First, Last, Everything

This time we’re talking with Michael Flarup. Michael is many things: the head of a game studio, a speaker at Adobe Max, an author, and more. But most of all, Michael is a designer. He’s most well-known for his decades of work as an icon designer on some of the most beloved apps on iOS and macOS under his Pixel Resort banner. He’s released two books on the history of the art form: first around iOS, then focusing on macOS. Now he runs a game studio, Northplay, where they’re hard at work on their next game, Dinolords! First, Last, Everything is a podcast exploring people’s personal relationships with technology. In each episode, host Jonathan Reed gets to know a guest through three pieces of tech: their first inspiration, their last obsession, and the one that meant everything to them. From some software or a computer to a weird gadget or a first camera. Pretty much anything goes. In addition, each episode features the ‘Something’ segment, a small dive into the past to talk about a piece of technology that you may not have heard of. Weird, ahead of its time, an abject failure or success, whatever it was, it was certainly… something. This episode’s links Pixel Resort. Northplay. Buy The iOS Icon Book and The macOS Icon Book. Sign up for Michael’s newsletter. Buy Michael’s design tools and icons. Michael’s ‘First’ pick: Amiga 2000 Michael’s ‘Last’ pick: Apple Vision Pro Michael’s ‘Everything’ pick: Adobe Photoshop on Wikipedia ‘Something’: ‘The First Digital Camera Was the Size of a Toaster’ - IEEE Spectrum Interview with creator Steve Sasson: Linda Hall Library on YouTube Contact the show Leave Feedback for the show. Follow us on Mastodon Jonathan Reed First, Last, Everything Follow us on Bluesky Jonathan Reed First, Last, Everything First, Last, Everything is a MacStories podcast.   Check out other podcasts from MacStories.

Tom Hitchins, YouTuber behind Byte Review, creates stunning tech videos with a love for Apple design and Japanese culture. He shares insights from his creative journey, including his early obsession with the Game Boy Advance SP and his latest gadget, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, which enhances his content creation. Tom reflects on the narrative brilliance of BioShock, showcasing the impact of storytelling in gaming. He also dives into the fascinating history of the 1986 Buick Riviera's touchscreen technology, revealing how it paved the way for today's infotainment systems.

Dive into personal tales of technology as guests share their most impactful gadgets. From first sparks of inspiration to current obsessions, the stories reveal how these tools shape lives. Discover a quirky segment that unearths forgotten tech gems, showcasing the weird and wonderful in technology's past. It's a nostalgic journey that invites listeners to reflect on their own digital relationships.