591 episodes

Technology coverage from across the Slate Podcast network

Slate Technology Slate Podcasts

    • Technology
    • 4.5 • 546 Ratings

Technology coverage from across the Slate Podcast network

    What Next TBD: So ... Is TikTok Banned?

    What Next TBD: So ... Is TikTok Banned?

    The TikTok ban that has been floating around Washington since the last administration has been signed into law. What does that mean for users, creators and the court battles ahead?

    Guest: 
    Louise Matsakis, reporter covering tech and China.
    Dillon White, TikToker under the handle @dadchats

    Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
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    • 22 min
    ICYMI: Is Roblox Coming for TikTok?

    ICYMI: Is Roblox Coming for TikTok?

    On today’s episode, Steffi Cao explains Roblox to Rachelle. Cao, a culture writer with bylines at The Atlantic, Fast Company, Forbes, BuzzFeed and more, recently wrote about Roblox’s new attempt to venture outside of kids’ gaming.
    This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
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    • 39 min
    What Next TBD: The Internet Archive Endangered

    What Next TBD: The Internet Archive Endangered

    From the Wayback Machine to the mass-digitization of the history of Aruba, the Internet Archive is a non-profit doing valuable work. But some of its other projects—a pandemic-era lending library and the ongoing digitalization of 78 rpm records—have led to lawsuits now threatening the future of this repository of the past. 

    Guest: Kate Knibbs, senior writer at Wired.

    Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
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    • 23 min
    ICYMI: How a Chinese Glycine Manufacturer Took Over TikTok

    ICYMI: How a Chinese Glycine Manufacturer Took Over TikTok

    On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer listener questions about the rapid rise of Donghua Jinlong, a Chinese company that manufactures glycine. Over the past few weeks, paradoxically deadpan and impassioned videos about the high quality of Donghua Jinlong’s products have taken over TikTok. Are teens actually consuming industrial grade chemicals? Or is something even weirder happening?
    This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
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    • 47 min
    Slate Money: Tesla’s Toxic Relationship With Musk

    Slate Money: Tesla’s Toxic Relationship With Musk

    This week: Elon Musk wants his colossal, court-blocked pay package, and Tesla’s board wants to give it to him. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers also chat with Alicia Montgomery, current Slate audio VP and veteran of NPR, to discuss what is — and isn’t — behind NPR’s troubles. Also: inflation is high, but does the Fed really need to cut rates? In the Plus segment: Why Biden is going after Chinese steel.
    If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
    Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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    • 52 min
    What Next TBD: What’s Driving Tesla’s Layoffs?

    What Next TBD: What’s Driving Tesla’s Layoffs?

    Tesla’s market cap has dropped. The company had its biggest round of layoffs ever. The Cybertruck doesn’t seem to be taking off. And Elon’s posting through it. Is Tesla in serious trouble?

    Guest: Dana Hull, Bloomberg reporter and contributor to the podcast Elon, Inc.  

    Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
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    • 23 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
546 Ratings

546 Ratings

hColette ,

Fascinating and easy to follow

Listening to podcasts has become my way to have my own moment and space while riding out the pandemic at home with my family. I’ve learned that discovering new podcasts is very hit-or-miss. This podcast is a delightful find—each episode has a fascinating topic that is well-researched and supported with interesting sources. The hosts have a clear delivery and (seemingly to me) their presentation is mostly scripted and well-edited, which means there’s not a bunch of filler or banter, and the podcast becomes about their topic and not their personalities. Listening to each podcast does provide an escape, as I really need to focus on the information to process it, which takes me away from current events.

Samd199 ,

TBD has so much potential

I am confused because TBD frames their episodes like deep dives into current tech issues but turns out to be less than 20 mins of surface level reporting when you count in the enormous amount of ads they play (seriously?! Ads at the start and then again right after the intro??) Their stuff on AI for example basically summarizes what NYT and others already report on without adding anything new.
If they framed this podcast as a brief morning report type show i wouldnt be upset.
Otherwise i would love to see longer episodes that set up the history of the topic and then an actual deep dives into the issue that plays both sides. And picking weird but interesting original topics instead of regurgitating the mainstream topics that already get reported on

Tyfgnm ,

What Next is solid - ICYMI needs new hosts

Solid podcast concepts but ICYMI needs to be split off into its own feed so that I can ignore it completely. The self-absorbed hosts reading their copy is insufferable.

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