Jan. 10 & 11, 2026 Show Notes
🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm on C-FAX
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
Your crew this weekend:
Charles Martin
Co-host
Victoria Mac and iOS Users Group Program Director and London Drugs In-Home Tech
Phone +1-888-718-4598
You're invited to join Charles, Aitan, and me for the January Victoria Mac and iOS Users Group meeting, on Zoom, at 7pm this coming Wednesday, the 14th! The topics will include AI: what is it, should I use it, and if so, how?, and also, an update on Apple TV, plus the usual popular Q&A session.
If you're not a member, you can participate as a guest using this link…
1) Watch out for scam texts that say you're about to be audited by the Canada Revenue Agency
The texts, as shown in the screenshot shared by Marissa, say they're coming from an area code 506 number in New Brunswick, and include a supposed CRA file number, and a toll-free number that you're encouraged to call.
It's a scam!
Canada Revenue Agency will NEVER text you, or message you on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, except to text you a 2FA code if you're logging into your online CRA account.
The toll-free number in the scam (which is actually registered in the USA) connects you to a call-centre in India where someone posing as an agent with CRA will try to get you to give them your Social Insurance Number as well as your CRA password.
2) Watch out for scam accounts on Facebook and FB Marketplace offering to deliver firewood at a good price
Several people locally have recently been talked into paying in advance for firewood for a discount.
The scammers regularly create a new Facebook account; here's one scam one (which has since been suspended by Facebook after victims reported it)…
One of the clues is that while these scammers claim to be 'local', they never say where they are, or give any address or phone number…
If you look at their photos, in most cases, there will be no licence plates visible, or the plate will have been blurred-out, or if they're sloppy, you may see a plate from another province or USA state.
If you're going to buy firewood (or any other product or service) off someone on Facebook or FB Marketplace, be very suspicious if they won't give you at least a phone number, and in the case of a business, also a street address.
And never eTransfer them money or give them your credit card info, in advance.
3) Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over naked and violent photos being created with it
Grok, Elon Musk’s AI tool, has switched off its image creation function for the vast majority of users after a widespread outcry about its use to create sexually explicit and violent imagery.
The move comes after Musk was threatened with fines, regulatory action and reports of a possible ban on X in the UK. The tool had been used to manipulate images of women to remove their clothes and put them in sexualised positions. The function to do so has been switched off except for paying subscribers.
Posting on X, Musk’s social media network, Grok said: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers.” That means the vast majority of users of the platform cannot create images using Grok. Those who do have their full details and credit card info stored by X, so can be identified if the function is misused.
The public @Grok account has had its image generation capabilities heavily restricted. However, there is also a separate Grok app, which does not share images publicly, on which non-paying users have reported still being able to generate sexualised imagery of women and children.
It's been used to create pornographic videos of women without their consent, as well as images of women being shot and killed. Musk is facing the threat of regulatory action from around the world after Grok was used to create non-consensual sexual imagery.
Canada’s AI minister has condemned deepfake sexual abuse amid the X nude images controversy…
CBC
Musk's xAI adds new restrictions to Grok after uproar over sexual images | CBC News
Elon Musk's startup xAI has put some restrictions on the image generation function of its Grok chatbot on social media platform X, after the tool's use of AI to create and publish sexualized images sparked a widespread backlash.
CES 2026, one of the world's largest trade shows, was held this week in Las Vegas, drawing 141,000 people from 160 countries to see the latest tech gear from some 4100 exhibitors spread across 2.5 million square feet of exhibits
Below are our picks for the best of what was unveiled…
Tip: if an item in these Show Notes has the icon on the right in the upper-right corner, you can click/tap on it to make the additional info open in a new tab.
10) Samsung Galaxy Z Tri-Fold phone
Building on the success of its earlier Galaxy Fold phones, Samsung has unveiled the new Galaxy Z Tri-Fold which initially looks like a thick regular smartphone, but which you can then unfold twice into a 6"x10" wide screen — 50% larger than the earlier Fold 7.
The Galaxy Z Tri-Fold should cost about $2750 CAD when it goes on sale later this year.
SamsungNewsroom
Introducing Galaxy Z TriFold: The Shape of What’s Next in Samsung Mobile Innovation
The Galaxy Z Trifold takes premium performance and experience of an ultra phone to the next level by unfolding twice to reveal the most immersive screen on a phone, providing ultimate productivity of mobile workspace and cinematic viewing
Motorola, meanwhile, has unveiled its Razr Fold phone, which it says will be available later this year…
..while Google has unveiled their Pixel 10 Pro Fold model, which starts at $2400 CAD...
Apple is rumoured to also be working on a foldable iPhone, which may be unveiled this fall.
11) Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable auto-widening laptop
The 16" screen on the Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable widens out to 21.5" if you hold down the Fn key and tap the right-arrow key. Hold down the Fn key and tap the left arrow key and it returns to its 16" width.
This is a prototype, but Lenovo says it will produce them if there's enough demand; no word what one would cost.
12) Seattle Ultrasonics C-200 ultrasonic 8" chef's knife
Seattle Ultrasonics has unveiled their impressive (but pricey) C-200 ultrasonic chef's knife, which has a blade edge that vibrates 30,000 times a second, to make cutting anything fast and effortless.
The 8" knife should be available starting in March for $529 USD ($730 CAD).
Seattle Ultrasonics
C-200 Ultrasonic 8" Chef's Knife
The C-200 is the world’s first ultrasonic chef’s knife, designed specifically for home cooks. You can’t see the blade move, you can’t hear it when it’s on, and you can’t feel any vibration in the handle. But when you press the orange button, the knife cuts with up to 50% less effort, with less sticking, and easier cleanup. When it’s on, the blade vibrates over 30,000 times a second, making the knife behave sharper than it physically is. Made from Japanese AUS-10 steel hardened to 60HRC, it’s a g
13) Lego announces the Lego Smart Brick, calling it their 'most significant evolution in 50 years', also smart mini-figures and tiles
On March 1st, The Lego Group will begin selling the most ambitious brick it’s ever made: a tiny computer that fits entirely inside a classic 2x4 Lego brick. When it detects NFC-equipped smart tags nearby, embedded inside new Lego tiles and new Lego minifigures, or when it sees other Smart Bricks, it'll make entire Lego sets come to life — starting with the humming lightsabers, roaring engines, light-up blasters, and the music of Lego Star Wars.
They’re wirelessly charged, with a pad that can charge multiple bricks at a time and a battery that “will still perform after years of inactivity”.
The first sets shipping March 1st will all be Lego Star Wars:
- A $70 USD 473-piece Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter set with one smart brick, one TIE Fighter smart tag, and one Darth Vader smart figure.
- A $100 USD 584-piece Luke’s Red Five X-Wing set with one smart brick, five tags (X-Wing, Imperial turret, transporter, command center, and “R2-D2 accessories”), and both Luke and Leia smart figs.
- A $160 USD, 962-piece Darth Vader’s Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set with two smart bricks, three figs (Luke, Emperor Palpatine, Vader) and five tags (A-Wing, throne, Death Star turret, and two lightsabers).
Lego says lots more sets of LEGO Smart Bricks will be coming on the months and years ahead.
14) Motorola's new Moto Tag 2 Android item tracker will last for 500 days before needing a new battery
Designed as an Android-compatible rival to Apple’s AirTag, the new Moto Tag 2 improves battery life over the first-gen model by over 35%, taking the original’s year-long battery up to around 500 days. The company says it can sometimes last longer, and it runs on replaceable coin batteries so you can switch them out yourself.
Motorola has improved the Tag's durability for this second-gen tracker up to IP68 water and dust resistance. That means it can survive in up to 1.5m of water for 30 minutes, but the brand says you shouldn't intentionally submerge it in liquids.
It should be available here in Canada later this year for $40 CAD.
15) Lockin V7 Max and Veno Pro wireless smart locks that never need batteries
Two new smart locks from Lockin don't require batteries at all — making them a game-changer for renters or apartment dwellers who can't run wires.
Lockin calls its proprietary technology AuraCharge, or optical wireless charging. The V7 Max charges using an eye-safe invisible beam of light that powers the smart lock wirelessly from inside the door using a base station that relies on line of sight within a 4-metre range. The base station does need to be plugged in, but it can charge the smart lock almost continuously as long as it’s not moved or blocked.
The base station itself isn't particularly large, about the size of a small speaker, so you can set it on an entry table or mount it.
Lockin says the V7 Max is designed to ease battery anxiety because, unlike disposable cells, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and solar-powered locks, it’s not reliant on replacement or light, or limited by battery endurance.
Designed like a thin 15mm mortise smart lock, the V7 Max features all the high-end capabilities of Lockin. It has three types of biometric security, with finger vein, palm vein and 3D facial recognition. You can also use keypad and voice entry. It also doubles as a video doorbell, with two HD cameras on both sides with a panoramic view. There are also two 5" touchscreens on the inside and outside of the lock, presumably showing you people at the door and letting you interact with delivery people and others.
It won't be cheap — likely about $1600 CAD when it becomes available for pre-order later this month.
16) IXI Eyewear of Finland has developed glasses that use liquid crystals in the lenses that provide built-in auto-focus
Finland-based IXI Eyewear has raised more than $40 million USD from investors, including Amazon, to build glasses with adaptive lenses that can dynamically autofocus based on where the person wearing them is looking.
IXI says its glasses prototype weighs just 22 grams, and includes embedded sensors aimed at the wearer's eyes and liquid crystal lenses that respond accordingly. The autofocus is "powered by technology hidden within the frame that tracks eye movements and adjusts focus instantly — whether you're looking near or far".
IXI hopes to start producing these auto-focus glasses by the end of this year, and says they'll be at the high end of glasses pricing.
This type of technology is also being pursued by Japanese startups Elcyo and Vixion. Vixion already has a product with adaptive lenses embedded in the middle of the lenses (they do not resemble standard glasses).
17) RheoFit A1 robotic massager
lt looks unprepossessing until you see this robotic massage roller in action, but you lie on the rechargeable RheoFit A1 and it rolls up and down your back. Zero effort, and you can take it with you.
It comes with interchangeable hardness massage attachments, and you can get up to two-dozen 10-minute full-body massages on a single charge.
It's available now for a discounted price of $530 USD (it'll be $627 USD after CES) at RheoFit.com.
18) The Jackery Mars Power Bot follows you and the sun like a puppy, and recharges itself via solar power
Jackery's new Solar Mars Bot is an autonomous, roving battery backup housing a 5kWh battery and four retractable solar panels that can capture around 300 watts of solar power. What makes this stand out from other solar generators is the wheels. It can move around outside your home, or at the beach or campsite, and track the sun, making sure it's always getting as much sunlight as it can.
It can also follow you around using clever cameras to track your movement. So wherever you are, it can be ready to supply you with power. It has three AC outlets plus three USB-C outlets.
Jackery says it'll be available later this year…no word yet on the price.
19) Mammotion's Spino S1 Pro robot pool cleaner lifts itself out of the water to recharge
Mammotion, the company best known for its popular line of robot lawnmowers, is launching a robot pool cleaner that will haul itself out of the water to recharge.
The Spino S1 Pro comes with a robotic arm mounted to a docking station that sits at the edge of your pool. When the bot is ready to charge, the Spino S1 Pro uses an underwater communication system to guide itself to the docking station, which lifts the device up and out of the water. To clean, it uses an onboard camera and several sensors to navigate your pool while identifying messy areas, steps, edges, corners, and obstacles.
Mammotion says the Spino S1 Pro will be available this spring; no word yet on a price, but the current E1 model which it'll replace (which has no self-lifting arm) is $800 CAD.
20) Nvidia's AI-powered Alpamayo system brings Level 4 self-driving (no human interaction required) to cars later this year
Nvidia is racing against Tesla and Waymo to build technology that will allow cars to fully drive themselves without human assistance, and it may now have the edge.
Alpamayo, Nvidia's newportfolio of AI models, simulation blueprints, and datasets, can give vehicles level 4 autonomy — allowing them to fully drive themselves under specific conditions.
“Not only does it take sensor input and activates steering wheel, brakes, and acceleration, it also reasons about what action it is about to take,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said during the unveiling. For example, if it encounters pools of water, or downed trees, or is surrounded by animals, by using AI, it'll quickly be able to figure out what to do in each case.
The first passenger car to be available with this tech will be the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, with AI-assisted driving features coming to the USA later this year.
NVIDIA Newsroom
NVIDIA Announces Alpamayo Family of Open-Source AI Models and Tools to Accelerate Safe, Reasoning-Based Autonomous Vehicle Development
NVIDIA today unveiled the NVIDIA Alpamayo family of open AI models, simulation tools and datasets designed to accelerate the next era of safe, reasoning‑based autonomous vehicle (AV) development.
21) HP’s Eliteboard G1a is a full PC built into a keyboard
The folks over at HP had the brilliant idea to stuff a PC inside a keyboard, making us wonder why no one has thought to do this before.
HP’s Eliteboard G1a PC-in-a-keyboard is powered by your choice of an AMD Ryzen AI 5 or 7 series chip, and has integrated AMD Radeon 800 graphics capable of powering up to four 4K displays at 60Hz, an NPU with up to 50 TOPS of AI performance, up to 2TB of SSD storage and up to 64GB of RAM. The Eliteboard even has stereo speakers, Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and you can opt to include a 32Whr replaceable battery.
HP says it'll be released in March; no word yet on a price.
22) Hydrific's Droplet clip-on wireless water-leak detector
Hydrific's new Droplet leak-detector clips onto pipes in seconds to protect your home from leaks, bursts, and water overuse.
The product uses ultrasonic sensors to collect 50 water-flow samples per second without ever touching the flowing water inside pipes. The powerful sensors are capable of detecting flows as low as 1/10th of a litre per minute
The Droplet device, available for $300 CAD on Hydrific's website, feeds info via Wi-Fi to a digital profile and sends alerts to your mobile device if it detects an unusual flow, allowing you to address the issue before it becomes a larger problem. The smart system uses learning algorithms to detect precise events, such as burst pipes or leaks.
23) GE Profile smart fridge with built-in barcode scanner
GE has introduced the GE Profile™ 27.9 cu. ft. smart four-door French-door refrigerator with a built-in 'Kitchen Assistant' barcode scanner.
With more than four million products recognized in the Scan-to-List solution, you simply scan any grocery or household item running low, and the fridge automatically adds it — complete with brand, flavuor, and size — to a digital, shareable, shoppable grocery list in the SmartHQ app. This shared list can be viewed while shopping in the store or synced directly to Instacart for delivery in as fast as 30 minutes. You can easily add non-barcode items via voice or text on the fridge or in the SmartHQ app.
The GE Profile Smart Fridge will be available in standard-depth and counter-depth starting in April at GEappliances.com and select retailers for $6768 CAD.
GE Appliances Pressroom
GE Profile™ Unveils Game-Changing Smart Refrigerator with Kitchen Assistant™, Revolutionizing Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning
GE Profile™ Unveils Game-Changing Smart Refrigerator with Kitchen Assistant™, Revolutionizing Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning Patented Built-In Barcode Scanner Simplifies Shopping and Mental Load LOUISVILLE, KY – January 2, 2026 – GE Profile™ today...
24) Roborock's Saros Rover stair-climbing robot vacuum
The Roborock Saros Rover robot vacuum features two wheel legs that allow the device to climb up and down your home’s stairs (and clean each stair) and over uneven thresholds.
To execute these advanced (for a vacuum) movements, the Saros Rover uses a combination of AI technology, motion sensors and 3D spatial information. Each leg can raise and lower independently to keep the body of the machine level, and it’s adept at precise movements, including sudden stops, turns and directional changes.
Roborock says the Saros Rover vacuum can operate on all types of stairs, including curved and carpeted cases, and can also roll up and down flat inclined surfaces like ramps.
(Roborock also announced its foray into robot lawn mowers.)
All the new Roborock products should be available by this summer; no prices yet.
25) The Vivoo Smart Toilet insert will tell you if you're not drinking enough water
The Vivoo Smart Toilet attaches to the rim of your toilet bowl and features an optical sensor on the inside, as well as an external suction mount on the outside. The purpose is to collect a small sample of your urine and provide you with real-time updates on your hydration levels.
Details about your hydration levels and ways to improve them, if necessary, will be shared within 45 seconds. "Your data is encrypted and stored securely," Vivoo says.
The U-shaped measuring device is built to fit toilets of any size, and can last for more than 1,000 tests, the company says. The Withings U-Scan, Vivoo's most well-known competitor in this category, can only take 20+ tests per cartridge.
The Vivoo Smart Toilet will be available in July for $130 CAD and a $4/month subscription fee.
26) Euhomy's new counter-top Leopard X1 ice maker turns water into ice cubes in just five minutes
Euhomy's Ice Leopard X1 is a small, sleek machine that resembles a coffee maker more than an ice maker, thanks to its round, insulated bucket. It's also compact -- about half the size of a typical at-home ice maker.
As promised, in just under 5 minutes bullet ice starts dropping into the 2.2-litre metal chamber. Bullet ice is the easiest type of ice to make quickly. Even so, Euhomy's model churns it out a full 3 minutes faster than any other at-home bullet ice maker on the market.
Filling the tub completely takes about an hour,and the insulated bucket keeps ice frozen for up to 4 hours without any electricity.
Euhomy's Ice Leopard X1 will be available in April for $200 CAD at IceLeopard.com.
Iceleopard
Ice Leopard X1 Portable Rapid Ice Maker
Key Features Super Fast Ice Production by RapidIce™ Technology Delivers fresh ice in just 5 minutes by RapidIce™ Technology, the fastest in class. Never wait for ice again — enjoy chilled drinks instantly. The World's First Revolutionary Detachable Insulated Ice Bucket� � Superior Insulation Powered by Cold-Retention™: Keeps ice cold for up to 4 hours without power. Stay cooler longer, fresh ice anytime, even off-grid. Extra-Large Capacity and Detachable: 2L / 820g large capacity, 2–3× bigger
27) iGuardFire is a small radar-equipped device that'll turn off a gas- or electric- stove or hotplate if its left unattended for five minutes
The iGuardFire device uses radar to detect people in the kitchen, instead of motion sensors that are less accurate. It'll shut-off a gas or electric stove or hotplate if left unattended for five minutes.
You can also override the five-minute timer if you’re roasting a turkey or preparing a slow-simmered sauce. In this case you tell the device how long the food is expected to cook, and it lets this cook time complete before resetting to the usual five-minute timer behavior.
It's meant for seniors and their caregivers, and can notify caregivers if a person doesn't show up in the kitchen at their usual time.
iGuardFire will sell for $550 CAD when it becomes available later this year from iGuardFire.com
28) Choose from more than 400 nail polish colours at the touch of a button, with iPolish acrylic nails that change colour digitally
iPolish has debuted "the world's first digital colour-changing nails" -- and it's pretty impressive.
The acrylic press-on nails connect to an app, where you can choose from more than 400 polish colours. Place the tip of the nail inside a small wand device that resembles a small portable power bank, and the colour changes almost instantly.
The starter kit, now available for preorder, costs $95 USD and includes the colour-changing wand, a top coat, bonding glue, and two sets of nails. Replacement nail sets start at $6 USD.
You can choose from different nail styles, lengths, and sizes. iPolish aims to launch the product this summer, and says the technology will likely be available in major beauty stores.
29) Samsung newest flagship wireless OLED UHDTV's are more than 30% brighter than before and have a new metallic frame design
Samsung's S95H OLED UHDTV line has been selected as the winner in the Best TV and Home Theatre category for the Official Best of CES 2026 Awards.
The S95H is a super-bright UHDTV (available in 65", 77", and 83" sizes) with all the 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos bells and whistles, but it can also function wirelessly, receiving video signals from a separate Wireless One Connect box to which your Blu-ray player, set-top box, and other video source devices are connected, so all you have to worry about is a single thin power cable running to the screen.
The S95H is the first Samsung OLED TV to offer access to the Samsung Art Store with a choice of up to 5,000 images.
Despite being a thid brighter than last year's model, the S95H has technology that enables it to display static images by resisting burn-in. This combination of features makes this set more attractive to people who want a Frame-type TV but also want the picture benefits of OLED.
No word yet on the price, but it'll be up there; the 65" S95F which it replaces, was selling for $3000 CAD during Boxing Week; the 77" was on sale for $4500 and the 83" was selling for $6300.
30) The Ecoldbrew can make cold brew coffee in just 5 minutes
Winner in the Best Kitchen Tech category at CES, Ecoldbrew's nifty device stores coffee beans and grinds them to your specification, then pulls water from the thermos into a separate reservoir and churns out a chilled dose of java.
Selecting the grind of your beans is as simple as turning a dial on top of the lid. After hitting a button to start the process, you can monitor your cold brew's progress from a simple display shown in the center of the dial. Although it only takes five minutes, you can lengthen the brewing time for a darker cup.
The whole device screws onto a thermos like an ordinary lid. When unscrewed, you can see a straw-like contraption at the bottom used to suck up water from the thermos, as well as a cylindrical piece above the straw where it stores the ground beans and produces your drink.
The EcoBrew will be launching soon on Kickstarter for $130 CAD.
31) AISO compact smart oven from Apecoo
The AISO probeless compact smart oven uses cameras and weight sensors to identify the precise geometry of the food you stick inside.
It's smaller than most smart ovens and doesn't claim to "do it all." But an internal camera and weight sensors help it better understand the food that you've put inside and how best to cook it. Those sensors help determine details like the thickness of a piece of steak or the volume of a handful of broccoli -- something a camera alone can't do. It then uses its algorithm to identify and deploy a "perfect cooking program," relying on those metrics -- rather than an annoying probe -- to determine the optimal cooking time.
It also learns as it goes. There's a program for medium-rare, but you can help the oven learn to cook to your preference. The more you cook, the better it gets, since AISO lets you refine what "perfect" means based on your feedback.
In addition to determining an ideal cooking profile for each type of food, the oven identifies and logs nutritional value, calories and other helpful infor about the food you're eating. If the goal is to eat more protein over the course of your week, for example, the oven and app can help you keep track.
The AISO compact smart oven is available for pre-order from California-based Apecoo for $998 USD.
32) Target Darts Star Wars TOR auto-scoring dartboard
The Star Wars TOR dartboard from Target Darts has cameras to track your score and keep you honest!
The basic Star Wars set comes with a branded board and wall protector that resembles the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and costs $275 CAD. The board is of very high quality, with a tight-knit sisal fiber face, and the protector is thick enough to keep stray shots out of your drywall. The graphics are cool too, with nods to the original Falcon and even have the gold dice hanging above.
The big tech twist to this board, though, is the Omni light ring around the outside. It uses four cameras to track your dart's position, then sends that info to an app that keeps score. The scoreboard is crisp and clear and uses the voice of legendary darts announcer John McDonald to narrate your game.
There's also a much more deluxe OMNI version which is $900 CAD. The Omni also allows you to connect with other players worldwide via shared scoreboards.
Amazon.ca
Target Darts Star Wars TOR Dartboard & Surround Bundle | Steel Tip Dart Board, Competition Standard, Complete Home Dartboard Setup, Disney Galaxy Design
Target Darts Star Wars TOR Dartboard & Surround Bundle | Steel Tip Dart Board, Competition Standard, Complete Home Dartboard Setup, Disney Galaxy Design in Darts & Dartboards.
33a) Garmin Descent S1 dive communications buoy
Garmin, the firm that became famous around the world 25 years ago for its dashboard navigation units, has reinvented itself in recent years, making GPS sport watches, marine electronics, avionics gear, golf devices, and InReach satellite messaging systems.
They're now investing heavily in tech gear for divers and dive companies, including the release of the Descent S1 Dive Buoy.
Using Garmin’s unique SubWave sonar networking system, the buoy integrates seamlessly with Garmin dive computers to help crew members on the surface track and monitor up to eight divers—and exchange preset messages with those using a compatible dive computer and Descent T2 transceiver. For increased situational awareness, connected divers can also see the distance and direction to the buoy and receive clear guidance to help them know where to surface.
It's no cheap — $3500 CAD and available now at Garmin.com/en-US/p/737720
33b) Garmin's new sport watches
Garmin also won several awards for its new sport watches…
34a) Here are all the CES 2026 award-winners and runners-up, as chosen by CNet, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET, and Lifehacker…
34b) and here are all 452 CES 2026 Innovation Award winners…
Non-CES Tech News Of The Week
Items start at #40, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more CES items above!
Tip: if an item in these Show Notes has the icon on the right in the upper-right corner, you can click/tap on it to make the additional info open in a new tab.
40) If you're mailing anything to the USA — including gifts — you now must use the Zonos app before going to the Post Office
This change applies to all shipments from Canada, whether they're sent via Canada Post, or via another shipping company.
This means that gifts under US$100 in value, documents, and returned items, need to be assessed for duties, and a declaration ID obtained, before the USA will accept it.
Canada Post can now only accept a U.S.-bound package from a sender if it has proof that duty has been paid. This proof comes in the form of a Declaration ID – a 13-character code that confirms duties have been prepaid. Canada Post has partnered with Zonos to meet the new U.S. requirements to collect duties and remit them directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The free Zonos Prepay app lets you create a Declaration ID, calculate duties* and pay securely in Canadian dollars – all before visiting the post office. You’ll receive a Declaration ID and QR code to show at a Canada Post outlet. Without a Declaration ID, your shipment cannot be accepted for delivery.
*Every package going to the U.S., even gifts under US$100, must now be evaluated with the Zonos app to see if duties are owed. Without that, U.S. customs will refuse to accept your package.
You can download free the Zonos app on Apple or Android phones and tablets. There is NOT a website version.
You also have to fill-out a separate online Customs form for Canada Post…
41) Expired certificate has completely broken macOS Logitech apps, and even with a fix released, broken apps won't be able to self-repair
If you’re a Mac user with Logitech accessories and you’ve noticed that your settings and customizations seem to have gone away this week, you’re not alone.
The company’s Logi Options+ and G Hub apps for macOS abruptly stopped functioning on Monday, refusing to launch and reverting all accessories’ settings to their built-in defaults.
The culprit, according to both a Logitech support page was a security certificate that was inadvertently allowed to expire, rendering both apps non-functional. Logitech has apologized, saying, “We dropped the ball here. This is an inexcusable mistake. We’re extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused".
Logitech is already offering patches for both apps that include an updated certificate.
But unfortunately for users, one of the features broken by the expired certificate is the app’s built-in updater, meaning that there’s no automated way for Logitech to fix this problem.
Anyone who wants their apps to work and their customizations to return will need to manually grab the patch (or updated versions of the apps, which Logitech says it is also working on). If you use both apps, each will need to be patched separately.
42) Google is adding a bunch of AI-powered features to Gmail, but most of them are oly available to paid subscribers
Google is using its Gemini AI engine to add new features to Gmail.
The first premium feature is AI Overviews, the same name as a similar feature in Google Search. Gmail’s version lets you ask questions about your messages in the search bar, using natural language. Google uses the example of, "Who was the plumber that gave me a quote for the bathroom renovation last year?" It’s hard to imagine that saving much time over a basic search for "plumber quote" or “plumbing estimate,” but maybe it could help in some situations.
There's also a free portion of AI Overviews that summarizes mail threads for easy catch-ups. However, the ability to ask your inbox questions requires a subscription.
Meanwhile, Proofread is a subscription-only feature that's essentially Grammarly for Gmail. As you'd guess, it suggests improvements in grammar, word choice, conciseness, voice and sentence structure.
Finally, there's the AI Inbox, a feature that "filters out the clutter so you can focus on what's most important." Google says it's like a personal briefing that flags to-dos and catches you up on what it thinks is most important. (It identifies VIPs based on frequent contacts, your contact list, and inferred relationships.) The company claims, without adding further detail, that this all "happens securely with the privacy protections you expect from Google." AI Inbox is another subscription-only feature.
Now onto the free stuff. Help Me Write is a tool for all Gmail users that generates email copy from a prompt. And Suggested Replies can draft replies for you that mimic your tone and style. (Google describes it as a next-gen version of Smart Replies.) Help Me Write and Suggested Replies are rolling out to everyone (no subscription required) today.
The new Gemini-powered features begin rolling out to Gmail today. Although they're starting with English speakers in the USA, Google says they'll arrive in more languages and regions "in the coming months."
43) American Airlines is adding free AT&T Wi-Fi to all its planes
American Airlines has announced it'lld be offering free, high-speed, satellite-based Wi-Fi provided by AT&T to all of its jets this year. The installation process will start this month with American’s narrow-body and dual-class regional planes, with the goal of having its entire fleet updated in time for Spring Break 2026.
To access the free Wi-Fi, you'll need to sign up for American’s AAdvantage loyalty program. Signup is free, and once you’re logged in, you can select “Free Wi-Fi” to start browsing.
This is similar to United Airlines’ deal with Starlink Wi-Fi, or Delta Air Lines with T-Mobile, both of which require users to sign up for the airline’s free rewards program before logging on.
44) You can visit all National Parks and Historic Sites here in Canada for free till Jan. 15 via the Canada Strong pass
You don't actually need a physical or digital pass; you just have to go to a National Park, National Historic Site, or National Marine Conservation Area, and you'll be waved right in!
The Canada Strong program, which was implemented to encourage us to vacation within Canada (instead of going to the USA), includes:
- Parks Canada: Free admission for all visitors to national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas administered by Parks Canada and a 25% discount on camping fees.
- National museums and the Plains of Abraham Museum: Free admission for children and teens aged 17 and under and a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.
- VIA Rail: Free travel for children aged 17 and under when accompanied by an adult, and a 25% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.
- Participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries (including the Royal BC Museum here in Victoria): Free admission for children and a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.
www.canada.ca
About the Canada Strong Pass
Canadians can enjoy free or discounted admission as they make Canada their travel destination, from December 12, 2025, to January 15, 2026 (inclusively). The Canada Strong Pass celebrates what unites us—our shared experiences, natural wonders, and cultural richness.
47) Amazon is going to open a big-box store near Chicago, and it'll be bigger than most Costco's or Walmart Supercentres
Amazon thinks it may have found a way to cut into the sales of big-box stores like Walmart Supercentres and Costco's — by opening retail stores that are much bigger than most of ther stores.
Amazon is preparing to build its first big-box store in a suburb of Chicago, and the plans call for it to be 229,000 sq. ft. By comparison, most Walmart Supercentres are about 180,000 sq. ft. (although there is one that's 260,000 sq. ft. in Albany, NY), and most Costco's are about 145,000 sq. ft. (although the largest is 235,000 sq. ft. in Salt Lake City).
The first Amazon big-box store will offer a range of products, such as groceries, household essentials and general merchandise, as well as online order pickups.
Amazon has previously launched bookstores, shopping mall kiosks, apparel stores, convenience marts and its own supermarket chain, but has since scrapped many of those concept stores, or slowed the rollout of new locations.
49) We've also started compiling a list of our favourite phone apps
The "Our Favourite Apps" list — which will have a lot more added in the coming weeks — is on our home page, and you can also get to it by going to Tech-Talk.ca/apps.
50) Kathryn's fossil news of the week: We have a fossil closer to our split with Neanderthals and Denisovans
A group of 773,000-year-old hominin fossils from Morocco may shed new light on when our species branched off from the ancestors of Neanderthals and Denisovans.
Archaeologists unearthed the 773,000-year-old bones just southwest of Casablanca in a cave aptly named Grotte à Hominidés. They’re just fragments of what used to be hominins: an adult’s lower jawbone, plus the partial lower jaw from another adult and a very young child, along with a handful of teeth and vertebrae.
Around 1.8 million years ago, a species called Homo erectus emerged in Africa and spread around most of the world (sorry, Americas and Australia). And around a million years ago, populations of Homo erectus living in different places started to evolve along their own paths. Potentially with a few species in between, this process likely gave rise to species like Homo floresiensis and Homo luzonensis in the islands of Southeast Asia.
In Europe and Asia, we got Neanderthals and Denisovans (or Homo longi, if you prefer). And our species, Homo sapiens, evolved in Africa. We, Neanderthals, and Denisovans share a branch of the hominin family tree, with the latter two splitting off from our branch sometime between 765,000 and 550,000 years ago. That timing is what makes the Grotte à Hominidés fossils so important. At 773,000 years old, they’re all that’s left of hominins who lived right around the time of that big split between our ancestors on one path and those of Neanderthals and Denisovans on another.
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…