The Big Tech Show - podcast cover

The Big Tech Show

Irish Independentwww.independent.ie
Irish Independent Tech Editor Adrian Weckler hosts this award-winning business podcast which dives deep into the biggest industry advances and tracks the key movers and shakers behind the innovation. From interviewing Big Tech CEOs to investigations into how tech affects our working lives, the show has become Ireland’s most listened-to technology podcast.
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Episodes

From the Web Summit: Is Revolut planning to offer mortgages?

This week, The Big Tech Show is at the Web Summit in Lisbon. Adrian chats to Revolut CEO Nikolay Storonsky about the future of the banking app in Ireland, and if Irish customers will be able to get mortgages from the digital bank. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 04, 202217 min

Is there any future in the Metaverse?

This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler speaks to Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive of Technology and Chief Technology Officer at Accenture to talk about why he thinks we need to reframe how we think about the Metaverse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 28, 202219 min

The Merge and the future of cryptocurrency

Ethereum, one of the largest cryptocurrencies completed the highly anticipated “Merge”, a software update that cut the currency's energy usage by 99%. How successful was The Merge and will it influence other cryptocurrencies to become more energy efficient? Adrian Weckler is joined by James Nagle, co-founder of Bitcove to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 21, 202216 min

The pain of dealing with social media firms when a loved one dies

What happens when you have to battle social media companies for access to a loved one’s online information when they pass away? That’s what Irishwoman Donna Ahern has been facing for the last year, since her twin sister suddenly died. In this week’s podcast, Donna talks about the hoops she has had to jump through to comply with the processes put in her way by Facebook and Google. Adrian also looks at some of the best Amazon Prime Day bargains and reviews Google’s new Pixel phones and Pixel Watch...

Oct 13, 202225 min

Will Elon Musk finally buy Twitter?

With the Elon Musk and Twitter saga raging on, we ask if Musk is finally about to buy Twitter and what that could mean for the platform? With new EU rules saying most gadgets must use the same charging cable from 2024, we discuss if this is officially the end of the drawer full of cables. Host: Adrian Weckler. Guest: Damien Mulley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 07, 202223 min

Does the UK’s proposed Vat free shopping mean cheaper tech?

Irish Shoppers who head to Britain will be able to save hundreds of euro on luxury goods under a new regime that offers overseas visitors tax-free perks. Adrian Weckler is joined by Jon Ihle, Deputy Business Editor of the Irish Independent to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 30, 202222 min

How a bank card was scammed with a phone

This week on the Big Tech Show with Adrian Weckler, we talk to Charlotte Morgan, whose story went viral around the world when thieves used her phone to get at her bank card’s pin number, leaving her thousands of pounds out of pocket. Charlotte tells us how to stop the same thing happening to you. Adrian also looks at Apple’s new Watch Series 8 and gives his verdict on whether it’s worth getting or not See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Sep 23, 202228 min

Should TikTok be banned?

This week on the Big Tech Show with Adrian Weckler, we are discussing whether TikTok should be banned. Reports found that TikTok can log keystrokes on iPhones and that Bytedance staff in China have ultimate access to any and all TikTok user data they want. Adrian is joined by finance correspondent of the Currency, Sean Keyes to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 16, 202220 min

iPhone 14 launch in California – is the latest release worth the money?

This week, Apple launched the iPhone 14 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Adrian tells us how the launch went and whether it’s worth upgrading to the latest iPhone. Host: Adrian Weckler. Guests: Stuart Miles, Britta O’Boyle and Robert Leedham. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 09, 202224 min

Are data centres to blame for Ireland’s energy crisis?

With the cost of living and energy crisis dominating the news right now, data centres are coming under greater scrutiny. This week on the Big Tech Show we ask are data centres to blame for Ireland's energy woes? If blackouts do happen, we explore what kind of tech can help get your through an energy outage. And we talk to the two young tech entrepreneurs who have quit Dublin for Spain because the rent is too high here. Guests: Cian McNally, Evan Mcgloughlin See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Sep 02, 202224 min

Power banks and laptops: the best college tech for 2022

What’s the best laptop, monitor, power-bank or noise-cancelling headphones for a college student? Or rather, what’s the best you can get at a reasonable price in a cost-of-living crisis? Adrian Weckler is joined by technology journalist and recent college graduate Andy O’Donoghue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 26, 202225 min

Ecommerce and accusations of ageism: an interview with Selazar founder Jack Williams

Jack Williams is co-founder and CEO of the Belfast-based ecommerce fulfilment firm Selazar. While the company made headlines recently for getting £20m in funding, the highest amount of venture capital in Northern Irish history, this week it was also in the news for less flattering reasons, having lost an employment tribunal case in London over claims of ageism. Adrian Weckler sat down with Jack this week to talk about ecommerce, retailing, being a young CEO, and also about what happened in the t...

Aug 18, 202215 min

Big Tech Slowdown: What smaller growth could mean for jobs in Ireland

Is the tech party over for Ireland? Google has announced a temporary recruitment freeze, Microsoft is eliminating open jobs, while both Meta and Apple are reportedly planning to hire fewer people. In other words, some of Ireland’s biggest tech employers are scaling back their plans. The tech sector here has been on the biggest bull run in Irish industrial history. But is it finally facing a slowdown? And is our indigenous tech sector any more resilient? Joining Adrian Weckler to discuss the issu...

Aug 12, 202222 min

23 & Me: What home DNA tests can tell you about yourself

Technology editor Adrian Weckler reports on the results and concerns he had after taking a DNA test with online service 23&Me. He is joined by Stacy Detweiler, a genetics counsellor working for the company's medical team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 05, 202218 min

Is Bill Gates’s promise to give all his money away heroic or an ego trip?

If you were a billionaire, would you give most of it away? That’s what Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says he’s doing. He’s the world's fourth richest man, worth €115bn. But he says he has an "obligation" to return his resources to society. He says he wants to drop out of the world’s rich lists. And he’s not alone in the tech elite. Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook, among others, also say they’ll give away almost all of their wealth. Does this make them decent stewards of capitalism? Or is sort of ...

Jul 29, 202225 min

Everything you need to know about Apple’s new MacBook Air M2 — should you get it?

Is the new M2 too expensive? Is the older M1 MacBook Air a better deal? Or might you be better off getting the new MacBook Pro M2, which is almost the same price? Adrian Weckler is joined by fellow reviewer, PocketLint.com’s deputy editor Britta O’Boyle, to discuss the pros and cons of Apple’s latest MacBook Air M2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 22, 202218 min

The Nothing Phone: What it is and why it could be the next big thing

Is it possible for a brand new phone from a brand new company to capture your Apple or Samsung-bound cash? The Nothing Phone (1) is the brainchild of OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. This week, tech editor Adrian Weckler flew to the London launch to see what all the hype is about. He gives his verdict on the phone, as well as the views of some other experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 15, 202211 min

From AirTags to Power Banks: The best travel tech for 2022

How can you watch your Netflix series in a foreign Airbnb? Is it possible to avoid getting gouged when using your smartphone abroad? Adrian is joined by Colin Baker, gadget expert and managing director of Back From The Future to discuss 10 useful devices and services to enhance a summer holiday, either abroad or in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 07, 202227 min

The iPhone at 15 -- what is its legacy and its future?

In 2007, Steve Jobs took to the stage to introduce what he called a “revolutionary new product”. This week 15 years ago, the first iPhone went on sale. Is it still an all-conquering device? What might September's iPhone 14 bring? And can the iconic smartphone stay at the heart of Apple’s world, or will smart glasses and cars become the company's new focus? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss all of this is someone who was at the original launch – Stuart Miles, the founder and CEO...

Jun 30, 202228 min

An interview with Ireland's parcel locker king

30 years ago, John Touhy set up the logistics and delivery company Nightline, which also spawned Parcel Motel. Having sold it to UPS for €30m in 2017, he's back with another offering in the field -- OOHPod. This is a smart locker service that is supposed to make it easy to pick up and return parcels in your own time. The company aims to place “out of home” lockers in 1,000 locations across the island of Ireland by 2025. John Touhy talked to Adrian about his past, present and why some entities in...

Jun 23, 202227 min

An interview with Zoom's Dubliner CIO, Harry Moseley

What’s it like being the CIO of one of the most iconic pandemic-era tech companies in the world? No-one knows better than Harry Moseley, Zoom’s chief information officer . The man from Rathfarhnam has been close to the helm of a company whose very name has become a verb in the English language. But what’s coming next? Is the drive for remote working stalling? And can Zoom pull back from a steep decline in its own share price recently? Harry spoke to tech editor Adrian Weckler. See omnystudio.com...

Jun 16, 202223 min

What to do about your security password

Apple, Google and Microsoft are joining forces to kill off passwords. They say that they will try to replace passwords by using smartphones as two-factor authentication via things like a PIN number or a fingerprint, and using that for verification on an operating system or website. But will this work? And what should you be doing to protect yourself with the passwords you already use? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss this is Conor Flynn, managing director at Waystone Complianc...

Jun 09, 202224 min

Remote control - how companies are pulling people back to the office

In recent weeks, Google and Apple have begun pulling all their Irish workers back into the office. Other big companies are starting to do the same, and it’s not just the tech giants here, such as Amazon, Intel and Salesforce. A glance at Indeed.com, the biggest recruitment site, shows that of 58,000 jobs currently advertised, just 4,000 — or around 7% — allow you to be remote. So here’s a question — what happened to all of the talk about our work lives changing forever? About having more choice ...

Jun 02, 202220 min

The €40m Cork startup that's helping to solve the supply chain crisis

Alan Holland had a steady, comfortable life as a lecturer in artificial intelligence in University College Cork. But in 2012, he left it all to try and build a startup specialising in procurement automation. 10 years on, that company, Keelvar, has just picked up its latest funding round of $24m, with plans to increase headcount at the firm to over 100. Alan joins technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss what it was like to leave the security of a college academic life for a startup. He also e...

May 26, 202220 min

An explainer on why Elon is backing away from Twitter and what happens next

Does Elon Musk, conqueror of low orbit space, pioneer of the electric car, the nearest thing we have to a real life Iron Man, actually intend to buy Twitter or not? Is he really being put off about spam bots, the defeat of which was one of the reasons he said he wanted to buy the platform? Is he trying to back out because of the tech stock crash? Having already signed a contract, legally, *can* he back out? Or does he still want the company, but is just trying to lower the price? Tech editor Adr...

May 19, 202214 min

What effects do crashing tech stocks have on your pension and pay?

Over the last week, tech stocks have crashed. The likes of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Tesla and Amazon lost between €120bn and €200bn each in their market value. Some others, like Zoom and Netflix, are even worse, down between two thirds and three quarters in value. What the hell is going on? Are we all suddenly reassessing what we think the value of these tech companies is? Or is something else causing these valuations to slide? Could it affect your pension? Or, if you work for a tech firm, your...

May 12, 202221 min

Do you have to be an asshole to be a top tech founder?

Elon Musk is a genius and an inspiration to millions. But he's also acting like an asshole in his drive to buy Twitter.So do you have to be a bit of a bully to succeed in tech? Do you have to mete out abuse like Steve Jobs… to achieve things like Steve Jobs? Or can you be a nice guy like a Collison and still get all the way to top? To discuss this, Adrian is joined by Conor Neill, the founder of six companies, best known of which is Taxijet. He also holds a psychology degree and is professor at ...

May 05, 202224 min

Is Dublin becoming San Francisco?

Are the tech companies, with their high salaries and expanding campuses, making it unaffordable for everyone else? And does this make Dublin a blander, less interesting city? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss the issue is Leonard Hobbs, director of Trinity College Dublin’s Research and Innovation; artist Claire McCluskey, whose inner city Richmond Road Studios workplace recently recover an eviction notice; and Mark Cullen, director and curator at Pallas Projects studios in Dubl...

Apr 29, 202226 min

The most irritating, broken tech in our daily routines

What everyday tech quirks really get on your nerves? Banking? Online players? Services not letting you cancel online? Adrian Weckler discusses some of the worst offenders with journalist Jonathan Keane and broadcaster Andy O’Donoghue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 22, 202226 min

A beginner’s guide to raising startup cash — from those who are doing it right now

Ever wondered about raising cash for a startup? Unsure where to start or how to go about it? About grants? Or venture capital firms? Or investment ‘angels’? Or even asking family and friends? This week, Adrian Weckler gets answers to these beginners’ questions from Jack Cantillon, CEO and co-founder of the new Dublin-based startup Herd, which has just raised €600,000 with commitments for another €400,000. Donal ‘DC’ Cahalane, the experienced startup consultant now working with Dogpatch, also joi...

Apr 15, 202226 min
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