TOPIC : You can't perfect life. This week opens with the carnage of today's Amazon S3 problems and why so much of the internet seems broken. A brief history of outage monitoring is provided and a praxis for improving the process is proposed. Dan and Merlin debate what can be learned from how kids and other non-olds use technology "wrong." Should they be learning from us or should we be learning from them? This leads to some deeper ruminations on how we can choose to get better at doubting our ow...
Feb 28, 2017•2 hr 34 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : You're living in the future! This week, Merlin is in a bit of a tizzy as he tries to make coffee, redo his ads, and change his productivity system at the same time. Todoist and the evolving landscape of task apps are discussed. Dan likes Trello and Merlin likes tearing everything down and maybe just starting over. iPhone call ID and blocking apps get the treatment and Merlin has some recommendations. Dan has some questions about comics, and the boys reminisce about The Simpsons . As you ...
Feb 21, 2017•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Alice hopes to hear from you. This week's episode is packed—literally, packed —with useful tips, tricks, and even a crazy challenge. Psyching yourself into falling asleep, learning how to breathe, using your iPhone's secret trackpad, and a gauntlet thrown (or maybe dropped?) to make yourself do everything with your voice for a day. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #15 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You ...
Feb 14, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : My place is here—I fight with you! This week, Dan and Merlin cover a meetup announcement, Merlin's Les Mis obsession, Dan's new Hackintosh Method , and the Benjamin Family's slippery bar problem. Merlin advocates for "The Tiny Life Improvement Project." Pens and pencils are recommended, desks are discussed, and LBJ speaks out about his bespoke slack needs. The boys talk about the FTC's actions over Vizio's super-creepy user tracking, and wonder what questions to ask about the future of p...
Feb 07, 2017•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Celebrating your successful failures. This week, Dan and Merlin kick off with discussion of night bears, the ascendance of Netflix, and some very nice emails from listeners. Merlin also shares an important life hack for Twitter. Merlin brings in a new thought technology via Jen Kirkman guesting on John Moe's wonderful podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression : learning how to talk back to the voices in your head. Dan gives some big updates to his (theoretical) project to build a (theor...
Jan 31, 2017•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Act like you're somebody that you like. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the evolution of voice recognition and touch interfaces and reminisce on the early days of making the turtle move. Dan brings in the topic of how fears of both failure and success lead to missed opportunities. Your hosts talk about how to track down the nagging bad feelings about these regrets and troubleshoot what we can learn from them. Merlin talks about recently returning to “Morning Pages,” what he’s learni...
Jan 24, 2017•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Youth is the aberration. This week, Dan provides updates on his Hackintosh project, which leads to a discussion of finding reviews and advice with context. The hosts realize, acknowledge, and quickly move past their program’s 6th anniversary, spending more time on that drum sound Merlin makes with his mouth. Recent email pitches are discussed, and advice is offered on smarter ways to pitch strangers on practically anything. Merlin responds to a question from a listener about learning to ...
Jan 17, 2017•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Reframing the conversation with yourself. This week, Merlin talks about his weird mortgage ads and compliments the literally fancy pants he got from the silver underpants people. Suggestions are offered for running a dehumidifier in a “smart home.” Dan and Merlin have a lot to say about terlets (hey, it’s been a while). Merlin shares a service for intelligently correlating personal tracking data, a listener has success with some B2W email advice, and another listener asks for tips on doi...
Jan 10, 2017•2 hr 47 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : This is a feeling I'm feeling. This week, your hosts look at the announcement of Dish's new Air TV box, along with the rapidly evolving landscape for cord-cutters. Also, fantasies of monk holes are entertained. The big topic this week is a discussion of a listener's question about the role of positive thinking. [This is a good one.] Links for this episode: Dish unveils a 4K Android TV streaming box with Netflix, Sling TV, and local channels - The Verge 5by5 | Back to Work #304: The 2016 ...
Jan 03, 2017•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the Best of 2016 Compilation Episode, featuring your favorite moments of the show over the last 12 months. Each clip was suggested and submitted by you, our amazing listeners. Have a great new year! Links for this episode: Jane Krakowski - Wikipedia Brought to you by: FreshBooks (FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial. Just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back to Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section)....
Dec 31, 2016•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Is Tim firing us? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenge of dealing with email that's only kind of from a real person. There's some follow-up on Apple and wishing they'd just give us a "Get out of here!" Merlin recommends some podcasts and a terrific new clipboard manager from Tapbots. Dan talks about why he finally gave in and treated his eyes to a bigger phone. Just don't get him started on progressive lenses. Links for this episode: Pastebot The Hilarious World of Depressi...
Dec 20, 2016•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, the boys talk about slicing sand, unboxing videos, Overwatch, and some recommended TV viewing. Odds and sods, as you say. Main topic is follow-up re: listener feedback on recent Apple conversations. Links for this episode: Hour of Code | Disney Partners LOVE BOAT INSANITY Satisfying Sand Videos (@icutsand) • Instagram photos and videos Amazon.com: moon sand: Toys & Games Overwatch An oral history of 'Get a Mac,' Part 1 | Campaign US An oral history of 'Get a Mac,&#x...
Dec 13, 2016•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Vaio Life! This week, Dan and Merlin respond to listener feedback and talk about the tightrope walk of caffeine consumption. Merlin suggests a new AudioDharma talk, which leads to a discussion of whether you have to be an X to learn about Y . Spoiler Alert: you don't . Dan updates us on his son's hot new gaming PC, and your hosts can't stop themselves from ruminating (again, again ) on why Apple's hardware choices feel be so frustrating…and disappointing. Links for this episode: Anxiety ...
Dec 06, 2016•2 hr 41 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Kipple and Boomboxes This week Dan and Merlin start by talking about purging junk and answering listener feedback about kids and phones and teachers dealing with email. Main topic this week is whither Apple ? Based on how the company is evolving, who do we think their future products will be for? Links for this episode: Plex Gets Its Own Kodi Add-On, Plex Media Player Now Available to Everyone Meth Lab Full of Memories | Do By Friday This week's challenge: throw something away. Urban Dic...
Dec 01, 2016•2 hr 51 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Your "backstage" vs. their "onstage" This week, Merlin shares some useful thoughts (via Patrick Rothfuss ) on being careful about how we compare ourselves to others. The hosts also share some terrific listener suggestions for fantasy books for kids. Also, Dan has strong feelings about poultry. Links for this episode: Diffen - Compare Anything. Diffen. Discern. Decide. Diffen:About - Difference and Comparison | Diffen Diffen lets you compare anything. What is the difference between DVD+R ...
Nov 23, 2016•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin do another of their beloved Odds 'n Sods episodes, with tons of great recommendations for movies, TV, apps, services, and nighttime medical appliances. Links for this episode: Word to Markdown Converter The Gyroscope App · your health tracking dashboard Snapseed - Wikipedia plantar fasciitis sleeping - Google Search Junecloud A Wrinkle in Time - Wikipedia Satanists & Pedophiles Run The World - David Icke - YouTube Morgellons actually Explained!! - YouTube Explaining...
Nov 15, 2016•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin are a little out of sorts, so, after some chat and followup, they talk about some of the things that make them happy. Plus, awesome Mac key commands. Links for this episode: GitHub - Obbut/iCloud-Control: User-controlled selective sync for iCloud Drive The Talk Show: Ep. 172, With Special Guest Merlin Mann Merlin Mann returns to the show to discuss the election, by which we mostly talk around the election. I hope we never do another show again with such heavy hearts, bu...
Nov 11, 2016•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Leaving Dropbox Vegas Merlin survives a sleepover, and Dan has a concern about Dropbox. Links for this episode: Microsoft OneDrive iCloud - iCloud Drive - Apple Google Drive - Cloud Storage & File Backup for Photos, Docs & More SpiderOak Secure File Sharing, Storage, and Collaboration | Box Syncthing Insync is Google Drive sync & backup with multiple account support ChronoSync Overview | Econ Technologies Software Phone Number Search | Truecaller Westworld: Season 1 (Selectio...
Nov 01, 2016•2 hr 44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dan's still a little under the weather What home automation is good at right now (and what it mostly isn't) Updates on Hiya and call-blocking apps not working so much Merlin is getting pretty good at making Trump hands Hey! Follow-up and listener questions! Listener Greg wisely reframes the communication problem If you want to help people: offer something specific John Siracusa just wants toast in a reasonable amount of time Listener Johnathan has trouble getting timely responses from his busy m...
Oct 25, 2016•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : How to pester people responsibly. Dan's a little under the weather. Maybe kids should be in balls. Who knows? " Wrap a hot towel around your head ." Westworld . It's definitely a thing. Follow-up… TaskPaper 3.5 is awesome . Yes . There are good board games. Sorry about that. How Merlin made Candyland more interesting. But only a little. Followup on smoke detectors. What a mess! More advice on covering up dumb LED lights. Merlin has an amazing rice cooker. Harry Potter talk. Movies we lik...
Oct 18, 2016•2 hr 49 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : The Minimum Viable Waste of Time. Some awesome odds and sods, a great new Markdown editor for OS X, and a main topic on dealing with those aggressive email follow-up people. Dan's Concern™ regarding his annoying smoke detectors Why things seem to get worse and more diverse Evaluate the credulity of Amazon reviews with Fakespot Scary edge cases for Samsung Note fires Cary's great DNS switching trick Merlin is loving Typora , a clever and powerful new desktop Markdown editor Pandoc does ma...
Oct 11, 2016•2 hr 49 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : A Surfeit of Merlin Mannsplaining. This week, Dan and Merlin produce an undisputed instaclassic odds and sods episode. When technology makes you feel crazy. Are retweets endorsements? Universal New Yorker captions. Cursed Images is amazing . Vatican Cameos ! A totally smooth way to stop talking about someone when they walk into the room. iOS 10 call-blocking apps. Do they even? How to send an 'E mail' - Database - 1984 - YouTube BIG ACTUALLY-USEFUL SEGMENT : Two super-interesting matrice...
Oct 04, 2016•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : The Unreliable Narrator of You This week, Dan and Merlin talk about weather, compost, small changes, plus some Sling TV followup. The main topic involves Merlin helping Dan sanely enter the Philips Hue Light ecosystem. It's not just for nerds any more. ( Although, sure, yeah, it's still mostly for nerds. ) Links for this episode: 80 hi-res, textless posters - Imgur Amazon.com: Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, Black, Large: Health & Personal Care Breathe: How Apple Watch&...
Sep 27, 2016•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Nobody's favorite thing. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about update failures, magic, and attention. Their ongoing dive into the fractured and frustrating world of the modern cord-cutter ecosystem continues. It's ponderous . Links for this episode: Star Wars Stickers on the App Store Sticker Pals: Animate Your Messages! on the App Store Amazon.com: Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router: Electronics Linksys WRT54G series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Brick (electronics) - Wikipedia, the f...
Sep 20, 2016•1 hr 26 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Every week (and every time you think of it) This week, Dan and Merlin start by talking about some of the great updates iOS 10—alongside the usual strident advice about backing up before you do anything . Merlin also shares the late-night debacle of trying to order a new iPhone. There's some talk about weird 80s Budweiser commercials and then a deep dive on how (and whether ) to setup and use the neato Plex DVR. Links for this episode: iOS 10 is now available to download | The Verge PSA: ...
Sep 13, 2016•2 hr 41 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Find My Mac. Please. With Apple's big iPhone event coming tomorrow, Dan and Merlin discuss what makes this particular day such a black box in Apple's history. This is likely to be the last day for some time when we will know SO very little about where Apple is heading. Also, there's some discussion of which kinds of technology we're most resistant to and maybe why that is. Links for this episode: Amazon.com: 100 Gram Pack of 10 "Dry&dry" Silica Gel Packets Desiccant Dehumid...
Sep 06, 2016•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Frantic SM 10 Pieces This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the problem with wraps, the problem with notebooks, and the problem with Amazon reviews. Links for this episode: Apple Is Working on iPad Upgrades and Refreshed Mac Lineup - Bloomberg Amazon.com : Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook : Launchpad Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook Fakespot - Analyze Fake Amazon Reviews - Chrome Web Store Fakespot | Lion Sm Slave Passion Sex Bondage Kit Set Bed Restraints For Fake Review Analysis Wreck This J...
Aug 30, 2016•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Hey, try this. This week, Dan and Merlin have a shortie, so they talk about stuff they're loving right now and make some recommendations on gadgets, music, movies, and more. Also, the scientific link between chemtrails and morgellons can finally be revealed. Links for this episode: NEET Zippered Cable Tie M - Cable Organizer Sleeve designed for all mo | NEET Products The Mindset List: Class of 2016 List | Beloit College Amazon.com: MicFlip 2.0 - Fully Reversible Cable [ Micro USB & S...
Aug 23, 2016•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Kids don't need VCR Plus+. This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates. The topic this week is all about media consumption—in particular, the massive changes to how they learn about, locate, obtain, schedule, and consume media over the past decade or so. Sure, there's the usual old man talk about how How It Used To Be, but there's a heavy focus on how these changes are changing the way media is funded and produced. What's that media landscape gonna look like when a 5-year-...
Aug 16, 2016•2 hr 45 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Dan and Merlin open with an unintentionally deep dive on how Merlin has been tricking out his house with home automation stuff. The main topic this week returns to the theme of updates; in this case, how ubiquitous devices have changed pretty much everything. Links for this episode: Weiner (2016) - IMDb 5by5 | Back to Work #280: The Big Filter 5by5 | Back to Work #281: The Mayor of Chocolate Sundaes 5by5 | Back to Work #283: Cognition to Completion Everything From This 1991 Radio Shac...
Aug 09, 2016•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
