This week and last, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

• How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
• What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
• What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

• https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/11/24/shazam-for-ios-will-listen-to-songs-for-longer-before-giving-up
• https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/05/22/shazam-can-now-run-in-the-background-with-live-activities
• https://daniellenewnham.medium.com/fostering-innovation-and-choosing-the-right-founding-team-6287f7eed9f
• https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit/submission/shazam-predictive-analysis-for-the-music-industry/
• https://patents.justia.com/inventor/avery-li-chun-wang
• https://profwurzer.com/shazams-ip-fortress-layered-protection-built-a-billion-dollar-app/
• http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/12/the-shazam-effect/382237/
• https://venturebeat.com/social/shazam-american-idol/
• https://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/14/shazam-names-that-tune-drawing-in-money-and-users.html
• https://www.computerweekly.com/news/450409644/How-Shazam-handles-its-data-reserves
• https://www.ee.columbia.edu/~dpwe/papers/Wang03-shazam.pdf
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/averywang08/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/s/uX3Gjl7FUm
• https://www.seti.org/people/avery-wang/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3hNkU03sLA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0m-G6iwrCw

This week and next, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Kiel to talk about Shazam: the massive data analytics platform that occasionally tells you the names of songs. Find out:

• How they use computers to turn all your favorite songs into constellations
• What other things you can Shazam, if you're not a music person
• What Shazam likes to do in its spare time, when you think it's not listening anymore

References:

• https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/11/24/shazam-for-ios-will-listen-to-songs-for-longer-before-giving-up
• https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/05/22/shazam-can-now-run-in-the-background-with-live-activities
• https://daniellenewnham.medium.com/fostering-innovation-and-choosing-the-right-founding-team-6287f7eed9f
• https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit/submission/shazam-predictive-analysis-for-the-music-industry/
• https://patents.justia.com/inventor/avery-li-chun-wang
• https://profwurzer.com/shazams-ip-fortress-layered-protection-built-a-billion-dollar-app/
• http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/12/the-shazam-effect/382237/
• https://venturebeat.com/social/shazam-american-idol/
• https://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/14/shazam-names-that-tune-drawing-in-money-and-users.html
• https://www.computerweekly.com/news/450409644/How-Shazam-handles-its-data-reserves
• https://www.ee.columbia.edu/~dpwe/papers/Wang03-shazam.pdf
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/averywang08/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/s/uX3Gjl7FUm
• https://www.seti.org/people/avery-wang/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3hNkU03sLA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0m-G6iwrCw

It looks like you're trying to listen to a podcast. Would you like some help with that? Join me and my guest Dana Vannen Anderson for the bizarre and frequently cringe story of Clippy, the paperclip that us helped write a thousand letters. Find out:

• Where we got the notion that your computer should act like a person
• Why Microsoft ditched the idea of Clippy ever shutting the fuck up
• What celebrated actor brought the paperclip to life for Office XP's mortifying launch campaign

References:

• https://arxiv.org/pdf/1301.7385
• https://jesse.cafe/blog/packard-bell-navigator/
• https://guidebookgallery.org/tutorials/packardbellnavigator39/gettingstarted
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110504005120/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2008/04/-quot-clippy-quot-update-now-with-organizational-anthropology/8006/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110124023627/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/chris_pratley/archive/2004/01/31/65479.aspx
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHgzgbLwhKM#t=1m41s
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/07/chatgpt-lawsuit-suicide-coach
• https://web.archive.org/web/20070212204645/http://lis.dickinson.edu/Technology/Training/Tutorials/MsOffice/assistant.htm
• https://web.archive.org/web/20010812061222/http://www.microsoft.com/office/clippy/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20190214194638/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/techtalk/2005/12/16/pm-at-microsoft/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125147/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-255671.html
• https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2022/08/origin-story-of-clippy-the-microsoft-office-assistant
• https://magnus919.com/2025/05/the-rise-and-fall-of-clippy-from-microsofts-bold-vision-to-internet-legend/
• https://spir.aoir.org/ojs/index.php/spir/article/view/10923/9596
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143853682/
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/295620970/
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/770293367/
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/658114957/
• https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2001-05-03-clippy-campaign.htm
• https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/191666.191703
• https://archive.org/details/g4tv.com-video4080
• https://hardcoresoftware.learningbyshipping.com/p/042-clippy-the-fcking-clown

Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of squeezing/agitation! This week, Rit Breisler and I discuss washing machines. Learn:

• What fluid the ancient Romans used instead of detergent (hint: you're not gonna like it)
• What your washing machine's onboard computer is for (hint: computers don't wash clothes)
• Why washing machines have gotten so much more efficient in the last half century (hint: it's not the smartphone apps)

References:

• https://eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/ancient-everyday-pee-and-laundry-in-the-roman-world/
• https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/washing-machines-vintage-photos/
• https://patents.google.com/patent/US966677A/en
• https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/374286/degrowth-economic-growth-washing-machines-electricity-global-poverty
• https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/part-one-how-the-catholic-church-84227953/
• https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/part-two-how-the-catholic-church-84310436/
• https://appliance-standards.org/blog/new-spin-clothes-washer-efficiency-coming-january-2018
• https://home.howstuffworks.com/washer7.htm
• https://automaticwasher.org/threads/when-did-ge-start-using-electronics.62935/
• https://www.embedded.com/the-role-of-mcus-and-psocs-in-making-home-appliances-smarter/
• http://www.oldandinteresting.com/history-of-washing-clothes.aspx
• https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/technology/technology-terms-and-concepts/washing-machine#2896500105
• https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1862_London_Exhibition:_Catalogue:_Class_VIII.:_Richard_Lansdale
• https://patents.google.com/patent/US921195
• https://patents.google.com/patent/US2165884
• https://web.archive.org/web/20130523165728/http://gogd.tjs-labs.com/show-picture?id=1129064419
• https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/national-na-v81/2264
• https://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/how-long-should-a-washing-machine-last/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225802892_Electricity_and_water_consumption_for_laundry_washing_by_washing_machine_worldwide
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312150735.htm
• https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_the_magic_washing_machine
• https://academic.oup.com/book/10245

Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

• Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
• Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
• The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

• https://www.seangoedecke.com/seeing-like-a-software-company/
• https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/atlassian-mike-cannon-brookes-and-scott-farquhar/id1150510297?i=1000508150130
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNBmHXS3A6I
• https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/inside-the-atlassian-fallout-between-mike-cannonbrookes-and-scott-farquhar/news-story/ed90506fec79ee023d6f856592893c21
• https://www.realestate.com.au/news/37yearold-scott-farquhar-pays-more-than-70-million-for-derelict-fairfax-mansion-elaine/
• https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/project-management/history-of-project-management-software/
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21573727.2011.609558
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-3-0-release-notes-720413090.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-4-0-release-notes-720413371.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-5-0-release-notes-720413987.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-6-0-release-notes-720413895.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-8-0-x-release-notes-957981626.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-9-0-x-release-notes-1142227613.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-10-0-x-release-notes-1416825224.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-11-0-x-release-notes-1587939582.html

Jira: the bloated tick gorging itself on the software industry. Join me and CJ Horton to learn about:

• Henry Gantt, the absolute chart simp who gave your boss the idea to ask you about your progress every half hour
• Infinite backlogs: where hope goes to quietly die
• The heartbreaking story of a billionaire's impostor syndrome

References:

• https://www.seangoedecke.com/seeing-like-a-software-company/
• https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/atlassian-mike-cannon-brookes-and-scott-farquhar/id1150510297?i=1000508150130
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNBmHXS3A6I
• https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/inside-the-atlassian-fallout-between-mike-cannonbrookes-and-scott-farquhar/news-story/ed90506fec79ee023d6f856592893c21
• https://www.realestate.com.au/news/37yearold-scott-farquhar-pays-more-than-70-million-for-derelict-fairfax-mansion-elaine/
• https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/project-management/history-of-project-management-software/
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21573727.2011.609558
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-3-0-release-notes-720413090.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-4-0-release-notes-720413371.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-5-0-release-notes-720413987.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jira064/jira-6-0-release-notes-720413895.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-8-0-x-release-notes-957981626.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-9-0-x-release-notes-1142227613.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-10-0-x-release-notes-1416825224.html
• https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftware/jira-software-11-0-x-release-notes-1587939582.html

Is the world ready for a mattress that snaps shut like a Venus fly trap whenever Amazon AWS is down? Jeff Bonhag and I decide!

- The Bourbons: France's sleepiest monarchs
- What kind of animal Peter Thiel sleeps inside
- The $5000 AI-powered bed that saved DOGE, and also sometimes pisses itself

References:

• https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140416-chimpanzees-trees-sleep-beds-animals-science/
• https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abc7239
• https://www.reddit.com/r/EightSleep/s/x1GIkFiHgl
• https://aws.amazon.com/message/101925/
• https://www.404media.co/the-aws-outage-bricked-peoples-2-700-smartbeds/
• https://nymag.com/strategist/article/eight-sleep-pod-4-review.html
• https://www.eightsleep.com/science/
• https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/aws-crash-causes-2000-smart-beds-to-overheat-and-get-stuck-upright-3272251/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/EightSleep/s/0HKiHcCUDj
• https://www.uniladtech.com/news/tech-news/elon-musks-doge-sleep-pods-513132-20250205
• https://www.reddit.com/r/EightSleep/s/3gM13Pw8Wo
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-n-leaders/id1696212935?i=1000708827712

Remember those little strips that used to be on batteries, where you'd pinch it with your fingers and it'd say how much power it had left? This episode is about those! Join me and my buddy Manuel Wudka-Robles as we talk about:

• Why rivals Duracell and Energizer both announced versions of this feature on the same exact day
• How it worked
• Why they're not around anymore

References:

• https://tedium.co/2021/01/20/on-battery-power-meter-history/
  • https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-duracell-competing-pate/68078245/
  • https://patents.google.com/patent/US5015544A/en
  • https://patents.google.com/patent/US5059895A/en
  • https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB884214290310763000
  • https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB933034516816675358
  • https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-duracell-battery/68078674/
  • https://www.supermarketnews.com/grocery-operations/testing-the-charge
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsA3X40nz9w