Engadget Podcast 142 - 04.18.2009: 5th birthday edition
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Apr 18th 2009 1:24PM
posted Apr 18th 2009 1:24PM
We don't really get too reflective here at Engadget -- usually we're too busy getting news up to think much about ourselves. Still, when you hit your 5th birthday, you tend to want to look back and review how far you've come. We thought there'd be no better way to celebrate the milestone than by having the site's founder Peter Rojas, and instrumental architect Ryan Block on the show to discuss the early days of Engadget. So without further ado -- sit back and enjoy our 5th birthday podcast!
Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guests: Peter Rojas, Ryan Block
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Glomag - Pocket Calculator
00:18:45 - Phantom Controller Rebranded Saitek
01:03:12 - Engadget 1985
01:07:00 - Would you sell your kidney(s) for a Hush?
01:10:38 - PSP vs. DS
01:12:13 - The Engadget Interview: Bill Gates, Part 1
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Listening to it now, you guys rock!
Ya man they really do!!! They're much better than TWiT! those guts hardly talk about technology there......
oh yes u rock dudes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i would give away my kidney just for u guys !! :P
Listening now and really enjoying it. Here's to engadget's continued success.
A gadget section in a magazine is like Engadget's homepage that you can't click links on.
BTW I was thinking that the biggest step for today's magazines will not be electronic publication, or revenue models, but the number of employees. A large magazine will probably shrink to 20-30 people (Endgadget-sized.)
Maybe you should blog or do a podcast on your current process, what custom software you use, how you assign stories etc.?
Seconded, that would be pretty cool, I'd be interested to hear about some of the inner workings of day-to-day engadget editing.
Great podcast guys, I listened all the way through and you guys rocked it!
Well, uh, here's a bunch of semi-random comments:
- You guys always doubt that us listeners are still listening to your podcast!
- There aren't any 15GHz processors (I think), but we *do* have tri-core ones (see AMD's Phenom X3). And Nvidia recently started numbering their models from 100 again (see Nvidia's Geforce GT 120).
- The Wikipedia entry for Engadget says that Ryan Block was a main creator (???).
(Also check out Ryan's old comments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Engadget )
- I am an Engadget fanboy.
- Happy belated birthday!
Congrats, you guys - it's been a hell of a ride.
I love this post:
"One day in the future we'll all work at 200MHz tower desktops with 9600 baud modems, but until then we'll just have to keep dreaming. So while we're just making crap up, how's about the Flatpanel Computer mockup, by crackpot "unconventional" designer Jim Leftwich. One little doozy of a pipe dream the computer actually has a flat screen. Whatever, Jim, it'll happen one day, we so believe you."
Engadget was the first RSS feed that I added to my news reader back in 2005. I've read your posts nearly every day and have really loved the informative and humorous content that you've consistently delivered. You could always tell from the writing that engadget was by gadget geeks, for gadget geeks. I had never really heard anything about the history, so this was really an awesome podcast that I'll be saving to maybe listen to on the next birthday.
It was also pretty inspiring to hear all the craziness that Ryan and Peter went through in the early days and really persevered to make engadget the success that it is today. Just want to thank them for building the site and taking time out to share the stories of the birth and growth of the site. So, thanks!
Best podcast ever! Been reading Engadget pretty much since it's inception, it was nice to hear about what went on "behind the doors".
Can you guys have two podcasts, one to "stroll down memory lane" (chimes) and one to talk about gadgets? This is a combination of a simpsons "clip" episode, a 30 minute drum solo, and a keynote address at a sybase user conferece.. I'm not calling it bad.
this is the best podcast yet have bin coming to engadget since 2005 nice to get a behind the scenes look on how engadget started
One of the best podcasts - great job by everyone.
This podcast was a lot of fun. Peter and Ryan, you two deserve so much credit and thanks from all of us who love gadgets. And Josh and the gang are doing a great job taking this site to the next level. I'm already looking forward to the 10th anniversary podcast, which I presume will be delivered in high definition hologram format.
-Jeff
iPhoneJD.com
P.S. Engadget 1985 really was an amazing post. Timely and comprehensive news, witty commentary, and amazing live blogs may be what makes this site great, but that post is the most memorable.
This was awesome. Reading comments from 3 years ago! Will future editors be reading this post in 20 years?
Don't get me wrong I love Engadget and the podcast, but what is up with " like " and "you know".
How many times did they say that?
"Well like you know and then like, you know right"
Just listen to it guys. Are they nervous or something?
Otherwise, a great story!
It's almost as if gdgt weekly and Classic Podcast merged!
It was great to hear your story. It's good to know that you don't have to always make the "safe" choice.
Happy birthday, Engadget!
I just listened to you podcast and wanted to tell you how much I liked it. I did not find it too insider at all. I thought it was very interesting to hear the story of how engadget became what it is today.
Great podcast. Interesting to hear just how poverty struck you guys were until quite recently really.
The Kidney post is really freaky and scary. After looking through hundreds and hundreds of kidneys for sale... Very very much so. What people will do for money. Yikes.
Of course they're not poverty stricken now, they sold their sould. Owned by AOL and suckled by Apple - they no longer guide the gadget world toward the best gadgets, but instead are steered by big business.
Of course they're not poverty stricken now, they sold their sould. Owned by AOL and suckled by Apple - they no longer guide the gadget world toward the best gadgets, but instead are steered by big business.
Honestly: Decent site. But an hour of this kind of this solipsistic, backslapping, self-congratulatory nonsense. "I think the site is great!" No crap. You started it, dude. Wow. "My baby, my legacy, it's so well respected." Wow.
Ok.
You must be a real hoot at your friends' birthday parties.
Next time you create something that millions of people enjoy on a daily basis, you give us a buzz, I can't wait to check it out.
Right. Well, I assumed that this was a "serious" publication where "serious" journalism is practiced. That's what they said on the podcast. If it's a serious publication, less of the backslapping and high-fiving on making it a whole five years! If it's just a place that "millions" of people like, then mea culpa.
You must be a real hoot at your friends' birthday parties.
If a friend spent his birthday party proclaiming how awesome he was, how much hardship he had overcome to make it to his age, how he was so accomplished, yada yada, I would certainly say something. Maybe: Let's not start sucking each other's dicks quite yet, gentlemen.
Or I'd find better friends. Maybe you prefer your "serious" journalism with substantial sides of self-regard and smugness. I don't.
Great podcast !! I would sell a kidney to listen to it again :)
PS : this is a joke, I am not selling or buying any organ...