MobileViews.com Podcast

About MobileViews.com Podcast

MobileViews Editor Todd Ogasawara discusses mobile technology hardware and software

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Oct 2022

Latest episode

19 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

172 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Oct 2026

   MobileViews Podcast 630: Googlebook (Acer & Dell) 1st impressions, waiting for LEO Satellite internet, Amazon Alexa Tablets 1st impressions

   In MobileViews 630, Jon Westfall, guest panelist Sven Johannsen, and I discussed the new Googlebook laptop hardware (Acer & Dell), smart home hubs, and emergency connectivity. I shared my ongoing external USB microphone failures on the Acer Googlebook 14, noting that while the hardware is solid, Googlebook OS feels like an unpolished "0.5 release". In contrast, Sven shared his positive impressions of the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Dell Googlebook, praising its Dell XPS-derived chassis, smooth trackpad, and excellent battery life. We also recounted my four-day Spectrum cable broadband outage in Hawaii that forced me to rely on satellite SOS texting, prompting me to explore Amazon's upcoming LEO satellite internet service as a backup option. Then, we discussed smart home hubs and the new Amazon Alexa tablets which run full Android with Google Play Store access. Sven bought the high end Alexa Tablet 12 Nano-mat display while I bought the low-end Alexa Tablet 8. Sven highlighted the glare-reducing 12-inch nanomat display, and we both praised the specialized Kindle app's e-ink-like reading mode that transforms full-color screens into low-distraction reading environments.. We also discussed Apple’s recently announced HomeView smart hubs, criticizing the identical pricing between the wall-mounted and base-mounted models despite wall mounts omitting speakers and requiring separate $50 to $120 mounting hardware. We wrapped with updates on Apple iPhone Duo pre-orders, wearable health metrics, and ecosystem subscriptions. Jon and Sven shared their delayed shipping estimates for the pre-ordered iPhone Duo , with estimated delivery dates in November. We expressed frustration with the Apple Watch's readiness score for penalizing lower resting heart rates and dropping scores after routine afternoon walks. Finally, Sven detailed managing an Apple Care Family plan covering 19 devices across his household, while Jon highlighted Vorssaint, a Mac OS menu-bar utility, and shared how he learned that used devices can qualify for ApplecCare after passing a clean diagnostic check at an Apple Store.

2. 

   12 Oct 2026

   MobileViews Podcast 629: Googlebook Growing Pains, M365 Storage Caps, and Windows Patch Chaos

   In MobileViews 629, Jon Westfall, guest panelist Don Sorcinelli, and I discussed cloud storage policy shifts, new Android based Googlebooks, and Googlebook OS growing pains. I recorded the episode on my new Acer Googlebook 14, though a pre-show Googlebook microphone glitch with a Comica EJOY D10 Pro forced me to rely on the laptop's built-in microphone. We opened with Microsoft’s upcoming M365 storage policy changes for consumer subscriptions, which will cap family plans at a total of 2 TB starting in early 2027 rather than 1 TB per user, raising concerns for families using OneDrive for photo and video backups. I also shared details about ordering Amazon's new Alexa Tablet 8-9 inch model  ($280 list), which runs Google Android with Play Store access, though Don noted that the new aluminum-body device omits the microSD card slot found on older Fire models. A major segment of the podcast was dedicated to a hands-on review of the Acer Googlebook 14. While Jon and I agreed that the $899 hardware, display, and keyboard are top-notch, the Googlebook OS currently behaves like an early beta release. I walked through several software headaches, including Chrome browser crashes, fillable PDF form fields disappearing during printing (requiring printing on a MacBook Neo instead), graphical Linux applications like Audacity failing to launch, and file syncing quirks in OneDrive. Despite these early adopter bugs, the hardware remains promising with the expectation that  Google continues to refine the platform. Don provided an enterprise perspective on Windows updates and Surface Pro ARM devices, detailing Microsoft's chaotic September "patch palooza" where over 900 fixes broke Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) functionality and an Alberta timezone preview caused application timing errors. He also explained why enterprise adoption of ARM Surface Pros remains slow due to driver-level incompatibilities with VPNs and security software. We wrapped up with two clever hardware and software hacks from Jon: securing a legitimate Windows 11 Pro license for $7.49 via Groupon for a virtual machine on his M4 MacBook Pro, and using an Uptab adapter recommended by ChatGPT to revive a 2010 27-inch Apple Cinema Display with single-cable USB-C power delivery.

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   MobileViews Podcast 628: Googlebook assumptions corrections. Dual eSIMS, Apple Care Family Plan

   In MobileViews 628, Jon Westfall, Sven Johannsen, and I discussed the retail rollout of the new Google Googlebooks. I shared my frustration over the delivery delay for my pre-ordered Acer model even though it is currently at the delivery company's location less than 20 miles from me, while Sven highlighted sparse local stock at Best Buy locations. The nearest Best Buy with Googlebooks in stock was 240 miles distant from Sven.  We clarified that actual Googlebook pricing ranges from $899 for entry-level models to $1,400 for premium hybrids, with Google committing to a 10-year OS support window through mid-2034 for current Chromebooks. I noted that I chose the $899 Acer unit specifically for its native USI 2.0 stylus support, and we debated iPad desktop replacement workflows versus remote VNC setups. Our AI software discussion focused on practical workflows and new feature rollouts. I highlighted getting access to Google Notebook's live voice chat on mobile, while Jon shared how he trained his Gemini notebook to generate complete clinical psychology course packages—including MARP slide decks, case study vignettes, and facilitator guides. We also looked ahead to the "rambler" speech cleanup tool built into Googlebook OS and considered Meta's new announcements, including why someone would want a camera-free Ray-Ban audio glasses designed for environmental transparency (instead of just using earbuds with an AI service on a paired phone) and the pocket-sized Muse Charm personal AI device. We finished up with a discussion of mobile phone network resilience and multi-device service plans. Sven detailed his experience configuring dual eSIMs on Pixel phones to run Google Fi alongside T-Mobile, as well as signing up for the Apple Care Family plan ($49.99/month) to cover 18 devices across his household. I reflected on my reliance on AT&T’s satellite SOS texting during a recent 46.5-hour local power outage which resulted in AT&T wireless service being severely degraded or completely unavailable for several days.

Who has been a guest on MobileViews.com Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Sven Johannsen
• Don Sorcinelli
• Jared Kuroiwa
• unknown

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

68