Material

Material

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Material episodes

  • 368: Where Did Google Stuff the Bodies?

    Don't worry. The podcast isn't grim this week. We're talking about physical staffers at Google right now and why the company is imposing a hiring slowdown to deal with the recession. But before we get into that, we'll tell you about Flo's experience with the Nothing Phone (1) and where she thinks it fits into the global Android zeitgeist. We'll also tell you why Google worries about TikTok and Instagram taking away precious eyes.

    Links and Show Notes:
    • Nothing Has Officially Launched its Phone, and It’s Too Bad It’s Not Coming to The U.S.

    • Nothing Phone (1) Is a Cool Smartphone for Bored Android Users

    • Twitter thread on Nothing firmware

    • Read the memo Google’s CEO sent employees about a hiring slowdown

    • Google exec suggests Instagram and TikTok are eating into Google’s core products, Search and Maps

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      1 hr 16 min
    • 367: Only Tangentially

      Andy's enthusiasm for Sir Paul McCartney's live stream is infectious. Your hosts check up on their Nexus Q auctions before getting into the week's biggest tangential news: there might be ads coming to your Lock Screen. We'll also discuss Google's new policies to protect your health-related search queries and tell you a tale of YouTube's latest folly.

      Links and Show Notes:
      • Your Next Android Phone's Lock Screen Could Be Filled With Ads

      • Protecting people's privacy on health topics

      • YouTube flags horror video as “for kids,” won't let creator change rating

      • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
        1 hr
      • 366: 'Tis The Times

        The new localized Waymo commercials in San Francisco are palatably saccharine, and Flo feels a certain way. This week's podcast will dive into the latest case where law enforcement is forcing Google to hand over incriminating data and what that means for the U.S. now that Roe v. Wade is overturned. We'll also cover why Google created a new subsidiary to serve its public sector contracts.

        Then, because Google's hardware is the best distraction, we'll go through some of the latest rumors surrounding the almost-here-why-can't-you-wait-for-it Pixel 6a. And before we go, a walk down memory lane about the time when Google seriously tried to pass off the Nexus Q.

        Links and Show Notes:
        • Police sweep Google searches to find suspects. The tactic is facing its first legal challenge.

        • Google Bets Big on Government Business with New Division

        • Announcing Google Public Sector | Google Cloud Blog

        • The Pixel 6a's Fingerprint Sensors Seem Fast

        • Google's worst hardware flop was introduced 10 years ago today

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          1 hr 10 min
        • 365: The Death of Google Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

          No, Google is not dead, but a pundit on the internet thinks it is! Andy and Flo use this prompt to kick off this week's conversation. The consensus seems to be that it's not dead yet. The web has just changed.

          Afterward, we'll talk about why lawmakers urge Google to fix abortion searches that suggest fake clinics instead of verified ones. We'll also discuss Google News' new look, plus Google's massive new open-source library of 3D scans.

          This episode of Material is sponsored by:
          • LinkedIn: Rethink your B2B marketing with LinkedIn Ads and get a $100 credit on your next campaign. Terms and conditions apply.
          • Links and Show Notes:
            • The Open Secret of Google Search

            • Lawmakers urge Google to fix abortion searches suggesting 'fake clinics'

            • Taking pride in our businesses

            • Read all about it: A new look for Google News

            • Google is paying the Wikimedia Foundation for better access to information

            • Scanned Objects by Google Research

            • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
              1 hr 20 min
            • 364: How to Minister to Artificial Intelligence

              Andy and Flo wonder why the new Chromecast ambient mode is cluttered with widgets before they get into a recent whistleblower's claims that Google's LaMDA is a sentient being. (It's not.) We'll explain the what, why, and no-how of last weekend's most trending Google story. Then, it looks like iPhones are getting some Googley abilities. We'll cheekily walk you through all the features Android had first. Finally, Andy will explain why the new Pixel update fixes an overlooked audio essential.

              Links and Show Notes:
              • May be Fired Soon for Doing AI Ethics Work

              • Google Sidelines Engineer Who Claims Its AI Is Sentient

              • Is LaMDA Sentient? - an Interview

              • Google engineer Blake Lemoine thinks its LaMDA AI has come to life

              • The New iOS 16 Features that Android Had First

              • Google's June Feature Drop may have fixed one of the last remaining issues plaguing the Pixel 6

              • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                1 hr 17 min
              • 363: No More Spoilers

                Andy fixed his Pixelbook display problem, and Flo can't stop watching Columbo. This week, your hosts talk about why Google canceled a presentation on caste bias and why folks are asking the company to take action against radicalism festering inside its work walls. Then, we'll lighten things up with the latest Android 13 Beta 3 and our favorite parts of the recent Pixel feature drop.

                Links and Show Notes:
                • Google canceled a talk on caste bias by Thenmozhi Soundararajan after some employees revolted

                • Android 13 Inches Even Closer to Launch with Its Third Beta

                • Pixel Feature Drop Brings an Exclusive Collaboration with Teenage Engineering

                • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                  1 hr 10 min
                • 362: Farewell To Thee, Google Duo

                  Andy and Flo get a little bit into the Star War after Andy explains why he started the podcast a little flustered with the Google Pixelbook. This week, we're talking about why Google is deprecating Duo and rolling it up into Meet and what that means for the rest of us who just figured out how to use these things. Then, did you know there was another Pixel hardware leak? These things keep popping up in the wild. We'll also muse a bit over Google's new campus and how we wish our work-from-home setups seemed just as airy.

                  Links and Show Notes:
                  • Google is Confusing Us All Again By Combining Meet and Duo into One Video App

                  • Bringing Google Meet features to Google Duo for a single, integrated video solution

                  • Someone used the Pixel 7 Pro for 3 weeks without realizing it

                  • I bought one of the Google 7 pro prototypes: r/GooglePixel

                  • Google opens new 'Bay View' campus that was designed for worker flexibility — here's what it looks like

                  • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                    1 hr 10 min
                  • 361: No Rage Buying

                    We're all doing the best that we can. Andy is wondering if it's worth going to the movies in person this weekend to see Bob's Burgers, and Flo is over the Google Assistant on her Samsung smartwatch. We'll bring you to speed on other wearables news, including updates on the unreleased Pixel Watch. Then, we celebrate Street View's 15th birthday by realizing how important it is to archive a moment in time, and we explain why it's unfair that Google's contractors can't work from home.

                    This episode of Material is sponsored by:
                    • LinkedIn: Grow your business with a $100 credit on your next campaign.
                    • Links and Show Notes:
                      • Surprise! Google Assistant Arrives on Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4

                      • Pixel Watch to have two processors and more storage/RAM than any other Wear OS watch

                      • Pixel Watch has USB-C charger, using Apple manufacturer

                      • The Pixel Watch will fail for the same reason every other Apple Watch killer failed

                      • Street View turns 15 with a new camera and fresh features

                      • Google Maps Workers Say They Can't Afford the Trip Back to the Office

                      • The GANfather: The man who's given machines the gift of imagination

                      • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                        1 hr 18 min
                      • 360: Blame It On The Watch

                        We're blaming our delay this week on smartwatches. Andy walks us through how he tried to get the Kardashians out of his algorithm before we get into the leftovers of Google I/O. We'll also talk about this week's rumors about the Pixel Watch's custom silicon and why Andy is compelled to buy the Pixel Buds Pro.

                        Links and Show Notes:
                        • Google Pixel Watch runs on the same chip as 2018 Galaxy Watch

                        • Pixel Buds Pro get Qi certification, revealing wireless charging speed

                        • Immersive view coming soon to Maps — plus more updates

                        • Android 13: Every New Feature Revealed at Google I/O - CNET

                        • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                          1 hr 18 min
                        • 359: What Isn't Google Releasing This Year?

                          Well, what else is there to talk about this week? It's Google's annual developer conference, and we're running through all the significant bits of news. Andy and Flo have plenty to say about everything, from the Pixel 6a to the Pixel tablet. Plus, what's new in your Google software.

                          Links and Show Notes:
                          • Every Google Pixel Device Revealed at Google I/O 2022
                          • Support Material with a Relay FM Membership
                            1 hr 23 min

                          About Material

                          From the publisher's feed

                          Material is a weekly discussion about the Google and Android universe. Your intrepid hosts try to answer the question, “What holds up the digital world?” The answer, so far, is that it’s Google all…

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