Techstream with Shelly Palmer and Seth Everett

HBO Max is no longer called HBO Max. With all the options at their fingertips, the new idea Warner Bros. Discovery came up with was… Max. There are bigger problems in the TV and streaming space than what to name a new service, though. We discuss. Seth has run into more issues with technology that may or may not be artificial intelligence. Shelly talks about how to define intelligence and how tools like ChatGPT work, think, and reason. Meanwhile, companies are talking about transferring consciousness from people into machines to make synthetic grandmas… by the end of this year? We talk about the reality of this promise (and how it sounds like the plot of the show Upload). Seth rants about MLB.tv. Shelly poses a challenge to you, dear Techstream listener.

The war between Elon Musk and journalists rages on, and Seth (as a broadcaster and journalist) is taking these attacks against the media personally. This episode is (once again) about Twitter as we (once again) try to make sense of the changes and decisions being made at Twitter HQ. We discuss Twitter and the anonymity business, the different forms of verification, and the confusion surrounding blue checks on the platform. As there really are no true 1:1 replacements, we also offer tips on how to best use Twitter and ensure that the information you are seeing is as accurate and fact-checked as possible.

The time has come to celebrate our hundredth… and first… episode! Television is also celebrating its centennial, though it is turning 100 years old, not 100 weeks. Commemorating that occasion (as well as the past, present, and future of the medium) is the 2023 NAB Show (April 15-19 in Las Vegas, NV). The trade show, organized by the National Association of Broadcasters, has always been a must-visit for Shelly, as it showcases the best broadcast tech and offers clear insights into what is new and what is next. We preview some of the incredible artificial intelligence tools on display at NAB Show – stuff you can get your hands on now, stuff that leaves Seth dumbfounded. Plus, of course, we talk about Star Wars.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew spent last Thursday on Capitol Hill, getting grilled about the potential threat of TikTok to U.S. consumers. This episode of Techstream has Seth reflect on his time on The Hill, while Shelly remembers the time Mark Zuckerberg made the trip and proved how technologically clueless the politicians who grilled him proved to be. We talk about the hearing, the real issues facing TikTok, and what the politicians are missing. Also, this is Episode 100 and we completely forgot to celebrate it. Oops.

Our last episode was pretty heavy, so this week marks a return to one of our favorite (and fairly light-hearted) topics: streaming TV! YouTube TV is raising its price from $65 to $72.99, citing the rising costs of content. We talk about how the streaming business model is totally different from the broadcast model, and why much of the power resides in the hands of the viewer. Shelly shares a few tips on how to ditch your landline and cut the cord once and for all. We talk about what we have been watching, like Poker Face and Picard. Seth shares some details about his participation this week in Gamers Outreach.

Techstream is back! While we were gone, Apple announced a new yellow iPhone and Bob Iger echoed a superhero sentiment Shelly once shared. We catch up on some quick news stories. Silicon Valley Bank had a rough week last week. The government came to the rescue and the FDIC guaranteed depositors will get their money back. We talk about what happened, the “self-fulfilling prophecy” at play, and the true magic of SVB. Speaking of money, the show has tracked quiet quitting to laying flat to new layoffs, but we have not seen a lot of changes in sociological attitudes. Everything is more expensive now, yet every restaurant you visit is packed. How is this possible? We try to make sense of it. Are you looking for the next must-attend tech event? Shelly shares details on the Possible Conference and NAB Show, and why you need to be at each.

This episode of Techstream is a return to our origin story: a grab bag of top tech news! Last week, Pres. Biden gave Elon Musk a call as the United States wants to make all-electric vehicle (EV) charging stations universal in an effort to quell range anxiety and help improve the ability to quick-charge your EV. It is reminiscent of the EU forcing Apple to pivot from Lightning connectors to USB-C. We discuss the upsides (and the annoying drawbacks) of universal chargers. Meanwhile… Dapper Labs, creator of projects like NBA Top Shot and NFL All Day, has become mobile-compatible. We discuss how this move to mobile will contribute to – and benefit from – the power and promise of Web3. Then… the Academy Awards are just a few short weeks away. We offer a multiversal roundup of some of the biggest and buzziest movies we have recently found on our screens.

Diamond Sports Group is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and may not make some annual payments they normally make to sports teams. How will this change the sports TV landscape? We have covered the intersection of professional sports and streaming television many times before, but the fallout from this could dynamically impact the way fans watch sports on TV and where the rights to these games wind up. In this episode, we talk about the impact of teams losing out on real money, what it means for them, and what it means for fans, as well as how it impacts long-term fan development.

OpenAI just announced the launch of ChatGPT, a paid tier for their popular language model. In this episode, we discuss the ways to help users get the most out of using ChatGPT, whether or not you are the type of person who might want to pony up twenty bucks a month, and the requisite bits of education you must bring to ChatGPT to use the tool to its fullest potential. We go toe-to-toe with opposing viewpoints about the usefulness of and need for ChatGPT, we look ahead to the upcoming war between Microsoft and Google, and we tease upcoming products Techstream Plus, Shelly Palmer Plus, and Seth Everett Plus! If you are a fan of ChatGPT, if you are tired of hearing about it, or if you are simply curious about the latest developments in AI, make sure you do not miss this episode.

Madison Square Garden is The Worlds Most Famous Arena - and also a building utilizing facial recognition technology that is turning some would-be fans away, rather than allowing entrance. We are in a new world. Technology has augmented our ability to recognize people around us. The key point: recognizing a face does not mean the technology knows the context. In this episode, we talk about the controversy surrounding the technology in use at MSG, facial recognition technology in use in other venues, and how easy it is to find your personal information online. Hockey loyalty threatens to tear our podcast asunder.

We love new tech - so does everyone - and it seems like some of the hottest new tech available on the market is monitor and television display tech. If you have gone to buy a new monitor or a new TV recently, though, you surely have run into what Shelly calls the alphabet soup of video monitors. There is a reason some 65-inch televisions are $400, and a reason other 65-inch televisions are $4,000. We are here to offer some advice on your next display, whether you are looking for a new TV, a new work display, or a new badass gaming monitor. We explain when 2K (sometimes called full HD) is okay when you will want to spring for 4K, and if you will ever need 8K. We talk about HDR (high dynamic range), WCG (wide color gamut), and the use cases for which you will want to pay special attention to these attributes.

Shelly just got back from CES 2023 in Las Vegas, where he saw a ton of incredible innovations that will soon be changing our world. He shares his experience of returning to the (in-person) show and being in the same room as living, breathing human beings. Shelly and Seth talk about the best tech and the overarching themes found in Las Vegas this year: from health and wellness to automotive to production capabilities and beyond. Plus, Seth proudly shares some love for fellow Syracuse alums for how they handled the Damar Hamlin on-field situation last week.

While we were on our Christmas break, the NFL made a deal with YouTube - not Apple - to move its Sunday Ticket Package to a streaming service for the first time. (Google has announced that you will not have to be a YouTube TV subscriber for access.) There is a potential new caveat: reports say you will be able to subscribe to a specific team for a much more affordable price. With these new options, who will pony up for the full Sunday Ticket package? We talk about what the future of watching NFL games will look like. Plus: ChatGPT is changing the way everyone works, and it already writes better than Shelly does. People are scared of it, but if you are listening to this podcast and you have not played with it yet, you should give it a shot. (Try out Midjourney, too, while youre at it.) Shelly offers his predictions for what 2023 will hold when it comes to AI models.

This is our last episode of 2022! Thank you for listening to the show this year. If you plan to go to Las Vegas for CES 2023, make sure to visit shellypalmer.com/poap to request your POAP to make sure you get invited to all the cool stuff Techstream and The Palmer Group are doing. Twitter has started suspending journalists who were covering Elon Musk's private plane. While some of those accounts have been restored, things have not calmed down at Twitter HQ. Elon just posted a poll, asking if he should step down as the head of Twitter. The people spoke, and they said they wanted Elon to go away. Will he? Who can say? We talk about what may come next for Twitter, as well as why Seth would be disappointed if the site just disappeared. Plus, Shelly finished Andor, and he has a confession. We share what else we are watching.

Were still on Twitter… but not talking about it today, as todays episode is all about new TV! Well… we get to that after Seth shares some good recent Twitter experiences (and bad recent electric vehicle experiences) hes had, and Shelly talks about “The Twitter Files” and Elon as Twitters new ringleader and cheerleader. Then, with the holiday season in full swing, Shelly and Seth share some picks for the best shows (new and old) and streaming services theyve discovered (or re-discovered) recently. There are so many good shows out there and its so easy to fall behind. Weve got some shows to help keep you glued to your TV this month… as well as things you should definitely avoid.

Were getting into the holiday season, and Seth has become Scrooge (at least when it comes to modern TV commercials aired during the holiday season). We open the show by venting about the ad behaviors that have been naughty and the ones that have been nice. Then, we get into backup software and how to protect your data the right way. Seth didnt trust the results he found when searching online, so he turned to Shelly for guidance. Shelly talks about the pros and cons of various online storage solutions - and how he uses the ones he finds most valuable - as well as proper data separation and storage and the tools that have helped him upskill and improve both his productivity and data storage. We discuss clarity on cloud pricing, the downsides to digital storage, and services that are worth deeper exploration. Remember: dont put all your eggs in one basket. Redundancy is key!

Welcome to Techstream, the official podcast of Twitter. (A joke, but only sort of.) Before we dive into the latest news surrounding Elon Musk's newest company, Shelly saw Wakanda Forever since our last episode, and he and Seth engage in some more (spoiler-free, once again) discussion about the new movie. As far as the “normal Twitter user's” experience goes, Twitter still seems to largely exist and operate the same way it did before Elon took over. That may not stay true forever, though, so today we imagine a future without Twitter. We run through the size of every social media network and look at competitors (like Mastodon) and whether or not they're Twitter replacements - or if they'll even make sense (or hold value) to the “normal” Twitter user.

Are we… really, truly not talking about Twitter today? Nope! (Well, kind of.) Seth saw Wakanda Forever over the weekend and offers a brief (largely) spoiler-free review. The respect paid to Chadwick Boseman? Great! To T'Challa? Not so much. We talk about if they should have recast the role or used generative AI to return Boseman to the big screen. Then, there's the collapse of FTX, which (if you haven't been following the tech trades) is more like Enron than WeWork: overnight… it was just gone. We talk about what happened, how it happened, and what happens next. Seth asks if we'll ever cover a crypto story that's positive. Shelly offers a silver lining.

Last week, we talked about the future of Twitter under Elon Musk. Between the time we recorded and released the episode, it was already (wildly) out of date. Twitter's rules and standards around verification have totally changed, more advertisers have paused their campaigns on the platform, and hundreds of Twitter employees have been fired. Is Twitter going away? We've asked that question about TikTok a number of times on this podcast, but now the question pivots to Elon Musk's new company. Today's episode centers around the value of being verified (and what the “new” verification status really means), the paths to profitability for Twitter, and the viability of Twitter alternatives.

Elon Musk has said a lot of things about what he wants Twitter to be. He's noted issues he has with bots, content moderation, and more. The reality is one of two options: either Elon has deeply thought through Twitter's content management issues… or he hasn't. Today, we talk about whether or not Elon's Twitter problems are solvable, how Twitter is different from other platforms, and which kinds of users still find value in Twitter. Plus, a Techstream POAP reminder!

Seth spent this past weekend traveling all over the Northeast, driving from event to event in his hybrid vehicle. It made him wonder: if he were driving a 100% electric car, how would he have gotten where he needed to go? We're kicking off a two-part Techstream mini-series about the state of electric vehicles (EVs). We talk about utility companies incentivizing EV owners to get chargers installed, EVs as a “lifestyle choice,” and what's being done to quell range anxiety. Here's where you, the listener, come in. Are electric vehicles better than gas vehicles? Do your research and hit us up on Twitter @Techstream. (Keep politics out of it; let's focus on science.) Plus! Yankees vs. Astros talk (and cheating in Major League Baseball); Seth meets a real, live listener in the flesh; and we offer the first-ever Techstream POAP! Request yours at http://www.shellypalmer.com/poap

In case you've been living under a rock, we're in the heart of election season with the midterm elections just a few weeks away. For one race in Pennsylvania, things got so heated - and lawn signs were stolen so often - that an Apple AirTag was used to locate the trash receptacle where all the stolen signs wound up. We talk about the ways technology is bleeding into elections and political races. Then, we discuss the Supreme Court case determining “fair use” and Prince's likeness. We talk about what's at stake and how technology will need to change or adapt based on the outcome. Plus: is Sinead O'Connor's documentary missing her best song? Is Netflix launching an ad-free tier?

Local news has been a television staple for many viewers for years. Do they have any need to exist in 2022? That's the topic of today's episode. Every local news broadcast seemingly starts with reporting on a fire or a stabbing or other local tragedy as stations vie for relevance. The old adage of “if it bleeds, it leads” has never been more true. Will local news die out, or is it here to stay? There's also a vast difference between local news in New York City (where there are always things to report on) and the fictional town of Deer's Ears, Indiana. How do smaller local news outlets stay relevant in the internet era? We discuss whether anyone is watching local news for any reason other than loyalty, why reporting on sports scores seems antiquated, and how to sustain local news.

Shelly and Seth are both under the weather, so we're using deep fake technology to record this episode for you. (Just kidding. Kind of.) Shelly just got back from the Block IM Park Conference in Germany, and he recaps the ways European sports leagues do things differently than the stateside ones we know and love, along with how they're trying to enhance the experience for sports fans across the world. Then, Shelly and Seth talk about Bruce Willis selling his likeness to Web3 firm Deepcake. (Note: since this episode was recorded, Willis and his representation have denied doing this.) They talk about what that means, whether or not it was a good idea, and how it would work. Shelly quizzes Seth on whether or not he's been keeping up with his metaverse homework. They talk about Star Wars. (Again.)

The iPhone 14 may have gotten most of the headlines when Apple unveiled it a few weeks ago, but it wasn't the only new gear that Apple debuted. When we did our episode on Apple's latest and greatest, Seth doubted that the new AirPods Pro would be worth the money. Shelly wanted to test that out, so he picked up Apple's new headphones and took them for a test drive. (Well, it was a test walk.) In this episode, Shelly shares his thoughts on the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation), and whether or not you should rush out to pick them up. Also: We check in on Amazon's Thursday Night Football, the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, and the “real” reason these companies are tying themselves to the NFL. Shelly explains how he listens to music and finds new pizza places (both of which use the same process!). Seth unveils the new name for Space Force enlistees.

We may be a nation divided, but we come together for one thing: the NFL. This season has been great so far and is offering a brand new way to watch: exclusively on a streaming service. While we've watched Premier League on Peacock and Friday night MLB games on Apple TV+, this is another beast altogether: it's the NFL on a streaming service. We discuss the innovative ways Amazon streamed the game, the biggest viewer complaints, and why it's disingenuous to complain about football games being on Prime Video. We also talk about what to give Amazon (and the NFL) credit for doing, plus the new ways Amazon can cater to its customers with its brand new source of data.

We're back! We were busy in our time off, and so was Apple, which just unveiled a new line of iPhones, new Apple Watches, new AirPods, and more. For the first time in years (if not ever!), Shelly won't have the new iPhone the day it comes out. He explains why, talks about his pre-order experience (and frustrations), and the lessons learned from past upgrade cycles. If you want an iPhone, only an iPhone will do. That said, if you have an iPhone 13, do you need the iPhone 14? The answer: it depends. In this episode, we talk about the new features included in Apple's latest and greatest, when we may enter a post-handset world, and whether or not Tim Cook needs Shelly's extra $8.

Do you love Earth-murdering genre movies, like Armageddon? Shelly does, and this week he was overjoyed to receive this press release: “NASA Invites Media to Witness World's First Planetary Defense Test.” We talk about NASA's latest endeavor and try to talk about whether or not the public funding they're using includes X-wing or TIE starfighters. If we all survive the asteroid crash, we'll all need healthcare… but will it come from Amazon? Amazon recently announced it's shutting down Amazon Health - though it also spent $3.9 billion on a boutique primary healthcare provider, so it's not going anywhere. We talk about why Amazon leaving a business should worry you, Amazon's ability to learn from its mistakes, and what's next for its healthcare endeavors. Seth shares a startling revelation about Game of Thrones. P.S. No episode next week (Labor Day), but we'll be back the week after to talk about Apple!

If you have a podcast on Spotify, you might have received an email last week flagging some of your episodes for copyright infringement. This is the result of a new Spotify algorithm that aims to make sure podcast hosts are using only the content they own. Seven of Seth's 300+ episodes of Hall of Justice were flagged for potential infringement. Shelly and Seth spend time discussing “fair use” (and its misconceptions) and why the rules seem to be arbitrarily applied both within Spotify's ecosystem and from one service to the next. Then, in other auditory news… you can now buy hearing aids OTC! That's cool enough as it is, but imagine a world augmented with personal assistants who can clue you in on the things around you that you might not otherwise have heard. We talk about the possibilities of this new future - and the hopeful destigmatization of hearing tests.

Google is one of the most useful tools in the world - and TikTok is even more prevalent. We've talked about the rapid rise in TikTok's popularity in past episodes. Still, a new study from the Pew Research Center found that social media usage among teens has doubled, and nearly half of all teens are "almost constantly" online. We break down the results of the new study and compare how today's teens are marketed as compared to past generations. We also look at the type of direct messaging and marketing that today's teens encounter online, what “expertise” means in today's online sphere, and how the information will be propagated around our media universe in the future.

Film Twitter spent last week in a tizzy, trying to parse rumors and separate fact from fiction about HBO Max, Discovery+, and Batgirl. When the dust settled, it was clear that HBO Max isn't dying, a new (combined) app is coming next summer… and Batgirl is still not coming out. Today, we peer into the Techstream crystal ball to get a sense of what the new app could look like, what it could cost, and how its combined user base will interact with its content. We also talk about why Batgirl was canceled, the optics of the cancellation, and the emotionally unsatisfying reality of the situation.

TikTok is one of Shelly's great online loves, but recent experiences have soured Seth on the platform, as recent videos have led to copyright flags. Coming from the world of music composition, the topic of publishing and licensing rights is firmly in Shelly's wheelhouse. Today's episode takes a look at copyright flags and rights ownership, as well as how AI models can be trained to listen, recognize, and flag violations. Seth rants about other frustrations on the platform. Shelly proposes ways to further compensate composers. Seth takes advantage of the medium to play some of his favorite drops.

Linear TV is dead! That's what Netflix CEO Reed Hastings thinks, at least. There's more to the story, though, like Netflix's shrinking subscriber base and a murky future without any major franchises to entice new users. So… what happens now? On today's episode, we take a trip down TV's memory lane and look back at how shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Game of Thrones changed the game for all networks, how streaming devices could look to evolve and adapt and earn new revenue, and what the next 5-10 years look like for both linear TV and streaming services. It's time to sound off! Have you thought about canceling Netflix? Have you already pulled the plug and left the service? Tweet at us @Techstream and let us know!

When Elon Musk said he was buying Twitter, we recorded a super-fun episode about the future of free speech and what it all meant. Fast forward to today, and now Elon Musk and Twitter are probably going to court over whether he should be forced to buy the social media company for $44 billion. Elon's trying to back out of the deal because he thinks Twitter is lying about the number of bots and fake accounts on the platform. At least, that's what he is saying. So… what happens now? Shelly and Seth talk about their frustrating and confusing history as users on Twitter, how (and why) Twitter is broken, and when Twitter will not be a "go-to" for "legitimate" media.

Seth and Shelly both started their careers in radio. Even if you don't pay close attention to the numbers, it's easy to see that stations are downsizing. That leaves a big question: with the advent of Instagram and Facebook, where does radio fit in the lexicon? On today's episode, we talk about radio's place in our “attention economy,” the media landscape's shift to podcasts, and its role in our collective future. We also explore the future of infotainment in cars: what we want, what we need, and what we don't think we'll ever get.

Shelly's been a TikTok superstar for a while, and Seth has been using it to push his other podcasts forward. Just about everyone else has been using the app, too, as earlier this year TikTok became the most-visited website in the world, more popular than even Google. Last week, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr gave the CEOs of Apple and Google until July 8 to respond to his open letter asking them to remove TikTok from their app stores. Everyone is weaponizing data. In this episode, we wonder: Why is the FCC singling out TikTok? We talk about the companies weaponizing data that we SHOULD be worried about, where you draw the line, and a conflict that's beginning to bubble up. Plus, we offer advice on practical actions about what to do next.

Amazon just had a conference where it announced that Alexa will soon be able to speak to you with any voice of any person, living or dead. All it takes for Alexa to do this is a minute of audio. Shelly used this kind of deepfake technology during The Palmer Group's Innovation Series Summit this year, but the technology has advanced exponentially from January, and we're on the verge of something truly horrifying. We talk about why this could break bad and the potential ramifications, as well as whether the possible benefits could outweigh the dangers and risks. Then, for a lighter conversation, we talk about (spoiler warning!) Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as the broader Star Wars universe and the technology being used to create these new series.

We have “a potpourri of chaos” on this week's episode of Techstream. With everything going on… why do U.S. politicians care about USB-C? If you (rightly) hate that your iPhone and iPad and MacBook may all use different connectors… it's important to keep in mind that this legislation is the road to hell, paved with good intentions. We talk about the drawbacks of USB-C and Shelly proposes a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Then, we talk about the crypto market, with some cryptocurrencies everyone knows and loves down as much as 70%. Is Bitcoin going to $0 or $100,000? The reality is somewhere in-between. Lastly, are the robots coming to take us away? Is Judgment Day around the corner? We chat about an update to our episode about A.I. from a few weeks ago.

Shelly and Seth recap the June 6th, 2022 Worldwide Developer Conference Apple Keynote, which highlighted the preview of iOS 16. This episode features a recap of all of the new features, both ones they liked and others they disliked. Some of the new features discussed are the improved home screen, the new maps features, new security and privacy features, facetime, AirPods app, and much more. Seth also explains what impresses him about Lizzo, and the episode ends with the catchiest rap you can find on TikTok

In the aftermath of the horrific shooting in Uvalde, Texas, many questions were raised about the use of social media by the shooter. It raised questions in our episode about what kids under 18 do on social media, and how to see if they are getting themselves into trouble. As a parent, there are many tools on the market that can help people see what their kids do on their devices. Parents/guardians can also limit usage on specific apps, including social media, and devices altogether. Where is the line for parents, and is it more complicated than that? Also, can there be social media flags when a kid posts that he wants to shoot someone or anything closely related to that? This episode does NOT address the complicated gun issues. Finally, the episode wraps with a SPOILER-FREE review of the 1st three episodes of Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+. To say it is must-see would be an understatement.

Between Herbie the Love Bug and KITT from Knight Rider, we have been obsessed with self-driving cars. Tesla has produced Autopilot, while other cars have Adaptive Cruise Control. The debate about autonomous vehicles has focused on safety. Are these vehicles safer than a normal, human-driven vehicles? Still, if your car can "take over," should you still be paying attention? There have been well-documented cases of crashes where the AI misjudged its situation but is it user error if the driver isn't paying attention? Shelly and Seth debate how far the technology is from being fully operational. Still, is this the next evolution of automotive travel? If Electric Vehicles are the future, do they have to drive themselves?

Politicians are coming to break up Big Tech (companies like Google and Facebook). There's a long history of vertically-integrated companies, but this move is so ill-conceived that it proves that our elected officials don't have a clue what's going on. Is putting the right ad in front of the right person at the right place at the right time criminal? How is that bad for anyone? The big issue is that this act doesn't frame the problem. In this episode, we frame what's being discussed and what the “real” issues are - and why they're nearly impossible to legislate.

Shelly just got back from Germany, and while he was flying back, crypto fell apart in a way that is testing the faith of the faithful. Today, we're not trying to explain WHY this happened or what to do now. (It's also important to remember that we're not offering financial advice and we are not licensed, financial advisors.) Instead, we're talking about understanding "the allure of cryptocurrency" and why so many people thought it was a "get rich quick" scheme. We also compare our current crypto craze to a few different similar "test, fail, and learn" examples through history. Plus: Shelly also talks about his time in Germany and everything he learned!

The thing that bothers Seth the most in life? Forgetting a password. We all have password managers, but when you need to enter passwords across fifty different devices, things become a bit more… complicated. (And annoying.) The good news: we're one step closer to a passwordless future! The FIDO Alliance is here to save us all a bunch of headaches. We talk about their plan for that blissful future. Before we get there, though, having strong passwords is still important. We offer tips on creating (and remembering) strong passwords to keep your accounts secure. Plus: if youre planning to see Doctor Strange (but havent yet), Seth makes an impassioned plea for some "Techstream homework."

The biggest news story in the tech world over the past two weeks has been Elon Musk's desire to buy Twitter. The deal at first seemed impossible (or at the very least improbable), but now the deal is official: Twitter has accepted Elon's offer of $44 billion to buy the company. Now that the deal is done, it's time to make sense of things. Why does Elon Musk want to own Twitter? What does he want to do with the platform? We discuss what Elon buying Twitter means for both the company and its users. What will change? What will stay the same? Will we notice a difference? It's a "breaking news" edition of Techstream!

We've talked about what happens when major companies get hacked when Shelly gets hacked (both his crypto hack and getting spoofed this week!), when just about anyone gets hacked. No matter who we're talking about, though, one thing that always comes up is VPNs. Seth's kind of at a loss. He's heard everything from both ends of the spectrum: from employers having the ability to see EVERYTHING on his computer if he used a VPN to being able to completely mask where his computer is physically located. So… What is a VPN and what is the point of having one? To be honest or to be a liar? That's the topic of today's episode of Techstream. We talk about the benefits of VPNs, whether or not they can be used in Russia, and how VPNs affect ad sales and streaming services.

Play ball! The baseball season started, and it's the first season in 25 years that Seth isn't covering baseball. While the pace of play may have chased him away from the sport - at least for now - many others are still watching. When MLB resolved its lockout last month, they made two quiet announcements: they'd start streaming Friday night games on Apple TV and Sunday midday games on Peacock. Streaming is no longer complicated or restrictive as it once was. While technophobes exist, the process of watching these games couldn't be easier. The new issues: Apple TV's first broadcast crashed, and there are now more places than ever where your team's game may air. Today, we talk about the state of the baseball union: where things are, how to watch, and what you need to know… if you actually want to watch.

Shelly just got back from a week spent at NFT|LA, and he's got stories to share! He talks about the interactions he had and the panels he moderated, like being on-stage with The Jiho, the co-founder of Axie Infinity, on the same day of their massive hack. Shelly and Seth then discuss what, exactly, Axie Infinity is - and what's going to happen with all that stolen money. They also talk about the government regulation that is bearing down on the Web3 world and explain what, exactly, an NFT actually is (and what it represents).

We've talked a lot about the impact that social media apps like Instagram and TikTok have on kids. But now that the world has largely returned to in-person gatherings, the FOMO created by these apps is bigger than ever. Combine that with the fact that preteen girls and teenage girls have a reputation of not being the nicest people on the planet, and… well, it's a mess. There's no way in the world to keep kids off social media. The question becomes: What do you do now? These apps are offering life skills that 10-13-year-olds need to know: slang, vernacular, and unique idioms necessary to communicate and "fit in." If you restrict your kids from accessing these apps, you're taking away the evolution of communication from your kids at the time when they are developing the social skills to communicate. We share the first-hand experiences we've seen with our kids and grandkids, as well as the learning experiences and teachable moments we've encountered because of these apps.

At long last, Amazon's purchase of MGM finally closed. While there's no new "news," there are big questions: What did Amazon get from the $8.5 billion it spent? And, more importantly to us: What does it mean for Amazon Prime subscribers? "If you build it, they will come" simply isn't true for content. We talk about what that means, why that fact benefits Amazon and the ways in which Amazon could revolutionize your viewing experience. We also discuss the acquisition in terms of buying a back catalog vs. acquiring franchises for future releases, and whether or not Amazon will be able to transform these beloved IPs in a similar way to what Disney has done with Star Wars.

We've made it to 50 episodes! We've been doing Techstream for just about a year, yet we've never met each other in person. This podcast has provided the two of us a little bit of stability over the past tumultuous year, and we hope it's done the same for you, too. Want to help the people in Ukraine? Go to shellypalmer.com/ukraine to learn about verified charities you can safely and comfortably donate to. Apple just held its first event of the year, and it was a little underwhelming. We break down the new announcements, including the one new piece of hardware that's worthy of your attention and the “must know” piece of buying advice before you spend way too much money you don't need to spend.

As the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve, the topic of “cyber warfare” continues to be discussed in the media. In today's episode, we discuss the concept of cyber warfare, and how anyone who doesn't believe cyber warfare is going on right now doesn't understand what it is. Plus… Do any of us really need a new phone? Samsung just unveiled new flagship devices and Apple is set to refresh its SE line. We discuss the real benefits of buying a new device, and when the “right” time to upgrade your device is. Then… Seth thinks he's going to hate The Batman. (Tune into Hall of Justice or next week's episode of Techstream to hear the verdict!) We discuss how we don't really reflect “normal people with normal tastes” anymore… or do we?

It's a crazy time in the world right now, and a combination of 24-hour news networks and social media is putting the situation in Ukraine directly (virtually) in front of us. Today, we talk about the tech in play and the kind of cyber warfare on display that no one ever thinks about. On the domestic side of things… Seth talks about some self-proclaimed "first-world problems." What happens when your phone is the only way you can connect to the internet… and it loses all internet access? How do you check the web, find phone numbers, or… well… do anything? It's a first-hand experience of what a "real" cyberattack would look like. Spoiler: we're not ready. How do you prepare for serious events? What should you download? What should you save for offline use? What should you print out? Should you write down phone numbers? Should you have contingency plans in place to pay bills? Living in a world where data is so critical… what is the best way to prepare? We have lots of questions.

Techstream is back after a week off. Both Shelly and Seth suffered personal losses, and - for one of the first times in a while - Seth found real comfort in social media. We often talk about the toxicity of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but today we chat a bit about their benefits. It's been a big-time for sports, too, since we last recorded. We chat about the Olympic figure skating doping scandal - and what, exactly, "performance-enhancing" means, as well as what it means to be human. We also talk about the challenges of watching the Olympics this year and the complicated "behind the scenes" television advertising machinations. Plus, we talk about the Super Bowl. Coinbase's commercial "broke the internet." The halftime show polarized viewers. The game was itself, pretty good. We discuss.

Techstream's audience is growing. Facebook's audience, for the first time ever, is not. It was inevitable that this would happen, but there's something worse that's happening in the world of Facebook, and it's bad news for all advertisers and marketers, not just Facebook. While you may think that “Facebook is for your grandparents,” the truth is that just about everyone on the internet is on Facebook. While a Yogi Berra aphorism may come to mind - “No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded.” - the truth of the matter is that as goes Facebook, so goes the advertising industry. We talk about why that's the case. Also: Got questions? We're planning to do a listener mailbag! Tweet or DM your questions to @Techstream on Twitter, and we'll answer them on-air.

We've been covering a lot of CES-adjacent tech over the past few weeks, and we're continuing that trend in this episode with a deep dive into the world of television. We talk about why QD-OLED TV sets are so breathtaking, whether it's time to upgrade your TV, and what TV tech you should invest in (and what you shouldn't.) Shelly explains why he's annoyed by HDMI 2.1a, Seth offers some “real life” TV advice, and we share some “bottom line” TV buying tips (plus tips on upgrading your home audio situation, too). Then, we do a quick roundup of what we've been watching, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Superman, and more. What are YOU watching? Share it with us on Twitter @Techstream!

Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard for about $70 billion. How does that impact moderate gamers? We talk about the evolution of the gaming industry and how we play games. Microsoft is expert in this. Meta is getting ready. Are we about to see a shift in the way Microsoft views its business? No idea is more powerful than the idea whose time has come. Peloton had its moment, but now it's struggling to predict the public's need for its products. They're facing more competition than ever before, with lots of amazing tech on display at this year's CES. How will they rebound? Netflix is all about growth. That's been their story since Day 1. This past quarter, they grew, but… not as much as they thought they'd grow, and they're far from the only player in town. Is Netflix investing billions of dollars enough to sustain growth? It's a news roundup on this week's edition of Techstream!

It seems like everyone these days wants to aspire to become an influencer, but many people may not realize the true power they have within their network. We talk a bit about influence, virality, and why there's more to your social network than mere size. One of the most powerful influencers in the world, Kim Kardashian, has been in the news lately for a tweet she sent a while back about Ethereum Max. Shelly explains what the lawsuit is about - and why he's keeping a close eye on it. We also talk about Wikipedia wading into the waters of NFTs, Gap's "NFT hoodie," and the importance of knowing what's actually "in" your digital wallet. Plus, Shelly previews Metacademy.xyz, launching soon, which will help you earn while you learn about Web3.

CES 2022 is officially in the books, and we're offering a recap of the show's coolest and most important takeaways, plus the practical tech and best uses of the best innovations that we saw. Then, we share audio from Shelly's Innovation Series Summit 2022 (available to watch in full on YouTube), where he talked to Stephanie Latham, Meta's Head of the Entertainment, Technology, and Mobile & Connectivity industries. They covered tough topics, such as whether Facebook or Instagram, or WhatsApp cause harm to young people and whether or not Meta puts profit over safety. After Stephanie's fireside chat, we talk about how parents must balance their children's safety with their ability to learn the social norms of human interaction, the socioeconomic digital divide, and other new issues that parents in past generations didn't have to deal with. We partner with AI every day. We must teach our children to grow up in the world we live in. The big question is… how?

Happy New Year! Whether you rang in the new year with friends, family, Anderson Cooper, or The Matrix Resurrections, we've all completed another trip around the sun, which means… it's CES time! While some major exhibitors have pulled out the in-person show, CES will still go on as planned (albeit ending a day early). Whether you're going in-person or following along with the show online, there's one event you won't want to miss: the Shelly Palmer Innovation Series Summit, which will stream live on January 5, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET at shellypalmer.com/live. (Admission is free.) In this episode, Shelly runs down the guests he's lined up as well as the key insights you can expect to hear. If you want more information, visit ces.shellypalmer.com. We also share some memories about John Madden (and his namesake video game) and some updates on the future of NFL Sunday Ticket.

2021 was… not a great year, BUT starting Techstream was a highlight for both of us. In this episode, we look back at "the year that was," and we talk a bit about supply chain issues and the ascension of TikTok as two of the big stories of the year. We also dive deep into the worlds of crypto and DeFi, and Shelly teases an upcoming platform to help everyone learn more about Web 3, crypto, blockchain, and more. Then, we chat about our favorite TV shows and movies from the year (with a starting lack of overlap!) and share a few things we're really looking forward to seeing in 2022.

Are you tired of Christmas? Seth sure is! Shelly Claus is here to restore some of his Christmas spirits. But first… COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, and the lack of universal policies around postponements and rescheduling games in the NHL and NFL is aggravating fans and players alike. We vent some frustrations around that, then talk about the steps the CTA is taking to help make CES as safe and healthy of an in-person event as possible. Then… A recent TikTok "challenge" centered around school shootings terrorized students and led to widespread high alerts and increased police presence. We talk about TikTok being held accountable for the content uploaded to its platform, as well as what you should keep in mind about who actually "runs" TikTok. Lastly… Did you run out of time? Struggling with ideas on what to buy? We're here to save the day with some last-minute Christmas gifts and the biggest tech trends to help you save the holiday.

This past week offered Shelly and Seth a look at wars and conflicts both past and present. Seth attended (and covered) the 122nd Army-Navy game. He describes the emotion of the scene and the storied history of the game. Shelly's experience was more modern and less positive. He recaps his MetaMask wallet hack, offers tips on buying hardware wallets and using seed phrases, as well as how to properly and securely encrypt your files. The experience left Shelly feeling a little vulnerable and a little bit stupid, but also glad that it could serve as a learning experience. You cannot protect yourself from hackers and, at some point, you'll get hacked. You can't protect everything, but you can protect the important things.

As December hit, the markets crashed. COVID is back. We're supposed to be evolving from this, but there's another new variant. Should we worry? How do we react? Is it time to start doing things differently? As the old saying goes, "If it bleeds, it leads." News is entertainment now, and when you give something a name, you give news organizations something to do. We talk about the news coverage from the past week and wonder: Is Omicron more virulent? More contagious? More deadly? We also talk about the way the news media is reporting on Omicron, and why we should all trust the scientific method.

It's the "Black Friday" edition of Techstream. Before we talk about the holiday weekend… Seth just purchased his first electric vehicle, having (sort of) overcome his range anxiety. We talk about the state of electric vehicles and where they need to improve, and we try to shed some light on the current state of energy prices and where the U.S. power grid stands. Plus, Seth shares a "so funny it has to be true" story about a well-placed charging station. Black Friday sales are down… why? We talk about whether it's technology, the supply chain, the pandemic, or something else altogether. Shelly shares some "armchair research" about his local vendors and the tech he noticed on display at his local 5K turkey trot.

Over the past 18 months, many of us have moved (either part-time or full-time) to a work-from-home experience. Some of us got shiny new equipment from our employers, while the rest of us adapted (or upgraded) our current gear to implement our work into our home-use machines. If you fall into the latter group, though, things can get murky. Today, we wonder: Should we keep our personal computers separate from our work? We offer tips on how to separate business from pleasure with tips about your hardware and your software… and even how to ask your employer to supply you with the gear you need. Plus, we talk about Hulu and Disney changing the way we define bundles, and Shelly recaps his recent trip to Syracuse. As he says, "When everything is possible, you feel better about the world."

The lawyers in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial brought up a fascinating perspective on the admissible video. We're steering away from the political elements of this, but the lawyers' assertions around the computational photography used on the devices that captured the footage created enough doubt in the mind of the jury that what they're seeing isn't real. When you add in deepfakes, it's important to realize that we're living in a whole new world, one that will last far past the trial. When it comes to footage captured on an iPhone, can Apple guarantee the authenticity of the image? Is that even the issue? We talk about whether seeing is believing. Plus, Seth has a befuddling Twitch issue that leads to an important lesson and a wonderful teaching moment about the fallibility of algorithms

Given the state of things, we need some positivity around tech. CES 2022 could be exactly what we all need. This year is going to be a smaller show, but if you have reason to go, it's poised to be one of the best CES shows of all time. Content. Hardware. Software. Brands. They all come together to create the magic of CES. Maybe you're headed to Las Vegas this year for your first show… maybe you're headed for your twentieth show… or maybe you just don't know what the big deal about CES is. Whoever you are, we talk about what we're most excited about for this year's show, why you should care, and why it's worth paying attention to this year's show. Also, Seth has another subpar movie theater experience. Will he have a good one in 2021? Your guess is as good as ours!

We're setting aside our Facebook bashing for a week to instead focus on the company's strategic approach to the future that the metaverse presents. Today, we're answering all the questions posed by Facebook's rebrand. Is Facebook renaming itself, Meta, anything more than prestidigitation? Are people really deleting their Facebook accounts? What level of DC villain is Mark Zuckerberg? Also, Seth has begun exploring TikTok, so we take a little time for a surface-level dive into that world. How does its feed work? How can you get it to show you what you want? And why does Shelly love videos of woodworking so much?

Is Disney planning to sell ESPN? That's the latest rumor at the proverbial water cooler, and today we're talking about whether that makes financial sense for Disney, what would happen to ESPN if it got spun off, and whether or not consumers should care. We also explore the transitional time that televised sports exist in today. We talk about who could land the next big NFL contract, how MLB is thinking about changing its streaming offerings, and the reason behind the strange discrepancy in commercials you see when you stream games on regional sports networks.

Have you seen Tom Cruise doing insane things on the internet? Not the insane things he does in every Mission: Impossible movie, but things that seem strange… even for him. If so, you probably saw a Tom Cruise deepfake: a piece of synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness (in this case, Tom Cruise). Deepfakes are easier to execute than ever, which means they're more prevalent on the internet… and more liable to cause trouble. Deepfakes, like all technology, have good and bad uses. If you've seen The Mandalorian, Rogue One, or one of any number of other recent movies or TV shows, you've seen deepfakes used in fun and exciting ways. But if you've spent time on social media, you've likely seen deepfakes used for more nefarious reasons (like a video featuring Nancy Pelosi that made the rounds a few years ago). In this episode, we talk about the science and tech behind deepfakes before doing a round-up of new release TV… only to circle back around to the ways technology has enhanced the entertainment we've been enjoying for decades. (We're good at this podcasting thing.)

Even though we're not talking about Facebook this week… we've got to talk about Facebook this week! (At least for a little bit.) We chat about our Facebook usage this past week and why it's so tough to combat misinformation on WhatsApp. Then, we segue into today's topic: the evolution of education and employment, how each has changed during the pandemic, and how the relationship between the two continues to evolve. We talk about the differences between online learning and online teaching and how those differences relate to the way we learned to watch TV. We also talk about attention spans on Zoom, whether or not the technological alternatives to in-person meetings encourage laziness and the inherent problems of location-based bias around hybrid in-person/remote education. Also: have you noticed how many businesses are hiring right now? We talk about the reason behind that, the root causes of the issue, and the troubling effects we're seeing in just about every business across the board.

Last week we talked about Instagram and an embarrassing interview that the people from Instagram did on The Today Show. Well, multiply that by about 15, and you have today's episode of Techstream, about the whistleblower who went on 60 Minutes on Sunday night and plans to testify before Congress this week. What Frances Haugen said should not surprise anyone. Facebook works. Instagram works. This is not news. Facebook knows it's harmful. (Really, how could they NOT know?) In this episode, we talk about Haugen's interview, our reluctant dependence on all social media platforms, and whether or not Facebook is “worse” than other social media platforms. Stay tuned until the very end for a couple of exciting announcements! (Please note: this episode was recorded before Facebook's roughly six-hour outage on Monday, October 4.)

Adam Mosseri, Facebook's Head of Instagram, went on The Today Show on Monday, Sept. 27 to talk about Instagram, its effects on children, and the company's plans for an Instagram "safe for tweens." We've talked a lot on this podcast about the toxicity of social media, and Mosseri's appearance on The Today Show put that topic at the forefront of the cultural conversation once again. Today, we're talking about Facebook's plans to "solve" the problems of Instagram, the power of its algorithm, and the difficulties of raising children (made even more difficult with the rise of technology and social media platforms).

The new iPhone launches this Friday, and iOS 15 (and iPadOS 15) are available now for your existing Apple devices. If you're thinking of upgrading to Apple's latest software… you may want to wait a bit. We explain why you shouldn't rush to upgrade your iDevice, as well as all the shiny new features Apple has waiting for you when the time comes. (A reminder: if you don't upgrade to iOS 15 yet, make sure you're on iOS 14.8 for security reasons.) Plus: AMC is now airing NFL games in select movie theaters. Would you go to see the Ravens play the Chiefs on the big screen? Also: What about that Microsoft upgrade? Windows 11? Nope! Ask us about it again in a few months.

It's football season! With the TV landscape changing, and the NFL Sunday Ticket contract expiring in a few years, the million (well, to be fair, billion, or multi-billion) dollar question: what's looming on the horizon for the future of the NFL when it comes to streaming games? We talk about the state of football broadcasts, whether or not we'll be streaming all of our football games on a Big Tech platform in a few years, and whether or not NFL RedZone is too much or exactly the right presentation for how we watch things now. We also do a quick run-through of other hot topics in the tech world, including Twitch's issue with hate raids, Disney's shifted theatrical schedule, the Apple vs. Epic court case, and whether or not Ted Lasso took a strange turn in its most recent episode.

Seth made his triumphant return to the movie theater after 18 months away… and things did not go as planned. We revisit an earlier conversation from Techstream to talk about the state of the movie theaters, the future of movie theaters (and whether there is one), and more. Plus! Now that it's September, it's "Apple season," but with delays either confirmed or rumored for much of Apple's flagship hardware, will we be able to "celebrate" (by giving Apple our hard-earned money)? We talk about the "need" to upgrade and whether or not your old Apple gear is "good enough." (Spoiler alert: it probably is.)

When Techstream speaks, the tech industry listens! Last episode, we talked about OnlyFans' confounding decision to ban sexually explicit content. Mere days later, OnlyFans reversed its course and decided to once again allow such posts. But that shift doesn't make our last episode obsolete. Far from it, in fact! Instead, it puts our focus on new business models at the forefront of every conversation about the future of OnlyFans and its creators' financial endeavors. Plus! Apple changed its rules for developers, and Seth makes a plea to the video game gods.

Porn leads tech. It always has, it always will. And this week, Techstream is all about porn! OnlyFans just announced that -- for business reasons -- it will ban sexually explicit content later this year. Millions of creators and subscribers cried out in terror as they realized the site was going the way of Tumblr. At the same time, half the engineers on the planet stopped what they were doing to contemplate how they could code an uncensored app to take its place. What will take its place? Who will win the "race" to design the new platform? Will Web 3.0 get a chance to shine?

The NFL is planning full stadiums. The U.S. Open is planning to have fans. Broadway is sold out for the next, say, three decades. Movie theaters, though, have struggled in their return. Even before COVID-19, movie theaters were in a difficult situation. Now, with the added implications of the pandemic, the ask is even greater and the economics are even direr. We're taking a look at the current state of the movie theater, the changes in theatrical release windows, and the immense level of technological innovation we've seen since March 2020. Why would Netflix want to buy AMC? How will theaters win back attendees with an ever-shortening theatrically exclusive window? What did Shelly think of Jungle Cruise? We answer all the hardest-hitting questions on this week's episode.

Apple will soon start scanning your iPhone for child pornography and other illegal content. Should you be worried? We discuss the Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) database, what Apple is looking for with its scans, and (perhaps more importantly) what it is *not* looking for. We discuss the two sides to this argument and issue, what (exactly) Apple's commitment to protecting you really means, and whether or not Apple is likely to make a mistake, along with the lessons Apple could (or should) learn from BlackBerry.

We've got all the Pym Particles we need and we're ready to get really small as we talk about one of the most important discoveries of all time… if it's real. We do a quick rundown of the laws of thermodynamics to help everyone comprehend the fact that one of these may no longer be true. The reason? Time crystals. It's sci-fi in the real world. It's on the level of shapeshifting, teleportation, and the rest of the wild stuff you only see in Marvel movies. Everything about everything we think we know about the world could be out the window. The only question: did these scientists at Google (and a few prestigious universities) really discover what they think they discovered? Well, there are other questions, too. How dangerous is it? Can we trust humanity with this technology? Are we going to be able to make the Infinity Gauntlet?

Take the difficulties of a 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and New York City, add the wrinkle of a global pandemic, and sprinkle in a dash of having every Olympic event "spoiled" on social media before it airs in primetime in the U.S., and it's easy to see why this is the most challenging Olympic Games for broadcasters and journalists. But for viewers, it's never been better! With the games viewable over-the-air (with exquisite NBC packaging) and on Peacock and Hulu (including one-click recording options to record all Olympics content), these may be the best Olympic Games yet. But will you have the time to watch the Olympics this year? We do a media roundup of some of the rest of the new-release entertainment available now, like Black Widow, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and even “boring baseball.” Spoiler warning: major events from the first episode of Masters of the Universe: Revelation are spoiled in this episode.

If you love music (and stories about music), the past few weeks have provided a wealth of great new documentaries to watch, including Summer of Soul and 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, which looks back at a bygone era of music. Now, there's a new era of music. For just a few bucks a month, we suddenly have access to (just about) the entire history of recorded music. It's amazing for the consumer, but is it a net positive? We talk about the concepts of "access" vs. "ownership," the lack of a “hunt” (and the anticipation) in discovering new music, and how exactly we wound up here.

On July 11, 2021, Richard Branson ushered in the era of private space travel by flying to the edge of space in a "space plane" designed and built by his company. In a few weeks, Jeff Bezos will surpass Branson's accomplishment by flying above the Karman Line (an altitude of 100 kilometers), the internationally recognized boundary for space, in a "rocket ship" designed and built by his company. While Elon Musk has not been a passenger in one of his own spacecrafts, SpaceX (his company) put people in space in August 2020. We discuss these accomplishments, the new space race (and how it's different from the original space race), and what it means for the next generation of Edisons and Teslas. Also, stay tuned for the very cool connection Seth has with Richard Branson, plus a sneak preview of a handful of topics coming soon to future episodes!

A lot has been written about the socio-techno divide (also known as the digital divide) and how the less affluent lack equal access to modern necessities like high-speed internet. The issue (and the access) goes much deeper than that. We talk about why high-speed internet is so hard to come by in certain places, plus solutions (like Starlink, mophie, and eero) that could help make access a bit easier for some people. We also discuss the risks of being single-threaded and why the necessary solution is much bigger than simply "access."

It's hot outside… it's so hot, in fact, that you might think the government just published an official report about UFOs… sorry, UAPs: unidentified aerial phenomena. Wait… they are? We talk about the latest Pentagon report and the likelihood of aliens visiting earth. From there, we talk about the time that Will Smith battled aliens (and the time he battled a giant mechanical spider) before discussing the films of Quentin Tarantino (Are Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 great films?) and the right way to watch the Star Wars movies.

Bitcoin crashed hard this past weekend, and the selloff doesn't seem to be turning around too quickly. The crypto markets have been unusually volatile recently, and there are a few factors at play. We dive into what's going on with the cryptocurrency market, as well as some long-term things to think about and understand so that you're not surprised. If you've been a Techstream listener since the start, you'll know there hasn't been a lot of good news in the crypto market since the show began. If you're looking for good news, stay tuned; we'll give you reasons to stay excited and optimistic about the world of decentralized finance.

Video games and gaming are a hotter industry than they've ever been. Console gaming (like Xbox and PlayStation) is great, but PC gaming is greater. Over the past 18 months, we've seen tremendous enhancements with new advancements like ray tracing and the absolute booming viewership numbers on platforms like Twitch. Is new tech all that's behind the recent uptick in interest around gaming? Is there a "mystery" behind why people watch gamers play (or practice) on Twitch? The biggest question of all: why hasn't the rest of the world caught up? Looking to get started buying (or building) a high-end ("gaming") PC? We offer tips on what to buy and (more importantly!) what not to buy, no matter your use case: gaming, mining, AI modeling, or anything else imaginable.

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicked off on Monday with a keynote showing off new operating systems for all of its hardware. We dive into the best new features, discuss key takeaways, and share the announcements we're most excited about. It's not just an Apple lovefest, though. We've got criticism! Is there anything to *actually* get excited about at WWDC this year? Is Apple boosting FaceTime features too little, too late? Does anyone really care if Apple boosts Maps capabilities?

This past weekend represented a significant milestone: Memorial Day Weekend 2021 was the first major holiday where the majority of Americans were vaccinated against COVID-19. While the world has largely re-opened following the pandemic, more than a few questions remain. Safe or unsafe? Who will voluntarily agree to be in the "unsafe" group? Who can you trust? Plus, the biggest question of all: If you've been vaccinated, should you care if someone else isn't? We also talk about vaccine passports: how they work, which states have them, and what you need to know.

Last time we spoke about crypto, we offered the intro course. Today, we're going deeper. We're on the cusp of brand new, and there's a world of crazy you should be aware of. There's a very small cross-section of people both financially savvy and tech savvy, and therein lies the issue. People don't know what they don't know, and there are more than a few people willing to use your lack of knowledge to their advantage. We explain what's been going on in the world of crypto, blockchain, and Defi. To go deeper, check out Shelly's new #1 bestseller: Blockchain - Cryptocurrency, NFTs and Smart Contracts: An executive guide to the world of decentralized finance, available exclusively on Amazon Kindle. https://tinyurl.com/e5ws557x All proceeds go to Girls Who Code. Plus: Happy Towel Day! As we hope you know, "A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value." 42.

AT&T is getting out of the content business, announcing plans to merge its WarnerMedia business with Discovery. We break down what went wrong and what this means for consumers, especially because everyone has a streaming platform now. What does loyal fandom mean in 2021? Do completists need to subscribe to every streaming service that offers a single show in a cinematic universe they love? Seth gives us a peek inside his completist brain as we learn the things he has and hasn't seen. (Spoiler: Shelly *can't believe* what Seth hasn't seen!) Are people playing the unsubscribe/resubscribe game? Are people scaling back on the TV they pay for? Does anyone really use all the TV they get if they're still paying for cable? Plus: we talk about the best and worst streaming options in terms of hardware (i.e. streaming sticks) and apps. Why does it seem like most services can't get it right, and does anyone really care about UX or UI?

Don't click that link! With phishing and social engineering at an all-time high, hacks and ransomware (like the one that just hit the Colonial Pipeline) are more common than ever. We talk about how ransomware works, the traps, and pitfalls to avoid, and why security is on the top of everyone's mind right now. We also look into the (potentially terrifying) future to see where the real damage can (and likely will) be done. As Robert Mueller said, "There are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those that will be." You have to be right every day. The bad guys just have to be right once.

Do you want to play a game? Apple and Fortnite are locked in a battle that could change the iPhone as we know it. What's the fight all about? Who's right? Who's wrong? Who ya got? We break it all down and explain what's really going on. Plus: we look at the emergence of esports, the ascendance of Twitch, and where it falls in the greater sports ecosystem. We also talk about the changing ways we're able to gather around communities of passion and how we can interact with our favorite content. Also: What does Amazon (who owns Twitch) getting rights to Thursday Night Football games mean? What new realms could this open up for fans, commentators, and everyone in-between?

Sensationalist headlines have scared many into thinking self-driving cars are unsafe. Is that the case? We steer our way through the myths and rumors about driverless cars and autonomous vehicles. Is it fun to drive a car that drives itself? Is the "thrill" of driving going to go away? Are Level 5 autonomous vehicles a "Grail quest"? Will KITT save us? We also talk about the state of electric vehicles: what people want, what auto manufacturers are making, and what's holding us back from real adoption. (Plus: the environmental concerns that should be at the forefront of our minds.) If all else fails, at least we have Mars (and driverless vehicles there), right?

According to the latest research, 35% of Americans have cut the cord, and 55% will have cut the cord by the end of 2022. Where does this leave the state of television? Is the idea of "live" programming going to go away? And what about the elephant in the room: live sports? When can teams offer their broadcasts without cable connections? Is sports the key to keeping broadcast television afloat? Plus, Shelly and Seth give their "must watch" show recommendations so that you can stop your scrolling and start watching. If you haven't already make sure to follow @techstream on Twitter.

Just about everyone seems to be talking about blockchain and cryptocurrency, but... why? Why is it trending? Why is it on television news? We're breaking it down for everyone who isn't exactly sure what Bitcoin, Ether, the blockchain, or "gas prices" are. What does China entering the cryptocurrency game mean? Will PayPal make Bitcoin more mainstream? What does "hacked" mean in the world of crypto? Learn everything you always wanted to know about cryptocurrency* (*but were afraid to ask), and stay tuned for a future episode all about NFTs!

At its best, social media offers a way to meet new friends and connect with old ones, keep up with what's happening, and be shepherded through the toughest times in our lives. Sometime between the launch of these platforms and today, though, social media became a toxic environment for many users. What happened? Are there problems with the platforms, or are the platforms simply holding a mirror up to society? Does social media need to be reined in? What rules should we create when our kids want to join these platforms? And what's the best way to engage with your followers? Hey, social media: I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic?