The crew also discusses a travel app that automatically tells stories based on your location, the staggering first imagery from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Kevin Mitnick’s legacy in cybersecurity and several troubling decisions from the video game industry.

Stories, Gadgets and Topics Discussed

• Katie’s Brother P-touch label maker: Katie shows how she is using built-in symbols—including cameras, computers and warning icons—to organize and identify equipment, drives and other technology.
• The Vera C. Rubin Observatory reveals an enormous view of the universe: Dave follows up on the observatory’s 3.2-gigapixel LSST camera and an image containing approximately 650,000 galaxies. The hosts discuss the astonishing detail available when zooming into tiny sections of the image, the observatory’s planned decade of data collection and how AI could help scientists examine datasets too large for humans to process manually. See the Vera C. Rubin Observatory imagery
• Wrinkles turns city exploration into a location-aware audio tour: Katie introduces Wrinkles, a travel app that automatically shares historical facts, local stories and hidden details as users walk through supported cities. The app uses AI-generated voices, but its information is drawn from curated sources such as historians, museums and local organizations. Creators and tourism groups may also be able to build their own tours and experiences. Explore the Wrinkles travel app
• A PC gamer creates physical Steam cartridges: Sorg examines a DIY project that stores individual Steam games on inexpensive 128GB, 2.5-inch SSDs. A script detects the drive when it is inserted, connects the game to the owner’s Steam library and launches the title—creating something close to a modern PC game cartridge. The discussion considers storage costs, portability and whether physical presentation can make digital collections feel more permanent. See the DIY Steam cartridge project
• Kevin Mitnick and National Social Engineering Day: Dave looks back at famed hacker-turned-security-consultant Kevin Mitnick, whose birthday on August 6 inspired National Social Engineering Day. The hosts explain how attackers can bypass strong technology by manipulating employees, customer-service representatives and other people into revealing passwords, resetting accounts or granting access. Learn about National Social Engineering Day Read Kevin Mitnick’s congressional testimony
• ChachiSays Video Game Minute—“Doubling Down on Dumb Decisions”:
  • Sony acknowledges the backlash surrounding its move away from physical PlayStation discs but plans to continue moving in that direction. Read the Sony physical-media story
  • Electronic Arts reportedly rewarded its CEO with a major compensation increase following the success of Battlefield 6 while developers responsible for the game faced layoffs. Read about the EA compensation and layoffs
  • August Interactive is working with NASA on Moonbase Y, a game designed to encourage children to plan, collaborate and invent solutions for a future lunar colony. Learn about Moonbase Y
• Xbox considers converting physical games into digital licenses: A reported Xbox disc-to-digital program could allow owners of original Xbox and Xbox 360 discs to access compatible digital copies on newer hardware or PC. The hosts discuss game preservation, license transfer, resale and whether Microsoft’s approach inspires more confidence in the long-term future of an Xbox library. Read about Xbox’s reported disc-to-digital plan
• Fitbit data can finally sync with Apple Health: Fitbit users can now consolidate more of their fitness information inside Apple Health. The hosts discuss the convenience of keeping activity, blood-pressure readings and medical information in one location, while noting that some measurements—including heart-rate variability—may not transfer yet. Learn how to sync Fitbit with Apple Health
• A SpaceX rocket stage is headed for the Moon: A roughly 9,000-pound piece of space hardware is expected to strike the lunar surface. Although the collision is accidental and likely will not be visible to the naked eye, lunar orbiters may be able to document the crater and debris, turning the impact into an unexpected scientific experiment. Read about the lunar impact
• Fruit Love Island and the strange appeal of AI reality television: Sorg introduces an AI-generated dating show starring anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables. The hosts examine its bizarre character designs, inconsistent AI visuals, audience voting, reality-show storytelling and surprisingly organized production workflow. They also debate whether projects like this are disposable “AI slop” or useful experiments in storyboarding, character consistency and accessible video production. Watch Hasan Minhaj react to Fruit Love Island Visit Fruit Love Island Watch the Fruit Love Island video

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Picklesburg Recap:

• Katie Dudas shares her experience at Picklesburg, featuring pickle drinking contests and the fun with the Jagoff crew.

• Highlights include a 32-ounce pickle juice drinking contest and various pickle-related activities.

Lumen Metabolism Tracker:

• Missy Sorg introduces Lumen, a device that helps track metabolism by analyzing breath. She discusses her experience with the device over the past five days, how it helps her understand her body’s fat-burning process, and how it integrates with other health apps.

• Link: https://www.lumen.me/ 

• Guide: AI Tutorial Tool:

• Dave Podnar talks about Guide, a browser-based tool that creates step-by-step tutorials with AI-generated captions and voiceovers. He explains how it simplifies the process of creating instructional content.

• Link: https://app.guidde.com/ 

Mac Whisper: AI Transcription Tool:

• Michael Sorg reviews Mac Whisper, a transcription app for Mac users. He discusses its functionality, the local processing of audio files, and how it aids in creating accurate transcriptions for podcasts and other content.

• Link: https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/macwhisper

Brother Label Maker:

• Katie Dudas shares her love for the Brother label maker, highlighting its utility in organizing tech gear and adding a bit of fun to everyday tasks.

• Link: https://www.amazon.com/Brother-P-Touch-PTD220-Label-Maker/dp/B07XV76BQV 

Olympic Coverage Innovations:

• Discussion on NBC’s coverage of the upcoming Olympics, including live streaming on Peacock and unique commentary from Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson. Also, learn about AI-generated recaps featuring Al Michaels.

• Links:

• Olympics on Peacock https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/2024-paris-olympics

• Kevin Hart commentary https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/tv/olympic-highlights-with-kevin-hart-and-kenan-thompson/9144924783355040112

• Snoop will carry the torch https://www.wave3.com/2024/07/23/snoop-dogg-will-carry-olympic-torch-paris/

Goblin Tools for Task Management:

• Introduction to Goblin Tools, a set of AI-powered tools that help break down tasks, judge email tones, and formalize messages. Learn how these tools can assist with managing tasks and improving productivity.

• Link: https://goblin.tools/ 

The Planets Today:

• A quick look at The Planets Today website, a tool for space enthusiasts to visualize the current positions of planets in the solar system.

• Link: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/ 

Tune in for a fun and informative episode filled with geeky insights and practical tech tips!

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