Thoughts on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold!
Digest
The podcast begins with a sponsor announcement for the book "Read Write Own" by Chris Tixon, which explores the evolution of technology and a vision for the future of the internet. The hosts then discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, highlighting the potential for a domino effect that could spread to Lebanon and beyond. The podcast dives into tech news, including early thoughts on the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, the surge in Blue Sky users due to a ban on X (Twitter) in Brazil, and the growing impact of AI on Google search. The hosts discuss the concept of swappable prime lenses, exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks of this innovative approach to lens design. The podcast delves into the significant user growth of Blue Sky, an alternative to Twitter, driven by the ban on X in Brazil. The hosts discuss the social graph problem and the importance of attracting users to new platforms. The podcast discusses Instagram's new feature that allows users to add a song to their profile, similar to MySpace. The hosts share their thoughts on the feature and discuss the potential for a return of the "top eight" friends feature. The hosts discuss the cultural impact of AI, highlighting the popularity of a Dr. Pepper AI-generated song as evidence of AI's growing influence. The hosts share a trivia fact about Third Eye Blind recording their debut album at Skywalker Ranch without permission. The podcast transitions to a trivia round, featuring an audio clip of a famous tech founder. The hosts discuss their initial impressions of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, highlighting its improved interior screen, thin design, and good battery life. The hosts delve into the camera quality and durability of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, discussing the challenges of achieving good image quality and the phone's performance during a trip to Glacier National Park. The podcast discusses the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold's Dex-like experience, wireless charging capabilities, and the challenges of finding compatible cases. The hosts discuss the "dead internet" theory, highlighting the growing influence of AI-generated content and the potential for a decline in human-created content. The podcast discusses Ilya Sutskever's new company, Safe Superintelligence Inc., which aims to develop safe superintelligence. The hosts express concerns about the company's name and the potential risks associated with unchecked AI development. The hosts discuss the popular new game Deadlock, a third-person shooter MOBA that has gained significant attention despite being in an early stage of development. The hosts provide a detailed overview of Deadlock's gameplay mechanics, including its third-person shooter elements, MOBA-style lanes, and unique features like zip lines. The hosts discuss the definition of a MOBA game, comparing it to Tug of War and explaining the core mechanics of base destruction and strategic gameplay. The hosts delve into the appeal of Deadlock, highlighting its unique features like solidified roles and a less toxic environment compared to other MOBAs. The hosts discuss Valve's history of successful game development, emphasizing their impact on the PC gaming industry and the significance of their new MOBA, Deadlock. The hosts discuss the surprising under-the-radar release of Deadlock and its rapid rise in popularity, highlighting the game's potential and the excitement surrounding its future. The hosts acknowledge the challenges of discussing gaming topics without encountering criticism from passionate gamers, emphasizing the vastness of the gaming world and the potential for misunderstandings. The hosts engage in a trivia segment, discussing a recent news story about a strange sound emanating from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and exploring possible explanations. The hosts continue their trivia game, attempting to identify a famous tech founder based on clues related to their role in a specific platform. The hosts conclude the episode with shoutouts to listeners, friends of the podcast, and sponsors, expressing gratitude for their support and highlighting upcoming content.
Outlines
Introduction, Sponsor Announcement, and Israel-Gaza Conflict
The podcast begins with a sponsor announcement for the book "Read Write Own" by Chris Tixon, which explores the evolution of technology and a vision for the future of the internet. The hosts then discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, highlighting the potential for a domino effect that could spread to Lebanon and beyond.
Waveform Podcast Introduction and Tech News
The hosts introduce the Waveform podcast, discussing Mark Hez's absence due to his participation in an ultimate frisbee tournament. The podcast dives into tech news, including early thoughts on the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, the surge in Blue Sky users due to a ban on X (Twitter) in Brazil, and the growing impact of AI on Google search.
Tech Discussion: Swappable Prime Lenses and Blue Sky's Growth
The hosts discuss the concept of swappable prime lenses, exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks of this innovative approach to lens design. The podcast delves into the significant user growth of Blue Sky, an alternative to Twitter, driven by the ban on X in Brazil. The hosts discuss the social graph problem and the importance of attracting users to new platforms.
Instagram's New Feature, AI's Cultural Impact, and Trivia
The podcast discusses Instagram's new feature that allows users to add a song to their profile, similar to MySpace. The hosts share their thoughts on the feature and discuss the potential for a return of the "top eight" friends feature. The hosts discuss the cultural impact of AI, highlighting the popularity of a Dr. Pepper AI-generated song as evidence of AI's growing influence. The hosts share a trivia fact about Third Eye Blind recording their debut album at Skywalker Ranch without permission. The podcast transitions to a trivia round, featuring an audio clip of a famous tech founder.
Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold Review
The hosts discuss their initial impressions of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, highlighting its improved interior screen, thin design, and good battery life. The hosts delve into the camera quality and durability of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold, discussing the challenges of achieving good image quality and the phone's performance during a trip to Glacier National Park. The podcast discusses the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold's Dex-like experience, wireless charging capabilities, and the challenges of finding compatible cases.
AI's Impact on the Internet and Safe Superintelligence Inc.
The hosts discuss the "dead internet" theory, highlighting the growing influence of AI-generated content and the potential for a decline in human-created content. The podcast discusses Ilya Sutskever's new company, Safe Superintelligence Inc., which aims to develop safe superintelligence. The hosts express concerns about the company's name and the potential risks associated with unchecked AI development.
Gaming: Deadlock and MOBA Discussion
The hosts discuss the popular new game Deadlock, a third-person shooter MOBA that has gained significant attention despite being in an early stage of development. The hosts provide a detailed overview of Deadlock's gameplay mechanics, including its third-person shooter elements, MOBA-style lanes, and unique features like zip lines. The hosts discuss the definition of a MOBA game, comparing it to Tug of War and explaining the core mechanics of base destruction and strategic gameplay.
Deadlock: A New MOBA Experience and Valve's Return
The hosts delve into the appeal of Deadlock, highlighting its unique features like solidified roles and a less toxic environment compared to other MOBAs. The hosts discuss Valve's history of successful game development, emphasizing their impact on the PC gaming industry and the significance of their new MOBA, Deadlock. The hosts discuss the surprising under-the-radar release of Deadlock and its rapid rise in popularity, highlighting the game's potential and the excitement surrounding its future.
Gaming Podcast Dilemma and Trivia Time
The hosts acknowledge the challenges of discussing gaming topics without encountering criticism from passionate gamers, emphasizing the vastness of the gaming world and the potential for misunderstandings. The hosts engage in a trivia segment, discussing a recent news story about a strange sound emanating from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and exploring possible explanations. The hosts continue their trivia game, attempting to identify a famous tech founder based on clues related to their role in a specific platform.
Shoutouts and Episode Wrap-Up
The hosts conclude the episode with shoutouts to listeners, friends of the podcast, and sponsors, expressing gratitude for their support and highlighting upcoming content.
Keywords
Swappable Prime Lenses
A new lens technology where only the lens elements are swapped, not the entire lens, potentially reducing weight and offering flexibility.
Blue Sky
A decentralized social media platform, similar to Twitter, gaining popularity due to its user-friendly interface and features like custom feeds and moderation.
Dead Internet Theory
A theory suggesting that the internet is becoming increasingly dominated by AI-generated content, potentially leading to a decline in human-created content and authentic information.
Safe Superintelligence
A term used to describe AI that is designed to be safe and beneficial to humanity, but raises concerns about the potential for unintended consequences and the lack of transparency in its development.
Deadlock
A popular new game, a third-person shooter MOBA, that combines elements of different genres, offering a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
MOBA
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, a genre of video games that features competitive team-based gameplay, typically involving strategic map control, resource management, and hero-based combat.
Valve
A private company known for its successful game development, including Half-Life, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Valve is also the distributor of Steam, the largest gaming marketplace for PC, Mac, and Linux.
Boeing Starliner
A spacecraft developed by Boeing for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. It recently made headlines for a mysterious sound emanating from its cockpit, sparking speculation and discussion about its potential cause.
Q&A
What are the key features of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold?
The Pixel Fold 9 Pro Fold boasts an improved interior screen, a thin design, good battery life, and the inclusion of Pixel software features like now playing and call recording.
What are the concerns about the "dead internet" theory?
The "dead internet" theory suggests that the internet is becoming increasingly dominated by AI-generated content, potentially leading to a decline in human-created content and authentic information.
What are the potential risks associated with Safe Superintelligence Inc.?
The company's name and the lack of transparency in its development raise concerns about the potential for unintended consequences and the lack of control over unchecked AI development.
What makes Deadlock a unique and engaging game?
Deadlock combines elements of third-person shooters and MOBAs, offering a unique gameplay experience with features like lanes, neutral creeps, and zip lines.
What are the core mechanics of a MOBA game?
MOBAs involve two teams competing to destroy each other's base. Players control unique heroes with distinct skills and roles, requiring strategic teamwork and coordination.
What makes Deadlock different from other MOBAs?
Deadlock features solidified roles, a less toxic environment, and a focus on skill-based gameplay, making it more accessible to new players.
What is Valve's significance in the gaming industry?
Valve is a private company known for its successful game development, including Half-Life, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. They also distribute Steam, the largest gaming marketplace for PC, Mac, and Linux.
What is the mysterious sound coming from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft?
The sound is believed to be caused by feedback loops or bleeds in the spacecraft's complex electrical systems, but its exact cause remains under investigation.
Who is the famous tech founder who was automatically followed by new users on a specific platform?
The tech founder is Tom Anderson, the founder of MySpace, who was automatically followed by new users when they joined the platform.
Show Notes
Marques is still gone competing in Australia, so Andrew and David take it as an opportunity to talk about nothing but gaming! Just kidding, they talk about swappable camera lenses, dead internet theory, Bluesky, and even Myspace before talking about gaming. David also gives his thoughts on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold after using it for a long weekend. Of course, we finish it all up with some trivia. Enjoy!
Links:
Verge Swappable Lenses: https://bit.ly/3zb5suD
Economic Times Instagram songs in profile: https://bit.ly/4eanUT1
AI James Hoffman: https://bit.ly/3ATsHK7
Verge Deadlock: https://bit.ly/4cTPXov
Music provided by Epidemic Sound
Shop products mentioned:
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: https://geni.us/pAK0TB
Shop the merch:
https://shop.mkbhd.com
Socials:
Waveform: https://twitter.com/WVFRM
Waveform: https://www.threads.net/@waveformpodcast
Marques: https://www.threads.net/@mkbhd
Andrew: https://www.threads.net/@andrew_manganelli
David Imel: https://www.threads.net/@davidimel
Adam: https://www.threads.net/@parmesanpapi17
Ellis: https://twitter.com/EllisRovin
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@waveformpodcast
Join the Discord:
https://discord.gg/mkbhd
Music by 20syl:
https://bit.ly/2S53xlC
Waveform is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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