SMRPodcast

Episode #298 of the SMRpodcast is online and ready for download.  It’s just Chris and Robb this week, and, when it is just the two big men, they hit you with Chicken Wings and Beer, part 39.

There were only a few stream of consciousness tangents this week, as, we actually covered a lot of tech starting with Robb getting to level 30 in the Division.  For an online game that never really ends Ubi has done a good job with not making daily mission such a grind.

A California Judge has ordered a woman to unlock her iPhone with her fingerprint.  The internet erupted with questions of 5th amendment violations.  Is forcing someone to provide biometric markers the same as forcing them to testify against themselves?

Allison Sheridan from the Nosilla Cast podcast sends in audio clip detailing which she hates PowerPoint and slide presentation tools in general.

Robb goes off on an Android fragmentation rant, Chris gives up his TV room to his daughter and moves XBox to his office, New York lawmakers want drivers to provide their phone at traffic stops, and an ton of people's email may have been compromised.  We've go all this, our picks, and more in episode #298 of the SMRpodcast.

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Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

Fitbit Alta --  Bracelet style fitness tracker

Samsung CF591 27" Monitor -- Curved monitor with quality built-in speakers

Episode #296 of the SMRpodcast is online and ready for download. This week’s episode is shored up with all three hosts on the scene all with their fun takes on this week’s tech news as well as some social commentary. During the start of the show, Robb gives us an update on the back issues that kept him off the last episode. After we finish catching up we delve into the first tech story that caught our ear which is the apple stock report. During the discussion Robb and Rod offer their analysis of the latest reporting.

Next up, we discuss an interesting story that was originally posted on Paul Thurrott’s site pointing out poll results which if accurate spells some trouble for Microsoft.

The show has some additional topics for discussion covering Google and Microsoft putting aside their respective lawsuits, the need to stop Beyonce, to our level of comfort with autonomous driving cars.

We have this and a few other topics on this week's episode of the SMRpodcast

 

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

 

Picks:

ManyCam

Episode #296 of the SMRpodcast is online and ready for download. Robb experienced an unexpected injury that sidelined him however, that did not derail the show as our longtime friend Brandon Watson stopped by.

We took some time to hear about Brandon's amazing trip to Africa where he competed in a bike race. He gives us the scoop on the heat, the training and just a bit more. The discussion turns to an interesting conversation around personal finance and how tech as really let the average consumer down.

Next, we discuss Amazon's latest Kindle from a unique perspective as Brandon is a former employee for that team, which gave him some insight. Furthermore, Amazon had another piece of news worthy of a conversation which was there full on attack of Netflix. The discussion centers around their new pricing options and how it we think it will affect us.

We have this and a few other topics on this week's episode of the SMRpodcast

 

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Brandon Watson -- @brandonwatson

 

Picks:

Tivo for Android

Episode #295 of the SMRpodcast is online and ready for download. We made a mistake and missed recording half the show therefore we hope you enjoy what was recorded.

We took a few minutes to recap what was missed in the earlier part of the show then move on to a few topics. One of the topics from the last few weeks have been about the use of Google's Project fi and Chris updates everyone on some of the calling issues he has had.

We have this and a few other topics on this week's episode of the SMRpodcast

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

Episode #294 of the SMRpodcast is online and ready for download.   We've got a full crew for the first time in nearly a month and waste no time getting to recent events  and ultimately to the tech 'goings on' for the last week.

We start the show of with a story Robb's vacation woe's and the further cementing of Chris's stance of never getting on a cruise ship.

On of the tech stories and a new way of asking the SMRpodcast Facebook community for show topics was Robb throwing is ugly mug up in a Facebook Live video.  Facebook added a ton of new features to Facebook Live on Wednesday, one of which was live streaming directly to a group.  Needless to say, the minions responded and supplied dozens of show topics.

The big tech story was Microsoft admitting that they aren't really focusing on Mobile.  This is not a big surprise to anyone that has been paying attention for the last year or more, but, it is still revealing to see Microsoft's CEO admit it as well as see very little talk of Windows 10 Mobile at Build, Microsoft' developer conference.  Interestingly enough, Rod, not Robb, walks away with the Anti-Microsoft tag.  (In the spirit of full disclosure, Robb agrees wholeheartedly with Rod's sentiment.)

As Robb predicted and cosigned by Chris, Rod has decided to by one of the Luxury Teslas, the model X.  The only shocking thing about Rod getting an X was that he actually believed that he wasn't getting either an X or an S.  Sometimes your boys know you better than you know yourself.

Rod gets a high-end Android wear time piece, the new Vivaldi web browser impresses the entire crew, Twitter and T-Mobile get into streaming sports, and the new HP Specter Ultrabook looks awesome but has a crappy display.  We've got all this, our pics, and more in episode #294 of the SMRpodcast.

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

Tag Heuer Connected -- Android Wear Smart Watch

Vestly -- Gamified mobile stock picking app with monthly contests

FreeCaddie --  Free Golf GPS range finder

SMRpodcast episode #293 has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for your listening pleasure. Chris and Rod hold the show down while Robb is out somewhere in the world on vacation.

The boys take some time to go over their experience with Google Fi with Rod giving a full report on how the phone service worked while he was traveling overseas. The hosts also talk about number porting to the Fi service as that is an important aspect of switching.

This episode also covers Tesla's Model 3 pre-sale, Amazon creating stricter rules for USB devices and an issue that Chris had with Crashplan.

We've got all this, our picks, and more in Episode #293 of the SMRpodcast.

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

Firefox for Android -- Web Browser for Android

Mobile Pass -- International Travel App

SMRpodcast episode #292 has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. We've got no crew this week as Rod and Robb are out. Instead, Chris decides to handle the show solo since he has a few thoughts he would like to get off his chest.

The first topic has been extremely frustrating as Microsoft's billing has screwed up Chris' Groove Music subscription, listen as he describes how his subscription got ruined and the fact the situation is still not resolved yet.

Next up is a surprising topic which has Chris talking about how well the Microsoft experience is on an Android phone. He goes into which device he has purchased as well as some disappointing revelations brought to light during his initial days of the Android switch.

We've got all this, our picks, and more in Episode #292 of the SMRpodcast.

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

OneNote for Android -- Microsoft note taking app for the Android platform

SMRpodcast episode #291 has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download.  We've got a full crew this week and, after wishing Rod happy birthday, listen to his story of how he gets no respect at the wing joint that he has visited it least 1 a week for the past 6 years, we jump into the Tech.

Uber drivers were extremely busy yesterday as the Metro train system in DC was shut down for critical maintenance.  Rod also, erroneously, believes that 25 million commuters come in and out of city each and every day.  The number is actually closer to 2.5 million commuters.

Rod leaves Verizon for Google Fi and is pretty happy with the Google's fledgling MVNO wireless service which runs over Sprint and T-Mobile's 4G networks.   Google Fi overs voice for $20 per month and data at $10 per gig, however, you are credited back for any data that you do not use.

Here Maps has decided to pull out of the Windows 10 Universal App development and hence are leaving Windows phone as a supported platform.  Here blames its decision to abandon Windows Phone on having to rewrite the entire app because of ceasing of a method it uses in its universal app, however, the entire crew believes that it is purely a financial decision.

Daredevil Season 2 hits Netflix Friday the 18th,  The Division is kind of an awesome game, malware is being distributed via malicious code in ads on multiple big name sites, and the entire crew does a public service announcement urging listeners to back their stuff up.

We've got all this, our picks, and more in Episode #291 of the SMRpodcast.

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

NCAA March Madness Live --  Watch every NCAA college baseketball tournamet game right on your Android Phone.

HP Scan and Capture for Windows

IRS2Go -- Check your refund status, make a payment, find free tax preparation assistance, sign up for helpful tax tips, and more!

Episode #290 of the SMRpodcast has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download.   It's just Robb and the Big Fella this week so we hit you with Chicken Wings and Beer Part 38.

If there is one word that sums up what Chris and Robb talked about this week it would be Division.  Division is Tom Clancy's new open world, massively multiple player, first person shooter, role playing game.  The best way to sum it up is as a mashup of Gears of War, Destiny, Fall Out, and World of War Craft.

We also talk a bit of tech and touch on Windows Phone soon hitting older Lumia devices, Mac ransomware and why Microsoft fans shouldn't root for their Mac using nemesis's to be affected by it even though it is understandable if they snicker if they do, Android N and why Robb tries to learn as little about new Android operating systems as possible, and Amazon Alexa integration with home automation.

We got all this, our picks, and more in episode #290 of the SMRpodcast.

Episode #289 of the SMRpodcast has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download.  We've got a full crew this week and we jump right into the tech after Robb waxes poetic about all the Beignets he ate while in NOLA last week.

Show Information

 

 

Hosts:

Chris Ashley — @bigchrisashley

Robb Dunewood -- @robbdunewood

Rod Simmons -- @rodsimmons

Picks:

goTenna --  Off grid network that uses Bluetooth LW and RF short range radio.

Power Director -- Mobile video editor

Sennheiser SP20/20 ML Speakerphone -- premium portable speakerphones