The plAIground in 2026: Check Out the NEW App Arcade (plus my TCEA 2026 Schedule!)

Oh, did I have some big plans to post over the holiday break! However, three things got in the way: sleep, playing with my kiddos, and the ever-looming seasonal depression! However, I'm back and feeling better than I have in a long time! So, in today's post you'll find three things:

1. How I'm planning to post music I'm loving weekly.

2. The NEW App Arcade, and what's inside!

3. What my TCEA Schedule looks like at this moment.

Using Wakelet for my 2026-in-Music!

If you're reading this blog, see what I post on Twitter on a regular basis, or just know me, you know how much I love music! I've decided that on every Friday, I'm going to post in the embedded collection either the song that was in the heaviest rotation for me that week, or that summarizes my mood for that week! Check out the beginning of the year so far:

If you do something similar, let me know, and we can compare notes!

The NEW App Arcade!

Ok, so in the opening paragraph, I lied. There was a 4th thing that distracted me during break. Vibe coding... While I have worked through several online modules introducing and walking me through a variety of different programming concepts and languages, I am still quite the novice. However, in the new AI age, I've been able to ask it to help code things, and I can use my minuscule amounts of background knowledge to ask better questions and/or play with the code itself!

I played primarily with three entities to "vibe" code:

a. Chat GPT

b. Google Gemini

c. Canva Code

I'm slowly working on a longer review of each platform (especially as I continue to work on my notes for my TCEA presentations). Here's what my gut says about each of them:

Canva Code:

• Works the fastest

• Creates the most aesthetically pleasing creations from jump.

• Excellent response to prompts

• Haven't gotten a game that I like to work yet, but I'll keep trying!

Google Gemini:

• Is the most thorough

• Recommends the most innovative suggestions, but doesn't always deliver.

• Best at troubleshooting its own code errors.

• I recommend slowing it down to Pro mode to resolve issues that pop up.

ChatGPT:

• Its ok

• Allowed more technically complex creations than Gemini

• Best at answering questions/teaching why it's doing something.

The one thing I haven't done yet (aside from prompting to create the same thing in both Gemini and GPT) is test them side by side (I'm working on that for TCEA).

Reviews and thoughts aside, you can check out the new App Arcade page of the website. It's where I've been posting the things that I've created. From something that generates a tournament bracket, to a history version of the Murdle puzzle, to a nonogram puzzle game, you can see my various creations. I'll share more of the process and how I got there as I finish building both my TCEA presentations and my TCEA resources website.

Speaking of TCEA....

Where in the TCEA is Rimmey?

This year, I'm headed to my second TCEA Conference! Here's my current schedule of presentations (and I'm trying to see if I can get into a few more booth presentations!). I'll also finish creating my quirky graphics for each session, and share those too!

• Sunday, February 1 @ 1pm: Brisk Booth Demo: What's Next?

• Monday, February 2 @ 11:30: 210AB-It's Alive! Bringing History to Life with AI

• Tuesday, February 3 @ 9:30: 210AB (90 Min)-The Gamification Olympics

• Wednesday, February 4 @11:00: 214-These Credentials Ain't So Micro

As I get my TCEA 25-page up and running on the website, I'll start sharing resources for folks #NOTATTCEA that the folks who are there with me will also get!

That's all for now! I'm backto vibe coding, and listening to GWAR and other random musical gems (right now it's Hoodie Allen).

Cheers!

Rimmey