app02 Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:03:30 +0000 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk - Episodes Tagged with “Atari” https://awesomecast.fireside.fm/tags/atari Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:00:00 -0400 Everything awesome in the world of technology, social media, and entertainment! Join us as we discuss the latest gadgets, web sites, and talk with people doing awesome things in tech! www.AwesomeCast.net en-us episodic Sorgatron Media Everything awesome in the world of technology, social media, and entertainment! Join us as we discuss the latest gadgets, web sites, and talk with people doing awesome things in tech! www.AwesomeCast.net no Sorgatron Media awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com Xbox Games on Mac & Linux? Freddy Fazbear Goes IRL & Video Stores Return | AwesomeCast 791 https://awesomecast.fireside.fm/944 99e3166f-018d-4b92-b6d6-f4611a21d978 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:00:00 -0400 Sorgatron Media full Sorgatron Media Sorg and Dave Podnar explore what happens when new technology collides with some very old ideas. Binge Buster turns streaming discovery into a virtual video-store experience, Pittsburgh's Lost Lizard is actually renting VHS, DVD, and Betamax again, and disappearing digital movie purchases have Sorg wondering whether physical media deserves another look. 59:40 no <p>Sorg and Dave Podnar are back for another AwesomeCast packed with Pittsburgh tech, gaming, streaming, photography, AI, retro media, and a surprisingly practical app for finding a bathroom when you really need one.</p> <p>The episode starts locally with Dave highlighting <strong>Stormfreak</strong>, a Pittsburgh-area weather enthusiast who has built a following on Reddit by offering practical, level-headed forecasts without the sensationalism that often accompanies severe weather coverage. That leads into a bigger conversation about how Reddit, YouTube, and independent creators increasingly fill information gaps once occupied by traditional specialty television.</p> <p>Sorg then takes a trip back to the video-store era with <strong>Binge Buster</strong>, a web experience that lets users browse movies available on their existing streaming subscriptions in an interface inspired by wandering through the shelves of a physical rental store.</p> <p>Gaming takes over a large part of the conversation, including EA going private in a massive Saudi-backed deal, Netflix getting an extended GTA 6 preview, Atari showing signs of financial improvement, the possibility of accessing Xbox and PC Game Pass titles on Linux and Mac through the XODUS project, new content for the original Quake, and Sorg's experience comparing Xbox cloud gaming with NVIDIA GeForce NOW.</p> <p>Then things get weird in the best possible way: <strong>Diablo is heading to amusement-park Halloween events</strong>, while a permanent <strong>Freddy Fazbear's Pizza</strong> experience complete with animatronics is planned for American Dream.</p> <p>Dave also shares his latest experience with <strong>Adobe Project Indigo</strong>, including computational photography, AI photo critiques, and the increasingly blurry line between traditional editing and generative AI. The episode wraps with two ideas that bring physical experiences back into a digital world: Pittsburgh's <strong>Lost Lizard</strong> renting VHS, DVD, and even Betamax tapes, and <strong>Nature Calls Run</strong>, an upcoming crowdsourced app designed to help runners, cyclists, travelers, and people with medical needs locate bathrooms, water, and other resources.</p> <h2>Stories, Gadgets &amp; Topics Discussed</h2> <ul> <li> <strong>300–600mm iPhone zoom lens</strong> — Dave points listeners toward iPhonography Podcast co-host Greg McMillan's detailed look at an enormous telephoto solution for iPhone photography.</li> <li> <strong>Stormfreak and Pittsburgh weather on Reddit</strong> — Dave highlights the local forecaster's calm, practical approach to Pittsburgh weather and the community that has formed around his posts. They discuss how independent online weather coverage can sometimes be more useful than national television coverage when people need highly local information.</li> <li> <strong>The changing role of specialty media</strong> — Sorg and Dave compare today's creator-driven information sources with the original promise of channels like The Weather Channel, Discovery, TLC, and Food Network.</li> <li><p><strong>Binge Buster</strong> — Sorg tries a streaming discovery site that recreates some of the experience of browsing a video store. Users select the streaming services they already subscribe to and browse movies through virtual box art, descriptions, genres, trailers, staff picks, and more.</p> <p><a href="https://bingebuster.net/" rel="nofollow noopener">https://bingebuster.net/</a></p></li> <li><p><strong>Awesome Person of the Week: Lewis Latimer</strong> — Dave profiles the inventor, draftsman, engineer, and patent expert whose work intersected with both Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent and the development of more durable electric-light filaments.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Slice on Broadway pizza sauce</strong> — Dave discovers jars of Slice on Broadway's original pizza sauce while shopping at Labriola's Italian Market.</p></li> <li><p><strong>EA goes private</strong> — Chachi's Video Game Minute covers EA completing its reported $55 billion sale to a Saudi-backed buyer and what private ownership might mean for the future of EA's games and monetization.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Netflix and GTA 6</strong> — Netflix is set to feature an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27, prompting discussion about whether GTA really needs any additional publicity.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Atari's financial comeback</strong> — Atari reports its strongest annual revenue in roughly a decade, giving Sorg and Dave an opportunity to talk about the strange history of the Atari name, its changing ownership, and the collection of gaming properties associated with it over the years.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Xbox games potentially coming to Linux and Mac through XODUS</strong> — Sorg discusses an open-source reverse-engineering project designed to make compatible Xbox and PC titles accessible beyond Windows, including the possibility of accessing portions of a user's existing Microsoft gaming library.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Xbox backward compatibility</strong> — The conversation touches on original Xbox and Xbox 360 games potentially becoming increasingly accessible through Microsoft's PC ecosystem.</p></li> <li><p><strong>New Quake content decades later</strong> — Quake continues receiving new content around its 30th anniversary, giving players another reason to revisit the classic first-person shooter.</p></li> <li><p><strong>NVIDIA GeForce NOW vs. Xbox cloud gaming</strong> — Sorg compares his experience streaming games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Forza Horizon, finding GeForce NOW's higher-end hardware particularly impressive for demanding, fast-moving games.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Do you still need a gaming PC?</strong> — Cloud gaming raises a bigger question: if a service already supports hundreds of games in your library and provides continuously upgraded hardware, does spending thousands on a dedicated gaming PC still make sense?</p></li> <li><p><strong>Diablo invades Cedar Point and Six Flags</strong> — Blizzard's Diablo becomes part of the Halloween amusement-park experience, leading to a conversation about licensed haunted attractions and the changing amusement-park industry.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Cedar Fair/Six Flags consolidation and disappearing amusement parks</strong> — Dave looks back at the history of older amusement parks, including Pittsburgh-area memories of White Swan Park and the larger trend of parks disappearing as land was redeveloped.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Freddy Fazbear's Pizza becomes real</strong> — A permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience featuring animatronic stage shows is planned for American Dream in 2027. Naturally, Sorg and Dave wonder whether anybody involved has actually learned the lesson of Five Nights at Freddy's.</p></li> <li><p><strong>American Dream as the modern destination mall</strong> — The conversation expands into how malls are evolving from shopping centers into entertainment destinations with theme parks, water parks, skiing, restaurants, attractions, wrestling events, and other experiences.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Adobe Project Indigo</strong> — Dave continues experimenting with Adobe's computational photography app, particularly challenging lighting situations and shooting directly toward a sunset.</p></li> <li><p><strong>AI-powered photography reviews</strong> — Project Indigo can analyze a photo and provide feedback, giving photographers another way to evaluate composition and possible improvements.</p></li> <li><p><strong>When an AI edit becomes a different photograph</strong> — Dave demonstrates an AI edit that substantially changes clouds and the sky, prompting an important conversation about the difference between enhancing a photograph and generating new visual information.</p></li> <li><p><strong>AI quietly becoming another editing tool</strong> — Sorg shares his experience using AI to quickly create client graphics and discusses how generative tools increasingly feel less like a separate novelty and more like another part of a production workflow.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Lost Lizard brings video rentals back to Pittsburgh</strong> — A Lawrenceville business is renting VHS tapes, DVDs, Betamax tapes, and even retro video games. The concept triggers plenty of nostalgia for independent video stores and their wonderfully strange horror collections.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Physical media versus digital ownership</strong> — Reports of purchased digital movies disappearing from user libraries lead to a larger discussion about what consumers actually own when they "buy" a digital movie.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Movies Anywhere and fragmented digital libraries</strong> — Sorg discusses the usefulness of synchronizing eligible purchases across services while acknowledging that licensing can still make digital ownership complicated.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Maybe it's time to buy DVDs again</strong> — The uncertainty of digital licenses gives physical media another unexpected advantage: nobody can remotely remove a disc from your shelf.</p></li> <li><p><strong>Nature Calls Run</strong> — An upcoming Pittsburgh-created app will crowdsource public restrooms, water sources, and other useful resources for runners, cyclists, travelers, parents, and anyone suddenly asking the most important question of the day: "Where can I go?"</p> <p><a href="https://naturecallsapp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">https://naturecallsapp.com/</a></p></li> <li><p><strong>Restroom access as an accessibility and medical issue</strong> — The app also plans to educate users about restroom-access laws affecting people with conditions including Crohn's disease and IBS.</p></li> <li><p><strong>GCXC running events</strong> — Dave also discusses upcoming Pittsburgh-area races and the community surrounding GCXC events.</p> <p><a href="https://gcxc.com/events-pa" rel="nofollow noopener">https://gcxc.com/events-pa</a></p></li> </ul> <p>Support AwesomeCast:<br> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast" rel="nofollow noopener">https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast</a> </p> Sorg, Michael Sorg, Dave Podnar, Pittsburgh technology podcast, Pittsburgh tech, technology podcast, tech news, gaming news, Xbox, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox on Linux, Xbox on Mac, XODUS, Linux gaming, Mac gaming, cloud gaming, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, GeForce NOW, Quake, Quake 30th anniversary, Doom The Dark Ages, Forza Horizon, EA, Electronic Arts, GTA 6, Grand Theft Auto VI, Netflix, Atari, Binge Buster, streaming services, streaming movies, video stores, VHS, DVD, Betamax, physical media, digital ownership, Movies Anywhere, Lost Lizard Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville Pittsburgh, Adobe Project Indigo, AI photography, computational photography, AI photo editing, Stormfreak, Pittsburgh weather, Reddit Pittsburgh, Lewis Latimer, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, Five Nights at Freddy's, American Dream, Diablo, Cedar Point, Six Flags, amusement parks, Nature Calls Run, running apps, restroom finder, Pittsburgh apps Sorg and Dave Podnar are back for another AwesomeCast packed with Pittsburgh tech, gaming, streaming, photography, AI, retro media, and a surprisingly practical app for finding a bathroom when you really need one.

The episode starts locally with Dave highlighting Stormfreak, a Pittsburgh-area weather enthusiast who has built a following on Reddit by offering practical, level-headed forecasts without the sensationalism that often accompanies severe weather coverage. That leads into a bigger conversation about how Reddit, YouTube, and independent creators increasingly fill information gaps once occupied by traditional specialty television.

Sorg then takes a trip back to the video-store era with Binge Buster, a web experience that lets users browse movies available on their existing streaming subscriptions in an interface inspired by wandering through the shelves of a physical rental store.

Gaming takes over a large part of the conversation, including EA going private in a massive Saudi-backed deal, Netflix getting an extended GTA 6 preview, Atari showing signs of financial improvement, the possibility of accessing Xbox and PC Game Pass titles on Linux and Mac through the XODUS project, new content for the original Quake, and Sorg's experience comparing Xbox cloud gaming with NVIDIA GeForce NOW.

Then things get weird in the best possible way: Diablo is heading to amusement-park Halloween events, while a permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience complete with animatronics is planned for American Dream.

Dave also shares his latest experience with Adobe Project Indigo, including computational photography, AI photo critiques, and the increasingly blurry line between traditional editing and generative AI. The episode wraps with two ideas that bring physical experiences back into a digital world: Pittsburgh's Lost Lizard renting VHS, DVD, and even Betamax tapes, and Nature Calls Run, an upcoming crowdsourced app designed to help runners, cyclists, travelers, and people with medical needs locate bathrooms, water, and other resources.

Stories, Gadgets & Topics Discussed

  • 300–600mm iPhone zoom lens — Dave points listeners toward iPhonography Podcast co-host Greg McMillan's detailed look at an enormous telephoto solution for iPhone photography.
  • Stormfreak and Pittsburgh weather on Reddit — Dave highlights the local forecaster's calm, practical approach to Pittsburgh weather and the community that has formed around his posts. They discuss how independent online weather coverage can sometimes be more useful than national television coverage when people need highly local information.
  • The changing role of specialty media — Sorg and Dave compare today's creator-driven information sources with the original promise of channels like The Weather Channel, Discovery, TLC, and Food Network.

  • Binge Buster — Sorg tries a streaming discovery site that recreates some of the experience of browsing a video store. Users select the streaming services they already subscribe to and browse movies through virtual box art, descriptions, genres, trailers, staff picks, and more.

    https://bingebuster.net/

  • Awesome Person of the Week: Lewis Latimer — Dave profiles the inventor, draftsman, engineer, and patent expert whose work intersected with both Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent and the development of more durable electric-light filaments.

  • Slice on Broadway pizza sauce — Dave discovers jars of Slice on Broadway's original pizza sauce while shopping at Labriola's Italian Market.

  • EA goes private — Chachi's Video Game Minute covers EA completing its reported $55 billion sale to a Saudi-backed buyer and what private ownership might mean for the future of EA's games and monetization.

  • Netflix and GTA 6 — Netflix is set to feature an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27, prompting discussion about whether GTA really needs any additional publicity.

  • Atari's financial comeback — Atari reports its strongest annual revenue in roughly a decade, giving Sorg and Dave an opportunity to talk about the strange history of the Atari name, its changing ownership, and the collection of gaming properties associated with it over the years.

  • Xbox games potentially coming to Linux and Mac through XODUS — Sorg discusses an open-source reverse-engineering project designed to make compatible Xbox and PC titles accessible beyond Windows, including the possibility of accessing portions of a user's existing Microsoft gaming library.

  • Xbox backward compatibility — The conversation touches on original Xbox and Xbox 360 games potentially becoming increasingly accessible through Microsoft's PC ecosystem.

  • New Quake content decades later — Quake continues receiving new content around its 30th anniversary, giving players another reason to revisit the classic first-person shooter.

  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW vs. Xbox cloud gaming — Sorg compares his experience streaming games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Forza Horizon, finding GeForce NOW's higher-end hardware particularly impressive for demanding, fast-moving games.

  • Do you still need a gaming PC? — Cloud gaming raises a bigger question: if a service already supports hundreds of games in your library and provides continuously upgraded hardware, does spending thousands on a dedicated gaming PC still make sense?

  • Diablo invades Cedar Point and Six Flags — Blizzard's Diablo becomes part of the Halloween amusement-park experience, leading to a conversation about licensed haunted attractions and the changing amusement-park industry.

  • Cedar Fair/Six Flags consolidation and disappearing amusement parks — Dave looks back at the history of older amusement parks, including Pittsburgh-area memories of White Swan Park and the larger trend of parks disappearing as land was redeveloped.

  • Freddy Fazbear's Pizza becomes real — A permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience featuring animatronic stage shows is planned for American Dream in 2027. Naturally, Sorg and Dave wonder whether anybody involved has actually learned the lesson of Five Nights at Freddy's.

  • American Dream as the modern destination mall — The conversation expands into how malls are evolving from shopping centers into entertainment destinations with theme parks, water parks, skiing, restaurants, attractions, wrestling events, and other experiences.

  • Adobe Project Indigo — Dave continues experimenting with Adobe's computational photography app, particularly challenging lighting situations and shooting directly toward a sunset.

  • AI-powered photography reviews — Project Indigo can analyze a photo and provide feedback, giving photographers another way to evaluate composition and possible improvements.

  • When an AI edit becomes a different photograph — Dave demonstrates an AI edit that substantially changes clouds and the sky, prompting an important conversation about the difference between enhancing a photograph and generating new visual information.

  • AI quietly becoming another editing tool — Sorg shares his experience using AI to quickly create client graphics and discusses how generative tools increasingly feel less like a separate novelty and more like another part of a production workflow.

  • Lost Lizard brings video rentals back to Pittsburgh — A Lawrenceville business is renting VHS tapes, DVDs, Betamax tapes, and even retro video games. The concept triggers plenty of nostalgia for independent video stores and their wonderfully strange horror collections.

  • Physical media versus digital ownership — Reports of purchased digital movies disappearing from user libraries lead to a larger discussion about what consumers actually own when they "buy" a digital movie.

  • Movies Anywhere and fragmented digital libraries — Sorg discusses the usefulness of synchronizing eligible purchases across services while acknowledging that licensing can still make digital ownership complicated.

  • Maybe it's time to buy DVDs again — The uncertainty of digital licenses gives physical media another unexpected advantage: nobody can remotely remove a disc from your shelf.

  • Nature Calls Run — An upcoming Pittsburgh-created app will crowdsource public restrooms, water sources, and other useful resources for runners, cyclists, travelers, parents, and anyone suddenly asking the most important question of the day: "Where can I go?"

    https://naturecallsapp.com/

  • Restroom access as an accessibility and medical issue — The app also plans to educate users about restroom-access laws affecting people with conditions including Crohn's disease and IBS.

  • GCXC running events — Dave also discusses upcoming Pittsburgh-area races and the community surrounding GCXC events.

    https://gcxc.com/events-pa

Support AwesomeCast:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> Sorg and Dave Podnar are back for another AwesomeCast packed with Pittsburgh tech, gaming, streaming, photography, AI, retro media, and a surprisingly practical app for finding a bathroom when you really need one.

The episode starts locally with Dave highlighting Stormfreak, a Pittsburgh-area weather enthusiast who has built a following on Reddit by offering practical, level-headed forecasts without the sensationalism that often accompanies severe weather coverage. That leads into a bigger conversation about how Reddit, YouTube, and independent creators increasingly fill information gaps once occupied by traditional specialty television.

Sorg then takes a trip back to the video-store era with Binge Buster, a web experience that lets users browse movies available on their existing streaming subscriptions in an interface inspired by wandering through the shelves of a physical rental store.

Gaming takes over a large part of the conversation, including EA going private in a massive Saudi-backed deal, Netflix getting an extended GTA 6 preview, Atari showing signs of financial improvement, the possibility of accessing Xbox and PC Game Pass titles on Linux and Mac through the XODUS project, new content for the original Quake, and Sorg's experience comparing Xbox cloud gaming with NVIDIA GeForce NOW.

Then things get weird in the best possible way: Diablo is heading to amusement-park Halloween events, while a permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience complete with animatronics is planned for American Dream.

Dave also shares his latest experience with Adobe Project Indigo, including computational photography, AI photo critiques, and the increasingly blurry line between traditional editing and generative AI. The episode wraps with two ideas that bring physical experiences back into a digital world: Pittsburgh's Lost Lizard renting VHS, DVD, and even Betamax tapes, and Nature Calls Run, an upcoming crowdsourced app designed to help runners, cyclists, travelers, and people with medical needs locate bathrooms, water, and other resources.

Stories, Gadgets & Topics Discussed

  • 300–600mm iPhone zoom lens — Dave points listeners toward iPhonography Podcast co-host Greg McMillan's detailed look at an enormous telephoto solution for iPhone photography.
  • Stormfreak and Pittsburgh weather on Reddit — Dave highlights the local forecaster's calm, practical approach to Pittsburgh weather and the community that has formed around his posts. They discuss how independent online weather coverage can sometimes be more useful than national television coverage when people need highly local information.
  • The changing role of specialty media — Sorg and Dave compare today's creator-driven information sources with the original promise of channels like The Weather Channel, Discovery, TLC, and Food Network.

  • Binge Buster — Sorg tries a streaming discovery site that recreates some of the experience of browsing a video store. Users select the streaming services they already subscribe to and browse movies through virtual box art, descriptions, genres, trailers, staff picks, and more.

    https://bingebuster.net/

  • Awesome Person of the Week: Lewis Latimer — Dave profiles the inventor, draftsman, engineer, and patent expert whose work intersected with both Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent and the development of more durable electric-light filaments.

  • Slice on Broadway pizza sauce — Dave discovers jars of Slice on Broadway's original pizza sauce while shopping at Labriola's Italian Market.

  • EA goes private — Chachi's Video Game Minute covers EA completing its reported $55 billion sale to a Saudi-backed buyer and what private ownership might mean for the future of EA's games and monetization.

  • Netflix and GTA 6 — Netflix is set to feature an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27, prompting discussion about whether GTA really needs any additional publicity.

  • Atari's financial comeback — Atari reports its strongest annual revenue in roughly a decade, giving Sorg and Dave an opportunity to talk about the strange history of the Atari name, its changing ownership, and the collection of gaming properties associated with it over the years.

  • Xbox games potentially coming to Linux and Mac through XODUS — Sorg discusses an open-source reverse-engineering project designed to make compatible Xbox and PC titles accessible beyond Windows, including the possibility of accessing portions of a user's existing Microsoft gaming library.

  • Xbox backward compatibility — The conversation touches on original Xbox and Xbox 360 games potentially becoming increasingly accessible through Microsoft's PC ecosystem.

  • New Quake content decades later — Quake continues receiving new content around its 30th anniversary, giving players another reason to revisit the classic first-person shooter.

  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW vs. Xbox cloud gaming — Sorg compares his experience streaming games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Forza Horizon, finding GeForce NOW's higher-end hardware particularly impressive for demanding, fast-moving games.

  • Do you still need a gaming PC? — Cloud gaming raises a bigger question: if a service already supports hundreds of games in your library and provides continuously upgraded hardware, does spending thousands on a dedicated gaming PC still make sense?

  • Diablo invades Cedar Point and Six Flags — Blizzard's Diablo becomes part of the Halloween amusement-park experience, leading to a conversation about licensed haunted attractions and the changing amusement-park industry.

  • Cedar Fair/Six Flags consolidation and disappearing amusement parks — Dave looks back at the history of older amusement parks, including Pittsburgh-area memories of White Swan Park and the larger trend of parks disappearing as land was redeveloped.

  • Freddy Fazbear's Pizza becomes real — A permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience featuring animatronic stage shows is planned for American Dream in 2027. Naturally, Sorg and Dave wonder whether anybody involved has actually learned the lesson of Five Nights at Freddy's.

  • American Dream as the modern destination mall — The conversation expands into how malls are evolving from shopping centers into entertainment destinations with theme parks, water parks, skiing, restaurants, attractions, wrestling events, and other experiences.

  • Adobe Project Indigo — Dave continues experimenting with Adobe's computational photography app, particularly challenging lighting situations and shooting directly toward a sunset.

  • AI-powered photography reviews — Project Indigo can analyze a photo and provide feedback, giving photographers another way to evaluate composition and possible improvements.

  • When an AI edit becomes a different photograph — Dave demonstrates an AI edit that substantially changes clouds and the sky, prompting an important conversation about the difference between enhancing a photograph and generating new visual information.

  • AI quietly becoming another editing tool — Sorg shares his experience using AI to quickly create client graphics and discusses how generative tools increasingly feel less like a separate novelty and more like another part of a production workflow.

  • Lost Lizard brings video rentals back to Pittsburgh — A Lawrenceville business is renting VHS tapes, DVDs, Betamax tapes, and even retro video games. The concept triggers plenty of nostalgia for independent video stores and their wonderfully strange horror collections.

  • Physical media versus digital ownership — Reports of purchased digital movies disappearing from user libraries lead to a larger discussion about what consumers actually own when they "buy" a digital movie.

  • Movies Anywhere and fragmented digital libraries — Sorg discusses the usefulness of synchronizing eligible purchases across services while acknowledging that licensing can still make digital ownership complicated.

  • Maybe it's time to buy DVDs again — The uncertainty of digital licenses gives physical media another unexpected advantage: nobody can remotely remove a disc from your shelf.

  • Nature Calls Run — An upcoming Pittsburgh-created app will crowdsource public restrooms, water sources, and other useful resources for runners, cyclists, travelers, parents, and anyone suddenly asking the most important question of the day: "Where can I go?"

    https://naturecallsapp.com/

  • Restroom access as an accessibility and medical issue — The app also plans to educate users about restroom-access laws affecting people with conditions including Crohn's disease and IBS.

  • GCXC running events — Dave also discusses upcoming Pittsburgh-area races and the community surrounding GCXC events.

    https://gcxc.com/events-pa

Support AwesomeCast:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> AI Graphics Get Smarter + Xbox Classics on PC & LEGO Star Trek | AwesomeCast 789 https://awesomecast.fireside.fm/940 125169ea-8d34-4ed1-b94a-fb92200cbfaf Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:00:00 -0400 Sorgatron Media full Sorgatron Media 54:51 no <p>Can AI make you better at Photoshop instead of replacing Photoshop? Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore that question on AwesomeCast 789 as Sorg shares a workflow for turning AI-generated concepts into editable graphics while keeping control of the final design.</p> <p>The crew also gets into Pittsburgh technology history with plans to preserve Westinghouse’s Atom Smasher, the impressive Commercial Street Bridge replacement, and the accessibility origins of the modern audiobook.</p> <p>Then the geekery kicks into high gear: Xbox expands its classic-game preservation efforts to PC, Hasbro combines Transformers with Jem and the Holograms, LEGO brings Smart Play to Star Trek, Robosen releases an Optimus Prime robot designed to reopen childhood wounds, and Universal plans movies based on ten Atari properties.</p> <p>Plus, Chachi has gaming headlines involving Hasbro, Steam Deck and Atari, and the crew discusses the backlash surrounding a $58,000 humanoid robot proposed for use in a New York school district.</p> <p>It’s Pittsburgh technology, AI creativity, retro gaming, accessibility, robots and pop-culture nostalgia on AwesomeCast 789. </p> Michael Sorg, Sorg, Katie Dudas, Dave Podnar, Pittsburgh technology, Pittsburgh tech podcast, technology podcast, tech news, AI, artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, ChatGPT images, Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop, AI image editing, generative AI, graphic design, Westinghouse, Atom Smasher, Pittsburgh history, technology history, Commercial Street Bridge, Squirrel Hill Tunnel, audiobook, audiobook history, accessibility technology, Audible, Dungeon Crawler Carl, ChachiSays Video Game Minute, video game news, Hasbro, Steam Deck, Xbox, Xbox backward compatibility, Xbox PC, retro gaming, game preservation, Atari, Universal Pictures, Pong, Centipede, Jem and the Holograms, Transformers, Autobot Blaster, LEGO, LEGO Smart Play, Star Trek, USS Enterprise, Robosen, Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, humanoid robot, AI education, education technology, robotics Can AI make you better at Photoshop instead of replacing Photoshop? Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore that question on AwesomeCast 789 as Sorg shares a workflow for turning AI-generated concepts into editable graphics while keeping control of the final design.

The crew also gets into Pittsburgh technology history with plans to preserve Westinghouse’s Atom Smasher, the impressive Commercial Street Bridge replacement, and the accessibility origins of the modern audiobook.

Then the geekery kicks into high gear: Xbox expands its classic-game preservation efforts to PC, Hasbro combines Transformers with Jem and the Holograms, LEGO brings Smart Play to Star Trek, Robosen releases an Optimus Prime robot designed to reopen childhood wounds, and Universal plans movies based on ten Atari properties.

Plus, Chachi has gaming headlines involving Hasbro, Steam Deck and Atari, and the crew discusses the backlash surrounding a $58,000 humanoid robot proposed for use in a New York school district.

It’s Pittsburgh technology, AI creativity, retro gaming, accessibility, robots and pop-culture nostalgia on AwesomeCast 789.

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> Can AI make you better at Photoshop instead of replacing Photoshop? Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore that question on AwesomeCast 789 as Sorg shares a workflow for turning AI-generated concepts into editable graphics while keeping control of the final design.

The crew also gets into Pittsburgh technology history with plans to preserve Westinghouse’s Atom Smasher, the impressive Commercial Street Bridge replacement, and the accessibility origins of the modern audiobook.

Then the geekery kicks into high gear: Xbox expands its classic-game preservation efforts to PC, Hasbro combines Transformers with Jem and the Holograms, LEGO brings Smart Play to Star Trek, Robosen releases an Optimus Prime robot designed to reopen childhood wounds, and Universal plans movies based on ten Atari properties.

Plus, Chachi has gaming headlines involving Hasbro, Steam Deck and Atari, and the crew discusses the backlash surrounding a $58,000 humanoid robot proposed for use in a New York school district.

It’s Pittsburgh technology, AI creativity, retro gaming, accessibility, robots and pop-culture nostalgia on AwesomeCast 789.

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> Glow Means Go | AwesomeCast 407 https://awesomecast.fireside.fm/400 fd775a52-e3ce-40ff-b268-b3bc9d586b91 Wed, 08 Aug 2018 01:00:00 -0400 Sorgatron Media full Sorgatron Media Sorg, Chilla, and Katie are in studio this week as Beechview celebrates National Night Out just up the block. Chilla is sharing the Sennheiser Memory Mic as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is a Windows Pro upgrade. Bonus to Windows Pro = Remote Desktop! Creation Labs is opening in the Pittsburgh South Hills! The Pittsburgh Current has a nice feature - with some information about our friends at Sorgatron Media. Sorg got an e-mail DIRECTLY from the MoviePass CEO, guys! Parents are hiring Fortnite tutors for their children. Fortnite added motion control on your mobile device?!?! Tesla is adding Atari games to its cars - including Pole Position (using the car's steering wheel)! As if ziplines aren't crazy enough, let's add a VR component to it! Chilla found a very nice Logitech wireless charger - after he already bought a different one. *womp womp* Will you be in Pittsburgh this weekend? Stop by Steel City Con and say hi to Katie at the ScareHouse booth. After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Katie (@Kdudders), Chilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron) Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos? You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST! 50:15 no <p>This week’s episode brought to you by ScareHouse, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design &amp; Media!</p> <p>Sorg, Chilla, and Katie are in studio this week as Beechview celebrates National Night Out just up the block. This week's topics of discussion include:</p> <pre><code>Katie brought a friend this week! Katie is sharing Waze as her Awesome Thing of the Week - because it's been lifesaving for her. For those who HAVEN'T seen it, there was a train derailment in Pittsburgh - which is one of the reasons Katie is so thankful for Waze. Chilla is also giving a shout out to the City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Port Authority for being on top of things. Another awesome thing Katie and Sorg use Waze for? Speed zone notifications. Sometimes it's hard to see those signs, and it's helpful. Chilla is sharing the Sennheiser Memory Mic as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is a Windows Pro upgrade. Bonus to Windows Pro = Remote Desktop! Creation Labs is opening in the Pittsburgh South Hills! The Pittsburgh Current has a nice feature - with some information about our friends at Sorgatron Media. Sorg got an e-mail DIRECTLY from the MoviePass CEO, guys! Parents are hiring Fortnite tutors for their children. Fortnite added motion control on your mobile device?!?! Tesla is adding Atari games to its cars - including Pole Position (using the car's steering wheel)! As if ziplines aren't crazy enough, let's add a VR component to it! Chilla found a very nice Logitech wireless charger - after he already bought a different one. *womp womp* Will you be in Pittsburgh this weekend? Stop by Steel City Con and say hi to Katie at the ScareHouse booth. </code></pre> <p>After the show remember to:</p> <p>Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)</p> <p>Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at <a href="mailto:awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com" rel="nofollow noopener">awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com</a> and we’ll save you a seat!</p> <p>Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!</p> <p>Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Katie (@Kdudders), Chilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)</p> <p>Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?</p> <p>You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!</p> <p>Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!</p> <p>Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!</p> Atari, Awesome Cast, AwesomeCast, Bonus, Charger, City of Pittsburgh, Creation Labs, Derailed, Fortnite, Logitech, Memory, Memory Mic, Mic, Motion Control, MoviePass, pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Current, podcast, Pole Position, Port Authority, Remote Desktop, ScareHouse, Sennheiser, Speed Zone, Steel City Con, tech, Tech Talk, technology, Tesla, Train, Tutors, Upgrade, virtual reality, VR, waze, Windows Pro, Wireless, Zipline This week’s episode brought to you by ScareHouse, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design & Media!

Sorg, Chilla, and Katie are in studio this week as Beechview celebrates National Night Out just up the block. This week's topics of discussion include:

Katie brought a friend this week!
Katie is sharing Waze as her Awesome Thing of the Week - because it's been lifesaving for her.
For those who HAVEN'T seen it, there was a train derailment in Pittsburgh - which is one of the reasons Katie is so thankful for Waze.
Chilla is also giving a shout out to the City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Port Authority for being on top of things.
Another awesome thing Katie and Sorg use Waze for? Speed zone notifications. Sometimes it's hard to see those signs, and it's helpful.
Chilla is sharing the Sennheiser Memory Mic as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is a Windows Pro upgrade.
Bonus to Windows Pro = Remote Desktop!
Creation Labs is opening in the Pittsburgh South Hills!
The Pittsburgh Current has a nice feature - with some information about our friends at Sorgatron Media.
Sorg got an e-mail DIRECTLY from the MoviePass CEO, guys!
Parents are hiring Fortnite tutors for their children.
Fortnite added motion control on your mobile device?!?!
Tesla is adding Atari games to its cars - including Pole Position (using the car's steering wheel)!
As if ziplines aren't crazy enough, let's add a VR component to it!
Chilla found a very nice Logitech wireless charger - after he already bought a different one. *womp womp*
Will you be in Pittsburgh this weekend? Stop by Steel City Con and say hi to Katie at the ScareHouse booth.

After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Katie (@Kdudders), Chilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> This week’s episode brought to you by ScareHouse, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design & Media!

Sorg, Chilla, and Katie are in studio this week as Beechview celebrates National Night Out just up the block. This week's topics of discussion include:

Katie brought a friend this week!
Katie is sharing Waze as her Awesome Thing of the Week - because it's been lifesaving for her.
For those who HAVEN'T seen it, there was a train derailment in Pittsburgh - which is one of the reasons Katie is so thankful for Waze.
Chilla is also giving a shout out to the City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Port Authority for being on top of things.
Another awesome thing Katie and Sorg use Waze for? Speed zone notifications. Sometimes it's hard to see those signs, and it's helpful.
Chilla is sharing the Sennheiser Memory Mic as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is a Windows Pro upgrade.
Bonus to Windows Pro = Remote Desktop!
Creation Labs is opening in the Pittsburgh South Hills!
The Pittsburgh Current has a nice feature - with some information about our friends at Sorgatron Media.
Sorg got an e-mail DIRECTLY from the MoviePass CEO, guys!
Parents are hiring Fortnite tutors for their children.
Fortnite added motion control on your mobile device?!?!
Tesla is adding Atari games to its cars - including Pole Position (using the car's steering wheel)!
As if ziplines aren't crazy enough, let's add a VR component to it!
Chilla found a very nice Logitech wireless charger - after he already bought a different one. *womp womp*
Will you be in Pittsburgh this weekend? Stop by Steel City Con and say hi to Katie at the ScareHouse booth.

After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Katie (@Kdudders), Chilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> BobbyCherry.app | AwesomeCast 395 https://awesomecast.fireside.fm/387 9d9ca423-baa6-41be-a650-20f353056414 Tue, 01 May 2018 23:00:00 -0400 Sorgatron Media full Sorgatron Media John Carman joins John Chichilla and Mike Sorg to talk about what’s new in the world of technology. 1:04:27 no <p>This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, Alex Kahrs Design &amp; Media, and The Millvale Music Festival!</p> <p>John Carman joins John Chichilla and Mike Sorg to talk about what’s new in the world of technology. This week’s topics include:</p> <p>Sorg is setting the tone for this week’s Awesome Thing of the Week segment with his finds after hanging with the THRIFTY podcast crew last week!<br> Carman is sharing the Facebook dating <em>cough</em> Tinder <em>cough</em> integration announcement as his Awesome Thing of the Week.<br> Instead of being a Tinder competitor, the Facebook Dating option will do long-term comparisons akin to eHarmony.<br> Chilla is sharing an Oculus option that is now available at a lower price point as his Awesome Thing of the Week.<br> We’ve talked with (and about) Alpha Lab Gear quite a few times on the show. They just announced their new cycle of movers and shakers!<br> Double Dare is coming back to Nickelodeon!<br> Cal Tech is working on an autonomous drone ambulance.<br> Are you a fan of Harry Potter? There’s an app (game) for you!<br> T-Mobile and Sprint are joining forces to become a new company<br> Looking for something to do with your Echo? Turn it into a coffee mug! (Not really, someone has a battery option that makes it look like one, though.)<br> MoviePass may have passed its honeymoon stage and they’re starting to roll out some restrictions.<br> Google will now let you register a .app site.<br> Atari VCS is officially on pre-order.<br> The Bobby Cherry App will simply be a tracking app to determine whether or not Bobby Cherry is at Kennywood.<br> After the show remember to:</p> <p>Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)</p> <p>Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at <a href="mailto:awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com" rel="nofollow noopener">awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com</a> and we’ll save you a seat!</p> <p>Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!</p> <p>Follow these awesome people on Twitter: John Carman (@carmanavenue), John Chichilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)</p> <p>June 5th is a big day for us! It’s our 5-year anniversary PLUS our 400th episode! (We’ll be doing something fun for the occasion. You should join us.)</p> <p>Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?</p> <p>You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!</p> <p>Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!</p> <p>Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST! </p> This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, Alex Kahrs Design & Media, and The Millvale Music Festival!

John Carman joins John Chichilla and Mike Sorg to talk about what’s new in the world of technology. This week’s topics include:

Sorg is setting the tone for this week’s Awesome Thing of the Week segment with his finds after hanging with the THRIFTY podcast crew last week!
Carman is sharing the Facebook dating cough Tinder cough integration announcement as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Instead of being a Tinder competitor, the Facebook Dating option will do long-term comparisons akin to eHarmony.
Chilla is sharing an Oculus option that is now available at a lower price point as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
We’ve talked with (and about) Alpha Lab Gear quite a few times on the show. They just announced their new cycle of movers and shakers!
Double Dare is coming back to Nickelodeon!
Cal Tech is working on an autonomous drone ambulance.
Are you a fan of Harry Potter? There’s an app (game) for you!
T-Mobile and Sprint are joining forces to become a new company
Looking for something to do with your Echo? Turn it into a coffee mug! (Not really, someone has a battery option that makes it look like one, though.)
MoviePass may have passed its honeymoon stage and they’re starting to roll out some restrictions.
Google will now let you register a .app site.
Atari VCS is officially on pre-order.
The Bobby Cherry App will simply be a tracking app to determine whether or not Bobby Cherry is at Kennywood.
After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: John Carman (@carmanavenue), John Chichilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

June 5th is a big day for us! It’s our 5-year anniversary PLUS our 400th episode! (We’ll be doing something fun for the occasion. You should join us.)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

]]> This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, Alex Kahrs Design & Media, and The Millvale Music Festival!

John Carman joins John Chichilla and Mike Sorg to talk about what’s new in the world of technology. This week’s topics include:

Sorg is setting the tone for this week’s Awesome Thing of the Week segment with his finds after hanging with the THRIFTY podcast crew last week!
Carman is sharing the Facebook dating cough Tinder cough integration announcement as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Instead of being a Tinder competitor, the Facebook Dating option will do long-term comparisons akin to eHarmony.
Chilla is sharing an Oculus option that is now available at a lower price point as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
We’ve talked with (and about) Alpha Lab Gear quite a few times on the show. They just announced their new cycle of movers and shakers!
Double Dare is coming back to Nickelodeon!
Cal Tech is working on an autonomous drone ambulance.
Are you a fan of Harry Potter? There’s an app (game) for you!
T-Mobile and Sprint are joining forces to become a new company
Looking for something to do with your Echo? Turn it into a coffee mug! (Not really, someone has a battery option that makes it look like one, though.)
MoviePass may have passed its honeymoon stage and they’re starting to roll out some restrictions.
Google will now let you register a .app site.
Atari VCS is officially on pre-order.
The Bobby Cherry App will simply be a tracking app to determine whether or not Bobby Cherry is at Kennywood.
After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: John Carman (@carmanavenue), John Chichilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

June 5th is a big day for us! It’s our 5-year anniversary PLUS our 400th episode! (We’ll be doing something fun for the occasion. You should join us.)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!

Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

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