Old's Cool — A Retro Tech Podcast

Talking to myself

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:45:17 GMT

On this week's episode, Stephen and Daniel make up for lost time (sorry for the missed week — life got in the way) by diving into the week's latest news, including the introduction of new Sonos speakers and an updated software platform. Do people actually want to talk to their speakers using AI? Sonos thinks so. And why hasn't modern tech killed the fax machine?

Show notes and links

Sonos Introduces Sonos 27, the Next Generation of Its Audio Operating System (Sonos Newsroom)

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We're not in the Luddite Crew, we're just old school

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:35:18 GMT

On this week's show, Stephen and Daniel review the new Pixel 11 series and talk about Google's place in the smartphone market. Daniel is a lot warmer on the Pixel 11 than many of his peers, but Google doesn't care either way — it's after bigger fish than tech reviewers.

And they discuss this new Luddite Crew, a group of young people who embracing flip phones — or no phones at all. Now this is a movement the guys can get behind!

Show notes and links:

The trials and tribulations of reviewing a Pixel (9to5Google)
Pixel 11 Pro Initial Review: Gemini Intelligence is the highlight, not HiLight (9to5Google)
Gen Z's new anti-tech rebellion: making eye contact and listening to each other (Business Insider)
Cranky Geeks 1987 - John C Dvorak (YouTube)

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Pixel peeping Google's smartphone business

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:30:32 GMT

In this week's show, Stephen and Daniel dive into Google's Pixel 11 launch, a successful release that happened right next to the biggest shakeup to its org chart in years. Can Google's Pixel grow its market share in the AI age?

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The shape of the future

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 14:13:08 GMT

After a week off, Stephen and Daniel review the new Samsung Galaxy Fold 8 and burn Daniel's terrible taste in DIY phone cases. Plus, the latest AI scandals and trends.

Show notes and links:

Phones are getting fun (and weird) again - 9to5Google

Everyone thinks the iPhone Ultra will crush Samsung. They’re wrong - Android Authority

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Samsung and Apple are blowing the phone market wide open — again

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:58:18 GMT

On this episode, Stephen and Daniel dive into Samsung's recent Unpacked event where it launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series. What makes the new Fold 8 so interesting, and why does it matter that it's launching just months before Apple's rumored iPhone Ultra foldable? That's not a rhetorical question, we're asking you.

Show notes and links:

After using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, I'm left with one expensive question (Android Authority)
Galaxy Z Fold 8 hands-on: This redesign proves Google was right the first time [Video] (9to5Google)
This might be the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Fold in their new colors [Gallery] (9to5Google)

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Sam Altman's all good, very bad week

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:31:15 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel recount OpenAI's highs (GPT 5.6's success) and lows (being sued by Apple) over the past week.

Plus, Google's Gemini 3.5 Pro is delayed and the company risks falling too far behind the competition, particularly as Chinese competitors like Moonshot's Kimi K3 are catching up to Fable 5 and GPT 5.6 Sol.

Finally, we talk smartphones and the many pressures of competing in the US. With OnePlus closing up shop and Google's Pixel line struggling for market share, are we resigned to a two-horse race?

Show notes and links:

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Copy! That! Floppy!

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:56:43 GMT

On this week's show, Stephen and Daniel talk about archiving floppy discs in a digital age; the newest AI models from OpenAI, Meta, and others; Sony's old school Vaio laptops; how AI is destroying the way we teach and learn, particularly in university; and whether generative AI can really make you a better fiction writer. Plus, the best AI benchmark is a pelican riding a bicycle. Seriously.

This episode's a long one, and it's all over the place, but it's better for it.

Show notes and links:

Machine Stories: How LLMs Set My Writing Free - The Yale Review
Brown Professor Suspects Most of His Class Used AI to Cheat - Inside Higher Ed
Copy That Floppy! – A Practical Guide to Imaging Floppy Disks for Long-Term Preservation - Digipress
Batman: Return of the Joker - Stages 1&5 (Floppy Drives) - MausolfB Music (YouTube)
Can AI Keep a Parent Alive? - The New Yorker
Pelican Riding a Bicycle (AI benchmark) - Simon Willison's Weblog

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Napoleon would've loved AI

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 01:51:30 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel celebrate Independence Day the only way they know how: talking about an alternative history where Napoleon defeated the English at Waterloo. It's good stuff.

Also: Sony is discontinuing physical PlayStation discs in 2028, and the bots are taking over the Internet. Plus, an e-paper Game Boy? It's a thing.

Show notes and links:

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The death of cheap tech

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:21:53 GMT

On this week's show, Stephen and Daniel talk about how the rise of AI is killing cheap tech, and that may not be entirely a bad thing (though it's still mostly a bad thing). They talk about the Steam Machine's exorbitant price, and how intra-generational price increases have never really happened like this. Unprecedented times, indeed. Finally, they talk about forming human bonds with AI and how to negotiate that strange and uncomfortable place.

Oh, and there's a bit of talk at the beginning about bowling. If you want to avoid that, skip ahead to 7:39.

Show notes and links:

The Wholesale Plagiarism of Obscure Sorrows - Waxy
Blu-ray Disc Turns 20: A Look Back at the Format's Launch Day - The Digital Bits
Valve Steam Machine: Official Price and Release Date Confirmed - The Verge
AI Demand Begins to Justify Massive Cost of Data-Center Buildout - Bloomberg ($)
Hivemind – AI-Powered Intelligent Narrator for Shared Storytelling

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The proper way to cash in on nostalgia

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:54:15 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel compare their delicate wrists while showing off the Pebble Time 2, and debate nostalgia projects done right versus *very* wrong.

Plus, can chatbots actually be made safe for kids? These parents aren't so sure.

Show notes and links:

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Retro games and a brand new Siri

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 19:49:35 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel chat through their favorite childhood games, consoles, and controllers, and share what they think are the best games of all time.

Then, in the second half of the show, they dive into the biggest announcement from WWDC 2026, Siri AI, and the impact (or lack thereof) it will make on Apple's hardware business.

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AI may be the only way to save obsolete tech

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 03:55:43 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel dive into the choppy waters of AI writing, and whether it's ever OK to consume AI-made media.

And how AI-based coding tools may be the only way to fix obsolete machines that lack proper documentation.

Plus, is the Pope a friction-maxxer?

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Friction-maxxing and the rebirth of physical media

Sat, 30 May 2026 01:25:19 GMT

On this week's show, Stephen and Daniel dive into their childhoods full tape decks and portable CD players, their shared love of MiniDiscs, and how today's rise of friction-maxxing is bringing them all back (well, except maybe MiniDiscs).

Plus, Daniel shares a deep dark secret he's never shared before, and Stephen tell us about his time as a DJ.

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I'm a Pisces and you're a Gemini (model)

Sun, 24 May 2026 21:05:36 GMT

This week on the show, we dive into the many, many announcements from Google I/O 2026, including new Gemini models, how ads will inevitably end up in Google's AI products, and whether the singularity is nigh (derogatory).

Plus, our feelings on reality TV and 90s daytime television. We miss you, Bob Barker. Get your pets spade or neutered!

Resources & Links:

Everything Google Announced at I/O 2026: Gemini, Search, Android XR & More - 9to5Google
Google's AI Search Is the New Ad System - Ad Infinitum
Google I/O 2016 Keynote: All the Highlights and Announcements - The Verge

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The Googlebook can't be real, can it?

Fri, 15 May 2026 20:48:24 GMT

This week on the show, Stephen and Daniel dive into wonderful world of Google's Android Show, where they discuss the Googlebook; Android 17's Agentic AI transformation; and whether AI art is ever actually satisfying.

Plus, a primer on cognitive surrender, and why Daniel always finds himself getting existential at around the three-quarter mark of every episode.

AI-generated time stamps:

02:02 - Geopolitical headlines: Elon Musk, China, and the semiconductor ghost town

10:17 - Android’s latest: What Google announced last week and the significance of the Pixelbook upgrade

14:34 - Google's Gemini AI: Automating everyday tasks and system-wide AI integration

16:54 - The evolving interface: Background AI automation and user experience dilemmas

20:31 - Ambient computing and privacy fears: When AI starts 'knowing' too much

26:19 - The rise and fall of Apple's AI ambitions and Siri’s future

28:48 - Practical AI: From organizing photos to making your newsletter easier

30:10 - Deepfakes and AI-generated avatars: Ethical questions and emotional reactions

33:01 - Cognitive surrender: When we start trusting AI over our own thinking

35:12 - The ethics of AI art, fan creations, and the uncanny valley

41:24 - Nostalgia trip: Remembering early laptops like PowerBooks and ThinkPads

44:34 - How AI transforms niche content creation and micro-podcasts

51:17 - The long game: AI's role in consumer devices and the future of multitasking

55:20 - Will AI replace creative jobs? Perspectives on art, audio, and design

58:07 - Google’s new Google Book platform: A premium take on Chromebooks and ecosystem integration

64:10 - Hardware dreams: Combining the power of smartphones, Chromebooks, and desktop modes

65:50 - The dangers of AI-automated shopping and personal assistants

71:26 - Podcast consumption: Long form, background listening, and future trends

73:00 - Wrapping up: Reflections on trust, nostalgia, and the path ahead

Resources & Links:

Everything Announced at The Android Show I/O Edition 2026 - 9to5Google
Why does the Googlebook exist? - The Verge
I used the Motorola Razr Fold for a week, and I think it's the best foldable - 9to5Google
Is AI Coming for Our Thinking? Behold the Age of 'Cognitive Surrender' - The Globe and Mail

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AI can't solve your laziness problem

Mon, 11 May 2026 15:17:11 GMT

In this week's episode, Stephen and Daniel delve into the evolution of fitness trackers by looking at the Fitbit Air; Google’s new universal AI-powered health platform; and the negative implications of smart glasses with cameras.

Plus, Daniel gets addicted to vibe coding (it was only a matter of time) and Stephen teaches us how to bowl like a pro.

AI-generated timestamps and descriptions:

The transition of Fitbit into Google's AI-powered health ecosystem and its impact on data interoperability (timestamps: 1:06–2:04)
The significance of device flexibility and unified health data across platforms like Apple, Fitbit, and Google (timestamps: 2:27–4:35)
The challenges of translating raw health data into actionable insights, especially for casual users (timestamps: 8:04–10:50)
Personal routines and sleep hygiene, and how sleep tracking tech continues to improve (timestamps: 21:38–26:38)
Privacy concerns with wearable recording devices, including Ray-Ban Meta glasses and legal gray areas (timestamps: 33:56–37:27)
The recent restrictions on portable power banks on airplanes, lithium-ion fire risks, and historical context with Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 (timestamps: 39:36–43:02)
The influence of nostalgia and market dynamics on device pricing and the resurgence of retro tech (timestamps: 47:42–47:57)
Innovative app development via AI assistance and security considerations of auto-generated and publicly accessible code (timestamps: 48:24–52:00)
The potential oversaturation and design uniformity of AI-generated web and mobile apps (timestamps: 52:26–53:30)

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Nostalgic for a time when smartphones didn't rot our brains

Mon, 04 May 2026 15:31:34 GMT

This week, Stephen and Daniel reminisce over the early days of smartphones and compare them to today's more technologically advanced but creatively bankrupt offerings.

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New School

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:20:34 GMT

Daniel and Stephen are back, freed of corporate shackles, to talk all things tech — old and new.

This week, they dive into the murky world of rising gadget prices, AI ascendency, and... who the next James Bond should be.

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