[SPEAKER_02]: a factual data creation facility production. [SPEAKER_02]: recorded in front of a very unaligned computer monitor, it's the O-F-N-T-Hotcast. [SPEAKER_02]: Now, here's your host, a man who's never contemplated writing slogans on bullet casings. [SPEAKER_02]: Jim Shaffer. [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the O-F-N-T-Boccast episode at 288, which I'm calling. [SPEAKER_00]: Max Arrival. [SPEAKER_00]: Yep, it's here.
[SPEAKER_00]: My friend spent the new iPhone 17 Pro Max has finally made its way to me. [SPEAKER_00]: What about my wife's iPhone? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, it's still in limbo. [SPEAKER_00]: Rubing that the orange color is in very high demand. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes! [SPEAKER_00]: I've been under the weather for a few days now, but I'm getting over it, oh so slowly. [SPEAKER_00]: The tech news is a bit brief this week, but Amazon is holding an event on September 30th.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it looks like it should be very interesting. [SPEAKER_00]: Hurricanes are stacking up in the Atlantic, and so bad weather is being predicted for the eastern part of the United States, and Tennessee is part of it. [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully things don't get too bad. [SPEAKER_00]: This week's guest microphone is Tahile, he are 40. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, let's get things started now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for us, oh yeah, it's here for [SPEAKER_00]: Tech news!
[SPEAKER_02]: I watched a video on YouTube last week? [SPEAKER_02]: Well, congratulations. [SPEAKER_02]: Millions of people and other entities already have. [SPEAKER_00]: Shut up, smarty pants, before I pull my subscription to 11 labs. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, there's no need to take such drastic action. [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, I was watching the YouTube channel Jerry Riggs everything, and he had a video where it was the new iPhone Air turned to be tortured.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what this channel does, tested durability of phones. [SPEAKER_00]: The Jerry rigs everything channel is credited with starting the infamous Ben Gate Controversy with the iPhone 6 back in 2014, and the Snap Gate Controversy, considering the Huawei made Nexus 6B in 2015. [SPEAKER_00]: I've owned and used both of these phones and never had a problem with the iPhone 6 or later 6 Plus bending.
[SPEAKER_00]: I never cared for the Nexus 6P, which was my least favorite example of that series. [SPEAKER_00]: It felt cheaply made while in the hand, though its price was expensive for the time. [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, the 6P was so cheaply made, how cheaply made was it. [SPEAKER_00]: It was so cheaply made that one could just snap the phone in half, it's hardly any effort required.
[SPEAKER_00]: I treated my 6P with kids' gloves until the phone took its own life by exploding while charging one evening. [SPEAKER_00]: That 6p sourd me on the Huawei brand, even for the company's governmental problems. [SPEAKER_00]: Now back to the current times and phones. [SPEAKER_00]: Apple had bragged that the last iPhone event that the iPhone Air was the most durable iPhone ever made.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I doubted that at the time, but after witnessing the phone being abused on the Jerry Rick's Everything Channel, I must admit, yet again, that I was wrong. [SPEAKER_00]: It took 216 pounds of pressure for the iPhone Air to bend and break, yet the phone kept working. [SPEAKER_00]: So rejoice, you, mostly women who wear their jeans much too tight, not that I'm complaining.
[SPEAKER_00]: No. [SPEAKER_00]: And who like to play serfones in the back pocket of, said jeans for storage, in between watching or recording TikTok videos. [SPEAKER_00]: You'll have to forget about those expensive phones as you flop your rear ends, which may or may not be medically enhanced, down into the nearest chair. [SPEAKER_00]: The iPhone Air has been proven ready to withstand the pressure of that particular maneuver.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
[SPEAKER_00]: It also improves performance and the reliability of air drop and personal hotspots. [SPEAKER_00]: All good things. [SPEAKER_00]: Quantum article from 95 Mac, the N1 chip also improves the overall power management of the iPhone. [SPEAKER_00]: This will enable the phone to extend battery life because of its efficiency by not taxing the main A19 chip. [SPEAKER_02]: How do they accomplish that? [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I'm glad you asked that question.
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I'm glad that you're glad that I asked. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I'm glad that you're glad that I'm glad that you asked that old gag. [SPEAKER_00]: Apple says that they're accomplishing this by keeping processes like location tracking in GPS, mostly on the N1 chip versus the main processor. [SPEAKER_00]: Time will tell how good this N1 chip really is. [SPEAKER_00]: A headline from appleinsider.com reads, quote, [SPEAKER_02]: Wait a minute.
[SPEAKER_02]: Didn't you just report that the new N1 chip handles Wi-Fi and the like and does so efficiently? [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I did. [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps the N1 chip is tasked with too many things to do at one time and is becoming overtaxed. [SPEAKER_00]: Could be. [SPEAKER_00]: Could be. [SPEAKER_00]: According to the article, a small number of iPhone 17 users have described difficulties with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, dropping intermittently.
[SPEAKER_00]: Also, these users are using the base model iPhone 17, [SPEAKER_00]: But some are reporting this problem is occurring with their iPhone Airs and Pros. [SPEAKER_00]: Some report that Wi-Fi and sometimes Bluetooth connections drop when the phone is either locked or unlocked. [SPEAKER_00]: Others have reported that the drop connection resets itself after a few seconds.
[SPEAKER_00]: One user unread it claims that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth resets every time you wake the phone, making airplay unusable. [SPEAKER_00]: While others claim that wireless car play won't work, multiple users are claiming that they have this issue only when wearing an Apple watch in the watches unlocked, which would be the normal way of wearing the thing. [SPEAKER_00]: Apple claims that this is not a hardware issue, that the issue will be addressed with a software update real soon now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, good luck with that, bro. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, good luck with that, bro. [SPEAKER_00]: An author of an article on androidpolice.com is of the opinion that, with the release of the AirPods Pro 3 and the software updates for the Apple Watch, makes a future Apple smart ring and Charlie redundant.
[SPEAKER_00]: Author Andy box all posits, that if Apple actually does release a smart ring, it'll have to go far beyond what current smart rings from the likes of aura, ringcon, or ultra-human do right now. [SPEAKER_02]: What will this supposed Apple Super smart ring do in order to separate it from its competitors? [SPEAKER_00]: The author doesn't even bother to speculate, as proof of his theory, and that's all it is at the moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: He points to the fact that AirPods Pro 3s can now track heart rate more accurately than the Apple Watch. [SPEAKER_00]: While the watch itself can do everything that a modern smart ring does. [SPEAKER_00]: He also makes a case that an Apple smart ring would cannibalize sales of the Apple smart watch. [SPEAKER_00]: And here's where I disagree with the author. [SPEAKER_00]: Apple will indeed cannibalize sales of its own products when it sees fit to do so.
[SPEAKER_00]: iPhone's did soda iPods? [SPEAKER_00]: iPads did soda, low-end MacBooks? [SPEAKER_00]: There's more examples but I just can't think of them at the moment. [SPEAKER_00]: That's why you don't see super cheap iPads or iPhones. [SPEAKER_00]: In our ring, which is the best smart ring on the market now, and that's not just my opinion, we'll cost you around $350. [SPEAKER_00]: Wow!
[SPEAKER_00]: And that price doesn't include the monthly subscription to the accompanying software, which is needed in order to unlock all the features. [SPEAKER_00]: To be honest, I would have stopped using my ore ring if I had to pay that subscription, but because I am considered a legacy user, I jumped aboard with version 2 of the ore ring, I don't have to pay that subscription. [SPEAKER_00]: I think an Apple Smart Ring would start at about $500, with a year free service.
[SPEAKER_00]: After that, you'd have to pay a monthly subscription, or if you're already an Apple One Premier subscriber, that subscription requirement will be rolled into the Apple One service bundle at no additional cost. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, I see how this game is played now. [SPEAKER_02]: Before this potential Apple Smart Ring is introduced, there'll be an increase in the cost of an Apple One Bundle subscription. [SPEAKER_00]: Ha! [SPEAKER_00]: Now you're getting it?
[SPEAKER_00]: Of course, as the author, critics, the Apple Smart Ring will be able to do things that the current Smart Rings can't, like maybe vibrating to let you know of incoming calls and messages, or controlling devices like the Apple TV streaming box, [SPEAKER_00]: Or how about controlling your vision pro?
[SPEAKER_00]: If Apple is still producing that product when an Apple smart-ring hits some market, better yet, how about using the ring for controlling a future pair of Apple alternative reality glasses? [SPEAKER_00]: I would be all on board with an Apple smart-ring replacing my Apple watch. [SPEAKER_00]: I might get back to wearing my Swiss-made mechanical watches again. [SPEAKER_02]: What's stopping you from wearing those Swiss mechanical watches? [SPEAKER_02]: You already have a smart-ring.
[SPEAKER_00]: sleep tracking and overnight health metrics gathering. [SPEAKER_00]: I can't get used to wearing an Apple watch while sleeping, or should I say, attempting to sleep. [SPEAKER_00]: I believe that an Apple smart ring will become a reality in the future. [SPEAKER_00]: Now when will that future arrive? [SPEAKER_00]: I have in the slightest idea. [SPEAKER_00]: Tech I'm using.
[SPEAKER_00]: Last Wednesday, the evening I received a notification on my phone that my blue iPhone Pro Max had shipped. [SPEAKER_00]: No such luck with my lovely wife's orange Pro Max. [SPEAKER_00]: The estimated ship date on her phone remains between October 6 to the 13th. [SPEAKER_00]: She's slightly upset, well, at least for the moment. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I guess it could be worse. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, it could.
[SPEAKER_00]: Late Thursday afternoon, my brand new shiny bubble arrived at my front door. [SPEAKER_00]: Unfortunately, Thursday was the first and worst day of me feeling a bit under the weather. [SPEAKER_00]: I had a fever in cold chills and was feeling generally unwell. [SPEAKER_00]: My aura ring confirmed this, but it would have been nice if I had received an early warning of this oncoming sickness like the aura of old had done. [SPEAKER_00]: Some two generations ago.
[SPEAKER_00]: But hey, let's see, subject to be discussed at a later time. [SPEAKER_00]: So instead of excitedly going to the door, happily accepting my delivery and setting up my new iPhone, as I usually would have done, I stumbled to the door, gave a week thumbs up to the delivery driver, [SPEAKER_00]: When I finally did so, the setup went fairly smoothly. [SPEAKER_00]: I did have a couple of snags, though. [SPEAKER_00]: One self-inflicted, the other no fault of my own.
[SPEAKER_00]: Here are my first impressions. [SPEAKER_00]: I have mixed feelings about the new design of the phone. [SPEAKER_00]: I feel Google did a much better job with its camera island than what Apple has done, with what the company calls its camera plateau. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I think that Google designed a pixel camera island for a mostly fashion purposes. [SPEAKER_00]: Apple's camera plateau was designed for jamming internal components into it.
[SPEAKER_00]: All in order to fill the rest of the phone's case with battery, not a bad thing, but I believe Apple could have done a better job. [SPEAKER_00]: I hate to tell you, but Apple doesn't care about what you think. [SPEAKER_00]: I think you're assuming that I don't already know that. [SPEAKER_00]: Close my Apple Tech woven case, won't be shipping until mid October. [SPEAKER_00]: I had previously purchased a total branded case from Amazon for $9.95.
[SPEAKER_00]: I bought the case in the color black because at the time it wasn't sure if I wanted a blue case. [SPEAKER_00]: Later on deciding that I did in fact want a blue case, I figured I'd just order another [SPEAKER_00]: Well, what could go wrong with that? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, when I went to order that total case in blue, the price had increased to $25. [SPEAKER_00]: What? [SPEAKER_00]: Now for $10, it's a great foam case. [SPEAKER_00]: For $25? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, not so much.
[SPEAKER_00]: But around that price, you can get a name-brand phone case like Spider-in for example. [SPEAKER_00]: But now I'll just have to put up with my black-tockle case. [SPEAKER_00]: At least until either the price for a blue one comes down, or I find a better case for a more reasonable price. [SPEAKER_01]: While I find this all interesting in a weird sort of way, why don't you tell us something about the phone itself? [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I'm getting to that.
[SPEAKER_00]: What I like about the total case is that it protects the camera plateau which is proven to be susceptible to scratching. [SPEAKER_00]: This susceptibility has already been christened, scratchgate by the tech press. [SPEAKER_00]: The new phone arrive with about 60% of its battery charged and after setting up the phone, I had about 46% left.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now because my illness, my own batteries were depleted by this time, so I placed the 17 Pro Max onto my Meg safe certified charger, which resides on my nightstand, and hit the old sack as the kids like to say. [SPEAKER_00]: Besides, this would give the phone some time to settle in. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: Right, it was my first full day using the new iPhone and, well, I can declare that it's an iPhone.
[SPEAKER_00]: My lack of excitement can hardly be blamed on my illness, but let's face it. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just jaded. [SPEAKER_00]: Gone are the days of new smartphone radical design changes, both in hardware and software, from multiple manufacturers. [SPEAKER_00]: And nowadays they mostly just copy Apple or Google. [SPEAKER_00]: The big thing now with Android is the foldable form factor.
[SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max, the 17 Max seems easier to hold and feels to be about the same weight. [SPEAKER_00]: The display is larger, but I can't tell the difference. [SPEAKER_00]: That's because we're only talking about a couple of millimeters here. [SPEAKER_00]: The main difference between the display of the 15 Max and the 17 Max that I noticed the most was the anti-glair treatment of the 17 Max screen.
[SPEAKER_00]: It really does help with the legibility of the display. [SPEAKER_00]: The new Apple made C1X modem chip, which equipped the iPhone Air, didn't make it to the Proline-up. [SPEAKER_00]: But the Qualcomm modem chip in the 17 Mac seems to have been improved. [SPEAKER_00]: At least in comparison to the one in my old 15 Macs. [SPEAKER_00]: Previously, I was lucky to get a single bar of 5G reception, which was useless. [SPEAKER_01]: So you've previously told us.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I shan't be complaining again because now my iPhone gets 4 bars of 5G UC. [SPEAKER_00]: The UC standing for ultra-capacity. [SPEAKER_00]: I was sort of hoping that the Apple C series of modem chips would have made it to the Proline up because my son's iPhone 16E which has the C1 chip had also gained a usable sailor signal, though not as significant as the one I received.
[SPEAKER_00]: The biggest standard I've experienced at Mill, at least so far, is the battery life of my iPhone 17 Pro Max. [SPEAKER_00]: With my 15 Pro Max, I was down to about 20% of battery left at bedtime. [SPEAKER_00]: With the 17 Max, that's improved around 40% at bedtime. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, it's only been a few days of me using the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, but so far, so good. [SPEAKER_00]: Still, this will most likely be the last Pro Model iPhone I will ever purchase.
[SPEAKER_00]: With most of the features that I really use now available on the base iPhone, just really no need for me to spend the extra cash for a Pro Model. [SPEAKER_00]: Something that I've noticed since upgrading my Apple devices to the various shades of Apple OS26 is the improved performance of iCloud.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you're a regular listener to this dreadful podcast, then you've heard me complain about Apple's iCloud's performance or not performance over the years, especially when compared to Microsoft's OneDrive. [SPEAKER_00]: While using both cloud solutions between home and work, our cloud was always a gamble of whether we would update documents in a timely manner. [SPEAKER_00]: Again, if at all, [SPEAKER_00]: With one drive, projects were updated seemingly instantaneously.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even while using iCloud before OS 26-mear weeks ago, I would start a document, let's say am I iPad Pro? [SPEAKER_00]: Decide to work on it later using my Mac Mini. [SPEAKER_00]: Then even later, return to that document back on my iPad. [SPEAKER_00]: Only to realize that the document hadn't been updated with the changes I had made.
[SPEAKER_00]: In the past while working on projects between home and my former place from employment, the failure of eye cloud would result in mangled documents, how mangled are they? [SPEAKER_00]: So mangled that they were rendered unusable, for some of you start over from scratch. [SPEAKER_00]: Experiences like this may be Swiss-C using Microsoft Word and OneDrive. [SPEAKER_00]: Using that tandem, I never had the mangled document problem.
[SPEAKER_00]: These days I don't consistently travel between two places so I ditch my Microsoft 365 subscription and rely on Apple software products which of course come free with Apple hardware. [SPEAKER_00]: Even though I'm basically in the same location all the time, I was still having a wait for ICloud to catch up while using different devices for the same project.
[SPEAKER_00]: ICloud had to improve from its dreadful performance in the past but still lag can [SPEAKER_00]: Lately, I've noticed that I'm no longer experienced as I clouded lag. [SPEAKER_00]: Lately, I've noticed that I'm no longer experiencing this I cloud lag. [SPEAKER_00]: Documents I start on one device, appear almost instantly on other devices. [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps old, old-legged Tim lit a fire under the I cloud team, forcing them to fix the lag problem.
[SPEAKER_00]: Or perhaps it was just you who were experiencing this problem. [SPEAKER_00]: That is certainly possible, but I don't believe so. [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, hats off to Apple for apparently paying some attention to this problem. [SPEAKER_00]: Just in case, though, I didn't actually completely ditch my MS-365 subscription. [SPEAKER_01]: What? [SPEAKER_00]: I just downgraded it to the little known and hard-of-fine MS-365 basic tier, which cost a mere two bucks per month.
[SPEAKER_00]: It includes 100 gigs of OneDrive storage, and access to the web versions of some [SPEAKER_00]: It also gives me an ad-free outlook-mail experience, if using the mobile app. [SPEAKER_00]: It's always good having a backup plan. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, it is. [SPEAKER_00]: Entertainment news. [SPEAKER_00]: Another episode in yet another streaming service price increase. [SPEAKER_00]: This time it's the Disney Plus bundle, which includes Disney Plus Hulu and ESPN.
[SPEAKER_00]: Actually, this price crease will affect the standalone Disney Plus service also. [SPEAKER_00]: Disney Plus alone will rise from $9.99 to $11.99 per month with ads, and from $15.99 to $18.99 per month without ads. [SPEAKER_00]: The Disney Plus and Hulu bundle with ads increases from $10.99 to $12.99. [SPEAKER_00]: The ad free bundle stays the same in 1999 per month. [SPEAKER_00]: The Disney Plus Hulu and ESPN bundle with ads increases to $19.99 from $16.99.
[SPEAKER_00]: Want to add HBO Max? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, with ads, you'll go from paying $16.99 to paying $19.99. [SPEAKER_00]: While ad free, we'll set you back $32.99 per month, up from $29.99 per month. [SPEAKER_00]: It has gone to the point where these bundles aren't even worth it. [SPEAKER_00]: These streaming services are priced in themselves out of competition. [SPEAKER_00]: It seems like once one service raises their prices, all, and I mean all of them do the same.
[SPEAKER_00]: So what's the alternative here? [SPEAKER_02]: Yo, ho ho, in a bottle of rum, and there you have it. [SPEAKER_00]: podcast news. [SPEAKER_00]: I've been a long time user of the podcast listening at Pocketcasts. [SPEAKER_00]: I first started using Pocketcasts when there was a one-time $10 feed for it. [SPEAKER_00]: Things change when a consortium of what's called public broadcasters, like the BBC and PR and others, decided to buy Pocketcasts.
[SPEAKER_00]: Other reason this taxpayer-funded consortium did so, was because these entities had plans to offer their content exclusively on pocketcasts, exchange for a monthly subscription. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, this didn't pan out, so, consortium sold the app to a company called Automatic, who went on to make pocketcasts and supported unless you paid a monthly subscription.
[SPEAKER_00]: So called legacy users, those who, like me, bought pocketcast for 10 bucks, were not subjected to that $40 ad for each arch. [SPEAKER_00]: At the time, at the time, the subscription price was fair, so I ponyed up the money. [SPEAKER_00]: I do believe in supporting developers. [SPEAKER_00]: Later on, automatic introduced a tiered subscription system, which raised prices beyond what I considered reasonable.
[SPEAKER_00]: Those that didn't want to pay for a higher tier of subscription, advertisements on the home screen were introduced, even though you were paying for a lower tier subscription. [SPEAKER_00]: Along with that annoying message asking you to pay $40 per year, in order to get rid of these pesky home screen ads. [SPEAKER_00]: Last September, I was offered a free year of pocketcast plus yearly, so naturally I took advantage of it.
[SPEAKER_00]: That offer expires next weekend, I'm not renewing it. [SPEAKER_00]: I like pocketcast, but not enough to pay that much for it. [SPEAKER_00]: Before $40, you don't even get all of the features. [SPEAKER_00]: For that, pocketcast wants a $100 per year. [UNKNOWN]: What? [SPEAKER_00]: So what about those legacy users? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, according to nine to five Mac.com, they're now seeing ads and the message asking them to pay $40 per year not to see ads.
[SPEAKER_00]: The CEO of automatic one Matt Mullinwig says that this is the result of a bug in the software. [SPEAKER_00]: Or is it? [SPEAKER_00]: A pocket cast employee says the opposite, stating that in order to sustain continuing work in maintenance of the app, it wasn't necessary to start charging for an ad-free experience. [SPEAKER_00]: When my free subscription expires next week, I'll see how intrusive these ads are, and make the decision on whether to keep pocket cast or not.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like streaming services? [SPEAKER_00]: These apps ascriptions are getting out of hand. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm seriously considering making the Apple Podcast app my main listening app once again, and it's been years since it was. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. [SPEAKER_00]: According to rainnews.com, podcast network air wave will combine with the TWIT.tv podcast network.
[SPEAKER_00]: With EV was founded by Leo LePort from the ashes of his this week in tech or Twitter radio program. [SPEAKER_00]: To separate his fledgling podcast network, Twitter cited the call itself a netcast. [SPEAKER_00]: The Twitter let's call it what it really is podcast network expanded over the years.
[SPEAKER_00]: Since it's found in 2005, Pwit went from an audio only network to video, with then launched its own app with a subscription tier, but mainly made its money from sponsors and advertisements. [SPEAKER_00]: The network built a large, beautiful studio and added more shows along the way. [SPEAKER_00]: I was a big fan of a number of shows on an network and watch a Pwit daily.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then the COVID situation happened, followed by the Summer of Love riots, [SPEAKER_00]: While these things help podcasting explode, things seem to change over on the Twitter network. [SPEAKER_00]: Co-hosts, well, when in particular, on the flagship this week in tech podcast, started interjecting his politics into the show. [SPEAKER_00]: This guy who's a product of National Public Radio and wears mutton chops, and if you don't know what they are, look them up.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's around my age and still live with his mother. [SPEAKER_00]: He's so cheap that he actually takes over an area at his local public library in order to do his podcast. [SPEAKER_00]: I guess to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. [SPEAKER_00]: He was laid off of his NPR gig, and the last time I watched him, he had managed to score a part-time gig at an NPR local affiliate.
[SPEAKER_00]: As older hosts of the other podcasts on the Twitter network were forced out, left, or retired, younger hosts took their places, ready to neither the talent nor the experience or knowledge of the topics they were supposed to be covering. [SPEAKER_00]: The one thing this new crew did bring, though, was their political views, and inject them into almost every minute of airtime they were given.
[SPEAKER_00]: For me, the final straw came when I was watching the weekly Android podcast, and noticed one of the hosts displaying an ACAP hat prominently behind him. [SPEAKER_00]: A cab stands for all cops are bastards, and being dead at the time might happen to be a federal law enforcement officer. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I took offense to this, and never watched or listened to any podcast on the now aptly named Twitter Network.
[SPEAKER_00]: Since that time, Twitter went behind a paywall for video, Law Sponsors, suffered revenue losses as Ed Rates declined, and was forced to sell off its studio. [SPEAKER_00]: It has cut the number of shows on a network, and now was basically forced to merge with another podcast network in order to survive.
[SPEAKER_00]: I like Leo LePort, but I question his decision making on who should host other shows on his network, and for letting co-hosts and guests interject their politics and ideologies into podcasts that are supposed to be about tech. [SPEAKER_00]: I predicted after this merger settles, many current podcasts that are currently on the Twitter network will be groomed.
[SPEAKER_00]: With only this week in tech and maybe Mac Weekly podcast surviving, [SPEAKER_00]: But we'll eventually fade into that great podcast studio in the sky. [SPEAKER_00]: It's a shame, really. [SPEAKER_00]: Twitter used to be a great place to get good tech news. [SPEAKER_00]: The music is playing and I'm sure you're tired of hearing me hacking. [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening. [SPEAKER_00]: Hope you enjoyed this episode.
[SPEAKER_00]: To like what you heard, well, you can make a donation using the link in the show notes. [SPEAKER_00]: Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. [SPEAKER_00]: You can always reach me at ofntpodcast at gmail.com and that's only if you're so inclined. [SPEAKER_00]: I'd enjoy hearing from you. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I would. [SPEAKER_00]: Remember, don't listen to what they say. [SPEAKER_00]: Watch what they do.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, there's still no gates on my fence, so, what does it just get off my lawn? [SPEAKER_00]: Days get to come. [SPEAKER_00]: Ah, I'm out. [SPEAKER_00]: See ya. [SPEAKER_01]: And that folks is the end of the show.