PC Mike's Techcast

Yes, I am an Apple fanboy. Let there be no doubt about it. I have at least one of every singe device Apple makes. Seriously. But that doesn't mean I have to pretend to liking everything about the Apple ecosystem. Take the new MacBook Pro 15 incher last fall. I don't like it. I hate it for two reasons: Lousy battery life and a klutzy keyboard. In this week's podcast, I tell you all about it and how I was so frustrated I bought a new Microsoft Surface Book Pro to replace it. I was a...

PCM38 PC Mike's Device of the Year: iPadPro or Surface Book? PC Mike is agonizing, as he gets ready to pick the device of the year. Will it be Apple's new iPad Pro or Microsoft's hot new Surface Pro combination laptop/tablet? Both devices are about to be released and are expected to be hot sellers this holiday season. Mike likes both and is waiting to get his hands on them to make his choice for the annual TV report he does after Thanksgiving picking the "Device of the Year." In this...

PCM 37: Is Apple TV really "the future of television?" The new Apple TV is available in stores and while it is indeed pretty cool, it does lack some important things. PC Mike tells you what you need to know before buying. Also, we talk about: -A cool app that will tell you if someone has died in your house - How Apple just kicked off 250 apps that were spying on users - A Windows 10 Update is on the way - Podcasts are coming to Google Play for Android users - Paul Ulerich, the "Uber...

PCM36 What You Need to Know About the Cloud A No Geek--Speak explanation about what the cloud is and why and how you should use it Our guest is Bill Fisher from a great online learning service called GCFLeanFree.org, which offers free classes on computer and Internet basics. Bill and PC Mike discuss the ins and outs of the cloud, addressing security concerns, usage and the future of cloud computing. In the news of the week, PC Mike weighs in on: - The Feds are About to to Require Drone...

PCM35 Apple VS Microsoft, iOS VS Android The Tech News this week seems to be focusing on rivalries. We tell you the latest as Apple and Microsoft go head-to-head and Android tries to best the iPhone. We talk specifically about: - The release date for the iPad Pro and why Apple hopes it reverse its lackluster financial this year - How the response for the just announced Microsoft Surface Book laprop/tablet has been so overwhelming that delivery has now been pushed from Oct. 26 to five to...

Has Apple lost it's Mojo? PC Mike thinks so. And Microsoft seems to have stolen it away. In this episode of the podcast, Mike outlines some of the problems and issues Apple has been having lately, many centered around a general lack of innovation. Mike is so disappointed that he's actually thinking of changing his entire technology ecosystem from Apple to Windows. Why does he think Microsoft has become the hottest tech company today? A big reason can be seen in Microsoft's recent product...

PCMike 33: The Mobile Pay Revolution Has Begun Dump those fat wallets and exchange them for your mobile wallet Samsung and Apple are about to change forever the way goods and services are bought in the U.S.. The two may be competitors but their unique ways of using mobile pay is about to transform retail in the U.S. From Apple Pay to the just activated Samsung Pay, consumers are going to be able to have safer, more secure ways to pay for goods (much safer than handing someone your credit...

PCM32: iPhone tricks, iOS9 and how to keep email private PC Mike Wendland delivers the tech news of the week with a whole bunch of great tips. This week, he tells us how the free email providers like gMail, Yahoo and Hotmail profit from your "free" accounts by eavesdropping on your email and then delivering targeted ads to you based on what you are writing about. He offers up an email service that can keep your email private. Plus, with PC Mike Producer Andrew Dietderich, this episode...

PCM31 Breaking down Apple's "Incredible" Yawner of an Event It wasn't "incredible" - despite the gazillion times Apple's presenters used the adjective. We dissect each of the product announcements. We review and discuss the new: - Apple Watch update and accessories - The extra large-sized Apple iPadPro - The $99 Apple Pencil accessory - The redesigned Apple TV - The new iPhone6S and iPhone 6 Plus S We were, to put it mildly, underwhelmed. Despite the fact that PC Mike is a huge...

PCM30 Apple Watch: What to Know Four Months In What you need to know about the way the Apple Watch is really being used and whether it is right for you Depending on who you ask, there have been 3-4 million Apple Watches sold in the first four months of availability. So, do those sales numbers make it a hit or a bust? And how is it really being used, by real people? To find out, PC Mike talks to Bernard Desarnauts, Founder of Wristly.co, which has been measuring the way the Apple Watch...

PCM29: Now You have to Worry About Ransomware! Digital thieves lock you out from your own computer and demand a ransom to get them back It's another scam to worry about and it is happening thousands of times a day. We interview a victim and tell you what you need to do to protect yourself. Plus Tech News of the week: Cord cutters dumping cable: New screens are getting their loyalty Video games and aggressive behavior: Psychologists label it a "risk factor" Amazon disputes accuracy of...

PCM28 Your Internet Addiction may be a form of mental illness More and more of us just can't put our Internet devices down. It's time to get a grip on the problem of Internet addiction. Many mental health experts now think compulsive Internet use is a form of mental illness. In this week;s episode, we give you some very helpful tools that will help you find out if you have a problem with the way you use the Internet and technology. That's one of a bunch of topics we tackle this week,...

PCM25: Five Tips Every Windows 10 User Needs to Know Now! Windows 10 is all new...yet familiar...and, sometimes, confusing. In this episode, we tell you what you need to know about it right now. First, we answer listener questions about: -A Samsung Note 4 that won't play video -An Apple Watch that has lost connection with its iPhone Also this week... -In news of the week, we talk about another study linking cancer to cellphone use, hacking vulnerabilities affecting 950 million Android...

In this episode, we talk to a leading expert who helps us understand the extent of the problem and what parents and grandparents can do to make sure their kids use technology in a responsible way, But first, we answer a listener's question about Internet access in rural areas where cable and cellular high speed access is not available or affordable. PC Mike talks about Home Satellite Internet access, recommending a service called Wild Blue https://www.wildblue.com/ In News of the week, we...

PCM25 Don't take naked pictures of yourself! The problem of revenge porn is huge, say the experts. Mike's solution: Don't take photos of yourself in compromising positions! Also this week, Mike and PC Mike Producer Andrew Dieterich talk abut: - Car hacking and its frightening ramifications - Massive security fixes for Windows users - New video resources on YouTube And our Apps of the Week looks at three apps for Yoga users. Complete show notes at http://pcmike.com/25

We need faster speeds for cable Internet! Steaming video and music and video conferencing is going to be easier as Comcast announces major new speed boosts Comcast increases speeds – Comcast is increasing Internet The company will increase the speed of its popular Blast! tier by 50 percent to 75 Mbps and introduce a new Extreme 150 Mbps speed tier. Michelle Gilbert, a Comcast Regional Vice President, tells us: - When and where the increases will occur - How to reset your modem to take...

PCM23: Coincidences or not, computer glitches prove we're too tech-centric Were the so-called "computer glitches" this week at the New York Stock Exchange, United Airlines, and Wall Street Journal all purely coincidental or not? We may never know, but the bigger question is - does it matter? Fact is it shows you how dependent we are on technology and how a coordinated hacking event could cause such tremendous chaos. This episode of the PC Mike Techcast kicks off with Mike bringing you up...

Windows 10 will be released for free July 29. but if you want it, heres how to get your "reservation" in. Mike also shares his impressions on the Apple Watch. Now that the thrill has worn off, will he still wear it? He has some things he really likes abut the Apple Watch, especially the fitness apps and the battery life. But there's a couple things he is not so keen on. With PC Mike Producer Andrew Dieterich, Mike digs into Windows 10. -How do you get it? -Is it really free? -Will it...

PCM21 Oh No! I've been Robbed! What to do before (and after) your computer is lost or stolen. PC Mike shares the lessons learned when thieves stole his computers and electronic gear while on a cross-country trip. He offers tops and resources to secure your gear. Plus the news of the week: -A new study shows the best times to Tweet -Apple removes Civil War games from the App store because they show the Confederate Flag -Microsoft rolls out Office for Android In the Apps of there week,...

Two topics in this episode tihs week: Why Apple can't deliver and how that caused PC Mike to cancel his Apple Watch order and how Facebook can harm your mental health. Mike outlines the dismal delivery dates that the Apple Watch is having, with an explanation of why he cancelled his order. And then t comes to Facebook, there are a whole list of potential mental health issues that it can aggravate/ We talk to Psychologist Doug Kenrick and researcher Jessica Bodford.