Powerful Communication Podcast

There's an Apple event tonight at 6pm UK time.   We're expecting a new iPhone and possible other products - I'm going to predict a surprise from Apple - I think they'll announce their own dating app and I'm also expecting the numbering of the iPhone to stop with new names used to identify new product releases.   A cat translator app which claims to be able to help cat owners work out what their pe...

People in France with swimming pools in their back gardens could be cursing technology right now.   The French government is using artificial intelligence to scan aerial photographs - if they find properties with swimming pools that are undeclared and aren't paying enough tax, then the owners can expect a fine.   Since the scheme launched last October, more than 20 thousand undeclared swimming poo...

A big step forward for gaming as Google's Stadia service is now offering completely free time limited trials of some games - with nothing to download and no sign up.   All you need is a Google account and visit stadia.google.com   Games available for trial include Wreckfest, Cities - Skyline, PacMan, Far Cry 6, World War Z and many more.   Google says it wants playing games to be as easy and seaml...

A big step forward for Twitter that might make it a more pleasant place to be - Twitter Circle is now available to everyone and lets you set up private group chats of up to 150 people.     Twitter says Circles will let users have discussions without worrying about random people hijacking the discussion and making them feel bad.   You'll now see an option to 'share with a smaller crowd' when you st...

It'll soon be possible to listen to podcasts while you're using Twitter.   The app is rolling out a new 'audio' tab which will highlight podcasts alongside Twitter's 'Spaces' material.   Podcasts will be grouped according to subject matter - given Twitter's emphasis on real-time content, I'd expect to see podcasts relating to television shows and sports events given a prominent position while thos...

As the cost of living crisis intensifies something you'll really want to avoid is becoming a victim of cyber crime.   Here are a few quick tips to stay safe.   First and most important - anytime you're asked for a password - use a strong, secure one, don't share it with anyone and don't repeat it anywhere else.   Password manager apps can help keep things organised for you - they encrypt the actua...

There's more evidence of computer manufacturers taking the environment seriously.   Acer has introduced a new Chromebook in its eco friendly Vero line.   The Chromebook Vero 514 which has been designed to be repaired and recycled - much of it has been built with recycled plastic.   The Vero 514 goes on sale across Europe in November although it will be a couple of hundred pounds more than some of...

What's your opinion on voice notes when you're sending messages to friends, family or business contacts?   All the major messaging apps - including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and even Linkedin let you hold down the mic button, record a message with your voice and then send it off.   It can help with productivity - for example if you're out a walk and want to explain something to someone, it'll...

Connecting the human brain directly to machines sounds like the stuff of science fiction but it could be closer than you think.   Elon Musk is trying to raise money for his own brain chip implant company Neuralink.   It's been reported that Musk has held talks with another company in the sector about investing in his own firm to try and move things forward.   Musk is said to be frustrated at the l...

Book lovers listen up, there's a new hashtag taking social media by storm and it's having a huge impact on the way books are sold.   BookTok is a TikTok community with more than 70 billion views.   People use hashtag booktok to share reviews and recommendations and connect with other books lovers, on TikTok.   It's almost like a giant online book club and one side effects is that books published y...

Really important information for Apple users over the weekend there after a security breach was discovered putting certain iPhones, iPads and laptop and desktops at risk.   An urgent security patch was released and all Apple users are being urged to make sure they install it.   Any attackers that knew about the vulnerability could send users to a website and then take complete control of their mac...

Flip phones were big for a while in the years before the iPhone but they're slowly but surely making their way back, along with something very new - foldable phones.   Apple hasn't stepped into this territory yet so it's giving the likes of Samsung a good run at it with some of its devices and of course these are all running the Android operating system.   Samsung's head of mobile recently said 't...

Saving money is an absolute must for many of us right now and of course technology can help.   It starts with keeping track of what you're actually spending and it might be that your bank's website or app if they have one, can actually do some of this for you.   Some have an online tool that automatically tracks what you're spending on groceries, fuel and so on and puts each expense into the right...

If you're interested in a career in nursing, there's an unlikely source of information about the reality of life on the wards - the TikTok hashtag 'NursesOfTikTok'.   It's had an amazing 10.8 billion views and features medical professionals sharing advice, medical information and some of the best examples of nursing work.   Patient safety group Radar Healthcare has put together a list of some for...

Heads up Amazon Prime users, you now have less than one month until the price increase comes in.   15 September is the date - from that point on it's going to be £8.99 a month - that's a £1 increase or £95 if you pay for the whole year at once.   Amazon do point out that being a Prime user does get you access to some of the Prime Music and Video streaming content - obviously they hope that you may...

Believe it or not there's a Pokemon World Championships and it's taking place in London, for the first time later this week with a 4 day event starting on Thursday.   Players from around the world will put their Furrets, Pickahus and Bulbasaurs against each other and if you haven't a clue what I'm talking about you can learn by tuning into the live streams - there's one for card game battles and a...

The Google Meet video calling app doesn't anything like the attention given to Zoom and Microsoft Teams but there are a few new features worth a mention, as reported by TechCrunch.com   Meet now has a live sharing feature which makes it easy to stream music and videos during calls from YouTube and Spotify, you can also play games like Uno and Heads Up..great when you're chatting with friends and f...

It's looks like you'll soon be able to schedule Instagram posts from within the main app itself.   Until now, it's only been possible using 3rd party tools or Instagram's Creator Studio platform but tests are underway which would allow full scheduling of everything - including main Instagram feed posts, stories and reels.   That will make life much easier for small business owners or creatives loo...

There's a saying I like that speaks volumes about the pace of technological change in the world today and it is: 'the jobs your children will do, haven't been invented yet'.   Well here's another role that you could never imagine existing just a few years ago.   Marianna Spring has just been appointed as the first 'Disinformation and social media correspondent' at the BBC. Marianna says she'll be...

Music looks set to be at the centre of the next big technological battle.   Artificial Intelligence can create music in less than a second and increasingly, our ears can't tell the difference.   Whether it's backing music for a film or TV show, a commercial promoting a product or something appearing in the middle of a playlist to get you singing a long, there's huge interest in what could soon bec...

  If you're not one for celebrity gossip, cat videos, motivational gurus and perfect bodies then Pinterest might be the social media platform for you.     The Pinterest share price rocketed this week after the company reported its latest earnings - which show a 9% growth in revenue and a steady number of users.   Those figures are OK in a challenging environment, but what's got the experts really...

Sometimes, computers stop working - or 'crash' for no apparent reason and it's usually highly frustrating, just when you're in the middle of something important.   There are a few things to keep an eye on that might help you prevent these incidents happening again.   One of the main ones is the CPU usage - this is the computer's central processing unit - basically its brain and by clicking in the...

Have you seen this interactive map that shows the birthplaces of notable people around the world?   Zoom in on your hometown and you'll see the names of prominent figures from business, politics, sport, science and more.   It's been put together by researcher Topi Tjukanov pulling data from Wikipedia and other sources.   Check it out on Twitter using at the hashtag digitalminuteUK.     Elon Musk's...

England's European Championship winning footballers are the toast of social media right now after their nail biting extra time 2-1 win over Germany.   Hashtags including 'itscomehome' and 'womensfootball' have been trending across Twitter and Instagram alongside of course #lionesses.   Video clips going viral include the players gatecrashing manager Sarina Weigman's post match press conference and...