Home Gadget Geeks Jim Collison

Erin Lawrence from Tech Gadgets Canada joined me this week. We delved into a variety of tech topics, starting with the Birdfy Hum Feeder, where Erin shared her mixed experiences, praising the seed feeder but expressing disappointment with the Hum feeder’s performance. Moving on to the Kamado Connected Joe smart charcoal grill, Erin’s review highlighted its impressive capabilities, transforming her into a confident cook despite her initial reservations about charcoal grilling. Lastly, we explored the automotive tech landscape with Erin’s exhilarating two-day test drive of the 2024 Chevy Traverse, demonstrating how advancements in auto tech are rapidly converging with smart home innovations. Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg611







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #611 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







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Links







https://www.techgadgetscanada.com/review-birdfy-smart-bird-feeder-with-camera/







https://www.techgadgetscanada.com/birdfy-hum-feeder-hands-on-review/







https://www.techgadgetscanada.com/review-kamado-joe-konnected-joe-smart-charcoal-grill/







https://www.techgadgetscanada.com/2024-chevrolet-traverse-review-a-2-day-epic-all-terrain-test-drive/







Show Segments









* Show intro.[0:00]



* Hail storms in Calgary, Canada.







* Big thanks to Rich Hay for joining two weeks ago











* Bird feeders and Canadian treats.[3:53]



* Jim and Erin discuss Canadian treats and alcohol, including maple cookies, ketchup chips, and Canadian Club whiskey.







* Erin Lawrence reviews the Bird Feeder, comparing it to a previous poor experience with the Bird Buddy feeder.

In one of my favorite episodes yet this year, we catch up with Rich Hay. Rich talks about his decision to purchase a VW EV and all that he has loved about it (that was in preshow, now at the end). In the show, we catch up with Rich and talk about what he has been up to over the last 2 years. He talks about his purchase of the Vaonis Vespera Passengers and how much it has made looking at the stars so much easier. We also talk about how Jim found his idea of a pop-up drone security device that he has been talking about for years. We wrap the show with a little talk about the new Microsoft Surface. Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg610







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #609 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe







Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live















Find Us!







Join us in the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/







On Discord at https://theaverageguy.tv/discord















Links







https://vaonis.com/







https://vaonis.com/vespera-passengers







https://www.engadget.com/2020-01-08-sunflower-labs-drone-home-security-impressions.html







https://theaverageguy.tv/2022/04/23/rich-hay-and-a-new-role-at-microsoft-and-the-qa-community-hgg531/







Show Segments









* Leaving Microsoft job for full-time ministry.[0:00]



* Rich Hey returns to the show after two years, now at Microsoft as community manager.







* Rich Hay reflects on his 2.5 years at Microsoft, deciding to leave for full-time ministry.







* Hay plans to resume blogging and podcasting, focusing on technology and space topics.











* Podcasting, Microsoft, and space exploration.[4:28]



* Rich Hay discusses his role as a deacon, including baptizing babies and marrying people.







* Jim Collison congratulates Rich Hay on his work with the church and invites him to return to his podcast.







* Rich Hay and Jim Collison reminisce about their experiences as Microsoft MVPs and solar eclipses.







* Rich Hay plans to watch a total solar eclipse in north...

My guest this week is Gretchen Schoenstein, a half marathon enthusiast who has completed more than one hundred half marathons. With unwavering dedication and passion, Gretchen has conquered diverse courses, inspiring countless others with her determination. Join us as we delve into Gretchen’s remarkable journey, celebrating her as a light in the running community and those she serves who are suffering! Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg609







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #609 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe







Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live















Find Us!







Join us in the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/







On Discord at https://theaverageguy.tv/discord















Links







https://finishlinemoments.com/







https://www.benaroyaresearch.org/







Two Halfs Two Coasts Two Days







https://operationshootingstar.org/







Show Segments









* Tech gadgets with Jim Collison and Gretchen Schoenstein.[0:00]



* Jim Collison welcomes Gretchen Schoenstein to Home Gadget Geeks.







* Jim Collison and Gretchen Schoenstein discuss gadgets and technology, with Gretchen Schoenstein revealing a retro gadget for the first time in years.











* Leadership, career development, and running with a focus on overcoming health challenges.[3:15]



* Speaker’s 20-year career in leadership and talent development includes founding an organization to train women to run for office.







* Jim Collison and Gretchen bond over running, despite Speaker 2’s struggles with health.











* Living with autoimmune diseases, diagnosis challenges, and treatment changes over three decades.[6:56]



* Jim Collison shares his personal journey with autoimmune diseases, including being bedridden for six weeks and struggling to find a diagnosis.







* Gretchen describes their experience with chronic pain after a spinal cord injury, including the impact on their daily life and the fear-based way they lived for several years.

Marv Bee from ITBusinessPodcast.com joins me this week as we open the show with listener email. Some thoughts on routers, printers, Subaru upgrades and home server storage. We wrap the show with the question, “Is the PC dead?” Marv is not too sure, and Jim says yes. What say you? Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg608







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #608 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe







Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live















Find Us!







Join us in the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/







On Discord at https://theaverageguy.tv/discord







Save as much as $110 on your first 5 boxes of HelloFresh 







Use the code MQU328 and get $40 off any machine purchase and a free capsule dispenser. If you are drinking bad coffee – STOP. Great coffee, one cup at a time from people who really know coffee. Check them out at https://Nespresso.com and use code MQU328 and get $40 off your first machine!















Links







https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com







Show Segments









* Home automation and vendor pitches in the tech industry.[0:00]



* Jim and Marv discuss recent heavy rain in Florida and Nebraska.







* Jim Collison and Marv Bee discuss podcasting and industry vendors.







* Marv Bee provides insights on a vendor pitch competition and live broadcast.











* IT business podcasts, Wi-Fi issues, and router recommendations.[4:25]



* Marv Bee and Jim Collison discuss upcoming podcasts on IT business topics, including marketing and preventing burnout.







* Marv Bee receives emails from listeners, including one from Neil, who provides valuable feedback and insights.







* Jim Collison and Marv Bee discuss Wi-Fi setup and management, with Jim using PfSense and Marv using Ruckus and OpenMesh.







* Jim and Marv share experiences with different routers and access points, including PfSense, NetGear, and OpenMesh.







* Marv Bee and Jim Collison discuss Wi Fi issues at Jim’s shed, with Marv suggesting an access point solution.







* Jim is hesitant to make a decision, citing past experiences with Wi Fi routers and access point...

This week I have Gavin Campell, TJ Huddleston and Seth Johnson, hosts of the HomeTech Podcast at HomeTech.fm and we discuss the current state of the home tech market, including challenges and strategies for hiding technology in home theater installations, integrating various smart home devices and systems, and the benefits and drawbacks of robot lawn mowers. They also shared their experiences with USB power and cable management, highlighting the need for longer cables and the potential of battery-powered millimeter wave sensors. They emphasized the importance of standardization, seamless control, and user-friendly interfaces, while acknowledging the challenges of keeping up with the rapid pace of innovation in the industry. Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg607







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #607 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe







Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live















Find Us!







Join us in the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/







On Discord at https://theaverageguy.tv/discord







Save as much as $110 on your first 5 boxes of HelloFresh 







Use the code MQU328 and get $40 off any machine purchase and a free capsule dispenser. If you are drinking bad coffee – STOP. Great coffee, one cup at a time from people who really know coffee. Check them out at https://Nespresso.com and use code MQU328 and get $40 off your first machine!















Links







https://www.hometech.fm







Show Segments









* Home automation and tech with industry professionals.[0:00]







* Podcasting, home automation, and video workflow.[4:01]







* Home automation and retrofitting older homes with new technology.[7:36]







* Hiding technology in home theaters, including tips and tricks for custom integrators.[11:04]







* Home automation systems, protocols, and compatibility.[15:08]







* Smart home technology adoption and innovation slowdown.a href="https://otter.ai/u/-FwAl5xyxA5kcusOzQKZDYzBS6E?

Christian Johnson from MapleGrovePartners.com joins me this week. We open the show with some talk of the current state of hard drives and ask Christian what NAS he would buy in 2024. We talk about the current state of Wifi as well as some of the benefits of private 5G. We wrap it with a little AI discussion. Thanks for listening!







































Full show notes, transcriptions (available on request), audio and video at http://theAverageGuy.tv/hgg606







Join Jim Collison / @jcollison for show #606 of Home Gadget Geeks, brought to you by the Average Guy Network.







WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? http://theAverageGuy.tv/subscribe







Join us for the show live each Thursday at 8pmC/9E/1UTC at http://theAverageGuy.tv/live















Find Us!







Join us in the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaverageguy/







On Discord at https://theaverageguy.tv/discord







Save as much as $110 on your first 5 boxes of HelloFresh 







Use the code MQU328 and get $40 off any machine purchase and a free capsule dispenser. If you are drinking bad coffee – STOP. Great coffee, one cup at a time from people who really know coffee. Check them out at https://Nespresso.com and use code MQU328 and get $40 off your first machine!















Links







Private 5G







• https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/private-5g-revolutionising-manufacturing-industry-4-0/







• https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/private-5g-market-213955658.html







• https://www.cdotrends.com/story/3971/scrappy-tech-leader-you-thought-you-knew







Show Segments









* Tech gadgets, updates, and community support after a tornado hits Nebraska.[0:00]



* Host Jim Collison shares updates on recent tornado damage in Omaha, Nebraska.







* Jim Collison and Christian Johnson discuss Maple Grove Partners’ performance and hardware upgrades.







* Christian Johnson provides an update on the company’s uptime and customer base, while Jim Collison expresses interest in tracking hard drive failures and replacements.











* Web server storage and NAS options for personal use.