Nerd and Normal

With so many companies and emails offering online services, should you pay for them, do you need them and what does it all mean. Gareth and Matthew also look at the different file formats used by computers and programs. #cloudservices #fileformats #googledrive #icloud #dropbox #onedrive

This week Gareth and Matthew look at the Age Verification coming to your devices and the security and personal issues it might cause. In the US California has already implemented laws requiring device makers to have age verification services on the new device on start up. They will also be required to put age verification into older devices. #ageverification #apple #microsoft #android

This week Gareth and Matthew look at free programs to make your Windows computer work better, and free-er than you might think. Here is the full list of programs and links to download them. VLC Media Player https://www.videolan.org/ iTunes https://www.apple.com/itunes/ Audacity https://www.audacityteam.org/ Bitdefender Free https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/consumer/free-antivirus Malware Bytes ht...

Gareth and Matthew talk to Vanessa Claire from Wisteria Weddings about how professional photographers can use AI. Vanessa also explains how photographers deal with AI content appearing on the internet making it difficult to tell real from fake. You can find out more about Vanessa and Wisteria Weddings here https://wisteriaweddings.com.au/

Matthew and Gareth look at the Australian government's deal with Anthropic for their AI to used for government services as well as the recent Anthropic Claude Code leak. They also look at which AI service, Google Gemini, Anthropic Cluade, Open AI ChatGPT and XAI Geok, is right for you. #ai #anthropic #grok #gemini #chatgpt #claude

This week on Nerd And Normal Gareth and Matthew look at what has changed with the Social Media landscape after the Australian under 16 ban and the recent law suit in The USA. We also look at the new Adult content ban effecting Australians.

This week Matthew and Gareth explain what happened with the 2026 NAPLAN tests and why there was an issue. They also look at why current Solid State Drives in computers can die losing all your data as well as how to clean "Viruses" off your Android phones and tablets and why they aren't actually viruses. #naplan #andriod #solidstatedrive #ssd #virus

This week Matthew and Gareth spoke with  with Dr Caroline Murtagh, a general practitioner from Lara, Victoria about how she uses technology to help her patients remain as health as possible. They talked about electronic medical records, telehealth consultations, and the challenges of AI in medical diagnosis, as well as role of technology in patient care, including the use of wearable devices and t...

Matthew and Gareth talk about how to recover money you have lost in a scam and who is responsible. The Australian Scams Prevention Framework can be found here http://bit.ly/4swPgd4 and the website for the Australian Financial Complaints Authority can be found here https://www.afca.org.au/ #scamrecovery #bankingscam #financialscams

Gareth and Matthew look at the way telephone systems and the way we connect to the internet has changed over the years.

This week Matthew and Gareth look at the increasing use of video conference programs like Zoom and Teams as well as programs used to remotely control computers from a distance. With remote access scams becoming a bigger issue the use of commercial programs for illegal activities is increasing. What can you do to keep yourself safe, even if you need to use programs like these for your work or famil...

This week Gareth and Matthew look at how the internet effects how we consume the news and entertainment.  They also look at how the news you see and read can be biased thanks to the interests of the sources you see.

This week Matthew and Gareth look at emails and all the issues people face with emails. They look at spam emails and how they get past spam filters and why can't you stop spam emails from getting into your spam folder completely. How emails can get to you if your email server goes down. Having a second email address with a different provider can come in handy. How to send large attachments or what...

This week Gareth and Matthew look into what you should do help keep your phones and computers working as well as possible. They touched on the latest update for Windows that was released in January 2026.  ZDNet has a list of some of the issues that were created with the update https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-11-bug-roundup/ Ensuring your iPhone don't update automatically by going in to Setti...

This week Matthew and Gareth look at some of the interesting things from CES 2026. Lollipops where music can only be heard when you put them between your teeth. https://www.lollipopstar.com/  Sharpa Robots showing what robot hands are now capable of doing, including playing card games and ping pong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7q-qlj4EFc Human like robot hands now able to pick up more weight h...

This week Gareth and Matthew discussed Australia's technological innovations and the social media ban for children. They reviewed the progress of the ban, noting that 4.7 million accounts were deleted but identified flaws in the system.  Australian Innovation and Capitalisation Australia's history of innovation is vast. Australian inventions such as the refrigeration system, notepad, and Wi-Fi. Wh...

This week Gareth and Matthew celebrate Christmas with you. They look at buying gaming presents for the young people or gamers in your family. Docking stations and power banks for presents. Details on what the rules are for power banks on Qantas and Jetstar can be found here, https://www.qantas.com/en-au/baggage/dangerous-goods/spare-batteries-and-powerbanks and Virgin flights can be found here, ht...

Smart Homes, Wearables, AR Glasses, Smart Meters and EV Charges Matthew and Gareth discussed the challenges of smart homes, including the complexity of setting up devices with different manufacturers and Wi-Fi settings. Matthew shared an experience of helping a customer with a completely smart home that was more complex than the owners could manage. They explored issues like the lack of instructio...

Matthew and Gareth discussed various security methods, including passwords, passkeys, and two-factor authentication. Matthew explained that while passwords are no longer sufficient, using a password manager can be risky due to potential security breaches. He advised against using passkeys, as they can be problematic if the device they are linked to is lost or damaged. Matthew also clarified that t...

This week Gareth and Matthew look into the use of technology police and other emergency services use to help keep us safe. They are joined by David Elliott who has served in NSW parliament as Minister for Transport, Minister for Veterans, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Counter Terrorism, Minister for Corrections and Minister for Emergency Services between 2015 and 2023. S...

This week Matthew and Gareth look into using your technology to save you money rather than costing you money. There are websites and services to help you save money as well as checking your bills for ways to save money. motormouth.com.au is both a website and app for you to find cheap petrol in your area, or anywhere in the country. Energymadeeasy.gov.au is a free government to check for the cheap...

On this episode Matthew and Gareth take the time to explain in simple English, using real examples, USB advancements, Wifi changes, 2 Factor Authentication, Cloud systems like iCloud, Australian Free To Air changes affecting older TV's, VPN's and what major computer parts do. Matthew explained the evolution of USB connectors, noting that USB-C is now widely used but can be confusing due to differe...

Smartphone Evolution: From Bricks to Foldables Gareth and Matthew discussed the history of smartphones. They explored the rapid technological advancements in smartphones over the past 20 years, highlighting the transition from basic models to foldable devices. Matthew explained the demise of Windows phones due to a lack of developer support compared to Android and Apple. Smartphone Evolution and P...

Gareth and Matthew discussed the end of Windows 10 support and upcoming computer sales. Looking at CPUs, comparing AMD Ryzen and Intel models. The AMD Ryzen3 and Intel i3 models for basic computing needs. There is a huge importance of entering a computer store with knowledge to navigate the technical language and avoid being sold products based on commission or profit. If you can’t get a computer...

Gareth and Matthew discussed the increasing prevalence of digital scams and the challenges in protecting individuals from them.  Damien Tudehope explains that the NSW government prioritises cybersecurity due to the high cost of preventing and remediating data breaches, which can lead to a loss of public confidence. He mentioned that each public sector agency has its own cyber policies, with New So...