Episodes

A Hard Look at OpenClaw: Is It Safe to Use This AI Right Now? – HGG675
March 21, 2026

A Hard Look at OpenClaw: Is It Safe to Use This AI Right Now? – HGG675

Is the AI future helpful or just plain dangerous? This week, Gavin Campbell from HomeTech.fm and I take a hard look at OpenClaw, “vibe coding,” and what it really takes to run autonomous AI agents safely in your home lab. I’m...
Upgrading an Older Home: Heat Pumps, Air Sealing and Smart Energy with Paul Braren – HGG674
March 14, 2026

Upgrading an Older Home: Heat Pumps, Air Sealing and Smart Energy with Paul Braren – HGG674

Paul Braren from TinkerTry.com joins me this week to discuss energy-efficient home technology, including heat pumps, air sealing, and upgrading older homes for modern HVAC systems. They explore the real-world costs of improvi...
How AI Is Disrupting Songwriting and the Music Business with Jay Franze – HGG673
Feb. 28, 2026

How AI Is Disrupting Songwriting and the Music Business with Jay Franze – HGG673

Jay Franze joins me to talk about how AI is showing up in real songwriting workflows, not just as a toy, but as a tool people are actually using. We unpack how we built the new Home Gadget Geeks theme, what’s happening in Nas...
Ring 4K Doorbell Tested, Amazon Art TV Announced & Alexa+ Early Access with Erin Lawrence – HGG672
Feb. 21, 2026

Ring 4K Doorbell Tested, Amazon Art TV Announced & Alexa+ Early Access with Erin Lawrence – HGG672

Erin Lawrence from https://www.techgadgetscanada.com/ joins me this week to break down Ring’s new 4K doorbell, the real impact of AI in consumer tech after CES 2026, Amazon’s move into the Art TV market, and Alexa+ early acce...
Andrew Morris Returns: Solar in Brisbane, NAS Frustrations, Unifi Networking & Garmin Tech – HGG671
Feb. 14, 2026

Andrew Morris Returns: Solar in Brisbane, NAS Frustrations, Unifi Networking & Garmin Tech – HGG671

Andrew Morris returns to Home Gadget Geeks this week. We revisit the early days of HGG, catch up on his move from Melbourne to Brisbane, and dive deep into solar upgrades, NAS decisions, hardware pricing, Unifi networking, br...
Solar Sheds, Smart Gardens, and a Reality Check from CES 2026 with TJ Huddleston – HGG670
Feb. 7, 2026

Solar Sheds, Smart Gardens, and a Reality Check from CES 2026 with TJ Huddleston – HGG670

This week I am joined by TJ Huddleston for a wide-ranging conversation that blends real-world winter weather, practical home technology, and insights from CES 2026. From navigating a rare Level 3 snow emergency in Ohio to ins...
Tapo Smart Devices, UniFi Home Networking, and a Gadget Detox – HGG669
Jan. 31, 2026

Tapo Smart Devices, UniFi Home Networking, and a Gadget Detox – HGG669

Marv Bee returns this week for a practical conversation about unified home networking and modern tech habits. The discussion provides a closer look at Ubiquiti’s UniFi ecosystem and why it’s becoming more approachable for hom...
Oscar Hedaya with Smart Safes and Reinventing Home Security with Space – HGG668
Jan. 24, 2026

Oscar Hedaya with Smart Safes and Reinventing Home Security with Space – HGG668

In this episode, I speak with Oscar Hedaya, founder of Space, about how smart safes are redefining home security through modern technology. We explore Oscar’s entrepreneurial journey and how his experiences led to rethinking ...
Celebrating 15 Years of Home Gadget Geeks with LePro Outdoor Lighting, AI Hardware Shifts, and Crypto Signals – HGG667
Jan. 17, 2026

Celebrating 15 Years of Home Gadget Geeks with LePro Outdoor Lighting, AI Hardware Shifts, and Crypto Signals – HGG667

Christian Johnson joins me this week to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the show while exploring today’s evolving tech landscape. They discuss AI hardware trends, rising consumer component costs, and NVIDIA’s latest ente...
Jay Franze Talks Writing Songs with AI: Creativity Without Limits – HGG666
Dec. 20, 2025

Jay Franze Talks Writing Songs with AI: Creativity Without Limits – HGG666

In this episode, I’m joined by Jay Franze, a seasoned music producer, to explore how AI is transforming music creation. Jay shares his experiment using AI as a virtual studio—producing songs that rival human-recorded tracks a...
Sammie Collison on Unpacking a Remarkable Year Through Grit, Growth, and Gratitude – HGG665
Nov. 29, 2025

Sammie Collison on Unpacking a Remarkable Year Through Grit, Growth, and Gratitude – HGG665

Every year on Black Friday, Home Gadget Geeks pauses the tech talk just long enough to look at where life and technology intersect, and this year’s episode with Sammie Collison might be the most grounded one yet. From returni...
Warped Boards & Wired Homes, Catching up with Dave McCabe – HGG664
Nov. 22, 2025

Warped Boards & Wired Homes, Catching up with Dave McCabe – HGG664

Dave McCabe joins me this week to reminisce about 17 years of podcasting, dive into smart home gadgets, and explore Dave’s woodworking journey with Warped Boards. From CNC upgrades and handcrafted cutting boards to candid tal...
Smart Fridges, Clean Windows and Virtual Fairways: Tech That Simplifies Life – HGG663
Nov. 15, 2025

Smart Fridges, Clean Windows and Virtual Fairways: Tech That Simplifies Life – HGG663

I am joined this week by Erin Lawrence and Mike Wieger to explore tech innovations that enhance daily living. They review the Mydea One Touch Autofill Refrigerator, the Ecovacs WinBot W2 window-cleaning robot, and dive into g...
The $20K Slate EV, Linux Mint, Recycle PCs and Smart Battery Upgrades with Kevin Schoonover – HGG662
Nov. 8, 2025

The $20K Slate EV, Linux Mint, Recycle PCs and Smart Battery Upgrades with Kevin Schoonover – HGG662

In this week’s episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I’m joined by Kevin Schoonover for a packed discussion that jumps from health and fitness to EV trucks, from Windows 10’s sunset to ARM’s rise, and all the way down to the small st...
Gavin Campbell with Smart Yard Automation, Unraid 7.2 Enhancements, and the Rise of Local AI – HGG661
Nov. 1, 2025

Gavin Campbell with Smart Yard Automation, Unraid 7.2 Enhancements, and the Rise of Local AI – HGG661

Gavin Campbell joins this week and we covered winter weather, his strong early results with the Segway Navimow robot mower, the improved sound and smart-home functionality of the Echo Dot Max, and his Unraid 7.2 upgrade that ...
EcoFlow and Eco-Worthy Solar Setup Updates, Using Local AI at Home – HGG660
Oct. 18, 2025

EcoFlow and Eco-Worthy Solar Setup Updates, Using Local AI at Home – HGG660

In this episode, we discuss the latest with my solar setup (EcoFlow battery, Eco-Worthy panels) and take a deep dive into local AI — exploring LLMs you can run at home, privacy implications, and practical use cases. We also f...
Lutron Smart Plug, AirPods Pro 3, iPhone 17, and a Switch to Visible – HGG659
Oct. 11, 2025

Lutron Smart Plug, AirPods Pro 3, iPhone 17, and a Switch to Visible – HGG659

In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I spent some time diving into a few recent tech updates and sharing a bit of what’s been going on with me. I started with a look at the Lutron PD-150UTB-BL smart outdoor plug — it’s built...
AirPods to AI: Tech, Crypto, and Life Updates with Christian Johnson – HGG658
Sept. 27, 2025

AirPods to AI: Tech, Crypto, and Life Updates with Christian Johnson – HGG658

In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I’m joined by Christian Johnson. We start with a discussion about the new Apple AirPods Pro 3, which I’ve purchased and am waiting to try once they arrive. From there, Christian shares up...
AI and Assistive Technology in Education: Insights with Dr. Brian Friedlander – HGG657
Sept. 6, 2025

AI and Assistive Technology in Education: Insights with Dr. Brian Friedlander – HGG657

On this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Brian Friedlander to talk about how AI is changing the landscape of assistive technology. We covered everything from tools like AOA, Brisk, and Magic...
Books. Beats. Batteries: Jay Franze with Mac Upgrades and Solar Questions – HGG656
Aug. 23, 2025

Books. Beats. Batteries: Jay Franze with Mac Upgrades and Solar Questions – HGG656

Jay Franze is back, and we talk about his new book, Stand Out or Fade Out . Jay considers upgrading his Mac Mini and shares updates on home projects and a new service dog for his daughter. Jim updates his solar setup, switchi...
Tech Gadgets Galore: Erin Lawrence’s Latest Reviews and Innovations – HGG655
Aug. 9, 2025

Tech Gadgets Galore: Erin Lawrence’s Latest Reviews and Innovations – HGG655

Erin Lawrence joins me this week for a wide-ranging conversation on home, lawn, and automotive gadgets. We dig into the future of lawn care with the Segway Navimow robot lawn mower, discuss battery brand ecosystems in power t...
When Smart Gets Smarter: Lighting, Lawn Care, and DIY Solar Systems – HGG654
Aug. 2, 2025

When Smart Gets Smarter: Lighting, Lawn Care, and DIY Solar Systems – HGG654

Gavin Campbell joins me this week for a deep dive into smart home automation, solar experimentation, and the latest in robotic lawn care. Jim shares updates and lessons learned from his Bluetti solar setup and how he’s trying...
From Prime Day to Power Play: Jim’s Solar Experiment Begins – HGG653
July 26, 2025

From Prime Day to Power Play: Jim’s Solar Experiment Begins – HGG653

I recently kicked off a solar power project at home to test the efficiency of two 100-watt, 18-volt bi-facial panels I picked up for $99 each during Prime week. The goal is to see how they perform in different areas of my pro...
Smart Tech, Smarter Conversations: AI, Robot Mowers, and Power On-the-Go with Dave Hamilton – HGG652
June 28, 2025

Smart Tech, Smarter Conversations: AI, Robot Mowers, and Power On-the-Go with Dave Hamilton – HGG652

Dave Hamilton joins me this week. After a quick Mac lightning round, Dave shares how he uses ChatGPT for long-form conversations while driving and discusses his Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15, which navigates with onboard cameras ...