The Immersive Lens

The Immersive Lens features faculty experts from Finger Lakes Community College exploring how emerging technologies are reshaping learning and work. Each episode offers clear, practical conversations about new tools, apps, and ideas—cutting through the hype to highlight what actually matters for educators, professionals, and the curious alike.

The Immersive Lens is a education podcast hosted by Finger Lakes Community College, with 33 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Finger Lakes Community College hosts The Immersive Lens, a education show with 33 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Immersive Lens

  Episode 32: Chromebooks are good??

  Aug 17, 20261h 15m

  Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. Summary Dive into the evolution of ChromeOS as it sheds its legacy reputation as a cheap, internet-dependent browser box. In an era of heavy, bloatware-laden operating systems, the Chromebook offers a streamlined, cloud-centric approach that maximizes hardware efficiency. With 10 years of guaranteed automatic updates, immutable security architecture, and the ability to breathe new life into aging hardware via ChromeOS Flex, Google's operating system is proving that less is actually more for modern digital workflows. Dave passionately advocates for the platform, highlighting its seamless hot-swappable cloud state, robust virtual desk management, and complete immunity to traditional malware. While Paul and Jeff initially approach the discussion with staunch Mac and PC loyalties, they are visibly swayed by the system's ability to run Linux and Android applications, as well as its zero-friction device recovery process. Ultimately, the team agrees that while power users might still cling to their legacy machines for highly specialized tasks, the modern Chromebook is a remarkably capable, cost-effective, and secure solution that handles the vast majority of everyday computing needs with ease. Links & Resources: Vertical Tabs in Chrome - https://lensie.app/til-32-01 Open AI and Hugging Face - https://lensie.app/til-32-02 Security Now ep.1091 - https://lensie.app/til-32-03 Claude's Watermark - https://lensie.app/til-32-04 First Encounters VS - https://lensie.app/til-32-05 HoloLens Game (2016) - https://lensie.app/til-32-06 Google Chromebooks - https://lensie.app/til-32-07 Chromebook Updates - https://lensie.app/til-32-08 ChromeOS Flex - https://lensie.app/til-32-09 No Viruses on ChromeOS - https://lensie.app/til-32-10 Screencast App - https://lensie.app/til-32-11 Googlebook - https://lensie.app/til-32-12 Word Files in Google Drive - https://lensie.app/til-32-13 Mentions: @Google @Apple @Microsoft @Android @Asus @Intel FLX AI Hub : https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #ChromeOS #Chromebook #CloudComputing #CyberSecurity #GoogleWorkspace #OSFlex #HardwareHacks #MobileComputing #GoogleDrive #TechTips #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens .

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  The Immersive Lens

  Episode 31: First week of August Headlines

  Aug 10, 20261h 2m

  Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. Summary In this episode of The Immersive Lens , hosts Paul, Dave, and Jeff look at more headlines. From record-breaking theatrical releases to massive data centers, this episode dives into how emerging technology is reshaping both digital creation and real-world experiences. The central theme revolves around the unexpected physical consequences of the tech boom, highlighting everything from AI micro-drones that actively hunt mosquitoes to the evolving luxury of app-driven cinema seating. The hosts also emphasize the backend of this innovation, noting that while software capabilities are expanding rapidly with tools like Nvidia's motion capture, the physical hardware supply chain is struggling to keep up. The crew offer a grounded perspective on these trends, blending enthusiasm for new creative workflows with healthy skepticism about rising consumer costs. While the hosts are intrigued by the accessibility of AI tools like Lyria 3.5 for music generation and the unique form factor of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 8, they acknowledge the frustrating reality of impending hardware limitations. Their final outlook suggests that while software will continue to democratize tasks like 3D animation, the physical tech industry is heading toward a severe resource bottleneck that could dramatically impact the availability and price of consumer electronics and gaming consoles. Links & Resources: iOS 27 Parental Controls - https://lensie.app/til-31-01 Fourth Wing - https://lensie.app/til-31-02 Mosquito Drone - https://lensie.app/til-31-03 Your phone isn’t secretly listening - https://lensie.app/til-31-04 Blender Mouth Rig - https://lensie.app/til-31-05 Spider Man Non-Spoiler Review - https://lensie.app/til-31-06 Google Lyria 3.5 - https://lensie.app/til-31-07 The Immersive Lens Shanty - https://lensie.app/til-31-08 Copyright in AI Works - https://lensie.app/til-31-09 ARDY - Interactive Human Motion Generation - https://lensie.app/til-31-10 Galaxy Z Flip - https://lensie.app/til-31-11 Googlebook - https://lensie.app/til-31-12 Collections in Gemini Notebook - https://lensie.app/til-31-13 Force a Copy of a Gemini Gem - https://lensie.app/til-31-14 Vertical tabs in Chrome - https://lensie.app/til-31-15 PlayStation 3 cluster - https://lensie.app/til-31-16 Nintendo Tariff - https://lensie.app/til-31-17 ChatGPT desktop - https://lensie.app/til-31-18 Linux - https://lensie.app/til-31-19 Mentions: @apple @samsung @nvidia @google @playstation @xbox @nintendo FLX AI Hub : https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #TechNews #FutureOfGaming #DataCenters #MotionCapture #FoldablePhones #DroneTech #GamingHardware #3DAnimation #TechShortage #HardwareCrisis #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ Stay curious. Stay connected.

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  The Immersive Lens

  Episode 30: End of July Headlines

  Aug 3, 202654 min

  In this episode of The Immersive Lens , hosts Paul, Dave, and Jeff look at more headlines. As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, the line between bleeding-edge innovation and unpredictable chaos continues to blur. In this headline-focused episode, the central theme revolves around the unpredictable behaviors of modern AI systems and how researchers and bad actors alike are interacting with them. From engineers successfully peeking into Claude's internal processing to manipulate its logic mid-thought, to cybercriminals capitalizing on AI-generated fake URLs in a new trend called "hallu-squatting," the technology is proving to be as vulnerable as it is powerful. Hosts Paul and Dave, joined by producer Jeff, tackle these bizarre developments with a mix of fascination and healthy skepticism. Alongside the AI deep dives, they share practical advice on navigating skyrocketing RAM prices for back-to-school laptop shopping and weigh in on the latest passport-sized foldable phones hitting the market. Ultimately, the crew agrees that as technology pushes boundaries in strange new directions, staying vigilant and informed is our best defense. Mighty Mosquito - https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=128976 Tech District on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@techdisctrict Anthropic's J-Space - https://www.anthropic.com/research/global-workspace Apple sues OpenAI, alleging artificial intelligence company stole trade secrets - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/10/apple-sues-openai-trade-secrets Phantom Squatting Uses AI-Hallucinated Domains for Phishing and Malware - https://thehackernews.com/2026/07/phantom-squatting-uses-ai-hallucinated.html Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 - https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold8/buy/galaxy-z-fold8-256gb-unlocked-sku-sm-f971ulvaxaa/ Microsoft reportedly working on Courier-like device for taking digital notes [2017] - https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/26/16553250/microsoft-surface-courier-device-rumors Microsoft Surface Duo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Duo Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat - https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty/learning-assessment/2026/07/08/brown-professor-suspects-most-his-class-used-ai-cheat College prof hides prompt to catch AI cheaters, finds human nature is pretty much as we thought - https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/07/28/college-prof-hides-prompt-to-catch-ai-cheaters-finds-human-nature-is-pretty-much-as-we-thought/5279864 The Opposite of Cheating - https://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Cheating-Teaching-Engaging-Thriving/dp/0806194960/ Samsung Brings Galaxy Ecosystem Into Everyday Eyewear - https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-brings-galaxy-ecosystem-into-everyday-eyewear After backlash, Meta pauses plan to ‘rate limit’ its smart glasses - https://www.theverge.com/tech/970970/after-backlash-meta-pauses-plan-to-rate-limit-its-smart-glasses South Korea’s ‘dopamine sites’ let you shop, order food, and spend nothing - https://mashable.com/life/south-korea-dopamine-sites-fake-shopping Introducing Gemini 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, and 3.5 Flash Cyber - https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/gemini-3-6-flash-3-5-flash-lite-3-5-flash-cyber/ Introducing Claude for Teachers - https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-teachers Mentions: @AnthropicAI @OpenAI @Apple @Samsung @Amazon @Google FLX AI Hub : https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #CyberSecurity #MachineLearning #TechNews #FoldablePhones #TechTips #BackToSchoolTech #OpenAI #ClaudeAI #Apple #Samsung #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens .

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  The Immersive Lens

  Episode 29: Universal Design

  Jul 27, 202658 min

  Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. Topics Covered: In this episode of The Immersive Lens , hosts Paul and Dave chat with Amy Wight about Universal Design for Learning. Discover how open-weight AI models and the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are democratizing education and technology by dismantling barriers for all learners. This episode dives into the intersection of emerging artificial intelligence and UDL, focusing on how these frameworks are no longer just for addressing specific disabilities, but for optimizing the user experience for everyone. As AI open-weight models become as powerful as leading frontier models and UDL shifts from a reactive accommodation model to a proactive design strategy, understanding these concepts is critical for anyone building the future of digital and educational environments. Paul and Dave explore the geopolitical and security implications of powerful open-weight AI models catching up to proprietary systems, highlighting a recent cyberattack involving Hugging Face as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in open repositories. Meanwhile, special guest Amy White joins the hosts to demystify UDL, emphasizing that accessible design doesn't require an overwhelming course overhaul, but rather a sustainable "plus one" approach. Ultimately, the episode delivers a powerful verdict: whether coding a new app or designing a college syllabus, proactively building flexibility and choice into your foundation is the most effective way to empower every user. Links & Resources: Duck Hunt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Hunt GLM-5.2: Built for Long-Horizon Tasks - https://z.ai/blog/glm-5.2 OpenAI and Hugging Face partner to address security incident during model evaluation -https://openai.com/index/hugging-face-model-evaluation-security-incident/ Universal Design for Learning - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Design_for_Learning Universal Design for Learning Guidelines - https://udlguidelines.cast.org/ Thomas Tobin Plus One - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDt1r3FcCQU The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination. - https://www.ada.gov/ Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Regulations - https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/regulations/title-ii-2010-regulations/ Unsolved Mysteries Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC6Ufhjv9_8 Mentions: @Meta @huggingface @OpenAI @Google @Anthropic FLX AI Hub : https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #UniversalDesign #OpenSourceAI #FutureOfLearning #InclusiveDesign #TechSecurity #Innovation #LearningSciences #DigitalTransformation #Accessibility #TechEducation #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens .

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  The Immersive Lens

  Episode 28: Recent Headlines

  Jul 20, 202652 min

  Paul and Dave, alongside producer Jeff, balance their tech-curious enthusiasm with a healthy dose of skepticism regarding the rapid rollout of these tools. While they marvel at the local processing power of the new Apple Intelligence beta and the utility of mobile apps like Merlin, they pull no punches when critiquing Meta's chaotic internal practices and the massive energy draw of rural data centers. Ultimately, the team's verdict is that while user-facing AI tools are getting incredibly sophisticated, the tech industry desperately needs to establish sustainable infrastructure and ethical guardrails before pushing the technology any further. Muller Field Station - https://www.flcc.edu/muller/ Pacific Crest Trail - https://www.pcta.org/ FarOut app - https://faroutguides.com/ Watch Duty app - https://app.watchduty.org/ Apple Vehicle Motion Cues - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga22EthUCjA Apple opens its new Siri AI to everyone with the iOS 27 public beta - https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/14/apple-opens-its-new-siri-ai-to-everyone-with-the-ios-27-public-beta/ This Buried Apple Feature Turns an iPhone Into the Perfect Kids’ Dumb Phone - https://www.wired.com/story/this-buried-apple-feature-turns-an-iphone-into-the-perfect-kids-dumb-phone/ Meta Removes A.I. Feature on Instagram After Days of Backlash - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/technology/meta-muse-images-instagram-removal.html Meta AI image detector fails to identify some of its own cropped AI images, Reuters analysis finds - https://www.reuters.com/business/meta-ai-image-detector-fails-identify-some-its-own-cropped-ai-images-reuters-2026-07-10/ Meta Exposed Data Internally From Its Controversial Employee-Tracking Program - https://www.wired.com/story/meta-accidentally-let-employees-access-each-others-keystroke-data/ Support your teen with supervision - https://familycenter.meta.com/supervision/ First Statewide Moratorium on New Hyperscale Data Centers Launched by Governor Kathy Hochul - https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/first-statewide-moratorium-new-hyperscale-data-centers-launched-governor-kathy-hochul Five Startups Powering the Nuclear Energy Transition - https://netzeroinsights.com/resources/startups-nuclear-energy-transition/ Slate Truck - https://www.slate.auto/en Spotify Premium Users Can Now Turn Any Idea Into a Personalized Playlist With AI Playlist in Beta - https://newsroom.spotify.com/2024-04-07/spotify-premium-users-can-now-turn-any-idea-into-a-personalized-playlist-with-ai-playlist-in-beta/ Disney is exploring adding a free tier to Disney+ as YouTube draws TV viewers -https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-discusses-free-tier-viewers-youtube-2026-7 Bitter Lesson - General-purpose large language models outperform specialized clinical AI tools on medical benchmarks - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04431-5 Linus's law - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus%27s_law Stripe, Advent make $53 billion takeover offer for PayPal, sending stock soaring - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/15/stripe-advent-offer-to-buy-paypal-for-more-than-53-billion-reuters.html Google limits Meta’s use of its Gemini AI models, FT reports - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/28/google-limits-metas-use-of-its-gemini-ai-models-ft-reports.html Aaron Sullivan - https://m.stevensfhmarion.com/obituaries/events?obituaryId=49037426 Mentions: @Apple @Meta @Instagram @WIRED @CornellBirds FLX AI Hub : https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ Subscribe to The Immersive Lens to stay curious and connected! #AppleIntelligence #MetaAI #DataCenters #iOSBeta #TechNews #SpatialComputing #AccessibilityTech #SustainableTech #FutureOfWork #MachineLearning #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ Stay curious. Stay connected.

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