The Tech Night Owl Live Tech Radio With A Twist!

We continue our extensive coverage of OS X Mountain Lion, Apple's successor to Lion, which will include enhanced integration with key iOS features and applications that are now available on the iPad. Apple plans to release Mountain Lion to Mac users by late summer. Along to talk about the ins and outs of the new OS are: Jim Dalrymple, Founder, Editor in Chief of The Loop, commentator Kirk McElhearn, and Seán Captain, Managing Editor of TechNewsDaily.

We begin with author and commentator Adam Engst, from TidBITS and Take Control Books, who talks about the dream of the "paperless office" and the two broken Mac updates recently released by Apple, along with the problems they caused. You'll hear from Macworld's Dan Moren on the four important issues that need fixing in the App Store and, of course, the Mac App Store. With the launch of the next version of Mac OS X, known as Mountain Lion, we bring aboard Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus to discuss some of the new iOS-inspired features you can expect when Apple releases the OS late this summer.

Author and commentator Kirk McElhearn, Macworld's "iTunes Guy," talks with Gene about some of his favorite TV shows, and his favorite and not-so-favorite Macs over the years. Industry analyst Stephen Baker, of the NPD Group, talks about tech industry trends, including smartphone sales, the possibilities of Windows 8, 3D TV, and whether Apple will really build a "smart" TV. Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director for Laptop magazine, discusses Android OS update problems, whether smartphones with physical keyboards have a future, and his own investigations into reports that Apple and other tech companies are allowing their Asian contract factories to abuse factory workers.

Jim Dalrymple, of The Loop, outlines Apple's recent update for Final Cut Pro X, and whether the problems reported by video editors have been properly addressed. He'll also cover the management shakeup at Research In Motion. Rich Sloan, founder of StartUp Nation, offers tips for new businesses, and describes a partnership with Brother in which five people will receive $5,000 grants to help fund their new ventures. Peter Cohen, of the "Angry Mac Bastards" radio show and Executive Editor for The Loop, discusses the ongoing controversy over the working conditions at Foxconn and other companies contracted by Apple and other tech companies to build their products. You'll also hear about the ongoing prospects for Windows Phone and the Android OS from Daniel Eran Dilger, of Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider.

John Martellaro, Senior Editor, Analysis & Reviews for The Mac Observer, discusses Apple's stellar financials along with his views on iBooks 2 and how it will impact the textbook business. Ross Rubin, Executive Director and Principal Analyst, NPD Connected Intelligence for The NPD Group, also talks about Apple's financial results, along with trends in the tech industry, including prospects for 3D TVs. We'll also be joined by Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director for Laptop magazine, who will discuss the recent management shakeup at Research In Motion (RIM), Apple's amazing success, and reports of unsafe working conditions at the contract factories assembling Apple's products.

Kirk McElhearn, who is now Macworld's "iTunes Guy," gives you some hard-won tips about using iTunes, and he also outlines some of the problems reported with iTunes Match and iCloud. Commentator Daniel Eran Dilger, from Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, discusses the Consumer Electronics Show, along with the issues involving the various hardware and software platforms from the likes of Intel, AMD, ARM, Apple, and Google. We're also joined by Rob Pegoraro, a tech writer for USAToday.com, who discusses Apple's iBooks 2, its impact to education, and the ongoing controversy over the now-shelved Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

veteran Mac author and troubleshooting expert Ted Landau discusses the prospects for an Apple integrated TV, and also details many of the problems with the first release of Apple's iCloud. Direct from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, discusses some of the hits and misses at the trade show. Bill Vlahos, creator of InfoWallet, discusses how his cross-platform "file cabinet" application can be used to easily organize, store, and access your most private information in one very secure location.

Adam Engst, from TidBITS and Take Control Books, provides his take on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), proposed legislation in the U.S. House that some say puts draconian controls on attempts to remove alleged pirated content from Web sites. You'll also hear from Sean Brown, Vice President, Sonic Foundry, about an update to their Mediasite that will allow, for example, students with iPhones and iPads to watch online lectures from educators. Macworld's Dan Moren joins Gene to brainstorm about the possibilities for an iTV, or Apple connected TV, and whether such a product will ever see the light of day.

First, commentator Kirk McElhearn discusses a peculiar take by a book reviewer on the impact of Steve Jobs and Apple, and also discusses some of his favorite stories for the year. Prolific author Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus muses on what might have happened to Apple had Steve Jobs not returned to the company in the mid-1990s. He also discusses the possibilities of an Apple connected TV and how such a product would deliver the content you want. With The Loop's Jim Dalrymple, we talk about such topics as the possible impact of the Stop Software Piracy Act and how domain registrar GoDaddy got themselves in the thick of it when they first supported the controversial proposed law, and then, in the face of customer defections, changed their tune.

Cutting-edge commentator Daniel Eran Dilger, from Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, covers Apple's recent patent victory against HTC before the International Trade Commission, and also offers some surprisingly frank comments about AT&T's failed attempt to merge with T-Mobile. Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, offers a long-range view of the failed AT&T/T-Mobile merger and suggests possible suitors for T-Mobile. He'll also cover some of the top tech stories of 2011, and offer projections for industry trends in 2012.

Macworld Editorial Director Jason Snell covers the history of the iPod, and his experiences with an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet. Outspoken commentator Peter Cohen, of the "Angry Mac Bastards" radio show and Executive Editor for The Loop, covers the shaky situation at HP, as the company tries to seek out a new strategy, and why Microsoft removed the head of the Windows Phone division. For a last minute look at the best tech gear for 2011, we call upon Steve "Mr. Gadget" Kruschen.

We cover such topics as using dictation software on your Mac, the ongoing problems with iTunes Match and matching songs already in Apple's music library, some network issues at Verizon Wireless, known problems with the Google Android user experience, and whether or not netbooks are on life support. Our guests include: author and commentator Kirk McElhearn, Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, and Kim Bradford from GottaBeMobile.

We cover the ongoing problems with Apple's iTunes Match, why HP CEO Meg Whitman expects Apple to be the number one PC maker on the planet in 2012, Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet, including the results of a hands-on review, plus the ongoing problems with the Android and Windows platforms. Our guests include: columnist Jim Dalrymple, Editor in Chief of The Loop, tech writer Lex Friedman from Macworld, and outspoken commentator Daniel Eran Dilger, from Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider.

We bring back outspoken commentator Peter Cohen, of the "Angry Mac Bastards" radio show and Executive Editor for The Loop, who will focus on the ongoing issues with Apple's iTunes Match and will also offer some offhand observations about the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet. Author and commentator Kirk McElhearn tells you why Apple won't let him use iTunes Match on his desktop computer, and he'll continue to detail his ongoing and curious Mac hardware problems. You'll also hear from John Martellaro, a Senior Editor for The Mac Observer, who will cover the curious troubles he encountered upgrading his DirecTV DVR, and the surprising results of his investigation into the alleged malware problem on the Google Android mobile platform.

On this week's all-star episode, we focus on the arrival and teething pains of iTunes Match, and how the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet stacks up against the latest Barnes & Noble Nook and, of course, Apple's iPad. We'll even cover your humble host's totally irritating issues in making iTunes Match work on an iPhone. Along for the ride are Dan Moren, from Macworld, Adam Engst from TidBITS and Take Control Books, and Sascha Segan, Lead Mobile Analyst for PCMag.com.

We have a quartet of guests this week: Prolific author Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus discusses the forthcoming iTunes Match from Apple, and his continuing quest to find a replacement for Intuit's Quicken, a personal finance app, on his Mac. Commentator Kirk McElhearn is in rant mode as he complains about problem's he's had with Apple support in resolving iCloud issues. From ZeoBIT, spokesperson Jeremiah Fowler describes the major features of the company's all-in-one Mac utility, MacKeeper. Daniel Eran Dilger, from Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, returns to address the iPhone 4S battery woes, Apple's recent fix, and Adobe's decision to stop developing Flash for mobile gadgets, such as Android smartphones, and the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Macworld's Dan Moren delivers an Apple update in which we talk about the forthcoming iTunes Match service, which missed its end of October deadline, the prospects for an iTV, or Apple connected TV, and other hot topics. Ross Rubin, an industry analyst for the NPD Group, talks about sales trends, the possibilities for an Apple connected TV, and whether 3D TV is ever going to catch on. You'll hear a mobile gadget update from Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, who will cover the trials and tribulations of Research In Motion, makers of the BlackBerry, and the prospects for the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet.

We observe the 10th anniversary of Apple's iconic iPod, with author and commentator Kirk McElhearn. You'll learn about the gadget's humble beginnings, and how its future shapes up. We also feature a special interview with legendary audio equipment designer Bob Carver, who discusses his history of creating audio equipment for your home, plus how the quest for perfect sound has fared so far in the 21st century. Macworld's Lex Friedman and Gene talk about the best-selling biography, "Steve Jobs," from author Walter Isaacson. Have all the revelations about Jobs' mercurial personality made people less apt to admire Apple's co-founder? We'll cover lots of questions and possibilities.

Prolific author Joe Kissell, author of “Take Control of Upgrading to Lion” and “Take Control of iCloud,” offers hints and tips for upgrading to Apple’s newest OS, and migrating your stuff to iCloud. Tech expert Steve “Mr. Gadget” Kruschen discusses harnessing the power of connected TVs, Internet phone services, affordable printers, and lots of other great tech gear. Columnist Jim Dalrymple, Editor in Chief of The Loop, reviews the iPhone 4S, and offers an on-air demonstration of the Siri personal assistant.

We feature a return visit by Daniel Eran Dilger, of Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, who recounts his encounters with Steve Jobs during Apple shareholder meetings, where he asked a number of questions. He also attempts to dispel some of the rumors about Jobs’ public behavior. From the NPD Group, industry analyst Stephen Baker talks about the initial prospects for the iPhone 4S, and the state of the PC industry. You’ll also hear from Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, who covers the iPhone 4S, and the fallout from the serious network outage experienced by BlackBerry maker Research In Motion.