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

Veteran tech author Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus, considers whether he should buy one of Apple's state-of-the-art computing workstations, the Mac Pro, or a mainstream Mac, such as an iMac, for his audio and video work. He also discusses the 30th anniversary of the Mac, his upcoming tech TV show, and whether Dragon Dictate 4 is the ultimate dictation app for Macs. You'll also hear from outspoken commentator John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer and a columnist for The Street, who will talk about the fear-mongering over the fact that 20% of Mac users are using an OS released in 2009, Snow Leopard. The bill of materials also covers whether Barnes & Noble should kill the Nook eBook reader, why outsiders cannot define Apple's products, how Apple is exploiting Android's weakness, and how to make your Mac computing life sane and quiet.

On this week's all-star episode: Cutting-edge commentator Daniel Eran Dilger, of Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, gives you the ins and outs of the controversial SSL verification security bug that turned up in iOS and OS X. He covers the curious belief on the part of some media pundits that one company buying another is innovation. He'll also respond to the comment from the head of Google's Android division that appears to indicate the company is more interested in freedom than making the OS more secure. You'll also hear from Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, whose bill of fare includes Apple's SSL bug fix, comparing Apple's innovation to other companies, the U.S. House's cellphone unlocking bill, Apple's appeal of an antitrust verdict over eBook price fixing, and the drive for patent troll reform in the European Union.

On this week's all-star episode: Author and columnist Kirk McElhearn, Macworld's "iTunes Guy," talks about the growing popularity of streaming TV, mentions some of his favorite shows, and speculates on what constitutes a new product category for Apple. IT specialist Dave Charbonneau, president of CMIT Solutions, discusses Microsoft's dilemma in convincing users to give up Windows XP, and offers some common sense tips on preparing to upgrade — or replace — a PC. Outspoken commentator Jim Dalrymple, Editor in Chief of The Loop, talks about the ideal screen sizes for the next iPhone, Facebook's expensive acquisition of WhatsApp, an instant messaging app with hundreds of millions of users, and what new product categories Apple might enter this year.

We present Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV." You'll learn the ins and outs about Apple's best-selling TV set top box, along with some nifty tips you may want to try. Josh will also speculate on what might come next as Apple attempts to make a difference in your living room. You'll also hear from Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine. He'll talk about Microsoft's problems getting users to leave Windows XP, and he'll also focus on a recent article he wrote for Laptop, entitled "Glasshole or Not? 7 Urgent Ethical Dilemmas for Wearable Tech."

The discussions cover a wide range of subjects. You'll hear our reaction to Google's decision to sell the Motorola Mobility handset division to Lenovo, an Asian PC maker, the state of the PC industry in light of Sony's decision to leave the PC box business, Microsoft's new CEO, Satya Nadella, and whether having co-founder Bill Gates looking over his shoulder will help or hurt his performance, and the prospects for an iWatch and an Apple connected TV. Our guests this week include industry analyst Stephen Baker, Vice President for Industry Analysis at the NPD Group and outspoken columnist Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer.

On this week's all-star episode: We introduce Charles Tendell, a Certified Ethical Hacker and co-host of the Computer America radio show. Charles will give you insights on the huge security break-in at Target, Neiman Marcus and other retailers, where the raw details of tens of millions of credit and debit cards were stolen by online criminals. He'll also talk about Bitcoin, the online digital currency, and security issues impacting Mac and Windows PCs. We are also joined by John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer and a columnist for The Street, who will focus his conversation on Google's decision to sell its Motorola Mobility handset division, at fire sale prices, to Lenono, the large Asian PC maker. You'll also hear him explain why Wall Street doesn't understand Tim Cook, the future of the Mac, and an illuminating encounter with a disappointed Microsoft Surface RT customer.

We are joined by fearless author and publisher Adam Engst, of TidBITS and Take Control Books, who discusses the Mac's 30th anniversary, a court decision to overturn the FCC's net neutrality order, and the ongoing conflict between Apple and the government over that eBook price fixing case. You'll also hear from tech journalist Rob Pegoraro, a columnist for USA Today and Yahoo!, who also discusses the Mac's 30th anniversary, the prospects for the new TV standard, Ultra HD, Microsoft's earnings report, which featured higher sales for the Xbox One and the Surface tablets, and the ongoing net neutrality issues.

We feature Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, who talks about the tricky subject of net neutrality and the recent decision to overturn an FCC action enforcing that measure. Jeff will also discuss the purchase of Nest Labs, founded by iPod creator Tony Fadell, by Google, and some of the curious contraptions on display at the CES. You'll also hear from cutting-edge commentator Jim Dalrymple, Editor in Chief of The Loop, who will also cover the purchase of Nest Labs by Google, those two contradictory surveys of U.S. Mac sales in the last quarter from Gartner and IDC, and the ongoing and so-far unsuccessful search for a new CEO at Microsoft.

On this week's all-star episode: We feature Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, who provides some color direct from the publication's on-scene presence at the Consumer Electronics Show. He'll talk about some of the wacky products being introduced, such as an attachment that allows a paper airplane to become a tiny remote controlled aircraft. He also comment on the value of the new high resolution TV standard dubbed Ultra HD. Back this week is author and commentator Kirk McElhearn, Macworld's "iTunes Guy," who talks about products, introduced at the CES, which he would never consider buying. He also discusses the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Apple Macintosh, and about some of the company's notable screw-ups over the years, including online services, such as iCloud and its predecessors.

On this week's all-star episode: We feature outspoken commentator Peter Cohen, Managing Editor for iMore, who speaks on the state of the tech industry in 2013 and 2014, with an emphasis on Apple. Inc. He'll discuss the prospects for 4K or Ultra HD, and whether Apple will consider building a TV set or a smartwatch for release later this year. You'll also hear from author and commentator Kirk McElhearn, Macworld's "iTunes Guy," who will describe his experiences dealing with satellite-based Internet at his new home in the UK. He'll also give you the down and dirty details about his experiences comparing iOS and Android as the owner of a Moto G smartphone. He'll also talk about the value of the Mac Pro, and whether you really have to pay that alleged "Apple Tax" to buy one.