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Episode 435 – There is a Simulation for Everything!

In this Weeks TechtalkRadio Show, Andy, Shawn, and Justin discussed their previous recording session, which was postponed due to various reasons. They also talked about their personal lives, including Shawn’s sleep schedule and falling aslep while the show was waiting for him! Justin talks about doing Voiceover work and Andy mentions a great Video on YouTube titled “5 Guys in a Limo” that showcases the best voiceover actors of their time.

Justin tells us a about his decision to buy his son Eric a gaming laptop, the Acer Predator, which has a 4,060 RTX and 16GB RAM. Justin also installed parental control software called Qustodio to monitor Eric’s online activities. However, Eric was more interested in watching YouTube videos on the new laptop than playing games. The guys share some possible games and while Doom and Wolfenstein are mentioned one that Andy wants to try is Power House Washing, a Simulation. Justin also mentioned a YouTube channel called Let’s Game It Out, which they both enjoy watching.

Andy discussed a couplle of products he recently took a look at: the Asus Rog Flow Z13, a gaming laptop/tablet with AMD 395, and the Epson RR600W, a rapid receipt scanner. Andy shared his positive experience with the Asus product, highlighting its performance and features. He also demonstrated the Epson scanner on live TV but encountered issues due to Andy forgetting to plug a cord in! The Epson scanner can scan up to 100 receipts per minute, front and back, and can also scan photos at 600 dpi.

In a segment recorded earlier, Andy welcomes Author Titania Jordan to the show to discuss the challenges of internet safety for children. Titania, the CMO and Chief Parent Officer at Bark Technologies, shared her experiences as a parent and her insights from her book “Parenting in a Tech World”. She emphasized the importance of staying updated with the latest information on internet safety, as the situation has evolved significantly since her first book was published in 2020.  Andy and Titania discussed the challenges of parenting in the digital age, particularly with regards to children’s use of smartphones and social media. Titania emphasized the importance of being proactive and not waiting until a crisis arises. They also discussed the need for parents to be aware of the constantly evolving language and emojis used by teenagers, and the potential dangers of allowing strangers to communicate with children through apps and games. Titania recommended using safer alternatives such as the Bark app or Bark phone for children’s devices, and advised parents to delay giving their children access to all devices and apps until they are ready. Her latest title is available at Amazon. 

Justin, Andy, and Shawn regroup and share the Website of the Week, Lazyfly dot me, which is a challenging game very basic in graphics but fun. 

Tune in for all this and more on TechtalkRadio!

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

Episode #432 – The Blinky Lights and Flashing Buttons Are Alive!

For this Week’s Episode of TechtalkRadio,  Andy and Shawn discussed the recent announcement from DJI about the New Osmo Mobile 7, a handheld device that stabilizes video footage in three axes. Andy ask Shawn to explain to the listeners the purpose of a Gimble Arm and what it can accomplish. Shawn explained that it’s designed for mobile devices, providing smooth footage even in challenging terrains. The device is priced at $89 for the standard version and $149 for the pro version, which includes additional features such as a wireless receiver for DJI mics, an 8-inch telescoping arm, gesture control, and a built-in light. Shawn expected the announcement to be a different product and after recording we discovered it is the DJI RS 4 Mini which we will discuss next week. 

The action camera market is still providing some great solutions for videographers and storytellers and the guys  focus on major players like DJI, GoPro, and Insta360. They noted that GoPro has been in the business for a long time and has been successful in the market. Shawn shared his experience with various GoPro models, particularly the Hero 3 Plus, which he considers his favorite.  Shawn then listed five companies that attempted to enter the action camera market  including Nikon, Kodak, Contour, Garmin, and Sony. 

Shawn and Andy welcome to the show Author Chase Roberts, Founder of Baby Step Books to discuss his fun books  “Computer Engineering for Babies” and “Computer Engineering for Big Babies”.  Chase discussed the development of a book that introduces basic computer concepts to young children. Chase shared his inspiration, which came from his child’s fascination with light switches and decided to create a book that would deliver on the promise of the title, introducing concepts like gates and circuits in a way that a child could understand. Chase faced numerous challenges in the production process, including issues with circuit board design and soldering. His wife’s encouragement helped him persevere and eventually launch a successful Kickstarter campaign, which exceeded his expectations. He shared his experience of creating the first book, which was a success, and then working on a second book that added switches and LEDs. Chase mentioned that the second book took two years to complete, highlighting the challenges he faced, particularly with designing the switch placements. 

A Listener Question sent in from Martha in La Quinta inquired about using a Windows XP Computer to play old favorite games however she was told by a friend to not power up the XP System because it could get a Virus? Andy and Shawn let Martha know while connecting to the internet is not recommended playing the local games on the system should be fine.  This Gave Shawn and Andy a chance to discuss their experiences with old games and computers. Andy mentioned his fondness for playing old games like Joint Ops and Castle Wolfenstein, while Shawn reminisced about playing Diablo 2 and other classic games. A question from Chad had Andy looking for some input on Starlink and its reputation for service in the Southern Arizona Area, Shawn tells us about the different connect options. 

Tune in for all this and more on TechtalkRadio!

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

Episode 431 – What Tech Gift Would You Get for Yourself?

This Week on TechtalkRadiom Justin, Shawn, and Andy discuss tech gifts, personal projects, and listener questions. Justin shares his preference for buying tech gifts for himself, while Shawn talks about his ongoing family photo archiving project using the Epson FF680 Photo Scanner. The team also covers converting VHS tapes to digital, with Shawn recommending a VHS-to-hard-drive converter and a time-based corrector and Andy also recommending The Diamond Multimedia Converter 

Justin updates the crew on Project Zomboid, mentioning his recent voiceover work for a game mod. Andy expresses interest in the game, available on Steam, and Justin highlights its low system requirements and engaging gameplay.

The team breaks down Sony’s recent 24-hour outage and revisits the 2011 Sony hack, which compromised 77 million PlayStation accounts. This leads to a discussion on data security, warning against free credit monitoring services that can waive legal rights. They also share tips on using multiple email addresses to track potential data breaches.


A listener asks if a home-based business needs a website or if social media is enough. Justin shares his experience with Wix for an affordable, all-in-one solution. The team agrees that a website adds professionalism and stability, especially when paired with strong social media strategies.

Another listener wants to convert Windows Media files to other formats. Shawn recommends Handbrake, VLC Player, and FFMPEG for free, reliable conversions, explaining the benefits of each. The team also touches on Adobe Media Encoder and Roxio Creator, with MP4 suggested as the best format for compatibility.

Justin and Andy compare health tracking devices. Justin prefers the Oura Ring over the Pixel Watch, noting its FSA eligibility for savings. Andy highlights the new Apple Powerbeats Pro 2, which monitor heart rate during workouts. The team also discusses sleep apnea detection and arrhythmia monitoring in both the Oura Ring and Apple Watch.


Finally, they share their browser and extension preferences. Justin dislikes Chrome’s heavy resource usage and recommends Firefox, Edge, and Opera instead. Shawn agrees but acknowledges Chrome’s work compatibility. Andy shares his experience with Internet Connection Monitor, while Shawn mentions using AdBlock Plus.

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Episode #429 – Would You Like One Monitor or Two…Or Four?

In this week’s episode, Andy, Justin, and Matt eagerly tune in as Shawn finally reveals the conclusion to last week’s DJI cliffhanger! The new DJI Flip—a compact take on the DJI Spark—boasts similar flight times and camera resolutions, with pricing at $439 for the drone and controller, or $639 for the full bundle with a screen. Shawn also stresses the importance of responsible drone usage, reminding listeners to respect privacy and airspace laws.

The conversation takes off with the latest GPU story, as the newly launched RTX 5090 and 5080 have gamers camping outside stores in a frenzy to get one. The guys wonder if the buyers are snagging them for personal use, or is this just another scalping fiasco? The team draws parallels to console shortages and even Pokémon card restrictions, debating how retailers are handling high-demand products.

Shifting gears to AI, the crew discusses DeepSeek and the growing role of AI in content creation. Matt highlights a wild case of a writer using ChatGPT to generate five movie scripts with only three edits needed. But is Hollywood doomed? Justin argues that most audiences don’t care who’s behind the script—as long as the story and actors deliver. The debate even touches on actors’ likeness rights, with throwbacks to Crispin Glover’s legal battle over Back to the Future 2 which was settled out of court and Robin Williams’ famous Disney dispute after Aladdin.

A listener emails in with a classic dilemma: One big monitor or two smaller ones? Matt breaks it down—if color accuracy matters, go with a high-quality monitor. If not, a large-screen TV might do the trick. The team discusses setups, from Andy’s 39-inch curved LG to Shawn and Justin’s multi-monitor rigs, even bringing up Samsung’s Odyssey Ark 55-inch ultra-wide as a crazy alternative which can even display as 4 monitor screens!

Finally, Andy goes bargain hunting, scoring a $5 USB hub from a discount store. The catch? It’s from an unknown brand, made in Thailand, and has potential security risks. Shawn, Matt, and Justin voice concerns, recalling an FBI case where hacked cables were found stealing data. Will Andy’s find be a deal or a disaster? He promises to crack it open and report back next week!

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

Episode #418 – Stick this in your Tree! The Tech Ornament

In this Week’s TechtalkRadio Show, Andy and Shawn discussed their shared interest in tech-themed Christmas decorations, particularly ornaments and sweaters. Shawn does an Open Box on the Radio of his recent purchase of an original Xbox Christmas ornament that plays sounds from the game Halo: Combat Evolved. While we can’t really hear the Ornament – Video has now been posted on our blog. After seeing the Apple Pencil in the News, Andy asks Shawn what it is all about. Shawn explained that his mother uses it for drawing and work, and it offers features such as precision, pressure sensitivity, tilt sensitivity, low latency, and palm rejection and works great with various iPad models, including older ones, and the second generation can be charged by attaching it to the side of the iPad.

While on the subject of Apple, Andy discussed the immersive video experience created by Edward Berger, now available on the Apple TV app, and a short film called Submerged. Andy also introduced a website, AI.meta.com, where users can create short videos using AI-generated photos. Shawn shared his recent experience with Chat GPT, initially skeptical but now finding it useful for various tasks, including rebuilding his Plex server using Linux Mint, where Chat GPT provided detailed step-by-step instructions for mounting a drive and to learn Linux commands and emphasized the importance of effective prompting for better results.


Andy and Shawn reminisced about their experiences with technology in their teenage years, with Shawn sharing his knowledge of bypassing internet restrictions imposed by his parents. Wikipedia, AI and Google Search did not exist, instead educational resources like Encarta and the Dewey decimal system at the library were the solution.

Andy and Shawn wrapped the show with the discussion of the implications of AI-generated voices and the potential for AI to replace human hosts in podcasting. They shared their experience with the “notebooklm.google experimental page” AI, which they found unsettling and not quite human. In Audio which had a lot of people talking, The NotebookLM model was tested with the AI told they were AI. As Shawn and Andy note, A Downer.