The Big Tech Show

Fifty years on from its creation, what were Apple’s hits? Misses? And is AI use a no-go for journalists? Adrian Weckler is joined by Darragh Nolan on The Big Tech Show to mark 50 years of Apple, from the Macintosh to the iPod and iPhone, and what still drives its success today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are teenage boys still drawn to online influencers? and what are they really looking for? Psychologist, broadcaster and former professional footballer, Richie Sadlier joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to explore the appeal of figures like Andrew Tate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could you be next to face legal action? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss dodgy boxes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the world’s first ransomware attack begin? and why are we still falling for the same tricks today?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did an Irish student end up building one of the biggest home-services startups in the US? Irish entrepreneur Oisín Hanrahan joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to discuss his path from buying property in Budapest as a student to dropping out of Harvard Business School to launch Handy. He also talks about startup co-founder dynamics and his latest venture, Keychain, which connects food brands with manufacturers. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Anthropic emerging as the “good guy” of artificial intelligence? And do ethics in AI actually matter to users? Veteran tech journalist Rupert Goodwins joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to discuss the rivalry between Anthropic, OpenAI and Google, and whether AI companies should decide how their technology is used. They also look at the shifting social media landscape, from Bluesky to X. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Apple’s MacBook Neo the best value laptop ever? Can it match a MacBook Air? And is €699 all you need for the Mac experience? Darragh Nolan, multimedia reporter at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Sam Altman and why does he matter so much to artificial intelligence? What do we really know about his views on risk, control and power in the AI race? Ellen Huet, features writer with Bloomberg News and host of the Foundering podcast, joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show this week. Altman, CEO of OpenAI, runs the company behind ChatGPT. The episode explores his rise, his warnings about AI dangers and the controversies surrounding OpenAI. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How safe is your crypto really? And what happens when your private keys fall into the wrong hands? Journalist and crypto commentator Monty Munford joins Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show. Adrian and Monty talk about how he first got into cryptocurrency, why he chose Ethereum over Bitcoin, and the moment he discovered £25,000 worth of crypto had vanished from his wallet. Monty explains the mistakes he made storing his private keys, how hackers may have accessed them, and what the loss taught him about online security. They also discuss how that stolen crypto would be worth far more today — and why his story is a cautionary tale for anyone dabbling in digital assets. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What tech habits drive us absolutely bonkers? Is it a generation gap? And how do we combat it? Saoirse Hanley, journalist at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your electric car breaks down away from home? Do they have technicians to deal with them? And if you're in a very rural area, can you rely on breakdown services or might you be stranded? Darragh Nolan, multimedia reporter at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the future of AI in Ireland? Do we have digital sovereignty? And should social media be banned for under sixteens? James Lawless, Minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a recommender algorithm? Should they be switched off? And how do they create toxic narrative bubbles? Johnny Ryan, digital rights campaigner and director of Enforce at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the world of espionage now online? Are the Irish the cyber weak link in Europe? And how is digital sabotage being used today? Richard Aldrich, professor of International Security at the University of Warwick and leading expert on intelligence, espionage and cybersecurity. The security expert explained how bad-acters can hack into the back of the internet connected fridges and get them to overheat on a windy day. Getting fridges to catch fire simultaneously is a contingency that the UK government is just starting to consider as a threat. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online polarisation, Trump, Elon Musk, AI, media, Ireland and startups — Mark Little is thinking about a lot of things right now. In this extended episode, he lays out some bare truths about the state of the world and what his own plans are at present.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is rising and falling in the US tech world? What events will shape 2026? And will Elon weather the Grok scandal? Blake Montgomery, the Guardian’s US Tech editor, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The conversation began by Adrian asking the Guardian’s US tech editor about the reaction in America to the Grok AI scandal. The US-based journalist explained that the reaction to X’s Grok AI tool in the US has been muted and heated than Europe. According to Montgomery, a couple of US lawmakers have voiced their concerns and called for a Grok ban but because the reaction to the AI tool globally, Musk has begun to dial back the AIs capabilities. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes Jeff Bezos tick? Is he a generational talent who will take us to the stars? Or billionaire tech bro living the high life? Christian Davenport, journalist who spent twenty-five years at the Washington Post and the author of the recently published book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Grok AI now being used to undress people online, what do we do? Should government ministers stay off X? And is Ireland about to require digital ID? TJ McIntyre, associate Professor of the Sutherland School of Law in UCD and Head of Digital Rights Ireland joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Cluskey was about to enter his leaving cert year in Belvedere College when something happened that changed his life forever. On a camping trip with friends, Stephen fell off a hay bale and was paralyzed from the neck down. Stephen Cluskey, CEO of Mobility Mojo, accessibility advocate and social entrepreneur joins Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will tech affect your life in 2026? Will AI win you over with convenience? Could dodgy-box users be fined? And what about a mid-Atlantic rift when it comes to tech regulation? ­ In this episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler is joined by Dee Reddy to share his 10 predictions on what to expect next year, as well as rating how our predictions for the last year turned out. ­ The Big Tech Show available is on all podcast platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland’s list of global sporting champions is relatively short, which means that when a new one is minted then we like to celebrate their achievements with them. And while Excel spreadsheets is about as niche as e-sports get - there’s no doubt that the competition is heating up when it’s broadcast live from Las Vegas via ESPN. And this year, it looks like it's not just Excel’s logo that proudly wears green - as the title of Global Excel Champion 2025 was won by Ireland’s Diarmuid Early.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where is AI going and who is at the helm? What jobs might be in trouble and should Europe back down on its regulations? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by one of Ireland's most famous tech entrepreneurs Sean Blanchfield to hear about Jentic - his latest venture - and to hear how the age of AI is already up and running.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will we see a folding iPhone in 2026? Or what about better AI on Apple devices? Has the iPhone Air been a flop and will it be replaced? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler on the Big Tech Show is friend of the podcast Stuart Miles, tech expert and the founder of Squirrel. ­See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What devices should you gift for Christmas? From buds to coffee machines, what tech treats would you like to receive? And should you go high-end or budget? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The Kodak compact digital camera costs €160 from Conn’s Cameras and is for the Gen Z-er in your life. Standalone compact digital cameras are all the rage among teens and early 20-somethings, with their vintage look, anti-AI vibe and one-shot focus. For this cohort, Kodak’s Pixpro FZ55 makes a great gift. It’s easy to use, has a 1x to 5x mini-zoom and fits snugly into almost any normal jeans or jacket pocket. For the self-loathing phone addict in your life. The Brick costs €60 from getbrick.app. Brick’s appeal is simple: stop using your phone so much. The way it works is simple. Just touch it off your iPhone or Android phone and it will deny access (or "brick”) a set of pre-chosen (by you) apps. It will also hide any notifications associated with them. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s going on in Bitcoin? Is this a crypto winter? And how is AI luring funds away from digital currencies? Katie Byrne, Money editor with the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The conversation began by Adrian discussing why mainstream cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin is down around 25% over the last two months, and around 15% for the year, wiping close to a hundred billion dollars from people's wallets or Revolut accounts. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What streaming platform is most popular? Which streamer is focussing on quality? And does subscription cost make a difference? ­ Dave Hanratty of the Irish Independent and the No Encore podcast, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kurt Wagner, Senior Reporter at Bloomberg leading and author of Battle for the Bird: Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, and the $44 Billion Fight for Twitter's Soul, joins Adrian for this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Would you use a stablecoin? If so, how might you go about that? And what are the pros and cons? ­ Stani Kulechov, Finnish entrepreneur and founder of Aave, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a smart city? Is Dublin one? And what’s different about them? Ruth Freeman, director of Research for Society at Research Ireland, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. A smart city is an urban area that uses technology and data to improve the quality of life for its citizens, increase the efficiency of city services, and promote sustainable development. It integrates digital systems like the internet of things to collect and analyse real-time data, which helps optimize everything from transportation and energy use to public safety and waste management. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Jensen Huang? Why does he always wear a leather jacket? And what's he like to work for? Stephen Witt, Los Angeles based journalist and author of The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia And The World’s Most Coveted Microchip, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Last week, Nvidia became the first company to surpass a $5 trillion (€4.4 trillion) valuation. That’s worth more than every country’s GDP, except for the US and China. It’s worth more than the entire crypto market, the entire gold market and, according to one colourful estimate, every pizza ever sold in history. Nvidia is making vast amounts of real, hard cash from the AI boom. It’s not potential or future revenue, like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft or Anthropic. It’s billions in sales of its AI chips, which almost every tech company now craves. Sitting atop this new empire is Jensen Huang, the 62-year-old leather-jacket wearing Singaporean-American, who has gone from being a nerdy graphics card boss to the most powerful tech CEO in the world. For the moment, at least, he tops peers such as Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg in influence and relevance. In the award-shortlisted biography The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia And The World’s Most Coveted Microchip, which is the best account of Huang published so far, author Stephen Witt documents Huang’s life from a newly-arrived immigrant in the US to being a frequent visitor at Donald Trump’s Mar A Lago compound in Florida. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does Amazon’s new sub-sea cable mean for Ireland? Is Apple planning a new budget laptop? And why is Trump reserving Nvidia’s most advanced chips? Saoirse Hanley, money journalist with the Irish Independent joins JJ Clarke on this episode of The Big Tech Show. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a new high-speed transatlantic cable from Cork to Maryland in the US to power global internet traffic and its data centres. The new ‘Fastnet’ cable can deliver over 320 terabits per second, enough to stream over 12 million HD movies simultaneously. It will be one of the highest capacity data cables yet built across the Atlantic. The cable, which won’t be operational until 2028, will make landfall in Castlefreke, near Rosscarbery in west Cork. Cork was chosen, the company said, because most other major transatlantic cables land in either Mayo or Dublin, giving the tech giant an “alternative pathway” for critical internet traffic compared to existing infrastructure in the event of any problems or outages. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is ChatGPT the main player in the AI game? What does the research tell us about AI chat bot results? And are people increasingly using chatbots as therapists? Maeve McTaggart, news and political reporter with the Irish Independent, joins JJ Clarke on The Big Tech Show this week. ChatGPT has become a near-monopoly for everyday AI use in Ireland, new figures collated by the Irish Independent suggest. Almost five out of six online AI queries from Ireland happen using OpenAI’s service, with rivals nowhere close, according to a study by the Irish Independent and the Dublin-based online web statistics firm, Statcounter. The figures show that more than 84pc of Irish generative AI requests are from ChatGPT, followed distantly by Microsoft’s Copilot and Perplexity, both on 6pc. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the dodgy box users finally face fines? Why is Ireland looking to copy Italy? And will it curb illegal streaming in Ireland? Darragh Nolan, Multi-Media reporter, with the Irish Independent joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Irish dodgy-box users would face direct fines for the first time under new plans being considered by broadcasters and copyright authorities. It is understood the move is being planned by large TV rights holders such as Sky, after a similar crackdown was introduced in Italy. That move led to thousands of dodgy-box users getting fined earlier this year. According to a recent Sunday Independent poll, up to one in five Irish households use dodgy boxes. That represents up to 400,000 people illegally streaming content like sport and movies. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you spot a deepfake? What are telltale signs of AI-videos? And who is responsible for synthetic fake videos posted on social media? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began the conversation by discussing the recent deepfake videos on Catherine Connolly on Facebook. A series of Al deepfake videos of RTÉ news bulletins criticising presidential candidate Catherine Connolly amassed over 160,000 views and hundreds of genuine comments on Facebook over several days before being removed. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What have we learned from the huge tech outage this week? How did it happen? And are the warnings of an AI bubble accurate? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the best tips for beginners using AI chat bots? Have AI videos featuring dead celebrities gone too far? And is the EU losing the tech race because of stringent regulations? Darragh Nolan, Multimedia reporter with the Irish Independent, joins JJ Clarke for this episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are AI videos threatening content creators? Have we entered an AI bubble? And what are the best broadband options? Saoirse Hanley, journalist at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by asking Saoirse whether she would be less likely to watch a AI generated video than a human generated one. The journalist responded that she would immediately lose interest in videos that are seen to be made by a machine. This topic was on the back of YouTube content creator Mr Beast announcing recently that AI video is so good now that it is legitimately threatening the livelihood of content creators. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will Microsoft navigate pressure from the Trump administration? Will its decision impact the growing trend in Europe towards “digital sovereignty”? Indeed believes AI will transform rather than replace human jobs. And what’s Nigel Farage’s issue with “Britcoin”? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by producer Dee Reddy to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s episode, we delve into 'Scratchgate' amid accusations that iPhone 17 Pro models are too easily marked compared to previous iPhones. We also explain how to switch to an eSim account and which Irish operators are offering one. And we look at Apple's explanation, as revealed in person to the Irish Independent by one of the company's top executives, around why the tech giant feels it can't launch key new features such as iPhone Mirroring and Live Translation in Ireland and the EU. This week's show is presented by Adrian Weckler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.