WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.880 Welcome to the show that's all about staying up-to-date on advancements in tech. 00:00:03.880 --> 00:00:09.560 It won't stop AI from taking over, but at least we'll know when to start helplessly watching as it all happens. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:16.960 Where's the popcorn? Google held their annual I.O. developer conference today and made several announcements related to AI. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:23.800 And while we've all memed about Google getting leapfrogged by everyone from open AI to your jobless uncle in his basement, 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:28.320 Google spent some time talking about how to prevent AI from ruining everything. 00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:36.720 Something that sounds kind of important? Google will be launching Bard in 180 countries, which is basically all the ones that matter. 00:00:36.720 --> 00:00:41.520 Sorry North Korea and the Vatican. In your face, principality of ceilings. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:46.080 Google also showed off AI integrations in its entire workplace suite. 00:00:46.080 --> 00:00:49.520 So you'll soon be able to use text prompts to draft emails, 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:55.120 draft data tables, generate visuals for slideshows, and all kinds of boring work stuff you don't want to do. 00:00:55.120 --> 00:01:00.320 The future is here, and for some reason it still involves an ungodly number of memos and spreadsheets. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.520 I thought we would have dealt with that by now. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:09.040 Google has made substantial improvements to Vertex, its personalized AI product for corporations, 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.600 and even teased a version for individual users called Project Tailwind. 00:01:13.600 --> 00:01:17.520 Is that a reference to that cool animated series? That's tailspin. 00:01:17.520 --> 00:01:22.400 Project Tailwind is a notebook that learns from your documents and acts as a tutor and research assistant. 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:30.000 Again, that sounds cool. But as I alluded to earlier, a major in emphasis of the announcement was Google's focus on an ethical approach to AI, 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.640 including integrated tools to help users spot and contextualize online misinformation, 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:39.600 metadata tagging for AI images, and guardrails against undisclosed deepfakes. 00:01:39.600 --> 00:01:42.640 Which sounds genuinely good? 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:47.360 What is this strange emotion about the future of technology? 00:01:47.360 --> 00:01:53.680 Hope? Probably hardburn. In terms of Google's hardware announcements, it's all pixels all day. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:59.600 Oddly, they spend more time discussing a feature that lets you make the poop emoji into your phone's wallpaper 00:01:59.600 --> 00:02:07.120 than they did talking about the Pixel 7a. Because, bluntly, it's one of Google's best-selling product lines, and they already know we're going to buy it. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:14.160 What most people are probably not going to buy is the much-anticipated Pixel Fold, which starts at $1,800. 00:02:14.160 --> 00:02:18.960 That's a lot of money to pay for a phone whose primary features include 300 increase in breakability 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:24.240 and the option to take a selfie with the back camera. It's pros and cons. They're so... it's... it's hard. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:28.960 Although, it's important to point out, Google says the Pixel Fold has the best foldable camera system, 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:33.600 with the best zoom on a foldable, which is also the thinnest foldable on the market. 00:02:33.600 --> 00:02:39.680 All claims that we'll have to wait until June to verify. So, for now, all we can do is take them at face value. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:46.480 It's a pretty face. It's probably true. Lastly, Google showed off the new 11-inch Pixel Tablet, which can be set to HUB mode 00:02:46.480 --> 00:02:51.520 and double as a Nest Hub when you pop it on the included magnetic charging dock. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:58.960 It's got a magnet in it. It's also got Chromecast built in so you can cast your phone to your tablet, 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.400 and then, presumably, you can cast from your tablet to your TV. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:07.040 And maybe, if you're lucky, cast back from your TV onto your phone. 00:03:07.040 --> 00:03:10.960 It's a paradox! And that's how I spent my Saturday. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:16.480 The tablet's only $4.99, so I suggest buying three and taping them together for a super-duper 00:03:16.480 --> 00:03:22.320 extra-big Pixel Fold, just an idea. And the Indian government has apparently banned 14 messaging apps, 00:03:22.320 --> 00:03:26.000 many of them open source, citing national security concerns. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:31.520 Specifically, that concern is the possibility that separatist insurgents in the Jammu and 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:35.440 Kashmir regions are using them to communicate. I know I said those wrong. 00:03:35.440 --> 00:03:39.920 The Indian government has long restricted these same regions to only 2G cell service 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:43.680 on the same grounds of restricting separatist organization efforts. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:50.400 Now, as your friendly neighborhood Canadian tech reporters, we're not going to comment on the legitimacy of the Indian government's actions. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.880 We will, however, point out that there was a natural disaster somewhere in India 00:03:54.880 --> 00:03:59.040 on 88% of the days in the first nine months of last year, 00:03:59.040 --> 00:04:03.840 and that shutting off nearly every single accessible form of communication to the general public 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:07.440 is very likely to lead to people not existing anymore. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:13.200 Quick bits are like a Disneyland day pass, because you only get to go on your five favorite rides, 00:04:13.200 --> 00:04:15.840 and there's some guy who keeps talking the whole time. Am I the guy? 00:04:17.200 --> 00:04:21.280 Are you the guy? Fossil is dropping support for watches made by Misfit, 00:04:21.280 --> 00:04:27.360 the company Fossil acquired in 2015. Users can no longer log into the companion app or website, 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:33.760 meaning they can't even set the time, making it less a watch and more like an unnecessarily expensive bracelet. 00:04:33.760 --> 00:04:38.240 It's so pretty! Which some people buy. Fossil didn't even announce anything, 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:44.240 and users who contacted customer service were only offered a 30% discount to buy a Fossil watch, 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:50.080 which is amazing, considering that you can get a 25% discount just by signing up for their email. 00:04:50.080 --> 00:04:53.520 Oh, did I say amazing? I meant insulting. 00:04:54.320 --> 00:04:58.160 Spotify purged thousands of AI-generated songs from its platform, 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:02.640 though not because they embarrassed Drake by sounding better than anything he's released in years. 00:05:02.640 --> 00:05:04.960 Oh! Who wrote that? 00:05:06.080 --> 00:05:09.120 Me. That was nice. Better than Drake. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.840 The songs in question were made by a proprietary AI startup called Bumi, 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:18.800 Universal Music accused some songs of using bots to inflate audience numbers, 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:25.600 and Spotify eventually reinstated the songs, which was a massive release to tens of AI music enjoyers. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.400 What a relief. There are dozens of us! 00:05:29.200 --> 00:05:32.880 Roku, the We Have Android TV at home company, 00:05:32.880 --> 00:05:37.440 announced a home security starter kit today that costs only $100. 00:05:37.440 --> 00:05:43.040 Though it doesn't include cameras, it does include two entry sensors and a hub with a built-in siren, 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:46.400 which is almost as good. Are you trying to seduce me? 00:05:48.320 --> 00:05:52.880 The company also announced Roku OS integration so that if you do buy a camera, 00:05:52.880 --> 00:05:58.080 you can watch it from the comfort of your Roku TV, which is perfect for when you've already curled up in a blanket 00:05:58.080 --> 00:06:01.680 and would literally rather die than leave your warmth cocoon 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:06.880 to get up and do a 360 sweep with your actual eyes. Researchers in Italy have developed what they're calling 00:06:06.880 --> 00:06:11.120 the world's first fully edible battery, for some reason. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.160 What, you've never heard of a potato? That's so embarrassing. 00:06:15.280 --> 00:06:18.800 But unlike a potato, this battery is rechargeable, 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:24.000 much smaller and relatively low carb. Some of the components include edible seaweed, 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.360 activated charcoal, and beeswax. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:33.200 Yum, yum, yum. In the future, technologies like this could be used in toys for children. 00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:38.800 Since for years, swallowing batteries has been the biggest fad diet amongst rich, up-suburban babies. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:44.960 Oh no. And customs officials in Hong Kong have arrested two men 00:06:44.960 --> 00:06:49.360 for suspected smuggling after being caught hauling 70 GPUs 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:53.280 and more importantly, over 600 pounds of live lobsters. 00:06:53.280 --> 00:06:56.800 Authorities claim that the combined value of silicon and shellfish 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.640 was worth over $76,000, which is surprising 00:07:00.640 --> 00:07:05.680 because the GPUs are nearly a decade old and only retail for $160 each. 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:12.560 And the lobsters don't even support ray tracing. But you should support us emotionally by tuning back in on Friday. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:19.680 For the price of just eight minutes, you can prevent tech news hosts from crying on camera.