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Episode #427 – Choosing Your Adventure! The Consumer Electronics Show 2025!

In this weeks TechtalkRadio Show, Andy and Justin look at the bog week with the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Social Media has helped to get the content and features out for CES which last year included, which Andy recently discovered, the innovative Hyundai Mobion vehicle. This Awesome Concept vehicle can turn all four wheels to allow sideways movement. Justin agreed that cars are evolving into mobile computers. During the segment Andy welcomes Paul Sanchez to the show, a former Co-Worker to both Andy and Justin from the KLPX/KFMA Days at Lotus Broadcasting. Paul since leaving radio has become an Emmy award-winning videographer and recently started up ThockHaus is at CES and tells us more about being at the show and what Thockhaus is all about with focus on mechanical keyboards and their potential for widespread use due to health benefits.

Paul discussed one such device for those with limited arm movement, creating a full 16 key layout keyboard and track pad. Andy asked about the potential for health-focused features in these keyboards, particularly for those with Parkinson’s. Paul suggested that a standard switch would be more suitable for such users, and showed a custom 8 keyboard with ceramic keycaps. Justin praised the resurgence of mechanical keyboards and Paul’s role in expanding their use cases. Paul also mentioned a new magnetic switch unveiled by Epo Maker, which he believes is better than the standard Hall effect switch.

Shawn joins Andy and Justin with Justin sharing his experience with his son’s new smartwatch, The TickTalk Watch,which allows him to text and call approved contacts, but also noted the potential for addiction and misuse. The group agreed on the need for education on technology etiquette and boundaries, with Shawn suggesting that this could be a valuable program for youth. They also discussed the challenges of balancing online learning with traditional teaching methods, and the importance of teaching children about responsible use of technology.

Andy got a chance to speak with Patrick Pannett, Senior Director, Industry and Policy Communications at the Consumer Technology Association, discussed the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas. Patrick shared that the Consumer Technology Association, which has been around for over a century, organizes CES to set the agenda for the year ahead in technology. The association, based in DC, works with its membership of over a thousand companies, including many small to medium-sized businesses, to advocate for their interests and help them navigate the competitive and regulated tech environment. Patrick also highlighted the Eureka Park at the Venetian, a popular area for startups to showcase their products and potentially secure partnerships. They discussed the future of technology, focusing on the convergence of AI, health, and smart homes. Patrick highlighted the development of plant buddies that use AI to monitor and improve plant care, and the emergence of smart home technologies They also discussed the integration of health technologies, such as Abbott’s lingo for monitoring blood sugar, and the potential for future technologies like full detection sensors. The conversation also touched on the evolution of home entertainment systems, the role of smartphones in translation and augmented reality, and the excitement around CES’s massive show floor.

Justin, Andy, and Shawn take on a listener question about gaming options for a PC. Justin recommends starting with Steam for accessing a vast library of games. Other platforms like Xbox Game Pass, Blizzard, and GOG are also mentioned, providing rental and purchase models. Shawn and Justin reminisces about getting game demos in cereal boxes as a kid, While Andy goes way back to 45rpm Records on Cereal Boxes which has Justin want to know what a 45RPM is!

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News13 Segment – Backup to the Future! Keep Your Digital Life Safe!

For the Segment in Studio at News13, We took a Look at a couple of great resources for storing your digital memories. While we have said there are great options for storing your images and even videos and documents in the cloud, this shouldn’t be the end all. If there is an Internet Outage, or a Hack, you could still lose access to that data. Redundancy is the key with today’s data and a mobile solutions from SanDisk which allows you to back up quickly with a Laptop or Desktop.

Up first to look at is The SanDisk Extreme Go Portable SSD, a Solid State Device that can easily be carried in a laptop bag. It features Drop Protection and IP55 Water and Dust Resistance, X-Ray Protection and even comes with a 5 year limited warranty. It can also be Hardware Encrypted with a password so you can count on the data to be viewable by you alone. If you have lost data, recover it with the 2 year subscription for RescuePro Deluxe, which can be great to use on those files you accidentally deleted. It come with a USB C Cable and Connector if your system does not have C. – It also works with both Mac and PC. The Suggested for the 1TB Model is under 80.00

For those using their system desktop, we love the new SanDisk Desk Drive SSD. A Space saving desktop companion that does not take up a lot of desk apsce. Available up to 8TB, we looked at the 4TB Model and were amazed by the speed and how easy it was to get up and get going with it. Compact for the Desktop, Tyler made a good point that past options for some storage devices were as big as the box the Desk Drive Shipped in!

Depending on your drive in your system and transfer speeds this can backup up about 4x faster than a desktop HDD, with read speeds up to 1000 MB/s. Backing up is done by moving files or using the downloadable Acronis® True Image for Western Digital backup software which can be used on the Mac or PC. The Suggested for this is around 300.00

For More Check out https://www.sandisk.com

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Episode 426 – “Lights, Sound, Action! Home Theater Add-Ons for Great Sound!”

In this, the first episode of TechtalkRadio for 2025, Andy, Matt, and Justin discussed their holiday experiences and Justin shared his positive experience with Tesla’s full self-driving mode, which he tested on a trip to Cripple Creek Colorado. Justin got a new device that Andy could have used after having a tire lose pressure recently. The Mobile Device is a portable Air Compressor from a company called AirMoto which can quickly deliver up to 120PSI and even can inflate to a set amount.

Another change both Matt and Justin made to their homes focused on the Entertainment Systems. Matt discussed his recent purchase of a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar and a Sonos Sub 4.1. Matt explained how the soundbar and subwoofer work together to create a full surround sound experience, and how the Sonos system allows for easy setup and control through the app. A good question when setting up a great sound system. What is the Best Movie to Watch? Matt and Justin recommended Top Gun as well as Dune Part 1 and 2 while Andy liked the original Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not only is sound a part of these theater setups but both Justin and Matt focused on the use of Govee LED lights. Justin explained how his setup, which includes LED lights behind and beside his TV, changes color based on the content being displayed, enhancing the overall theater experience. Matt shared his similar setup, which he set up for his parents, and highlighted the benefits of using a camera for syncing the lights with the TV’s content. Both agreed that the camera-based system was super effective for an immersive experience. They also discussed the benefits of their respective TVs, with the Sony Bravia OLED TV being praised for its color accuracy and its color tuning presets for streaming services by Matt.

Matt explained the difference between passkeys and passwords, emphasizing that passkeys are a more secure authentication method using private and public key pairs. He highlighted that passkeys are tied to specific devices, making them resistant to brute force attacks, keylogging, and phishing. Matt also discussed the use of Yubikeys as a hardware key for authentication. A Listener question wondered about a portable printer for work projects. Matt suggested the Canon Pixma TR 150 and the Brother PocketJet PJ-883 as potential options however Andy wondered if using a tablet with a PDF Creator Program would be better at generating PDF Documents to send to a client.

Justin shared his experience with the Oura ring, a health monitoring device that tracks heart rate, stress levels, and sleep habits. He found the device useful but after using the Pixel Watch he noted some drawbacks, such as the app being cluttered. The Oura Ring is eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for medical expenses in most cases. Justin als shares about the recharging of the Ring Itself.

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KMSB News13 – Creative Fun while Working!

For this weeks Segment we take a look at some products from Logitech. First up is the Logitech Crayon which works with Apple iPads, Mini, Pro, Air and iPad from about 2018 and later. If you want a break from typing, this is a good option that will allow you to connect and take notes, sign documents and even sketch and draw. Using the Apple Pencil Technology, there is no need to pair the product and in most cases, will work after charging – Which we did via the Lightning Cable. Using Apps like Scribble, your writing could be turned into editable text. ProCreate or Adobe Fresco could allow Drawing and Painting with the Logitech Crayon. It features a flat design so, it won’t roll. The SRP is under 70 bucks.

If you enjoy the typing, and you would like to type on your Tablet, Smart Phone and even computer so you can move around. Check out the Logitech Pop Icon Keys Studio Series. This Bluetooth Keyboard with a soft color palette features scooped keys and a soft touch for quiet comfortable typing. While using it, its can be switched to 3 other bluetooth devices easily and with the Logitech App on Windows PC’s, Chromebooks and Mac’s, customizable buttons are available to eaily open programs or websites.Affordably priced, this keyboard which runs on two triple A batteries included sells for under 50 bucks.

Another Nice combo from Logitech is the Casa Pop Up Desk. It is a kit for connecting a series of devices, a Stand for your iPad, Mac or PC 10-17″ A Bluetooth Keyboard and a Track Pad. It folds up neatly and can be taken on the road and retails for about 150.00

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Episode #425 – Connecting to The Wu-Tang LAN

In this weeks TechtalkRadio Show, Andy, Shawn and Justin take on one of the big stories in the news with the recent drone sightings over the East Coast, with Shawn clarifying that while there are indeed drones, some of the reported sightings could be helicopters. Justin shared his concerns about the presence of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) near the US Capitol, which he believes should not be ignored. The hosts also touched on the topic of misinformation surrounding these sightings. This is course causes speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life, with Justin suggesting that the objects could be alien technology. Andy mentioned the possibility of drones being used for surveillance or warfare, and Shawn noted that the quality of the amateur videos was not impressive. They also discussed the military’s response to the sightings, with Justin questioning why the military was not commenting on the situation. The conversation ended with a discussion about the capabilities of larger drones, with Shawn noting that they could potentially fly for extended periods of time. Shawn also suggested that some drones could be built without GPS geofencing. Andy wondered if this could lead to changes in legislation for drone usage and the overall feeling is Yes.
The group speculated about the possibility of an elaborate prank or a serious government cover-up, and decided to keep an eye on the situation.

In last week’s Show, Justin was trying to decide on his next vehicle and shares that the purchase of a 2025 Toyota Camry XLE, a hybrid vehicle, after selling his 2017 Ford Explorer was made. He mentioned that the new car has a 12.3-inch touch screen infotainment system, HD radio, Sirius XM, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, full surround cameras, and a panoramic moonroof. Andy wondered if for long trips would he prefer the Tesla or Hybrid Camry. Justin does enjoy the convenience of self-driving features with the Tesla and traveling adds a minimal time for recharging.

A Listener question opens up a fun discussion on naming your Wi-Fi SSID. In the Segment a listener was asked by a neighbor about sharing his Wi-Fi. The group advised against it, citing potential misuse of bandwidth and exposure to legal issues. They also shared their Wi-Fi network names, with Justin’s being “The Wu-tang LAN” and Shawn’s being “Land before time”. The team also encouraged listeners to share some of the fun SSID names they have seen. Another listener question wonders about the benefits of OpenOffice as an alternative to Microsoft Office. They emphasized the benefits of open source software, such as community-driven development and potential for better support and feature requests. However, they also cautioned against downloading software from unverified sources and stressed the importance of due diligence in researching and selecting software. Shawn shared again with us a great website for finding open source software https://www.alternativeto.net

With YouTubeTV raising its Monthly Plan Cost, The team discussed their streaming services and the increasing costs associated with them. Andy mentioned that he was considering switching to YouTube TV but was hesitant due to the price increase. Shawn shared that they were sharing the cost of various streaming services among family members. The team also discussed the inconvenience of ads in some streaming services and the potential of physical media sales increasing due to internet outages. Andy, Shawn, and Justin discussed the recent launch of OpenAI’s free search feature for Chat GPT, which allows users to search for images and information.

Justin shared two websites of interest for the Website of the Week: https://www.everyhex.codes, a website that provides every color imaginable with its hexadecimal code, and https://www.openmhz.com , a website that allows users to listen to unencrypted police, fire, and EMS radio channels. They also discussed the possibility of using an SDR device to capture local radio frequencies and share them on Openmhz.com. Lastly, they shared their Christmas wishes, with Shawn wanting the High Speed Photo Scanner we shared from Epson earlier this year, The FastFoto 680 and Justin hoping for the Denver Broncos to make it to the Super Bowl!