The WAN Show: Detailed Summary of "I Tried To Take A Quiet Vacation" (March 21, 2025)

Released on March 22, 2025, "The WAN Show" hosted by Linus Sebastian and Luke Lafreniere explores the latest happenings in the technology universe. In this episode titled "I Tried To Take A Quiet Vacation," Linus shares personal experiences from his recent hectic family trip, discusses recent corrections to their content, delves into industry news, and engages in light-hearted banter with Luke and Dan.

1. Personal Update: Linus's Exhausting Vacation [02:00 – 05:31]

Linus opens the episode by recounting his recent family vacation across multiple Asian countries, including Bali, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Accompanied by his extended family, the trip was fraught with moving between six different hotels over 12 days, leading to significant sleep deprivation.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [02:33]: "I've slept, like, five hours in the last two days... this was probably the most hectic vacation that I've ever been on."

2. Tech Mall Adventures and GPU Availability [05:32 – 13:35]

During his trip, Linus visited Plaza Lo Yatt in Shenzhen, a renowned tech mall, alongside Scotty from Strange Parts. He highlights the surprising availability of NVIDIA 50 series and AMD 9000 series GPUs, contrasting it with the scarcity in North American markets.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [09:57]: "There were more 50 series and AMD 9000 series cards in stock in that tech mall than I could probably find scouring the entire North American e-tail."

3. Content Correction Process [24:50 – 49:47]

The hosts discuss a recent correction issued for an LTT video concerning MSI's claims about GPU power connectors. They emphasize the importance of accuracy and their commitment to issuing timely corrections to maintain community trust.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [49:47]: "We're not perfect. We'll never be perfect. But what I can do is assure you guys that we are genuinely striving to make the best videos we can."

4. Industry News: Apple's Potential Portless iPhones [29:31 – 32:39]

Luke brings up news about the EU's Common Charger Directive, which forces Apple to adopt USB-C ports or go portless for its devices. The discussion revolves around the feasibility and reception of a portless iPhone model.

Notable Quote:

Luke Lafreniere [30:04]: "The European Commission press officer Federica Mikoli confirmed that a portless phone would be compliant with the law."

5. Team Management and Hiring Updates [60:03 – 77:24]

Linus and Luke touch upon internal team dynamics, including recent interviews and potential changes to job descriptions within their organization. They discuss the challenges of hiring for specific roles and the importance of team organization.

Notable Quote:

Luke Lafreniere [60:39]: "We're changing the scope of the role a little bit and changing some of the responsibilities and all this kind of stuff."

6. Merchandise Highlights: Reversible Bomber Jacket [69:18 – 75:59]

The hosts showcase their latest merchandise—the LTT reversible bomber jacket. They describe its features, such as subtle branding, weather resistance, and multiple pockets, while sharing anecdotes about merchandise availability and customer demand.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [73:19]: "It's weather resistant and slightly insulated to keep you warm but not too warm during the spring."

7. Sponsorship Updates [30:26 – 74:19]

The episode features brief sponsor segments for Squarespace, Vessi, and Thorum. Each sponsor message highlights the benefits of their products, from website building to weather-resistant footwear and unique rings made from meteorites.

Notable Segment:

Thorum Sponsor Message [73:52 – 74:19]: "They handcraft rings from materials like meteorite, whiskey barrels, dinosaur fossils, and even World War II rifles. Head over to thorum.com and use code 'wan' to get 20% off a truly unique ring."

8. Software and Hardware Discussions [82:00 – 114:54]

Linus and Luke engage in a multifaceted discussion covering various software and hardware topics. This includes:

• iOS vs. Windows: Linus expresses frustrations with iOS bugs and compares it to Windows' battery management.
• Xbox UI with Steam Integration: They briefly mention Microsoft's experimentation with integrating Steam into the Xbox interface, though the image was quickly pulled.
• Roku's Ad Experimentation: Roku's trial of autoplaying ads before the home screen receives community backlash.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [114:54]: "Windows 10 is coming up on its like EOL... It's gonna drive a Linux migration."

9. Community Interaction and Floatplane Updates [119:04 – 214:43]

The hosts address community questions and feedback, particularly concerning their Floatplane platform. They discuss the upcoming changes to their content distribution, including the removal of old sponsor spots and the introduction of YouTube ads in their previous videos. Additionally, they touch upon Floatplane's technical features and future plans.

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [121:12]: "If you know a power supply that you're considering buying has been tested, you can see our test report. Or you could just go to LTTlabs.com."

10. New God of War TV Series and Mark Rober [158:00 – 173:52]

The discussion shifts to the upcoming God of War TV series with new showrunner Ron Moore, who admits to not being an avid gamer. The hosts debate the potential impact on the series' faithfulness to the source material, drawing parallels to other adaptations like "The Witcher" and "Halo."

Notable Quote:

Linus Sebastian [163:00]: "The point of the test was simply to show that there are limitations in a camera-only system that are going to be not just difficult but impossible to overcome."

11. Closing Remarks and Light-hearted Banter [173:53 – 214:43]

As the episode winds down, Linus and Luke engage in playful exchanges, addressing comments from their community, discussing personal anecdotes, and teasing upcoming content. They emphasize the importance of effective communication within their team and reflect on their growth as content creators.

Notable Quote:

Luke Lafreniere [188:12]: "Everyone's way too serious about everything these days that if you say something they have automatically decided that you will die on the hill for what you just said."

Conclusion: "I Tried To Take A Quiet Vacation" serves as a blend of personal storytelling, industry insight, community engagement, and internal reflections. Linus and Luke navigate through a plethora of topics, maintaining their signature blend of humor and technical acumen, all while fostering a transparent relationship with their audience.

For those interested in more detailed discussions and insights, tuning into the full episode of "The WAN Show" by Linus Tech Tips is highly recommended.