Steve Caplin wonders about the merits of Facebook's planned dating platform, with the company trying to trademark the word "book". He slavers over a beautiful orange juice kiosk which uses peel to make 3D cups. There's a clever new laser projector, a pen that will draw in any colour, a Skoda e bike and life-saving news about the preservation time for liver donations.
Guests: Steve Caplin
Published:
Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
With the Supreme Court weighing up the prorogation of Parliament, political commentator Mike Indian considers where the power lies in our parliamentary democracy and how MPs should behave if they disagree with their constituents. He ponders whether the UK would be better off with a written constitution and, with the publication of his memoirs, believes that David Cameron is the last gasp of a bygone political era.
Guests: Mike Indian
Published:
Steve Caplin reveals the winners of the IgNobel Awards for bonkers scientific research. He drools over the new iPhone and thinks gamers will love the company's Apple Arcade. In auto news there's funding for a project to charge car batteries in 6 minutes, a 3-wheel electric car from Estonia and an electric water taxi on trial in the Seine. Self-driving Segways will soon recharge themselves while e scooters could speed up urban journey times if made legal.
Guests: Steve Caplin
Published:
James Cameron-Wilson looks at the UK box office, where Downton Abbey has scored the highest-ever opening for a British period film. In at #3 is the Jennifer Lopez true-life scam movie Hustlers. For home viewing, James recommends the Blu-Ray release of the 1952 Western High Noon starring Gary Cooper.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
Published:
Original Broadcast: The Week That Was and The Week Ahead
Helal Miah of The Share Centre looks at recent news from Ocado, Kingfisher, Next and Sirius Minerals, as well as the surge in the oil price. He also looks ahead to what we might expect from Boohoo, Halma, the AA, United Utilities and SSE.
Guests: helal miah
Published:
Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin reveals why the BBC's voice assistant is being taught regional accents, where magnetic north has moved to, Bosch's electric pushchair, the zip that could kill astronauts' favoured tradition, the advent of Wifi 6, how many people google "how to change a lightbulb" and Harley-Davidson's electric bikes for three-year-olds.
Guests: Steve Caplin
Published:
Steve Caplin explains how, in China, you may soon be able to pay for goods with a smile (while a hand might do it for Amazon). Hauwei unveil the first 5G phone; Apple launch a titanium card you must take care with; popular face-swapping app Zao has privacy problems, Hyundai have an electric scooter you can charge in the boot while South Korean robots are being taught to feel pain.
Guests: Steve Caplin
Published:
Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Tim Price of Price Value Partners discusses the Eurozone "doom loop", with negative interest rates impacting banks' business models and leading to the destruction of money while bail-in rules cause a slow-motion (but quickening) bank run as funds seek safety in government bonds. Tim explains why the ECB's new head Christine Lagarde may be powerless to stop a deflationary recession, why gold is back in favour and why diversification may be the last free lunch in finance.
Guests: Tim Price
Published:
Original Broadcast: The Week That Was and The Week Ahead
Graham Spooner of The Share Centre looks at recent company news from Boohoo, the Restaurant Group, Barratt Developments and banks hit by last-minute PPI claims including RBS and CYBG. He also looks ahead to expected numbers from Associated British Foods, Morrison's and Ashtead.
Guests: Graham Spooner
Published:
James Cameron-Wilson dissects the latest box office news with Once Upon A Time in Hollywood regaining the #1 spot, making it Tarantino's most successful-ever movie. Thriller The Informer only manages to enter the chart at #10 while Mrs. Lowry and Son disappoints at #12. James also reviews cinema doc Memory: The Origins of Alien about the sci-fi classic. His home release is comedy/horror In Fabric.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
Published:
