About this episode
Recorded January 9, 2026 It's mid-January, and we kick off the first full show of the year with news from CES nonsense, reviewing what consumer tech trends might actually sneak into higher-ed AV and which ones should stay in Las Vegas forever. That quickly turns into an AI-heavy conversation covering lecture capture anxiety, faculty concerns, digital avatars, and synthetic presenters. Then we dig into what happens when trust in a manufacturer, platform, or product is broken, whether that trust can ever truly be rebuilt, and how past experiences shape long-term decisions around standards, vendors, and institutional risk. With conference previews, a preview of NWMET, and the usual mix of practical insight and unnecessary hypotheticals, this episode is a fitting start to the year. If your semester just started and your systems are already acting up, you're among friends. News stories discussed: https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/01/07/ai-software-that-can-create-digital-clones-of-employees-unveiled-at-ces-2026 https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ixis-autofocusing-lenses-multifocal-glasses-ces-2026-212608427.html https://smarthairclipper.com/ https://mypersonas.ai/ Connect with Raul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rburriel/ Alternate show titles: Micro lawnmower I do enjoy wearing banana hammocks Your Subscription Ran Out Why are we hiring experts, I just want to replace me! Unauthorized Digital Twin Testing in production There's no testing… just production I'm always going to assume that something is my fault
