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Episode 472 – MacBook Neo Is Official, AI Music Gets Real & Choosing the Right Security Camera | TechtalkRadio

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy and Shawn open with condolences for Justin, who’s away for a couple weeks after a loss in the family. From there, the conversation swings into Shawn’s very real-world tech life as a broadcast engineer at Notre Dame—juggling a marathon Saturday that included multiple live productions across different networks and platforms. They also touch on the frustration of missing major industry conferences like NAB and Infocom due to schedule collisions, while still keeping an eye on the one event Shawn refuses to miss: Gen Con, the massive tabletop gaming convention he’s attended for over a decade.

Andy shares some features of the K19+
Andy shows the K19+ Hidden Camera Detector Feature
Shawn shares a Multi-Function Switch together with a Wyze Switch
Shawn shares the Multi Feature Switch he made with a Wyze Product

The middle of the show dives into the growing “ownership problem” in modern tech—especially as it relates to phones, computers, and cloud services. Andy and Shawn react to Apple’s latest headlines, including talk of a more affordable iPhone option and what a lower-cost iOS device could mean for people who don’t want (or can’t justify) flagship pricing. That naturally leads to a bigger discussion: device upgrade fatigue, the rising cost of PC parts like RAM and storage, and the creeping shift toward renting everything—software, storage, even processing power—through subscriptions and cloud instances.

The Final after Adjusting Eye Color in Photoshop
Final after Photoshop Eye Layer
Original Photo of Gloria before attending a KLPX Ozzy Event
Original Photo from 2002 of Gloria
After having Gemini update the background with a prompt highlighting the event. We shouldn't have asked for the Green Eyes.
Gemini Take after asking for Green Eyes??

AI is the big philosophical thread this week. They debate the ethical and emotional cost of AI-generated content—how it’s getting harder to tell what’s real, why disclosure matters, and what happens when companies replace human creativity because AI is cheaper and “good enough.” Andy shares a fascinating example using Suno, an AI music generator that created a shockingly convincing song featuring the show’s names—cool, impressive… and immediately uncomfortable once you realize what it represents. They also dig into the fine print reality: even when you prompt the creation, you often don’t truly own it, and rights can disappear the moment you stop paying.

In the second half, the show pivots back to practical tech help with a listener question about home security cameras. Shawn lays out why he’s a fan of Wyze—especially the value of an unlimited camera plan and SD-card local recording—while Andy weighs in with real-world comparisons like Google Nest limitations and other alternatives (including a window-mounted camera option he demoed on TV). The episode wraps with a fun maker-style segment where Shawn explains his DIY hack turning a Wyze smart switch into a portable “smart button,” plus a quick look at an RF/IR detection gadget Andy picked up for travel privacy and hidden camera detection. Finally, they close on fresh Apple rumors—an apparent leak pointing to a lower-cost “MacBook Neo”—and tease next week’s topic: AI journaling with Rosebud.

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Episode 463 – “Scammers, Lies, Leather and Shawn’s N64 Crisis!”

This week’s TechtalkRadio Show kicks off with Andy, Shawn, and Justin joking about cold basements, impulse buying, and Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals before diving into a discussion with former FBI spy hunter and cybersecurity expert Eric O’Neill, author of Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime. Eric explains why he hates the Hollywood “hoodie hacker” stereotype and argues that today’s cybercriminals operate more like spies—well-funded, organized, and focused on long-term reconnaissance and deception. He walks through how overseas criminal syndicates abuse the dark web, cryptocurrency, and lax enforcement in countries like Russia and China to attack victims in the U.S. with little fear of being caught.

From there, the conversation gets very real about modern scams: AI voice and video deepfakes used for “family emergency” scams, social media “fun quizzes” that are actually fishing for password reset information, and toll-road and smishing (SMS phishing) texts that weaponize urgency and fear. Eric stresses that everyone is a target, not just big companies—criminals simply look for whoever is most vulnerable, especially seniors and teens. His core advice: assume every unsolicited email or text is a potential viper, don’t click deal links in emails (go directly to the retailer’s site instead), enable two-factor authentication everywhere, and never pay scammers via wire transfer, crypto, or gift cards. He also recommends using credit cards over debit for fraud protection. Check out Eric’s Website at https://www.ericoneill.net

Shawn confesses to an expensive impulse buy: the Analog 3D, a high-end, hardware-accurate recreation of the Nintendo 64 that outputs in 4K and supports original cartridges and controllers—but he can’t find any of his N64 games. Cue memories of GoldenEye, Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64 and the possibility that “Steve” might still be “borrowing” his carts. Justin follows with a deep dive into his heavily modded Steam Deck OLED, wrapped in real leather from dbrand, customized with copper-infused buttons designed to develop patina, and upgraded Hall-effect joysticks. He talks about tearing the handheld apart, troubleshooting joystick issues with AI tools, and that classic “one screw left over” moment, all while Andy points out how AI is speeding up creative work—from fixing graphics to solving hardware problems.

Listener questions round out the show. Martin in Vail asks about smartwatches for an iPhone, and Justin and Shawn recommend sticking with Apple Watch unless you need serious fitness and outdoor tracking, in which case Garmin shines with better GPS, battery life, and health metrics. Shawn also vents about Apple’s sometimes maddening notification behavior and how he fixed messages going only to his Mac instead of his watch/phone. Adrian in Irvine asks about secure email in light of concerns over big tech scanning messages for AI training; ProtonMail gets a thumbs-up overall, with a side note about recent worries over dormant address recycling. Justin’s Website of the Week is point.me, a service that helps combine travel points across multiple programs to unlock flights and hotel stays—complete with a real-world success story from their friend Matt flying upgraded to Spain on points. The crew wraps with holiday well-wishes, a shout-out to a YouTube viewer, and a joking plea for any listeners with spare Nintendo 64 cartridges to send them Shawn’s way.

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New Show Posted! Episode #373 – The Pumpkin Party

On this week’s TechtalkRadio Show, join Justin, Shawn, Andy, and Slick as they dive deep into the latest in tech news and trends. The show kicks off with a discussion and description of Midjourney, an artificial intelligence tool from creating media. Justin, tell us about experimenting with Midjourney and his experiences are nothing short of fascinating. The conversation starts on a light note as Justin requests the Midjourney Bot to create an image of three individuals ready to discuss technology, resulting in surprisingly realistic scenarios. However, things take an unexpected turn when Justin challenges the bot to generate images of women celebrating October and the beloved pumpkin spice flavors. The results are, in a word, weird!

The heart of the discussion revolves around the world of AI, including the likes of ChatGPT and Midjourney, and how understanding and harnessing this technology is vital for the evolving business landscape. Justin even shares an AI-generated photo of Tupac enjoying ice cream and recommends the “Cursed AI” Facebook group for some authentic laughs.


As the AI discussion continues, the team explores companies’ limitations on AI use. Andy recounts a corporate memo from a radio group he worked with forbidding Voice AI in commercials and radio shows even as a parody. They also touch upon the limitations of AI in Zoom meetings, which could potentially unveil sensitive transcripts from the third-party apps.

Next up, Andy introduces us to some exciting Samsung products, including the Disney 100, Neo G9 57″ curved monitor, and the Samsung Terrace, an impressive 85″ outdoor viewing screen priced around $20,000. The team delves into the 4K technology and its perceived necessity, shedding light on its benefits. Shawn and Justin provide insights into ATSC 3.0 and its potential to revolutionize programming, with 112 active stations currently using it.

Apple’s upcoming event on September 12th takes center stage, with expectations of an iPhone 15 announcement featuring USB-C. The advantages of USB-C are explored in-depth.Amidst the tech buzz, Andy confesses to his computer gaming indulgence with Windows Solitaire and expresses his interest in trying out Baldur’s Gate 3, a game recently experienced by Shawn and Justin. They share their thoughts on this new title.

The show concludes with a cautionary tale shared by Andy about a deceptive Instagram friend request that turned into an attempt to compromise an account. The lesson here: always exercise caution online and verify suspicious messages, even if they appear to come from social media platforms. Don’t click on unsolicited SMS or Email links!

Tune in for another TechtalkRadio episode packed with tech insights, humor, and valuable lessons in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape and please share with a friend!

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New Show Posted! Episode 370 – “A Slim Jim and a Bag of Chesters!” Listen in Now or Download for Later!

Welcome to this week’s edition of TechtalkRadio where Justin and Andy are joined by Slick to keep you up to speed on the latest trends and happenings in the world of technology!

Kicking off this week’s show, the topic of Artificial Intelligence takes center stage once again after an intriguing email from Mario, who enjoyed the guys’ previous discussion on AI. Andy believes that AI can be harnessed for good and non-invasive purposes, but Justin and Slick are skeptical, thinking Andy might be living under a rock. Renowned film director of Terminator fame, James Cameron, echoes these concerns, stating that this is exactly what he warned us about with Skynet and self-learning technology.

Speaking of AI, the conversation shifts to how it can revolutionize the way we write code for technology, making the process faster and easier. Andy highlights how technology has already taken over certain jobs, citing the basic self-checkout systems in stores. However, not everyone is thrilled about this tech advancement, with a backlash from individuals who dislike sharing receipts upon exiting the store.

We have a message from Cecilia seeking guidance on setting up a wireless printer, and Justin surprises everyone with a unique approach to troubleshooting this issue. Additionally, the guys share some “Old School” methods to secure serial numbers and master passwords, revealing an extra step in safeguarding sensitive information.

Shifting gears to the entertainment world, the big movies hitting theaters last week were “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”. The hosts ponder the changing landscape of the film industry and why once-popular blockbuster franchises like Mission Impossible and Indiana Jones seem to be losing their staying power. Are viewers opting for the home movie experience, and how can theaters entice audiences back? The ongoing SAG/AFTRA Strike is also making waves, affecting actors’ ability to promote their films and even impacting events like Comic Con in San Diego. The guys delve into how this labor dispute is altering the dynamics of the entertainment world.

On a lighter note, Slick shares his experience with an updated laptop that still struggles with slow performance, despite adding a whopping 128GB of memory. The culprit? A mere 256GB hard drive with hibernation mode running—a valuable lesson in considering all crucial specs!

Andy introduces a product designed to clean the print heads of clogged Ink Jet Printers—the XC Inkjet kit, particularly useful for printers that have not been used for an extended time. Meanwhile, Justin shares his love for his Color Laserjet printer and its impressive print quality however finds it is always better to use the manufacturers Ink.

In a surprising move, Twitter rebrands itself as “X.” The hosts speculate on the reasons behind this change and Justin suggests that Elon Musk might be eyeing WeChat’s versatile features, including its payment systems.

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That’s a wrap for this week’s TechtalkRadio. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and discussions on the ever-evolving world of technology. We would love to hear from you as well!

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Here We Go with Yet another TechtalkRadio Broadcast (We are caught up!) Episode 261 – There’s a Website For That! Listen Here!

In this Weeks TechtalkRadio, Shawn is out; Broadways joins Justin and Andy talking the latest in Computers, Technology and the Internet. In a previous show Broadway told us about his decision to get into raising chickens. We learn a little more about the story behind his taking on Raising Chickens and what it takes to have 150 chickens. The guys bring back 60 Second Tech, A Rundown of the biggest stories in Tech however, Justin takes it a little longer..not even slightly. Some of the big stories from this past week included Playstation 5 and how this could be the last console from them, but why? Apple iPhone 9 and what could be coming down the channel. Could a New 12 inch iPad be coming? RedBox has announced a RedBox Streaming Service for Cord Cutters. Microsoft Office App is available now, the new app brings it all together and Google Stadia is coming to some cool phone devices! The guys break down what the Playstation5 rumors could mean for the future of gaming and the way games are sold.

Andy’s Daughter Jessica wants him to build a gaming rig for old games that ran under Windows95 however Justin and Broadway offer solutions to allow the playing of older games on Windows 10. Nox Emulator at bignox.com is mentioned along with Blue Stacks at bluestacks.com for this task. Andy wants to feature a Mini PC on the TV Segment at KMSB Fox 11 and looked into MinisForum; Broadway calls it a Pi on Steroids. Andy works on a laptop which was not powering up after a Water Spill. After taking it apart, Andy shares what he found and how it got working again. Justin shares a problem with a system as well and is looking for a Solution.
Photos of Laptop Repair

Broadway has been playing games on his PC going back into Nostalgia and reveals some of the titles he has been playing. The guys explain Escape from Tarkov and while Broadway hasn’t tried it yet likes the idea behind it and why not having characters that can respawn a good thing. John and Andy talk about the latest in Smartphone’s and moving from iPhone to Pixel as Broadway did. When somebody wants to upgrade the smart phones, it seems as though every time you turn around there is yet another change in what is available, should you wait? The guys talk about 5G and what it means for end users.

The guys wrap up the show talking about a monitor that can be plugged into a Smartphone to make it more like a notebook, Andy mentions the Logitech K480 Bluetooth Keyboard for using with Smartphone’s and tablets. Justin shares the Website of the Week, Slither.IO a fun game that is simple and fun to play.

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