BOX SET: 6 Minute English - Internet and Technology English mega-class! One hour of new vocabulary!

Jean Twenge and the hosts discuss how smartphones can make time pass unnoticed due to 'compulsive' use. They consider the idea of app timers to encourage less screen time and more 'in person' interaction. The answer to the quiz is 1995 for the first appearance of the term 'smartphone'.

Neil and Georgina discuss global differences in electrical currents, specifically Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC). They note that while electricity is a natural force, its implementation varies, requiring converter plugs when traveling. The quiz asks who discovered electricity.

Gareth Mitchell and Keith Bell explain 'frequency' in electrical currents (measured in hertz) and how different countries (e.g., US 60Hz, UK 50Hz) are not in 'synchronous areas'. This leads to 'anomalies' where devices may not charge properly. Modern devices with 'solid state electronics' can automatically convert currents. The answer to the quiz is Benjamin Franklin.

Rob and Neil discuss drones (also known as UAVs – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), highlighting their diverse uses from smuggling drugs to industrial inspections and medical deliveries. Concerns about safety (near misses with aircraft) and privacy (surveillance) are raised. The quiz asks what UAV stands for.

Dr. Yoge Patel emphasizes drones' potential to be a 'game changer' in domestic and military uses, citing examples like inspecting Fukushima and delivering medical supplies. She also notes that 'regulations' are constantly 'harmonising' with progressing technology. The answer to the quiz is 'Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'.

Neil and Sam explore how computers can distinguish real from fake smiles. Professor Hassan Ugail explains his team has successfully developed software that analyzes facial muscle movements in 'real time' to 'infer' emotions. The quiz asks about the number of muscles in the human face.

Professor Ugail details how computers are trained by using 'data sets' of 'induced' real smiles (from funny movies) and pretend fake smiles. The computers 'figure out' the characteristics of each. This AI is 90% accurate, surpassing human ability. The answer to the quiz is 43 facial muscles.

Neil and Tim discuss Artificial Intelligence (AI) as machines copying human intelligent behavior. Neil asserts AI is 'everywhere,' from driving cars to diagnosing medical conditions. Tim is skeptical, viewing it as science fiction. The quiz asks the name of the computer that beat Garry Kasparov in chess.

Professor Zoubin Bharhramani explains that while AI excels in some areas, it struggles with tasks humans 'take for granted,' like walking or recognizing faces, highlighting AI's 'limitations.' This 'cutting edge' research aims to 'implement' these basic human abilities in machines. The answer to the quiz is Deep Blue.

Neil and Catherine debate whether smartphones have made traditional cameras 'obsolete.' They discuss different camera types: compact, DSLRs, and mirrorless. Phil Hall, editor of Tech Radar, states that compact camera sales have 'dropped off a cliff' due to smartphones but higher-end cameras still cater to enthusiasts. The quiz asks when the first digital camera phone was released.

Phil Hall explains that some people 'getting into photography' with smartphones become 'frustrated' with their limitations and 'take the next rung up' to more advanced cameras for creative reasons. The answer to the quiz is that the first digital camera phone was released in 2000.

Broussard emphasizes the 'nuanced problem' of data reflecting existing societal issues and the lack of social awareness among algorithm creators. This means AI can perpetuate existing biases. The hosts reflect on how algorithms can influence our digital experiences. The answer to the quiz is that the term 'Artificial Intelligence' was coined in the 1950s.

Rob and Catherine discuss smartphone addiction, with Catherine admitting to 'FOMO' (Fear Of Missing Out) and being a 'phubber' (someone who ignores others for their phone). They highlight a survey showing half of US teenagers feel addicted to their phones. Jean Twenge, a psychologist, notes smartphones can lead to mental health issues and compulsive checking. The quiz asks when the term 'smartphone' first appeared.

Dan and Neil discuss cryptocurrency, focusing on Bitcoin. They explain that 'crypto' means hidden or secret, and Bitcoin is a digital currency, not printed by governments or banks, making it not legal tender. Its value fluctuates, and it primarily exists online. Bitcoins are obtained either by trading or 'mining' by verifying transactions. The value of Bitcoin has recently soared, leading to interest in futures contracts, though banks remain skeptical. The quiz question asks about the creation year of Bitcoin.

Rob and Dan introduce virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, and Cortana, describing them as software that can hold conversations. They discuss how virtual assistants change our relationship with computers, moving them from being mere tools (advanced calculators) to 'agents' with the ability to act and make decisions. The quiz question asks about the year the first speech-recognizing computer was launched.

Tom Hewitson, a conversation designer, explains that humans will develop a 'vernacular' for speaking with machines that differs from how we speak to other people. This is because there's no need for 'chit-chat' or social pleasantries with virtual assistants, allowing for more 'brusque' and 'to the point' communication. The answer to the quiz reveals that the first speech-recognizing computer was launched in 1961.

Neil and Sam discuss the frustrations of modern technology and introduce 'Web Science,' an interdisciplinary academic subject that studies the technology behind the internet and how people interact online. Dame Wendy Hall, co-founder of Web Science, explains that the web is 'co-created by society' as an ecosystem of people and technology. The quiz asks who invented the World Wide Web.

The discussion continues to explore the practical applications of web technology, such as COVID contact tracing apps, and the challenges in ensuring they 'do what it says on the tin' (work as intended). Carly Kind from the Ada Lovelace Institute raises questions about the effectiveness of such apps. The answer to the quiz reveals that Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.

Catherine and Rob introduce 'technochauvinism,' defined by Meredith Broussard as the belief that technology is always the best solution. Broussard argues that computers are not objective but 'proxies' for their creators, reflecting societal biases like racism, sexism, classism, and ageism. The quiz question asks in which decade the term 'Artificial Intelligence' was coined.