The Big Tech Show

Are politicians being harassed out of office on social media? As a wave of Irish TDs leave office, partially citing invective and coarseness online, how is our new TikTok Taoiseach doing? Joining Adrian to discuss this is the Fine Gael TD for Galway East, Ciaran Cannon, who recently announced that he would not run again for the Dail, partially because of how ugly things were getting online Adrian is also joined by Damien Mulley, director of Mulley Communications, who has conducted extensive research into how politicians fare online and who is doing best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is Disney+ clamping down on password sharing? What is Apple’s new robot project? And why does Elon Musk think AI will exceed human intelligence next year? This week on The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses the tech stories hitting the news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you overpaying for mobile, broadband or TV? Is it a bother to switch? And will your service suffer in quality if you change provider? On The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses how you can save on mobile, broadband and TV amid price hikes this month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What led Emmet O’Neill to the role of CEO of StoryToys? Was it a straight line to the top? And how did he deal with the failures along the way? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by CEO of StoryToys to discuss the often-perilous journey of an entrepreneur. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the best foldable phone on the market? How much do they cost? And why is the Honor Magic V2 first in class? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses the best flip and foldable smartphones available this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Mike Feerick build a business with 40 million users? How did he convince Chuck Feeney to mentor him? And how is he helping Irish diaspora connect with their roots back home? CEO of global e-learning platform Alison.com, Mike Feerick, joined Adrian to discuss his highs and lows in a life in business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are EV sales dropping? Will the price discounts help them bounce back? And what does it have to do with the charging network? Derek Reilly, founder of Nevo and the EV Ireland YouTube Channel joins Adrian to discuss the latest on electric cars, including why sales are plummeting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Is the Apple MacBook Air worth getting? What are the new features? And how does it compare to the previous model? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian looks at Apple’s newest multi-purpose laptop.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ThreatLocker IT is one of the most significant players in cybersecurity in the world, but from the start it wasn’t smooth sailing. What is the company’s Irish connection? How did it persevere through failure? And why did its CEO focus on small businesses rather than the big firms? Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin has hit a record high again. Is it back to high growth? Will it hit $100,000 in value? And what on earth is leading to this spike? To discuss, Adrian is joined on today’s episode by adjunct assistant professor in technology trends at Trinity College Dublin and head of stablecoin at MSX Limited, Lory Kehoe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is drone delivery coming to greater Dublin? What are Manna’s plans for the US? And will the company IPO? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by CEO of Manna Drone Delivery, Bobby Healy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is people hacking? How difficult is it to con your way into a building? And what is a burglar for hire? On this episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by Jenny Radcliffe, author of ‘People Hacker: Confessions of a burglar for hire.’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What fitness smartwatch wearable should you get? Are you better off getting a specialist watch? Or might one of the latest fitness trackers or rings be a good option? Joining Adrian on The Big Tech show is fitness and wearables editor at TechRadar, Matt Evans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you grow a small company? Is it worth doing an MBA at some point? And is Ireland making a mistake by concentrating so heavily on foreign tech? Executive director of the Owner’s Scale up project at IE Business School in Madrid, professor Joe Haslam joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will the current clampdown on dodgy boxes curb use? Should the dodgy box owners be worried? And is their use funding criminality? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses the potential impacts of this crackdown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How should we feel about garda body cams and facial recognition technology? Are we barreling towards a police state? And do we really want to be under surveillance all the time? Practising barrister, Senator Barry Ward joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does OpenAI’s new text-to-video system Sora work? Where does it get its content from? And how will we protect ourselves from a whole new level of disinformation? On The Big Tech Show today, Adrian discusses the new technology and how lifelike its creations appear. More episodes of The Big Tect Show available hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you know disinformation if you saw or heard it? And might you be seeing it now in the U. S. on topics such as immigration around the Texas border? If you are seeing this, might any of it be influenced by actors such as Putin's Russia? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian talks to David Gilbert, a reporter for Wired.com who specialises in investigating disinformation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gone are the days of a €10 streaming subscription with most platforms warning of increased fees and less to watch. Which service will you cut? How much are they going up by? And will live sport become the next big thing for streaming giants? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses streaming services upping their prices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After ten years, as Data Protection Commissioner what are Helen Dixon’s highs and lows? Why is she moving on? And are fines effective in bringing big tech in line? Adrian speaks to Helen Dixon on this week’s episode in her last media appearance as Data Protection Commissioner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink company has implanted its first brain chip into a human but what is Neuralink? How does it work? And when will it be widely available? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses Neuralink with technology editor of the London Independent, Andrew Griffin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Mr Beast? How did he become the most followed person on YouTube? And why has he started putting videos up on X? In this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by reporter with the Irish Independent, Darragh Nolan, to look at the life and times of James Stephen Donaldson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samsung’s top phone sees improvements in cameras, power, screen quality and design. But it is the new AI features that make it really interesting and also where it sometimes struggles. On the Big Tech Show this week, Adrian introduces us to the Samsung Galaxy’s new flagship phone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you still use Facebook? Or is your elderly uncle the only person still on it? As Facebook turns twenty, what will its legacy be? One of disrupted elections, scandals, or of bringing people together? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian debates whether Facebook has had a positive or negative impact since its inception twenty years ago.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why have early reviews criticised the Apple Vision Pro? Could this be Apple’s first failure? And are tech enthusiasts yet to be convinced? The Apple headset has gone on presale in the US, but the reviews haven’t been great. On the Big Tech Show this week Adrian looks at the reasons behind this lukewarm reception. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you through with cinemas? Do you go as much as you used to? Are we witnessing the death of cinema? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian was joined by culture journalist and cinephile, Jen Gannon, to discuss if going to the pictures is becoming a thing of the past. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are deep fakes currently capable of? Are they accessible? And will this impact elections in the future? Adrian looks at what deep fakes can and can’t do with co-founder of Webio Paul Sweeney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vodafone has entered the Irish TV market with a bang by undercutting the competition on price. But in a confusing environment of offers, promotions and pricing, what is the best deal? How often should you switch? And what streaming services are baked into the cost? Adrian dives into whats on offer in the tv market and how much it will cost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the real challenges with getting an electric car? What are the hidden benefits? In this episode, Adrian Weckler goes through the basic issues, without any sugar coating, that using an electric car brings. He explains that even for those who love their electric cars, range anxiety sometimes remains an issue. He also highlights sub-par public infrastructure. On the other hand, he points to the superior handling of electric cars and argues that more people should switch from petrol and diesel for environmental reasons. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How important do you regard your civil rights online when it comes to big tech platforms like Google and Meta? Are you concerned about how they use and sell your data? And could it even stray into the realm of national security? Adrian was joined on The Big Tech Show by senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), Dr Johnny Ryan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could AI girlfriends become an advanced market in 2024? Will Apple’s Vision Pro, to be launched imminently, sell out? What will happen with crypto, electric cars and AI? Will Elon Musk pull X from the EU? Is there any hope in the fight against text scammers? In this episode, Adrian Weckler and Tabitha Monahan interrogate Adrian’s predictions of what is likely to happen in the coming months.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What were the best tech gadgets of the year? What was the best laptop, tablet and phone? What were the best headphones and buds? Having reviewed most of the big releases, Adrian Weckler picks the best of 2023 on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What role did Meta have in fueling the Myanmar military’s violence against the Rohingya people? Were its algorithms central to the campaign of hatred waged against this ethnic group? And what reparations should Meta pay for its contribution to the atrocities? On this week's episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian hosted an Amnesty International panel discussion on Meta’s role in amplifying anti-Rohingya content on Facebook in Myanmar. He was joined by member of the Rohingya community, Maung Sawyeddollah, head of big tech accountability at Amnesty International, Pat de Brún, and senior policy officer at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Olga Cronin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you buying an electric car? And are you concerned about the collapsing value of EVs? On The Big Tech Show today, Adrian sits down with the general manager of Nevo.ie, Derek Reilly, to discuss the price drops. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have Musk’s birds finally come home to roost? Will the EU’s legal action bring the billionaire to heel? And what are the potential outcomes from this investigation? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian chats to producer, JJ Clarke, about the three possible consequences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why has crypto roared back to almost €40,000? Are we seeing the return of a bull market? Can anything damage the appeal of Bitcoin? And what comes next? This week, Adrian talks to Lory Kehoe, adjunct assistant professor in technology trends at Trinity College Dublin and head of stablecoin at MSX Limited, about the spike in value.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuck for a gift idea? Adrian’s top picks for the best and newest tech this festive season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Slush tech conference in Finland? Does it stack up to Web Summit? And why did so many Irish choose to travel to it? Adrian chats to producer, JJ Clarke, about the highs and lows of the event in Finland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a good pair of headphones? how did Ireland’s only audio brand get the name OneSonic? And can it make it in the US? This week, Adrian chats to CEO of OneSonic, David Cawley, to discuss starting a headphones company in the pandemic and the drive for quality audio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we make sure we don’t get caught out by scam calls? What should we tell our loved ones to watch out for? This is a victim’s story of a phone scam, a cyber security expert’s walkthrough of the situation, and how you can defend against these types of frauds. Adrian was joined by victim of a scam call, Gus Fitzpatrick, and managing director of Waystone Compliance Solutions, Conor Flynn, on this week’s episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the Dublin riots, what comes next from a tech point of view? Will this be the catalyst for enacting new hate speech laws? And is garda use of facial recognition technology a shoo-in? On this week’s Big Tech Show, Adrian asks if we are likely to overcorrect following the violence seen in Dublin last Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Oisin Hanrahan betting big on food for his next big venture? The Irish born former CEO of Handy.com which raised $100m before being sold to Angi, has secured $18m in seed funding. The Rathcoole native plans to overhaul the way consumer packaged goods are sourced. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five days on from his dismissal, OpenAI have announced Sam Altman will return as CEO. Why was he reinstated? Who are the winners and losers in this soap opera? Adrian walks through why the company brought the co-founder back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s going on in OpenAI? Why did OpenAI fire Sam Altman? And what moves has the former CEO made since his shock termination last Friday? Adrian was joined by AI expert and founder of Taxbot.ie, Conor Kelly, to shed light on the tumult unfolding in the Silicon Valley company. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the Web Summit like without Paddy Cosgrave? Will it survive? Was it worth going to the event in Portugal this week? Adrian discusses the highs and lows of the convention in Lisbon, where he has been for the past four days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the world of privacy, why are messaging apps like Signal fighting to stop governments creating back doors into its app? How does this affect the user's privacy? And can messages that are not encrypted be turned over to law enforcement? Adrian spoke to Signal’s president, Meredith Whittaker, at the Web Summit in Portugal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the EU’s right to repair proposal? Will it help an age group that don’t know how to change a lightbulb? And will it save the average customer money when fixing their tech? Adrian is joined by technology presenter on Ireland AM, Gadget guy and CEO of back from the future, Colin Baker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has technology made us compulsive trackers? Fitness wearables, electricity monitoring apps, travelling at the most efficient speed in your EV and the list goes on. Have we become obsessed? Can the constant pinging of your fitness watch be good for you? Professor of psychiatry at Trinity College, Brendan Kelly, looks at the unhealthy side of constantly measuring and when to give them up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the news still happen on twitter? Do journalists still hang out there? Can the new name, logo and freedom of speech policy prove successful? Or has disinformation, reinstated banned accounts and trying to be the ‘’everything app’’, led to demise of X? Under Elon Musk's ownership, sweeping changes have meant one thing for the company – controversy. Adrian chats to producer, JJ Clarke, about the year that was at X under Elon’s governance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.