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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 Shawn tests it live on air and finds nearly half of his software out of date.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.

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Episode 454 – “Apple’s New iOS, AI Shenanigans, and Roku Lights Up the Room!”

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd unpack iOS 26 after Apple’s recent wave of updates. Shawn—who’s been living on the beta—explains why the OS now feels “built for two-handed use,” with core actions and search shifting to the bottom of the screen. For anyone returning from Android or upgrading older iPhones, it’s less about flashy features and more about retraining muscle memory: new-message buttons, close icons, and search live where your thumbs naturally are.

From there, the conversation widens to the state of AI. Andy contrasts the speed and usefulness of Google’s Gemini for quick studio lookups with Siri’s slower responses, while both hosts wrestle with where AI is genuinely helpful versus where it still feels off. Practical wins include Lightroom’s AI noise reduction, using AI to wrangle manuals and code snippets, and Google’s NotebookLM—now with interactive “ask-as-you-listen” study sessions. On the flip side: AI-generated images still struggle with fine details and text, and accuracy gaps make “AI slop” risky for mission-critical work.

In smart home talk, Shawn revisits Wyze’s value gear—cameras, bulbs, and a new palm-vein recognition lock—plus the subscription math behind Cam Plus. He argues for a simple but powerful upgrade: first-class RTSP so users can record to their own NAS and keep footage off the cloud by default. Listener Q&A rolls through texting mysteries (blue vs. green bubbles and how RCS now bridges some features with Android), and the looming Windows 10 end-of-support date. They weigh Extended Security Updates versus buying new machines, and when Rufus can help install Windows 11 on borderline hardware—while warning that not every system will make the cut.

To cap it off, the guys look at Roku’s first projector (1080p with Roku OS, auto-focus/keystone, Bluetooth private listening), share a handy tip for listening through headphones via the Roku app, and flag a recent Plex security incident—change your password and be cautious with the latest Roku Plex app update if you’re seeing stutters or crashes.

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Upgrading Old Tech on a Stormy Day! Radio Show

For this week’s TechtalkRadio show, Shawn DeWeerd in his Bucc-ees gear and Andy Taylor discussed the latest advancements in technology. Shawn shared his recent trip to Canada, where he visited Evertz, a broadcast vendor looking ahead to the next five years in broadcast technology. He mentioned that they’ve been using EXE 1.0 with great success, but after a seven-year process, it’s time to focus on the future.

Shawn and Andy delved into the evolution of broadcast technology, particularly the transition from analog to digital, and the potential roles of 8K and 4K in the broadcast spectrum. Shawn explained that 1080P HDR offers excellent quality with less bandwidth compared to 8K and 4K.

Andy, considering switching from Cable TV to YouTube TV, raised the concern about rising internet service prices as more users cut the cord. Both agreed that price increases are likely. Andy then updated listeners on his efforts to upgrade a machine to Windows 11. He discussed the TPM 2.0 module he purchased to facilitate the upgrade on his six-year-old system and emphasized the importance of using the PC Health Check tool on Windows 10 to prepare for Windows 11. Despite his excitement over the new TPM 2.0 and a new motherboard case, Andy discovered that his Intel i7 6600 processor isn’t on the list of certified processors for Windows 11 and no processors on the approved list will fit the Asus Z170A Motherboard. While it is something to gripe about, Shawn stressed the importance of security in the newer generation processors, even though it’s challenging, for future Windows versions.

During the show, Shawn, located in South Bend, IN, had to attend to a weather situation. After a break, he returned to discuss the NOAA Weather Radio and the Radar Omega app, which tracks storms and storm chasers. The app costs around $8 and provides live streaming from storm chasers.

Andy decided to explore Wubuntu, a Linux distribution resembling Windows 11. Although a review he read wasn’t favorable, there have even been warnings posting about installing it. While Andy says he has enjoyed the process now he is considering trying Neptune, a Debian Linux distribution.

Shawn shared his experience updating an old iPod Touch through Moonlit.Market, which gives new life to outdated tech. He also tells us about Elite Obsolete Electronics (EOE), a site for finding hard-to-get parts for a wide array of gear, available on the web at EOE.works.

This week’s show wraps with Andy sharing news about Redbox and Crackle’s going away as highlighted in this Variety Article Link, while Shawn is surprised by the longevity of Homestar Runner, a game from 20 years ago that continues to release new content.

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New Show Added! Episode 313 – Taking Out The Polaroid!

In this week’s show, Shawn, Broadway, and Andy share some reasons for the recent downturn in Crypto and what may have fueled this. El Salvador decides to adopt Crypto as a form of currency and when they gift the citizens digital currency, the citizens opt to pull the money out and use it rather then left it grow. This could be a fueling of that downturn. Andy’s Daughter Scarlett has been creating artwork and John shares info on how it could be used as an NFT to increase her exposure and even sell some of her creations. John recommends OpenSea.IO and explains the process would require a Digital Wallet and shares info on MetaMask. John also shares the darker sides though of transactions and reminds us it is The Wild West.

Shawn shares info on a new microphone he picked up at a great price. The Blue Yeti X World of Warcraft USB Edition. While Blizzard has been dealing with a PR Nightmare, Logitech G The Parent company of Blue has been selling these at an amazing price and the sound quality is top notch. Later in the Show, Shawn gives us an Audio Demonstration of the settings for the microphone. Shawn also shares his love for Cameras and purchases a new Version of The Polaroid Now Camera and breaks down why and how it works. Shawn also tells us about the Polaroid Go and how much smaller it is then the Polaroid Now. Andy shares a device he purchased from Amazon which looks like a regular quality Ink Pen however it is fitted with an Audio Recorder to record meetings and conversations. Top Gun Maverick has been once again delayed now till Memorial Day, May 27th of 2022. The announcement of the moving of the release date for Top Gun Maverick has now also moved the Top Gun Expansion Pack for Microsoft Flight Simulator as well.

Apple announces they will be holding an Apple Event on the 14th, and many are speculating it could be the 4 different rumored versions of the iPhone 13. The crew talks about the discussion about Satellite delivered signal and what that could mean. Broadway shares with us why he may not want to be connected in rural areas that have no service. Andy tells us about a story out of Samsung and South Africa where a Riot occurred, and TVs were looted from a Warehouse. Technology on these TV’s is enabling them to be shut down once on and connected to the Net, basically bricking the sets. John tells us how technology has a Management Information Base and with this gives the Manufacturers the ability to shut them down.

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The Latest Show – Shawn The Lobster

In this week’s show, Shawn takes a trip to the Lake and gets into the water and forgets to reapply the Sunscreen, this gives him a lobster type look. This has the guys talking about the Weather Apps on the Market and which ones are the best. Shawn and Justin talk about Weather Underground and the NOAA App. For 2.99 a year, Weather Underground is a good solution. The guys talk about the latest revelations of the latest Ransomware attack which opens the discussion on password management. What is a VPN? How do IT Managers work with VPN and should 2 Factor Authentication be used. Shawn tells us about Microsoft Flight Simulator coming to Xbox in July and the DLC for Top Gun Maverick. Turtle Beach introduces the VelocityOne Flight for flying with the Xbox pr PC and it looks Amazing!
Andy misses Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator and Justin recommends DCSWorld for a more military style flight sim. Nintendo has a Treehouse event during the Virtual E3, and we will be talking about on Next Week’s Show. Diablo 2 has been announced as being reintroduced.

Microsoft makes the announcement that Windows 10 Support will end in 2025. The guys talk about how this will be the next step in the evolution of the OS for what is to be announced on the 24th. When it comes to the Microsoft Windows Platforms the crew talks about the ones they liked and what frustrated most people. The Latest Windows 10 Update has some really frustrated users. The guys talk about what they would love to see with a new Windows Operating System. Driver Support is one we would all love to see, Justin talks about that alternative, Driver Easy.

Justin talks about the RTX 3080 Video card and still not being able to get his hands on one. Digital Currency Mining and Elon are discussed with Justin sharing his disappointment in statements made by Musk. Shawn and Justin offering different views when it comes to doing 3D print jobs for other people. Shawn talks about Sony and the Airpeak S1 Drone with a price of 9k yet, he loves some of the testing and capabilities of the drone which includes foldable landing gear.

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