The first vending machine in recorded history wasn't for soft drinks or snacks. It was for holy water. And how did an English radical think a vending machine was the loophole he was looking for? We look back on the weird history of vending machines. 

The first vending machine in recorded history wasn't for soft drinks or snacks. It was for holy water. And how did an English radical think a vending machine was the loophole he was looking for? We look back on the weird history of vending machines.

TechStuff is getting a system update. Everything you love about Tech Stuff now twice the bandwidth with new hosts, Oz Woloshyn (Sleepwalkers) and Karah Preiss (Sleepwalkers). 

Oz and Karah bring humour and wit to the table as they break down what's happening in tech...and what it says about us. 

TechStuff is the podcast where technology meets culture. 

We speak to the folks building the future to understand what tomorrow will look like and how our technology is changing us: how we live, how we love, how we work and even how we die. With a healthy dose of drama, too, as tech titans clash over their interstellar ambitions. 

Get in touch here: techstuffpodcast@gmail.com

TechStuff is getting a system update. Everything you love about Tech Stuff now twice the bandwidth with new hosts, Oz Woloshyn (Sleepwalkers) and Karah Preiss (Sleepwalkers).&nbsp;
Oz and Karah bring humour and wit to the table as they break down what's happening in tech...and what it says about us.&nbsp;
TechStuff is the podcast where technology meets culture.&nbsp;
We speak to the folks building the future to understand what tomorrow will look like and how our technology is changing us: how we live, how we love, how we work and even how we die. With a healthy dose of drama, too, as tech titans clash over their interstellar ambitions.&nbsp;
Get in touch here:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:techstuffpodcast@gmail.com" data-stringify-link="mailto:techstuffpodcast@gmail.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-haspopup="menu">techstuffpodcast@gmail.com</a>

TechStuff

TechStuff is getting a system update. Everything you love about TechStuff now twice the bandwidth with new hosts, Oz Woloshyn (Sleepwalkers) and Karah Preiss (Sleepwalkers) 

Oz and Karah bring humour and wit to the table as they break down what's happening in tech...and what it says about us. 

TechStuff is the podcast where technology meets culture. 

We speak to the folks building the future to understand what tomorrow will look like and how our technology is changing us: how we live, how we love, how we work and even how we die. With a healthy dose of drama, too, as tech titans clash over their interstellar ambitions. 

 

TechStuff is getting a system update. Everything you love about TechStuff now twice the bandwidth with new hosts, Oz Woloshyn (Sleepwalkers) and Karah Preiss (Sleepwalkers)&nbsp;
Oz and Karah bring humour and wit to the table as they break down what's happening in tech...and what it says about us.&nbsp;
TechStuff is the podcast where technology meets culture.&nbsp;
We speak to the folks building the future to understand what tomorrow will look like and how our technology is changing us: how we live, how we love, how we work and even how we die. With a healthy dose of drama, too, as tech titans clash over their interstellar ambitions.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

The History of Vending Machines

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/750e02c7-4b87-46b1-85bd-b05e014910de/transcript

You’re meeting us at a ‘very Chinese time in our lives’ and today’s episode is no exception — it’s all about China. First, Oz explains China’s attempt to claw a Singaporean AI company, Manus, back from Meta. And why Chinese customs are rejecting NVIDIA H200 chips. Is China fighting back? Then, Karah fills us in on why everyone on TikTok is saying they are Chinese. Finally, humans fold laundry for hours while humanoid robots just watch, TikTok launches a new app for microdramas and Silicon Valley is hiring ‘cracked’ engineers. 

Additional Reading: 
China Is Investigating Meta’s Acquisition of the AI Start-Up Manus | The New York Times 
China blocks Nvidia H200 AI chips that US government cleared for export | The Guardian 
TikTok Shows Americans In Their ‘Chinese Era’ of Health Habits | Bloomberg
In Chinese data factories, workers teach humanoid robots boring tasks | Rest Of World
TikTok quietly launches a microdrama app called 'PineDrama' | TechCrunch 
Forget Vibe Coders: ‘Cracked Engineers’ Are All the Rage in Tech | The Information

You&rsquo;re meeting us at a &lsquo;very Chinese time in our lives&rsquo; and today&rsquo;s episode is no exception &mdash; it&rsquo;s all about China. First, Oz explains China&rsquo;s attempt to claw a Singaporean AI company, Manus, back from Meta. And why Chinese customs are rejecting NVIDIA H200 chips. Is China fighting back? Then, Karah fills us in on why everyone on TikTok is saying they are Chinese. Finally, humans fold laundry for hours while humanoid robots just watch, TikTok launches a new app for microdramas and Silicon Valley is hiring &lsquo;cracked&rsquo; engineers.&nbsp;
Additional Reading:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/business/meta-manus-china-ai.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">China Is Investigating Meta&rsquo;s Acquisition of the AI Start-Up Manus | The New York Times</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/17/china-blocks-nvidia-h200-ai-chips-that-us-government-cleared-for-export-report">China blocks Nvidia H200 AI chips that US government cleared for export | The Guardian</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-20/tiktok-shows-americans-in-their-chinese-era-of-health-habits?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc2ODkxMTAzMywiZXhwIjoxNzY5NTE1ODMzLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUOTVXNTFLSUpIOFUwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJDMUY0MEU2RTNBMTU0OTU2QjVCNDI2NTgyMkU5RDg2QSJ9.Lkjzs2pRs9__aUDuedY9fjU1lNqWjeqnKW4AWXKuWqw">TikTok Shows Americans In Their &lsquo;Chinese Era&rsquo; of Health Habits | Bloomberg</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://restofworld.org/2026/china-robots-training-centers-workers/">In Chinese data factories, workers teach humanoid robots boring tasks | Rest Of World</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/16/tiktok-quietly-launches-a-micro-drama-app-called-pinedrama/">TikTok quietly launches a microdrama app called 'PineDrama' | TechCrunch</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/forget-vibe-coders-cracked-engineers-rage-tech">Forget Vibe Coders: &lsquo;Cracked Engineers&rsquo; Are All the Rage in Tech | The Information</a></li>
</ul>

Why Everyone Is ‘Becoming Chinese’ On TikTok - Week in Tech

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d6647f62-f050-44f7-9825-b3db0056d77a/transcript

Ever wonder why Gen Z is so obsessed with Millennial culture? Casey Lewis can tell you. She’s a trend researcher and author of “After School,” a Substack newsletter about youth and internet culture. Casey joins Karah to discuss why Gen Z is doubling down on nostalgia and buying up analog products. She runs through the latest trends you may have seen, but didn’t understand… And she unpacks why Gen Alpha might not feel the need to get away from their screens. 

Additional Reading:  
Nostalgia Economy and Analog Awakening | After School

Ever wonder why Gen Z is so obsessed with Millennial culture? Casey Lewis can tell you. She&rsquo;s a trend researcher and author of &ldquo;After School,&rdquo; a Substack newsletter about youth and internet culture. Casey joins Karah to discuss why Gen Z is doubling down on nostalgia and buying up analog products. She runs through the latest trends you may have seen, but didn&rsquo;t understand&hellip; And she unpacks why Gen Alpha might not feel the need to get away from their screens.&nbsp;
Additional Reading:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://afterschool.substack.com/p/nostalgia-economy-and-analog-awakening">Nostalgia Economy and Analog Awakening | After School</a></li>
</ul>

Why Gen Z Loves 2016 Nostalgia - The Story

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8a636626-5381-48ad-ac0d-b3d900554725/transcript

What would you do if AI took your clothes off? Elon Musk’s AI model, Grok, will strip women of their clothes when prompted and the results are all over X.com. “Nudify” apps and communities have been doing this for years, but now it’s trending on one of the biggest social media platforms out there. And no one is protected—even children. Karah sits down with Samantha Cole from 404 Media to discuss how X and authorities are responding, the societal implications of this trend and why it’s so concerning. 

Additional Reading:  

Grok's AI Sexual Abuse Didn't Come Out of Nowhere | 404 Media

What would you do if AI took your clothes off? Elon Musk&rsquo;s AI model, Grok, will strip women of their clothes when prompted and the results are all over X.com. &ldquo;Nudify&rdquo; apps and communities have been doing this for years, but now it&rsquo;s trending on one of the biggest social media platforms out there. And no one is protected&mdash;even children. Karah sits down with Samantha Cole from 404 Media to discuss how X and authorities are responding, the societal implications of this trend and why it&rsquo;s so concerning.&nbsp;
Additional Reading:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.404media.co/grok-ai-sexual-abuse-imagery-twitter/">Grok's AI Sexual Abuse Didn't Come Out of Nowhere | 404 Media</a>

TechSupport: What Happens When AI Undresses You?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f4655c8c-abf8-45b8-af11-b3d4002ddf12/transcript

The History of Vending Machines

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