Back to Work

TOPIC : Publix Hustle This week, Dan and Merlin talk about grocery store promotions, transactional help, the racket of school photos, Occam's Razor for public schools, Time Machine troubleshooting, the scourge of The Crackle, and BMO the salesman. The boys help a lot of people by responding to listener questions about the state of Siri, making friends after college, and the seeking of universal tr...

After some Followup and Front Matter, your hosts dive into iOS 11. (Spoilers: it's really good.) Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann Video: Those 'Shot on iPhone' ads are not what they seem: Digital Photography Review Checkmark 2 on the App Store Is MSG Bad for Your Health? - Science Friday iOS 11: The MacStories Review – MacStories iOS 11 review iOS 11 review: Smarter...

This week, Dan and Merlin convene to talk about today's big Apple event. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”...

This week, Dan has useful updates on Windows backup options and answers questions about building a Hackintosh . Both of your hosts extoll the virtues of their new Apple TV remote case dinguses. The big topic this week is Nintendo Switch, and Dan has a lot of great stuff to share about his family's first weekend with their new console. (Spoiler: everybody likes it!) Your hosts respond to listener q...

TOPIC : Don't provoke Dan. This week, Dan and Merlin (once again) complain about what works and what just kiiiinda works with smart devices. Who's winning the voice control game, and who's struggling to play catchup? Ecosystems! Next up, the boys talk about some surprisingly handy and useful cases for that befuddling Apple TV remote. Also, Dan needs your help to back up Cash's Windows box. Merlin...

TOPIC : It's like elevator buttons. This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about komodo dragons. Also, homework sucks, seed codes rule, and @Movesapp drools. How do we get so scared about things? How cool did flying used to be? Your hosts respond to listener questions about the state of self-tracking, and the scourge of extraneous device notifications. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup...

TOPIC : How do you know when you're legitimately overwhelmed? This episode, your hosts catch up on Florida, schedule and sleep consistency, ladders vs. walls, travel mania, and the fraught landscape of personal device security. Your hosts respond to listener feedback and questions regarding feeling overwhelmed and dealing with dumb clocks. Links for this episode: As You Climb the Ladder of Success...

TOPIC : Keep your hand away from the giant's mouth! This week, Dan and Merlin look back on summer and forward to the new school year. Also, some excellent ad hoc Business Analysis about the past and future of malls and other retail outposts. Your hosts respond to listener feedback and questions regarding domain name speculation and options for tracking multiple currencies Links for this episode: M...

TOPIC : Start treating yourself like a dummy today. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about iOS 11, the trade-offs of running betas, and waking up to how we're using devices differently. Merlin has thoughts on the usefulness of the will to live. Dan has a new approach to dealing with PR pitches, and the boys undertake an exciting new social experiment. Your hosts answer listener questions about the m...

TOPIC : Mapping Your Focus and Motivation This week, Dan talks about a cool new addition to his Fireside.fm service, and Merlin interviews him about how he likes to choose, plan, and evolve the features of an app. Two questions this week, both from Listener Jonathan. First, your hosts address the era of Peak TV, including how they choose their TV services and how they recommend narrowing in on fin...

TOPIC : Help! My bosses are doing a really dumb thing! This week, Dan and Merlin help a listener and his youngster get started with Spider-Man. Also, hey, support your Local Comic Shop ! Listener Molly asks how to help prevent a terrible, damaging change from happening inside her company. Dan talks about War for the Planet of the Apes , and Merlin knows when to exit on a good bit. Links for this e...

TOPIC : Making the spice flow. This week, Dan and Merlin dive into the thriving ecosystem of Florida's ad hoc roofing and lawn care professionals. Merlin gets The Boeing Contract, and Dan leaves a check under the mat. Your hosts admit they don't really understand the big kerfuffle over 1Password, but they admit to feeling the pain of being an indie developer today. Dan just wants the beef ribs he'...

TOPIC : Time Tetris in Difficult Mode This week, Dan and Merlin do a VERY deep dive on one listener's question about life with an excruciating shared Google Calendar. Merlin, unsurprisingly, has a lot to say about this. No. Like, really. A lot a lot . Other topics include Food Lion bleach meat, God's only sandwich, Adventure Time Mashup Pack (Finally!), Agape love, and, importantly, " What’s Happe...

TOPIC : Drawing effective water. In this week's tight and bright episode, Dan and Merlin do dome followup on food bars and CBD oil, then discuss how to get better at letting people just enjoy what they like. In this week's main topic, your hosts address how to think more productively (and more realistically) about what you need from a task management app. Links for this episode: 195: Existing as a...

TOPIC : Thirty cable boxes. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about beloved late night talk shows, Planet of the Apes , and the future of TV. Dan introduces his new thought technology about "Protoforms." Your hosts also respond to listener questions about using Chromecasts and how to start the day. Links for this episode: Mindfulness Meditation: The Basics — 10% Happier Minecraft Adventure Time Mash-...

TOPIC : Asterisks and Question Marks. This week, Dan and Merlin cover corgis (and other pets), asking for lettuce wraps, high-floor sandwiches, bread in a tube, John Wick (no spoilers), and the wonderful comic infographics of Kate Willaert . There is some ecosystem talk regarding ride sharing statistics and Apple's announced addition of podcast listening analytics. How many bits of identifying inf...

TOPIC : She was only 15 years old! This week kicks off with some thoughts on yesterday's WWDC Keynote and some potentially promising signs for Apple's future. Dan declares YouTube videos from The Trip to be the greatest thing Merlin has ever shown him, and he is correct. Merlin is infatuated with Nebo. Then, the boys answer listener questions about calendars, GTD and Buddhism, and how to choose a...

TOPIC : "The results have been increbidle." This week, Dan and Merlin opine about various Apple feelings and wondering where the heck things are going. Merlin is sanguine. Merlin is mad at KFC, and Dan reminds us how great 1974 was for movies. Finally, your hosts respond to listener feedback. Links for this episode: A fascinating graphic novel about the origins of Dungeons & Dragons | Ars Tech...

TOPIC : Again with the motivation. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about what motivates the companies who make set-top boxes vs. the providers of the content for those dinguses. What attracts fans to a given platform, and why are we getting so resistant to straight-up buying movies and TV shows? ("I learned it by watching you!") In listener feedback, your hosts examine whether and how various apps...

TOPIC : Odds 'N Sods In this sprawling "odds 'n sods" episode, Dan and Merlin discuss: superheroes, scary movie trailers, (yes, more ) egregious package delivery drama, customer service Buddhism, some excellent kids books, updates on the pretty good Hulu Live TV service, commercials for prescription drugs, politics and blood pressure, the joys of Nuzzel.com, auditing your online authorizations, wh...

TOPIC : Lady in a tube. This week, Dan and Merlin unexpectedly end up doing a pretty deep dive on Amazon voice products and the evolving ecosystem around them. Which is way more interesting than it sounds. Deep dive. Links for this episode: QI - "No Such Thing As A Fish" Podcast "A weekly podcast in which the QI researchers share their most interesting recent discoveries." Chumby - Wikipedia SMALT...

TOPIC : Curiosity before fear. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the experience of Apple stores and repairs, The Handmaid's Tale , Dan's invertebrate-sensing skills, and some follow-up on "look left, go left." Listener Molly asks about how to become a morning person, and Listener Lance wants help with the anxiety of moving someplace new. Links for this episode: Dan's CBD Oil Recommendation Brou...

TOPIC : Velocity! This week Dan and Merlin talk about lice, Kenny Rogers, strange memory phenomena, an intriguing new oil, and popcorn nugs pricing. A question from Listener Ben leads to suggestions for finding velocity. Links for this episode: Desire path - Wikipedia "A Lie Agreed Upon: David Milch's Deadwood" | MZS | Roger Ebert Why Walking through a Doorway Makes You Forget - Scientific America...

TOPIC : Triangles Everywhere! This week, Dan and Merlin shuck and/or jive about stealing, Publix, airlines, driver’s ed, douchebagerié, Twitter bots, and more. Main topic this week is a question from Listener Brian about project management. Merlin expounds at length at this dark art and what it can teach us about life. Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #16 — Merlin Mann Facebook Fraud...

TOPIC : Oh my GOD, this is torture . This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—amongst other odds and sods — the Mean FedEx Guy, the weird future of gig economies, and Adventure Time . Then, there's some handy tips on how to leverage iOS Accessibility settings for a better and more efficient experience on your device. Listener Michelle writes in to ask about dealing with colleagues who use the hallway...