This week’s stories and gadgets:

• Pittsburgh Shootout preview: Sorg and Katie prepare to photograph the independent Formula SAE-style event at Summit Point Motorsports Park after the former Pittsburgh Raceway property was sold for a data center.

• Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals: Katie arrives with McDonald’s crossover toys and begins the hunt for the complete collection, including Hello Kitty Godzilla, Chococat with SpaceGodzilla, and Kuromi with Mechagodzilla.

• TikTok voice-call warning: Dave demonstrates how TikTok users can make direct voice calls and explains why parents should review the feature. Users can go to Profile, Settings and Privacy, Notifications, and Voice Calls to limit notifications to no one, people they follow, or everyone. The calling capability itself may still remain available. See the settings reference used during the show.

• Drive through Google Street View: Hop Earth turns real-world map data into a browser-based driving game. Sorg attempts to create a Pittsburgh route while discovering that the experimental experience can be demanding on a computer with too many open tabs.

• Awesome Person of the Week: Dave celebrates Pittsburgh-area chemist Stephanie L. Kwolek, whose persistence and polymer research at DuPont led to the development of Kevlar.

• ChachiSays Video Game Minute:

  • Ohio is suing Roblox over allegations involving investor disclosures and protections for children.
  • A real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza experience inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s is planned for a New Jersey mall in 2027.
  • The FAA recruited more than 2,000 gamers as prospective air traffic controllers following a change in recruitment strategy.

• An AI Tamagotchi that grows up: Sweekar is an interactive AI pocket pet that progresses from baby to child, teenager, and adult. Its personality develops according to how its owner interacts with it, and it can recognize people, remember interests, offer reminders, tell stories, use an accompanying app, and wear collectible outfits.

• Apple’s possible camera-equipped AirPods: A video discovered inside a macOS update appears to demonstrate visual intelligence through AirPods. The hosts discuss the possibility of tiny cameras helping users identify objects and places, along with the major privacy questions Apple would need to address. The product remains speculative.

• AllTrails Hidden Tracks: Katie highlights Hidden Tracks from AllTrails, a collection of crowdsourced alternatives to heavily visited national parks and trails.

• Fandom becomes a business: A creator turned a niche idea involving Dungeon Crawler Carl-themed commentary and cosplay into a successful subscription project. The hosts examine the creator’s reported early results and the growing economy around fan-made merchandise and content.

• Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the SNES: The hosts play with a fan-made Super Nintendo-style demake featuring Wonder Flowers, Drill Mario, Bubble Mario, and a Bowser Jr. battle.

• Robots inside Hyundai’s EV factory: Dave takes the show inside Hyundai’s Georgia Metaplant, where autonomous sleds move vehicles between workstations and Boston Dynamics robot dogs assist with quality inspections.

• YouTube is changing how views appear: YouTube plans to align its public view counting more closely with TikTok and Instagram by counting a view when playback begins. Creator earnings will continue to depend on engaged Shorts views and watch hours, making engagement more important than the public total.

• Dave celebrates the iPhoneography Podcast passing 100,000 plays and shares highlights from a recent conversation with photographer Jefferson Graham.

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And don’t miss Sorg’s Game Pass tip to save $$$ before prices go up.

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In this spooky and tech-filled episode of AwesomeCast, Michael Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar delve into scary video games, cutting-edge mobile photography, and the latest Apple Mac rumors. Whether it’s surviving Five Nights at Freddy’s or enhancing your iPhone’s camera with Reflex lenses, there’s something for every tech enthusiast. The team also shares tips on when to buy your next Mac. Check out the links below for more info on the gadgets and games discussed.

• Spooky Game Night with Five Nights at Freddy’s and More:

• The co-hosts explore a variety of spooky games, including Five Nights at Freddy’s, Dead by Daylight, and Friday the 13th. Katie recounts her jump-scare moments, while the group laughs about in-game experiences.

• Five Nights at Freddy’s: This simple yet terrifying game keeps players on edge with animatronics coming to life.

• Link: Five Nights at Freddy’s on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/319510/Five_Nights_at_Freddys/ 

• Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th: Multiplayer survival horror games where players try to avoid being caught by a killer. Friday the 13th is known for its classic Jason characters.

• Link: Dead by Daylight on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/381210/Dead_by_Daylight/ 

• Vampire Survivor Multiplayer Fun:

• The hosts dive into Vampire Survivor, a thrilling bullet-hell game available on Game Pass and Apple Arcade. They share their experience playing together and battling through waves of enemies.

• Vampire Survivor: A fun, cooperative game filled with crazy power-ups and chaotic gameplay.

• Link: Vampire Survivor on Xbox Game Pass https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/vampire-survivors/9MV0J6R3T0CM 

• Reflex 240mm Lens for iPhone:

• Dave Podnar discusses the Reflex 240mm telephoto lens for iPhone, which enhances the zoom capabilities of iPhone 15 Pro Max to a 10x zoom. This lens is part of a highly successful Kickstarter campaign.

• Reflex 240mm Lens: Perfect for long-distance photography and macro shots, this lens transforms the iPhone into a professional-grade camera.

• Link: Reflex 240mm Lens Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reflexcamera/reflex-lenses 

• Apple Mac Rumors: New M4 Chips:

• The hosts dive into the latest rumors about Apple’s new M4 MacBook Pros and iMacs. They suggest holding off on purchasing a Mac right now to wait for the new models, which are expected to feature more ports and upgraded chips.

• Apple Mac Mini Rumor: A redesigned Mac Mini with the new M4 chip could be announced soon.

• Link: Latest Apple Mac Rumors https://www.apple.com/newsroom/ 

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