My Feed Is Basically 90% Ice Buckets Right Now
A personal complaint about a Facebook feed that has turned into wall-to-wall ice bucket videos, and some thoughts on whether any of it actually helps.
Three Weeks Into the Yosemite Beta
Three weeks into running the OS X Yosemite public beta: what's actually good (Spotlight), what's half-broken (Handoff, iCloud Drive), and why Helvetica Neue is bugging my eyes at night.
Bill Gates Built a Machine For His Ice Bucket Challenge
Bill Gates turned his Ice Bucket Challenge into a little engineering demo, complete with a rope-and-pulley rig, and it's the first version of this meme that's actually made me stop scrolling.
Facebook Finally Forced Me Onto Messenger
Facebook finally forced me off in-app chat and onto the standalone Messenger app this week - plus some thoughts on the permissions hoax clogging everyone's feed.
That Full-Page Ad in the Times This Morning
Authors United took out a full-page New York Times ad today over Amazon's dispute with Hachette. Some thoughts on why they went print, and why the ad's clean villain story doesn't quite match how messy this fight actually is.
I Played With a Fire Phone and I Have Thoughts
I finally played with an Amazon Fire Phone at the AT&T store and walked away thinking Dynamic Perspective is a neat trick with nothing behind it.
Two Weeks Into the iOS 8 Public Beta
Two weeks into running the iOS 8 public beta: how to actually install it without stranding yourself, what QuickType and interactive notifications get right, and what's still breaking daily.
So Now Everyone Wants to Carpool With Strangers
Uber launched uberPOOL and Lyft answered with Lyft Line within a day of each other this week in San Francisco. Some thoughts on the pricing, the copycat speed, and why I'm not sure I want to carpool with a stranger.
I Finally Caved and Installed Facebook Messenger
A grudging account of finally installing Facebook Messenger after weeks of holding out, plus a permissions-panic aside and a roommate's Fire Phone regret.
Fine, I Downloaded Messenger
Facebook finally locked me out of in-app messaging until I downloaded Messenger, and I have some thoughts about being handed an ultimatum before breakfast.
A Week Inside the Yosemite Beta
A week and change running the OS X Yosemite public beta as my daily driver: the good, the font that's now too thin to read, and an iCloud Drive gotcha nobody warned me about.
Playing With Amazon's Fire Phone So You Don't Have To
A hands-on look at Amazon's Fire Phone in an AT&T store a week after launch, and why the Dynamic Perspective gimmick wears off fast once the price tag sinks in.