The Serial Finale and My Ongoing Podcast App Problem
Serial's finale aired without a clean answer, and it's got me thinking about why this podcast broke through when so many others haven't, plus my ongoing fight with podcast apps.
Serial Ended and Didn't Give Me an Answer
Serial's finale aired this week with no tidy answer, and it's got me thinking about how a niche podcast turned into a shared cultural event in a way I haven't seen the format do before.
Google Pulled the Plug on News in Spain
Google shut down Google News in Spain this week over the country's new "Google tax" copyright law, and it's a stranger, pettier standoff than the headlines suggest.
The Theater Chains Caved Before Sony Did
Regal, AMC, and Cinemark all pulled The Interview today after the Sony hackers' threats, and I think the real story is how fast the theater chains folded, not the hackers themselves.
The Most Interesting Thing the Sony Hackers Leaked Wasn't a Movie
Buried in the ongoing Sony Pictures hack is a smaller, stranger story: leaked contracts showing American Hustle's actresses got paid less than their male co-stars, and what that says about corporate data secrecy.
I Tried Hour of Code and Felt Old
A skeptical look back at Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code, after watching Obama write a line of JavaScript and then trying the tutorial myself.
Orion, and Also I Finally Changed My Passwords
NASA's Orion test flight had me choked up at my desk this week, and the Sony leaks finally got me to stop reusing passwords. Two very different kinds of engineering, one week.
Instagram Just Passed Twitter, Whatever That Actually Means
Instagram says it's passed 300 million monthly users, edging past Twitter's own reported numbers — a look at what that actually means, and why it doesn't.
I Tried the Hour of Code Lesson Obama Did
I tried the same Code.org Hour of Code tutorial Obama did this week, and it made me think about what we actually mean when we say "anyone can learn to code."
Watching Orion Go Up From My Kitchen Counter
A groggy 6am recap of watching NASA's Orion test flight launch and splash down live, buffering video player and all.
I Watched Orion Fly Twice Before My Coffee Got Cold
I got up early to watch NASA's Orion capsule launch, orbit twice, and fall back through the atmosphere on purpose, cold coffee and buffering livestream included.
The PSX Livestream Nearly Broke My Wifi (Worth It)
Sony's first PlayStation Experience wrapped up this weekend in Vegas, with an Uncharted 4 demo, a surprisingly great Bloodborne trailer, and a very unexpected Grim Fandango Remastered announcement.