yewknee
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An internet waystation.

it me - michael eades

👋 Hi, I'm Michael Eades; a long time Internet dweller, design dabbler, dangerously amateur developer, online social experimenter and frequent curator.

Currently working as VP of Product at Smarter Apps. I also keep the lights on at a boutique record label called yk records, a podcast network called We Own This Town and a t-shirt shop called Nashville Galaxy. Previously, I built things for Vimeo OTT, VHX, KNI and Spongebath Records.

This site is an archive of ephemera I find entertaining; tweets, videos, random links, galleries of images.

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find me elsewhere

 

contact

Reach out via threads or good ole email if you have anything to discuss. I do my best to reply in a timely manner.

for the record: "yewknee" is a nonsensical word with no literal meaning but a unsurprisingly nerdy etymology. It is pronounced, "yoo • knee."

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ongoing projects

yk Records →
started in 2009 as a conduit for music that friends had no plans on releasing. now it's a full fledged boutique label focused on releasing quality music from a variety of styles. you know, like a label does. Here's a sampler on Soundcloud and a different one on Spotify. Options.

We Own This Town →
Originally a Nashville area music blog, this site has grown into a full blown podcast network as of 2018. It's an attempt to bring together creative folks about a variety of interesting topics.

I host this show all about Nashville local music outside the expectations of the city. I'm biased but all the shows are good.

Nashville Galaxy →
An online t-shirt shop featuring beloved and defunct Nashville area businesses. Very niche audience on this one but I tend to think niche is good.

some noteworthy other things

Chris Gaines: The Podcast →
published along with co-host Ashley Spurgeon; a limited series podcast that takes an absurdly researched deep dive into the time that Garth Brooks took on a fictional personality named Chris Gaines.

Garth Brooks Chris Gaines Countdown →
to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the time Garth Brooks took on the fictional personality Chris Gaines and appeared on Saturday Night Live in character, I GIF'ed the entire episode. It's a lot of GIFs; please use them.

Whiskerino →
a social network built around communal beard growing for four months. yes, it was as weird as it sounds but equally fascinating and enjoyable.

Moustache May →
an offshoot of the beard growing contest mentioned above. equal amounts of oddball fun but only a month long.

Summer Mix Series →
before all music was streaming everywhere, Internet music fans would swap zip files of music. it was truly a strange and wonderful time.

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Back in April I heard about the upcoming "AI Pin" - a new device that integrates into your life similar to how Google Glass or Apple Watch do but in an entirely new form factor. I said back then that it looks like a Star Trek communicator badge and I stand by that.

Now, the device has been announced. It's been developed by a company called hu.ma.ne, which includes a bunch of ex-Apple folks. It costs $699 and has a $24/mo subscription fee. Not cheap but I could also see it being a lot more expensive.

The announcement and demo video has a bizarre tone. It's very calm, almost comatose, but that lack of flashiness shows the device working in real time. This isn't a proposal, this is the device actually listening to the wearer, fetching information and returning answers in real time. It does feel a bit stilted but I think there's an upside to that vibe.

I love the form factor. It's not a watch, it's not a pair of glasses, it's just a badge you wear. Refreshingly new. Okay, it's a brooch but it's still a nice new approach. I also love the Light Interactions that project on to your hand. Will that be visible in daylight? I've no idea but it's innovative in a way that I must respect.

The unfortunate part of this thing is calling it the "AI Pin." The name feels like it's leaning into buzzwords. Why not call it The Badge? Or PinPal? I'm spitballing here but so much "artificial intelligence" is just a piece of software searching your email - it's not really what people think of as "AI."

I digress. Wearable and pervasive tech is an inevitability and they seem to be doing a good job of tackling the privacy issues that come with it. Overall, I find the device quite intriguing and applaud them for the innovations they're bringing. Can't wait to encounter one in person and keep up with various developments.

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