The Big Tech Show

Which new Apple product delights? How good are the AirPods Pro at noise cancellation? And what are Adrian’s top picks? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How advanced are today’s robots? What can they do now? And what’s likely in the coming years?  ­ Conor McGinn, CEO at Akara Robotics and professor of Robotics at Trinity College Dublin, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the new iPhone Air like? Why is ‘thin in’ with the new phone design? And how good is the new AirPods Pro language translation?  CCS Insight analysts, Ben Wood, joins Adrian to discuss the new suite of Apple updates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the pros and cons of large, foldout phones? What are the advantages of smaller, flip-fold phones? And do they still cost way more than ordinary phones?  Maeve McTaggart, Multimedia Reporter with the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the allegations facing Roblox? Why are a group of law firms looking to file lawsuits against the company? And how is the gaming platform making the online space safer for its users? This episode contains sensitive content including descriptions of graphic violence and sexual assault and may be disturbing to some listeners. If you are affected by any of the content of this podcast, please go to https://oneinfour.ie/ If you are in crisis, call the OneinFour helpline at 01 662 4070 or call DRCC’s 24-hour National Helpline on 1800 77 88 88. Reporter for WIRED magazine, David Gilbert, joins Adrian on The Big Tech Show today. The reporter began the conversation by stressing the point that most parents whose children use the platform Roblox aren’t aware of its features. The platform is in fact a massive open platform where people can interact and chat with each other. 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 drone delivery noise a potential obstacle to the technologies’ progress? Will the convenience become commonplace? And what has former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg been saying about the tech industry? Darragh Nolan, Multi-Media reporter, with the Irish Independent joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The Multi-Media reporter was reporting on the drone noise issue in Dublin 15 recently. Adrian asked what he found out when writing on the topic and the journalist says that it's reception is mixed, some neighbours are highly against the noise of the technology whereas other neighbours are in favour of the convenience and are currently using it. 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 is AI’s current capabilities? Does it live up to the hype? And how can it be used in everyday scenarios? Alan Smeaton, professor Emeritus at DCU and founding director of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics attached to DCU, joins Adrian Weckler on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The conversation began by Adrian asking the question, “what does agentic AI do?” Professor Smeaton responded by saying, what happens is that you ask it a question and then the agentic AI goes off and then searches the information, aggregates it and then synthesizes it into a cogent answer. 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.

Why has Elon Musk threatened Apple with legal action? Is it safe to let Judges use AI? And how did the Intel CEO convince Trump to do a U-turn? ­ Katie Byrne, Money editor with the Irish Independent joins JJ Clarke on this episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are computer games created? Where do developers get funding? And is Ireland a good place for game development? Ronan Price, games critic and assistant publishing editor at the Irish Independent presented this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The games reviewer is joined by Colm Larkin, founder of Dublin-based indie game studio, Gambrinous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s it like to work for Tesla? How were sensitive company files leaked? And why is camaraderie amongst employees discouraged by Musk? Sönke Iwersen, co-author of The Tesla Files, the inside story of Musk’s empire, and an award-winning journalist who has led the investigative team at Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the EU lose out to Trump in US trade talks? What does this mean for the Irish economy? And why are legitimate texts still being labelled as ‘scam texts’? ­ JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are the ESB hiking prices on EV charging? What is in Trump’s new AI action plan? And how is the Irish media regulator going after X for age verification? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The cost of publicly charging an electric car is being increased by up to 15pc by Ireland’s biggest provider. ESB cars, which has the most public charging points in the country, is adding 7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) across all of its tariffs, raising the cost of charging an electric car by up to €7. 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 are the pros and cons of the new EU digital wallet? When will it be operational? And how to stop doomscrolling? JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we spot the truth from a lie online? Are AI photos and videos getting too convincing? And what can be done to stop the spread of misinformation? Ciarán Cannon, VP of Global Affairs with Alison and former Fine Gael TD for Galway East and Damien Mulley, digital communications expert and founder of Mulley Communications, join Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the nationwide scam text filter start mislabelling texts? Why are kids turning to chatbots for friendship? And what will Linda Yaccarino’s legacy at X be? ­ JJ Clarke, producer, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we think about AI replacing jobs in Ireland? What jobs will go first? And why are people talking about Nothing’s Phone (3)? ­ JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why has Elon Musk formed the America party? How will this affect EV subsidies? And does the Tesla boss have more cards up his sleeve? ­ JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are AI-generated tracks? Can humans tell the difference between bot and human creation? And how are the music streaming platforms responding? Eamonn Forde, music business writer and author, joins Adrian on the Big Tech Show for this week’s episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Sky’s new crackdown on dodgy boxes work? Can they really start looking at WhatsApp groups to identify offenders? And what is the future for dodgy boxes in Ireland? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The conversation began with producer JJ asking Adrian should the average dodgy boxers user be worried about criminal prosecution. The tech editor answered that Sky is already using private investigators to identify sellers and users of dodgy boxes online but that the problem will not be solved by a spate of prosecutions. Adrian suggested that Sky and other media companies need to learn from the likes of iTunes who pivoted once people started illegally downloading music. 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 regulation crushing Europe’s AI hopes? Will this drive Irish startups away? And will we see a softening of the EU stance? Dr Richard Blythman, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Naptha.ai, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by asking the AI expert if Europe is driving away tech entrepreneurs with it high regulation. Dr Blythman stated that he believes it has and that is why the company he co-founded is registered in Singapore because they are more foreward looking in terms of regulation according to the Irishman. 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.

Can your social media posts stop you from entering the US? Should you scrub your online history? And is it easier for those with a tech background to get visas? Caro Kinsella, US Immigration Attorney joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The immigration attorney started by stating categorically that a person’s social media posts can stop them from gaining entry into the US. Immigration officials at ports of entry to the US have the right to request access to a person’s electronic devices. 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 did the No Kings protest happen? How did demonstrators organise online? And what was Adrian’s experience of the LA riots? Reporter for WIRED magazine, David Gilbert, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should you respond to work texts after hours? Why is underage phone use more prevalent in less advantaged areas? And what policies could help parents with this issue? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the latest from Apple’s WWD conference? Is the tech giant behind on AI? And are there any exciting new features? Adrian is currently in Cupertino at Apple Park, California, where Apple just showcased their latest product upgrades. There were three main areas of focus; iOS 26, Liquid Glass and AI features. CCS Insight analysts, Ben Wood and Leo Gebbie, joined Adrian to discuss the new suite of Apple updates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Niall Mac an tSionnaigh go from selling Christmas trees to CEO of SumUp? What’s his leadership style? And why is cash a thing of the past? ­ Niall Mac an tSionnaigh, CEO of SumUp joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. ­See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could AI potentially blackmail humans in the future? Would it be a help or hindrance to schools? And will it lead to mass unemployment? Conor Kelly, head of growth at Human Loop, joins Adrian in this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Lisa Brankin go from home economics to managing director? What lessons did she learn from her parents? And why are we a long way off autonomous vehicles? Lisa Brankin, chair and managing director of Ford in Britain and Ireland, joins Adrian Weckler on this episode of the Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What were Google’s top AI announcements? How does ‘pick and pay’ work? And will virtually trying on clothes become the norm? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The tech editor began by discussing Google’s new AI mode and how it will aid users when shopping. The new feature empowers the AI agent to shop on the users behalf, including doing the back-end checkout for the shopper. The AI agent then pays for the item once the shopper has given the artificial intelligence the all clear to do so. 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 are the steps to navigating tech at US border control? How can we learn from Lithuania’s cyber defence? And what is the new sport of sperm racing? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host, Katie Byrne, standing in for Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Katie began by discussing an article that featured in the Irish Independent about navigating US border control phone checks at the airport. The article written by tech editor, Adrian Weckler, explained that you can delete your WhatsApp, Gmail and other social media with no loss of data as long as you back it up before you delete the apps. This will stop US border control agents checking these apps but may look suspicious as the phone won’t have any social media apps. 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 new Vulcan robot do? Why is the new Nothing phone the best affordable option? And how should the DPC respond to TikTok storing data on Chinese servers? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will AI replace authors? How will we spot real from the fake? And have some LLMs already been trained on authors’ books? Shane Hegarty, bestselling children’s book author joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by reading out a five-hundred-word excerpt generated by chat GPT in the style of author Shane Hegarty. The tech editor then asked Shane to rate the piece for accuracy out of 10. The children’s book author gave the piece a one out of ten because it was trying to be funny and had little sense of what his book is actually about. 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 YouTube the most powerful media of all? How are hackers bypassing biometrics using artificial fingertips? And are Irish jobs on the line as Intel swings its layoff axe? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The tech editor began by discussing a report by the pan-European Policing Authority Europol which has joined other IT security organizations in warning that biometric systems like fingerprints and facial recognition scanners are being bypassed by criminals. The reason this has garnered so much interest is because so many users access their phones through their fingerprints and facial scanning. 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 is the case for space? Does humanity benefit from it? And are the environmental impacts too great? Leo Enright, space commentator, former RTE and BBC correspondent joins Adrian on the Big Tech Show. Adrian began the conversation by asking was there any scientific merit to the Blue Origin New Shephard rocket which last week made a sub-orbital flight with an all-female crew to the edge of space and back. The space commentator stated that there was next to no scientific value in the Jeff Bezos backed space exploration. However, Leo Enright, did point out that Gail King was the first American journalist in space and the he is hopeful that she will once again popularise space exploration amongst the American public. 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 made Adam Dalton realise he loved selling? Which teacher influenced him in secondary school? And what are the downsides of a multi-million euro exit? Adam Dalton, co-founder of Jamango! former CEO and co-founder of Robotify, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adam Dalton seemed destined for entrepreneurship with an early love of LEGO and Minecraft. Adrian began the conversation by asking him about a guidance counsellor in his secondary school called Michael O’Neill. The teacher put on coding classes after school where Adam learned to build websites and games through coding, which served him well in his future career. 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.

Will Irish jobs be impacted if the EU go after US tech services? Is Ireland the likely battle ground for a digital trade war? And why did the Chinese pull out of the deal to sell TikTok? JJ Clarke, Producer, joins host Donal O’Donovan on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The business editor began by pointing out that Ireland sells about 52 billion dollars' worth of digital services to the US every year, versus about 53 billion dollars' worth of physical products. Roughly half of Irish exports to the US (the digital services) are not affected by Trump’s current tariffs. However, Donal O’Donovan highlighted that global trade in goods and the manufacturing sector are being targeted currently. 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 much energy do data centres consume? What kind of data do they store? And is Ireland now a landfill for junk data? Caroline O’Doherty, Environment correspondent with the Irish Independent joins Donal O’Donovan on the Big Tech Show this week. The environment correspondent started by talking about why companies like building data centres in Ireland. Caroline O’Doherty stated that; Ireland has a strong IT sector, the political climate is stable, and the geographical climate is also favourable because data centres create a lot of heat and don't do well in hotter countries. 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 did US military leaders accidentally add a journalist to their group chat? What should users of DNA test 23andme do now that the company is going bankrupt? And why has Netflix show Adolescence created such a panic about teenage phone use? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. The tech editor started by discussing the recent security leak at the highest level of the US government. Editor in chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was added to a Signal group chat 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 is happening with the weaponisation of technology? From Musk threatening to shut off Starlink in Ukraine to the Israeli’s arming hundreds of pagers. And where does Ireland’s neutrality stand in all of this? Declan Power, security and defence analyst, joins the Big Tech Show for this week’s episode. The tech editor began by asking the defence expert about Ireland’s neutral stance. Declan Power made the argument that Ireland has taken a side in the Ukraine conflict. However, Ireland is only providing non-lethal support for Ukraine such as aid and fuel rather than bombs and bullets. 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 should you know about the new Amazon.ie website? Is it worth switching over from the UK domain? Is it cheaper? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the new MacBook Air like? Should you upgrade to it? And can a new CEO rescue Intel’s woes? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. Adrian began the conversation by talking about the new MacBook Air with an M4 chip. He advised the listener to consider older versions of the MacBook Air with either M2 or M3 chips as they are perfect for the average office worker. However, the tech editor made the point that if someone has an intel chip based laptop or an M1 chip laptop, they should consider the new MacBook Air. 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 buying a Tesla now a political statement? Are people now shying away from the EV brand? And has Elon’s support of Trump spelled disaster for Tesla sales? Derek Reilly, partnership director with Nevo, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s going on with crypto? What’s the state of play with meme coins? And is the market about to crash? Katie Byrne, Money editor with the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by discussing Trump coin, Donald Trump’s meme coin which has reportedly made 350 million dollars since its launch. The money editor told Adrian that after announcing his crypto project, there was a pattern showing that people had got the news at least 24 hours before the meme coin news was announced. The money expert explained that by the time the news of the meme coin was shared on truth social, the insiders had gone in made their money and exited. 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 are the benefits of 6G? Are the Chinese phone brands flooding the market any good? And what’s different about the new iPad Air? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are Chinese online shopping apps taking off in Ireland? Will Apple’s age assurance system work? And what can be done to stop children encountering harmful content online? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. Apple is introducing a new declared age range function which will enable developers to see age information volunteered by parents during the account setup for a child on the Apple app store. Under the new system, parents will be able to change the age associated with a child’s account, while a new set-up process is also being introduced to make it easier for parents to control their child’s access levels to apps on iPhones and iPads. Apple is also setting additional abilities for app developers to restrict kids from downloading apps from Apple’s App Store based on their age. 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 Apple investment in Europe a thing of the past? How do the AirPods Pro 2 work as clinical grade hearing aids? And is the affordable new iPhone 16e worth getting? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian talks to Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker IT security firm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Ireland’s tech juggernaut grinding to a halt? Are we alienating ourselves from Europe with corporate tax? And how do we approach the Trump administration? Richard Curran,?columnist with the Sunday Independent and presenter of The Business on RTÉ Radio 1, joins Donal O’Donovan on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. With the EU and the US increasingly butting heads on the issue of tech regulation, Ireland may soon find itself in problematic territory between the EU and the Trump administration. Richard Curran, began by setting the scene of what makes up the Irish tech scene. He described it as “huge” with quite a large number of the tech workforce being employed by multinationals. Depending on how you measure it, there are between 110,000 and 120,000 people employed in Ireland within the industry. 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 can we expect from the new iPhone SE? Is it worth getting the Samsung S25 Ultra? And why are the new AI features on phones so underwhelming? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian has spent the last month trying out the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. According to the tech editor the device keeps its perch atop all Android flagship phones, but he argues that the new AI features may not keep it there for much longer. The phone comes with great cameras and display, S Pen and good battery life and is priced at €1,469 with 256GB or €1,849 for 1TB. 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.

Are ultra-cheap online buys from Temu and Shein about to be a thing of the past? Who will benefit? And what is Comreg doing about scam texts? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Both the EU and the US moved to cutdown the free flow of low-cost online purchases from China to the West. On the EU side, customs checks, and increased costs will be imposed on ultra-cheap packages from China. The US has gone further with Trump’s new tariff programme prompting the US postal service to announce that it would temporarily no longer accept any parcels from China, however, it resumed accepting them on Wednesday. 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 is life like for an Irish tech co-founder in the US? Is America a more dynamic space for technology? And what are the downsides to living in a Trump nation? Markham Nolan, co-founder of the AI startup Noan, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The co-founder lived in the US for a decade, seven years in Manhattan and then 3 years in a suburb of the city called Larchmont. Nolan argues that America is a place of dynamism for tech companies but there are also downsides. He eventually left the states to return to Dublin with his family. Markham cited a higher quality of life, active shooter drills in his children’s school and access to healthcare as main reasons for returning home. 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.