John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way.

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#117: That’s Not the Rigatoni

November 14th, 2019 · 113 minutes

Apple TV+ is on the docket, but, first, Merlin wants to share the detailed results of his scientific Apple TV and Siri experiments.

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Download: MP3 (90.68 MB)

Links and Show Notes

Things kick off with some quick Macintosh and video game nostalgia. John redrew his sprites, and Merlin enjoyed some stolen pinball. Merlin did lots of work this week. Your hosts discuss Sayonara Wild Hearts in particular and Apple Arcade in general.

Merlin's family recently rented a very large automobile, and its various interfaces are reviewed. John declares the vehicle to be as ugly as it is large. Where is innovation welcome, and where is it mostly preferable to avoid? And what happens when that "innovation" was really just kind of a cheat?

This leads to him saying much more than "exactly one thing," and it takes much longer than the promised thirty seconds. Strap in, because this one is quite a ride.

John takes over to talk about his thoughts on the new Apple TV+ shows. Viewers and critics seem to really disagree, but John found things to like. Reviews and ratings come up again. Mikhail Baryshnikov is not the guy from Die Hard, and there is so much TV.

Damon Lindelof seems like a really smart guy. John gives a thumbs-up to The Space Show but feels like Watchmen is still walking a line. John crosses-over with Do By Friday.

(Recorded on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.)

Credits

How to use Siri for hands-free Apple TV control | TechHive

A similar frustration can emerge if the Apple TV tries steering you into the wrong app for given program. After signing up for HBO through Apple TV Channels, for instance, Apple might prompt you to install HBO Go instead of launching shows directly. If this happens, grab the remote and scroll down while viewing the info page for any show until you see the “How to Watch” section. Select your preferred source, and Apple TV should remember it in the future.

Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts by Daniel Olsén on Spotify
CGP Grey - "How Machines Learn" - YouTube
Reconcilable Differences #33: Survival Bucket - Relay FM
Damon Lindelof on “The Business” podcast with Kim Masters
The Official Watchmen Podcast
BMW X7 SAV – Model overview – BMW USA

The culmination of comfort, luxury, and powerful living is embodied in the BMW X7 – the biggest BMW ever built.

Navigation Destination Input Menu | BMW Genius How-To - YouTube

Learn how to use the destination input menu in the iDrive navigation system of your BMW.

BMW ConnectedDrive - BMW USA

BMW ConnectedDrive integrates your BMW's intelligent interfaces, your smartphone, and other technologies to keep you aware and in control of everything going on both in your vehicle and your day-to-day life.

Tivo!, a song by Patton Oswalt on Spotify

Warning: contains coarse language and words that we don't use any more.

recdiffs apple tv experiments 2019-11-05.md

Contents of Merlin's Apple TV experiments using Siri.

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The Morning Show: Season 1 - Rotten Tomatoes

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Naked Consumer: How Our Private Lives Become Public Commodities: Erik Larson: 9780140233032: Amazon.com: Books

Posing as a CEO of a fictitious direct-mail corporation, Larson infiltrated companies that gather and sell personal information to assist businesses in their marketing campaigns. He discovered the systems used to gather personal data, the staggering amount of personal information companies can gather, and the government’s role in helping companies learn about you.

Mike Murphy on Twitter: "Why do car center dashboards all still look like skins for WinAmp from like 1999 https://t.co/bFjNm4bIKV" / Twitter
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AppleTV+ initial reviews

(That's the Leftovers) | Do By Friday

With special guest, John Siracusa.