Food and grocery delivery services may be threatened in California after a new law is changing the manner in which these companies operate. Samsung earns a potential huge bump in recognition after earning a multi-billion contract for 5G expansion with Verizon. The United States government has determined, after a 11 month court delay, that Microsoft was properly awarded a $10 billion cloud computing contract for domestic defense work. Lastly, we learn of the mental and physical benefits of introducing virtual reality into the routine of senior citizens living in nursing centers.

The battle of ride sharing operations continues in California as we see Uber and Lyft perhaps forced out of California due to a new law. It was 25 years ago that we all experienced the release of Windows 95, so we relive that moment and share our memories. Amazon is expanding their line of Fresh grocery stores in California and are introducing their Dash Cart enabling customers instant check-out. Lastly, the FAA granted approval this week to Amazon to begin testing their drone delivery fleet, but details are limited at this time.

Airbnb has officially filed paperwork in the United States to become a publicly traded company amidst a global public health crisis. Apple is the first domestic based corporation to hit a $2 trillion valuation, thanks in major part to their surge in services and subscription revenues. Back in 2005, Apple and the US government secretly teamed up to redesign an iPod to be used as a device to detect radioactive materials. Finally, the sunset of Internet Explorer after 25 years is upon us as Microsoft is moving away from the original browser to Edge.

Amazon is looking to rebound the local mall industry buy leasing empty buildings left behind from former competitors such as Sears and JC Penney. Toshiba is no longer in the laptop business but is proving to be a very profitable and focused company through the industry worldwide. Recent surveying captured the most common tech support issues hitting users today and most are not that surprising. Famed computer scientist Frances Allen passed away at 88 and acknowledging her contributions in parallel computing is necessary.

After 500 episodes of the podcast, we briefly reminisce about the past 13 years of producing the show. Another milestone and celebration is the safe and flawless return of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to Earth, proving their investment safe and successful. The potential banning of TikTok in the United States dominated the headlines for a few days as Microsoft pursues the acquisition. The giant tech CEOs were brought into a virtual questioning by lawmakers with little no impact after the five hour hearing. Finally, Revel’s moped service is suspended from New York City operations after a second death is reported.

Twitch gaming, voice over work, call center specifics, and the return of Dragon. In 2020, corporations have announced new streaming services with much anticipation and fanfare only to ignite the streaming wars conversation again. Twitch is an ever growing live streaming service which can be used to build community and create a positive outlet for creators and audiences alike. Running a call center is not an easy feat and Shannon provides a behind the scenes look of the difficulties of customer relationships. Lastly, the Dragon capsule is set to return to Earth next week to much fanfare, excitement, and stress.

As the workforce quickly shifted to remote work, it has come at a cost of security threats and compromised systems for IT professionals. To add to that, several VPN services were hacked that resulted in over 1-terabyte of data leaks. In international space news, the United Arab Emirates successfully launched a research probe – Hope – to Mars to gather novel science information from the planet. Web browsers have also been highly debated about in the tech industry and we rehash that conversation.

The retail giant Walmart announced a new paid subscription service, Walmart Plus, centered on grocery and general merchandise expedited delivery. As the world moves to contactless technology to limit the spread of disease, Coca-Cola has introduced a software push to make soda dispensers contactless using your cell phone and QR codes. For flight simulator fans, the news of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 release in August is creating heightened support and intrigue. Finally, a rare and minted condition Super Mario Bros. NES game went for a world record setting $114,000 at an international auctioning event.

Apple celebrated the iPhone’s 13th birthday and what has been such a lasting impact on the industry. Customer service continues to evade many large companies and the paying consumer is left to figure things out. In a rare event to expand their digital capabilities, Lululemon, a popular apparel company, acquired Mirror, a technology based fitness company. Lastly, Segway is officially shutting down as the once oddly weird transportation unit runs out of road.