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A weekly, novice conversation on tech and cybersecurity.
TikTok gets a second look; John and Jason let you hear a tech scare change shape.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
IoT risk, bipartisan legislation, and a hands-on RetroPie build share the same circuit.
The Router's seventh episode links big-picture IoT policy with the more personal appeal of building a RetroPie gaming system. Its best section traces a clear line from the spread of connected devices to wider attack surfaces, baseline security protocols, and the professionals…
A grounded blockchain episode weighs Bitcoin's promise, traceability, and an award-winning app whose blockchain label did not match its code.
The Router's sixth episode gives blockchain a skeptical but useful hearing. John and Jason come back from a short break with updates on work, vacation, online workshops, a cybersecurity book, and one host's five-hour, 180-question cybersecurity certification exam, then move into…
A mid-range Pixel trial turns wireless charging, security worries, and daily phone habits into a relaxed, practical tech conversation.
Episode five uses the Google Pixel as a grounded test case: can a mid-range phone settle into one host's daily routine without feeling like a compromise? The talk begins before the phone arrives, then sharpens around the simple appeal of wireless charging.
TikTok privacy worries give way to DEF CON curiosity and the appeal of a home lab.
The Router's fourth episode starts with TikTok and moves past the usual privacy alarm into the more difficult matter of trust. The hosts revisit data practices, ByteDance ownership, and talk of a possible Microsoft purchase, but the sharper point is broader: users are handing…
A relaxed tech conversation finds its strongest thread in personal memories of Windows 95.
The Router's third episode works best as a relaxed piece of tech reminiscence, moving from a mistaken smartphone-charging figure into a warmer return to Windows 95.
Technology's mechanisms, power's consequences.
Dave, Joe, and Maria break down phishing kits, deepfakes, and social-engineering scams weekly.
The Router's Episode 7 examines a bipartisan U.S.
John says his cybersecurity certification exam lasted five hours, covered 180 questions, and was remotely proctored through his camera, microphone, and a full room scan.
The Router's Ep.
["The Router episode 4 ties TikTok privacy questions to DEF CON puzzle culture and the CIA's Cryptos installation.", "Jason and John host the conversation, with Jason bringing the TikTok reporting, TOSDR.org reference, and DEF CON notes while John reacts to the security implications.", "The episode asks whether TikTok's real issue is the data it collects or the company that collects it.", "Jason says TikTok gathers IP address, device type, operating system, and geolocation, then compares that practice with other social apps."]
["The Router episode 3 Inception opens with a Minecraft build that runs Windows 95 and can also play Doom inside that Windows environment.", "Jason and John explain virtual machines by comparing a Windows 10 host running macOS to the cloud and to corporate desktops hosted on central servers.", "The second half centers on Qualcomm Quick Charge 5, described as a 100-watt charging scheme that can reach 50 percent in five minutes and 100 percent in 15.", "They connect the battery story to stacked-cell designs, 70 percent efficiency claims, 10-degree cooler charging, and battery-powered tools like leaf blowers, weed whackers, blenders, and TVs."]
Jason and John introduce The Router through two cybersecurity stories: Apple's Security Research Device and IBM's discovery of material from Charming Kitten.
The Router's first episode covers Apple's plan to move flagship laptops to ARM architecture CPUs and explains ARM Holdings' RISC-based alternative to Intel and AMD.
Jason and John examine Gmail spam, including Jason's 331 messages in one account and 12 in another, before shifting to TikTok's growth and data practices.
Jason and John define distributed denial-of-service attacks as attempts to overwhelm internet services with traffic from multiple computers.