In this podcast Todd Ogasawara and Jon Westfall are joined by frequent guest panelist Frank McPherson. They discuss:
- Todd sorting out his Google AI Mode usage problem
- Google NotebookLM’s new information source discovery feature
- LegoGPT
- We can finally buy ebooks in the iOS Audible app
- Todd’s Surface Pro 11 rant
- Is Microsoft’s Windows 11 hardware requirements going to alienate Windows 10 users the way Windows Phone did to Windows Mobile users?
- Jon’s initial impressions of the Plaud NotePin
Podcast summary create by Google Gemini based on a transcript created by Adobe Podcast
Todd’s Gemini Account Mystery: Todd is still locked out of Google AI mode on his primary account but can access it through a secondary one, suspecting an old account configuration issue.
NotebookLM’s New “Discover Sources”: A new feature in Google’s NotebookLM is likened to having a personal reference librarian, quickly gathering and annotating potential web sources based on a topic description.
Nostalgia for Librarians: The pre-internet era’s reliance on knowledgeable librarians for research assistance is fondly remembered.
NotebookLM in Academia: John shares his positive experience using NotebookLM for academic purposes, allowing professors to analyze and compare information from multiple sources for students.
Local LLM Exploration: John has also been experimenting with local Large Language Models to handle even more sources than NotebookLM allows.
Reliability Concerns with AI: Frank expresses caution regarding the reliability and accuracy of information gathered from AI tools, especially when researching unfamiliar topics.
Safer Use of NotebookLM: Frank finds uploading PDFs to NotebookLM and querying within that confined source a more reliable way to use the tool.
Testable LLM Output: LegoGPT: A fascinating GitHub project, LegoGPT, can generate text-based instructions for building stable Lego models with a surprisingly high success rate (98%).
The Unzoom Struggle: A humorous moment as Todd grapples with camera zoom controls, resulting in close-ups of his nose.
Kindle App Book Purchases on iPhone: Due to an injunction in the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit, iPhone users in the US can now purchase Kindle books directly through the Kindle app.
The 30% App Store Cut: Apple’s long-standing 30% commission on in-app purchases and subscriptions was the core of the legal battle.
Audible vs. Kindle for Books: Todd primarily listens to audiobooks via Audible but still reads digital comic books.
Comixology Integration Woes: The merging of Comixology’s comic book viewing into the Kindle app is considered a downgrade by Todd.
Circumventing Purchase Restrictions: Previously, buying digital books on Apple devices often involved going directly to the Amazon website.
The Inevitable Shift: The panel believes Apple will likely lose the appeal and that allowing alternative purchase methods will become the norm.
Early Comixology Convenience: The pre-Amazon Comixology app allowed in-app purchases, which was convenient but costly.
Rising Comic Book Prices: Comic book costs have significantly increased over the years, making them less accessible for kids.
Surface Pro 11 Issues: Todd has experienced numerous problems with his Surface Pro 11, including printer driver malfunctions and inconsistent hub connectivity (display and power).
Co-pilot Plus AI PC Delay: Key AI features of the Surface Pro 11 are still unavailable months after purchase.
MacBook Air Reliability: Switching back to a MacBook Air resolved the connectivity issues experienced with the Surface Pro 11.
Windows Mobile’s Demise: The incompatibility of Windows Phone with existing Windows Mobile apps was a significant factor in its eventual failure.
Frank’s Early Android Adoption: Frank switched to Android (T-Mobile G1 in 2008) relatively early due to its open and flexible nature compared to the closed Apple ecosystem.
The Game-Changing iPhone: The announcement of the iPhone was recognized by many in the mobile tech space as a revolutionary device.
Android’s Openness: Android’s expandability (storage cards, removable batteries) was a key draw for early adopters like Frank.
Palm’s Evolution: Palm’s journey through its own OS, Windows Mobile, and WebOS is briefly touched upon.
HP’s Acquisition of Palm: HP eventually bought Palm.
Timeline of Mobile OS Developments: The podcast highlights the timeline of Windows Mobile 6, the iPhone announcement, the release of the Android G1, and Windows Phone 7.
Carrier Exclusivity: The iPhone’s initial exclusivity with AT&T and the challenges of SIM swapping on major carriers are recalled.
T-Mobile’s Sim Swapping Friendliness: T-Mobile was known for being more open to users swapping SIM cards between devices.
Verizon’s Late iPhone Entry: Verizon didn’t start selling the iPhone until 2011.
Palm Pre’s Carrier Limitation: The Palm Pre’s initial launch on Sprint, a smaller network, hindered its market reach.
Visual Voicemail’s Impact: The iPhone’s user-friendly visual voicemail system was a significant advantage over the traditional DTMF-based systems.
Carrier Control vs. Apple’s Approach: Carriers initially resisted Apple’s control over software and release schedules.
The Arrival of the App Store: The App Store, which debuted around the iPhone 3G era, revolutionized software distribution on mobile devices.
Early App Store Landscape: Before the iPhone’s App Store, app stores were primarily carrier-tied with limited third-party options.
Carrier Rebranding Practices: A brief mention of how carriers used to rebrand identical devices under different names.
Available via Apple iTunes.
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