Boops, Toots and Squeals

Boops, Toots and Squeals

Author: J.D. Biersdorfer and Pedro Rafael Rosado August 13, 2025 Duration: 27:46
On this week’s episode, El Kaiser and J.D. wade into the river of recent news about artificial intelligence — while stopping to pour one out for the soon-to-be-discontinued AOL dial-up modem service. Hear it all (and more) with one click of the Play button for PTJ 384!• Alexa Got an A.I. Brain Transplant. How Smart Is It Now? (The New York Times)• OpenAI Brings Back Fan-Favorite GPT-4o After a Massive User Revolt (Gizmodo)• GPT-5: Overdue, overhyped and underwhelming. And that’s not the worst of it. (Gary Marcus Substack)• Apple App Intents Voice Control Feature for Siri, Apps; iOS 26 Release Timing (Bloomberg)• Apple’s new Siri may allow users to operate apps just using voice (TechCrunch) • Computer Science Grads Struggle to Find Jobs in the A.I. Age (The New York Times)• Inside the Multimillion-Dollar Gray Market for Video Game Cheats (Wired)• Reddit will block the Internet Archive (The Verge)• End of an era: AOL to discontinue its dial-up internet service after 30 years (The Guardian)

Tune into POP | TECH | JAM for a weekly conversation that feels like grabbing a coffee with friends who are just as obsessed with the latest streaming series as they are with the inner workings of a new gadget. Hosts J.D. Biersdorfer and Pedro Rafael Rosado steer this independent audio magazine, blending sharp commentary on movies and television with insightful, accessible discussions about the technology shaping how we experience all that culture. Each episode is a deliberate mash-up, finding the unexpected connections between a trending app and a classic film, or how a breakthrough in tech might influence the next must-watch show. You'll hear thoughtful reviews, dig into news that matters across these intertwined worlds, and get a sense of the genuine curiosity and rapport the hosts bring to every topic. This podcast thrives on that energetic mix, creating a space that’s both informative and engaging without ever taking itself too seriously. It’s less a formal broadcast and more of a dynamic, ongoing jam session-hence the name-where pop culture and digital life collide in entertaining and thought-provoking ways.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

POP | TECH | JAM
Podcast Episodes
What the FLoC? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:22
The Dynamic Duo discuss a flurry of hardware announcements along with news from Google, Apple and Amazon, El Kaiser also shares his thoughts on HBO's 'His Dark Materials' series and JD has tips for home design before you…
Going Places [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:17
Red Rover [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:53
El Kaiser shares his thoughts regarding later seasons of 'The Expanse' on Amazon Prime and 'WandaVision' on Disney+ and J.D. has a smattering of tech news along with resources on how to find out when you and your family…
Now, Voyagers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:27
El Kaiser and J.D. ponder the latest Web whimsy, as well as Google and Apple's fight against the ongoing problems of the world, other tech news and fun things to do with your smartphone's camera.
Pour One Out for Arecibo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:31
After long, unintended absence, El Kaiser and J.D. are back to praise The Mandalorian, chew on the news, talk audio hardware and mourn the loss of the iconic radio telescope at Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory.
At Last [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:35
News on Apple finally rolling out its four iPhone 12 models, Facebook finally bans Holocaust-denial content and and a House committee finally produces its report on Big Tech and monopoly plus a review of AKG K553 MKII he…
Power Plays [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:09
El Kaiser and JD get back to business with a pile of news and this week's episode also offers suggestions for science-fiction television entertainment to temporarily make you forget the current state of this world.