Sorg, Katie Dudas and Dave Podnar celebrate AwesomeCast 800 with a mix of brand-new gadgets, weird apps, AI-powered software experiments and a trip through more than 16 years of tech history. From Google Glass and Pebble to vibe-coded Adobe alternatives and an Apple Watch that literally points toward Taco Bell, this episode is both a look back at where we’ve been and a pretty accurate snapshot of where technology is heading next.

Vibe Coding Comes for Adobe—and Maybe Microsoft

Sorg takes ArtCraft for a spin, looking at its collection of creative tools, simplified video editing and AI integrations. The bigger conversation is about what happens when an experienced developer uses AI-assisted coding to recreate pieces of expensive subscription software.

The hosts discuss:

• ArtCraft’s simplified creative and video tools

• AI generation integrations and credit-based pricing

• Whether tools like this could fill the gap left by simpler editors such as Adobe Rush

• The difference between casually prompting an app into existence and having enough development experience to actually finish and maintain one

• The creator’s reported interest in building alternatives to Microsoft Office-style apps and possibly other subscription software

• Subscription fatigue and whether smaller AI-assisted competitors can put pressure on Adobe, Microsoft and other established software companies

• Sorg’s own experiments using AI coding tools to build internal project-management software

ArtCraft / FilmCraft:
https://getartcraft.com/apps/filmcraft

Background:
https://gizmodo.com/someone-vibe-coded-a-free-knockoff-of-adobe-creative-suite-2000823322

Microsoft Office alternatives:
https://www.tomshardware.com/software/microsoft-office/creator-of-free-adobe-clones-unveils-open-source-microsoft-office-excel-powerpoint-and-word-replications-autodesk-tools-and-other-subscription-based-services-may-come-next

Apple HomeView: Who Is the $299 Smart Display For?

Dave breaks down Apple’s new home-focused announcements, including updates involving Apple TV, HomePod mini, Siri AI and the new Apple HomeView.

The HomeView discussion focuses on its square display, Apple-style interface, home placement, FaceTime functionality and ability to recognize different household members. That last feature leads to one of the episode’s best practical questions: if a shared HomeView can know who is looking at it, why can’t a family iPad do the same thing?

The bigger question is price. At $299 before some mounting options, does HomeView solve enough problems to become a normal household device—or is this mostly for families already deep inside Apple’s ecosystem?

https://9to5mac.com/2026/10/13/apple-homeview-announced-features-price-release-date/

Katie Finally Discovers Where All Those Dropout Clips Come From

Katie’s Awesome Thing is Dropout, the independent streaming service behind shows she had already been discovering through social clips.

The crew talks about Game Changer, Smarty Pants, Dimension 20, the service’s CollegeHumor roots and why some of the programming works almost as well as an audio experience as it does on video.

For Katie, the revelation was basically: “This is where these shows come from.”

https://www.dropout.tv

800 Episodes of Awesome History

Then it’s time to look backward.

AwesomeCast traces its history to 2010, which means the show has lived through an absurd number of supposedly world-changing technologies.

Among the flashbacks:

• Sorg’s Google Glass era

• Talking about 3D printing in the earliest days of the show

• Google Stadia and wondering whether Google would eventually abandon it

• Debating Netflix, Roku and cord cutting back in 2011

• Pebble before smartwatches became normal

• Early ChatGPT and Midjourney experiments

• Meerkat and Periscope before live video became another button inside every social platform

• The chaos of Google+

• Vine creators and the short-form video era before TikTok

• Apple Vision discussions

• Old AwesomeCast clips that continue collecting views and comments years later

The retrospective also turns into a reminder that changes feel incremental while they are happening. Look back across 800 episodes, however, and the difference is enormous.

ChachiSays Video Game Minute

Chachi returns with three quick gaming stories:

• Eli Manning says Peyton Manning found a very Manning-like competitive advantage while playing Tecmo Bowl.
  https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eli-manning-admits-peyton-manning-230855059.html

• A real Lexus inspired by the Street Fighter II bonus-stage car is being given away.
  https://www.motor1.com/news/810970/street-fighter-ii-car-giveaway/

• Jay and Silent Bob are heading into the farming-simulator business with Jay and Silent Bob: Joint Venture, announced for Steam with consoles expected to follow.
  https://www.ign.com/articles/jay-silent-bob-joint-venture-trailer-gameplay?fbclid=Iwb21leAU2AShleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHlZ5vTYCOuFcL9tPfkTBTC8JeX7h7FRyv8Kkj6rNkz8Nj9FBUSswyO8qXI5a_aem_40PO5dnTmHpro9PXk_mSUg

Point Your Wrist at Tacos

The T-Bell Compass might be one of the most specifically useful Apple Watch apps AwesomeCast has ever encountered.

Its job is simple: show you the direction of the nearest Taco Bell.

Sorg demonstrates it in the studio, immediately inspiring requests for an In-N-Out version and possibly an entire Pittsburgh Taco Bell rating system.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tbell-compass/id6761598622

“I Need to Collect That Cat”

Cat Collector turns spotting neighborhood cats into a real-world collecting game.

Photograph cats you encounter, add them to the map, see what other cats people have discovered nearby and even turn your finds into iMessage stickers.

Naturally, Sorg has already found himself pulling over because there was a cat he needed to collect.

https://catcollector.app/

Normal Tools: A Site Full of Tiny Useful Things

Normal Tools is basically a digital junk drawer where everything is actually labeled.

The hosts browse tools for image conversion, CSV viewing, QR codes, aspect ratios, projectors, building calculations, game controllers, screens, batteries and much more.

The appeal is straightforward: find the little utility you need, use it, and move on.

https://www.normaltools.com/

Pittsburgh International Airport Keeps Experimenting

The episode closes locally with another look at technology being tested through Pittsburgh International Airport’s innovation efforts.

The hosts discuss robotics that can potentially help monitor terminal conditions—including passenger flow, cleanliness and environmental conditions—along with analytics intended to give airline teams better information during boarding.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1527880259386316&set=pcb.1527880329386309

Supporting Pittsburgh podcasting with the perfect pepperoni pizza:
www.SliceonBroadway.com

While the City of Pittsburgh may be in a state of self-quarantine, the crew can still gather on the internet! We've got Sorg, Katie, Ryan Haggerty, and Chilla on to talk this week in tech news, including:

• Katie is sharing her present and future Awesome Thing of the Week to help her get through her isolation - - Animal Crossing!
• More video game options - - Ryan Haggerty is sharing Castlevania Symphony of the Night as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
• Chilla's Awesome Thing of the Week is actually Scot MacTaggart and his great use of Zoom and Slack to keep people connected.
• Sorg is sharing Netflix Party as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
• Thanks to Amanda for sharing how to clean our Apple products!
• We're getting some really great updates on Apple TV (just in time for our self-quarantine) including Central Park from the co-creator of Bob's Burgers.
• Speaking of great options to cut the cord, there's a Beastie Boys documentary coming out, too.
• Among many things that have cancelled, E3 2020 hit the list. We're sharing some general thoughts.
• Apple's WWDC is getting ahead of the curve by moving to an online format.
• Pornhub is giving away free premium access during the Coronavirus outbreak.
• We're checking out Concept Board as an online whiteboard option.
• We're checking out some of the things content creators like Stephen Colbert are doing to do their shows without an audience.
• Can't go to the zoo or aquarium? A few places are live streaming options.
• Headspace and other meditation and calming platforms have free options to help people re-center during this period of uncertainty.
• Did you know you could share your digital movie library on iTunes?
• Nvidia is using spare GPU clock cycles to help fight COVID-19.
• KIVA is running a webinar to help small business adapt to changes during the Coronavirus shutdown.
• Looking for an app to keep you up to date with location-based news alerts? Everbridge is a great option.

After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Michael Sorg (@Sorgatron), Katie Dudas (@Kdudders), Ryan Haggerty (@haggertymedia), and John Chichilla (@chilla)

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the The 405 Media (@The405Radio), and Postindustrial Audio (@post_industry) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

It was rather fortuitous that Brian Crawford of the River's Edge happened into the studio on Podcast Day. What better than to get him set up with Sorg and Chilla as we talk this week's tech news, including:

• Chilla is sharing the Ring video doorbell as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
• Chilla is talking about the Ring doorbell depth sensor.
• We're discovering the networking opportunities with the Ring video doorbell.
• Brian is sharing his Fire TV Cube as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
• Brian is also sharing the Ignite Pro bluetooth PA system as an extra Awesome Thing of the Week.
• Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week is gaming related with some Twitch updates.
• Project Rush is now Premiere Rush.
• There's a sweet Mario Kart bar in Toronto.
• WIRED + Apple TV = A new way to watch WIRED content.
• Have some screenshots you're trying to clean up and fit into product demos on every Apple device? Someone has created a shortcut just for you!
• Chilla is talking about some interesting recipe shortcut scripts you can run on your devices.
• Have an Apple device? Their original shows may be free, as long as you're using the TV App.
• Chilla is impressed with Apple device parental control options. He's looking for Android to step their game up.

After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Chilla (@chilla), Brian (@RiverTalkPGH) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!

Sorg is all by himself in studio as he’s joined remotely by Chilla from Studio C and Alex Kahrs coming in from Long Beach. This week has some great updates following WWDC, including:

We promise we won’t be talking ALL Apple, but we will touch on some of the news and updates.
Alex is sharing Moovit as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Sorg is sharing Mega Man on iOS as his Awesome Thing of the Week.
Crossover options for apps is great – but, it’s totally up to the developer to make it happen.
Speaking of apps – Chilla’s Awesome Thing of the Week is news out of WWDC18 about iOS apps on MacOS.
With the Apple updates at WWDC18, if iOS can port over to MacOS – does that mean I can play Fortnite on my Apple TV?
Thanks to Mat Weller for letting us know about the Nerf War at Century III.
Sorg has been playing some BumbleBee on AR thanks to the recent movie trailer.
When Apple talks to us about upcoming upgrades, we listen – and we share.
Apple Watch will be getting some upgrades – including walkie talkie mode!
Viewing websites and menus on Apple Watch? Yes, please.
Will Apple TV be replacing your cable box?
Sorg is playing AR videogames while podcasting.
IBM is shutting down free plans on U-Stream.
Chilla is talking about some podcast implications for Just A Line.
After the show remember to:

Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com)

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat!

Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion!

Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Alex (@alexanderkahrs), Chilla (@chilla) and Sorg (@Sorgatron)

June 12th is a big day for us! It’s our 8-year anniversary PLUS our 400th episode! (We’ll be doing something fun for the occasion. You should join us.)

Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos?

You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast!

Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week!

Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST!