Despite civil unrest percolating in the Kansas City area, our own Scott Wasson is safe, sound, and back from a great time hanging with the TR readership at the Tech Report BBQ 2011. After we get the scoop on Scott's trip to the shores of Lake Michigan, we cover two major news items: HP sending shockwaves through the tech industry by signaling its intent to spin off its PC business and nix its WebOS devices, and Google acquiring Motorola Mobility. Then, it's an in-depth look at our latest TR system guide, which includes a back-to-school Dorm PC and a selection of laptops and tablets for students.

The second half of the show is all gaming news and discussion. We examine how tessellation is used (for better or worse) in Crysis 2, new footage from Battlefield 3 that has us even more excited, Valve's announcement of a Counter-Strike sequel, Borderlands 2, and in-game footage from Guild Wars 2.