Gene presents a regular, tech podcaster and commentator Kirk McElhearn, who comes aboard to talk about the impact of the outbreak of data hacks and ways to protect your stuff with strong passwords. He'll also provide a common sense if unsuspected tip in setting one up. Also on the agenda, rumors about the next Mac mini from Apple. Will it, as rumored, be a visual clone of the Apple TV, and what are he limitations of such a form factor? As a sci-fi and fantasy fan, Kirk will also talk about some of his favorite stories and more. In is regular life, Kirk is a lapsed New Yorker living in Shakespeare’s home town, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the United Kingdom. He writes about things, records podcasts, makes photos, practices zen, and cohabits with cats. He’s an amateur photographer, and shoots with Leica cameras and iPhones. His writings include regular contributions to The Mac Security Blog, The Literature & Latte Blog, and TidBITS, and he has written for Popular Photography, MusicWeb International, as well as several other web sites and magazines. Kirk has also written more than two dozen books and documentation for dozens of popular Mac apps, as well as press releases, web content, reports, white papers, and more.

Gene introduces Alex Serban COO of Reflector Media. He'll talk about its decision to acquire a long-time Mac news and views site, macobserver.com. At the time of the purchase, Serban says the site had been confronting hard times and losing money. After the purchase, it has grown four times, restored to its rightful place and become one of the most read Apple-centric websites. In addition to talking about Apple gear and some support issues, he'll describe how Google has changed and what's happening with its support of AI. Gene will discuss his issues with an iMac and a Fusion Drive, and a flaky set of PowerBeats Pro earbuds. Before Reflector Media bought a Mac site, it founded windowsreport.com. According to Serban, the site has has grown to become one of the most important websites when it comes to Windows coverage, reaching millions of Windows enthusiasts. Other sites include vpncentral.com.

Gene presents a return visit from AI wizard Ed Watal. On the agenda is the troubling topic of whether AI will someday surpass human intelligence. He talks about the uncertain timeline of when this might happen, whether it’s imminent or will occur some time in the foreseeable future. In reviewing AI’s potentials, what about its limitations, such as the lack of human-like intelligence and adaptability? There are also ethical considerations, about bias and transparency and control. How will scientists safeguard AI against misuse? Another compelling question is the human/AI collaboration, the methods in which both can work together productively. Watal is the founder and principal of Intellibus, an INC 5000 Top 100 Software firm based in Reston, Virginia. He regularly serves as a board advisor to the world’s largest financial institutions. C-level executives rely on him for IT strategy & architecture due to his business acumen & deep IT knowledge. One of Ed’s key projects includes BigParser (an Ethical AI Platform and an A Data Commons for the World).

Tech commentator Kirk McElhearn joins Gene to explain the ins and outs of Apple’s Intelligence, its answer to the AI revolution. More or less. He also covers such subjects as the failures of Siri plus the Apple Watch’s health features and their value. And what about the 5G revolution? Was it all mostly a hype to bring profits to mobile phone companies? There is also a brief discussion about the value of editing documents printed on paper rather than on your computer’s display. In is regular life, Kirk is a lapsed New Yorker living in Shakespeare’s home town, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the United Kingdom. He writes about things, records podcasts, makes photos, practices zen, and cohabits with cats. He’s an amateur photographer, and shoots with Leica cameras and iPhones. His writings include regular contributions to, and TidBITS, and he has written for Popular Photography, MusicWeb International, as well as several other web sites and magazines. Kirk has also written more than two dozen books, including Take Control books about macOS Media Apps (post iTunes), Scrivener, LaunchBar, and Audio Hijack. He has written documentation for dozens of popular Mac apps, as well as press releases, web content, reports, white papers, and more.

Gene welcomes AI guru Dev Nag, CEO of QueryPal, a leading technology company, to talk about the ethical dilemmas of generative AI. The topics include: Bias and fairness, originality and authorship when it comes to AI producing creative content, deepfakes and misinformation from malicious actors, and the future of work. In the last, is there the danger of AI replacing human workers in some fields? Over the years, Gene has worked in fields that are no longer viable. Dev Nag has a long history in technology, which includes stints at Google, eBay and PayPal. As an undergrad and medical student, he was a technical leader on the Stanford Health Information Network for Education (SHINE) project, which provided the first integrated medical portal at the point of care.

Learn the ins and outs of podcasting as Gene presents K-Town. If you really want to become what might develop into a radio star, you'll learn lots of insights into how to get started, the equipment you need, with the emphasis on affordability, and where to have it hosted to make it easily available across Planet Earth. K-Town produces several podcasts, including Mysterious Radio, Paranormal Fears, and Seven. She has been making podcasts since 2016, inspired by her love for talk radio and discussions on subjects of the weird and unexplained. K-Town is also a military veteran who served eight years in the Army. She is the proud mother of one son and currently resides in East Tennessee.

AI guru Ed Watal joins Gene to talk about the focus and very real shortcomings of Apple's new Apple Intelligence initiative, introduced at the June 2024 Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC). He discusses some of the key elements of Apple's software release and versioning strategy, and the limited launch of its AI technology, which arrived in beta, only available in U.S. English for a select few platforms that are also in early developer condition, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. He points out that the tech expert community wasn't impressed, particularly with the limited launch and lack of Siri integration. Worse, over 90% of current iPhone users are excluded, raising questions about inclusivity in Apple's AI strategy. What about Apple's reliance on OpenAI's ChatGPT for much of the technology, and how does that help Apple pave its own way in developing a secure and user friendly implementation of AI? Watal is the founder and principal of Intellibus, an IT strategy consultancy.

Digital marketing and media expert Tom Lavecchia talks to Gene about the history of search, including Yahoo and the rise and dominance of Google. He provides insights on a rapidly evolving trend that's poised to disrupt the search engine landscape: TikTok Search. With over a billion active users, TikTok's search functionality is gaining traction, and La Vecchia believes it has the potential to challenge Google's dominance, resulting in an erosion of its overwhelming market share. He focuses on TikTok's visual search short-form video format that, he says, revolutionizes how we search and consume information. In emphasizing TikTok's potential, he explains that its user base is skewing younger, with 70% of online teens aged 13-17 using the platform. As this generation grows, according to Lavecchia, their search habits will shape the future of online discovery. He also talks about the growing impact of AI and how it'll impact a number of industries. Is it a good thing or not? This is a fascinating look at our online search future, an episode you won't want to miss. Here's a link to his views on the subject: https://thedigestonline.com/nj/how-new-jersey-businesses-can-leverage-tiktok/

Gene presents a special appearance by his son, Grayson Steinberg, the original cohost for The Tech Night Owl LIVE. Grayson and Gene will bring you up to date on how they created their sci-fi book series, “Attack of the Rockoids and the various approaches of providing technology in school systems. Grayson first began to write while still in grade school, beginning with short plays performed by his classmates, and also wrote a number of short science fiction and fantasy stories, both for his schoolwork and on his own time. He also wrote two guest articles for his dad’s “Mac Reality Check” column from the 1990s. One of those articles, “Why Every Kid Needs a Mac,” was quoted worldwide, and was featured as a “Hot News” story by Apple Computer. In his working life, Grayson is a freelance digital learning designer, editor, and former ESL teacher, and is  pursuing a diploma in instructional design through the Digital Learning Institute. He is passionate about board games, science fiction and fantasy novels, and theater. Fluent in Spanish, Grayson is studying German and Portuguese to achieve his lifelong goal of becoming a polyglot. He has called Madrid, Spain his home for the past decade and a half.

USDA-Certified Geek™ Bryan Chaffin, a frequent guest on the original version of The Tech Night Owl LIVE over the years, is the author of SciFi thriller "Accidental Intelligence." On the menu for this episode is a review of the goings on at Apple Inc. over the past five years, and how the products have changed. And what about Bryan's Apple Vision Pro? What does he use it for? Does he use it? Does Bryan think that Apple has deserted the professional market in favor of consumers and prosumers? What about Apple's approach to AI? In a past life, he was the cofounder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer (TMO), and he's the host of The Context Machine podcast. Bryan wrote about Apple and technology for more than 22 years, and continues to take an active interest. He has contributed to many "For Dummies" books, and co-authored "iPad for Dummies - 11th Edition" with Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus. When Gene and Bryan get together on the show, there's always plenty to catch up on and lots of thought-provoking comments to consider.

In the first episode of the second generation of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, Gene brings you up to date about the tech industry with author, commentator and podcaster Kirk McElhearn. How have things changed over five years? What about the arrival of advanced AI, faster Internet, the streaming TV conundrum, the success of Apple Silicon on Mac computers? Kirk is a lapsed New Yorker living in Shakespeare’s home town, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the United Kingdom. He writes about things, records podcasts, makes photos, practices zen, and cohabits with cats. He’s an amateur photographer, and shoots with Leica cameras and iPhones. His writings include regular contributions to The Mac Security Blog, The Literature & Latte Blog, and TidBITS, and he has written for Popular Photography, MusicWeb International, as well as several other web sites and magazines. Kirk has also written more than two dozen books, including Take Control books about macOS Media Apps (post iTunes), Scrivener, LaunchBar, and Audio Hijack. He has written documentation for dozens of popular Mac apps, as well as press releases, web content, reports, white papers, and more. Kirk also speaks fluent French, and has translated a dozen books from French to English.

After 17 years as a pioneer in online radio and podcasting, this episode was, at the time, the final original episode of The Tech Night Owl LIVE. For this show, we gathered some of our favorite guests to reminisce and talk about the present and the near-future of or favorite fruit company, Apple Inc. It all began with the early days of the Internet, its complexities, and Apple's path from Macintosh to iPod, to its most lucrative product, the iPhone, followed by the iPad, Apple Watch and beyond. There is also an extensive discussion about the prospects for the success of Apple's fledgling services, which include News+, a premium version of the app offering access to hundreds of magazines and newspapers, and Apple TV+, in which the company is spending billions of dollars to hire top-flight talent to create original TV shows. Where did Apple+ fit in market currently owned by Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other streaming services? And this question essentially predicts our complicated streaming situation in the present day: Are there already too many for a newcomer to succeed? Guests for this very special episode included tech commentator and publisher Adam Engst, Editor and Publisher of TidBITS, outspoken veteran tech commentator Peter Cohen, cutting-edge commentator and podcaster Kirk McElhearn.

This week we present a special encore episode featuring Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of “Take Control of Apple TV” and other titles. This week Gene and Josh talk about the recent surprising U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in which an antitrust trial against the App Store was allowed to proceed. How would an unfavorable verdict impact Apple and the way it manages its online stores? Will there be lower prices, perhaps support for third-party app repositories? Josh also talks about the nasty experiences he faced when he attempted to convert his Spotify account to a family plan. There is also talk about the problems Netflix may be facing after losing content from Disney and perhaps other services as they plan to introduce their own streaming networks. We also feature utspoken tech commentator Peter Cohen. In this segment, Peter has lots to say about what might happen as the result of the antitrust lawsuit against the App Store. There's also a lengthy discussion about what appears to be Intel's failure to update its CPUs in a timely fashion with reduced die sizes to allow for greater power efficiencies. Has the time arrived for Apple to finally ditch Intel and install its own A-series processors on Macs? Is there any possibility that the next Mac Pro, expected later this year, might be the very first model to go that route? Peter also discusses the recent Apple media event where Apple TV+, News+ and the Apple Arcade gaming service were introduced.

This week we present a very special encore episode featuring outspoken tech commentator Peter Cohen. This week, Peter talks about a pet peeve of his, that, with so many models in each Apple product line, the differences may be blurred. This harkens back to the way it was in the 1990s, where there were many Mac models under the Performa moniker that were hardly different. Peter also talks about the alleged "Apple Tax," where the company supposedly charges higher prices for its products and services. There is also a discussion about reports that the next version of iOS will give the iPad mouse support, some speculation about the form of the next Mac Pro, due out this year, and whether there will someday be a switch from Intel to Apple's own ARM-based CPUs. And what about reports that Facebook may be hit with a multibillion dollar fine from the F.T.C. for various privacy lapses? Will it make a difference in how the world's largest social network operates, or just be a drop in the bucket in its impact on the company's finances? You'll also hear from tech editor and commentator Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. Bryan will also talk about what may come at Apple's media event, and the possible future of Apple TV. CorelDRAW's return is also discussed, as will the Spotify/Apple dispute. Bryan will also reveal his expectations of the forthcoming and long-delayed Mac Pro refresh, new versions of the iMac and iMac Pro, and repeat his qualms about the wisdom of buying gear with aging technology that Apple hasn't updated. Indeed, will such gear feature Apple's ARM-based processors instead of CPUs from Intel? There will also be talk about Facebook's plans to encrypt more of is services. And what about a new project involving an open source voting system from DARPA, the research agency that developed the world-wide web and other notable projects. Is this software platform something that the makers of voting machines may adopt, and will it mean greater security and more accurate election results?

This week we present a very special encore episode featuring commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of “Take Control of Apple TV” and other titles. During this episode, Josh focuses on such topics as attempts by law enforcement to unlock a suspect's iPhone. While iCloud data is readily obtained, the iPhone is encrypted and Apple has refused to create a back door for security reasons. Josh also talks about the departure of Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts, and whether Tim Cook lacks something in hiring new executives. You'll also hear speculation about Apple's forthcoming lineup of TV content, and how it might be presented in comparison to such streaming services as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. And what about the rumored AppleCar? You'll also hear from tech industry expert Stephen Baker, Vice President for Industry Analysis at the NPD Group. Stephen will discuss the fast-growing smartwatch market, where Apple leads by a huge margin. What did the industry do to gain traction? You'll also about Apple's plans to expand its market beyond Apple TV by licensing AirPlay 2 and an iTunes app to major TV makers, such as Samsung. There will also be discussions about flattening smartphone sales and declining PC sales, where Apple has boosted prices on its gear to increase revenue. Stephen will also talk about the success of 4K TV, and whether those super expensive 8K sets, coming to market at very high prices, will some day become popular. And what about the smart speaker market?

This week we present a very special encore episode featuring tech writer Andrew Orr from the The Mac Observer, Andrew covers a variety of topics from some of his recent articles, including more information about the Facebook follies, and the alleged abuses by the world’s largest social network. What about the paucity of apps that support Apple’s controversial touch bar, which is found on some models of the MacBook Pro? The discussion also covers the iPad, and whether it can be used as a primary personal computer with the right keyboard. What about Apple’s upcoming TV programming? Andrew has kept tabs on announcements and rumors of new shows. You’ll also hear about the latest Netflix price increase and the possibility of Apple switching from Intel to its own ARM-based processors on Macs in the near future. We also present the fascinating life story of a former “most wanted” cybercriminal. Brett Johnson discusses his long and varied history as a career criminal, which took him from petty crime to online scams that included identity theft, tax fraud, social engineering attacks, hacking and more. He built and was leader of ShadowCrew, the precursor to today’s darknet markets. As a reformed criminal, Brett consults with large corporations and helps them harden their systems to prevent intrusions from cybercriminals. A nationally-known lecturer and podcaster, he’ll also deliver common sense advice on how you can protect yourself from the dangers of the online world where privacy is usually just a talking point and not much else.

This week we present a very special encore episode featuring  tech journalist Sean Aune, Editor-in-Chief of technobuffalo.com. During this segment, Sean will discuss the ongoing debate about privacy, focusing on recent issues involving Facebook. Do these incidents mean that Facebook is destined to lose its status as the world's largest social network? Will it become the next MySpace? Gene and Sean also discuss Apple and whether its new product intros have become a little too much same old same old. Moving to pop culture, they talk about the problems with DC Comics having one set of actors playing a character in a movie, and another on a TV show. Thus we get two versions of Superman, and the Flash, and so on. You’ll also hear from commentator Jeff Gamet, the former Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, Gene and Jeff catch up briefly on pop culture lore, focusing on super heroes. Did the less-than-successful “Justice League,” signal the beginning of the end for the efforts of DC Comics to match Marvel in producing blockbuster films? What about the apparent cutback in schedules of some of their titles, and will DC Comics expand its focus on super hero TV shows on The CW network? In talking about the Apple media event, Jeff suggests that only the iPad will be introduced, and that any new Macs to be launched this fall will be heralded by nothing more than a press release. What about new reports that Apple plans to ditch Intel processors in 2020 and 2021 and install its own A-series processors on new Macs? What will the possible impact be?

This week, we present a very special encore episode in which we feature outspoken tech commentator Peter Cohen. This week, Peter talks about a pet peeve of his, that, with so many models in each Apple product line, the differences may be blurred. This harkens back to the way it was in the 1990s, where there were many Mac models under the Performa moniker that were hardly different. Peter also talks about the alleged "Apple Tax," where the company supposedly charges higher prices for its products and services. There is also a discussion about reports that the next version of iOS will give the iPad mouse support, some speculation about the form of the next Mac Pro, due out this year, and whether there will someday be a switch from Intel to Apple's own ARM-based CPUs. And what about reports that Facebook may be hit with a multibillion dollar fine from the F.T.C. for various privacy lapses? Will it make a difference in how the world's largest social network operates, or just be a drop in the bucket in its impact on the company's finances? You'll also hear from tech editor and commentator Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. Bryan will also talk about what may come at Apple's media event, and the possible future of Apple TV. CorelDRAW's return is also discussed, as will the Spotify/Apple dispute. Bryan will also reveal his expectations of the forthcoming and long-delayed Mac Pro refresh, new versions of the iMac and iMac Pro, and repeat his qualms about the wisdom of buying gear with aging technology that Apple hasn't updated. Indeed, will such gear feature Apple's ARM-based processors instead of CPUs from Intel? There will also be talk about Facebook's plans to encrypt more of is services. And what about a new project involving an open source voting system from DARPA, the research agency that developed the world-wide web and other notable projects. Is this software platform something that the makers of voting machines may adopt, and will it mean greater security and more accurate election results?

This week we feature commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of “Take Control of Apple TV” and other titles. This week Gene and Josh talk about the recent surprising U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in which an antitrust trial against the App Store was allowed to proceed. How would an unfavorable verdict impact Apple and the way it manages its online stores? Will there be lower prices, perhaps support for third-party app repositories? Josh also talks about the nasty experiences he faced when he attempted to convert his Spotify account to a family plan. There is also talk about the problems Netflix may be facing after losing content from Disney and perhaps other services as they plan to introduce their own streaming networks. We also feature utspoken tech commentator Peter Cohen. In this segment, Peter has lots to say about what might happen as the result of the antitrust lawsuit against the App Store. There's also a lengthy discussion about what appears to be Intel's failure to update its CPUs in a timely fashion with reduced die sizes to allow for greater power efficiencies. Has the time arrived for Apple to finally ditch Intel and install its own A-series processors on Macs? Is there any possibility that the next Mac Pro, expected later this year, might be the very first model to go that route? Peter also discusses the recent Apple media event where Apple TV+, News+ and the Apple Arcade gaming service were introduced.

This week, we present a very special encore episode featuring outspoken columnist John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer. His bill of fare this week includes Apple's March media event and its implications going forward. Were there really two few details. John also explains why suggestions that Apple buy Netflix are not viable, why things aren't what they appear to be with Apple, Apple's privacy ad and how it showcases the company's philosophy compared to the likes of Facebook and Google, and whether the monolithic iTunes app for Macs and PCs may soon be broken up into more digestible and easier-to-use single-purpose apps. Some people can hardly wait.In a very special encore segment, we cover Apple's "Show Time" media event that was held on March 25, 2019, where the wraps were taken off plans for Apple TV+, yet another video streaming service that will offer a collection of original TV shows and movies premiering in the fall. Such notables as J.J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg and even Oprah Winfrey are involved in the production of this content, but details beyond the basic "up-front" presentation and previews have yet to be announced. Apple also announced Apple News+, a subscription service featuring material culled from both magazines and newspapers, a major enhancement to the free app. In addition, Apple Arcade will offer original games, also by subscription. Here to talk about the goings on is outspoken tech commentator Peter Cohen.