First, in the headlines: Artificial Intelligence is now creating artificial intelligence (AI). Technology is not going anywhere. What will we do when we no longer have to do manual labor? We will be replaced by computers. These days anyone can put on their private investigator hat. Ever wanted to do a background check? See if your fiancé' has a criminal record? People Search Engines are now available online where you can find out anything you want about anyone. And anyone can find out informatio...
Jun 07, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 95
First, an update about self-driving cars in the news! Now WATER: Did you realize that Lake Mead is at historic lows, bringing the area to their knees with water conservation and concern for fresh water. What are we to do? Why can't we solve for this? Let's take a look at model situation that challenges the US to get serious about using technology to solve our water problems. Israel, a known desert with few water resources, have gone from decades of freshwater scarcity to a 20% abundance. Using t...
Jun 01, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 94
But first, Mark Stross explains the meaning of " The Edge" in his show title. This term is very intentional and connects to technology in a way that you might not have known. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $17 billion for auto safety including technology that will prevent motorists from operating a vehicle while intoxicated. This sounds like a great idea, right? Saving lives from drunk drivers. Does this come with any concerns? Is this intrusive? Is it violating your freedom...
May 25, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 93
The TechByte Show can't always be scary or creepy (see May 4 2022). Mark Stross brings you Milton Friedman's story of the pencil in a relevant, encouraging way for all of us today.
May 18, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 92
NEURALINK and the Singularity. How close are we to it? Are you ready for artificial intelligence AI? You will be if Elon Musk has anything to do with it.
May 11, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 91
BEST of the BEST Shows! Meet Mark Stross' virtual companion, fully artificial AI and all genned up, Virtualeen. This is a CREEPY look into the future of artificial companions for the lonely and lost? or for everyone?
May 04, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 90
Feeling lonely? This is the time to be alive, when you can download an app and build your own digital companion. Mark Stross shares his personal experience with developing his new artificial companion. Is this a good thing? What can AI companions do? What's the dark side? Listen to find out, in this scary, creepy episode of Tech Byte.
Apr 27, 2022•8 min•Season 3Ep. 89
Satellites are why we have high speed internet and cell service across the globe. More than 800 satellites are expected to be put into orbit this year alone. For every satellite needing a ride into space, there's need for a rocket. Mark Stross discusses the rocket shortage, the Russians, and how SpaceX is filling the need.
Apr 13, 2022•9 min•Season 3Ep. 87
Yesterday American Express users across the world experienced widespread outages that lasted hours. The payment services giant reports that some users may continue to experience issues online or over the phone. What is going on? Is this a hack? A cyber attack? A technical difficulty? Mark Stross weighs in on the Amex outage, and why we need to pay attention to the rising threats to our digital infrastructure.
Apr 06, 2022•12 min
Before Putin's Russian army invaded the Ukraine, few Americans knew the name of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Over the past few weeks, this lawyer turned comedian has become the most watched politician in the world. Who is he? And did you realize that his fictional comedy series, "Servant of the People" turned into reality seating him as the 6th president of Ukraine. A modern-day story of serendipity.
Mar 30, 2022•12 min
People spend a lot of time taking care of their things. Regular oil changes, cleaning your gun, and cleaning the lint filter are routine ways to keep your machines running. What do you do to keep your PC running? With more than 2 billion PC's in the world today, what are people doing to maintain them? In this episode, Mark gives you valuable ways to maintain your tech, keep it running, and avoid early death of your machines.
Mar 24, 2022•12 min
During this time of rising gas prices, escalating food prices, and inflation, Mark brings a bit of fun to this episode with not-so-secret ways to save money on Amazon. Learn how you can access returned or barely used merchandise from this giant retailer, find deals of the day, and spend less money.
Mar 17, 2022•14 min
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is playing out right before our eyes. Like never before, we are watching the new Iron Curtain grinding into place. Technology has changed the way we watch this war, as well as the way the war is being fought. Propaganda is unfolding continuously online as brands take sides. This episode takes you inside a technologist's view of this modern war and the role technology plays in how it impacts all of us.
Mar 09, 2022•22 min
In this episode, Mark talks about his direct connections with programmers in the Ukraine. Hear about their experience with the outbreak of war, their current situations, and how you can help.
Mar 03, 2022•14 min
In this show, Mark takes a look back at previous shows, how many times he got it right, told you what was about to happen, and how things played out exactly like he said they would. This is why you should listen to this guy every week
Feb 23, 2022•14 min
This is about work-life balance. As robots do more work for us, we should have more free time, right? Decreasing our productive work time may actually be essential to keep up all gainfully employed; as AI and hardware with AI-brained software will get rid of 50% of jobs over the next 20 years. Japan and Iceland have 4-Day work weeks and found productivity is the same, and people are happier. Will other nations follow suit?
Feb 16, 2022•20 min
Facebook lost a lot of money. The social media giant may be dying because of lack of trust. Meta, formally known as Facebook, had the worst performing day on the stock market in its history on Thursday. It lost nearly $240 billion from its market value. The loss follows a $10 billion dollar loss in 2021. What does this mean for the platform, for Zuckerberg, for you? This episode is also full of other fun conversations besides just talking about Facebook. Mark Stross and the Ocean 98 team bring y...
Feb 10, 2022•19 min
Some things are clear: Stealing is wrong. Cancelling or censoring content is also wrong as another form of stealing. What about ad blocking? If the content creator relies on income generated from ads on the digital platform, would it be stealing if you block their ads? Interfering with their ability to make money? Many consider ad blocking as stealing money from the producer of digital content. Many online influencers are furious. What do you think?
Feb 03, 2022•20 min
Signals is a new social media platform taking on "Twitter". Perhaps you've heard of it. Hear how the leadership of this new platform making news by standing up for user's privacy. When the government came knocking on Signal's door looking for user data, the company said, "Sorry, we don't have any." Nice!
Jan 20, 2022•11 min
Hear what's new in 2022, and what Mark Stross thinks of it. A bulb that scans the room to make sure you are still alive as you sleep. A telescope 1 million miles from Earth. Automatic doors that open and close like Star Trek. And more.
Jan 13, 2022•24 min
Technology is consistently outpacing the law. In Georgia, for example, it's legal to put a tracker on a car. In this episode, learn about AirTags and what they are capable of, both good and bad.
Jan 05, 2022•16 min
1. Just delete the files you no longer want 2. It's OK to leave your laptop plugged in all the time 3. Always shut down your computer at night 4. You'll know when you have a virus Facts or fiction? Mark will set you straight on these and other relevant tech myths.
Dec 22, 2021•16 min
Digital video technology and the development of the virtual reality is making it possible for people to visit places and experience things without ever leaving the couch. These experiences are looking, and starting to feel, more and more like the real thing. So, why actually jump out of the plane when you can experience it virtually without the risk of injury? It's the great reality swap. Which will you choose?
Dec 15, 2021•18 min
Mark is an expert when it comes to cell phone features. Listen to this episode to learn what features are and which ones are not worth your money.
Dec 08, 2021•15 min
Informed parents keep kids safe. Mark is serious when it comes to teaching parents what they need to know before allowing their kids to jump into new tech. Listen as he tells you what to watch for in the new tech toys aimed at your children.
Dec 01, 2021•14 min
Coming to you from Costa Rica, Mark Stross brings the fun to this segment with Bulldog, Coach, and Big Al as they talk tech's best and worst. A light and fun show!
Nov 08, 2021•28 min
Moving into a new phone can be as exciting as it is troublesome. As you anticipate all of the new features of your new phone, don't forget to be realistic. There is always a bottleneck; which means that there will always be a task that just does not go as fast or as smoothly as you'd expect. Need to transfer thousands of photos/videos? Consider a workaround with a transfer app. Powerful problems: hubs, cables and power supplies make a big difference in your device performance. And, new features ...
Nov 03, 2021•18 min
Which one are you? Do you jump at software upgrades? Skip them? or wait awhile til they fix the bugs? Mark Stross discusses the pros, cons, and cool features of Windows 11. Everything you need to know to determine if you are ready for the change.
Oct 27, 2021•12 min
A giant kitten sits on a building in Tokyo. A huge ocean wave appears in a South Korean city square. Giant pandas watch over pedestrians in China. Are these real headlines? Nope. Just the introduction of massive high 8K resolution 3D images appearing on LED screens in some of the world's largest cities. Mark Stross, a leader in LED technology, discusses the development of these huge 3D billboards that are drawing the attention of pedestrians across the globe.
Oct 21, 2021•18 min
"Sorry, you are not where we want you to be." Perhaps you have already heard this from your favorite streaming service during your last trip out of the country. How is it that the streaming services ONLY honor your subscription in the predetermined geographic location that they choose? Didn't you buy it? Why can't your favorite shows travel with you? You paid for them! Mark Stross explains Digital Rights Management (DRM) and how it can ruin your next holiday, and why we need a Digital Bill of Ri...
Sep 30, 2021•21 min
