Welcome to Better Offline’s coverage of the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show - a standup radio station in the Palazzo Hotel with an attached open bar where reporters, experts and various other characters bring you the stories from the floor. 

In Thursday’s second episode, Ed is joined by actress and standup comedian Chloe Radlciffe, Garrison Davis of It Could Happen Here, writer Westin Lee, Robert Evans of Behind The Bastards, Ed Ongweso of the Tech Bubble Newsletter, and tech writer Rob Pegoraro to talk about how this CES feels like something is missing, building things for actual people, how everybody is talking about “incremental” improvements in AI, OpenAI’s similarities to Theranos, and the problematic nature of mass-automation.

EXCLUSIVE CES SALE! Get a *permanent* $10 off an annual subscription to my newsletter through January 13 2025: 
https://edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo-subscription/cue848p5sc

Ed Ongweso Jr.: https://bsky.app/profile/bigblackjacobin.bsky.social

Rob Pegoraro: https://bsky.app/profile/robpegoraro.com

Westin Lee: https://bsky.app/profile/westinlee.bsky.social

The Tech Bubble Newsletter: https://thetechbubble.substack.com/ 

Chloe Radcliffe: https://www.instagram.com/chloebadcliffe/?hl=en

https://punchup.live/chloeradcliffe

Donate in Sean-Paul’s honor: https://www.perc-epilepsy.org/

Here’s the robot we talked about: https://bsky.app/profile/iwriteok.bsky.social/post/3mbwvlat7dc23

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Email Me: ez@betteroffline.com

Welcome to Better Offline&rsquo;s coverage of the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show - a standup radio station in the Palazzo Hotel with an attached open bar where reporters, experts and various other characters bring you the stories from the floor.&nbsp;
In Thursday&rsquo;s second episode, Ed is joined by actress and standup comedian Chloe Radlciffe, Garrison Davis of It Could Happen Here, writer Westin Lee, Robert Evans of Behind The Bastards, Ed Ongweso of the Tech Bubble Newsletter, and tech writer Rob Pegoraro to talk about how this CES feels like something is missing, building things for actual people, how everybody is talking about &ldquo;incremental&rdquo; improvements in AI, OpenAI&rsquo;s similarities to Theranos, and the problematic nature of mass-automation.
EXCLUSIVE CES SALE! Get a *permanent* $10 off an annual subscription to my newsletter through January 13 2025:&nbsp; <a href="https://edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo-subscription/cue848p5sc">https://edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo-subscription/cue848p5sc</a>
Ed Ongweso Jr.: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/bigblackjacobin.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/bigblackjacobin.bsky.social</a>
Rob Pegoraro: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/robpegoraro.com">https://bsky.app/profile/robpegoraro.com</a>
Westin Lee: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/westinlee.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/westinlee.bsky.social</a>
The Tech Bubble Newsletter: <a href="https://thetechbubble.substack.com/">https://thetechbubble.substack.com/</a>&nbsp;
Chloe Radcliffe: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chloebadcliffe/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/chloebadcliffe/?hl=en</a>
<a href="https://punchup.live/chloeradcliffe">https://punchup.live/chloeradcliffe</a>
Donate in Sean-Paul&rsquo;s honor: <a href="https://www.perc-epilepsy.org/">https://www.perc-epilepsy.org/</a>
Here&rsquo;s the robot we talked about: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/iwriteok.bsky.social/post/3mbwvlat7dc23">https://bsky.app/profile/iwriteok.bsky.social/post/3mbwvlat7dc23</a>
---
LINKS: <a href="https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks">https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks</a>
Newsletter: <a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/">https://www.wheresyoured.at/</a>
Reddit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/</a>&nbsp;
Discord: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/QUUQUP9szv">chat.wheresyoured.at</a>
Ed's Socials:
<a href="https://twitter.com/edzitron">https://twitter.com/edzitron</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/edzitron">https://www.instagram.com/edzitron</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com">https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com</a>
<a href="https://www.threads.net/@edzitron">https://www.threads.net/@edzitron</a>
Email Me: <a href="mailto:ez@betteroffline.com">ez@betteroffline.com</a>

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build. 

Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build. 
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.



Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.
 
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

CES 2026: Part Seven (Thursday)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e0249fbd-781a-4dd1-ae9f-b3cd003e9d06/transcript

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