This week on AwesomeCast, Sorg is joined by Dave Podnar while Katie is on assignment. The crew digs into practical tech, gaming platforms, open-source operating systems, sports broadcast innovation, retro-inspired phones, and one very funny automated social media mistake involving DoorDash, soccer, and T-Pain.
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
Support AwesomeCast: Tech and Gadget Talk
September 17 · 50 min
September 16 · 1 hr 3 min
September 9 · 51 min
September 2 · 1 hr 3 min
August 26 · 1 hr 28 min
August 19 · 59 min
July 30 · 31 min
July 15 · 58 min
July 9 · 27 min
