The Big Tech Show

Why does one fibre broadband package cost nearly twice as much as another using the same line? Are Irish households paying more than they need to for internet access? And do speed guarantees matter when choosing a provider? Adrian Weckler is joined by Irish Independent reporter and journalist Saoirse Hanley to examine the gap in broadband pricing across Ireland, with some fibre packages costing almost twice as much as rivals. They discuss rising prices after introductory offers, minimum guaranteed speeds, long term contracts and what consumers should focus on when choosing a broadband. You can listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts. Why you can trust the Irish Independent: learn about our editorial guidelines and AI useSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electricity bills are soaring and more Irish homeowners are wondering if solar panels are finally worth it.  On this week’s The Big Tech Show, Adrian speaks to Dr Paul Deane, Senior lecturer in clean energy in UCC, about the real cost of installing solar at home, how many panels most households actually need and whether batteries are worth the investment.   We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How safe is your crypto really? And what happens when your private keys fall into the wrong hands? Journalist and crypto commentator Monty Munford joins Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show. Adrian and Monty talk about how he first got into cryptocurrency, why he chose Ethereum over Bitcoin, and the moment he discovered £25,000 worth of crypto had vanished from his wallet. Monty explains the mistakes he made storing his private keys, how hackers may have accessed them, and what the loss taught him about online security. They also discuss how that stolen crypto would be worth far more today — and why his story is a cautionary tale for anyone dabbling in digital assets. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your electric car breaks down away from home? Do they have technicians to deal with them? And if you're in a very rural area, can you rely on breakdown services or might you be stranded? Darragh Nolan, multimedia reporter at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a recommender algorithm? Should they be switched off? And how do they create toxic narrative bubbles? Johnny Ryan, digital rights campaigner and director of Enforce at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online polarisation, Trump, Elon Musk, AI, media, Ireland and startups — Mark Little is thinking about a lot of things right now. In this extended episode, he lays out some bare truths about the state of the world and what his own plans are at present.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes Jeff Bezos tick? Is he a generational talent who will take us to the stars? Or billionaire tech bro living the high life? Christian Davenport, journalist who spent twenty-five years at the Washington Post and the author of the recently published book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.