The Ars Technicast

Automation has long been relegated to the nerd realm and the home tinkerer. Back in 2008 we reviewed automated thermostats like the Ecobee, and the Ars OpenForum also discussed it. Fast forward to 2013, and now general consumers can now also enjoy a lot of automation inside their homes. Automated gadgets like the Nest, and the Phillips LED lightbulbs, which come with an open API for inventors to devise their own solutions. Today on the show we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of automation, and we take our chat one step further into automated lifestyle gadgets, like Fitbit and the Withings scale. Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson and Social Editor Cesar Torres to talk about the issues.

According to our gaming editor Kyle Orland, video games are in a real transition point. Nintendo just released the Wii U, its next generation console, but many of us are speculating about what’s to come from other major players like Sony and Microsoft. What’s more, more open-source projects like Ouya and the Oculus Rift could really impact the way in which people play games. And then there’s mobile gaming. What can gamers expect in 2013? In this episode of the Ars Technicast, we talk about where we think the industry is headed, and what new players might have real impact. Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Social Editor Cesar Torres and Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson join Kyle in a discussion of hardware, software, and indie development issues. 

CES 2013, that giant, tangled web of a consumer electronic show, concluded last week, and the Ars Technica crew was there to cover it. But now that it’s over, we took some time to think about what makes this giant trade show useful, and the ways in which it has changed in recent years.  On this episode of the Ars Technicast, Associate Writer Andrew Cunningham and Reviews Editor Florence Ion tell Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng and Social Editor Cesar Torres share their stories of adventure while covering CES. With the absence of Microsoft from the event, the show brings more focus to the latest gadgets and electronics makers, catering to more interaction with journalists who are covering the event. But, is CES no longer a show that’s just open for anyone?  Flo answers that question, and in the process, we also talk about what happens when journalists get to play a little bit on the Vegas strip, while covering the ground. And inevitably, we also discuss the weirdness of the Qualcomm keynote, and the notorious

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey finally arrived a week ago. For fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, the new film could be the best adaptation ever—or perhaps a movie that has lost the tone of the source material. In this episode of the Ars Technicast, we discuss the role The Hobbit played in Tolkien’s grand mythology of Middle Earth, and how Peter Jackson’s films have re-imagined The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit to serve the needs of movie audiences. Peter Jackson has also caused some controversy with viewers by filming the movie in 48 frames per second. Cesar saw it in 48fps, and you might be surprised at his final verdict of the new technique. Host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Staff Writer Andrew Cunningham, Lead Developer Lee Aylward, and Social Editor Cesar Torres. And yes, this podcast episode is full of spoilers, so if you don’t want to hear them, you have been warned.

This week we discuss PC vs. console gaming, Which platform holds the crown? Gaming Editor Kyle Orland and Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson talk about their dedication to each platform. Thouygh gamers cans sometimes live squarely on one side of the PC platform debate, there’s a surprising amount of crossover, now that ports are released simultaneously nowadays. But as Kyle and Lee go head first into the pros and cons of each, preferences remain strong. Join Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng and Social Editor Cesar Torres join in the discussion as we talk about the platforms we grew up with, cost considerations, game selection, and whether it’s a good idea to go shopping in Dark-Knight Batman voice. 

Why is it that so many people have not read Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species? This seminal work of science and literature has been one of the most influential and hotly debated works of the modern age, and yet, not everyone has read it. In this episode of the Ars Technicast, Editor and Chief Ken Fisher, Senior Science Editor John Timmer join Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng and Social Editor Cesar Torres in a discussion about Darwin’s book. What are the merits of Darwin’s writing style? How is the book incorporated into academia, and how should that change? 

This week, Microsoft Editor Peter Bright shares his honest opinions on what the Microsoft Surface lacks, and why. There’s niggling small details that don’t make the cut, and there’s some big problems with it as well. But there’s also lots to be said for Microsoft’s bold new tablet. To find out what went right and wrong, join Peter, Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston on this episode of the Ars Technicast. 

This week in the Ars Technicast we talk about the iPad mini, which Apple announced earlier this week, along with an update to the larger iPad. Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, who liveblogged the event, shared her first-hand impressions with Apple's new tablet, and we discuss the merit of a smaller screen size, as well as ways in which the mini might compare to other mobile devices. Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Social Editor Cesar Torres, Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson, and Associate Writer Andrew Cunninghman. Do you have opinions about the iPad mini? Share your thoughts with us below. 

In this episode of the Ars Technicast we talk about the fine art of the scam. Recently, Deputy Editor Nate Anderson and Ars Senior Writer Jon Brodkin wrote about the ways in which Internet scammers have taken to use the telephone to solicit users to allow them access to their PCs. Nate played the role of victim to one of these scams and wrote what happened. And then there’s the phenomenon of users trolling the scammers back, which is both hilarious and fascinating. Deputy editor Nate Anderson joins Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng and Social Editor Cesar Torres to talk about how these scams work, what might motivate both the scammers and trolls, and ideas about how sophisticated scams may become as video calls become more popular. Have you been suckered by a scam before? Maybe you know someone who did. Share your stories about Internet scams with us in the comments. 

Muua-ha-ha-ha! What makes for an amazing and iconic video game villain? Is it looks, evil laughter, or a singularly creepy name? Following the success of our previous podcast episode, “Our most memorable video game characters,” we are dedicating this show to the best video game villains of all time. Ars Technica Gaming Editor Kyle Orland joins host Social Editor Cesar Torres, Ars Contributor Casey Johnston, and Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson to discuss our favorite villains. We also reveal the top ten villains submitted by Ars readers (in an informal social media poll). You’ll never guess who makes it to number one.

Video game characters have been with us for decades, and many have evolved into household names. That list of characters includes Pac-Man, Mario, Samus, Sonic the Heddgehog, and many more. But what does is take to create a memorable character? In the days before graphics chips could support photorealism and sophisticated animation, how did game designers breathe life into a handful of pixels? Ars Technica Gaming Editor Kyle Orland joins host Social Editor Cesar Torres and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston on this game-themed episode of the Ars Technicast. We go back to the days of a single square acting as a character in the first Atari games, as well as classics from the 1990s, including characters from games like Metroid Prime, Final Fantasy VII and Pokemon. We also discuss how some characters disappointed us when the technology finally allowed them to speak in a game. This show has so many characters bursting at its seams, that we are already working on a future episode of the Ars Technicast dedicated just to

Though not all of us Ars Technica editors were introduced to the Internet at the same time, there’s no doubt that it has an effect on our social interactions everyday. In fact, some our social interaction is dependent on having at least a portion of our communications with people online. But what is more important: interacting in the online world, or in “meatspace”? For some of us, the Internet seems to fortify and help build existing relationships in the physical world. For others, the real interactions between people seem to be the most important. The Internet has changed the way we attend social gatherings, the way we date, and even the way we get along with family members, co-workers and friends. In this episode of the Ars Technicast, Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston and Microsoft Editor Peter Bright. What are the ways in which the Internet shapes your own social behavior? Is one type of space more important than the other? Share

The enticing promise of cloud computing is one plays on our human desire for convenience. Your data, which can include photos, music, health records –– in essence, your digital life ––  is hosted in the cloud, synced to all your devices, backed up in case things fail in your physical backups. This kind of computing would make the George Jetson scream with envy. But what happens when hackers can take away your digital life in the blink of an eye? This is what happened to Mat Honan, Senior Writer at Wired, when a hacker infiltrated his life, stole and deleted his data. This hack required a few steps in succession that exploited authentication methods used in popular services like Amazon, Google, Twitter and Apple’s iCloud service. Mat wrote about this act of vandalism against him, and he is still dealing with the effects of losing his information.  Mat Honan visits the Ars Technicast in this episode to talk in detail about the fallout after the theft and wiping (yes, they wiped his devices), and what should do

A desk is more than just a place to sit and work. For many of us, it’s a whole way of life. On this episode of the Ars Technicast, we share details about our own desk setups. We discuss ergonomics, elevatable desks, minimalism and even DIY tricks like a laptop hammock. Our workflows inform how we each set up our desks, and we’ll chat about how you can get the most productivity out of your own workspace. We share pictures of each of our offices, and you’ll even see some of our pets make a cameo or two. You can also  hear Peter become the human trackball as he imitates the sound of Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Microsoft Editor Peter Bright, Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston. What is your own desk setup like? Share your own tales of ergonomic and productivity with us in the comments. 

In this week’s episode we get up close and personal with music. Ryan and Jacqui trade stories about using digital upright pianos and evaluate the quality of their sound. We also discuss iPad apps used for music making and performance. Not all of us compose or play music as trained musicians, though. We also discuss our favorite ways of listening to music, finding recommendations online, and the fine art of playlist making. As a counterpoint, Ryan reminds us how satisfying it can be to listen to an album in its entirety. Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston. This time around, we’re also including links to a Spotify playlist that features music and artists we mentioned on the show. What hardware and software do you use to meet your music needs? Maybe you have other music to recommend to us. Share your favorites with us in the comments.

This week we’re dedicating our show to retro gaming. As we discussed the games of our youth, we discovered that we’re still in love with many of those early games. Gaming editor Kyle Orland joins Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston. We reminisce about consoles we owned and played in our homes (Jacqui was only allowed to have one console at a time), what games we played at the arcades, and what systems we took to our dorm rooms in college. Are any Ars Technica staffers still playing these retro games today? Some of the classic games we dissect include Ocarina of Time, Castlevania, Pokemon, the Final Fantasy series, and more. We’ll also learn how Kyle’s experience in computer science led to his interest in writing about video games. Listen to find out.

This week we devote the show to science fiction, and in particular Ridley Scott’s new film Prometheus. Warning: This show is extremely spoiler heavy, so if you don’t want to know details about the film, wait until you see it first, since we give away major plot points.  Ridley’ Scott’s loose prequel to his 1979 film Alien provides fertile ground to discuss the fiction and storytelling used in the film, but the movie has very little science that can be compared to science in the real world. We also discuss how the scientists aboard the Prometheus don’t behave like actual scientists. No discussion of this series of films is complete without talking about the monsters. Does the creature design of Prometheus work with previous films in the Alien series? Tune in to find out. Host Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Social Editor Cesar Torres and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston. Links Science gets burned by Prometheus Adrian Bott, Prometheus Unbound: What The Movie Was Actua

This week we are dedicating our show to summer travel and gadgets. What kind of gadgets do you bring when you travel for work, and which ones do you bring when you're on vacation? Host and Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined in this epsiode by Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Ars Contributor Casey Johnston, and Social Editor Cesar Torres.  You can listen to the Ars Technicast in a variety of ways. You can use the player embedded right into this post, download the file to your computer (we have also reduced the file size in this third time around), or you can subscribe via iTunes or RSS. We have recently also added the latest two episodes to Soundcloud. If there are topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, leave us a comment, or if you simply have something to say about the show you can also leave us an iTunes store review, if you use iTunes to listen to podcasts. Direct Download URL: Subscribe via the iTunes store Subscribe via RSS Listen on SoundCloud Related Ars Technica stories iOS trave

In this week's episode we take a retrospective look at the Internet and discuss the impact it has made in each one of us. We started our discussion as a response to Paul Miller's current experiment to disconnect himself from the Internet for one year, while continuing his work as a journalist. Our host, Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Microsoft Editor Peter Bright, Contributing Writer Casey Johnston and Social Editor Cesar Torres. We will talk about our various different entry points into Internet and Internet culture, as well as ways in which we are dependent on it today for certain social interactions. What parts of the Internet can we live without? And how hasour individual relationship with the Internet has changed over the years? Take a listen to find out. Join our team of Ars editors in this discussion, and keep your ears open for the occasional cameo from Jacqui’s cats. What kind of impact has the Internet had on your life?  Links I'm leaving the Internet fo

Welcome to the debut episode of the Ars Technicast, where we bring you you the latest in the worlds of computing, technology, science, and everything else in between. On this week’s show, our host, Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng is joined by Ars Editor In Chief Ken Fisher, Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Microsoft Editor Peter Bright and Social Editor Cesar Torres. And what a better way to kick off our podcast than tackling the singularity! The singularity, listed by wikipedia as “the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means” seems to promise the possibility for the future of mankind, but is it realistic? And if it were possible, would we really want it to happen? Join our team of Ars editors in this discussion, and keep your ears open for the occasional cameo from Jacqui’s cats. Links Singularity Wikipedia Entry Ray Kurzweill Phillip K. Dick Vernor Vinge Sherry Turkle Related Ars Stories God, AI, and the rapture of the geeks