AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk

Nintendo Switch 2 First Impressions, Animal Crossing’s Big Comeback & CES Season Begins | AwesomeCast 763

January 7th, 2026  |  1 hr 5 mins

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

The new year kicks off with a deep dive into Nintendo’s ecosystem as Michael Sorg, Dave Podnar, and Katie Dudas share hands-on impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2, explore standout games like Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and break down why Nintendo exclusives still hit differently. Plus, Animal Crossing finally gets a long-awaited update—bringing hotels, better crafting, Dream Islands, and a renewed sense of community. All this as CES season begins and tech news ramps up.
AwesomeCast is part of the Sorgatron Media Podcast Network.

Awesome Aftertalk: Floppy Blood, Goldfish Floats & The Church of Arcade: ACast 759 After Show

December 3rd, 2025  |  27 mins 7 secs

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

Welcome to the very off-the-rails Patreon After Show for AwesomeCast 759!
Katie, Dave, Sorg, and the interns dive headfirst into peak holiday chaos — from a $30,000 Pokémon card traded at GameStop, to the tiniest Goldfish-sponsored float in the parade, to a Muppets-in-Space merch drop.

Samsung’s Insane Tri-Fold Phone, Fortnite Chaos & Red Dead on Netflix! | AwesomeCast 760

December 3rd, 2025  |  1 hr 1 min

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

This week on AwesomeCast 760, Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie “Dudders” Dudas, and Dave Podnar brave the Pittsburgh snow (plus the frozen tundra of Verona) to geek out over:

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Tri-Fold — a three-screen foldable that opens into a 10" tablet and costs about as much as a decent gaming PC. Is this the future of phones or just flex tech?

Cloud gaming from the couch — Sorg uses OneCast, GeForce Now, and Xbox Cloud Gaming to turn an Apple TV and Chromecast into a console-free living room, streaming everything from Mortal Kombat 1 to Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

Netflix Games leveling up — from Red Dead Redemption (2010) going mobile-only on Netflix to a WWE 2K “Netflix Edition” and Stranger Things puzzle games trying to lure the 99% of subscribers who never touch the games tab.

Marvel arcade goodness & Fortnite insanity — we punch through Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion on Game Pass and recap Fortnite’s giant event featuring Homer Simpson, Godzilla, Kong, Superman, Voltron, K-pop Demon Hunters, Kill Bill, Back to the Future and more.

Weird future tech — Hideo Kojima’s idea for a blood-scented floppy disk, BHaptics VR suits you can actually buy at Best Buy, and why we’re both fascinated and slightly terrified.

Shopping & robotaxis — Amazon’s 30-minute delivery pilot in Seattle and Philly, Katie’s Walmart turning into a gig-worker warehouse, and a Waymo robo-car that casually drives through an active LAPD stop.

Plus: birthday love for long-time supporter John “Diggy” DeGore, vintage Star Wars comics, and interns Tony and Mac discovering just how weird tech can get.

How ChatGPT Helped Plan a Dream Trip to Japan (+ AI Life Hacks You Can Try Now!) | AwesomeCast 756

November 4th, 2025  |  1 hr 1 min

3d cat billboard, accessibility tech, ai, ai accessibility, ai art, ai automation, ai creativity, ai diet log, ai event pittsburgh, ai health tracker, ai innovation, ai integration, ai life hacks, ai planning, ai productivity, ai tools, amazon links, apple, artificial intelligence, avatar robot cafe, awesomecast, awesomecast 756, backyard baseball animation, brian crawford, bridge inspection drone, bullet trains, call of duty movie, carplay, chachi says, chatgpt, chatgpt projects, creative ai, cultural respect, digital art museum, digital lifestyle, drones, fitness automation, formula sae, future tech, gaming adaptation, gaming news, gemini, godzilla hotel, google, google translate, home decorating, home design ai, icoca card, immersive art, innovation, interior design with chatgpt, iphone, japan technology, japan travel, japanese culture, japanese etiquette, katie dudas, lifestyle technology, michael sorg, patreon, peter berg, pittsburgh, pittsburgh city podcast, pittsburgh robotics community, pittsburgh tech, podcast aftershow, podcast technology, podcasting pittsburgh, pop culture tech, robot cafe tokyo, robotics, robotics and ai discovery day, robotics expo, shinjuku, shinkansen, sidekick media services, siri, ska robotics, slice on broadway, smart cities, smart home shopping, social media, sorgatron media, suica card, sustainability, taylor sheridan, teamlabs borderless, technology podcast, technology trends 2025, tokyo tech tourism, transit tech, translation apps, travel tech, university of pittsburgh, youtube podcast

In this week’s episode, Sorg and Dudders get geeky about AI in everyday life — from redesigning homes with ChatGPT to tracking calories with conversational AI. Then guest Brian Crawford takes us on a deep dive through Japan’s advanced transit tech, immersive art museums, and cultural quirks.
We also preview Pittsburgh’s AI & Robotics Demo Day and catch up with Chachi’s gaming news minute.

Perfect for fans of AI tools, travel tech, and real-world innovation.

From Blogger to Tech Founder: How Virginia Montanez Created PastFinders | AwesomeCast 750

September 17th, 2025  |  58 mins 9 secs

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

This week on AwesomeCast, we dive into tech, history, and a little pumpkin spice! We’re joined by Virginia Montanez — acclaimed writer, author, and creator of the PastFinders app, which turns everyday walks into immersive historical tours.

Climate Tech That’s ACTUALLY Working (SuperCool w/ Josh Dorfman) | AwesomeCast 746

August 19th, 2025  |  59 mins 49 secs

ai for buildings, awesomecast., brainbox ai, climate tech podcast, ev school buses, josh dorfman interview, pittsburgh, podcast, project sunroof, sam’s club pumpkin diorama, social media, sorgatron media, steelton pa, supercool climate solutions, tech news, tmnt hello kitty happy meal toys, youtube gemini ask button

Cohosts Michael Sorg and Dave Podnar welcome Josh Dorfman, Co-founder, CEO, and host of SuperCool, to talk about the adoption era of climate tech—where real solutions are cutting emissions and saving money today. Josh shares insights from BrainBox AI’s energy-saving building systems, Google’s Project Sunroof, and even a Pennsylvania school district saving big with solar and electric school buses. We also dive into Josh’s own startup, Planted Materials, building carbon-negative housing panels.

Ford Bets Big, Hello Kitty Bricks In, and GPT 5 Takes Over Your Terminal | AwesomeCast 745: Ford Bets Big, Hello Kitty Bricks In, and GPT 5 Takes Over Your Terminal

August 13th, 2025  |  59 mins 37 secs

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

Hosts Michael Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar are back with another fun-filled episode of AwesomeCast, bringing their favorite geeky picks and tech stories of the week from Pittsburgh and beyond.

Cat Wars, Retro Macs & the Coolest AI Trick Yet | AwesomeCast 744

August 6th, 2025  |  1 hr 4 mins

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

This week’s episode dives into a mix of tech, toys, and travel adventures. From a Nickelodeon-themed indoor amusement park and the quirky “Cat Wars” calendar to the upcoming Hello Kitty × Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Happy Meal toys, we cover it all. We also explore a retro Macintosh-style USB-C hub, try out live AI object recognition, fold our way through a paper airplane STEM kit, and get nostalgic with the Retro Bowl College Edition mobile game.

Grok This! Google AI, Chainsawed Sandwiches & Mario Paint Returns | Episode 743

July 30th, 2025  |  59 mins 49 secs

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

Join Michael Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar for another wild ride through the latest in tech, geek culture, and digital oddities. From chainsawed sandwiches and pygmy hippos to new AI-powered tools from Google and fun gaming tie-ins, AwesomeCast 743 dives into the fun, weird, and sometimes terrifying world of tech.

Whether you’re curious about Google Search’s AI makeover, craving a McDonald’s-themed Joy-Con fry holder, or wondering why a zoo staged a fake hippo escape with an inflatable costume — we’ve got you covered.

From Sci-Fi to Surgery: Real Holograms with Avalon’s Wally Haas | AwesomeCast 742

July 23rd, 2025  |  1 hr 15 secs

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

This week on AwesomeCast, we’re diving into the future of visual technology with Wally Haas, the founder of Avalon Holographics. From real, light-field holographic displays to the practical applications in medicine, defense, and entertainment, this episode is a glimpse at the future of immersive 3D visualization. We also break down tech updates from the cosplay-packed halls of Tekko 2025 in Pittsburgh, explore camera app alternatives like PostPic, and check out the latest headlines in gaming with the Chachi Video Game Minute.