Relay FM - Material

Flo and Andy fiddle with Android TV boxes while the Essential Phone burns. Then they talk about Samsung Unpacked, and marvel in hopeful disbelief that new Galaxy Z Flip could be the first folding phone that can't be reviewed with an economical “LOL NO.” A Googler is fired for her activism, and speaks freely of the environment for trans people at the company. Finally, although it's too soon to get excited about the new OS Google's developing, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens is plenty excited about the weed it's been named after. Bonus: the word “Poopie” is uttered without apology.

Andy's waiting for his Walkman to arrive and Flo's hoping she has at least another week before the baby is here. We talk all the juicy details of Google's Q4 2019 earnings call, along with what happened during the Great Google Photos Data Swap of 2019. We'll also reminisce about the days of one-hour photo processing thanks to Google Photos' new print subscription service, and we're wondering how artist Simon Weckert procured so many different Android smartphones for his Google Maps exhibit.

Flo and Andy report on why Google backtracked on its search engine redesign before diving into the viability of the company's "Going Green" initiative. We'll then squee for a bit about Google I/O this spring, and encourage you to try out the latest digital wellbeing experiments. Put your phone down! (After you listen to our podcast, of course.)

Andy learns about Android's TalkBack Accessibility mode at the worst possible time, while Flo appreciates that her co-host knows how to dress like a Trillion-Dollar Company. The two dive into the controversial design changes of Google's search results, Sundar Pichai's call for regulation of artificial intelligence, and why Google "gets away with so much." We'll also touch upon new rules proposed by the San Francisco Pride organization to cut back on corporate pride, and we'll run through the latest details of Microsoft's software plan for the foldable, Android-based Duo tablet.

Flo and Andy cash in their yellow card immediately with a conversation on Silk Stalkings _and_ Columbo in Kanji. (We're already Gympie-Gympie Bush influencers—when do we become vintage TV influencers?) Then, we'll tackle why Alphabet's Chief Legal Officer, David Drummond, stepped down from the company, as well as the implications of Google having unfettered access to your medical records. We'll also muse a bit about Samsung's new mid-range phone made for "industrial" industries.