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In this episode of Tech It From Me, I break down what was bought, why spectrum is the real currency of wireless, how direct-to-cell could change coverage forever, and who should be nervous (telcos, cloud giants, satellite startups). I also take a hard look at the risks ahead — regulation, debt, technology, and timing.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why spectrum is like “real estate” for wireless
• How direct-to-cell works (and what it could mean for your phone)
• The competitive shake-up for carriers and cloud providers
• The technical and regulatory hurdles SpaceX still faces
• What this deal signals about the future of connectivity

In 2025, scammers are using generative AI to clone voices, fake live video, and craft perfect emails that look like they came from your boss. In this episode, I explain why this year is the tipping point—cheap, powerful models, “scam-as-a-service,” endless breached data, and our comfort with synthetic media—and walk through real cases and a practical defence plan for individuals, families, and finance teams. You’ll leave with a checklist you can implement today.

In this episode of Tech It From Me, I break down:

• Why Meta needs Google’s AI infrastructure (and its custom TPU chips)
• Why this is a breakthrough moment for Google Cloud
• How AWS, Azure, and Google are competing in the next phase of the cloud wars
• What this deal reveals about the future of AI infrastructure spending
• The irony of “coopetition” as Meta and Google work together despite being ad rivals

If you’re curious about how AI is driving record-breaking cloud deals — and what this means for the future of technology — this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Read the full write-up: Meta’s $10B Google Cloud Deal Fuels AI and Cloud Wars

Mike also shares a personal note about earning the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification—how it boosted credibility, opened doors, and gave him the confidence to take on bigger projects.

You’ll learn:

• When certifications do pay off (cloud, data, cybersecurity)
• Why brand-name programs can disappoint if they’re not job-relevant
• How ATS filters work—and how certs help you get past them
• A step-by-step plan to pick and certifications that tell a clear career story

If you’re considering your next certificate—or wondering whether one you have is pulling its weight—this episode gives you an honest, data-driven guide.

Read the full write-up: Do Certifications Help Your Job Search? Here’s When They Do

Open-source AI is no longer a niche experiment—it’s a movement. In 2025, models like Mistral , Ollama, and Meta’s LLaMA are stepping into the ring with industry heavyweights like GPT-5, Claude 3.5, and Gemini Ultra. But can they really compete?

In this episode of Tech It From Me, Mike dives into:

• Head-to-head comparisons of open-source and proprietary AI models
• The true costs of running your own AI vs. paying for API access
• Transparency & trust—why open weights matter for privacy and ethics
• How community-driven development is pushing innovation faster than ever
• The security risks no one talks about when anyone can fine-tune a model

We’ll explore the advantages, limitations, and future potential of open-source AI—and why the next few years could shape a hybrid ecosystem where both open and closed models thrive.

Whether you’re an AI developer, IT leader, or just AI-curious, you’ll walk away with a clear view of where the AI race is headed.

Read the full write-up: Open-Source AI: Can It Compete With the Big Players?

In this episode of Tech It From Me, Mike pulls back the curtain on the hidden price tag of building and running today’s most powerful AI models. From skyrocketing hardware costs and cloud provider lock-in, to the staggering electricity and water demands of data centers, this is the side of AI you don’t hear about in press releases.

Drawing on over 15 years of experience in the Engineered Environmental sector, Mike explains how these costs trickle down to businesses, consumers, and even local communities — and what can be done to make AI cheaper, greener, and more sustainable.

If you’ve ever wondered who’s really footing the bill for artificial intelligence — and how it might come back to you — this episode is a must-listen.

Read the full write-up: The Real Cost of AI: Who’s Paying for the Compute Arms Race?

In this episode of Tech It From Me, I explore what that means, how it compares to strategies from Microsoft, Apple, Google, and OpenAI, and what it could mean for privacy, control, and everyday life. From Meta’s closed-source pivot to Microsoft’s Copilot push, we break down the competing AI philosophies shaping your digital future.

Whether you’re excited, skeptical, or a bit of both, this episode will help you make sense of the AI arms race we’re all living in.

Topics covered:

• Zuckerberg’s AI manifesto: personalized super-AIs vs centralized AGI
• Why Meta is walking back open-source AI
• Comparing AI strategies: Meta vs Microsoft vs Google vs Apple vs OpenAI
• What “personal superintelligence” could look like in real life
• The risks, rewards, and reality of trusting one company with your digital twin

Read the full write-up: The Case for Personalized Superintelligence: Zuckerberg vs the AI Mainstream

From credential stuffing and phishing to sketchy Wi-Fi and reused passwords, we unpack the real-world tactics behind modern cybercrime. I’ll share stories from my own experience as an IT leader, explain why behaviour is often the biggest security risk, and offer five practical things you can do today to protect yourself, without needing to be a tech expert.

Learn how to:

• Spot and stop phishing attacks
• Use a password manager like 1Password (not sponsored!)
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Stay safe on public Wi-Fi using VPNs like Cloudflare WARP
• And why security isn’t just about software—it’s about habits

If you’ve ever said “I’m not important enough to hack,” this episode is for you.

Read the full write-up: Tech It to the Bank: How Cybercriminals Really Get Your Info

In this episode, I break down what drove Microsoft to this historic milestone and why it signals a new era in tech leadership. We’ll explore the four pillars behind Microsoft’s rise—Azure, Copilot, OpenAI, and enterprise trust—and how its strategic alignment with Nvidia is powering the future of AI.

This isn’t just about valuation. It’s about who controls the infrastructure of intelligence—and who’s building the future everyone else will run on.

Why Azure + AI is Microsoft’s power play
How Copilot is changing how we work
Nvidia’s behind-the-scenes role as the engine under the hood
What does this all mean for Apple, Google, and Amazon going forward

If you’re an IT leader, technologist, or want to understand the business of AI at scale, this episode is for you.

Read the full write-up: Microsoft Joins the $4 Trillion Club: What It Means for the Future of Tech

In this episode, I break it all down in plain English—no math degree required.

What LLMs actually are (and what they aren’t)
How tokens work like building blocks of language
What transformers do—and why they changed everything
How embeddings create a map of meaning
Why size isn’t everything when choosing an AI model
Real-world business use cases across IT, HR, marketing, and more
And why understanding these models is essential for leaders today

Whether you’re a tech veteran, a business executive, or just curious about AI, this episode will leave you smarter and better equipped to lead in the age of generative AI.

Read the full write-up: Behind the Buzzwords: What Is a Large Language Model, Really?

In this episode of Tech It From Me, Mike Madole breaks down what’s really going on with Wi-Fi today—and why it still frustrates so many people. From invisible interference to overloaded devices, he unpacks the biggest culprits behind poor performance and shares practical fixes you can apply right now.

Why Wi-Fi isn’t the same as your internet speed
How signal interference and poor placement wreak havoc
The power of Ethernet backhaul—and why it’s a game-changer
What IP passthrough is and when to ask your ISP for it
The tools Mike uses to diagnose and optimize his own home network
Why you should never run Ethernet through your cold-air return

Whether you’re tech-savvy or just tired of buffering, this episode gives you the insight—and the checklist—to finally make your Wi-Fi work the way it should.

Read the full write-up: Why Wi-Fi Still Sucks in 2025 (And What You Can Actually Do About It)