small delivery
Photo by jesse ramirez on Unsplash

Beginning a long time ago in a cantina far, far away, the co-hosts discuss the continuing changing saga of who shot first with the newest “enhanced edition” of the iconic scene with Han Solo and Greedo on the Disney+ release of Star Wars: A New Hope.  Michael R shares his experience with the new NASA app that allows you to pilot either the Boeing Starliner or Space X Crew Dragon to a successful docking.  

The article on BMW’s gesture control triggers Michael and Michael’s memories of using the Palm OS Graffiti script, and makes them wonder whether there will be a ubiquitous user experience for gesture control.

North Carolina makes history with CVS and UPS pairing up for the first paid drone home delivery of prescriptions in Cary after the success UPS has had with their drones at WakeMed in Raleigh.

The pair marvel at the internet of beer AI smart taps and the MIT mini-cheetah robots playing soccer, as well as the new LEGO rendition of the 1989 Batmobile.  Closing out this week’s episode on a musical note, Michael and Michael talk about the FreddieMeter, which uses AI to show how much like Freddie Mercury your voice is when you belt out Bohemian Rhapsody, and reflect on the upcoming 40th anniversary of Pac-Man with the classic Buckner & Garcia tune, Pac-Man Fever.

Hope you enjoy the ‘cast as well as the links below! 

Selected Links

BuzzFeed article:  “Star Wars: A New Hope” Changed The Iconic Han Solo And Greedo Scene (Again) For Disney+ — https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/star-wars-han-solo-greedo-scene-changed-again-disney-plus 

TechCrunch article: New NASA app puts you in the pilot’s seat of Boeing’s Starliner or SpaceX’s Crew Dragon — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/13/new-nasa-app-puts-you-in-the-pilots-seat-of-boeings-starliner-or-spacexs-crew-dragon/ 

Ender’s Game by Orsen Scott Card — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender’s_Game 

Wikipedia article: Lunar Lander (1979 video game) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Lander_(1979_video_game) 

TechCrunch article: BMW’s magical gesture control finally makes sense as touchscreens take over cars — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/04/bmws-magical-gesture-control-finally-makes-sense-as-touchscreens-take-over-cars/ 

Wingarium Leviosa

Wikipedia article: Graffiti (Palm OS) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffiti_(Palm_OS) 

designboom article: pubinno’s ‘internet of beer’ uses AI powered smart taps to serve the perfect pint — https://www.designboom.com/technology/pubinno-internet-of-beer-ai-powered-smart-taps-11-12-2019/ 

engadget article: CVS starts delivering prescriptions to homes via UPS drones — https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/05/ups-and-cvs-complete-drone-prescription-delivery/ 

TechCrunch article: Watch MIT’s ‘mini cheetah’ robots frolic, fall, flip — and play soccer together — https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/09/watch-mits-mini-cheetah-robots-frolic-fall-flip-and-play-soccer-together/ 

MIT’s Biomimetic Robotics Lab — http://biomimetics.mit.edu/videos 

slashfilm article: ‘Batman’ is Getting a Big Anniversary LEGO Set of the 1989 Batmobile — https://www.slashfilm.com/batman-1989-lego-batmobile/ 

engadget article: Google AI can tell you how close your voice is to Freddie Mercury’s — https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/14/google-freddie-mercury-freddiemeter/ 

FreddieMeter — https://freddiemeter.withyoutube.com 

Nintendolife article: Pac-Man Turns 40 Next Year And Bandai Namco Plans To Celebrate In Style — http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/11/pac-man_turns_40_next_year_and_bandai_namco_plans_to_celebrate_in_style 

Pac-Man Fever 

Too Legit to Quit

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