Director of the outstanding new film Eighth Grade Bo Burnham had some powerful things to say about what he sees on the internet. As a former YouTube celebrity, I think he knows what he’s talking about. I’ve been mulling over his words for the past couple of days. “I was interested in talking about people on the…
Category: Web/Tech
Tacos, Civil Discourse, and the Need for a More Human Communications Protocol
The other night I was was having dinner with a new friend in a dingy but comfortable Mexican restaurant in Oakland. Over veggie tacos, she was telling me about a project she was working on, one that she moved to the Bay Area specifically for. She recounted how much work had already gone into it,…
My Data Backup Plan: Time Machine + Backblaze (plus a free sign-up code!)
So recent events in the lives of those around me have impressed upon me the importance of emergency preparedness. I already have my disaster kit prepped in the closet with food, water, crank radio, flashlight, and other sundries. I've got a first aid kit for medical emergencies. But I realized that I didn't have a…
E-cycling My Dell Mini Netbook
I have finally gotten around to e-cycling my Dell Mini Netbook, which I have had since 2009. I remember how excited I was when I "hackintoshed" my Dell to run the Mac OS. At the time, it really helped my productivity to have a portable computer with me wherever I went. Now putting it side…
Emoji Keyboard: No Good Can Come of This! 💦🏠🐣💊🔫🎉
The "Emoji Keyboard." Brought to you by the fine folks at Disk Cactus (AKA 💾🌵).
UNBOXING: Ultimate Ears BOOM Portable Bluetooth Speakers
I've never done an unboxing video before. But these new "BOOM" bluetooth speakers from Ultimate Ears came in such odd packaging, that I kind of had to do it. Still not sure if this is cool or dumb? What do you think?
Google Hangout Fail
Note to self: it is WAY TOO EASY to invite all of your 300+ Google+ contacts to a live Google Hangout from your living room. Particularly if it is 10:30pm and you are totally braindead. Yes, I am a digital media professional.
The Internet Archive: The Modern Library of Alexandia… with Backups
I've known — at least conceptually — about the Internet Archive for years and years and years. You have too, if you have ever used the WayBackMachine to check out what the internet used to look like in the 90s. ("Friendster," "Ask Jeeves," hahaha.) And I recently discovered while wandering around the Richmond District of…
Interactive Video of Basement Jaxx’s “What a Difference Your Love Makes” (video)
I used Mozilla Popcorn Maker to create this enhanced video to supplement Basement Jaxx's excellent music video "What a Difference Your Love Makes." Mozilla Popcorn Maker is an open source system for combining video with text, web links, maps, photos, and more. Really fun and easy to play with. Click this link to see the…
My First Makey Makey Project: a Play-doh Drum Pad
I made this silly drum pad using a Makey Makey controller, some wires, and play-doh. It took two minutes. So much fun making different kinds of controllers and buttons from play-doh, coins, fruit, hands, even pencil lines! I predict that Makey Makey is going to be an awesome tool to use with our youth…