Tech & Gadgets
265 episodes · 2018–2021 · 109 debates · 120 pieces of advice · 214 stories · 204 quotes
The Daily Talk Show — Australia’s daily podcast, hosted by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen — discussed tech & gadgets across 265 of its 1,022 daily episodes between 2018 and 2021. This page collects what was actually said: 204 verbatim quotes, 120 pieces of advice, 214 stories told on air, 109 on-air debates, each linked to the exact moment in the episode and on YouTube.
Where they stand
Moments where the table disagreed, straight from the transcripts.
Tracking is only acceptable with the other person's knowledge and approval; otherwise it's shady territory.
Jokingly suggests tracking (e.g., to catch a cheater) but agrees it shouldn't be done without consent.
whether podcast hosts should share personal/business struggles with their audience even when clients listen too
Ep 967▶ 23:52Feels conflicted because the podcast persona requires sharing vulnerable, unfiltered struggles (like financial issues) that wouldn't be shared in a client-facing 'director' context, and clients who listen to the show create confusing overlap.
Argues this is consistent rather than contradictory: different relationships (podcast friendship vs. client agreement) have different expectations, and sharing humanity on the podcast fits the format's implicit promise to the audience, whereas client work calls for a different kind of consistency.
Calling out someone else's weight gain directly is outrageous and inappropriate.
It can be acceptable if you're joking about your own weight gain, framing it as self-deprecation rather than attacking others.
Enthusiastic that Clubhouse has 'gone zeitgeisty' and become genuinely popular with high-profile users, seeing it as a fun, sticky new format worth exploring.
More skeptical/neutral, noting that any new app's success depends on getting enough users and questioning whether it's primarily a 'movers and shakers' platform.
Enjoys the energy and sensory experience of being back in person, noting a different vibe and energy from being physically near someone.
Finds it nice but slightly disorienting/out of control compared to his usual at-home setup where he has full oversight of the production.
Argues fixed-price servicing isn't really fixed because additional repairs get tacked on, making it not fixed at all.
Argues it is fixed price for the standard service; extra costs only apply if something is actually wrong with the car, which is a separate issue.
Feels generally 'triggered' by PTs, citing a history of awkward and dramatic encounters (Kickstarter pitches, CrossFit filming, injuries from kettlebell swings), and feels the common PT trope of 'making it fun' usually falls flat because PTs themselves often aren't fun people.
Acknowledges a common negative PT stereotype but argues there are genuinely good, analytical PTs (citing their friend Durham) who suit people who like tracking data, and that the mismatch is partly about pairing the wrong PT personality with Josh's awkwardness.
Questions why Australians celebrate 21sts as a big milestone when 18 is the actual legal age of adulthood, suggesting it may be an imported American tradition.
Agrees he doesn't know why 21 is considered a big deal in Australia but says it just is.
It's fine to do an accent as long as you commit to the correct pronunciation rather than mocking it.
Agrees it only works if done properly, giving the example that you can't speak Japanese like an 'Aussie bogan'.
Has fully switched to Feedly for news consumption, no longer visiting The Verge directly, and finds swipe-based archiving (as in Reeder) appealing.
Previously used Reeder paired with a feed service, questions whether paywalled sources like The Age can be pulled in via RSS.
The 'tech startup hipster' would choose the modern minimalist Light Phone, while the 'barista hipster' would go for a flashy pink Motorola Razr flip phone.
Agrees with Josh's categorization, adding that the pink Razr is 'a real peacock sign' and imagining a hipster dyeing his beard to match it.
Believes life should be lived intensely, arguing there's something powerful about not settling for a dull, non-intense existence.
Prefers a more peaceful existence, questioning whether intensity (like obsessively organizing minor details) actually means anything.
Advice from the show
all 120pieces →What was actually said, attributed and linked to the moment.
How can you quickly delete a large number of alarms on an iPhone?
Instead of turning off or deleting alarms one by one, ask Siri to 'delete all alarms' and it will do it instantly.
Is it okay to track your partner's location without telling them?
It's shady and inappropriate to covertly track a partner (e.g., to check on infidelity) without their knowledge or approval; tracking should only be done with consent.
How do you keep improving at golf as a beginner?
Don't try to hit the ball too hard ('hit the skin off it') as this ruins your shot; instead focus on technique over power, and use tracking tools like Toptracer and SwingU to understand distances and improve consistency.
How can I avoid overpaying for app subscriptions like YouTube Premium?
Check your phone's subscription settings (App Store > profile > Subscriptions) to see what you're subscribed to, and compare pricing — subscribing directly through a service's own site/app (e.g. YouTube) is often cheaper than subscribing via Apple's App Store, which adds a markup/cut.
What should I do if I discover I'm being double-charged for a subscription?
Contact the platform's support directly (in this case Apple), be ready to provide confirmation emails, and don't settle for the first refund offer — push for a fair refund covering the full period you were double-charged, using screen-sharing or documentation to prove your case.
How can I avoid overpaying for app subscriptions on iPhone?
Check your Apple ID account's 'Subscriptions' section (tap your profile icon, then Subscriptions) to see all pricing tiers available for an app you're subscribed to or considering — sometimes a much cheaper plan exists than the one advertised in-app.
How can you get a free trial on an app without it charging you immediately?
Josh describes double-tapping the side of the phone to use Face ID when starting a free trial, which lets the trial begin before payment, but notes you must remember to cancel/turn it off before the trial period ends.
Does it matter whether you're paid to recommend a product?
Tommy suggests there's more pressure on influencers who are paid to endorse things they don't actually care about, whereas recommending something you got for free and genuinely like carries less risk of dishonesty.
Should you call out people's weight gain (e.g. 'COVID kilos') publicly?
Tommy argues it's outrageous to call out someone else's weight gain outright, but notes that self-deprecating comments about one's own weight are a different, more acceptable form of self-hate.
How should you approach dating app banter before meeting someone in person?
Don't oversell yourself with witty banter that sets unrealistic expectations; instead be a 'Kinder Surprise' — under-promise and over-deliver so the in-person meeting surprises and delights rather than underwhelms.
How can I stop forgetting tasks my partner asks me to do repeatedly?
Write tasks down immediately when they're mentioned in conversation, using a note-taking app or 'second brain' system, rather than relying on memory; consider putting recurring tasks like car servicing into a calendar as a recurring event.
How can someone who gets easily disengaged from fitness routines stay motivated?
Lean into obsessive tracking and technology rather than avoiding it—using tools like Wi-Fi-connected scales, DEXA scans, and detailed data lets some people stay engaged, since 'not overthinking it' (as PTs often suggest) can actually reduce engagement for people wired that way.
How can you reset your mood after waking up frustrated or annoyed?
Tommy describes consciously choosing not to carry frustration into the day: sitting on the edge of the bed, putting his feet on the ground, and deciding 'today is going to be a good day' before getting up, rather than letting the irritation build into blowing up later.
How should podcasters set up their microphones for better audio quality?
Use a dynamic microphone rather than an always-on condenser/USB mic, and keep it close to your mouth (roughly a two-finger distance) to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and avoid picking up background noise like fans.
How do you keep audio and video in sync during recording?
Set your audio recording device's sample rate to 48kHz (matching video) rather than the common 44.1kHz used in radio/CD production, to prevent audio drifting out of sync with video over long recordings.
What's the correct hand to use when catching with a baseball glove?
Put your non-glove hand behind your back while learning, since beginners often instinctively try to catch with the wrong (throwing) hand instead of the glove hand.
How do you make yourself get out of a long shower?
Use a mental countdown (e.g., starting at 10) to psych yourself into finishing up tasks like washing your head, back and neck, then counting down to force yourself to get out.
How can you control social media use without fully quitting?
Set specific, limited windows of time (e.g., one day a week for 2 hours) to download apps, post and check feeds, then delete the apps again afterward rather than having constant access.
Does leaving social media hurt your business?
Take stock of where the business is now versus before rather than assuming impact; your belief about whether it matters will shape whether it actually does, so approach quitting with an 'easy on yourself' mindset rather than fear-based assumptions.
How should you structure weightlifting sets when returning to the gym?
Start with lighter weight for higher reps (e.g., 3 sets of 12) and then move to your top weight for lower reps (5 sets of 5, representing roughly 80-90% capacity), training each set to completion.
How should you use an electric toothbrush to avoid damaging your teeth?
Don't move the electric toothbrush back and forth like a manual brush; instead hold it steady on each tooth and slowly move around the mouth to reduce toothbrush abrasion.
How can I reduce note-taking friction across my phone and computer?
Use an app like Drafts that lets you create a new note instantly from a phone widget or from your clipboard/share sheet, with paid cross-device sync so you can start a note on your Mac and finish it on your phone.
How can I cut down my phone screen time during lockdown?
Delete attention-heavy apps like Facebook from your phone (while still posting from a computer) and batch certain consumption, such as limiting YouTube watching to one scheduled hour a week by saving links to watch later via a notes app.
How should I approach reducing phone and social media use during lockdown?
Josh recommends identifying which apps/activities are actually essential versus just habitual, batching tasks, using simpler tools like iMessage instead of social apps, and removing apps from your phone, framing it around the concept of essentialism rather than just willpower.
Stories told on air
Tommy recalls writing a children's book as a kid about a female ship captain, joking that he was unknowingly progressive for the era by centering a woman in a typically male role.
told by Tommy
Josh recounts a widely known tech industry story (circa 2008-2009) where an Apple employee left a prototype phone in an Uber; it ended up with a tech blog (likely Gizmodo), and rather than report on it, the outlet went to police, leading to a raid.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy describes buying a $1 scratchie at a petrol station after noticing a sign advertising 'petrol's a million bucks,' joking that he paid 'a million dollars and $1' for it, and scratching it without a coin.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy relays ad-tech jargon ('donuts' for dynamic ad insertion gaps) from his friend Mike Santos to Jess, who jotted a cryptic note in his diary reading just 'Mike Santos, donut' and then forgot the context, leading to a confusing follow-up call with their ads vendor AdsWiz and an enduring office in-joke.
told by Josh Janssen and George Martin
Tommy recounts meeting Drake Bell (of Drake & Josh) at a nightclub, going back to his house filled with Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards memorabilia, and Bell singing for them, though he never heard back after reaching out again.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy and Josh recount a story about Jason Calacanis, a long-time friend of Elon Musk, who learned Tesla had only days of payroll runway left during the 2008 financial crisis while developing the Model S. Calacanis wrote two $50,000 personal checks to help fund the car's development and ended up as the first official Model S order.
told by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen
Josh explains how, after previously switching his YouTube Premium billing from Apple to direct billing to save money, he ended up with two simultaneous active subscriptions on the same account, paying both $19.99 and $14.99 monthly for months without realizing it. He noticed via a credit card statement, called Apple support, shared his phone screen to prove the error, negotiated a four-month refund, then impulsively cancelled all his Apple subscriptions on the spot.
told by Josh Janssen
Josh explains how he discovered that checking the Subscriptions section of an Apple ID account reveals cheaper pricing tiers for apps than what's shown during in-app sign-up, using Speechify (advertised at $215/year but available for $49/year) as the example.
told by Josh
Tommy received a free robot vacuum from Trev Long, named it 'Cracker' with his son Bodhi, and became enthusiastic about it mapping his house, only for it to get stuck under his bed and previously sucked up a Mandalorian costume.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh describes using the Apple Watch's 'dance' exercise category to win a fitness ring-closing competition against Jess, dancing around with a new torch in hand.
told by Josh Janssen
Josh recounts being asked repeatedly by his partner Bree to book the car in for a service. When she said she would just call herself, he made an angry 'rage call' to the mechanic instead, and was later told by Bree he'd been rude to her afterward about it.
told by Josh Janssen
On the phone call, Jess reveals she is hungover, having done a gin shot, drunk gin while recording an episode, then had wine with a friend the night before, leaving her stomach in bad shape.
told by Jess Lucas
Jake Janssen explains he's using his boss's flooring equipment without permission to do a side job for a V8 Supercars team, and the job got filmed for broadcast, risking exposure.
told by Jake Janssen (via phone, attributed to George Martin in transcript)
Josh describes offering to buy coffee on a walk with Jess, having his Apple Pay declined because his bank card had expired in August, and feeling embarrassed as the barista handed over the coffees anyway.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy recounts how an Apple employee testing a disguised next-generation iPhone got drunk, left it in the back of an Uber, and it ended up with a tech blogger; police later raided the blogger's home with a search warrant, and Steve Jobs was reportedly furious.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy recounts how a magpie his family had been feeding died after flying into their clothesline and snapping its neck, initially suspected to be a fox attack. He had his dad bring a shovel so he could show his son Bodhi the burial as a lesson about death.
told by Tommy Jackett
The hosts call Josh's dad Richard live on air, discussing the Chevy badge, car badge theft at Dandenong, Mexican food preferences, and briefly politics before wrapping up the call.
told by Richard Janssen, Josh Janssen, Tommy Jackett
Tommy describes a Melbourne gimmick business where customers would order a toasted sandwich (jaffle) which would be dropped from a window attached to a small parachute for them to catch on the street.
told by Tommy Jackett
In their words
“Macs are the loosest units on earth. They're just like, we take anybody.”
“Whenever I hear someone say bad actor, can't help but think of Hollywood actors that are bad performers.”
“Hey Siri, delete all alarms!”
“I don't have celebrity family. Like, I don't have, you know, but he's a celeb. Well, in the golf, in the golf world.”
“They're taking their little bit of chicken on top.”
“It's its home, mate. It's like a little dog, a kennel.”
“Enjoy the banter, but this show is fatphobic.”
“It's like going to the circus and getting picked.”
“It's, it's sliding into my diet.”
“You won't be able to feel your anus pretty soon, is what I'm saying.”
“I think I would say like eating a tub of Greek yogurt. That's what I'd say.”
“It's, uh, it's when your partner asks you to do something a bunch of times, you haven't done it, and then they say, hey, um, I'm just going to give them a call now. And then you're like, I was going to do it, and then you call. And, um, but then you're no longer a hero because you raged in the moment, you're pissed off when you did it.”
“If, if anyone has pushback to PTs or gyms You're not alone.”
“I sat there, I sat on the end of the bed, I put my feet to the ground, and I said, today is going to be a good day.”
“You've Donald Trumped us.”
“Every single person in the world has a podcast now, so they've become like face masks.”
“The first response is, I look like I'm broke, like I've got no money, like this looks very, very sad.”
“Yeah, it's amazing they've brought back the iPhone 4.”