The PC Pro Podcast

The team discusses HP’s plans for a laptop with a foldable screen, looks ahead to Wi-Fi 7 and ponders the success – or otherwise – of Windows 11. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Netgear Nighthawk MR5200 mobile router, a battery-powered 5G hotspot that provides truly wireless internet access.

The team discusses a possible shock takeover at Twitter, the latest rumblings over cryptocurrencies and an AI that could soon be marking kids’ homework. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Huawei MateBook E, an aggressively affordable alternative to the Microsoft Surface Pro.

The team discusses the latest new features coming to Windows 11, Elon Musk’s new role at Twitter, the UK’s plans for cryptocurrency and Google’s latest attempts to protect your privacy. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the HP Omen 45L, a gaming desktop with a built-in cryo-chamber for powerful cooling.Remarks on the future of cryptocurrency in the UK by John Glen, Economic Secretary to the Treasury:https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/keynote-speech-by-john-glen-economic-secretary-to-the-treasury-at-the-innovate-finance-global-summit

The team discusses concerns over kids on social media; the shocking tale of an undisclosed flaw in Wyze security cameras; and a new law that could force iMessage and WhatsApp to work together. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Røde NTH-100, the Australian audio specialist’s first ever headphones.Read Bitdefender’s full report into the Wyze Cam security debacle: pcpro.link/587wyze

The team discusses a subtle change in how Windows 11 behaves on unsupported hardware; questions the security and transparency of the prime minister’s communications; and discovers the truth about the new Apple Mac Studio’s performance. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Surface Laptop Studio, Microsoft’s new take on the convertible laptop.

The team discusses the UK government’s new proposals to keep the internet safe, the unwelcome appearance of advertisements in Windows and the latest tech fallout over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Out Hot Hardware candidate is the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500, the first standalone Wi-Fi 6E router to reach our Labs.

The team discusses the new hardware unveiled at Apple’s “Peek Performance” event, a dramatic hack attack on Nvidia and controversy over a hidden performance-management feature on Samsung phones. Out Hot Hardware candidate is the Vissles V84, a mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable keys.

The team discusses the tech industry’s responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a warning from gaming luminary Sid Meier and the latest announcements from the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Elgato Stream Deck 2, a programmable controller that can streamline almost any task.

The team discusses Intel’s newest range of laptop chips, how sport and sex are moving into the Metaverse and the end of 3G. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Samsung’s newest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra.The BBC’s exposé of the lack of child protections in the Metaverse: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60415317

How do you protect children when they’re using online platforms such as Roblox? Jon, Tim, Lee and Barry tackle this contentious issue, before giving Chrome OS Flex a workout, pouring cold water on a BCS “call” to extend the life of smartphones to ten years, and discussing Starlink’s loss of 40 satellites. Finally, our Hot Hardware candidate - the Amazon Echo Show 15 - gets something of a roasting.

The team discusses the new products unveiled at Samsung’s “Unpacked” event, Microsoft’s belated move to properly block macros in Office and a kerfuffle over Meta’s apparent threat to pull out of Europe. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Netgear Orbi WiFi 6E, a mesh system with support for the new 6GHz networking standard.

The team discusses the controversial case of a man facing prison for a tasteless tweet; the WWF’s planned move into NFTs; and a mysterious new laptop that promises to do away with physical connectors. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Astro Slide 5G, a classic 1990s-style PDA with a modern Android operating system.Check out the unlikely Craob X laptop for yourself: http://craob.com

The team discusses rumours of a new Google AR headset, the latest breakthroughs in quantum computing, an initiative from the UK government to help small businesses shore up their security and some good news – at last – for Intel. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech POP Keys, a keyboard with customisable emoji keys.And if you want to buy the Microsoft Surface Duo for £679 while stocks last, here’s the link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/d/surface-duo-unlocked/8p98gbqkdzl5

The team discusses airline safety fears over 5G telecoms, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision and Intel’s apparent plans to launch a new dedicated Bitcoin-mining chip. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Ubiquiti Switch Pro Aggregation, a huge Layer 3 switch at a remarkable price.

The team discusses a chip shortage affecting Canon’s printer cartridges, the arrival of PCI-E 6 and a new way of identifying cyberattacks from their electromagnetic signatures. Editor Tim Danton delivers his first-hand impressions of CES 2022, and our Hot Hardware candidate is the GeoFlex 340, a low-cost convertible laptop.Featured link: That Microsoft Surface SE repair video – https://youtu.be/fVjjSqfp75g

The team discusses our pick of the new gadgets unveiled at CES 2022, plus Intel’s newest family of chips, the end of BlackBerry messenger phones, a novel way to charge your TV remote control – and the latest developments in smart tractors.

It’s time for our annual festive quiz! Join the team as we put our knowledge of technical matters and current affairs to the test. You can also enter our prize contest to win a free copy of BullGuard Premium Protection (RRP £69.99) or editor-in-chief Tim Danton’s book The Computers That Made Britain. Just visit http://pcpro.link/pod574, answer the question and submit your details before 6pm on Friday, 24 December 2021.

The team discusses a major security threat to online services everywhere, the government’s latest proposals for policing the internet and Microsoft’s novel attempt to coax pirates into paying for Office. In a Hot Hardware special we round up our favourite products of 2021.

The gang discusses Microsoft’s attempts to persuade people to stick with its Edge browser, the latest assaults on your online privacy and the future of quantum computing. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Fairphone 4, a modular and repairable 5G smartphone.Link – IEEE Spectrum interviews quantum computing architect John Martinis: https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-computing-google-sycamore

The team discusses some questionable behaviour from Microsoft, Amazon’s sneaky promotion of its own brands and Qualcomm’s new ARM processor for Windows machines. We also give away a podcasting microphone and amplifier courtesy of box.co.uk. Our Hot Hardware candidate is a £3,500 gaming PC from Scan, powered by Intel’s new 12th-generation Core i9 processor.

The team discusses how different countries are handling the rise of cryptocurrency, Apple's questionable app ratings and rumours that Windows might soon be available on a much wider range of ARM hardware. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Røde Wireless Go II, a compact wireless microphone system.

The team discusses Apple’s huge U-turn on repairability, the gradual winding-down of Windows 10 and IBM’s latest breakthrough in quantum computing. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the 16in Apple MacBook Pro, showcasing the new M1 Max processor.

The team discusses Microsoft’s new Windows 11 SE platform, a graphene-based battery breakthrough and an unexpected climbdown on repairability from Apple. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech MK295 Silent Keyboard, an affordable keyboard that won’t wake the neighbours.

The team discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s plans for the Metaverse, a new addition to Microsoft Office and the backlash against software subscriptions. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Pixel 6 Pro, Google’s newest and best own-brand phone.Links featured in this episode:Washington Post: How Facebook’s “metaverse” became a political strategy in Washington: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/24/facebook-washington-strategy-metaverse/Microsoft Loop Promo Video: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-loop

The team discusses the latest accusations against Facebook, a cyber-attack on UK VoIP providers, new features in the latest Adobe applications and Intel's newest, fastest CPUs. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Apple's AirPods 3.Links:Apple's now-vanished notch documentation: https://web.archive.org/web/20211026105727/https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information_property_list/nsprefersdisplaysafeareacompatibilitymodeBarry Collins' hands-on test of Photoshop's new seasonal adjustment filters: https://medium.com/counterarts/photoshops-stunning-new-filters-let-you-change-seasons-in-seconds-50be60233f85

The team discusses Apple’s new MacBook Pro models – and the chips that power them – along with Google’s latest Pixel phones, and a probe into online music streaming services. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Astropad Luna Display, a tiny USB adaptor that turns your iPad into a secondary display for a Windows or Mac computer.

The team discusses Microsoft’s new right-to-repair commitments, the latest research into mobile app snooping, warnings over new internet regulations and the latest Wi-Fi upgrade. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech MX Keys Mini, a high-end compact keyboard.Links featured in this episode:The Daily Show on Right To Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgK8x5MrShwStudy: “Android Mobile OS Snooping by Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei and Realme Handsets”: https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/Android_privacy_report.pdfStudy: “Are iPhones Really Better for Privacy?” https://arxiv.org/pdf/2109.13722.pdfPC Building Simulator: https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/pc-building-simulator

The team discusses a huge outage of Facebook services, Sky’s new smart TV offerings and revelations from our exclusive chat with Windows manager Aaron Woodman. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Apple’s latest iPhone – is 13 the company’s lucky number?Featured links: WSJ - 'Facebook Files': https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039Zuckerberg Response: https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10113961365418581Intel's Apple video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp0xzapm-zY

As the official launch of Windows 11 draws near, the team takes an in-depth look at the new OS, discussing interface changes, security enhancements, gaming features and more.

The team discusses Microsoft’s latest Surface devices, new features in iOS 15, the push to standardise phone chargers and the passing of British computing innovator Sir Clive Sinclair. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Samsung Z Flip3, a quirky folding smartphone.

The team discusses Apple’s latest phone, watch and tablet releases, while Microsoft goes passwordless and a new academic institution seeks to reboot social media. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Ray-Ban Stories Wayfarer sunglasses, a pair of stylish shades that can capture photos and video footage.

The team discusses adverts in Windows 11, AI-based photo upscaling, El Salvador’s Bitcoin fiasco and question marks over WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. As a Hot Hardware special, we take a trip back to 2016 and revisit the first-generation Amazon Echo.A demo and explanation of the SR3 upscaling system: https://iterative-refinement.github.io/

The team discusses the impending arrival of Windows 11, Apple’s partial climbdown over App Store fees and accusations of deceptive marketing in the SSD world. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, the manufacturer’s first Google-powered wearable.

The team discusses a new data-protection shake-up in the UK, the latest hurdle in Nvidia’s acquisition of Arm, vulnerabilities in a wide range of routers using Realtek chipsets and the inexorable rise of semiconductor prices. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, a folding phone that could actually catch on.Here’s a list of routers afflicted by the Realtek vulnerabilities: https://therecord.media/hundreds-of-thousands-of-realtek-based-devices-under-attack-from-iot-botnet/

The team discusses the revelations in Facebook’s first ever “Widely Viewed Content Report”, a phishing attack that uses Morse code to slip past security scanners, a new lease of life for legacy landlines and Google’s mysterious new Tensor chip. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the ORIA Bluetooth transmitter, a low-cost gadget that could transform your in-car entertainment.

The team discusses new folding phones from Samsung, Apple’s controversial photo-scanning technology, the cost of outdated IT and Google’s threat to cut the pay of homeworkers. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Huawei MateView, a 28in monitor with an unusual 3:2 aspect ratio.

If the rumours are right, Amazon won’t be delivering our parcels by drone any time soon - but the team isn’t too worried about this failure, it turns out. Plus, will any of our panel buy the Surface Duo phone now that it’s halved in price? Can a robot run a 5K faster than Lee? And will our hot “hardware” of the week, Microsoft’s all-new Windows 365 Cloud PC, get the thumbs up from Jon Honeyball and the live listeners? There’s only one way to find out.

Dell can no longer sell its most high-end PCs in California due to their power demands - is this a harbinger of what’s to come? Plus, Jon Honeyball shares his views on the astonishing profits lodged by big tech companies such as Apple and Barry falls in love with Flight Simulator on the Xbox - before trying to persuade everyone that the Amazon Echo Show 8 is Hot Hardware of the Week.

The team discusses a major new vulnerability in Windows, the emerging Pegasus spyware scandal, the shutting down of an app that flags fake Amazon reviews and Netflix’s proposed move into gaming. Out Hot Hardware candidate is the Apple MagSafe battery pack.

The team discusses Microsoft’s new Windows Cloud service, the growing problem of leaked phone numbers, the uneven distribution of music streaming payments and the UK’s largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the MuteMe, a physical button for muting yourself on VoIP and video calls.

Heather Burns of the Open Rights Group joins the podcast to explain how proposed legislation would outlaw all encrypted communications in the UK. The team also discusses the latest developments in Windows 11, TikTok’s increasing encroachment into the real world and some colourful new labels about to appear in supermarkets. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Eero 6, Amazon’s easy-to-use Wi-Fi 6 mesh system.

The team discusses a disastrous attack on WD NAS drives, the end of the Google-Microsoft détente, second impressions of Windows 11 and the return of roaming charges. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Shure MV7 podcast microphone. (Well, WE think it’s interesting.)

In a special edition of the podcast, the team discusses the official unveiling of Windows 11. Is this a bold new computing platform for the post-pandemic age, or is Microsoft just hoping to drum up excitement with a new lick of paint? We give our impressions and predictions.

The team discusses a first look at Windows 11, Apple’s plans to do away with passwords, the opening of Google’s first high-street shop and a legal victory on the “right to repair”. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6, a slim and stylish convertible laptop with an exceptional screen and a rare turn of speed.

The team discusses the latest announcements from Apple’s WWDC event, questions the trustworthiness of “authorised” repair shops, marvels at a technical error that took down some of the biggest sites on the web, and laments a legal precedent that could see individuals in the US lose their internet connections for merely being accused of copyright infringement. Our Hot Software candidate is Vivaldi 4, a new release of the privacy-focused browser that comes with a suite of additional desktop tools.

The team discusses the fightback against pushy cookie requesters, state-sponsored malware attacks, the arrival of Huawei’s new HarmonyOS and Norton’s unexpected move into cryptomining. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the F77 Model F, a customisable, retro-styled keyboard that could be yours for just £250.

The team discusses the latest news from Microsoft’s Build conference, a cautionary tale about Wi-Fi passwords, the effective demise of Samsung’s “upcycling” programme and a controversial change to YouTube’s terms of service. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, Amazon’s latest, smartest doorbell.The Samsung upcycling video: https://youtu.be/oLsr6i_atAA

The team discusses the big announcements from Google’s I/O event, Apple’s malware problem, Amazon’s new Sidewalk network and the rise of lossless music streaming. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4.

The team discusses the government’s plans for cleaning up the internet, the rumoured shelving of Windows 10X, a new report into the right to repair and Elon Musk’s latest shenanigans. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Netgear’s Orbi LBR20 4G router, a Wi-Fi solution for locations without a reliable fixed internet connection.Matthew Lesh’s Twitter commentary on the Online Safety Bill: http://pcpro.link/pod542aThe FTC report on repairability: http://pcpro.link/pod542b

The team discusses the continuing spat between Apple and Epic, English football’s social media boycott and a new low-cost broadband package designed for people receiving universal credit. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Apple’s AirTags, little discs that can be used to track and locate (more or less) anything.