Notnerd Podcast: Tech Better

Nate Heath and David Baehler

Putting a "not nerd" filter on nerdy things. Each week we cover topics related to a better technology experience, including practical tech news, tips and tricks. Nate and David aim to filter through all the tech news to bring you just the stuff you need to know.

  1. 2D AGO

    Amazon Fall Event - New Products and Alexa+ AI

    Today, Amazon held its fall product event. With Prime Big Deal Days next week, they showed off new speakers, Kindles, cameras, and more. We try to make sense of all the products unveiled, as well as Amazon's Alexa+ AI. Plenty of other tech news to get caught up on as well, with Nvidia making big moves and, of course, a Stan Lee AI hologram. We've got some great tips, tricks, and picks to help you get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Spotify now directly integrates with DJ software (02:40) MAIN TOPIC: Amazon Alexa+ & New Fall Products (05:35) Everything announced at Amazon’s product-packed September Event Amazon October Prime Deal Days DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Spacialify any photo in Photos (19:05) JUST THE HEADLINES: (22:40) Shoplifters could soon be chased down by drones Elon Musk’s xAI offers Grok to federal government for 42 cents Apple CEO Tim Cook meets Pikachu during Japan visit Samsung confirms plan to make foldable displays for “Major American Company” Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day Spotify announces new AI safeguards, says it’s removed 75 million ‘spammy’ tracks Scientists find that ice generates electricity when bent LISTENER MAIL: Wes - What does AI in a TV mean? LG AI TVs (26:25) TAKES: New Stan Lee AI hologram makes its debut at LA Comic Con (33:00) Nvidia’s $100 billion OpenAI deal showcases chipmaker’s growing investment portfolio (35:40) Tile security flaws can let both the company and stalkers track your location (38:15) BONUS ODD TAKE: I’m Not a Robot - Neal.Fun (42:05) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  Snap Grip 4 by OhSnap! (48:05) Nate: SMALLRIG 22" Magic Arm Clamp, Overhead Phone Mount Holder Stand, Flexible Desk Camera Mount, Articulating Friction Boom Arm, for POV Shot, Filming, Light, Webcam, Action Camera (53:25) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (57:25)

    1 hr
  2. SEP 24

    New Meta Glasses with Screens, TikTok US Version, Nate's new iPhone, and more!

    Lots of tech news to discuss this week. Zuckerberg announced some updates to the Meta glasses lineup, but the live demo didn't work so great. The TikTok US separation deal may finally be nearing completion. Most importantly, Nate has his new iPhone 17 Pro and is ready to discuss. That and so much more, all to help you get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Nates New iPhone 17 Pro (03:30) Best OS 26 Tahoe Feature for Brave Browser (10:50) MAIN TOPIC: Meta has new glasses (12:05) Meta Connect 2025: the 6 biggest announcements Watch the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses fail in Mark Zuckerberg's painful live demo DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: De-glassify iOS 26 (21:55) JUST THE HEADLINES: (28:00) The Wizard of Oz is grossing $2M a day at the Sphere A New Solar Panel Shield Made From Onion Peels Outlasted Industry Plastics in Tests Interlune signs $300M deal to harvest Helium03 for quantum computing from the moon Scandal rocks international stone skipping contest Librarians are being asked to find AI-hallucinated books Astronomers discover previously unknown quasi-moon near Earth Taliban leader bans Wi-Fi in an Afghan province to ‘prevent immorality’ TAKES: TikTok’s algorithm to be licensed to US joint venture led by Oracle and Silver Lake (30:20) By some measures, TikTok has grown bigger than Facebook or Instagram in the US (31:35) Online marketplace Fiverr to lay off 30% of workforce in AI push (34:20) Inside the Jaguar Land Rover hack: stalled smart factories, outsourced cybersecurity and supply chain woes (35:30) BONUS ODD TAKE: Meet the 2025 Ig Nobel Prize winners (39:20) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  Itsycal (42:45) Nate: iPhone 17 Pro (46:50) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (52:10)

    56 min
  3. SEP 17

    Not Just Liquid Glass, Lots of Big Changes in iOS 26! Should you update now?

    Monday, Apple released the new versions of all its operating systems. Have you updated yet? There was a lot of news about the new Liquid Glass look, but there are plenty of other changes. Nate and Dave have been using the betas, and we discuss the big changes to iOS and your iPhone in iOS 26. Plus we have plenty of other tech news to get caught up on after the special episode last week! Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Apple Event Followup (06:05) New Apple Charger looks pretty good The new Live Translation feature also works with AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 MAIN TOPIC: Big Changes with iOS 26 (13:05) MacRumors iOS 26 Feature Roundup From Apple: New features available with iOS 26 DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  iOS tricks - avoid camera smudges and change your snooze (35:50) JUST THE HEADLINES: (43:20) Bathroom doomscrolling may increase your risk of hemorrhoids Amtrak’s new 160mph Acela trains take just as long as the old ones Instagram adds iPad support, finally New nuclear rocket concept could slash Mars travel time in half E-bike injuries are a massive burden, say surgeons Japanese town proposes two-hour daily limit on smartphones Sydney radio station secretly used AI-generated host for 6 months without disclosure LISTENER MAIL: From Chelsea and Todd - Amazon ends shared Prime free shipping outside your home (44:40) TAKES: Google avoids harshest penalties in landmark search monopoly ruling (47:55) Bending Spoons buys video platform Vimeo for $1.38 Billion (48:30) Opendoor board chair Rabois says company is ‘bloated,’ needs to cut 85% of workforce (51:35) Mark Zuckerberg sues Mark Zuckerberg (52:25) Microsoft Patch Tuesday, September 2025 Edition (54:20) BONUS ODD TAKE: Official Star Wars Galaxy Map (55:55) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Colorsoft Case, Lightweight and Foldable Protective Cover - Premium Leather (58:00) Nate: EOOUT 30pcs Mesh Zipper Pouch Bags, 8 Sizes Plastic Bags, 8 Colors Waterproof Pouches with slide fastener for Organization, Multipurpose for Travel, School Supplies, Office and Home Organization (01:00:10) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (01:04:35)

    1h 8m
  4. SEP 3

    Does Nano Banana put Google on top in AI?

    Google officially released Gemini 2.5 this week, with possibly the best AI name yet, Nano Banana. Many are saying this is now the top dog for image generation and spells the end for Photoshop. At the other end of the spectrum, Taco Bell is rethinking its AI ordering in the drive-thru. Plus, we get you caught up on the rest of the week's tech news. All so you can get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Mr. Beast Team Water (03:15) Apple Event - September 9th, 2025 (05:35) MAIN TOPIC: Nano Banana (06:30) Google improves Gemini AI image editing with “nano banana” model 10 crazy Nano Banana AI image use cases that will blow your mind Google’s official Nano Banana prompt guide Image editing in Gemini just got a major upgrade DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  Use built-in translation app as a foreign dictionary (13:55) JUST THE HEADLINES: (18:00) Florida deploys robot rabbits to control invasive Burmese python population Scientists unlock secret to thick, stable beer foams Rare snail has a 1-in-40,000 chance of finding a mate. New Zealand begins the search Your Word documents will be saved to the cloud automatically on Windows going forward World’s first 1-step method by US-China team turns plastic into fuel at 95% efficiency Humans inhale as much as 68,000 microplastic particles daily, study finds Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s engagement announcement breaks Instagram record TAKES: Taco Bell rethinks future of voice AI at the drive-thru (22:10) Nothing busted using professional photos as Phone 3 samples (24:10) Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features (27:55) TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers’ personal information (31:10) BONUS ODD TAKE: Snapshots of Kids Bike Jumping in the 1970s (33:35) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  DuoLingo - freemium (37:20) Nate: 2 Pack Anker USB C Charger with Foldable Plug, 20W USB C Charger Block for iPhone 16/15 and More Series, Galaxy, Pixel, iPad (Cable Not Included) (45:00) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (49:40)

    58 min
  5. AUG 27

    Google Pixel Event, hosted by Jimmy Fallon

    New Pixel phones and products were announced at the 2025 Made by Google event. But people aren't talking about the phones as much as the format and celebrity overload. After spending a lot of money, is Meta changing their mind on AI already? Subscriptions keep getting more expensive, and according to Google, AI is getting more efficient. That and so much more, all to help you tech better! Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) FOLLOW-UP: Dave Mint Mobile follow-up (03:40) Meta freezes AI hiring after blockbustor spending spree (05:25) Google to provide Gemini AI tools to federal agencies for 47 cents (06:15) Apple Event - September 9th, 2025 (07:10) MAIN TOPIC: Everything announced at Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10, Pixel Watch 4, & more (10:50) Watch the cringy event Google signs Stephen Curry to pitch its Pixel, health, and AI gear DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  Breezing through tens of thousands of photos on iOS (17:50) JUST THE HEADLINES: (22:50) HBO launches new Harry Potter immersive environment on Apple Vision Pro Most air cleaning devices have not been tested on people Serbian scientists experiment with mealworms to degrade polystyrene Solar panels in space ‘could provide 80% of Europe’s renewable energy by 2050’ Bank forced to rehire workers after lying about chatbot productivity, union says Nvidia’s new ‘Robot Brain’ goes on sale US Space Force's secretive X-37B space plane will test quantum alternative to GPS navigation LISTENER MAIL: Wes - Tesla/EVs depreciation - value/technology (27:05) TAKES: Apple TV+ subscription price increasing to $12.99 per month from today (33:35) Google says it dropped the energy cost of AI queries by 33x in one year (35:45) Oregon man accused of operating one of the most powerful attack ‘botnets’ ever seen (37:25) BONUS ODD TAKE: Dodge This (40:35) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  Ambient Weather WS-2902 WiFi Smart Weather Station (43:05) Nate: TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender, 2025 Wirecutter Best WiFi Extender, 1.2Gbps Home Signal Booster, Dual Band 5GHz/2.4GHz, Up to 1600 Sq.ft and 32 Devices, EasyMesh Compatible, One Ethernet Port (RE315) (51:25) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (55:35)

    1h 2m
  6. AUG 20

    Robot Sports are a Thing

    China held the first humanoid robot games, and it was...interesting. When will the robots take over? Plus, tons of other tech news to get caught up on. Tune in for some helpful tips and picks too, so you can get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) MAIN TOPIC: China’s Humanoid Robot Games (06:10) Tesla Optimus rival Unitree shines at the ‘World Humanoid Robot Games’ in China DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  iOS: How to move apps into folders without going crazy (13:00) JUST THE HEADLINES: (16:35) UK government suggests deleting files to save water Iconic US film company Kodak warns it may go out of business Kodak says it’ll figure things out and won’t shut down Hulu app to be phased out as Disney is ‘Fully Integrating’ service into Disney+ Bezos-backed methane tracking satellite is lost in space Norwegian lotto mistakenly told thousands they were filthy rich after math error US Navy backs right to repair after $13B carrier crew left half-fed by contractor-locked ovens LISTENER MAIL: Hey Grandma - Authenticator apps - We recommend Apple Passwords or Bitwarden. Authy is a decent mobile-only option (19:50) TAKES: Apple launching ‘redesigned Blood Oxygen feature’ on Apple Watch in the U.S. today (29:20) Forget Netflix, Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription (31:50) Sling TV’s new Day Pass lets you watch live sports and TV for just $5 (34:10) Duolingo's roller-coaster week highlights a crucial risk factor to companies (37:25) BONUS ODD TAKE: Cloudgazing.online (40:50) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave: Govee Hygrometer Thermometer H5075, Bluetooth Indoor Room Temperature Monitor Thermometer with Remote App Control, Notification Alerts, 2 Years Data Storage Export(Only Supports 164ft Bluetooth Range) (44:15) Nate: Anker USB C to USB C Cable (6FT, 2Pack), Type-C 100W Charger Cord Fast Charging for iPhone 16 Series,MacBook Pro 2020,Pixel and More(Black) (48:45) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (55:15)

    1h 1m
  7. AUG 13

    Time to Upgrade Your AOL Dial-up and more tech tips

    Yes, AOL dial-up internet is still a thing, but not for much longer. We reminisce on the "good" old days of the internet and how far we've come. Plus, we had some big news in the AI world this week and so much more. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) AI Stuff, should we cover more or less? Let us know in the comments (03:30) MAIN TOPIC: Pour one out for dial-up (05:45) AOL ditching dial-up service, a relic of the internet in the '90s and early '00s AOL Sound Board AOL Wikipedia Net Zero Dialup still kicking - maybe not, but they have a website The Commodore 64 is back DAVE’S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  Shared Photo Albums (17:30) JUST THE HEADLINES: (25:05) Starbucks asks customers in South Korea to stop bringing printers and desktop computers into stores Jellyfish swarm forces French nuclear plant to shut Astrophysicist proposes paperclip-sized spacecraft could travel at lightspeed to a black hole Microsoft sued for discontinuing Windows 10 support Autonomous AI-guided Black Hawk helicopter tested to fight wildfires Xerox buys Lexmark for $1.5 billion as print industry clings to relevance US to expedite plan for nuclear reactor on the moon LISTENER MAIL: Todd - Magnets and computers (28:05) TAKES: Here’s everything OpenAI announced at its GPT-5 event (03:30) OpenAI announces massive US government partnership - Anthropic is giving Claude to the U.S. government for $1 as AI companies try to win key agencies (36:20) Elon Musk’s xAI releases Grok 4 for free globally, challenges OpenAI’s GPT-5 launch (39:25) Reddit will block the Internet Archive (44:45) Microsoft Patch Tuesday August 2025 (46:40) BONUS ODD TAKE: Lex.games (49:25) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave: Amazon Kindle Colorsoft 16 GB (newest model) – With color display and adjustable warm light – No Ads – Black (51:10) Nate: Flat Plug Power Strip Surge Protector, 5ft Ultra Thin Extension Cord with 4 USB Wall Charger(2 USB C Port), 6 Widely-Spaced Outlets Power Strip Compact for Travel, Office, Dorm Room Essentials (White) (54:50) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (57:15)

    1 hr
5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Putting a "not nerd" filter on nerdy things. Each week we cover topics related to a better technology experience, including practical tech news, tips and tricks. Nate and David aim to filter through all the tech news to bring you just the stuff you need to know.

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