6 chapters across the catalog
Apple Core Audio, OS X Upgrades, Virtual Studio Setup
Adam Curry details the technical specifications of his new MacBook Air setup, praising Apple's "Core Audio" for allowing him to build a virtual radio studio. He explains how he replaced third-party tools like Soundflower and Quicksilver with native OS X features. The discussion also touches on the "planned obsolescence" of software and the demise of Yahoo Pipes.
A traditional childhood game involving the phrase "Apple core, Baltimore" is discussed in the context of recent events in the city. The game involves a call-and-response that ends with throwing an apple core at a designated person. The origins of the rhyme are traced back to early 20th-century folklore and later appearances in Disney cartoons.
Pearson Education Glitches, LAUSD iPad Contract Cancellation
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has cancelled a $1.3 billion contract with Apple and Pearson after the digital curriculum failed to function properly. Meanwhile, in Texas, "glitches" hampered online standardized testing. The segment also mocks the complexity of ICD-10 medical coding, specifically codes for "locking knees."
Apple Core Audio Update, DRM and Copyright Issues
The podcast begins with a discussion regarding technical delays caused by a recent Apple system update that altered Core Audio drivers. This update reportedly disrupted configurations for Jackpilot and other professional audio routing software. The changes are attributed to Apple's digital rights management (DRM) agreements with the music industry, which aim to prevent high-sample-rate audio hijacking. Companies like Rogue Amoeba have faced challenges on Apple platforms due to these restrictive low-level system modifications.
Guy Fawkes Day, Adam Curry's MacBook Pro Hardware Failure
Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the show on November 5th, 2009, referencing Guy Fawkes Day and the Gunpowder Plot. Curry describes a catastrophic hardware failure of his customized MacBook Pro, which required an emergency data transfer to a new unibody model to maintain the show's complex audio routing and streaming setup. The transition involved significant software updates and driver replacements to ensure compatibility with the new hardware and operating system.
A roadside innovation in the Netherlands is described featuring large vertical nets designed for drivers to throw cans and bottles into while moving. This "game-ified" approach to litter reduction is compared to a childhood anecdote from the Curry family. In that story, children were encouraged to eat apples during road trips so they could throw the cores at stop signs as a reward.
