The Tech Night Owl Live Tech Radio With A Twist!

Columnist and blogger Kirk McElhearn talks with Gene about the future of technology books. Are printed computer books dead? What about sharply targeted eBooks that focus on the topics tech savvy people are interested in. What about magazines devoted to Apple? Is Apple now too mainstream to require separate publications?  The discussion also covers the end of the platform wars, and the hazards of running beta software on your computer. You'll also hear from Josh Centers, Managing Editor for TidBITS, and author of "Take Control of Apple TV" and other titles, who does this interview on his new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, using the mic  from Apple's AirPods wireless earphones. There's a long discussion about the value of the iPad as a productivity tool, as Josh explains why the apps he requires for his job are not all available on Apple's tablet. So he has to use his Mac instead, and Gene explains the problems he has in using an iPad for his work. Microsoft's move into PC hardware, the Surface, is also discussed. The in