This week’s episode brought to you by Pittsburgh Things, Core Life Eatery, Sprezzatura, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design & Media! It's that time of year when we get ready to take some time off to spend the holidays with our families. But, that also means that it's time for our year-end wrap up with our Awesome Thing of the Year items and predictions. This week we're talking about: * Chilla is sharing Nintendo Switch as one of his Awesome Thing of the Year candidates. * Chilla is also sharing Apple Music on Amazon as his Awesome Thing of the Year. * For those who have followed Chilla's track record of tech items, he has 7 screens with him in studio for this episode. * Cynthia is sharing Google Home's partnership with Disney and Little Golden Books as her Awesome Thing of the Year. * Krause is sharing Microsoft Ignite as his professional Awesome Thing of the Year. * Krause is sharing Google Home and home automation as his home version Awesome Thing of the Year. * Uncle Crappy is sharing email as his Awesome Thing of the Year. (Yes, you read that right - email.) * Sorg is sharing his Pokemon GO as his Awesome Thing of the Year. * We're running down last year's predictions. Let's see which ones happened, and which ones didn't! * Now that we've figured out what we got right and wrong in last year's predictions, it's time for our 2019 predictions in tech:

Chilla: Video based communications will grow to a point that starts to threaten audio only

Cynthia: Netflix will maintain the lead in SVOD, but it will lose ground outside the US.

Sorg: A new Social Media/Media player will rise

Crappy: AI will become more prevalent in journalism

Krause: I think we will see even more integration when it comes to home automation. People are going to start talking to everything.

After the show remember to: Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Check out our sponsors as a part of YaJagoff’s HOLLA-day Gift Guide: * Pittsburgh Things Pittsburgh themed apparel n’at. * Core Life Eatery at the Block at Northway on McKnight Rd * Sprezzatura creates and serves heritage-inspired cooking for events and the public.

Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Sorg (@Sorgatron), Chilla (@chilla), Krause (@KrazyKrause), Cynthia Closkey (@cynthiacloskey) and Mike Pound (@unclecrappy) Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos? You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST