The PC Pro Podcast

The team discusses Microsoft’s new plan to design its own CPUs, the UK’s attempts to regulate the fast-growing AI market and how Bluesky Social is challenging Mastodon to become the next Twitter. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Insta360 X3, an action camera with all-round vision and built-in image stabilisation.

The team discusses the blocking of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision, accusations of shady spyware features in the Edge browser, and a new UK law that would clamp down on fake reviews and free trials that silently turn into paid subscriptions. Our Hot Hardware candidate is three bottles of beer costing £79 – courtesy of Elon Musk.

The team discusses the backlash against the UK government’s anti-encryption plans, Reddit’s plans to charge for API access and the death of the computer magazine – in the US, at least. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Panasonic ToughBook 40, a laptop you can take into the jungle with you.

The team discusses the future of 5G in the UK, the BBC’s illuminating interview with Twitter CEO Elon Musk and a new VPN that’s helping Russians evade censorship. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the NUC 13 Pro, Intel’s latest and greatest small-box PC.

eng||This week, Western Digital’s security incident goes under the microscope and the team talk about the investigation into Amazon and Microsoft’s place in the market. We briefly discuss the latest happens at Twitter and ponder what happened to Virginmedia’s service this week. Our Hot Software candidate is Midjourney 5 (take a look: https://www.midjourney.com)

This week the team discuss the upcoming changes to Microsoft Teams with a genuine Microsoft MVP as well as what happened when TikTok appeared before US Congress. We catch up with the latest attempts to regulate AI and mark the passing of technology legend, Gordon Moore. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Acer SpatialLabs View Pro monitor (take a look: https://www.acer.com/gb-en/monitors/spatiallabs/acer-spatiallabs-view-pro)View the US Congress Vs. TikTok session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E-4jtTFsO4

The team catches up with the latest developments in AI, asks whether we’d trust a web browser made by Amazon, and warns that screenshots might reveal details you thought you’d cropped away. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Lego Technic Cat® D11 Bulldozer 42131, an assemble-it-yourself app-controlled scale model of a construction icon.Check out the Lego bulldozer here: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/app-controlled-cat-d11-bulldozer-42131Try Microsoft Loop here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-loop

The team discusses the brand-new GPT-4 AI platform, WhatsApp’s threats to quit the UK, the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and the risk of critical communications being cut off in the event of a power cut. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Poly Studio, a portable all-in-one teleconferencing system.

The team asks whether recent launches and projects are making Microsoft exciting again, bewails the state of the British semiconductor industry and explores the idea of putting datacentres on the moon. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Philips 27B1U7903, which turns out to be a 4K monitor with mini-LED backlighting.

The team discusses the latest products unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, rumours of what could be in Windows 12, and how Amazon is penalising authors whose works pop up on pirate sites. Our Hot Hardware candidate is more of a hot service this week, as Barry sings the praises of the Nvidia GeForce Now Ultimate game-streaming platform.

The team discusses new paid-for verification programmes at Instagram and Facebook; the latest fallout in the AI revolution; and the rise of domestic robots. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Yubikey 5Ci, a security key that provides effortless two-factor authentication.

The team discusses what’s new with AI conversations and creations, ponders yet more layoffs in the tech sector, and asks whether Windows is sharing too much information. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, a very pricey gaming laptop with a mini-LED display.And here's that brutally frank video from the Thunderbird team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoLb6aHakno

The team discusses Microsoft and Google’s race to offer AI-powered web searching, the latest craziness at Twitter and a big change coming in Android 14. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro Portable Power Station, a solar-powered 1.5kWh battery pack for all your clean energy needs.

The team discusses the key product launches at Samsung’s Unboxed event, some shocking financial results from Intel, a big week for ChatGPT and dampened expectations for Sony’s upcoming virtual reality headset. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Sony Cinema Line FX30, a professional-grade film-making camera in a compact body.

The team discusses a big week for AI, outages at Microsoft and Apple’s latest move to break away from Google. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Intel NUC 11 Essential, a £150 mini-PC designed for always-on duties.

The team discusses big job cuts at Microsoft, new computers and processors from Apple, Nick Cave’s verdict on AI-generated lyrics and the latest arguments over the UK’s Online Safety Bill. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the NOCO GB40, a kiloamp Li-Ion battery pack for jump-starting your car.

The team discusses the best of CES, new requirements for gigabit internet in UK homes and the possibility of a new digital currency to operate alongside the pound. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Aranet4, a smart carbon dioxide detector.

Barry Collins and Jon Honeyball report from CES in Las Vegas, discussing the latest news from the world's largest technology show and delivering their verdicts on announcements and demos from Nvidia, Samsung and others.

It’s time once more for our annual festive quiz: Darien Graham-Smith takes the chair and subjects podcast regulars Barry Collins, Tim Danton, Lee Grant and Jon Honeyball to a thorough grilling on technology old and new.

The team discusses the prospect of rival app stores on the iPhone, a social media misstep for the Raspberry Pi team and a new AI chatbot that could help you renegotiate your bills. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Mercusys Halo H80X, a fast but very affordable wireless mesh.

The team discusses a major ransomware attack at cloud services provider Rackspace, the future of Moore’s Law and the new AI bot that’s been flooding your social media timelines. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Microsoft Surface Studio 2+, the company’s latest large-scale fold-down all-in-one PC.

The team discusses the latest tweak to the UK’s Online Safety Bill, warnings over unscrupulous computer repair shops and Epson’s exit from the laser printer market. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Elgato Stream Deck+, a customisable controller for any application, game or workflow.

In a somewhat gloom-themed podcast, the team asks whether technology is ruining football, considers whether Alexa is on her last legs and holds a candlelight vigil for Twitter. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Acer Chromebook Vero 514, an environmentally conscious Chromebook with a capable Core i5 processor.

The team of Barry, Jon, Lee and Tim tackle this week’s big tech topics: what on Earth happened at FTX and what does it mean for crypto currencies? Was the UK government’s Discord server such a great idea? Why are lithium-ion fires on the rise? Is Elon Musk right to ask only the hardcore to stay working at Twitter? Plus, Jon praises the virtues of the Microsoft Windows on Arm dev kit - but is it hot?

It’s a packed episode, with a special NIBs section dedicated to Twitter, some facial theft, the story of bricked Samsung watches and the release of a rival to Adobe Creative Suite. And Jon attempts to persuade us that a £400 Wi-Fi access point is a worthy Hot Hardware candidate. Does he succeed? You’ll have to listen to find out.

The team discusses Twitter’s first week under the stewardship of Elon Musk, a controversial licensing change in Adobe’s creative apps and the possible future of the web browser. Editor Tim discusses design and repairability with Brian Leonard, Lenovo’s vice president of design, and our Hot Hardware candidate is the Pixel 7 Pro, arguably Google’s best phone ever.

The team discusses the UK’s plans to recognise and regulate cryptocurrencies, Microsoft’s new ARM-powered mini-PC and a big drop in Meta’s share price as it continues to throw money at the “metaverse”. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Pinecil V2 soldering iron.For details of Jon Honeyball’s upcoming talk at the Centre for Computing History, see http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/69477/TechTalk-Jon-Honeyball-The-Internet-and-how-we-got-it-all-so-wrong-Thursday-9th-February-2023/

The team discusses the latest feature update to Windows 11, a new release of Firefox that includes a PDF editor, and yet another confusing update to the USB standard. As happens from time to time, our Hot Hardware candidate is actually a piece of software, namely Adobe Lightroom 2023.

The team catches up with the long-running saga of Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase, discusses the closure of Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service and ponders an enforced switch to USB Type-C for future iPhones. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple’s biggest and most expensive wearable yet.

The team discusses a splurge of new hardware from Amazon, search updates from Google and Adobe’s pricey acquisition of design rival Figma. And, as DALL-E 2, the AI-based image-generation tool, opens its doors to all comers, we consider it for the coveted title of Hot Software of the Week.Read more about Google’s new search features: https://blog.google/products/search/search-on-2022/Check out Barry’s first creations with DALL-E 2: https://bigtechquestion.com/2022/09/29/online/dalle-2/

The team discusses what’s new in the Windows 11 22H2 update, asks whether Ethereum’s big move away from mining has genuinely saved energy, and ponders the implications of a major security breach at Uber. By popular demand, our Hot Hardware candidate is the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 G1, the first laptop we’ve seen with an AMD Ryzen Pro 6000-series CPU.

The team discusses an eco-friendly revolution in cryptocurrency, Google’s abandonment of the next Pixelbook, new challengers for Microsoft Office and a warning that a future AI could eliminate humanity. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Asus Zenbook 17 OLED Fold, a 17in folding laptop with, you guessed it, an OLED screen.

The team discusses Apple’s latest iPhone and Watch upgrades, some long overdue updates to Twitter and reports of problems with the integrated computer platform that underpins the UK’s legal system. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Samsung G950 Odyssey Neo G9 monitor – an ultrawide 49in screen that’s ideal for really big Excel spreadsheets, and perhaps the odd game as well.

The team discusses a decidedly old-school cyber-attack that involves sending infected USB flash drives through the post; a move to end passwords for good; and a controversy over “phantom” traffic police who exist only in navigation apps. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Sony Xperia 1 IV, a shiny smartphone with a high-end camera and a 4K OLED screen.

The team discusses new ransomware attacks on critical UK services, what’s new in Android 13 and a restaurant that’s run completely by robots. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logi Dock, an all-in-one desktop dock that handles both peripherals and communications.

The team discusses the latest phones and watches from Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, Amazon’s acquisition of Roomba manufacturer iRobot and Epson’s self-destructing printers. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Plume HomePass, a mesh Wi-Fi system that comes with an annual subscription.… and if you wish to watch the all-star Excel championship as described by Lee Grant, you can find the video at https://www.fmworldcup.com/product/all-star-bundle/

The team discusses hard times for Intel, a new edition of ChromeOS for personal devices and updates to both Apple and Google’s mobile app stores. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the new Apple MacBook Air, with an updated design and the latest M2 processor.

The team asks whether AIs are plagiarising human artists, welcomes a huge computer-assisted medical breakthrough and mulls the rise of so-called “protestware”. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Acer Predator Orion 3000, a desktop PC that promises gaming power and style at a very reasonable price.

The PC Pro podcast isn't immune to the world around it: we discuss the (temporary?) death of the Online Safety Bill, why the hot weather is causing outages, the "exciting" new features in Microsoft Teams, and our feelings about VR in the workplace. Jon nominates the Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro as Hot Hardware candidate: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/products/atemmini.

The team discusses a dangerous new vulnerability in AMD and Intel CPUs, the first all-British smartphone, and a partnership between Microsoft and Netflix. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Fancii USB desk fan.If you fancy a Fancii fan of your own, you can buy it from: https://pcpro.link/601fan

The team discusses the arrival of digital codes on UK stamps, an ambitious amendment to the Online Safety Bill and a surprise new security feature for Apple devices. We also celebrate our 600th episode with a look back on 15 years of the PC Pro Podcast; our Hot Hardware candidate is the Microsoft Surface Go 2.

The team discusses a sophisticated new malware attack targeting routers, some odd clauses in Amazon's acceptable usage policy and a disappointing discovery about Apple's latest laptop. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech MX Master 3S mouse.

The team discusses the UK’s proposed changes to cookie consent, Twitter’s new long-form “Notes” feature and a milestone for virtual reality as tech giants club together to form the Metaverse Standards Forum. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the LG Gram 16, a large but lightweight laptop that comes with a standalone second screen.

The team asks whether Google’s AI is truly sentient, says goodbye to Internet Explorer and boggles at the potential of machine-generated art. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the RealYou EMF shield, a lightweight cover that blocks radio transmissions from your router because who needs Wi-Fi anyway?Check out The Verge’s feature on the amazing capabilities of the DALL-E 2 image-generation tool: https://pcpro.link/597dall-e2

The team discusses the big announcements from Apple’s WWDC event, new EU regulations that require all consumer gadgets to charge via USB Type-C and a steep price hike for Ring smart doorbells. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the D-Link Eagle Pro AI R15, a fully featured Wi-Fi 6 router costing just £55.

The team discusses Dyson’s new plans for domestic robots, Samsung’s bid to dethrone the Apple M1 processor and the latest announcements from Microsoft’s Build 2022 conference. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Allegro Network Multimeter 500, a small box that can reveal the darkest secrets of a corporate network.

The team discusses rumours of new Apple devices, and a controversial change in policy for app subscriptions. We also ask whether playing video games could be good for young brains, and welcome Mastercard’s new fully biometric payment system. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Huawei MateStation X, an all-in-one PC with a huge, high-quality touchscreen.

The team discusses the latest announcements from Google’s I/O event, warns about a serious new vulnerability affecting Apple processors, and ponders a new NFT that supposedly can’t ever lose its value. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Microsoft Surface Adaptive Kit, a set of stick-on accessories designed to make your laptop more accessible.Order your own Surface Adaptive Kit here: https://pcpro.link/593sak

The team discusses Sonos’ plans to launch its own voice assistant, the latest USB updates and new NFTs vying for attention in a shrinking market. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech Lift, a novel mouse with an ergonomic upright design.Watch David Lynch’s seminal “Third Place” PlayStation 2 advert: https://youtu.be/Laf9vpJMDjA

The team discusses Elon Musk’s costly and controversial acquisition of Twitter, a new era for iPhone repairs and a mass exodus of Netflix customers. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Las Vegas Convention Centre Loop, a new tunnel opened by Elon Musk's Boring Company.