Bad Voltage Episode 50 Has Been Released

jeremy · 09-17-2015, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Jono Bacon, Bryan Lunduke, Stuart Langridge and myself bring you the wonderful world of Bad Voltage, in which you get a mat underfoot because your feet hurt, there is a small Lunduke on the scene, and:

00:04:48 Mycroft, the open source AI for everyone home automation thing that you can put in your house and speak commands to, has achieved its Kickstarter goals and will happen. We like it. Heres why
00:24:48 Chris Waid from Thinkpenguin and savewifi.org speaks about the American FCCs consultation which requires restricting wireless devices from using unapproved frequencies. Understandably, the SaveWiFi team are very concerned this will result in outright banning of open source router firmware and possibly open source wireless drivers generally. Today we discuss the issue with Chris, whether its quite as big a problem as is suggested, and what can be done about it
00:48:17 Hack Voltage: Jeremy spends a minute recommending a cool thing. In this episode, a bathroom mirror which runs Android
00:49:24 Unbiasedly leading on from Mycroft, one of the things it touts itself as is integrating with your home automation; Internet-of-Things things around your house, whether thermometers or Dropcams or smart fridges. Weve been getting into home automation to varying degrees, and its a big area; here we talk about it and open standards
01:08:14 Jono reviews the LIFT standing desk conversion kit, and the idea of standing desks generally

Were doing a live show, and you can be in the audience! See details of Bad Voltage Live, in Fulda, Germany on September 30th 2015, at badvoltage.org/live!

Listen to 150: Automated

From the Bad Voltage site: Every two weeks Bad Voltage delivers an amusing take on technology, Open Source, politics, music, and anything else we think is interesting, as well as interviews and reviews. Do note that Bad Voltage is in no way related to LinuxQuestions.org, and unlike LQ it will be decidedly NSFW. That said, head over to the Bad Voltage website, take a listen and let us know what you think.

Particularly interested to hear what LQ members think of Mycroft and the FCC NPRM.

--jeremy

jeremy · 09-22-2015, 08:39 AM

I should add: if anyone has experience with either the Ergo Depot Jarvis or Evodesk, I'd be keen to hear about it.

--jeremy

frankbell · 09-22-2015, 08:59 PM

I thought the interview with Chris Wald was excellent and appreciated that you all put him through the wringer. If he's going to take the point on this issue, he needs to know how to handle questions calmly, competently, and accurately. I commend him wholeheartedly for publicizing and pursuing this, but I've heard him on several podcasts, and there are far too many "I don't knows" in the discourse.

As for Mycroft and standing desks, I have no interest in either. If one doesn't automate one's house and, rather, gets out of the Laz-y-Boy from time to time to flip a switch, one might not need that stand--never mind.