AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk
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Gotta Deduct ’Em All: PokeTax, ProArt, & Muppet Mayhem! | AwesomeCast 727

April 2nd, 2025

Join co-hosts Michael Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar as they get geeky and awesome with this week’s wild ride of tech, pop culture, and AI-fueled adventures.

🔹 Awesome Things of the Week

• Sorg’s Pick: ASUS ProArt Display

• Sorg shares his experience upgrading to the ASUS ProArt Display, a color-calibrated monitor designed for creatives and video editors. With a unique 16:10 aspect ratio and ProArt Palette support, it’s a game-changer for his Final Cut Pro workflow.

• 🔗 Get the ASUS ProArt Display on Amazon

• Katie’s Pick: PokeTax

• Taxes meet Pokémon in the most unexpected way. PokeTax is an open-source Pokémon-style battle game that helps you file your tax return while facing off against tax-themed trainers. It’s weird, it’s real, and it’s definitely not an April Fool’s joke (they swear).

• 🔗 Read the TechCrunch article on PokeTax

• Dave’s Pick: NFL Embraces 8K Camera Tech

• Dave dives into how the NFL is upgrading its chain gang game with a Hawkeye-style tracking system using 8K Sony cameras for accurate ball placement. It’s a step into the 21st century for football officiating.

• https://www.theverge.com/news/640890/nfl-sony-hawk-eye-first-down-chains 

🧠 Other Topics Discussed

• AI-Generated Muppets from ChatGPT

• The crew tests out the latest GPT image features to transform real photos and wrestling posters into full-on Muppet parodies. It’s fun, chaotic, and surprisingly accurate — complete with character-specific tattoos and branding.

• Tax Haven 3000 — Dating Sim + Tax Filing

• A look back at last year’s tax prep/dating sim crossover game, complete with a limited-edition body pillow of the in-game avatar, Iris. Yep, that’s a thing.

• 🔗 Tax Haven 3000 details (from show notes)

• Ranch Milk? April Fool’s at its Weirdest

• Turner’s Dairy and Eat’n Park team up for “Ranch Milk” — an April Fool’s joke that’s either genius marketing or lactose-fueled horror.

• Cat Wars Calendar Update

• Katie shares the April edition of her favorite AI-generated Cat Wars calendar, complete with motivational meows and battle-ready felines.

• Robosen’s New Auto-Transforming Bumblebee

• A look at Robosen’s latest innovation — a programmable, auto-transforming Bumblebee from Transformers that walks, talks, and reacts via smartphone control.

• Nintendo Switch Digital Game Sharing Update

• Nintendo explores a unique solution for sharing digital games between consoles, possibly enabling game “eject” and “load” functionality for titles like Animal Crossing.

• Slice on Broadway Wins Best Cheese Pizza in the World

• Longtime show sponsor Slice on Broadway takes home the crown at the World Pizza Championship. Stop by their original Beachview location to see the trophy IRL.

• TikTok Ban Update

• A reminder that the U.S. deadline for TikTok’s forced divestiture looms on April 5th. While few expect an actual ban, creators remain watchful.

🎙️ Hosts:

• Michael Sorg – SorgatronMedia.com

• Katie Dudas – katiedudas.com

• Dave Podnar – iPhoneography Podcast

🎧 Support the show at: patreon.com/awesomecast

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