In this episode Kris and Erik discuss Microsoft's latest report on global AI adoption trends, explore highlights from CES 2026 including LEGO's groundbreaking Smart Bricks, Samsung's triple-folding phone, and AMD's new AI-powered laptop processors. Plus, we check out Repebble's new smartwatches and voice-recording ring.

SHOW NOTES

Zorin OS https://zorin.com/os/ (Linux-based operating system designed as a user-friendly alternative to Windows and macOS, featuring familiar desktop layouts and extended hardware support)

Ollama https://ollama.com/search (Local LLM runtime platform enabling privacy-focused AI model deployment on personal hardware)

Microsoft AI Economy Institute Global AI Adoption Report 2025 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/topics/ai-economy-institute/reports/global-ai-adoption-2025/ (Comprehensive analysis showing AI adoption reached 16.3% globally with widening divide between Global North and Global South)

Repebble Index 01 https://repebble.com/index (Voice-recording smart ring with button and microphone for capturing thoughts, requiring no charging for years of use)

Repebble Watch https://repebble.com/watch (New e-paper smartwatches including Pebble Round 2 and Pebble Time 2 with long battery life and open-source PebbleOS)

AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series Announcement https://www.amd.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-1-5-amd-expands-ai-leadership-across-client-graphics-.html (Next-generation processors featuring 60 TOPS NPU for AI workloads, 12 Zen 5 cores, and enhanced performance for laptops and mini-PCs)

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Coverage https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-z-trifold-hands-on-flexing-is-believing-at-ces-2026-224343480.html (Hands-on coverage of Samsung's triple-folding smartphone with 10-inch display that won Best Overall Product at CES 2026)

LEGO Smart Bricks Star Wars Sets https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2026/december/lego-smart-play-announcement (Interactive LEGO platform featuring Smart Bricks with embedded sensors, speakers, and processors smaller than a LEGO stud, launching March 2026 with Star Wars sets)

CONTACT

Website:examining.ca

Twitter: @ExaminingPod

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host

Website: erikchristiansen.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host Website: krishans.ca

Website: krishans.ca

In this episode Kris provides a long-term review of the iPhone Air, our co-hosts discuss Time Magazine's person of the year—The AI Architects—and Erik discusses how to run AI locally using Ollama.

SHOW NOTES

TIME: Person of the Year 2025 — AI Architects
https://time.com/7339685/person-of-the-year-2025-ai-architects/
(Overview of TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year selection, highlighting AI builders shaping technology and society)

Ollama (Official)
https://ollama.com/
(Main site for Ollama, a local LLM runtime focused on privacy and performance)

Shep Bryan on Ollama
https://www.shepbryan.com/blog/ollama
(Practical breakdown of Ollama, how it works, and use cases from a developer perspective)

CONTACT

Website:examining.ca

Twitter: @ExaminingPod

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host

Website: erikchristiansen.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host Website: krishans.ca

Website: krishans.ca

In this episode, Erik discusses Linux has never quite become the everyday desktop operating system, despite powering much of the modern Internet and having a passionate community behind it. He explores what has held Linux back from mainstream adoption, and looks at how the end of Windows 10 support is pushing people to explore alternatives. Erik highlights Zorin OS, a Linux distribution designed to feel instantly familiar to Windows users, and explains why it might be the most compelling option yet for anyone user older hardware that is not compatable with Windows 11.

SHOW NOTES

Statcounter: Desktop OS Market Share Worldwide
https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide/
(Global operating system usage data, including Linux’s current ~3 percent share)

Linux Today: Microsoft Continues to Cite Linux as Proof It Is Not a Monopoly
https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/microsoft-continues-to-cite-linux-as-proof-it-is-not-a-monopoly/
(Historical context on Microsoft using Linux’s existence during antitrust scrutiny)

Ars Technica: New Project Brings Strong Linux Compatibility to More Classic Windows Games
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/11/new-project-brings-strong-linux-compatibility-to-more-classic-windows-games/
(Explains Proton, SteamOS momentum, and why Linux gaming is suddenly viable)

Zorin OS Blog: Introducing Zorin OS 18
https://blog.zorin.com/2025/10/14/zorin-os-18-has-arrived/

SavvyNik (YouTube): Zorin OS 18 Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni-JXsp0Vtw
(Visual demo of Zorin’s UI and Windows-like workflow)

Microsoft: Windows 10 End of Support: October 14, 2025
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro
(Official end-of-life documentation for Windows 10)

Microsoft Learn: Windows 11 Requirements
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements

Ubuntu Documentation: Linux Hardware and Driver Support Overview
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardwareSupportComponents
(Context on device compatibility challenges that shaped Linux adoption)

GNOME Blog: Online Accounts and Cloud Integration in GNOME
https://blogs.gnome.org/
(Background on the online accounts integration used by distros like Zorin)

LibreOffice: LibreOffice for Windows, macOS, and Linux
https://www.libreoffice.org/discover/libreoffice/
(Open-source Office alternative recommended for Windows switchers)

Obsidian: A Powerful Notes App for Linux and Beyond
https://obsidian.md/
(Cross-platform note-taking tool mentioned as a OneNote replacement)

In this episode, Erik dives into why prompting AI is hard, especially for those of us who have spent twenty years being trained to search the web with short, concise queries. He unpacks the shift from keyword-driven search habits to the more detailed, creative instructions AI systems require, and explains what this new “prompt literacy” means for everyday users, educators, and anyone working with modern AI.

SHOW NOTES

• OpenAI: Best practices for prompt engineering with the OpenAI API

• Palantir: Best Practices for Prompt Engineering

• System in Motion: Why is prompting for image generation so difficult?

• Nielsen Norman Group: How AI Is Changing Search Behavior

• One Useful Thing: Working with AI: Two Paths to Prompting

CONTACT

Website:examining.ca

Twitter: @ExaminingPod

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host

Website: erikchristiansen.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host Website: krishans.ca

Website: krishans.ca

In this episode, Erik talks about the rise of Agentic Web Browsers. These "next generation" web browsers are the new hotness, and companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft claim they can save you time by doing tasks on your behalf. But do they actually work? What are the risks of letting an AI control your browser?

SHOW NOTES

Consumer Reports: Should You Use an AI Browser Like ChatGPT Atlas?

ChatGPT Atlas browser

Microsoft Edge Copilot Mode

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:35 - What are agentic web browsers?
00:13:15 - Consumer reports agent browser comparison
00:23:22 - Tips
00:29:07 - Wrap up

CONTACT

Website:examining.ca

Twitter: @ExaminingPod

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host

Website: erikchristiansen.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host Website: krishans.ca

Website: krishans.ca

This episode was originally published on September 8, 2023 (Episode 60), during the AI hype cycle. What is still true today? Does Amazon still want to own the AI highway? Is higher education and business responding to ChatGPT the same way today?

---

Examining is a technology-focused podcast that dives deep. Our co-hosts, Erik Christiansen and Kris Hans examine the technology industry, branding, productivity, and education, and provide practical tech tips. As we make this transition to "Examining" we will be updating our various account links, so please bear with us.

SHOW NOTES

YouTube: This video is titled “YouTube” and is available on the YouTube platform

Harvard Business Review: How to Prepare for a GenAI Future You Can’t Predict

ZDNet: 75% of businesses are implementing or considering bans on ChatGPT

Slate: Amazon Web Services isn’t trying to win the A.I. race. It wants to own the road

CONTACT

Website:examining.ca

Twitter: @ExaminingPod

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host

Website: erikchristiansen.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host Website: krishans.ca

Website: krishans.ca

(Show notes created with help from Bing Chat AI)

This episode was originally published on February 1, 2022.

In this episode, Kris and Erik return after their Winter break 'sabbatical.' Kris gives an update on the latest books he's read on work productivity, specifically those that force us to rethink how we work. Our co-hosts also discuss their work resolutions/goals for using technology and being productive.

SHOW NOTES

Books
*The Four Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss
*ReWork - Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson
*Remote - Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson
*Make Time - Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky

Tools mentioned
*Pinboard
*IFTTT
*Day One
*No code tools

EDTECH EXAMINED CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: hey@edtechexamined.com
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter: @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Kris and Erik discuss the legacy of Windows 10 (successes and controversies), Windows' evolution, how to get an extra year of Windows 10 support for free, and our favourite Windows features.

SHOW NOTES

Bloomberg: Apple is enticing Windows 10 users to switch to Mac/iPad

Paul Thurrott: Windows 10 Legacy

Lex Fridman podcast: Dave Plummer interview (former Microsoft veteran)

Dave’s Garage: Dave Plummer’s YouTube channel on PC/software history, deep dives into hardware, retro hardware, and interviews with industry legends.

Steven Sinofsky's book: Hardcore Software: Inside the Rise and Fall of the PC Revolution

TIPS

Engadget: Get extended Windows 10 support for free!

Reddit: Hidden/lesser-known Windows features

TIME STAMPS

00:00:53 - Reflection on Windows

00:06:02 - Legacy of Windows 10

00:25:54 - Apple going after Windows 10 users to switch

00:27:22 - Get a year of Windows 10 support for free!

00:32:01 - Favourite Windows features

00:41:54 - Wrap up

CONTACT

Website: examining.ca

X: @examiningpod

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/company/examining



TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
X: @egchristiansen

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
X: @KrisHans