Advertise on podcast: Tek With Josh

EPISODE 45: MICROSOFT AND APPLE'S OCTOBER ANNOUNCEMENTS Magnetic USB-C, NVIDIA's Return, Siri AI, and Apple's $299 Upgrade Problem October is bringing some interesting hardware from Microsoft and Apple, but just because something is new doesn't mean it's worth upgrading. In this episode of Tek With Josh, I'm breaking down the latest announcements, looking beyond the marketing, and giving my thoughts on what actually matters. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT: MICROSOFT'S SURFACE LAPTOP ULTRA Microsoft is making headlines with its new Surface Laptop Ultra, particularly its magnetic USB-C connection. Everyone's comparing it to Apple's MagSafe, but there's more to the story. We discuss Thunderbolt, connectivity limitations, NVIDIA's return to processors, and whether this laptop delivers enough to challenge the MacBook Pro. APPLE'S NEW SMART HOME DEVICES Apple is bringing Siri AI into more of its smart-home lineup with a new smart display and the HomePod mini 2. I discuss the features, personalized AI experiences, and whether these products offer anything you couldn't already accomplish with an iPad and some smart-home automation. THE NEW APPLE TV 4K After nearly four years, Apple finally refreshes the Apple TV 4K. Faster processing, Wi-Fi 7, improved connectivity, Siri AI, and expanded HomePod speaker support all sound great. But with a $299 price tag, is there really enough here to justify upgrading from the 2022 model? As someone who's owned multiple generations, I have some thoughts. WHAT'S NEXT FOR APPLE? Rumors suggest another round of Mac announcements could be coming in November, including a possible touchscreen MacBook. I explain why touchscreen laptops have never appealed to me, even after owning a Microsoft Surface. MY IPHONE 18 PRO MAX EXPERIENCE I've been spending time with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and I'm already noticing some differences in charging speeds and heat management compared to previous generations. AND COMING UP... My new Mac Studio is on the way, and I'll be sharing my experience with it in an upcoming episode. THE BIG QUESTION: Are Microsoft and Apple delivering meaningful improvements, or are we reaching a point where we're paying more for features that don't really change how we use our devices? That's what we're discussing this week. Thanks for listening to Tek With Josh! If you enjoyed the episode, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss what's coming next. For more from me, including my books, podcasts, and other projects, visit: https://booksbyjosh.com I'll catch you in the next one!

🎙️ Tek With Josh — Episode 44GoogleBook, New SnapDragon And Josh LiedGooglebook Arrives, Snapdragon Hits 5 GHz, and I Bought the iPhone Anyway Joshua said he was going to wait until next June before upgrading his iPhone. That plan lasted roughly a day. In this episode of Tek With Josh, Joshua starts with the story behind his very quick change of heart and why an $885 trade-in offer for his iPhone 17 Pro Max convinced him to order the iPhone 18 Pro Max instead of waiting. It was not simply a case of wanting the newest phone. Once the trade-in value entered the equation, he started looking at how much value his current phone would lose by waiting another year and decided the upgrade made more sense for him now. The episode then moves into Google’s new Googlebook laptops, a lineup that represents something much more significant than another Chromebook refresh. Starting at $899 and reaching $1,299 across the first five models from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, Google is putting this new platform directly into premium laptop territory. Joshua goes through the pricing and hardware while looking at the bigger story behind Googlebook: deeper Android integration, Gemini features built into the experience, stronger connections between an Android phone and laptop, desktop Chrome, Android applications, and Google’s attempt to create an ecosystem that feels far more unified than traditional Chromebooks have. Joshua also takes a closer look at Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, including its 2nm manufacturing process and Oryon CPU capable of reaching 5 GHz. Qualcomm is also pushing much harder into AI, gaming, graphics, camera processing, and professional video capabilities. Joshua talks about the claimed gains in CPU, GPU, and NPU performance, along with features such as AI-assisted graphics, advanced mobile gaming technology, 8K60 video, 4K240 recording, Wi-Fi 8, and increasingly powerful on-device AI. The bigger conversation running through both announcements is how quickly the traditional boundaries between phones and computers are disappearing. Google is making Android feel more like a desktop operating system while Qualcomm is giving phones processing power and capabilities that would have sounded absurd only a few years ago. The hardware continues getting faster, but Joshua questions what consumers are actually going to do with all of that power and whether the next stage of mobile computing will be defined less by raw speed and more by AI, ecosystem integration, gaming, cameras, and the ability to move seamlessly between devices. Topics Covered Why Joshua changed his iPhone upgrade plans almost immediately\The $885 iPhone 17 Pro Max trade-in offer\Why Joshua ordered the iPhone 18 Pro Max\Why upgrading made sense for him but may not make sense for everyone\Google officially launching Googlebook\How Googlebook differs from a traditional Chromebook\Googlebook starting prices from $899 to $1,299\Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo Googlebook models\Premium OLED displays and touchscreen hardware\Intel Core Ultra and Snapdragon X Elite Googlebooks\Android apps becoming more important on laptops\Android phone and Googlebook integration\Continue On and cross-device features\Casting individual Android apps to a Googlebook\Gemini Intelligence throughout Googlebook OS\Google’s attempt to build a stronger Android ecosystem\Whether consumers will pay MacBook-level prices for Googlebook\Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6\Qualcomm moving to a 2nm mobile platform\Oryon CPU reaching 5 GHz\CPU, GPU, and NPU performance improvements\AI-assisted mobile graphics and gaming\On-device AI and larger local models\8K60 and 4K240 video recording\Professional mobile video capabilities\Wi-Fi 8 and faster mobile connectivity\How much smartphone performance people actually need\The growing overlap between phones and traditional computers\ Key Takeaway Googlebook and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 may look like two separate announcements, but they point toward the same broader shift. Google is trying to turn Android into a more complete laptop ecosystem while Qualcomm continues pushing smartphones toward levels of performance, AI capability, graphics, and video production that increasingly overlap with traditional computers. The question is no longer simply how much faster these devices can become. It is whether Google, Qualcomm, developers, and device manufacturers can turn that extra power into features people actually notice and use every day. And as for Joshua saying he would wait until next June for a new phone? Apparently that prediction had an expiration date of about 24 hours. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

Joshua bought a Mac Studio—but the reason has a lot less to do with simply wanting a faster computer than it does with AI. In this episode of Tek With Josh, Joshua explains why his growing use of AI agents pushed him toward buying an M5 Ultra Mac Studio. He breaks down how he currently uses agents for editing books, publishing, marketing, business ideas, analytics, and other recurring tasks, and why running more of those workflows in the cloud started becoming harder to justify financially. Joshua takes a closer look at his experience using Genspark for AI-powered book editing, including how quickly a single project could burn through credits once promotional pricing disappeared. He also discusses alternatives like paying for higher-tier cloud AI plans and why spending that money every month made him start considering something different: owning the hardware and running more of his AI workflow locally. That eventually led to the Mac Studio. Joshua explains why he considered an M5 Max configuration with more unified memory before ultimately spending more for the M5 Ultra. He breaks down the additional CPU and GPU cores, doubled memory bandwidth, and why he believes those advantages make more sense for the kinds of local AI models and agents he wants to run—even with less unified memory than the Max configuration he originally considered. The conversation also looks at Hermes, the local agent system Joshua plans to experiment with once the Mac Studio arrives. His goal is to build agents that can remember his workflows, develop skills, create specialized agents for individual tasks, track publishing and website data, help manage schedules and social media, and automate work he currently handles manually. The Mac Studio will also take over some duties from his Mac mini server while becoming a machine for video editing, YouTube production, and future projects across Books By Josh and Tek With Josh. Topics Covered Why Joshua bought a Mac StudioHow AI agents have changed Joshua’s workflowUsing agents for book editing, publishing, and marketingGenspark AI agents and credit usageWhy promotional AI credit pricing changed the equationThe potential cost of editing books with cloud AI agentsCloud AI subscriptions vs. owning local hardwareWhy Joshua wanted to run AI agents locallyM5 Max vs. M5 Ultra Mac StudioWhy 128GB of memory wasn’t automatically the better choiceCPU and GPU differences between the Max and UltraWhy memory bandwidth matters for local AIThe Mac Studio upgrade program and monthly costRunning Hermes as a local AI agentHermes memory, skills, and specialized agentsAutomating podcast and website workflowsUsing AI to track book rankings, reviews, and analyticsAI agents for scheduling and social mediaMoving Mac mini server duties to the Mac StudioVideo editing and content creationPlans for Books By Josh on YouTubePotential future Tek With Josh video contentWhy Joshua didn’t actually need a Mac StudioWhy owning the computing power made sense for his use case Key Takeaway Joshua didn’t buy the M5 Ultra Mac Studio because his current MacBook Pro was no longer powerful enough. He bought it because the way he uses computers is beginning to change. As AI agents become a bigger part of his publishing, business, analytics, and content workflows, continuously paying for cloud computing started to look less attractive than investing in hardware he could run locally. The Mac Studio is a major expense and certainly not something everyone needs, but for Joshua, it represents an experiment in moving from renting AI computing power to owning the machine that runs it. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

Apple has officially entered the foldable phone market. In this episode of Tek With Josh, Joshua breaks down Apple’s September event, including the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the long-rumored iPhone Duo foldable, updated Apple Watch models, AirPods 5, and the features that actually stood out from the keynote. Joshua takes a closer look at Apple’s move to silicon-carbon batteries, faster charging, improved thermal management, variable-aperture cameras, and the company’s growing push toward running more AI directly on the iPhone. He also explains why features like number swapping and improved sustained performance could end up being more useful than some of the flashier upgrades Apple showed on stage. The biggest announcement, however, was the iPhone Duo. Apple’s first foldable brings multitasking, Apple Pencil support, Dual FaceTime, a nano-texture display, and a new passport-style design—but it also comes with compromises. Joshua discusses the $2,500 starting price, reduced camera hardware, Touch ID instead of Face ID, battery concerns, and whether Apple’s first attempt at a foldable is enough to pull him away from Samsung. The conversation also covers the new Apple Watch recording features that could compete with dedicated AI wearable recorders, the lack of a new Apple TV, and why the Apple product Joshua actually decided to buy this year wasn’t an iPhone at all—it was the M5 Ultra Mac Studio. Topics Covered iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max overviewNew pricing and storage optionsSilicon-carbon batteries and improved battery lifeFaster charging and 60W charger supportLarger vapor chamber and sustained performanceApple’s push toward on-device AI and local LLMsVariable-aperture camera systemNew video tracking and cinematic featuresNumber swapping between multiple iPhonesApple Watch recording and transcription featuresAirPods 5 updatesiPhone Duo pricing and designPassport-style foldable vs. traditional foldablesMultitasking on an iPhoneTouch ID replacing Face ID on the DuoDual-camera system and foldable compromisesNano-texture displayDual FaceTimeApple Pencil USB-C supportBattery life on Apple’s first foldableWhy Joshua still wants a new Apple TVWhy the M5 Ultra Mac Studio was the Apple product worth buying Key Takeaway Apple’s September event finally delivered the company’s first foldable iPhone, but Joshua believes the iPhone Duo comes with enough compromises—and a high enough price—that it may not be the automatic win some Apple fans were hoping for. The iPhone 18 Pro lineup brings several meaningful improvements, especially in battery technology, charging, cooling, and AI performance, but the biggest Apple purchase Joshua made this year still ended up being the M5 Ultra Mac Studio. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

Tek With Josh – Episode 41 The Fold 8 Made Me Yawn Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. As a longtime Fold owner, Joshua was looking forward to seeing the next evolution of Samsung's foldable lineup. Instead, the announcement left him wondering whether Samsung is still leading the foldable market—or simply relying on its brand recognition. In this episode of Tek With Josh, Joshua breaks down Samsung's latest foldables, covering the new pricing, redesigned Fold lineup, silicon-carbon batteries, charging speeds, camera hardware, and the changes Samsung is marketing as major upgrades. He also compares the Fold 8 lineup to Samsung's own Galaxy S26 Ultra and discusses why competing foldable manufacturers continue to push hardware innovation while Samsung's updates feel increasingly incremental. The conversation also explores whether Fold 6 and Fold 7 owners should consider upgrading, the growing gap between Samsung and Chinese foldable manufacturers, and why premium pricing should come with premium innovation—not just minor refinements. Topics Covered Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, Fold 8, and Fold 8 Ultra overview Fold 8 pricing and storage options Passport-style Fold vs. Fold 8 Ultra design Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance Camera hardware and why it feels unchanged Silicon-carbon batteries and battery life expectations 45W wired and 20W wireless charging The new crease-free display Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra Samsung's software features and AI additions Why competing foldables continue to push hardware further Should Fold 6 and Fold 7 owners upgrade? Key Takeaway The Fold 8 lineup introduces several welcome refinements, but Joshua believes Samsung stopped short of delivering the level of innovation expected from a device costing over $2,000. Unless you're upgrading from a much older Fold, this year's lineup feels more like an incremental refresh than a compelling reason to buy a new phone. Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

Episode 40: Steam Machine Dead On Arrival? Valve has officially revealed the Steam Machine, complete with pricing, specifications, and a release date. The idea behind the device is simple: bring the Steam experience into the living room with a compact console-like PC that runs SteamOS and gives players access to one of the largest gaming libraries available. In this episode, I take a closer look at the Steam Machine and ask whether Valve has created a compelling alternative to traditional consoles and gaming PCs, or whether the price has already put the device at a disadvantage before launch. Topics discussed include: What the Steam Machine is and who it is designed for The impact of rising memory and storage costs on gaming hardware Steam Machine pricing and available configurations Breaking down the hardware specifications in plain English Why 512GB of storage may not be enough for many PC gamers USB connectivity and expansion concerns The realities of 4K gaming and performance expectations Whether 8GB of VRAM is enough for modern AAA titles Comparing the Steam Machine to current gaming consoles Comparing the Steam Machine to similarly priced prebuilt gaming PCs The advantages and limitations of SteamOS Why the Steam Deck succeeded and whether the Steam Machine can do the same The importance of value when introducing a new gaming platform The Steam Machine is not necessarily a bad product. In many ways, it delivers exactly what Valve set out to build: a small, living-room-friendly gaming PC designed around the Steam ecosystem. The challenge is that consumers are being asked to pay a premium for that convenience at a time when alternative options often provide more performance, more storage, and greater flexibility for similar money. Whether the Steam Machine succeeds may ultimately depend less on the hardware itself and more on whether gamers believe the value proposition makes sense.

# Tek With Josh – Episode 39 ## WWDC 2026 Is an S Year Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote has come and gone, and after all the speculation and anticipation, Joshua believes this was an "S Year" for Apple. Not an S-tier year, but an "S" year in the classic Apple sense—similar to the iPhone 3GS, 4S, and 5S—focused on refinements, optimizations, and incremental improvements rather than major leaps forward. In this episode of Tek With Josh, Joshua breaks down Apple's biggest announcements, including Siri AI, Apple Intelligence enhancements, iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and the latest updates to iPadOS. He discusses Apple's new AI-powered assistant capabilities, cloud-based image generation tools, performance improvements, messaging enhancements, parental controls, and the hardware requirements needed to access some of Apple's newest features. The conversation also explores how Apple's AI strategy compares to features already available on Android and other AI platforms, concerns about device-specific feature restrictions, and whether Apple's latest announcements justify the excitement surrounding WWDC. ### Topics Covered - Why WWDC 2026 feels like a classic Apple "S Year" - Siri AI and Apple's new agentic AI features - Apple Intelligence and on-device AI processing - Hardware requirements for advanced AI features - macOS Golden Gate overview - iOS 27 improvements and quality-of-life updates - Enhanced Messages functionality - AI-powered photo editing and image generation - Improved parental controls and child safety features - Faster AirDrop and file transfer enhancements - Apple's approach to cloud-based AI services - The future of Apple's AI ecosystem ### Key Takeaway WWDC 2026 wasn't about revolutionary hardware or groundbreaking new products. Instead, Apple focused on refining existing experiences, improving performance, and integrating AI deeper into its ecosystem. For some users, these changes will be meaningful. For others, it may feel like Apple is finally catching up to capabilities already available elsewhere. Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

🎙️ Tek With Josh — Episode 38LG Was Weird, and I Miss Them LG is gone from the smartphone market, but their impact is still everywhere. In this episode, I take a look back at one of the most experimental companies in mobile technology and why I think the industry lost something when they left. From the LG Wing and modular G5 to the V series, Nexus devices, curved displays, dual-screen accessories, and features like double tap to wake, LG was constantly trying new ideas. Not every experiment worked, and some failures hurt the company in a major way, but they were willing to take risks in a way that few manufacturers are today. I never used an LG phone as my primary device, but I spent plenty of time around them, setting them up for family members, following their releases, and watching them push boundaries while the rest of the industry played it safe. Looking back, I think many of the ideas we take for granted today owe something to companies like LG that were willing to be a little weird. What We Talk About Why LG’s departure from smartphones still matters The LG Wing and one of the strangest phone designs ever released The LG Rumor, Fusic, and other memorable feature phones The rise of the LG G2, G3, and G4 LG’s Nexus partnership with Google The infamous boot loop problems and class-action lawsuit The modular LG G5 experiment The creator-focused V series and manual video controls Curved displays and the LG G Flex Dual-screen phones, accessories, and other unusual ideas Why modern smartphones feel less adventurous than they once did Why This Stood Out Technology often moves forward because companies are willing to take chances. LG did not always get it right, but they consistently challenged assumptions about what a phone could be. Many of their ideas failed commercially, yet several concepts they explored eventually found their way into mainstream devices. The smartphone market today is more refined than ever, but it is also more predictable. Looking back at LG’s history is a reminder that innovation often starts with ideas that seem strange at first. Final Thoughts LG’s story is not just about a company that left the smartphone business. It is about a manufacturer that was willing to experiment, take risks, and occasionally fail in public. While their phones were not always the best-selling devices on the market, they helped make the industry more interesting. Sometimes the companies that matter most are not the ones that win. They are the ones willing to try something different. About the Show Tek With Josh is a technology podcast that explores the devices, trends, and ideas that shaped the tech world. From modern innovations to forgotten gadgets and industry reflections, each episode takes a thoughtful look at the technology that influences our lives. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

The PDA Era Was Weird and Amazing When Every Phone Tried to Be Something Different There was a point in time when buying a phone felt like stepping into a completely different ecosystem. Before smartphones became standardized around iOS and Android, the mobile industry was filled with strange ideas, competing operating systems, experimental hardware, and companies all trying to define what portable computing should look like. Phones were not just yearly upgrades back then. They each had their own personality, limitations, strengths, and workflows. In this episode, I reflect on the PDA and early smartphone era before 2010, a period where devices like the HTC Mogul, Palm Treo, BlackBerry Curve, and HTC G1 all approached mobile technology in radically different ways. From Windows Mobile and Palm OS to BlackBerry and Symbian, every platform felt unique. Some phones focused on messaging, others on productivity, and others tried to become full portable computers before the modern smartphone formula was finalized. I also talk about the strange features and ideas that made the era memorable: physical keyboards, sliders, trackballs, infrared transfers, removable batteries, wireless syncing, early multitasking, gesture controls, and experimental software features that often disappeared as the industry became more standardized. Looking back at these devices is a reminder that technology once felt far more unpredictable and creative than it does now. What We Talk About Why the iPhone 4 marked the beginning of the modern smartphone era The differences between Palm OS, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, and early Android HTC’s role in shaping early smartphones and Android devices Why BlackBerry keyboards were so effective for messaging Palm OS beam sharing and early wireless device syncing Slider phones, flip phones, trackballs, and experimental hardware designs Early Android manufacturer customization and unique software features LG’s influence on features like double tap to wake and rear button layouts Why smartphones today often feel more iterative than innovative The shift from experimental mobile devices to standardized ecosystems Why This Stood Out What made the PDA era so memorable was not necessarily that the technology was better. In many ways, it was slower, less polished, and far less convenient than what we have now. But it felt exciting because companies were still experimenting. Every device tried to solve problems differently, and every operating system had its own identity and philosophy behind it. Modern smartphones are incredibly capable, but they are also increasingly similar. During the PDA era, switching devices could completely change how you interacted with technology. That unpredictability made the industry feel creative in a way that is difficult to replicate today. Final Thoughts Looking back at the PDA era is more than simple nostalgia. It is a reminder of a period when technology companies were willing to take risks and build devices that felt genuinely different from one another. Many of those ideas disappeared over time, but some of the features we now take for granted started during those experimental years. The phones may have been strange, bulky, and occasionally frustrating, but they also felt personal. And for many people who lived through that period, that is what made the era so memorable. About the Show Tek With Josh is a reflective technology podcast focused on tech history, creator workflows, digital culture, and the changing relationship people have with technology. The show explores both modern and nostalgic topics through personal experience, longform discussion, and thoughtful commentary. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

Tek With Josh – Episode 36Running a Full Tech Workflow AloneThe Reality No One Shows Starting a podcast sounds simple until you actually try to build the process yourself. There’s this idea that all you need is a mic and a topic, and while that’s technically true, it skips over everything that happens after you hit record. The setup, the editing, the hosting, the planning, and the consistency—it all adds up quickly when there’s no one else handling pieces of it for you. In this episode, I walk through what that process actually looks like from my side. Not just the gear, but the workflow behind running multiple podcasts, choosing topics, recording without scripts, and managing everything alone. This isn’t about having the best setup. It’s about understanding the full picture and figuring out what actually matters when you’re doing this long term. What We Talk About Starting a podcast with minimal gear vs full setups My current recording setup and why it’s more than most people need Free vs paid recording and editing software Podcast hosting options and alternatives How I come up with episode topics Using AI for idea generation Recording without scripts and working from notes Managing multiple podcasts alone Transcription tools and workflow Analytics and understanding what works Why consistency is harder than it looks Why This Stood Out One of the things that doesn’t get talked about enough is how much of podcasting has nothing to do with talking. The recording itself is the easiest part. Everything around it—the setup, the planning, the uploading, the tracking—that’s where most of the time goes. There’s also this expectation that you need a polished setup from the beginning, when in reality, most people would benefit more from starting simple and learning the process first. The gear can come later. The workflow is what actually determines whether you keep going. Running everything alone also changes how you approach it. You start thinking less about perfection and more about sustainability. What can you realistically maintain week after week without burning out? That becomes the real question over time. Final Thoughts At the end of the day, none of this matters if you don’t hit record. That’s still the hardest part. Not the gear, not the setup, not the analytics—just starting and continuing when there’s no structure forcing you to do it. If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, you don’t need everything figured out. You just need a starting point and a willingness to build the process as you go. About the Show Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on real-world use, honest perspectives, and the role technology plays in everyday creative workflows. From hardware to software to the way it all fits together, each episode explores tech beyond the surface-level specs. Listen, read, and explore more at:👉 BooksByJosh.com

My Favorite HTC Phone The Phone That Made Me Want to Tinker There was a time when phones still felt like something you could explore. Before everything became streamlined and predictable, devices invited you to learn them, adjust them, and sometimes even break them just to see what they could really do. It wasn’t always smooth, but it was engaging in a way that modern devices rarely are. In this episode of Tek With Josh, I revisit the HTC Mogul, also known as the Pocket PC 6800, and talk about why it remains my favorite HTC phone. Not because it was perfect, but because it represented a different kind of experience. With Windows Mobile, a slide-out keyboard, stylus input, and access to software outside of a centralized store, it felt less like a finished product and more like a tool you could shape to your needs. What We Talk About What PDAs and early smartphones were like before the modern era The HTC Mogul and its place in 2007 alongside the first iPhone Windows Mobile and the flexibility it offered Installing apps manually and finding software through forums Watching videos, running emulators, and expanding functionality The importance of physical keyboards and stylus input at the time Battery swapping and the realities of older devices Why the device stood out compared to BlackBerry and Palm Why This Stood Out The HTC Mogul wasn’t just another phone I owned. It was one of the first devices that made me want to go deeper into how things worked. It gave me the ability to install software, experiment with features, and use the phone in ways that weren’t strictly intended. That sense of control and flexibility made it feel more personal. It also came at a time when the industry was still deciding what a smartphone should be. The iPhone was introducing a new direction, but devices like this showed a different path. One that focused less on simplicity and more on capability, even if it came at the cost of ease of use. Final Thoughts Looking back, the HTC Mogul doesn’t hold up in any practical sense. The specs are outdated, the software is no longer supported, and most of what made it special depended on the time it came from. But that doesn’t take away from what it meant when it was new. This was one of those devices that shaped how I interact with technology. It made me curious. It made me want to experiment. And it set the foundation for how I approached future devices, especially when Android made that kind of flexibility more mainstream. About the Show Tek With Josh is a podcast about consumer tech, digital life, and the devices that shape how we interact with the world around us. Some episodes focus on what’s new, while others take a step back to reflect on the technology that left a lasting impression. Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

Episode 34 — Why I Stopped Wearing My Apple Watch When Convenience Stops Being Necessary There was a time when the Apple Watch made perfect sense. It solved a very specific problem—letting you stay connected without constantly reaching for your phone, especially in environments where that wasn’t practical. It fit the pace of that kind of work, where quick access and subtle notifications mattered. But over time, that need changed. Not all at once, but gradually. The situations that once made the Apple Watch useful became less common, and the reasons for wearing it started to fade. What used to feel essential slowly became something that didn’t really serve a purpose anymore. In this episode, I talk about why I stopped wearing my Apple Watch and went back to traditional watches. Not because the technology stopped improving, but because my lifestyle no longer required what it offered—and what that shift says about how we use the tools around us. What We Talk About The original reason I started using smartwatches How work environments shape the tools we rely on Why notifications mattered more in certain roles The shift from constant connectivity to less dependence Why traditional watches started making more sense The difference between a tool and a distraction Why This Stood Out The Apple Watch didn’t become a worse product. In many ways, it’s better than it’s ever been. But that’s not always what determines whether something belongs in your daily life. Sometimes the value of a device isn’t about what it can do, but whether you actually need it to do those things. And when that answer changes, the device itself doesn’t need to fail—it just stops fitting. This is where technology becomes less about capability and more about context. Final Thoughts The Apple Watch still does exactly what it was designed to do, and for a lot of people, it makes perfect sense. But for me, it became something I didn’t need—a device that did more than necessary for a life that had already shifted in a different direction. And sometimes, that’s enough reason to put something down. About the Show Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on perspective, real-world use, and the ideas behind the devices we use every day. Each episode looks beyond specs and headlines to explore what technology actually means over time. Listen & Explore More Listen, read, and explore more at:  BooksByJosh.com

Episode 33 — The Mac Pro Didn’t Die — It Just Stopped Making Sense The Quiet Shift That Left the Mac Pro Behind There was a time when the Mac Pro represented something more than just a desktop. It was the machine you looked at when you wanted the best Apple had to offer, even if you never planned on owning one. It stood for possibility, for expansion, for the idea that a computer could grow with you over time. But somewhere along the way, that idea stopped fitting into Apple’s direction. Not all at once, not through a single decision, but gradually. With each new release, with each shift in performance and design philosophy, the Mac Pro became harder to justify. And when Apple finally discontinued it, it didn’t feel sudden—it felt like the final step in something that had already been happening for years. In this episode, I take a step back and look at how that shift happened. From the early days of the Power Mac to the rise of Apple Silicon, and what the quiet end of the Mac Pro says about where computing is headed. What We Talk About The original purpose of the Mac Pro and why it stood out The shift from expandable desktops to integrated systems The impact of Apple Silicon on performance and design How the Mac Studio reshaped Apple’s pro desktop lineup Why the Mac Pro didn’t fail—but no longer made sense What this change says about modern workflows and computing Why This Stood Out The Mac Pro didn’t go away because it was a bad machine. It went away because the idea behind it no longer aligned with how Apple builds computers today. That’s what makes this moment different. This isn’t just about one product being discontinued. It’s about a larger shift—from machines designed to evolve over time to machines designed to be complete the moment you buy them. From expansion and flexibility to efficiency and integration. And while that shift makes sense in a lot of ways, it also changes how we think about what a “pro” machine is supposed to be. Final Thoughts The Mac Pro used to represent the highest end of Apple’s lineup, but more than that, it represented a different way of thinking about computers. Bigger, more open, more adaptable. Now, that version of computing feels like it belongs to a different era. The Mac Pro didn’t disappear overnight. It slowly lost its place, until one day Apple made it official. And what’s left behind isn’t just a discontinued product, but the end of a mindset that defined pro computing for a long time. About the Show Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on perspective, real-world use, and the ideas behind the devices we use every day. Each episode looks beyond specs and headlines to explore what technology actually means over time. Listen & Explore More Listen, read, and explore more at: BooksByJosh.com

There’s a moment that’s become very familiar. You open a brand new phone, set it up, start using it… and almost immediately realize it feels exactly like the one you just replaced. It’s faster, sure. The camera is a bit better. The screen is a little brighter. But the feeling is the same. Nothing about it really stands out. In this episode, I talk about why that feeling exists and how we got here. There was a time when phones felt unpredictable. Every release brought something different. Some ideas worked, some didn’t, but the excitement came from not knowing what companies would try next. Now, things feel more refined, but also more uniform. The question is whether that’s progress… or something we lost along the way. ⸻ What We Talk About • Why modern smartphones feel the same year after year • The shift from hardware innovation to software and AI features • The early days of smartphones and why they felt more exciting • BlackBerry, HTC, LG, and Motorola’s experimental era • Samsung’s rise through feature-driven innovation • Modular phones, second screens, and ideas that almost worked • Why Chinese manufacturers still feel more experimental today • Whether AI is replacing real innovation • Why upgrading your phone doesn’t feel necessary anymore ⸻ Why This Topic Matters Smartphones have reached a point where they are incredibly polished, but that polish comes at a cost. When everything works well and looks similar, it becomes harder to stand out. That’s great for reliability, but not always great for excitement. This episode isn’t about saying modern phones are bad. In many ways, they’re the best they’ve ever been. But it’s about recognizing the shift from bold experimentation to careful iteration, and how that change affects the way we experience new technology. ⸻ Final Thoughts Phones didn’t necessarily lose their value. They just lost a bit of their personality. The weird ideas, the risks, even the failures were part of what made the industry fun to follow. Now, the focus has shifted toward refinement and software layers, especially AI, and while that brings convenience, it doesn’t always bring excitement. Maybe this is what maturity looks like for a product category. Or maybe it’s a phase before the next big shift. Either way, it’s worth asking whether we’re okay with phones being reliable tools… instead of something we actually look forward to. ⸻ Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

Breaking Down the iPhone 17e, M5 Macs, MacBook Neo, and Studio Display XDR Apple had a busy start to March with a wave of new hardware announcements, and in this episode of Tek With Josh, I walk through everything Apple released during its spring announcement week. From the new iPhone 17e to updated M5 MacBooks, the surprise MacBook Neo, refreshed iPad Air, and the new Studio Display XDR, there was a lot packed into a single week of product updates. Some of these announcements were simple spec bumps, while others signal interesting changes in Apple’s lineup. The MacBook Air gets the M5 upgrade with more storage and memory, the MacBook Pro lineup continues pushing performance with stronger GPUs and AI-focused improvements, and the MacBook Neo might be the most interesting device of the bunch thanks to its aggressive entry price for a Mac laptop. I also break down Apple’s updated displays, including the refreshed Studio Display and the new Studio Display XDR, which brings Mini-LED technology, higher brightness, and ProMotion to Apple’s professional monitor lineup. To wrap things up, I talk about the two devices I was hoping Apple would announce but didn’t: a new Apple TV and an M5 Mac mini. What We Talk About • Apple’s spring hardware announcements • The new iPhone 17e and who it’s really for • MacBook Air with M5 and updated pricing • MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max • The surprise MacBook Neo and why it might be Apple’s most interesting release • iPad Air with the M4 chip • Apple’s refreshed Studio Display • The new Studio Display XDR and its Mini-LED ProMotion display • Why I’m still waiting for a new Apple TV • Hoping Apple releases an M5 Mac mini Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com