How the iPhone, Android, and Facebook changed everything in CNET UK podcast 400

[MUSIC] 400 knocked out. Hello and welcome. You're listening to the CNET UK podcast, and this is episode 400, for Friday the 22nd of August, 2014. [INAUDIBLE] the iphone 6 is alsmost here. It's all going on. And to celebrate this historic episode, come with us on a journey back through time, to a time before facebook. Before the iPhone, back to 2006 when this here podcast was born. But, first I'm Rich Trenholm, and joining me in our hi-tech London studio this week is Luke [UNKNOWN] Hello! Good to see you. Good to see you. Happy Episode 400! And to you, and to you. And, and Andrew, Andrew Boyle. Hey! I'm glad I got invited to this party. Yeah. Yeah, it was like, you know. Friends getting together, what if, what if they decided I wasn't useful? What, to, to be in the special, special episode? Well, you know. This is going to be the best episode ever you guys. That's absolutely a promise we are making now! [LAUGH] Not legally binding. Right, first of all why don't we, a, as always you can see this this here video on YouTube.com/cnet, whatever it is. We all look good. I think you should watch the video. If you haven't already, go and see it, because man. Handsome Treyo. All right if you're a podcast listener and you haven't tried out, well we've got our best shirts on and everything. Well some. Well, I only have one shirt. And I've worn it for two days in a row because I thought we were recording yesterday. [LAUGH] But I did wash it last night. And. I promise. And you grown a rather tasty dish. Since, oh yeah, cause we've not recorded in three weeks. And my beard has grown out. Look at that. It's like a, bit like Sherwood forest. When, when we're not recording the podcast, we're literally sitting on an island somewhere growing a beard. Yeah. Anyway well yeah, so check that out on YouTube or CNET. And for now, Andy, why don't you kick us off with the news? So, I'm gonna kick off this round of, of an era, Mm-hm. With an end of a era, if I may. It's all talking about Steve Ballmer, who has finally stepped down completely, severed his ties. With Microsoft- Yea. and he's now stepped down from the executive board,- and has nothing more to do with the company. What is he doing instead? Well,- he's now Steve baller, if I may, as he now has complete ownership of the LA Clippers basketball team. I do think he's going to rename them to the LA Clippies. Well he should. He really should. Well that, [INAUDIBLE] quite a character anyway. Looked like he was trying to do a dunk. [LAUGH] Would you need any help? Not now clippy. No. Not now. The game's lost. No. [LAUGH] Click no. Cool. [INAUDIBLE]. Okay well I will also talk to you a little bit about the iPhone 6 because that is coming up soon and we've got some and Hot Topic [CROSSTALK] It is a bit of a hot topic yeah. But we got some, some, some unknowns going on. It may have a sapphire screen. But it may not [UNKNOWN] thing, that's gonna have this sort of screen that's going to make it really resistant to cracks, and we're also still not sure about, the ram, there's been some, some discussion going around that it's going to have way more ram than before to handle all this multitasking, who knows, but, what I will say is the iPhone, we are expecting it in early September, so maybe when we come back from Ether around the 9th of September. Some time around then is when we're gonna start seeing some invites for, for an actual unveiling. What do you think of that? That's, that's very exciting, I'm looking forward to that. Yeah, we've had some, we've had some good leaks. Still with the iPhone rumors though, the iPhone leaks. I mean that's, I mean through the last eight years, the more things change the more things stay the same, there's been an absolute constant. Is in this podcast, is is, is iPhone rumors. Right back to the very first podcasts way back in 2006 when the iPhone rumors were whether there would be an iPhone. Crazy. Crazy. And back then that was when Andrew Lim, who was our mobile phone reviewer. Some of you long time listeners may remember. He said that if Apple ever brought out an iPhone he would eat his chair, and he never actually ate that chair. [LAUGH]. So, as is this a special episode- Drumroll please. As a special guest returning for just this one time only, here is that chair that he would have eaten. There it is ladies and gentlemen. Look at it! He, he, he couldn't be here himself, but, there you go. I think he would have, we would have had trouble with that. Yeah, I mean, it's metal. I mean, I've seen, I've seen Andy Lin go through some Burger Kings at three o'clock in the morning, but that's a whole. Different ball game. Yeah, it looks like it. That's more of a stool, really isn't it? Yeah, but back in 2006, that's all it was, is the Internet was just cobwebs and metal stools. This was a podcast studio back then. Yeah. It was just three people, sat on that one stool. Andy Lee would sit in here, send the signal using semafore- They just, sort of, shout into a bucket and that's how they record it. Okay cool and what else is going on in news this week? Okay so the UK police, that's our police force everybody. Good reminder. [LAUGH] They have been warned about tweeting, about tweeting when drunk, about tweeting when naked, and about tweeting with donuts. General bit of a social media warning. I mean really after, after, various police have been found to have been breaking social media guidelines, to the extent where apparently one in ten actually lost their jobs over tweeting things that, One in ten people who had problems with social media right? Do have problems, yeah, not in all the police. That would be quite a dramatic cut in armor in our security force. [LAUGH] yes. yeah. Okay, so, so no tweeting drunk, so not tweeting drunk. No, not when you're drunk. So I've broken that. [CROSSTALK] This is hard to remember. Not tweeting [INAUDIBLE] especially not all three at the same time. I actually found that out the other day to my, to my cost. That, that's common sense for all of three not just the police. I think that's good advice for everybody really. Killjoys though. [LAUGH] Yeah, just, you know, just don't tweet ever. [LAUGH]. Probably, probably why. Or be not drunk sometimes, and tweet then. [LAUGH] Well if he didn't, if he didn't tweet naked then you wouldn't tweet at all. I mean it's not like you're at your desk at work. I have to be, I feel like I get a real creative block if I'm dressed and- Those trousers really do block things. Anyway that's quite a bit of that I think, let's. Why don't we go back now and get a bit nostalgic. [MUSIC] Yes, it's time to go back now, back, back through the mists of time to 2006 when a handful of brave tech experts and gadget geeks came together. To form the fellowship of the CNET UK Crave podcast. Back then this podcast was far from the multimedia extravaganza you see today. In fact, the show was born in cramped cupboard downstairs with that still in it. And it sounded a little bit like this. [MUSIC] Hello, welcome to the Crave podcast. [LAUGH] Hello. Hello. Welcome to the Crave podcast episode number 58. I'm Rory Reid, in the studio with Kate Macefield. Hi there. Rupert Goodwins. Hello. So yes, over the past 8 years, this little show has been presented each week by such tech luminaries as Rory Reed, Rupert Goodwins, Chris Stevens, Kate Macefield, Andrew Lynn, Guy Coka, Shannon Doubleday. Nate Lankson, Ian Morris, Flora Graham, Nick Hyde, Katie Collins, Jason Jenkins, and these idiots here as well will be there and your humble correspondent. And of course, it's not just about the talent. The podcast has been produced by many skilled audio and video professionals. Behind the camera too, like oh, what's his name? And there was that guy with the beard and There was, one, a guy, I'm sure there was someone had some glasses. Yeah, there was. The, the thing, that, that yeah. Those guys. Well, you know, always had a shirt. That's the one. That's the one. But despite the changes in cast over the eight years we've been on the air, one thing has remained constant, our love for the latest technology. So to celebrate episode 400 we've rounded some of our thoughts on the tech that has defined this incredible period of change. Luke you weren't even born eight years ago were you? No I wasn't. [LAUGH] What would. What would define the past eight years for you? [LAUGH] I was feeling so warm and fuzzy about this podcast. And now I'm not. The thing that has defined the last eight years for me is social media. So if you jump back to 2006, it's actually quite a special time, not just cause this podcast started, but it was the time when Facebook started to arrive in the UK and we were starting to get our very first social. Media experiences, in fact I remember listening to Nate Langston in Paris, this was his first social media experience. Anyone here used Second Life? I've tried it, yeah, Have you been approached by a Catholic missionary? No. You haven't been there long enough. I was approached by. Like a half naked guy with a leg going through his chest. [LAUGH] Just kind of walking along backwards. [LAUGH] And I thought, this is not for me, go away, I'm gonna go and do something more interesting instead. So joined Facebook instead. So I joined Facebook, yeah. And of course Facebook at first was controversial. From the start we've got another clip here. This is the scene at UK Podcast back in May 2007. Mm-hm. So this is when Facebook had sort of left the university [CROSSTALK] Started to take off a bit. Yeah, it started taking off in kind of real life with, with normal people not just students. And we've got [UNKNOWN] Chris Stevens who puts forward his case against the social network. . Here we go. I think the big problem with Facebook is that you, you get into this huge level of one-upmanship with your fellow man. But instead of it just being in a tiny social group, instead of you sort of being vaguely concerned about whether or not your kind of on, on a decent social footing with the five or six people who are in your immediate friendship group. You start looking at all the hundreds of people you've known throughout your life and making sure you have more friends than them. Making sure that you belong to the coolest groups. Making sure that you look like you're doing cool things, cuz you posted the right photos. I just think, like, there's, there's a good reason why human beings have been designed to have smaller friendship groups. And that's cuz they're more rewarding. And Facebook just encourages you to collect huge numbers of friends, and sort, sort of creates this illusion of closeness with them that doesn't exist in reality, and will eventually drive you insane. So insane strong. Yeah. Strong, strong phrasing. but, actually, I think what, what was really savvy about that, and well done Chris when in 2007, kind of, hitting the nail square on the head- Absolutely, yeah. In terms of Facebook, was the, the fact that our social network really is quite different to who we really are. I find that I, and I'm sure you guys do as well, cherry pick the things that we post and the photos we put up. In this sort of Instagram culture to basically create a social avatar of ourselves who is like me having a really good time all the time. You know? Yeah, like you but with trousers on, and, and doing better. Yeah exactly, like there's, you know, there's loads of, there's loads of days where I, it doesn't even occur to me to put anything on Facebook. But actually that's kinda how it started, it was like find out what people are doing, what people are up to. Lot's of photos of your cat on Facebook, but less complaints about your constapation for example. [LAUGH] Or, any other, any other ailes that you may. Well I find that the cat gives me some spiritual and physical wellness that [LAUGH] it's no longer an issue. Yeah I find that my cat is more popular than anything that I can do. So you know, in that same way. I could make my cat his own Facebook. No, no, no, that's a real slippery slope, I shouldn't do that, should I? [CROSSTALK] Then we can stop putting up with your nonsense in between the cat thing. But going back to 2006 again, here's a personal anecdote for you. In 2006, my first year of university, and, the, the very first thing someone said to me when I arrived on my first day in one of the main halls. I was going to a computer room to setup my university email address. And someone, a year older than me, came up to me and said like you've got to get on Facebook. I was like, I don't know what that is, but okay. They say try new things. [LAUGH]. So, they eloped straight from the off, it was, it was, it was kind there for my whole academic life. So, and yeah, it totally defined it. That's it. Well, when I first started at university, which was a little bit earlier than that- Mm. not, not too much earlier than that. But, I, my, our definition of a social network was the pay phone at the end of the corridor. That was first when I got an email, when I first went away to university. It's interesting that, you know this quote comes from Chris when he was thinking about Facebook back then. It was all about the you know, people were worried about the implications on a personal level, what it would mean to you and how it would shape your personality, but. It's funny how a decade later, social media has become kind of all pervasive in, in, society and, and in the media as well. It's it's you know, it changes the way things that newsrooms have reported, for example. Yes. Yeah. I mean, we've seen we've seen there's been some obviously tragic events recently in places like Gaza or in Ferguson in the, in the United States. Where citizen journalism has become this you know really powerful force where the press can't necessarily get access to these places but there's people tweeting photographs and filming, filming what's happening and it's a really big, a really big thing. And in the mainstream press reaction to that as well. We're seeing things like, you know, celebrities tweeting becomes a news story. Yeah, that's right Yeah When celebrities have arguments, that kind of thing. Or when something happens, something happens you can have a celebrity reaction roundup. Exactly These are all the stuff we know to. Immediately tweet something. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And they don't always necessarily tweet the the most sensible thing, but, but they go. I feel closer than ever to my favorite celebs and yet so more much distant. [LAUGH] It's true. You see, and, I mean, you know, there's other issues as well, I mean, that some celebrities face there's the issues of, of trolling and cyberbullying. So all day they'll get constant abuse. And even people who aren't necessarily. Not necessarily that much in the public eye will get that abuse and, and cyber bullying. And especially school kids as well have to face these issues. So, it's a kind of real gray area, especially for these young kids and we didn't really have to grow up with that necessarily. I know I certainly didn't anyway. All these years later we're still figuring it out. Hm. Not interested. That's not just my reaction to what you said. [LAUGH] But someone who- Okay. Someone on Facebook. A little hurt. Someone who's put their name on Facebook as Not. Spelt N-O-K-N-O-T-T. Not interested. Says, before social media I had a little bit of faith in humanity. Now it's gone. Yeah. Well that's bleak, that's bleak. On the other hand, social media does kind of already amplify things that already existed. It's on a much wider scale but we always had bullying and abuse and that kind of thing. I mean there must be some nice stories about [UNKNOWN] Well Matt Greenfield, Himself actually [UNKNOWN] That's true. [UNKNOWN] says, before social media, I was a shy nerd who never spoke to anyone, now I'm a shy nerd who talks about tech and Dr. Who to complete strangers. Yeah. So [CROSSTALK] We built a whole career on that, but yeah. Yes we have. Not that you guys are strangers, listeners but our dear friends. We've never felt so close to you. Never felt so close. you are, you're being, if I can say a bit negative about the whole. Think. But let's not forget that it's great for keeping in touch with like all your old school friends. I mean, you can meet someone from, from somewhere and then get them on Facebook, immediately know everything about them, you know, their whole life story. You never have to actually speak to them. You never have to have that conversation. You can have a brief initial conversation. Just get the name. Yeah. And maybe sort of, like a friend in contacts and then. You can decide at your, at your leisure, do I want to take this friendship further. You can be like, are they into cats? [LAUGH] For example, you can- [CROSSTALK] We're not gonna get on. It's true that, I mean you can keep in touch with your grand as well. Yeah, and you know at your parents can like the things that you put on and your gram can comment on your photos and all that. Brilliant use of [CROSSTALK] social [CROSSTALK] which is not necessarily good. Martin [UNKNOWN] says I think social media has helped as many people as it has hindered. I find it great to keep in touch with old school mates and family that have moved abroad, but things like the fact people aren't seen as being officially in a relationship until it's updated on Facebook. Have caused issues out of nothing. I believe social media sites will always be popular, and will continue to influence our language and culture. It's true, the language aspect. Lol. [LAUGH] Yeah. Poke. And some others probably. [CROSSTALK] [INAUDIBLE] on the business side as well. Like so many brands, like, the first thing they do, like, when new companies start up is. Get some sort of social media party, like it's seen as this cornerstone that they need to have. So many people's careers now revolve completely around, social media. Like, it's such an important way that we can, like, interact. Bran, it does mean that you can get on Twitter and flirt with Greg. That was my first job, not flirting with Greg. [LAUGH] Being a social media person. [UNKNOWN] Once again, so we're talking to each other, but we're enjoying ourselves differently [INAUDIBLE]. When it comes to [LAUGH] [CROSSTALK] That's what it says here, right? Okay, when it comes to movies and TV obviously the internet has just changed everything. For example back in 2006 we just had HDTV was coming along. Oh, yeah. And Chris Stevens again, he wasn't that sure about HDTV. HDTV, actually. Apparently, it shows up every wrinkle, spot, and blemish, and Television Week says someone like Katherine Zeta-Jones who has naturally beautiful skin and hair looks good on HDTV, while Cameron Diaz suffers in comparison. So, do we really want to shatter the illusion of these beautiful Holllywood stars? Do we want Brad Pitt to become Brad pitted or Scarlet Johansson to become. Scarlet where's-my-sick-bucket Johansson? That was Strong words there. Yeah, that's rude [UNKNOWN] But, it sounds, but it sounds that weird that it wasn't actually HDTV and it certainly wasn't 3D TV that, changed our viewing habits. It was YouTube, or, well, YouTube, Netflix- Lovely YouTube. iPlayer, all that kind of thing. I don't even have a TV anymore, but I probably watch more TV than ever. And, this something that Flor actually nailed way back in 2009. It's clear that although, yes a lot of people won't give up their t, their free torrents and their pirated stuff, for most people it's worth a small chunk of change in order to get what they want without any drama. And of course, you know, if you actually watch commercial T.V. it's 99% unwatchably boring. [LAUGH] But if you have a choice to watch only the best shows whenever you want them. It's really not too bad. There's some really great stuff being produced and you know, you're paying for it anyway through your TV license, so you might as well enjoy it. Spot on Flora, as always, but yeah. The thing is though, maybe with all this choice, with two spoiled and that choice is given a right to a sense of entitlement testing on it a few years ago we would actually wait for new TV shows to come out from the US as if they were actually coming on a steam ship or something. Yeah. Feel like. Such an idiot. Hm. For all those years. We're such chumps. Well this is, this is where piracy came from. This is, this is how piracy was able to get entrenched. Because they were, it was sort of the TV industry was slow to react to the, the change to online. Mm. And, you know, who wants to wait for Game of Thrones or the latest, you know, Blockbuster. Blockbuster [CROSSTALK] latest silver screen extravaganza with Ronald Reagan and, and friends. [LAUGH] You know, when you can watch it immediately for free. Exactly. I wouldn't wanna wait for that. What was Ronald. [LAUGH] What are they up to, Ronald and Nancy, what are they up to, that, that pair. I think it's on Netflix. I bet you can see Ronald and Nancy on Netflix now. Yeah, well, the thing with Netflix, there's almost, there's almost, too much choice. I mean there's just so many things, and so many new shows, and so many old shows that you never heard of. I mean I find I spend most of my time on Netflix just browsing through the catalog, like not actually watching the things. Yeah, but, I actually, I wonder if that's something that will go away with each generation. Because, I have the same problem just flicking endlessly though the Netflix grid, like a fly trapped in a, like in a square spider web. [LAUGH] But that's because I have this real weird about I don't want to press start on a film or a TV show and then not finish it. That to me would feel really odd. So, I have to decide out what it's gonna be and then try it. But I wonder if. Future generations because they maybe will be thinking about television and entertainment differently. Hm. Might be happier to dip into something. Hm. Be like the first five minutes of this movie has not grabbed me. Hm. I'm out. Where as you know I feel like I have to commit. So, maybe, maybe, this problem will go away. Yeah, yeah that's true. Alright well I find that when I'm watching, cause I mean, it takes me ages to choose Netflix and then if I get like five minutes in and it doesn't grab me, I, I, I, still, I feel the same as you, I don't want to not, not, not, finish it. But, I do find myself like looking it up on IMDB and then looking at other movies and all that kind of thing Oh On my phone and my iPad The trivia Yeah, exactly, the trivia. The goose. The goose. You always see a spoiler first thing. Yeah, exactly [LAUGH]. Like trivia in the twist at the end where Ron falls on a big spike. [LAUGH] Oh, that's a Harry Potter spoiler by the way guys [LAUGH] if you haven't seen the movie. [LAUGH] I'm pretty sure the statue of limitations or for that is actually the statute of limitations [CROSSTALK] He doesn't. [CROSSTALK] Did I miss the whole film? You didn't. You didn't read, you didn't read the Spike. Harry Potter and the, this random spikes everywhere for some reason. [LAUGH] Harry Potter and the big scary. [UNKNOWN] He can't wade through the book. [LAUGH] You make a good point, actually, about each generation. We've got Netflix, Amazon, web series, and YouTube, all producing their own content. The question now, is like, what actually is television? It's all about, it's a terrible word, but it is a word that describes it, it's all about content, and choosing the screen you want to consume that content. And it can be a massive big screen, or it can be a little tiny screen. Well, Rich. I am glad that you segued so perfectly into what I want to talk about. Segue is the thing that enables all this online video, it enables all this great social media. It is of course, the smart phone. Now this is a thing that has unquestionably changed our lives in every single way. It changes the way we interact with our own lives. It changes the way we interact with our friends and our family. And at work it changes. It changes everything. Like everything has been completely changed since the arrival of, of smartphone. Hm. Yes it has. Yes it has. And our. > And our readers agreed. We asked on Twitter in fact this wasn't about smartphones. This was just like how has your technology life changed? Hm. And the response was nearly unanimous. Raff says none other than smartphone. Mr. Wind. Great name says smartphone. iPad low jack says smartphone, Anna says iPhone hands down, Jenay Comulcar says my favorite gadget is definitely the smartphone has changed lives, and Frank R says Yeah The modern smartphone is a complete game changer and a major part of my life. There you go. Absolutely right, it is a game changer, I mean, it's partly cause of the, the technology in it as well that has. Develop so much it's actually it's actually replacing most of our other devices. Like the camera in phone is so good that we that we don't often carry compact cameras as often and, and we can work on them [INAUDIBLE] so we don't need laptops as often and games consoles as well. Maps as of course Physical maps. Who carries a map anymore? We've got Google maps. . So we think about everything that. The, this phone now packs in. Mm. That we just don't have separate devices for. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but that's kind of ironic cuz you got Angry, Angry Birds in your phone? [CROSSTALK] Candy which was a real weight off my mind, really time saver for me. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And cutting ropes too. I don't, don't need to. Exactly All these things Although it was just as hard back then, to make a Flappy Bird fly through a series of pipes [LAUGH] Yeah Another thing too, the, the, software I am on that as well, Like sort of back in 2006, Android was this, still this new, this new, start up and thing. A concept Yeah, there's concepts, and then, and then Google buys it, and it's flourished from this tiny start up to this. You know, to the world's biggest smart phone platform In such a short period. in such a short space of time. It's just absolutely skyrocketed. But of course, not everyone was, was exactly on board with Androids. We'll hear from this, quote from Nate. You know, this is the problem with an Android- Yes? Is that it's, it's like, it's like building a horse- Why have we got mammals on this, on the show today? I don't know, there's something wrong with both of you. Where are we going with these analogies? No, no, no, building a horse. Out of lots of bits of other animals, and just making it look a bit like a horse, and it sort of runs a long, and it tries, but really they kill me Alright, well That's fantastic right there. That sums it up perfectly. Well done then [UNKNOWN] Phones, phones are at the center of everything. Our social, not literally, but you know spiritually [LAUGH] our social lives, like smart homes in the future. It, it is weird actually. You, it used to be, like as Andy was saying, the iPhone kill list is massive. We had all these devices, and now it feels like my whole tech life has become extremely centralized around like this. Weird, rectangle portal thing. Absolutely. We're always connected. Yeah. And in fact, ever since the iPhone came along basically and kind of revolutionized smartphones the phones have kind of indirectly changed the way everything else is done. It's not just about the devices you got rid of, but it's everything else as well. It's so for example, the concept of apps came along with the iPhone. I know the first one, but eventually. And then Android also had. I absolutely have this idea of like eco-systems and. Yeah. That's like to come, you know, you can bring your own device systems thing. You're always connected at work. If you happened to have your your working email on your phone. And that might have been started with Blackberry which has taken off in the last few years and you're always connected. Yeah. Mm-hm. So that mean, you know, sometimes you go home and and can you got to bed? Can you go to sleep? You can't [CROSSTALK]. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. The blackberry is still a, still a problem. Yeah, it's bigger than ever. Yeah, exactly. Speaking of, [INAUDIBLE] I think that How many companies are now multi billion dollar companies from, from making apps. And it's only something that's risen in the past few years. Hm. Yeah. It's odd. It's unbelievable. What a time to be alive and this huge technology change has happened. It's okay. [LAUGH] I mean I think, you know, the, the, the first year, the early years of the 21st century I think are gonna be looked back as, you know, one of these real kinda exponential. [INAUDIBLE] [CROSSTALK] technology. Yeah, you know how it feels. It feels like maybe the [INAUDIBLE] were a bit rubbish, and we were all dawdling and we didn't really have any sort of cultural brilliance to kind of hook onto. Yeah. And then in the latter half of [INAUDIBLE] in this decade, there was a bit [CROSSTALK] phone Yeah something. Taylor Swift in bright colors and app stores and stuff. [CROSSTALK] Maybe we'll come back to that one. [CROSSTALK] How's the smartphone. Peaks though and how, particularly, has the excitement peaked around it? Cuz it was the case when so each new revision of a smart phone would bring something totally new and revolutionary and the excitement around Apple launches was just immense and people would just flood to see these things and when we'd cover them like thousands, and thousands, thousand, thousand people would, would come watch us. And there's still some excitement there but it's definitely, it's definitely dropped of. Yeah. And in particular with Samsung's launches in the past couple of years. The excitement hasn't been quite the same. yeah the, the smartphone market I think now is depressingly like the pc market was a while ago. And they, you know, smartphones were exciting when, you could still **** them up [LAUGH] But now, but now that the components are so much cheaper, and and stuff like that. And that we've sort of really kind of reached this, agreed status of what the Smartphone should be. You know? There's no more tinkering. Yeah. No one, no one now is like let's tie a projector on it or something weird like that. So, yeah. Everything's great but everything's pretty much the same. Yeah, exactly. Everything's great. And everything is very cheap as well. So you can, you can. Doesn't really matter now what smart phone you go for, you're gonna get a good experience. Yeah, they all do it. Okay. Like laptops were a few years ago. Yeah, laptops are kind of the way out. As well as desk tops are really, really suffering as well, in the wake of tablets. But so, so the next big thing is suppose to be wearables. That's what everyone is talking about. Yes. That's suppose to be the big explosive change over the next. See. [INAUDIBLE] Is, is there really that much antethis [INAUDIBLE] where are we excited about? where Well we haven't, we haven't seen it yet. I mean maybe that's just because the right thing hasn't, hasn't been launched yet and, obviously then, we're all thinking well what if Apple does the iWatch? Is that gonna be the thing that really sparks this new excitement for a completely new category Like the iPhone did. As smartphones. Exactly. The way the iPhone did for smartphones. Maybe Apple can do the same with the iWatch. It's a wearable. I mean, we got a few now when Android wear has started, and, and in fact I'm wearing my, LBG watch. And we got the Samsung one and the Motorola one. But I'm wearing my Tom Tom watch, it's not really the same thing Yeah, and I You're wearing a Casio watch from like 1984 I only wear [INAUDIBLE] only doctor [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGH] I think both internally, and, and the tech geek scene and the tech journalism world, that we know. None of us really has this massive amount of excitement. Nor, I think, do most of our readers, like some- Yeah Yeah, some of them write popular articles, but there's not that buzz at all. I'm not, I'm not getting calls from family saying like, tell me more about what Android Wear- Yeah is, I'm so excited about this. And was the great thing with smartphones, is it presented you and actually I think that's what the first iPhone did so well- Mm-hm. is it presented you with something you didn't know you wanted yet. Right. And so, it'll be interesting to see basically if the technology industry can repeat the trick because it's hoping that'll show people smart watches and they'll go oh man, I never realised I wanted a fancy watch but I totally do. But there's part of me wondering if maybe people will go, I don't want that. [LAUGH] Well, that's kind of what we talked about, that's kind of what we talked about the iPad, wasn't it? Mm. Just big iPod Touch, and no one would want that. Yeah, that's true. [INAUDIBLE] But that's the thing. It does make it quite difficult to kind of predict the next thing. But let's have a go at it anyway, why not? [LAUGH] Yeah. We've looked back over the past eight years. We looked back to 2002. So why don't we look ahead now? This is podcast four, [INAUDIBLE] head to podcast 800, and what gadgets do you think we talked about? Andy. Ooh. Okay. The connected shoehorn. Yes. No, [CROSSTALK] We definitely didn't [CROSSTALK] Alright. Maybe, the smart pacemaker. Go on. So, it can track your blood alcohol levels, and it can automatically clean out your arteries of any gunk that's been in there. [INAUDIBLE] And it can regulate your heartbeat, and it can, Oh, it'll will tell you, how, you'll know how excited you are. It will track your heartbeat you know how excited you are, you know watching things on Netflix. Yeah, yeah. And it'll recommend much more effectively new shows so you won't have to spend all your time finding these new shows. Nice. Incredible. Although you because it is primary a health gadget. It would be like. Those Breaking Bads getting your heart rates up a bit. Turn it off. [LAUGH] Turn off the TV, and I'll run you a bath. [LAUGH] You gotta sit down. That sounds fine with me actually. Yeah. That's. [INAUDIBLE] What about you, Nick? Have you got any, input [UNKNOWN]? Yeah, well, I mean, the best technology always reacts to consumer needs. Mm. And I think, around podcast 800 time, probably the Earth is gonna be covered in water. Maybe not from global warming, but I just have this feeling that somehow, you know, [LAUGH] but something. You blaming Evian for [UNKNOWN] their going to make too much water. Yes. They dug, they dug too deep! [LAUGH] [CROSSTALK]. They mind two [LAUGH] They did it, they finally did it. [CROSSTALK] Yeah I just wondered that there's this huge under water amount of liquid and it's all going to come to the surface basically. Yes well that's magma and liquid rock. [CROSSTALK] technology Yeah, boat. More smaller, more effective, more powerful personal phones that are connected. You and me both. Tweet me. The smart bite. Perfect for the oceaned down future. Humanity's future is beneath the waves. I've always said that. Did you say hugemanity? Cause that would be a good device. Like connect to hugemanity. Well, personally I think my money is on wearable technology. It's wearable. It goes on. Wearable. Yep. That be good. Because you can then you could. Smart buttons. Then you could take your wearable off. Mm. Wearable [UNKNOWN] wearable. Exactly. What [UNKNOWN] have a little. And you'll still be connectable even when you weren't wearing your wearable. Watch can have on his hand. [LAUGH] Nice. [INAUDIBLE] Good predictions we'll have to revisit those. Back in, when do get to Point Cast 800. I'm looking forward to that. But now it's time for the quiz. All right, so in this weeks quiz we pull one out to absent friends and celebrate those we have loved and lost. Mainly because they were rubbish. So the current leaderboard is, Jason. Pull one out? Pour one out. Pour one out. Yeah, when you pour one out for your homies. I thought you said pull one out. [LAUGH] okay, I will try, I will try and annunciate I'm sorry. Just whip it out. [LAUGH] For all my lost friends. That's alright. I don't annunciate [UNKNOWN] la, la, la, la. This week we rub one out for [UNKNOWN] [LAUGH] That would be a real quiz. [LAUGH] Sorry. Seriously. Serious quiz. Let's get quizzical. Let's get quizzical. So, in this week's quiz, we pull one out for absent friends, and celebrate those we have loved and lost. Mainly because they were rubbish. It's a whole quiz about technology flops from the last eight years. Ooh! So, the current quiz leaderboard is Jason. Is on three points. Mm-hm. Andy is on three points. Mm-hm. Why didn't you say my name first? Cuz I don't sound like I'm at the top and it's alphabetical. [LAUGH] It's actually at the bottom, yeah. And Luke is on two points. [CROSSTALK] Luke has a chance to bring it all square, actually, yeah. But Andy has opportunity to pull ahead. Buzzer wise Luke sounds like this Nice. Andy sounds like this. Good so, fingers on buzzers. Fastest finger first. Right. Question one, are you ready? Yes. Which device was described in 2010 as Life Caster but it lacked apps and as a result its lifespan was relatively short? There's a clue in the question there. Mm. Relatively short. Oh. Andy. You buzzed in. You've got to answer. no, I was just going to guess a life caster. It's not the correct answer. [CROSSTALK] But, but just repeating back your question. [CROSSTALK] No, well, you said, you said there was a clue in the question. [CROSSTALK] I can picture this. I can kind of picture it. Yeah. Hang on. Loop formerly [UNKNOWN] in. yeah, it was a, I'll give you, I'll give half a point for the right company. Okay. Microsoft. I'll give half a point. Can the device for the rest of the point. Was it the, was it that phone that failed? Was it the wasn't the Kin? Yes it was. Yeah! The Microsoft Kin. Relatively, you see? Relatively. Do you get it? That is so cryptic. That had nothing to do with me getting it. >Okay. Right, right. But, I, I still appreciate that you, I was think relative. [UNKNOWN] and that's what threw me off and and that's why I got it wrong. Oh, I see well okay well then. Well that, yeah, [CROSSTALK]. Honestly I only guessed Microsoft because I think they have the most flops [LAUGH] it was a statistical guess, I did, I did not know. [CROSSTALK]. I like it, yeah. Microsoft [INAUDIBLE] I think that was, I believe that was back in 20- Man, I think. Yeah, that sounds right. It was a phone that was going to compete with everything and then they canceled it because it was a terrible idea. It was absolutely terrible. It was announced in April and it was dead by July. It was dead. I don't think it actually came to this country and so there you go. OK question two. The long awaited Blackberry 10 was supposed to rescue Blackberry, or as it was called [UNKNOWN] from the death spiral. But what was it called before a judge ruled that RIM had to change its name? Before it was called Blackberry 10, what was it called? Andy. Oh, [UNKNOWN] what was the company called? Or what was Blackberry 10 called? What was Blackberry 10 called? What about [INAUDIBLE]? Any, any thoughts? Blackberry pie. That's a [INAUDIBLE] answer. Good answer, I like it, but unfortunately incorrect. Luke? Okay, okay, it's one of, one of two things, but I can't remember what was it officially called BB10? [INAUDIBLE] All, I know we're kind of two guesses and I've already lost it, Okay. But I kinda wanna just have a go [INAUDIBLE]. Go ahead. Wasn't it called something like QNX, or something like that? That was what it was built on? That was what it was built on, but so, yeah, no, I'm sorry, that's not correct. That's fine. [INAUDIBLE] It was called BBX, originally, as in BB 10. Oh, I remember! God. I remember. But then a judge ruled that they weren't allowed to use BBX because someone else had owned the trademark, just like pretty much any name in gadget history that's been owned by someone else. But they use [INAUDIBLE] What a plot, that one. All right, so that's Luke at 1 and Andy on 0, Yeah. So this is the final, the final question. Okay, okay, okay. What's gonna happen next? Right. Question 3. Which very short lit was described thusly by CNET reader The Leaf. A living nightmare. [LAUGH] I received a device for free on an upgrade delivered to my door at 9:45. 25 hours later, I sent it back. Awful, even for free. Don't go there. Scathing stuff. What device was being described there by this CNET reader? Mm,. For free. Yep. For free, which makes me think that it was a, I, I suppose it would make me thing it was a phone, but I I don't have a clue as to [UNKNOWN] hasn't buzzed in. I haven't buzzed in yet. I don't want to waste my buzz. [LAUGH] [UNKNOWN] I'm waiting for Andy to freak out, panic, and buzz in. Do we have a year for this? Did he give us a year? Oh, that's a good question. I can't give you a year. No, in fact, yes I can. I, No, I can't. Can't give you that. [LAUGH] Oh my god, it's been [UNKNOWN] rollercoaster. [INAUDIBLE]. Well, I think we reached [CROSSTALK] .stalemate, I refuse to [UNKNOWN] in. [LAUGH]. Andy. [INAUDIBLE]. I nearly cracked. Now think [UNKNOWN] give it away. Oh, stop it. So this is, this is, I mean, bear in mind, this is not a device to assist a [INAUDIBLE]. This is a device that was a failure across the board and it [UNKNOWN]. And it was polled straight afterwards. Yes. And what, what, did you say what month? Did you say, did he say a month? I did not give you a month, no. It's getting a bit 20 Questions. You both, then. Where's the an, what's the answer? Okay. I'm going to go with the HP TouchPad. Oh, I like your thinking. That's, that was an absolute disaster. Yeah, that was on sale for about three months without being sold. It's not the correct answer. I'm gonna give you half a point just for buzzing in- Oh, okay. Because of Luke's, Luke's messing around. Oh, man! Okay. Okay go on. Okay. Give it a shot. Let's see. If you got it for free, then it could feasible have been the Blackberry Playbook. Is the wrong answer. It was the Nokia N8. Oh! Which was barely, barely made into [INAUDIBLE] It had a good camera. Well that's the thing. The hardware formed the basis. Of the the, N eight hundreds? [CROSSTALK] When the Windows phones were [INAUDIBLE]. Yeah [CROSSTALK] it was the way it, yeah, but the design, the shape of it [CROSSTALK] but it was running Symbian, which, which- Was awful. Meant that it was- Was a disaster [CROSSTALK] but don't go there, as the [UNKNOWN] put it. So there you go. Good job, [UNKNOWN]. [CROSSTALK] Well summed-up. That was, that was pretty, pretty close there. Yeah. One to. A half [LAUGH] One to a half [LAUGH] So, Luke takes up their tiebreaker just for fun. How long did we have to wait for BB10 from the date it was renamed to the date it was released? Remember that- From it, from when it was renamed to when it was released? Renamed, yes. Okay. Number of months? Any idea? Number of months? Yep. Andy buzzed in, gonna give us- I'm gonna say 36. That was like three years. It was a long time ago. It wasn't quite that long. Luke do you have any idea? Okay. So, it came out in January 2012. And- Close. January 2013. Oh. Oh yeah, January 2013. Oh my god. That's so recent. That is nuts. Gone now, basically. [LAUGH] Well, it's still around. It's still limping along. Yes, well you say, technically, so like, I'm gonna say, eight months. It was 13 months, that we had to wait for BlackBerry, and it seemed like longer. S [INAUDIBLE] Jason on 3, Andy on 3, and Luke on 3. Woah. Very exciting. [INAUDIBLE] three and a half. Excuse me. Well you only got what you got got [INAUDIBLE] This is number of quizzes won, not points. Have you won half a quiz Andy? Shut up! [LAUGH] Oh well, so you know. I feel like Andy is always the moral victor. I usually find some way of gaming it and it doesn't work, cuz my natural idiocy kicks in. I'm like **** Dastardly, basically. [LAUGH] [INAUDIBLE] yeah. I'm the one flipping the signs around being like be diversion here. And you're the fastest car the whole time. Yeah, exactly. And I end up winning. Okay, well that settles anyway. So it's a dead heat. So they come back next week. I believe we're going to be having a bit of a Easter preview next week because we're off to the university. Oh. The coolest new kits from Germany so look out for that. Ya. That's it for this week though. We've absolutely had a blast recording this broadcast and every single broadcast. Over the last eight years. [INAUDIBLE] No, they're all great. They were all great. They were great. We hope you've enjoyed them too. We couldn't have done it without you, so from all of us here at Cnet, past and present thank you for listening, watching, reading, viewing, commenting leaving questions on Facebook. All that. And all, all that, and generally being a. So, Ugh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry. Aw. No, no tears. Anyway. Oh. All right. Well, thanks Andy, thanks Luke, and thanks to our producer, Mark, who, as a special treat, you will see this week, yay! Right, we're off. Here's the next 400. [MUSIC]