Season 3, Episode 2: The Holiday Gift Guide Nobody Wanted
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In this very special holiday episode, Ed Bennett and Chris Boyer crack open the shimmering, pine-scented world of modern “smart” gifts — which somehow manage to be both futuristic and profoundly unnecessary. Think of it as a retro 1970s holiday catalog, except every item inside requires WiFi, a firmware update, and a dedicated support group.
First up: the PetLibro smart litter box, a device so advanced it may have opinions about your cat. Then there’s the Ember mug, for people who believe hot beverages should come with patch notes. Add in the Bluetooth pen — the perfect gift for someone who wants handwriting to be laggy — and the pièce de résistance: a WiFi-enabled grill that texts you about your brisket like a needy coworker.
As always, the chaos of the digital age provides the setup for Part Two: the kickoff of the SNAT Book Club, featuring Cory Doctorow’s Enshitification. Ed and Chris break down the big idea behind why everything online slowly curdles over time, from platforms to products to your holiday wish list.
It’s festive. It’s ridiculous. It’s the only holiday gift guide brave enough to say: maybe none of this should exist.
An early adopter and innovator of digital technology, Ed knows first-hand how digital tools have stimulated consumer engagement, improved revenue, and transformed how we do both. He is passionate about helping healthcare organizations develop digital strategies and actionable plans for future growth. He is also the administrator of the website http://MarTech.Health
Chris Boyer
Principal, @chrisboyer LLC Using digital marketing, experience and UCD/CX to transform healthcare. Co-host of the touch point podcast and founder of the Touch Point Media network.
Season 3, Episode 2: The Holiday Gift Guide Nobody Wanted
In this very special holiday episode, Ed Bennett and Chris Boyer crack open the shimmering, pine-scented world of modern “smart” gifts — which somehow manage to be both futuristic and profoundly unnecessary. Think of it as a retro 1970s holiday catalog, except every item inside requires WiFi, a firmware update, and a dedicated support group.
First up: the PetLibro smart litter box, a device so advanced it may have opinions about your cat. Then there’s the Ember mug, for people who believe hot beverages should come with patch notes. Add in the Bluetooth pen — the perfect gift for someone who wants handwriting to be laggy — and the pièce de résistance: a WiFi-enabled grill that texts you about your brisket like a needy coworker.
As always, the chaos of the digital age provides the setup for Part Two: the kickoff of the SNAT Book Club, featuring Cory Doctorow’s Enshitification. Ed and Chris break down the big idea behind why everything online slowly curdles over time, from platforms to products to your holiday wish list.
It’s festive. It’s ridiculous. It’s the only holiday gift guide brave enough to say: maybe none of this should exist.
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Ed Bennett
An early adopter and innovator of digital technology, Ed knows first-hand how digital tools have stimulated consumer engagement, improved revenue, and transformed how we do both. He is passionate about helping healthcare organizations develop digital strategies and actionable plans for future growth. He is also the administrator of the website http://MarTech.Health
Chris Boyer
Principal, @chrisboyer LLC Using digital marketing, experience and UCD/CX to transform healthcare. Co-host of the touch point podcast and founder of the Touch Point Media network.
AI and consumer tech commentary, Bluetooth pen review, BriskIt smart grill, Cory Doctorow Enshitification, digital culture satire, Ember smart mug, enshitification book club, holiday tech gifts, holiday tech trends, overengineered holiday gifts, PetLibro smart litter box, platform decay, pointless tech products, retro holiday catalog parody, smart gadget parody, smart home fatigue, SNAT podcast, Surprise It’s Not a Toaster, tech humor podcast, tech satire podcast, unnecessary smart devices