I joined Clockwise this week to talk Lightning versus USB-C, the return of the Feature Phone, space tourism, and unlimited wireless data. The episode is up now, and as always, was a lot of fun.
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Ungeniused #20: The Great Molasses Flood⇢
This week on Ungeniused, my podcast about weird Wikipedia articles:
On January 15, 1919, the Great Molasses Flood killed 21 and injured 150 more in Boston.
This one is sticky.
My thanks to our sponsor:
- Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy.
Kbase Article of the Week: Mac OS X 10.2: Software Update Command Requires DNS⇢
If you are running OS X 10.2, this is worth knowing:
DNS must be available for the “softwareupdate” command-line tool to work. When there is no DNS service, softwareupdate incorrectly reports that software is already up-to-date.
Liftoff #41: The Ice Giants⇢
Stephen went out for a nerdy evening, NASA announced the seven planets at TRAPPIST-1 and SpaceX is going to the moon. After the news, Jason and Stephen break down the Ice Giants of Uranus and Neptune.
My thanks to our sponsors:
- Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping.
- Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘liftoff’
Connected #131: The High School Reunion of Phones⇢
This week, Stephen yells at the cloud, Myke gets new emojis and Federico speaks wisdom to the masses.
My thanks to our sponsors:
- Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off with the code CONNECTED.
- Incapsula: Secure and accelerate your website. Connected listeners get one month free.
- Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping.
Review: Clockwork Synergy NATO Apple Watch Band
When I bought my original Apple Watch, I opted for a stainless steel model with a black sport band.
Over time, I picked up a couple more sport bands, as well as the newer nylon band.
I like them all, and was never tempted to check out any third-party options, even after Apple announced its official Watch Band program.
However, recently, I was reminded how much I missed NATO-style watch bands. These are made of nylon, and folder over themselves using a set of keepers.1 I really like the look, and had one on the Seiko 5 I wore for years before the Apple Watch came along.
SpaceX to Send Private Crew Around Moon⇢
We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year. They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission. Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration. We expect to conduct health and fitness tests, as well as begin initial training later this year. Other flight teams have also expressed strong interest and we expect more to follow. Additional information will be released about the flight teams, contingent upon their approval and confirmation of the health and fitness test results.
The Caledonian Gambit⇢
Friend of the Show Dan Moren has his first novel coming out later this year. The cover has been revealed as part of an interview with him:
Well, I’ve wanted to write a science-fiction book basically since the first time I watched Star Wars. But the impetus for The Caledonian Gambit actually came from a different sci-fi series: Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga. When I first read it in college, I was blown away by not only the world she created but the oh-so-human characters that populated it. I’ve also long had a love for Cold War spy stories, from John Le Carré to The Hunt for Red October; my personal favorite is a cult classic British spy series The Sandbaggers. I love the cat-and-mouse games, the tentative alliances, and the wheels within wheels of intrigue and plotting. A Cold War spy story in space seemed like chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (i.e. the best thing ever), so I decided to take a whack at it.
Mozilla Acquires Pocket⇢
Mozilla has acquired Pocket, a kind of DVR for the internet, for an undisclosed sum. The 9-year-old company, which makes tools for saving articles and videos to view them later, is Mozilla’s first acquisition. It represents a homecoming of sorts for Pocket, which began life as a Firefox extension before eventually expanding its team and building a suite of apps for every major platform. Pocket has been Firefox’s default read-it-later service since 2015.
BlackBerry KeyOne⇢
Nokia 3310⇢
Prototype Second-Generation iPod on eBay⇢
For a cool $99,995, you can add it to your collection.