Know a Little More

Know a Little More episodes:

• 04.18.2024

  About Virtual Korea

  The last 120 years or so have seen tons of change for Korea, but what does the future hold? Tom shares what one heir is doing with their legacy. Featuring Tom Merritt. Episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

  
• 04.04.2024

  About ChatGPT

  The predictive capabilities of ChatGPT and other programs based on Large Language Models really seem to infer an artificial intelligence. How do the applications work...and are they sentient? Tom explains why you shouldn't fear ChatGPT. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted...

  
• 03.17.2024

  About ByteDance

  With all the talk about banning TikTok in the United States, Tom dives in to explain who actually owns and controls its parent company, ByteDance, and why there's so much discourse about security. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript can be found here....

  
• 12.07.2023

  About Black Friday

  What's really being celebrated on Black Friday and is it the biggest shopping day in the world? Featuring Tom Merritt. Full Episode Transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 11.09.2023

  About ALOHANet

  The backbone of nearly every network you use on a daily basis is based on a system designed to be cheap and easy to implement. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 11.02.2023

  About Authenticator Apps

  What if you could have a secure password generated fresh each time you need it? Authenticator apps do just that. Tom explains how. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 10.26.2023

  About Collaborative Editing

  Douglas Engelbart demonstrated how two people connected over a network could work together editing a document at the same time in 1968. It took much longer to see a real product. Featuring Tom Merritt. Episode Transcript available here. Hosted on Acast. See...

  
• 10.19.2023

  About Video Conferencing

  Video conferencing was a vital method of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's roots go back much longer than you think. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 10.12.2023

  About RISC-V

  How did RISC-V grab the attention of nearly every major tech company and what was the need for yet another computer processor architecture? Tom walks you through the history and use case of RISC-V. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript found here....

  
• 10.05.2023

  About DNS (Rewrite)

  The Internet's directory was once a simple text file on a single computer but has evolved into many directories world-wide that enable the Internet as you know it. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

  
• 09.28.2023

  About Word Processors

  The word processor never got "invented" as such, it just slowly developed out of things like typewriters and even slowly merged from electronic appliances into software. To understand the origin of the word processor you and I would recognize, the...

  
• 09.21.2023

  About the Computer Mouse

  You all know what a mouse is. It’s so common, that you probably don't even think that much about why it's called a mouse. But back in 1968, the man generally credited with the invention of the mouse, Douglas Engelbart,...

  
• 09.14.2023

  About Hypertext

  You may have used them hundreds of times today, but the origin of hypertexts dates all the way back to at least 1963. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 09.07.2023

  About the Mother of All Demos

  In a single 90 minute presentation, Douglas Englebart showcased technologies that would eventually find their way into nearly every computer you've ever used. And he did it in 1968. Featuring Tom Merritt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 05.25.2023

  About Public Key Cryptography (May 2023 Update)

  Passkeys use something called public key cryptography. They have your public key. And because it’s public, it doesn’t matter if anyone gets it. That public key and your private key combine to validate who you are.  But how does that...

  
• 05.19.2023

  About Section 230 (May 2023 Update)

  We update the history of Section 230 in light of the recent Supreme Court decisions. What it is, what it isn't and how those decisions affected or didn't affect the future of the "safe harbor" law in the US. Featuring Tom...

  
• 05.18.2023

  About the DMCA (Updated)

  By 1998 the US had passed its Digital Millennium Copyright Act. And partly because the US generates so much copyrightable material, and partly just because it’s the US and is a little pushy on the world stage, the DMCA became...

  
• 05.11.2023

  About Taiwan

  Taiwan is at once one of the most vexing political situations on the globe and one of the most important to the world of technology. But few people understand how it got to be either. And understanding that is essential...

  
• 05.04.2023

  About OpenAI

  There's a lot of fear uncertainty and doubt being spread about OpenAI. So let's help you straighten out what it is and what it isn't. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 04.27.2023

  About SIM Swaps

  You may have heard that using text messages  as a second factor or 2FA code to protect your logins is less secure than other forms like apps or keys. You may even know this is because of something called SIM...

  
• 04.20.2023

  About Mastodon

  Could an open source alternative finally spell the end of Twitter's short-form bulletin board style postings? It's been tried before, but now there's perhaps the best contender for the Twitter throne yet: Mastodon. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on...

  
• 04.13.2023

  About Algorithms

  Algorithms are a hot topic, especially among those concerned about how information is spread. Social networks like Instagram and TikTok famously use "algorithms" to decide what content to show you. Facial recognition algorithms famously fail, especially if you aren't light...

  
• 04.13.2023

  More About RSS

  Tom Merritt reads some corrections and feedback for the episode About RSS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 04.06.2023

  About RSS

  You probably use an RSS feed. In fact if you got this episode as a podcast you definitely used an RSS feed. Most people these days don't even know they're there. The story of RSS is simple and yet combative....

  
• 01.26.2023

  About Section 230

  What you need to know to form an opinion about Section 230, the “safe harbor” law in the US for tech platforms. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 01.19.2023

  About Computer

  The word "computer" has a much longer history than you may think. Tom ventures through its long and calculated past. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 01.12.2023

  About Nuclear Fusion

  What is nuclear fusion, how does it differ from nuclear fission, and why is it all the rage for clean energy? Tom explains. Featuring Tom Merritt. Link to full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 12.22.2022

  About Supply Chain Attacks

  Supply chain attacks are an interesting method of compromising a computer system, but how do they work? Tom Explains. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 12.15.2022

  About USB4

  Tom dives back down the USB rabbit hole to explain recent changes and several updates to the most recent USB specification. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 12.02.2022

  About Passkey

  Ready for a passwordless life? Tom explains how Passkey will get us there and why it's coming sooner than you think and later than you'd like. Featuring Tom Merritt. About the FIDO Alliance. About Public Key Cryptography. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on...

  
• 11.17.2022

  About CUDA

  Tom explains the need and use case for CUDA software and hardware and why that may matter to you.  Featuring Tom Merritt. Episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 11.10.2022

  About Okay

  Tom discusses the origins and proliferation of the most commonly used word in any language. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 11.03.2022

  About Proof of Stake

  Tom clears up the confusion in Ethereum's new method of verifying its blockchain and explains the different approaches blockchains utilize. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Blockchain episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 10.20.2022

  About EU-US Privacy Shield (updated)

  Tom dives into the complex history and potential implications of EU-US Privacy Shield, updated. Featuring Tom Merritt. Link to episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 10.14.2022

  About HDMI 2.1 (Update)

  Tom explores the history and evolution of the HDMI interface and the features it may, or may not, support. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 09.29.2022

  About Bluetooth 5 (updated)

  Tom explains the evolution and benefits of the latest Bluetooth standard, Bluetooth 5. Featuring Tom Merritt. Link to original episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 09.22.2022

  About HTTP Cookies (rerun)

  Tom clears up the mystery of why your browser and the sites you visit love cookies so much. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 09.15.2022

  About OpenRAN (rerun)

  Tom explains the basics of OpenRAN and why it's important to cell phone providers and customers alike. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 09.01.2022

  About DisplayPort

  Tom dives into the history of DisplayPort and explains why DisplayPort isn't just HDMI with a new-fangled connector. Featuring Tom Merritt. Episodes mentioned: About USB 4 About Variable Refresh Rate About HDMI 2.1 Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

  
• 08.25.2022

  About Free Web TV in 2008

  Take a trip down memory lane to a time when streaming television shows was novel and new...and sometimes difficult. Featuring Tom Merritt. Episode page here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 08.18.2022

  About Bluetooth LE Audio

  Tom breaks down the Bluetooth LE Audio profile, why it's needed, and when and where you can expect to see it in your devices. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 08.11.2022

  About EV Chargers

  Tom is joined by SMR and BBQ and Tech host Rod Simmons to discuss the problems and possible solutions to charging electric vehicles. Featuring Tom Merritt and Rod Simmons. Visit the episode page here. Sites mentioned during this episode: - Plugshare - A Better Route...

  
• 08.04.2022

  About Wifi 7

  You've barely gotten your hands on a Wifi 6 router and there's already a Wifi 7? Tom explains the expected timeline and features of this new WiFi specification. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

  
• 07.28.2022

  About Windows 1.0

  Tom walks through the origins of the first Windows version. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 07.21.2022

  About Thread Network Protocol

  What is the Thread Network Protocol and why does it Matter? Tom gives a brief overview of it's history and current use. Featuring Tom Merritt. Transcript available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 07.14.2022

  About Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)

  If you've ever wondered whythere's a tearing in your video where the bottom and top don't seem to match when you play certain video games, or why televisions are so keep to advertise their Hertz, Tom's explanation of Variable Refresh...

  
• 06.30.2022

  About Progressive Web Apps (rerun)

  Tom explains the history, design, function, and use cases of Progressive Web Apps. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 06.23.2022

  About Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents (rerun)

  Tom deciphers the clear distinctions between Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents, and notes when sometimes the lines get a little fuzzy. Featuring Tom Merritt. Episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 06.09.2022

  About USB4 (rerun)

  Tom shares the history of the USB standard and the real benefits and limitations of USB4. Starring Tom Merritt. Link to episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  
• 06.02.2022

  About Safe Harbor (rerun)

  Tom explains what Safe Harbor is and isn’t and what Section 230 does and does not protect. Featuring Tom Merritt. Full episode transcript here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.