The latest handset from Google introduces a new way to control a phone without touching it. Is it actually useful, or an interesting gimmick? And the company's hardware chief Rick Osterloh tells us why he would warn a house-guest about the presence of smart devices. Plus, Nir Eyal, author of the new book "Indistractable" shares his strategies to help us all be less distracted by our gadgets. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield, and special guest Charlotte Gee from the MIT Technology Review.

(Image: The new Google Pixel 4 smartphone displayed during a Google launch event in New York City, Credit: REUTERS/ Eduardo Munoz).

In a week of rising tension between US and China over trade we hear how some of China's biggest tech firms are caught in the cross-fire. And Rory Cellan-Jones asks why Apple has decided to take down a Hong Kong mapping app? As Ada Lovelace Day spreads around the world to celebrate women in science and tech, the BBC's Zoe Kleinman asks its founder whether conditions have actually improved since the movement was first launched a decade ago? And Rory asks UNICEF why it is getting into the controversial world of cryptocurrency?

Rory is joined by technology writer Jamillah Knowles and by Mark Ward from the BBC tech desk

(Picture:A woman holds her mobile phone as a group of masked protesters run past in the Diamond Hill station in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong on October 7, 2019. CREDIT: PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)

Why the Chinese video-sharing app seems to have Facebook worried. Plus, a leading AI researcher in Ghana tells us why algorithms used in Africa but trained on data from elsewhere could make biased decisions. And how a common definition of online abuse could help to tackle it more effectively. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield, and special guest Parmy Olson, tech reporter from the Wall Street Journal.

(Image: Stock photo of a woman on a beach making a smartphone video with her dog, Credit: iStock/ Getty Images Plus).

The tech giant takes its Alexa smart assistant out of the home. Plus, are neural interfaces the next big thing in how we control computers? And, the Facebook-backed Libra digital currency has met with opposition from governments. Can the project get back on track? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Chris Fox, and special guest, Caroline Carruthers, business author and data consultant.

(Image: Eyeglass frames with voice-activated digital assistant Alexa at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle, Credit: Glenn Chapman/ AFP/ Getty Images).

California gave birth to the "gig economy" - working for app-driven services such as ride-hailing and food-delivery. But now the state has drafted a law to make “gig workers” employees and give them more rights. Is it the end for this way of working? Plus, will Apple's iPhone maintain its loyal following without 5G? And we visit Europe's largest data centre to consider our thirst for cloud storage. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Zoe Kleinman, and special guest Dominic Sunnebo, Director of Consumer Insights at market research firm Kantar.

(Image: Ridesharing drivers protest for better rights outside the Uber HQ in San Francisco, California. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Two new surveys suggest cautious public attitudes in the US and UK towards the tech. Plus, the autumn mobile device launch season is upon us. We check out the news from the IFA electronics show in Berlin and look forward to the wave of new handsets set to be released in the coming weeks. And, would you report to your employer a colleague who you suspected was stealing company data? Presented by Zoe Kleinman, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield, and special guests Stuart Miles from Pocket-lint and Marta Pinto from research firm IDC.

(Image: Stock photo of a woman using facial recognition on a smartphone, Credit: iStock/ Getty Images Plus).

Is the trade dispute between the US and China hurting both nations' tech industry? Artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G telecoms are key sectors in which the superpowers are vying to be the leader. Special guests Calum Chace, author of "Surviving AI", and Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs, join Chris Fox to examine the effects of the trade dispute between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

(Image: Composite image of Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, Credit: Reuters).

The social giant will reveal what it knows about your internet activity off of its platform. Will its users appreciate the transparency or be horrified? Plus, Twitter and Google take down accounts indicating co-ordinated posting relating to the Hong Kong protests. How has that gone down in China? And, 3D printing was meant to democratise manufacturing. It hasn't quite worked out like that, but we see one example of a 3D printed consumer product - a new type of bike helmet. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield, and special guest Isobel Asher Hamilton from Business Insider.

(Image: Stock photo of a couple on a sofa making an online purchase on a tablet computer, Credit: Hispanolistic/ Getty Images).

How privately-operated facial recognition in public places threatens privacy, according to campaigners. Plus, why is the shared-office firm WeWork valued at $47bn when it lost $1.6bn last year and has no idea when or whether it will ever deliver a profit. And how the kids' comic The Beano developed its digital strategy. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Zoe Kleinman, and Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent at the Financial Times.

(Image: Stock image of a security camera against a skyscraper background, Credit: Getty Images Plus).

Key service providers kick the controversial message board, which has been used to celebrate mass shootings, off the mainstream internet. In what form might it resurface? Plus "warshipping" is one of the latest threats to corporate security presented at the annual Black Hat hackers' conference. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporters Chris Fox and Dave Lee, and special guests Kate Bevan, editor of Which? Computing, and Poppy Gustafsson, co-CEO of Darktrace.

(Image: Stock photo of a bundle of unplugged network cables, Credit: Getty Images Plus).