Secrets of Technology

As everything else goes up in price, TVs have been going down. Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Baruzzini discuss the economic, privacy, and technology reasons why TVs are getting cheaper. Plus Bing's new AI has promise and pitfalls. The post Why Are TVs So Cheap? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Some tech upgrades just leave us worse off than before. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss some of the worst tech upgrades they've experienced, plus mysterious antennas popping up on Utah's remote hills; password manager follies; and a pillow to stop snoring. The post Worst Tech Upgrades in History appeared first on StarQuest Media.

There's been an increase of scammers targeting people looking for jobs. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss the current state of job scams and the best tips for avoiding getting scammed. Plus foldable iPad rumors, automated McDonald's, and more. The post Avoid Job Scams appeared first on StarQuest Media.

After the LastPass debacle, former users need a new password manager. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Thomas Sanjurjo discuss four alternatives, plus what to look for in any password manager. Also, saying no to meetings and family update night. The post How to Leave LastPass appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is often a peek into where tech manufacturers think tech is headed, so Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter dive into what were the most interesting categories, concepts, and products at the 2023 show. The post Best of CES 2023 appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Farming is among the oldest vocations, but it is surprisingly high-tech today. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Victor Lams are joined by farmer Matthew Clark to discuss his family farm, how tech plays a key role, and what farming means to him. The post Tech for Farming appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Sometimes newer is not better. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss tech where new versions were a step back in quality or utility and where it may be better to be happy with what we have already. The post When Old Tech is Better Than New appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Chat AIs and art AIs are all the rage; Do they signal a great leap forward in AI? Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Baruzzini discuss the potential and pitfalls, the possible benefits and problems of the latest AI gizmo. The post ChatGPT and the AI Great Leap Forward? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The final week of our Christmas gift guide, and this time Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter discuss gift ideas related to virtual reality. Plus, why shopping on Amazon has gotten worse; Are police robots really robots?; and the future of movie theaters. The post Christmas Gift Guide for VR appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Week 3 of our Christmas gift guide and this time Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Fr. Joseph Sund are discussing gifts ideas for Every Day Carry, all those items we would want carry with us when out and about. Plus headlines and picks of the week. The post Christmas Gift Guide for Every Day Carry appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Week 2 of our Christmas gift guide for tech features gifts for our hobbies. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss gifts related to various hobbies that use tech. Plus headlines and picks of the week. The post Christmas Gift Guide for Hobbies appeared first on StarQuest Media.

It's an annual tradition. Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Baruzzini give some Christmas gift ideas in wearable tech, then discuss the future of voice assistants, brain scanning at work, and the disinformation police. The post Christmas Gift Guide for Wearables appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Dom Bettinelli, CEO of StarQuest, has a special Advent and Christmas greetings for all listeners and an important message about the mission of StarQuest. The post Blessed Advent, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from StarQuest appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Linux isn't just for servers any more, but is it a good gaming platform. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss the rise of Linux gaming, including new dedicated Linux gaming hardware. Plus, high-tech auto repair, the passkey promise, and content moderation panels. The post Gaming on Linux appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Big changes are coming to Twitter, one of the big social networks. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss what the changes mean to the average user and even what it means to those who don't use the network. The post What’s Going On At Twitter? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

We all have to deal with misinformation online, but how? Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss what misinfo/disinfo are, why it's a problem, and how to combat it with charity and truth. Plus, people cutting luxuries over subscription service; Amazon's no-mo-robos; and more. The post Managing Misinformation appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Futurists predict that one day our relationship with AI will be a religious one. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Andrew Kinstetter, and Pat Scott discuss why they think that, why that won't work, and what a Catholic response to such ideas would be. The post The Future of AI Religion? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Most devices now include Focus Modes to help us avoid distractions. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss how to set them up and give examples and tips for how to use them best, including in church and while driving. Plus the latest Amazon hardware. The post Focusing on Focus Modes appeared first on StarQuest Media.

We pay a lot of money to our phone carriers. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss whether low-cost Mint Mobile is really a better deal than the Big Three competitors. Plus, the morality of an AI mistress; the EU's love for USB-C; and the muzzle microphone. The post Should You Switch to Mint Mobile? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Can we trust Big Tech? Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo welcome Kailash Duraiswami of Fidei.email to discuss his email service aimed at Christians as well as why we should be concerned about doing business with tech firms not aligned with our values. The post Kailash Duraiswami and Fidei.email appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Instagram can be a fun way to share photos and videos, but you and your kids need to use it safely. Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Victor Lams are kicking off a series of episodes on using social media safely and securely, beginning with Instagram. The post Deep Dive into Instagram Safety and Security appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Apple announces new iPhones, AirPods, and Watches. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier talk about a new feature that will be attractive to couples practicing NFP, as well as other features to keep you safe when traveling. The post Apple Goes Ultra Adventure appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Starlink and T-Mobile are teaming up for satellite coverage of mobile phone dead zones. Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter discuss what it might mean for future mobile connectivity. Plus Facebook's economic graph; data centers v. homes; and Amazon's Roomba. The post A Match Made in the Heavens appeared first on StarQuest Media.

More and more employers are using technology to track workers' every moves. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss the tech limits of the approach as well as how it can ignore the human elements of employment and the dignity of the worker. The post Who Watches the Workers? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

The latest survey tells us how teens are using the Internet and tech. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss the implications for families, society, and the Church. Plus, green v. blue bubbles; the Bitcoin treasure hunt; and the AI philosopher. The post What’s Up With Teens and Tech? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

More and more of our tech has become unrepairable and disposable. Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Bazruzzini discuss how to determine the inevitable death date of tech, how to mitigate these losses, and what we all should do about it. The post Your Tech Has A Death Date appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Are AI art generators creating art? Who is the artist in this case? Dom Bettinelli and Pat Scott discuss art and technology and the limits of artificial intelligence in creating art or assisting artists in its creation. Plus Amazon dark patterns and smart thermostat's unexpected strains. The post The Question of AI Art appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Should autonomous weapons ever be developed? Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Lams discuss the morality and ethics and the Church's response, and perhaps the inevitability of weapons that think for themselves. The post Here Come the Killer Robots appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Some churches have been relying on free cloud services that are going away. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss the alternatives and why they're better anyway. Plus a Find My failure; Meta accounts; ADT and Google; and Amazon ditching Basics? The post Cloud Services for Your Church appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Camping gear is tech and Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo revisit the topic to discuss more essential gear like backpacks, clothing, sleeping bags and more. Plus, a strange Vatican foray into NFTs; death online; and subscribing to your car's options. The post More Tech for Camping appeared first on StarQuest Media.

We talk to Jeff Geerling, a popular Tech YouTuber who is also Catholic. Dom Bettinelli and Fr. Cory Sticha ask him about his mission, how he grew his channel, the Church's relationship to tech, and his favorite tech topics. Plus headlines and picks of the week. The post Jeff Geerling appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Is putting a deceased loved ones voice in your smart assistant a step too far? Dom Bettinelli, Jack Baruzzini, and Victor Lams discuss the ethical and tastefulness limits of deepfaking, plus more tech news and picks of the week. The post Grandma Alexa in the Box appeared first on StarQuest Media.

With claims that a Google AI is sentient and has a soul, Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss whether this is possible and what a Catholic understanding of personhood would say about this. The post Can Artificial Intelligence Have a Soul? appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Not only do billions of people use Apple tech, they have a huge influence on the industry. Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Baruzzini discuss Apple's announcements, particularly those that would appeal to this audience. The post Apple’s 2022 OS Announcements appeared first on StarQuest Media.

You don't have to be a super-geek to build your own computer. Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Fr. Joseph Sund discuss the pros and cons, benefits and potential pitfalls of building your own computer from individual components. The post Build Your Own PC appeared first on StarQuest Media.

For most of us, our presence is all over the internet after years of using it. Dom Bettinelli, Joanne Mercier, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss how we can remove ourselves or even just reclaim a little bit of our privacy by removing our data from the Internet. The post Delete Yourself from the Internet appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Google I/O 2022 is complete and Dom Bettinelli, Jack Baruzzini, and Thomas Sanjurjo talk about all the new announcements and sift out what's most interesting. Plus, CDC tracking phones; mental health app privacy; and swarming and submarine drones . The post What’s New From Google appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Spam is a scourge of modern communications. Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Jack Baruzzini discuss their strategies for dealing with unwanted communications and scams that come in via email. text, and calls. Plus, the Vatican's new VR gallery and the end of the iPod. The post Stop Spam appeared first on StarQuest Media.

It's never been easier or cheaper to make beautiful music in your home. Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Fr. Joseph Sund discuss how to get started, the software and hardware to consider, and how to share your creations with others. Plus Kindle changes, Apple abandoned app policies, and your data in the Facebook lake. The post Make Music with Technology appeared first on StarQuest Media.

If you've got an old Mac you'd like to extend the life of, why not install Linux on it? Fr. Cory Sticha, Dom Bettinelli, and Joanne Mercier discuss the why and the how, the benefits and potential pitfalls of installing Linux especially on older Macs that no longer receive macOS updates. The post Linux on a Mac appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Camping is as old as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo have some tech gadgets, gear, apps, and web sites that will make your next trip safer, more convenient, and more comfortable, whether on a backcountry hike or car camping with the family. The post Tech for Camping appeared first on StarQuest Media.

If you're looking to get outdoors more, whether after winter or after lockdown, Dom Bettinelli and Pat Scott have apps and web sites to recommend that will help you find great walking trails, look at the stars, learn more about that mountain, bird, or plant nearby, or play a fun game. The post Tech for Getting Outdoors appeared first on StarQuest Media.

What are the biggest software and hardware flops? Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Joseph Sund, and Victor Morton discuss their choices for the dubious award and note how often the flops were just ahead of their time and showed up as successful products later in a different form. The post Biggest Tech Flops of All Time appeared first on StarQuest Media.

A good power backup can not only keep you working in a blackout, but can extend the life of your delicate electronics. Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Joanne Mercier discuss how to choose a UPS and tips for making the most of it. Plus, more headlines and picks of the week. The post Choosing, Buying, and Using a UPS For You appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Alexa, Google Home, and Siri are all good at hearing their names called, but one listener wants to know how to stop them from listening to his toddler. Dom Bettinelli, Jack Baruzzini, and Thomas Sanjurjo give their advice and then also discuss weaponizing open source and drilling into the Earth for unlimited energy. The post Kids and Home Assistant appeared first on StarQuest Media.

If you're looking for a search engine that censors less or protects privacy more, Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter have some suggestions. Plus, stay on top of your kids' screentime without taking down your town's internet and is it wrong to make the Amazon driver dance for TikTok? The post Search for a New Search Engine appeared first on StarQuest Media.

Is old music killing new music? Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Pat Scott discuss how streaming music up-ended the music industry, including what kinds of music people listen to; Apple's latest Silicon announcements; wireless electric roadways; and patients left stranded when a bionic implant company closes. The post Streaming Completely Changed Music appeared first on StarQuest Media.

As the war in Ukraine grabs our attention, Dom Bettinelli, Joanne Mercier, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss how tech is shaping coverage and how we can use (and not use) our tech to stay connected without doomscrolling. Plus, the FBI warns on QR codes and then more on tracking tags. The post Tech Connects Us to World Events appeared first on StarQuest Media.

A Catholic techie was removed from a public crypto project for an old tweet expressing his beliefs. Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jack Baruzzini discuss what happened and how we can be openly Catholic without running afoul of the crowd. Plus, what is the digital dollar and why should we care? The post Catholic Beliefs in the Tech Space appeared first on StarQuest Media.

VR tech is more exciting than ever, so Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter have revisited their discussion of the Oculus Quest with more hints, tips, and techniques for getting the most out of it. Plus, the new Samsung Galaxy S22 and more. The post What’s New in Oculus VR? appeared first on StarQuest Media.