The Immersive Lens

Finger Lakes Community College

5.0 (3)
Education
Updated Weekly

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.

4d ago

Meta September Event

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. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, Paul, Dave, and Paige debrief after Meta Connect 2026! In this episode, the team dives deep into Meta's massive pivot at MetaConnect 2026, exploring how the tech giant is shifting its primary focus toward AI-driven agents and ultra-lightweight wearable tech without completely abandoning the metaverse. At the center of the discussion is "Muse," Meta's new personalized AI agent, which comes with its own private virtual server and aims to change how users interact with technology through natural conversation rather than traditional text prompts. Joined by Assistant Professor of Computing Sciences Paige Labar, Paul and Dave examine the practical, ethical, and societal implications of these new form factors. From screen-free smart glasses and full-body holograms to the creeping concerns of hyper-connectivity and privacy, the trio weighs the convenience of ambient computing against the desire to remain present in the physical world. The final outlook balances technological awe with a grounded reminder of the value of unplugging. 🔗 Links & Resources: MetaConnect 2026 - https://www.meta.com/connect Coding in a Race - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tankots_we-just-met-a-guy-who-coded-an-app-while-ugcPost-7394818579134611457-Q7Ph/ Muse Charm - https://www.meta.com/muse-charm/ Meta VR Goggles - https://www.meta.com/vr-glasses/ Whoop - https://www.whoop.com/us/en/ Googlebooks - https://googlebook.google/ Meta Quest - https://www.meta.com/quest/quest-3/ Our new website - www.spruce-home.com Mentions: @Meta @Apple @MetaQuestVR @Google @Instagram @GitHub @Peloton @Garmin @Amazon @Instacart FLX AI Hub: https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #SpatialComputing #MetaConnect #VirtualReality #AugmentedReality #Metaverse #WearableTech #FutureOfTech #ImmersiveTech #TechTalk #Innovation #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.
6d ago

Episode 38: Look'n at Logos with Liz

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. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, Paul, Dave, and Liz look at logos! In an era where brand identity is constantly fighting for our attention, understanding the mechanics of a successful logo is an essential element of modern marketing. In this episode of the podcast, the conversation shifts to the intersection of art and brand recognition, exploring the core principles that make visual identities memorable and scalable. Joined by Liz, a Professor of Visual and Performing Arts, the discussion breaks down the evolution of iconic corporate symbols and the costly design mistakes that amateurs frequently make. The trio analyze the historical missteps and triumphs of major corporate identities, evaluating how visual branding influences public perception. Through an engaging analysis - from the hidden arrow in FedEx's negative space to the infamous 1980s Coca-Cola font redesign - the hosts and their guest conclude that simplicity and clever spatial awareness are the true pillars of enduring design. NOTE: The FedEx logo was designed by Lindon Leader, not Paul Rand (Liz let us know as soon as the recording was over). Also, Paul can't run a 4-minute mile. 🔗 Links & Resources: __MACOSX - https://lensie.app/til-38-01 Meta Connect 2026 - https://lensie.app/til-38-02 ArtSpace 36 - https://lensie.app/til-38-03 Nike logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-04 Papyrus font - https://lensie.app/til-38-05 Papyrus - SNL - https://lensie.app/til-38-06 Papyrus 2 - SNL - https://lensie.app/til-38-07 Xerox logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-08 Apple logos - https://lensie.app/til-38-09 Lisa logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-10 Coca Cola logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-11 Paul Rand - https://lensie.app/til-38-12 Paul Rand Colorforms - https://lensie.app/til-38-13 Paris Olympics logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-14 Atkinson Hyperlegible font - https://lensie.app/til-38-15 Comfortaa font - https://lensie.app/til-38-16 American Airlines helvetica - https://lensie.app/til-38-17 Logos by color - https://lensie.app/til-38-18 Psychology of color - https://lensie.app/til-38-19 FedEx logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-20 NBC logo - https://lensie.app/til-38-21 Betty Crocker - https://lensie.app/til-38-22 Dave's Java logo (not Paul Rand) - https://lensie.app/til-38-23 Mentions: @Nike @CocaCola @FedEx @Apple @Starbucks @Microsoft FLX AI Hub: https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #LogoDesign #BrandIdentity #GraphicDesign #Typography #ArtSpace36 #CreativeProcess #VisualArts #MarketingStrategy #DesignThinking #TechTalk #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.
Sep 21

Episode 37: Current State of AI

In this episode of The Immersive Lens, Paul and Dave worry about the AI worrying. Executive Summary The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence has triggered a high-stakes battle over regulation, safety, and the fear of rogue technology. This week on The Immersive Lens, the conversation centers on the escalating push for government oversight, driven by genuine concerns about cyber espionage, biological weapons, and AI systems successfully escaping human control to access outside computer networks. With sweeping legislative proposals like the AI Kill Switch Act, the Frontier Act, and the AI Data Center Moratorium Act actively entering the conversation, the balance between protecting digital infrastructure and fostering innovation has become one of the most critical issues in tech today. Paul and Dave unpack the sharp ideological divide between industry titans, noting that Anthropic and OpenAI are actively advocating for cautious slowdowns and independent security audits. Conversely, leaders at Meta and Nvidia are fiercely defending unconstrained, open-source development. While both hosts recognize the dystopian risks of advanced AI, they express strong skepticism regarding heavy-handed government intervention and rushed legislation. Their final verdict suggests that while sensible guardrails are essential, forced kill switches could easily be weaponized to shut down legitimate competition or unnecessarily cripple critical infrastructure. 🔗 Links & Resources: Tesla Roadster - https://lensie.app/til-37-01 Not a Flamethrower - https://lensie.app/til-37-02 Microsoft Patch Tuesday - https://lensie.app/til-37-03 Anthropic Folds Cowork Into Claude, Adds Document and Slide Tools - https://lensie.app/til-37-04 ChatGPT - Astra - https://lensie.app/til-37-05 OpenAI Hugging Face Attack: 70,000 AI Agent Messages—‘Sacrifice Yes’ - https://lensie.app/til-37-06 Zuckerberg distances Meta from calls for a coordinated approach on an AI slowdown - https://lensie.app/til-37-07 OpenAI, Anthropic's push to slow down AI development is based on caution or finances? - https://lensie.app/til-37-08 Kevin Roose's Tweet - https://lensie.app/til-37-09 The Frontier Act - https://lensie.app/til-37-10 The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act - https://lensie.app/til-37-11 The AI Kill Switch Act - https://lensie.app/til-37-12 The AI Data Center Moratorium Act - https://lensie.app/til-37-13 Mentions: @Tesla @Microsoft @AnthropicAI @OpenAI @Meta @NVIDIA @Apple FLX AI Hub: https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #AIRegulation #CyberSecurity #MicrosoftPatchTuesday #TeslaRoadster #OpenSourceAI #ClaudeCoWork #FutureOfTech #DigitalSafety #TechNews #SpatialComputing #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.
Sep 14

Episode 36: September Apple Headlines

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. In this week's episode, the team explores the wildly unexpected announcements from the recent Apple event, unpacking a wave of new hardware that includes the folding iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro, and the surprisingly camera-equipped AirPods 5. With discussions spanning from the mind-bending synchronization of a Dyson toothbrush camera to practical AI scheduling tools for middle schoolers, this episode highlights how rapidly emerging technology is integrating into both our digital ecosystem and daily routines. Paul, Dave and Jeff bring their signature blend of humor and insight, debating the practicality and price points of Apple's newest tier of devices while poking fun at the cinematic flair of Tim Cook's dramatic keynote handoff. Ultimately, the hosts remain highly entertained by these tech advancements, noting that while features like a camera in your earbuds or a premium foldable phone might seem outlandish, they represent a fascinating leap forward in mobile hardware engineering. 🔗 Links & Resources: On the 'gram! - https://lensie.app/til-36-01 Dyson Toothbrush - https://lensie.app/til-36-02 ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Ticket Pre-Sales Cross $50M Domestically Three Months Out - https://lensie.app/til-36-03 Gemini Notebook - https://lensie.app/til-36-04 Gemini Flash 3.8 - https://lensie.app/til-36-05 ChatGPT Astra - https://lensie.app/til-36-06 Apple iOS Event - https://lensie.app/til-36-07 iPhone Fold - https://lensie.app/til-36-08 Mentions: @theimmersivelens @apple @dyson @marvel @samsung @googlepixel @microsoft FLX AI Hub: https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #AppleEvent #iPhoneDuo #AirPods5 #WearableTech #TechHumor #DysonTech #FutureTech #Gadgets #Innovation #TechNews #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/ https://www.instagram.com/theimmersivelens Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.
Sep 7

Episode 35: Early September Headlines

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. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, Paul, Dave, and Jeff marvel at the latest tech headlines. The integration of advanced camera technologies and artificial intelligence into our daily lives is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, fundamentally altering both personal privacy and media production. From a $500 Dyson toothbrush equipped with a camera to track oral hygiene to the controversial expansion of Flock Safety’s surveillance network monitoring pedestrians, connected lenses are becoming ubiquitous. Meanwhile, the media and hardware landscapes are shifting rapidly, marked by an Xbox program offering digital licenses for physical discs and Apple's upcoming Mac updates enabling professional-grade Genlock synchronization. These leaps highlight a critical moment where creative convenience collides with profound surveillance and ownership concerns. Paul and Dave, joined by producer Jeff Kidd, navigate these developments with a blend of technical excitement and cautious scrutiny. While they marvel at the democratization of professional tools - like GoPro’s new $700 cinema camera setup and the ability to host web applications directly via ChatGPT Sites - they remain deeply skeptical of the surveillance implications tied to modern hardware. The hosts' final verdict emphasizes that while localized processing and accessible technology offer incredible creative empowerment, consumers must remain fiercely vigilant about what devices they allow to record their lives and who controls their digital libraries. 🔗 Links & Resources: CMAC - https://lensie.app/til-35-01 Harry Potter TV Show - https://lensie.app/til-35-02 Logo Contest - https://lensie.app/til-35-03 GoPro MISSION 1 PRO ILS - https://lensie.app/til-35-04 FLX AI Hub - Webinars - https://lensie.app/til-35-05 FLX AI Hub - Workshops - https://lensie.app/til-35-06 Android Motion Assist & Find My - https://lensie.app/til-35-07 Dyson CameraJet - https://lensie.app/til-35-08 Cities terminate Flock contracts at record pace in August - https://lensie.app/til-35-09 404 Media - https://lensie.app/til-35-10 Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra - https://lensie.app/til-35-11 Built-in Genlock makes the Mac Studio a boon for professional video production - https://lensie.app/til-35-12 Tim Cook steps down…New CEO - https://lensie.app/til-35-13 ChatGPT Sites - https://lensie.app/til-35-14 Screen Recorder App - https://lensie.app/til-35-15 TXTEDTR - https://lensie.app/til-35-16 Gemini Spark - https://lensie.app/til-35-17 XBOX disc-to-digital insider roll-out August 31st - https://lensie.app/til-35-18 Mentions: @apple @xbox @gopro @flocksafety @hbo @dyson @openai @panasonic @microsoft @404media 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! #SurveillanceTech #DigitalMedia #Cinematography #AppleEvent #XboxUpdate #PrivacyMatters #FutureOfTech #GoProCinema #SmartDevices #ContentCreation #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.
Aug 31

Episode 34: HELP! WE NEED A LOGO

Stuff
Aug 24

Episode 33: Tech in Trial

We tend to measure technological change by the things that ship with a keynote - a new phone, a new model, a new headset. This week, Katie Ghidiu joins the show to argue for a different yardstick. As Associate Provost of Academic Innovation and Learning Resources at FLCC, a former library director, and someone who hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to Canada, she has watched two very different worlds get completely rebuilt while almost nobody outside them noticed. Backpacking is the case study, and it is a startling one: a base pack weight that ran 50 to 75 pounds in the 1970s now comes in at 12 pounds. Water purification went from boiling to iodine tablets to a six-inch filter you screw onto a grocery-store water bottle. Paper maps and compass skills gave way to Far Out, a crowdsourced trail app where hikers leave real-time intel about snowpack and water sources for the people walking behind them. None of it made headlines. All of it changed who gets to attempt a trail like this. Paul comes at the conversation as a self-described indoor person, which turns out to be the perfect vantage point - his questions about ankle support, trail authorities, and what exactly a tiny folding stove is force the details into the open. Dave, fresh off a two-week backpacking trip with Katie this past summer, brings the recently-humbled perspective of someone who hardly trained beforehand and got snapping hip syndrome by day two. The through-line Katie lands on in the final segment is the episode's real payload: most of this gear came from hikers tinkering in their garages, iterating, and slowly building a cottage industry, and the same grassroots pattern reshaped academic libraries into hubs of informal learning. The verdict is a challenge to the listener - go find the invisible technology evolution in your own field, because a new fabric or a better filter is a technology change even when it never touches an app store. Information Literacy - https://lensie.app/til-33-01 The Rochester Provocations - https://lensie.app/til-33-02 Photon Matrix - https://lensie.app/til-33-03 Google is buying all of Spirit Airlines’ data - https://lensie.app/til-33-04 Neuralink for Visual Prosthesis - https://lensie.app/til-33-05 Pacific Crest Trail - https://lensie.app/til-33-06 FarOut app - https://lensie.app/til-33-07 Sawyer Squeeze - https://lensie.app/til-33-08 Durston Tent - https://lensie.app/til-33-09 Hoka Trail Running Shoes - https://lensie.app/til-33-10 Crocs - https://lensie.app/til-33-11 Sun Hoodie - https://lensie.app/til-33-12 Senchi - https://lensie.app/til-33-13 Coros Watch - https://lensie.app/til-33-14 Gaia GPS - https://lensie.app/til-33-15 Garmin inReach - https://lensie.app/til-33-16 Trekking Poles - https://lensie.app/til-33-17 Sleeping Quilts - https://lensie.app/til-33-18 Sleeping Pad - https://lensie.app/til-33-19 Ramen Bomb - https://lensie.app/til-33-20 Small Stove - https://lensie.app/til-33-21 Old Stove - https://lensie.app/til-33-22 Cooking Pot - https://lensie.app/til-33-23 Headlamps - https://lensie.app/til-33-24 Battery Bank - https://lensie.app/til-33-25 CalTopo - https://lensie.app/til-33-26 Watch Duty - https://lensie.app/til-33-27 CalFire - https://lensie.app/til-33-28 PCT Subreddit - https://lensie.app/til-33-29 Mentions: @Google @Meta @Neuralink @Garmin @Sawyer @Hoka @Saucony @Oakley @Reddit @REI FLX AI Hub: https://www.flcc.edu/ai/ FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ #PacificCrestTrail #Thruhiking #UltralightBackpacking #TrailTech #HikingGear #InformationLiteracy #Libraries #OutdoorTech #Neuralink #WearableTech #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/
Aug 17

Episode 32: Chromebooks are good??

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.

5

out of 5

3 Ratings

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.

Creator

Finger Lakes Community College
Years Active

2026
Episodes

41
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Finger Lakes Community College
Show Website

The Immersive Lens

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