AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

AwesomeCast 788: Pew Pew - Retro Gaming on Apple TV, Minimalist Flip Phones & the AI Backlash

July 21st, 2026  |  1 hr 6 mins

adaptive cruise control, ai ethics, ai image editing, ai video production, apple tv gaming, arduino, artificial intelligence, ask photos, browser games, consumer technology, creative ai, cruise control, data centers, data-center electricity, dave podnar, digital detox, digital ownership, digital privacy, diy electronics, dumb phones, dungeon crawler carl, flip phones, gadget podcast, gamestop, garmin connect, garmin fitness tracker, generative ai, google gemini, google photos, google photos search, gta iii, gta san andreas mod, gta vice city, katie dudas, light flip phone, machine learning, maeve chocolate, maker technology, mama’s night off, mars flyby, mike sorg, minimalist phone, minimalist technology, nasa psyche, nintendo wii remote, openmote, pastfinders, physical media, physical video games, pittsburgh bridges, pittsburgh film office, pittsburgh movie locations, pittsburgh podcast, playstation 5 emulation, ps5 emulator, ralph teetor, retro gaming, retro technology, retroarch, retroarch apple tv, sae, screenless fitness tracker, smart-home controls, society of automotive engineers, sony physical discs, sorg, sorgatron media, space exploration, tech news, technology news, technology podcast, technology regulation, video game emulation, wearable technology, wiimote

Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore the return of retro technology and the growing demand for digital tools that give users more control.

Katie shares the Dungeon Crawler Carl-inspired Mama’s Night Off browser game. Dave introduces Garmin’s new screenless fitness tracker, while Sorg explains how he set up RetroArch on Apple TV to play games from classic consoles and computers.

The crew also discusses PlayStation 5 emulation, GameStop’s response to the decline of physical discs, and why consumers are returning to vinyl, CDs, cassettes, flip phones, and other forms of physical technology.

An extended conversation examines how AI is being incorporated into creative tools, business software, search, image editing, and video production. The hosts consider responsible AI use, the difference between generative AI and other machine-learning features, and the environmental and infrastructure concerns surrounding rapid data-center growth.

Other stories include NASA’s Psyche spacecraft capturing a Mars flyby, Pittsburgh movie locations in the Pastfinders app, the minimalist Light Flip phone, the OpenMote Wii Remote development board, Google Photos restoring classic search, and Ralph Teetor’s invention of cruise control.

Support AwesomeCast at https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast and find more shows at https://sorgatronmedia.com.

Fortnite’s Hot Bat Summer, Robot Arms & AI | AwesomeCast 787

July 15th, 2026  |  58 mins 19 secs

ai privacy, apple beta, apple health, artificial intelligence, assistive technology, autonomous vehicles, batman, blood pressure monitor, camera guidelines, carnegie science center, catwoman, consumer technology, cyborg technology, dave podnar, digital ownership, digital surveillance, disability pride month, doctor octopus, fast and furious, fortnite, gadgets, harley quinn, hot bat summer, instagram ai, ios 27, jizai arms, katie dudas, kennywood, kids smartwatch, lego speed champions, meta ai, michael sorg, omron 7 series, parental controls, petersen automotive museum, phones for kids, pinwheel phones, pittsburgh technology podcast, poison ivy, robotic arms, rory cooper, sorg, speed exhibit, sports broadcasting, tech news, technology podcast, toyota supra mk4, usb-c cables, usb-c diagnostics, waymo, whatcable, wheelchair technology, women athletes

Sorg, Katie Dudas and Dave Podnar explore the useful, unusual and occasionally alarming side of modern technology in AwesomeCast 787.

Dave reviews the Bluetooth-enabled Omron 7 Series blood pressure monitor, while Katie introduces Pinwheel’s managed phones, smartwatch and Wi-Fi home phone for younger users. Sorg tests WhatCable, a Mac utility that reveals whether USB-C cables, chargers and ports are really delivering the speeds they promise.

The crew also discusses Rory Cooper’s groundbreaking wheelchair innovations, LEGO’s Fast & Furious Toyota Supra, a new speed exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center, respectful camera guidelines for women athletes, Instagram’s reversed AI remix feature, wearable Doctor Octopus-style robotic arms, Fortnite’s “Hot Bat Summer” and a shirtless protester’s battle with a Waymo.

Sorg begins downloading the iOS 27 public beta during the episode, while Katie saves her less-than-awesome update thoughts for the Patreon aftertalk.

Awesome Chat: iTargetGolf

July 9th, 2026  |  27 mins 16 secs

awesomecast, awesomechat, cash cup golf, driving range technology, entrepreneur advice, frédéric guitton, gamified golf, golf business, golf entertainment, golf innovation, golf range, golf startup, golf technology, hole in one challenge, in bay lights, inrange, interactive golf, interactive targets, itargetgolf, pittsburgh podcast, real life video game, rfid golf balls, sorgatron media, sports entertainment, sports tech, startup interview, technology podcast, toptracer, trackman, virtual golf

AwesomeChat welcomes Frédéric Guitton of iTargetGolf to talk about the future of interactive golf technology and how driving ranges are becoming more social, competitive, and game-like.

GeForce Now on Apple TV, LEGO F1 Cars & Sony’s Digital Ownership Problem | AwesomeCast 786

July 7th, 2026  |  59 mins 20 secs

aeroplay, apple tv gaming, autonomous vehicles, british grand prix, business laptops, collector toys, dave podnar, dell refurbished, digital movie library, digital ownership, disability pride month, drm, dungeon crawler carl, epic games, fireworks, fisher-price little people, formula 1, game preservation, geforce now, hello kitty insta360, herman hollerith, ibm history, insta360, kamin science center, katie dudas, lego f1, medication organizer, nvidia geforce now, physical game discs, pill caddy, pittsburgh podcast, pop culture collectibles, punched cards, refurbished laptops, science of speed, self-driving cars, sony playstation, sorg, steam games, tech podcast, villain support, waymo, weekly pill organizer, xbox cloud gaming

F1 Drone Tech, AI Video Chaos & the World’s Largest Camera| AwesomeCast 725

July 1st, 2026  |  58 mins 41 secs

3200 megapixels, aew, ai glasses, ai tools, ai video, apple price increases, astronomy, augmented reality, dark energy, dark matter, dave podnar, digital games, drone camera, f1 drone, filming drone, five nights at freddy’s 3, formula 1, gadget podcast, gadgets, game ownership, generative ai, gta 6, gta vi, hover soccer ball, ipad prices, it came from ai, lgbtq tech history, mac prices, martine rothblatt, meta glasses, minions, motorsports technology, nes, nintendo switch game key cards, physical games, pittsburgh podcast, podcast seo, pride month, red bull, retro gaming, rubin observatory, sirius xm, snap ar glasses, sorg, sorgatron media, space camera, steam games, tech news, tech podcast, united therapeutics, vera rubin observatory, viral tiktok

This week on AwesomeCast 785, Sorg and Dave Podnar get geeky with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s massive 3,200-megapixel digital camera, Red Bull’s world’s fastest filming drone chasing a Formula 1 car, and the tech legacy of Martine Rothblatt for Pride Month.

SteamOS, Shokz Headphones, Retro Phones, Sports Tech & a T-Pain Social Media Fail | AwesomeCast 784

June 23rd, 2026  |  59 mins 35 secs

ai coding, amd gpu, automation, baja sae, bazzite, bone conduction headphones, chachi says, claude guillemot, commodore phone, dave podnar, digital twins, doordash, dumbphone, formula sae, gadgets, gaming, gta 6, jon maddog hall, lgbtq tech history, linux gaming, linux history, michael sorg, mlb, nex playground, open ear headphones, open source, pc gaming, pittsburgh podcast, pixel art baseball, podcast, pride month, proton, referee technology, retro phone, retro tech, ribbie, running headphones, sailfish os, shokz openrun pro 2, social media fail, sorg, sports technology, steam deck, steam machine, steamos, t-pain, tech podcast, technology podcast, ubisoft, valve, var, vibe coding, video game news, world cup

Road Trip Tech, World Cup Culture Shock, Strong Museum, and Gemini Pro | AwesomeCast 783

June 16th, 2026  |  1 hr 7 mins

ai tools, arm processor, chachi says, crazy taxi, dave podnar, electric pickup truck, fifa world cup, ford ev, gemini pro, google gemini, google one, katie dudas, like a dragon, marvel wolverine, michael sorg, missy sorg, nerdvana, niagara falls, ocarina of time, pittsburgh podcast, pride month, qr code camouflage, road podcast, sophie wilson, sorgatron media, stranger than heaven, strong museum of play, super mario bros auction, tech podcast, tmnt the last ronin, travel tech, tupac video game, vibe coding, video game hall of fame, video game news, world cup

Sorg and Katie are back on the road in Michigan, Dave Podnar joins from the Pod Cave, and Missy runs the studio back in Pittsburgh for AwesomeCast 783.

This week’s episode is a road trip mix of tech, travel, gaming, and AI. The crew talks about World Cup fans discovering American stores and food culture, Niagara Falls adventures, a 26th-floor IHOP, Sophie Wilson and the history of ARM processors, Chachi’s video game news, the Strong Museum of Play, Nerdvana, Ford’s hidden QR code in prototype EV camouflage, and Sorg’s surprise discovery of Google Gemini Pro access through his Google storage plan.

Apple WWDC AI, He-Man Movie Reactions & Nintendo Classics Return | AwesomeCast 782

June 9th, 2026  |  1 hr 4 mins

007 first light, ai tools, amazon games, apple developer, apple intelligence, apple watch, apple wwdc, generative ai, he-man, ios 27, kingdom hearts 4, lynn conway, macos 27, masters of the universe, neewer lights, nintendo direct, paramount games, photo editing, podcast gear, pride month, protect our games act, siri ai, skeletor, sorgatron media, star fox, tech podcast, video game news, wwdc 2026, zelda ocarina of time

Sorg and Dave Podnar talk Apple WWDC, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, photo reframing, device compatibility, and how AI may become more useful inside everyday apps. Plus: He-Man movie reactions, Lynn Conway’s tech legacy for Pride Month, Nintendo Direct news, video game preservation laws, Paramount Games, Amazon’s 007 plans, and practical studio lighting for podcast creators.

AwesomeCast 781

June 2nd, 2026  |  53 mins 37 secs

pittsburgh, podcast, social media, sorgatron media, tech news

This week on AwesomeCast 781, Sorg, Katie, and Podnar are recording from the road in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while covering the AutoDrive Challenge and breaking down a packed week in tech, gaming, AI, gadgets, and local Pittsburgh creativity.

Stories & Gadgets Discussed:

He-Man movie excitement and Denny’s tie-in menu
https://www.dennys.com/promotions/he-man-movie
Sorg and Katie talk Masters of the Universe hype, themed shirts, Skeletor, nostalgia, and the wild Denny’s promotional food lineup.
USB-C wireless lavalier microphone from TikTok Shop
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP92fEduBXyNW-MWMCM/
Podnar shows off a budget two-pack wireless lav mic with charging case, USB-C receiver, magnetic clips, pass-through charging, and easy phone/computer setup.
Pride History Month: Alan Turing
https://www.alanturing.net
Podnar highlights Alan Turing’s role in breaking Enigma, early computing, artificial intelligence, the Turing Test, and his importance during Pride Month.
ChachiSays Video Game Minute: Steam Deck price increase
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz725d5d1x7o
Chachi covers a reported 40% Steam Deck price jump and the larger conversation around gaming hardware costs.
Modern Warfare’s next story setting
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9q391y5088o
The next Modern Warfare game is discussed with a plot centered around Korea and the North/South conflict.
Unreal Engine 6 announced
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/epic-announces-unreal-engine-6-which-will-run-the-next-era-of-rocket-league/
Epic’s Unreal Engine 6 announcement gets spotlighted, including its connection to the next era of Rocket League.
NVIDIA-linked mini AI data centers for the home
https://www.inc.com/moses-jeanfrancois/nvidia-mini-ai-data-center-house/91340588?brid=YWdncwHdllWCngoYfFZ4UgdFmvNg
The crew discusses the idea of installing small AI data centers at homes, possible monthly compensation, energy concerns, smart panels, solar power, and whether distributed AI infrastructure makes sense.
Virtual Boy games added to Nintendo Switch Online
https://www.vgchartz.com/article/467822/5-virtual-boy-games-added-to-nintendo-switch-online/
Sorg talks about trying the new Virtual Boy library on Switch, including Space Invaders, Jack Bros, Tetris, Mario Clash-style gameplay, and the weird legacy of Nintendo’s red-and-black headset.
Donkey Kong 64 coming to Nintendo Switch Online
https://www.ign.com/articles/donkey-kong-64-confirmed-for-nintendo-switch-online
Donkey Kong 64 is joining Nintendo Switch Online, giving Sorg another retro Nintendo title to revisit.
Google fake call detection for AI impersonation scams
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/google-rolls-out-fake-call-detection-to-protect-against-ai-deepfake-impersonation-scams/
Katie explains Google’s Phone by Google fake call detection, device verification, RCS, and why families may need modern “secret word” safety plans to combat AI voice scams.
Squonk’s Joy Machine at Three Rivers Arts Festival
https://www.wesa.fm/arts-culture/2026-06-02/pittsburghs-squonk-joy-machine-three-rivers-arts-festival
Katie spotlights Pittsburgh performance group Squonk and their interactive Joy Machine street puppet installation at the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Microsoft Scout AI agent
https://www.wired.com/story/meet-microsoft-scout-your-ai-coworker-that-never-logs-off/
Podnar discusses Microsoft’s move toward smaller AI agents built into Office, Teams, calendars, and workplace tools.
Michigan fireball
https://www.mlive.com/weather/2026/06/bright-fireball-flared-out-over-michigan-monday-night-did-you-find-debris-in-your-yard.html
Podnar shares reports of a bright fireball over Michigan and Ohio, meteor debris, and how these events remind us we are part of a much bigger universe.

Google I/O AI Agents, iOS 27 Accessibility, Fortnite Returns & Retro Camera Apps | AwesomeCast 780

May 20th, 2026  |  1 hr 1 min

1986 transformers movie, aapi heritage month, accessibility technology, agentic ai, ai agents, ajay bhatt, apple intelligence, dave podnar, dave pondar, dazz cam, dungeon crawler carl, epic games, fortnite ios, gadget reviews, google gemini, google i/o 2026, graphic novel, intel, ios 27, iphone accessibility, iphone photography, optimus prime, pittsburgh podcast, retro camera app, sorg, sorgatron media, tech news, tech podcast, transformers the movie, usb, vintage photography, webtoon

Sorg and Dave Podnar host AwesomeCast 780 with tech news, gadget picks, and a big dose of AI conversation. This week’s topics include the Dungeon Crawler Carl graphic novel, Dazz Cam’s retro iPhone photography app, Ajay Bhatt’s role in creating USB, Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 accessibility features, Google I/O’s agentic AI announcements, Fortnite’s return to iOS, and the 40th anniversary Transformers: The Movie “Apology Tour.”

Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast

Keeping Podcasting Weird: On the Road | AwesomeCast 779

May 12th, 2026  |  54 mins 23 secs

aapi heritage month, axiom custom products, baja sae, baja sae oregon, cannon beach, cetys mini baja, chachi says, ebay, engineering students, eric yuan, formula sae, gamestop, gopro, grogu, gta 6, haystack rock, katie dudas, mandalorian, mount hood, on-demand manufacturing, oshcut, pacific northwest, pedro pascal, pittsburgh podcast, portland, sheet metal fabrication, sorg, sorgatron media, strauss zelnick, student engineering, take-two, tech podcast, times square, tube bending, video game hall of fame, washougal mx, zoom

Sorg is on the road in Michigan for Wrestling Mayhem Show 1004, joined by Rizz, Mad Mike, and Producer Missy for a chaotic week in pro wrestling.

Fortnite Star Wars, Apple Silicon App Tricks, Robot Pets & the Future of GameStop | AwesomeCast 778

May 6th, 2026  |  1 hr 3 mins

aapi month, ai companion, apple silicon, chachi says, darth vader, dave podnar, david pogue, droid tycoon, ebay, escape vader, fazlur khan, fortnite, fortnite star wars, gadgets, galactic siege, gamestop, gaming news, generative ai, ipad apps on mac, iphone apps on mac, iphone screenshots, katie dudas, mac apps, macbook neo, pittsburgh marathon, playstation 5, ps5 slim, robot pet, roomba, sorg, star wars, tech podcast, video games, wwe ai

Sorg, Katie, and Podnar are back for AwesomeCast 778 with Apple Silicon Mac tips, Katie’s hands-on thoughts on the MacBook Neo, Fortnite’s Star Wars takeover, robot companions from the creator of Roomba, AI in wrestling promos, GameStop’s rumored eBay bid, and a spotlight on skyscraper engineering pioneer Fazlur Khan for AAPI Month.

NFL Draft Tech, Xbox Game Pass Changes & AI Cameras Watching Lines?! | AwesomeCast 777

April 27th, 2026  |  1 hr 1 min

pittsburgh, podcast, social media, sorgatron media, tech news

Sorg and Podnar break down the tech behind Pittsburgh’s massive NFL Draft event, including apps, cashless systems, and crowd logistics. They also explore Xbox Game Pass changes, Apple’s new subscription model, AI-powered line tracking in NYC, and emerging trends in consumer tech.

Tim Cook Steps Down, Game Pass Gets Weird & Can PurePlank Fix the Dad Bod? | AwesomeCast 776

April 21st, 2026  |  1 hr 2 mins

pittsburgh, podcast, social media, sorgatron media, tech news

On this week’s AwesomeCast, Sorg and Dave Podnar talk through tech that hits real life: Sorg tries out the PurePlank fitness board, Dave follows up on the ResMed AirSense 11 CPAP, and the crew spotlights Taher Elgamal’s role in the history of SSL and secure web browsing. They also react to Microsoft’s Game Pass changes, Sorg’s growing interest in Reddit as a better daily feed, DaVinci Resolve’s new still-image color tools, and the big Apple leadership shakeup as Tim Cook steps down as CEO.

Artemis 2 Returns, Amazon Luna Shuts Doors, and Someone Put macOS on a Wii?! | AwesomeCast 775

April 15th, 2026  |  1 hr 2 mins

amazon luna, apple silicon gaming, arab american history month, artemis 2, cloud gaming, dave podnar, digital ownership, geek podcast, ipod, m1 macbook pro, macos on wii, mike sorg, mythic app, nasa, nest, nintendo wii, overcast, pittsburgh podcast, podcast transcripts, podnar, pothole data, retro weather channel, rise mascot, smart cities, sorg, tech podcast, technology news, tony fadell, waymo, windows games on mac

Sorg and Podnar are back with a packed AwesomeCast covering the successful Artemis 2 splashdown, the story behind the mission mascot RISE, a wild macOS-on-a-Wii experiment, Mythic for running Windows games on Mac, Amazon Luna’s latest bad news for digital game buyers, Waymo using pothole data to help cities, Overcast adding podcast transcripts, and a Retro Weather Channel experience that taps straight into cable nostalgia. Plus, Dave’s Arab American History Month spotlight features Tony Fadell, the tech mind behind the iPod and Nest.

Artemis II Moon Mission, AI Chatbot Risks, Apple TikTok & LEGO Zelda | AwesomeCast 774

April 1st, 2026  |  1 hr 1 min

3d printing, adobe illustrator, ai chatbots, ai sycophancy, animation tools, apple tiktok, artemis ii, article analysis, awesomecast, awesomecast 774, browser extension, chachi, channelsurfer, chatgpt, claude, dave podnar, deepseek, digital vs physical games, epic games layoffs, etsy shop, finder mascot, gaming news, geek culture, gemini, great deku tree, heinz ketchup, heinz verified, hidden figures, kalpana chawla, katherine johnson, katie dudas, lego zelda, moon mission, nancy grace roman, nasa, nintendo, ocarina of time, patricia cowings, pittsburgh podcast, plastic fun time, project turntable, sorg, stanford study, tech podcast, vera rubin, whats up with that, women’s history month, xbox

This week on AwesomeCast 774, Sorg, Katie, and Dave Podnar talk about the upcoming Artemis II moon mission, the surprisingly useful Heinz Verified restaurant map, and Chachi’s growing 3D printing Etsy shop. They also dig into a Stanford study on AI chatbot sycophancy, check out the What’s Up With That research assistant browser extension, react to Adobe Illustrator’s new 2D-to-3D Project Turntable, explore Apple’s TikTok mascot strategy, and get excited about LEGO Ocarina of Time sets.