Podcast
Computer America
Hosted by Ben Crossman · EN
Computer America is the nation's longest running talk show on Computers and Technology, spanning 25+ years of industry guests and analysis.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Sony Stops Disc Making, Xbox Price Increases, Social Media Bans w/ Calcopia
2w ago01:20:22Tap to summarizeShow NotesFox Buying Roku: A Cage Match for the TV Home ScreenBy Rob EnderleTechNewsWorldhttps://www.technewsworld.com/story/fox-buying-roku-a-cage-match-for-the-tv-home-screen-180403.htmlSony Will Stop Making Disc-Based PlayStation Games Starting 2028By Igor BonifacicEngadgethttps://www.engadget.com/2205792/sony-will-stop-making-disc-based-playstation-games-starting-2028Brands Share Playful Responses to Sony's Digital-Only AnnouncementBy Theodore McKenzie80lvhttps://80.lv/articles/brands-share-playful-responses-to-sony-s-digital-only-announcementGitHub Is Offering CD-ROMs of Your Code For a Few DaysBy Jorge JimenezPC Gamerhttps://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/your-code-is-physically-yours-forever-until-you-lose-it-lets-be-real-github-wagging-its-finger-at-sonys-own-goal-is-offering-cd-roms-of-your-code-for-a-few-daysXbox Follows Apple with Price IncreasesBy Ivan MehtaTechCrunchhttps://techcrunch.com/2026/06/25/xbox-follows-apple-with-price-increases/Support for a Social Media Ban for Kids Under 16 Cuts Across Party LinesBy Lauren FeinerThe Vergehttps://www.theverge.com/tech/961051/support-for-a-social-media-ban-for-kids-under-16-cuts-across-party-linesNeon Rescues Sam Altman Movie After Amazon Drops ItBy Thomas GermainGizmodohttps://gizmodo.com/neon-rescues-sam-altman-movie-after-amazon-drops-itGuest: Nathan Evans, Managing EditorCalcopiahttps://www.calcopia.com
Transcribe →0.7nm Chips, E-Waste Gold Extraction, and Full Color 3D Lidar w/ Ralph Bond
2w ago00:39:23Tap to summarizeShow Notes 3 July 2026Story 1: IBM Unveils the World’s First Sub-1-Nanometer Chip TechnologyStory by Allen LeeSource: TechTimes.comLink: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/319060/20260625/ibm-unveils-worlds-first-sub-1-nanometer-chip-technology.htmLink: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-06-25-ibm-debuts-worlds-first-sub-1-nanometer-chip-technology?utm_source=chatgpt.comStory 2: University licenses breakthrough e-waste gold and copper recovery technologySource: Edinburgh InnovationsLink: https://edinburgh-innovations.ed.ac.uk/news/university-of-edinburgh-licenses-breakthrough-e-waste-gold-and-copper-recovery-technologyStory 3: World's first 'native' color lidar will let robots and self-driving cars map the world in full color 3DStory by Fiona JacksonSource: Newsbreak.comLink: https://www.newsbreak.com/livescience-525075/4659318310506-world-s-first-native-color-lidar-will-let-robots-and-self-driving-cars-map-the-world-in-full-color-3dLink: https://ouster.com/Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msrvH_nivHIStory 4: Lab-created ‘SpudCell’ marks ‘stunning’ step toward building life from scratchStory by Kai DupferschmidtSource: Science.orgLink: https://www.science.org/content/article/lab-created-spudcell-marks-major-step-toward-building-life-scratchLink: https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/worlds-first-synthetic-cell-complete-life-cycle-could-revolutionize-biologicalLink: https://biotic.org/research/spudcell/Honorable Mention: Scientists Turn Wet Coffee Grounds into Coal-Like Fuel in Just 90 SecondsStory by Tudor TaritaSource: ZME ScienceLink: https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/scientists-turn-wet-coffee-grounds-into-coal-like-fuel-in-just-90-seconds/Honorable Mention: Paper Battery Startup Aims to Power Everything in Your HouseStory by Matthew S. SmithSource: IEEE SpectrumLink: <
Transcribe →Tidal Power, Fusion Licensing, And Bio-Jet Fuel w/ Ralph Bond
3w ago00:42:16Tap to summarizeShow Notes 26 June 2026World’s Most Powerful Tidal Turbine ‘Orbital O2’ Begins Operations Off Scotland’s Orkney IslandsMI News NetworkMarineInsight.comhttps://www.marineinsight.com/worlds-most-powerful-tidal-turbine-orbital-o2-begins-operations-off-scotlands-orkney-islands/https://www.orbitalmarine.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSM3WukK_cgHelion secures world’s first regulatory licenses for fusion power plant being built in WashingtonLisa StifflerGeekwirehttps://www.geekwire.com/2026/helion-secures-worlds-first-regulatory-licenses-for-fusion-power-plant-being-built-in-washington/Circularity Fuels Converts Raw Dairy Biogas to Jet Fuel in World First End-to-End PilotBeth AntonRenewable Energy Newshttps://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/biogas/circularity-fuels-converts-raw-dairy-biogas-to-20260617Ultrasound-based pacemaker noninvasively steadies the heartJennifer ChuMIT Newshttps://news.mit.edu/2026/ultrasound-based-pacemaker-noninvasively-steadies-heart-0602Waste oils and fats to be turned into low-emission jet fuel with new modular techSujita SinhaInteresting Engineeringhttps://interestingengineering.com/energy/honeywell-brazil-cleaner-jet-fuelNanoengineered wood sets new record for transformer insulationLisa LockTechXplore.comhttps://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-nanoengineered-wood-insulation.htmlWorld-first hydrogen-powered 'gas station' for ships passes key trialsOmar KardoudiNew Atlashttps://newatlas.com/marine/elire-maritime-hydrogen-power-hub/A solar-powered rubbish-eating boat? The vessel chomping plastic waste out of the seaKatharine GammonThe Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/12/solar-powered-rubbish-eating-boat-plastic-waste-sea
Transcribe →A New Era of Robotics and Sustainable Ocean Fuel w/ Ralph Bond
4w ago00:35:38Tap to summarizeShow NotesStory 1: A new frontier for marine robot communication: University of Florida scientists develop BlueMEDave SchlenkerUniversity of Floridahttps://www.eng.ufl.edu/news/research-innovation/a-new-frontier-for-marine-robot-communication-uf-scientists-develop-blueme/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11506063Story 2: Scientists bred a fast-growing kelp that could fuel ships and aircraft without oilBrooklyn SmithThe Cool Down on MSN.comhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/scientists-bred-a-fast-growing-kelp-that-could-fuel-ships-and-aircraft-without-oil/ar-AA239D7SStory 3: Introducing Argus, a robot with 20 legs and eyes built to move and see in any direction instantlyAllen G. Breed and Holly RamerAP News Servicehttps://apnews.com/article/robot-duke-argus-6ba9651ba6553ebc4405ffc07a26afedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivufnqS3pRc&t=2sStory 4: Genetically Engineered Hookworms Developed to Produce and Deliver Therapeutic AgentsBioengineer.orghttps://bioengineer.org/genetically-engineered-hookworms-developed-to-produce-and-deliver-therapeutic-agents/Honorable MentionsStory: Robots Could Turn E-Waste into a Source of Legacy Chips - This startup wants to recover usable RAM before circuit boards are shreddedShannon CuthrellIEEE Spectrumhttps://spectrum.ieee.org/e-waste-recycling-robots-ramStory: Scientists Found a Remarkable Way to Help Kids Like VegetablesDavid NieldScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-found-a-remarkable-way-to-help-kids-like-vegetablesStory: This Groundbreaking Hydrogen Engine Could Rival Diesel Power Without the EmissionsJonathan SayersBGR.comhttps://www.bgr.com/2167090/groundbreaking-hydrogen-engine-no-emissions-diesel/Story: New thermal imaging system detects early melanoma before it is visibleNews Medical Life Scienceshttps://www.news-medical.net/news/20260525/New-thermal-imaging-system-detects-early-melanoma-before-it-is-visible.aspx
Transcribe →2000+ MPG Car, Fog Bacteria, Solar Breakthrough, and Age-Reversing Nasal Sprays w/ Ralph Bond
Jun 1200:39:11Tap to summarizeShow NotesStudent-Built Car Hits 2,145 MPG And Beats Every Production VehicleRex SanchezAutoBlog.comhttps://www.autoblog.com/news/student-built-car-hits-2145-mpg-and-beats-every-production-vehicleSee YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz84xF6tn-MBacteria Live in Fog Droplets and Clear Toxins from Earth’s AirKeith CowingAstrobiology.comhttps://astrobiology.com/2026/05/bacteria-live-in-fog-droplets-and-clear-toxins-from-earths-air.htmlSee also: https://futurism.com/science-energy/something-living-inside-fogSee research paper here: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00463-26Solar cells just did the “impossible” with this 130% breakthrough - A new “spin-flip” breakthrough could let solar panels generate more energy than they receiveKyushu UniversityScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260328024517.htmSee research paper here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c20500Scientists reverse brain aging, with a nasal spray - New therapy is turning back the clock in aging brains, healing inflammation, restoring memory and reshaping the future of brain age-related therapies.Zaid ElayyanTexas A&M Storieshttps://stories.tamu.edu/news/2026/04/14/scientists-reverse-brain-aging-with-a-nasal-spray/Scientists Create First-Ever ‘Smell Map’ - A detailed diagram of smell receptors in the nose fills in missing details of how olfaction worksCatherine CarusoHarvard School of Medicine Websitehttps://hms.harvard.edu/news/scientists-create-first-ever-smell-mapAI-powered spectrometer chip shrinks lab technology to the size of a grain of sand - Scientists built a grain-of-sand-sized AI chip that could turn future gadgets into powerful chemical and medical scanners.University of California DavisScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260525000501.htmEach atom in the universe might be uniqueK. R. CallawayScientific Americanhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/each-
Transcribe →Nintendo Switch 2 Turns One, Nvidia Spark Silicon, and Steam Machine's Return w/ Calcopia!
Jun 501:12:48Tap to summarizeComputer America Stories 06/5/2026 Happy First Birthday, Switch 2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch_2Nvidia’s RTX Spark Silicon Brings Supercomputer Ambitions to Consumer Laptops https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-in-consumer-laptops-computex-2026Steam Machine and Steam Frame are coming 'this summer' https://www.engadget.com/2187938/steam-machine-and-steam-frame-are-coming-this-summer/Behind the Movie Claiming to Be the First Straight-to-VHS Release in 20 Years — And Why It’s a ‘Middle Finger’ to AIhttps://variety.com/2026/film/global/behind-the-fstraight-to-vhs-release-in-20-years-and-why-its-a-middle-finger-to-ai-1236767661/Misc.
Transcribe →New Picosecond Spintronic Switch, California Canal Solar Project, and Plant Hearing w/ Ralph Bond
Jun 500:41:15Tap to summarizeShow Notes 5 June 2026Researchers built a switch 1,000 times faster than today's AI chips, and it barely generates any heat - University of Tokyo's antiferromagnetic spintronic switch operates at picosecond speedsKishalaya KunduTechSpot.comhttps://www.techspot.com/news/112430-researchers-built-switch-1000-times-faster-than-today.htmlhttps://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/press/11143/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt3136?utm_source=chatgpt.comSolar [panels] on canals reduces water evaporation by 70% and algae growth by 85%Pilar Sanchez MolinaPV Magazinehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/05/04/solar-on-canals-reduces-water-evaporation-by-70-and-algae-growth-by-85/https://www.tid.org/current-projects/project-nexus/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1yAxRxRpuchttps://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/solar-panel-covered-canals-have-their-day-sun-californiahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJzOtOpYdoCan plants hear? Latest research offers new insightsGaby Clark and Andrew ZininPhys.orghttps://phys.org/news/2026-05-latest-insights.htmlhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-44444-1AI Tool in Radiotherapy Advances Global Fight to Eradicate Cervical CancerN/ABioengineering.comhttps://bioengineer.org/ai-tool-in-radiotherapy-advances-global-fight-to-eradicate-cervical-cancer/
Transcribe →Smart Rings, AI Wildfire Detection, and Extraterrestrial Agriculture w/ Ralph Bond
May 2900:34:39Tap to summarizeShow Notes 29 May 2026This see-through smart ring translates sign language and almost works like magicRachit AgarwalDigital Trendshttps://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/this-see-through-smart-ring-translates-sign-language-and-almost-works-like-magic/A Wireless Ring-Type Device for Sign Language TranslationScience Advanceshttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec8995This thumb ring translates sign language into textPopular Sciencehttps://www.popsci.com/technology/sign-language-translator-ring/States Across the Wildfire-Prone Western US Are Using AI for Early DetectionAssociated PressWildland Firefighterhttps://www.wildlandfirefighter.com/2026/05/04/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-using-ai-for-early-detection/Recycled human waste could turn the dust on Mars and the Moon into fertile soil for cropsEric RallsEarth.comhttps://www.earth.com/news/recycled-astronaut-waste-could-turn-moon-and-mars-soil-into-farmland-for-crops/Scientists destroy COVID and flu viruses in the lab with sound wavesDavid NieldScienceAlerthttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-destroy-covid-and-flu-viruses-in-the-lab-with-sound-wavesInactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses by high-frequency ultrasoundScientific Reportshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-37584-xSpelman Students Invent a Way for Plants to Talk with PlantGPTSpelman Collegehttps://www.spelman.edu/news/2026/05/spelman-students-invent-a-way-for-plants-to-talk-with-plantgpt.htmlSpelman College students create 'PlantGPT' AI tool to help people communicate with plantsMadeline MontgomeryCBS News Atlantahttps://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/spelman-college-plantgpt-ai-tool-people-communicate-plants/A Hemp-based Plastic Offers a Greener Alternative to Plastic PackagingUniversity of Connecticuthttps://today.uconn.edu/2026/05/a-hemp-based-plastic-offers-a-greener-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/Sugarcane waste concrete cuts CO₂ by up to 30% while boosting strengthRobert EganTech Xplore<
Transcribe →3D-Printed Brain Sensors, Internal Ultrasound Light, and Automated Neural Surgery w/ Ralph Bond
May 2200:35:39Tap to summarizeShow Notes3D-printed brain sensors may unlock personalized neural monitoringTy TkacikPenn State websitehttps://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/3d-printed-brain-sensors-may-unlock-personalized-neural-monitoringResearchers use ultrasound to create light inside the bodyStanford University Reporthttps://news.stanford.edu/stories/2026/04/researchers-use-ultrasound-to-create-light-inside-the-bodyNeuralink builds surgical robot to speed up brain implant procedures for patientsMrigakshi DixitInteresting Engineeringhttps://interestingengineering.com/science/neuralink-unveils-surgical-robot-to-automate-bciMIT Laser Breakthrough Lets Scientists Watch Drugs Enter the Brain in Real TimeAdam ZeweSciTechDaily.comhttps://scitechdaily.com/mit-laser-breakthrough-lets-scientists-watch-drugs-enter-the-brain-in-real-time/Helium-3 mining on the lunar surfaceThe European Space Agencyhttps://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surfaceNo batteries, just body heat: Demonstrating the potential of battery-free sensingLisa LockTechXplore.comhttps://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-batteries-body-potential-battery-free.htmlScientists think a hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years — and they've figured out the 'recipe' to find itSascha PareLiveScience.comhttps://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/scientists-think-a-hidden-source-of-clean-energy-could-power-earth-for-170-000-years-and-theyve-figured-out-the-recipe-to-find-itEvolution Favored Genes Linked to Red Hair – And Vitamin D May Be WhyDavid NieldScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/evolution-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-vitamin-d-may-be-why
Transcribe →Shapeshifting Wings and Artificial Neurons w/ Ralph Bond
May 800:33:06Tap to summarizeShow Notes 8 May 2026This 'gas battery' turns CO2 and NOx pollution into electricitySungkyunkwan UniversityTechXplore.comhttps://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-gas-battery-pollution-electricity-air.htmlhttps://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/ee/d5ee06789hHumanoid robot takes first steps on construction siteMark GloverConstruction Managementhttps://constructionmanagement.co.uk/humanoid-robot-takes-first-steps-on-construction-site/AI-controlled morphing wings take flight as DLR tests aircraftJay MenonAerospace Global Newshttps://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/dlr-ai-controlled-morphing-wings-aircraft/Scientists invent artificial neurons that 'talk' to real brain cellsMarianne GuenotLiveScience.comhttps://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/scientists-invent-artificial-neurons-that-talk-to-real-brain-cells-paving-way-to-better-brain-implantshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-026-02149-6.epdfThe next big thing in sustainable construction: Iron-fortified wood?Anthropocene Magazinehttps://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/05/the-next-big-thing-in-sustainable-construction-iron-fortified-wood/Scientists Discover an Amazing New Use for Your Leftover Coffee GroundsMichael IrvingScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-discover-an-amazing-new-use-for-your-leftover-coffee-groundsImplantable ‘living pharmacy’ produces multiple drugs inside the bodyAmanda MorrisNorthwestern Universityhttps://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2026/03/implantable-living-pharmacy-produces-multiple-drugs-inside-the-bodySound Waves Could Be Used to Remotely Reprogram Material StiffnessLiezel LabiosUC San Diego Websitehttps://today.ucsd.edu/story/sound-waves-could-be-used-to-remotely-reprogram-material-stiffness-study-showshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAIvkSN_N1c
Transcribe →