TechtalkRadio

Road trips, creator gear, and online privacy come together on this week’s TechtalkRadio with Andy Taylor, Shawn DeWeerd, and Justin Lemme.

Justin returns with stories from his family trip to Devils Tower, a speedy stop at Buc-ee’s, and a new goal: buying an RV. Shawn shares his camping experience as the conversation explores RV shopping, campground comforts, solar power, Starlink, and bringing technology along for the adventure. Andy recommends Justin watch Lost in America with Albert Brooks before jumping into the RV Purchase while He dreams of being Cousin Eddie. 

Andy demonstrates the Ulanzi TT23 tracking tripod and DJI Mic Mini 2 wireless microphone, while Shawn answers a listener’s question about saving online videos with a discussion of yt-dlp, FFmpeg, and 4K Video Downloader.

Special guest Tom Kamber, executive director of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP, joins Andy to discuss AI, personal information, online privacy, and educational resources available through Senior Planet.

Shawn shares his excitement over a Zelda-themed Nintendo purchase with The Switch 2 and the challenge of beating scalpers to a preorder.

Got a question for the show? Email [email protected], and catch more at techtalkradio.com.

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This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd dig into Apple’s newly announced iPhone Duo, the foldable phone that has Andy intrigued while Shawn remains firmly in the “not for me” camp. They talk about the Duo’s dual displays, multitasking, cameras and fingerprint authentication, along with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, iOS updates and the impressive performance gains Apple Silicon continues to bring to demanding tasks like video editing.

Then the confessions begin as Andy and Shawn discover they’re both digital hoarders. From hundreds of thousands of saved messages and overflowing iCloud storage to stacks of backup drives filled with years of files, photos and duplicates, they ask the question many of us avoid: how much digital stuff do we really need to keep?

The conversation also includes an important smartphone privacy warning, Shawn’s recap of BlizzCon, World of Warcraft, Diablo and StarCraft, plus AI guardrails and just how dependent everyday life has become on the Internet and cloud-based services.

Then Andy welcomes Jeff Scott Soto of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Jeff shares how he became part of TSO following his time with Journey, his early reaction to the unusual combination of classical music, Christmas and hard rock, and how founder Paul O’Neill’s vision turned that idea into a worldwide phenomenon. Jeff also talks about the technology behind TSO’s massive live productions, the multi-generational audience, the band’s charitable efforts and carrying Paul O’Neill’s vision forward.

It’s foldable phones, overflowing hard drives, gaming, AI and plenty of rock ’n’ roll on this week’s TechtalkRadio!

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd go from the great outdoors to the increasingly strange world of artificial intelligence.

Andy starts with the Monster Vision 2, a portable entertainment system with a 15-inch Full HD screen, built-in battery, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB playback, FM radio and more. Could it be useful for camping, backyard entertainment or even emergency preparedness?

The conversation then turns to Smart TV privacy as Andy and Shawn discuss concerns over the information connected televisions may collect and what that means for consumers.

Andy also rediscovers Tubi and the appeal of free, ad-supported streaming, while a much darker AI topic comes up with an upcoming true-crime production using digital technology to recreate the likeness of Aileen Wuornos. Is that an impressive use of AI, or has the entertainment industry crossed a line?

Listener Martin from Sahuarita asks whether switching from traditional cable to YouTube TV could save money while still providing DVR features, local channels and good picture quality.

Security cameras are also on the agenda as Andy considers replacing one of his Google Nest cameras, leading to a discussion about Wyze cameras and an important safety recall involving a solar-powered model.

Listener Lauren from Tucson asks whether Windows 11 is really taking snapshots of what users are doing, bringing Microsoft Recall and Copilot+ PC privacy concerns into the conversation.

Plus, Andy highlights some creative social-media creators, and Shawn shares his latest project using Suno to create World of Warcraft parody songs under his DeWirdy name.

From portable TVs and streaming to privacy, AI, Windows 11 and Warcraft songs, it’s another wide-ranging edition of TechtalkRadio with Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd.

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor, Justin Lemme and Shawn DeWeerd dive into a little bit of everything—from artificial intelligence to old-school photography and some seriously dusty technology!

The guys discuss the explosion of AI-generated commercials, music and images and how difficult it’s becoming to tell what was created by a person and what came from AI. Andy shares how he used Suno to turn original lyrics into a personalized birthday song, while Shawn explains why spending time creating AI music has made him much better at recognizing it.

Justin talks about using Grok inside his Tesla, including an amusing encounter where AI becomes a fact-checker in the car. The conversation expands to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Copilot and why choosing the right AI tool depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Then it’s back to photography as the crew discusses restoring old family pictures, the charm—and imperfections—of vintage Polaroids, and the new Pokémon-themed Polaroid collaboration.

A listener question launches a discussion about mesh networking, Wi-Fi 7 and multi-gig Internet, along with privacy concerns surrounding connected devices and targeted advertising. Justin also shares his experience with a hand-crank emergency weather radio, while Shawn gets into GMRS, FRS and radio repeaters.

And where do the Dust Bunnies come in? Andy cleans up a system while revealing just how much dust can accumulate inside technology!

The crew is back together for TechtalkRadio Episode 486: Poutine, Power & Portable PCs! Andy Taylor, Shawn DeWeerd and Justin Lemme catch up on severe weather, Gen Con adventures and Shawn's travels — including a trip to Canada that somehow leads to Andy getting an education on the Canadian favorite, poutine.

Shawn shares his experience with an Anker SOLIX home battery backup and portable solar panels, while Justin talks about taking a practical approach to emergency preparedness by slowly stocking water, food, lighting and other essentials.

Andy gets hands-on with the latest ASUS Zenbook Duo, featuring two 14-inch 3K OLED displays, a removable Bluetooth keyboard, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The guys also discuss rising RAM and storage prices and why building your own PC may not be the bargain it once was.

A listener's inherited Windows 10 laptop sparks a conversation about wiping an old PC, moving to Windows 11 or giving Linux Mint a try. Andy also shares the story of troubleshooting a laptop with just 9MB of storage remaining!

Plus, Andy checks out the new folding Logitech MobiFold Bluetooth mouse, and Justin explains why his job in IT occasionally involves slinging hot dogs and serving Dippin' Dots.

It's tech, troubleshooting, preparedness, gadgets, poutine and plenty of laughs with Andy, Shawn and Justin on TechtalkRadio!

This week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd explore how technology is changing the way we preserve our memories—and the media we own. They discuss AI photo restoration, scanning decades of family photos, the surprising comeback of film photography, and the best ways to digitize some of those great images and film handed down.

The conversation then shifts to Sony's decision to eliminate physical PlayStation game discs, what it means for digital ownership, and why gamers are pushing back. Plus, a couple of questions about whether it's still worth building your own PC, how to safely clean your computer, and whether a VPN is right for your home or travel setup.

Wrapping up the show, they take a look at the rumored Insta360 X6, expected to bring 8K recording, improved HDR, and even better 360-degree video.

Justin returns from Japan with incredible tech finds, amazing photography, and stories from one of the world's most technology-driven countries. The team dives into Sony removing purchased digital movies, the growing debate over whether you truly own your digital content,

Adobe's acquisition of Topaz Labs, and what it means for creators. Plus, music publisher Rex Strother joins the show to discuss AI-generated music, copyright concerns, and the future of artists in the age of artificial intelligence.

We also answer listener questions about Windows 11 Pro upgrades and whether eBay or Facebook Marketplace is the better place to sell your gear. It's another packed episode of TechtalkRadio covering the latest in technology, AI, digital media, and consumer tech.

Got a question for the show? Email [email protected], and catch more at techtalkradio.com.

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Arizona gets its first Buc-ee's, Apple shakes up the laptop market with the MacBook Neo, Nintendo fans prepare for the Switch 2 Ocarina of Time, and AI photo editing sparks an interesting debate.

Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd also answer listener questions about HEIC photo files, Google Earth Studio, buying laptops during Prime Week, retro gaming, and more on this week's TechtalkRadio.

Apple is taking another big swing at artificial intelligence, and on this episode of TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd break down the biggest announcements from WWDC, including the future of Siri AI, Apple's expanding ecosystem, and what it all means for iPhone users and why the Neo is gaining so many interested buyers crossing from PC.

The guys also tackle a listener question about choosing between a laptop and tablet for travel and remote work. If you've ever wondered whether a lightweight tablet can replace your laptop while on the road, Shawn shares some valuable thoughts. 

Shawn also is very excited about the latest announcement from Insta360 as they enter the handheld creator-camera market with the new Luna Ultra, an 8K Leica-powered camera designed to challenge DJI's dominance. Is this the next must-have gadget for content creators?

And before you buy a Steam gift card for Father's Day or a birthday, hear why Valve is discontinuing physical Steam gift cards and how scammers are taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers. All that, along with gaming news, tech commentary, and Shawn's excitement over the Nintendo Switch 2, on this week's TechtalkRadio. 

Technology doesn't always cooperate, and this week on TechtalkRadio, Andy Taylor and Shawn DeWeerd share stories from a week filled with tech disasters, failed routers, broken RCS messaging, disappearing smart cameras, factory resets, and enough troubleshooting to test anyone's patience. If you've ever found yourself rebooting devices over and over while asking, "Why is nothing working?" this episode will feel very familiar.

The conversation dives into digital hoarding, cloud backups, photo preservation, and the surprising number of people who no longer print their pictures. Shawn explains how he archives family photos, home movies, and decades of digital memories, while Andy explores AI-powered video restoration, breathing new life into old low-resolution footage. Shawn and Andy also discusses scanners, NAS storage, Google Photos, and practical ways to preserve family history before it's lost forever.

Plus, listener Roberta asks how to legally transfer DVDs to a computer, leading to a deep dive into HandBrake, MakeMKV, VLC, Plex, Jellyfin, media servers, and building your own digital movie library. From dusty computers and overheating processors to home videos, Blu-rays, and broken TVs, it's another fun-filled journey down the tech rabbit hole on TechtalkRadio.

Running Time: 58 Minutes (approx.)
Episode Title: Dust, Disasters & Digital Hoarders