Pc Mike's Techcast

Shownotes from episode 19 of the PC Mike TechcastThe World of Wearables: Apple Watch Watch, Google Glass Back in the NewsWith so much noise coming from the world of tech these days - it can be hard to tell to what you should pay attention.That's why this week we talk about what you actually need to know in no-geek-speak terms about things like wearables (Apple Watch, Google Glass), drones, live video streaming and apps designed to turn you into an instant astronomer.Mike and producer Andrew Dietderich even talk about some business cards from the world of tech fetching $10,000 for charity at auction, proving you should never,  ever throw anything away. Ever.Many people, including PC Mike, continue to wait for their Apple Watches to arrive. Mike talks with Andrew about what he might do if his doesn't show up soon.At the same time, Google Glass is back in the news thanks to a new patent and eyewear giant Luxottica saying last week that the next version of Glass is coming soon.The World of Drones: FAA Addres

It's time to do some spring cleaning of your tech world - especially related to maximizing the efficiency of your Internet connection. In this podcast episode, we talk to Michele Gilbert from Comcast, who shares some very practical tips for everyone - no matter who their Internet provo\ider may be - that will help thei eke out every bit of connectivity speed possible. Most people aren’t aware of all the value-add features available to them from their video, Internet and phone provider. What are they and where can you find them? ·         Your Internet service provider might already offer online security products at no additional charge. Are you taking advantage of them? ·         There are ways to ensure your home Wi-Fi is set up to give you the most robust signal strength and speed. Is your router located in right spot? ·         The number of connected devices in

  In today’s busy and especially technology-driven world, it’s often not too hard to forget that when we add something to our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, it can have major repercussions.   Our posts to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram may not necessarily be written in stone, but they do not go away and can come back to cause major issues.   Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, joins us to explain in “no geek-speak” terms how you can use social media without it coming back to bite you.   During the interview, Diane mentions the following rules to live by when it comes to social media:   Determine how you want to be perceived on Facebook, Twitter, and all social media outlets. Like it or not, your communication becomes a strong part of your overall image. Recognize this as an opportunity to set yourself apart as a person with integrity. Know that employers DO chec

Confessions of an Apple Fanboy. What was it like trying to buy the Apple Watch when it went on sale at 3 AM EST April 10? Was it worth it?PC Mike documented the whole frustrating process of trying to pre-order the Apple Watch.His conclusion?Apple has had trouble making the watch, had only a limited supply that sold out within the first few minutes and is laughing all the ay to the bank because their legions of fanboys and girls will gladly give up sleep to buy a watch that will probaly be obsolete by fall and have to be updated.But, hey, PC Mike's not complaining: He did get one, even though it won't be delivered for a month. Or more.But what he is complaining about is an all but unknown law that has allowed the government to legally have access to your old email.This is a scandal waiting to burst forth. Mike interviews a top expert on why the Justice Department thinks it should access to your old email whenever it wants.This story is so scary tthat we first thought it was an April's Fool joke.It isn't. We sh

Why you should dump your Internet Browser Now!How to stop big business, big government and the bad guys from tracking your Internet activity.In this episode of the PC Mike podcast we talk about how easy it is for you to be tracked online through your Internet browsing and how you can stop the spying by using an alternative to the so-called "Big Five" Browsers - Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera. But there are hundreds of other browsers out there, among them is Maxthon.  http://www.maxthon.com/ Karl Mattson, vice president of international at Maxthon, joins us to talk about why the average person might want to consider an alt browser, why privacy is a problem, what the risk is for using browsers like Chrome, and  other reasons someone might want to consider the switch.  Plus we talk abut Sling TV, Microsoft at 40, the coming Apple watch.Shownotes at http://pcmike.com/15

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, we show you how to shore up your online privacy.It's time to put a halt to being tracked, monitored, spied on or preyed upon online. privacy is a huge issue and it's up to us to take control of our privacy and stop businesses, hackers, spammers and the government from spying on our online activities.We talk to a leading cybercrime expert, tell you about apps you can get to thwart online spies and tell you, step-by-step, just what you need to do to halt others from knowing personal details abut you, your activities and loved ones.Our main interview is with Tyler Cohen Wood, an expert in social media and cyber issues. She is a senior officer and a cyber branch chief for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) within the Department of Defense (DoD) where she makes decisions and recommendations significantly changing, interpreting, and developing important cyber policies and programs affecting current and future DoD and Intelligence Community policies. Show notes and links an

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, we talk about Apples biggest news, Google's plan to provide worldwide WiFi via high altitude balloons and why a dash cam in your car should be your next tech puchase. Joining me to deconstruct the big news conference from Apple this week is PC Mike Techcast Producer Andrew Dietderich.We talk tech news and then share some cool apps before getting into our main interview with Dewey Devane, of Windshield Witness, who tells us what dash cams are becoming so popular.

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, we tackle one of the most daunting tasks the average Internet user faces: How to take control of those constantly piling up emails.To help us, we consult with one of the world's foremost experts - Laura Stack, known far and wide as "The Productivity Pro."Laura is a productivity expert who provides training and keynotes on office productivity, personal productivity, time management at http://theproductivitypro.com/. She’s also the author of author of What to Do When There’s Too Much to Do”Among topics:- What is the best email client available? Outlook? MacMail? Lotus? G-Mail?- What are the six D’s” that will give you the methodology to properly deal with your emailShe offers us some very handy tips for managing your overflowing inbox:-    Is it even possible to get inbox zero anymore?- How can inbox zero improve productivity? Any other benefits (less stress from being more organized, for example)?- What’s the real proble

The car you drive is extremely vulnerable to hackers, who can do everything from use technology to steal your car, steal your personal information and even take over the steering and braking functions of your vehicle.In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, we learn:-The car manufacturers are scrambling to find a way to shut down the vulnerabilities that are so wide open the even a 14 year old kid with $14 in parts he got from a Radio Shack was able to hack inside the vehicle's electronic system-The there are some who believe the 2013 death of a crusading investigative reporter may be the result of a cyber attack on his car-That a Congressional report this month says the public needs "the electronic equivalent of seat belts and airbags to keep drivers and their information safe.”We interview Cyber security expert Craig Smith, who has written a book on car hacking, who tells us:-Hackers are electronically "hot wiring" cars right now and stealing them-The auto industry, used to long range projects, has an

After answering a bunch of listener-submitted tech questions  and reviewing the top tech news of the week, we dig into the controversial and highly politicized issue of Net Neutrality.Our special guest is Michael Weinberg of Public Knowledge, a Washington D.C.-based advocy group that promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works and works to shape policy on behalf of the public interest.We discuss:- What is Net Neutrality and why it matters to consumers- How the gatekeepers of the Internet are showing favoritism to those who can "pay to play"- Why the big Internet and mobile service players are so opposed to Net Neutrality- What role should Congress play in the debate- What it would mean to reclassify the Internet under telecommunications lawIn our apps of the week, we look at two big fitness apps:- MapMyFitness, bought up for $475 million million by Under Armror and  part of a huge move into what’s called Connected Fitness.&

  What will Apple do with its billions?   Can Apple keep it up? Have they hit the “next big thing” ceiling? What’s coming next from the corporation that just made the biggest quarterly profit in history - $18 billion in just the last three months of last year.   In this week’s podcast, we interview leading media and tech analyst Paul Sweetin, a lead Analyst for Gigaom Research and the founder of Concurrent Media Strategies, a Washington, D.C.–based consulting and editorial services firm specializing in digital media technology and policy issues.   He tells us:   - With all that money, Apple is going to have to have something huge to move that profit margin again   -His skepticism of the success of the coming Apple Watch   - His prediction on what Apple TV will be like – not a set top box   - Why the bigbox retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target are pushing back on Apple Pay   - Apple Pay is perhaps the most secure way to mak

What you need to know about personal drones, their uses, what and how you can fly them and much more.In this episode, we focus in on drones.We interviewMary "Missy" Cummings is an associate professor at Duke University and director of Duke's Humans and Autonomy Laboratory. She was one of the U.S. Navy's first female fighter pilots and she is now one of the nation's top experts on personal drones-She talks about the history of drones, from the military to the hobbyists-The overreaching absurdity of the FAA’s current drone regulations -How the problems we have seen stem from inadequate “situational awareness” from the drone’s control station, or transmitter-The need for better training for drone hobbyists-How drones have become more than a $1 billion industry-How France will be using drones to deliver mail and packages-How “geo-fencing” can keep drones out of certain areas – unless a big gust of wind blows them across the “line”-How drones will become even m

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, we dig deeply into the world of streaming video.Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon and so many other streaming services are making more content and options available to watch anything, anywhere on just about any device.But what does it mean for consumers?This week, we interview Dan Rayburn, of streamingmedia.com and a principal analyst with Frost & Sullivan, who helps us sort through the world of streaming media.Rayburn says these are great time for consumers with streaming video devices, content and services everywhere and growing more sophisticated and better every day.Among topics he covers:Why no one should buy a 4K TV this year. Or next year perhaps, too.Why we have plant of bandwidth, despite the hypeHow your own home Wi-Fi may be the biggest bottleneck to streaming media connectivityHow original streaming content from Netflix, Amazon and HBO is a great mysteryWhat these trends mean to your cable bill and whether you can someday cut the cordBesides out interview with

Hacking is not as bad as you think: It's worse! In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, Tech Journalist Mike Wendland reveals the dirty little secrets of hackers, scamsters and online fraud artists. In an interview with' Attorney Steven Weisman - one of the nation's top experts on cybersecurity and online scams -  we learn how the government and business are trying to keep you from knowing how bad the problem has become and what you can do to protect yourself.Weismann explains:-Startling revelations about horribly damaging hacks that have been kept secret-How credit card companies cover up the extent of their vulnerabilities-Why it's often safer to use a credit card online than to give it to a retail sales person-How the IRS is losing billions in an online scam that could easily be fixed but for government bureaucracy-How100 top gangs of highly skilled hackers are able to steal millions-How governments - including the US -  are involved in a Mutually Assured Destruction plan that could take down inf

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, reporter Mike Wendland talks about the latest in drones - soon to be a billion dollar a year industry - as well as robotic cars and wearable tech gizmos that record your every action.From the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas comes lots of breaking news about these advances in machines and technology that shape our lives.Mike walks us through the latest in cars that drive themselves and how some industry experts are predicting they will be routine within five years.Mike digs into the controversy involving drones - unmanned, remote-controlled aircraft, soon to be a $1 billion a year business. Drones are getting more and more sophisticated and can now automatically track you or a moving object from the air, recording its every move.The Federal Aviation Authority has been trying to control drone use and they have been banned in U.S. National Parks. But the rules seem to be easing and the use of drones is exploding by hobbyists and commercial interests.Mike talks about

It's a new year and Mike previews the tech tends that will be shaping 2015, from the Apple iWatch to the apps that can help us keep ur New Year resolutions about losing weight and getting in shape.Among Tech news topics covered this week:Why the Apple iWatch will be a flopWhy the Consumer Electronics show has become a waster of time and moneyTech Review of the Week - The Dash CamApp of the Week - Three apps t lose weight and get in shape - My FitnessPal, LoseIt and Diet AssistantInterview -Newstips Editor Mart Winston talks about tech trends fort 2015, including:-The coming networking bottleneck -Hardware firewalls to keep out hackers and shut you off from the outside world-The new wider bandwidth standards for cable TV-LED lighting advances for the home and for personal technology gadgets-Automotive tech advances for safety and convenience-Z-Wave and home remote control conveniences-More embedded chips and secure wireless authentication for credit cards-Increasing health monitoring through apps that integrat

In this episode of the PC Mike Podcast, journalist Mike Wendland reveals his choice of the worst tech gadget of 2014 - Google Glass. Google Glass sucks. There's just no way to make this turkey look good. It'sthe worst tech gadget I've used used this year, shelling out $1,500 for it last January. It has a dismally short battery life, very few useful apps, is difficult to sync with smartphones and the public thinks those who wear Google Glass to be "Glassholes." [spp-player] This podcast also looks at the massive threat posted by cyberwarfare. Mike says the North Korean hack of Sony Pictures is just the beginning of what will be many more battles with nation state hacking. Special correspondent Marty Winston looks at the  the tech trends that shaped 2014 and notes:Home theater is a fad that is past its prime 3D TV is a niche that hasn’t gone away but is not gaining major traction Big pixel 4K, UHD TV is still all hype with no over-the-air broadcasting and limited content and hardware Wi-Fi speeds ar

In this episode of the PC Mike Techcast, reporter Mike Wendland reveals little known details on North Korea's elite and top secret Unit 121 cyber army that  is suspected of the massive hacking of Sony Pictures. He shares a white paper that uncovers:- Where it is located- How it operates- How it is tasked to gather information and steal secrets and to attack U.S. businesses and governmental agencies- What other countries have similar cyber warfare units targeting the U.S.He answers a listener question about a computer that keeps locking up, offering suggestions on how to get things working right again.The app of the week is a great tool that lets you share files, music, photos and large files between smartphones.And in the interview of the week, Mike talks to a tech expert about the affordability of wide screen computer monitors, how to mount them on your desk and why everyone should have t least two monitors for the desktop computer.Complete show notes are at http://pcmike.com/2

Award winning reporter "PC Mike" Wendland, host of the PC Mike Techcast seen on NBC-TV stations nationwide, explores the latest in personal technology with no "geek speak." In this episode, Mike talks about: - The lowest cost and best 28 inch computer monitor he's ever fused - Why those "Fix your PC" Internet come-ons are not such a good idea for most people - Cool apps to make sure you always get whatever you want at the lowest price - Why there may be an iPhone 6 shortage next year - How that Sony pictures hacker attack is causing near panic among many corporations around the nation Mike interviews smartphone tech expert Rey Browm host of the Smartphones Made East Techcast on how to use a smartphone to run your life. Rey talks about: - Apple vs Android… who is winning? - Smartphones  what to know. about the two platforms - How they are becoming be the hub of our entire lives - Carriers have no more exclusive deals. This is good for consumers. - Rey doesn’t like the no-contract trend. &ldqu