Technology Blows Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/technology-blows Technology: where does it come from? How does it work? And why is it so shitty? Tune in every week for true stories about the technological marvels that plague our lives, from Bluetooth to QR codes to Clippy. © 2026 Dan Slimmon 68eca7c7-b81b-5e9b-bb18-dcdb67f6fd39 no en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:40:00 -0400 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:40:14 -0400 https://techblows.net https://img.transistorcdn.com/YSsmA9h49uoz-JwsPO7Myq3BYSFsQn3vb5ROxlyNrEU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iNWM4/YzM4Zjk3NTdmZWYw/Yzg0MWEyMzNjODFh/Y2IzYS5wbmc.jpg Technology Blows https://techblows.net episodic Dan Slimmon Technology: where does it come from? How does it work? And why is it so shitty? Tune in every week for true stories about the technological marvels that plague our lives, from Bluetooth to QR codes to Clippy. Technology: where does it come from. technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Dan Slimmon dan@techblows.net No Yes Grok: Elon's Truth-Seeking AI Liar that Became Hitler 20 20 Grok: Elon's Truth-Seeking AI Liar that Became Hitler full 5f6454dc-8c7c-493b-9096-4eac74c630f2 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/20 Grok is here to seek truth and tell lies… and we're all out of truth. Join me and my guest Matt Johnson to find out:

  • What Grok has in common with turn-of-the-20th-century tsarist propaganda
  • The 3 Jewish-adjacent facts that make it okay for Elon Musk to joke about Jews
  • Why LLMs sometimes become MechaHitler, but never CyberMao

References:

]]> Grok is here to seek truth and tell lies… and we're all out of truth. Join me and my guest Matt Johnson to find out:

  • What Grok has in common with turn-of-the-20th-century tsarist propaganda
  • The 3 Jewish-adjacent facts that make it okay for Elon Musk to joke about Jews
  • Why LLMs sometimes become MechaHitler, but never CyberMao

References:

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:36:51 -0400 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3577 Grok is here to seek truth and tell lies… and we're all out of truth. Join me and my guest Matt Johnson to find out:

  • What Grok has in common with turn-of-the-20th-century tsarist propaganda
  • The 3 Jewish-adjacent facts that make it okay for Elon Musk to joke about Jews
  • Why LLMs sometimes become MechaHitler, but never CyberMao

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Marty: the Robot Doofus Haunting the Supermarket 19 19 Marty: the Robot Doofus Haunting the Supermarket full 0c93cba4-8de3-49b6-b151-2d7b3ce087d6 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/19 Marty is a fully automated dipshit that wanders around the Stop & Shop getting in everyone's way and posing for selfies. Sometimes it hugs a cancer kid.

References:

]]> Marty is a fully automated dipshit that wanders around the Stop & Shop getting in everyone's way and posing for selfies. Sometimes it hugs a cancer kid.

References:

]]> Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:33:04 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4327 Marty is a fully automated dipshit that wanders around the Stop & Shop getting in everyone's way and posing for selfies. Sometimes it hugs a cancer kid.

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 3) 18 18 Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 3) full 33cd55a3-fca3-48c1-a2a6-ad52b31984f6 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/18 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:36:03 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3776 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 2) 17 17 Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 2) full e706b491-ddc3-417d-971d-70a992b10199 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/17 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:58:16 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3989 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-15/the-metaverse-via-oculus-is-awkward-if-you-re-a-woman-and-beware-of-griefers 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.c...

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 1) 16 16 Horizon Worlds: Mark Zuckerberg's legless VR utopia (Part 1) full b690830f-1e64-4cfd-97c1-dd590c403082 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/16 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/how-fake-news-and-online-hate-are-making-life-hell-for 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/mark-zuckerbeg-apology-myanmar-ngos-insufficient<...

]]> Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/how-fake-news-and-online-hate-are-making-life-hell-for 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/mark-zuckerbeg-apology-myanmar-ngos-insufficient<...

]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:51:04 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4069 Suit up, jack in, and Zuck out. I'm joined by guest Anderson Gronvold as we abandon meatspace for metaspace. Find out why you can't afford to miss out on Meta's flagship VR experience. Legs optional! 🦵

References:

Harris, Blake J. (2019). The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Dey Street Books.

https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/ 

https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-maid-abuse-94909f43c725af09522704348e35bd25 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/facebook-reveals-staffing-plan-to-be-your-vr-chat-concierge-service/ 

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/25/mark-zuckerberg-under-fire-after-hiring-trumps-former-adviser-as-meta-president/ 

https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.mit.edu/dist/0/833/files/2020/05/ST_Construc-and-reconstruc-of-self.pdf 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/joeroganexperience/episodes/1863---Mark-Zuckerberg-e1mu8n0 

https://epublications.marquette.edu/zuckerberg_files_videos/250/ 

https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/28/snoop-dogg-metaverse-nfts-sandbox-price-declines/ 

https://games.slashdot.org/story/99/10/15/1012230/John-Carmack-Answers 

https://gizmodo.com/meta-horizon-worlds-sees-10x-growth-since-december-1848562017 

https://kotaku.com/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-vr-oculus-quest-2-cha-1848436740 

https://kotaku.com/fortnites-latest-crossover-is-martin-luther-king-1847563562 

https://kotaku.com/meta-connect-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-vr-feet-legs-1849643784 

https://kotaku.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-for-cows-and-it-s-very-sa-1848335331 

https://medium.com/@gobblegobble/mocap-the-money-part-c16b78de6170 

https://medium.com/the-lab-apply-digital/metaverse-review-horizon-worlds-b9f003ea84af 

https://observer.ug/business/facebook-and-content-moderation-why-its-always-under-attack/ 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10192403B2/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10909405B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US10976826B1/en 

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3050870A/en 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/09/vr-zuckerberg-shares-details-on-some-of-facebooks-ai-aid-to-the-red-cross-in-puerto-rico/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/13/facebook-mulled-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-unity-book-claims/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/06/meta-integrating-venues-into-horizon-worlds/ 

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/jordan-peele-nope-meta-virtua-reality-horizon-worlds-1235313750/ 

https://washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220216143908/https://www.vox.com/recode/22776461/facebook-meta-metaverse-monopoly 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220817170129/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-selfie-horizon-worlds/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230921175333/https://ai.meta.com/blog/powered-by-ai-oculus-insight/ 

https://web.archive.org/web/20240912192513/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/4/hot-or-not-website-briefly-judges/?page=1 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/myanmar-facebooks-systems-promoted-violence-against-rohingya-meta-owes-reparations-new-report/ 

https://www.androidcentral.com/quest-2-2021-most-sold 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stolen-data-of-533-million-facebook-users-leaked-online-2021-4 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/how-fake-news-and-online-hate-are-making-life-hell-for 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/mark-zuckerbeg-apology-myanmar-ngos-insufficient<...

]]> meta, horizon worlds, facebook, virtual reality No Keurig: the Coffee Maker for People who Don't Give a Shit 15 15 Keurig: the Coffee Maker for People who Don't Give a Shit full 2c9192e6-8cad-44df-bb8f-25102fc08463 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/15 Give the gift of convenient garbage, with Keurig. This week, Xiao Yu joins us as we explore:

  • How Keurig was born out of antisocial office culture and a deep ambivalence for quality
  • The fascinating career of hippie-turned-billionaire-asshole-turned-has-been Bob Stiller
  • How digital rights management disrupted the beverage industry

References:

]]> Give the gift of convenient garbage, with Keurig. This week, Xiao Yu joins us as we explore:

  • How Keurig was born out of antisocial office culture and a deep ambivalence for quality
  • The fascinating career of hippie-turned-billionaire-asshole-turned-has-been Bob Stiller
  • How digital rights management disrupted the beverage industry

References:

]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:25:48 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 5063 Give the gift of convenient garbage, with Keurig. This week, Xiao Yu joins us as we explore:

  • How Keurig was born out of antisocial office culture and a deep ambivalence for quality
  • The fascinating career of hippie-turned-billionaire-asshole-turned-has-been Bob Stiller
  • How digital rights management disrupted the beverage industry

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 2) 14 14 Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 2) full 81a61ca0-5843-42a1-8ccc-7f1ed55ee0d7 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/14 The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:28:12 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4751 The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 1) 13 13 Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 1) full 7395a5db-3e5c-4448-b8bc-097f846ed402 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/13 The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:25:12 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4056 The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Kalshi: the Betting App that's Helping to Destroy Democracy 12 12 Kalshi: the Betting App that's Helping to Destroy Democracy full e9f45613-f96c-4615-b0fe-1d5a315ce8f1 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/12 Kalshi: is it "the first federally regulated prediction market," or just a shittier FanDuel? Join me and friend-of-the-pod Jeff Bonhag to learn:

  • What modern science has in common with rolling fox knuckles
  • How Kalshi DOSed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  • Why Donald Trump Jr is so interested in making prediction markets a thing

References:

]]> Kalshi: is it "the first federally regulated prediction market," or just a shittier FanDuel? Join me and friend-of-the-pod Jeff Bonhag to learn:

  • What modern science has in common with rolling fox knuckles
  • How Kalshi DOSed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  • Why Donald Trump Jr is so interested in making prediction markets a thing

References:

]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:41:38 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 5120 Kalshi: is it "the first federally regulated prediction market," or just a shittier FanDuel? Join me and friend-of-the-pod Jeff Bonhag to learn:

  • What modern science has in common with rolling fox knuckles
  • How Kalshi DOSed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  • Why Donald Trump Jr is so interested in making prediction markets a thing

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Scantron: the Little Green Sheet that Ruined Education 11 11 Scantron: the Little Green Sheet that Ruined Education full 4acbf8a2-79b5-4ec4-bda4-e03688585e11 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/11 This week we're joined by Brandon Romano to learn about Scantron: the company that made ubiquitous standardized testing possible. Find out:

  • How standardized tests were graded in the 1500s (hint: it involved throwing corpses over walls)
  • Why the hideous pseudoscience of eugenics is weirdly load-bearing for the SAT
  • How Scantron uses infrared light to transmute those little number-2 pencil marks into college rejection letters

References:

]]> This week we're joined by Brandon Romano to learn about Scantron: the company that made ubiquitous standardized testing possible. Find out:

  • How standardized tests were graded in the 1500s (hint: it involved throwing corpses over walls)
  • Why the hideous pseudoscience of eugenics is weirdly load-bearing for the SAT
  • How Scantron uses infrared light to transmute those little number-2 pencil marks into college rejection letters

References:

]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:35:08 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4534 This week we're joined by Brandon Romano to learn about Scantron: the company that made ubiquitous standardized testing possible. Find out:

  • How standardized tests were graded in the 1500s (hint: it involved throwing corpses over walls)
  • Why the hideous pseudoscience of eugenics is weirdly load-bearing for the SAT
  • How Scantron uses infrared light to transmute those little number-2 pencil marks into college rejection letters

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Shazam (Part 2) 10 10 Shazam (Part 2) full 8008408c-85af-40b4-8ccd-748187175702 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/10 This week and last, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> This week and last, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:54:48 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3136 This week and last, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Shazam (Part 1) 9 9 Shazam (Part 1) full bb7dd472-abc4-4939-aab9-6abe81eb4819 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/9 This week and next, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> This week and next, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2025 06:34:53 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3667 This week and next, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

  • How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
  • What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
  • What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Clippy 8 8 Clippy full b51428e4-373a-4eec-b6b6-508adfb3276a https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/8 It looks like you're trying to listen to a podcast. Would you like some help with that? Join me and my guest Dana Vannen Anderson for the bizarre and frequently cringe story of Clippy, the paperclip that us helped write a thousand letters. Find out:

  • Where we got the notion that your computer should act like a person
  • Why Microsoft ditched the idea of Clippy ever shutting the fuck up
  • What celebrated actor brought the paperclip to life for Office XP's mortifying launch campaign

References:

]]> It looks like you're trying to listen to a podcast. Would you like some help with that? Join me and my guest Dana Vannen Anderson for the bizarre and frequently cringe story of Clippy, the paperclip that us helped write a thousand letters. Find out:

  • Where we got the notion that your computer should act like a person
  • Why Microsoft ditched the idea of Clippy ever shutting the fuck up
  • What celebrated actor brought the paperclip to life for Office XP's mortifying launch campaign

References:

]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:09:05 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4796 It looks like you're trying to listen to a podcast. Would you like some help with that? Join me and my guest Dana Vannen Anderson for the bizarre and frequently cringe story of Clippy, the paperclip that us helped write a thousand letters. Find out:

  • Where we got the notion that your computer should act like a person
  • Why Microsoft ditched the idea of Clippy ever shutting the fuck up
  • What celebrated actor brought the paperclip to life for Office XP's mortifying launch campaign

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Washing machines 7 7 Washing machines full 7a3576a0-41e6-4c55-b39a-5b5a57aaf0c0 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/7 Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of squeezing/agitation! This week, Rit Breisler and I discuss washing machines. Learn:

  • What fluid the ancient Romans used instead of detergent (hint: you're not gonna like it)
  • What your washing machine's onboard computer is for (hint: computers don't wash clothes)
  • Why washing machines have gotten so much more efficient in the last half century (hint: it's not the smartphone apps)

References:

]]> Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of squeezing/agitation! This week, Rit Breisler and I discuss washing machines. Learn:

  • What fluid the ancient Romans used instead of detergent (hint: you're not gonna like it)
  • What your washing machine's onboard computer is for (hint: computers don't wash clothes)
  • Why washing machines have gotten so much more efficient in the last half century (hint: it's not the smartphone apps)

References:

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:05:39 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4708 Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of squeezing/agitation! This week, Rit Breisler and I discuss washing machines. Learn:

  • What fluid the ancient Romans used instead of detergent (hint: you're not gonna like it)
  • What your washing machine's onboard computer is for (hint: computers don't wash clothes)
  • Why washing machines have gotten so much more efficient in the last half century (hint: it's not the smartphone apps)

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Jira (Part 2) 6 6 Jira (Part 2) full b1661e37-f827-43ad-9cc6-a22ccf45e44d https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/6 Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 07:23:06 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3324 Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Yes Jira (Part 1) 5 5 Jira (Part 1) full 2baf7c11-02ea-4b95-83cf-2769756c6bed https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/5 Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:25:35 -0500 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3230 Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

  • Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
  • Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
  • The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Yes Smart beds 4 4 Smart beds full 251e743d-8789-484b-b6c2-a597f5749804 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/4 Is the world ready for a mattress that snaps shut like a Venus fly trap whenever Amazon AWS is down? Jeff Bonhag and I decide!

- The Bourbons: France's sleepiest monarchs
- What kind of animal Peter Thiel sleeps inside
- The $5000 AI-powered bed that saved DOGE, and also sometimes pisses itself

References:

]]> Is the world ready for a mattress that snaps shut like a Venus fly trap whenever Amazon AWS is down? Jeff Bonhag and I decide!

- The Bourbons: France's sleepiest monarchs
- What kind of animal Peter Thiel sleeps inside
- The $5000 AI-powered bed that saved DOGE, and also sometimes pisses itself

References:

]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 11:25:57 -0400 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3505 Is the world ready for a mattress that snaps shut like a Venus fly trap whenever Amazon AWS is down? Jeff Bonhag and I decide!

- The Bourbons: France's sleepiest monarchs
- What kind of animal Peter Thiel sleeps inside
- The $5000 AI-powered bed that saved DOGE, and also sometimes pisses itself

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Yes Built-in battery testers 3 3 Built-in battery testers full b859fa62-d196-4cf0-8430-034020cbc17d https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/3 Remember those little strips that used to be on batteries, where you'd pinch it with your fingers and it'd say how much power it had left? This episode is about those! Join me and my buddy Manuel Wudka-Robles as we talk about:

  • Why rivals Duracell and Energizer both announced versions of this feature on the same exact day
  • How it worked
  • Why they're not around anymore

References:

]]> Remember those little strips that used to be on batteries, where you'd pinch it with your fingers and it'd say how much power it had left? This episode is about those! Join me and my buddy Manuel Wudka-Robles as we talk about:

  • Why rivals Duracell and Energizer both announced versions of this feature on the same exact day
  • How it worked
  • Why they're not around anymore

References:

]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 08:31:50 -0400 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3126 Remember those little strips that used to be on batteries, where you'd pinch it with your fingers and it'd say how much power it had left? This episode is about those! Join me and my buddy Manuel Wudka-Robles as we talk about:

  • Why rivals Duracell and Energizer both announced versions of this feature on the same exact day
  • How it worked
  • Why they're not around anymore

References:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design No Wireless headphones (Part 2) 2 2 Wireless headphones (Part 2) full 02f92f2f-9c5a-4d38-bd1e-e047473298e0 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/2 I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:40:34 -0400 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 4692 I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Yes Wireless headphones (Part 1) 1 1 Wireless headphones (Part 1) full 4552a037-1f87-4d6a-a387-e88f482f22d4 https://technology-blows.transistor.fm/1 I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:27:04 -0400 Dan Slimmon Dan Slimmon 3885 I sit down with my good friend Stephen Lauck to talk about wireless headphones – or, as we like to think of them, headphones with invisible wires.

We cover:

  • Mark Zuckerberg's stupid glasses
  • Nathan Baldwin, the theoretical polygamist who invented headphones
  • The first stereo headphones, made by Koss
  • The 1/8" audio jack
  • The Walkman
  • The regulation of the radio spectrum (chart)
  • Ether landlords
  • Bluetooth
  • The iPhone 7 (the first iPhone without an 1/8" audio jack)

References:

Credits:

]]> technology, science, engineering, history, criticism, design Yes