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Archive: 2020

Browse through our history of obscure stories.
Browse By Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 December So, That Happened So, That Happened December 30, 2020 So, That Happened The state of our Tedium in 2020 was, um, have you seen what happened this year? Holy crap, everyone, that was a lot. Let’s assess the damage. Gingerbread In The House Gingerbread In The House December 25, 2020 Gingerbread In The House A tasty Christmas-time treat, gingerbread is surprisingly versatile, with deep roots in storytelling—and (of course!) a deep footprint in pop culture. Big Email Energy Big Email Energy December 22, 2020 Big Email Energy Why your favorite email newsletter (not Tedium) always gets cut off by your favorite webmail client. (It may be all the tracking stuff in the links!) The Gift Of 2020 The Gift Of 2020 December 18, 2020 The Gift Of 2020 Sure, maybe this year was a bit of a stinker. But as our last-minute holiday guide shows, there’s still lots of strange crap you can buy people you barely know. Digital Decay Digital Decay December 15, 2020 Digital Decay Why you can’t find the groundbreaking search engine AltaVista on the web anymore. Friends don’t let friends visit Digital.com without knowing the truth. Canadian Fakin’ Canadian Fakin’ December 11, 2020 Canadian Fakin’ How Canadians got so good at making generic products that are as good—or possibly, even better—than the name-brand equivalent. All You Need Is Weird All You Need Is Weird December 8, 2020 All You Need Is Weird The Beatles might have been the most mainstream band in history, but many of their inspirations were hugely obscure—and inspired obscurities of their own. Hack Back to the Mac Hack Back to the Mac December 4, 2020 Hack Back to the Mac Why the Hackintosh era, even if it looks like it might just dead-end thanks to Apple Silicon, was still a useful phenomenon for the Mac. Reading Below The Surface Reading Below The Surface December 1, 2020 Reading Below The Surface How subcarrier radio signals made room for hidden stations on the FM dial for decades—and help ensure, even today, that everyone has access to the news. November Worst Firmware Update Ever Worst Firmware Update Ever November 27, 2020 Worst Firmware Update Ever How Sony screwed up 15 years of goodwill with developers and open-source users by removing Linux support from its console—support hacked back in anyway. Turkey Hotline Turkey Hotline November 24, 2020 Turkey Hotline A celebration of turkey and pop culture just in time for the holidays—including how a telephone hotline somehow combined all three. By Our Powers Combined … By Our Powers Combined … November 20, 2020 By Our Powers Combined … How the webring became the grassroots tool of choice for sharing content online in the ‘90s. The concept was social media before media was social. Rock Of Age$ Rock Of Age$ November 17, 2020 Rock Of Age$ Why the superfan will become ever more important to the music industry over time, or why $1,200 box sets exist despite appealing to only a few people. Messy Convergence Messy Convergence November 13, 2020 Messy Convergence When technology concepts awkwardly merge together, or why someone thought it might be a good idea to combine a mouse and a telephone. Sorkin, Strunk, and White Sorkin, Strunk, and White November 10, 2020 Sorkin, Strunk, and White Pondering one of the the defining screenwriters of the 21st century through the prism of an iconic style guide. Sorry, my Prada’s at the cleaners. The Internet's First Election The Internet's First Election November 6, 2020 The Internet's First Election The web wasn't common in 1992, but presidential candidates notably took baby steps toward the internet that year—Ross Perot in a bigger way than most. Nonpartisan Zen Arcade Nonpartisan Zen Arcade November 3, 2020 Nonpartisan Zen Arcade It’s a stressful time in the world, so we reached out to some of our readers and contributors to find out how they’re using tedium to keep sane. It helps. October Meet The Medieval Insomniacs Meet The Medieval Insomniacs October 30, 2020 Meet The Medieval Insomniacs The story of the elusive “second sleep,” a historic slumber phenomenon that seems to have faded in the modern day. Plastic Pail Perfection Plastic Pail Perfection October 27, 2020 Plastic Pail Perfection Why McDonald’s is missing a major marketing opportunity by not handing out its ’80s era plastic pumpkin buckets to modern kids. (I feel strongly about this.) Such Low Heights Such Low Heights October 23, 2020 Such Low Heights Why low overpasses are often so damaging to trucks, RVs, and other large vehicles—and why the ensuing crashes are so fun to watch. Strip-Mined News Strip-Mined News October 20, 2020 Strip-Mined News Local newspapers have already faced issues with outsourcing and an array of cuts for years. But the threat is changing—and you should know what it looks like. Social Media, McAfee Style Social Media, McAfee Style October 16, 2020 Social Media, McAfee Style The controversial jailed antivirus software mogul John McAfee followed up his virus-fighting work with one of the first social networks. Really. No More Eternal Septembers No More Eternal Septembers October 13, 2020 No More Eternal Septembers For decades, technical users looking down on the less knowledgeable have set the stage for a lot of bad online discourse. Can those users break the chain? Turtlemania, Revisited Turtlemania, Revisited October 9, 2020 Turtlemania, Revisited Looking back on the early multimedia adventures of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with a bit of nostalgia on the side. An Impromptu Story An Impromptu Story October 6, 2020 An Impromptu Story The chance celebrity encounter may be one of the best, most fascinating parts of NYC. (Or, at least, it was.) If you’re lucky, they might even perform. Over the Vinyl Moon Over the Vinyl Moon October 2, 2020 Over the Vinyl Moon Vinyl records are in the middle of a renaissance—and a popular vinyl subscription service highlights many of the reasons why that is. September A Plethora of Tweezers A Plethora of Tweezers September 29, 2020 A Plethora of Tweezers Pondering the way that tweezers isolate things at a small scale, and the fact that you can take an aptitude test to show that you can tweeze with the pros. FTP Fadeout FTP Fadeout September 25, 2020 FTP Fadeout The beating heart of the early internet may have been FTP, or file transfer protocol. But after 50 years of mainstream use, its demise may be imminent. A Requiem in Stereo(scope) A Requiem in Stereo(scope) September 22, 2020 A Requiem in Stereo(scope) More than just a gimmicky gadget, the Nintendo 3DS was a marvel of handheld gaming in the 2010s. And now, a decade after it appeared, it’s gone for good. Let’s Talk About Stuff Let’s Talk About Stuff September 18, 2020 Let’s Talk About Stuff Every once in a while we just need to randomly write about a bunch of different things that have nothing in common. Let’s open the grab bag, internet. iBook Stampede iBook Stampede September 15, 2020 iBook Stampede Why did thousands of people trample one another to buy a $50 iBook in 2005? In many ways, it’s a story about a lack of tech access that’s still being told. Life After Death Metal Life After Death Metal September 11, 2020 Life After Death Metal For people who have spent their youth touring the world in death metal bands, trying to transition to normalcy is where things get tough. It’s All In The Cards It’s All In The Cards September 8, 2020 It’s All In The Cards With PCMCIA (also known as PC Card), it was easy to upgrade our old laptops. But for years, the tech was relegated to a depressing bureaucratic fate. The Glitch Equation The Glitch Equation September 4, 2020 The Glitch Equation How one of the most famous computer bugs of all time, the Intel Pentium floating-point division glitch, blew out of proportion into a PR crisis. The Tough Climb The Tough Climb September 1, 2020 The Tough Climb Being creative is easier than ever, yet some are motivated to go down the more complicated road to reach creative nirvana. Why is that? August Retry Mock Toys Retry Mock Toys August 28, 2020 Retry Mock Toys How model rocket clubs and competitions became a way for students to get an early taste of outer space. Thirsty? Oh Yeah! Thirsty? Oh Yeah! August 25, 2020 Thirsty? Oh Yeah! Kool-Aid is a delicious drink with a fascinating story that extends beyond branding. Here’s how the powdered drink mix (and its mascot) came to define drinks. Donglevision Donglevision August 21, 2020 Donglevision Pondering the many ways that dongles have taken over our lives, for better and for worse. One port will never rule them all, apparently. Epic MegaFight Epic MegaFight August 18, 2020 Epic MegaFight Why did Epic Games decide to go scorched-earth on the App Store model last week with Fortnite? Perhaps it reflects the company’s shareware roots. Putting Beer On Ice Putting Beer On Ice August 14, 2020 Putting Beer On Ice For decades, it was easier to get a bottle of vodka in Iceland than a pint of beer. The reason says more about Iceland’s politics than its temperance movement. News In Small Bytes News In Small Bytes August 11, 2020 News In Small Bytes Newspapers said they wanted to protect the print product, but they were raring to go when it came to experimental online news approaches in the early '80s. Brains And Buzzers Brains And Buzzers August 4, 2020 Brains And Buzzers An examination of quizbowl’s technological evolution, from radio broadcasts to question archives and Discord tournaments. July Blister In The Store Blister In The Store July 31, 2020 Blister In The Store Why plastic blister packs and clamshell packs, despite the near-universal frustration they create among consumers, have become a truism of consumer goods. A True (NES) Advantage A True (NES) Advantage July 28, 2020 A True (NES) Advantage How the NES Advantage, thanks to its long pop-culture reach, came to define the concept of a good controller in the 8-bit console generation. Putting Order In Its Place Putting Order In Its Place July 24, 2020 Putting Order In Its Place For centuries, the careful order of mise en place has been fundamental to the way restaurants make food, but its time in kitchens may finally be up. Web the RIPper Web the RIPper July 21, 2020 Web the RIPper Most people remember bulletin board systems as having chunky text-based graphics. One developer tried fixing that, but RIPscrip ran head-first into the web. We Were Promised Skynet We Were Promised Skynet July 17, 2020 We Were Promised Skynet Satellite internet was once seen as a holy grail of connect-anywhere online access. It hasn’t worked yet, but the promise is closer than ever. No Room for Design No Room for Design July 14, 2020 No Room for Design Of the many things that social platforms have taken away from us, perhaps the most disappointing is the freedom to customize our spaces. We need it back. Blue Flashing Light Blue Flashing Light July 10, 2020 Blue Flashing Light 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. Having a Cow, Man Having a Cow, Man July 7, 2020 Having a Cow, Man From knockoff Bart Simpsons to CafePress ripoffs, what the long association between T-shirts and bootlegging tells us about copyright. Fourth Failures Fourth Failures July 3, 2020 Fourth Failures The many people who tried and failed to launch a fourth television network in the United States. Regulations and high costs made it harder than it looked. June What’s In a Hoax? What’s In a Hoax? June 30, 2020 What’s In a Hoax? Pondering the elements that make a hoax effective, and how a really good one can catch even the most seasoned skeptics. Meet Our Virtual Contestants Meet Our Virtual Contestants June 26, 2020 Meet Our Virtual Contestants Game shows and video games are a surprisingly perfect match, as any Nick Arcade fan knows. Flight Risk Flight Risk June 19, 2020 Flight Risk The in-flight entertainment system was once a novel idea that kept passengers enthralled. Now in the COVID-19 era, it’s both outdated and a serious germ hazard. Power Outage Power Outage June 16, 2020 Power Outage Looking back at Apple’s transition from PowerPC to Intel CPUs, and considering why Intel now finds itself in the same position PowerPC did 15 years ago. The Payment Comes After The Payment Comes After June 12, 2020 The Payment Comes After Discussing the evolution of the cash-on-delivery system for mailing goods, why it faded out, and where it actually remains in use. Sorry, no “Sorry, no C.O.D.” Peel The Labels Peel The Labels June 9, 2020 Peel The Labels The evolution of self-stick adhesives, which are basically everywhere—and had a particularly awful name when they were first introduced. Jagged Little Tapes Jagged Little Tapes June 5, 2020 Jagged Little Tapes These transitional audio recording formats were briefly dominant—then, quickly grew obscure. The further back you go, the more obscure they get. Now You’re Playing With Power Now You’re Playing With Power June 2, 2020 Now You’re Playing With Power How I found home networking nirvana with a powerline connection, a form of home networking that might be called poor man’s ethernet. No drilling involved. May Elementary, My Dear Soundtrack Elementary, My Dear Soundtrack May 29, 2020 Elementary, My Dear Soundtrack It’s no mystery that the numerous Sherlock Holmes-inspired shows and films have theme songs. We decided to investigate how good they are. Capos On The Brain Capos On The Brain May 26, 2020 Capos On The Brain Guitar capos, little devices that raise the pitch of a stringed instrument, are simple accessories with a surprising legacy of innovation. Bye Bye, Buffet? Bye Bye, Buffet? May 22, 2020 Bye Bye, Buffet? The all-you-can-eat buffet is unlikely to survive the pandemic in its current form—in part because sanitation already made it somewhat risky. Painting Outside The Lines Painting Outside The Lines May 19, 2020 Painting Outside The Lines Adobe was already a big company when it first sold Photoshop, but its biggest competitor, Paint Shop Pro, was built by an airline pilot in his free time. The Backlink Economy The Backlink Economy May 15, 2020 The Backlink Economy 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. Browse Minimally Browse Minimally May 12, 2020 Browse Minimally Perhaps the problem with the modern web browser is that there’s just too much stuff. What if we cut things down to the bare minimum? The Internet’s Many Branches The Internet’s Many Branches May 8, 2020 The Internet’s Many Branches The evolution of the top-level domain, a solution to a technical problem that has evolved into something with lots of cultural and marketing value. OK Branding OK Branding May 5, 2020 OK Branding A quarter-century ago, a really big soda company attempted to subvert itself to reach Gen X. The problem? Coca-Cola’s OK Soda was a couple of decades too early. Let It Be, Complicated Let It Be, Complicated May 4, 2020 Let It Be, Complicated Inside the Beatles' messy breakup, 50 years ago. Did Paul put the dagger in, or was it John? Box Office No-Go Box Office No-Go May 1, 2020 Box Office No-Go Why the conflict over the movie industry’s embrace of video on demand reflects a century-long symbiotic relationship gone sour. AMC is just Trollin’. April Byproduct Breakdown Byproduct Breakdown April 28, 2020 Byproduct Breakdown When you hear about economic struggles involving pork or oil caused by COVID-19, it’s worth remembering that their byproducts are everywhere. Yes, everywhere. A Hand-Washing Pioneer A Hand-Washing Pioneer April 27, 2020 A Hand-Washing Pioneer The story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the doctor who discovered the disease-fighting power of hand-washing in 1847. A Pivotal Listicle A Pivotal Listicle April 23, 2020 A Pivotal Listicle Twelve years ago, long before it embraced listicles, Forbes put up a well-read list of websites that young people supposedly loved. I know, because I wrote it. Not-So-Clear Channel Not-So-Clear Channel April 21, 2020 Not-So-Clear Channel In a time of national crisis, an emergent broadcast radio giant, Clear Channel, banned a bunch of songs from the airwaves. Or did it? Long Con Long Con April 20, 2020 Long Con Why do people believe con artists? Part of it might come down to the fact that we want to believe in something that’s too good to be true. A Little Bit of Background Noise A Little Bit of Background Noise April 16, 2020 A Little Bit of Background Noise Relaxation through audio is more than a mere matter of white noise. Read on for a little history of background noise, and why it’s so effective. Sunday Night Live Sunday Night Live April 14, 2020 Sunday Night Live While Saturday Night Live might have had the laughs, its short-lived offshoot Sunday Night (aka Night Music) may have been the greatest music TV show ever made. The Original Internet Bottleneck The Original Internet Bottleneck April 9, 2020 The Original Internet Bottleneck Many early ISPs—particularly AOL—weren’t ready to offer unlimited internet access in the mid-’90s. That is, until a surprising disruptor appeared: AT&T. Mystery Machine Mystery Machine April 6, 2020 Mystery Machine The strange connection between Bobby Kennedy's death and the rise of Scooby-Doo, who represented a new kind of cartoon hero in his day. Culture In A Dangerous Time Culture In A Dangerous Time April 2, 2020 Culture In A Dangerous Time Finding comfort in a scary cultural moment from the modern digital landscape. Thankfully, we still have the internet to saturate us in offbeat popular culture. March Touch And Go Touch And Go March 31, 2020 Touch And Go Pondering the disastrous fate of the HP TouchPad, an early tablet based on WebOS that’s best known for being the subject of a well-remembered fire sale. The Human Xerox The Human Xerox March 30, 2020 The Human Xerox Why being copycats, something we do in settings big and small, might be key to being human. What Are the Odds? What Are the Odds? March 26, 2020 What Are the Odds? Pondering the nature of open tryouts, the back-door way for some athletes into the professional leagues. Do you have what it takes to make a go for it? Buffering … ⏳ Buffering … ⏳ March 24, 2020 Buffering … ⏳ 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. Hydrogenated Marketing Hydrogenated Marketing March 23, 2020 Hydrogenated Marketing How Crisco, which avoided naming its primary ingredient in ads, toppled lard more than a century ago—and made Americans believers in industrial food. Extraterrestrial Rock & Roll Extraterrestrial Rock & Roll March 19, 2020 Extraterrestrial Rock & Roll The bizarre history of one of the greatest novelty records of all time, “The Purple People Eater,” and the dumb joke that brought it to life. Looking For Reasons To Laugh Looking For Reasons To Laugh March 17, 2020 Looking For Reasons To Laugh Why “canned laughter,” a controversial element of most television comedy, feels so unnerving in its absence—and why it’s so fascinating in the first place. Grab Your Rolls Grab Your Rolls March 16, 2020 Grab Your Rolls There's plenty of toilet paper in the U.S. So why are people hoarding it? And what makes toilet paper the hoarding object of choice? The Mail-Order Blues The Mail-Order Blues March 12, 2020 The Mail-Order Blues A look back at the cheap department store guitar and its impact on modern music. Sears’ retail Harmony meant way more to our culture than some big-box stores. Thinking In Parallels Thinking In Parallels March 10, 2020 Thinking In Parallels Why do we find historical parallels so interesting for analyzing current events like the coronavirus—and what do they leave out, anyway? Lateral Move Lateral Move March 9, 2020 Lateral Move Five ways life would be better if it were always daylight saving time, rather than the clock changing up on us twice a year. Double Vision Double Vision March 5, 2020 Double Vision The history of picture-in-picture technology, an idea that seems a lot less impressive now than it did in the 1980s, and an era of forgotten set-top devices. Bread End Bread End March 3, 2020 Bread End Why are the heel pieces, or end pieces, of bread seen as undesirable compared to the rest of the loaf—and what kind of waste does that create, anyway? Now You See It … Now You See It … March 1, 2020 Now You See It … A brief history of invisibility on screen, one of the most effective special effects ever created in film. February Point Of Saturation Point Of Saturation February 27, 2020 Point Of Saturation Unless you work in a restaurant, you may not know what the Aloha point-of-sale system is. But if you do, you’ve probably seen it everywhere. Not-So-Missed Connections Not-So-Missed Connections February 25, 2020 Not-So-Missed Connections Just like your pile of old chargers, the world of mobile connectors was always messy. Standards did not help. Will regulation? Thanks, Craig Thanks, Craig February 22, 2020 Thanks, Craig Hitting its 25th anniversary this month, Craigslist remains a reminder that a more democratic version of the internet can still thrive. Stop Stealing My Sign Stop Stealing My Sign February 20, 2020 Stop Stealing My Sign Yard signs are everywhere during political campaigns, but campaign organizers don't think they actually work. So why do campaigns spend so much on them? The Internet Of Trash The Internet Of Trash February 18, 2020 The Internet Of Trash We may have made a horrible mistake by unnecessarily making our consumer electronics devices smart—and removing generations of future use in the process. Not All Heroes Wear Capes Not All Heroes Wear Capes February 16, 2020 Not All Heroes Wear Capes America’s postwar fling with romance comics—and the massive collection of those comics that was recently donated to the University of South Carolina. Taking Stock Taking Stock February 13, 2020 Taking Stock My longtime fascination with T-Mobile CEO John Legere’s odd slow cooker social media promotion, now that he’s slow-cooked his way through a merger with Sprint. Feelin’ 7UP Feelin’ 7UP February 11, 2020 Feelin’ 7UP The marketing history of America’s favorite lemon-lime soda, 7UP, proves that sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. Cosmic Mistake Cosmic Mistake February 8, 2020 Cosmic Mistake Why your zodiac sign—that thing that supposedly defines your personality—is probably wrong. Sorry, Gemini. Impeachment Growth Hacking Impeachment Growth Hacking February 6, 2020 Impeachment Growth Hacking 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. January Headbanger’s Ball Headbanger’s Ball January 31, 2020 Headbanger’s Ball How do woodpeckers avoid brain injury? It all comes down to their bones. Dinwiddie’s Dream Dinwiddie’s Dream January 30, 2020 Dinwiddie’s Dream NBA ratings are dropping, along with athletic shoe sales. So why is one player choosing this moment to push his own independent shoe brand? Tinker Tech Tinker Tech January 28, 2020 Tinker Tech 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. Throw It In The Pile Throw It In The Pile January 23, 2020 Throw It In The Pile 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. The Email Appliance The Email Appliance January 21, 2020 The Email Appliance The story of the MailStation, an information appliance that didn’t do much, really, except send email. That, somehow, makes it even more interesting today. Mistakes Were Made Mistakes Were Made January 14, 2020 Mistakes Were Made Technology vendors like SAP may rake in billions of dollars a year helping big companies build complex tech infrastructures, but they screw up—often, at scale. Moldy Oldie Marketing Moldy Oldie Marketing January 9, 2020 Moldy Oldie Marketing How the music industry’s TV-driven direct marketing strategies revived vintage hits, salvaged floundering careers, and brought us Zamfir’s epic pan flute. My Modular Mind My Modular Mind January 7, 2020 My Modular Mind What makes modular designs great for consumers often makes them troublesome for businesses, or why you can’t upgrade an iPhone these days. The Inbox Pioneer The Inbox Pioneer January 2, 2020 The Inbox Pioneer For more than 25 years, this newsletter author has been snarking wise about weird news. Here’s the tale of This is True, one of the first inbox success stories.