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The Defrag

Business & Economics Podcasts

The Defrag is your guide to news at the intersection of technology, business, politics, and science. We'll ask hard questions, challenge ideas, and help bring some order to the news.

Location:

United States

Description:

The Defrag is your guide to news at the intersection of technology, business, politics, and science. We'll ask hard questions, challenge ideas, and help bring some order to the news.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Will The Metaverse Destroy Meta?

11/29/2022
We're a year into the metamorphosis of Facebook into Meta, and by all indications it seems the transition is putting significant pressure on the company. Meta's share price has dropped by around 70% since the rebrand and user adoption is slow. So how long can Meta continue spending on the Metaverse before investors force it to refocus on its core business? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thedefragnews Read The Wall Street Journal's investigation into the Metaverse: https://www.wsj.com/articles/meta-metaverse-horizon-worlds-zuckerberg-facebook-internal-documents-11665778961 Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:26:18

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An Update

11/24/2022
The Defrag will be returning on Tuesday 29th of November, but things will be a little different. We've also launched a new YouTube channel - you can subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@thedefragnews Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:02:48

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Video Game Movies

6/14/2022
Game-to-film adaptations have a reputation for not living up to the expectations of fans. But despite this, they keep getting made, and it seems the frequency of these productions is increasing. So why does Hollywood keep returning to video game properties and can the newest generation of adaptations finally overcome that awful reputation? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:19:18

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Space Ambitions

6/9/2022
Space is becoming more and more commercial. NASA is focused on outsourcing key parts of the Artemis missions to external companies, and there's big money on the line for those lucky enough to secure contracts. But what are the risks in outsourcing so much of the mission to external providers? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:20:12

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WWDC Recap

6/7/2022
Apple's Annual Worldwide Developer Conference is on this week. So today on the show, a quick wrap of what was announced during the opening keynote.

Duration:00:03:54

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Sandberg Leaves Meta

6/2/2022
Sheryl Sandberg is stepping down from Meta... and other important headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:04:55

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When Self-driving Cars Crash, Who’s Responsible?

5/31/2022
Autonomous vehicles could revolutionise the automotive and transport sectors. They promise a future where you can hail a driverless taxi, or sit back and relax while your own car drives itself to a destination. While level five autonomous vehicles are still years away, one of the questions facing regulators is who holds responsibility if one of these vehicles has a crash? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:17:25

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Privacy: Priceless

5/26/2022
Facial recognition is now in use across many apps and devices. For example, many of us use Face ID to unlock an iPhone or to gain access to other apps. But there are more concerning uses of the tech, particularly in public settings. One of the latest applications comes from Mastercard, that is trialling a program allowing retailers to accept biometric data to confirm a payment from a customer. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:16:54

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We're Listening

5/24/2022
We're running a listener survey to learn more about you and the stories you love. Please take a few minutes to complete it. Visit https://thedefrag.com/survey

Duration:00:03:55

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Will Vitamins Help You Get Over Covid?

5/19/2022
It’s long been said that vitamins like Vitamin C, D, or Zinc, can help speed up your recovery from illness. But is that really the case? And if you’re unlucky enough to be wiped out with covid, will popping a few vitamins, help you recover sooner? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:18:52

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Can Your Phone Get a Virus?

5/17/2022
Do you ever feel like the amount of spam you're getting seems higher than normal? Well it turns out you weren't just thinking that, malicious attacks are actually on the rise. However it's not just your emails that are vulnerable, our mobile phones are too. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:13:31

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Google I/O

5/12/2022
Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference is happening right now. It's a chance for the search giant to show off its latest innovations to the community. From advancements in translation tech, to new hardware, this year's event had plenty to offer. In this episode we dive into some of the latest developments. Google I/O Keynote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP-nMZpLM1A Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:17:12

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Would You Rent A Tiny Home?

5/10/2022
Australia is in a housing affordability crisis. Not only is it becoming harder to buy or build a new home, but in many locations around the country, getting a rental property is both difficult and expensive. This is a crisis that was exacerbated by the global pandemic. But could we reduce the price of rental housing by building tiny homes? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:18:39

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Twitter’s Edit Button

5/5/2022
Twitter is working on an edit button. It's a much requested feature from users, but what impact could the ability to edit tweets have on its ecosystem? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:17:04

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Nintendo Switch Sports

5/3/2022
Until recently, the Wii was Nintendo's best-selling home console. Part of its success came from attracting more casual players with motion-controlled games that involved moving your body rather than using the buttons on a traditional controller. The wii has since been surpassed by the Nintendo Switch, with over 103 million units sold worldwide. Now Nintendo looks set to recapture some of that casual audience with the successor to one of the Wii's most popular games. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:17:17

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An Update

4/26/2022
A quick update on The Defrag. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Duration:00:01:33

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Is E3 dead?

4/14/2022
During the pandemic, many companies embraced virtual events. Apple, for example, is still making highly produced, cinematic, keynotes and doesn't seem keen to return to a physical offering. And in the games industry, pre-packaged videos have become an effective marketing tool. But one major event in gaming, E3 hasn't been held since 2019, which has seen ripple effects throughout the industry. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:21:01

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Athlete Data Privacy

4/13/2022
Whether it's on the field, in training, or during sleep, professional athletes are constantly being tracked. The data collected is used to improve technique and performance, in the hope of gaining an edge. So much data is collected that it's not always clear why this information gathered or if it's ever going to be used. Now experts are raising ethical and privacy concerns, and calling for a review of the way data collection in professional sport is handled. Getting ahead of the game: athlete data in professional sport: https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/science-policy-and-analysis/reports-and-publications/getting-ahead-of-the-game-athlete-data-in-professional-sport Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:18:49

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EV Emissions

4/12/2022
With issues around global fuel supplies, and the impact of climate change, many people are now starting to consider a switch to an EV. But just how green are electric vehicles? According to a new study, where you live can play a big role in how climate-friendly your electric car actually is. Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:14:25

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Chocolate Scorecard

4/11/2022
For a lot of people, Easter means chocolate. It's the chocolate industry's busiest time of the year. But not all chocolate is created equal. Child exploitation, environmental issues, and poverty are all major problems in the harvesting of cocoa. So how do you figure out if what you're buying this Easter is actually ethical? Sign up to our free newsletter at https://thedefrag.com/ - or become a paid member and get an ad-free feed and bonus episodes. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/rHb7JVHz42 Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Advertisers: Command Line Heroes: https://link.chtbl.com/commandlineheroes_cyoa?sid=s9.podcast.thedefrag

Duration:00:15:12