This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor, Shawn DeWeerd, and Justin Lemme kick off with Shawn sharing a wild camping story—where YouTube weather streamer Ryan Hall helped them track a fast-moving storm that quickly turned dangerous. It sparks a discussion about the growing role of independent content creators and how platforms like YouTube are reshaping how we consume real-time information and entertainment

The guys break down the latest news from Apple with Tim Cook stepping aside as CEO of Apple and John Ternus stepping into the role. The team explores Apple’s successes, missteps, and whether the company can catch up in the rapidly evolving AI space. Justin shares with a discussion on “de-Googling”—a growing movement toward reclaiming personal data through alternative operating systems like GrapheneOS. Does this conflict with the trade-offs between convenience and control in today’s connected world?

Amazon shares news about a New Slimmer Amazon Fire Stick HD and FAST (Free Ad Supported Television) channels. The New Device ditches the previous Fire OS and is now run on Linux-based Vega OS. No Power Brick needed, it can run off a USB-C Port, and it does come with a USB-C to USB A Cable. It still has the guys wondering about the puzzling decision to stick with 1080p in a 4K world.

Amanda is back on the show to talk AI in education—what’s really happening in classrooms right now and how schools are handling it. She dives into the opportunities, the challenges, and what parents should be paying attention to.

Later, the crew answers a listener question about digital signage, offering practical solutions—from simple USB-based displays to more advanced platforms like Bright Sign or XOGO.AI. Justin shares a almost celebrity encounter which opens a discussion of the Nicest and grumpiest celebs we have encountered. The guys also talk about the gamer so focused on her bubbles, police were called which opens up a discussion of gamers in their 90s, proving that tech truly spans generations.

We have been running behind so wanted to make sure we share these episodes that Aired but have not been posted. Hope you enjoy them!

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd kick things off in full holiday mode with a look at Microsoft’s latest seasonal merch drop—highlighting the surprisingly steep price tag on the new “ugly sweater,” the retro logos packed into the design (and a few questionable modern additions), plus the equally head-scratching 50th anniversary Crocs and other oddball collectibles on Microsoft’s revamped merchandise site. The conversation rolls naturally into Shawn’s Christmas wish list—everything from retro gaming gear and board-game storage to soldering tools, ham radio accessories, and FPV drones—along with the realities of finding certain tech items in stock (or even available) right now.

From there, the show pivots to timely safety and consumer tech advice. Andy shares warnings tied to “Dangerous December,” reinforcing how critical it is to keep browsers and mobile devices updated during peak online shopping season, when older devices and outdated software can become easy targets. The duo also addresses a growing concern around romance scams, outlining common red flags—like refusing video calls or pushing for money—and reminding listeners how easily scammers can use public online details to build trust and manipulate victims.

We get a chance to answer a listener question from Cecilia in Tucson about a dropped laptop with a shattered screen—explaining how adding an external monitor can often bring the machine back to life, and walking through common steps to enable an external display if it doesn’t switch automatically. That discussion expands into practical habits for everyday computing, including whether to shut down systems overnight, what “update and shut down” really means in the real world, and how different devices (home rigs, servers, and work machines) have very different expectations for uptime and maintenance.

Later, Andy welcomes Linda Chorney—Grammy-nominated artist, filmmaker, and self-described DIY “rebel”—to talk about her new audiobook, It Ain’t Over Till the Indie Sings. Linda shares the remarkable story behind her career, how technology and persistence helped her navigate the industry, and how she taught herself production workflows—from editing and syncing audio to recording in Pro Tools and meeting modern audiobook standards. The episode closes with gaming news for Tomb Raider fans and a nostalgic holiday wrap-up, as Shawn recounts a weekend of in-person gaming, board games, and Lord of the Rings marathons—celebrating the kind of face-to-face tech friendship and shared experiences that many of us miss in today’s always-online world.

For this week’s TechtalkRadio show, Shawn and Justin are back after a busy week. Justin shares his experience working extra shifts at the waterpark as the summer season winds down. He also talks about completing his computer setup, highlighting the importance of cable management. Meanwhile, Shawn has added a new camera to his setup and explains how he connected his old iPhone 7 Plus using NDI HX Cam. He dives into the concept of NDI (Network Device Interface) and its relevance for remote camera setups. Shawn also discusses NewTek, now part of Vizrt, and how their NDI technology has become increasingly popular. (Photos Below – Shawn and his Old iphone setup, Justin has a Laugh, Justin and the Hercules, Shawn shoots with a 35mm Film Camera)

Andy shares his thoughts on repurposing older smartphones, while Justin talks about his plans to get the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold. He’s excited about the rebate he’s getting, which he plans to use for the new Google Stream TV. With Samsung pushing its Flip and Fold smartphones, some believe it’s the perfect time to make the switch. However, Justin is facing a challenge in finding a case for his Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Shawn then discusses the trend of adding larger sensors to smartphones for better photography, predicting that the “Camera Wars” will only get more competitive. He also mentions that Nikon is in talks with RED to develop a new smartphone. (Photos Below – Justins New Computer Room Setup)

The guys also dive into the Google TV Streamer, discussing its features and how it represents the next step in the evolution of Chromecast. The new device, which will be available on September 26th, is a set-top box offering 4K resolution, more memory, and faster performance. They compare the user experience between Roku and Google TV devices.

Justin also shares his excitement about getting new equipment for mobile DJing, including the Hercules DJ Deck, which works seamlessly with the Virtual DJ program. Meanwhile, Shawn reminisces about using his 35mm film camera, finding an old roll of Kodak 400 film, and getting the photos developed through indiefilmlabs.com, with which he’s very pleased.

The show wraps up with Shawn discussing the new DJI Mini 4 Pro drone. Andy expresses frustration over the introductory price of the DJI Mini 4, which is $299, compared to the over $1,000 he spent on the Mini 3 Pro. The conversation then shifts to potential legislation against DJI and similar concerns now being directed toward TP-Link.

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.

Tune in, Stream or Download the latest in our discussion of Tech and other fun discussions!

Connect With Us on social media
Facebook @techtalkers
X @TechtalkRadio

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.

Connect with Us on social media!

Facebook @techtalkers
Twitter @TechtalkRadio
Instagram techtalkradio
Web: TechtalkRadio.Com

Subscribe and Like on Spreaker!