The WAN Show - Yahoo! Blocks Adblock Users, Oculus Makes Women Sick - Nov 27, 2015
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Promos
linustechtips.com Sponsors! iFixIt link: ifixit.com - Offer code WANSHOW Phantom Glass: phantom.glass - offer code WANPG to save 20% off your order (valid for 60 days) Freshbooks: Head over to freshbooks.com and don’t forget to enter WAN in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section when signing up for your free trial. Soundcloud Link: soundcloud.com Timestamps courtesy of Sam Tilling (IPickle), Ghost, JJMC89 & Brandon Axtmann 00:09:38 Nvidia cutting prices on entire 900 series for the holidays 00:13:20 AMD cutting prices on R9 series including Fury X, Fury, and Nano 00:17:20 Li-Fi Internet 00:26:35 Twitter Blitz 00:30:39 Amazon backtracks after covering NYC subway car in Nazi symbols 00:40:07 Samsung’s latest PM863 3D TLC SSD owns it 00:49:28 Toddler’s eyeball sliced in half by drone propeller 00:51:03 Meet the new Raspberry Pi Zero 00:52:40 Yahoo stops some users accessing emails while using ad-blockers 00:56:30 More women than men get motion sickness with the Oculus Rift 01:02:30 Sony is working on a PS4 Remote Play app for PC and Mac 01:05:02 EA is planning more Battlefront games 01:05:15 Sponsor: PhantomGlass 01:07:40 Sponsor: Freshbooks 01:08:48 Sponsor: IFixit
The WAN Show episode dated November 27, 2015 covers a rapid-fire set of technology news, market moves, and consumer electronics anecdotes. The hosts begin with price-cut announcements from Nvidia for the 900 series, highlighting how the holidays drive steep discounts on GPUs like the 980 and 970, and they discuss how these shifts affect both enthusiasts and mainstream buyers. They then pivot to AMD, noting price reductions on the R9 lineup including the Fury X, Nano, and 390X, framing the market as a tug-of-war for performance per dollar during the holiday season. A segment on Li-Fi introduces the concept of data transmission via visible light, exploring its potential to augment or someday supplement Wi-Fi, while also acknowledging practical limits like line-of-sight and lighting conditions. The show moves to social media dynamics with a Twitter Blitz, inviting fans to weigh in on who delivered the best holiday GPU deals and to engage in a friendly rivalry between the Green Team and the Red Team. A disaster-themed moment follows with a toddler injury incident involving a drone propeller, which the hosts treat with a mix of concern and casual humor, using it as a segue into a broader discussion about consumer drone safety. The conversation then shifts to a Raspberry Pi Zero reveal, zeroing in on affordable, compact development boards and their expanding ecosystem for hobbyists and professionals alike. Another major topic is Yahoo blocking some users from accessing email when using ad-blockers, prompting debate about ad-blocking, user experience, and business models on the open web. The hosts offer a candid take on the Yahoo issue, contrasting user frustration with the economics of free services and online advertising. They also touch on Oculus Rift motion sickness statistics, noting a gender split in susceptibility and speculating on design improvements or future experiences that could mitigate discomfort. In a PS4 related segment, Sony’s remote play ambitions for PC and Mac are discussed as part of the ongoing shift toward cross-platform gaming and streaming flexibility. The episode then previews EA’s plans for more Battlefront titles, signaling continued expansion of popular franchises in a crowded year for game releases. Sponsorship segments for Phantom Glass, FreshBooks, and iFixit punctuate the show, with hosts and guests mentioning discounts and how to support the WAN Show while staying on budget. Finally, the discussion loops back to hardware value and price-per-performance, weighing the merits of Nvidia vs AMD GPUs in the context of holiday sales, supply, and regional price variations, with live viewer interaction threading through the chat and social channels. The episode closes with a candid, sometimes comedic tone that blends hardware analysis, market commentary, and community engagement, underscoring Linus Tech Tips as a hub for enthusiast-grade tech conversation during a holiday season saturated with deals and new hardware announcements.
Topics · technology · hardware · consumer-electronics · digital-media · internet-culture
Questions answered
- What GPU price changes were discussed for Nvidia during the holiday season?
- Nvidia announced price cuts across the 900-series lineup, including dramatic reductions on models like the GTX 980 Ti and the 980, making high-end GPUs more accessible during the holidays.
- What is Li-Fi and how could it affect wireless networking?
- Li-Fi uses visible light to transmit data and could supplement or enhance Wi-Fi by offering very high speeds where line of sight is available, though it faces limits like wall penetration and lighting conditions.
- Why did Yahoo block some users when using ad blockers, and what was the broader reaction?
- Yahoo blocked access for certain ad-block users as a monetization measure, prompting mixed reactions about online advertising, user experience, and the sustainability of free services.
- What controversy surrounded Amazon’s subway ad, and what marketing takeaway did the hosts highlight?
- Amazon faced backlash for a subway ad incorporating Nazi-era symbolism. The hosts discussed marketing risks, the boundaries of provocative advertising, and how controversy can drive talks about a show's premise.