DTNS 2639 – Cloud Country

Daily Tech News Show / December 4th, 2015

Logo by Mustafa Anabtawi thepolarcat.comEstonia wants to be able to restore their country from a cloud backup. Plus news from Uganda’s municipal WiFi to Kazakhstan’s government security certificate (bad idea). Tom Merritt and Darren Kitchen discuss while Len Peralta draws live during the show.

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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
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Today in Tech History – December 4, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 4th, 2015

20140404-073853.jpgIn 1985 – The Cray X-MP/48 began operation at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. It almost doubled the speed of other machines with a parallel processing system, which ran at 420 megaflops.

In 1996 – General Motors began delivery of the EV1, an electric vehicle that would become well-loved by its drivers then be taken back in 2002 and sent to car-crushers.

In 1998 – The space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Cape Canaveral, carrying the first American-built component of the International Space Station, a connecting node, known as Unity.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2638 – Apple Gets Swifty

Daily Tech News Show / December 3rd, 2015

Logo by Mustafa Anabtawi thepolarcat.comApple open-sources its Swift programming language and Google’s streaming apps within apps. Are we destroying silos and swinging back to more open platforms and or is this all just corporate hubris? Tom Merritt and Justin Young discuss.

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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

PIDASW Ep. 05 – The Empire Strikes Back

PIDASW / December 3rd, 2015

RYANsWebPIDASWSome confusing early battles and odd choices lead to a dramatic finale and a revelation to the kids. Luke has a moment that Anakin never had! Tom Merritt’s attempt to forget everything he knows about the Star Wars universe and embrace the story in episodic order.

Big thanks to Ryan for the graphic.

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Get the music! Live from the Cantina at more from andrewallentrio.com.

Today in Tech History – December 3, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 3rd, 2015

20140404-073853.jpgIn 1992 – The first text message was sent on Vodafone’s UK network from a PC to a mobile device with the message “Merry Christmas.”

In 1994 – The Sony PlayStation game console went on sale in Japan.

In 1999 – NASA lost radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft entered the Martian atmosphere. It just wasn’t a good year for Mars exploration.

In 2001 – In Bryant Park in Manhattan, Inventor Dean Kamen unveiled a secret project with the codename “Ginger” that Steve Jobs reportedly said would cause cities to be re-architected. The Segway Personal Transporter has become iconic for mall cops and mailmen.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2637 – Adobe Creative Cloud Draws Artists In

Daily Tech News Show / December 2nd, 2015

Logo by Mustafa Anabtawi thepolarcat.comAdobe is launching loads of new features for Photoshop and other Creative Cloud apps while going mobile and touch-friendly. Tom Merritt, Scott Johnson and Len Peralta talk about whether this is what the digital artist wants. Also is Flash finally dead?

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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

Today in Tech History – December 2, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 2nd, 2015

20140404-073853.jpgIn 1942 – Enrico Fermi, Leo Szilard and their colleagues achieved a successful nuclear fission chain reaction in a squash court underneath the football grandstand of the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field. The atomic age had begun.

In 1982 – A Seattle dentist named Barney Clark, deemed too sick for a heart transplant, became the first human recipient of a permanent artificial heart, the Jarvik 7. He survived for 112 days.

In 1993 – NASA launched the Space Shuttle Endeavour on a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, turning the Hubble from a late night talk show joke to the source of some of the most beautiful and valuable astronomy yet done.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2636 – “Honey? What’s this letter from the City?”

Daily Tech News Show / December 1st, 2015

Logo by Mustafa Anabtawi thepolarcat.comDelivery services like Amazon Prime Now make purchase and delivery convenient. Too convenient? Is this much convenience good for us? Allison Sheridan tells Tom Merritt how Amazon saved her Thanksgiving and whether that’s a good thing.

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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

#237 – Charles E. Gannon And Big Idea Books

Shows/ Sword and Laser / December 1st, 2015

Author Chuck Gannon joins us on the show this week to talk about his most recent work in the Caine Riordan series (Raising Caine), as well as helping the government figure out the future as part of SIGMA. This is one busy guy, let me tell you.