Stories and gadgets discussed:

• Dave’s Awesome Thing of the Week: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones
  Dave finally upgrades from cheap running headphones to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, praising the open-ear / bone-conduction-style design for running safety, comfort, sweat management, USB-C charging, and situational awareness.
  Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2HKCMBP?maas=maas\_adg\_api\_582366218564361552\_static\_9\_129&ref\_=aa\_maas&tag=maas&aa\_campaignid=lv\_IGvrl5TTBxiweexlXK&aa\_adgroupid=lv\_fdLHIcjvJhpJZvQxFb&aa\_creativeid=lv\_MMLFRb8MTdZvGlnqFv&gad\_campaignid=23921418215&gbraid=0AAAABDw\_RJg26Vr6MY-sVAPsmwCxwK4mX&gclid=CjwKCAjw3ejRBhAdEiwADkqPn36qoEfzRElmQ3e9OXSxZdGKjw0DyckEdeqo82D8qqlMdTFDyLXuXhoCVn8QAvD\_BwE&th=1
• Valve opens the door to SteamOS installs on AMD PCs
  Sorg talks about Valve allowing SteamOS installs on normal PCs with AMD GPUs, giving PC gamers a way to build their own living-room Steam Machine instead of buying Valve’s new box. The conversation also touches on Steam Deck, Linux gaming, Proton, GPU costs, tariffs, and the economics of gaming hardware.
  Link: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/steam-machines/valve-greenlights-steamos-installs-on-normal-pcs-with-amd-gpus-so-you-can-go-make-your-own-steam-machine-if-you-dont-wanna-fork-over-usd1-049/?brid=YWdncwFV2uAIYy2jMECl21FxWfGS
• Bazzite as an open-source SteamOS-style alternative
  Sorg brings up Brother Sorg’s recommendation of Bazzite, a Linux-based gaming OS with Steam gaming mode and support for launchers like Xbox Game Pass, Battle.net, EA, Epic Games Store, GOG, Rockstar, and Ubisoft Connect.
  Link: https://bazzite.gg/
• Pride Month tech history: Jon “maddog” Hall
  Dave spotlights Jon “maddog” Hall, a major Linux and Unix figure, sharing stories about Hall’s long programming history, his connection to Linus Torvalds, and the importance of recognizing LGBTQ contributors in technology history.
  Article: https://www.lpi.org/blog/2025/09/10/a-lifetime-in-code-jon-maddog-hall-reflects-at-linuxfest-northwest/
  Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=758QuvXrttM
• Chachi Says Video Game Minute: GTA 6, Nex Playground, and Ubisoft news
  Chachi covers three gaming stories: GTA 6 cover art and pre-orders, the Nex Playground motion-based console for kids, and the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of Ubisoft.
  GTA 6: https://www.ign.com/articles/gta-6-cover-artwork-revealed-pre-orders-begin-june-25
  Nex Playground: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx50rrz7zro
  Claude Guillemot: https://apnews.com/article/france-assassins-creed-ubisoft-plane-crash-2df2ea469c3fca0a45c38ae8805a6033
• Baja SAE filmed on a “gas station camera”
  Sorg highlights a low-fi, retro-looking Baja SAE reel from Fairfield University, celebrating the charm of VHS-style and “bad camera” aesthetics in modern social media content.
  Link: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZ6BjfCtzo-/
• World Cup referee technology, digital twins, sensors, and 3D body scans
  Sorg discusses advanced soccer officiating tech, including camera sensors, player tracking, digital twins, and automated offside detection that can help reduce blown calls and give officials faster alerts.
  Link: https://apple.news/ABeSFqwyjRpehEy0x8Nc9nQ
• Ribbie turns MLB games into pixel-art broadcasts
  Dave shares Ribbie, a fan-built project that uses real-time Major League Baseball data to recreate live games as a retro 16-bit-style baseball broadcast. The conversation connects it to vibe coding, AI-assisted development, and new ways fans can build creative sports experiences.
  Link: https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/23/ribbie-turns-real-time-baseball-stats-into-arcade-like-pixel-art-broadcasts/
• Commodore phone brings retro branding to a distraction-light flip phone
  Dave and Sorg look at the Commodore phone, a Sailfish OS-based flip phone designed as a step above a dumbphone, with calls, texting, maps, music apps, Uber/Lyft, classic Commodore games, and limited/no social media access.
  Link: https://order.commodore.net/callback-audio/?brid=YWdncwHwIXnsUg8Nsyh9q\_45Lj2C
• DoorDash accidentally tags T-Pain in soccer posts
  The episode wraps with a funny social media fail where DoorDash appears to tag T-Pain instead of soccer player Tim Payne during World Cup-related posts. Sorg and Dave discuss automation, agency workflows, social scheduling, and why T-Pain’s response made the whole situation better.
  Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ56tKCnedX/?brid=YWdncwG5YHkt5InxWn1IZ1Apa3Gc&img\_index=2

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The crew breaks down WWE Backlash, Asuka’s possible farewell, Danhausen and Minihausen’s breakout WWE moment, Lil Yachty’s surprisingly great wrestling energy, the John Cena Classic announcement, WWE/TKO roster cuts, creator reaction-stream takedowns, and AEW’s golf course wrestling experiment with Darby Allin and PAC.

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Sorg, Chilla and Dave Podnar are here and some of them have sore legs…

Formula SAE International Combustion (IC) Event:

Coverage of the internal combustion event, with plans for a future exclusive electric vehicle (EV) event.

Mention of the involvement of students and volunteers in designing, building, and raising funds for their vehicles.

Highlights of the endurance race and the high participation rate compared to previous years.

Notable performance by the Brazilian team, securing first place in design and a top-five overall finish.

Google I/O Highlights:

Discussion on Project Astra, an early version of Google’s universal assistant powered by DeepMind AI.

Demonstration of the assistant’s ability to recognize and interact with objects in real-time using a smartphone camera.

AI advancements in identifying objects and providing contextual information.

Concerns about AI integration in search results and its impact on web traffic and information accuracy.

OpenAI GPT-4.0 Update:

Introduction of GPT-4.0 (omni), capable of handling text, audio, and image inputs and outputs.

Practical applications and improvements in AI interactions.

Potential collaboration between OpenAI and Apple for integrating AI functionalities into iOS.

Google Glass and Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses:

Comparison of Google’s updated glasses with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Features include built-in cameras and voice assistants.

Emphasis on the seamless integration of AI and smart glasses for enhanced user experiences.

Microsoft Co-Pilot:

Explanation of Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, integrating AI into enterprise solutions.

Benefits of having AI manage and process data locally on devices.

Importance of maintaining data privacy and security in enterprise environments.

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