The Big Tech Show

Could Mark Zuckerberg’s makeover of Meta cost Irish jobs? Will Trump go to war against Dublin based EU privacy fines? Will users see an uptick in hate speech? Thomas Hughes, chief executive of Appeals Centre Europe, joins Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week. The Appeals Centre Europe is a Dublin-based agency with a staff of 25. It was recently given regulatory imprimatur by Ireland’s media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, as a qualified body to accept and adjudicate on user complaints from across the EU against the three biggest social media platforms; Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. While the decisions made by Appeals Centre Europe are not binding, they are officially logged and are persuasive to regulators who can then take a more binding action such as imposing fines. 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 DeepSeek AI? How did it wipe over a trillion dollars off the US NASDAQ Index? And why are experts urging users to be cautious? Founder and CEO of Galvia AI, John Clancy, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss. DeepSeek AI is a free AI-powered chatbot founded in 2023 by Chinese hedge fund manager Liang Wenfeng. The product uses a reasoning model, which means it shows the user how it arrives at an answer. The technology uses less memory than its rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT which reduces the cost to perform tasks. 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 it worth getting a generator for stormy weather? What kind of generator should you get? And do you need an electrician to install one? ?Peter Finn, also known as Pete the Builder on Instagram, and star of the Home Rescue TV show joined Adrian on the show to discuss. In the wake of storm Éowyn last week, hundreds of thousands of homes in Ireland were left without electricity and many still have no power. Peter Finn advised people to get a generator installed by an electrician. The builder also made the point that the Irish government should look at putting cabling underground to avoid mass 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.

What does a Trump presidency mean for technology? Will there be a regulatory war between the EU and US? And what was behind Elon Musk’s bizarre hand gesture? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Ireland a natural place for artificial intelligence? Are we overregulating when it comes to data centres? And what can we expect from AI in 2025? ?Mark Kelly, founder of AI Ireland and chief customer officer of Alldus, joins Adrian to discuss. The founder began by saying that agentic artificial intelligence will become more common over the coming year. Agentic AI is the technology that powers AI agents so they can act autonomously without human oversight. By serving as a comprehensive platform, agentic AI facilitates seamless interaction between AI agents and humans, fostering a collaborative environment where both can work together. Mark pointed out that an AI agent will be able to book a flight for a person, pick them a seat and even purchase books for them on Amazon. 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 a TikTok ban mean for us? Who will or won’t be able access it? And what are the implications for the Irish workforce? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

January means dark days, cold weather and isolation. A new opportunity, a change of life, and that means it’s one of the most vulnerable times for those at risk from romance scammers. How do you spot a romance scam? Who are they targeting? And if it happens to you, how do you report it? Detective superintendent, Michael Cryan from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, joins Adrian on The Big Tech Show to discuss. ?The detective superintendent described romance fraud as a scam that takes place mainly online. He says, the victim will match unknowingly with the scammer and then that person will exploit the person through manipulation and exploitation over a period of time. 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 you thinking of buying an electric car in 2025? Why did EV sales drop by almost 24% last year? And from cold weather to charging points, what should you consider before purchasing? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by quoting The Society of the Irish Motor Industry’s figures that showed that in 2024 there were 121,195 new car registrations and only 17,459 of them were electric cars. There was a decrease of 23.6% from the 22,852 registrations seen in 2023. The tech editor made the point, that consumer confidence in electric vehicles has collapsed here in Ireland as well as in some other European 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.

What are the big tech trends for 2025? What will happen with crypto, Amazon.ie and the Trump-Musk relationship? Maybe we will see the world’s first company worth four trillion dollars but will hear about via Threads or X? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As 2024 comes to a close, what were the best phones, laptops, tablets and headphones? Of the many to cross Adrian’s desk, here are the ones that stood out and are still worth getting. JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Luigi Mangione being lauded as a hero online? What does this response say about online culture? And what does this say about the status of healthcare in the US? Reporter for WIRED magazine, David Gilbert, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show todaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is social media now ungovernable? Have we created an online world of manipulation, misinformation, controlled by a handful of billionaires? And if so, what can we do about it? Privacy expert, one of the inventors of social networking and author of Restoring Our Sanity Online, Mark Weinstein, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Bitcoin continue to soar? Is Apple’s Vision Pro a flop? And should we take meme coins seriously? 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.

In a rush to get presents? What tech should you gift this Christmas? And what are Adrian’s top affordable picks? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have a thick phone wallet? Do you use a novelty ringtone or set notifications to ping constantly? Is the crying laughing emoji one of your go-to texting characters? Well, you may not think of yourself this way, but you're middle aged. In this revisited episode of The Big Tech Show from July of this year, Adrian speaks to producer, JJ Clarke. Adrian kicked off the conversation by talking about the older generations' annoying habit of leaving their ringtone on in public places. There was some daylight here between Adrian’s and JJ’s view on this, with the latter stating that he believed it was the time it took to stop the ringing was the issue. Overuse of certain emojis is a hallmark of people who have aged out of the zeitgeist. Adrian spoke about the overuse of the crying laughing emoji. He said it was used like punctuation by this type of phone user and that every message from one of these senders will include 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.

Are people easy to hack? Are we vulnerable to manipulation? And could this skill be used to gain entry to a property? In this revisited episode of The Big Tech Show from March of this year, Adrian speaks to the people hacker, Jenny Radcliffe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are Crypto and Bitcoin on a bull run at the moment? Was it set off by a Trump victory? And how long will it continue? Lory Kehoe, Chief commercial officer and head of international at M2 joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Bluesky getting a million new followers a day? How big is it in Ireland? And how do you find people once you join? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Bluesky is a social media platform that was founded as part of Twitter in 2019. In 2021, Jay Graber became CEO of the platform, with Dorsey leaving the platform's board in May. The site was initially invitation-only but was then opened to the public. Adrian began by addressing the narrative that people are leaving X and joining Bluesky on account of political ideology. However, he said the main reason users are signing up to the platform is because it is the first alternative to X where users can go and get the news. 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’s new MacBook Pro M4 worth getting? Is it better than an updated MacBook Air? And what type of work requires one? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. For the last week Adrian has been testing out the 16-inch space-black, nano-texture version of the new MacBook Pro M4. He gives his verdict on the laptop which starts at a fairly lofty €2,999. Whereas the entry-level 14-inch M4 model (€1,949) has a few immediate upgrades worth noting, including double the RAM (16GB), a better chip (M4) and its €100 less than the M3 model. 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 did the FBI set up their own encrypted phone company? How did it result in the biggest drug trafficking sting in history? And is law enforcement finally catching up with criminals online? Author of Dark Wire and co-founder of 404 Media, Joseph Cox, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. In 2018 the Federal Bureau of Investigation set up ANOM, a supposedly secure smartphone-based proprietary messaging app. It was a sting operation that intercepted millions of messages sent through the service. The ANOM service was widely used by criminals, but instead of providing secure and encrypted communication, it was in fact a trojan horse distributed covertly by the FBI between 2018 and 2021. 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 effect will President Trump’s win have on Ireland? Is it the end of Ireland’s US multinational corporation tax bonanza? And will Elon Musk be given free rein to promote his interests? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you make an impression as a startup founder? Does walking into a big company and asking to see the CEO work? And how do you get past gatekeepers? Oran O’Flynn, CEO and co-founder of Talio, an AI-powered market research co-pilot platform joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the hardest part of founding a tech startup? How do you choose a business partner? And what do you give up in the pursuit of success? Adrian was joined this week on The Big Tech Show by Nocomed founders, Rosemary Durkan and Donal Adams to discuss their startup journey. Nocomed is the first sustainability platform for life science companies. The business allows companies to measure and reduce their carbon emission. Adrian asked the co-founders about how they chose each other, and it turns out that Rosemary and Donal sat together on the first day. The tech editor quizzed them about what they had to give up, Rosemary spoke about less money while Donal mentioned the time demands to get the enterprise on its feet. 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 can tech allow blind people not just hear but feel the action as a fan? How does Field of Vision’s haptic device work? And how was the Irish startup created? Co-founder of Field of Vision, David Deneher, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. David describes the device as a tablet which has a small magnetic finger piece that moves based on where the ball is on the pitch. There are tactile pitch lines which the blind or visually impaired person can feel which allows the fan to feel exactly where the ball is on the pitch at any given moment. 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 with electric cars? Has Ireland made a complete bags of it? Or is it just a blip in a general upward trend? And what are the top EV models to look at right now? This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by Derek Reilly, partnership director with Nevo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How big is the rift emerging between the US and EU over AI? Why are tech giants going big on nuclear AI data centres? And are we witnessing the end of the non-robotic taxi? To discuss, Adrian was joined by head of growth at Humanloop and founder of Taxbot.ie, Conor Kelly, on the Big Tech Show. Conor began by talking about his recent move to San Francisco and the attitude there to Europe. He said that all the innovation in the artificial intelligence space is coming out of Silicon Valley with all big tech companies releasing new AI models there. The Dublin native noted that Europe is so far behind the US that the newer models can’t even be brought to Europe anymore. 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 the answer to Ireland’s data center energy problem nuclear power? Why are Google and Microsoft investing in it? And why are 15 data centres across the country paused? Adrian was joined by Senior Lecturer in Clean Energy at University College Cork, Dr. Paul Deane, to discuss the issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the war on dodgy boxes a failure? Was Tesla’s robotaxi launch more Flinstones than Jetsons? And why is the Irish social media regulator warning of “enshittification”? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian to discuss this week’s technology news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Google about to be broken up? Will Tesla’s Robotaxi be a hit? And what are the bargains and swizzes in this years’ Amazon’s Prime Day sale? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The inside story of how Elon Musk bought Twitter, and its mismanaged ever since, is a fascinating one. This week, Adrian is joined by the New York Times journalists, Ryan Mac and Kate Conger, who wrote a blow-by-blow account of how it all happened, with insider access to people involved in the deal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a tech founder? When is the right time to pivot? and how do they perfect their elevator pitch? Co-founder and head of technology at Kreoh, an AI engine, Fareed Idris, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the scale of disinformation in the runup to the US election? Who is behind it? And has it got its claws into Europe? Reporter for WIRED magazine, David Gilbert, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is YouTube Premium worth sticking with despite the price hike? What does Ireland get out of the Amazon.ie launch? And why is Meta’s Nick Clegg calling Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner a mailbox? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Max Fosh amass a YouTube following of over four million? Is sneaking into London Fashion week easy? And how close did he come to being Mayor of London? YouTuber, Max Fosh joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week to discuss his new European tour Loophole. During the interview, Adrian asked Max about his knowledge of the YouTube algorithim and what does well on the platform. Fosh explained that negative emotions play better than positive ones on YouTube. He said, titles like the ‘worst restaurant’ or ‘worst experience’ tend to trend higher than positive title descriptions. 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 does the life of a tech reviewer involve? Do you get to keep any of it? And are the AirPods 4 worth a purchase? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian to discuss the life of a tech reviewer on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is artificial intelligence all it’s cracked up to be for business? Does it move the needle when it comes to enterprise? And is the belief that AI isn’t ready for commercial application accurate? There's a growing trend to say that AI isn't yet ready for enterprise business because it makes too many mistakes, or it can't turn jumbled silos of information into something reliably simple for business executives to use. Cofounders of NOAN, Neal Mann and Markham Nolan joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did Apple do enough to impress people at its iPhone 16 event? Will people buy one for the Apple intelligence features alone? And will the standoff between Apple and the EU stop people upgrading? Adrian is currently in Cupertino at Apple Park, California, where Apple just showcased their latest product upgrades. There were three main areas of focus; iPhones, Air Pods and watches. Freelance tech journalist, Britta O’Boyle, CCS Insight analysts, Ben Wood and Leo Gebbie, joined Adrian to discuss the new products. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Sky Mobile’s new budget plan worth ditching your current service for? What are the tech essentials for college? And should you splurge or save on your first laptop? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on The Big Tech Show this week to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can anything be done about dynamic pricing for concert tickets? Or age restrictions for teenagers online? And is the arrest of Telegram’s Pavel Durov a warning shot for Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the best camera to get? Is it still worth getting one in an era where many feel they’re dead? If so, what are the advantages and disadvantages? This week, Adrian is joined by John Bilbao, a staff writer with Petapixel and a professional photographer and cinematographer in his own right. Head to www.mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey to be in with the chance of winning a €500 OneforAll voucher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Rent the Runway become a NASDAQ listed company? What does its CEO think of diversity becoming a focal point in the US election? And why was Galway chosen as one of its bases? The CEO and co-founder of Rent the Runway, Jennifer Hyman joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Head to www.mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey to be in with the chance of winning a €500 OneforAll voucher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where would you be without your smartwatch? What’s the best way to listen to music in your kitchen? Who’s going to vacuum the living room when you learn a surprise guest is on the way? In this episode, Adrian talks through his choices with producer Dee Reddy and shares a few more for good measure. From robot vacuums, to low technology coffee making – some of the best technology are in the items we use every day. Head to www.mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey to be in with the chance of winning a €500 OneforAll voucher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are Google’s latest Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL phones worth getting? Adrian Weckler goes through all of the pros and cons, including some of the dystopian new AI features baked in. On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by producer Dee Reddy to discuss. Head to www.mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey to be in with the chance of winning a €500 OneforAll voucher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What might Apple’s new robotic iPad do? Will we see long lasting EV batteries? And are AI glasses finally about to become a real thing? Adrian looks at the tech that might inspire or give us hope over the coming months and years. Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on today’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss. Head to www.mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey to be in with the chance of winning a €500 OneforAll voucher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the next big thing in tech? Is it AI? Is it Apple’s Vision Pro? Or might 2024 be the most boring year for tech ever? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss what might be tech’s blandest year. How would you like to win a €500 OneforAll voucher? Head to mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey. You can also find the survey link in the show notes. Don't miss out on your chance to win!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before we go, how would you like to win a €500 OneforAll voucher? Head to mypodcastfeedback.com, pop in code TECH and fill out the short survey. You can also find the survey link in the show notes. Don't miss out on your chance to win!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to build a startup? What do you have to give up or sacrifice? How many extra hours do you have to work? What about the loss of things like holidays, sick pay? And what's the pressure like from loved ones who might want a stable and predictable present and future? Adrian is joined on The Big Tech Show this week by co-founders of AI accessibility platform, DevA11y, Cormac Chisholm and Patrick Guiney-Fox. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is now the time to buy a Mac in the wake of the Crowdstrike blue screen of death? Is a Mac better than a Windows PC? And what are the pros and cons of each? Editor at large with TechRadar, Lance Ulanoff, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. During last month's global IT outage, one cohort of computer owners didn’t bat an eyelid and that was Apple Mac computer owners. They were unaffected by this meltdown. Prompted by this Adrian and Lance debate the good and the bad of Apple and Windows. The TechRadar writer recently swapped Windows for Mac but pointed out that Windows has always been a platform for productivity. He questioned why it is called Windows because you reach in and do stuff. When Ulanoff began working on a Mac a year ago, he said the tech never stops working, there is no blue screen of death equivalent. Additionally, the New York based journalist pointed out that what you get with the Mac is incredible efficiency and battery life. Adrian pushed back saying that the one area where Windows is clearly in pole position is with gaming. He explained that any gamer he has ever talked to uses Windows because of its customisability. 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.

Do you feel like a mug for paying your TV licence? Are you going to end up covering those that don’t? And what’s going on at the National Cyber Security centre? This week the Irish Independent published internal documents from the National Cyber Security Centre that showed serious problems within the security body. These included management issues but more specifically a hiring crisis that is starting to affect this institution that is supposed to protect this country from cyber attacks. Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are killer robots a realistic threat? We hear reports of things like drones using AI in war zones, but how advanced is the technology generally now? and what sort of guardrails are in place? Adrian is joined on The Big Tech Show this week by software engineer and lethal autonomous weapons expert, Laura Nolan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.