Andy TaylorAmazon Prime, Audio Production, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Episode 464 – Cartridges, Clouds, and Cardboard Full of Lies

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd kick things off with retro gaming nostalgia, sparked by Shawn’s new Analogue 3D Nintendo 64 console. They reminisce about classic titles like GoldenEye, Mario 64, Zelda, and Perfect Dark, discuss the rising value of physical game cartridges, and debate whether rare sealed games should be played or preserved. The conversation highlights why many gamers are rediscovering the joy of owning physical media in an era dominated by digital licenses and always-online requirements.

Andy used the New Tools to Correct this Photo from 1998 using Adobe
The Before Correction original Photo from 1998 before usings tools from Adobe

Andy announces he will be able to preview the upcoming Anti-Gravity A1 drone which has some amazing features, comparing it to DJI’s lineup while breaking down FAA weight rules, 360° video capabilities, proprietary file formats, and real-world use cases for content creators. From there, listener Alan gives us a question which leads into practical advice on buying used computers, including what specs matter most, how to spot poorly maintained systems, and why gaming PCs often make excellent everyday machines.

Shawn shares the Analogue 3D Console
Shawn DeWeerd and Andy Taylor of TechtalkRadio

Cybersecurity takes center stage next as Andy and Shawn react to a viral story that was posted on Reddit of a customer receiving a box of rocks instead of a high end graphics card from a major retailer, prompting a discussion on recording unboxings to protect against fraud. They also share timely guidance on VPNs, echoing federal warnings from CISA to avoid free VPN services, a basic explaination of how VPNs encrypt data, protect users on public Wi-Fi, and allow access to region-locked content while traveling.

Gloria before Touch Up
After Corrections in Adobe Photoshop

To wrap up this weeks show, Andy talks about his recent to Adobe with the purchase of Creative Cloud Pro and how he has found the modern AI-powered tools in Photoshop, Lightroom, and Firefly have transformed photo restoration, from repairing washed-out celebrity photos, see the pic of Andy and Stallone above, to restoring older damaged family images. There are so many new features, some AI, others just enhanced more functional tools in the suite which has Andy very excited about using them. While on the subject of photos, Andy shares a story that was covered by CBS News that serves as a heartfelt reminder to digitize and back up family photos after Actress/TV Host Ricki Lake’s lost memories thought destroyed in the Malibu Fires were unexpectedly recovered at a Flea Market. Shawn shares the clear breakdown of the essential “3-2-1 backup rule.”

Got a question for the show? Email techguys@techtalkradio.com, and catch more at techtalkradio.com.

Please Share, Listen, Subscribe to the Show on Spotify, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, YouTube and Our YouTube Page. Connect With Us on social media – See the Video of this Show on our YouTube Page and Now on Spotify as well.

Also Available on KGVY AM/FM, Amazon Music, PodBean and other Delivery Networks!

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Episode 463 – “Scammers, Lies, Leather and Shawn’s N64 Crisis!”

This week’s TechtalkRadio Show kicks off with Andy, Shawn, and Justin joking about cold basements, impulse buying, and Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals before diving into a discussion with former FBI spy hunter and cybersecurity expert Eric O’Neill, author of Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime. Eric explains why he hates the Hollywood “hoodie hacker” stereotype and argues that today’s cybercriminals operate more like spies—well-funded, organized, and focused on long-term reconnaissance and deception. He walks through how overseas criminal syndicates abuse the dark web, cryptocurrency, and lax enforcement in countries like Russia and China to attack victims in the U.S. with little fear of being caught.

From there, the conversation gets very real about modern scams: AI voice and video deepfakes used for “family emergency” scams, social media “fun quizzes” that are actually fishing for password reset information, and toll-road and smishing (SMS phishing) texts that weaponize urgency and fear. Eric stresses that everyone is a target, not just big companies—criminals simply look for whoever is most vulnerable, especially seniors and teens. His core advice: assume every unsolicited email or text is a potential viper, don’t click deal links in emails (go directly to the retailer’s site instead), enable two-factor authentication everywhere, and never pay scammers via wire transfer, crypto, or gift cards. He also recommends using credit cards over debit for fraud protection. Check out Eric’s Website at https://www.ericoneill.net

Shawn confesses to an expensive impulse buy: the Analog 3D, a high-end, hardware-accurate recreation of the Nintendo 64 that outputs in 4K and supports original cartridges and controllers—but he can’t find any of his N64 games. Cue memories of GoldenEye, Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64 and the possibility that “Steve” might still be “borrowing” his carts. Justin follows with a deep dive into his heavily modded Steam Deck OLED, wrapped in real leather from dbrand, customized with copper-infused buttons designed to develop patina, and upgraded Hall-effect joysticks. He talks about tearing the handheld apart, troubleshooting joystick issues with AI tools, and that classic “one screw left over” moment, all while Andy points out how AI is speeding up creative work—from fixing graphics to solving hardware problems.

Listener questions round out the show. Martin in Vail asks about smartwatches for an iPhone, and Justin and Shawn recommend sticking with Apple Watch unless you need serious fitness and outdoor tracking, in which case Garmin shines with better GPS, battery life, and health metrics. Shawn also vents about Apple’s sometimes maddening notification behavior and how he fixed messages going only to his Mac instead of his watch/phone. Adrian in Irvine asks about secure email in light of concerns over big tech scanning messages for AI training; ProtonMail gets a thumbs-up overall, with a side note about recent worries over dormant address recycling. Justin’s Website of the Week is point.me, a service that helps combine travel points across multiple programs to unlock flights and hotel stays—complete with a real-world success story from their friend Matt flying upgraded to Spain on points. The crew wraps with holiday well-wishes, a shout-out to a YouTube viewer, and a joking plea for any listeners with spare Nintendo 64 cartridges to send them Shawn’s way.

Got a question for the show? Email techguys@techtalkradio.com, and catch more at techtalkradio.com.

Please Share, Listen, Subscribe to the Show on Spotify, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, YouTube and Our YouTube Page. Connect With Us on social media – See the Video of this Show on our YouTube Page and Now on Spotify as well.

Also Available on KGVY AM/FM, Amazon Music, PodBean and other Delivery Networks!

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Your Home Theater with the Aurzen Roku TV Projector

In a recent tech segment, Andy Taylor was In-Studio at KMSB Fox 11 News 13 to spotlight the new RokuOS-powered projector that aims to bring the full streaming‑TV experience into a portable, plug‑and‑play package. Unlike traditional projectors that require external streaming devices, this projector has the Roku OS built in — giving you direct access to the Roku Channel along with popular subscription services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu.

Andy highlights its portability (under four pounds), its ability to project a screen from 40 to 150 inches depending on the room, and the convenience of hooking up external audio via Bluetooth for a stronger sound experience. While it’s not a 4K device — it offers 1080p Full HD — for the price, it represents a solid upgrade for movie nights, especially when used in a darkened room where the picture remains crisp and clear.

The D1R Cube itself offers a mix of smart‑home flexibility and simplicity: native 1080p resolution, LED light source, a sealed optical engine for consistent picture quality, auto‑focus and auto‑keystone to minimize manual setup and built‑in Dolby Audio speakers — with the option to pair Bluetooth speakers or headphones. Andy also talked about upgrading your Roku Remote with the Voice Remote Pro.

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Episode 462 – I Don’t Want to Become a Meme!

For this Week’s TechtalkRadio Show, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd take a look at some of the big stories including Andy thinking about a purchase of the Meta Ray Ban AI Smart Glasses which helped develop this week show title. “I Don’t Want to Become a Meme” The guy’s circle back to the continuing coverage of the now-infamous Coca-Cola AI holiday ad—which featured glitchy puppies, rubbery robot-people and just noticed vanishing truck axles. While Andy enjoyed the ad for its holiday message one listener had asked about the Ad he did think delivers and for the best of his knowledge, No AI! The Amazon Ad with the three-woman wanting to reminisce about the younger year having fun on the Snowy slopes of a hill and George Martins In my life in the background. It hits the mark.  The conversation also connects to a bigger conversation about “AI slop” in gaming. They talk about a story of Call of Duty Black Ops 7 and how studios may be leaning on AI for icons and posters which could signal job losses for artists and developers, however this causes growing backlash from fans who are paying real money but getting soulless, auto-generated content in return.

Shawn breaks down how AI could be creeping into sports broadcasting with auto-generated stats, highlight reels, and even generated “hyper frame rate” replays that could blur the line (literally) between what happened and what the algorithm invented. They compare that to AI-created commercials that feel emotionally sterile, and now creepy apps that could let you “talk” to A.I. Generated deceased loved ones. Not Good?  Andy mentions how the number one movie this month in 1984 was The Terminator. Sky Net? Also, this causes a flashback to the days when Control Shift Face was creating some great Deepfake videos and the guys look at Deep Fake versus full generation.

Listener questions bring things back to practical tech. Abigail from Green Valley asks how to safely get online with her iPad away from home, and the guys walk through options like cellular iPads, iPhone hotspots, VPNs, and even the rumored cheaper Apple MacBook with built-in cellular. Ted from Sahuarita writes about undeveloped 35mm film, and Shawn shares his experience using Indie Film Lab to bring old rolls back to life. There’s also a fun shout-out to Chase Roberts’ new STEM kids’ book Simple Machines Made Simple, plus mentions of David Pogue’s upcoming Apple book and a nostalgic look at classic computer magazines such as Computer Shopper versus today’s Newly announced Computer Gazette.

The show wraps with a run of rapid-fire topics: Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and the mental burden of living in a world where anyone can secretly film you and turn you into a meme, thus the Show Title; Blue Origin joining SpaceX in the reusable rocket game; Black Friday safety tips to avoid phishing and sketchy Wi-Fi; and a quick look at the Fi Mini GPS pet tracker for runaway dogs and cats.

It’s a another hour of TechtalkRadio that bounces between “wow, that’s cool” and “wow, that’s terrifying” Give a Listen any Comments or Questions Email us techguys@techtalkradio.com

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Episode 461 – Comedy Wildlife, OpenShot & The Midwest Freeze: Tech You Need This Week!

For this week’s Techtalkradio Show, it kicked off with 2 climates, pitting Andy Taylor’s sunny Arizona desert against Shawn DeWeerd’s brutal, snowy reality near South Bend, Indiana. Shawn described his location as a literal “frozen tundra,” buried under nearly a foot of snow, Shawn shared a couple of photos and suggested a real-time look at the Campus via an EarthCam feed.

The most epic cold-weather story involved a collegiate rugby championship at Notre Dame, where players, during a massive blizzard, played for hours in shorts, proving that some athletes are simply built differently (and that their tech gear is, thankfully, heated!). This extreme weather made Shawn the resident expert on staying prepared—and served as a stern reminder for everyone in snowy climates: always brush the snow off your car!

Shawn and Andy then continued the discussion the latest Coca-Cola commercial, debating whether the oddly animated people and the controversial ending were a genuine AI mistake or a brilliant-if-cynical guerrilla marketing play to get everyone talking. One of Andy’s favorites has returned, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photo Contest, which captures animals in hilariously awkward poses. The show then gave listeners the inside track on creative tools, with Andy praising the powerful new features of Adobe Premiere and introducing OpenShot as a free option for video editing beginners, while Shawn gave a shout-out to the enduring favorite, DaVinci Resolve.

Finally, the discussion turned to the ever-evolving world of digital consumption and convenience. They raised eyebrows at the newest, and arguably most irritating, advertising trend: “pause ads,” which ambush viewers with a static commercial the moment they hit the pause button on their streaming service. Despite this, Shawn expressed his enthusiasm for the community of hobbyists who are dedicated to tracking down and restoring abandoned Redbox kiosks—a fun bit of tech nostalgia. To cap off the show, they covered Microsoft’s launch of the App Pack, a new tool that seems to be directly competing with the beloved, time-saving app installer, Ninite, offering Windows users an easy way to set up a new computer.

Got a question for the show? Email techguys@techtalkradio.com, and catch more at techtalkradio.com.

Please Share, Listen, Subscribe to the Show on Spotify, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, YouTube and Our YouTube Page. Connect With Us on social media – See the Video of this Show on our YouTube Page!

Also Available on KGVY AM/FM, Amazon Music, PodBean and other Delivery Networks!