Hosted by Andy Ihnatko and Florence Ion.
Material is a weekly discussion about the Google and Android universe. Your intrepid hosts try to answer the question, “What holds up the digital world?” The answer, so far, is that it’s Google all the way down.
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#302: Thanks For All The Phones
April 9th, 2021 · 73 minutes
Despite the flurry of news this week, Andy and Flo find some time for a subjective point of view. We walk you through Google's win at the Supreme Court and what a Pixel-perfect system-on-a-chip looks like. We attempt a bit of hype for the all-virtual Google I/O 2021, the dates of which were announced this week. Then, say goodbye to LG as we walk t…
#301: The Eco-friendly Route
April 2nd, 2021 · 82 minutes
We're still pumping the good vibes this week. Andy reminds us there are some real treasure troves available to stream on YouTube, and Flo wants to know if you have any questions about the OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro that you'd like answered? Then we tell the tale of how Google simultaneously discovered and shut down a nine-month hacking operation. …
#300: Not Just Another Material Podcast
March 25th, 2021 · 79 minutes
It's been 300 episodes of the Material podcast! We have cake! We have commemorative Oreos! And we have a rundown of our favorite tombstones in the Google Graveyard. We'll give you a bit of the week's news, too, plus what you get when you do a Google search for the number "300."
#299: Incognito Mode
March 18th, 2021 · 76 minutes
Flo is freaking out over signing her kid up for a Google account, while Andy is completely locked out of his. We gush over the shiny new gadget announcements this week, including the second-generation Nest Hub and the affordable Samsung Galaxy A52. We also discuss why Google is in trouble for its Incognito Mode and how YouTube creators are getting…
#298: 10 Years of Burner Laptops
March 11th, 2021 · 66 minutes
Andy and Flo take a walk down memory lane to celebrate 10 years of Chromebooks. We recap the dawn of the cloud-based machines, and we'll clue you in on the new features Google announced to mark the anniversary. We also cover a not-so-celebratory news report out of NBC News. Plus, Google is the most trusted company, though not when it comes to se…
#297: Look At All These Rumors
March 4th, 2021 · 76 minutes
This week's episode is a reminder that it's our data in exchange for all those perks we get for free on the internet. We talk about Google's attempted "privacy-first" initiative and what to expect from the latest Pixel feature drop. Then we lighten things up a bit with some future-facing device rumors. And, we're still answering your emails from y…
#296: Let Them Speak Their Own Words
February 26th, 2021 · 63 minutes
This week, we point you to all the people doing the talking: from newly fired ethical AI researcher Margaret Mitchell to the remaining Googlers on the team waving back in solidarity with their departed colleagues. We tell you why California ended its COVID-19 testing partnership with Verily and why "Hey Google" isn't working on your WearOS smartwa…
#295: The New Deal
February 18th, 2021 · 62 minutes
A little bit of astrology to start us off for this episode, along with why Andy gave up on Wear OS and bought a FitBit. We talk about Google's new deal with News Corp in Australia and the US and what the enthusiast community has unearthed about the upcoming Android 12. Plus, a quick update on Fuschia OS.
#294: A Puckish Jest
February 12th, 2021 · 61 minutes
Andy's buying little outfits for his Nest Minis, and this is one of the last times we'll ever bring up Google Play Music. After the ad, we discuss Google's latest earnings report to investors and where all that money is going. And, Flo gets flustered over Android 12's blush aesthetic. It is times like these when a respiratory monitor built into yo…
#293: A Rollercoaster of Emotions
February 5th, 2021 · 75 minutes
Flo's Chromecast with Google TV gets stuck in a boot loop, and Andy wonders whether his investment in a Stadia controller will ever pay off. Then, why two Google engineers resigned over the firing of AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru.