The WAN Show - Linus and Luke Reunion - April 29, 2016

The WAN Show episode from April 29, 2016 features Linus and Luke reuniting on the show after traveling to different events and locations. The hosts open with light banter about their recent experiences, including commentary on how their hair, travel, and conversations can become playful topics for the audience. They reference their Samsung Developer Conference participation and a Gear 360 demonstration, setting a tech-forward mood for the episode. The conversation then moves to broader tech news topics that topped the prior week, including corporate deals and major industry moves. The duo cover Time Warner Cable’s sale to Charter Communications and Comcast’s acquisition of DreamWorks, weaving in sponsor segments and quick takes on each deal. They also highlight a notable ransomware related incident in which hackers reportedly stole a large sum from a central bank, providing a factual summary of the event and its implications for cybersecurity. Throughout, they intersperse demonstrations of new gear, including Gear 360 and VR experiences, and reflect on the potential future uses of VR and AR hardware in professional settings such as public safety and industrial design. The episode features sponsor plugs for Massdrop, Dollar Shave Club, and Squarespace, delivered in the familiar WAN Show style that blends humor with practical product information. Commentary about the Samsung Developer Conference delves into the Gear 360’s live streaming and editing workflow, including a crash during a demo and a detailed explanation of the live feed, the app workflow, and various viewing modes. The hosts compare Gear VR experiences to other VR ecosystems such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, discussing latency, resolution, and room-scale capabilities, and they consider how future iterations might improve user comfort and safety features like the chaperone system. They also touch on Google's smart contact lens patent, explaining the concept and potential impact of implanted lenses that integrate vision correction with electronic sensing hardware. Apple’s quarterly performance is scrutinized, with discussion of iPhone sales, product strategy, and investor sentiment, followed by thoughts on the broader implications for Apple’s business model and hardware roadmap. The conversation shifts to gaming and entertainment properties, including Blizzard’s response to Nostalgia servers and Nintendo NX’s release timeline, while the WAN Show team evaluates the broader effects of these moves on the tech and gaming landscape. Toward the end, SpaceX plans to send its Dragon spacecraft to Mars are discussed, highlighting the ambitious trajectory of private spaceflight and the excitement this generates within the tech community. The episode closes with additional reflections on VR, AR, and future hardware ecosystems, inviting viewers to consider how emerging technologies might reshape consumer electronics and industrial applications in the coming years. Throughout, the hosts maintain their signature balance of accessible jargon, practical demonstrations, and candid commentary, inviting continued audience engagement and viewer questions for future episodes.

Topics · technology · entertainment · vr · news · podcast