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Surprise - It's Not a Toaster

Surprise - It's Not a Toaster

By: touch point media
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About this listen

 Discover the realm where digital expertise meets candid conversations on "Surprise - It’s Not a Toaster" - a podcast led by digital experts and technophiles Ed Bennett and co-host Chris Boyer. Together, they venture into the fabric of online experiences, dissecting annoyances and irritations about navigating the modern online world. In each episode, they unveil contemporary tools, technologies, and software solutions, providing a firsthand exploration of what's shaping the digital landscape and the hosts challenge the limits of GenAI, where questions are posed to various LLMs, illuminating the interplay between human expertise and machine-generated insights. Tune in to navigate the digital maze, equip yourself with valuable insights, and engage in compelling discussions that bridge the gap between the human and digital worlds.touch point media © 2023. All rights reserved.
Episodes
  • Sludge Happens

    Sludge Happens
    Jul 11 2025
    Chris Boyer and Ed Bennett step knee-deep into sludge. Not the metaphorical goo clogging your gutters, but the bureaucratic muck that slows down everyday life. Inspired by The Atlantic’s takedown of “customer service sludge,” they rant about hold purgatory, Kafkaesque support calls, and the modern art of being endlessly transferred. If you’ve ever yelled “representative!” into a phone like it was a sacred incantation, this one’s for you. On the tech side, Ed and Chris explore why AI tools like ChatGPT are quietly replacing traditional search engines. From clearer answers to smarter follow-ups, they show how natural language processing is more than just a parlor trick.And in this week’s Stump GenAI segment, they put AI's grammar skills to the test, revealing that, yes, punctuation and phrasing can hilariously derail your digital assistant’s logic circuits. Because sometimes the biggest roadblock isn’t the problem - it’s the sentence you used to ask for help solving it. Mentions from the Show: That Dropped Call With Customer Service? It Was on Purpose. You Can’t Nudge If You’ve Got Sludge Chris Boyer on LinkedIn Ed Bennett on LinkedIn Chris Boyer website Ed Bennett of BlueSky Chris Boyer on BlueSky
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    28 mins
  • Liquid What Now?

    Liquid What Now?
    Jun 23 2025
    Chris Boyer and Ed Bennett dive nose-first into Apple’s latest design offense: Liquid Glass. Or as users have dubbed it, Liquid Ass. A sleek new look, sure — if you enjoy smudges, glare, and interfaces that feel like a fever dream. They unpack the aesthetic outrage and wonder aloud: has Apple finally jumped the shark into a puddle of its own reflection? The tech rec this week comes from Ed’s deep research into external mass storage, sharing how using GenAI can demystify convoluted tech manuals, translate specs into human speak, and even help pick the right solution based on your actual needs. Then, in the Stump GenAI segment, they test a clever “blank line” prompt technique to coax GenAI into completing classic sci-fi and fantasy narratives. It’s a full episode of digital frustration, delightful hacks, and speculative fiction done the AI way. Mentions from the Show: iOS 26 is Terrible (video) I use the 'blank line' prompt every day now in ChatGPT — here’s why Chris Boyer on LinkedIn Ed Bennett on LinkedIn Chris Boyer website Ed Bennett of BlueSky Chris Boyer on BlueSky
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    27 mins
  • The Seduction of Streaks

    The Seduction of Streaks
    Jun 12 2025
    Chris Boyer and Ed Bennett unravel the oddly powerful pull of digital streaks. Whether it’s Duolingo applauding your 99-day run or the shame spiral from missing one puzzle in the NYT Games app, streaks are everywhere — and they’re working. We explore how streaks mirror childhood sticker charts, why they’re engineered to keep us hooked, and whether rituals wrapped in self-optimization might actually offer comfort in chaotic times. Our tech tip: hiarthur.com — a GenAI-powered search tool that finally makes Amazon shopping less infuriating. Then, in our GenAI test segment, we investigate the latest MAHA controversy involving fake citations in a health AI report. We challenge today’s top AI models to see if they can resist the urge to hallucinate citations. Spoiler: they cannot. Streaks. Search. Shenanigans. And an owl who knows too much. Mentions from the Show: Best Practices - NYT Article https://hiarthur.com/ Chris Boyer on LinkedIn Ed Bennett on LinkedIn Chris Boyer website Ed Bennett of BlueSky Chris Boyer on BlueSky
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    28 mins

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