Five Favorites

On this week's episode, we discover that Drake likes Pineapples on his pizza (yuck, right?). Also, lots and lots of DATA.     [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. Drake drops in to play Fortnite on Twitch and breaks the record for most-viewed stream [The Verge - story by James Vincent]

2. Uncovering Instagram Bots With a New Kind of Detective Work [New York Times - story by Sapna Maheshwari]

3. Google will ban ads promoting cryptocurrency and ICOs from June [ The Verge - Story by Thuy Ong]

4. Spotify tests native voice search, groundwork for smart speakers [ Techcrunch - story by Josh Constine]

5. Hot Topic: Facebook Data (multiple stories)

• Facebook suspended Donald Trump's data operations team for misusing people's personal information [The Verge by Casey Newton]
• Facebook Removes/Updates Metrics [Facebook]

Honorable Mention

• The traffic signals in Washington, DC, can now talk to your car—if it's an Audi [Arstechica - Story by Jonathan M. Gitlin]

DISHonorable Mention

• Snapchat Apologized After Rihanna Called Them Out For An Ad That Asked Users If They'd Rather "Slap Rihanna" Or "Punch Chris Brown"[Buzzfeed - story by Ben Henry]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @CharlieBinbags 

On this week's episode, we discuss AI turning on us. We also mention West World. Both are different stories. Imagine that one. Also, two times the fun with TWO hot topics.  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. Cheaper HomePod might lead Apple's push for lower prices [Cult of Mac - story by Ed Hardy]

2. Android beats iOS in smartphone loyalty, study finds [Techcrunch - story by Sarah Perez]

3. Twitter may eventually let anyone become verified [The Verge - Story by Natt Garun]

4.  Amazon Knows Alexa Devices Are Laughing Spontaneously And It's "Working To Fix It"  [Buzzfeed - story by Vanessa Wong]

5/6 Hot Topic(s): 

Elon Musk joins Westworld SXSW panel to talk about sending cars into space[Polygon by Ross Miller]

Hollywood producer Jason Blum thinks movie studios and theaters have already lost the battle to Netflix [Recode by Theodore Schleifer]

Honorable Mention

• How to Turn Google Maps Into Mario Kart  [Lifehacker]

DISHonorable Mention

• Snapchat and Instagram remove Giphy feature over racist GIF [Mashable]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @YouTubeTV 

On this week's episode, the band is back together. Also, Apple is running on Google. Yes, even Apple. Makes you wonder if they run on Dunkin too.  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. Amazon is making its second-biggest acquisition ever — the doorbell company Ring [Recode - story by Theodore Schleifer and Jason Del Rey]

2. Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War moved up to April 27th [ The Verge - story by Bryan Bishop]

3. News Feed FYI: Ending the Explore Feed Test [Facebook - Story by Adam Mosseri, head of News Feed]

4. 'Success' on YouTube Still Means a Life of Poverty [Bloomberg - story by Chris Stokel-Walker] 

5. Hot Topic: As Vero Blows Up, Backlash Builds Against Social App's 'Shady' Founder [The Daily Beast by Taylor Lorenz]

Honorable Mention

• Twitter's new share button [Twitter]

DISHonorable Mention

• Apple confirms it runs iCloud on Google's cloud, and you shouldn't be surprised [The Next Web] 

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @MadeByGoogle

On this week's episode, Jeff Higgins fills in for Chris. Also, we find out how AR technology is helping Amir NOT get divorced.  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. KGI: Apple Developing High-End Over-Ear Headphones, Launching Late 2018 at the Earliest [MacRumors - story by Eric Slivke]

2. Facebook's plan to unite AR, VR and News Feed with 3D posts [Tech Crunch - Josh Constine]

3. People are still using FaceApp to see what they'd look like as a person of the opposite gender [Recode - Story by Rani Molla]

4. KFC Just Handled a Public Relations Crisis Perfectly with a Single Picture [Inc. - Robbie Abed]

5. Hot Topic: Snapchat responds to the Change.org petition complaining about the app's redesign [Techcrunch - Story by Sarah Perez]

Honorable Mention

• Samsung's Galaxy S9 launch video leaks out [The Verge]

DISHonorable Mention

• The Amazon Prime credit card will start giving 5 percent back on Whole Foods purchases [Recode]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @KylieJenner

On this week's episode, a third host enters the ring to prepare for guest host duties next week. Also, Amir has a very special announcement to make.  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. Major new iOS bug can crash iPhones and disable access to apps and iMessages[The Verge  - story by Tom Warren]

2. YouTube TV Updates[The Verge - story by Chris Mills]

3. Snapchat could bring back a dedicated section for Stories[Mashable - story by Karissa Bell]

4. Google is replacing Facebook's traffic to publishers [Recode - story by Rani Molla]

5. Hot Topic: Snap-A-Palozza (multiple stories)

• Snapchat Selling AR Masks
• Evans Sells Stock 
• And more...

Honorable Mention

• Magic Leap is partnering with the NBA to change the way you watch basketball [Recode]

DISHonorable Mention

• Apple employees can't stop walking into the beautiful glass doors at new Apple Park campus [ The Verge - Story by Natt Garun]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @DVNJr

On this week's episode, Amir considers going to a point of a no-return. Also, it's a Tide Ad.  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. The HomePod is the point of no return for Apple fans [The Verge - story by Vlad Savov]

2. How Much Tide Spent on Super Bowl LII Advertising [The Wrap - story by Tony Maglio]

3. Snap beat all of Wall Street's expectations with a boost in daily users — Snap stock is up almost 25 percent [Recode - Story by Kurt Wagner and Rani Molla]

4. Facebook Testing a 'Downvote' Button to Judge People's Comments [Bloomberg - story by Sarah Frier]

5. Hot Topic: Falcon Heavy, in a Roar of Thunder, Carries SpaceX's Ambition Into Orbit [NYT - Post by Kenneth Chang]

Honorable Mention(s)

• Preventing Harm to the Broader YouTube Community [YouTube Creator Blog] 

DISHonorable Mention of the Year

• Google Agrees to $2 Billion-Plus Chelsea Market Deal [Bloomberg]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @RCSanchez

On this week's episode, Amir calls Chris Oprah. Also, we go back in time (to last week) to talk DJI Mavic Air (because drones).  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. DJI MAVIC AIR REVIEW: PORTABLE PHOTOGRAPHER [The Verge  - story by Vjeran Pavic]

2. Google Assistant gets music-powered alarms and better Netflix controls [ Engadget - story by Rob LeFebvre]

3. Amazon has posted a profit for 11 straight quarters — including a record $1.9 billion during the holidays [Recode - Story by Jason Del Rey]

4. Mark Zuckerberg says spending less time on Facebook is a good thing — for now [ Recode - story by Kurt Wagner]

5. Hot Topic: Instagram now allows businesses to schedule their posts [Techcrunch - story by Sarah Perez]

Honorable Mention

• Brave YouTuber installs literal fast and slow lanes for traffic outside the FCC's headquarters [The Verge] 

DISHonorable Mention

•  HP plans to bring voice-activated printer [HP]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @tallcailin

On this week's episode, the digital beef returns (see episodes 67 and 68). It's not the only thing that returns as the "wah wah wah" makes it's way back to the show (see, we listen to you).  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about in this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1.  iOS 11.3 will introduce new battery features and AR improvements [Engadget - story by Swapna Krishna]

2. Instagram Now Supports Gifs In Stories [The Verge - story by Thuy Ong]

3. The Tide Twitter account is referring people to Poison Control [ Mashable - Story by Chole Bryan]

4. Fox Sports will broadcast Super Bowl 51 in a 'VR suite' [Engadget - story by Timothy J. Seppala]

5. Hot Topic: The Follower Factory [New York Times - Authors: Nicholas Confessore, Gabirel J.X. Dance, Richard Harris and Mark Hansen]

Honorable Mention

• Google began selling its Clips camera today [The Verge] 

DISHonorable Mention 

• Google briefly broke Amazon's workaround for YouTube on Fire TV [The Verge] 

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).

Episode 73 - The One With The Final Besos On this week's episode, Chris pitches the idea of Amazon reality show in which 20 eligible cities try to win its heart. Also, the "dishonorable mention" wah wah wah sound is broken - so we sing it ourselves. You happy?  [New to the show? Find out the stories we talk about on this week's episode below and connect with Amir and Chris on Twitter!] 

This week's Five Favorites: 

1. Apple plans new U.S. campus, to pay $38 billion in foreign cash taxes[Reuters - story by Stephen Nellis]

2. 39 million Americans reportedly own a voice-activated smart speaker [The Verge - story by Thuy Ong]

3. Time spent in apps grew just 6% last year, down from 11% in 2016 [Techcrunch  - Story by Sarah Perez]

4. Amazon Chooses 20 Finalists for Second Headquarters [New York Times - story by Nick Wingfield]

5. Hot Topic: 

Honorable Mention

• Amazon Go [Recode]

DISHonorable Mention

• Google's art selfies aren't available in Illinois. Here's why. [Chicago Tribune]

Five Favorites' Tweet(s) of The Week 

• @Recode (with a h/t to SNL)

Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).

On this special edition of Five Favorites, Amir and Chris break down the news from this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). On this episode, they discuss how Google came ready to rumble but it was Alexa who stole the show. Also, what ISN'T smart these days? 

Stories in this episode include: 

1. Alexa is EVERYWHERE

• Projectors
• Sink Faucets
• Car (with Anker)
• Whirlpool
• ...and more

2. Google and Lenova 

3. Roll Up Your TV [YouTube]

4. Meet the smart...bathroom? [The Verge]

5. Weird Things at CES

• Laundry Folding Machine 
• LiFi
• The Headband that helps you sleep

Also, Robots, including one that's helping children with cancer. 

Use the hashtag #FiveFavorites to share YOUR favorite stories each and every week - and YOU may be included on the show (including our new tweet of the week feature).