Mr. Fred's Tech Talks

What makes a good coding toy in 2026?

Is it flashy tech… or something deeper?

In this episode of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, I walk parents, educators, and caregivers through the 2026 Coding Toy Idea Book which is a curated guide designed to help families choose tech toys that actually build creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills.

We talk about:

• What separates real learning toys from gimmicks
• How AI is quietly showing up in kids’ toys and how to introduce it safely
• Why coding is about thinking, not screen time
• How outdoor play and imagination support the same skills used in programming

This episode isn’t about buying the most expensive gadget.

It’s about choosing toys that grow with your child and creating space for curiosity, tinkering, and play.

Whether you’re shopping for the holidays or just trying to make sense of today’s tech-filled toy aisle, this episode will help you make confident, balanced choices.

🎁 Download the 2026 Coding Toy Idea Book

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Mr. Fred explains how we’re moving from passwords to passphrases ...and now to passkeys, the future of secure, password-free login. Learn how passkeys are stored, what end-to-end encryption really means, and how special hardware like TPM chips keeps your private keys safe. Plus, find out whether hackers are cracking the system (spoiler: they’re not).

Tech Tip: Explore passkeys in your device settings and try enabling one today.

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This October, as the pumpkins glow and the phishing emails flow, Mr. Fred dives into the spooky side of cybersecurity!

In this Cybersecurity Awareness Month special, we explore the Oh Behave! 2025-2026 report from Cybsafe & The National Cybersecurity Alliance revealing how people say they care about online safety but still make haunting mistakes. From zombie passwords and overconfident Gen Z users to privacy fatalism and AI-powered scams, we’re breaking down the human side of cyber risk.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why awareness doesn’t always change behavior
• How overconfidence makes Gen Z a hacker’s dream
• What “privacy fatalism” is and how to beat it
• Easy daily habits to boost your protection

Tech Tip of the Episode: “Brush Your Digital Teeth” — simple nightly habits that keep your data fresh and secure.

👉 Visit GetMeCoding.com for more resources and downloads.

Stay curious. Stay safe. And remember to think before you click!

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In this final episode of the five part AI mini-series, Mr. Fred tackles three real-world questions: how AI affects learning in schools, what it means for medicine, and whether your prompts actually train chatbots.

Hear clear answers about how AI tools are changing our world and how curiosity and creativity keep us ahead of the machines.

Download the Prompt Guide and graduate from AI user to AI thinker!

🎓 Grab the free Prompt Guide → getmecoding.com/prompt-guide

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In Episode 9 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, we continue our AI mini-series by tackling one of the most important skills you can build: prompting with precision.

Just like following a software specification or a cybersecurity checklist, details matter. Mr. Fred shares a story from his days navigating with topographic maps and a lensatic compass, proving that clarity and focus have always been survival tools.

We’ll break down the CRAFT acronym for effective prompting:

• Clear – Be specific with your request.
• Role – Give AI a perspective.
• Add Details – Context strengthens results.
• Format – Shape how output is delivered.
• Tweak – Refine until it’s right.

Along the way, we add some nostalgic soundbites (yes, even Bill and Ted get a cameo) to make it fun and memorable.

This Episode’s Tech Tip: Treat every prompt like a specification document—precision pays off.

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How does ChatGPT actually learn? In Episode 8 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, we go behind the curtain to explore how Large Language Models are trained and why the process isn’t as magical as it looks.

You’ll discover:

• How Large Language Models train step by step, billions of rounds of “guess the next word.”
• Why tokens are the LEGO bricks of AI learning.
• How GPUs, servers, and warehouse-sized data centers form the backbone of AI training.
• A simple library analogy that makes servers easy to understand.
• What happens when training goes wrong: bias, hallucinations, and overfitting.

AI isn’t just software, it’s powered by huge amounts of energy, specialized hardware, and careful fine-tuning by humans. And while it’s powerful, it’s not perfect. These systems don’t “think” like we do they predict patterns, one token at a time.

💡 Tech Tip of the Episode: Try asking ChatGPT/CoPilot/Gemini/Grok etc. a simple question, then twist it:

• “Who was the first person to walk on the moon?” → Neil Armstrong
• “Who was the first person to walk on the sun?” → Watch how it tries to answer the impossible.

This little experiment shows why AI can amaze us one moment and confuse us the next.

Join me in Episode 8 to learn how AI models are trained, what really happens inside data centers, and why understanding this matters for parents, teachers, and anyone curious about the future of technology.

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In Episode 7 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, I dive deeper into Large Language Models (LLMs) and explore how they’re trained. Using the fun analogy of a parrot that never stops practicing, Mr. Fred explains the 9-step training pipeline: from collecting massive datasets and tokenizing text, to neurons, weights, backpropagation, GPUs, fine-tuning, and safety alignment...but in a LOW TECH JARGON way.

I’ll also talk about probability math, why LLMs don’t really “understand” but instead predict the most likely next word, like rolling loaded dice. Along the way, enjoy some nostalgic sound bites from movies and TV that connect the dots between memory, patterns, and AI.

🎧 Highlights:

• The parrot analogy for LLMs
• What AI “neurons” are (tiny math functions, not brain cells)
• Why data quality and fine-tuning matter
• Probability explained with dice and jokes
• Tech Tip: Ask AI how it got its answer

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, student, or just curious about AI, this episode will give you a fun and clear view of how language models actually learn.

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Artificial Intelligence isn’t just for science fiction anymore...it’s all around us. From Netflix recommending your next favorite show to Siri answering your questions, AI is already part of everyday life. But what is Artificial Intelligence, really?

In Episode 6 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, I kick off a brand-new AI series that leads straight to ChatGPT. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• ✅ The simple definition of Artificial Intelligence
• ✅ The difference between Narrow AI and General AI
• ✅ How algorithms act like recipes for machines
• ✅ Why machine learning is practice for computers
• ✅ The programming languages (Python, C++, CUDA) that bring Large Language Models to life
• ✅ How GPUs—the same graphics cards used in video games—make AI training possible

Whether you’re a student, parent, or teacher, this episode will help you understand how AI really works without the jargon. It’s the perfect first step into a series where we’ll dive deeper into Large Language Models and explore how tools like ChatGPT are changing the way we learn, work, and create.

Tune in now and subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode in this AI journey!

Learn more at GetMeCoding.com

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In Episode 5 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, we dive into the fun (and sometimes frustrating) world of teamwork with the LEGO Chicken Challenge.

This popular activity challenges teams to build a LEGO chicken—but with one big twist: the person who’s seen the design can’t touch the bricks, only describe it. The results are often hilarious, but the lessons are powerful: clear communication, trust, and collaboration matter more than ever.

Mr. Fred then connects this challenge to today’s world of artificial intelligence, where working with AI requires the same skills—clear instructions, teamwork, and creativity.

Highlights:

• What the LEGO Chicken Challenge is and why it works so well in classrooms, clubs, and teams
• How the challenge pushes us to communicate clearly and listen carefully
• The connection between teamwork and how we collaborate with AI tools
• 3 big lessons: communication, collaboration, and confidence
• Tech Tip: How to treat AI like a teammate in your next project

Try the LEGO Chicken Challenge for yourself! Visit GetMeCoding.com or the course at Courses.GetMeCoding.com.

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"Why should you learn to code — especially now, when artificial intelligence can write code for you?

In Episode 4 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, we dig into the real reasons coding matters:

✅ Building problem-solving superpowers

✅ Unlocking creativity

✅ Opening career opportunities in any field

I’ll also share my favorite puzzle analogy for why coding is worth learning even if you never become a programmer and explain how it gives you an advantage when using AI tools.

Plus: this week’s Tech Tip to explore coding and AI at the same time.

Links & Resources:

• Blog post: Why Learn to Code
• Blog post: What Is Coding? (Episode 3)
• Scratch with AI Extensions: https://resources.scratch.mit.edu/www/lessons/en/ScratchLearningResource_ScratchAILesson.pdf

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