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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#262: Walk the Walk
July 3rd, 2020 · 94 minutes
Flo leans into her Taurus Sun and Moon by talking about all the food she's going to eat over the holiday weekend. Andy is fed up with YouTube channels that don't practice basic coronavirus protocols (wear your mask, people!). This week, we break down the players in YouTube's latest dramageddon and delve into why the platform should take accountabi…
#261: Is It Political?
June 26th, 2020 · 86 minutes
Andy is experiencing some severe bouts of Mercury in retrograde as he tells the tales of his flailing tech. Flo switched to the OnePlus 8, and she's wondering why the Pixel is lagging. We discuss why Google is (again) in the antitrust hot seat, and why employees are demanding the company stop doing business with police departments. We divulge all …
#260: One Giant Mess
June 19th, 2020 · 69 minutes
Google finally updates its satellite imagery for Black Lives Matter Plaza, and Flo is learning about the significance of Juneteenth (despite the failings of her public school education). After the break, we'll tell you why folks are upset with Google's apparent misrepresentation of Winston Churchill in its search results, and express our disappoin…
#259: Killjoy McDowner
June 13th, 2020 · 94 minutes
This week, we're diving into the Android 11 Beta, which Andy and Flo are both using on their Pixel devices. We'll also talk about why YouTube's commitment to amplifying black creators on its network is too little too late, and we'll tell you about Alphabet's pilot program for delivering library books by drone.
#258: Not Quite Business as Usual
June 5th, 2020 · 90 minutes
Andy and Flo lament about their "corona hair" before getting into the specifics of how to cop-proof your smartphone. We discuss why Google postponed the Android 11 Beta event and what the leaks tell us about the next version. We dissect Google's show of solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and why the company might be shifting away from relying on …
#257: The "Stuff" Chair
May 29th, 2020 · 86 minutes
Andy and Flo throw it all on a chair this week to see what sticks and what falls to the ground. Flo has started reading The Making of the Tech Worker Movement by Ben Tarnoff, and she hopes you'll join her for this weekend's book club. Andy wonders if Chrome OS will ever feel like a Mac or PC. Then, we break down WIRED's supersized interview with…
#256: Lacking Certain Conviction
May 21st, 2020 · 86 minutes
Flo goes down the rabbit hole where YouTubers get radicalized, and Andy has a billion-dollar idea for movie studios. Then, we'll talk about why Sundar Pichai said making hardware is hard. We'll also run through Android's new Accessibility features in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and Google and Apple's new API to help fight co…
#255: Put Some Paper Over It
May 16th, 2020 · 90 minutes
Andy and Flo take this week to dissect why the Pixel phone is losing key members of its team. We'll touch upon the reports that Google is stepping away from varying diversity initiatives. And we introduce the cast of animals and mitochondria you can hang out with in augmented reality.
#254: To Each Their Own in Quarantine
May 8th, 2020 · 88 minutes
Flo is getting restless in quarantine, though Andy assures her there is light at the end of the tunnel. We'll discuss Google's virtual Android 11 beta reveal happening on June 3, and why Google's quantum computing darling's exit reminds us of the Silicon Valley drama depicted in Alex Garland's Devs. We'll also dive into why we're feeling a tad s…
#253: Wear OS By Google Smartwatch Too
April 30th, 2020 · 95 minutes
Andy and Flo have a lot to get off their chests. Flo feels embarrassed for wearing out her Pixelbook, while Andy calls it "brassing." You'll find out why Andy returned his Wear OS watch upon opening the box and why he blew his $20 Google Store credit on a battery pack for the Google Home Mini. Then, we'll discuss the latest reviews of the Pixel Bu…