Katie Dudders

AwesomeCast 670: Those Are Not Pearls

January 17th, 2024  |  Season 11  |  57 mins 21 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

The group discussed new smart pepper spray that alerts contacts if sprayed via GPS, Google/Bing rewards programs paying users for surveys/data, and video tool CapCut providing free Premiere-like editing. They criticized CES 2023 for severely limiting sex tech vendors without reason. Apple is disabling certain sensors in new watches due to an ongoing patent dispute. Guest Kay of the multimedia production company Grind City TV expanded from TV to radio and print, focusing on independent artists and media training. They jokingly suggested sending wrestlers for this training while learning wrestling moves themselves. Overall an eclectic mix of tech and business, with a unique media perspective from the guest.

AwesomeCast 669: Big Floppies and Working on the Soft Core

January 10th, 2024  |  Season 11  |  56 mins 10 secs

accessories, ai, amd, ces, displays, engagement, entertainment, fashion, fitness, gaming, giveaways, humor, ice cream, iphone, laptops, media conversion, patreon, pets, podcasts, processors, screens, shoes, social media, technology

On this AwesomeCast podcast, the hosts highlighted several new innovations showcased at the recent CES tech show. AMD revealed a new processor able to run graphics-heavy games smoothly without requiring a separate graphics card. Automaker Shift introduced Moonwalker X shoes that allow wearers to glide along motorized wheels embedded in the soles. Asus displayed a foldable OLED screen for on-the-go use with laptops or gaming devices. The Klix iPhone case adds a convenient physical keyboard for easier typing. Cold Snap demoed a home ice cream maker that can create customized flavors in just 2 minutes. And startup Flappy presented a smart cat door designed to block pets from bringing prey indoors by using AI to assess what they are carrying in their mouths.

In terms of social platforms, they talked about Stimulus, which facilitates giveaways to drive brand engagement. And they praised updates to the Patreon app for simplifying podcast listening. Other topics included encoding old media onto modern computers, Apple Fitness add-ons, and injecting some humor regarding the show’s penchant for inadvertent double entendres. Overall, it highlighted innovations designed to enhance entertainment, convenience and creativity.

Fishing Without Bait 404: Filtered Reality

January 9th, 2024  |  Season 11  |  22 mins 56 secs

body image, filtered reality, influencers, media literacy, mental health, parenting, podcast, pop culture, psychology, self-esteem, social media, social media effects, therapist perspectives, tiktok, youth

Jim Ellermeyer and Producer Mike, discuss the topic of "filtered reality" portrayed on social media. They talk about how social media influencers and platforms like TikTok present an unrealistic, glamorized version of life that negatively impacts young people's self-image and mental health. The hosts criticize "wannabe mental health professionals" on TikTok offering advice without credentials. They advise listeners to consume social media mindfully, understanding much of what they see is carefully curated rather than real life. Jim shares his perspective as a therapist, noting patients have body image issues influenced by media. They encourage listeners to share their own related anecdotes.

AwesomeCast: New Year's Resolutions

December 26th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  13 mins 17 secs

ai danger, aspirations, clean up, code word, fresh perspective, goals, happy new year, label cords, learn coding, new software, organize, python, remove unused, treehouse

Sorg rearranged and cleaned up his podcast studio setup, including removing unused equipment, organizing cables, and labeling things. He recommends others with a tech/workspace setup do the same periodically.

Katie discusses implementing a "code word" system with friends and family to combat dangerous AI voice spoofing calls asking for money or information.

Dave talks about using a fresh perspective when adopting new software at work instead of just trying to replicate what the old system did.

Amanda mentions wanting to learn coding in 2023, specifically Python, through the Treehouse online courses and practice worksheets. She recommends it for anyone wanting to learn coding.

AwesomeCast 667: AI, Patents, and Pet Translators: Bold 2024 Tech Predictions

December 20th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  54 mins 41 secs

ai, apple, chatgpt, patents, pets, predictions, techpicks, twitter, video

The hosts recap their 2023 tech picks including erasable friction pens, under desk keyboard trays, and AI writing assistants. They review their 2023 predictions, discuss failures like VR platform death and revivals, before making new 2024 predictions about AI compute limitations, Apple Watch patent lawsuits opening floodgates, ChatGPT on marketing job listings, pet translators, and AI-generated video from images. They close by planning a Twitter meetup event to invite people to new platforms.

AwesomeCast 665: Pulling Cords Out Of Crevices

December 5th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  56 mins 51 secs

amazon, cables, cameras, cloud storage, gadgets, graphics, headphones, iphone, licensing, live events, loop deck, media, mma, playstation, stats, storage, technology, video production, vmix, wrestling

On this week's AwesomeCast tech podcast, host Mike Sorgatron is joined by media guru Katie Dudders, photography podcaster Dave Podnar, and musician kidmental. Topics include new Amazon gadgets like cable organizers and Bluetooth headphones, innovations in iPhone storage and camera capabilities, backups for purchased digital content, and production tricks with software like the Loop Deck and vMix. There's also discussion around the episodic nature of digital media libraries. The cast also touches on some upcoming entertainment events like the Jagoff parade, an MMA benefit show, and prospects for integrating stats into live wrestling production

Classic Fishing Without Bait 98: Meeting Laura Pickens

December 5th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  13 mins 55 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Jim Ellermeyer is joined by massage therapist Laura Pickens to discuss her philosophy of helping people becoming “unstuck” and the stresses stored in your muscles. Why we need to take care of ourselves first and how to change that thinking in parents.

AwesomeCast 644: Apps, Games and Doing Good

November 28th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  54 mins 58 secs

assassin’s creed, comics, drawing apps, gaming, geeky, giving tuesday, ifttt, ikea, iphone privacy, kidmental, music, netflix games, pittsburgh, podcast, pop culture, sketchbook pro, smart home, sorgotron media, sweet gamer abgh, technology, teenage engineering, yakuza, youtube mini games

AwesomeCast 663: Fill All the Holes

November 21st, 2023  |  Season 11  |  54 mins 8 secs

apps, authentication, cases, chess, duolingo, gadgets, games, giveaways, guitar, iphone, magsafe, math, news, passwordless, podcasting, podcasts, public transit, sd cards, security, technology, transportation, wallets, yubikey

AwesomeCast is a weekly tech podcast hosted by Sorgatron, Dudders, and Chilla. They discuss new gadgets and apps, share their "awesome things of the week," and cover tech news stories. Recent topics have included Dudders' new Hello Kitty iPhone case, Chilla's MagSafe wallet stand, Pittsburgh public transit improvements, using guitar picks to remove SD cards, YubiKeys for passwordless authentication, Duolingo adding chess and math lessons, and the hosts sharing what technology they are thankful for this year. The hosts bring humor and personality to their commentary on the latest consumer tech and apps.

AwesomeCast 662: iPhone 15 Cat Pics

November 7th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  54 mins 12 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

The AwesomeCast is a fun, geeky podcast hosted by Katie "Dudders" and Mike Sorg. In this episode, they discuss new tech like the iPhone 15, Meta smart glasses, AI innovations from companies like Google, Amazon, and YouTube, and upcoming movies based on video games. Dudders shares her experience with the new iPhone camera while Sorg is excited about the Ray-Ban Stories glasses. They also talk about new AI features like chatbots, generated ads and reviews, and safety alerts in apps like Waze. Other highlights include NASA's new free streaming channel NASA Plus launching soon and changes to Instagram messaging. The hosts keep things lively with their energetic banter about the latest in tech and pop culture.

Wrestling Mayhem Show 864: Patron Saints of Independent Wrestling

October 25th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  1 hr 31 mins

pittsburgh, podcast

The trio discussed highlights from WWE's NXT Halloween Havoc event, including new champions being crowned. They reminisced about classic wrestling theme albums and joked about having wrestler Harakas mist kids trick-or-treating at the wrestling studio for Halloween.

AwesomeCast 659: The Glasshole Next Door

October 17th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  59 mins 31 secs

ai, alltrails, cancer, cyberpunk 2077, earbuds, gaming, interview, local news, meta, news, playstation, podcast, social media, tech news, threads, twitter, voice acting, vr, xbox

Hosts Michael Sorg, John Chichilla, and Katie Dudas discussed the Microsoft-Activision merger and when new games may hit Xbox Game Pass. They also talked about AI being used to recreate a deceased actor's voice for Cyberpunk 2077 and the spread of Meta's new VR headsets being called "Meta Glassholes." Other topics included Threads getting an edit button, using social media for news, AllTrails' new National Park guides, Chilla's new wireless earbuds for VR, Katie talking about her cancer journey on the radio, and sources for local news. The hosts covered the latest tech and gaming news while highlighting cool new products and digital trends.

Awesomecast 656: Looking Fly in My Aldi Pajamas

September 26th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  54 mins 26 secs

accessibility, ai, aldi, apple, auction, chatgpt, clothes, dinosaurs, email, fitness, fossils, fundraising, gadgets, google, health, iphone, money, pajamas, pittsburgh, podcast, tech, youtube

This episode of AwesomeCast dives into the latest tech gadgets and news with hosts Sorg, Dudders, and Podnar. They discuss new iPhone features like live voicemail transcription, voice isolation for clearer calls, and creating custom stickers from photos. Sorg reviews the Wellitory app which analyzes Apple Watch data to provide health ratings and recommendations for better sleep, exercise, and reducing stress. The hosts also explore iOS accessibility features that allow you to record your voice before potential speech loss, and then use it for text-to-speech. Plus, updates to ChatGPT like new voice and image capabilities, though concerns remain around impersonation and fraud. Podnar demos Google's Bard AI extensions which summarize your personal info and activities from Gmail, YouTube, Maps, and more. And the gang chats about the complexities of purchasing dinosaur fossils, after Dudders learns skeleton "Barry" is being auctioned for over $1 million. They get tips from ChatGPT on fundraising ideas. Finally, Dudders raves about the new cozy Aldi-branded apparel line with sweatshirts, tees and pajamas perfect for working from home.

Classic Fishing Without Bait 75: Love is an Action Word

September 26th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  12 mins 14 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Jim Ellermeyer reflects on the words of Mister Rogers in a time of unrest and analyzes the Parable of the Good Samaritan from the Jesus of the Christian Bible. 

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." — Mister Rogers

AwesomeCast 655: Big Beats and Big Fans with Kidmental

September 12th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  1 hr 2 mins

appleevent, applewatchultra, assassinscreed, beatboxing, crashtests, creators, honda, iosgaming, iphone15, mediaproduction, musicians, newtech, ohioadventures, pittsburghpodcasts, podcasting, portraitmode, residentevil, roadtrip, techforartists, weirdroadsideattractions, windtunnels

The AwesomeCast podcast hosted by Michael Sorg and Katie Dudas welcomes musical guest Kidmental for a lively discussion of technology and culture. The show begins by highlighting Kidmental's musical talents, with him providing custom intro songs and sound effects throughout the episode. Kidmental demonstrates his impressive beatboxing and looping skills using analog hardware like the RC 505 loop station.

The hosts then recap their recent trip to rural Ohio, hilariously detailing their visits to strange roadside attractions like a massive empty basket building and a 24-foot tall cuckoo clock. Shifting to tech news, they analyze Apple's latest product announcements including the new Ultra Apple Watch aimed at extreme athletes and the iPhone 15 Pro with advanced camera capabilities like automatic portrait mode.

Sorg and Dudas share their hands-on experiences testing out Honda's impressive wind tunnel and crash test facilities. With helpful context and enthusiasm, they evaluate how the new Apple features could benefit media creators. Kidmental pops in with funny reactions as Sorg geeks out about playing console-quality iOS games on the go and directly recording videos to external drives using the new USB-C port. Overall, the conversational tone provides an accessible yet insightful take on how tech innovations intersect with art and culture.

Fishing Without Bait 398: Leveling Up with Jessie Notarius

September 5th, 2023  |  Season 11  |  16 mins 14 secs

athletics, behavior therapy, career goals, costumes, dealing with fans, doors open pittsburgh, female wrestler, feud, highland park, interview, jessie notarius, meditation, memories, mental health, mindfulness, mindfulness tour, paying attention, podcast, professional wrestling, social media, sports, tatiana the unwilting, upcoming match, valerie vermin, women in sports, women's wrestling, wrestling