The WAN Show: Snapdragon 805, US Military Pirating and GUEST Kyle Hansen - Nov 22, 2013

The WAN Show episode from November 22, 2013 opens with Linus and his crew teasing a number of tech topics for the day, including the Snapdragon 805, a surprisingly candid note about US government software piracy, and a guest appearance by Kyle Hansen from Newegg and Awesome Sauce News. The hosts acknowledge a lively, sometimes chaotic studio vibe, joking about the show’s professionalism and the occasional taquito distraction before diving into the agenda. The first major topic is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 805, described as an evolutionary step rather than a complete leap forward, with higher clock speeds and a prominent focus on GPU improvements. They explain the transition from Adreno 300 to Adreno 400 series, and the move to a 128-bit memory interface, Open CL 1.2 support, and hardware-accelerated H.264 encode and H.265 decode, highlighting power efficiency benefits for future mobile video and 4K content. The discussion emphasizes OpenCL’s role in bringing GPU compute to mobile devices, enabling tasks like image processing and filters, and notes the practical battery-life considerations inherent to higher-end decoding workloads. The hosts reflect on typical smartphone chipset expectations, comparing Snapdragon to competing lines and musing about how the Snapdragon 805 could influence device performance and battery life in the near term. The conversation then shifts to potential display and camera-tied developments in the Android ecosystem, including rumors and real-world implications of higher-resolution screens. The crew teases Kyle’s upcoming guest appearance and transitions to other hot tech topics on the horizon, including 4K panels and the broader 2013-2014 hardware landscape. Kyle Hansen joins the show, bringing Newegg’s retail perspective and additional commentary on graphics cards, power users, and the evolving PC gaming ecosystem. The Sanpdragon 805 segment continues with a comparative look at for example how the 805’s GPU and Open CL support could affect mobile Photoshop-like workflows and multi-tasking workloads. The panel discusses Nvidia’s EVGA graphics card strategies, including the EVGA 780 Ti 6GB edition and the idea that new board-partner allowances from Nvidia may allow more aggressive clocking and voltage headroom, in contrast to Nvidia’s earlier Green Light policy. The conversation then turns to the broader PC hardware market, including OCZ’s bankruptcy and the impact on SSDs and storage ecosystems, with Linus and Kyle offering firsthand industry insight into supply chain warning signs and the implications for enthusiasts and professional builders alike. The show’s Twitter segment lights up with questions from viewers about rigs, best Black Friday deals, and rumors surrounding next-generation consoles and chips, with enthusiastic banter about 4K displays, Retina scanners, and future chipsets. The Nexus 5 battery life chatter returns as the hosts discuss software optimization and usage patterns that influence real-world performance, including Bluetooth use, tethering, and smart power-saving features that mitigate drain. The guests and hosts pivot back to Star Citizen’s crowdfunding trajectory, acknowledging the game’s substantial funding momentum and the broader trend of crowdfunded gaming projects in 2013. The team explores how crowdfunding success translates into consumer interest and media coverage, and they celebrate continued interest in Star Citizen while noting the importance of sustained development timelines. Kyle shares personal experiences with consumer tech content creation, YouTube partnerships, and the role of live shows in engaging a tech-savvy audience, while Linus and Slick provide ongoing commentary on the show’s format and humor. Discussion returns to hardware performance through a practical lens, with topics ranging from GPU refresh cycles to power supplies, cooling, and real-world test benches. The panel touches on the 680 Ti 6 GB edition, its potential for unlocked performance, and the broader dynamic between board partners and GPU makers, including the tension between flexibility and manufacturer-imposed constraints. The show closes with a light-hearted exchange about Thanksgiving and Canadian tech culture, along with playful debates about future upgrades, retail-edge deals, and the nostalgic value of the WAN Show for long-time viewers. Throughout, the discussion remains anchored in real-world implications of evolving hardware, software, and online communities, keeping a balance between technical detail and accessible humor. The episode wraps with a teaser of post-show plans, a nod to audience engagement via social media, and a reflection on the enduring appeal of Linus Tech Tips as a source for hardware insights and entertainment.

Topics · technology · hardware · gaming · crowdfunding · business · consumer-electronics · digital-culture