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The Big Tech Show

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Every week we analyse the big tech issues, interv…

The Big Tech Show

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From Bao Fan to Jack Ma: Why are Chinese tech billionaires going missing?

Last month, Chinese billionaire tech banker Bao Fan was reported missing after his company Chinese Renaissance, said they were unable to contact him. His disappearance is not the first time this has happened. Back in November 2020, Jack Ma, founder of the online retail giant Alibaba vanished for months. Why are these powerful figures in China’s tech industry disappearing? Adrian Weckler is joined by journalist Clifford Coonan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GPT-4 and the new era of AI

This week, OpenAI released the newest version of its artificial intelligence technology, ChatGPT. Will it live up to the hype, or will the main focus still be around writing college essays for students? Adrian Weckler is joined by co-founder of Caliber AI, Neil Brady to discuss this and the new era of AI we are now in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank: how will Ireland be impacted?

In the last 72 hours, the world has been consumed with the threat of a possible banking crisis.It all started with a hitherto little-known U.S. lender called Silicon Valley Bank. What happened for the bank to collapse and will Ireland be impacted? Adrian Weckler is joined by Irish Independent's business editor, Donal O'Donovan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: Dodgy box downfall: are Irish users in trouble?

A crackdown on illegal TV streaming networks, also known as ‘dodgy boxes’ is taking place in 12 counties across Ireland. The main targets are a number of online portals and services that provide illegal access to premium TV content. Is this the beginning of the end for the dodgy box? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could TikTok be banned in Ireland?

It's been a busy news week in tech. After the European Commission banned TikTok on staff phones, Irish data watchdogs met this week to assess if the social media giant poses a cyber risk here. Could TikTok be facing some kind of ban in Ireland? Adrian looks at this, along with other stories hitting the news, including drones causing chaos in Dublin airport and more tech layoffs on the horizon. The Big Tech Show is in association with Square. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘They stole my bank card and phone and then went on a spending spree’

Charlotte Morgan's story went viral when thieves used her phone to get at her bank card’s pin number, leaving her thousands of pounds out of pocket. Charlotte tells us how to stop the same thing happening to you. This episode was first published on 23rd Sept 2022 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Elon Musk made me too embarrassed to buy a Tesla

Has Elon Musk’s personal brand affected the sales of Tesla? Since Musk’s Twitter takeover, more people are questioning the values of his other companies, like Tesla – including Adrian Weckler. Steve Dempsey of the Irish Independent joins to discuss the shifting brand perception. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drive my car: the company preventing crashes with AI

This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian is joined by Barry Lunn, founder and CEO at Provizio, a company trying to save lives with radar technology that can help prevent car crashes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nothing personal: What it's like to be laid off by email

The tech industry has been hit with a spate of mass layoffs. One trend emerging from this, is the approach some of these companies take, using email to deliver the news to employees. This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian speaks to one of the 12,000 Google employees in the US who woke up to an email telling him he was being let go. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hooked: behind the algorithms that keep us scrolling

They’re the secretive tech that social media companies use to keep us engaging with the platforms. How much do we know about algorithms and what exactly are they used for? This week Adrian is joined by Damien Mulley to discuss the good, the bad and the potentially harmful way the algorithms could influence users. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Heaslip: From rugby to startups to Stripe

He is one of Ireland’s most recognisable rugby stars. Now Jamie Heaslip has become a successful startup investor. This week on the Big Tech Show, Jamie joins Adrian to discuss his move from sport to tech and now working for Stripe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eamon Leonard: Dublin’s startup legend on why the downturn is the next big opportunity

What is it about a downturn that makes it attractive to build a Start-Up? This week Adrian is joined by Eamon Leonard from Broadstone VC to discuss how a crisis can spur on innovation, Eamon’s interesting career so far and what a good start-up investment looks like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ChatGPT – What's all the hype about?

When ChatGPT launched last year, the hype around the new AI chatbot has grown and grown. It can write poems, screenplays, articles and even do children’s homework. Not only does it have teachers worried, but companies like Google have increased investment in generative AI, so they can keep up. Adrian Weckler takes a look at the chatbot and what all the hype is about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AC? DC? You charge me all night long: a beginners guide to EVs

Are you thinking of getting an electric car in 2023? This week on the Big Tech Show we have a beginner's guide on all you need to know about going electric. From the best models, to charging them and a million other questions in between. Host: Adrian Weckler. Guest: Derek Reilly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Metaverse to crypto: what does 2023 have in store for tech?

Last year was a turbulent one for the tech industry. Could 2023 be as dramatic? This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian looks at what we can expect from tech this year, including the possibility of more layoffs, what we can expect from cryptocurrency and if this year is the year the Metaverse will catch on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martina Fitzgerald on making the move from RTE to tech CEO

Formerly RTÉ's political correspondent, Martina Fitzgerald made the move into the tech industry when she took the job of CEO in Scale Ireland in 2020. A not-for-profit organisation, she now represents start-ups and growing businesses. This week Martina joins Adrian to discuss her time as a journalist, her decision to move into tech and how the industry is treated both by politicians and the media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neuralink and Elon Musk's big plans for brain implants

It's been a busy week for Elon Musk, with his Twitter poll calling for him to step down as CEO of the social network. But this month the tech billionaire revealed what his other company Neuralink has been working on. Adrian Weckler is joined by journalist Antonio Regalado to discuss the possibility of brain chip implants being made available by the company. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5th Anniversary Special: Mark Little on Twitter, his career and the future of Journalism

This week marks the 5th Anniversary of the Big Tech Show. Joining us for this extended episode is our first-ever guest, broadcaster and founder of Storyful and Kinzen, Mark Little. Mark joins Adrian to chat about Twitter and Elon Musk, the future of journalism and his new role in Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Best Tech of 2022

Now that we're in the final weeks of 2022, Adrian takes a look back at the best tech of the year, including smartwatches, home appliances and headphones. Is Bitcoin doomed? Or are we in the midst of a crypto winter, the trough of another cycle, with canny investors waiting it out? Adrian is also joined by the Managing Director of Bitpanda Alex Batlin to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask Adrian: Is my phone listening to me?

This week on the Big Tech Show, as part of our new Ask Adrian segment, we ask if our phones are really listening to us, how we can stop scam calls and discuss some of the tech news stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signal’s boss on why WhatsApp can’t be trusted

How concerned are you about your messages to friends or family staying private? On this week’s Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler is joined by CEO of messaging app Signal, Meredith Whittaker to talk about absolute privacy – is it always a good thing, would people abandon WhatsApp or iMessage in favour of it and can it sometimes help criminals? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ‘Free Now’ boss on taxi delays and banning cars

On this week’s Big Tech Show With Adrian Weckler, we talk to the global CEO of the taxi company Free Now about cities banning cars and the likelihood of autonomous vehicles soon. Thomas Zimmerman also answers questions about taxi shortages and whether the name ‘Free Now’ is often used in frustration by customers left waiting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dropbox CEO on the tech wreck and the death of the traditional office

Adrian sits down with the billionaire tech CEO of Dropbox, Drew Houston, to talk about his new revamped office in Dublin, the future of work, what’s going with the tech industry’s wave of job layoffs and whether Ireland is vulnerable. The two also talk about Dublin’s cost of living, where Dropbox now sits compared to Microsoft, the pros and cons of airing political views as a tech CEO, and what he said to Steve Jobs when the late Apple CEO tried to buy Dropbox. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Web Summit: Is Revolut planning to offer mortgages?

This week, The Big Tech Show is at the Web Summit in Lisbon. Adrian chats to Revolut CEO Nikolay Storonsky about the future of the banking app in Ireland, and if Irish customers will be able to get mortgages from the digital bank. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there any future in the Metaverse?

This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler speaks to Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive of Technology and Chief Technology Officer at Accenture to talk about why he thinks we need to reframe how we think about the Metaverse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Merge and the future of cryptocurrency

Ethereum, one of the largest cryptocurrencies completed the highly anticipated “Merge”, a software update that cut the currency's energy usage by 99%. How successful was The Merge and will it influence other cryptocurrencies to become more energy efficient? Adrian Weckler is joined by James Nagle, co-founder of Bitcove to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pain of dealing with social media firms when a loved one dies

What happens when you have to battle social media companies for access to a loved one’s online information when they pass away? That’s what Irishwoman Donna Ahern has been facing for the last year, since her twin sister suddenly died. In this week’s podcast, Donna talks about the hoops she has had to jump through to comply with the processes put in her way by Facebook and Google. Adrian also looks at some of the best Amazon Prime Day bargains and reviews Google’s new Pixel phones and Pixel Watch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Elon Musk finally buy Twitter?

With the Elon Musk and Twitter saga raging on, we ask if Musk is finally about to buy Twitter and what that could mean for the platform? With new EU rules saying most gadgets must use the same charging cable from 2024, we discuss if this is officially the end of the drawer full of cables. Host: Adrian Weckler. Guest: Damien Mulley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the UK’s proposed Vat free shopping mean cheaper tech?

Irish Shoppers who head to Britain will be able to save hundreds of euro on luxury goods under a new regime that offers overseas visitors tax-free perks. Adrian Weckler is joined by Jon Ihle, Deputy Business Editor of the Irish Independent to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How a bank card was scammed with a phone

This week on the Big Tech Show with Adrian Weckler, we talk to Charlotte Morgan, whose story went viral around the world when thieves used her phone to get at her bank card’s pin number, leaving her thousands of pounds out of pocket. Charlotte tells us how to stop the same thing happening to you. Adrian also looks at Apple’s new Watch Series 8 and gives his verdict on whether it’s worth getting or not See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should TikTok be banned?

This week on the Big Tech Show with Adrian Weckler, we are discussing whether TikTok should be banned. Reports found that TikTok can log keystrokes on iPhones and that Bytedance staff in China have ultimate access to any and all TikTok user data they want. Adrian is joined by finance correspondent of the Currency, Sean Keyes to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iPhone 14 launch in California – is the latest release worth the money?

This week, Apple launched the iPhone 14 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Adrian tells us how the launch went and whether it’s worth upgrading to the latest iPhone. Host: Adrian Weckler. Guests: Stuart Miles, Britta O’Boyle and Robert Leedham. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are data centres to blame for Ireland’s energy crisis?

With the cost of living and energy crisis dominating the news right now, data centres are coming under greater scrutiny. This week on the Big Tech Show we ask are data centres to blame for Ireland's energy woes? If blackouts do happen, we explore what kind of tech can help get your through an energy outage. And we talk to the two young tech entrepreneurs who have quit Dublin for Spain because the rent is too high here. Guests: Cian McNally, Evan Mcgloughlin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Power banks and laptops: the best college tech for 2022

What’s the best laptop, monitor, power-bank or noise-cancelling headphones for a college student? Or rather, what’s the best you can get at a reasonable price in a cost-of-living crisis? Adrian Weckler is joined by technology journalist and recent college graduate Andy O’Donoghue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ecommerce and accusations of ageism: an interview with Selazar founder Jack Williams

Jack Williams is co-founder and CEO of the Belfast-based ecommerce fulfilment firm Selazar. While the company made headlines recently for getting £20m in funding, the highest amount of venture capital in Northern Irish history, this week it was also in the news for less flattering reasons, having lost an employment tribunal case in London over claims of ageism. Adrian Weckler sat down with Jack this week to talk about ecommerce, retailing, being a young CEO, and also about what happened in the tribunal case. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big Tech Slowdown: What smaller growth could mean for jobs in Ireland

Is the tech party over for Ireland? Google has announced a temporary recruitment freeze, Microsoft is eliminating open jobs, while both Meta and Apple are reportedly planning to hire fewer people. In other words, some of Ireland’s biggest tech employers are scaling back their plans. The tech sector here has been on the biggest bull run in Irish industrial history. But is it finally facing a slowdown? And is our indigenous tech sector any more resilient? Joining Adrian Weckler to discuss the issue are Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general of the Irish Venture Capital Association, and Gareth Fleming, director of tech recruitment at Brightwater Recruitment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 & Me: What home DNA tests can tell you about yourself

Technology editor Adrian Weckler reports on the results and concerns he had after taking a DNA test with online service 23&Me. He is joined by Stacy Detweiler, a genetics counsellor working for the company's medical team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Bill Gates’s promise to give all his money away heroic or an ego trip?

If you were a billionaire, would you give most of it away? That’s what Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says he’s doing. He’s the world's fourth richest man, worth €115bn. But he says he has an "obligation" to return his resources to society. He says he wants to drop out of the world’s rich lists. And he’s not alone in the tech elite. Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook, among others, also say they’ll give away almost all of their wealth. Does this make them decent stewards of capitalism? Or is sort of another type of ego-trip? Joining Adrian to discuss it is the Irish Independent’s deputy business editor, Jon Ihle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything you need to know about Apple’s new MacBook Air M2 — should you get it?

Is the new M2 too expensive? Is the older M1 MacBook Air a better deal? Or might you be better off getting the new MacBook Pro M2, which is almost the same price? Adrian Weckler is joined by fellow reviewer, PocketLint.com’s deputy editor Britta O’Boyle, to discuss the pros and cons of Apple’s latest MacBook Air M2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nothing Phone: What it is and why it could be the next big thing

Is it possible for a brand new phone from a brand new company to capture your Apple or Samsung-bound cash? The Nothing Phone (1) is the brainchild of OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. This week, tech editor Adrian Weckler flew to the London launch to see what all the hype is about. He gives his verdict on the phone, as well as the views of some other experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From AirTags to Power Banks: The best travel tech for 2022

How can you watch your Netflix series in a foreign Airbnb? Is it possible to avoid getting gouged when using your smartphone abroad? Adrian is joined by Colin Baker, gadget expert and managing director of Back From The Future to discuss 10 useful devices and services to enhance a summer holiday, either abroad or in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iPhone at 15 -- what is its legacy and its future?

In 2007, Steve Jobs took to the stage to introduce what he called a “revolutionary new product”. This week 15 years ago, the first iPhone went on sale. Is it still an all-conquering device? What might September's iPhone 14 bring? And can the iconic smartphone stay at the heart of Apple’s world, or will smart glasses and cars become the company's new focus? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss all of this is someone who was at the original launch – Stuart Miles, the founder and CEO of Pocket-lint.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An interview with Ireland's parcel locker king

30 years ago, John Touhy set up the logistics and delivery company Nightline, which also spawned Parcel Motel. Having sold it to UPS for €30m in 2017, he's back with another offering in the field -- OOHPod. This is a smart locker service that is supposed to make it easy to pick up and return parcels in your own time. The company aims to place “out of home” lockers in 1,000 locations across the island of Ireland by 2025. John Touhy talked to Adrian about his past, present and why some entities in Ireland seem intent on blocking progress in the parcel delivery field. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An interview with Zoom's Dubliner CIO, Harry Moseley

What’s it like being the CIO of one of the most iconic pandemic-era tech companies in the world? No-one knows better than Harry Moseley, Zoom’s chief information officer . The man from Rathfarhnam has been close to the helm of a company whose very name has become a verb in the English language. But what’s coming next? Is the drive for remote working stalling? And can Zoom pull back from a steep decline in its own share price recently? Harry spoke to tech editor Adrian Weckler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to do about your security password

Apple, Google and Microsoft are joining forces to kill off passwords. They say that they will try to replace passwords by using smartphones as two-factor authentication via things like a PIN number or a fingerprint, and using that for verification on an operating system or website. But will this work? And what should you be doing to protect yourself with the passwords you already use? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss this is Conor Flynn, managing director at Waystone Compliance Solutions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remote control - how companies are pulling people back to the office

In recent weeks, Google and Apple have begun pulling all their Irish workers back into the office. Other big companies are starting to do the same, and it’s not just the tech giants here, such as Amazon, Intel and Salesforce. A glance at Indeed.com, the biggest recruitment site, shows that of 58,000 jobs currently advertised, just 4,000 — or around 7% — allow you to be remote. So here’s a question — what happened to all of the talk about our work lives changing forever? About having more choice in working outside the office? Was it all just BS? Or maybe just a beautiful dream? To discuss the issue, technology editor Adrian Weckler is joined by Tracy Keogh, co-founder of Grow Remote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The €40m Cork startup that's helping to solve the supply chain crisis

Alan Holland had a steady, comfortable life as a lecturer in artificial intelligence in University College Cork. But in 2012, he left it all to try and build a startup specialising in procurement automation. 10 years on, that company, Keelvar, has just picked up its latest funding round of $24m, with plans to increase headcount at the firm to over 100. Alan joins technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss what it was like to leave the security of a college academic life for a startup. He also explains what's going to happen next in the supply chain crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An explainer on why Elon is backing away from Twitter and what happens next

Does Elon Musk, conqueror of low orbit space, pioneer of the electric car, the nearest thing we have to a real life Iron Man, actually intend to buy Twitter or not? Is he really being put off about spam bots, the defeat of which was one of the reasons he said he wanted to buy the platform? Is he trying to back out because of the tech stock crash? Having already signed a contract, legally, *can* he back out? Or does he still want the company, but is just trying to lower the price? Tech editor Adrian Weckler has a basic explainer about what’s going on and what to expect next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What effects do crashing tech stocks have on your pension and pay?

Over the last week, tech stocks have crashed. The likes of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Tesla and Amazon lost between €120bn and €200bn each in their market value. Some others, like Zoom and Netflix, are even worse, down between two thirds and three quarters in value. What the hell is going on? Are we all suddenly reassessing what we think the value of these tech companies is? Or is something else causing these valuations to slide? Could it affect your pension? Or, if you work for a tech firm, your pay? And what on earth is happening to sections of the crypto market? To discuss the issue, tech editor Adrian Weckler is joined by Jon Ihle, deputy business editor of the Irish Independent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have to be an asshole to be a top tech founder?

Elon Musk is a genius and an inspiration to millions. But he's also acting like an asshole in his drive to buy Twitter.So do you have to be a bit of a bully to succeed in tech? Do you have to mete out abuse like Steve Jobs… to achieve things like Steve Jobs? Or can you be a nice guy like a Collison and still get all the way to top? To discuss this, Adrian is joined by Conor Neill, the founder of six companies, best known of which is Taxijet. He also holds a psychology degree and is professor at one of the world’s top business colleges, the graduate business school of the University of Navarra, IESE. He is also president of Vistage in Spain, which describes itself as the world’s leading CEO organisation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Dublin becoming San Francisco?

Are the tech companies, with their high salaries and expanding campuses, making it unaffordable for everyone else? And does this make Dublin a blander, less interesting city? Joining technology editor Adrian Weckler to discuss the issue is Leonard Hobbs, director of Trinity College Dublin’s Research and Innovation; artist Claire McCluskey, whose inner city Richmond Road Studios workplace recently recover an eviction notice; and Mark Cullen, director and curator at Pallas Projects studios in Dublin 8. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most irritating, broken tech in our daily routines

What everyday tech quirks really get on your nerves? Banking? Online players? Services not letting you cancel online? Adrian Weckler discusses some of the worst offenders with journalist Jonathan Keane and broadcaster Andy O’Donoghue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A beginner’s guide to raising startup cash — from those who are doing it right now

Ever wondered about raising cash for a startup? Unsure where to start or how to go about it? About grants? Or venture capital firms? Or investment ‘angels’? Or even asking family and friends? This week, Adrian Weckler gets answers to these beginners’ questions from Jack Cantillon, CEO and co-founder of the new Dublin-based startup Herd, which has just raised €600,000 with commitments for another €400,000. Donal ‘DC’ Cahalane, the experienced startup consultant now working with Dogpatch, also joins the podcast to offer his advice on what to do when you’re starting off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What you need to know about buying an electric car

Electric cars are hot. But it’s really hard to get one. And there are still lots of basic questions that many people have, which often aren’t answered by dealers or pundits. Does the promised range fall drastically on a motorway? What’s the actual availability of public chargers? And what’s the likely resale value compared to petrol or diesel cars in a few years? For some plain-speaking questions and answers on the topic, Adrian is joined by motoring journalist Geraldine Herbert. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EU gets tough with Big Tech

Should Apple and Facebook be forced to allow you to send texts from Whatsapp to iMessage? That’s one of the possible ramifications from a new EU law that big tech firms are up in arms about. Will it break encryption? Could it cause spam? Or is it consumer progress? And what’s going on with the new data transatlantic treaty? To discuss these issues, Adrian is joined by Mark Scott, Chief Technology Correspondent at Politico. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A beginner's guide to putting in solar panels at home in Ireland

Fuel and electricity prices are going through the roof. There is one thing you can do, and help the planet while you’re at it — put in solar panels.But how easy or hard is that to do? How expensive is it? And how much of a dent might it really make in a country known for cloudy, rainy days and dark winters?Joining Adrian on this week’s episode is someone’s who done it – Castlebridge founder (and Wexford householder) Daragh O’Brien. A longstanding expert in domestic solar installation, Tim Cooper, also gives Adrian an A-Z of practical questions that someone considering solar might have. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to avoid the Netflix price hike (and other penny-pinching tech tips)

Electricity bills. Fuel costs. Diesel hikes. Streaming prices rises. Most of us are currently drowning under inflationary pressure that is ramping up our cost of living. Can tech help? Sort of. Adrian Weckler and consumer journalist Siobhan Maguire discuss ways that tech can help to cut your bills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to set up an NFT

Some mock them, others worship them. But non fungible tokens – NFTs – look here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. If you’ve a passing interest, how might you get started? How might you separate the real thing from the scams? And why are so many damn celebrities trying to sell you one? To explain all of this, Adrian is joined by Lory Kehoe, the newly-appointed director of NFT Success at Coinbase, and who is also the founder of Blockchain Ireland as well as being an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ukraine-Russia cyber fallout and HSE attacks: an interview with the newly-appointed cyber boss

Ireland has had relatively thin layers of protection against cyber attacks and IT threats. But after a catastrophic attack on the HSE, the state beefed up Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre, doubling its staff and increasing its remit. Will it be enough? Or does Ireland remain dangerously exposed? What are the threats now from a Ukraine-centred cyber war? Joining Adrian Weckler to discuss this is the newly-appointed director of the National Cyber Security Centre, Richard Browne. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Dixon on big tech

Who watches over the biggest tech firms in the world? Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner. This week, we talk to Helen Dixon about the challenges her office faces, criticism she has received and some of the biggest issues on how big tech intersects with our lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Of Ireland and cybersecurity

How does your bank rate when it comes to keeping your everyday transactions safe and reliable? What are the larger cybersecurity challenges we’re now facing? Our guest on the show today is Paul Swift, Bank of Ireland’s Head of Technology, Media and Telecoms Sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does Ireland have its own Tinder Swindlers?

According to authorities here, ‘romance scams’ cost victims an average of €18,000 each. How do they happen? Who are the perpetrators and the victims? If you’re on a dating app, what should you avoid? Adrian is joined by the cyber-psychology researcher and lecturer, Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are tech graduates who earn six figure salaries making Dublin a boring city?

Last month, Stripe co-founder John Collison told me something I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to. “A starting salary in some software engineering jobs is more than €100,000,” he said. “I don't think this has leaked its way out into the popular consciousness here… There’s a career conservatism in Ireland.” Indeed. This week, the Big Tech Show decided to tease this out. Are software and tech graduates the new mega rich class? If so, what wider effects on society are we starting to see from this? Will conservative, middle-class parents now say things like ‘help! My daughter, the software engineer, is drowning?’ And what are the effects on things like rents and house prices? If the premium rental residential areas in Dublin start filling up mostly with engineers and other tech graduates, do we risk creating the type of bland, homogenised cultural atmosphere that has made cities such as San Francisco into the boring, vanilla-flavored metropolitan areas? Joining me, Adri…

Who gets your social media accounts when you die?

We’re all going to die. The question is: what happens to our social media accounts when we do? Who gets the photos in them? The documents? The DMs? Is it different for Facebook and, say, iCloud? Can your Whatsapp account be claimed by someone as an inheritance? And what about other important online accounts you have, like Microsoft’s OneDrive or Google Drive? Is there anything you can do in advance to prepare? Or if you’re a family member of someone recently deceased, how do you go about trying to get access to a social media account that might have an important piece of information or document needed to settle an ongoing probate or legal issue? Joining Adrian to talk about the answers to these questions are Susan Murphy, a solicitor with makemywill.ie and Damien Mulley of Mulley Communications. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The problem with betting apps

Adrian Weckler recently learned how hard it can be to quit a gambling app. He signed up to one, LivescoreBet, just to watch a football game. But it wouldn’t let him delete his account. Six times he asked, six times he was refused. He then signed up to other betting apps to see whether they were any better. Most allowed him to bet using his credit card through apps such as Apple Pay or Revolut, even though betting apps aren’t supposed to allow credit card betting. What, he asks, must it be like for those with gambling addiction? Adrian discusses the scant regulation in Ireland and other elements of the issue with former gambling addict (now a counsellor) Tony O’Reilly and Prof John O’Brennan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learning lessons from Theranos: is it okay for startups to fake it until they make it?

A few years ago, an ambitious young entrepreneur made a big claim: she was developing technology that could diagnose illnesses from a drop of blood. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos dazzled investors with her pitch, dressing up like Steve Jobs and talking a perfect game. As we now know, there was no ground-breaking technology. Holmes, who was faking it rather than making it, has now been convicted on several counts of fraud. The episode, which captured the imagination of the world, has shone the spotlight on a darker side of startup ethics – how far can you stretch your startup’s claims of potential when looking for money? Is it still okay to fake it until you make it? Joining Adrian to compare stories and discuss the issue is seasoned startup advisor Donal Cahalane. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to expect in 2022

Will 2022 be all about NFTs and Apple's AR glasses? Joining Adrian to go through his predictions for what will and won't happen this year is tech journalist Andy O'Donoghue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech, Ireland and 2021: the big losers and the winners

2021 saw a number of winners and losers in the world of technology. From NFTs, a venture capital boom and 5G expansion to cybersecurity woes and folding phones, it was an eventful year both here in Ireland and internationally. But what soared and what stank? Adrian and Vizlegal CEO Gavin Sheridan pick the winners and losers in the tech year that was. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why fintech should be better

You walk up to a shop counter and put your milk, bread and paper on the counter. How do you pay? With cash? A card? Your phone? Or even your watch? Is it easy to do these things? Should it be easier? What’s coming down the line? And how can Ireland establish itself as somewhere that leads in this area rather than follows years after everyone else? To find out more, Adrian is joined by Elaine Deehan, Ireland Country Manager at Starling Bank and Paul Sweetman, director of Financial Services Ireland, which is part of Ibec. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to make money as an Irish YouTuber

How hard is it to make a living out of becoming a YouTuber or an Instagram influencer? Is there a minimum number of followers you need? Do you have to pick a good niche? How many people actually make it? Last week, YouTube revealed that there are now over 70 Irish YouTubers with more than 1m subscribers and over 450 Irish people with more than 100,000 subscribers. In this week's podcast, Adrian is joined by two full time Irish professional social media personalities to talk about the nuts and bolts of how to make a living out of it. Brian MacManus is the creator of the Real Engineering and Real Science YouTube channels, with almost 4m subscribers. Clare Cullen is a former YouTube Ambassador to Ireland and host of the video podcast 'Storytime With Clisare'. She has 120,000 YouTube subscribers and over 30,000 Instagram followers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ho ho ho — the tech gift guide

Stuck for a Christmas tech gift idea? Thinking about something fitness-related? Or headphones? Or just a stocking filler? We’ve got you covered. From gifts for high rollers to penny-pinchers, Adrian is joined by Mark Kavanagh, tech writer for Irish Daily Star and IrishMirror.ie See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enough streaming platforms already

Last week, Star Trek fans were given the bad news that its Star Trek Discovery series is being removed from Netflix, with all past and future episodes only available on yet another streaming platform -- Paramount Plus. Will we just accept this and subscribe to yet another platform? Or are we reaching overload? This week, Adrian calculates that his monthly TV streaming outlay is now €62, rising to €142 when Sky and Sky Go are included. But are Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and all the rest just the beginning? And what are the streaming platforms doing to television and movies? To discuss it, Adrian is joined by Steve McCormack, Reflektor Media CEO and a producer on TV shows such as Fade Street, Screen Producers Ireland’s Anthony Muldoon and journalist Jennifer Gannon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding the next Irish Collison

How old do you need to be to start a tech company that investors will take seriously? 25? 23? 20? Today we talk to a couple of young Irish tech founders who are making waves at a very young age. Greg Tarr is 18 and the CEO and founder of an artificial intelligence firm called Inferex. Having won this year’s BT Young Scientist competition, Tarr received six-figure job offers and dropped out of secondary school. He is now skipping college (because it’s “a waste of time”) to focus on his firm, which has already raised €1.25m. Adrian also speaks to Sean Finnegan, who is 20 and is currently raising money for his e-receipt software company, Receipt Relay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our utopian technosocialist future

It’s 20 years into the future. Robots are cleaning our beaches and rivers.Advanced technology lets us mine asteroids and collect materials on the moon. And while tech trillionaires enjoy the greatest concentration of wealth in human history, advanced countries now give a universal basic income to all citizens, eliminating poverty and allowing people to focus more on jobs they’d much prefer to do. Sound like a fantasy? Not to our guest this week, the futurist Brett King. Together with Dr Richard Petty, he has written a new book called The Rise Of Techno Socialism — How Inequality, AI and Climate will usher in a new world. He tells Adrian about what he thinks will happen in the coming years, and why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where are our chips?

Are you struggling to find a Playstation 5? Or dismayed at month-long waiting lists for an iPhone 13 Pro? Or may your car dealer says you can’t change to a new model until next year because they can’t get any? All of these shortages have one thing in common: a supply chain crisis in computer chips. But in this high-tech world, how can this be happening? What’s behind it? And will it get better any time soon? To discuss answers to these questions, Adrian is joined by consumer journalist Siobhan Maguire and motoring journalist Geraldine Herbert. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drone deliveries in Irish towns

Imagine you’re peckish. There’s nothing in the fridge but it’s lashing outside — you don’t want to go the supermarket, and ordering your regular takeout will take ages. Now imagine a different scenario: you order a takeout and it arrives in 10 minutes. Why? Because it skipped the roads and came instead by drone. That’s an option that the residents of Oranmore in Galway, Moneygall in Offaly and, from next week, Balbriggan in County, will have had. Because Irish company Manna Aero has been delivering coffee, fast food, medicine and other things with drones in under 10 minutes to those communities. The company says it wants to expand to dozens of towns by the end of next year. Is this the future? Is it safe? Will it be allowed to go national and maybe international? Joining Adrian this week from the Web Summit in Lisbon to discuss this is Manna Aero founder and CEO Bobby Healy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are data centres sucking the energy out of Ireland?

As warnings of energy blackouts this winter emerge, there are questions being asked about the value of data centres to Ireland. Are they energy hogs? Do they hold their own as worthwhile businesses? And what should our policy be going forward? With over 70 major data centres located in Ireland, some political parties are calling for a moratorium on new data centres. But is this a weak admission that we can’t set up our own modern electricity grid correctly? Joining Adrian to discuss this issue this week is Social Democrats TD and spokesperson on climate, Jennifer Whitmore, the founder of Host In Ireland, Garry Connolly, and the Irish Independent’s environment editor, Caroline O’Doherty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Facebook's new metaverse?

Will we all switch over to a new, more integrated virtual reality to socialise, play, work and shop? That's what Mark Zuckerberg thinks is going to happen. He and Facebook are now about to start building this 'metaverse', partly in Ireland. How will it benefit our lives? How might it hurt our lives? To dig deeper into what the metaverse will and won't be, Adrian is joined by Bloomberg's technology editor Nate Lanxton and TCD professor Eoin O'Dell. The panel take a look at how the metaverse will work and what the privacy and regulatory implications might be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Bitcoin survive China's ban?

This week, Adrian looks at whether China's ban on cryptocurrency will scupper the prospects of Bitcoin, which has been soaring in value in recent years. He is joined by James Nagle, CEO of the Irish cryptocurrency-trading firm, Bitcove. James doesn't think a reciprocal ban is likely in the US or the EU, but says that there are some concerns over the energy consumption that Bitcoin-mining takes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are Facebook's new video-recording glasses creepy?

This week, Adrian is joined by technology journalist Andy O'Donoghue to discuss Facebook's new smart glasses, called Ray-ban Stories. Adrian realtyes his experience using the glasses, which can record 30-second video clips and take photos without people clearly being aware that they are doing so. Andy likes the idea of smart glasses in general and thinks they're here to stay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Ireland's cyber security is still a joke

This week, Adrian is joined by Senator Gerard Craughwell and IT security expert Paul C Dwyer to look at whether Ireland's cyber security is up to scratch. Both men say that it is not. Senator Craughwell goes further, describing it as "an absolute joke". Both are also criticial of government ministers who dismissed as 'overblown' the Irish Independent's recent revelation that the HSE is still using almost 30,000 computers with Windows 7, an obsolete operating system. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The layman’s review guide on which iPhone 13 to get and which to avoid

This week, Adrian has a plain English review of the iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.Adrian ranks them in order of which is best and what type of person should or shouldn’t upgrade. He’s joined by tech journalist Mark Kavanagh to talk about the iPhones and the iPad mini, which also also launched this week. Both journalists discuss why the mini is a better choice that Samsung’s Frankensteinish Galaxy Z Fold3. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to build a tech company in the West of Ireland

This week, Adrian talks to Fidelma McGuirk, founder and CEO of Payslip. Ms McGuirk decided to move to Westport from Dublin in 2015, after which she founded her payroll tech company. Despite attracting over €8m in funding earlier this year, attracting talented engineers and staff to a tech company outside a city has its own challenges. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Simon Coveney’s hacked phone is such a big deal

It has nothing to do with Katherine Zappone. This week, Adrian goes into depth about the problems around Minister Simon Coveney’s hacked phone. Together with freedom-of-information expert Gavin Sheridan and privacy expert Daragh O’Brien, the minutae of what we know, and what the law is, around Simon Coveney’s hacked phone are parsed in detail. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we ban tech billionaires?

This week, it’s a panel show to discuss some of the big issues of the week: the iPhone 13’s potential satellite capability, Google Ireland’s delayed return-to-the-office mandate, the latest VC figures and whether you should use video on or off during Zoom calls. The topic of whether billionaires serve any purpose is also debated. Adrian is joined by the Irish Independent’s Jon Ihle and Reach’s Mark Kavanagh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Etsy's Fisher king

This week, Adrian talks to Mike Fisher, the CTO of the giant online retailer Etsy, in the wake of that company's €1.3bn acquisition of Depop. Fisher is one of the most experienced CTO's around, having been a previous engineering VP of Paypal, among other roles. The two talk through a number of issues, spending a lot of time on what makes a good or a bad engineering culture and whether or not tech staff are likely to come back to offices any time soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making a hash of iPhone privacy

This week, Adrian hosts a spirited discussion about whether Apple is right or wrong to scan photos from your iPhone to iCloud for potential child sexual abuse imagery. He is joined by UCD's director of digital policy (and former Irish Council for Civil Liberties representative) Elizabeth Farries and Alex Cooney the CEO of CyberSafeKids Ireland. The whole thing raises some big questions. What is the moral difference between scanning a phone and a private online account for child abuse imagery? Why wouldn't Apple do the same for other types of illegal content in future? And why wouldn't countries now put more pressure on them to do so? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland’s cable guy

Conal Henry has had an interesting journey through the business and telecom worlds. From being commercial director of Ryanair, he built up Enet’s business around Ireland before joining the National Broadband Plan and then leaving to set up his own company, Fibrus Networks, which raised over €100m. That Belfast-based firm won a €200m contract to roll out part of Northern Ireland’s answer to the National Broadband Plan. Now he’s targeting rural broadband in England. Adrian and Conal discuss a range of topics, from the return of mobile roaming in the UK to why satellite will never match fibre in terms of broadband quality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space tourism or tech titan egomania?

Is the new commercial 'space race' between Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and (the relatively poor) Richard Branson anything to celebrate for humanity? Or is it just one big egomaniacal episode? This week, Adrian and TCD professor Louis Brennan chew over some of the deeper questions around this year's commercial space launches. Is there a point to paying between €250,000 and €22m to go a few dozen kilometres up in the sky? What is the endgame for this activity and what use might it be? Are any of the principals really interested in saving our species through space exploration? Might they not spend a few quid to help stop the destruction of Earth instead? Adrian and Louis also differ on whether they would take a seat on one of the spaceflights, if the opportunity arose. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we living in a simulation?

You’ve seen and heard it from every science fiction movie or TV programme. You’ve heard it from scientists and philosophers. So are we living in a multiverse? Is there a version of you that’s a billionaire? Or a mass-murderer? Or a talking frog? Or are we, like Elon Musk insists, living in a simulation created by some other intelligent species? To talk about some of these big philosophical, technical and scientific questions, Adrian is joined this week by Dr Mark Mitchison, recently appointed as assistant professor in quantum science at Trinity College Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nip, tuck, cut, paste

Should Ireland follow Norway in bringing in a law that would make it mandatory for online influencers to disclose that they have digital altered images of their faces or bodies when promoting products? And if so, should it stop there? Should digitally-enhanced derrieres or dermatological features be admitted more widely, to give impressionable teens a truer idea of what is real and what isn’t? Adrian is joined by three experts in their field — Instagram makeup influencer Niamh Martin (‘Nima Brush’), YouTuber Clare Cullen (‘Clisare’) and Irish Independent columnist Tanya Sweeney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death and 12.5% taxes

Will tech companies flee Ireland if it abandons its 12.5pc corporate tax rate? Will the pipeline for new ones dry up? Adrian is joined by UCD business lecturer (and former IDA executive) Emmet Oliver and Irish Independent business reporter Sarah Collins to discuss the issue. Is the 12.5pc drive an about global equity, European jealousy or both? What will Ireland have to offer tech companies over other countries if the 12.5pc rate is uniformly introduced? How important is it relative to other infrastructural issues here? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How pub passes work with QR codes in Denmark

Can a pub pass work in Ireland? This week, Adrian talks to Irish ex-pat Zoe Healy Jensen, now living in Denmark. She explains how QR codes have been successfully integrated into everyday life in the Scandinavian country, allowing her and other vaccinated people to enter restaurants and pubs with little fuss. Goosed.ie’s Martin Meany also joins the conversation to talk about the background and context of QR codes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Starlink perfect for Ireland or just Elon hype?

This week’s topic is Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite broadband service that some believe is the future for rural areas that have been deprived of broadband connectivity. But with the National Broadband Plan slowly being rolled out to every rural home here, does Starlink realistically have any role to play? Who would pay two to three times the price of a fibre connection for Starlink’s dish and monthly fees when it only delivers a fraction of fibre’s speed? Adrian is joined in discussion by Rory Fitzpatrick, CEO of the National Space Centre and Brian Flanagan, a retired business consultant who has been testing Starlink’s service from his home in Blackrock, County Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we ban facial recognition?

This week, we debate whether facial recognition should be banned or curtailed. It comes after Europe’s data regulators called for a total ban on facial recognition in public places. But is that practical? What are the pros and cons? Adrian is joined by privacy expert Carey Lening and technologist and retailer, Colin Baker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are Irish tech valuations out of control?

This month, $150m was raised by Peter Foley’s LetsGetChecked, giving the five year old startup a valuation of over $1bn. Last month, €100m was raised by two Irish startups — Wayfarer (€62m) and Qualio (€41m). The month before that it was a handful of others, such as Payslip. It means that well over €1bn will be raised year, significantly up on last year. What’s going on with these eye-watering sums? Is there any suspicion that we may be in a frothy boom at the moment? Is tech just benefitting from a lack of other places to put your money? Or has there been a transformation in the underlying value of Irish tech companies? Adrian is joined by seasoned venture capitalist (CEO of Scale Ireland) Brian Caulfield and the Irish Independent’s deputy business editor, Jon Ihle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dublin trembles as Facebook says workers can now work from abroad

Dublin looked on nervously this week as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that staff at the 6,000-strong Irish office can now work from the UK. From January next, they will also be allowed to move to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland while working for the Irish office. This is a major policy shift. Until now, ‘remote’ working at tech multinationals meant somewhere else within Ireland. Will other multinationals follow Facebook’s lead? If so, does that mean the end of the tech boom in Dublin, with talented engineers free to base themselves in coastal Spain, Tuscany or the Black Forest? Adrian is joined by Boundless CEO Dee Coakley and Irish Independent business reporter Ellie Donnelly to discuss the pros and cons of remote working, and what we might see next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin: is now the time to buy?

Is it time to take a punt on Bitcoin? Or is it all a big Ponzi scheme waiting to collapse? Bitcoin’s value has slumped by 30pc this month.China, where so much of it is mined, is saying it might crack down. Environmentalists are against it, saying it uses up too much energy. And now even Elon Musk has nixed its use for buying Teslas. So what does this mean for Bitcoin’s value? Is it just a normal month in the ever-turbulent-yet-often-soaring life of crypto currencies? Or is there something different going on this time? Adrian talks to Goodbody senior trader David Bergin about the topic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In defence of the gig economy

Is the gig economy a dystopian modern sweatshop or a new flexible way of working that gives people more control over their lives? This week, Adrian discusses the issue with John Ryan, the founder of Gigable. Gigable connects restaurants to freelance delivery drivers — it has over 2,000 drivers on its books. John Ryan says that the gig economy has unfairly earned a bad rap; done right, he says, it can be the answer to what a lot people need. Adrian puts it to him that there is a danger the gig economy is a creeping casualisation of work, stripping rights such as sick pay, parental leave and holiday pay. Ryan says that it needn’t be like that, pointing out that Gigable is introducing some benefits, such as access to online GPs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sorting out the HSE ransomware mess

This week, Adrian discusses the origins and the potential fixes of Ireland’s catastrophic HSE ransomware episode with experienced cyber security practitioner, Paul C Dwyer. Dwyer pulls no punches in saying that Ireland’s IT security infrastructure isn’t up to scratch. The two look at factors contributing to this, including an historical and cultural distaste in Ireland for investing significantly in defence-related activities. Dwyer offers some suggestions on what steps we might take to rebuild Ireland’s cyber security infrastructure in a more robust format. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weather or not: the apps that work and the ones that don’t

This week, Adrian looks at why some weather apps on our phones are so unreliable. He talks to meteorologist Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather. The two go through the best apps to use and why some are more accurate than others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple’s new iPhone ad-tracking rules — a blow for freedom or a shackle on business?

For most, it’s a breath of fresh air. The latest iOS 14.5 update will start showing you pop-ups when you open an app. It will ask you this question: “allow [app] to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites?” This will be accompanied by a short pitch from the app concerned as to why it needs you to do this. (Although it can’t link your answer to functionality — Apple’s new rules forbid tracking to be a requirement for the app’s features to work.) If you say no, that app can’t track you across the web for the purposes of ads. (If it’s found to be doing so, it’s booted out of the App Store.) If you say yes, it’s business as usual. There are already some indications that most people will opt out of being tracked. Is it this universally a good thing or are there underreported disadvantages for small businesses trying to reach their audiences? Adrian is joined by David Campbell, head of e-Commerce at Humm and a director of Digital Business Ir…

An Irish class action suit against Facebook grows

More than 7,000 people have signed up for a mass action lawsuit in Irish courts against Facebook. The case, organised by Digital Rights Ireland, is over a global data leak that exposed the mobile phone numbers of 530 million people. People are really upset about this, not least because Facebook doesn’t appear to be taking it seriously. There are at least 1.3m Irish numbers alone, matched perfectly against full names and, in many cases, occupation or location. The least that we can expect is a new wave of scam texts or Whatsapps. But for a few thousand people, it could be a lot more serious. The names and numbers of gardai, sitting judges, prison officers and others in sensitive positions are among the numbers leaked. As are roles such as management positions in womens’ refuges and other places that could be prone to harassing or predatory contact. All are easily searchable. In this week’s podcast, Adrian talks to the director of Digital Rights Ireland, Antoin O’Lachtnain, about…

Enough with the emoji, grandad

Do you liven up your texts with a crying-laughing emoji? Do you try to make a point more forceful by using the hand-clapping symbol in between words? Do you intersperse the two-eyed ‘look’ pixel in every second or third Whatsapp message? You’re literally showing your age. According to experts, large swathes of emoji are now only used by middle-aged and older people. This week, Adrian talks to Keith Broni, the deputy emoji officer (yes, that’s a real job) for Emojipedia about the politics and generational angst of emoji. He’s also joined by the Irish Independent’s newest columnist, Tanya Sweeney, and Irish Independent reporter Gabija Gataveckaite, to talk about the wider cultural effects that emoji are having among different generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NFTs and art — a scam or the new, new thing?

This week, Adrian looks at whether buying digital art through NFTs (‘non-fungible tokens’) is for suckers or savvy collectors. He’s joined by Lory Kehoe, adjunct associate professor at Trinity Business School and director of digital assets at BNY Mellon. The discussion looks at the recent $69m auction sale at Christie’s for an NFT-linked digital canvas, as well as the $2.9m sale of Jack Dorsey’s first tweet via NFT and the growing prominence of Ireland’s own Kevin Abosch, who has sold over €1m in NFT digital art in the last month. What exactly do you own when you buy a piece of art via NFT? What’s to stop someone simply copying it at the click of a button? And where does it all fit in to the growth of crypto-currencies and blockchain? The two also look at the IPO of Coinbase and ask whether it’s worth the extraordinary valuation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Buffalo can teach Dublin

“10 years ago, we were sitting around drinking coffee and talking about Facebook and Twitter. Then we just decided to start doing things. Last month, one of our local startups IPO’d at $4bn.” This week, Adrian sits down to chat with Clark Dever, one of the senior ecosystem heads at Techstars, the international startup accelerator organisation. Clark tells Adrian about the experience of Buffalo, a rust-belt city in a high-tax state (New York). The two discuss everything from incentives to tax rates and what startups should really do to get some funding and connections in place. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The WWE’s Irish tech media king

This week, Adrian talks to Markham Nolan, the WWE’s VP of Media Operations. The Dubliner is responsible for managing a social media footprint of over 1bn followers as well as being influential in the WWE’s overall media strategy. The two talk about how Markham’s past in Irish journalism and Storyful. They also go through how and what the WWE prioritises in its online and media operations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lights, camera, action... for your Zoom calls and home working setup

This week, Adrian looks at the best webcams, cameras, lights and microphones for video-conferencing and Zoom calls from home. He’s joined by two experts — well known YouTuber and content creator Clare Cullen (@Clisare) and a director of Conns Cameras, Bob Conn. The panel also talks about how to set up so as to look professional. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Living the Vito local

This week, Adrian welcomes back Paul Campbell, founder of the ticket-selling company Ti.to and the online event platform Vi.to. Fresh from raising over €1m, Paul talks politics, ethics and how to sell software. He also discusses the best camera, microphone and lighting setups for conferencing from home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Hannon time

This week, Adrian sits down with the veteran Irish tech marketer, Kieran Hannon, who has just taken a CMO job with the clean air firm WellAir. Hannon is a 35-year survivor of Silicon Valley’s tech industry, with some big roles to show for it. He was chief marketer for Radioshack before moving on to a similar role in Belkin. A stint in Openpath preceded his appointment as marketing chief in the Bill McCabe-backed WellAir. The two talk about survivability, tech marketing, retail, identities and a host of other topics. The Big Tech Show is in association with Sky Broadband. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re becoming a nation of Twitchers

This week, Adrian chats to Damien Burns, Europe’s top person with Amazon-owned Twitch, the giant live streaming platform. While it dominates online streams of video games, Damian says that it’s now aiming farther afield, to lifestyle stuff. Adrian asks about the market for watching sleeping videos and how much money you can make when sharing your Fortnite or Grand Theft Auto sessions live. The two also talk about player bans, competing with TV stations and why US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) sometimes uses the platform to communicate. For more visit the Big Tech Show page: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech Show is in association with Sky Broadband. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questioning the regulator in charge of Facebook

This week’s guest is Helen Dixon, Europe’s most powerful tech regulator. She and Adrian talk about Facebook, Whatsapp, fines, Brexit, data rights and a whole host of other things. Among the revelations are that Whatsapp will not be sharing more data with Facebook in the EU anytime soon. Helen Dixon says that there has “been no progress” between Facebook and the Irish regulator on seeking allowance for Facebook to integrate Whatsapp with Facebook in a closer way, as it is poised to do in the US. The tech giant has been trying for years to find a way to make more money out of its subsidiary, which has tighter privacy controls than the tech giant’s main social platform. But Ms Dixon’s office has steadfastly refused to allow cross-sharing of data across the EU, citing a lack of satisfactory explanation from Facebook around the legal basis of the data sharing. “I don't doubt that Facebook hasn't given up on the idea of the data sharing,” she said. “But nonetheless, the…

An interview with Eir’s chief executive

This week, Adrian sits down with Carolan Lennon to talk through some of the major issues failing Eir. It’s been a tricky few months for the company, which has attracted white hot criticism over its customer service levels during the pandemic. It’s also been a successful period in other ways, with its GoMo budget service hoovering up an unusual number of customers (250,000) in just a year, forcing the hand of rivals Three (48) and Vodafone (Clear Mobile). Adrian goes through the topics, including a personal hobby horse: why operators here persist with the term “unlimited data” when fair use limits still apply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ride, Larry, ride

Escooter rental firms are lining up to launch here: at least five firms have declared their intention to do so. This week, Adrian sits down with Lawrence Leuschner, the founder and CEO of Europe’s biggest firm — Tier. It operates in 90 European cities and wants to launch here. Adrian asks the questions that many will have: where will they be parked? How much will they cost to hire? And will we see ads urging us to ‘ride’? Tier joins others in looking at a launch in Ireland after Communications Minister Ryan said he plans to remove the requirement for tax, insurance and a driver’s licence. Instead of motorbikes, escooters are to be reclassified as ‘powered personal transporters’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why your DNA may be your next health check

This week, Adrian chats with LetsGetChecked founder and CEO, Peter Foley. The €100m Dun Laoghaire startup tests for dozens of different conditions and illnesses, from cancer to sexual health issues. Adrian and Peter discuss testing airline passengers, a new lab in Dublin and being snubbed by the Irish government. But they also talk about Peter's plan to test DNA profiles as its next service. The company is considering a saliva swab test that would contribute to a ‘Book Of You’ concept. The aim would be to get a better idea about what kind of illnesses you might be more susceptible to. The company could then set up a schedule of screening tests that you’d receive automatically, almost like service notifications. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin for the long term?

Bitcoin’s price has been rallying in recent weeks, but can it stay at this level? Or will it crash as it has so many times before? Adrian talks to cryptocurrency veteran Lory Kehoe, now in a new position as director of digital assets and blockchain with BNY Mellon, the huge international bank. Kehoe explains what’s behind Bitcoin’s current rise and makes an argument that it is institutional movement on cryptocurrency — rather than a mob on Reddit — that is driving crypto’s long term rise in value. For these reasons, he believes that it will continue to rise in value. The two also discuss the mentality of ‘hodlers’, who hold on to their cryptocurrency no matter what. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech unions in Ireland?

This month, a small group of employees in Google's US headquarters joined a union. Even though it was a relatively tiny number - just 400 out of 125,000 employed worldwide - it caused a stir. A union in a high-tech company? Weren't unions supposed to be on the decline? Aren't tech firms supposed to be enlightened, high-paying workplaces where there isn't any need for unions? In Ireland, unions are rare in tech companies. But they're not unknown.Apple, for example, has a number of Siptu members in Cork, linked to its original industrial activity of manufacturing computers there. HP, Ericsson and IBM have historically had some union membership. This week, Adrian talks to the assistant secretary general of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Owen Reidy, about whether unions are a realistic prospect for big tech firms in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giant TVs and robots – Samsung’s top man tells us what the future

holds Adrian’s guest this week is Conor Pierce, Samsung’s Irish-born corporate vice president for the UK and Ireland. The two discuss the launch of the Galaxy S21 as well as what we might see in the coming years. Samsung has its own ideas about this, having just released a new 110-inch television and a home help robot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The case for cashless

When is the last time you paid for something in cash? Have you, like us, had the same €20 in your pocket for four months? The pandemic has made Ireland -- and every other country -- into largely cashless societies. From Apple Pay on your watch to Revolut on your phone, cash has faded away in daily life. So why aren’t we talking about the obvious next step: ditching bits of paper and scraggly coins altogether? This is what Adrian discusses with this week’s guest, Stephen Kinsella, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Limerick's Kemmy Business School and a columnist with The Currency. Which are the better arguments? That it could mean less violent crime, less tax evasion and quicker queues? Or that it could lead to a further erosion of privacy and may unfairly disadvantage vulnerable groups in society? The two go into the topic in depth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what will happen in 2021

New Year, new tech world? Adrian makes a few predictions about what we’ll see in 2021, alongside guests Jon Ihle (deputy business editor, Irish Independent) and Dr Katherine O’Keeffe (director of training, Castlebridge). The predictions include trends for Brexit-related online shopping on services like Amazon, more pricing hikes for streaming giants Netflix and Disney Plus, a bedding in for remote working, the demise of cinemas, the first $100bn ‘Irish made’ tech company and a lot more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is big tech beating up small tech?

This week, Adrian is joined by a couple of small Irish tech business owners, News Over Audio’s Gareth Hickey and Thinscale’s Brendan Kiely. The three talk about a variety of issues, including whether big tech companies are getting too much love and support compared to small ones, the case for more flexibility in hiring (and moving) abroad, how remote working will pan out and the future for subscription media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s the best tech of 2020

What were the best gadgets of 2020? What were the best laptops, phones, smartwatches, headphones and speakers? Adrian tested over 100 tech products during the year. Joined by digital editor of Buzz.ie, Mark Kavanagh, he gives his picks and discusses why they topped their categories. Adrian also discusses his early impressions of a gadget that landed on his desk this week: Apple’s AirPods Max. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slack co-founder Cal Henderson speaks exclusively

Last week, Slack and Salesforce announced an acquisition agreement worth $27.7bn (€22.9bn). It’s the biggest tech deal of the year and one of the biggest of all time. This week, Slack co-founder Cal Henderson spoke exclusively to technology editor Adrian Weckler about keeping a separate identity, the tech industry, remote working, Ireland’s place in the world and other things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe vs big tech

Europe is bringing in a raft of new laws to try to tighten things like advertising and runaway algorithms. This week, Adrian invites Politico’s chief technology correspondent, Mark Scott, on the podcast to talk through the issues. He also asks Mark about Ireland’s reputation at the moment in the EU on a myriad of issues, from data protection to tax. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An in-depth interview with NBP CEO, Peter Hendrick

With weeks to go before the first rural homes are connected under the NBP, here’s an in-depth discussion with Peter Hendrick (CEO of National Broadband Ireland). It covers the basics, the finer details, the controversies and the future. What exactly is the criteria for inclusion in the NBP? Does it cover all rural future-builds? Why was so much of the contract redacted? What happens if the project is flipped by its owners? Is Elon Musk’s Starlink any kind of credible alternative? And lots, lots more. It’s a frank, expansive discussion with a lot of detail and some blunt questions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you a bad person for shopping on Amazon?

Is it now unpatriotic or selfish to buy from Amazon? Are you aiding a billionaire cartoon villain rather than helping a struggling Irish trader during the pandemic? In recent weeks, this has gained traction as a popular theme in Ireland. Zeal for supporting Irish is transmogrifying into judgementalism for not spending your money with local traders. If you buy online from abroad, you’re selfish and feckless. You’re not doing your bit. But this side-steps a problem that many of its comfortably-off advocates don’t acknowledge: lots of people can’t afford to ignore cheaper goods or delivery and more convenient services, from megacorp entities. €5 on a small item -- or the 90 minutes it takes to go and get it -- can make a big difference. €50 on a large item can be a deal-breaker. Joining Adrian to talk about this is Duncan Graham, head of Retail Excellence Ireland and Samantha McCaughren, business editor of the Sunday Independent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf…

Is there such a thing as a ‘right to disconnect’?

This week, Adrian talks to Senator Marie Sherlock, whose Labour Party is introducing a bill that would give people the legal right to disconnect from work mails, DMs, Slack, Teams, Zoom and other platforms at certain times. But is this actually possible in a 2020 workplace? What is ‘work’ these days, anyway? Haven’t our lockdown lives become a blur of screens, one way or another? Joining Adrian and Marie to tease out the issues is Fearghal O’Connor, the Sunday Independent’s deputy business editor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is 5G really necessary right now?

On this week’s Zoom podcast, Adrian welcomes Amarach Research’s Gerard O’Neill and the Irish Independent’s deputy business editor, Jon Ihle, on to talk about two topics — whether 5G is needed and not returning to offices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish made: the headphone designer who’s taking on Sony and Bose

This week, Adrian talks to David Cawley, an acoustic designers who has created the audio brand OneSonic. The company’s first products are a pair of noise-cancelling headphones (€75) and wireless Bluetooth earbuds (€60). Adrian asks him about the aspiration to take on the giants of hifi audio and how he thinks he might succeed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All about the iPhone 12

This week, Adrian delves into the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models, comparing the two phones against each other and against other leading smartphones. One big question emerges: has Apple made the iPhone 12 too powerful? Is there enough in the iPhone 12 Pro to justify the extra stretch? If you’re thinking about upgrading your phone soon, you won’t want to miss this episode. Adrian is joined by Mark Kavanagh, digital editor of Buzz.ie and assistant editor of the Star. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death of cinemas

This week, Adrian tackles the potential deaths of cinemas. He’s joined by the RTÉ arts broadcaster Rick O’Shea and Andrew Lowe, the part-owner of the Lighthouse and Palas (Galway) cinemas and a co-founder of the film production company Element Pictures. Adrian puts it to them that Disney’s decision to prioritise streaming from now on could be a signal of what’s to come, with more and more movie budgets going into platforms like Disney+, Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+. This, in turn, could lead to long term cinema closures as people start cutting back on the number of times they want to go into multiplexes compared to the 65-inch 4K telly in their own front room. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the source: Huawei’s CTO unfiltered

The CTO of the world’s most fought-over company is this week’s guest. Paul Scanlan talks to Adrian about geopolitics, telecoms and the possibility of a split in the internet as the US and China engage in low-level industrial warfare. Adrian asks whether Huawei is facing retreat in Europe and what Scanlan expects to see in five to ten years’ time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What, when, where, how: 5G in Ireland

This week, Three switched on its 5G network in Ireland. Adrian has been out testing the network, finding some great speeds but also some gaps in the map.Here, he interviews Three’s chief technology officer, David Hennessy. He asks about what 5G might be useful for, what (if any) danger still exists from anti-5G conspiracy theorists and about Three’s general future plans. For an accompanying explainer on the general rollout of 5G mobile services in Ireland, as well as a snapshot of Adrian’s testing of Three’s network, see Independent.ie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s be honest for a second about Facebook and the EU

It’s finally coming to a head. After years of hedging and fudging and hiding behind controversial ‘standard contractual clauses’, reality is staring us in the face. Facebook, Google and the rest may soon be run out of Europe as the internet splits into three core silos: the US, Europe and China. There are now a few big questions. First, is there a way for big tech companies to carry on with existing services without breaking EU privacy law? Facebook says it can’t see how. But one of today’s guests, Castlebridge founder Daragh O’Brien, says there is a way. But even if they can do it, is all of this really the opening salvo in a wider trend to see big US tech companies, as they currently operate, watered down in Europe? Moreover, would we miss them if they left? INM’s Steve Dempsey looks at that issue, alongside Adrian. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Apple rules the world

After launching two new iPads, two new Watches and a Fitness+ subscription service this week, Apple is the main subject of today’s podcast. Adrian and Buzz.ie digital editor Mark Kavanagh talk about why Apple has stayed on top, why iPads blow away Android rivals and what might come next with the iPhone 12. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to expect from the iPhone 12

The bad news is that the iPhone 12 is delayed. The good news is that we have a good idea of its strong and weak points. So if you were considering an upgrade, or are just curious about Apple’s next model (there will actually be four of them), Adrian and his guests (Sunday Independent deputy business editor Fearghal O’Connor and Daily Telegraph Technology Correspondent Michael Cogley) offer a rundown of the likely new features. It shouldn’t be missed that Apple makes around €1bn in profit per week on the back of this machine, so even if you’ve no interest in the gadget itself, your pension fund manager probably does. The three also take a look at what to expect from the new iPad and Apple Watch to be unveiled next Tuesday, and then discuss whether Google’s lease pullback in Dublin means that office life as we know it has peaked. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest tech toys: the good, bad and ugly

Is Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra the best Android smartphone right now? What about earphones? And tablets? And laptops? And what doesn’t quite make the grade? Surrounded by dozens of the latest gadget releases, Adrian is joined by Buzz.ie’s Mark Kavanagh to talk through what shines and what fizzles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Nua age visionary to waste warrior

Ever wonder what Gerry McGovern did next? Those who’ve been around the Irish technology scene for a couple of decades will remember a time when Nua was one of the beacons of the industry. With a mission to create a ‘Local Ireland’ platform, it culminated in a multi-million euro stake from (what was then known as) Telecom Eireann. And then the dot bomb crash happened. So where has Gerry McGovern been? What does he now think of that time? This week, Adrian catches up with the Longford man on the publication of his eighth book, ‘World Wide Waste’. McGovern has lost none of his passion, which is now directed at cutting out physical and digital waste. He gets heated about a few things during the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we all just ignoring our data privacy rights?

This week, Adrian talks to one of the thorns in the side of big tech companies. Dr Johnny Ryan recently joined the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, having spent much of the last two years taking action against Google and the Interactive Advertising Bureau in his role with the privacy browser, Brave. His main point is that the system still tolerates big tech and online ad companies brushing over our data privacy rights on issues like consent and what happens to the sharing of our personal profiles once we click on a website. Adrian asks him what his idea of an internet with stricter enforcement of European rules might look like and whether he thinks this is likely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why email fraudsters deliberately use bad grammar and dodgy spellings

After Bank Of Ireland’s volte-face on refunding customers who were conned in an SMS phishing campaign, this week’s podcast looks at the ‘smishing’ issue in some detail. How does smishing actually work? Is it the fault of SMS gateways that lots of companies use? Joining Adrian is Dr Jessica Barker, co-founder if Cygenta and a cyber security expert who’s particularly good at explaining cyber issues. She points out that sometimes the dodgy grammar used by phishing fraudsters is deliberate, to make easier marques more clearly identifiable to them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Go big or go home, how to raise millions abroad

This week, Adrian talks to Alan Holland, founder and CEO of Cork-based Keelvar, a procurement AI technology firm that recently raised €16m in a funding round. Adrian asks Alan about the growing trend among Irish tech founders to go abroad for venture funding instead of relying on investment sources here. The two also discuss the transition from being an academic in a university to a startup entrepreneur and the change of pace required. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The great media paywall debate

This week, Adrian and Sunday Independent business editor, Samantha McCaughren, discuss the rise of paywalls across major newspaper brands. Adrian argues that while they sometimes attract narky comments from online readers, paywalls have simplified the news consumption process and set a more solid path for future business models. They discuss whether it’s ethical to put critical news, such as Covid-19 updates, behind a subscription paywall. They also look at how related business models, such as reader contributions and online advertising, are faring for those who depend on them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How I raised €10m in 3 months of lockdown

“March 12, 2020 was the day that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its largest drop since 1987, the year I was born. That was the day I decided to take the next step and start fundraising for our Series A.” But how on earth did Corkman Robert Fenton, founder of life science data management firm Qualio, do it? This week, he gives Adrian the story of how he went from zero to $11m, from multiple VC firms, in 90 days. He also talks about the temptation that some companies now have to leave San Francisco, where he now lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vestager vanquished, Schrems scores

This week, Adrian tackles the two giant breaking news stories of the week: Apple’s €13bn tax win against the European Commission and what the Schrems data privacy ruling means for ordinary Facebook and web users here. On the first topic, he’s joined by tax expert Brian Keegan, who attended the court case last year. On the privacy ruling, Adrian grills data protection expert Katherine O’Keeffe (from Castlebridge) about where the ECJ decision leaves ordinary people who are now wondering whether their use of cloud services might soon fall foul of European law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cork lads who went straight to the source for €15m

This week, Adrian talks to John Goulding and Joe Lennon, co-founders of the workplace communications software firm Workvivo. The two just raised almost €15m in venture funding, having decided not to shilly-shally around with Irish VCs. Instead, they followed the bigger money trail stateside and landed it. The chat involves raising money, growing a company from Cork and a host of other things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I came within hours of selling it for $1bn”

This week, Adrian has a lively chat with one of Ireland’s most interesting serial entrepreneurs, Norman Crowley. Crowley built and sold three companies for $750m by the age of 40. But he came tantalisingly close to selling one of them for $1bn. He explains how that episode hit him hard for a year. But he also now says that it was “the best thing that ever happened” to him. Crowley has gone on to mix his love for the environment with new successful companies, including Crowley Carbon (which raised $31m earlier this year) and Electrifi, which reconditions classic sports cars into all-electric vehicles. He also challenged Adrian to walk on hot coals, a dare that the host is currently considering. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to run, and maybe save, a media business

This week, Adrian is joined by the CEO of the country’s biggest online-only media publisher, Journal Media, and the CEO and co-founder of Silicon Republic, one of Ireland’s longest-running and most successful online publishers. Adrian Acosta and Ann O’Dea dive deep into commercial and business challenges that media companies now face in Ireland. Is online advertising for media firms doomed? That’s a big question that the panel discusses in some depth. Alternate funding methods are also discussed, such as reader appeals and membership clubs. Acosta reveals that The Journal has attracted over 5,000 financial contributions since launching its reader contribution scheme two months ago. O’Dea describes the factors around creating other businesses adjacent to media, such as conferencing. And the panel looks at the prospects for different Irish media organisations from any new or re-organised ‘media fund’ that might be put together by the Irish government. On the health of…

Steorn: a cautionary tale of delusion, Irish tech and the search for a perpetual motion machine

This week, Adrian dives into the amazing story of Ireland’s most fantastically controversial startup of the last 20 years: Steorn. The company raised €20m on the premise of having invented a perpetual motion machine using magnets. The startup claimed to have uncovered an “anomaly” in the laws of physics that would allow for never-ending power. From a full page ad in the Economist boasting of their breakthrough to a dramatic demonstration fiasco in London, the story of Steorn is a mixture of ambition, delusion and hubris. To explain the ins and outs of the story to Adrian is Barry Whyte, chief feature writer for the Business Post. Barry’s newly-published book, ‘The Impossible Dream’, recounts in great detail the entire Steorn story, painting a brilliant picture of the characters involved, the key moments and the ultimate outcomes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A rocky road to success in digital media

This week, Adrian is joined by a vastly experienced Irish media panel in the area of digital media and technology: co-founder of Kinzen and Storyful Mark Little, founder of Maximum Media Niall McGarry and co-founder and editor of The Currency, Ian Kehoe. The panel dives deep into the problems and opportunities for media in a technology-dominated landscape. In his first extensive public commentary since his company’s examinership, Niall McGarry also addresses the issue of the ‘click farm’ incident in 2017 that saw the publisher of Joe.ie and Her.ie lose a substantial amount of revenue from advertisers after an employee was found to have manipulated listenership figures on an AIB-sponsored podcast. “It was so isolated, such a one-off and so unique to a publisher like us that I think a lot of people jumped on it and made it a much bigger story than it was,” he says. “It gave a huge amount of traditional media organisations an opportunity to have a pop at us because we came…

Celeb-bait, scams and the encryption debate

This week, Adrian dives into the murky, colourful world of online fraud, scams and cyber security. He and security expert Brian Honan look at the latest threats, occasionally getting side-tracked by the pros and cons of encryption, password managers and just how famous an Irish celebrity you have to be for your face to be illegally attached to diet pills or cryptocurrency scams. They also look at resources in place in Ireland to fight cybercrime and whether more is required. The Big Tech Show is in association with Fidelity Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Rathfarnham to the tech world’s summit — an interview with Zoom CIO, Dubliner Harry Moseley

Zoom is the single biggest breakthrough service of the 2020 global lockdown, in or out of tech. Before February, it was a niche business tech tool. 90 days on, it’s a global household name. Grannies, schoolteachers and friends now use it daily. It has replaced ‘Skype’ and ‘FaceTime’ as our default verb for video-conferencing. And the chief information officer, responsible for making large chunks of it work, is a man from Rathfarnham. Harry Moseley is unlike a typical CIO. He’s relaxed and easygoing with the emeritus demeanor of a board member rather than the guy logging 14-hour days to make sure everything is ticking. Adrian hears from Harry about the “upsetting” moments over security reports in recent weeks. He also touches on his childhood here, including growing up as a Jewish kid in Dublin. Adrian also talks to Vanessa Tierney, CEO and co-founder of Abodoo, an Irish firm set up with a specialty in matching remote workers to employers. In a wide-ranging chat, Ad…

Do Irish startups deserve help during the lockdown? The view from MIT

This week, Adrian talks to Jonathan Ruane, lecturer in global economics and management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), adjunct professor at TCD and a previous co-founder of Eventovate, which he sold in 2016. Do Irish startups deserve a handout from the state? Or should it be considered a handup? After all, aren’t startups supposed to define a bootstrapping and disruptive culture? The two also tackle some much broader contextual issues around the culture behind startups and funding -- from anti-intellectualism to why inheritance tax should be increased to spur more innovation. It’s a fascinating diversion into some of the deeper issues behind the daily debates that normally make up the bulk of discussions on the topic. The Big Tech Show is in association with Fidelity Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Startup survival and thermal cameras

In a packed episode this week, Adrian asks whether the gold rush for back-to-work thermal cameras in Ireland is warranted and looks at how startups are coping with live under pandemic conditions. Thermal cameras are being painted as a key tech enabler to get Ireland moving again, from airports and hospitals to ordinary businesses. But TCD’s Dr Seamus O’Shaughnessy explains their limitations to Adrian in plain English. Then the founder and chief executive of one of Ireland’s most successful indigenous software firms, Phorest, tells Adrian about startup struggles during the current lockdown. He also explains how his company’s technology is helping hundreds of hairdressers in Germany to re-open safely. The Big Tech Show is in association with Fidelity Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Feerick interview: why the pandemic’s shift to online learning should kill colleges

This week, Adrian talks to Alison.com founder Mike Feerick, who runs one of Europe’s biggest online learning platforms with 15m registered users. Telling Adrian that April brought 600,000 new registrants to his site, Mike explains why the writing is on the wall for universities which are “too expensive” and “out of date”. “Most employers just want to know that you can do a particular job,” he says from his Galway base. “I loved being at Harvard but it was for the people I met there, not the actual learning material.” The Big Tech Show is in association with Fidelity Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Google be allowed near contact-tracing apps?

As the world watches governments’ introduction of contact-tracing apps, new research from Trinity College Dublin suggests that the involvement of Google could cause privacy problems in at least one contact-tracing model. Adrian Weckler talks to Professor Dough Leith, chair of Computer Systems at the School of Computer Science and Statistics at TCD, who has taken a close look at Google’s involvement in Singapore’s OpenTrace platform, used for its TraceTogether app. His paper, jointly compiled by TCD research fellow Stephen Farrell, concludes that Google’s Firebase Analytics could mean that supposedly anonymous users might be identified. It also warns about potential ad-targeting associated with the same technology. All of this comes after reports that the Irish contact-tracing app has undergone a recent design change, potentially involving Google in its makeup. And it comes as Google and Apple intensify their joint approach to contact-tracing, offering more data about how their…

Why politicians sometimes can’t resist supporting anti-5G groups

This week, Adrian brings on veteran tech reporter John Kennedy and former TD Noel Rock to run through some of the stories of the week. Noel gives an insight into the pressures that politicians can face from constituents on issues such as the erection of mobile masts, even when the science behind the arguments seems shaky. (He describes himself as an opponent of vigilante anti-5G groups.) John talks about how he sees tech companies coping with the lockdown and what we might expect to see next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tell everybody to Go Fund Themselves

It’s been described as ‘the safety net’ of the pandemic. But how much do we, or should we, rely on GoFundMe? This week, Adrian hosts a Zoom call with Tim Cadogan, GoFundMe’s recently-appointed chief executive. They talk about how much people are committing to GoFundMe campaigns here, including almost €1m to a ‘Feed The Heroes’ campaign in recent weeks. Irish people remain some of the biggest givers per capital on GoFundMe, Tim says. But Adrian asks Tim what it says about society that so many campaigns relate to things like medical bills or domestic emergencies. Are we letting authorities off the hook? And they look more widely at whether tech companies have been a good or a bad influence during the Covid-19 lockdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are tech giants now suddenly the good guys?

We're become used to hearing giant web companies described as leeches, health risks and agents of discord. But has the tone changed, now that we're all eagerly using their services to survive while locked in our homes? Are we quietly shelving our pearl-clutching hysteria about the dangers of 'screen time' and notional long-term health fears over using smartphones? Do we care as much if their free, or cheap, platforms slurp data? This week, Adrian Weckler is joined by senior Irish tech investor (and Draper Esprit partner) Brian Caulfield and data protection expert (and Castlebridge research director) Katherine O'Keefe to weave a path through the pros and cons of the scenario we now find ourselves in. The panel also discuss the finer points of working from home, as well as the challenge that brings. And they look at the benefits and pitfalls of Ireland's upcoming contact tracing app. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are pro-government Twitter bots really happening in Ireland?

This week, we dive into the topic of Twitter bots. Specifically, we ask the question: are pro-government bot accounts being operated in Ireland? We also explain what a Twitter bot is, how they typically operator and how to check whether a suspected account is a bot or not. Adrian Weckler is joined by digital marketing consultant Damien Mulley to explore the figures. Then Adrian is joined by Paul Campbell, founder of the Irish ticketing reservation platform Tito, who has just launched an online video conferencing platform called Vito. Along the way, Adrian and Paul talk about their insecurities, phone voices and the Irish tech ecosystem. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign on, sign on, with hope in your heart

This week, Adrian talks to Docusign CEO Dan Springer about what it’s like to announce 100 new jobs in Dublin and then have to hire them all over video links. But that’s exactly what Docusign is doing. The e-signature company is flying at present with over €1bn in revenue likely in 2020, even with the current pandemic. And like plenty of other multinational tech firms, it has chosen Dublin as its biggest base outside the US west coast. Dan also tells Adrian why he took a few years out of his career to raise his two teenage sons as a single father, and why attitudes towards working men who do that remain a little antiquated. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Unmute... Tom, please unmute!”

Week 2 of Ireland’s Covid-19 virtual lockdown continues with many trying to get used to working from home. Videoconferencing is an especially steep learning curve. “Tom? Hello, Tom? Tom we can see you, but we can’t hear you. Try hitting unmute. Actually, hold on - it might be star six. Try star six. Tom? Tom! TRY STAR SIX.” Aside from our diet going to hell and our backs and shoulders wrecked from slouching in inappropriate chairs, Adrian looks at some of the tools to use and talks to tech and privacy expert Fintan Swanton about some of the associated issues that may arise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m in lockdown, you’re in lockdown

Everyone is being told to work from home — including Irish and Sunday Independent journalists. So Adrian rang some of them up to see how they are getting on. He found them coping in a brave new world of Microsoft Teams, virtual private networks and remote working amongst kids, dogs and builders. Adrian spoke to Sunday Independent business editor Samantha McCaughren, Irish Independent business editor Donal O’Donovan and Sunday Independent deputy business editor, Fearghal O’Connor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is stopping the spread of Coronavirus worth giving up our Google passwords to see where we’ve been?

After a row over whether authorities should or should not have revealed the name of an Irish school where a student tested positive for Covid-19, this week’s panel digs deeper in other potential privacy conflicts that may arise. Should health authorities be asking infected people for their Google tracked location? If things got really desperate, would they even look for dystopian tools, such as Clearview’s facial identification database? The panel, which sees Sunday Independent deputy business editor Fearghal O’Connor and Castlebridge chief executive Daragh O’Brien join host Adrian Weckler, also debates whether remote working is actually a viable option for people in the longer term. Given that remote working tools have been around for a decade, why would people suddenly start to become interested in the practice now? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An honest look at the top smartphones: Samsung’s Flip Z, Huawei’s Xs & models from Google, OnePlus

This week, Adrian is joined by Pocket-lint.com editor Chris Hall and Buzz.ie digital editor Mark Kavanagh to go through the wave of top smartphones just launched. Is Samsung’s folding Flip Z a good deal? What are the flaws, if any, in the S20 Ultra’s incredible camera zoom? And how are soon-to-be announced OnePlus 8 Pro and Google Pixel 4a models shaping up? The panel goes in depth on the pros and cons of each model to give you a better idea of what’s worth getting. The Big Tech Show is in association with Vodafone Business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why 5G? A critical look at its strengths and weaknesses

This week, Adrian Weckler is discussing 5G and taking a critical look at its strengths and weaknesses. To help him make sense of whether it is all it’s hyped up to be, Adrian is joined by Bobby Healy, founder of Manna Aero, Con Kennedy, Chief Technical Officer with Ericsson Ireland and Niall Campion, co-founder of VRAI. The panel discusses everything from drone usage to 4K movies to the pros and cons of ‘millimetre wave’ 5G. The Big Tech Show is in association with Vodafone Business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TV or not TV: Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and the great switchover

This week, Adrian Weckler’s panel looks at what’s coming next with TV. Is traditional ‘linear’ television mortally wounded, as Eir CEO Carolan Lennon recent told Adrian? Or can Sky, Virgin Media and broadcasters like RTÉ and the BBC hold their own against the tens of billions being invested by Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and all the rest? Adrian is joined by Sunday Independent business editor Samantha McCaughren and the cofounder of Dublin-based startup LogoGrab, Alessandro Prest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From sport to tech: the Jamie Heaslip interview

The former Ireland international rugby player, Jamie Heaslip, is becoming a textbook example of how to transition from sport into modern business. Eschewing the role of a corporate mascot, Heaslip has chosen the role of tech investor and promoter, meeting young startups to see whether they’re worth a punt. Some are. One of his earliest bets has just paid off spectacularly. Pointy, the retail listing startup cofounder by Charles Bibby and Mark Cummins, recently announced its acquisition by Google in a nine figure deal. Heaslip is understood to have made a six-figure sum from his initial investment. Other bets, such as the analytics firm Kitman Labs, look promising for a significantly augmented return in the near future, too. And if tech hits another bubble, he has a few Dublin pubs to fall back on, such as The Bridge 1859 and Lemon & Duke, as well as a job in Google he could probably return to. But Heaslip doesn’t think that startup tech is going south anytime soon. He has just…

Eir CEO talks GoMo, Huawei and other stuff

This week, Adrian sits down with Eir CEO Carolan Lennon, who says: - the Huawei controversy isn't about security but is a "US-China trade issue" - Minister Michael Ring’s claims about Eir are "factually untrue" - Traditional ‘linear’ TV is toast: we will all move to apps-based television in time - Eir hasn’t decided yet on a new price for GoMo after the current €12.99 “for life” offer runs out Lennon also says that Eir’s 5G launch wasn’t kept private because of the presence at the event of Huawei chairman Guo Ping. And she rejects criticism that using Huawei telecoms equipment in Eir’s 5G network makes it any less secure than other networks. “It's very hard to take the smoke away from everything that's going on around this,” she says. “But obviously security is really important to us. We've just recently won the Garda mobile business tender. So it's not stopping us winning business. Do American multinationals mention it? Yes. But has it stopped us winnin…

Don’t tweet angry

Twitter is an angry place. It can drain your natural sense of goodwill and manners. This week, we look at how to behave on the world’s narkiest social network. Adrian is joined by Victoria Turk, features editor of Wired UK and author of the international hit book, ‘Digital Etiquette’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skulduggery, social media and Election 2020

Politicians like to say that elections are won on doorsteps. But most of them now spend almost as much time on their Facebook pages and Whatsapp groups. But who is policing Facebook and messaging groups for misinformation, planted false stories and algorithm-gaming? It’s not the BAI. It’s not the telecoms regulator, Comreg. And it’s not the Irish Press Council or Press Ombudsman. Unlike broadcasting or print, there is no official policing for fairness, accuracy or balance. Invariably, it comes back to the companies themselves. This week, Adrian is joined by Damien Mulley, founder of Mulley Communications, to look under the hood of how targeting works on social media during an election campaign. Mulley talks about an experiment he ran where he was able to target a handful of influential TDs and their political advisers for a couple of euro using Facebook’s ad system. And the two discuss the darker side of the political system and what it can throw up by way of trying to ske…

Dublin’s new €1bn TCD tech hub – beacon or elitist island?

Trinity College Dublin has a €1.1bn plan to build a new high-end innovation district’ plan that would see the cream of academic and industrial talent come together. The government is to consider putting €150m into the 10 year plan. The resulting five-acre space near Dublin’s Silicon Docks hopes to create a new super-hub for engineering, scientific and tech research, mixing academic stars with multinationals and venture capitalists. Dublin, the college says, should have its own equivalent to Boston’s Kendall Square or London’s Crick Institute. But is the plan a bold new template for the next stage of Ireland’s industrial ascension? Or is it another symbol of a two-tier city where the super-successful push ordinary citizens out? Could it be both? Adrian sits down with TCD’s chief innovation and enterprise officer, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Predictions for 2020: part 2

In this podcast, Adrian and Donal O’Donovan (Irish Independent business editor) continue to look ahead at some of the big tech trends, services and products that are set to make a difference in 2020. As usual, Adrian makes a couple of calls on what he thinks will and won’t pan out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s what for 2020

It’s the last week of 2019 (and, depending on your view, the decade). Instead of looking back, we’re going to make some predictions about what you can expect to come at you in tech over the next year. Adrian is joined to discuss his predictions by Donal O'Donovan, Irish Independent business editor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The best tech of 2019

This week, Adrian and Buzz.ie editor Mark Kavanagh list the best tech gadgets of the year. These include phones, headphones, smart speakers, cameras, smartwatches, drones, laptops and desktop PCs. The two also look forward to what is expected in 2020. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trying to fulfill your potential as a tech firm

Some Irish tech firms prosper, some go bust and a great many simply run as a going concern.But there is a small number of Irish companies that still get talked about as ones with ‘potential’, even when they’re ten years old and bringing in millions. Ding, the Dublin-based firm that lets people top up their mobile phone credfit, may fall into this category. The company, founded by Mark Roden, has done pretty well to date. It has annual revenue of €38m based on over €500m of phone top-ups through its system. These come via deals with over 500 mobile operators and availability through 600,000 retail outlets. But talk to anyone in the Irish tech industry and it’s still discussed as something yet to see its finest day. Roden himself sets this tone, saying it hasn’t quite fulfilled its ambition. This week, Adrian sits down with Roden to talk about what he thinks the company should do next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why we don't change our passwords

Almost two in five Irish people are leaving themselves open to a likely data breach by not updating their passwords. This week, Adrian sits down with Brad Brooks, CEO of OneLogin. The two talk about online security and why one in five Irish adults haven’t updated their passwords in over two years. One factor in understanding the lack of security hygiene over passwords in Ireland may be a professed level of annoyance that Irish people say they feel at online security measures. Almost a third of us get frustrated by the familiar Captcha random image and number generator system, while nearly one in five get irked by one-time passcodes via text or email. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-founder depression

How do you cope when your startup fails? The issue of mental health among founders isn’t widely discussed. This week, Adrian talks to Eamon Leonard, the popular Irish startup founder who found it tough going after one of his companies failed. Eamon talks candidly and honestly about the difficulties he had when things didn’t work out. He also talks about the new company he has co-founded, Boundless, and recounts the eye-opening tale of how he was ripped off by fraudsters when trying to buy equipment for a side-business making whiskey. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bit by bit, a little more Facebook privacy

While the world tries to decide whether political advertising should be allowed on Facebook, the company has quietly chosen Ireland to try out a new privacy feature over almost all ads. ‘Off Facebook Activity’ will let you cut off advertisers from your Facebook identity, either individually or in total. The idea is to address a problem that came into sharp focus in the Cambridge Analytica scandal -- what happens to your personal data outside your Facebook sessions? The new Off Facebook Activity tool will show you the apps and websites that connect to your Facebook profile, usually for the purposes of advertising, and will let you wipe that slate clean. You can then choose not to let Facebook use your general browsing activity to show you personalised ads. Will people use this tool, or just ignore it as they do for many of the privacy settings that services such as Facebook introduce? That’s a question that Adrian puts to David Baser, a senior product director at Facebook res…

Edelman on the mic

This week, Adrian sits down with the world’s most famous PR man and CEO of Edelman Public Relations, Richard Edelman. The Chicago-born executive, whose firm takes in €800m a year in revenue and has an expanding Irish office, gives Adrian his take on the state of the world. This includes the advice he would give to Mark Zuckerberg, why newspapers have to change their business model and the circumstances under which company bosses should speak openly about contemporary issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Come fly (and eat)with me

Thought food delivery by drone was a distant tech promise?Think again.Irish entrepreneur Bobby Healy says his first Manna Aero drone flights with burgers and chips will start in January. The former Cartrawler CTO says he has clearance from Ireland’s regulators to do it and will start with an area servicing 30,000 people.In the near future, he says, he hopes to scale to 50,000 delivery drones for the Irish and UK markets.Is this really about to happen? Adrian sat down with Bobby at the Web Summit in Lisbon to talk about how Manna Aero will work, the challenges facing it and Healy’s future ambition for the company. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy takes an Irish media break - but not before letting off a little more steam

In what he says will be his last wide-ranging Irish interview “for two years”, Paddy Cosgrave speaks at length and in-depth about his business, his politics and his thoughts about the future. The Web Summit is still growing and is quite profitable, while sister events Collision and Rise are also expanding. Paddy reveals some of the background as to why he has campaigned against tax lawyers and an “unjust” economic system in Ireland. He also answers the allegation that he is adopting a double standard with regard to some of his stances, in relation to what he does with his own companies. This is a must-listen interview for anyone interested in the Web Summit founder. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I wanted to love the Pixel 4 but I can’t

This week, Adrian and Buzz.ie digital editor Mark Kavanagh look in depth at the pros and cons of Google’s latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 4 XL. Adrian is disappointed with the phone’s battery life and lack of an ultrawide camera, while Mark loves the phone’s 90Hz refresh rate. Both admire Google’s Assistant and Android 10. The two journalists also compare and contrast the new Pixel with the other top phones on the market, while Adrian lists his three favourite smartphones of 2019. Adrian and Mark also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of signing up to Eir’s budget mobile operator, GoMo. Adrian thinks it’s a no-brainer, even if Eir goes back on its word and doesn’t keep the price at €10 per month for 80GB of data. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh, you’re a Smart one

This week, Adrian invites a couple of guests on to ask about whether we’re anywhere close to realising aspirations of making Dublin into a ‘smart city’. What is a smart city, anyway? Is it just some public wifi? A few sensor-stacked bins? Or does Dublin have a plan for drones and autonomous vehicles? And should we avoid the example of Songdo, the South Korean city that spent €40bn creating a new smart citadel but where hardly anyone wants to live? Adrian talks to Jamie Cudden, Dublin City Council’s Smart City programme manager, and Dr Zohreh Pourzolfaghar from DCU’s School of Computing. For more from the Big Tech show you can visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clothes manufacturers are starting to build voice technology into their garments, while Amazon’s new doorbell tech allows it to have autonomous conversations with whoever’s at the door. This week, Adrian Weckler goes through some of the latest developments in voice technology from companies like Google, Amazon and Nuance. He’s joined by Bret Kinsella, founder of Voicebot.ai and commentator of the year on voice technology as defined by the Alexa Conference. For more from the Big Tech show you can visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to start-up effectively

Creating start-ups is hard. -- few of them succeed. This week, Adrian talks to two Irish co-founders, people at very different stages. Des Treanor is the co-founder of one of Ireland’s most successful ever start-ups, Intercom. Ian Kehoe is the co-founder of a new online media business company, The Currency. Both have different perspectives, motivations and challenges. Adrian asks both about particular issues that crop up and how they get over them. For more from the Big Tech show you can visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why battery life is the real reason to upgrade to the iPhone 11 Pro

This week, Adrian reviews the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Although smitten by the new cameras on the updated handsets, he thinks that the unsung feature that will sell the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models is the impressive new battery life, up to five hours per day longer than last year’s iPhone X models. He’s joined by John Kennedy, former founding editor of SiliconRepublic.com and now editor of ThinkBusiness.ie, a business information platform run by Bank of Ireland. “After a week using the new iPhone 11 Pro Max, I would upgrade to it for two reasons,” says Adrian. “The cameras and the battery life. When it comes to cameras, I’m slightly biased. For me, the camera system on a phone is about half the reason I choose it. Apple claims that battery life on this model is up to five hours longer than last year’s X Max and it feels like it.” “I know that battery life has always been a pain point for iPhone users compared to some flagship models from rivals. So…

Start up (and then what?)

This week, Adrian looks at some of the nuts and bolts of starting a company with a couple of entrepreneurs who have succeeded and failed several times. From choosing a place to work to asking for money from friends and family, Adrian gets the insights from Voxgig and Nearform founder Richard Rodger and serial startup activist Dave Cunningham. For more from the Big Tech show you can visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 5G health scare is it real?

This week on the Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler looks at 5G not from the point of view of speed or connectivity but health. It’s been an issue bubbling under, in rural areas especially, as to whether mobile phone radiation is safe. The regulators say it is but there are some campaigners who don't believe that is so. Are they mere conspiracy theorists or is there more to it? To find out, Adrian spoke to Tom Butler, Prof of Business Information Systems at UCC, who believes in the dangers, and Prof Kevin Curran from the School of Computing at Ulster University, who believes that if the dangers were as bad as people were claiming it wouldn't have gone unnoticed. For more from the Big Tech show you can visit the show page at: https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/ The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is gaming addiction becoming a real problem?

This week, Adrian sits down with a specialist from St John Of Gods, Professor Colin O’Gara, who says he is seeing more and more people brought in for addiction to video games. Adrian asks Prof O’Gara about the scale and depth of the problem, its effects and how to diagnose it. The two also discuss possible treatments for the problem, including the kinds of medication prescribed. And Adrian asks Prof O’Gara to put the issue into context with established medical addictions, such as gambling, alcohol and drugs. In an era when Irish teenagers are competing globally in esports competitions, how should Ireland deal with the clinical side of it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is 'unlimited' really limited?

This week, Adrian tackles the thorny issue of mobile and broadband operators which advertise "unlimited" services that actually have hidden limits. He sits down with the head of the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), Orla Twomey, to ask why that organisation allows such a misleading situation to exist. Orla tells Adrian that while the situation is being reviewed, there is a rationale for allowing operators to advertise unlimited services that have limits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Find your way as a boss in a post-PC era

This week, Adrian sits down to find out what, if any, big ideas Dell Ireland's new country manager has. Mark Hopkins starts off defending some industry jargon before expanding into why he thinks tech will have a bigger impact on our education system. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National ID Card project is stopped in its tracks

This week, Adrian sits down for a long, in-depth discussion with Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon on why she stopped the government from making its Public Services Card into a national identity card through the backdoor. After years of controversy, this week her office ruled that the PSC card cannot be used as a necessary form of identification for services outside the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The move effectively puts a halt to any plans the government had of making the Public Services Card a ‘national identity card’ through stealth. “The Department does not have a legal basis for processing personal data when it's in the case of a person who's seeking to avail of a service with the public sector body other than the Department itself,” she tells Adrian. However, she stopped short of saying that the Public Services Card must be scrapped. “Any cards that have been issued, their validity is not in question by anything we've found in this r…

With a no-deal Brexit, get ready for privacy chaos

After October 31st, will pensioners still be able to travel on a free pass around Ireland? Will online shops based in the UK be able to process customer information from Irish shoppers? It’s in serious doubt, says the guest on this week’s podcast, Castlebridge’s Dr Katherine O’Keeffe, an expert on data privacy. Adrian and Katherine go deep on why a no-deal Brexit spells chaos for many ordinary activities you wouldn’t have thought of. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Privacy, please

This week, Adrian sits down with Cillian Kieran, who recently scooped €3.8m in seed funding for his privacy-focused software startup called Ethyca. The two discuss possible solutions to today’s privacy problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Eir debate Eir's audacious €1bn proposal for an alternative National Broadband Plan stirred up a nest of debate and dissent in recent weeks. One of the senior political figures who backs Eir is Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fail spokesman on Communications, Climate Action and Environment. He sat down with Adrian to explain why he thinks it's worth taking a risk on an Eir proposal and what he would do as a government Minister. Dooley also outlined why he is in favour of a new digital tax on online advertising. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FaceApp - are we mugs to upload our mugs?

The fad of the week is FaceApp, which makes even the most cherubic youngster look like Gandalf. But we really helping ‘The Russians’ compile a giant facial database? Or is the current hysteria just this month’s instalment of the neverending moral panic around tech? Adrian Weckler and Fearghal O’Connor (deputy business editor for The Sunday Independent) discuss the issue from a political and technological perspective. The two also examine Instagram’s trial move in Ireland to remove ‘likes’ from individual posts. Will it do anything meaningful to help ease mental health issues suffered by teens? And will it cripple so-called ‘influencers’? Lastly, Adrian and Fearghal look at how online subscriptions are taking bigger and bigger chunks of our monthly pay cheques. Adrian’s now stands at over €100 – with media companies now switching over to paywalls, how far can it go? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women in Tech: Jennifer Cox

Women in Tech is a new podcast series presented by Samantha McCaughren, Business Editor of the Sunday Independent. Samantha speaks to Irish women involved in tech who are dispelling myths and breaking down barriers. On this week's bonus episode, she meets Jennifer Cox, who is a CSM Associate Security Engineer with Tenable, an international cyber security company. With a background in theatre and media studies, Jennifer is not your typical STEM candidate and Samantha spoke to Jennifer about how and why she got into tech and why not being afraid to speak out has stood to her throughout her career. For more from the series go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/women-in-tech/ The Women in Tech podcast series is in association with 100% Electric Nissan Leaf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Adrian talks to Justin McLeod, the founder and chief executive of the dating app Hinge, which claims to be the fastest-growing such app in Ireland and the UK. As well as recounting his own dramatic love, McLeod talks about algorithms, safety, age verification and what works best for those using dating apps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women in Tech: Iseult Ward

Women in Tech is a four-part series presented by Samantha McCaughren, Business Editor of the Sunday Independent. Samantha speaks to Irish women involved in tech who are dispelling myths and breaking down barriers. On this week's episode, she meets Iseult Ward, co-founder of Foodcloud, the food waste distribution platform, that in just seven years has already distributed 22,000 tonnes of food, moving meals every 28 minutes and helping over 9,100 charitable groups in Ireland and UK. Samantha spoke to Iseult about the original idea, getting it off the ground, scaling in Ireland and internationally, as well as the growing issue of food poverty and waste. For more from the series go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/women-in-tech/ The Women in Tech podcast series is in association with 100% Electric Nissan Leaf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

O taxi, MyTaxi: where art thou?

Hailo was a roaring success. Then, two years ago, it became MyTaxi. Since that happened, the company has had its struggles. Now, it’s rebranding yet again in a €3m move – to ‘Free Now’. Adrian Weckler has a candid chat with the company’s general manager, Alan Fox, about why the name change was necessary and whether technology can improve some of the issues the firm has faced. They also talk about future ideas, such as ‘surge pricing’ at busy times, as well as current features, such as a new €5 cancellation charge. And Adrian asks whether it’s a good or bad thing that regulations prevent companies like Uber and Lyft from operating similar services to many other European and US cities. ‘Free Now’ is the largest taxi company operating in Ireland with 12,000 drivers, 540,000 “regular” customers and 4.5m passengers carried in the first three months of this year. It is also part of a wider taxi transportation group across Europe, ultimately owned by the Germa…

Women in Tech: Ingrid Devin

Women in Tech is a four-part series presented by Samantha McCaughren, Business Editor of the Sunday Independent. Samantha speaks to Irish women involved in tech who are dispelling myths and breaking down barriers. On this week's episode, she meets Ingrid Devin, Director of Dell's Women's Entrepreneur Network which creates a forum for global women founders and CEOs to share best practices, build business opportunities, explore international expansion and access new resources. Samantha spoke to Ingrid about the network and the lack of women investors in general as well as her own career in the tech world. For more from the series go to: https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/women-in-tech/ The Women in Tech podcast series is in association with 100% Electric Nissan Leaf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women in Tech: Vanessa Tierney

Women in Tech is a four-part series presented by Samantha McCaughren, Business Editor of the Sunday Independent. Samantha speaks to Irish women involved in tech who are dispelling myths and breaking down barriers. On this week's episode, she meets Vanessa Tierney, founder and CEO of Abodoo, the remote working platform that is seeking to empower and enable more remote working for people in Ireland and abroad. Samantha finds out how an illness forced Vanessa into thinking about remote working, how she runs her digital platform from County Wexford, and why more Irish companies need to consider remote working as an option for their employees. For more from the series go to: https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/women-in-tech/ The Women in Tech podcast series is in association with 100% Electric Nissan Leaf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take it to the bank: AIB’s CIO comes clean

Is AIB considering facial recognition for when you walk into a branch? Adrian sits down for a wide-ranging chat with the CIO of Ireland’s biggest bank about its imminent plans. Tim Hynes also assesses the risk from ‘challenger’ banks such as Revolut, while asserting that AIB’s 200 physical branches still “wash their face”, even in an era where so many payments are going cashless. And the two talk in depth about security challenges that banks – and many major companies—face. Tim was also in studio to discuss AIB’s sponsorship of ‘Techies for Temple Street’ the annual event that raises thousands for Temple Street Childrens’ Hospital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are politicians helping or hurting tech in Ireland?

This week, Adrian’s guest is Fianna Fail’s spokesman for science, technology and research, Kildare North TD James Lawless. In a wide-ranging discussion, Adrian challenges James over Irish politicians’ apparent disconnection from tech issues which, at times, veers into illiteracy. From demanding passports for Facebook access to dithering over broadband rollouts, Adrian goes over some of the reasons why Irish politicians are often held in low esteem by the public on tech issues. Adrian and James also discuss ways of improving some issues, such as scientific research and cyber security. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women in Tech: Regina Moran

Women in Tech is a new four-part series presented by Samantha McCaughren, Business Editor of the Sunday Independent. In the series, Samantha speaks to Irish women involved in tech who are dispelling myths and breaking down barriers. On this first episode, Samantha is joined by Regina Moran, Enterprise Director with Vodafone Ireland, who, as an engineer by background, has always been involved in the STEM areas and is well-versed in breaking the mould from her early days. Regina talks about her own career and degree in engineering despite not having honours maths, plus the importance and need to introduce girls to STEM subjects before the age of 12. Regina is a chartered fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, served on the council and executive and as president from 2014 to 2015, during which time she promoted STEM and the role of women in engineering. She has received a fellowship of Irish Academy of Engineering, is also a member of the Government-industry led Smart Fut…

Don’t push too far, Mr Trump: China’s in your hand

Adrian spent a week in China getting a look under the hood of Huawei, the world’s most controversial tech company. He discusses his experience here with two INM acolytes, Sunday Independent deputy business editor Fearghal O’Connor and Sunday Independent business correspondent Michael Cogley. He recounts how: - He ended up singing with a band in a Chinese bar only to discover the guitarist was a senior Huawei executive (who then unexpectedly agreed to a revealing interview) - He coped with being behind the great firewall of China, with no access to Google, Facebook, Twitter or any or their associated services (and how the virtual private network he paid for simply didn’t work) - He navigated the astonishing scale of Shenzhen, a giant Chinese city that was designed after local politicians visited Shannon in Co Clare in 1980, and which now has 20m people (unlike Shannon in Co Clare) Adrian, Fearghal and Michael also discuss the wider implications of the Huawei controversy for g…

Why we, the media, are not screwed

This week Adrian is joined by Independent News & Media (INM) head of product (and business columnist) Steve Dempsey and INM chief commercial development officer Mark Coan. The subject matter is the current and future prospects of the Irish media. 2019 has so far seen multiple Irish media companies announce layoffs. What does the future hold? Can paywall subscriptions turn traditional titles’ fortunes around? What other models are working at present? Or are there simply too many titles and publishers for the market to sustain at present? The Big Tech podcast in proud association with Magnet Networks, connecting businesses virtually, anywhere in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Helen Dixon doing a good job?

This week, Adrian is joined by data privacy expert Daragh O’Brien and child protection campaigner Alex Cooney of CyberSafeIreland. The three discuss the reappointment of Helen Dixon as Ireland’s data protection commissioner to a second five-year term. They also look at why, a year after the digital age of consent was raised from 13 to 16, it is no harder for children to access social media services and whether the UK’s upcoming age-verified online pornography system can teach us any lessons here. Finally, the three touch on the issue of e-voting and whether it may be time for Ireland to think again about what was a disastrous introduction of the technology here 15 years ago. The Big Tech podcast in proud association with Magnet Networks, connecting businesses virtually, anywhere in Ireland See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top of the polls: an interview with SurveyMonkey CEO Zander Lurie

Zander Lurie is the boss of the world’s biggest online survey company. The Nasdaq-listed firm has over 17m users and is expanding all over the world. Lurie reflects on the process by which he became SurveyMonkey CEO after the tragic passing in 2015 of his friend Dave Goldberg, husband of Sheryl Sandberg and former chief executive of SurveyMonkey. “The hairs still stand on the back of my neck, thinking about Dave,” he says. He also talks about the expectations on a modern tech CEO to take positions on controversial issues in the news, including immigration or President Trump. And he chats in detail about a number of other things, from the perception that Big Tech now has it all wrapped up to Dublin’s appeal for Silicon Valley. The Big Tech podcast in proud association with Magnet Networks, connecting businesses virtually, anywhere in Ireland See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wires crossed – Richard Bruton and The National Broadband Plan

This week, Adrian sits down with Richard Bruton, the government Communications minister at the centre of the state’s €5bn plan to run subsidised fibre broadband to every one of 540,000 rural homes and businesses in the country. He establishes for the first time that the value of the finished rural broadband network will only be a fraction of the €3bn the state is subsidising. Diving deep into some of the issues around the controversial rollout, Adrian asks Minister Bruton some other key questions about the current state of the broadband tender, including: 1. SUBSIDIES – did the government’s subsidy rise when Eir pulled out of the National Broadband Plan tender competition, leaving only one bidder? 2. WHAT THE NETWORK IS WORTH TO THE BIDDER – how much does the government value the completed broadband network and is it giving this asset away too cheaply to a private company, Granahan McCourt? 3. PROFITABILITY – how much is the bidder ‘allowed’ to make under the agr…

A frank chat with eir’s CEO

While attention rests on the National Broadband Plan, eir still holds the keys to many of Ireland’s biggest telecoms problems. This week, Adrian sits down with company chief executive Carolan Lennon to ask some of the key questions. On the National Broadband Plan, Adrian asks whether Lennon whether knowing that eir would collect close to €1bn from rental of its poles to the National Broadband Plan was a factor in the company withdrawing from the tender to oversee responsibility for the whole project. Lennon responds in detail about why eir pulled out. Adrian also asks whether, with €400m of new debt being taken on by eir, the company is again being sucked into a pattern of getting overstretched and over-leveraged. Other topics are discussed at length. For instance, eir has also promised 99pc geographic mobile 4G coverage of the country. Is this really possible without tens of thousands of new masts? Does Lennon believe that there’s room in the Irish market for three fully-…

Eye of the broadband storm

Is the National Broadband Plan a visionary thing for Ireland? Or is it a grand folly? This week, Adrian talks exclusively to Peter Hendrick, the chief executive of the sole remaining bidder for the €3bn state-subsidised contract. The two talk about rollout timetables, cost and technology. Adrian asks why the last 20pc is being done with fibre and not wireless which, in the short term, might provide a cheaper solution. He also asks whether National Broadband Ireland, the new entity which will build and maintain the network, has resolved its differences with Eir and why it will cost €1bn to rent Eir’s infrastructure over the coming years. For anyone interested in the detail of the National Broadband Plan debate, this is worth listening to. The Big Tech podcast in proud association with Magnet Networks, connecting businesses virtually, anywhere in Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The email scam that keeps working

This week, we look at war stories from one of the fastest-growing online scams around – email fraud. Whether it’s invoice redirection fraud or CEO fraud, the phenomenon of faking corporate emails to siphon off thousands from a business is rampant in Ireland. Adrian Weckler looks through some of the reported incidences of this happening, including to Dublin Zoo, Trinity College and the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board. He is joined in studio by one of Ireland’s most senior experts on fraud, Conor Flynn of ISAS. Together, they dig down into the mechanics of how the scam takes root, from the first breach to the ultimate withdrawal. They also look at the role of ‘money mules’, often in the guise of third level students who ‘rent’ their bank accounts to the fraudsters, and what might happen to them. Finally, the two discuss ways that companies can protect against it. The Big Tech show is in association with Magnet Networks, connecting businesses virtually, an…

The truth about rural broadband

There’s a lot of nonsense spoken about how rural broadband can be delivered. This week, Adrian Weckler and Irish Independent business editor Donal O’Donovan go through some of the myths and tropes around the process. They ask whether wireless or 5G might be an alternative. They also look at the cost of the rollout and whether the government can be trusted or not. And then they discuss the basic questions underpinning the whole process: is rural broadband to every home important? If so, is a state subsidy justifiable? And if that’s agreed, should it be high speed infrastructure or a patch-up job? Also: Adrian gives a very brief, spoiler-free review of ‘Avengers Endgame’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we wrong to care about Facebook privacy screwups?

Do people really care if Facebook does unwarranted things with our personal data? Are we, in the press, simply overestimating how much it bothers people? The latest privacy breach involves the company saying it 'mistakenly' uploaded the private email contacts of 1.5m people. It has also admitted that millions, not thousands, of Instagram passwords were stored in plain language. But it's all being greeted by a big 'meh' from the public. Other than a few campaigning media outlets and privacy activists, thi+e latest revelations appear to barely bother anyone. Have we just become numb to a neverending stream of Facebook privacy screwups? Or does the company's unmoved account membership figures suggest that people see the breaches but conclude that it's a price worth paying for the utility they get out of it? In this week's podcast, Adrian and Castlebridge privacy expert Daragh O'Brien debate whether Facebook's privacy issues are regarded with disquiet anymore. They also look at the Irish d…

Yes, Amazon is listening in on us

So now we know: Amazon is listening to our conversations. Some of its staff are told to listen in to what we tell the Amazon Echo to do. The company has been very secretive about this. But after a Bloomberg story delved into it, the company admitted that it listens to a small percentage of voice recordings to help its artificial intelligence figure out things like accents better. But that’s not all the workers hear. Some say that they have picked up disturbing things, like assaults. But they’re told not to do anything about it. There are a whole host of issues that crop up around this. Is it okay for Amazon staff to physically listen to our voice commands, even if it’s just for quality control? Do we believe them that it’s just for quality control? And a longer term, thornier issue arises -- what responsibility, if any, does a platform have if it detects something like a sexual assault? Joining Adrian to discuss this in depth is Patricia Scanlon, the founder and chief ex…

Zuck comes to Dublin

This week, we split the podcast into two segments: an interview with GoFundMe chief executive Rob Solomon and an audience with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on his visit to Dublin. While the 34-year-old billionaire was careful in his engagement with Irish journalists during the week, he did agree to talk for a few minutes. Adrian heard what Mark Zuckerberg is thinking on the issues of using Facebook as a tool for election interference, privacy in Europe, harmful content and why Facebook wants to start pushing for the transfer of data from one app to another as a right. GoFundMe’s Rob Solomon explained to Adrian why Ireland is the highest per-capital user base of his fundraising platform’s services. He also talked Adrian through the ways that GoFundMe guards against scam fundraising attempts and gave examples of how the platform disallows misinformation drives, such as recent attempts to raise money for anti-vaccination programmes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor…

Apple’s big screen adventure (on a little screen)

Apple’s big screen adventure (on a little screen) Why is Apple launching a TV and movie service? And will it be any good? This week, Adrian and Daragh O’Brien of Castlebridge wonder whether Apple can make it in Hollywood against the likes of Netflix, Disney and HBO. They also ask what the future is for old-fashioned linear TV broadcasters like RTE and BBC — will they essentially become the channels of sport, news and talent shows? And the two look at another prominent issue in Ireland this week: broadband. Specifically, will the government’s National Broadband Plan be rolled out? Should it be? How important is broadband, anyway? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we break Google and Facebook up?

This week’s €1.5bn EU fine against Google for shutting rivals out of its online ad system begs the question: is Google too big? Should it be broken up? And if so, what about Facebook and Amazon? In the US, this is exactly what Democratic US presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is proposing. But is it feasible? And what would it mean in terms of services? To discuss the practical and legal considerations around this, Adrian is joined by Philip Andrews, the head of the EU & Competition Law Group at McCann FitzGerald and by Donal O’Donovan, business editor of the Irish Independent. The panel looks at how much of our lives are spent using Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon and whether there’s any hope for new entrants to the market. They also wonder whether Europe’s muscular regulatory approach toward the big tech firms is sufficient or whether more radical anti-trust remedies are needed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connect cars: from 4G to 5G

One of the roles for 5G is to connect self-driving cars. But before that happens, this generation of cars is currently being linked up to 4G networks for safety, upgrade and entertainment purposes. This week, Adrian talks to Barry Napier whose Cubic Telecom is one of Europe’s main providers of mobile connectivity to cars and other everyday things we use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private Zuckerberg

So Mark Zuckerberg wants Facebook to be a ‘privacy first’ company. Totally expected, right? This week, Adrian and Castlebridge founder Daragh O’Brien dig down into Mark Zuckerberg‘s new corporate mission to see whether it holds water. They discuss the chances — or not — of Facebook being allowed by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner to make messages from Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger ‘interoperable’, as Zuckerberg sets out. And they look at what Ireland’s new Online Safety Commissioner will be expected to do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Facebook and me

What's it like being Facebook's policeman? This week, Adrian sits down for an in-depth chat with Helen Dixon, Europe's most powerful data protection commissioner. They talk about Facebook, her approach and what exactly it takes for her office to kick off a probe. Helen has some surprising revelations, such as her office's recent look at whether Facebook is secretly recording us through our phones (and what they found). Adrian also asks Helen whether GDPR is causing endless pop-ups on websites that get ignored and if it has helped the big tech firms while hurting small players and startups. And theres lots more, from CCTV to what the office is planning in the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trouble with AI and Europe

Adrian sits down with a German artificial intelligence expert to talk about why Europe isn’t doing AI right. In particular, Dr Stefan Heumann argues that member states and the European Union need to start taking AI seriously as a concerted effort if Europe is to compete with China and the US. Dr Heumann is a member of the management board of Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV), a non-profit think tank working at the intersection of technology and public policy in Germany. Adrian spoke to him at the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To 5G or not to 5G

After a very big week of broadband announcements in Ireland, Adrian sits down with the person promising the most radical plan. Imagine boss Sean Bolger says that his wireless broadband company will build a new national network to connect over 1m homes, including 400,000 of the 540,000 rural homes currently earmarked under the National Broadband Plan. This, he says, will be done by building hundreds of sites (such as masts) around the country, which will deliver the service to antennae on rural homes. But is this just another promise from a telecoms company? When will the rural homes he’s planning on connecting see the service? And does this mean he intends to scupper or challenge the state-subsidised scheme, which would use taxpayers’ money to do an enhanced fibre-based version of the same thing? Bolger has decades of experience in the Irish telecoms market. His was the company behind the WiMax wireless service that rose and fell some years ago. But rural Ireland may be his b…

Alan Coleman: doing it all again after €60m

You started a company. You sold it for over €60m. Now you’re going back to start something new from scratch. The question is: why? Why get back into the trenches and try to prove yourself all over again? “It's the struggle, the fight. It's pulling together the most talented people to do their respective jobs and having that team become greater than the sum of their parts.” That’s Alan Coleman, the Dubliner who sold homegrown telecoms billing company Britebill for a fortune in 2016. He’s back with a new startup, Sweepr, and he’s aiming higher. He’s this week’s podcast guest on ‘The Big Tech Show’. One of the questions Adrian asks is what gets a startup entrepreneur really motivated. “Once I have an idea in my mind that this is inevitably going to be the way in which the world works, I then think, ‘why couldn't I do that? Why shouldn't it be me that starts the path to that inevitable outcome?’ I'm an extreme optimist.” Adrian and Alan also talk about privacy…

Startups and starting up

This week, a double-header: one of Ireland’s best known venture capitalists talks money, while a tutor for beginners discusses what we need to know. Adrian catches up with entrepreneur and Draper Esprit financier Brian Caulfield to talk about the state of things for funding and company-building in Ireland today. Then he meets Aisling Mackey, Ireland’s ‘computer tutor’ to talk about some of the skills that we should brush up on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Won’t somebody think of the kids?

How relevant are colleges? This week, Adrian sits down with the president of Dublin City University, Prof Brian MacCraith, to talk what universities do well and what they struggling with. Adrian asks Prof MacCraith why Irish universities keep slipping down the international ratings. He also asks about the possible introduction of a student loan system or higher fees for richer students, two things long recommended to keep Irish universities afloat but which no political party here will accept. The two also discuss whether online learning services such as Galway-based Alison.com or US-based Udacity and Coursera are chipping away at the basic rationale for having physical universities in the first place. Prof MacCraith also denies that there is a ‘snob factor’ with regard to Irish kids choosing a ‘northside university’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harvey says: “you’ve got it wrong, Weckler.”

Podcast host Adrian Weckler has been writing columns saying that web shopping — and Amazon in particular — is seriously altering the fortunes of offline retailers and the future of the ‘high street’. But the head of one of Ireland’s biggest retail chains, Harvey Norman’s Blaine Callard, thinks this is baloney. This week, Adrian invites Blaine on to tell him why. Blaine tells him that empty spaces in high streets and run down shopping centres are a misreading of the data and have more to do with parking charges, bad zoning and plain bad retailing than Amazon. He also reserves delivers harsh verdicts on retailers such as Clerys and Sears. Adrian remains unconvinced, but gives Blaine a good run at why he thinks the media are running with a false narrative. The two recorded the podcast in Harvey Norman’s newest flagship outlet, the 58,000 square foot store in Tallaght. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Declan Ganley and China

In the wake of a Huawei executive arrested for spying in the EU, do western countries face a threat to their national security from Chinese telecom and tech companies? Or is the current controversy over who builds 5G networks being infused with scaremongering and paranoia by US politicians and commentators? Adrian sits down with Declan Ganley, the long-time Irish telecoms executive who claims that China has a military-industrial ethos which threatens western security. Adrian puts it to Declan that there is little evidence so far linking telecoms rollout that involve Chinese infrastructure firms with spying or other nation state activities. But Declan isn’t convinced, arguing that there is a greater national ‘mission’ in China that cannot be ignored. The two also debate how 5G licences should be rolled in future, with Declan arguing that the current system is broken. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reasons why Facebook (probably) isn’t listening through your phone

It’s arguably the most talked-about tech question of our time – is Facebook listening to your physical conversations to serve you ads? An increasing number of people are convinced that this is the case. To take a technical and ethical dive into the issue, Adrian is joined by three people who are deeply knowledgeable about the science, marketing and cultural tech behind what it would all entail. Facebook ad expert Damien Mulley doesn’t believe it’s happening and explains why. Dr Patricia Scanlon, founder of voice AI specialist firm Soapbox Labs, is sceptical but thinks it might be possible under certain circumstances. And culture journalist Roisin Kiberd takes a step back to consider its place in our wider relationship with tech. If you like informed, in-depth commentary on a big tech issue of the day, this is worth your time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Destruction and rebirth: what to expect in 2019

From the demise of Facebook among younger people to the death of DSLR cameras and Amazon’s destruction of high street retail, Adrian looks at what to expect in the year ahead. He’s joined by Patrick Walsh, founder of the coworking space, Dogpatch Labs in Dublin. Along the way, they also discuss why people are turning off traditional offices and whether alternatives, such as Ludgate and Republic Of Work in Cork, Portershed in Galway and HQ in Tralee will mop up the business of hosting growing tech firms. This is the 52nd Big Tech Show podcast of 2018 – a big thank you to all our listeners for tuning in over the year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the news that’s fit to hear

Is audio a missed opportunity for newspapers? A bold young Irish startup, NOA, has struck deals with publishers such as Bloomberg, the New York Times and the FT to create a new audio news service from those publications’ daily news stories. The idea, according to NOA’s Gareth Hickey and Shane Ennis, is to create a ‘Spotify for News’. Adrian chats about the idea and wonders about what kind of audio delivery might work best. Inevitably, he slips into a few impressions of well-known radio and advertising people he thinks might do it well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look at all these gadgets

Phones, smartwatches, hifi, tablets, laptops – Adrian goes through some of the best tech to get over Christmas and recaps on what has impressed during the year. He’s joined by up-and-coming creative Jake McCabe, a hifi and video expert who dabbles in all things tech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are male founders better bullsh***ers than female ones?

All the statistics show that when it comes to VC cash, men get almost all of it. In fact, they snag way more than the percentage of startups they solely found. In conversation with two Irish VC investors and a startup COO, Adrian wonders if it’s partly down to male founders simply being less shy about making grandiose, bold statements about their firms. And what should investors actually do about it? Is positive discrimination desireable? Or should it be a slow evolution? Giving expert analysis on the funding climate, as well as life around Irish startups, are this week’s guests: Edel Coen (investment executive with Draper Esprit, a pan-European venture capital firm), Isabelle O’Keeffe (principal at Suir Valley Ventures) and Austin Spivey (chief operating officer of Wia Technologies). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crypto: the good and the truly shady

In the original dot com boom, all you needed was an idea and you were showered with millions in funding. But is the same now happening with cryptocurrency and blockchain? This week, Adrian meets David Wachsman, the founder of the world’s largest Blockchain focused PR agency. It has chosen Dublin as its headquarters to serve Europe. Adrian asks whether crypto is a bandwagon that people are jumping on. The two talk about possible use cases versus actual examples of blockchain in action now. David also deals with the question of why so many fringe industry players have been catapulted into a starring role just because they are now involved in the crypto industry. And Adrian talks about examples of ethical breaches in journalism within crypto-oriented media organisations, specifically the issue of articles for cash. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recycled iPhones and crypto w***ers

This week, Adrian throws off the shackles in a free-ranging conversation with the Irish Independent’s environment editor, Paul Melia. The two discuss the current state of big tech companies, why electric cars are a tough sell at present and the credibility gap that cryptocurrency evangelists sometimes suffer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When success is a two-way thing

What happens when the tech company you build becomes wildly successful? Do you change? At the Web Summit, Adrian sat down with the Des Treanor, co-founder of Intercom, the €1bn software firm. They talked about dealing with success, company culture, artificial intelligence and where Intercom goes from here. The Big Tech Show is brought to you this week by PwC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the new iPad Pro a replacement for your laptop? Does the Web Summit matter?

Adrian returns to Dublin following Apple’s MacBook Air and iPad Pro launch. Joined by Sunday Independent business correspondent Michael Cogley and INM head of product Steve Dempsey, he goes through the most important features of what was announced and asks whether pro tablets can be a long term replacement for current laptops. Irish Independent business editor Donal O’Donovan joins the discussion to figure out whether the Web Summit, which kicks off in Lisbon on Tuesday, matters to Irish business. Is the event too closely tied with founder Paddy Cosgrave? And does Cosgrave’s foray into political topics help or hinder the conference? There’s also a look at the politics and ethics around the mass walkout at Google during the week, followed by a dissection of what may be holding up the National Broadband Plan. This week’s episode is brought to you in conjunction with PwC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the news that’s fit to share

Mark Little is one of Ireland’s most recognisable media technology figures. From being an anchorman on RTE television to founding Storyful to becoming boss of Twitter in Ireland, he has seen the business from all angles. Now he’s back with a new venture that aims to reinvent app-based news. Together with former journalist and Facebook executive Aine Kerr and ex-Storyful collaborator Paul Watson, Little has launched ‘Kinzen’. Adrian sits down to talk to Little, Kerr and Watson about the problem they’re trying to solve and what lies ahead for the news business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Knowing me, knowing you, David Schneider: Aha!

When do comedy and technology mix? Why is social media so much to the fore in critical analysis of current events? This week, Adrian chats to a contemporary master, David Schneider, about the role of comedy and social media in our daily lives. Schneider is one of the writers and actors on seminal British comedy series such as 'The Day Today' and 'I’m Alan Partridge’. Adrian also catches up with Lory Kehoe, the Irish boss of the blockchain specialist company, Consensys. They discuss some of the applications for blockchain in business today and whether it cold have a role in creating new economic models for the media industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A broadband clusterf***

In a week that saw the resignation of the Minister responsible for the National Broadband Plan, Adrian asks some blunt questions about whether the whole rural rollout plan is going to be delayed and, if so, for what reasons. Adrian is joined in analysing the whole sorry saga by the Irish Independent’s political correspondent, Laura Larkin and the Sunday Independent’s business correspondent, Michael Cogley. Adrian also catches up with Oisin Hanrahan, the Dublin tech entrepreneur who raised almost €100m for the US online service firm Handy Technologies, after the company was sold to Nasdaq-listed Angi Homeservices. And Adrian gets a hands-on look at the latest range of updated Amazon gadgets, from the Echo speakers to the new Echo Input, as they prepare to launch into the Irish market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to get €1m for your startup

How do you ask for money for your startup? That’s the question that Adrian put to Peter O’Malley, the co-founder of a new startup that has raised €1m from a variety of ‘business angels’ that include Paddy Cosgrave, CPL boss Anne Heraty and former Paddy Power chief Breon Corcoran. Is there a difference between approaching ‘friends and family’ and business contacts? What sort of plan do you need to have in place? Peter talks about his own experience and how he and co-founder Galen Lowney realised that there was space in the market for their startup, Advisable.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to get €1m for your startup

How do you ask for money for your startup? That’s the question that Adrian put to Peter O’Malley, the co-founder of a new startup that has raised €1m from a variety of ‘business angels’ that include Paddy Cosgrave, CPL boss Anne Heraty and former Paddy Power chief Breon Corcoran. Is there a difference between approaching ‘friends and family’ and business contacts? What sort of plan do you need to have in place? Peter talks about his own experience and how he and co-founder Galen Lowney realised that there was space in the market for their startup, Advisable.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tommy Collison, our man in Seattle

This week, Adrian talks tech and politics with Tommy Collison, an Irish transplant to Seattle. Tommy brings us up to date on where tech and politics intersect in Silicon Valley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new iPhone — an exercise in Xs?

With almost two weeks of rigorous testing under his belt, Adrian Weckler assesses the iPhone Xs and Xs Max . Is the screen on the Xs Max too big? Has battery life improved? Is the Xs now the best cameraphone, or is Huawei’s P20 Pro still in top spot? And can that big, big price be justified, or is it worth waiting for next month’s iPhone Xr? Adrian also meets Jamie White, the young Dublin entrepreneur who set up Start Summit and Leading Social, a marketing agency specialising in social media strategies for big companies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple’s big iPhone Xs launch. (And a scary look into the future.)

This week, Adrian reports from Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California where he was on hand to test out the newly-launched iPhone Xs Max, Xs and Xr phones. The big talking points are around that new 6.5-inch screen, a whopper by Apple’s standards. But the other surprise feature came in the shape of the new Apple Watch Series 4’s ECG sensor and ‘fall detection’ feature. Separately, Adrian talks to the futurist Lucie Greene about how the big tech companies are likely to affect our lives in coming years. Greene is the author of 'Silicon States: The Power and Politics of Big Tech and What It Means for Our Future'. Greene gives a glimpse of a dystopian near-future while avoiding much of the over-egged hysteria that sometimes compromises work in this genre. Voting via block-chain or emergency services on demand (with 'surge pricing' models built in) may be on the way, she says, as Silicon Valley ramps up its designs on cities and towns. Greene also takes a look at the political m…

For God’s sake, secure your devices

This week, Adrian Weckler talks to the global IT security celebrity and virus hunter Mikko Hypponen. Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, says that we should be taking threats from North Korea a lot more seriously than we do. He also explains why, in the hierarchy of worst malware outbreaks in recent years, Petya was probably worse than Wannacry. And he hears how Adrian is guilty of perpetuating one of the stupidest security practices in Ireland today. (Hypponen is one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Dublin Information Sec 2018, taking place in the RDS on October 15th.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ideas wanted: the Apple tech whizz who wants to help your startup

This week, Adrian talks to Daniel Gross, who grew up in Israel and went to Silicon Valley as a teenager to seek fame and fortune through the famous accelerator, Y Combinator. He set up a company called Cue and sold it to Apple for a reported $35m in 2013 before going to work for the tech giant. Last year, he left Apple to become a partner in Y Combinator and now he’s a founder of Pioneer, which says that it is looking for ‘lost Einsteins’ or talented young people who aren’t getting a chance in life. His thesis is that there’s massive potential in young people who are missing out because they don’t come from the ‘right’ background. Pioneer is being backed by Patrick Collison and the famous investor and former Netscape founder Marc Andreesen, who are both helping to fund it. Adrian and Daniel talk about his life, what inspired him and why he wants to help people get ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exclusive Ryan Smith interview: the billion dollar techie obsessed with fighting cancer

This week, Adrian sits down for an exclusive chat with Ryan Smith, the charismatic Utah founder of the €2bn software firm Qualtrics. As well as being one of the fastest growing tech companies in the world, Smith is on a mission to battle cancer. He started his company when he quit college to look after his father, who was diagnosed with cancer. While his dad survived, Qualtrics’ Irish boss Dermot Costello passed away earlier this year from cancer. (Costello, a huge presence in the Irish tech industry, spoke about this at length in a written interview with Adrian in January when he new he had only days to live. You can read it in full here: https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/news/tech-boss-choosing-to-define-his-life-by-optimism-not-illness-36456505.html) Smith talks about Costello’s importance to him personally and to Qualtrics and explains why the company has named its new Dublin headquarters after Costello. He also talks about his zeal for ‘5 For The Fight’, the…

Unwelcome guests on social media

This week, Adrian and the panel discuss the thorny question of whether social media services should be allowed — or obliged — to kick people off for airing views and opinions that are considered extreme or dangerous. It’s an issue that Twitter is currently hamfistedly trying to deal with in the case of Alex Jones, the American conspiracy theorist whose InfoWars channel has been accused of stirring up violent sentiment through its broadcasts and editorials. (Jones has argued that the September 11th terrorist attacks in the US were “an inside job” and that the Sandy Hook massacre, which killed innocent children, never happened.) Facebook and YouTube have kicked Jones and Infowars off. Are they right? Is this a question of freedom of speech or sensible policing by the social networks? Joining Adrian to debate the issue are Constantin Gurdiev, a professor of finance and a former editor of Business & Finance, and Jason O’Mahony, a political pundit and regular columnist with the…