Episode 443 - You Oughta Know About AI, Cyber Creeps & Wyze Eyes

For this Week's TechtalkRadio Show, Host Shawn DeWeerd and Andy Taylor kick off the show by recapping the highlights from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. They discuss the unveiling of a new iOS with updates across iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS when available. Apple briefly touched on AI, emphasizing on-device processing for enhanced privacy. Shawn notes the integration of ChatGPT in several apps and points out Apple’s surprising openness in offering APIs for developers to tap into AI functionality. A major design update—dubbed "liquid glass"—was also revealed.

The hosts explore the new UI changes, including rounded buttons, a persistent bottom search bar, and new notification groupings. The camera app also gets a refresh with a simplified interface and more transparent menu backgrounds, focusing on usability rather than hardware upgrades.

They then shift to smart home tech, discussing Wyze’s new in-store partnership with Costco  and two new camera products. First, a floodlight camera system with three lights and a camera priced under $100. Second, the Wyze Bulb Cam—a 2K camera built into a light bulb that screws into standard fixtures and can pair with accessory bulbs for synchronized lighting. Shawn shares his experience with Wyze’s Cam Plus service, which offers unlimited cloud recording for $99/year.

Cybersecurity expert and author Tom Arnold joins the show to discuss his book The Digital Detective: First Intervention. Drawing from his background as a police officer and fraud investigator, Tom explores the evolution of cybercrime and emphasizes the importance of educating parents on digital dangers. His motivation to write stemmed from real-life incidents—including his grandson’s exposure to a dangerous situation in an online game and a parent’s admission that talking about cybersecurity is harder than talking about sex. His book series aims to teach digital safety through engaging stories featuring teen protagonists, with the next installment tackling sextortion and human trafficking.

Tom and Andy highlight the risks of unsupervised online interactions, comparing giving a child a tablet to leaving them alone at a playground. They stress the importance of knowing who your kids are talking to online—even if it’s someone they "know." The discussion underscores that parental controls aren’t foolproof and that open, ongoing communication is key. Tom and Andy also warn about fringe groups using games for recruitment and the use of AI to generate fake images for sextortion. Andy reminds listeners that Tom’s book is available on Amazon and through other booksellers including The Apple Bookstore.

Also on the show, music journalist and author Selena Fragassi joins Andy to talk about her new book, Alanis: 30 Years of Jagged Little Pill from Quarto Publishing. The book dives into Alanis Morissette’s music and career, as well as the challenges of navigating the music industry in the '80s and '90s. Andy reflects on how passionate storytelling has become more accessible with Technology for other authors through self-publishing and anybody with a passion can realistically put together a book. 

Rounding out the show, Andy and Shawn chat about upcoming media releases, including the new .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}