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The 404: The 404 Show 1,541: Look away from your phone once and a while, the world is passing you by (podcast)

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37:36 /


What's going on, everybody? Welcome to the 404 show on this Friday, August 22. I'm Jeff Bakalar. Doctor Ariel Nunez over there on the board Howdy Giving the thumbs up as he does As usual Per show. To my left, the first time in the, I don't know what you want to call it, closet, if it makes you feel weird A little weird, yeah Steve Gutenberg, round of applause for Steve Gutenberg Thanks. Thank you. Spear. You forgot the spear Spear in the house. How could I forget the spear? Start over, please So what's up man, how are you Say my name correctly How are you I'm good Yeah I'm really good You got a hair cut I got a new hair cut. You're looking like you mean it, today. You like the hair? I do. Cuz it's a shock to me. It's the perfect length for you. It is? For your figure. [LAUGH] You look great. I'm glad you think I look great, because I'm actually kinda in a pissed off mood. Why's that? Cuz, you know. I want to see these amazing speakers with a friend of mine. Okay. I mean they are really outrageous looking, they are literally sculpture that happens to also be a speaker. Alright I am going to pull up a photo of these, because you were telling me about these before, and I am going to pull up a photo. [COUGH] These things look nuts. They look nuts. And, and, and the thing is, while you're getting it there. Yeah. Is called Oswald's Mill. Okay. it, the company is actually based in Dumbo, and that's part of Brooklyn, near the Manhattan Bridge. Right. And this guy has this incredible loft. I mean just, it, it's like a movie set. It actually has staged lighting in it and everything. To create like a dramatic effect for the. Yeah, it's a very dramatic presentation of all this. Because he has many. Speakers, but, I was there specifically to see the speaker called, the ironic. Okay, so, here's a photo of these massive. They, they look. They're actually not massive, they're about four feet tall. That's pretty big. Okay, but they're not massive by [UNKNOWN] Bigger than a small child. And heavier too. And heavier. Look at these things. They look like they're out of like, some sci-fi. yeah. Steam punk [INAUDIBLE]. And here's the thing that they're actually cast iron. So they're, they're like medieval. Yeah. But they're 21st century because the mold to make them is a 3D printed mold. Oh, wow. And [UNKNOWN] is one solid piece. When I first saw them, I thought they were individual pieces each round This, so it's that all That's all one frame. Holy crap. Right. Actually to make the speaker, the make the mold, this freely printed mold, when they pour the molten iron into it, it destroys the mold. So. Right. You can only use the mold once. They broke the mold when they made this thing. They well they, they actually sometimes accidentally break the mold because the iron is too hot or you know it shatters the mold. Each mold costs 10,000 dollars. So To print. so this is for everybody. It's an every man. It's an every man's kind of speaker. Who is this for, though? Like you [CROSSTALK] molds cost ten grand. How much? [CROSSTALK] for each one For each one. It's not for the pair. One. Oh, for one channel. For one channel. Holy crap. So if you, I mean, you're talking, so what do they, so they sell these for ten grand? These speakers, I believe. No. No, that's just the mold. The speakers sell for, I believe, $100,000. A pair. Wh, for, a channel. A pair? Oh, that's reasonable. Yeah. As long as it's for the pair. So, anyway, you know. So anyway, take this friend of mine to see them, and, you know, he has his smartphone, Okay. And he's sitting there and he's doing the. Thing. What do you mean he is doing the thing, what does that mean? He is doing the thing that people have where they are constantly staring at their phone. He wasn't recording the interview? He was dicking around. He was, he was doing whatever he was doing, people do on, but I have a stupid phone, so I can't. Right, it's called a dumb phone. A dumb phone, alright. I have a dumb phone, but he has a smart phone. Right. Doing whatever. And meanwhile, there's these $100,000 speakers there These works of art He and I came to see Right And he's, you know, he's still He's putzing around He's putzing around with that. And you know, if they can, you know, there's a lot of things that are bad in the world. There's Ebola, there's kids getting shot by cops, there's Ukraine Yeah These things are all horrible. Yeah, they're bad. But they're not, they don't affect me. Ebola does not affect you. No, well none of those things affect me personally. Right, personally. But I'm around people who are so freaking distracted. Yeah. By everything. That even when something is incredible, right there in front of them, they're probably never gonna see. We are here again and the guy is into audio, it isn't like I just dragged him in. Yeah, you didn't just drag in a stranger. He is a guy who is obsessed with audio, and here he is with these incredible. Maybe he was sharing it, maybe he was trying to do that. No he was not gonna, I have to do this now, I'm sorry, but you know, 5 minutes later he was doing something else. He was your age or younger? My age, yeah. So how did that happen? I don't know but I find it incredibly annoying that people do this constantly. So. I, I wanna answer your question. Forget about even doing that. I see people on the subway, men and women who are just holding their phones. They're not doing things on it, they're not playing games or whatever. They're just. Playing music? Holding. They're just holding it. Like this. Playing music? No, they're not. [INAUDIBLE] Nothing's connected to it. This, thing, is so, a source of so much, something in people's lives that they can't. Attention. They can't. It's the. Yeah man. Let it go. We just talked about this the other day. We talked about, Well, not that specifically, but how everyone feels like a tourist. Because everywhere they go, they just do the same thing and they take photos with their phones, and they pose in the same things, and everyone just goes through the motions of life. Don't forget the selfies. What about the whole thing with the ice on top of the head? That is one of the dumbest, if you want to give money to help people, yes, but [LAUGH] l. What does the ice part got to do with it? Well. Ice water. So I made it my business to not [LAUGH] talk about that. And I'm not upset you brought it up. Okay. But we gotta like, tackle these things one at a time. Okay? I'm hitting you with too much stuff. So. [LAUGH] Alright, so the whole thing was like, your abstinence with, you want that to end, you want people to stop paying so much attention. You know we used to have this expression in the 60's, it was called be here now. Right, live in the now. Be here now. Right, which means live in the now, right? And when you are doing the thing. You know, you could be spicy, you could be in front of the Eiffel Tower but you're doing things. It's like. Yeah. I get it. It, it's right there man. You're, you're. I know. If you're playing hockey or something. Right. The people on the, pull over to the side and say wait a second I got to do this thing. No. Of course not. It's a sport that requires your undivided attention. Does the surgeon that is like opening someone's heart have to say hold on. He's like hold on. I've got a new Flappy Bird. Score. [LAUGH] I am with you man. When you are having sex, you go, one second honey, I gotta take care of business. Hold that thought. Right in mid stroke. [LAUGH] I mean you are not wrong dude. Be here now. Live in the now, right? Live in the now. Basically, not all the time. When you are bored, you are on the subway, you have got nothing to do, get it, that is cool. But, when there are great things happening around you. And you're still doing it? That's messed up. I saw a kid. I saw, I was in a doctor's office yesterday. I saw a kid walk into a wall cuz he was playing on his iPad. Wow. I was like oh, Darwin right there. [LAUGH] Like what if that was like a lion's mouth? Yeah. But he's just walking over a cliff, right? Right. I don't know, man. Aria what do you think, is [INAUDIBLE], he's like my age, maybe a little older. Right [INAUDIBLE] not bringing it up. It's annoying, man. I agree with you guys. You know, my wife does a lot of that, too. She gets distracted. We'll be having a nice dinner and then she's... Hold on a second. On Instagram, you know what I mean. IF that is what you are doing. Exactly, exactly, I don't think I am bothered by it as much as everyone else, but it, there is times where I feel like it is unnecessary, like put the phone away, you know what I mean? It is just like, put the god damn phone away, yeah. Yeah, totally. I mean, especially when there is something really good happening at that exact moment. That's my point. Yeah. It doesn't even have to be at that level of ten. It could be a six or something. It drives me crazy if I'm at dinner. Um-hm. But, it's weird. It depends on, like, the level of the dinner. Right, of course. Like if I'm at a burrito joint. Yeah. Do whatever the hell you want man. Even if you're out like, like a, like a Chillies' or a frat, where, But if like, if, if, if you dressed nicer, Because we're going to a place like that. Uh-huh. Don't, don't, don't take it out and like have.&gt;&gt; Right. I bet that thing where people at restaurants. And they have it on the table. Yeah, like it's a coaster. Just sitting there, and they are constantly looking at it. LIke would you like some steak as well? Yeah, exactly. I have a perfect story though, so a couple fourth of July's ago, I took my wife to see fireworks, before she was my wife, I took her to see fireworks. And there's, there's these beautiful fireworks right in front of us, and she's on Instagram, liking pictures of fireworks. [LAUGH] How does the world not end right then and there? [LAUGH] Yeah, totally. How did I marry her after that is the question. [LAUGH] [INAUDIBLE] question. Well, that's what I'm talking about. Right, right. It's. It's it's messed up. I, you know, I don't know, man. I feel like it's very, you know, much inline with how George Carlin thought of the world. Mm-hm. Or like he just, he appreciated technology but at the same time he's like, why don't you hold your child every now and then? [LAUGH] It might love you. You know, or something like, you know what I mean? Yeah. Its like you have to take things in. I don't know, I have been thinking about that a lot lately, like how kids are growing up and I would always defend the side of the school of thought that said that technology is the most important thing, hands down. I still believe it is super important, but I think if there is a balance, like when I grew up, yeah I played a **** load of video games, I did. I was a basement junky, that, where is Jeff, he is in the basement. [CROSSTALK] But I also played a lot of hockey, and I sweat a lot and I got hurt a lot and I got dirty a lot, and that, to me, was equally as important, you know? Like if someone told me. Equally, really? One is not ahead of the other? If someone had said to 11 year old Jeff, hey I got the new Ninja Turtle's video game, or we can play roller hockey for 5 hours, I would be like, well. The game will be there at night when the sun's not out, where Okay You can't play hockey anymore Alright So let's do, let's do hockey Huh So that, yeah, I don't know. I, I struggle with that. I struggle with the fact that, like, maybe it will handicap communication skills. Not because it doesn't, not because technology isn't social Mhm But because there's something about. Person to person. Like in thirty years is everyone going to be like a mute. Is everyone just not, is everyone going to be like, oh instead of talking to you face to face [LAUGHTER] I'd rather maybe have a text message conversation with you Right. That's why I think there needs to be a balance. Like I get it, like I am, all of our work, all of CNET Right.&gt;&gt; Operates on enet, enet, email and, and and IMing and Google IMing Right, right. That's fine, but there, you still have to talk face to face at some point. Yeah, it could be more efficient. Right, and that's not a skill that you just instinctively develop, you have to, you learn it by doing it, you have to talk to people. Right, that's what it is. Yeah, I, I hate when I do. You know, on my computer, not on my phone but on my computer at home and people message me something? And if it's not just like, you know when are we getting together or what is the price of this thing, if it's a more involved thing, it's like just call me, that's much faster. I mean, you know, I, I probably you know side on like the, the side that says well. You know, depending on the context of the conversation. You know, if there's just facts that need to be exchanged. Yeah, right. I'm saying, that's cool. How much is that? Sure $49.95, thank you. But if we're gonna discuss like, what Mary is gonna do with her divorce. Right Right? Exactly We need to talk that out. Right There's like, thoughts that need to be reciprocated there. I don't know. I think it's weird that when I do it. It's like, going back and forth with messages and stuff. But it seems like there is, there's more likely to be a misunderstanding of, if I was trying to be funny or something. I can't do that. Right. Sarcasm and It doesn't. Doesn't, doesn't translate. Yeah. Too well. That's kind of the way of my normal way of thinking. [LAUGH] All right. I- This is a, this is a touchy subject. Okay. But you brought it up and we can't just let it go. Oh, no. The ice thing. Right. The ice bucket thing. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's kinda over now. Uh-huh. Oh, it is? [INAUDIBLE] What his name Brian Tong did it today. Yeah? I've already seen the video on CNet. I've seem him getting He did it on CNet? Yeah, three times. There were three people behind him with buckets. So, okay, so here's my thing, okay? I will never not get behind a good cause. Like, charity's great, awareness is great, but to me. I have an issue with the fact that like this one disease is getting all this love. But it's just the, it's not the, it's the ice part of it. It's not like people are saying give, like how about this. Either I'm going to smash you in the face with my fist, or you'll give 100 dollars to ALS, how about that? Well the shocking cold as ice water, is that of a punch in the face of some people. Well, no. Or how about like, or you wanna do like a soccer cleat [CROSSTALK] crotch kicking contest. What? [LAUGH] A soccer clear crotch kicking awareness campaign. Where like you either get kicked in the crotch with a soccer cleat- Yeah. Or you donate. Right, you know? Which, you know, some people will take the kick some people- We'll have Tony Soprano on. [LAUGH] Right. [INAUDIBLE] So like that's my, it is strange. And I [CROSSTALK] two things that they're connected, but that's my point. Well, some guy started it. Giving money to this thing, yeah. Some guy started it. Obviously not anticipating what it would evolve into. Correct. And it's gone beyond it. I feel like, I mean. To me it has gotten bigger than what it really meant, so it blew up virally. And more people gave money, that is the thing. So at the end of the day, fine, but it is strange that we seem to be like, wasting water. [LAUGH] And ice. And ice, well water is ice, ice is water. But it takes energy to make ice. So you, alright, so like. People around the world maybe in countries where like clean water is not a [CROSSTALK] an easy. Like there are charities that raise money to get fresh [CROSSTALK] drinking water. So [CROSSTALK] We shouldn't collect that. There's something not right. There's not an equilibrium in the world when that [CROSSTALK] Right. Stuff starts to happen. [CROSSTALK] Obama says that he would give money but he wouldn't do. Right. He's like I'm not, I'm not crazy. Right. And that's, that's what [CROSSTALK] People wanted to do it more, for the, the, the, the sharing of it, and, and, the advertising of the war than to actually donate. Right. Like, the donate thing's like oh and then- Because, wasn't it presented that you, it's one or the other? If you don't give money, you do the ice? I don't know. You know, to me, I don't care. Cause I'll do ice, I'll, and give the money. Yeah. From what I heard, it was, you either. Don't do the ice thing, and pay 100 dollars, or you do the ice thing and then you only like pay 10 dollars. Which is, it's crazy. [LAUGH] Like I'm going to get out of donating the maximum amount. Okay. But I think a lot of people are just doing it for the attention, and to get other friends to do it and not. Of course. Paying anything. You know what I mean? Exactly right. Exactly right. It's transcended what it was originally designed for. Exactly. And that's why, the internet must be destroyed. [LAUGH] Yes. I will start by pulling the first plug. Okay. And then routers across the land will go down. And then more people are using dumb font, withing that, staring at what comes later. Well, you're barking up the wrong tree with that man. So, speaking of good things and bad things and old things. So the other day, I am at Trader Joe's. I was there yesterday. What music were they playing, do you remember any of the tunes? That is a great question, I do not, it wasn't anything memorable. Because there are certain stores I go to that have amazing songs, music. Okay, so this is the one in Brooklyn Heights, on Atlantic and Court in Brooklyn. Yep. And we go in there and the song that just happened to be playing was a Supremes song. Okay. [INAUDIBLE] Of course. The song was 50 years old. Amazing. From 1964. What song was it? The song that, I, I don't re, I, you know, I hear a symphony [INAUDIBLE] Okay. And and the next one was also from the 60s, and I'm looking at the page, you can see the managers and stuff, they sit in that little booth thing. Yeah. They're not sixty years old, they're in their early 30s or 20s, Sure. And looking around the people at the store, it's 8:30 in the morning, there's people going to work, their getting something before they go to work, they're not. Senior citizens there are playing music for these people, right? They're playing [CROSSTALK] They're classics. They're playing the classic. Mo-town. I mean, how did it get to be that 50-year-old music is that. Common place in mainstream, it would be like in 1965, when I used to work in a supermarket, they were playing songs form 1915, it didn't really happen that way. How much recorded music was there in 1915. Right there was 3 songs recorded in 1915. Right. But no I am just saying, when they played things, they played things that were happening at that moment, right? Of course. But 50 year old songs. Or forty year old songs. Or 30 year old songs. I mean I've been to restraints that play like, 40's music. You know that. Well. Big band sort of stuff. Okay. Yeah, I like that too it's cool. Okay. You know. Like a lot of video games do that too. Lot of video games use songs from the '30s and the '40s. Oh. Yeah. I wonder if- Give you that, [UNKNOWN]. a little, emerges. So, did you ever hear of this game The Banner Saga? Yeah. Is this an important game? I've heard about it. Because I reviewed the soundtrack. I did a bunch of music reviews the other day on my blog. Right. And the soundtrack for that is, is a [UNKNOWN] recording is, is classical music, you know. It's orchestral music. It's like banner saga is like a it's like a, a role, it's like a tactical role playing game. Hm, I didn't realize that games had that kind of [UNKNOWN] Oh, hell yeah, oh yeah dude. I thought it was just things going zap and. You, you're sounding like the guy, the guy that's like, I didn't know movies had sound anymore, come on dude. Beep, beep beep. What you don't think they hire composers for. For video games? Video games do better than movies. Why wouldn't they? All right. Just said that to get to you. You really know how to push my buttons, man. [LAUGH] See what happens when you play with fire? I do. [LAUGH] I try to. [LAUGH] You applied some pressure. Yeah. Said the wound. Acu. As acupressured. So what, but like your point with the, the music that they play in stores was that? But were, were you see? Just how does this music get to be, have that kind of legs that it just goes on and on. I'm happy. I like the Supremes. I'm not putting the music down. Of course. But are you saying that in 50 years from now they're not going to be playing songs from now? Is that what you're saying? I, I. I would doubt it, I mean why don't they play songs from the 90's? They do. I'm in that store a lot, I go there 3 times a week, it is a rare thing. The AM/PM in my town plays nothing but 80's. Okay. I love it, I am a huge, that is my guilty pleasure. I would understand that. I am just shocked that 50 year old songs, 40 year old songs can be. That may, I mean the decades are rolling by, and it is still there, it doesn't go away. Of course, because it is timeless and I think regardless of where you are from, there are certain types of music that appeal to everyone, and maybe that decade was like, that perfect magic moment. Do kids, teenage high school kids to listen to Led Zeppelin? I think some of them do, I think the good ones do. Yeah, I think so man. Really? You know, I think the smart ones do. I think because of the internet. Look what they have. The internet, yeah. Yeah. Cuz kids can research old music. I, I'm just amazed at how much young kids know about old music nowadays. Yeah. Cuz it's so easy to access now. It doesn't sound too dated to them. Right. It's weird to me. [CROSSTALK] I don't think it's a matter of sounding dated, I think there's a lot of music that, that's new now that's designed to sound older. Hm, okay. Mm-hm, mm-hm. You know, there's a lot of, there's almost, there are new, like, doo-wop bands now. There's like cra, like, there's bands that sound like a Motown band. Everything old is new again. It's, it's cyclical, man. Mm-hm. Every, every facet culture, I find, at some point is cyclical. Yeah. Fashion obviously. Yeah. And music too, why not? And even games. Gam, new games come out now that er, are desigened to look like they're from the eighties. Really? Yeah. Wow. They're retro games. So that's like, you know, fathers and their children can play them together. Or mothers. Or mothers. I'm sorry. Jesus, Stephen. Women play games? Oh, [LAUGH] no they don't actually. Kidding. That's a big kidding. okay, very good, sir [CROSSTALK] let's move right along. Neil Young a little bit? Huh? We, what, is this about his player cuz we've done that. No, no, no. Cuz you know, he has this new thing that you can invest $5000 in his company. Not buying player or mini players, but. Is this a pony player? PONO. PONO. My little PONO. Does it even matter what it is called, that no one gives a **** about. A lot of people give a ****, he got 6 million dollars. So did a freaking potato salad on Kick Starter. Probably in the millions or something. But anyway, so he has this other company called Pono Music. Yeah. Which is for selling music, not for selling players. And he, he started a, not a Kickstart, but another fundraising site that you can invest in $5,000 chunks, in his company. Okay. I think that's. I think there's something odd about celebrities using their fame to get their, their fans to give them money for something. Well their fans are going to give them money when they buy their record or when they- No, that's buying the, their art. This is basically investing in your, your star. Is, is there a potential return? I, I doubt it if you're asking me, [LAUGH] If you're dumping 5 K as an investment, I mean kickstarter I get. Kickstarter you don't really get anything out of it. You get a thing. You get a goodie bag. Right. You've got the thing. I mean like you get a parting gift though. Well, in this case you get [x] pono. Fire. Right. That's fine but five grand. [CROSSTALK] I mean I want to get points again. By the way, you're essentially buying stock in this company. Sure. But you have no voting rights or anything. You're essentially giving them the money and saying I hope you do a good job. So it's like a voteless share. It's a voteless share. Yeah. Five thousand dollars this year. That's a lot of money. Most shares aren't five thousand dollars. No. You can buy Google, for less than five thousand dollars. Absolutely. But, I, I think it's creepy just it's, it's taking advantage of people. I don't think it's taking advantage of people, I don't think anybody who voluntarily spends five thousand dollars, is worried about spending five thousand dollars. I have a problem when people use their fame. To get projects that, I mean like this is he's asking for a lot of money, so it's a different kind of investment. Where as Zach Braff, needs to go to kick starter to get a movie off the ground. Like dude, your Zach Braff, you're Zach freaking Braff. Same thing, there's that same, same problem, and I see it happening more and more, and even like established audio companies. Cause it's a hip thing to do, have a kickstarter project, to basically pre sale their product before they make it. I think we're heading towards a world where like nobod, like everyone is famous, and therefore nobody is famous. That's what I think is happening. I think like you're just going to have so many, I think like a younger generation growing up, like their concept of fame. Like when you talk about celebrities like Neil Young. Mm. It, it will change. Mm. You know, cuz there's a whole new generation of like niche artists and, and personalities on the internet. Mm. That have their gigantic followings. I mean you wouldn't believe the amount of people that watch some guy on the internet play video games, he's got a million people watching him any given time whatever it is. You've never heard of him I've never heard of him but hes gigantically famous. So I think that's where we're headed. Is that weird, am I getting to like Phillip K Dickey, for you right now? No, I think that's it. Yeah. That kid, David Kroenberg's son, I think Brandon Kroenberg. Yeah. He made that movie, a couple years ago called like infectious or something like that. Yeah. About celebrities being even more powerful now, then they are now, and they want to share their diseases. Yeah, exactly, like I don't think we're. I think we're going in [CROSSTALK] We're going in that direction. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. What was so great about that movie, is that, he, one of the guys that works for this company, harvests the germs and, bugs and stuff from the celebrities. From celebrities and then like, sells that to people. No, no his company sells it. Sells that to people. Yeah. But he. To make it even weirder, since he has access to them, he harvests their DNA Right And then he sells it to this other guy who creates flesh, so you can have like Madonna's Ears Flesh You can have her ears No, it's just like a steak. And you can eat it! That is so, ew! Haha You, you talk like, that's like super crazy, but it's. It's not that far, It's not, we're not that far. I, you can imagine that happened. John Lennon's tooth sold for money. Really, Yeah, right? You see that? I didn't hear about that [LAUGH] You want a Beatles' tooth? You can buy that. And it went for like 50 grand. Oh, wow, Yeah dude. Wow, a guitar I would understand. Guitars, amazing, a tooth? Remember he had, it was a British tooth. Oh, so you mean as gnarly as possible. Pretty gnarly at first yeah. [LAUGH] I'd probably try a Madonna Steak. I would Could use some more salt, and talent. No, no I was joking, I love Madonna. So to bring it back home. What? There's a new, a new head phone company. [LAUGH] Well, are you ready? For this name? Yeah, yeah. Crazy name, Master and Dynamic. I like that. [LAUGH] Kinda like the m sound. I like that. They started in New York City. They make. It's almost like steam punk looking headphones. Cool. And they're really nice headphones. Master and dynamic. Yeah. All right. I'm going to plug my computer in. Look for my blog. Just mastermind dynamic. Okay. Keep talking about it. I want to hear more. And I met these guys and then they were saying all the right things you know. They really worked on this a long time and they really wanted this. This look that they came up with. And had a sound good which they, everybody says that but in this case it really does sound good. I love how you say moon rover beats. Well, click bait. Sorry. That's my job. [LAUGH] He admits it. These are dope, man. Look at that. That's a beautiful headphone. Nice. And they feel great. Yeah? They really are beautifully made. All cast aluminum, forged aluminum and stainless steel and real leather not, not vinyl. And how much are these? These are the these are the M, MH40s? MH40s, they're $400, there's another one at $350 and then they have in-ears that are, like $150. Okay. So, oh, I'd love to try the in-ears. You got the in-ears? I didn't get those. All right. You should request them. I'll try to get them. [LAUGH] Request them as Jeff Bakolar. I'm curious because, what do you, like, clearly Beats has done something remarkable, right? They created this gigantic headphone market- They did, they, they made- That did not exist before, I mean there was a headphone market, but- Right, but they, not like this. It was a fraction of the size. Fraction. So, who takes them down? Because look, you look at Apple, Oh, yeah. And everyone's, like, no one's ever gonna take the iPhone down. Well, slowly but surely that playing field Yeah. is, is evening, so I can't imagine who would take that down, who would beat them. You think they have such a strangle hold. I, yeah, it's not, it's not in the near future. Really? It's not possible. God, you're bleak, man. Well. You've got. . where's the pressure? But they're, you know, they're changing. They are making better headphones. Beats, that is. Yeah? Yeah. I actually met with them the other day, What was that like? And they, and they, and they said, Oh, move over Beats, huh? [INAUDIBLE] They were reviewed. They're like Big Brother, they're watching. They know if I've been bad or good. Is that the first option, [UNKNOWN] something you wrote, and you're like, hey wait a minute, people read my stuff. It's kind of rare when you meet people who Really? You know, companies and they read your stuff, in advance of seeing her, yeah. Really? It says that they're at least on top of things. I feel like every single time It should. I meet a game developer or a publisher, they're like, we know how you feel about X, so we did Y. They say that to you? Yeah. Really? Oh, they do. Huh. So, its' a similar thing. Yeah, for sure, man. But I've never said anything nice things about beets. So they were, you know, basically trying to say- It's amazing we even had you. You know... Yeah. Huh. They were really trying to say, We're serious, we want to make good stuff. All right, everyone's drinking the Kool-Aid but the Sphere guy. Yeah. Yeah, him. The guy that got hit [INAUDIBLE]? [LAUGH] All right, what else have you got for us? We've only got a few minutes. So I, speaking also about headphones and New York. I went to visit the Grado Factory in Brooklyn. Oh. Right on. I've been there before. Buddy did a whole picture thing, you know, a live show. iii a gallery on that. All right. So we'll check that out. That was really good. Grade up. They really make them there. Right. They, they inject the plastic. They don't get a bunch of parts in from China and put it together. They make. That's cool. Almost everything in Brooklyn. Excellent And, and we've been doing it since 1989 that way. And where then, in Brooklyn? Sunset Park You've got, like, a massive store there? No. It's, it's, you have to bring it up, sorry. I have to bring it up? Yeah. Okay. You've got to see this picture of this Alright, fair enough Of this front door That's fine. It'll be worth your while. People are wondering why the hell I'm unplugging and plugging. These have like New technology issues with the. Computer being plugged in. All right, so the Grator Factory it's called. Visiting the Grato Fact or something like that. Okay, I'm here. So how, so now how does something like this happen? Is it like You've gotta scroll down to the slides. Okay, does it happen where like. They, they choose to go to Brooklyn or are people from No, no they started in Brooklyn. They started in 1953 Got you There's something about this, something special about like There's the front door Cool man It's a completely unmarked building. Clearly That's Mark [LAUGH] There's no, there's no, there's no grade o sign, there's no Oh wow, [UNKNOWN] or anything. What's this dohicky? This looks like a bank safe That's the injection molding machine Wow, it really is like a steam punk sort of operation. Oh yeah, it's all hands on. Everything except that molding machine is completely handmade. Wow,. That's amazing. And flattering. So. Is listening to the thing she just did. And, and, and just the price translates. I mean. They start at $80. I reviewed the $100 one, which was fantastic. So, here you have handmade headphones. And the most popular ones on the market are made by like robots in a factory.&gt;&gt; No, they're 14 year old Chinese girls chained to their desk. [LAUGH] [CROSSTALK] [INAUDIBLE] Didn't I?&gt;&gt; Oh man.&gt;&gt; yeah, this is cool.&gt;&gt; Reasonable price too.&gt;&gt; Yeah, I can't get over the price. I mean, those are real. Check with [UNKNOWN]. He still has the $80 ones. Alright. [INAUDIBLE] the $100 ones. [INAUDIBLE] Cool. [COUGH] What are your favorite, [INAUDIBLE]? I mean, I actually think that the $100 ones, which are called SR80E. Okay. They're fantastic. Alright, very good. Not the most comfortable. I'll say that, but. So What else you got for me? We only have a few minutes. You're looking like ten minutes here. Okay. So pick your best one. Best one? Oh, there's so many great things here. Your best one, what's your best one? I saw this movie Nymphomaniac. Ooh, I like this. Good choice. Go on. Lars von Trier? No, not familiar. You don't know him? Sure you do. Maybe. What else has he done? Oh, he's a Danish director, he makes very bizarre movies. He made this movie called Melancholia a few years ago about this big rock that was gonna hit the earth. Yeah. [UNKNOWN] was gonna die. Right. He always says movies are kind of depressing, but anyway this movie is four hours long. What? It's actually broken into two, two hour parts, but it's basically one four hour movie. That's a lot of. And it's about this woman, Yeah. Who starts out as a little girl, who when she's 12 years old she's a. Obsessed with sex. You know, she's just rubbing up against things and stuff. Okay. She's just fascinated by sex. And the movie is basic, basically told in flashbacks. That she's 50 years old, she meets this guy, and she tells him her whole life story of, of being continuously obsessed with sex, and having sex with as many men as possible. And it's just amazing. It is amazing, I mean it's a, it's an art film. It's not a, you know, it doesn't have car chases and explosions or anything. It's just her telling these stories and then you see these things, you know. As they, as she. So, so what is the you know, what's the conflict? Like what's. The conflict is, is that she's, she's driven to have sex, but it doesn't satisfy her, it doesn't make her happy. So it's like it's a tragic story. Yeah, it's a sad story. It's a tragedy. Yeah, it's a compulsion. Huh. . But it's, it's and how many different ways. This has taken off, you know, as, as later on as an adult she basically works for this, you know, collector for the mob. Okay. And she goes and like seduces a guy who owes this guy money just to get in there. And then basically says to him but I work for this guy. Oh man. And now. You know, See that's the good, see that's the movie, Oh, that's the movie? Like, that's what I want to watch Well, that's like half an hour of a four hour movie Oh, see now that's a bummer cause that should be 90 minutes and be it's own thing. Yeah, well. How do you get into this stuff man? That kind of movies? Yeah, Because I like Lars von Trier he's, he's amazing Yeah, They're very, they're art films, it's not like a you know, Right, I getcha And then the other art film, that maybe you've heard of, is called Under the Skin? Yes. With Scarlet Johansen Yeah, how'd that go? Oh, it's the same story, you know she's here to have, she's an alien, comes to earth to have sex with men. Actually it would make a good double feature. I think so. You know, but It's not that kind of movie though. You're expecting one thing, you're not going to get that. It's an art movie. Yeah. IT has almost no dialogue of any sort in it. And when she has sex with them, it's a very unusual kind of sex. Okay. It's sex like you've never seen before. All right, sure enough, you don't have to give me more. And what's amazing about the sex scenes is that, when I was watching and I'm thinking like, how do they do that? It's like a, you know some sort of CGI. The book, this is a book. Oh, was it a book? But it, it looks like it's some kind of CGI, but it's too subtle for CGI because isn't CGI. It's basically like this special floor that they built with a guy sort of, just sort of sinks into the floor. It's just a platform that he's sinking down into. Huh. But they, but the man, Scarlett Johansson and the man sort of approach each other. And then as, and they're both naked, and as they're approaching each other he's sinking into this black pool. Wow. [CROSSTALK] Sometimes he dissolves. How'd they get her for this? She's not usually one. I know. But this is, this is an amazing film. And the soundtrack which I also reviewed on that thing with my album review is basically like her, her perspective on being on Earth, that everything sounds weird to her. Oh, that's so weird. It's very processed. Sounds and stuff. It's, it's a, it's a great film, if ya like our films. It's not, ya know. Yeah, no, I, I, I might check this out. I don't know that your wife would like it. With with the kids. I think I would go watch this with the kids. I think I think I'm done. Wow, it's always a trip when you're here, man. I don't where we're going. I don't know what time the bus is leaving. [LAUGH] All I know is that. I didn't tell you bad words. No dude, it's. Good. Not nothing like that. I would. Just don't know where I'm going, I don't know how long the trips gonna last. Uh-huh. But, I know I'm gonna be back. Here, and they come down Nine times out of ten. I'm safe in town. Good. Nine times out of ten? Oh man it's just, I wanna go for the, the, the one time out of ten you, you're not. Alright, well maybe that'll be the next time you come here. Everyone follow Steve on Twitter. @AudiophiliacMan. AudiophiliacMan. Is that like a Big Lebowski thing? Like, audiophiliac, man. Man, man. Yeah, is that what that's about? I think audiophiliac was taken. Alright [LAUGH] that's a much more boring story. And then read all of this stuff on CNet, I'll link to that in the show notes. If you're unfamiliar with the show note, show notes. It's www.Cnet.com/the404. Over the weekend please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and go to our subreddit where you can vote on the reruns we air when we don't have a show. And that's. Reddit.com/r/the404. So what, you, you like this new place? You're down with it for a couple months until we move back to. O it's going to be, you're going back? Yeah we're going back. This is just a temporary thing? Yeah dude, come on. Heavy duty demotion. I was nervous the amplifier wasn't here, yeah, don't worry about it. It's in a safe place? Yeah it's fine, it's in a sage place. And by safe place I mean the basement. A dark one. A dark, cold basement. Where the sun don't shine. Yeah. [LAUGH] I'm gone all next week. I'm on vacation. Can I fill in? You can if you really want to. [INAUDIBLE] I think, is going to be doing two shows. Not 100% sure on the guests just yet, but follow us on Twitter for the latest on that. And two shows with Iyaz and we'll probably have three re-runs. I"m back September 2nd I believe cuz Monday the 1st is a holiday. Wow. Cool? Cool. Cool. People will be looking at their, smartphones. I hope so. A lot. Thanks so much for tuning in. Until next time, I'm Jeff Bakalar. I'm Ariel Nunez. This has been the 404 show. High-tech, low brow. Gigantic thanks to Steve Spear Sedenberg. Always a pleasure sir. Alright, we're gonna add this to the pile of notes. Of notes, okay. Alright, be good everyone. See you next time. Alright, see ya. [MUSIC]

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