The Tech Night Owl Live Tech Radio With A Twist!

This week we present ommentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of “Take Control of Apple TV” and other titles. During this episode, Josh focuses on such topics as attempts by law enforcement to unlock a suspect's iPhone. While iCloud data is readily obtained, the iPhone is encrypted and Apple has refused to create a back door for security reasons. Josh also talks about the departure of Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts, and whether Tim Cook lacks something in hiring new executives. You'll also hear speculation about Apple's forthcoming lineup of TV content, and how it might be presented in comparison to such streaming services as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. And what about the rumored AppleCar? You'll also hear from tech industry expert Stephen Baker, Vice President for Industry Analysis at the NPD Group. Stephen will discuss the fast-growing smartwatch market, where Apple leads by a huge margin. What did the industry do to gain traction? You'll also about Apple's plans to

This week we present tech writer/editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. Recent Apple news is front and center, as Gene and Bryan talk about the insidious bug in Group FaceTime, since fixed, which allowed you to listen to someone at the other end of the connection before the call was made. You’ll also hear about Apple’s revenue shortfall, and whether high prices might have, in part, caused the sales shortfall. There’s also a discussion about Apple’s decision to license AirPlay 2 to major TV makers, such as LG, Sony and VIZIO. Will this be the savior for Apple TV technology? Bryan also offers an update on his theory about the forthcoming Mac Pro, which Apple has promised for this year. Will it result in a key change that is comparable in its impact to the one Apple announced in 2005? In a very special encore segment, we also present the fascinating life story of a former “most wanted” cybercriminal. Brett Johnson discusses his long and varied history as a career criminal, which

In a very special encore episode, this week we present commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles. During this episode, Josh talks about a possible new Apple "Bendgate" scandal, involving a bent chassis issue with the 2018 iPad Pro. Although Apple claims the affected units are within spec, is this something Apple will have to fix? What about past problems with possibly defective Apple gear? Josh also talks about the latest concerns over Facebook privacy and how it handles customer data. The discussion also covers his newest book, "Take Control of Notes," and Apple's upcoming slate of original TV programs. Can Apple deliver compelling entertainment that will quickly grab an audience? You'll also hear from tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. During this segment, Bryan will also cover Apple's move to remove unit sales from its quarterly financials and the possible impact, and Apple Music on Alexa. There

This week we feature outspoken commentator and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, In this segment, Kirk starts the discussion by talking about his use of 8TB drives for backup, as Gene examines the lower prices for SSD, which cost several times that of traditional hard drives. Both are concerned that Apple still charges $1,400 for a 2TB SSD upgrade for the Mad mini. With the recent announcement from Apple CEO Tim Cook that the company would miss its earnings guidance, the possible reasons are discussed. In addition to the sales falloff in China, and the fact that people hang onto their devices longer, should Apple consider offering lower priced models to compete better? What about the iPhone SE, which met the needs of people who want small handsets at a relatively affordable price. Apple has run closeout sales on the SE, but only briefly. You'll also hear an encore presentation of a segment with commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles, who cover

This week we present tech writer Andrew Orr from the The Mac Observer, Andrew covers a variety of topics from some of his recent articles, including more information about the Facebook follies, and the alleged abuses by the world's largest social network. What about the paucity of apps that support Apple's controversial touch bar, which is found on some models of the MacBook Pro? The discussion also covers the iPad, and whether it can be used as a primary personal computer with the right keyboard. What about Apple's upcoming TV programming? Andrew has kept tabs on announcements and rumors of new shows. You'll also hear about the latest Netflix price increase and the possibility of Apple switching from Intel to its own ARM-based processors on Macs in the near future. We also present the fascinating life story of a former "most wanted" cybercriminal. Brett Johnson discusses his long and varied history as a career criminal, which took him from petty crime to online scams that included identity theft, tax fraud,

This week we present a very special encore episode featuring  tech journalist Sean Aune, Editor-in-Chief of technobuffalo.com. During this segment, Sean will discuss the ongoing debate about privacy, focusing on recent issues involving Facebook. Do these incidents mean that Facebook is destined to lose its status as the world's largest social network? Will it become the next MySpace? Gene and Sean also discuss Apple and whether its new product intros have become a little too much same old same old. Moving to pop culture, they talk about the problems with DC Comics having one set of actors playing a character in a movie, and another on a TV show. Thus we get two versions of Superman, and the Flash, and so on. You’ll also hear from commentator Jeff Gamet, the former Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, Gene and Jeff catch up briefly on pop culture lore, focusing on super heroes. Did the less-than-successful “Justice League,” signal the beginning of the end for the efforts of DC Comics to match Marvel in produ

This week we present the one and only Adam Engst, Editor and Publisher of TidBITS, During this episode, Gene brings up yet another highly irritating experience with AT&T support and how they mishandled his account. But the main topic is Apple's current predicament, in which revenue for the December quarter (Apple's 1st fiscal quarter) will fall about $5 billion below the original guidance. According to CEO Tim Cook, this is due to slumping sales in China, and the fact that iPhone owners are keeping their equipment longer before upgrading. You'll also hear a discussion that presages the segment below, a theory of a possible significant development that might be part of the "modular" Mac Pro that Apple promises to introduce this year. In a special encore segment, you'll also hear from tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. During this segment, Bryan will also cover Apple's move to remove unit sales from its quarterly financials and the possible impact, and Apple Music o

This week we present outspoken tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. During this episode, Bryan discusses the silly lawsuit by the voice actor for the Hebrew version of Siri. What about a tiny bent area on the new iPad Pro that Apple regards as within spec? Should Apple replace these potentially "defective" products? Bryan dischttps://www.macradio.net/usses the history of supposedly flawed Apple gear, including the Antennagate controversy that impacted the iPhone 4. Other topics on the menu include Facebook's ongoing problems, and the negative impact to Apple's stock price after the company announced  that it would no longer report unit sales of individual products in its quarterly financials. And what about the promised 2019 Mac Pro? Bryan repeats his theory that it will be the first Mac to be powered by one of Apple's custom-designed ARM processors instead of an Intel CPU. In a special encore segment, you'll also hear from commentator/podcaster Peter Cohen, who also fo

This week we present commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles. During this episode, Josh talks about a possible new Apple "Bendgate" scandal, involving a bent chassis issue with the 2018 iPad Pro. Although Apple claims the affected units are within spec, is this something Apple will have to fix? What about past problems with possibly defective Apple gear? Josh also talks about the latest concerns over Facebook privacy and how it handles customer data. The discussion also covers his newest book, "Take Control of Notes," and Apple's upcoming slate of original TV programs. Can Apple deliver compelling entertainment that will quickly grab an audience? In a very special encore segment, you'll also hear from tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. During this segment, Bryan will also cover Apple's move to remove unit sales from its quarterly financials and the possible impact, and Apple Music on Alexa. There

This week we feature outspoken commentator and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, In a recent column, Kirk explained why he cannot use Apple Maps during his travels around the UK, explaining that the directions are seriously flawed. Kirk says he wants to give up Google Maps, but he cannot do so yet. The discussion also moves to Apple's recent decision to stop reporting unit sales for iPhones, iPads and Macs in its quarterly financial reports. This has started a groundswell of complaints that, along with unconfirmed rumors of poor sales of the new iPhones, has caused Apple's stock price to drop, thus losing its status as the number one company on Earth by market cap. In a very special encore segment, you’ll also hear from commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of “Take Control of Apple TV” and other titles, who covers Apple’s expected TV programming, and how it might be presented. What about the new rumors of an updated TV app that will showcase the programs free and present other streaming

In a very special encore episode, we present ethical hacker Jason Lang  of TrustedSec, who reports on the goings at a major hacking conference known as Black Hat. It's one of the top cybersecurity events where a ton of new vulnerabilities and hacker tricks are revealed. This year, as usual, they are revealing new attacks on smartphones, wearables, computers and other personal gadgets, along with IoT, cars and more. Also to be presented is new research on criminal trends in the Dark Web. Jason provides common sense details about the various tricks of the hacker trade, and how you can protect yourself from intrusions. Gene also recounts a recent attempt by a hacker to exact ransom from him for something he didn't even do. Desperation? You'll also hear from industry expert Stephen Baker, Vice President for Industry Analysis at the NPD Group. Stephen will discuss Apple sales, particularly the saturation of the smartphone market. What about those outrageous claims that the iPhone X was a miserable failure, and th

This week we present commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles. During this week's session, we focus heavily on the ramifications of Apple's decision to stop reporting unit sales as part of its quarterly financials. Since then, amid rumors, not confirmed, of serious cutbacks in iPhone production, Apple's stock has dropped to the point where it was no longer the largest company on the planet by market cap. Gene and Josh will also cover Apple's deal with Amazon to make Apple Music available on Alexa. What about the higher prices of the latest Apple gear? You'll also hear from tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer. During this segment, Bryan will also cover Apple's move to remove unit sales from its quarterly financials and the possible impact, and Apple Music on Alexa. There will also be a discussion on the lack of 5K displays, other than Apple's iMac and iMac Pro, and an LG display. What about reports o

This week we present tech journalist Sean Aune, Editor-in-Chief of technobuffalo.com. During this segment, Sean will discuss the ongoing debate about privacy, focusing on recent issues involving Facebook. Do these incidents mean that Facebook is destined to lose its status as the world's largest social network? Will it become the next MySpace? Gene and Sean also discuss Apple and whether its new product intros have become a little too much same old same old. Moving to pop culture, they talk about the problems with DC Comics having one set of actors playing a character in a movie, and another on a TV show. Thus we get two versions of Superman, and the Flash, and so on. In a very special encore segment, you’ll also hear from commentator Jeff Gamet, the former Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, Gene and Jeff catch up briefly on pop culture lore, focusing on super heroes. Did the less-than-successful “Justice League,” signal the beginning of the end for the efforts of DC Comics to match Marvel in producing bl

Coming November 17 on The Tech Night Owl LIVE (www.macradio.net/): This week we present a special holiday season segment, featuring security guru Scott Nusbaum, senior incident response at TrustedSec (a white hat hacking firm). A main focus is a frightening new risk to online shoppers called “formgrabbing.” Nusbaum will focus on what this means when you place an order, and how online criminals can gather your personal information, such as your address and credit card numbers and use them to steal your money. Are there ways to protect yourself from this threat? Nusbaum covers the whole gamut of online shopping dangers and how to navigate through the troubled waters. In a special encore segment, you’ll also hear from commentator/podcaster Peter Cohen, who also focuses on “Right to Repair” and the upsides and downsides. Peter offers his personal experiences as the employee of an authorized Apple dealer some years ago and how it influenced his opinion about whether Apple and other companies need to allow more re

This week we present a very special encore episode in which we are joined by Daniel Rubino, executive editor of Windows Central,who covers a few key stories from the tech world, starting with an historical view of Skype, after Gene complains yet again about the glitches in the latest Mac version. The discussion moves to Microsoft's decision to withdraw a faulty Windows 10 upgrade for October, 2018, due to critical problems, such as user files being erased. And what about the decision by Google to discontinue its Plus social network after a serious security flaw, hidden by Google, was revealed? Daniel will also discuss Microsoft Surface lineup, and how it serves to influence the rest of the PC industry. You'll also hear from commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles, who covers Apple's expected TV programming, and how it might be presented. What about the new rumors of an updated TV app that will showcase the programs free and present othe

This week, we are joined by independent tech columnist Rob Pegoraro, who writes for USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Wirecutter and other publications. The discussion begins with Apple's recent penchant for raising prices in light of flat sales for its key products, such as the iPhone, iPad and Mac. With the new models introduced in September and October of this year, there have been healthy increases, so we now have a 12.9-inch iPad selling for as much as $1,899 in U.S. dollars, and an iMac reaching $4,199 U.S. when it's all decked out. The iMac it replaced, which was introduced in 2014, started at just $499 U.S. The discussion also covered Apple's September quarterly financials, election security issues and other topics. In a very special encore segment, you'll also hear from Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, who also focuses on the so-called Siri follies. Gene repeats his suggestion about setting up an error-correcting feature to improve its accuracy. Jeff mentions the recent auction of a job app

This week, we feature outspoken columnist John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer. After the usual complaints about Skype 8 for the Mac, John talks about the things he loves — and hates — about his Apple Watch Series 4, as Gene sits back and checks the time on his $12.88 Walmart calendar watch. There will also be discussions about 4K TV coming of age, and about Apple's possible plans for its forthcoming lineup of TV shows. And just what is Apple planning for its October 30, 2018 media event in Gene's hometown, Brooklyn, NY? Will it include, as expected, refreshes to the iPad Pro lineup? What about new Macs, and will there be a brand new Mac mini, after Apple's cheapest personal computer has languished for four years? Will the new model be oriented more towards pro users? In a very special encore segment, you’ll also hear from about election hacking risks and the uproar over the Helsinki summit. Featured on this segment is Jason Glassberg, co-founder of Casaba Security. Las

This week, we feature outspoken columnist and podcaster Kirk McElhearn, Gene and Kirk began by repeating their usual complaints about Skype glitches before exploring such topics as Kirk's problems with the Apple Stores in the UK, which aren't rated terribly high for customer service. Kirk also reveals what iPhone he might end up purchasing from the new lineup introduced in September. With an Apple media event set for October 30, 2018, in Brooklyn, NY, Gene and Kirk wonder whether the conventional wisdom that new iPads and Macs will be introduced is correct. Is it even possible that Apple might provide a brief preview of the new Mac Pro that has been promised for 2019? You'll also hear from commentator Jeff Gamet, Managing Editor for The Mac Observer, Gene and Jeff catch up briefly on pop culture lore, focusing on super heroes. Did the less-than-successful "Justice League," signal the beginning of the end for the efforts of DC Comics to match Marvel in producing blockbuster films? What about the apparent cutb

This week, we are joined by Daniel Rubino, executive editor of Windows Central,who covers a few key stories from the tech world, starting with an historical view of Skype, after Gene complains yet again about the glitches in the latest Mac version. The discussion moves to Microsoft's decision to withdraw a faulty Windows 10 upgrade for October, 2018, due to critical problems, such as user files being erased. And what about the decision by Google to discontinue its Plus social network after a serious security flaw, hidden by Google, was revealed? Daniel will also discuss Microsoft Surface lineup, and how it serves to influence the rest of the PC industry. You'll also hear from commentator Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles, who covers Apple's expected TV programming, and how it might be presented. What about the new rumors of an updated TV app that will showcase the programs free and present other streaming services for in-app purchases? Does t

This week, we are joined by independent tech columnist Rob Pegoraro, who writes for USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Wirecutter and other publications. The discussion begins with the curious tale of a BusinessWeek report claiming that the Chinese engaged in a hacking operation that impacted servers installed by Apple, Amazon and other tech companies, along with strong denials that any such thing occurred. The discussion moves on to iOS 12, and how it appears to work well even on older hardware, such as Rob's iMac mini 4. And what bout the state of browser competition between Chrome, Firefox and Safari, and does Microsoft's Edge for Windows alternative even have a chance? There's also a discussion about Washington's interest in tech privacy, autonomous vehicles and, of course, Tesla's recent troubles with the SEC after CEO Elon Musk made some unfortunate comments on Twitter about the company allegedly planning to go private. In a very special encore segment, you'll also hear from tech editor Bryan Chaffin, co-founde