Praise for Robb and for Munich - DTNS Mailbag

Daily Tech News Show (DTNS) hosts Tom Merritt and Rob Dunwood have outlined a strategic expansion of their community engagement initiatives, confirming upcoming international meetups in London and Munich scheduled for July. During a recent broadcast, the hosts discussed the logistics of taking the show’s community interaction on the road, alongside updates on branding merchandise and industry analysis regarding Apple’s legacy device support.

Key Points

• International Expansion: Confirmed community meetups in London (July 7) and Munich (July 11–12) to coincide with Merritt’s travel schedule.
• Future Event Strategy: The team is exploring a broader "World Tour" concept and potential listener cruises to capitalize on global audience demand.
• Brand Development: New merchandise is in production, specifically responding to listener requests for items featuring co-host Rob Dunwood.
• Industry Analysis: The hosts highlighted Apple’s recent security update for the iPhone 5S as a benchmark for long-term hardware support.

Global Community Engagement Strategy

Following successful listener gatherings at major industry events like CES, DTNS is pivoting toward a more active international presence. Tom Merritt announced that he will be hosting informal meetups in the United Kingdom and Germany this summer. The events are scheduled to align with his travel itinerary for upcoming BTS concerts.

The specific dates target London on July 7 and Munich on July 11 and 12. These events serve as a testbed for a potentially larger strategy to institutionalize listener meetups in various metropolitan hubs.

"I'm testing the waters. See how many people there are interested... DTNS probably could do live events in many cities around the world. I was thinking the United States, but really around the world. After this year, I know that it could be done."

Rob Dunwood emphasized the organic nature of these gatherings, noting that the podcast's reach ensures a listener presence in almost any major city. This initiative marks a shift from virtual-only interaction back to the in-person community building that was stalled during the pandemic era.

Merchandise and Brand Evolution

In response to audience feedback, the show is updating its merchandise lineup. Listeners have specifically requested branding that includes Rob Dunwood, reflecting his solidified role as a core member of the DTNS team. Merritt confirmed that discussions are underway with artist Scott Johnson to design new sticker images and potentially other merchandise that features the current hosting lineup.

The move to update the visual branding comes more than two years after the last major refresh. It signifies a commitment to the current talent roster, which includes Merritt, Sarah Lane, Roger Chang, and Dunwood.

"It takes 10 years of hard work to become an overnight success... We go back to darn near the beginning of the show, just making a guest appearance. That was almost 10 years ago."

Tech Analysis: The Longevity of Hardware Support

Beyond community news, the hosts analyzed Apple's recent release of a security update for the iPhone 5S, a device originally released in 2013. The update is notable because the phone is technically no longer supported for major OS upgrades, yet Apple continues to patch critical vulnerabilities.

Dunwood and Merritt contrasted this with the broader mobile market, noting that while competitors like Google and Samsung are currently praised for promising six to seven years of support, Apple has quietly extended usable life cycles well beyond a decade.

"It is the oldest usable iPhone," Merritt noted. "I think people thought, 'Well, they're not going to issue any more updates for that operating system,' but they did."

What's Next

The DTNS team is currently finalizing venue details for the European meetups, with hotel lobbies or local pubs being the likely candidates to ensure accessibility for all listeners. Simultaneously, the hosts are soliciting feedback on potential future locations, with cities like Omaha, Milwaukee, and Paris under consideration for future legs of a "DTNS Tour."