Shack Wacky

Shack Wacky

Author: J.D. Biersdorfer and Pedro Rafael Rosado April 9, 2020 Duration: 34:53

As much of the country continues huddling at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. keep themselves busy with a look at the recent technology news — including the Zoom boom (and bust), Apple's control of the weather and the debut of the new Quibi short-form video app. And for those who've now watched everything online, J.D. has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about digitizing your documents since you're already stuck in the house. PTJ 331 is here to keep you company!


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: 170

POP | TECH | JAM
Podcast Episodes
PTJ 258: Welcome Our *Newest* Robot Overlords [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:21
The annual Consumer Electronics Show wrapped up in Las Vegas last week, leaving El Kaiser and J.D. plenty of new gadgets to mull, from “intelligent” toilets to high-concept “social-empathy robots.” But other stuff happen…
PTJ 257: Lucha Libre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:56
The new year is here and so far, 2018 is already throwing its five moves of doom around the ring: Massive security flaws in the world’s computer processors, a giant lawsuit against Spotify, the government’s white-hat hac…
PTJ 256: Age/Old Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:29
As the tired old year of 2017 limps toward the exit, it seems fitting that age discrimination is in the news this week — both for smartphones and human job-seekers. El Kaiser and J.D. sort through two weeks’ worth of hea…
PTJ 255: Boom or Bust? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:19
The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is all over the news this month, and El Kaiser and J.D. discuss some of the more recent developments, along with the Consumer Reports verdict on the iPhone X and the legal tussle between oracle…
PTJ 254: Charge! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:40
Net neutrality is on the ropes, Twitter is yanking back some of those Blue Badges of Verification, Project Loon is bringing Internet connectivity back to parts of Puerto Rico and Amazon’s cashier-replacement software is…
PTJ 253: Trolling Right Along [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:15
It’s been a heavy week of Congressional hearings over foreign influence in a U.S. election and another terrorist attack in New York City — and technology was all over both events. El Kaiser and J.D. ponder the recent dev…
PTJ 252: Naughty Bunnies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:45
It’s nature gone wild: The Bad Rabbit ransomware is having a mad hop through corporate networks around the world and rubber fish are lip-syncing Amazon’s Alexa. Meanwhile, Google wants to secure your account with actual…
PTJ 251: The One After the 250th Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:22
El Kaiser and J.D. are back this week with the usual suitcase full of technology news to unpack, including Samsung’s announcement that its Bixby virtual assistant is open (source) for business. And while Blue Apron is fo…
PTJ 249: “Alexa, Activate My New York Comic Con Badge!” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:25
It’s not just the abundance of pumpkin spice revving up the Big Apple air the first week of October — it’s the buzzy excitement of New York Comic Con returning once again to the Jacob K. Javits Center on the west side of…