Ernie Smith
Why Are Those Tiny LED Lights So Annoying
Have we let the LED indicator light go too far? These lights are everywhere, and they make it hard to sleep. Here’s a case for some less-annoying indicators.
How Link-Begging Became the Most Annoying Search Engine Tactic
Businesses want to show up on the front page of a specific search term, and they’re willing to annoy you to get a backlink from you. Please never do this.
The History of TV Color Bars, One of the First Electronic Graphics Ever Made
You might not realize it, but every part of a color-bar layout, the most common television test pattern out there, has a specific purpose. Here’s how it came to be.
Why Conference Call Technology Never Works
The fact is, despite four decades of evolving technology, video conferencing is a sort of low-level magic that still konks out half the time. Here’s why.
Smart Devices Will Eventually Die, and the Internet Is to Blame
We may have made a horrible mistake by unnecessarily making our consumer electronics devices smart—and removing generations of future use in the process.
Larry Tesler, the Inventor of Copy-Paste, Was More Influential Than You Realize
Tesler, who worked at Apple for decades, invented copy-paste functionality while at Xerox PARC and is responsible for a major deal that helped turn ARM into a dominant force in computers.
This $200 Laptop Is Like a Chromebook You Can Hack
The Pinebook Pro, a community-built Linux laptop that runs on ARM hardware, offers a few surprises. Fairly inexpensive, it’s the perfect machine for tinkerers.
Netflix’s First Hit Show Was Bill Clinton’s Impeachment Testimony
The reason we might all be using Netflix today could have a lot to do with a marketing stunt involving the grand jury testimony that got Bill Clinton impeached.
Why Are Résumés Still a Thing?
The résumé, a document that largely gained prominence in the past half-century, was once a key part of getting a job. Soon, it might just disappear entirely.
How Caller ID Predicted Our Current Privacy and Robocall Nightmare
Over the past 35 years, our views on privacy and Caller ID technology have totally flipped. The concern used to be about the caller. Now, it’s the recipient.
You Can Play Google Stadia on an E-Book Reader
Turns out that, with the right device, e-ink technology has improved enough that it can keep up with a laggy game-streaming service.
How the Smartphone Became Boring
They’re a lot less impressive when they’re everywhere. Here’s how the smartphone went from innovation icon to standard component.