POP | TECH | JAM

Welcome to June here in the year 1918 + 1929 + 1968! El Kaiser and J.D.  drop in for a quick roundup of tech news, including rising tensions at social media companies, ongoing pandemic fallout and the newfound popularity of... online word-processing software. Take a break and dial up PTJ 339!

Twitter’s act of adding fact-checking labels to a couple of presidential tweets set off a storm in the social-media world — almost at the same time real-life stormy weather caused officials to scrub the NASA-SpaceX launch to the International Space Station, the first on an United States rocket since 2011. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss it all ahead of America’s rescheduled return to space this weekend...

Are podcasts The Next Big Thing — again? With Spotify, Amazon and Apple all scrapping to get big names and fresh content while throwing around big money, it sure seems like something’s going on. After El Kaiser and J.D. roll through the rest of the week’s headlines, El Kaiser also offers a few suggestions for remote podcasting software. It’s all right here in PTJ 337 from the comfort of your own h...

Thinking of spending some of your inside time recording a podcast or your own music? After a tour through the week's technology headlines with J.D., El Kaiser offers some shopping tips on microphones that make you sound way better than the one built into your laptop. Just click the Play button to hear it all on PTJ 336 — starting with a suggestion for another binge-worthy show to pass the time in...

Comic-book worlds (and their heroes) are great for passing the time or taking your mind to new places when you're stuck inside — and this week's episode offers insights on the Batwoman TV show as well as making your own comics (even if drawing isn't your strong point). El Kaiser and J.D. also discuss news from the video-game world and other headlines from around the technosphere. Spin up PTJ 335 r...

Contact tracing! It's all the rage around the world as countries try to track the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus though voluntary smartphone apps. In this week's news segment, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the various approaches these apps take before moving on to other headlines around the tech world. El Kaiser also shares his adventures with cloning a hard drive. All this and more on PTJ 334!

As much of the United States drifts into its second month of lockdown to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the joy of playing old predictable games in decidedly unpredictable times. This week's episode also includes a roundup of the past week's technology news and a sharing of feelings about the Titans show on DC Universe. Spin up PTJ 333 to hear it all!

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its spread, Apple and Google join forces to create a platform to track the disease — even though privacy advocates have concerns. El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the program, along with the other tech headlines of the week. And, with network connectivity more important than ever, El Kaiser offers some tips on getting the most out of your home Wi-Fi. It's all here wait...

As much of the country continues huddling at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. keep themselves busy with a look at the recent technology news — including the Zoom boom (and bust), Apple's control of the weather and the debut of the new Quibi short-form video app. And for those who've now watched everything online, J.D. has a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about digitizing your...

As the COVID-19 virus batters the global economy, El Kaiser and J.D. continue to self-isolate and offer up their own ideas to keep from getting too shackwacky. This week's episode also takes a quick look at recent technology news, including two online gifts from Sir Patrick Stewart. PTJ 330, engage!

As more states and cities tell citizens to stay out of public places and do their part to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, El Kaiser and J.D. fire up the microphones in their respective recording bunkers to discuss the latest tech news. El Kaiser also offers his pro tips for looking and sounding better on those office video-conference meetings, and J.D. has a few ideas for parents...

With COVID-19 disrupting life all over the world, El Kaiser and JD get socially distant and take to their respective bunkers to discuss the pandemic's effect on life, work and everything. Click into PTJ 328 to have a listen wherever you happen to spending your international public health crisis!

As El Kaiser and J.D. discuss in the week's news, the global spread of the coronavirus is starting to take a bite out of the tech industry in multiple ways. But hey, the news wasn't all bad — a major fast-food chain is now selling a bag of bacon as a tasty snack. Just hit the Play button on PTJ 327 to hear it all, plus a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about reining in your phone's constant alerts and no...

Greetings from the depths of February, where El Kaiser shares an appraisal of his recent binge-watching content, The Good Place and Letterkenny. February also means Mobile World Congress — but not this year, thanks to concern over the coronavirus. After a stroll through the other recent tech headlines, J.D. also offers a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about protect you and yours from an increasingly com...

On this week's show, El Kaiser holds forth on the current state of three of his favorite things: DC Comics, Doctor Who and Star Wars . J.D. has a quick roundup of recent tech news, including the return both of a beloved flip phone and a popular short-form video platform. All this and more on Pop Tech Jam 325!

2020 is here and with it, new laws and other rules that might make life as a technology consumer a little easier. After a quick recap of the recent headlines by J.D., El Kaiser shares his adventures as both an impulse buyer of a brand new iMac Pro, and as the custodian of a trusty old 2008 Mac Pro tower that still has some life in it. Happy New Year, Pop Tech listeners, and here's Episode 324!

As 2019 winds down, so does another decade of consumer technology. After a quick tour through recent headlines, El Kaiser and J.D. reflect on the highs and lows of the past 10 years in the world of gadgets and services. Come take a trip down geek memory lane here on PTJ 323!

On this week's episode, El Kaiser and J.D. offer their initial impressions on The Mandalorian, the new Disney+ live-action show set in the Star Wars universe. After a quick trip through recent tech headlines, J.D. also supplies a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about getting started with touch-screen drawing apps. Use the Force and punch the button for Episode 322!

On this week's episode, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss recent happenings at Twitter, Apple's housing project, YouTube's redesign and new smartphone apps from Google that are supposed to make you use your smartphone less. J.D. also takes a look at the current state of mobile wallet apps. All this and more on PTJ 321!

On this week’s episode, El Kaiser continues his foray into the world of wireless Bluetooth earbuds after the weekly news roundup with J.D. And in these news this week: The stress of Internet shopping on New York City streets, more software updates from Apple and a leak peak at Windows 10X.

El Kaiser and J.D. discuss the recent technology headlines, including Facebook’s wobbly Libra cryptocurrency, yet another iOS 13 update and political chaos around the globe. Also, there's a giant Ouija board up in Salem, Massachusetts. And, leaving his beloved 3.5-mm headphone jack behind, El Kaiser takes a walk on the wireless side with a pair of Jabra Bluetooth earbuds. Listen up here in PTJ 319...

As crisp autumn breezes swirl through New York City at last, El Kaiser and J.D. get back to business, pondering new studies on social media's effect on news and mental health, Apple's bugfest of an iOS 13 release and a recent addictive video game about a horrible little goose loose in a quiet English village. El Kaiser also shares his observations on some recently acquired gear. Pour yourself a cu...

Brand new iPhones in pastel-candy colors, two deluxe "Pro" models with three cameras on the back and a spiffy new iPad were in Apple's basket of fall announcements this week — along with an updated Apple Watch and two new monthly subscription services for games and movies. El Kaiser and J.D. wade into the Apple news-stream after a look at other headlines, including new government scrutiny for Big,...

As The Summer of 2019 winds down, El Kaiser and J.D. discuss (among other things) the buzz around Apple's annual fall iPhone event, Twitter's account security issue with one of its major users, Facebook's latest attempts at transparency in political advertising and Amazon's growing video-surveillance network. And, as nerds, we used to always run after the shiny new gadget to have the latest a...

Hoverboard travel is here! In experimental trips across the English Channel, anyway. El Kaiser and J.D. take off through the week's headlines, including more accusations of retaliatory workplace culture at Google, the move toward "pay with your face" forms of authentication and requirements for getting one of those new Apple Cards. J.D. also hosts a (Hopefully) Helpful Hint about getting more of t...