Back to Work

An important discussion about aging as examined and explained through the lens of James Howlett.

Merlin thinks LLMs have raised the bar for voice assistants in general and Siri in particular. Dan and his kid watch the excellent HBO series, Chernobyl. <figure> <img src="https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/Tb0v3K1Z.jpg" alt="Merlins weird, truncated contexts in Things." title="Screenshot of Merlin's current contexts in Things" /> <figcaption>Merlin’s weird, truncated contexts in Things.</figcaption> </figure>

Your hosts discuss facial hair, notebooks, the metric system, flexing about local weather, and becoming the bathroom supplies you want to see in the world.

Travel is not always about traveling, but it is definitely always about your life.

A classic odds n' sods episode. Plus, Merlin has thoughts about memory and ecosystems, and Dan is considering jetting through an eclipse. e640 Bob Evans https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/9RoymJk5.jpeg

Dan talks about what he's learned from traveling a bunch, and Merlin thinks a lot of weirdness comes from our twin fears of boredom and inconvenience.

A classic odds n' sods episode.

Merlin conducts a deep dive on being busy versus being time-constrained, and Dan has some updates on his task management odyssey.

Dan is navigating the landscape of task management apps, and, shockingly, Merlin has some thoughts.

Dan and Merlin kick off the new year with a wide-ranging look at how tools and motivations evolve with how we work.

A fairly epic episode covering health tracking and self-quantization. Remember: data doesn't have to hurt.

Your hosts talk about how we perceive the world and the challenge of mindfully updating our perceptions.

Dan and Merlin are excited about technologies that have found a place in their lives. What a blessed season of thanks! Runner-Up Titles: A Lot of Their Unhappiness Came from Me The Smell of a 15-Year-Old My Trans Daddy is a Fox Las Vegas Poops

Merlin has more on generative AI, and Dan has a sweet new watch.

On AI and curiosity.

And and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.

Talk of eyes, intentionalities, and HDMI.

Merlin claims he's not going to do any work for this one, and Dan has some advice for travelers.

Your hosts catch up on some great media, and Merlin expounds on the magic of Channels. Also, Merlin logrolls a recent podcast episode and re-extolls the power of dictation.

Dan and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.

Dan and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion about technology, and Merlin lays the groundwork for several spirited rants.

Over the course of this classic Odds n' Sods episode, it becomes clear that all Merlin cares about is babies and 3D printing.

Dan returns from a nice trip, and Merlin has been printing lizards.

You’re either early or you’re late; leave time for a flat tire; have you tried melatonin?; a new search engine and some enthusiasm for blogs.

With Merlin on the mend, your hosts discuss actors named Hurt, comic books, and old Macs.

DISCUSSED: A self-hypnosis recommendation leads to another look at meditation (as well as not-meditation), plus Merlin has a few more beta finds that contribute to the Tiny Life Improvement Project.

DISCUSSED: Dan sets up his little office, your hosts talk about the new Apple dingus, and Merlin highlights some strong OS updates.

Dan needs your help with a flooring dilemma, and your hosts share some thoughts on WWDC announcements.

Dan dives deep on his Sonos setup, and Merlin explores official state things.

DISCUSSED: Merlin's family doesn't understand him; an extremely funny TV show is recommended; your hosts address some of the trade-offs that continue to hinder easy smart home adoption; Dan teases a big smart audio episode next week; and Merlin starts trying to tackle an unusual Thought Technology that's become very important to him: First, Make a Hole. e615-herzog https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/b_p4tcMq.jpg

Try to make sure fear is always preceded by curiosity.

Merlin has a lot of thoughts about AI stuff.

Dan's house continues to get smarter, and Merlin has some very good media picks.

Dan has big updates about his smart home setup, and Merlin is getting intimate with a robot.

DISCUSSED: Steve Buscemi is celebrated, and The Big Lebowski is congratulated; the guys continue their dive into the state of smart home hardware with a focus on switches. e610-buscemi https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/4yea3CGk.jpg (https://twitter.com/MichaelWarbur17/status/1637904652061777920)

Dan is curious about AI voice transcription, and Merlin has yet more smart home advice for a new homeowner.

DISCUSSED: Merlin has some been analyzing a very misleading song about beaches, and Dan has been visiting more with ChadGPT.

DISCUSSED: Dan has a new iPad keyboard, and Merlin is intrigued by ChatGPT. Also, Merlin almost tunes his guitar.

DISCUSSED: Dan's takes some smart baby steps into home automation, and Merlin has a lot to say about everything.

DISCUSSED: Dan begins a new journey into smart home living, and Merlin is excited about common misconceptions. e605-infants https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/_kkzmi44.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions)

DISCUSSED: After settling some confusion about Anna Borg, the boys settle into an amble about the state of voice assistants and the future of the theoretically smart home. As ever, Merlin is pretty excited about music, but he also needs your help figuring out where in the hell he got this new software keyboard. Alexa is doing great. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/hmTv2yDH.jpeg TeeKay keyboard in action https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/1Mn6HRaE.PNG

DISCUSSED: Merlin is extremely happy with a suggestion that Dan made, and Dan has a bunch of apps he's excited about. e604-adam-12 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/GIyvad17.jpg

Typing on an iPad, rhyming compulsively, default media, and taking a young foodie out on the town.

DISCUSSED: Merlin is excited about reading, and Dan sometimes puts his time in a box. Also: Breaking Bad.

DISCUSSED: Merlin recommends an exciting new beta; Dan gets a new e-reader; and Merlin has a lot to say about taking notes. e600-notebook https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/Rvq_tvqm.jpg

DISCUSSED: a classic odds n' sods episode encompassing a missing remote (and a failed system), some wallet FU, cool help with playlist management, unsubscribing in dribs and drabs, and a big-ass RV.

Merlin is still on Island Time, so discussion is mostly limited to Columbo, Star Wars, Merlin's playlists, Ellsworth, and, of course, wallets. We almost talked about _Triangle of Sadness_ https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/zO-NbGOf.jpeg

DISCUSSED: Dan has a new concern; some thoughts on resistance; Merlin shares a new insight on creativity and sleep; Dan has FU directly from the Nosferatu band; Merlin serves a turducken of suggestions related to text editing; and, finally, Dan needs your advice on wallets, while Merlin makes a case for currency. e597-calamari https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/kitCpEKp.jpg

DISCUSSED: Merlin is playing with his new dingus; Dan almost talks about wallets; try Tailscale to make your stuff work better together; why you (yes, you) need a VPN; Dan is getting enthused about Obsidian; Merlin is freshly re-enthused about Daytum; and finally Dan is very excited about a Dracula he saw.

DISCUSSED: Halloween Follow-Up; exit interview for Season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows; how Apple could build users' confidence and stimulate their curiosity with better documentation; Merlin makes his case for spreadsheets as your potential place where stuff goes.