Hands-On Tech (Audio)

Hosted by TWiT

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Hands-On Tech , where host Mikah Sargent turns tech troubles into tech triumphs. Each episode zooms in on a specific theme, unpacking listener questions with expert analysis and easy-to-follow advice. From decoding the latest gadgets to simplifying everyday tech, Mikah's got you covered. Submit your tech queries through email at HOT@twit.tv or via TWiT's social media. You might hear your question answered on air! Whether you're puzzled by privacy settings or curious about cutting-edge innovations, Hands-On Tech is your weekly dose of tech insight and inspiration. Join Mikah every Sunday to hear the show that turns tech confusion into tech confidence! You can join Club TWiT for $10 per month and get ad-free audio and video feeds for all our shows plus everything else the club offers...or get just this podcast ad-free for $5 per month. New episodes every Sunday.

Listen to episodes

20 recent

October 25, 202621 min

HOT 290: Protecting Yourself From Sim Swapping - Are Text Message Codes Safe?

On this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers a question from Otis, who relies on the 6-digit text-message codes his bank sends at sign-in but has started to worry about SIM swap attacks, and wants to know whether those codes are still worth anything and whether he can lock down his number at the carrier. Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord .

October 18, 202617 min

HOT 289: Understanding Email Tracking Pixels - Are Tracking Pixels in Emails Real?

On this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers a question from Lyle who wants to know whether a coworker can really tell when he has opened her emails. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord .

October 11, 202621 min

HOT 288: Understanding What IP68 Means - Is Your Device Truly Water Resistant?

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, Clyde, who is shopping for a new phone after his last one died in a sink full of dishwater, asks what an IP68 water resistance rating actually promises, whether it wears off as a phone ages, and what to do in the first few minutes after a phone gets wet. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsor: scribe.how/hot

October 4, 202615 min

HOT 287: Are There Risks to Scanning QR Codes? - The Security Concerns Behind Scanning a QR Code

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech , Barry asks whether anything inside a QR code can actually hurt you, or whether the real danger lies somewhere else, and what a person should check before scanning one out in the wild. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv , and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsor: NetSuite.AI/HOT

September 27, 202624 min

HOT 286: Shutting Down vs. Restarting Your Windows PC - Windows Fast Startup

On this week's Hands-On Tech , Lorraine asks Mikah whether her husband or her daughter is right about the difference between shutting down and restarting a Windows PC, and how often she should be restarting her computer and phone. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv , and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsors: trustedtech.team/twit joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

September 20, 202617 min

HOT 285: Are My AI Chatbot Conversations Private? - The Risks Of Sharing Information with AI Chatbots

In this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, Wendell asks Mikah whether his wife is right that typing into an AI chatbot is no different from a Google search, and wants to know where those conversations go, who can see them, whether they're used for training, and if any settings can turn that off in both ChatGPT and Gemini. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsor: trustedtech.team/twit

September 13, 202616 min

HOT 284: Understanding How to Recover Deleted Files - Can You Recover Deleted Files?

On this week's Hands-On Tech , Mikah helps Harriett understand whether deleted files are truly gone when the recycle bin is emptied, and whether accidentally deleted files can still be recovered. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv , and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsor: scribe.how/hot

September 6, 202613 min

HOT 283: Is Airplane Mode Necessary? - The Truth About Airplane Mode

On this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers Gene's question about whether airplane mode still serves a real engineering purpose in 2026 and what the smartest phone setup is for flying. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord . Sponsors: outsystems.com/twit NetSuite.AI/HOT

August 30, 202613 min

HOT 282: Why Does Every Gadget Need an App and an Account Now? - Why Your Appliance Wants Your Email

In this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers Joyce's question about why so many everyday smart devices now require downloading an app & creating an account, and how to opt out of sharing personal data without giving up the products' functionality Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord .

August 23, 202611 min

HOT 281: Incognito Browsing - The Truth About Private Browsing

In this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers Rosemary's question about what private browsing actually hides, from whom, and what it's really for. Send in your questions for Mikah to hot@twit.tv, and he'll answer them in a future episode! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord .