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The Engadget Podcast Ep 27: American Tune
Managing editor Dana Wollman and reviews editor Cherlynn Low join host Terrence O'Brien to discuss the biggest tech news of the week. First they'll debate OnePlus' benchmark scandal, then try to sort out why the ACLU is partnering with startup incubator Y Combinator and take the "artists" behind the Tinder for baby adoption Kickstarter to task. Finally it's another week of Trump talk as the panel addresses the impact of the recent immigration ban on the tech industry and how the political climate is impacting our social media habits.
Sketchy adoption app Adoptly is a hoax after all
A few weeks ago, a company called Adoptly stated a Kickstarter for an app that promised to make adoption easier -- with the help of a ridiculous, Tinder-style interface for swiping left and right on children. We immediately questioned whether something like this was even real, although it did seem to be legally plausible if extremely ill-advised. But now, the truth comes out: Adoptly was part of an "ongoing satirical art project" from Ben Becker and Elliot Glass, the duo who brought us the "Pooper" hoax of last summer.
Kickstarter shuts down sketchy Adoptly campaign
About a week ago, a brain-dead campaign hit Kickstarter. Adoptly promised that adoption was "just a swipe away" through its Tinder-style app that let you find adoptable children. It was a terrible way to frame such a service, and something about the whole situation just didn't make sense, despite assurances from the company that it was legit. Apparently, Kickstarter also feels that something is amiss here: the Adoptly campaign was just suspended.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 25: Black Hole Sun
Senior editor Chris Velazco, reviews editor Cherlynn Low and Social Media Editor Mallory Johns join host Devindra Hardawar to chat about the biggest stories of the week, including HTC U Ultra phone, which may or may not save the company. Moving on, they dive into the Nintendo Switch's launch, and discuss President Obama's commutation of Chelsea Manning's prison sentence.
Using Tinder's swipe UI isn't always a good idea
Thanks to Tinder, swiping left or right on the photo of a potential hookup quickly became a common user interface element. But a new startup is reminding us that swiping right isn't appropriate for every kind of app -- say, an adoption app. Adoptly wants to modernize adoption by letting prospective parents set up a profile, filter potential adoptable children by age, race, gender and a few other characteristics -- and then let parents swipe right or left to express interest (or a lack thereof). Indeed, the company's slogan is "parenthood is just a swipe away."
