Queens of the Drone Age

In this deep dive special from the archives, the Queens reveal some fun egg facts, the science behind Century Eggs, and share an Australian scientist who has defied nature itself...by inventing a gadget that unboils eggs. If you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon to get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Rae tries out a "cosplay fireplace" aka the Dimplex Ritz Portable Electric Fire with Optiflame Log Effect Heater and Tegan gets behind the wheel of the 2022 Mustang. If you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon to get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who follows us on social media knows we are keen hikers, and we love our hiking tech - so we thought we’d share with you all a few of the latest gadgets, gizmos and gear we’ve been testing out. Rae went along to the Blue Mountains Climbing School to complete a course all about old-school map and compass navigation. She also picked up a pair of gaiters for bushbashing - and found the fitting process harder than expected. Meanwhile, Tegan gives a long-term review of the Sea To Summit collapsable lightweight cookware, and the $35 lantern everyone falls in love with. If you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon to get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this gadget chat, Rae looks at the Brydge 12.9 Pro keyboard for iPad, and Tegan reviews an $18 Kmart spice/coffee grinder. If you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon to get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this gadget chat Tegan hits the road with the new Turo app, while Rae settles in for an evening with Sony's new TV range. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Droning On, a new interview-based Queens episode where we chat to fascinating experts about their jobs and relationship with tech. Our first guest is Alden Rose - the Lead Sustainability Designer (Next UX User & Customer Experience) at Lenovo. Tegan chatted to Alden on a recent trip to North Carolina, where she takes us through some of what her team does in the sustainable design space, including rewards and challenges. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff - like our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainability is not just incredibly important keeping the planet alive, it's also a fun corporate buzzword. So when tech companies say they are making it a focus - we look at how. In this deep dive special, we focus in on sustainable design, and who is doing it well. Tegan travels to North Carolina to see what Lenovo are bringing to the table with product and packaging design, while Rae explores what Aussie scientists are doing to replace rare earth minerals used in everyday products. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Rae reviews a pair of solar-powered headphones while Tegan plays a Megagame (kind of a cross between live action roleplaying and model UN). And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this catch up, Rae heads to gaming paradise (AKA Fortress Sydney), while Tegan tries out shiny new Uber features in the most unlikely (but coolest) of places. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, the Queens take a look at Space Tech - things in our lives that exist because of space exploration, travel, or the agencies that look after star stuff. There are cool new innovations constantly happening in this industry - but there are also everyday objects we owe to space research, so we take you through our favourites! And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's gadget chat, Rae has finally been able to connect her Audio-Technica record player with some decent speakers - she puts the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300 through their paces with all manner of music. She also digs into the new sustainability considerations of the latest Sonos offerings. Meanwhile, Amanda has been trying out not one, but two Mophie Snap+ chargers - the Multi-Device Travel Charger and the 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat. One she loves, one not so much. For dubious reasons. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apps are great, except for when they’re not. And some are just downright dodgy. So in this ep from the archives, the Queens put some unethical apps under the microscope – such as Noom – as well as some of the practices that have allowed them to stay live and make money on the App Store and Google Play. Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age website. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel is on the agenda again! But before you pack your suitcase, is there some tech you might need to consider making space for - or even some you might consider ditching? In this deep dive, the Queens look at our favourite gadgets and gizmos to take on the road/water/plane. This episode is one of our deep dive specials from the Queens archives. Full show notes are available at the Queens of the Drone Age website. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we dig into weird as heck medical tech. From using frogs as pregnancy tests, to a wellness toilet that analyses your poop. This episode is one of our new deep dive specials, where we dig into the archives and pull out the segments our OG listeners have loved the most. Full show notes are available on the Queens of the Drone Age website. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we have a gift for you: we've dug into the Queens archives, and found a gem you may not have heard where we explore the wild world of vapourware - some of our favourite gadgets and games that never got released. From the infamous Nintendo PlayStation (yes, really) to a printer that used reusable plastic sheets rather than paper, we've got some gems. If you want more Queens, and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server, and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode Amanda regales the Queens with tales of her recent trip to Tokyo with Netflix. There's a lot of anime talk off the back of Amanda attending Anime Japan and getting to go along to an actual anime studio where she got to see PLUTO being hand drawn. There's even talk of AI and the way that could impact the future of the art form. Rae also discovers that Sailor Moon absolutely counts as her seeing anime and that there is an actual place in 90s kids brains for recognising Pokemon. It's true, it's been studied. Amanda also talks us through how pasmo cards work, the delicious things she ate (and why you should use TikTok for food recommendations when you travel) and how you can absolutely get your technology blessed at some Japanese shrines. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's gadget chat, Amanda gets addicted to parenting in raising sim Volcano Princess, while Rae tries to help visually impaired people through the Be My Eyes app. Meanwhile, high flyer Tegan tries out Qantas' Business Class, because she is a Fancy Business Lady. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, this week's deep dive really is about chairs. This came about when Rad yelled out “chairs!” when we asked what she wanted to do. But you see, when it comes to Queens, we can make a tech topic out of anything. Rad takes a look at kneeling chairs and whether they're actually good for your posture. She, of course, also got one from Facebook marketplace to test this for herself. Rae also looks into whether massage chairs are as good as the real deal and cites many, MANY studies to back up the science behind this. Meanwhile, Tegan looks at the history behind plane ejector seats and how they actually work. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Tegan is back in her happy place: the driver's seat of a bougie car. She reviews the brand new 2023 BMW 320i, which is the entry-level model in the range. While it may look the same as previous models on the outside, the inner cabin is a different story. A total redesign and a very long touchscreen dashboard make it feel incredibly futuristic. Oh, and there are ports... lots of them. Meanwhile, Rad is back to talking about her favourite thing: vacuums. It's not a Dyson this time, but the Tineco Pure One S12 Platinum. While some features make her brain go brrr, she has some things to say about the overall design. And if you want more Queens and want to support the show, please consider subscribing to our Patreon so you can get access to fun stuff like our WEEKLY newsletter, exclusive Discord server and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode the Queens take a close look at the alternative meats industry. It's become increasingly popular in recent years as more fake meat pops up in the startup space as well as in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. In addition to touching on different types of meat alternatives - including plant based and lab grown meat - we also look at how tofu is being used as meat in a very different way to how you might think. We also discuss some of the current issues surround the fake meat industry - including potential health concerns, regulation restrictions and price. You can read the full show notes on our website, and join us on Patreon to help support the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.