The Tech Night Owl LIVE — Tech Radio with a Pop Culture Twist!

We feature Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer. In addition to a brief pop culture segment where Gene schools Jeff on the correct pronunciation of the wacky DC Comics character, "Mister Mxyzptlk," the discussion focuses on the MacBook Pro and the controversy over the battery tests from Consumer Reports, in which Apple's notebooks were at first not recommended until retested. And what about all the great gadgets introduced at the CES in Las Vegas? According to Jeff, there were more products that appeared to be ready to sell, rather than to show off an idea that may never make it into production. You'll also hear from Russell Holly, managing editor of VRHeads. After a brief focus on smartphone sales, and whether the market can continue to grow quickly, the discussion moves to the upcoming Nintendo Switch gaming console. Nintendo is trying to get a leg up on the competition from Microsoft and Sony by including a small embedded tablet that can be used for gameplay on the road. You'll also hear about popular gadgets at the CES, but the main focus is Russell's special introduction to VR technology. Are those goggles poised to take over the consumer electronics market in a big way? What about shared experiences among more than a single player? Are there any downsides other than the relatively high price of admission for the best VR gear?

We feature tech journalist Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles. The discussion begins with Gene's strange story of the problems he encountered installing macOS Sierra on a 2010 17-inch MacBook Pro. The segment moves on to reports that Apple is giving the Mac short shrift, and whether such stories have any credibility. Josh brings up the question of whether innovation in the tech industry began to slow down after the death of Steve Jobs in 2011. Or is that just the way the industry was destined to evolve? You'll also hear from independent tech journalist Joe Wilcox, who writes for BetaNews. He'll tell the curious tale of the two Late 2016 MacBook Pros that he owns, and the battery life issues he has confronted on both. Yet when he gave one of those notebooks, the 13-inch model, to his wife and reconfigured it with her apps and settings, battery life was normal. What about the erratic battery life tests reported by Consumer Reports magazine, which decided not to recommend the new MacBook Pros? The discussion moves to the pressing topic of whether Apple's quality control has nosedived in recent years, as Gene cites the long-term problems with the macOS' "forgetful" Finder.

On this week’s all-star episode, we feature noted industry analyst Stephen Baker, Vice President for Industry Analysis at the NPD Group. He begins the conversation discussing the success of 4K (Ultra HD) TV sets during the holiday quarter. What about the advanced picture technologies, such as HDR, and what about the dearth of 4K content? The discussion will also focus on whether Samsung was hurt at all, in holiday sales, by the exploding batteries scandal that forced the company to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 phablet. You’ll also hear some positive news about Mac sales for the holiday quarter despite the controversy over the Late 2016 MacBook Pro. You’ll also hear from Derek Kessler, managing editor of Mobile Nations, a web portal that runs several popular tech sites. The discussion begins with the success of 4K TVs, and whether or not Samsung customers were dissuaded by the failure of the Galaxy Note 7. There will also be a preview of the expected hot ticket items at the 2017 CES in Las Vegas, which include VR gear. Is virtual reality poised to come into its own? What about the connected home — the Internet of Things — and can security issues derail its success? Gene and Derek will also talk about smartwatches. and the recent failure of Pebble, a pioneer in the market. Its assets were recently purchased by Fitbit. So are smartwatches now stillborn, or is there hope that the Apple Watch can help move the market to the point where such products become must-haves?

Outspoken columnist and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, also known as Macworld's "iTunes Guy," returns to talk about a variety of tech issues. A discussion about the future of diesel cars in the wake of Volkswagen's emissions scandal turns to autonomous driving, as Gene wonders when he'll be too old to drive for himself. From there the discussion veers to the use of robots in fast food restaurants and supermarkets before it settles on Apple's late-shipping AirPods. These wireless in-ear headphones have become as controversial as Apple's MacBook Pro. Kirk provides a first take, describing the setup process and his impressions of their sound quality. You'll also hear from ethical hacker Dr. Timothy Summers, President of Summers & Company, a cyber strategy and organizational design consulting firm, on a wide range of subjects. He'll start with extensive background information on the presumed Russian hack of the DNC and Democratic politicians. How was it determined that the Russians were responsible, and not the Chinese or the alleged "400 pound man in his basement"? You'll also hear about yet another reported hack on Yahoo, involving an estimated one billion accounts. And there's a real shocker: Is it possible for a hacker to easily "clone" your car's key fob, to take control of the vehicle or steal it? Dr. Summers explains how it can be done on many makes and models with a device that costs a mere $30, and the best ways to protect yourself.

We feature columnist and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, also known as Macworld's "iTunes Guy." During this session, Kirk remains in"rant mode," as he discusses the ongoing controversy over the battery life of the Late 2016 MacBook Pro, and why Apple chose to remove the "time remaining" display in the macOS Sierra 10.12.2 update. Kirk also explains why he's keeping his Macs longer than ever nowadays before selling them off. The discussion covers Amazon's first attempts to deliver merchandise to customers via drones. You'll also hear from commentator Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer, who is in "cranky mode" this time out. He is concerned over the fact that Apple, despite all its resources, appears to be delivering fewer and fewer new products, far less in 2016 than in 2015. And what about the new MacBook Pro. Does it truly deserve the "pro" label? Bryan wonders whether Apple's chief designer, Sir Jonathan Ive, needs an "editor" to help eliminate some of the excesses in his designs, such as the apparent obsession with slim and light in place of more important features. What about Apple's decision to stop making displays, and reports that the AirPort line of Wi-Fi routers will also be discontinued? Bryan also talks about the revelation about yet another data breach at Yahoo, this time impacting over one billion accounts.

We feature long-time author Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus, who focuses the conversation to some degree on the controversial Late 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. He also mentions a few of his favorite gadgets for the holiday season. But perhaps the most interesting part of the discussion is when Gene and Bob speak of the time they almost met a member of the Beatles. There's also a short discussion about the reported resurgence of vinyl records, and Gene's curious problem with his AT&T wireless account, where voices on the other end of the connection sounded as if they had slowed down to half speed. You'll also hear from commentator Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer. The interview begins with a semi-technical discussion of time travel, based on the concepts from sci-fi and comic books. So what might happen if one travels back through time, and makes a very minor change that can foul up the timeline in the future? The discussion moves to several topics, including the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Is Apple falling behind the technology curve with its new notebook, which some claim is not really a "pro" machine? Jeff also offers an update on the latest scuttlebutt about the Apple Car, which appears to be focusing more and more on self-driving technology rather than a motor vehicle with an Apple logo on it.

We feature commentator John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer. His bill of fare includes the "tribal warfare" that often surrounds the Apple ecosystem, the difficulties in "extracting truth" from Apple, along with how the company has been blindsided by such products as the Microsoft Surface Stereo all-in-one desktop and HP's Z2 Mini Workstation; the latter is designed to compete as a higher-end alternative to the Mac mini. John will also focus on Apple's mistakes in releasing a fourth-generation Apple TV set-top box without such key features as 4K and HDR support, coming at a time when 4K TVs are really taking off. You'll also hear from outspoken columnist and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, also known as Macworld's "iTunes Guy." Gene and Kirk begin the discussion covering the so-called resurgence of vinyl, and Gene's personal experiences listening to some of the most famous recordings on the cheap record player his parents bought him. The two also provide a no-nonsense look at the real differences between analog and digital. Kirk moves into rant mode as he complains about the delays in shipping the Late 2016 MacBook Pro and the fact that, except for a brief period, the LG 5K display that was supposed to accompany Apple's upgraded notebooks was not available to order. Kirk calls it "bait and switch."

We feature outspoken blogger and podcaster Peter Cohen, who focuses on the questions raised about Apple's ongoing commitment to professional users. And what about published reports, since denied, that chief designer Sir Jonathan Ive may no longer be fully involved in developing new Apple gear? The discussion also includes ousting the manager of the automation division, home of AppleScript, Apple's decision to give up building its own displays, and the ever-controversial Late 2016 MacBook Pro, which features the contextual Touch Bar and a much higher price. You'll also hear from columnist Joe Wilcox, of BetaNews, who will explain why he prefers his new iPhone 7 Plus despite the fact that he finds some of Google's services, such as its voice assistant, to be superior. What should Apple be thankful for during the holiday season? Joe offers his opinions about his 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bear, and also the impact of Google's Chromebook in American school systems, and whether its cheap price and focus on cloud-based apps makes it a better educational alternative. And what about Microsoft's controversial decision to force Windows 10 upgrades on users, and what about sharing telemetry data culled from users with third parties?

We feature Kyle Wiens of iFixit, a company that routinely tears down new tech gear to check for repairability. During this segment, Kyle brings up the recent report of the recall of 2.8 million Samsung washing machines due to a serious defect which can hurt people. He suggests that the quality of such appliances is far lower than it used to be. He will bring you up to date on recent gear his crew has taken apart, including the iPhone 7, the MacBook Pro with and without Touch Bar, the flawed Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phablet, which had an unusual number of battery failures, and the Pixel, Phone by Google. He'll explain why iFixit has awarded Apple's refreshed notebook one of its lowest ratings because it's near impossible to repair. You'll also hear columnist and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, also known as Macworld's "iTunes Guy." Kirk expresses his concerns about the future of AppleScript in light of Apple's decision to fire long-time automation executive Sal Soghoian for "business reasons." Does this mean that AppleScript will soon be history? Kirk is also concerned about Apple's apparent lack of attention to professional users, citing the fact that the Mac Pro hasn't been updated in three years, and the controversial launch of the late 2016 MacBook Pro. He'll also explain why calls for Apple to build iPhones in the U.S. don't recognize reality and the serious difficulties of building factories and establishing supply chains. Or is it all about politics?

We feature ethical hacker Dr. Timothy Summers, President of Summers & Company, a cyber strategy and organizational design consulting firm, who discuses the recent DDoS attack on DynDNS, which resulted in the slowdown or loss of access to such large sites as Netflix and PayPal. According to Dr. Summers, this attack came from botnets that were assembled by hacking home devices that connect to the Internet, such as web cams, and he provided advice on how you can protect your gear so it resists such attacks. He also talked about what changes might come when Donald Trump becomes President of the United States. Will he attempt to reverse the spin-off of ICANN, the non-profit corporation that manages Internet names? What about net neutrality and other FCC actions? Dr. Summers also speculates about three potential cyber threats. You'll also hear from editor Sean Aune, director of operations for TechnoBuffalo, an online blog and gadget review site. He'll talk about Internet bandwidth caps, the hot tickets for holiday gear, the controversy over the MacBook Pro and its various new features. So did Apple make a mistake not to support 32GB of RAM? What about the Touch Bar, and can it become a key tool in boosting productivity, particularly from creatives? What about the impact of the price hikes for the new models? Sean will also discuss the latest gear from Microsoft, including the Surface Book and the Surface Studio all-in-one desktop. And does the current generation of 2-in-1 PC notebooks with touchscreens make sense from a usability standpoint?