The Restart Project Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Restart Radio: Behind the Apple Genius Bar Mar 27, 2017

Show notes

Those who make it behind the Genius Bar are under legal obligation to not disclose information about Apple. Today, joined by Restarter David Méry, we investigate the tech giant's attitude to post-sales service with the help of some anonymous ex-Geniuses and online forum Reddit. The Genius Bar has evolved over time, transforming from an actual bar to the newly devised 'grove', which is to feature live trees. The name 'Genius', however, has stuck around. We challenge the binary that this creates between those who do repair, and those who cannot. In relation to phones, Apple has always had a culture that appears to discourage DIY repair, and frequently third-party repair. So how does Apple manage to sustain such satisfaction with its service? With the help of Reddit forums, we discuss the idea of 'magic moments' at Genius Bars. And with recruitment emphasising social skills over expertise, it seems that the role of 'Genius' to provide more of a customer-company interface than an on-the-spot repair service. As an Apple customer, it is important to do your research and know your rights. A little more transparency around Apple's repair culture will help people get the most out of their purchased items. The Genius Bar has evolved over time, transforming from an actual bar to the newly devised 'grove', which is to feature live trees. The name 'Genius', however, has stuck around. We challenge the binary that this creates between those who do repair, and those who cannot. In relation to phones, Apple has always had a culture that appears to discourage DIY repair, and frequently third-party repair. So how does Apple manage to sustain such satisfaction with its service? With the help of Reddit forums, we discuss the idea of 'magic moments' at Genius Bars. And with recruitment emphasising social skills over expertise, it seems that the role of 'Genius' to provide more of a customer-company interface than an on-the-spot repair service. As an Apple customer, it is important to do your research and know your rights. A little more transparency around Apple's repair culture will help people get the most out of their purchased items.

Restart Radio: The small but powerful Raspberry Pi Mar 15, 2017

Show notes

On the 14th of March, International ‘Pi Day’, Ugo is joined by Restart volunteer Ben Skidmore and Raspberry Pi Creator Eben Upton. The Raspberry Pi (which actually takes its name from the programming language 'Python') is a tiny and affordable computer that teaches programming to children and adults. It is designed to function as the ‘missing piece’ that connects otherwise obsolete components: old keyboards, old chargers, and old television sets, turning the whole set-up into a functioning computer. And with Raspberry Pis priced from £5 to £30, you are unlikely to find a cheaper option. We ask Eben about the ethos behind the software design of the Pi, which is built to be compatible with a wide range of hardware. With a reasonable lifespan and small build, it aims to minimize weight added to the e-waste mountain. He talks to us about his favourite reuse projects empowered by the Pi, from upgrading older cars to analog televisions that become workable computers, and about the potential it holds for increasing access to technology in developing regions. Ben is an engineering student, and has his own experience with the Pi, which he plans eventually to turn into an arcade machine that will reproduce his favourite games from childhood. He sheds some light on the repair process of the Pi, which usually requires only some basic soldering. This move towards more modular design, in which separate parts can be more easily replaced, is an important step in creating more sustainable gadgets. Ben is optimistic. As repair becomes more viable, people will become keener to learn. And with projects like the Raspberry Pi attracting a large user base, access to support is becoming easier than ever.

Restart Radio: Hoverboards and throw-away toys for ‘big kids’ Mar 09, 2017

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When we grow up, we buy things for sensible reasons, and don’t lose get bored or lose interest with our ‘toys’… or so the story goes. But recent fads for personal mobility devices would suggest otherwise. This week, Ugo is joined by Restart volunteer and IT team leader Dave Lukes, and our new Community Lead Jon Stricklin-Coutinho to take a look at some of these toys for big kids: the hoverboard, or the so-called two wheeled ‘unicycle’. In the holiday season of 2015, the hoverboard looked as though it was going to be the ‘next big thing’. But as we see time and time again, the race-to-the-bottom that happens with the cost of such gadgets does not lead to the most durable or the most useful equipment. The hoverboard met many hurdles during its brief period of fame. There are very few places it can be used legally. And when you do manage to get it on the road, you face the prospect of potentially explosive lithium ion batteries. The usefulness of devices like the hoverboard is highly questionable, and relatively low prices mean that for some, it is a potential impulse buy. This potentially means a lot of new electronic material ending up in landfill. So where does the hype come from? These kinds of devices seem to appeal to an inner childhood self, with the promise of novelty and fun. But when your toy requires very little skill and almost no physical exertion, it very quickly becomes a bore. Of course, we cannot dismiss all personal mobility devices as useless. We take a look at some of the more useful potential applications of the technology used by the hoverboard, as well as some alternatives, like the electrically-assisted bicycle. As with most technology, everything depends on how we use it.

Restart Podcast ep. 18: Gendered gadgets Mar 01, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, we explore the qualities in our gadgets that are aimed at a particular gender. Whether it’s as obvious as a pink diamante-studded telephone, or as subtle as a smartphone screen that is slightly too large to fit in the average female hand, these biases are all around us. We looked for written commentary on how interlinked aspects of sex and gender played out in the history of design and ergonomics, as it gets quite complicated. We were surprised to come up short. After we put out a call for listeners to participate in our live twitter chat, we received a big response. It is clearly an issue that resonates with a lot of people. If we want to fix our relationship with our gadgets, this is a problem that we urgently need to address. We talk to a variety of men and women about their experiences with gender and technology. Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino talks to us about the history of gender-bias in kitchens and more, and some of our Restart volunteers offer their own opinions. More broadly speaking, inclusivity is something that needs to be addressed in the world of technological design. Of course, it is impossible to design a single gadget that is going to be perfectly suited to everybody’s needs. But we need to be more aware of how to distinguish between genuine differences in needs, and artificial norms. This is a difficult area to navigate, but it is what drives our experience of technology from day to day. Technological gadgets, like people, are not always neutral.

Restart Radio: The language of our gadgets Feb 22, 2017

Show notes

Our devices talk to us all the time. It is easy to forget that these blips, bleeps and bloops are not merely generated by the things themselves: they are designed by people. Today we talk to one of these people: Dougie Brown from Cassini Sound, a team of composers, sound designers and recordists who design sounds for film and television – and for the Restart Project! Dougie help make our music, remaking source material from Opto Noise. Dougie and his team do not feel that they must constantly be working with cutting edge equipment. In fact, often it is the older equipment, even the broken stuff, which gives the most interesting sounds. If we want to foster a better relationship with our gadgets, part of this relationship is about understanding how they communicate with us. We take a look at how sounds can trigger a certain emotional reaction in the user, including our least favourite ‘punishment’ sounds - the sonic equivalent of a slap on the wrist – including the Apple ‘Sosumi’, and the Windows 98 ‘error’ sound. But there are other sounds that give us that warm, fuzzy and sometimes nostalgic feeling. Dougie shares some of his favourites, some positive memories and some more current: the start-up sounds of the Mac OS, Windows 95 start-up sound (crafted by Brian Eno), a PlayStation, and TiVo. Finally, we turn an ear to the future, taking a look at what sound design might have in store for the world of VR.

Restart Radio: Saving whitegoods from waste Feb 17, 2017

Show notes

This week, Ugo is joined by Lawrence Carey, one of the founders of the Whitegoods Trade Association. Lawrence sheds some light on the complex relationships that exist between consumers, manufacturers and third party repair businesses when it comes to the machines we rely on at home: dryers, dishwashers, washing machines. As we explored in our 2-part podcast on Steve the Spindoctor (here and here), independent repair businesses face some serious challenges. The Whitegoods Trade Association aims to give a voice to engineers who have become disillusioned with the industry. They have come up with their own code of practise – one that offers protection for consumers and repairers. Whitegoods sales are going up, but it seems quality is going down. For many, the most convenient solution to a faulty machine is to throw it away. Manufacturers tend to keep their technical information ‘in house’, which makes the job of Lawrence, Steve and others exceptionally difficult. Access to spare parts is limited, and sometimes even non-existent. Drawing on examples from Sweden and France, Ugo and Lawrence discuss ways in which more available data, parts and a system that favours the repair economy could lead to greater sustainability in the White Goods Sector.

Restart Radio: Sustaining Virtual Reality Feb 09, 2017

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Virtual Reality (VR) has been heralded as ‘the next big thing’ for a couple of years now. But its relatively slow start has people asking questions about how ‘big’ it will really be. This week, we investigate ways in which consumer VR might feed into our throwaway economy, or alternatively, ways in which VR might help us imagine more sustainable futures. We take a look at the three main higher-end models currently on the market, as well as the history of VR ideas, starting with a short story in 1935! VR has a long way to go before it is a staple feature of UK homes. With sets costing up to £800 and some requiring high-end computers, it seems the best way to try out VR is in exhibition contexts. Janet recalls VR installations at the Björk Digital exhibition, and Lauren had a go at the ‘Energy Renaissance’ VR project at Somerset House exhibition ‘Space to Breathe’ last weekend. We spoke to Andy Franzkowiak, one of the creative minds behind ‘Energy Renaissance’. Andy explains that patience is crucial in the world of VR, and that time needs to be put into ensuring that the quality of material produced for VR matches the quality of the equipment. Could VR be the perfect antidote to our obsession with throwaway gadgets, rapid stimulation and fast-paced change? Finally, we take a brief look at 3D sound and its potential both as a supplement to VR, and as an experience in its own right.

Restart Podcast Ep. 17: Drones aren’t just for Christmas Feb 02, 2017

Show notes

This month, Dave takes a look at drones from the perspective of three different people. For Faraz, one of our Restart volunteers, drones are an interesting piece of equipment that pose more challenges than you might expect. Faraz shows us his mini-quadcopter and explains the appeal for someone who likes to tinker with their gadgets. But we are not all as technically clued-up as Faraz. With the consumer drone market booming, there’s a risk that all those accidental crashes might fill our e-waste dumps with extinct flying machines. We talk to Coby Leuschke from Rocketship Systems Inc about how the DIY community are using open-source software as an alternative to mass-produced or "disposable" drones. Coby is the man behind online platform Boxbotix, which makes it easy for people to design, build and maintain their own drones, which last much longer than the versions that might have flown off the shelves at Christmas. Drones can have much more serious applications than just a whiz around the park. Our third guest is Ivan Gayton, who used drones with Doctors Without Borders for mapping disease in subsaharan Africa. It remains to be seen what kind of drone will triumph in the future: will it be the disposable toy that finds its way to dumps or more hackable and repairable models, both buy-and-fly and those emerging from open-source communities?

Restart Radio: Sifting through London’s recycling woes Jan 26, 2017

Show notes

We all know that it's possible to ease the guilt of throwing something away by telling ourselves it will be recycled. But who is in charge of the recycling system, who pays, and does it work? This episode, Janet is joined by James Kirkham from the East London Waste Authority. We venture beyond the skip to see what happens to our gadgets after we throw them away. As it stands, London’s boroughs each have their own collection strategies, for all kinds of waste including electronics (WEEE). Whether you find it easy to recycle your broken toaster or not depends on where you live. Some boroughs offer kerbside pick up, some have local drop off points, and some Londoners – like Janet - have to take two buses to get to their nearest recycling point. It has been suggested that London have a uniform recycling system. But London’s boroughs have very different needs. Some have much bigger population densities and rates of consumption. In a friendly way, we grill James about why rates of recycling can be so low in London, and what this might mean for the future as the population grows. Perhaps the repair revolution we need is grounded in an awareness of just how challenging that magic word – “recycling” – can really be.

Restart Radio: Backups and ‘the cloud’ Jan 18, 2017

Show notes

When was the last time you backed up your data? If that question gives you a sinking feeling – don’t worry, you’re not the only one!

This week we talk about how, why and where to backup. Drawing on stories from our Restart Parties, as well as your contributions to our Twitter poll, we explore what it is about storage that people find so daunting, and how to avoid losing data forever.

First, we look at the semantics of ‘the cloud’ itself. With a growing sense that data is immaterial, it is easy to lose sight of the ‘thingness’ of the internet. But as ‘natural’ as this cloud may sound, it has its own massive physical and carbon footprint. The annual Greenpeace report ‘Clicking Green’ reveals that the IT sector takes up 7% of global energy usage, and this is rapidly growing.

So what’s the safest, surest, greenest way to avoid losing data? We compare Apple and Android solutions for smartphone storage, and critique apps which claim to do the job.

Happily, it seems that Apple and Google are committed to greener, cleaner data services. But it remains to be seen whether the clean energy sector can keep up with the ever-growing cloud.

Links to things we discussed: