Nuthin’ but a 5G Thang
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| Nuthin’ but a 5G Thang | |
| Number | 3225 |
| Broadcast Date | FEBRUARY 22, 2018 |
| Episode Length | 30:05 |
| Hosts | Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane |
| Guests | Justin Robert Young |
Intel has announced 5G connected PCs next year promising an always connected machine. But is this necessarily a good thing? Plus, the FCC has published its new rules on Net Neutrality and Airbnb Plus has launched offering plusher accommodations to better compete with hotels.
Guest
Quick Hits
- Amazon’s new cashierless store, Amazon Go, may get 6 more stores this year in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas, sources tell Recode. The first Amazon Go store opened last month after a year-long delay. Shoppers use what the company calls Walk Out Technology to scan their phone upon entrance, grab items off shelves, and automatically get charged as they leave the store.
- Bloomberg reports its sources say that Apple’s planning to release new AirPods with an improved wireless chip and the ability to activate Siri by voice rather than tapping the earphones. Apple may also make the AirPods water-resistant in a 2019 update.
- Lighthouse AI is selling its Lighthouse security camera for $299 as an all-in-one AI system for the home. It records a 24-hour feed and stores it for up to 30 days and uses 3D sensors and machine learning to keep track of known faces, and tell the difference between you and your pets. The service costs $10 a month or $200 for lifetime service.
Top Stories
- The US FCC published it's new rules reversing net neutrality Guidelines in the Federal Register Thursday. The rules go into effect 60 days from publication, meaning April 23rd. Any Congressional action to block the rules directly would need to happen by then. Several states and organizations are expected to sue the FCC over the rules as well.
- Last December, Disney filed a lawsuit over Redbox selling digital download codes for Disney films separate from the DVDs the codes came in. The Hollywood Reporter says a California federal judge rejected Disney’s request for an injunction to stop the practice, saying the wording on the box was not an enforceable contract, and that Disney was misusing copyright law in trying to prevent the sales. Redbox has distribution deals with other studios like Warner Bros., which allows it to buy physical DVDs and Blu-rays and then offer them as rentals at its kiosks. But with Disney, Redbox buys retail copies of the films and rents those discs, and also sells the digital download codes from the physical copies at a fraction of the price.
- Airbnb Plus launched this morning offering higher-end accommodations to compete with hotels. Each Airbnb Plus home is vetted for more than 100 amenities. Hosts of Airbnb Plus properties must have a rating of 4.8 or higher. More than 2,000 listings are live in 13 cities, worldwide. Airbnb Plus average costs will be around $200, double the normal average listing. Airbnb also added vacation homes and bed and breakfast categories to its site. A luxury tier called Airbnb Beyond is planned to launch this spring.
- At 4:50 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, February 21st, Kylie Jenner tweeted, "sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me... ugh this is so sad." At 5:01 PM she tweeted, "still love you tho snap ... my first love." SNAP stock has suffered in today's trading.
- Engineers from MIT injected watercress with nanoparticles that cause the leaves to emit a dim light, suitable for reading, for 3.5 hours. The nanoparticles included the enzyme luciferase, which is created by lightning bugs. The scientists hope to be able to use the nanoparticles on larger plants to provide a natural source of illumination. Michael Strano, professor of chemical engineering at MIT told the Daily Mail, 'Our work very seriously opens up the doorway to streetlamps that are nothing but treated trees, and to indirect lighting around homes.'
Discussion
- Intel Announces 5G-Connected Windows 10 PCs Coming Next Year
- Qualcomm, Microsoft 'Always Connected' PCs to hit store shelves
- HP’s first Windows 10 ARM PC is available for preorder
Mailbag
- On wednesday's show during your AI discussion, Sarah said didn't know any ethicists. I'm a PhD candidate studying the Philosophy of Technology. My work isn't purely upon based upon ethics but deals with social, cultural, moral, and existential dimensions of technology and how humans relate to and experience it. Just thought I'd say hello and let you I'm in the audience should the need for ethicists and ethicist-adjacent types ever arise.
- Sent by Dylan, from an unseasonably cold and snowy Vancouver, B.C.
- Regarding the story on the new Uber service where you may walk two blocks to pick up your ride, it seems to be a competitor to Via, a largely east coast service.
I use Via in DC because, unlike a bus, I typically made it to work in 10 - 15 minutes versus 1 hour or more on the bus. A week pass from Via was $10, which was less than the metro and 30 minutes faster.
I actually like that Via asks me to meet the car on the corner of a well-traveled street. My home is in the middle of a crowded street with lots of construction. Both Uber and Lyft rarely accurately let me set me location on a corner. Lyft frequently arrives in a back alley, surrounded by dumpsters, where I've personally witnessed activities inappropriate to describe on a family show. - Sent by Mike in Sunny Oman
- Regarding the story on the new Uber service where you may walk two blocks to pick up your ride, it seems to be a competitor to Via, a largely east coast service.
YouTube
Links
| Preceded by: "Know A Good Ethicist?" |
Nuthin’ but a 5G Thang |
Followed by: "Roundtable: Big Data is Watching You" |