Old's Cool — A Retro Tech Podcast

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...

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:<...

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:<...

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:Game Boy Emulator on ESP32 + E-Ink (M5Stack PaperS3) — Paper Boy S3 | YouTubeCloudflare's New Policy Pushes AI Companies to Pay for Publishers' Content | TechCrunchPhysical disc production ending in January 2028 for new ga...

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.<...

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:Pebble Time 2 Review – A Redditor's Real-World Take (r/pebble)Pebble Time 2 Review: Resurrection Time (MrMobile on YouTube)U.S. Government Forces Anthropic to Pull Fable 5 and Mythos 5 Over National Security ConcernsAnthropic Shuts Down Fable 5 & Mythos 5 Over U.S. Export Control Order — A Sovereign AI Wake-Up CallApple's Price Incr...

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.Feedback or comments? Email us at theoldscoolcast@gmail.comFind us on Instagram @theoldscoolcast too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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?Feedback or comments? Email us at theoldscoolcast@gmail.comFind us on Instagram @theoldscoolcast too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Feedback or comments? Email us at theoldscoolcast@gmail.comFind us on Instagram @theoldscoolcast too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 - 9to5GoogleGoogle's AI Search Is the New Ad System - Ad InfinitumGoogle I/O 2016 Keynote: All the...

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 town10:17 - Android’s latest: What Google announced last week and the significance of the Pixelbook upgrade14:34 - Go...

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 Appl...

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.