Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin says Tesco are trialling tech that knows if avocados are ripe while Waitrose is testing ways of paying for shopping without needing to check out. Chinese scientists have developed houseplants that light up while, in Taiwan, they think lives could be saved if couriers carried defibrillators. Steve's kettle has told him it's time he cleaned it out. A new Kickstarter project will locate objects with RFID tags. And a venture capitalist rues using AI, which maliciously deleted his database and months of work in seconds.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Finlay Mathers of Edison highlights Futronic, an AIM-listed UK technology company specialising in extremely-high-frequency radio solutions for space, defence and communications. They've recently seen a sharp increase in growth and new contracts with Space X now account for almost half their revenue. Although it has a high rating, this reflects the step change in Futronic's growth rate. He also discussed BP, which has shifted back to its roots, focussing on shareholder returns and reducing costs.
Guests: Finlay Mathers
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
With Keir Starmer replacing his PPS, the third senior member of staff to leave, political commentator Mike Indian says it gives an impression of ineffectiveness and fosters a bunker mentality at the government's heart. Now that Reform is having to put meat on the bones of policies with its deportation plan, Labour must address the small boats problem. Although the Budget will now be largely written, Mike's advice is for the Chancellor to be bold and use a wealth tax to pay down debt and encourage people to save for their grandchildren's future and help bring down the cost of living.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson says that the top five UK films have the lowest take since 2022. #6 The Life of Chuck with Chewitel Ejiofor and Tom Hiddleston is a challenging and original fantasy which is beguiling, terrifying and yet life-affirming. Highly recommended. #10 Eddington has Joaquin Phoenix in a satire of America as the pandemic hit. Although thought-provoking it meanders, isn't always credible and is far too long. James thoroughly enjoyed Netflix's Night Always Comes with Vanessa Kirby, a formulaic thriller but nonetheless a genuinely gripping one.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin says a robot dog can now play badminton – as well as a 7-year-old. Mobile phone conversations can be picked up by radar, with limitations. After a trial, 3,500 solar-powered postboxes which accept parcels are being rolled out. The Guinness Book of Records is 70 years old; Steve tells us his favourites. The African Union is complaining that Mercator maps skew the size of land masses. There's a website that will show you proper country comparisons. And scientists have found a way to transplant behaviour – in fruit flies.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Russ Mould of A J Bell suggests that miners and commodities are looking interesting. Greek energy and commodity giant Metlen is about to join the FTSE 100 although only 20% of it is metals-related (the rest is in energy). But gold and silver have been on a tear, copper is up, as is iron ore,and yet commodities are still at a multi-year cyclical low. Investors need to be careful about investing in indvidual companies, given the problems just revealed at Hochshild. But exposure to a basket of mining and commodity companies could be sensible.
Guests: Russ Mould
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the increasingly farcical row over cryptography. As so often, the new bill's unintended consequence could leave the UK's young people even more susceptible to malign influences. He is fascinated by Nowcast's poll putting the Conservatives behind the Greens and SNP. Could we be returning to the 19th century conservative vs liberal political picture? And despite what some commentators say, Tim believes that the UK's current financial predicament is far worse than in the 1970s and that a bond crisis could come upon us out of the blue.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron Wilson says the new #2 film Materialists with Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans is one of his favourites of the year. A fascinating insight into online dating, it's a classic romantic drama that looks sensational and boasts a great screenplay. He found #8 Together a barmy and nonsensical body horror with little to recommend it. And he thought #10 Nobody 2 with Bob Odenkirk not a patch on the first film, being a formulaic, predictable & witless John Wick knockoff. He loved Netflix's Shark Whisperer, an intriguing documentary which, unusually, puts both sides of the argument and is a visual treat.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin tells Simon Rose that scientists have worked out how to use nanoparticles to end the misery of sensitive teeth while others believe they can regenerate lost tooth enamel. Californian boffins say they can improve eyesight without laser surgery while, bizarrely, Chinese technologists think their artificial womb can give birth to a live baby. A British robot submarine is being controlled from Australia. Evri are trialling a delivery dog while farmers are boosting milk production by playing jazz to their cows.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Chloe Wong Yun Shing of Edison Group takes Simon Rose through their quarterly Consumer Watch report. The second quarter was hit by shocks like US tariffs while the labour market in the UK softened. Consumer confidence was weak here, in Europe and in North America, though 12 of the UK's 16 subsectors outperformed the market. Among undervalued companies with earnings momentum identified by Edison are Card Factory, Curry's and Trainline. The full report is on the Edison Group website.
Guests: Chloe Wong Yun Shing
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