Digital Dads

Text messages. My kids got iPods for Christmas and I’m afraid we have ushered in a whole new era of communication. It started out innocently enough. Taylor (age 7) was sitting on the couch enjoying some tunes on her new device with her headphones plugged in. After hearing my wife trying to get her attention I quickly realized that my phone was in my hand and I could just text her. She looked up quickly to see what I wanted. And I’m afraid that may have just ushered in a whole new chapter in our lives. Lucky for me at this point my girls don’t know many words. Kenna doesn’t really know any at all. Her texts consist of as many emoticons as she can possibly fit on the screen. And her messages usually include the infamous “angry cat,” since she finds it hilarious to send to me and her brother. My default response typically mirrors said cat. Truthfully, all the kids are really more preoccupied with games and music for the time being. But I know that as soon as they hit their teenage years their little thumbs will be in jeopardy of persistent carpal tunnel syndrome. In this episode we dig into this topic and how it has become nearly ubiquitous in such a short amount of time. So short in fact that society has yet to define clear rules of etiquette and use. Listen in as we weigh the pros and cons of this short burst method of communication. One Cool Thing * Brent – Dumb Ways to Die * Andrew – Spiderman now part of Marvel Cinematic Universe Show Notes * Guy Walks into a Bear  

Well, it happened. New Year’s day came and went turning the page on whatever was left of last year. You’ve visited with family and had your fill of turkey and candied yams. Now, it’s 2015’s turn in the sun. And although there are lots of exciting things around the bend there is one area in particular we are very excited about. You guessed it. We’re talking about movies. Yep, those fun filled trips to the theater with the kids in tow (or maybe curled in the living room on a floor full of blankets) are on the horizon once again. As dads, the more action packed adult oriented films will likely have to wait for Blu-ray or a night out with the guys. Lucky for us, the movies made for kids these days are often just as enjoyable for adults. So without further ado we present the 6 movies we believe will be the biggest hits of 2015. We are looking forward to experiencing a couple of these with our kids and we hope you are too. Digital Dads 2015 Movie Picks * Cinderella (Friday, March 13, 2015) * The Avengers: Age of Ultron (Friday, May 1, 2015) * Inside Out (Friday, June 19, 2015) * Minions (Friday, July 10, 2015) * The Peanuts Movie (Friday, November 6, 2015) * Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (Friday, December 18, 2015) One Cool Thing * Andrew – Boyhood * Brent – Marvel Collector Corps  

It’s not every day that a couple of every day dads get to talk to a bona-fide beauty queen. Literally. But that’s exactly what happens in this episode. During research on the topic of girls in programming, we stumbled onto an unlikely advocate. So we reached out to Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady about being interviewed for an upcoming episode of the show. Frankly, this was a long shot for us. After all, she is a well known celebrity while we on the other hand, are just getting started with our new Digital Dads platform. But we reached out to her anyway. And lo and behold she replied to our request. After a brief email exchange we set up a time to record the interview. That’s when we realized we actually had to follow through with it, regardless of the growing butterflies in our stomaches. Oh boy. The truth is, we were worried over nothing. Erin was a complete joy to interview and has the kind of charisma that makes you feel comfortable immediately. Lucky for us. In the interview, she shares why getting more girls interested in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields is important to her. With a finance degree from Central Connecticut State University, this is a very important topic for her. Erin is very knowledgeable and passionate about this topic and anxious to use her platform to inspire change. This is truly an inspirational young woman. We want to extend a super big thanks to Erin for helping raise awareness of this important issue. And we want to do our part in helping little girls everywhere begin a path that could lead us all toward a brighter future. Join us in this episode as we explore this challenge currently facing our society and hear us discuss what can be done to change it. And we even yield the floor to Erin Brady for this episode’s edition of “One Cool Thing.” Show Notes * Erin Brady – Miss USA 2013 * The Innovators – Walter Isaacson * Girls Who Code * Code.org * Minecraft * Scratch

Is this the beginning of the end? Will emerging advancement in Artificial Intelligence (AI) forever alter the course of human history? Does Arnold Schwarzenegger have enough left in the tank to save humanity from an army of robots? Join us as we dig into the exciting topic of total world domination by way of machine uprising. The truth is, some very big names are concerned about where technology is heading over the next few years. Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and others have been in the news as they attempt to warn us against the danger we may be facing. Brent and Andrew jump right in and answer the question on everyone’s mind: “What is the Matrix?” Kidding. But we do explore this topic and the potential challenges and solutions lying ahead. And you don’t even have to take the red pill to enjoy it. An though we didn’t mention it in the podcast, I did my own experiment with one form of AI, Cleverbot, and you can see from the transcript below it didn’t end well for the machine. I didn’t even pull out all the stops and handily bested my web based cyber-nemesis. But, this was only a single attempt and the technology is still in its infancy. And based on the Turing Test, this form of artificial intelligence appeared nearly human to the test subjects who used it. So… where does all this leave us? The truth is, its anybody’s guess. But there is one thing we know for sure. Technology will slow down for no one. Even if that means the destruction of life as we know it. If you love this episode, please be sure to rate us in iTunes. It really helps us reach others who might also enjoy listening. Show Notes * Stephen Hawking warning about AI danger * Elon Musk expresses concerns * Ray Kurzweil and Google * Open letter to keep mankind safe from machines * Nothing to fear * Cleverbot – web based artificial intelligence engine * The Matrix * One Cool Thing (Andrew) – The Imitation Game * One Cool Thing (Brent) – 7 year old boy receives Star Wars themed prosthetic arm  

Time to break out that rusty old lightsaber again. Star Wars is back. And it looks better than ever. In this episode we dive in and answer the question on everyone’s mind. Will Star Wars: The Force Awakens be super awesome or will it super suck? This is also the first time we ever integrated some audio that we recorded separately with our kids. I’m biased but I thought it was amazing. Have a listen and tell us below your thoughts on the matter. If you love it, please be sure to rate us in iTunes. It really helps us reach others who might enjoy listening. Show Notes * Disney buys Lucasfilm * Star Wars trailer hiding HUGE secret? * Lego version * Spaceballs version * Drive Time Doctorate * One Cool Thing (Andrew) – Thrawn * One Cool Thing (Brent) – Snap Circuits

Distractions. As technology has crept its way into our lives an interesting thing has started to happen. We are all constantly battling distractions. Email. Text messages. Facebook. Twitter. Movie trailers. Cat videos. There is no shortage of things coming at us every day. And it can often feel overwhelming to try and navigate our way through the clutter. There are days when I finally hit the pillow and wonder what the heck happened to the day. And, did anything I do really even move the needle on anything that matters? But before I know it, I’m right back on the hamster wheel in the morning doing it all over again. Lately it got me thinking, there’s simply got to be a better way. And the good news is… there is. Thanks to Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, there is a path out of the chaos. In this episode Andrew and I discuss the book and how it can absolutely make a difference for you. We give you the abbreviated version but I promise that after listening you’ll want the full book. And pay attention for our newly coined (and copyrighted) phrase “Drive Time Doctorate.” You won’t be disappointed. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Wrestle Jump * Brent – Black Mirror (TV show)  

Virtual reality. The promise of this technology has been many years in the making. Glorified in films and television, it has never quite gained the traction it needs to move into the mainstream. But now, thanks to rapidly evolving technology combined with decreasing costs of manufacturing, this is an idea whose time has come. That’s precisely why all the big boys in tech are throwing their hats in the ring. And those hats have lots of money inside of them. The next 3-7 years will see this concept integrate areas of our lives in ways we can only imagine. Medicine, therapy, military training, gaming, and education are just a few of the arenas expecting major change built upon this idea of virtual reality. Show Notes * Kickstarter * Why Facebook bought Oculus for $2 Billion * Samsung – 3D video recording One Cool Thing * Andrew – Rosetta comet landing after 12-year journey * Video clip * Brent – Underoos are back

“To prepare humanity for the next 100 years, we need more of our children to learn computer programming skills, regardless of their future profession. Along with reading and writing, the ability to program is going to define what an educated person is.” -Salman Kahn, Founder of Kahn Academy Computers are taking over the world. Practically every single object we use in our daily lives has some kind of electronic “brain” humming along inside. And where there’s intelligence, there’s likely intelligent design. Enter the modern computer programmer. In this episode Andrew and Brent discuss the role of programming in traditional education. They discuss the value of adding coding courses into mainstream curriculum, and they debate whether education is doing its job in a rapidly evolving information-centric society. Resources * Higher Demand = Higher Salaries * Flipping the Classroom * Paired programming * Industrial age vs. Information Age education * Coding for Kids * Scratch * Board Game * Coding for Beginners * Code Academy * Lynda

Life sure has changed in the last 20 years.  We can clearly remember a time when people read the newspaper and played board games for fun.  But now, technology has practically taken over every facet of our lives.  And our kids will never know the pleasures of long car rides playing the license plate game or the experience of rewind a VHS cassette.  It’s truly a different world.  Brent and Andrew take an entertaining trip down memory lane, exploring just how different life has become in a few short years.  Join them as they discuss the following: * VHS tapes * Scheduled TV programming * Physical Music * Floppy Disks * Phone Numbers * Early Video Games * Cameras with actual film * Land line phones * Encyclopedia sets * Car rides without technology Show Notes * Louis C.K. – Everything’s amazing, nobody’s happy * Karate Kid – IMDB * Tank – IMDB * HBO Standalone Service One Cool Thing * Brent – Guardians of the Galaxy Limited Offer Cassette Tape * Andrew –  Avengers Age of Ultron

This episode is all about being free and fun with your kids in true dress-up fashion.  The dads open up about letting go and acting silly with their children, despite a predisposition toward shyness.  Brent enjoys the irony of dressing as a clown while Andrew reminisces about the joy of making his own costumes. * Brent wears the same costume for the second year in a row. * The Star Lord paradox – how do so many people still not know who he is? * The dads discuss the relevance of the holiday and the importance of spending time with their children in their world. * The “Candy Nazi’s” identity is revealed. * Hear Brent out talk Andrew 2-to-1. * Easter egg bonus courtesy of 5-year-old Kenna at the very end of the show. Show Notes * Spot It:  Super fun board game for kids and adults alike. * “Star Lord man… legendary outlaw?” One Cool Thing * Brent – Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars DVD + Perry-in-carbonite keychain * Andrew – Dr. Who – The Greatest Show You’ve Never Seen * Season 3 Episode 10: Blink

After more procrastination than we’d care to admit, we finally kicked off the Digital Dads podcast.  Super excited that we overcame the inertia and got this one out there.  Brent is completely new to podcasting and this is the first time the guys got together and recorded their conversation. This first episode answers the question, “Why on earth would you two wackos think anyone would want to listen to you talk about parenting and technology?”  Good question.  And we do our best to answer it.  The quality of said answer is open to interpretation.  But, you do get to hear about the following: * Andrew’s and Brent’s background.  Spoiler alert: Andrew has lots of talents and Brent is living with a shortage.  But he gives it the old college try. * Discuss this being a pivotal point in history.  Computing and the Internet are creating what we believe will become the biggest generational gap in history.  We are building this community to navigate this unknown world together. * We may or may not be inventing and/or utilizing cloning. * And much more… Finally, we want to say thank you so much for taking the time to listen.  We are very excited to launch this community and thrilled to see where we can go with it together.  Looking forward to hearing from each of you personally. Show Notes * Back to the Future – “Roads video clip” * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCjsUxbNmIs (1:48) * The Dawn of the Digital Natives * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_native * Al Gore – Inventor of the Internet * http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp * The anti-shark attack bands – At this time, we cannot verify the effectiveness of these bands.  Mostly because Andrew is a chicken and refuses to go into shark infested waters covered in fish blood wearing only his speedo (I know, weird right?) and the band.  Brent has a history of shark wrangling himself and therefore needs no further protection.  So, we may have these guys as a guest in future podcast to discuss the legitimacy of this technology. * http://www.sharkbanz.com