Home Gadget Geeks (Video Small)
We cover all your favorite tech gadgets that find their way into your home!
Episodes
In this episode, I’m joined by Jay Franze, a seasoned music producer, to explore how AI is transforming music creation. Jay shares his experiment using AI as a virtual studio—producing songs that rival human-recorded tracks and often sound indistinguishable from traditional productions. We compare AI and studio recordings, discuss songwriting, ethics, and ownership, and explore how these tools can empower musicians and podcasters a...
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Every year on Black Friday, Home Gadget Geeks pauses the tech talk just long enough to look at where life and technology intersect, and this year’s episode with Sammie Collison might be the most grounded one yet. From returning to college as a full-time library para to managing finances, mental bandwidth, and school in the age of cloud tools and tactile hobbies, Sammie gives us a real-world look at what it takes to navigate modern ...
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November 22, 2025
Dave McCabe joins me this week to reminisce about 17 years of podcasting, dive into smart home gadgets, and explore Dave’s woodworking journey with Warped Boards. From CNC upgrades and handcrafted cutting boards to candid talk on men’s health, this episode blends tech, creativity, and community. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I sit down with my longtime friend and fellow podcaster Dave McCabe for a conv...
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I am joined this week by Erin Lawrence and Mike Wieger to explore tech innovations that enhance daily living. They review the Mydea One Touch Autofill Refrigerator, the Ecovacs WinBot W2 window-cleaning robot, and dive into golf simulator technology. The episode wraps with Black Friday deals, hard drive upgrades, battery backup solutions, and camping tech innovations—all with humor and practical insights for the average gadget enth...
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In this week’s episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I’m joined by Kevin Schoonover for a packed discussion that jumps from health and fitness to EV trucks, from Windows 10’s sunset to ARM’s rise, and all the way down to the small stuff — batteries, smart home gear, and the realities of modern tech maintenance. Thanks for listening! Episode Summary We open the show by talking about the weather rolling into Omaha and catching up on the Worl...
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Gavin Campbell joins this week and we covered winter weather, his strong early results with the Segway Navimow robot mower, the improved sound and smart-home functionality of the Echo Dot Max, and his Unraid 7.2 upgrade that boosted responsiveness. We discussed how we are using local AI for automation, troubleshooting, and coding, along with bigger questions around AI’s economics and infrastructure. We closed with notes on CES plan...
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In this episode, we discuss the latest with my solar setup (EcoFlow battery, Eco-Worthy panels) and take a deep dive into local AI — exploring LLMs you can run at home, privacy implications, and practical use cases. We also field live chat questions, talk about Ollama, LM Studio, voice cloning, and more. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I share the latest updates from my ongoing solar power experiment — i...
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In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I spent some time diving into a few recent tech updates and sharing a bit of what’s been going on with me. I started with a look at the Lutron PD-150UTB-BL smart outdoor plug — it’s built like a tank and performs great outdoors, but at $85, it’s hard to call it a good value. From there, I talked about Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3, which I recently picked up. The upgraded noise cancellation is noti...
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In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I’m joined by Christian Johnson. We start with a discussion about the new Apple AirPods Pro 3, which I’ve purchased and am waiting to try once they arrive. From there, Christian shares updates on life as a new father and his progress toward earning a pilot’s license. The second half of the conversation focuses on cryptocurrency and blockchain, with Christian explaining his changing perspective ...
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On this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Brian Friedlander to talk about how AI is changing the landscape of assistive technology. We covered everything from tools like AOA, Brisk, and Magic School AI that support students in the classroom, to innovations in note-taking, E Ink devices, and even brain-computer interfaces. It was a fascinating conversation about where accessibility meets technology,...
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Jay Franze is back, and we talk about his new book, Stand Out or Fade Out. Jay considers upgrading his Mac Mini and shares updates on home projects and a new service dog for his daughter. Jim updates his solar setup, switching to an EcoFlow Delta 3, and they discuss solar power for camping, home use, and RVs, covering costs, efficiency, and practical uses. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I reconnect with...
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Erin Lawrence joins me this week for a wide-ranging conversation on home, lawn, and automotive gadgets. We dig into the future of lawn care with the Segway Navimow robot lawn mower, discuss battery brand ecosystems in power tools, and explore must-have car tech like portable jump starters and tire inflators. Erin shares her innovative smart blinds laundry room makeover, reviews fun kitchen gadgets like the Ninja Creami soft serve m...
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Gavin Campbell joins me this week for a deep dive into smart home automation, solar experimentation, and the latest in robotic lawn care. Jim shares updates and lessons learned from his Bluetti solar setup and how he’s trying to integrate it with Home Assistant for smarter energy use. Gavin brings insights on millimeter wave technology in light switches, POE-powered Zigbee/Z-Wave hubs, and the benefits of RTF grass and robotic mowe...
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I recently kicked off a solar power project at home to test the efficiency of two 100-watt, 18-volt bi-facial panels I picked up for $99 each during Prime week. The goal is to see how they perform in different areas of my property and learn how to optimize small-scale solar setups. I’ve added some essential tools to my kit—crimping tools, wire strippers, and connectors—and I’m running everything through a Bluetti AC180 inverter wit...
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Dave Hamilton joins me this week. After a quick Mac lightning round, Dave shares how he uses ChatGPT for long-form conversations while driving and discusses his Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15, which navigates with onboard cameras and mows daily for a consistently clean lawn. They also review the Ampace Andes 1500 portable power station and the Boost Hero jump starter—both handy tools for outages and emergencies. The episode wraps with r...
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This week, I experiment with integrating AI into podcasting by introducing Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, Mick, as a co-host. I dive into the real-world challenges of blending AI with human conversation. Covering everything from audio quality quirks to the absence of non-verbal cues that shape natural dialogue, we unpack the strengths of AI, like consistency, speed, and on-demand knowledge, while also exploring its limitations in emotional ...
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Mike Wieger joins me to talk through the latest in home tech and personal gadgets. We cover his switch from Cox to MetroNet fiber and compare Omaha’s evolving internet options, including T-Mobile and Great Plains. Mike shares his 2.5 and 10 Gbps networking upgrades, covers DIY repairs, and explores self-hosting with Oracle VPS and VPNs via Tailscale. We also break down his experience with the WHOOP fitness tracker, from sleep and r...
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Kevin Schoonover is my guest this week as we look into the growing “fix-it” movement, exploring how repairing everyday items—like lamps, sewing machines, and coffee makers—can save money and reduce waste. Kevin shares his experience with local fix-it clinics in Minnesota and the rise of repair culture amid economic pressures. We also discuss 3D printing for custom parts, the power of community involvement, and the impact of donatin...
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This week, I am joined by T.J. Huddleston, a home automation pro from HomeTech.fm. We discuss how smart home gear has become significantly more affordable and easier to use, especially compared to the clunky systems of the past. T.J. shares how he’s using smart irrigation in his garden to save time and water, pretty cool stuff for anyone with a green thumb. We also get into the latest in home security with smarter surveillance came...
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May 24, 2025
Doug Milburn, co-founder of 45 Drives, joins me as we talk about the evolving storage server industry. We discuss the shift towards efficient data management solutions for both enterprises and home lab enthusiasts. Doug shares insights from his journey in computing, highlights the demand for high-reliability storage systems, and explains the advantages of using enterprise-grade components. We look at the current trends, including t...
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