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Trends With Benefits

151 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★ - 18 ratings

Digital Trends has long been the best online source for technology news and reviews. Now, each week, we gather a round table of tech experts from the DT Staff to discuss all things tech. Topics range from the big tech stories of the week to predicting the future, all while maintaining a somewhat civil decorum.

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Episodes

TWB 299: Amazon's World

September 30, 2020 00:04 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MB

Amazon announced some major hardware upgrades, but what’s going on with underlying technology? The push toward more efficient AI and the Amazon Sidewalk network has us debating where the future is headed. Are you ready for everything under one umbrella?

TWB 298: TikTok, WeChat, and Privacy Concerns

September 22, 2020 23:43 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MB

With the ever changing stance on TikTok and WeChat, we’ll take a look at what has been happening, but more importantly, what it means for going forward. What will it mean for 100 million users in the US alone, if a major social media site gets banned? Should it be banned? We’ll give our analysis.

TWB 297: Wildfire Technology

September 15, 2020 23:12 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MB

Can tech prevent Forest Fires? Wildfires are the worst they’ve ever been in the Western US. On this episode we take a look at how tech has changed the way we fight them, and how the tech on the horizon could prevent this kind of devastation in the future.

TWB 296: Unconventional Conventions

September 01, 2020 22:51 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MB

Would you still attend a regular convention? This would normally be the time for IFA which is one of the world’s largest tech conventions. But that’s not really happening and neither is anything else. Do we need conventions? How can we gather when we can’t actually gather? We’ll talk about tech that could make it happen.

TWB 295: Robot Friends

August 25, 2020 23:09 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MB

Can robots save us all? Robotic development and adaptation has seen a huge increase during the pandemic, from Dr. Spot, to the companion named Pepper. We’ll take a look at whether the increase in robots in our lives can help save us all, or if this is the start of the fall….of Humanity...to the robots.

TWB 294: Epic Games and the Battle of the App Stores

August 18, 2020 23:05 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MB

Can Fortnite force Apple to change the App Store? Epic Games laid down the gauntlet against both Apple and Google by baiting them into removing Fortnite from their respective app stores. But what now? Can Epic win? Or are the two tech giants too big to change?

TWB 293: Fun Times for Facebook

August 11, 2020 22:36 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

Fun Times for Facebook. Despite an antitrust hearing, an advertising backlash, and concern of election meddling via it’s platform, Facebook continues to seemingly be….just fine! Should it be broken up? Could it even be broken up? We’ll discuss the pros and cons on this episode.

TWB 292: Should Amazon be broken up?

August 04, 2020 23:10 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MB

Should Amazon be broken up? It’s a question the antitrust hearings are trying to answer. However, with their record profits and control in so many industries, the correct question may be; Can Amazon be broken up?

TWB 291: Mission to Mars

July 28, 2020 22:50 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MB

Do you want to live on Mars? The Mars 2020 Perseverance launch is coming up soon, and on today's episode we'll talk about what they hope to accomplish. Will we find evidence of life on Mars? Also there is now a space race to get there. We'll discuss what this means for the future of Mars habitation.

TWB 290: Can tech save education?

July 21, 2020 23:12 - 30 minutes - 28.5 MB

On today's podcast we'll go in depth with how schools are utilizing technology to facilitate education, what is working, and what isn’t working. Will these be permanent changes? Can tech save education?

TWB 289: What is going on with TikTok?

July 14, 2020 22:59 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MB

Should TikTok be banned? On today's Trends With Benefits podcast, we'll take a look at what is happening with TikTok. The app has 100s of millions of users, yet bans are being implemented, or discussed by governments worldwide. Are the concerns legitimate? Should you be wary of your privacy, or is it the same as every other platform? We'll attempt to answer those questions and more. Join us at 2:30 pm PT for our live round table podcast and let us know how you feel about TikTok.

TWB 288: Is Food Delivery Cannibalizing Itself?

July 09, 2020 00:22 - 30 minutes - 28.5 MB

Are you ordering more food online than you did before? Whether it's Uber Eats, Door Dash, Postmates, Grubhub, Instacart, or any of the others, the numbers show you probably are. Now that consolidation has started though, what will it mean for us going forward? We'll analyze where the state of the industry is now and what it will mean for food deliveries going forward.

TWB 287: 50 Years of Video Calls

July 01, 2020 00:12 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MB

It's hard to believe, but it's been 50 years since the first ever video phone call. As ubiquitous has it now seems to have this ability, it wasn't always the case. Today we'll take a look at where it all started, why it's so important during the time of a pandemic, and where it could all be headed.

TWB 286: The Streaming Wars: Pandemic Edition

June 23, 2020 22:34 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

How many Streaming Services do you subscribe to? The Streaming Wars have been ongoing for several years now and today we take a look at the state of the industry. From the 'Origin Story' to success stories, to some...less than successful stories, there is a lot to cover. Are there too many? What is HBO called again? We'll cover that ane more.

TWB 285: Protecting Your Tech in a Protest

June 16, 2020 22:42 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

With protests and demonstrations happening worldwide, the importance of technology has never been more present. Smartphones provide communication, documentation, verification, and coordination of all of these efforts. On this episode we'll go through some suggestions on best practices to keep yourself and your technology safe.

TWB 284: Algorithmic Discrimination

June 11, 2020 19:00 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MB

The use of artificial intelligence, predictive policing technology, facial recognition software, targeted search engines and the like, have proven to be biased on many ocassions. On this episode we dig into the technological side of discrimination, and how these algorithms are being used in inappropriate ways. How did things get this way, why are they being used, and how can it be changed?

TWB 283: Should Social Media moderate content?

June 04, 2020 18:13 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

Twitter and Facebook have both made their stances known recently, when it comes to content posted on their site. This comes after the President threatened to remove protection for social media platforms via Article 230. But what would that really mean? Who should be regulating content, or should it be moderated in any way? We'll discuss the actual ramifications and what it could mean for the internet as a whole.

TWB 282: SpaceX launch will change everything

May 26, 2020 23:50 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

SpaceX will be launching the Demo-2 mission to the ISS on May 27th, marking the first time since the Space Shuttle launches, that human have been sent into orbit from the US. It's also the first time that a private entity has contracted with a governmental organization to send people up. We'll talk about what they are doing, and how it could change everything.

TWB 281: Data Caps Have Got To Go

May 19, 2020 22:41 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MB

Long-distance phone calls used to charge money, but mobile phones have pretty much made that a thing of the past in domestic markets. The internet is available anywhere that lines are connecting computers, so why do we have data caps and tiers that cost more? On this episode we'll talk about the history of it and why it's time that ISP's change their ways.

TWB 280: Predicting the Post-Pandemic World

May 13, 2020 14:04 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

When will you be ready to go to a theater again? That's one of the questions we'll be answering ourselves today. Something we do know as we come out of this pandemic, is that nothing is going to be quite the same again, for a long time. Today we'll take a look at tech's role in the post-pandemic world. How will our offices look? What about public transportation? Even our entertainment and definitely large events are going to change in some way. Maybe we'll all just carry about in Zorbs, wear...

TWB 279: Animal Crossing: New Horizons to Black Market

May 05, 2020 22:30 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

No game has been more of a phenomenon during the time of coronavirus, than Animal Crossing: New Horizons. From holding graduations and birthday parties in it, to even interacting with celebrities, it has helped a lot of people feel 'normal' during quarantine. But...there is also a seedy underbelly popping up with a sort-of black market, including scammers, bouncers, and villager traders. Whether you play the game, or not, it is a fascinating study of our times.

TWB 278: Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life

April 28, 2020 22:46 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MB

Do you have boxes of cables lying around to old printers? What about 100s if not 1000s of unread emails in your inbox? If you have anything remotely like this then you're probably in need of a solid spring cleaning of your tech. On today's episode we'll walk through some good tips, have a little 'old tech show and tell' and hopefully help you go into summer a lot more 'digitally slimmer'.

TWB 277: YouTube's 15 Year Anniversary

April 23, 2020 17:32 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MB

The 15th anniversary of YouTube is almost upon us and today we cover exactly how influential that is. From inspiring creators, to changing the way we view entertainment, there is a lot to cover in one episode. We have a Top 5 from Adrien, the history from Professor Prindle, the influence of YouTube from Caleb, and Greg provides a little context of where we are now.

TWB 276: Cooking Tech for WFH

April 16, 2020 22:54 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

Working from home has a lot of people turning to technology to help them cook their meals. On today's show our experts discuss what tech they use, how they apply it and what some of the options are out there to make your cooking experience easier and more enjoyable. 

Cooking Tech for WFH

April 16, 2020 22:54 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

Working from home has a lot of people turning to technology to help them cook their meals. On today's show our experts discuss what tech they use, how they apply it and what some of the options are out there to make your cooking experience easier and more enjoyable. 

Conspiracy Theories go Pandemic

April 09, 2020 22:39 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MB

There has never been a shortage of conspiracies theories in the world, but it is fascinating how they are propagating now in the era of the pandemic. Does 5G cause COVID-19? NO. But somehow this rumor and many others are prolific on social media. On this episode we'll examine the role that tech has in it and what is being done to help stem the tide of misinformation. 

TWB 275: Conspiracy Theories go Pandemic

April 09, 2020 22:39 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MB

There has never been a shortage of conspiracies theories in the world, but it is fascinating how they are propagating now in the era of the pandemic. Does 5G cause COVID-19? NO. But somehow this rumor and many others are prolific on social media. On this episode we'll examine the role that tech has in it and what is being done to help stem the tide of misinformation. 

TWB 274: Esports Evolution

April 02, 2020 19:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MB

With coronavirus shutting down all events, including sports, it's an interesting time to see how things are adapting. Traditional athletic leagues are turning to Esports to provide entertainment and keep engagement going. It leads to the question of what is the future of 'sports'? Basically we all want mech-battles, but until then we cover what is happening, and what is happening in this constantly evolving world. 

TWB 273: Quarantine Streaming

March 26, 2020 23:35 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MB

As we all transition to working from home, the taxation on our internet infrastructure grows steadily. Is it strong enough to handle all of the streaming TV, movies, concerts, and gaming we're now adapting to? We'll discuss that and of course what we're watching and how we're handling isolation, while still maintaining an internet connection.

TWB 272: Coronavirus and Your Data

March 19, 2020 23:36 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MB

On today's episode we take a look at how data is being utilized in this day and age of coronavirus affecting our entire world. Drew gives us a bit of the history, we talk about misinformation, and generally discuss the state of life right now, from a tech angle. There are some great ways to connect and we encourage you to do so!

TWB 271: Real Augmented Reality

March 13, 2020 19:32 - 30 minutes - 42.6 MB

Augmented Reality has been around for a while, but you may not have even realized you were using it. Google Maps, Lens, and even star maps are already on our phones. On this episode, we'll cover some of the current developments in AR and look to the future, where 5G and even contact lenses could make our realities much more augmented.

TWB 270: Is Virtual Reality Real?

March 05, 2020 23:18 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

How long until we’re all living in a Ready Player One virtual world? Well, we’re not quite there yet, but there are still really fascinating use cases for VR and I think you’ll be surprised about some of the developments of its capabilities.

TWB 269: Colonizing Space

February 28, 2020 00:15 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MB

The goal of taking humanity beyond Earth isn't new, but it has received a well-needed resurgence in the last few years. Lead largely by the emerging private space industry, the possibilities are endless, from space tourism, to living on Mars. We'll discuss what is in the works and what we could look forward to in the near future.

TWB 268: Space Junk

February 21, 2020 00:17 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

As we see the proliferation of space tech in the commercial sector, there are a lot of advancements being made in the launching of satellites. This is great for a lot of reasons, but does also cause a problem....space junk! How we will manage the thousands of dead satellites that could be orbiting earth soon? We'll walk through some of the unique and interesting ideas being proposed.

TWB 267: The Coronavirus, MWC, and Technology

February 14, 2020 00:01 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MB

The Coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) is a disaster on many levels. There is obviously the humanitarian side and those suffering directly, plus the threat of a global pandemic. There are also further reaching implications, like MWC. On this episode we'll walk through what is happening currently, how technology is being affected by, and also utilized to fight, the coronavirus and what the ramifications could mean.

TWB 266: VFX Tech of the Oscars

February 07, 2020 00:01 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

The continuing evolution of Visual Effects never ceases to amaze, when it comes to the Academy Awards nominees. On this episode we will be covering the Oscar nominees of 2020, The Lion King, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, The Irishman, Avengers: Endgame, and 1917.

TWB 265: Tech of the Big Game

January 30, 2020 23:26 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

With Super Bowl LIV on it's way, we take a look at the actual technology behind the broadcast. From 4K UHD, to the on field graphics, to drone displays, we'll cover where it was before, what to expect now, and where the technology is headed in the future.

TWB 264: Wearables

January 23, 2020 23:41 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MB

Wearable technology is advancing rapidly, from the Fitbit of years ago, to advanced health trackers to the future of smart contact lenses. They can track our fitness goals, and in some cases possibly save lives. We'll cover the evolution of wearable technology, through today, and beyond.

TWB 263: Fast Food Technology

January 16, 2020 23:26 - 30 minutes - 28 MB

Fast Food has been a part of our culture for a long time, but it also tends to be on the cutting edge of technology. Today we'll examine the ways it is changing from alternative food sources, to robots cooking your food, to even dating via KFC. It's a strange world, and we'll dive in to a just a bit of it.

TWB 262: Fast Food Technology

January 16, 2020 23:26

Fast Food has been a part of our culture for a long time, but it also tends to be on the cutting edge of technology. Today we'll examine the ways it is changing from alternative food sources, to robots cooking your food, to even dating via KFC. It's a strange world, and we'll dive in to a just a bit of it.

TWB 262: Live from CES 2020: Bionic Arms, Concept Cars, and TVs

January 13, 2020 22:04 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MB

In a special edition from CES, we'll cover what we thought was the Best of CES! From the awards, to exoskeletons, Impossible Foods, and so much more, there is a lot to cover. We'll get the opinions from show floor and beyond, about the tech that will effect our lives in the next year and more. 

TWB 261: CES 2020 Preview

January 03, 2020 00:32 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

CES 2020 is on the way! On this episode we'll give a preview of some of the big tech like TVs, but also take a look at some of the other aspects of the big event. From Automotive technology, to food tech, to tech designed for....other purposes. There is a lot happening and we'll provide a slice of the world's largest technology conference on this episode.

CES 2020 Preview

January 03, 2020 00:32 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

CES 2020 is on the way! On this episode we'll give a preview of some of the big tech like TVs, but also take a look at some of the other aspects of the big event. From Automotive technology, to food tech, to tech designed for....other purposes. There is a lot happening and we'll provide a slice of the world's largest technology conference on this episode.

TWB 260: Tech Wins of the 2010s

December 26, 2019 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

On this episode we take a look at a small portion of some of the achievements in tech from the last decade. From a tech company inventing a holiday, to a Tesla in space, there has been a lot to celebrate and marvel at in the last 10 years.

TWB 259: Tech Fails of the 2010s

December 20, 2019 00:06 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB

What a decade of tech it has been! On this episode we take a look at some of the lowlights, the not-quite-theres, and the ahead-of-their-time services, products, and companies of the last 10 years. From the not-so-coolest cooler, to the exploding phones, there is a lot to revisit! This is part one of two, since next week we'll take a look at the Tech Wins of the 2010s.

TWB 258: Cooking Technology

December 13, 2019 00:23 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MB

The ever-evolving ways that we cook our food is the subject of today's show and in particular how technology has changed it. From instapots, to Blue Apron, to ordering food delivered, our idea of 'cooking' has changed....for some.

TWB 257: World Television Day

November 21, 2019 23:19 - 32 minutes - 30 MB

Per the United Nations, today is World Television Day. On today's episode we'll walk through some of the history of TV, but also the rapid technological advancements that are happening now. The myriad terms of 4K, 8K, HDR, streaming, etc., are constantly evolving. We'll also cover what the future of television will look like and where we may be watching our favorite shows in the coming decades.

TWB 256: Golden Era of Streaming TV

November 14, 2019 23:57 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Peacock are just latest entrants into the streaming tv wars. Is this what we were all looking for when we started cutting the cord? There is so much content that we may be in the golden era of streaming television. However, it may not last. We'll discuss where we came from, where are, and where we think we're headed.

TWB 255: Do you even TikTok?

November 08, 2019 23:15 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MB

TikTok isn't new, but it's reaching all time levels of engagement. From the origins, to the hardware, we'll walk through the phenomenon of TikTok and where it places in the pantheon of social media. Is it the next Facebook, or the next Vine?

255: Do you even TikTok?

November 08, 2019 23:15 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MB

TikTok isn't new, but it's reaching all time levels of engagement. From the origins, to the hardware, we'll walk through the phenomenon of TikTok and where it places in the pantheon of social media. Is it the next Facebook, or the next Vine?