Tech Talk - The Tech Podcast... for Everyone

Hosted by David Koff

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Mar 2026

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TechTalk is a podcast that's meant to help absolute beginners and non-technical people learn about technology in a fun and informative way. We don't talk over your head! Instead, we use everyday language to make sure that you understand all of the important subjects and challenges that we discuss. Tech is important: let's learn about it together in a fun and funny way. www.technologytalk.net

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29 recent

September 6, 202620 min

Episode #119: Meta Admits Defeat

Episode #119 So Meta has just settled a lawsuit with State Attorneys General from many states. They’ll be paying up to $17.1 billion. The lawsuits against Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms - because of how they have designed addictive platforms - has begun. I wanted to dive into this because the addictive qualities of social media is something that I have discussed previously here in writing. But today.. I thought a video would be best. Enjoy. Here are links to some of the topics I discussed. If you hit a paywall, use the Brave browser with filters turned on and - magic! - you’ll be able to read the articles. ➡️ ➡️ The TinCan phone system for kids 👍🏼 🔥 The NYTimes: Meta and YouTube Found Negligent Time: Meta downplayed the risks of their platforms ITU: Global phone ownership American Academy of Pediatrics: Smartphone Ownership, Age of Smartphone Acquisition, and Health Outcomes in Early Adolescence Bank My Cell: How many smartphones are there in the world? Pew Research Center: * How Parents Manage Screentime for Their Kids * Americans’ Use of Mobile Tech at Home & Abroad * Internet use, smartphone ownership & digital divides in the U.S. Reddit: Smartphone ownership among teenagers NetNanny.com - device filters and time restrictions for your kids phones Learn about cyberbullying and how to respond to it, with or without children Cyberbullying research center: Holding parents responsible for their children’s bullying Parents Being Held Responsible for their children’s cyber-bullying * Justia Legal Center * Alliant Law Firm This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

March 19, 20260 min

Episode #118: Spring Cleaning, Part I

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.technologytalk.net Most of us forget, digital spring cleaning when this time of year rolls around. Don't be one of those people this year! Join me today for a look on how to clean up your digital ecosystems.

February 28, 20265 min

Episode #117 - The Scams Are Coming. Still.

I can’t stress this enough. The tool that allowed me to be able to make the heart of today’s episode is 33Mail . Even though you always find a recommendation for them in my footers, please: use them . It’s the email anonymizer tool that I use when subscribing to anything . ONLY use email addresses you create via 33mail, not your own “normal” email, to help track, prevent, and then block SPAM. Here’s how: * Sign up for 33Mail using my affiliate link (thanks for that, BTW) * Create a username/email suffix. For example: SeahawksWin * Your new user name will now appear in ANY new email address that you create using 33mail: @ SeahawksWin .33mail.com * Now, whenever you sign up for a service - like NordVPN for example, another service I can’t live without - use a 33mail email address and add the alias “NordVPN” to the beginning. Thus your new email address will be: NordVPN@SeahawksWin.33mail.com This is, obviously, a new way to think about email. * Before, you RECEIVED one email address from companies like Google or Comcast or Yahoo. You then used that email for, well: everything. * Now, YOU, not those companies create your own new email addresses whenever you need them. Create and use as many as you like. ➡️ My advice: add the name of the service to which you’re subscribing - NordVPN in our example - into the email address that you’ll create for yourself on 33mail.com Then, if any spam should ever come to you from the email address NordVPN@SeahawksWin.33mail.com you’ve got two HUGE advantages: * You’ll instantly know which platform the spam came from, something that’s excellent for conclusively reporting back to that platform. * Stopping the spam only requires ONE CLICK to permanently stop it. Even better, that one click is right in the email itself, at the very top. Just click that and… ALL EMAILS from that provider is gone. Forever. For a deeper dive on this most favorite platform of mine, head over to Episode #3: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

February 20, 20267 min

Episode #116: How to Watch Videos That Won't Play

A reminder to subscribers: paywalls are erected on websites to protect digital media. Therefore, any methods for circumventing those paywalls violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), legislation that prohibits circumventing an effective technological means of control that restricts access to a copyrighted work. ---------------- Popular Past Issues: Which secure routers to purchase and WHY. How to remove your personal data from the web . My recommendations on the best VPN providers . My favorite, free tool to keep email addresses private. A crash course on keeping your devices updated . ---------------- Our Current Recommendations My e-book on home tech: “ Screw The Cable Company! ” The online backup software I use: iDrive (affiliate link ) The service I use to delete my data from the web: DeleteMe (affiliate link ) The VPN software that I use: Nord VPN (affiliate link ) The email anonymizer that I use: 33Mail (affiliate link ) The secure router I use at my home: Synology RT6600ax (affiliate link ) ---------------- Please visit the TechTalk Product Recommendation page for more up-to-date picks for best-in-class software, hardware, and services. These are the very same products and services that we own and use ourselves. Please read the TechTalk Transparency Statement to learn more about our strict guidelines on linking to the products and services that we recommend to our readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

February 16, 202615 min

Episode 115: Learn AI. NOW.

Friends, as promised in the video here are links to the products that I mentioned or used: The app I vibe coded: SoundQ - https://soundq.studio/ Google Gemini (free & paid plans): https://aistudio.google.com/ Anthropic’s Claude (free & paid plans): https://claude.ai/ Perplexity (free & paid plans): https://www.perplexity.ai/ - I got a one year FREE plan via PayPal, something they no longer offer, but… keep your eyes open for deals. Replit for vibe-coding your own applications (free & paid plans): https://replit.com/refer/matzoballSoup - my referral link helps me earn a few bucks, so thank you! Full transcript IS available for this episode. And that, friend, is a wrap for today’s episode. Thanks for being a FREE subscriber. For just $8/mo or $60/year, you can become a paid subscriber. That’s WAY less money than you spend on coffee in just one week and the high you’ll get, will last far longer… As always… surf safe! 👍🏼 👌🏾 Popular Past Issues: * Which secure routers to purchase and WHY. * How to remove your personal data from the web . * My recommendations on the best VPN providers . * My favorite, free tool to keep email addresses private. * A crash course on keeping your devices updated . Our Current Recommendations Below you’ll find links to the products and platforms that I personally use and own. These are all affiliate links . That means you’ll often save some money by using them and I’ll earn a small commission! * Eleven Labs , my fave platform for text to voice and more * iDrive , the online backup software my family and I all use * DeleteMe , the service I use to delete my personal, private data from the web * Nord VPN , the VPN software I use to hide my surfing from my ISP * 33Mail , t he email anonymizer that I use when subscribing to ANYTHING * Synology WRX560 , the top router made by the company I’ve used for years Please visit the TechTalk Product Recommendation page for more up-to-date picks for best-in-class software, hardware, and services. These are the very same products and services that we own and use ourselves. Please read the TechTalk Transparency Statement to learn more about our strict guidelines on linking to the products and services that we recommend to our readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

September 10, 20256 min

Episode #114 -When Unsubscribing is Hidden

Different browsers handle SPAM in different ways. Most email services today have robust and powerful filters to keep your inbox clean from junk. However… Some services flaunt the CAN-SPAM act - the law of the land here in the US - by not including a unsubscribe button on their emails or not giving recipients a “clear and conspicuous explanation” of how to unsubscribe . In today’s video episode, I’ll share a hidden method on how to unsubscribe from these emails anyway. Fun! And that, friend, is a wrap for today’s episode. Thanks for being a FREE subscriber. For just $8/mo or $60/year, you can become a paid subscriber. That’s WAY less money than you spend on coffee in just one week and the high you’ll get, will last far longer… As always… surf safe! 👍🏼 👌🏾 Popular Past Issues: * Which secure routers to purchase and WHY. * How to remove your personal data from the web . * My recommendations on the best VPN providers . * My favorite, free tool to keep email addresses private. * A crash course on keeping your devices updated . Our Current Recommendations Below you’ll find links to the products and platforms that I personally use and own. These are all affiliate links . That means you’ll often save some money by using them and I’ll earn a small commission! * Eleven Labs , my fave platform for text to voice and more * iDrive , the online backup software my family and I all use * DeleteMe , the service I use to delete my personal, private data from the web * Nord VPN , the VPN software I use to hide my surfing from my ISP * 33Mail , t he email anonymizer that I use when subscribing to ANYTHING * Synology WRX560 , the top router made by the company I’ve used for years Please visit the TechTalk Product Recommendation page for more up-to-date picks for best-in-class software, hardware, and services. These are the very same products and services that we own and use ourselves. Please read the TechTalk Transparency Statement to learn more about our strict guidelines on linking to the products and services that we recommend to our readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

February 5, 20258 min

Episode #108: The Fastest, Cheapest, & Bestest Way to Stop Hacking

Here are some links that go back to those episodes — or specific parts of episodes — where I provide a deeper look at 2FA for those who’d like to explore more. I’ve unlocked these episodes to allow free subscribers to gain access as well: Episode #12: The Best Free Tools for Online Security Episode #36: Multi-Factor Authentication Episode #42: Online Gaming & Safety Episode #59: Locking Down Facebook This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

July 9, 202419 min

Episode #102: Digital Emergency Preparedness

Hiya, friends. I’ve decided to step away from the darkness that is the privacy world we currently inhabit. Instead, for now, my plan is to simply focus on how I can best help my readers & listeners understand, navigate, and then protect as much of their digital lives as possible. Before we jump in today, a quick announcement: if you’re listening to this via one of our podcast platforms, you’re going to want to visit this episode on our Substack page for all of the links that we’re going to provide you. There’s no way to provide that in our liner notes or via audio during our podcast in a way that will be logical and easy-to-follow. Cool? Here's the link: https://www.technologytalk.net/p/episode-102-digital-emergency-preparedness ___________________________________________________________ Thanks for being a part of our community and, as always… surf safe! 👍🏼 👌🏾 Popular Past Issues: * Which secure routers to purchase and WHY. * How to remove your personal data from the web . * My recommendations on the best VPN providers . * My favorite, free tool to keep email addresses private. * A crash course on keeping your devices updated . Our Current Recommendations * My e-book on home tech: “ Screw The Cable Company! ” * The online backup software I use: iDrive (affiliate link ) * The service I use to delete my data from the web: DeleteMe (affiliate link ) * The VPN software that I use: Nord VPN (affiliate link ) * The email anonymizer that I use: 33Mail (affiliate link ) * The secure router I use at my home: Synology RT6600ax (affiliate link ) Please visit the TechTalk Product Recommendation page for more up-to-date picks for best-in-class software, hardware, and services. These are the very same products and services that we own and use ourselves. Please read the TechTalk Transparency Statement to learn more about our strict guidelines on linking to the products and services that we recommend to our readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

June 8, 202411 min

Episode #101: The End of Privacy

After almost FIVE MONTHS, I'm back with another episode, perhaps my last. The world of privacy has crumbled since I began writing about tech. Listen to learn more and then please: give me your feedback. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe

February 10, 202414 min

Episode #100: Taylor Swift, AI, & The Problem of Deep Fakes

For those interested in learning more about using AI to create deepfakes for the GOOD of humanity, I encourage you to check out the website I’ve been exploring for a few months now: HeyGen (affiliate link here ). You can try it out for free - yes, seriously - to see how it works. If you like it enough to make a purchase, and begin using the technology for yourself, using my link will earn me a small commission. But I won’t thank you for that: Richard Nixon will. Lastly, there’s this FABULOUS article from the Brennan Center about the push for legislation for A.I. and how the matter of deep fakes is of such national concern and interest. It’s very worth your time to read. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.technologytalk.net/subscribe