Facebook’s Andrew Bosworth
Uncanny Valley | WIRED23 Huhti 2021

Facebook’s Andrew Bosworth

Facebook doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to keeping user data private. So when it revealed a few weeks ago that it was working on a prototype wearable computer that would interpret neuroelectrical signals, people had questions. The wearable—still very much just a concept—is designed to be worn on the wrist, where it could read a wearer’s nerve signals through their skin and translate them into device commands. It’s an idea straight out of sci-fi, and one that could actually be useful in VR and AR applications. But why is Facebook, with its massive software portfolio, working on hardware like this in earnest? How much more “connected” should we all be to Facebook apps? And should we trust the company to handle our data responsibly?

This week on Gadget Lab, we interview Andrew Bosworth, Facebook’s vice president of augmented and virtual reality and the bigwig behind this prototype wearable. We press him on Facebook’s intent in making hardware, how that hardware can shape social interaction, and whether ever-present connected tech—especially the kind infused with algorithms—can truly be value-neutral these days.

Show Notes:

Read more about Facebook’s wrist wearable here. Read Lauren’s story about how the internet won’t let her forget here. Read Mike’s review of the VacOne Coffee Air Brewer here. Read Boz’s blog here.

Recommendations:

Boz recommends Hexclad pans. Lauren recommends Nomadland, which you can watch now on Hulu with a sub. Mike recommends season two of the podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones.

Andrew Bosworth can be found on Twitter @boztank. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

If you have feedback about the show, or just want to enter to win a $50 gift card, take our brief listener survey here.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(430)

Who's Elon Musk’s Biggest Fan? His Mom

Who's Elon Musk’s Biggest Fan? His Mom

She sits in on his business meetings, defends him on X, and travels to give talks about how she raised him, the richest man in the world — but who is Elon Musk’s mother? Today on the show, we learn al...

20 Maalis 202528min

DOGE is Doing the Opposite of Government Auditing

DOGE is Doing the Opposite of Government Auditing

WIRED’s Vittoria Elliot joins Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond to discuss what real government auditors think of DOGE’s work, and what happened during DOGE’s first six weeks. Articles mentione...

18 Maalis 202529min

What's Lost When the Human Drivers Are Gone?

What's Lost When the Human Drivers Are Gone?

If you’ve spent time in San Francisco or Phoenix in the last couple years, chances are you’ve probably seen a self-driving car making its way around. This week, we’re joined by WIRED’s Aarian Marshall...

13 Maalis 202539min

Why Elon Musk Has Wanted the Government Shutdown

Why Elon Musk Has Wanted the Government Shutdown

WIRED Senior Editor Leah Feiger joins Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond to discuss some breaking news about why Elon Musk would want a government shutdown. Plus, WIRED’s Emily Mullin joins for ...

12 Maalis 202523min

Do We Need To Have More Babies?

Do We Need To Have More Babies?

Silicon Valley is obsessed with solutionism. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that when it comes to a declining birth rate some of the valley’s elite have a clear answer: more babies at all costs. ...

6 Maalis 202531min

Elon’s Twitter Playbook at DOGE

Elon’s Twitter Playbook at DOGE

WIRED’s Director of Business & Industry Zoë Schiffer and Katie Drummond, Global Editorial Director, talk about credit card freezes and AI technology at DOGE, and how each is a move from the Twitter pl...

4 Maalis 202520min

Deepfakes, Tesla Backlash and Chips Chips Chips

Deepfakes, Tesla Backlash and Chips Chips Chips

We’ve been so busy at WIRED, covering politics, science, culture, security, gear and so much more, that this week we decided to do something a little different – we’re talking through three stories fr...

27 Helmi 202536min

WIRED News Update: DOGE’s Many Conflicts of Interest & Elon’s Weekend Email Chaos

WIRED News Update: DOGE’s Many Conflicts of Interest & Elon’s Weekend Email Chaos

WIRED’s Deputy Editor Brian Barrett joins Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond to talk about the many conflicts of interests within DOGE which are popping up across the federal government, includi...

26 Helmi 202522min