In this podcast Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. Some Google Pixel 2/XL owners reporting poor battery life and phones running warm after February security patch
2. Below 68 degrees, your Pixel 2 says it’s charging rapidly, but it isn’t.
3. Under the hood: How Chrome’s ad filtering works
4. Google is removing the “view image” button from image search after a lawsuit from getty images. Win for content creators but loss for users. And is it really that big of a win?
5. Social Media news: Snapchat CEO doubles down on re-design that clearly separates content from friends and content from companies. Related, Facebook must stop tracking users in Belgium. Interesting how Snapchat is seen as the ‘millennials social network’ and their users are protesting the separation of friend/brand content, whereas Facebook, the old people’s social network, is told “Stop trying to sell our data to brands!”
6. Bye bye Twitter for MacOS. The Verge
7. Microsoft Finally Documents the Limitations of Windows 10 on ARM

   32-bit apps only – for now
   Utilities that modify the Windows user interface will not run
   Cannot use x86 drivers
   Older games and graphics apps may not work
   No Hyper-V

8. Will iOS 12 be mostly about bug fixes and stability versus new features? I hope not! Come on Apple, in a few short months at WWDC, I want to be “WOW’ed, (Same goes to you Google)

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In podcast 241, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. Google Books – audiobook experience follow-up comments
2. Watching the Olympics on YouTube TV using a free one-month trial.
3. Google AR Stickers. Now available in still photos as well as video. Adds winter sports and blocks (LEGO/Minecraft-like) sticker packs. Only supported by the Pixel line of Android phones.
4. Live TV news streams on current generation Apple TV
5. Google Android Wear’s decline and Qualcomm’s role? Ref: ars technica
6. Jon bought a wireless charger from Anker of course. My impressions are largely positive and amazed that it works through my Twelve South BookBook case.
7. Jon bought a friend a Tile Tracker after he got one for Christmas. It’s been a lifesaver for the friend, so far.

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Todd Ogasawara and Jon Westfall discuss 2018’s best tech Super Bowl commercial, how much do Echo owners spend at Amazon, Google audio book freebie for Home Mini owners, Chrome browser ad blocking starting on Feb. 15, and did tech contribute to the disappearance of US shopping malls?

1. Super Bowl LII tech commercial pick:
   Alexa Loses Her Voice – Amazon Super Bowl LII Commercial
2. Ask Alexa who will will the Superbowl
3. Ref: Quartz. Average Amazon US customers spends $1000/year. Average Prime member spends $1300. Average Echo owner? $1700/year.
4. Google Home Mini owners got a free audio book from Google to test out the new feature. But, it isn’t made clear how to play it back. In Google’s music or book app? Answer: Google’s book app
5. How Chrome’s ad-blocker will work when it is activated on Feb. 15
6. Jon’s Technology / Life Observation: Why did the malls of the 80s/90s die out?

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.