Episode 471 – AI Ads, New Tech & The Death of Trust Online | TechtalkRadio

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor, Justin Lemme, and Shawn DeWeerd are finally all back in the same episode—and they waste no time diving into the biggest tech vibes of the week: Super Bowl ads, AI overload, and the growing feeling that nothing we see online can be trusted at face value.

The crew kicks things off talking about how Super Bowl commercials just don’t hit like they used to—especially now that so many ads get spoiled early and a wave of “AI everything” messaging has officially arrived. One standout: the uneasy reaction to a Ring-style “AI neighborhood search” concept that left everyone asking the same question… is this helpful… or is this Big Brother? That leads into a bigger conversation about terms-of-service “gotchas,” features enabled by default, and how the U.S. and EU often treat consumer protections very differently. Andy found his old Dude Your Getting a Dell T-Shirt, The Guys wondered what happened to the Dude Guy? 10 years ago this week – He answered the Questions in this video for TechInsider posted to YouTube

From there, the episode shifts into something closer to home: the ongoing Nancy Guthrie case in Tucson and how AI-generated “enhancements” and misinformation are muddying the waters online. The guys discuss how quickly fake visuals and wild speculation can spread, especially when streamers and social feeds turn a real investigation into 24/7 content. The takeaway is simple—and kind of scary: AI is making it harder than ever to trust what we’re seeing.

Listener questions bring the episode into practical territory. One parent asks where teens should start with AI, and the answer is all about guardrails: keep it open, keep it honest, and stay involved. Justin shares a great real-world example—using AI as a supervised helper so his son can learn Roblox Studio and build an actual working game. (Proof that with the right oversight, these tools can be more “creative superpower” than “digital doomscroll.”)

Then it’s nostalgia time. Susan in Green Valley wants to revisit classic Windows 95-era games, and Shawn points listeners toward GOG (Good Old Games) for DRM-free classics and the Internet Archive for browser-playable retro titles. The gaming talk escalates into Diablo vs. World of Warcraft, “Will It Run Doom?” madness (yes, people run Doom on everything), and even a moment of remembrance for Hideki Sato, a key figure behind Sega’s legendary hardware era—including the Dreamcast.

The episode wraps with a quick Apple-watch segment: a teased “special Apple experience,” rumors of new hardware like an iPhone 17E and MacBook Pro with M5, and a side-road into shifting tech ecosystems—Windows frustrations, growing Linux momentum, and Andy’s ongoing real-world adjustment to Android life with his Pixel. As always: listener questions, tech laughs, and just enough chaos to keep it fun.

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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