Category Archives: Podcast

Global Windows Crash Crisis: Crowdstrike Falcon Sensor Update “Defect” Disrupts Key Sectors Worldwide

Today, I’m addressing a significant issue affecting numerous Windows users worldwide. Reports have emerged of widespread crashes, commonly referred to as the “blue screen of death,” impacting various critical sectors, from transportation to banking and media.

I spoke with Sarah Julian at BBC Radio WM about the worldwide problems that continue to persist

Understanding the Issue:

The root cause of these crashes has been traced back to an overnight software update for CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor. For those unfamiliar, Falcon Sensor is a security tool designed to act as a sentinel for your computer, monitoring and protecting against malicious activities. A single corrupted system file from this update is causing Windows systems to crash upon booting.

Why This Matters:

Windows holds a substantial market share, with 72% of global computers running this operating system. The automatic update to Falcon Sensor has inadvertently introduced a fault, leading to these severe crashes. The update, once applied, seems to corrupt system functionality, causing the dreaded blue screen on countless machines.

Impact Across Sectors:

The ripple effect of this issue is profound. The update has disrupted services across various sectors:

  • Transportation: Both train and plane operations have been hampered.
  • Banking: Financial institutions are facing operational challenges, with payment systems affected.
  • Media: Broadcast systems have been affected, causing interruptions, including Sky News and CBBC.
  • Healthcare: NHS GP surgery systems are impacted, with reports of doctors having to handwrite prescriptions.
  • Emergency Services: Even essential services like emergency call centres have not been spared.
  • Airports: Airports, including Birmingham Airport, have reported issues with check-in services, and operations at the Port of Dover are also impacted.

Al Lakhani, CEO of IDEE, said:

“Many people might be thanking Microsoft for their accidental day off, but countless businesses are suffering due to Microsoft’s and their partners’ failure to maintain their services. This incident underscores the importance of businesses thoroughly researching and vetting their cybersecurity solutions before implementation. Microsoft clearly fell short in this regard, and we are witnessing a cascade of operational failures around the world as a result.”

“CrowdStrike’s platform approach, which relies on a single agent focused on detection, might seem good at first glance, but as we can see, it can create significant issues. For instance, agents require installation and maintenance of software on multiple different OSes, adding layers of complexity and potential points of failure. Moreover, agents can become a single point of failure, as a bad update can compromise the entire network, as seen with the SolarWinds attack.

“The lesson here is blindingly obvious: investing in cybersecurity is not just about acquiring the latest or most popular tools but ensuring those tools are reliable and resilient. This is why businesses must prioritise agentless solutions like MFA 2.0, which reduce the risk of widespread failures and ensure more resilient defences.”

Cloudstrike Falcon Sensor Blue Screen of Death BSOD Global Outage
Cloudstrike Falcon Sensor Blue Screen of Death BSOD Global Outage

Current Status and Actions:

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and stated that a fix is in place. However, this does not immediately rectify the situation for all affected devices. Many computers remain non-functional, and a manual fix may be required. One proposed solution involves removing the corrupted update link to restore system operations.

Security Concerns:

This incident raises critical questions about our reliance on third-party providers and the level of access they have to our systems. The Falcon Sensor update had kernel-level access, the deepest level of system access, which allowed it to cause such widespread disruption.

Tech Alert Windows Crashes Related to Falcon Server
Tech Alert Windows Crashes Related to Falcon Server

Moving Forward:

As we navigate this challenging situation, it’s essential to stay informed and take proactive steps to secure our systems. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available and solutions are implemented.

For now, if you’re experiencing issues, consult with your IT department or follow the suggested manual fix to remove the problematic update. Manual intervention is likely to be needed to address the corrupted system file causing the crashes. Stay vigilant and prioritise your system’s security.

The Gadget Man General Election Special Part One – We Love Hitchin Interviews – Alistair Strathern Labour Party Candidate for Hitchin Constituency

The We Love Hitchin Interviews 2024 were conducted by Gadget Man, Matt Porter, who is also the founder of We Love Hitchin.

Matt took the initiative to interview each candidate running for the Hitchin Constituency in the General Election, providing an in-depth look at their visions and plans for the community.

You can view the interview below or listen to the podcast episode by clicking the play-head above.

Introduction and Background

The interview kicked off with Matt Porter, the Founder of We Love Hitchin, welcoming Alistair Strathern. Alistair shared insights into his background and explained why he decided to run for this seat. His motivations are rooted in a deep commitment to the community and a desire to bring meaningful change to Hitchin.

Key Issues Discussed

Cost of Living Crisis Alistair addressed the pressing issue of the cost of living crisis, outlining his plans to alleviate economic pressures on Hitchin residents. He emphasized the importance of creating a sustainable economic environment that supports all citizens.

NHS and Healthcare Healthcare was another major topic. Alistair spoke passionately about his vision for improving NHS services, ensuring that healthcare is accessible and efficient for everyone in the constituency.

Economy Discussing the economy, Alistair highlighted strategies for economic growth and stability. His plans focus on supporting local businesses and creating job opportunities to boost the local economy.

Climate Change and Environment On environmental issues, Alistair shared his approach to tackling climate change and promoting sustainability. His vision includes implementing green initiatives and supporting eco-friendly policies.

Crime Alistair also talked about measures to enhance safety and reduce crime in Hitchin. He stressed the need for a robust policing strategy and community engagement to create a safer environment.

Housing Addressing housing issues, Alistair discussed his plans to increase affordable housing and improve living conditions for all residents. He highlighted the importance of providing quality housing to support a thriving community.

Roads Infrastructure and road maintenance were also on the agenda. Alistair outlined his proposals for improving the condition of roads and ensuring better connectivity within Hitchin.

Community Questions

Public Ownership of Water Companies Andrea, a community member, asked about Alistair’s stance on bringing water companies back into public ownership. Alistair expressed his support for this move, emphasizing the importance of keeping essential resources under public control.

AI Safety Martin raised concerns about artificial intelligence and its safe use. Alistair acknowledged the potential risks of AI and advocated for stringent regulations to ensure it is used responsibly.

Gaza War and Palestine Recognition Nyland and Lauren asked about providing assistance in the Gaza conflict and recognizing Palestine as an independent state. Alistair shared his views on international policy and humanitarian aid, emphasizing the need for a balanced and compassionate approach.

Support for Special Needs Children Vanessa and Nicola, who have special needs children, asked about support for SEN families. Alistair pledged to improve resources and funding for special needs education and social care, aiming to provide better support for these vulnerable families.

Closing Remarks

In his closing remarks, Alistair Strathern appealed to the voters, highlighting his dedication to representing Hitchin and addressing its key issues. He urged the community to vote for him on the 4th of July, promising to work tirelessly for a fairer and more inclusive future.


Election Results for Hitchin Constituency 2024

The General Election results for the Hitchin Constituency have been announced. Here are the final tallies:

  • Bim Afolami (The Conservative Party Candidate): 14,958 votes
  • Charles Bunker (Reform UK): 6,760 votes
  • Sid Cordle (Christian Peoples Alliance): 181 votes
  • Will Lavin (Green Party): 2,631 votes
  • Chris Lucas (Liberal Democrats): 4,913 votes
  • Alistair Strathern (Labour Party): 23,067 votes – Elected

Congratulations to Alistair Strathern MP, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Hitchin! His victory marks a significant shift in the constituency, and we look forward to seeing his plans for Hitchin come to fruition.

Watch and Listen

Don’t miss the full interview with Alistair Strathern! Watch it on our YouTube channel and listen to the podcast episode available on all major platforms. Your support and engagement help us bring more insightful content and coverage of important local issues.

Stay tuned for more updates and interviews on The Gadget Man and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.

JOBY and Casey Neistat Raise the Volume with the Ultimate Creator Contest that Showcases the Wavo PRO Mic

JOBY, the go-to brand for content creator gear, announces its collaboration with the multimillion-subscriber YouTube personality and vlogging godfather, Casey Neistat, to shine a light on the JOBY Wavo PRO shotgun microphone. The new go-to, on-camera mic built for storytellers, filmmakers and expert content creators combines broadcast-level audio performance with superior voice intelligibility.

JOBY, being a brand that stands for creators, teamed up with world-renowned content creator Casey Neistat to launch the contest of a lifetime. The competition gives the next generation of storytellers around the globe the chance to achieve their dream of becoming the next top creator, thanks to the top prize being not only the chance to co-create a video with the one and only Neistat but to have it featured on his YouTube channel.

During the contest, running from September 15th to October 17th across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and India, JOBY and Casey will invite the community to share their most creative and original video ever realized. The mechanics to participate are designed to reflect JOBY’s iconic simplicity: just a few simple steps to great creator possibility!

  • Step 1: Creators simply fill out a form on the contest landing page or JOBY social media channels
  • Step 2: Submit a link to their most creative and original video ever created
  • Step 3: Follow @JOBYinc on Instagram to stay up to date.
  • Step 4: Win endless prizes and the chance to co-create with Neistat

The top 5 winners will celebrate with an all-inclusive trip to a secret location in the United States for the ultimate creator experience: working alongside Casey to create a video with Wavo PRO and all its features. The video will be featured on Neistat’s YouTube page on November 23rd, reaching his current 12.4 million subscribers. To further connect creators with JOBY products, the next best 95 creators will win $100K worth of products and discounts to help them upgrade their content creation.

However, the prizes don’t stop there: together with the 100 winners that will be announced on October 28th, JOBY will extract an additional four bonus winners for five consecutive Wednesdays, starting September 19th, for weekly prizes in order to help creators to level up their content right away.

As a brand, JOBY has always supported creators in uplifting their creativity thanks to the development of quality products that simplify workflow, make delivering content easy and ensure fun along the way. JOBY’s ‘born by listening to creators’ mantra, developed in the 2020 Song of Us Campaign, was equally leveraged in the newest JOBY Wavo mic lineup, enabling JOBY to further connect with its global community.

Rock your audio with Casey and Wavo Pro
Rock your audio with Casey and Wavo Pro

The flagship product of the JOBY Wavo lineup, released in January 2022, Wavo PRO, is the ultimate professional on-camera microphone for creators and filmmakers. The new audio range provides creators like Neistat with crisper and clearer sound for pro-level content.

The Wavo PRO is packed with features like Active Noise Reduction for clearer sound, built-in LEDs that monitor battery and audio levels in real-time, a second built-in mi input and more. The Wavo PRO is designed to equip creators like Neistat with top-notch quality gear for amazing content. Through the contest, JOBY aims to reach a wider creator audience, helping to uplift their content creator potential.

Beyond the flagship Wavo PRO, JOBY has microphones that can be used in a variety of scenarios by all creators – whether just starting out or already established.

  • The Wavo PRO DS is the perfect companion for those just starting out.  This shotgun microphone shares most of the pro-grade components of the flagship Wavo PRO, but is designed to deliver high-quality audio with a more streamlined user experience.
  • The Wavo AIR is an ‘instant-pairing’ wireless microphone kit designed for creators who need freedom in front of the camera. From food vloggers to virtual fitness instructors, Wavo AIR is perfect for delivering tight, broadcast-quality sound – even at a distance.
  • Wavo POD is JOBY’s large-diaphragm, USB condenser microphone for audio streamers. The mic is designed for the everyday podcaster or game streamer, featuring the versatility of both cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns with 24bit/48kHz high-res sampling rates.
  • The Wavo Lav PRO is a pro-grade lavalier mic designed for big sound with a small footprint. The Wavo Lav PRO introduces a high-quality lavalier microphone with discreet capsule dimensions and sound fit for the Wavo PRO.
  • More microphones are set to come this year, so stay tuned!

To learn more about the competition and JOBY check out the campaign, now live.

Gadget Man – Episode 172 – Cat S42 Smartphone

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of talking to Tim Shepherd, Senior Director of Bullitt Group. Bullitt is the sole manufacturer and license holder of CAT Smartphones and Feature-phones.

You can also read the announcement of the CAT S42 Smartphone

The S42 can be cleaned with soap and water
The S42 can be cleaned with soap and water

During the interview, Tim talks in-depth about the ‘Anti-Microbial’ CAT S42 Smartphone which is the world’s first Anti-Bacterial Phone.

You can listen in to the interview in full and if you would like to read about the new device, read out blog-post here.

The CAT S42 Smartphone is currently available to purchase for £228 from Rugged Mobiles the new Anti-Microbial version will be available in early 2021.

 

New Podcast Series explores Shakespeare’s place in the 21st Century

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the independent charity that promotes the works, life and times of William Shakespeare in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, is launching a new podcast series exploring Shakespeare’s place in the modern world.

Titled Shakespeare Alive, the six-part podcast series launches on Tuesday, 17 November and is hosted by the Trust’s Shakespeare experts Dr Paul Edmondson and Dr Anjna Chouhan. Taking a fresh perspective on conversations about Shakespeare, Paul and Anjna’s guests include theatre professionals and artists from around the world discussing their relationships with Shakespeare, and his relevance in society today.

Thanks to support from Arts Council England, Shakespeare Alive is available for free and is accessible across a number of podcast platforms including Apple, Google and Spotify, and on the Trust’s website shakespeare.org.uk/shakespeare-alive.

Kicking-off the series is a captivating discussion about multi-racial casting in Shakespeare, featuring Dr Farah Karim-Cooper of Shakespeare’s Globe. In this first episode, Karim-Cooper’s discussion includes considering the treatment of race in Shakespeare’s plays and how this might be interpreted by audiences.

Paul Taylor, acting director of cultural engagement at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has emphasised a need to adapt and explore new ways of connecting with audiences via digital channels. With the support of Arts Council England, we are pleased to be able to produce digital content that brings Shakespeare’s culture and his continuing relevance to a contemporary audience in the comfort of their homes. We hope that this podcast will be a compelling source of interest and inspiration to our listeners, especially during these challenging times.”

New podcast series explores Shakespeare’s place in the 21st century
Shakespeare Alive is available for free and is accessible across a number of podcast platforms

Shakespeare Alive episode guide:

Shakespeare and Race, with Dr Farah Karim-Cooper – Shakespeare’s Globe

Dr Farah Karim-Cooper, Head of Higher Education and Research at Shakespeare’s Globe, talks to Paul Edmondson about her first encounter with Shakespeare, her experiences of academia and her work on the Shakespeare and Race festival.

Illustrating Shakespeare, with Mya Gosling – Good Tickle Brain

Mastermind of the comic brand, Good Tickle Brain, Mya Gosling talks to Anjna Chouhan about breaking down barriers and making Shakespeare accessible and fun, through irreverence and illustration.

Becoming Othello, with Debra Ann Byrd – The Harlem Shakespeare Festival

The Artistic Director of the Harlem Shakespeare Festival talks to Paul Edmondson about why she founded her company, and the inspiration for her important memoir: Becoming Othello, A Black Girl’s Journey.

Resurrecting Shakespeare, with Victoria Baumgartner – Will & Co

Founder of theatre company Will & Co, Victoria Baumgartner, talks to Anjna Chouhan about her successful play, Will, and all about her ground-breaking project, Bard in the Yard, to bring Shakespeare to audiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Directing Shakespeare, with Gregory Doran – The Royal Shakespeare Company

The Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Gregory Doran, talks to Paul Edmondson about what made him a Shakespearian and what that means to him personally, and to the company. They also discuss cross-gendered casting, and how theatrical performance brings Shakespeare to life in our own time and culture.

Reviewing Shakespeare, with Nathan and Simon Dowling – The Break a Leggers

YouTube vlogging sensations, Nathan and Simon Dowling of The Break a Leggers, talk to Anjna Chouhan about their experiences of reviewing theatre and their expectations of watching live Shakespeare in the modern world.

Shakespeare Alive is produced by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and supported by Arts Council England. For more information, see www.shakespeare.org.uk/shakespeare-alive

Gadget Man – Episode 170 – Cat S62 Pro with Thermal Imaging, Humax Aura 4K Freeview Box and problems with Ring

Welcome to Gadget Man Episode 170, here I talk to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the CAT S62 Pro mobile phone with FLIR thermal imaging camera, the Humax Aura Android TV 4K Freeview Play Recorder, and the issues that some owners of Ring doorbells have been experiencing due to incorrect installation.

Cat S62 Pro FLIR Lepton Thermal Imaging Camera
Cat S62 Pro FLIR Lepton Thermal Imaging Camera

I will be adding full reviews of the CAT S62 Pro and Humax Aura over the coming days.

The Humax Aura 4K Freeview  can be purchased through Amazon here

The CAT S62 Pro can also be purchased from Rugged Mobiles

We earn a commission from Amazon for sales made through our links.


Stay well
Matt

Gadget Man – Episode 168 – Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit – Covid Track and Trace – Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush – iPhone 12

This is the slightly delayed episode from 15th October 2020. Packed with lots of news and comment. Here I discuss the Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit Package , Covid Track and Trace, the Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush and the iPhone 12 (in four different sizes!).

You can listen in to the recording above or subscribe using your favourite podcast player. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, share or comment! See you presently! Matt.

Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush
Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush
Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit
Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit
Apple iPhone12, iPhone12 Pro, iPad Air
Apple iPhone12, iPhone12 Pro, iPad Air – Image Apple Inc

 

Gadget Man – Episode 167 – Kebao Air 3 – Game Changing Air Purification arrives in the UK

Having spent the summer starting new businesses, building websites and gadgets, as well as building global distribution networks and running the home for a short while, I return with my latest review and podcast episode.

This week I am talking to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the NHS England Track and Trace App (part ii) and most excitingly, my experience with the Kebao Air 3 which is a truly futuristic gadget!

Listen in to the stream and read on to find out more about the Kebao Air 3 Air Purifer.

Kebao Air 3: Game-Changing air purification comes to the UK!

Poor air quality has become one of the largest environmental risks to the health of people of the United Kingdom and with the Coronavirus Pandemic, it has become more important than ever that we breathe healthy air that is free from harmful particles and unpleasant viruses.

So, it was incredibly timely that I was recently contacted by Kebao to test their new ‘filterless’ air purifier, namely the Kebao Air 3.

The Air 3 combines sleek design with cutting edge technology, which in turn completely eliminates 99.99% of airborne pollutants, viruses, bacteria and allergens and consequently provides ‘Surgical Grade’ air and deodorisation.

Instead of using standard High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters that can capture particulate matter of 0.3 microns or larger with 99.95% efficiency (a human hair is between 17 and 181 microns), the Kebao Air 3 is capable of eliminating particles down to a size of 0.01 microns. This is a big deal because COVID19 particles are around 0.12 microns in size, small enough to pass through a HEPA filter, but the too big to pass through the Air 3!

The Kebao Air 3 does this using a brand-new type of 5-stage filtration. Stage 1 is a pre-filter which removes larger particles from the air and can be cleaned and reused for the lifetime of the product. Stage 2 uses a high-voltage negative charge to deactivate viruses and bacteria and retains the debris on charged plates stopping re-release. Stage 3 using a mind-blowing ‘Photocatalytic Oxidisation’ based on Albert Einstein’s ‘Photon Energy’. UV light initiates a stepwise free radical decomposition of organic compounds, which produces water and carbon dioxide as a by-product. The Air 3 has 48 LED bulbs and a Ti02 alumina ceramic photocatalytic ozone-free filter. Stage 4 uses 4kg of loose granulated carbon, impregnated with amines which absorb and decomposes any harmful gasses. Stage 5 Surgical grade, deodorised air is circulated through you room clear of 99.99% of harmful particulates!

The display shows air quality in two readings, the first two numbers are the temperature and humidity, the second set are PM2.5 and TVOC readings. PM2.5 is a measure of the number of particles less than 2.5 microns in size and are caused by burning fuel, chemical reactions and forest fires. PM2.5 particles are very unhealthy, causing eye, nose and throat irritations, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. They can also cause asthma, chronic bronchitis and heart disease. In the UK, air must remain below 25, the WHO recommends below 10, London’s average is 10, my house is currently 1 after having the Air 3 running for over a week!

The second setting is TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compound) which is another way of measuring air quality, again this was negligible at 0.02 after a week of running.

All of this amazing technology comes at a price. The unit is aimed at commercial enterprises who want to keep their staff and customers safe, so it would suit a restaurant or office space as it is actively cleaning the air the whole time. The price of £1600 reflects a premium commercial product, but I can honestly see it becoming something of a norm in the UK especially due to the current crisis!

The Kebao Air 3 is available to buy directly from Kebao

Stay safe

Gadget Man – Episode 166 – Is that really you? Three ways to avoid phishing email, the audio version

Following up on my previous blog post avoiding phishing emails, I present the audio version, but is it really me at all?

Tune in and listen, and do let me know what you think?

See you next time!

Stay Safe, Matt

 

The Gadget Man – Episode 165 – How to get going with video calls with Rob Dunger from Felixstowe Radio

Today, I spoke to Rob Dunger on Radio Felixstowe about getting going with video calls using Zoom, Houseparty, Skype, Messenger or Google Meet!

You can listen to the segment via the attached file or read the

Is was great to catch up with Rob after so long!


Matt Porter: [00:00:00] Well, we, we start with, I think familiar, tools that we might already be using. So we’re a Facebook user. We can use messenger and that will allow us to have video chats on a one to one basis. We can also do that in, FaceTime if you have an iPhone or an iPad. But if he wants to talk to more people, then there are other options such as zoom and Houseparty.

[00:00:32] And both of those allow you to have, a number of people in a chat. At the same time, Google also unlocked their, group video chat functionality, which I believe can give up to a hundred people at a time. Into into, into a group chat or a mix. I’m not sure how well that would work.

[00:00:51] Rob Dunger: [00:00:51] I can imagine the

[00:00:53] Matt Porter: [00:00:53] same time.

[00:00:55] Rob Dunger: [00:00:55] Do they have individually advantages and the different zooms and the Skypes and these sort of things?

[00:01:00] Matt Porter: [00:01:00] Yeah, I think, Oh yeah. Skype. For instance, he’s very well known, so it’s a trusted brand in a sense. It’s the same as zoom. Lots of people are talking about zoom at the moment. it’s getting lots of positive press, some negative, but it’s a familiar brand, so people are more likely to trust that it’s a safe place to go.

[00:01:22]so. Yeah. There’s, there’s, there’s good and bad on all of these things. Houseparty I’ve used a little bit. you do have to lock the door on that. Effectively. There’s an option to lock the door to stop people just wandering into a conversation, which I believe you can do on that. I

[00:01:37] Rob Dunger: [00:01:37] didn’t know that.

[00:01:38] Zoom. Zoom is private, isn’t it? Is it just your own, your own group or can anyone join in your

[00:01:43] Matt Porter: [00:01:43] conversation? There was discussions about potentially people can, jumping to conversations. I’m still not entirely clear how they go about doing that sort of malicious way, and I believe that it’s been locked down, but generally you would.

[00:01:59] With zoom, you’d be sent, you know, set your own meeting up and then send out an invite to your, your friends, trusted friends, and then they can use that invitation code to join the meeting. Or even just add them in. if you have them set up those contacts within zoom so you can aggregate group of people that you trust, that you add to a, add to a meeting or to a conversation.

[00:02:21] Rob Dunger: [00:02:21] A lot of people trying this for the first time and they’re, they’re learning by like, I do like making mistakes. For, for novice, what do we need to do? What’s the equipment we need? If they’re just someone, say, a retired person now and they’ve got a computer, what do they need to have?

[00:02:37] Matt Porter: [00:02:37] Ideally, they need to have a relatively modern computer.

[00:02:41] Say the last five or six years old needs to have a web cam. Many laptops or notebook size computers have built in webcams. that can be beneficial because the software will generally. recognize them, from the start so you don’t have to mess around trying to configure things. and you need to have something that could, it’s got the pair of speakers on it.

[00:03:02] Normally, again, laptops, notebook type computers will have speakers on them. Or you can use an iPad or a tablet, because it’s going to have a reason to be decent size screen and decent sound and microphone and everything.

[00:03:14] Rob Dunger: [00:03:14] There’s no special connection you, you need for this, just so it’s just on your ordinary internet connection.

[00:03:19] Matt Porter: [00:03:19] Yeah. When we say ordinary internet connection, I mean, yeah, it’s broad band. you know, reasonably high speed. I think most, most households appear to have this. I know there are some that don’t. but yeah, broadband, 30 megabits per second or something like that would be sufficient to have a video conversation because your video is actually going out to another server and then being served back to you using complicated things so you’re not having like 20 people connecting into your computer or anything.

[00:03:46] It’s all done from a centralized set of servers based on whichever provider is is you’re using.

[00:03:55] Rob Dunger: [00:03:55] But as an ordinary user, we don’t have to be bothered with those things. Do we? With the governance that goes on behind and let you let you boffins do it like that.

[00:04:03] Matt Porter: [00:04:03] Oh, that’s right. I think simplicity is the key.

[00:04:06] And if these things are too complicated, then that’s the stumbling block. People become frustrated and they out of what they’re doing. And I have to be honest, I find that sometimes I use a piece of software. Someone says to me, try and try this out, and I just think, what is going on here? Why is nothing.

[00:04:22] Where it should be. This is really difficult to use and you know, people’s concentration or their patients, especially at a time like we’re going through at the moment, it’s low. So it needs to be simple to set up. Funnily enough, the, the phone and the tablet apps tend to be much easier to use, in my opinion, than the, PC based.

[00:04:43] I think it’s because they’re simplified. From the start anyway, so they can’t get too complicated. So there’s a lot of swiping to the left and right to get options or stuff like that, but it’s fairly easy to use.

[00:04:55] Rob Dunger: [00:04:55] Okay. Take me through like a typical couple. Today in Dover court or in , they’ve got their PC and they want to set up a zoom meeting.

[00:05:02] What do they need to prepare.

[00:05:05] Matt Porter: [00:05:05] I think they need to find somewhere where they’re going to be comfortable, where there’s not going to be glare glare on their screen. And consequently, if there’s glare on the screen, it’s probably going to glare on there. A camera as well, and obscure the other person’s, view of them.

[00:05:25]and also what’s kind of useful is if you’re going to have something like this running, is to try and position. Is the device that you’re going to be looking at sort of as close to head height as possible. otherwise, because you really, you get better results, you get nasal hair picking up somebody’s nose.

[00:05:49]And, and it, and it’s a lot more, and it’s a lot kinder as well. You know, you don’t, even if you don’t have a double chin, if you have, the, the camera too far down, it will extend you those kinds of things as well. So you, you know, this is why you see lots of selfie photographs where they’re holding them up high and looking down.

[00:06:08] It’s because it has that slimming effect on them.

[00:06:11] Rob Dunger: [00:06:11] So if you put your laptop on your table and probably put it on some books and have it higher up, so almost.

[00:06:18] Matt Porter: [00:06:18] Yeah, I mean, if I’m, where I’m sitting at the moment, I’ve got, a like a scanner printer and I could effectively lift my laptop up on top of that and that would lift it up by six inches and give a nice, a nice, pleasant framing of me if I was on a video chat.

[00:06:34] So yeah, just a couple of books, a couple of big books, so it’s nice and stable and that would just lift it up if it’s a, and again, if it’s, if you’re using a device, you don’t have to hold that device in your hand. You can lean it up. Against something, you know, or secure it somewhere so it’s nice and steady and then you can, you’ve got your hands free to, to be comfortable.

[00:06:55] Rob Dunger: [00:06:55] And how far away should it be? I mean, we, we can see a tiny little picture of herself, but often we forget that picture and we forget that. What’s what they’re looking at other people looking at. That’s important, isn’t it? That we look good.

[00:07:07] Matt Porter: [00:07:07] Yeah. If you’re too close, then the camera on these devices going again is going to make you, cause they’re quite wide angle.

[00:07:13] You see going to get a bit of a fishbowl effect if you’re not careful. If you’re too far away, then you’ll get your, your sound is going to be affected as well. So you kind of need to be in a comfortable sort of position. I know maybe a foot two foot away from whatever you’re looking at. Just a. You know, you don’t want to be completely filling the, the frame, but you also don’t want to be so far away that you’re just a little tiny spot on someone’s screen because these chats, systems will have multiple people on the screen at the same time sometimes, and therefore they’ve got to recognize who you are.

[00:07:48] So, yeah, you just got an experiment really, and get comfortable and feel comfortable with what you look like, or it sounds like we’re being super, Obsessed by how we look, but you’ve got to be comfortable if you’re going to do these things because it can be scary to people, you know, when they first start using them.

[00:08:05] Rob Dunger: [00:08:05] When I’m watching interviews on tele, I love looking in the background. That’s important as well, isn’t it? Make sure you tidy up and puts, put certain things away. Don’t leave Matt on show for everybody to see what you’ve got.

[00:08:15] Matt Porter: [00:08:15] This happens to me all the time. I do quite a lot of video stuff where I’m recording myself and I’ll sit there, set myself up and record and get everything set up, and then I’ll suddenly realize that there’s a clothes dryer in the background with a pair of underpants hanging out or something, and you’re suddenly rushing around trying to move everything out of the way.

[00:08:36] So have a think about where you’re going to sit. You can actually, with a lot of these systems, you can actually pick her back. Ground, which it uses a bit of trickery the last it lasts you to get to effectively get out of shot. So we can just see the background and then it takes a kind of picture of the background, and then there’s like a blue screen effect on it so you can put some other background behind you, but that’s, sometimes it doesn’t work at great.

[00:09:02] If you’ve got long hair and things like that, you’re, you can find your hair disappears. And reappears again. but if then you can do that if you want to, if you really want to completely disguise where you are, you can put your own backgrounds in.

[00:09:14] Rob Dunger: [00:09:14] I’ve tried that. I was on the beach last week, and that looked really good, but it’s sounds should be careful as well, because we’re on at the moment.

[00:09:21] I noticed when I was on the air today, I’ve got a really creaky chair and you can hear that. So again. Watch what sounds you’ve got and watch what counts, what a surface you’re working on, because you can hear, you can hear every knock. Got you.

[00:09:32] Matt Porter: [00:09:32] I’ve got exactly the same problem. The chair that I’m sitting on at the moment.

[00:09:35] Every time I move, there’s a nice little Creek.

[00:09:39] Rob Dunger: [00:09:39] so that was back

[00:09:42] Matt Porter: [00:09:42] when it was really, so you know, again about those, some of the things, it’s really about what I tell one of them. Big issues is that when you get into these conversations, I saw it yesterday. I was somehow started watching, a competition where these people had to eat a particular biscuit.

[00:10:02] How  did you say? And, yeah. There was a one guy on there, they did say, can everyone mute their microphones, please? And this one guy hadn’t. And you could hear him, him clattering around in the background. And of course what happens with especially zoom is that it’s triggered by sound and motion. So if you make a noise or if you speak, it gives you the floor, if you like.

[00:10:26] So you become center stage. And because this guy was clattering around quite a bit, he kept. Jumping to him. so yeah, be aware that all the noise you make around your computer is going to be picked up by the microphone.

[00:10:38] Rob Dunger: [00:10:38] It can be quite inappropriate sometimes when you’re watching the church service.

[00:10:42] Matt Porter: [00:10:42] So can you imagine,

[00:10:44] Rob Dunger: [00:10:44] and of course, make sure that.

[00:10:46] Other people in the household know what you’re doing, so they don’t shout out to you, your dinner’s ready or walk, walk in or that. That’s fun as well.

[00:10:52] Matt Porter: [00:10:52] Yes. I was on zoom the other day, which was a blue shot at six other people were in and normally we’d meet up. But this was the first time that they tried to do it remotely and there were grandchildren walking in, in the background asking for a drink.

[00:11:08] There was someone knocking on the door and getting up and all of these kinds of things were going on. And I think we started out with about seven people, and by the end of the meeting, there were about three of us left because everyone else had acted off and do all these other things. So yeah, make sure that you sort of apply yourself or you’re going to go and do it, especially if you’re hosting it, you know?

[00:11:26] Don’t try not to get too distracted.

[00:11:29] Rob Dunger: [00:11:29] It’s fun though, isn’t it? I mean, unless it’s a business beat in which it’s different, but it’s fun and it’s a different way of communicating and it is crucial this time that we have something like this. It

[00:11:39] Matt Porter: [00:11:39] is, it’s incredible where we’re, it’s such a drastic, time in all of our lives.

[00:11:46] We’re so lucky that technology has. In some way saved us from, a much worse fight in as much as we have all this technology, all these ways of doing things that we didn’t have 20 years ago. So we, you know, we can order our food, we can do all of these, I think, and we can communicate with our loved ones, which is really, really important.

[00:12:09] And especially when we’re being honest. Try and distance ourselves from people. Keep socially distance. You know that by being able to have that interaction with our family and friends via video is great. Friend of mine has had quiz nights with his family where they actually set up quiz boards and they all sit in there and asking questions and answering questions.

[00:12:32] It’s incredible how inventive and creative people have become with something that probably wasn’t initially designed for this, for this, this kind of thing. You know, it was intended for business meetings and stuff like that, but actually the family gets together is great,

[00:12:49] Rob Dunger: [00:12:49] and it’s not scary to try the first time, try it with some friends or family or, or maybe some coffee mates to bring them up and say, Oh, to Skype him or zoom and say, should we ever go?

[00:12:57] It’s worth trying, isn’t it? Yeah.

[00:12:59] Matt Porter: [00:12:59] Of course it is. And you know, I was trying out with my dad the other day and he was talking to me and I ended up bringing him on the landline and saying that, you’ve got your microphone muted. Can you just unmute it? Well, we’re doing that then. So I’m trying to talk him through unmute and his microphone so I could hang up on him and him.

[00:13:18]I think it was face-time actually at the time, but yeah, it was fine. You know, if you’re doing it with people that your family and friends and you should be comfortable enough to, to. You know, take, take direction from them and everything like that without feeling daft. And it’s great fun. I know that there’s lots and lots of people involved.

[00:13:36] I, I’ve noticed a lot of church services actually. I’ve started doing zoom, church church services, which I think is great. I did ask my mom the other day, I said, are you standing in the living room singing the hymn? but she didn’t, she just, she thought I was joking.

[00:13:52] Rob Dunger: [00:13:52] Allegations are bigger on the, on the, on the, FaceTime and zoom than ever they had in the church. So it’s just good. It’s a new way.

[00:13:59] Matt Porter: [00:13:59] It is a new way of doing things. And, and we seem to be able to find a way around these difficulties. And that seems, this seems to be one of the amazing things. And it’s also interesting to see how, TV, programs have now started using the same technology and how you can see the.

[00:14:17] They’re used to doing things a particular way and they’re suddenly having to use a new technology. And somehow, sometimes it doesn’t work that well because you don’t get that audience feedback that you would, they would only be used to. Whereas you have the people that are used to using YouTube and most those kinds of platforms all the time, they’re much more comfortable with that whole thing, and then they come across bear.

[00:14:42] So it’s a very interesting time.

[00:14:44] Rob Dunger: [00:14:44] This is only part of what you do. You’re your gadget mad, aren’t you? Absolutely addicted to gadgets.

[00:14:49] Matt Porter: [00:14:49] All kinds of things. Technology and gadgets, everything. Yeah.

[00:14:53] Rob Dunger: [00:14:53] What are you working on at the moment then? What sort of things?

[00:14:56] Matt Porter: [00:14:56] well I’ve, I’ve still got a business to run and I’ve still been doing things relating to that.

[00:15:02] I’ve been lucky that. my customer base hasn’t been terribly affected so far by what’s been going on. So that’s been going on as normal. But I’ve also been doing lots of different pet projects at the moment. I started, a few weeks ago building a website to give people the ability to print signage for social distancing and, and, and information, and it’s all free and things like that.

[00:15:27] And it’s turned out, but, it’s become really, really busy. I’ve got. At any one time I’ve got 10 or 11 people all tying to make their own signs on the website. So, that’s been really, really challenging. And also from just having some, basic posters that I designed myself, now people can go on there and design their own and put their own texts on there and then download it as a PDF, print it and put it on their walls or wherever else they need to.

[00:15:53] So that’s kind of trying to give it back, give something back to. Community and society, you know, rather than, find a way of making money off the back of it, but actually do something that’s creative and good for

[00:16:10] Rob Dunger: [00:16:10] skills that we can learn at this time. It would take for us when we, when we do eventually get better times.

[00:16:15] Matt Porter: [00:16:15] There is, yes, I’ve been bit, I’ve also made some, some gadgets, some, some electronic gadgets and, and built, cameras, which can, do film, film stars and things like that and all kinds of different things I’ve done since. Just because I’ve had the time to do it. I’ve always wanted to have these things, for other reasons.

[00:16:35] But because there’s been so much spare time to be able to sit, and it’s an excuse, you can kind of excuse yourself. So don’t you worry about what there’s lots of people,

[00:16:44] Rob Dunger: [00:16:44] don’t you worry about Australia and on inside your head.

[00:16:48] Matt Porter: [00:16:48] I tell you lots of things. You know, I, the other day I, I, I made a, built a very, very simple website that could, generate.

[00:16:57] 1980s t-shirt slogans like Frankie, say, relax or choose life, but have all the text align correctly and resize in a site there for our evening doing that and and able to do it, you know? And then you can look at the logs to see what other people might be doing and you find out that they are all making their own t-shirt slogans.

[00:17:17] Yeah, it does worry me really why I thought that was an important thing to do, but I’m sure I tried to find an excuse for. Doing that project to solve another problem on something else.

[00:17:27] Rob Dunger: [00:17:27] You better tell people where to find you, then

[00:17:30] Matt Porter: [00:17:30] yes, you can go to the gadget man.org.uk, which is my gadget review site.

[00:17:39] And from there you’ll be able to link to the other websites as well, which is. tshirtslogans.uk and socialdistancingsigns.uk