WCCO Tech Talk
NewsRadio 830 WCCO
Episodes
October 24, 2026 • 34 mins
Doug Swinhart and Steve Thomson take your computer questions. More impactfully, though, they spend most of the hour discussing the potential negative impacts of the AI boom. They also offer some safeguards we can use to protect any artificial intrusions.
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October 17, 2026 • 43 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Pokemon card collectors
Cleaning/disposing old phones & tablets
Doug’s trust in factory resets
Cautioning against mineral extraction from your devices
The merit/accessibility of your own VPN
Don’t click on links commanding urgency
Security and using AI tools
Plus, calls & texts from listeners
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October 10, 2026 • 40 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Anthropic files false tip to police for an unsolved murder in Philly
A call for a committee/regulation to take charge of holding AI companies accountable
The future of data integrity
Why there’s no urgency to regulate
Software that assists you in backups
Rising importance of local storage
Firing up an old Lenovo laptop with Wind...
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September 19, 2026 • 36 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Data protection
Backing up your data in the cloud & external hard drive
AI being on the verge of something scary
AI arms race
Using Brave
Plus, calls & texts from listeners
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August 22, 2026 • 35 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
TikTok invading children's privacy
We are the product
Big Tech fines
Selling of our data
Spam calls for days
Youtube as a resource
Protecting yourself financially online
App tracking & access
Plus, calls & texts from listeners
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August 15, 2026 • 38 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Moderating AI use
Clicking on ads that you shouldn’t have
Replacing printer cartridges
Small business printer advice
The ol’ power down the device trick
Building up and cleaning out the cache files
Necessity of Privazer on a Windows machine
Making the switch from Windows to another machine
Plus, calls & texts from list...
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August 8, 2026 • 42 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Disposing of an old laptop
Doug’s thoughts on the state of Microsoft
Extending a machine’s life with Linus
Surefire ways to make sure your old hard drive is wiped
Advanced system care
Will AI replace photo editing tools?
AI pushback
Selecting a new machine after a good decade with HP
The difficulty of transferring shortcut...
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July 25, 2026 • 37 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Tips for extending your laptop’s battery life
AI hacks another AI
Competition between AI models
The necessity of regulation/oversight
Stopping a monthly payment with Libre
WiFi modems from phone providers
Buying a laptop loaded with Linux
Android/Google troubleshooting
Plus, calls & texts from listeners
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June 27, 2026 • 39 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Phishing
Ransomware
Doug recommends an authenticator
Reviving a drowned iPhone
Resetting phone security after a compromise
Sneaky dangers of QR code
Web based email vs Outlook
Plus, we go through listener texts!
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June 20, 2026 • 33 mins
Doug Swinhart and Steve Thomson are back for another edition of Tech Talk. Among other topics during this hour, they talk about staying away from email scams and what could be a rash of products that will go out of date in the near future.
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May 9, 2026 • 31 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Laptop overheating
PrivaZer could help your machine run better
Macbook battery still charging after plugging it in overnight
Battery drain and turning off your machine
Running out of storage on your iPhone
Downloading from the cloud to an external hard drive
CenturyLink DSL backup options
Redundant copies and connections
Plus, calls &a...
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March 21, 2026 • 41 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
More excitement around Macbook Neo
Windows 11 letdown
AI in search engines
How to avoid AI
AI backlash
VirtualBox
Spam emails on Linux
Worst case malware
Why Doug loves Linux
Be wary of emotional calls to action
Plus, calls and texts from listeners!
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March 14, 2026 • 20 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart! We have a short show today due to the Twins running long down in Fort Myers.
Topics include:
More reasons to like Apple’s new product, Macbook Neo
How the competition is reacting to Apple
The need for customizable tech
Concepts of the new Slate pickup
Necessity of recycling machines
What to do when Windows 10 is no longer covered
Locked out of F...
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March 7, 2026 • 42 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Macbook Neo… Doug’s really excited!
Apple’s competitive culture and the what the shift in strategy signifies
Doug breaks down the specs
Messages popping up on a machine running Linux Cinnamon
Cleaning a Linux machine
Don’t make multiple changes at once
Downloading a printer driver for an HP Inspire
Plus, call...
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February 28, 2026 • 41 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Anthropic falls out with US government
Setting the table for tech/DoD battle, what it means for the future
Doug’s concerns on privacy and why not being online isn’t enough
Buying a desktop
What’s going to be the wakeup call for the world and AI?
Troubleshooting a slow machine
Battle of the PC cleaners
Plus, calls and ...
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February 21, 2026 • 34 mins
Doug Swinhart and Steve Thomson take your calls and texts during this week's edition of the program. Topics include the differences between Windows 11 & 10, the best ways to backup your documents and data, and how to recover your forgotten passwords.
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February 14, 2026 • 33 mins
Doug Swinhart and Steve Thomson are in to take your tech questions. On this week's edition of the program, there's a focus on concerns with security. They discuss the anxieties around Flock Safety, upgrading your internet provider, and the steps needed to clear that hard drive before donating your old computer.
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February 7, 2026 • 35 mins
Doug Swinhart and Steve Thomson are in to answer your tech questions. This week, those include the latest push for Open Source programming, why you should use Privazer to help your computer's efficiency, and making the most out of your printer.
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January 31, 2026 • 41 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
Printer connections at home
Changes in WiFi
Windows 11 issues
The future is web–based
The future of Windows
Must dos if you’re getting rid of an old machine
Plus, calls and texts from listeners!
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January 17, 2026 • 39 mins
It’s another edition of Tech Talk with Steve Thomson and Doug Swinhart!
Topics include:
The necessity of keeping your gas tank full during cold winter months
Backing up your encrypted hard drive
Windows 11 struggles
Converting a Windows laptop to Linux
Encrypted hard drives
Security issues using Proton VPN
Macbooks vs Windows vs Chromebooks
Plus, calls and texts from listeners!
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