Imi's Tech Talk

Ever see all those letters together, but have no clue what they mean? You remember the day that Wikipedia, Reddit and other websites protested by shutting down for a day in opposition to these proposed laws? Well we have Theresa Payton with us to help explain what all of this means.

We talk with LA-based musician/ethnomusicologist John von Seggern about recent trends in electronic dance music and why everyone is talking about Skrillex these days.

This week on the show, we have Matthew Pittinsky with us to discuss how technology is shaping the Future of Education. Today we will be schooled on everything from Smart Boards to academic analytics.

Google is everywhere, and so many people use it. Always on the forefront of cloud technologies, starting with gMail, and continuing with Google Docs and more, they aren’t done yet. So what does Google have to offer us in 2012? This week we have cloud expert David Schulman with us to get us the lowdown.

Every wondered about the other person on the end of that line when you call customer support? What's the best to end up getting what you want? Are there any secrets, tricks, or tips to help you out? Luckily we have one of American biggest technology consumer expert on our side, friend of the show, Gabe Goldberg to help us out.

“Likes,” tweets, apps, downloads, and text messages, oh my! As the landscape of technology explodes with innovations and new gadgets almost daily, the digital divide continues to broaden for “digital immigrants” (those baby boomers and beyond who were not born with a mouse and keyboard in hand), while “digital natives” take to it all like fish to water. Abby Stokes, author of "Is This Thing On? A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes and the Kicking & Screaming, offers a reassuring, jargon-free conversation to let the digitally challenged in on what everyone else is talking about.

With the availability of so many cloud backup providers, what are the important qualities to look for in a backup provider? What should customers look for when choosing a backup provider? What are the new and cutting edge cloud services beyond backup that will change the way people and businesses secure, use, access and share data? To help explain all this, we have Gytis Burzdukas from Mozy this week.

A new year is upon us and while many are celebrating the close of one year and welcoming another that is certain to be momentus, others are scrambling to tie up loose ends and prepare for the onslaught of new responsibilities. As technology becomes ever popular, the necessity for making tech oriented resolutions (and keeping them!) also rises in importance. We welcome Aaron Mandelbaum, a man who has a knack for gently reminding us what we should have been doing when we weren't maintaining our other resolutions.

Now that Christmas has come and gone, and the excitement of all you, or your kid’s gifts have leveled off, is everything exactly what you or they wanted? Well, if you’re picky like me (so close Mom, love it anyway), then what do you? Many times things are bought online, and it’s hard to find out what to do with your unwanted gift. What are your options? What are the secrets to getting what you want? Andrew Schrage is just the man to ask.

As wish lists grow ever longer by the year, so, it seems, do the wants and needs loved ones. When “mommy I wants” become more frequent, it’s imperative to consider what products to save for, how to save, and when to buy. Christmas is an unmistakable time of year, one characterized by busy streets, furrowed eyebrows, and the shrill cry of electronic anti-theft columns. Once plump wallets are quickly thinned and saving becomes a necessity. Fortunately, there are experts such as Sarah Platte who are knowledgeable on subject such as buying and saving… two topics that keep us adults scratching our heads when the bank statements arrive after the holidays.

Who really knew? Traditional interviews are expensive, inefficient, unstructured and inconvenient for all parties involved. As the jobs numbers improve and companies gear up for more hiring, now is the time for companies to consider transforming how they interview. Digital interviewing technology is gaining popularity with companies in all industries across the country. The technology streamlines and standardizes the process for all types of interviews – whether digital, phone, in-person or On Demand. On Demand interviews are helping companies screen better and more easily identify best-fit candidates, while helping them spend less time and money doing it. HireVue is a leading provider of digital interviewing solutions. David recently joined the company as its CEO because he’s seen how HireVue’s solutions are transforming the way companies interview.

Today’s show will be a conversation with Founder and CEO of Next Jump, Charlie Kim. He’ll spend time today talking with us about growing his company into the premier provider of rewards and loyalty programs in the U.S., Next Jump’s investment in the future of engineering in America, and how to bring technology into the classroom for just pennies on the dollar.

The NYS Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act was signed into law on May 28, 2010, with the bulk of the Act, effective as of April 1, 2011. The law will ensure that every New Yorker will have the opportunity to recycle their electronic waste in an environmentally responsible manner. We’ve invited Stephen Leone to the show to help explain the ramifications of this mandate.

Online privacy may be something you think isn’t possible these days, but there are things you can do to protect yourself. People may have the ability to find out information about you, but its what they do with that information that can be harmful. Join us as Fran Maier explains to us the powers we have to combat this intrusion into our online lives.

FedEx, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook are all companies started by college students who chose to innovate and create their own job rather then look for one in the corporate world. Sadly, with the passing of Steve Jobs and his famous speech about not living someone else’s life, I thought you might be interested in speaking with executives from companies that have been created by college students. Given the current economic situation in the U.S., this is an important topic—innovation. What types of companies can these students create? Jonathan Simkin, CEO of SwoopThat.com is a great example. A recent college graduate, he took his issues with the college book store and created what is now the largest online aggregator of college text books. He is available to discuss what made him create his own life and journey rather than job search in an overcrowded marketplace.

Google+ (pronounced Google Plus), is the online social networking website alternative to Facebook Developed by Google. It has interesting idea’s such as Circles, Hangouts, and more. But what exactly are they? And is Google+ here to stay? How will it affect Facebook? Dick Davies is here to answer our questions.

Standards -- specifications of communication protocols and interfaces -- form the basis for how the Internet operates, and, as a result, for most things we use our computers for nowadays. In this Tech Talk conversation with Barry Leiba, who has been working on Internet standards development for the last fifteen years, we'll look into what Internet standards are, why they're important, how they're developed, and what's still in the works

Frederick Lane, attorney and computer forensics expert, understands that while new technologies offer children avenues for accessing information and communicating with friends and family, they also make it incumbent upon parents to monitor their child’s online activity. In an informative interview, Lane will equip parents with tips on how to monitor their children’s online activities, in addition to explaining the implications of common cybertraps.