Interface: 47. Paying to be Advertised To

http://interface.fm/47

Okay, Google, turn off the lights. Here’s what I found for “turn off the lights.” Hot, single electricians in your area! Only ten dollars a minute. Call now! Did you want new lightbulbs? Your preferences indicate a desire for the maximum possible savings. Placing an order for 50,000 lightbulbs to save you one half a cent per bulb compared to a five-pack. Users who bought lightbulbs also bought 30,000 feet of knob-and-tube wiring. Did you know that 13% of structural fires in the United States are electrical in nature? You have three calendar events today. And today is the premiere in theatres of Grown Ups 3. Based on your viewing habits, I purchased tickets for the entire theatre.

Interface: 46. Is Copying Actually Bad?

http://interface.fm/46

I’ve definitely seen this one before. I can’t quite put my finger on where — Facemash? Soundjammers? Twibbles? Show me again, website. Yes, I’m sure I’ve watched this before. I remember making it. We marinated the chicken in mayo, which made it extra juicy! (Ed: this actually works.) Here’s the thing. When I saw it, there was a person there, more than just hands. A face and a personality, you know? And yet here we are with a twenty-five second portrait video compressed to hell and claiming to be something else. Who would do such a thing? Do you really think someone would do that? Just go on the internet and steal content?

Interface: 45. Switch Anxiety

http://interface.fm/45

After roughly 6 years of flings with various Android devices, Chase has found true love and happiness with an iPhone 6S. Moving from Android to iOS can’t be without pain points, though, right? Changing apps, different content providers, a keyboard that is hard to punctuate… how will he adjust? And what’s the cost of switching platforms in the current state of technology?

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Interface: 44. The Blue Light Generation

http://interface.fm/44

When we were kids, we rode bikes and played outside. Today’s kids are buried in their devices, and experiencing the world through a tiny glass window. But what happens next? How does it change the way they interact as they grow up? What dependencies does it form?

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Interface: 43. Play More Like This

http://interface.fm/43

We’ve created a playlist of songs we (the algorithm) think you’ll love, based on a mysterious set of features. Here’s a preview:

  1. Call Me Maybe
  2. The Hand That Feeds
  3. In Da Club
  4. Back in Black
  5. Mrs. Robinson

Are you excited? …No? …but the algorithm. How could it be wrong?

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Interface: 42. You Lose Money if You Don’t Buy It

http://interface.fm/42

Chase has been keeping his eye out for the latest Toyz2Lyfe game (inspired by the Dreamworks Pictures animated Toy Story rip-off), and he’s found some great online tools to track the best deals. Unfortunately, he’s been sucked into the consumerist trap of online deal sites, and now has a garage packed wall-to-wall with HDMI cables and women’s pants. The internet is weird.

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Interface: 41. Do People Really Not Know Where They’re Going?

http://interface.fm/41

Why is it that every car radio, CD player, or fancy infotainment system sucks? Maybe it’s a disconnect with customers, maybe it’s just a lack of care… or maybe it’s because there is no incentive to make it better when the competition all sucks, too. Either way, we don’t like it. When the device in our pocket can do almost anything, why can’t it be the center of our automotive life?

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