Andy TaylorConsumer Electronics, Kids Hardware, Shopping, TechtalkRadio, , , , , , , ,

Finding Great Tech Deals at the Bin Stores

Are you always on the hunt for a great tech bargain? In our latest segment on News13, we’re diving into the rise of bin stores across the country. With Amazon’s record-breaking sales and lenient return policies, many consumers end up returning products that just don’t meet their needs or aren’t compatible with their devices. Big retailers like Walmart and Target are seeing similar trends. But what happens to all those returned items?

Finding Those Tech Bargains
On the Set – Fifine Mic, Tablet, TPLink
The GE Fit Digital Scale
Non Tech but a good find!

Sometimes, these products are resold as refurbished items or offered at a discount as “open box” deals by brick-and-mortar stores. However, bin stores take it a step further by purchasing pallets or crates of these returns and selling them at significant discounts. The items you find might be brand new in the box, have a minor flaw, or could even be loose in the bin. But that’s part of the adventure—you might have to dig around to find that perfect deal!

For tech enthusiasts, bin stores can be a goldmine. For example, I found a Fifine A8 Microphone, perfect for gaming, podcasting, or Zoom calls, priced at just $15 compared to nearly $60 online. Many bin stores follow a pricing structure where items start at $15 on restock day and gradually decrease in price, though the selection might dwindle over time. I also snagged an Android tablet for just $15—still a steal compared to buying new. Just remember, if you’re purchasing tech like tablets, computers, hard drives, or flash drives, it’s crucial to wipe them clean before use to ensure your security.

I also came across a few non-tech items, like the GE Fit Digital Scale, which tracks BMI, weight, and goals via a free app called Fit. I saw five of these on a recent trip! It’s a fun and practical way to stay on top of your health metrics.

One important reminder: items in bin stores are usually sold “as is,” so double-check that all cords and cables are included. Most stores allow you to test products before buying. And hey, you might even stumble upon some non-tech treasures, like a “Leave it to Beaver” box set!

Happy hunting!

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

Opening the Vault for One Heck of a Guest Lineup!

For this week’s TechtalkRadio show, Shawn, Justin, Matt, and Slick were busy with work, so we decided to revisit some of our favorite past interviews—and what a lineup we have for you!

First up is an archived interview with Michael Giacchino, the acclaimed musical composer behind some of the greatest video game titles, movies, and TV shows. Andy, a huge fan of Lost (now streaming on Netflix), was thrilled to chat with Michael about his incredible work. You can check out Michael’s impressive resume on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0315974

We also have a great discussion with Eric Palonen from Sennheiser, where we dive into some of the fantastic products from the company. Be sure to explore more at https://www.sennheiser.com/

Next, we caught up with former Tucsonan Zach Selwyn, who has made his mark on G4 and built a successful music career with Zachariah and the Lobos Riders. Don’t forget to follow Zach on social media and check out his website at https://zachselwyn.com.

We also had the pleasure of speaking with author, columnist, and CBS News correspondent David Pogue about his illustrious career and his latest book at the Time on tech. Follow David at https://www.davidpogue.com.

Finally, we revisited a memorable conversation with Leo Laporte. Despite recent changes at Twit.tv, Leo remains one of our favorite guests. Justin was with us about 22 years ago when Leo joined us to talk tech and his “Poor Leo’s Almanac.”

We wrap this weeks Archived Show with a helpful discussion on Hard Drive PCB Replacement and what does it all mean?

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

Table Top RPG’s – The Theater of the Mind

Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd
Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd
Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd
Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd
Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd
Photos from GenCon Shawn DeWeerd

For this week’s TechtalkRadio show, Shawn talks with Andy about attending GenCon in Indianapolis and some of the highlights of this event centered around the world of Tabletop Role Playing Board Games. Brandon Sanderson has had one of these RPG’s based on his Stormlight Archive Novel Series and Shawn was given the ability to test out the title before its availability on Kickstarter. Shawn gives us an explanation of the D20 Dice and how this all plays into the world of Role-Playing Gaming. As Shawn explains, the Dice tells the story in the gameplay. The gameplay is explained and as Andy asks, does the game ever end? How can somebody get into experiencing Tabletop RPG’s and we find it’s easier now then versus 5 years ago. Shawn recommends the Dungeons and Dragons Series 5 Starter Kit. For those that want to play some of these with friends across the country a Virtual Tabletop can make this possible. Andy wonders why GenCon can continue while E3 has seemed to end. Shawn shares some links to get more info, boardgamearena.com and boardgamegeek.com. Shawn dropped a few bucks on purchases from vendors and shared with us what he bought; Everdell the Complete Edition is a huge set. Shawn recommends checking out GenConTV on YouTube. Andy notes that while some may wonder what RPG’s play in the Tech World, The Big Bang Theory Show has the characters playing them. This also gives Andy the chance to mention the return of the entire series Silicon Valley on Max.  Shawn wraps the segment talking about how to begin playing and some websites to check out.   

A brand-new TV from TCL is available. This 115 Inch QD-Mini LED TV and when purchased the buyer could get a ticket for attending the Super Bowl or a Hollywood Movie Premiere however the pricing is around 20k for this TCL TV. Intel has had some issues with its 13th and 14th Generation Raptor Lake processors and Microcode. Shawn tells us about this issue and how it needs to be addressed. The CEO of Logitech did an interview with The Verge and discussed the concept of a Subscription based model for hardware centered around the mouse, dubbing it the Forever Mouse. A few hours after recording this weeks show, the Company is saying this this Will Not be happening. Andy talks of how he was not a fan of the Subscription model for Software such as Adobe and Intuit QuickBooks. The reminds Shawn and Andy of the HP Instant Ink Subscription model. 

Reaching into the Big Hat for Questions to the show starts with a question from Cecilia about helping her son connect his Nintendo Switch to a Chromebook to stream his gameplay. Shawn doesn’t recommend doing this with a Chromebook. However, if need be, her son could download OBS and purchase a capture card to try the stream.  Shawn recommends a PC or Mac but also has a plan for a stream and support it with Social Media Marketing. Listener Kerry asks about using her phone as a hotspot for her Roku TV and not getting the best results. Shawn shares how this is going to be dependent on the signal strength on the smartphone. Possible choices could be Starlink, HughesNet which Andy talks about Solis Wi-Fi Hot Spot. 

Shawn wraps the show with his Wyze Guy Update, the company hasn’t made may announcements lately however the New Wyze 3.0 App is available.    

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Available on Audacy, iHeart, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, Google, Spotify and Spreaker!

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio, , , , , , ,

New Carpet and The Cat’s Yacking Again! This Weeks Radio Show

For this week’s TechtalkRadio show, Slick and Andy find out the latest on Justin’s flooded studio which has now been completed. After the completion of the carpet getting installed, Justin’s Cat claims it as his, thus the name for this week’s show – “The Cats Tacking Again!”

Slick – This is too Peoply!
Justin and the GOAT!
The Late Stan Lee

Justin has found a great companion for learning about home maintenance and has been watching videos on YouTube. This includes HVAC maintenance which helped him share with a friend about a capacitor that went out. Andy notes that many schools don’t teach Auto Shop, Home repair and other subjects that are found in many of the videos found on YouTube. You can find the HVAC guy’s Videos at https://www.youtube.com/c/HVACGUY  

Slick and Andy have been dealing with Monsoon Storms and Slick has to navigate getting home through flooded streets, it serves as a reminder for safety to stay out of the washes. The storms also serve as a reminder of the danger of lightning. The guys talk about Surge Suppression and why having them could be a benefit.   Andy reminds us that Surge Suppressors aren’t forever products, over time the protection is degraded with every surge.

With Justin and Slick on this week’s Show, a Discussion on the recent CrowdStrike Issue is covered. The question regarding pushing an update on a Friday or running a big update is always frowned upon going into a weekend. Justin mentions Read Only Fridays. 

After a failed attempt to upgrade to Windows 11, Andy has continued to try out Wunbuntu and has been enjoying the experience. The Ubuntu distribution, which looks like Windows 11 in most respects has been responsive. Linux distributions have been popular for older machines. Andy mentions a new Linux Distribution, Linux Mint 22.  Slick has used a previous version of Mint and tells us it was solid. Andy wants to know if there is a Linux Distro that looks like XP!?

Slick shares some info that he has found about ATSC 3.0. After buying a Tuner he notices some channels had DRM Lock icons for some content. Slick shares the MeTV Toon Channel and how he has enjoyed it. Slick isn’t recommending buying an ATSC TV as of yet but was surprised that this antenna also featured Wi-Fi connectivity. This has Justin look at the possibility of Interactive connection now having access to your viewing data. What could be ahead for ATSC 3?  

Justin tells us how he was approached by some friends about DJ’ing a Wedding Reception. With some experience behind him he was hesitant until looking into what it would take to make it happen. DJ Spyder – aka Justin looks at the software, Virtual DJ for the Software mixing portion and then using the Tidal Music Streaming Service. A Hardware based mixer can run under $200.00. Majorly different from the days when Andy was doing this type of work.  Andy goes old school talking about lugging milk crates. Andy finds a story about a device that is a Virtual Friend, Called Friend, it was created by Avi Schiffmann and is reportedly set to sell for around $99. While it reminds the guys about a Tamagotchi, this is driven by AI to interact through your smartphone. 

This week’s show wraps with Andy talking about another great find at the local Amazon Super Sale Bin Store. He was able to find the A8 Plus Fifine USB Microphone for $15 bucks. The return item or discontinued item stores are popping up throughout the country and can find great deals. Slick shares how he wasn’t a fan of Robert Downey Jr announced as Dr Doom at the San Diego Comic Con while Andy applauds Justin for not giving spoilers on the Deadpool vs Wolverine movie! 

Andy TaylorTechtalkRadio

Back to School Tech – Lenovo and Solo offer great Choices!

This Week’s Segment: Back to School Tech Made Fun and Easy!

As the school season approaches, we’re diving into the best tech to streamline your back-to-school experience. From tablets to desktops and student-friendly laptops, we’ve got you covered.

Featured Product: Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15

Looking for an affordable yet powerful laptop? Meet the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15—an excellent upgrade from a Chromebook, offering a familiar user experience with local storage instead of cloud reliance.

Key Features:

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 3
  • Memory: 8 GB of RAM
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 15.6″ FHD Screen
  • Operating System: Windows 11 in S Mode (upgradeable to Windows 11 Home)

The IdeaPad 1 15 is sleek and portable, boasting two USB 3.2 ports, one USB 2.0 port, a USB-C port, and an HDMI port for connecting to larger displays. It also includes an SD Card Slot and a fingerprint reader for added security.

For video calls and online classes, the HD camera with a privacy shutter ensures you’re seen clearly while keeping your privacy intact.

Price: Approximately $299

Accessories Recommendations:

  • Sabrent Docking Station: Expand your port options.
  • Logitech Bluetooth Mouse: Keep a USB port free with wireless convenience.

Carry Your Tech in Style: Solo New York 3-in-1 Case

Transport your tech effortlessly with the Solo New York 3-in-1 Case. This versatile bag can be used as a briefcase, a messenger bag, or a backpack. It has plenty of room for your laptop, tablet, flash drives, cables, and other essentials.

Price: Around $45