Podcast - This Is Only a Test

Episode 337 – Your DeLorean is Arriving – 2/4/16

We’re back in the studio this week as Norm is joined by Jeremy and Kishore to recap two weeks of technology news and updates from Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla. We talk about over-hyped science stories in the media, the possibility of a 9th planet, and our hopes for Magic Leap.

Comments (17)

17 thoughts on “Episode 337 – Your DeLorean is Arriving – 2/4/16

  1. Can someone turn up the audio on the Youtube Video? I have it on full volume on both my computer and on our stereo and we can just barely hear it.

  2. Windows phone’s keyboard, known as Word Flow, is regarded as a really good keyboard. (At least the WP8.1 version, the W10M one isn’t quite there.)

    Microsoft bought SwiftKey mainly for AI stuffs, and potentially patents, but it’s possible for their word prediction technology to one day bolster the Word Flow keyboard.

    Microsoft’s Word Flow keyboard on iOS (and probably Android soon) works just as is on Windows phones, but it also has the option for the odd one handed mode. It’s not JUST the one handed mode.

  3. Someone needs to bring back UMPCs, all we have is the old and overpriced VAIO P, and like a bunch of cheap Chinese devices that aren’t even really available.

  4. As a Go player of 14 years I would have Jeremy’s description of Go is very lacking. The goal of Go is to surround territory on the board at the end of the game who ever has the most territory minus any stones your opponent has captured wins. So while capturing stones is part of the game it’s not the main focus.

    Also while Alpha Go won 5-0 in the formal games (long clock) it was closer 3-2 in the informal (shorter clock) games. So it does seem to be weaker when it has less time to think.

  5. Zika is an ssRNA Flavivirus like Dengue, Yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis sufficiently adapted to replicate in human. Some of these virus obviously have a tropisms of neuronal tissues. Protect yourself from mosquito bites if your are in affected areas. Inappropriate and dangerous to call the warnings fear mongering.

  6. Gotta get in a couple of corrections here regarding what Norm said about CG Enterprise models.
    First off, it is correct that CG models of Enterprise and everything around it were made for the HD version. However they scanned and remastered all the original ship footage as well, and in it’s original HD format, blu-ray, you can choose if you want to watch it with the original shots or the newly created CG shots. This was easy to include since the original series was originally all cut and mastered on film.

    Second, for the Next Generation blu-ray releases, I’m pretty sure nearly all the ship shots are model footage. There are a few seconds of CG ship footage for a couple of scenes because they couldn’t find the film pieces for if I’m not mistaken. Everything around the ship, planetary bodies, starfield etc. however was recreated in a computer as Norm briefly mentions. Planets especially got a huge visual upgrade (except for season 2) that I’m pretty sure everyone was much happier with than the blurry balls of the original footage. TNG was originally cut and mastered on tape, and all the vfx was made on that too so they had to recreate every single shot.

  7.   Next time you’re in Portland hit me up and I’ll take you for a ride in my DeLorean… It’s not a time machine but nobody’s perfect. Also, the DMC shop in LA has a guy named Danny who will build you a replica time machine.

  8. I stand by the fear mongering comment. A number of outlets have outright claimed you should not travel to the impacted areas and that the virus poses an immediate threat to other countries, like the US. Many outlets also indicated that the WHO statement reflected a forthcoming epidemic. I even noticed one outlet claim that Zika outbreak was due to genetic manipulation of mosquitoes. There is not enough evidence to validate any of those claims.

    Unless you are pregnant, the only current recommendations are to prevent mosquito bites (as you suggest and I should have been more clear in stating). But a wide majority of those infected will simply have a mild fever that will resolve without the need for any treatment.

    I also think it was important to note that the link to microcephaly is not validated, but the story has widely been reported as true.

    I do like the Tested audience keeping me on my toes about the science. Keep the comments coming.

    Here are links to interesting pieces on Zika:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/43o754/science_ama_series_im_stephen_morse_a_professor/

    http://www.statnews.com/2016/01/14/everything-need-know-zika-virus/

  9. I am directly involved in related research – that probably makes me more sensitive. Sure can be another virus entirely as all data is correlative thus far but evidence is mounting. Also symptoms for adults may not be limited to a fever as some patients seem to have developed and not survived a Guillain-Barre syndrome (as can happen with many other viruses that impact nerves). Problem right now is that there is no basic immunity in the population. Affected areas have poor or no disease reporting infrastructure. There are a lot more nasty things out there that never make the radar screen. Usually you have to have around 20000 cases world wide or a very dramatic outcome as easily identifiable microcephaly before someone notices. Research is hampered as Brasilian law prevents shipment of genetic samples outside the country. Hope they solve that soon.

  10. A quick comment on the Delorean motor company. I don’t remember all the specifics but it was not car quality but cash flow that ended the company, along with a questionable sting operation involving loans, etc. I could see the Delorean’s back yard growing up, they were a nice family. I suspect that starting a new auto company, in Detroit, in the 80s and cutthroat (near literally) competition was the true cause of the demise.

  11. W  Pretty close to correct… As a DeLorean owner I could get long winded on the subject in detail but I felt it would sound like I’m drinking the cool aid. You summed it up succinctly. The conspiracy theorist in me thing the big auto makers had more to do with the demise then anything else. If John’s time at GM showed anything it’s that he was a savvy business man and brilliant engineer. I find it hard to believe he could have let the company fail.
    In regard to the car, for its era its performance wasn’t terrible but also wasn’t fantastic but then it wasn’t meant to rival exotic super cars. It was designed as an ethical sports car. A car that would be easy to drive, maintain, and even repair.

  12.   agreed. These things are never simple and it’s rarely “just one thing” but, the cars were beyond cool for the day, an innovation and sadly never had a chance to evolve. It also seemed like a rare opportunity to be able to recall an early “maker” and someone who had a good family and was to my recollection just a decent person from the neighborhood.

  13. I was the one advocating for more technology being used, but not necessarily for voting itself.

    I would certainly make arguments for voter registration and for quicker tabulation/reporting of the results to better use technology.

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