diff --git a/examples/chat/README.md b/examples/chat/README.md
index 4b73eb51..4e68df48 100644
--- a/examples/chat/README.md
+++ b/examples/chat/README.md
@@ -8,12 +8,7 @@ between them.
 
 ## Connection configuration
 
-The database connection is configured via the standard PostgreSQL environment variables.
-
-* PGHOST - defaults to localhost
-* PGUSER - defaults to current OS user
-* PGPASSWORD - defaults to empty string
-* PGDATABASE - defaults to user name
+The database connection is configured via DATABASE_URL and standard PostgreSQL environment variables (PGHOST, PGUSER, etc.)
 
 You can either export them then run chat:
 
diff --git a/examples/chat/main.go b/examples/chat/main.go
index 35b73183..e269b78f 100644
--- a/examples/chat/main.go
+++ b/examples/chat/main.go
@@ -6,19 +6,14 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx"
+	pgxpool "github.com/jackc/pgx/pool"
 )
 
-var pool *pgx.ConnPool
+var pool *pgxpool.Pool
 
 func main() {
-	config, err := pgx.ParseEnvLibpq()
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Unable to parse environment:", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-
-	pool, err = pgx.NewConnPool(pgx.ConnPoolConfig{ConnConfig: config})
+	var err error
+	pool, err = pgxpool.Connect(context.Background(), os.Getenv("DATABASE_URL"))
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Unable to connect to database:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
@@ -40,7 +35,7 @@ Type "exit" to quit.`)
 			os.Exit(0)
 		}
 
-		_, err = pool.Exec("select pg_notify('chat', $1)", msg)
+		_, err = pool.Exec(context.Background(), "select pg_notify('chat', $1)", msg)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error sending notification:", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
@@ -53,22 +48,24 @@ Type "exit" to quit.`)
 }
 
 func listen() {
-	conn, err := pool.Acquire()
+	conn, err := pool.Acquire(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error acquiring connection:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	defer pool.Release(conn)
+	defer conn.Release()
+
+	// TODO - determine how listen should be handled in pgx vs. pgconn
 
 	conn.Exec(context.Background(), "listen chat")
 
-	for {
-		notification, err := conn.WaitForNotification(context.Background())
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error waiting for notification:", err)
-			os.Exit(1)
-		}
+	// for {
+	// 	notification, err := conn.WaitForNotification(context.Background())
+	// 	if err != nil {
+	// 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error waiting for notification:", err)
+	// 		os.Exit(1)
+	// 	}
 
-		fmt.Println("PID:", notification.PID, "Channel:", notification.Channel, "Payload:", notification.Payload)
-	}
+	// 	fmt.Println("PID:", notification.PID, "Channel:", notification.Channel, "Payload:", notification.Payload)
+	// }
 }
diff --git a/examples/todo/README.md b/examples/todo/README.md
index 32c32aa2..e1d466a3 100644
--- a/examples/todo/README.md
+++ b/examples/todo/README.md
@@ -19,12 +19,7 @@ Build todo:
 
 ## Connection configuration
 
-The database connection is configured via enviroment variables.
-
-* PGHOST - defaults to localhost
-* PGUSER - defaults to current OS user
-* PGPASSWORD - defaults to empty string
-* PGDATABASE - defaults to user name
+The database connection is configured via DATABASE_URL and standard PostgreSQL environment variables (PGHOST, PGUSER, etc.)
 
 You can either export them then run todo:
 
diff --git a/examples/todo/main.go b/examples/todo/main.go
index 70cbe14c..cbe93307 100644
--- a/examples/todo/main.go
+++ b/examples/todo/main.go
@@ -1,22 +1,19 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx"
 )
 
 var conn *pgx.Conn
 
 func main() {
-	config, err := pgx.ParseEnvLibpq()
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Unable to parse environment:", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-
-	conn, err = pgx.Connect(config)
+	var err error
+	conn, err = pgx.Connect(context.Background(), os.Getenv("DATABASE_URL"))
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Unable to connection to database: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
@@ -74,7 +71,7 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func listTasks() error {
-	rows, _ := conn.Query("select * from tasks")
+	rows, _ := conn.Query(context.Background(), "select * from tasks")
 
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var id int32
@@ -90,17 +87,17 @@ func listTasks() error {
 }
 
 func addTask(description string) error {
-	_, err := conn.Exec("insert into tasks(description) values($1)", description)
+	_, err := conn.Exec(context.Background(), "insert into tasks(description) values($1)", description)
 	return err
 }
 
 func updateTask(itemNum int32, description string) error {
-	_, err := conn.Exec("update tasks set description=$1 where id=$2", description, itemNum)
+	_, err := conn.Exec(context.Background(), "update tasks set description=$1 where id=$2", description, itemNum)
 	return err
 }
 
 func removeTask(itemNum int32) error {
-	_, err := conn.Exec("delete from tasks where id=$1", itemNum)
+	_, err := conn.Exec(context.Background(), "delete from tasks where id=$1", itemNum)
 	return err
 }