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

EV sales drop for the first time in Ireland: is this the best time to buy electric?

Why are EV sales dropping? Will the price discounts help them bounce back? And what does it have to do with the charging network? Derek Reilly, founder of Nevo and the EV Ireland YouTube Channel joins Adrian to discuss the latest on electric cars, including why sales are plummeting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 26, 202428 min

Apple’s MacBook Air M3: review plus comparison with MacBook Pro

Is the Apple MacBook Air worth getting? What are the new features? And how does it compare to the previous model? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian looks at Apple’s newest multi-purpose laptop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 19, 202420 min

The Unicorns: From a caravan in Meath to raising $120m in funding with ThreatLocker CEO Danny Jenkins

ThreatLocker IT is one of the most significant players in cybersecurity in the world, but from the start it wasn’t smooth sailing. What is the company’s Irish connection? How did it persevere through failure? And why did its CEO focus on small businesses rather than the big firms? Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 14, 202419 min

Bitcoin is soaring again — is it heading for $100,000? Or maybe $1m?

Bitcoin has hit a record high again. Is it back to high growth? Will it hit $100,000 in value? And what on earth is leading to this spike? To discuss, Adrian is joined on today’s episode by adjunct assistant professor in technology trends at Trinity College Dublin and head of stablecoin at MSX Limited, Lory Kehoe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 12, 202419 min

People hacking with burglar for hire Jenny Radcliffe

What is people hacking? How difficult is it to con your way into a building? And what is a burglar for hire? On this episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by Jenny Radcliffe, author of ‘People Hacker: Confessions of a burglar for hire.’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 05, 202421 min

Dodgy box explainer: should users be worried?

Will the current clampdown on dodgy boxes curb use? Should the dodgy box owners be worried? And is their use funding criminality? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses the potential impacts of this crackdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 22, 202423 min

Are we sleepwalking into mass surveillance? Garda bodycams and facial recognition technology

How should we feel about garda body cams and facial recognition technology? Are we barreling towards a police state? And do we really want to be under surveillance all the time? Practising barrister, Senator Barry Ward joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the technology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 22, 202427 min

The frightening reality of videos created by OpenAI’s new text-to-video system Sora

How does OpenAI’s new text-to-video system Sora work? Where does it get its content from? And how will we protect ourselves from a whole new level of disinformation? On The Big Tech Show today, Adrian discusses the new technology and how lifelike its creations appear. More episodes of The Big Tect Show available here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Feb 19, 202424 min

Civil war: The Russian disinformation campaign stoking division in the US

Would you know disinformation if you saw or heard it? And might you be seeing it now in the U. S. on topics such as immigration around the Texas border? If you are seeing this, might any of it be influenced by actors such as Putin's Russia? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian talks to David Gilbert, a reporter for Wired.com who specialises in investigating disinformation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 15, 202423 min

Netflix, Disney and Prime: As price hikes loom which streaming services should you cut?

Gone are the days of a €10 streaming subscription with most platforms warning of increased fees and less to watch. Which service will you cut? How much are they going up by? And will live sport become the next big thing for streaming giants? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian discusses streaming services upping their prices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 13, 202425 min

Helen Dixon’s last interview: the highs and lows of a job battling tech giants

After ten years, as Data Protection Commissioner what are Helen Dixon’s highs and lows? Why is she moving on? And are fines effective in bringing big tech in line? Adrian speaks to Helen Dixon on this week’s episode in her last media appearance as Data Protection Commissioner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 08, 202429 min

Who is Mr Beast? The story of YouTube’s biggest star

Who is Mr Beast? How did he become the most followed person on YouTube? And why has he started putting videos up on X? In this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by reporter with the Irish Independent, Darragh Nolan, to look at the life and times of James Stephen Donaldson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 01, 202421 min

Revealed: Samsung’s new S24 Ultra is the best Android phone but has one big flaw

Samsung’s top phone sees improvements in cameras, power, screen quality and design. But it is the new AI features that make it really interesting and also where it sometimes struggles. On the Big Tech Show this week, Adrian introduces us to the Samsung Galaxy’s new flagship phone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 30, 202428 min

Facebook turns 20 – Has it made the world better or worse?

Do you still use Facebook? Or is your elderly uncle the only person still on it? As Facebook turns twenty, what will its legacy be? One of disrupted elections, scandals, or of bringing people together? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian debates whether Facebook has had a positive or negative impact since its inception twenty years ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 25, 202423 min

Could the Vision Pro be Apple’s first flop under Tim Cook?

Why have early reviews criticised the Apple Vision Pro? Could this be Apple’s first failure? And are tech enthusiasts yet to be convinced? The Apple headset has gone on presale in the US, but the reviews haven’t been great. On the Big Tech Show this week Adrian looks at the reasons behind this lukewarm reception. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 23, 202424 min

Is cinema dead? Did noisy patrons and Netflix at home kill it?

Are you through with cinemas? Do you go as much as you used to? Are we witnessing the death of cinema? On this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian was joined by culture journalist and cinephile, Jen Gannon, to discuss if going to the pictures is becoming a thing of the past. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 18, 202427 min

Best box for your buck: which TV bundles are value for money?

Vodafone has entered the Irish TV market with a bang by undercutting the competition on price. But in a confusing environment of offers, promotions and pricing, what is the best deal? How often should you switch? And what streaming services are baked into the cost? Adrian dives into whats on offer in the tv market and how much it will cost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 11, 202426 min

The honest pros and cons of switching to an electric car

What are the real challenges with getting an electric car? What are the hidden benefits? In this episode, Adrian Weckler goes through the basic issues, without any sugar coating, that using an electric car brings. He explains that even for those who love their electric cars, range anxiety sometimes remains an issue. He also highlights sub-par public infrastructure. On the other hand, he points to the superior handling of electric cars and argues that more people should switch from petrol and die...

Jan 09, 202426 min

The Irishman taking on platforms like Google and Meta in the fight for online civil rights

How important do you regard your civil rights online when it comes to big tech platforms like Google and Meta? Are you concerned about how they use and sell your data? And could it even stray into the realm of national security? Adrian was joined on The Big Tech Show by senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), Dr Johnny Ryan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 04, 202425 min

From AI girlfriends to Apple headsets:10 tech predictions for 2024

Could AI girlfriends become an advanced market in 2024? Will Apple’s Vision Pro, to be launched imminently, sell out? What will happen with crypto, electric cars and AI? Will Elon Musk pull X from the EU? Is there any hope in the fight against text scammers? In this episode, Adrian Weckler and Tabitha Monahan interrogate Adrian’s predictions of what is likely to happen in the coming months. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 03, 202439 min

From laptops to phones: the best tech gadgets of 2023

What were the best tech gadgets of the year? What was the best laptop, tablet and phone? What were the best headphones and buds? Having reviewed most of the big releases, Adrian Weckler picks the best of 2023 on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 28, 202329 min

The Rohingya refugee taking Meta to court in Ireland for its role in ethnic cleansing in Myanmar

What role did Meta have in fueling the Myanmar military’s violence against the Rohingya people? Were its algorithms central to the campaign of hatred waged against this ethnic group? And what reparations should Meta pay for its contribution to the atrocities? On this week's episode of The Big Tech Show, Adrian hosted an Amnesty International panel discussion on Meta’s role in amplifying anti-Rohingya content on Facebook in Myanmar. He was joined by member of the Rohingya community, Maung Sawyedd...

Dec 26, 202324 min
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