The Big Tech Show

What does it take to build a startup? What do you have to give up or sacrifice? How many extra hours do you have to work? What about the loss of things like holidays, sick pay? And what's the pressure like from loved ones who might want a stable and predictable present and future? Adrian is joined on The Big Tech Show this week by co-founders of AI accessibility platform, DevA11y, Cormac Chisholm and Patrick Guiney-Fox.

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Is now the time to buy a Mac in the wake of the Crowdstrike blue screen of death? Is a Mac better than a Windows PC? And what are the pros and cons of each? Editor at large with TechRadar, Lance Ulanoff, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. During last month's global IT outage, one cohort of computer owners didn’t bat an eyelid and that was Apple Mac computer owners. They were unaffected by this meltdown. Prompted by this Adrian and Lance debate the good and the bad of Apple and Windows. The TechRadar writer recently swapped Windows for Mac but pointed out that Windows has always been a platform for productivity. He questioned why it is called Windows because you reach in and do stuff. When Ulanoff began working on a Mac a year ago, he said the tech never stops working, there is no blue screen of death equivalent. Additionally, the New York based journalist pointed out that what you get with the Mac is incredible efficiency and battery life. Adrian pushed back saying that the one area where Windows is clearly in pole position is with gaming. He explained that any gamer he has ever talked to uses Windows because of its customisability. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Do you feel like a mug for paying your TV licence? Are you going to end up covering those that don’t? And what’s going on at the National Cyber Security centre? This week the Irish Independent published internal documents from the National Cyber Security Centre that showed serious problems within the security body. These included management issues but more specifically a hiring crisis that is starting to affect this institution that is supposed to protect this country from cyber attacks. Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.

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Are killer robots a realistic threat? We hear reports of things like drones using AI in war zones, but how advanced is the technology generally now? and what sort of guardrails are in place? Adrian is joined on The Big Tech Show this week by software engineer and lethal autonomous weapons expert, Laura Nolan.

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Is the IDA worried about a Trump presidency? What would his tariffs do to Irish business? And should Ireland be looking to grow domestic rather than foreign investment? CEO of the IDA, Michael Lohan joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week. Adrian began by asking what a Trump 10% tariff would mean for Ireland as an open economy which is vulnerable to fluctuations in the global market. The CEO said that he sees tariffs as counterproductive to global trade and innovation. Lohan made the point that Ireland is the ninth largest investor in the US economy, and it isn’t proactive to put levies on trade between the two nations. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Is the EU strangling tech services such as Meta AI and Apple AI with regulation? Is it doing the same to startups here? Is the phrase 'America innovates, Europe regulates' accurate? Venture partner at Sure Valley Ventures, Donal Cahalane, joined Adrian on the show. Adrian opened with the question is Europe a bad place for budding startups. DC answered that start-ups in Europe must fight against more regulation than their US counterparts. He added that in the States there is an attitude of asking for forgiveness rather than permission. The venture partner argued that Europe has a different approach, they will often look to regulate first and seek to take advantage of the wave of innovation second. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Last week Ford relaunched the Capri model. Instead of being the exciting, lust worthy, affordable sports car we saw in the 1970s, it's a middle of the road, small, bland SUV that's almost indistinguishable from anything. Why did they play it safe? Is the bland SUV design more popular? And has the badge of this iconic car been sunk? Adrian is joined on the show this week by partnerships director of Nevo Ireland and founder of Nevo EV Review YouTube channel, Derek Reilly. Derek spoke about the motor companies' knack for taking names of former models and relaunching them with a modern twist. The original Ford Capri model began production in 1968 as a coupé, however the 2024 iteration is an SUV. The EV expert explained that Ford is trading on name recognition and that the new Chinese electric car companies entering the western market don’t have this advantage. He did add that when he posted a review video of the Capri, 90% of responses and comments were people giving out about the new look. The Michigan company has enlisted the star power of Eric Cantona with the hashtag of #Jesuiscapri, with the aim of boosting sales. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Has Samsung’s Galaxy Ring kicked off the “smart ring” era? How much is it? And what other products did the tech giant release? On The Big Tech Show this week Adrian is joined by producer, JJ Clarke. The electronics company revealed a new range of foldable smarthphones, smartwatches and a smart ring at its Unpacked event this week. Adrian spoke about this being a significant move by Samsung into the smart ring space which has largely been dominated by market leader Oura. The Galaxy Ring however is more discreet and more sleek than previous smart rings. The wearable will be coming to Ireland later in the year and is largely aimed at those that don’t want a smartwatch that pings and beeps endlessly. The Ring, will cost €459 and will be available in nine sizes and three colours: silver, black and gold. The “smart ring” era has kicked off in earnest with Samsung’s announcement of its Galaxy Ring. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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For many people, a well-paid, high-flying career in a firm like Davy's Stockbrokers is considered a destination job in life. But not Rosanne Longmore, who went from being chief operating officer at Davy Wealth Management to leading and starting her own startup based on a concern that mothers and babies weren't getting proper attention when feeding with breast milk.

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Is the Apple Vision Pro a flop? Are fully autonomous cars still a decade away? And will Elon’s Musk’s August announcement shake up the self-driving car market? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by producer, JJ Clarke.

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