**How Lego's Smart Brick Works: A Tiny Bundle of Technology**
The Vergecast recently delved into the fascinating world of Lego's new Smart Brick, a tiny bundle of technology that has sparked both excitement and concern. Sean Hollister from The Verge joins us on this episode to explain how the Smart Brick works and why it feels so complicated.
Imagine a device like a Raspberry Pi, an endlessly remixable gizmo with infinite hacking potential. That's what Lego's Smart Brick resembles, but with a twist. It's not just a simple computer; it's a tool that can be used to create something new, innovative, and potentially game-changing.
But the question remains: is the Smart Brick a harbinger of creativity or a crushing blow to imagination? Can it truly unleash our inner artist, or will it become another way for things to break or be paywalled? The answer lies somewhere in between. Sean Hollister walks us through the ins and outs of the Smart Brick's functionality, exploring why Lego might want to make it an open platform and all the reasons they might not.
One thing is certain: the demos shown so far have been impressive. But has Lego actually made something creative with the Smart Brick? Sean shares his thoughts on what he's seen and whether the new device truly lives up to its potential. Join us as we explore this tiny bundle of technology that's generating both excitement and concern in equal measure.
**The Vergecast: The Computers in Our Toys, the AI Future of Productivity, and Your Very Old E-Readers
In related news, Platformer's Casey Newton joins the show to discuss productivity. As we're still in New Year's resolution time, everyone is trying to get a little more done, and Casey has thought more about his systems than most.
Casey explains how he curates information he cares about, why Capacities is his app of choice, and how he makes sure that all the stuff he's saving doesn't just disappear forever. He also shares some thoughts on Claude Code, a recent convert to this productivity tool, and how it might help everyone get more done.
**The Vergecast Hotline
We answer a question from our loyal listeners about e-readers and what you actually get when you swap your decade-old device for a newer one. The answer is both surprising and enlightening: while you gain some new features, the overall experience isn't as transformative as you might expect.
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