The Big Tech Show

This week, Adrian sits down with the veteran Irish tech marketer, Kieran Hannon, who has just taken a CMO job with the clean air firm WellAir.Hannon is a 35-year survivor of Silicon Valley’s tech industry, with some big roles to show for it. He was chief marketer for Radioshack before moving on to a similar role in Belkin. A stint in Openpath preceded his appointment as marketing chief in the Bill McCabe-backed WellAir.The two talk about survivability, tech marketing, retail, identities and a host of other topics.The Big Tech Show is in association with Sky Broadband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Adrian chats to Damien Burns, Europe’s top person with Amazon-owned Twitch, the giant live streaming platform.While it dominates online streams of video games, Damian says that it’s now aiming farther afield, to lifestyle stuff.Adrian asks about the market for watching sleeping videos and how much money you can make when sharing your Fortnite or Grand Theft Auto sessions live.The two also talk about player bans, competing with TV stations and why US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) sometimes uses the platform to communicate.For more visit the Big Tech Show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/The Big Tech Show is in association with Sky Broadband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s guest is Helen Dixon, Europe’s most powerful tech regulator. She and Adrian talk about Facebook, Whatsapp, fines, Brexit, data rights and a whole host of other things.Among the revelations are that Whatsapp will not be sharing more data with Facebook in the EU anytime soon.Helen Dixon says that there has “been no progress” between Facebook and the Irish regulator on seeking allowance for Facebook to integrate Whatsapp with Facebook in a closer way, as it is poised to do in the US.The tech giant has been trying for years to find a way to make more money out of its subsidiary, which has tighter privacy controls than the tech giant’s main social platform.But Ms Dixon’s office has steadfastly refused to allow cross-sharing of data across the EU, citing a lack of satisfactory explanation from Facebook around the legal basis of the data sharing.“I don't doubt that Facebook hasn't given up on the idea of the data sharing,” she said. “But nonetheless, there has been no progress in terms of WhatsApp convincing the DPC that as the controller of the data of users of WhatsApp, it should share it with Facebook. And they've made no substantive approach to us. So it really hasn't progressed. There's no sharing of EU user data between the controllers.”Last month, Whatsapp saw 20m users leave for rival messaging apps when it informed users outside the EU that they needed to agree to Whatsapp sharing more account information with Facebook for the ultimate purpose of cross-service advertising.Helen Dixon is talking to Adrian on the same day that her office published its annual report, outlining several investigations and data breach statistics.For more visit the Big Tech Show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-big-tech-show/The Big Tech Show is in association with Sky Broadband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Adrian sits down with Carolan Lennon to talk through some of the major issues failing Eir.It’s been a tricky few months for the company, which has attracted white hot criticism over its customer service levels during the pandemic.It’s also been a successful period in other ways, with its GoMo budget service hoovering up an unusual number of customers (250,000) in just a year, forcing the hand of rivals Three (48) and Vodafone (Clear Mobile).Adrian goes through the topics, including a personal hobby horse: why operators here persist with the term “unlimited data” when fair use limits still apply.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Escooter rental firms are lining up to launch here: atleast five firms have declared their intention to do so.This week, Adrian sits down with Lawrence Leuschner, the founder and CEO of Europe’s biggest firm — Tier. It operates in 90 European cities and wants to launch here.Adrian asks the questions that many will have: where will they be parked? How much will they cost to hire? And will we see ads urging us to ‘ride’?Tier joins others in looking at a launch in Ireland after Communications Minister Ryan said he plans to remove the requirement for tax, insurance and a driver’s licence. Instead of motorbikes, escooters are to be reclassified as ‘powered personal transporters’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Adrian chats with LetsGetChecked founder and CEO, Peter Foley.The €100m Dun Laoghaire startup tests for dozens of different conditions and illnesses, from cancer to sexual health issues.Adrian and Peter discuss testing airline passengers, a new lab in Dublin and being snubbed by the Irish government. But they also talk about Peter's plan to test DNA profiles as its next service. The company is considering a saliva swab test that would contribute to a ‘Book Of You’ concept. The aim would be to get a better idea about what kind of illnesses you might be more susceptible to. The company could then set up a schedule of screening tests that you’d receive automatically, almost like service notifications.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin’s price has been rallying in recent weeks, but can it stay at this level? Or will it crash as it has so many times before?Adrian talks to cryptocurrency veteran Lory Kehoe, now in a new position as director of digital assets and blockchain with BNY Mellon, the huge international bank.Kehoe explains what’s behind Bitcoin’s current rise and makes an argument that it is institutional movement on cryptocurrency — rather than a mob on Reddit — that is driving crypto’s long term rise in value.For these reasons, he believes that it will continue to rise in value.The two also discuss the mentality of ‘hodlers’, who hold on to their cryptocurrency no matter what.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, a small group of employees in Google's US headquarters joined a union. Even though it was a relatively tiny number - just 400 out of 125,000 employed worldwide - it caused a stir.A union in a high-tech company? Weren't unions supposed to be on the decline? Aren't tech firms supposed to be enlightened, high-paying workplaces where there isn't any need for unions?In Ireland, unions are rare in tech companies. But they're not unknown.Apple, for example, has a number of Siptu members in Cork, linked to its original industrial activity of manufacturing computers there. HP, Ericsson and IBM have historically had some union membership.This week, Adrian talks to the assistant secretary general of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Owen Reidy, about whether unions are a realistic prospect for big tech firms in Ireland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

holds Adrian’s guest this week is Conor Pierce, Samsung’s Irish-born corporate vice president for the UK and Ireland. The two discuss the launch of the Galaxy S21 as well as what we might see in the coming years. Samsung has its own ideas about this, having just released a new 110-inch television and a home help robot.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is the last time you paid for something in cash? Have you, like us, had the same €20 in your pocket for four months?The pandemic has made Ireland -- and every other country -- into largely cashless societies. From Apple Pay on your watch to Revolut on your phone, cash has faded away in daily life.So why aren’t we talking about the obvious next step: ditching bits of paper and scraggly coins altogether?This is what Adrian discusses with this week’s guest, Stephen Kinsella, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Limerick's Kemmy Business School and a columnist with The Currency.Which are the better arguments? That it could mean less violent crime, less tax evasion and quicker queues? Or that it could lead to a further erosion of privacy and may unfairly disadvantage vulnerable groups in society?The two go into the topic in depth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.