Hardware & Computing

Desktop & Workstation

Ubuntu, displays, storage, system optimization

13 episodes

#2236: Metal at Forty Thousand Feet

Could 1903 metallurgy have built a plane to fly at 40,000 feet? The answer reveals how materials science, not aerodynamics, was aviation's deepest ...

material-scienceaviation-technologyaerospace-engineering

#2106: The Silicon Shock: Inside the 2026 Hardware Supply Chain

AI is hoarding all the chips, and your smart toaster is stuck in line. Here’s why the hardware supply chain is breaking down.

supply-chainsemiconductorshardware-engineering

#2079: PLCs: The Grey Boxes Running the World

Why factories still run on ladder logic, VxWorks, and rugged grey boxes instead of cloud servers.

industrial-automationoperating-systemsdocker

#1988: Will Glass Storage Save Us From the Data Deluge?

Quartz glass promises 10,000-year data storage, but can it scale before 180 zettabytes make it obsolete?

data-storagehardware-engineeringglass-storage

#1983: Why Your Digital Photos Are Slowly Disappearing

Physical paper from the 1700s is more durable than a Word doc from 1994. Here's why digital data is fragile and how archivists fight bit rot.

data-storagedigital-forensicshardware-reliability

#1937: The Science of Battery Health and Charging

The "memory effect" is dead. Here's why charging to 80% is the new rule for phone and EV battery longevity.

battery-technologyelectrical-engineeringelectric-vehicles

#1873: Your Gadgets Are Screaming at Each Other

Every electronic device is broadcasting invisible noise. Here’s how engineers build cages to keep the chaos from crashing your gadgets.

electrical-engineeringhardware-reliabilitythermal-management

#1821: The Quantum Computer Inside the Giant White Thermos

Crack open a quantum computer and you won't find a CPU—just a gold-plated chandelier inside a giant white thermos.

hardware-engineeringthermal-managementsemiconductors

#1820: Renting vs. Owning GPUs: The Break-Even Math

Is it cheaper to rent serverless GPUs or buy your own hardware? We break down the math on utilization, depreciation, and hidden costs.

serverless-gpugpu-accelerationhardware-reliability

#1806: Why Mac Minis Are Eating AI's Hardware Race

Apple Silicon's unified memory is crushing traditional GPUs for local LLMs. Here's why the M4 Mac Mini is the new king of affordable AI hardware.

local-aihardware-engineeringgpu-acceleration

#1801: Why Hospitals Still Use Pagers in 2026

Despite 5G and smartphones, pagers persist in critical infrastructure. Discover the physics and reliability behind this "legacy" tech.

telecommunicationscloud-computinghardware-durability

#1797: Why the Cloud Runs on Cassette Tapes

The cloud isn't just hard drives—it's millions of robotic cassette tapes holding petabytes of data for Google and NASA.

data-storagehardware-engineeringsecurity

#1776: The 80,000-Mile Backup Anxiety

Is your backup strategy a responsible habit or a full-blown compulsion? We explore the thin line between data safety and digital hoarding.

data-storagedigital-privacyhuman-factors