JohnHodgman
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The Engadget Show 37: Halloween Spooktacular with Wayne Coyne, movie monsters and ghost hunting!
Welcome boys and ghouls, to a very spooky episode of The Engadget Show. We've got plenty of tricks and treats for you in this Halloweentastic October episode. We kick things off with a trip to Oklahoma City, to the home of Flaming Lips frontman, Wayne Coyne, who talks Parking Lot Experiments, Halloween displays and why if your phone screen isn't broken, you aren't living your life. Next up, we'll show you all the necessary tools for a proper ghost hunt, with a little help from author Mary Roach, Ghost Hunters' Adam Berry and the crew of the Central NY Ghost Hunters. In Vermont, we have a conversation with robot head Bina48 to find out what it really means to be alive and we travel to Los Angeles to talk to movie makeup Wizard Kevin Yagher and the costume experts at Global Effects Inc. And when the Engadget Van breaks down outside of an electronics store, it's up to Tim, Brian and rock band, Free Energy, to solve a very spooky mystery. All that plus a new Ask @hodgman and a gadget table featuring the new iPod touch, Kindle Paperwhite and Galaxy Note II from Dapper Cadaver, our favorite place to buy prop corpses in the Southern California area. Jump on in after the break -- if you dare!%Gallery-168911% Hosts: Brian Heater, Jordan Morris, Tim Stevens Guests: Wayne Coyne, Mary Roach, Kevin Yagher, Adam Berry, Chris Gilman, Jesse Thorn, John Hodgman, Bruce Duncan, Stacey Jones, BJ Winslow Musical Guest: Free Energy Producer: Ben Harrison Executive Producers: Brian Heater, Joshua Fruhlinger Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 037 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 037 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 037 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
John Hodgman on the death of publishing and being a Mac trapped in a PC's body
I'm fully prepared to complete every sentence I utter about John Hodgman in the future with the qualifier "is a delight." Author, comedian, professional voice actor, celebrity spokesperson -- Hodgman keeps the sort of schedule that would make even the most hardened globe-trotting blogger ball up into the fetal position. When we finally nailed him down for an interview on the Engadget Show last month, we asked him to meet us at the General Society for Mechanics and Tradesmen in midtown Manhattan. It's a place not far from Times Square that our producer Ben discovered while shooting a segment about the annual meeting of the Corduroy Appreciation Club, a group of menswear enthusiasts who meet each year on 11 / 11 -- the date most closely resembling corduroy. It's a strange and beautiful old space that dates back to the early 19th century, as a resource for apprentices of a society that can, in turn, be traced back to 1785. It seems to serve a different purpose now, a couple of older gentlemen shuffling in and out of the library during the three hours we spend there, each staying quiet, seated alone at a small table, reading novels and history books from off the shelves. For today, however, it'll serve as John Hodgman's own private library, the tongue-in-cheek backdrop for his long-awaited Engadget Show interview. Ben and I go back and forth a bit, prior to his arrival, debating whether or not he'll embrace the silly premise. He agrees immediately after traveling in from Brooklyn, offering up a single, key caveat: it's actually the annex to his own private library. The cameras roll and without missing a beat, he slips into his deranged millionaire persona, a character that has popped up a bit over the past few years, as Hodgman has wrapped up his trilogy of "complete world knowledge," the last entry of which, "That is All," was released in paperback and audiobook forms this week. "This," the mustachioed author explains, "is the end of world knowledge." It's a journey that began in 2005, with the publication of "The Areas of My Expertise," an almanac of sorts compiling the comedian's knowledge of "matters historical, matters literary, matters cryptozoological and hobo matters," to name but a small cross-section. Hodgman was a self-described former professional literary agent at the time, first making a splash amongst the literati some five years prior with the publication of the column "Ask a Former Professional Literary Agent" for uber-hip San Francisco publisher McSweeney's.
The Engadget Show 36: John Hodgman, iPhone 5, Improv Everywhere, Samsara and the New Museum
It can be tough to shake the notion that art and technology are conflicting forces -- that is, until you're confronted by a concept that lives at the crossroads of these seemingly dissonant concepts. For this latest episode of the Engadget Show, we set up shop right there, in order to explore what it means when technology itself is a work of art. We're starting things off at the New Museum on the Bowery in Manhattan, where Tim and Brian will be diving deep into the "Ghosts in the Machine" exhibition, to check out pieces like Stan VanDerBeek's Movie-Drome, a dome dreamed up in the mid-60s that foresaw a world in which the viewer is bombarded by visual stimuli. We'll also discuss how the museum is harnessing the power of the web to open its offerings up well beyond its gallery doors. We speak to the founder and principal players of comedy performance art group Improv Everywhere about the role technology has played in the rise of the group and some of its most famous (and infamous) pranks. As ever, we're breaking out the Gadget Table to discuss the month's latest and greatest (and not-so-greatest), including the iPhone 5, Amazon's Kindle Fire and Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1, before Brian heads out to the private (annex) library of comedian-turned-deranged-billionaire John Hodgman to discuss how technology is impacting the publishing industry and his upcoming books "That is All" and "The Complete World Knowledge Boxed Set". While we're at it, we'll be speaking with the producer and director of the classic film Baraka and its newly released spiritual sequel, Samsara and paying a visit to the gang at Breakfast New York, who have worked with the likes of Google and Conan O'Brien to turn advertising into art. All that and the introduction of our latest feature "Ask @hodgman." Welcome to the new Engadget Show.
Video tribute to the Get a Mac ad campaign
Last month we reported that Justin Long, who plays Mac in the Get a Mac ads, hinted that the advertising campaign had come to an end. Now it seems confirmed; the ads, first broadcast in 2006, can't even be found on the Apple page. Instead, the usual link now takes you to a page explaining the reasons that you should buy a Mac. OneMoreThingPodcast has put together this fitting tribute to the many 30 second gems that have amused us over the last five years. I'm sure you'll find some of your favorite highlights in the video. So, I suppose it's back to making movies for Long, and back to The Daily Show for John Hodgman (an Apple user for over 20 years), giving up the role of PC. Rest in peace, Get a Mac campaign. You were a good soldier.
Apple pulls the plug on 'Get a Mac' ad campaign
There's been rumors that Apple had ended its long-running of "Get a Mac" ad campaign ever since Justin "Mac" Long said he thought they might be done last month, and it looks like that's now finally been confirmed by Apple -- the company has pulled all the ads from its site and is instead redirecting folks to its new "Why You'll Love a Mac" page. Of course, the move doesn't exactly come as a huge surprise considering that Apple hasn't produced a new one since its Windows 7-challenging ads last October, and Apple has certainly had plenty of prime material since then. Head on past the break for look at one of the more recent highlights, and hit up the more coverage links below if you feel like reminiscing a bit more. As for what's next for Apple, we can only guess. A triumphant return of Jeff Goldblum, perhaps?
Get your Mac and PC Cubee cutouts here
Got some time to kill at the office today? Steal some heavy weight paper from the supply closet and print out your very own Cubee cutouts of Mac and PC. The cutouts are designed by Jay Hauf, and they work best when you download the 1482 x 1173 versions and print them on heavy stock letter paper. For video instructions on how to assemble your Cubees, see here. If you get bored recreating all 66 Get a Mac ads, you can mix it up a little by downloading the Steve Jobs Cubee cutout (which, IMO, looks a lot like a square version of Stewie Griffin when assembled). Now, get back to work! [via iPhoneSavior]
PC tells Mac -- "Get a Mac" ads might be done
Justin Long, who plays Mac in the Get a Mac ads, has told The Onion's A.V. Club that he believes the Get a Mac ad campaign has come to an end. When The Onion asked Justin what the status was on the Apple ads, he replied, "You know, I think they might be done. In fact, I heard from John, I think they're going to move on. I can't say definitively, which is sad, because not only am I going to miss doing them, but also working with John." The Get a Mac ads have been widely applauded by the advertising industry, winning a Grand Effie Award in 2007. The campaign was first launched in the US in 2006, and Apple then expanded it to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The US and Canadian ads starred Justin Long as Mac and John Hodgman as PC. The two have appeared together in 66 television ads to date. The pair has also featured in 10 Web-only ads posted on various Web sites like The New York Times. Apple has gone spans of time with no TV advertising for their Mac computers before. It's possible that they will be throwing all their ad dollars behind the iPhone and iPad for the time being. However, if Justin Long is correct that the Get a Mac ads are over, it does not preclude that a new Mac ad campaign is in the works. All the Get a Mac ads can be viewed at Apple's ad gallery. [via 9to5]
Adweek Media's Campaign of the Decade: Apple's Get a Mac ads
As Apple fans, we've loved Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign. With Justin Long as the cool, laid-back Mac and John Hodgman starring as the stodgy, uptight PC, the ads have managed to make us laugh since they first appeared in 2006. The campaign has spawned the "I'm a PC" response ads from Microsoft, which aren't nearly as fun or effective as the original (if we do say so ourselves). The ads have been incredibly effective at getting Apple's message across -- Macs just work, with no bloatware, few viruses and little malware, and Mac users can do a lot with the provided iLife software. AdweekMedia has paid tribute to the campaign in its Best of the 2000s awards, giving the Campaign of the Decade plaudits to Apple and TBWA / Media Arts Lab for the memorable ads. That's not the only Apple campaign that received an award -- the iPod "Silhouettes" campaign won the Out of Home Ad of the Decade prize. Out of Home ads (AKA outdoor advertising) consist of those advertisements that are shown on billboards, buses, and kiosks rather than on television or in print. The awards were voted upon by the editors of AdweekMedia, and reader's choice awards were also listed. The "Get a Mac" campaign was third place in reader voting, while "Silhouettes" picked up the number one spot from readers in its category.
Microsoft's new ads: Seinfeld and Gates out, Hodgman lookalike in
According to a report from in the New York Times, the next phase of Microsoft's latest ad campaign is set to begin -- sans Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. Apparently, the new ads do away with the unusual (and somewhat ill-received) banter and "real life" experiences of the two celebrities, and trade them for an earnest embrace of... Apple's "PC" character. Apparently, one of the new ads even begins with a John Hodgman lookalike stating, "Hello, I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype." Beyond the flip on a rival's depiction of its brand, the campaign will feature cameos from Eva Longoria, Deepak Chopra, Pharrell Williams, and even Gates -- though Seinfeld doesn't make the cut. While we're curious to see what the company cooks up in the new ads, it does strike us as somewhat odd that the supposed narrative Microsoft was establishing with Gates and Seinfeld has abruptly been abandoned in favor of these new spots. Is this a decision which was made long ago, or did the largely negative / confused reaction to the last set of ads force the company's hand? We only have its official statement to go on: "We will be executing the second phase of our advertising campaign tomorrow, as planned from the start."[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Screen grabs: disoriented, time-traveling Hodgman takes call on upside down iPhone
Our latest micro-series, Screen grabs chronicles the uses (and occasional misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with a screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Last night's Daily Show discussion on the nation's impending recession prompted John Hodgman (aka PC) to bust out his Uncle Rico-esque time machine to take a peek into our collective economic future. We're still trying to decide whether it's richer in irony that (not unlike Jon Stewart) Hodgman uses an iPhone, or that he pulled it out and used it upside down Charlie Sheen / Bionic Woman style. Video after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: The Hodg-man emailed -- it wasn't intentional. Apparently he was worried about breaking the antique stock-ticker and was distracted. Although we'd like to think it's because he just used a real life time machine -- for reals. Either way, there you go.
John Hodgman on being recognized as PC
This past week's episode of the best thing on the radio, This American Life (available free via the podcast until Monday, then streaming or via audible.com) features longtime TAL contributor and 'PC' John Hodgman on the perks and perils of being a TV personality. Hodgman's segment, the first one on the hourlong show, features his observations and experience now that he's recognizable.Best moment? His description of his rock star reception at the Apple Store Soho. Priceless.Thanks to those who sent this in.
AdAge asks Gates about Hodgman to ill effect
Don't people know any better by now than to taunt Billy G. with Apple's indubitably (and unintentionally) lovable John Hodgman PC character? Check out this exchange from a recent interview of Gatesy by Advertising Age's Bob Garfield:AdAge: I want to ask you one more thing: Those Mac ads -- how do you feel about the John Hodgman character? Gates: I can't comment on someone else's ad. AdAge: OK ... but he's you. Gates: Yeah, I'm not gonna comment on someone else's ad. AdAge: OK, well, Bill Gates, thank you so much for joining us. (Silence) AdAge: Can I just have a clean goodbye? (Silence) AdAge: OK, can you just say goodbye? Thank you or goodbye or something like that? Gates: Goodbye. [Oh, and it was curt alright.]Damn son. We might recommend just pretending you're Justin Long (aka Mac) next time, and see what happens.[Via digg]
Bill Gates on Mac ads: "I don't even get it"
So, we didn't get our wish of a Gates vs. Hodgman showdown on the Daily Show this week -- too bad -- but that doesn't mean Bill has been totally mum on the topic. "I don't think the over 90 percent of the [population] who use Windows PCs think of themselves as dullards, or the kind of klutzes that somebody is trying to say they are," said Gates. "And I don't know why [Apple is] acting like it's superior. I don't even get it. What are they trying to say?" He continued, "Does honesty matter in these things, or if you're really cool, that means you get to be a lying person whenever you feel like it? There's not even the slightest shred of truth to it." Perhaps it's good there wasn't any Gates / Hodgman interaction after all, things could've gotten a bit testy. Gates was also asked straight up if Microsoft would have a new OS in 2010-2011, to which he responded, "Absolutely." Which seems to put to rest some of those will-they-won't-they rumorings. He also had plenty more to say about the future of Windows, calling it "more user-centric" in a portability of data sort of sense (read: Windows Live). Bill also promised even more handwriting recognition and speech improvements, claiming "Students won't need textbooks, they can just use these tablet devices." Gee, we've never heard that line before.
"I'm a PC." "And I'm also a PC.": Gates vs. Hodgman on Daily Show tomorrow?
Turns out our old friend Bill Gates is going to be making an appearance on the Daily Show tomorrow evening to promote the launch of Windows Vista, an event which is interesting in and of itself, but which also raises the tantalizing prospect of him finally coming face to face with John Hodgman (AKA "PC" from those "Mac vs. PC" ads). As far as we know Bill's only there for a straightforward sit down with Jon Stewart, but nevertheless we'll be filling the next 35 hours or so with plenty of geek fantasies about what could potentially be some hot PC vs. PC action.
John Hodgman's (aka PC) Areas of My Expertise Free on iTS
As many people have observed already, if there's one problem with the Get A Mac campaign, it's that PC (John Hodgman) often comes off as more likable than Mac (Justin Long). Mr. Hodgman is a talented comedian, appearing often on Comedy Central and This American Life. Well now Apple and Audible.com have an early Christmas present for you: an abridged audio version of his recent book Areas of My Expertise is available for free on the iTunes Store (and don't worry, the abridgment is still nearly 7 hours long). It's read by the author in his inimitable deadpan style and offers humorous observations about a whole variety of topics. Erica already mentioned this as part of our weekly iTunes Free Weekly post (and a couple of commenters realized Hodgman is PC), but I thought some of you might have missed it. Thanks Alexis Cordova!
Justin Long a Mac no longer?
Radar Online is reporting that Justin Long, the actor who plays the part of the Mac in Apple's Get a Mac campaign, is no longer an Apple spokesman. A new round of ads is being worked on with John Hodgman (the PC) and director Phil Morrison but Justin Long with not appear in them, according to his 'people.'Was this Apple's decision, or Justin's? We may never know, but Justin's representative said, "Justin's a movie star, not a commercial guy."So, dear TUAW readers, who do you think should fill his shoes as the Mac in the new commercials?Thanks, Matt.
John Hodgman not a PC, just plays one on TV
Initially I found those Get a Mac commercials charming, but after a while I started to wonder why Apple chose to make the intellectual and funny guy represent the PC and the annoying dork represent the Mac. What twisted logic was used there? Anyway, I'm a fan of John Hodgman's work on The Daily Show, while I find Justin Long's snide arrogance to be perfect for sitcoms like Ed and movies like Dodgeball, but counter-productive for a pro-Mac marketing campaign. So it's with great pleasure that I read Engadget's interview with Hodgman and learned (as I had suspected but never truly cared enough to find out) that he's a Mac user in real life and has been for 20+ years, excepting "...a brief period in the wilderness between 1997 and 2003," which he'd rather not speak of. You can see more of the interview over at Engadget... don't worry, it's a short read.
Interview with John Hodgman, the PC from those "Get a Mac" ads
Yup, we interviewed that guy. But John Hodgman isn't just a metaphorical stand-in for the PC (even though that's what we mainly asked him about), he's also an editor at the New York Times Magazine and a contributor to the Daily Show. Read on to find out whether he's really a PC user, Microsoft's attempts to recruit him, and how he got the gig in the first place.So first things first: Mac or PC?Here is the joke that is absolutely apt, though I once promised I would never make it: "I play one on TV, but I am not a PC." It is true. I am first of all: not a computer, but a human being; and second of all: a Mac user, almost exclusively, since 1984. There was a brief period in the wilderness between 1997 and 2003. Let us not speak of it.
Found Footage: I'm a PC on the Daily Show
John Hodgman, the fellow who plays the PC in Apple's recent commercial blitz, is a regular Daily Show guest. This clip features Hodgman discussing Net Neutrality by way of pretending that he is a computer of some sort. I wonder what kind of computer he would be. Watch the video and find out.
