4 chapters across the catalog
Adam Curry describes acquiring an Asus-branded DGX machine with 128GB of RAM to run AI models locally, avoiding monthly subscription fees and cloud outages. The machine, which has doubled in price due to RAM costs, allows for high-performance tasks without relying on commercial APIs. The discussion touches on the measurement of "compute" in flops versus power consumption.
PC Hardware Maintenance, SilentPC and Motherboard Sensors
A detailed account of repairing a five-year-old custom PC from SilentPC.com involves troubleshooting a motherboard error caused by a dead CMOS battery. The failure triggered false CPU overheating sensors in the BIOS, which were eventually disabled to allow the machine to boot. The segment includes a critique of the lack of specific battery stock at local CVS pharmacies.
A new Asus phone advertisement is noted for using Morse code to tease an "optical zoom" feature. The hosts find it unusual to use such a niche communication method for a mass-market product. This leads to a brief update on ham radio conditions and a successful long-distance "sideband" transmission to Honolulu.
Netbook Operating Systems, Android and Mac OS X Ports
Technologists are successfully loading the Android operating system and Apple's Mac OS X onto various netbook hardware, such as the HP 1000 and Asus EeePC. While Apple reportedly has mechanisms to "brick" unauthorized installations, the portability of these small devices makes them attractive targets for OS experimentation.
