AwesomeCast 770: Silver Surfer Is the Original Flappy Bird
This week on AwesomeCast 770 (LIVE!), Sorg, Katie, and Dave Podnar bounce between retro tech nostalgia, fresh Apple hardware updates, and a genuinely unsettling AI privacy story—while still making time for Pokémon gadgets, theme-park VR preservation, and cloud gaming upgrades.
Nintendo’s Virtual Boy… back from the dead (sort of)
The Virtual Boy is infamous for being one of Nintendo’s strangest swings—red visuals, uncomfortable ergonomics, and a short game library. Sorg walks through how Nintendo is reviving the experience on Switch with a viewer that leans into “cardboard gadget” energy, and why it’s still a fascinating time capsule.
Show notes: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/virtual-boy-nintendo-classics-switch/
Apple updates: what matters (and what’s just a chip bump)
Podnar breaks down Apple’s fast-moving week of announcements—including the value proposition of a more affordable iPhone option and what an updated iPad Air really means in day-to-day use.
The rumor that grabbed everyone: a cheaper “MacBook Neo”?
A leak sparks discussion around a possible lower-cost MacBook that uses an iPhone-class chip (A18). The group talks target audience (students, everyday users, business fleets), expected pricing, and why iPhone silicon is already “computer-powerful.”
Katie’s “Not Awesome”: Meta AI glasses and human moderators
The conversation takes a serious turn with a report about Meta AI smart glasses and how sensitive recordings can end up in human review workflows. The crew’s takeaway: read the fine print—and maybe keep cameras out of private spaces, period.
Chachi Says Video Game Minute: industry shakeups + Jay & Silent Bob beat-’em-up
The show drops in a fast gaming roundup and then pivots into classic brawler excitement with a new Jay & Silent Bob project.
Show notes: https://jay-and-silent-bob-chronic-blunt-punch.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/review
Dunkin’s 48-ounce drink bucket: helpful or unhinged?
Is it a beverage, or a lifestyle choice? The crew debates the utility of a literal bucket with a straw (and how many you’d end up collecting).
Show notes: https://www.today.com/food/news/dunkin-new-iced-drink-bucket-rcna260597
MuppetVision 3D preserved for VR
With MuppetVision gone from its physical home, the panel celebrates the idea of preserving the attraction in VR—and talks about how the magic was never “just the screen.”
Show notes: https://wdwnt.com/2026/02/muppetvision-3d-will-be-available-for-apple-vision-pro-vr-headsets/
Adobe Firefly video editing: “quick cuts” still need a human
Sorg tests Adobe’s Firefly-driven workflow and shares what it did well, what felt confusing, and why AI is still more assistant than editor-in-chief.
Show notes: https://apple.news/AfufCCzseQhWJidmu6LlkxA
Pokémon nostalgia gadgets, Xbox streaming upgrades, and Marvel retro hype
From Pokémon hardware-inspired collectibles to Xbox cloud streaming improvements and a Marvel collection trailer that screams “arcade era,” the back half of the show is pure geek fuel.
Show notes:
Pokémon music player: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-red-blue-game-boy-music-player/
Xbox 1440p streaming: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-consoles-now-support-1440p-streaming-204115304.html?guccounter=1
Marvel collection trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwzjDboeb5Q
Women’s History Month: Grace Hopper
Podnar spotlights Admiral Grace Hopper’s impact on modern computing—compilers, COBOL, and the origin of “computer bugs.”
Show notes: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/grace-hopper
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