PC Mike Techcast: Managing Your Life on a Smartphone -

Can our smartphones really make us smarter? That’s the major topic we explore this week as we begin our new PC Mike Techcast – a weekly podcast that talks about the latest in personal technology and gadgets with no “geek speak.”

Our main interview is with Rey Brown, of the Smartphones Made Easy blog and podcast.

I’m really excited about this podcast. It’s a lot of fun to do and there are so many great folks to talk with, including you. Just click the “Leave Voicemail” link on the right side of your screen to record your comments and questions by using the built-in microphone on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. I love to feature listener calls on the podcast, as you can hear in this episode.

Please take a listen:

[spp-player]

In this episode, I talk about:

– [spp-tweet “The lowest cost and best 28 inch computer monitor I’ve ever seen“]

– Why those “Fix your PC” Internet come-ons are not such a good idea for most people

– [spp-tweet “Cool apps to make sure you always get whatever you want at the lowest price“]

– Why there may be an iPhone 6 shortage next year

– How that Sony pictures hacker attack is causing near panic among many corporations around the nation

Mike interviews smartphone tech expert Rey Brown host of the Smartphones Made Easy podcast on how to use a smartphone to run your life.

Rey talks about:

– Apple vs. Android: Who is winning?

– Smartphones: What to know about the two platforms

– How are smartphones becoming be the hub of our entire lives

– Carriers have no more exclusive deals, which is good for consumers

– Rey doesn’t like the no-contract trend. [spp-tweet ““If you look at the numbers, you spend lots more when you lease your phone rather than committing to a two year contract.””]

Other Rey Brown Quotes:

[spp-tweet ““Android is the anti-Apple. You can do whatever you want with it. Apple has everything locked down.””]

[spp-tweet ““Android hands down beats the iPhone. I can do 10 times more on my Android than my iPhone.””]

What ‘s on Rey’s smartphone?

His three favorite apps right now are:

– Refresh – For Apple iPhone, this app gives quick connections and background on the people you are meeting.

– Google Inbox – Rey says it’s his favorite e-mail tool. It’s being tested and you need an invite to get it now. It bundles emails and organizes them in a way that will get you to “inbox zero.”

– Google Play Music – He loves the ease by which music can be uploaded for free – up to 20,000 of them! It can be set for offline listening, too.