The PDA Era Was Weird and Amazing

When Every Phone Tried to Be Something Different

There was a point in time when buying a phone felt like stepping into a completely different ecosystem. Before smartphones became standardized around iOS and Android, the mobile industry was filled with strange ideas, competing operating systems, experimental hardware, and companies all trying to define what portable computing should look like. Phones were not just yearly upgrades back then. They each had their own personality, limitations, strengths, and workflows.

In this episode, I reflect on the PDA and early smartphone era before 2010, a period where devices like the HTC Mogul, Palm Treo, BlackBerry Curve, and HTC G1 all approached mobile technology in radically different ways. From Windows Mobile and Palm OS to BlackBerry and Symbian, every platform felt unique. Some phones focused on messaging, others on productivity, and others tried to become full portable computers before the modern smartphone formula was finalized.

I also talk about the strange features and ideas that made the era memorable: physical keyboards, sliders, trackballs, infrared transfers, removable batteries, wireless syncing, early multitasking, gesture controls, and experimental software features that often disappeared as the industry became more standardized. Looking back at these devices is a reminder that technology once felt far more unpredictable and creative than it does now.

What We Talk About

Why the iPhone 4 marked the beginning of the modern smartphone era

The differences between Palm OS, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, and early Android

HTC’s role in shaping early smartphones and Android devices

Why BlackBerry keyboards were so effective for messaging

Palm OS beam sharing and early wireless device syncing

Slider phones, flip phones, trackballs, and experimental hardware designs

Early Android manufacturer customization and unique software features

LG’s influence on features like double tap to wake and rear button layouts

Why smartphones today often feel more iterative than innovative

The shift from experimental mobile devices to standardized ecosystems

Why This Stood Out

What made the PDA era so memorable was not necessarily that the technology was better. In many ways, it was slower, less polished, and far less convenient than what we have now. But it felt exciting because companies were still experimenting. Every device tried to solve problems differently, and every operating system had its own identity and philosophy behind it.

Modern smartphones are incredibly capable, but they are also increasingly similar. During the PDA era, switching devices could completely change how you interacted with technology. That unpredictability made the industry feel creative in a way that is difficult to replicate today.

Final Thoughts

Looking back at the PDA era is more than simple nostalgia. It is a reminder of a period when technology companies were willing to take risks and build devices that felt genuinely different from one another. Many of those ideas disappeared over time, but some of the features we now take for granted started during those experimental years.

The phones may have been strange, bulky, and occasionally frustrating, but they also felt personal. And for many people who lived through that period, that is what made the era so memorable.

About the Show

Tek With Josh is a reflective technology podcast focused on tech history, creator workflows, digital culture, and the changing relationship people have with technology. The show explores both modern and nostalgic topics through personal experience, longform discussion, and thoughtful commentary.

Listen, read, and explore more at:
👉 BooksByJosh.com

Tek With Josh – Episode 36
Running a Full Tech Workflow Alone
The Reality No One Shows

Starting a podcast sounds simple until you actually try to build the process yourself. There’s this idea that all you need is a mic and a topic, and while that’s technically true, it skips over everything that happens after you hit record. The setup, the editing, the hosting, the planning, and the consistency—it all adds up quickly when there’s no one else handling pieces of it for you.

In this episode, I walk through what that process actually looks like from my side. Not just the gear, but the workflow behind running multiple podcasts, choosing topics, recording without scripts, and managing everything alone. This isn’t about having the best setup. It’s about understanding the full picture and figuring out what actually matters when you’re doing this long term.

What We Talk About

Starting a podcast with minimal gear vs full setups

My current recording setup and why it’s more than most people need

Free vs paid recording and editing software

Podcast hosting options and alternatives

How I come up with episode topics

Using AI for idea generation

Recording without scripts and working from notes

Managing multiple podcasts alone

Transcription tools and workflow

Analytics and understanding what works

Why consistency is harder than it looks

Why This Stood Out

One of the things that doesn’t get talked about enough is how much of podcasting has nothing to do with talking. The recording itself is the easiest part. Everything around it—the setup, the planning, the uploading, the tracking—that’s where most of the time goes.

There’s also this expectation that you need a polished setup from the beginning, when in reality, most people would benefit more from starting simple and learning the process first. The gear can come later. The workflow is what actually determines whether you keep going.

Running everything alone also changes how you approach it. You start thinking less about perfection and more about sustainability. What can you realistically maintain week after week without burning out? That becomes the real question over time.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, none of this matters if you don’t hit record. That’s still the hardest part. Not the gear, not the setup, not the analytics—just starting and continuing when there’s no structure forcing you to do it.

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, you don’t need everything figured out. You just need a starting point and a willingness to build the process as you go.

About the Show

Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on real-world use, honest perspectives, and the role technology plays in everyday creative workflows. From hardware to software to the way it all fits together, each episode explores tech beyond the surface-level specs.

Listen, read, and explore more at:
👉 BooksByJosh.com

My Favorite HTC Phone

The Phone That Made Me Want to Tinker

There was a time when phones still felt like something you could explore. Before everything became streamlined and predictable, devices invited you to learn them, adjust them, and sometimes even break them just to see what they could really do. It wasn’t always smooth, but it was engaging in a way that modern devices rarely are.

In this episode of Tek With Josh, I revisit the HTC Mogul, also known as the Pocket PC 6800, and talk about why it remains my favorite HTC phone. Not because it was perfect, but because it represented a different kind of experience. With Windows Mobile, a slide-out keyboard, stylus input, and access to software outside of a centralized store, it felt less like a finished product and more like a tool you could shape to your needs.

What We Talk About

What PDAs and early smartphones were like before the modern era

The HTC Mogul and its place in 2007 alongside the first iPhone

Windows Mobile and the flexibility it offered

Installing apps manually and finding software through forums

Watching videos, running emulators, and expanding functionality

The importance of physical keyboards and stylus input at the time

Battery swapping and the realities of older devices

Why the device stood out compared to BlackBerry and Palm

Why This Stood Out

The HTC Mogul wasn’t just another phone I owned. It was one of the first devices that made me want to go deeper into how things worked. It gave me the ability to install software, experiment with features, and use the phone in ways that weren’t strictly intended. That sense of control and flexibility made it feel more personal.

It also came at a time when the industry was still deciding what a smartphone should be. The iPhone was introducing a new direction, but devices like this showed a different path. One that focused less on simplicity and more on capability, even if it came at the cost of ease of use.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, the HTC Mogul doesn’t hold up in any practical sense. The specs are outdated, the software is no longer supported, and most of what made it special depended on the time it came from. But that doesn’t take away from what it meant when it was new.

This was one of those devices that shaped how I interact with technology. It made me curious. It made me want to experiment. And it set the foundation for how I approached future devices, especially when Android made that kind of flexibility more mainstream.

About the Show

Tek With Josh is a podcast about consumer tech, digital life, and the devices that shape how we interact with the world around us. Some episodes focus on what’s new, while others take a step back to reflect on the technology that left a lasting impression.

Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

Episode 34 — Why I Stopped Wearing My Apple Watch

When Convenience Stops Being Necessary

There was a time when the Apple Watch made perfect sense. It solved a very specific problem—letting you stay connected without constantly reaching for your phone, especially in environments where that wasn’t practical. It fit the pace of that kind of work, where quick access and subtle notifications mattered.

But over time, that need changed. Not all at once, but gradually. The situations that once made the Apple Watch useful became less common, and the reasons for wearing it started to fade. What used to feel essential slowly became something that didn’t really serve a purpose anymore.

In this episode, I talk about why I stopped wearing my Apple Watch and went back to traditional watches. Not because the technology stopped improving, but because my lifestyle no longer required what it offered—and what that shift says about how we use the tools around us.

What We Talk About

The original reason I started using smartwatches

How work environments shape the tools we rely on

Why notifications mattered more in certain roles

The shift from constant connectivity to less dependence

Why traditional watches started making more sense

The difference between a tool and a distraction

Why This Stood Out

The Apple Watch didn’t become a worse product. In many ways, it’s better than it’s ever been. But that’s not always what determines whether something belongs in your daily life.

Sometimes the value of a device isn’t about what it can do, but whether you actually need it to do those things. And when that answer changes, the device itself doesn’t need to fail—it just stops fitting.

This is where technology becomes less about capability and more about context.

Final Thoughts

The Apple Watch still does exactly what it was designed to do, and for a lot of people, it makes perfect sense. But for me, it became something I didn’t need—a device that did more than necessary for a life that had already shifted in a different direction.

And sometimes, that’s enough reason to put something down.

About the Show

Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on perspective, real-world use, and the ideas behind the devices we use every day. Each episode looks beyond specs and headlines to explore what technology actually means over time.

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Listen, read, and explore more at: BooksByJosh.com

Episode 33 — The Mac Pro Didn’t Die — It Just Stopped Making Sense

The Quiet Shift That Left the Mac Pro Behind

There was a time when the Mac Pro represented something more than just a desktop. It was the machine you looked at when you wanted the best Apple had to offer, even if you never planned on owning one. It stood for possibility, for expansion, for the idea that a computer could grow with you over time.

But somewhere along the way, that idea stopped fitting into Apple’s direction. Not all at once, not through a single decision, but gradually. With each new release, with each shift in performance and design philosophy, the Mac Pro became harder to justify. And when Apple finally discontinued it, it didn’t feel sudden—it felt like the final step in something that had already been happening for years.

In this episode, I take a step back and look at how that shift happened. From the early days of the Power Mac to the rise of Apple Silicon, and what the quiet end of the Mac Pro says about where computing is headed.

What We Talk About

The original purpose of the Mac Pro and why it stood out

The shift from expandable desktops to integrated systems

The impact of Apple Silicon on performance and design

How the Mac Studio reshaped Apple’s pro desktop lineup

Why the Mac Pro didn’t fail—but no longer made sense

What this change says about modern workflows and computing

Why This Stood Out

The Mac Pro didn’t go away because it was a bad machine. It went away because the idea behind it no longer aligned with how Apple builds computers today. That’s what makes this moment different.

This isn’t just about one product being discontinued. It’s about a larger shift—from machines designed to evolve over time to machines designed to be complete the moment you buy them. From expansion and flexibility to efficiency and integration.

And while that shift makes sense in a lot of ways, it also changes how we think about what a “pro” machine is supposed to be.

Final Thoughts

The Mac Pro used to represent the highest end of Apple’s lineup, but more than that, it represented a different way of thinking about computers. Bigger, more open, more adaptable.

Now, that version of computing feels like it belongs to a different era.

The Mac Pro didn’t disappear overnight. It slowly lost its place, until one day Apple made it official. And what’s left behind isn’t just a discontinued product, but the end of a mindset that defined pro computing for a long time.

About the Show

Tek With Josh is a tech podcast focused on perspective, real-world use, and the ideas behind the devices we use every day. Each episode looks beyond specs and headlines to explore what technology actually means over time.

Listen & Explore More

Listen, read, and explore more at: BooksByJosh.com

There’s a moment that’s become very familiar. You open a brand new phone, set it up, start using it… and almost immediately realize it feels exactly like the one you just replaced. It’s faster, sure. The camera is a bit better. The screen is a little brighter. But the feeling is the same. Nothing about it really stands out.

In this episode, I talk about why that feeling exists and how we got here. There was a time when phones felt unpredictable. Every release brought something different. Some ideas worked, some didn’t, but the excitement came from not knowing what companies would try next. Now, things feel more refined, but also more uniform. The question is whether that’s progress… or something we lost along the way.

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What We Talk About

• Why modern smartphones feel the same year after year

• The shift from hardware innovation to software and AI features

• The early days of smartphones and why they felt more exciting

• BlackBerry, HTC, LG, and Motorola’s experimental era

• Samsung’s rise through feature-driven innovation

• Modular phones, second screens, and ideas that almost worked

• Why Chinese manufacturers still feel more experimental today

• Whether AI is replacing real innovation

• Why upgrading your phone doesn’t feel necessary anymore

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Why This Topic Matters

Smartphones have reached a point where they are incredibly polished, but that polish comes at a cost. When everything works well and looks similar, it becomes harder to stand out. That’s great for reliability, but not always great for excitement.

This episode isn’t about saying modern phones are bad. In many ways, they’re the best they’ve ever been. But it’s about recognizing the shift from bold experimentation to careful iteration, and how that change affects the way we experience new technology.

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Final Thoughts

Phones didn’t necessarily lose their value. They just lost a bit of their personality. The weird ideas, the risks, even the failures were part of what made the industry fun to follow. Now, the focus has shifted toward refinement and software layers, especially AI, and while that brings convenience, it doesn’t always bring excitement.

Maybe this is what maturity looks like for a product category. Or maybe it’s a phase before the next big shift. Either way, it’s worth asking whether we’re okay with phones being reliable tools… instead of something we actually look forward to.

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Listen, read, and explore more at: 👉 BooksByJosh.com

Breaking Down the iPhone 17e, M5 Macs, MacBook Neo, and Studio Display XDR

Apple had a busy start to March with a wave of new hardware announcements, and in this episode of Tek With Josh, I walk through everything Apple released during its spring announcement week. From the new iPhone 17e to updated M5 MacBooks, the surprise MacBook Neo, refreshed iPad Air, and the new Studio Display XDR, there was a lot packed into a single week of product updates.

Some of these announcements were simple spec bumps, while others signal interesting changes in Apple’s lineup. The MacBook Air gets the M5 upgrade with more storage and memory, the MacBook Pro lineup continues pushing performance with stronger GPUs and AI-focused improvements, and the MacBook Neo might be the most interesting device of the bunch thanks to its aggressive entry price for a Mac laptop.

I also break down Apple’s updated displays, including the refreshed Studio Display and the new Studio Display XDR, which brings Mini-LED technology, higher brightness, and ProMotion to Apple’s professional monitor lineup.

To wrap things up, I talk about the two devices I was hoping Apple would announce but didn’t: a new Apple TV and an M5 Mac mini.

What We Talk About

• Apple’s spring hardware announcements

• The new iPhone 17e and who it’s really for

• MacBook Air with M5 and updated pricing

• MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max

• The surprise MacBook Neo and why it might be Apple’s most interesting release

• iPad Air with the M4 chip

• Apple’s refreshed Studio Display

• The new Studio Display XDR and its Mini-LED ProMotion display

• Why I’m still waiting for a new Apple TV

• Hoping Apple releases an M5 Mac mini

Listen, read, and explore more at:

👉 BooksByJosh.com

In this episode of Tek With Josh, I share my honest thoughts on the newly announced Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. While it’s easily one of the most powerful Android phones Samsung has ever released, raw specs don’t always translate into meaningful upgrades for everyday users.

I walk through what Samsung actually changed this year — including the Snapdragon Gen 5 for Galaxy, the new 10-bit display with a built-in privacy screen, faster wired and wireless charging, and improvements to thermal performance. I also talk about the areas where Samsung chose to play it safe, particularly with the camera system and overall design.

We also get into Samsung’s evolving AI strategy with One UI 8.5, what the new task-based AI features can realistically do right now, and why the lack of built-in magnetic support for accessories feels like a missed opportunity in 2026.

Finally, I break down who this phone makes sense for — especially for buyers in the U.S. — and why most people with a recent Ultra model are better off skipping this generation.

What We Talk About

Galaxy S26 Ultra specs vs real-world value

Snapdragon Gen 5 for Galaxy performance

The new 10-bit display and built-in privacy screen

Thermal changes, materials, and vapor chamber cooling

Camera updates (and what hasn’t changed)

One UI 8.5, Galaxy AI, and task-based automation

Faster charging and the magnet controversy

Who should upgrade — and who shouldn’t

Listen, read, and explore more at:

👉 BooksByJosh.com