The PC Pro Podcast

The team discusses our pick of the new gadgets unveiled at CES 2022, plus Intel’s newest family of chips, the end of BlackBerry messenger phones, a novel way to charge your TV remote control – and the latest developments in smart tractors.

It’s time for our annual festive quiz! Join the team as we put our knowledge of technical matters and current affairs to the test. You can also enter our prize contest to win a free copy of BullGuard Premium Protection (RRP £69.99) or editor-in-chief Tim Danton’s book The Computers That Made Britain. Just visit http://pcpro.link/pod574, answer the question and submit your details before 6pm on Friday, 24 December 2021.

The team discusses a major security threat to online services everywhere, the government’s latest proposals for policing the internet and Microsoft’s novel attempt to coax pirates into paying for Office. In a Hot Hardware special we round up our favourite products of 2021.

The gang discusses Microsoft’s attempts to persuade people to stick with its Edge browser, the latest assaults on your online privacy and the future of quantum computing. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Fairphone 4, a modular and repairable 5G smartphone.Link – IEEE Spectrum interviews quantum computing architect John Martinis: https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-computing-google-sycamore

The team discusses some questionable behaviour from Microsoft, Amazon’s sneaky promotion of its own brands and Qualcomm’s new ARM processor for Windows machines. We also give away a podcasting microphone and amplifier courtesy of box.co.uk. Our Hot Hardware candidate is a £3,500 gaming PC from Scan, powered by Intel’s new 12th-generation Core i9 processor.

The team discusses how different countries are handling the rise of cryptocurrency, Apple's questionable app ratings and rumours that Windows might soon be available on a much wider range of ARM hardware. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Røde Wireless Go II, a compact wireless microphone system.

The team discusses Apple’s huge U-turn on repairability, the gradual winding-down of Windows 10 and IBM’s latest breakthrough in quantum computing. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the 16in Apple MacBook Pro, showcasing the new M1 Max processor.

The team discusses Microsoft’s new Windows 11 SE platform, a graphene-based battery breakthrough and an unexpected climbdown on repairability from Apple. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Logitech MK295 Silent Keyboard, an affordable keyboard that won’t wake the neighbours.

The team discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s plans for the Metaverse, a new addition to Microsoft Office and the backlash against software subscriptions. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Pixel 6 Pro, Google’s newest and best own-brand phone.Links featured in this episode:Washington Post: How Facebook’s “metaverse” became a political strategy in Washington: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/24/facebook-washington-strategy-metaverse/Microsoft Loop Promo Video: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-loop

The team discusses the latest accusations against Facebook, a cyber-attack on UK VoIP providers, new features in the latest Adobe applications and Intel's newest, fastest CPUs. Our Hot Hardware candidate is Apple's AirPods 3.Links:Apple's now-vanished notch documentation: https://web.archive.org/web/20211026105727/https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information_property_list/nsprefersdisplaysafeareacompatibilitymodeBarry Collins' hands-on test of Photoshop's new seasonal adjustment filters: https://medium.com/counterarts/photoshops-stunning-new-filters-let-you-change-seasons-in-seconds-50be60233f85