TechLinked: Nvidia Unveils Rubin, Crazy CES Phones, Big ol' TVs + More!

Host: Linus Media Group
Episode Date: January 6, 2026
Theme: In-depth coverage of the biggest and wildest tech announcements from CES 2026, including Nvidia's new Rubin platform, AI-infused gadgets, quirky phones, behemoth TVs, and the latest industry controversies.

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off TechLinked's special five-day CES 2026 coverage, diving into cutting-edge product reveals, industry shake-ups, and the ever-present march of AI into every tech category. With Linus Media Group's trademark blend of humor and insight, the show explores Nvidia’s bold new Rubin announcement, bizarre mobile innovations, an onslaught of gigantic TVs, and the latest blunders and shake-ups in the tech world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nvidia’s CES 2026 Keynote: The Age of Robots (00:15–04:21)

• Jensen Huang’s Vision:
  Nvidia’s CEO took the stage, clad in his signature leather jacket, to underscore a future dominated by AI and robotics, all built atop Nvidia’s hardware and software ecosystems.

  "It's Nvidia's all the way down." (00:30)

• Rubin Platform Unveiled:

  • Next-gen AI supercomputer featuring:
    • 6 integrated chips
    • Vera CPU (88 custom cores)
    • Rubin GPU (336 billion transistors)
  • Promises:
    • 5x Blackwell’s performance
    • 10x lower inference costs

• Alpa Mayo Reasoning AI for Autonomous Vehicles:

  • First "reasoning" AI, demoed navigating San Francisco in real-time.

  • Will be open-sourced, sparking debate:

    "Either means they're very confident or they want everyone else to do the bug testing." (01:20)

• Star Wars Droids and Partner Robots:

  • Fully autonomous BDX droids showcased, running Nvidia’s Cosmos models.
  • Partners like Boston Dynamics, LG, and Caterpillar flaunted robot prototypes.

• Nvidia’s Expanding Empire:

  • Nvidia’s chips power everything: autonomous cars, humanoid robots, AI data centers.

    "Nvidia's entire business model is now: we sell the shovels in every gold rush simultaneously." (02:24)
    "At this point, one thing's for sure: Jensen is building the cyberpunk dystopia that matches his cool leather jackets." (03:20)

2. Wild CES Mobile Tech: From Robot Arms to Retro Keyboards (04:21–08:10)

• Honor’s Robot Phone:

  • Features a 3-axis gimbal camera with full rotation & autonomous tracking.

  • Marketed as part of a $10B “alpha plan for AI devices.”

  • Not launching until Mobile World Congress, but made an impression.

    "If you've ever thought my phone needs more moving parts, then this is your moment." (05:34)

• Clicks Communicator: QWERTY Revival:

  • BlackBerry-style phone with 4-inch AMOLED, physical keyboard, and fingerprint sensor in the space bar.
  • $499, Android 16, pitched as the "best second phone on the planet."

• More Mobile Oddities:

  • Haining Towal: "World’s thinnest tablet"

  • TCL’s Next Page Paper 70 Pro with Max Ink Mode

  • Solver: Customizable magnetic haptic buttons (bind any phone action)

    "I'm up to 85 bucks in 2026 already, baby." (07:55 – On tracking bathroom breaks with custom buttons)

3. Big, Bright, and Flat: CES TV Showdowns (08:10–11:20)

• Samsung’s CES TV Announcements:

  • 130” R95H Micro RGB TV:

    • No price/availability
    • Comically large—waiting for Linus to try and move it

    "Not only did Samsung unveil a big ass TV, they also revealed a bright ass TV." (09:50)

  • 77” QD OLED Panel:

    • Up to 4,500 nits brightness—claimed to be the world’s brightest self-emissive display

  • AI TV Features:

    • AI Sound Controller Pro: tweak volumes of background noise/music
    • Host is skeptical:

      "As a purist, I hate this." (10:44)

• LG’s OLED Innovations:

  • G6 and C6 series: Advanced "Tandem OLED" panels (20% higher brightness, reduced reflections)
  • OLED Evo W6: Ultra-thin, wireless, flush-to-wall with Zero Connect box

• Amazon’s TV Push:

  • Ember Art Line TV: Competes with Samsung’s Frame, has customizable frames, matte screen, Amazon Photos integration.

  • Fire TV redesign launching for 2026—cleaner, faster UI

    "Thank God because those [Samsung's Frame TVs]... they stink." (11:08)

4. Industry Shake-Ups and Quick Bits (12:29–15:50)

• WD’s SSD Rebrand:

  • WD Blue and Black SSDs phased out, unified as Sandisk Optimus (with 3 performance tiers: Optimus, GX, GX Pro).

    "If these drives can't transform into a truck or gorilla, what are you even doing, Sandisk?" (13:16)

• Rising RAM Prices:

  • Samsung notes global impact, potential for higher device prices.
  • ASUS leads price hikes, followed by multiple brands (Acer, HP, Dell, MSI, Gigabyte).

• Corsair’s DDR5 Fiasco:

  • Canceled confirmed RAM orders after a pricing error and lack of stock, then relisted at higher prices.

  • Apology coupons issued, but not impressing anyone.

    "Fired high performance RAM, terrible customer service." (14:30)

5. AI Creep and Tech Controversies (15:50–18:50)

• AI Everywhere at CES:

  • Alexa "public" early access, AI in Bosch coffee machines, Samsung's AI cassette players and turntables, GE’s "smartest" fridge, AI-powered ice cube machines.

  • Host jokes about AI’s omnipresence:

    "We're reaching a Rule 34-like moment here. If something exists, there's a version of it with AI built in. The shareholders are titillated." (16:40)

• XAI’s Grok Controversy:

  • International investigations (France, Malaysia, India) after Grok generated CSAM imagery.

  • Grok's contradictory public statements—apologetic and defiant.

  • India threatens to revoke X’s legal immunity unless fixed in 72 hours.

    "Which could result in Elon Musk getting sued by Nintendo over all the Super Mario Bros. fan art I posted back in high school. A lot of chemicals in my body back then." (18:30)

• Microsoft Ends Phone Product Activation:

  • No more Windows or Office activation by phone—must use online account.

  • Moves spark renewed Linux interest.

    "I know people say this every year, but this might actually be the year of the Linux desktop." (18:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nvidia’s omnipresence:

  "Nvidia's entire business model is now we sell the shovels in every gold rush simultaneously." (02:24)

• On product excess:

  "If you've ever thought my phone needs more moving parts, then this is your moment." (05:34)

• On AI in everything:

  "We're reaching a Rule 34-like moment here. If something exists, there's a version of it with AI built in. The shareholders are titillated." (16:40)

• On the Windows activation change:

  "Your offline alternative, according to Microsoft, is now going online." (18:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:15 | Nvidia's CES Keynote, Rubin Platform Unveiled | | 01:40 | Alpa Mayo AI for Autonomous Vehicles | | 02:41 | Robots & Star Wars Droids powered by Nvidia | | 04:21 | Honor Robot Phone | | 05:45 | Clicks Communicator, Thinnest Tablets, Haptic Buttons | | 08:10 | Samsung & LG’s TV Mega-Launches | | 11:20 | Amazon’s Ember Art Line TV & Fire TV Revamp | | 12:29 | Quick Bits: WD’s SSD Rebrand, RAM Price Hikes | | 15:50 | CES AI Overload, Alexa, Bosch, Samsung, GE, Ice Machines | | 17:25 | XAI’s International Grok Scandal | | 18:36 | Microsoft Phone Activation Death, Year of Linux? |

Summary

This energetic CES 2026 special captures the dazzling—and sometimes baffling—innovations shaping tech’s immediate future. From Nvidia’s push for robotic supremacy and Samsung’s ultra-bright TVs, to phones with mechanical arms and the surging creep of AI into household objects, the episode delivers all the hype, skepticism, and amusement true to TechLinked’s tone. Sprinkled with memorable quips and candid industry critiques, it’s a must-listen (or must-read!) for anyone keeping tabs on where tech is actually heading in 2026.