AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk - Episodes Tagged with “Vine”

AwesomeCast 800: 800 Episodes Later: Tech Got Weird

Sorgatron Media — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 23:00:00 -0400

Eight hundred episodes later, technology is somehow getting more ridiculous—and AwesomeCast is still here to talk about it.

Sorg, Katie Dudas and Dave Podnar celebrate AwesomeCast 800 with a mix of brand-new gadgets, weird apps, AI-powered software experiments and a trip through more than 16 years of tech history. From Google Glass and Pebble to vibe-coded Adobe alternatives and an Apple Watch that literally points toward Taco Bell, this episode is both a look back at where we’ve been and a pretty accurate snapshot of where technology is heading next.

Vibe Coding Comes for Adobe—and Maybe Microsoft

Sorg takes ArtCraft for a spin, looking at its collection of creative tools, simplified video editing and AI integrations. The bigger conversation is about what happens when an experienced developer uses AI-assisted coding to recreate pieces of expensive subscription software.

The hosts discuss:

ArtCraft’s simplified creative and video tools
AI generation integrations and credit-based pricing
Whether tools like this could fill the gap left by simpler editors such as Adobe Rush
The difference between casually prompting an app into existence and having enough development experience to actually finish and maintain one
The creator’s reported interest in building alternatives to Microsoft Office-style apps and possibly other subscription software
Subscription fatigue and whether smaller AI-assisted competitors can put pressure on Adobe, Microsoft and other established software companies
Sorg’s own experiments using AI coding tools to build internal project-management software

ArtCraft / FilmCraft:
https://getartcraft.com/apps/filmcraft

Background:
https://gizmodo.com/someone-vibe-coded-a-free-knockoff-of-adobe-creative-suite-2000823322

Microsoft Office alternatives:
https://www.tomshardware.com/software/microsoft-office/creator-of-free-adobe-clones-unveils-open-source-microsoft-office-excel-powerpoint-and-word-replications-autodesk-tools-and-other-subscription-based-services-may-come-next

Apple HomeView: Who Is the $299 Smart Display For?

Dave breaks down Apple’s new home-focused announcements, including updates involving Apple TV, HomePod mini, Siri AI and the new Apple HomeView.

The HomeView discussion focuses on its square display, Apple-style interface, home placement, FaceTime functionality and ability to recognize different household members. That last feature leads to one of the episode’s best practical questions: if a shared HomeView can know who is looking at it, why can’t a family iPad do the same thing?

The bigger question is price. At $299 before some mounting options, does HomeView solve enough problems to become a normal household device—or is this mostly for families already deep inside Apple’s ecosystem?

https://9to5mac.com/2026/10/13/apple-homeview-announced-features-price-release-date/

Katie Finally Discovers Where All Those Dropout Clips Come From

Katie’s Awesome Thing is Dropout, the independent streaming service behind shows she had already been discovering through social clips.

The crew talks about Game Changer, Smarty Pants, Dimension 20, the service’s CollegeHumor roots and why some of the programming works almost as well as an audio experience as it does on video.

For Katie, the revelation was basically: “This is where these shows come from.”

https://www.dropout.tv

800 Episodes of Awesome History

Then it’s time to look backward.

AwesomeCast traces its history to 2010, which means the show has lived through an absurd number of supposedly world-changing technologies.

Among the flashbacks:

Sorg’s Google Glass era
Talking about 3D printing in the earliest days of the show
Google Stadia and wondering whether Google would eventually abandon it
Debating Netflix, Roku and cord cutting back in 2011
Pebble before smartwatches became normal
Early ChatGPT and Midjourney experiments
Meerkat and Periscope before live video became another button inside every social platform
The chaos of Google+
Vine creators and the short-form video era before TikTok
Apple Vision discussions
Old AwesomeCast clips that continue collecting views and comments years later

The retrospective also turns into a reminder that changes feel incremental while they are happening. Look back across 800 episodes, however, and the difference is enormous.

ChachiSays Video Game Minute

Chachi returns with three quick gaming stories:

Eli Manning says Peyton Manning found a very Manning-like competitive advantage while playing Tecmo Bowl.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eli-manning-admits-peyton-manning-230855059.html
A real Lexus inspired by the Street Fighter II bonus-stage car is being given away.
https://www.motor1.com/news/810970/street-fighter-ii-car-giveaway/
Jay and Silent Bob are heading into the farming-simulator business with Jay and Silent Bob: Joint Venture, announced for Steam with consoles expected to follow.
https://www.ign.com/articles/jay-silent-bob-joint-venture-trailer-gameplay?fbclid=Iwb21leAU2AShleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHlZ5vTYCOuFcL9tPfkTBTC8JeX7h7FRyv8Kkj6rNkz8Nj9FBUSswyO8qXI5a_aem_40PO5dnTmHpro9PXk_mSUg

Point Your Wrist at Tacos

The T-Bell Compass might be one of the most specifically useful Apple Watch apps AwesomeCast has ever encountered.

Its job is simple: show you the direction of the nearest Taco Bell.

Sorg demonstrates it in the studio, immediately inspiring requests for an In-N-Out version and possibly an entire Pittsburgh Taco Bell rating system.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tbell-compass/id6761598622

“I Need to Collect That Cat”

Cat Collector turns spotting neighborhood cats into a real-world collecting game.

Photograph cats you encounter, add them to the map, see what other cats people have discovered nearby and even turn your finds into iMessage stickers.

Naturally, Sorg has already found himself pulling over because there was a cat he needed to collect.

https://catcollector.app/

Normal Tools: A Site Full of Tiny Useful Things

Normal Tools is basically a digital junk drawer where everything is actually labeled.

The hosts browse tools for image conversion, CSV viewing, QR codes, aspect ratios, projectors, building calculations, game controllers, screens, batteries and much more.

The appeal is straightforward: find the little utility you need, use it, and move on.

https://www.normaltools.com/

Pittsburgh International Airport Keeps Experimenting

The episode closes locally with another look at technology being tested through Pittsburgh International Airport’s innovation efforts.

The hosts discuss robotics that can potentially help monitor terminal conditions—including passenger flow, cleanliness and environmental conditions—along with analytics intended to give airline teams better information during boarding.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1527880259386316&set=pcb.1527880329386309

Supporting Pittsburgh podcasting with the perfect pepperoni pizza:
www.SliceonBroadway.com

Build a PC Like Superman | AwesomeCast 504

Sorgatron Media — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 01:00:00 -0400

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services.

Chatting the tech news of the week with Cynthia Closkey from Shift Collaborative!

Cynthia chats like mmHmm to make your web meetings more like SNL Weekend Update
We dive into collaborative tools like Mural.Co
Chilla tells us about his Ring outdoor lights to systematically light his yard
Sorg watched Henry Cavill (Superman!!) build a PC
Pittsburgh's Port Authority launches Room2Ride to help judge when to use public transit
Byte could be a good Tik Tok alternative if it gets banned.
We talk about the updates coming adding Microsoft XCloud to Xbox Game Pass, and the passing of the 12 month Xbox Gold Subscription.
Zoom announces a $599 touchscreen device for remote workers and we consider some very real applications despite cheaper options by Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
Microsoft's New Flight Simulator Comes On TEN DISCS

https://youtu.be/soBbme3L7wY

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: Chilla (@chilla), Cynthia Closkley (@CynthiaCloskey), and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

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

Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) 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

Social Network of 8 Bits | AwesomeCast 479

Sorgatron Media — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:00:00 -0500

This week’s episode brought to you by Slice on Broadway, and Sidekick Media Services.

Hangout with Chilla, and Sorg to talk current tech news!

Sorg is playing some old favorite maps on Call of Duty Mobile and checked out their version of Battle Royale
Chilla wants a version of the app Bump but with modem sounds.
Google is working on their own version of Airdrop for Android...but so is Samsung. And this is why we can't have nice Android things.
Dave Podnar shared the FiLMiC DoubleTake, which gives you the first look at multicamera viewing/recording on your newer iPhone.
Chris Whitlatch shares the first Atari gaming hotel will be opening with Phoenix
Rizz shares Cat fighting game we all want to play. Play the demo of "Fisti-Fluffs" here.
Byte is the next coming of Vine, or the next Tik Tok wannabe? It has Apple Sign In and we're all on there! (@Sorgatron & @chill579)
A wonderful Tik Tok account is recreating Into the Spider-Verse scenes with his family!
Phone soap cleans your dirty phone with UV-C rays?
The Circle is a curious "reality competition" from Netflix using Social Media
You can link/trade Pokemon across platforms and games with a new subscription Pokemon Home service.

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 Chichilla (@Chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

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

Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) 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

The Best, Nerdiest Recommendations | AwesomeCast 377

Sorgatron Media — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0500

As we near the end of 2017 we take the opportunity to fill the couch – both IRL and online – with some familiar faces. It’s a full house indeed with Jim Lokay, Will Rutherford, Mike Pound, Cynthia Closkey, John Carman, Bobby Cherry, Brian Crawford, and Krause. But, we’ve still got our usual faces with Sorg and Chilla, and a very special visit from our Patreon supporter, Michael Fedor.
We’re starting the top of the show with everyone’s Awesome Thing of the Year items.
Chilla’s Awesome Thing of the Year is his Apple AirPods.
Brian’s Awesome Thing of the Year is NOT the tech items he recently purchased – but the sweet bag he got to carry it all!
Krause’s Awesome Thing of the Year is his Google Pixel 2XL.
Will’s Awesome Thing of the Year is a “really interesting idea.” He’s interested in TXT.FYI – a stripped down blog.
Lokay’s Awesome Thing of the Year is HQ – the quiz app.
Cynthia’s AirPods are her Awesome Thing for Life. As her Awesome Thing of the Year, she’s going with 17776.
Mike Pound’s Awesome Thing of the Year is Amazon Echo.
Patreoner Michael Fedor’s Awesome Thing of the Year is Patreon’s redo of their fee structure.
Bobby is sharing his Awesome Thing of the Year – his Google Home.
John Carman’s Awesome Thing of the Year is Google’s Pixel Buds.
Sorg’s Awesome Thing of the Year is the realization of handheld internet through his AT&T Wireless plan.
We’re running through our 2017 predictions from last year – and whether or not they actually came true.
And, then we turn to predictions for 2018!(With a shout out to Rob Johnston and the Vine 2 launch!)
Lokay: Vine2 is going to be a failure.

Will Rutherford: Net neutrality is going to get pushed through and it’s going to be a kerfluffle. ISPs are going to do what ISPs do, but customers are going to drop like flies. They’re going to lose so much business that they’re going to roll things back and it will all be for naught.

Mike Pound: Digital side of journalism is going to continue to build in 2018.

Cynthia Closkey: Continued escalation of Google/Apple/Amazon streaming war. Apple TV available for sale on Amazon again.

Michael Fedor: Disney will have one major purchase in the next year. (Jokingly introduced with: Living under the United States of Disney. Disney will pay down national debt and come in on some sort of crisis.)

John Carman: We’re going to see the first Amazon Key burglary.

Bobby Cherry: Elon Musk is going to have some breakthrough next year – through one of his companies.

Chilla: We’re going to see another huge dropoff on PC technology.

Brian Crawford: We’re going to start turning into cyborgs with our wearable tech and implant devices. We’re also going to see regulations regarding drones.

Krause: AR is going to be a much bigger deal than even VR is now.

Sorg: Podcasting is going to be de-emphasized in 2018.

After the show remember to:

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

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

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Jim Lokay (@Lokay), Will Rutherford (@DjLunchbox), Mike Pound (@unclecrappy), Cynthia Closkey (@cynthiacloskey), John Carman (@carmanavenue), Bobby Cherry (@GoBobbo), Brian Crawford (@RiverTalkPGH), Krause (@KrazyKrause), Michael Fedor (@mikefedorshow), 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 River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media 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!