

The Big Tech Show
Irish Independent
Irish Independent Tech Editor Adrian Weckler hosts this award-winning business podcast which dives deep into the biggest industry advances and tracks the key movers and shakers behind the innovation. From interviewing Big Tech CEOs to investigations into how tech affects our working lives, the show has become Ireland’s most listened-to technology podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 13, 2025 • 25min
Tesla becomes MAGA’s official car brand as sales crater worldwide
Is buying a Tesla now a political statement? Are people now shying away from the EV brand? And has Elon’s support of Trump spelled disaster for Tesla sales? Derek Reilly, partnership director with Nevo, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 11, 2025 • 24min
Trump, meme coins and what to expect from crypto in 2025
What’s going on with crypto? What’s the state of play with meme coins? And is the market about to crash? Katie Byrne, Money editor with the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by discussing Trump coin, Donald Trump’s meme coin which has reportedly made 350 million dollars since its launch. The money editor told Adrian that after announcing his crypto project, there was a pattern showing that people had got the news at least 24 hours before the meme coin news was announced. The money expert explained that by the time the news of the meme coin was shared on truth social, the insiders had gone in made their money and exited. 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.

Mar 6, 2025 • 27min
Chinese phone brands in Ireland — junk or underrated? Plus why 6G may not be built after 5G’s flop
What’s are the benefits of 6G? Are the Chinese phone brands flooding the market any good? And what’s different about the new iPad Air? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 4, 2025 • 31min
Goodbye Skype, hello Chinese shopping apps: and why Apple’s new age assurance rules won’t work
Why are Chinese online shopping apps taking off in Ireland? Will Apple’s age assurance system work? And what can be done to stop children encountering harmful content online? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. Apple is introducing a new declared age range function which will enable developers to see age information volunteered by parents during the account setup for a child on the Apple app store. Under the new system, parents will be able to change the age associated with a child’s account, while a new set-up process is also being introduced to make it easier for parents to control their child’s access levels to apps on iPhones and iPads. Apple is also setting additional abilities for app developers to restrict kids from downloading apps from Apple’s App Store based on their age. 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.

Feb 27, 2025 • 27min
Apple's $500bn US investment: a threat to Ireland? Also: AirPods as hearing aids and the 'affordable' iPhone 16e reviewed
Is Apple investment in Europe a thing of the past? How do the AirPods Pro 2 work as clinical grade hearing aids? And is the affordable new iPhone 16e worth getting? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 25, 2025 • 28min
From bartending in Meath to a billion-dollar cyber security company
On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian talks to Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker IT security firm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 20, 2025 • 23min
Trump, Tax and the EU: Richard Curran on Ireland's uncertain tech future
Is Ireland’s tech juggernaut grinding to a halt? Are we alienating ourselves from Europe with corporate tax? And how do we approach the Trump administration? Richard Curran,?columnist with the Sunday Independent and presenter of The Business on RTÉ Radio 1, joins Donal O’Donovan on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. With the EU and the US increasingly butting heads on the issue of tech regulation, Ireland may soon find itself in problematic territory between the EU and the Trump administration. Richard Curran, began by setting the scene of what makes up the Irish tech scene. He described it as “huge” with quite a large number of the tech workforce being employed by multinationals. Depending on how you measure it, there are between 110,000 and 120,000 people employed in Ireland within the industry. 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.

Feb 13, 2025 • 26min
Apple’s new iPhone SE and hands on with Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra
What can we expect from the new iPhone SE? Is it worth getting the Samsung S25 Ultra? And why are the new AI features on phones so underwhelming? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian has spent the last month trying out the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. According to the tech editor the device keeps its perch atop all Android flagship phones, but he argues that the new AI features may not keep it there for much longer. The phone comes with great cameras and display, S Pen and good battery life and is priced at €1,469 with 256GB or €1,849 for 1TB. 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.

Feb 11, 2025 • 20min
Shein and Temu no more; plus scam texts set to be blocked in Ireland
Are ultra-cheap online buys from Temu and Shein about to be a thing of the past? Who will benefit? And what is Comreg doing about scam texts? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Both the EU and the US moved to cutdown the free flow of low-cost online purchases from China to the West. On the EU side, customs checks, and increased costs will be imposed on ultra-cheap packages from China. The US has gone further with Trump’s new tariff programme prompting the US postal service to announce that it would temporarily no longer accept any parcels from China, however, it resumed accepting them on Wednesday. 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.

Feb 6, 2025 • 28min
Active shooter drills no more: why one Irish tech founder came home from America
What is life like for an Irish tech co-founder in the US? Is America a more dynamic space for technology? And what are the downsides to living in a Trump nation? Markham Nolan, co-founder of the AI startup Noan, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The co-founder lived in the US for a decade, seven years in Manhattan and then 3 years in a suburb of the city called Larchmont. Nolan argues that America is a place of dynamism for tech companies but there are also downsides. He eventually left the states to return to Dublin with his family. Markham cited a higher quality of life, active shooter drills in his children’s school and access to healthcare as main reasons for returning home. 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.


