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Episode 472 – MacBook Neo Is Official, AI Music Gets Real & Choosing the Right Security Camera | TechtalkRadio

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy and Shawn open with condolences for Justin, who’s away for a couple weeks after a loss in the family. From there, the conversation swings into Shawn’s very real-world tech life as a broadcast engineer at Notre Dame—juggling a marathon Saturday that included multiple live productions across different networks and platforms. They also touch on the frustration of missing major industry conferences like NAB and Infocom due to schedule collisions, while still keeping an eye on the one event Shawn refuses to miss: Gen Con, the massive tabletop gaming convention he’s attended for over a decade.

Andy shares some features of the K19+
Andy shows the K19+ Hidden Camera Detector Feature
Shawn shares a Multi-Function Switch together with a Wyze Switch
Shawn shares the Multi Feature Switch he made with a Wyze Product

The middle of the show dives into the growing “ownership problem” in modern tech—especially as it relates to phones, computers, and cloud services. Andy and Shawn react to Apple’s latest headlines, including talk of a more affordable iPhone option and what a lower-cost iOS device could mean for people who don’t want (or can’t justify) flagship pricing. That naturally leads to a bigger discussion: device upgrade fatigue, the rising cost of PC parts like RAM and storage, and the creeping shift toward renting everything—software, storage, even processing power—through subscriptions and cloud instances.

The Final after Adjusting Eye Color in Photoshop
Final after Photoshop Eye Layer
Original Photo of Gloria before attending a KLPX Ozzy Event
Original Photo from 2002 of Gloria
After having Gemini update the background with a prompt highlighting the event. We shouldn't have asked for the Green Eyes.
Gemini Take after asking for Green Eyes??

AI is the big philosophical thread this week. They debate the ethical and emotional cost of AI-generated content—how it’s getting harder to tell what’s real, why disclosure matters, and what happens when companies replace human creativity because AI is cheaper and “good enough.” Andy shares a fascinating example using Suno, an AI music generator that created a shockingly convincing song featuring the show’s names—cool, impressive… and immediately uncomfortable once you realize what it represents. They also dig into the fine print reality: even when you prompt the creation, you often don’t truly own it, and rights can disappear the moment you stop paying.

In the second half, the show pivots back to practical tech help with a listener question about home security cameras. Shawn lays out why he’s a fan of Wyze—especially the value of an unlimited camera plan and SD-card local recording—while Andy weighs in with real-world comparisons like Google Nest limitations and other alternatives (including a window-mounted camera option he demoed on TV). The episode wraps with a fun maker-style segment where Shawn explains his DIY hack turning a Wyze smart switch into a portable “smart button,” plus a quick look at an RF/IR detection gadget Andy picked up for travel privacy and hidden camera detection. Finally, they close on fresh Apple rumors—an apparent leak pointing to a lower-cost “MacBook Neo”—and tease next week’s topic: AI journaling with Rosebud.

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Episode 468 – Tech, Games & AI: What’s Real Anymore?

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd deliver another wide-ranging episode that blends practical tech advice, nostalgic gaming, and real-world perspective—without taking things too seriously.

The show opens with a discussion about content creation, audio gear, and accessibility, as the guys compare microphones, wireless lavs, and mixers while discussing captions, video platforms, and the ongoing challenges of cloud-based workflows. From there, listener questions drive the conversation into mobile video editing, USB formatting, and the never-ending debate over whether thumb drives are outdated—or still essential.

Shawn revisits classic titles through modern retro hardware, sparking a broader discussion about digital ownership, microtransactions, and why older games still feel more complete than many modern releases. Andy also highlights family-friendly, motion-based gaming designed to get kids moving—The Nex Playground which does a great job opening up a conversation about screen time, balance, and growing up in a tech-saturated world. 

The episode wraps with a ook at AI and perception, exploring how viral images, deepfakes, and powerful generative tools are changing the way we trust what we see online. Andy notes that is easy now to just say “It’s AI” as he was seeing in a video from over 5 years ago during the Military Coup in Myanmar. Andy and Shawn reflect on why skepticism can be healthy—but also why it’s important to slow down, verify, and remember that not everything is artificial.

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

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Episode 467 – This Show’s A Joke!

“This Show is a Joke!” absolutely earns its title. Andy Taylor, Shawn DeWeerd, and Justin Lemme kick things off with the kind of chaotic chemistry listeners love, starting with a weather check that makes no sense: Colorado is bizarrely warm, Indiana is buried under snow and “freezing fog,” and everyone agrees the forecast has officially gone off the rails. From there, the conversation slides straight into post-CES chatter, where “everything is AI”… except the stuff that still manages to surprise you and even have you make a “Ewwww Face”

CES talk turns into a deep dive on display and home theater tech—especially the buzz around micro RGB screens, including a jaw-dropping 130-inch Samsung TV that’s so massive (and likely so expensive) you really have to see it in person to understand the scale. The guys also break down why TV shopping online can be misleading, how professional calibrators fine-tune picture settings for your exact room, and why premium installs and showroom-quality setups can turn your living room into a “demo house” for bragging rights.

Audio gets its moment too, with a debate on whether soundbars can truly replace real surround sound (spoiler: not really), plus Shawn’s current 5.1-ish setup and Justin’s insistence that there’s no excuse not to add rear speakers. Then Justin steals the segment with a mini-masterclass on upgrading your podcast audio chain: a new budget mixer, the surprise reality of 48v phantom power, adding a preamp, and why his Shure mic is still the hero of the whole rig—followed by way too much fun with Justin playing with voice effects that quickly turns into “mommy, turn off the radio” territory.

From there, the show pivots into media and culture: how modern journalism and production standards have shifted in the last few years, why audiences tolerate lower quality now, and how digital ad systems track everything—time on page, scroll depth, where you came from, and even what you searched for before your next “perfectly targeted” commercial. Segment two ties it all together with a smart look at why local stations run more local news than syndicated shows—because local content means local ad dollars—plus a sharp debate on big-market versus small-market on-air talent and why experience is obvious the second someone opens their mouth on camera.

Listener questions keep the pace moving, including a great one about the Flipper Zero—what it is, whether it’s illegal, and whether it’s a smart gift for a kid (the group strongly leans “no,” unless maturity, supervision, and intent are crystal clear). From there it’s a CES parade of ridiculous inventions (music-playing lollipops through bone conduction, voice-controlled fridges, voice coffee makers, AI barbers, and a toilet computer that analyzes your… business), plus a quick detour into Meta Ray-Bans and why they’re surprisingly impressive for audio. The show lands with gaming talk (Stardew Valley gets the “dangerously addictive” stamp of approval), a quick PSA about spam texts and why you should never reply—even to say “stop”—and a fun throwback to Flash game nostalgia at FlashMuseum.org

Andy TaylorCameras, Consumer Electronics, Drone, Hardware, Video Production, Videos

KMSB Segment – The Drone That Disappears: Antigravity A1

On this week’s Technology “Talking Tech” segment on KMSB Fox 11, Andy Taylor introduced viewers to one of the most eye-catching drones on the market right now: the Antigravity A1, a first-of-its-kind 8K, 360-degree drone powered by Insta360 imaging technology. With cameras positioned above and below the aircraft, the A1 can capture immersive aerial footage while digitally removing the drone itself from the final shot—creating stunning, cinematic visuals that look more like a video game than real life.

Andy explained how the Antigravity A1 stays under the FAA’s 250-gram limit with the standard battery, avoiding registration requirements, while larger batteries push it over that threshold for pilots who want longer flight times and expanded capabilities. Either way, the drone delivers smooth, stabilized footage and opens the door to creative “fly now, frame later” editing using 360-degree capture.

The segment also highlighted the A1’s FPV-style flying experience, where pilots wear included goggles to see exactly what the drone sees in real time. Using a simple controller with intuitive controls, flying the A1 is approachable even for newcomers. Key features like return-to-home, automatic low-battery landing, and precision landing using a visual landing mat help make flying safer and stress-free.

Andy wrapped up by breaking down the available kits, including the Infinity Kit, which comes with multiple batteries, goggles, chargers and a rugged carrying case—everything needed to fly right out of the box. Andy also shares a couple accessories available such as a Landing Mat. Whether you’re a hobbyist, content creator, or just love cutting-edge tech, the Antigravity A1 delivers a unique new way to capture the world from above.

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Episode 458 – “The Cloud Crashed: When the Net Goes Dark.”

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For this week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd tackle the story that shook the web — the massive AWS outage that left millions wondering if their internet had vanished. The pair break down what really happened when Amazon’s U.S. East-1 region went down and how a simple DNS failure can ripple through nearly every service we use. From Coinbase and Reddit to Roku, Robinhood, and even smart-home devices, the hosts explain how so much of our digital life runs through the same narrow pipes — and why that can be a dangerous single point of failure.

With streaming services sputtering and smart devices silent, Andy and Shawn turn their attention to the unexpected hero of the week: physical media. They discuss why DVDs and Blu-rays are making a quiet comeback and share the tools that make it easy to preserve your collection — from MakeMKV for ripping discs to HandBrake for compressing files and Plex for organizing your own personal streaming library. It’s a reminder that having your favorite shows and movies on hand (and not in the cloud) can be both nostalgic and smart in 2025.

The episode also dives into practical Windows tips, including Microsoft’s WinGet — a built-in command-line updater that keeps your apps current with a single command. Shawn tests it live on air and finds nearly half of his software out of date. Andy also fields listener questions about Windows 11 S Mode, breaking down who it’s for, why most users eventually turn it off, and how Microsoft’s locked-down environment compares to the open flexibility we’re used to.

Screenshot of TV.Garden
Screenshot of Windows Package Manager WINGET
Screenshot of Explore.Org

Finally, the hosts spotlight two incredible websites that make technology feel fun again. TV.garden lets you spin a virtual globe and watch free, live television from countries all around the world — a discovery that had Shawn geeking out over obscure motorsport streams. And Explore.org offers a front-row seat to nature through hundreds of live animal cams, from Alaska’s famous Fat Bears to serene ocean sanctuaries. Whether the cloud is crashing or calm, Andy and Shawn remind us that tech should connect, entertain, and inspire — even when the net goes dark.