Discussed: Why Tuesday is the optimistic day; pourover coffee for Dan's wife; confirm shaming; updates on iPad keyboards and covers; approximately annual history of "Bawk Bawk!"; some thoughts on Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart; kids and learning Programming; the things that are difficult to teach anyone . Links for this episode: Jay Little on Twitter: "@danbenjamin if you're still looking for a cheap ipad case, this one has been fine with strong magnets when closed and in the triang...
Dec 04, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: Thanksgiving; spatchcock chicken; kids and their stupid eating; Dan's concern about how we talk to each other; Merlin encourages people to try not to be terrible. Also, some odds and sods on iPad Pro updates, and thanks to our nice listeners. Links for this episode: Foobot - it's all about Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor for Homeowners Renters & HVAC Pros - Measures VOC PM2.5 Humidity Temperature - Works with 120+ IoT Devices via Wifi - Best Pr...
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed this week: Dan's MOSH setup on iPad; Dan's new NEW iPad; ease of setup on iOS; some iOS photo editing app recommendations; two things Merlin learned this week; and a little rant about how everybody apparently already knows everything. Links for this episode: welcome home : vim online Krissy Brierre-Davis on Twitter: "How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped.… " How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped. Brought to you by: FreshBook...
Nov 20, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dan and Merlin talk about their first week using the new iPad Pro. Links for this episode: The Talk Show: Ep. 234, With Special Guest Merlin Mann Special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include the new iPad Pro and the state of iOS as a work platform, the mid-term election results, and holiday parties of yore. 234: ‘Welcome to Dongletropolis’, With Special Guest Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — Overcast Amazon.com: Newly Released Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac, Ve...
Nov 12, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed this week: coffee water, voting, inertia, new iPads on the way, difficult buying decisions, returning merchandise (as a thing), some TV suggestions, Dan's new ODROID, 80s video game nostalgia, asking for your iPad-at-work input, plus seeking suggestions for apps for new joggers. Links for this episode: Building A Better Ballot Box — To the Best of Our Knowledge — Overcast Brydge - Award Winning Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad & Surface Pro CREATE - Logitech Support Bodyguard (TV Serie...
Nov 06, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's Fall event in Brooklyn today. They liked the event. Brought to you by: Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase). GreenChef (For $50 off your first box of Green Chef, go to GreenChef.us/backtowork ). Care/of (For 25% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK)....
Oct 30, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: nailing it, the optimistic valence of Tuesdays, difficulties finding replacement parts on Amazon, headphone preferences, Alexa's service outage and new whisper mode, Austin's big water crisis and what it says about epistemology, reason, and society, plus 20 years of The Big Lebowski . Links for this episode: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman And Steve Buscemi Talk ‘The Big Lebowski’ In Extended Inteview | TODAY - YouTube Jeff Bridges Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ - YouTube Amaz...
Oct 23, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the FitBit Charge 3 and where it fits into their worlds—as well its place in the larger tracker and smart watch ecosystems. Excursions also include: BroBot, weather stations, weather apps, some TV and movie talk, some space talk, plus children's failures to understand how time basically works. Links for this episode: Dew point - Wikipedia Amazon.com: AcuRite 01014M Weather Station with AcuRite Access for Remote Monitoring, Compatible with Amazon Alexa: Home &...
Oct 16, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: the tyranny of earliness, the benefits of timeliness, an interesting horology episode about Apple Watch, more watch talk, a blog recommendation, a quick look at Merlin's new FitBit, an update on home WiFi options, Merlin raps a little, Dan gets wired for Ethernet, what we'd like so see in an updated Mac Mini, some listener followup on Bear export and (deliberately) slow interfaces, considering oneself touch -ed, skeuomorphic sounds, and various Florida wildlife encounters. Links for t...
Oct 09, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week: some TV and movie stuff, Dark Mode and accessibility, OS stability and beta temptation, Merlin has an anecdote, the powers and frustrations of Siri via Apple Watch, updates to the Fitbit family, tech that does enough , Dan tried Bear, updates on the Chrome login thing, and an intriguing listener comment about Apple's ASP/inch 3 . Links for this episode: Shop Fitbit Charge 3™ Advanced Fitness Tracker Fitbit Charge 3 Hands-On Preview | Digital Trends Fitbit Charge 3 hands-on: Better con...
Oct 02, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Merlin's got a LOT going on. Full Catastrophe Living! Discussed: booger colors, some tv and movies, a dream deferred, various X-Persons, loving GoodTask 3, plus Dan and Merlin just cannot remember many, many things. Next, your hosts dive into their first day with Mojave and reminisce about the days when you could make your Finder look all steampunk. This leads to a deeper dive on what the future of Macs might be and why they feel how they do (hint: they are both kind of old). They als...
Sep 25, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast A classic odds-and-sods episode, featuring important discussions about sleep tracking, the Apple Watch, Succession, sound bars, Chris Nolan's Batman, and Nintendo Online. Links for this episode: Amazon.com Help: About AmazonSmile Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comic...
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: upcoming Apple announcements; do people with bigger screens use more apps more often?; some follow-up on adaptive testing; and comics for kids. Your hosts answer a listener question about knowing when it's time to quit something. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September...
Sep 11, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Skype gets way too ambitious; sprinkling sauce on a service; a mandatory social network for doorbells; Dan acquires a new deity; some excellent listener follow-up on Computerized Adaptive Testing; Dan takes his boy to see a bona fide cinema classic; Dan has some great TV recommendations; Merlin reports in from the deep weeds of a fraught smart speaker ecosystem. Links for this episode: The Podcast Digest: TPD 156 - Merlin Mann "An Old Man's Reframe" For the 4 year anniversary epis...
Sep 04, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: homework and testing; wallets and wallet philosophies; things to learn from wallet philosophy; how to fall asleep; watching Star Trek ; Dan's new smart speaker; Merlin yells at Alexa several times. Links for this episode: How to Fall Asleep in 120 Seconds – Member Feature Stories – Medium DonorsChoose.org: Support a classroom. Build a future. Google’s Mark Risher changes our passwords — Converge with Casey Newton — Overcast Computerized adaptive testing - Wikipedia Can a Test Ever Be ...
Aug 28, 2018•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: courting a vegetarian; The Information Problem ; FU on Dan's new slide remote and keyboard; also, belts; travel pre-screening options; a recommended article on hypocognition ; Dan saw IT ; thoughts on Twiki and Erin Grey; and Dan's recent home problem. Links for this episode: Episode 75: I Set Up a Fake Child – AppStories John is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss managing family tech use and the upcoming iOS 12 Screen Time family features. Guide - Grey - Arcade Belts | Arcade Belts Unk...
Aug 21, 2018•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed : tech that's gotten so much more dependable (and, yeah, so much less dependable); Dan needs a new presenter remote; Marvel's First Family (finally) returns; who would win if The Hulk fought The Thing?; Merlin introduces Dan to the Ponyverse; some camp equipment follow-up; and Merlin goes off on the awesomeness of libraries with some hot new service recommendations. Links for this episode: Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top Documentaries Libby, by OverDrive - an app for...
Aug 17, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: Merlin sounds like a saxophone, keyboards are extensively discussed, pros and cons of various MacsBooks Pro, Dan likes using one monitor, pining for best-of-class hardware from Cupertino, Merlin has dorky and boring follow-up, recommending an Apple Watch sleep app and an iOS location tracker, some excellent ice replacements, Dan's favorite bespoke cooler, a disappointing belt, a very good belt, Dan gets a creepy email, Merlin did NOT forget something, Cash gets more cool stuff, and Me...
Aug 07, 2018•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: current monospaced font preferences, experimenting with text sizing, getting on the sucker list, old McDonalds had some styrofoam, new tech that would kill old stories, kids bewilderment with old tech, the bonkersness of Face/Off , wonderful listener gifts for Cash, a book about anxiety Merlin likes. Dan and Merlin also answer listener questions about mise en place and doubting one's future after college. Links for this episode: The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiet...
Jul 31, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Merlin really likes the ones where Dan prepares. Discussed: four-twenty in The Mile High state, some tv and movie recommendations, the creativity that comes from constraints, The Information Problem, plus thanks for some lovely gifts to Cash from listeners. Most of the episode focuses on a provocative new article about whether podcast hosting should be "free." Merlin nerds out on iOS Trackpad mode, and Dan drops a Science Corner about heat versus temperature. Also: Star Trek . Links for this epi...
Jul 24, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week: Dan may or may not be sanguine , and Merlin is having another meetup; comics, movie and TV discussion (and recommendations) abound; Cash is impatient for a red DS; the magic of ubiquitous capture is extolled; Merlin has a problematic thumb and spends hours on the phone with AT&T; a book about anxiety is endorsed; handles for the emotional suitcase are offered; a new unicorn is born; and, Merlin has a summer project for you to try. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #23 — M...
Jul 10, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dan's ex-cold, some media recommendations, strobe light problems, Dan's new phone, bad eyeglasses, your fault versus your problem, plus listener feedback about estimating hours and costs. Links for this episode: #850: The Fake Review Hunter — Planet Money — Overcast Frequently Asked Questions - ReviewMeta Blog Game Night (film) - Wikipedia (2) Marques Brownlee - YouTube Brought to you by: Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase). Casper (For a limit...
Jul 03, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed this week: head colds, Florida, vitamin shots, Pleiades, Pigeon Pose, a new kind of spam, some media recommendations, iOS 12, and a listener question about a job they just don’t wanna do. Links for this episode: Making Vitamin B12 Injections Accessible to Everyone in the Bay Area Got Vitamin B12’s fun, pop-up style Happy Hours take place in 20 different locations around the Bay Area. Trained and licensed medical professionals are at every Happy Hour to provide personalized guidance for...
Jun 26, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Follow-up on the Benjamin family phone plan, what it's like to use a phone that's not a phone anymore, excitement for Siri Shortcuts, an AR measurement app recommendation, Dan's new TV recommendations, some travel headphone recommendations, massive disruption in the fizzy water space, some pseudo-insider-ish follow-up on Siri, plus Dan's adventure back into the world of Android and how it went. Links for this episode: troglodyte mode MeasureKit - AR ruler app for iOS 11 Whatever you want to meas...
Jun 12, 2018•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of their favorite announcements at the big computer show. They also deep dive into how to handle the Benjamin family's need for a new phone. Links for this episode: Libby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooks How Instagram’s algorithm works | TechCrunch WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog iOS 12 Preview - Apple iOS 12 FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMore iOS 12: The MacStories Overview – MacStories Under the ban...
Jun 05, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed this week: media dustups, the deleterious career effects of social media, a week or so of Instagram, love of dogs, a podcast appearance, two great services for spotting fake Amazon reviews, some Netflix recommendations, Inspector Gadget, remastering Star Trek , kids and black & white movies, serious mail, inventing The Sabbath, and some freestyle advice. Links for this episode: @hotdogsladies/Political Twitter on Twitter Free Agents #48: Lousy With the Stink of Freedom, with Merlin...
May 29, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: trust my method, beards, foo bar baz, casting Mysterio, villains of Peter Spiderman, an unpaid debt to Dan, medieval electric billing, endorsing Evil Genius and Belief , the power of Spotify podcasts via Alexa, more on Apple TV and voice commands, the pain of scrubbing, 4k HDR via Movies Anywhere , a question on soundbars, Hulu's awesome new "Live Guide" (finally!), a word on TV remote usability, eero's new "Labs," updates to Spark, a new light therapy lamp, and some suggestions on ge...
May 22, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: lame patents, Salvador Dalí, allergy season, backpack discrimination, friend cosplay, things Dan can't say, AT&T woes, Merlin saw a bear, a YouTube rabbit hole, and some excellent historical Disney content. Dan and Merlin answer a listen's questions about sleep tracking and leveraging Alexa at the office. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et ...
May 15, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: time flies, nesting dolls, cloud saves for Switch, oy vey the service subscriptions, wheat and chess boards, WiFi and health, abdomen cinchers, more Netflix recommendations, the hollow face illusion, Marked 2 update, and a couple more recommendations. Dan and Merlin answer a listener's question about balancing work momentum and "down time." Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By ...
May 08, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussed: places that are closed, dinosaur eyes that follow you, a TV show about makeup, some thoughts on Infinity War , the joy of content that really nails the medium, more on B2W shirts, Merlin hates everything, eminent domain, Dan has questions about Venom , Merlin recommends Uncanny X-Force (Remender & Opeña), and Rob Liefeld's pouch life. Your hosts also answer listener questions about finding a mentor and knowing if it's time to move on from a job. Links for this episode: You might w...
May 01, 2018•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
