Artifacts: Stories from the Emotional History of the Internet

Enjoying the show? Support it here. Remember the Game Boy Camera? Nintendo's quirky little gadget let you take grainy black-and-white photos, mess around with faces, create animations, and even print tiny pictures using a separate printer. But beyond the novelty, it offered a different way to think about photography: taking pictures just for the fun of it, without worrying whether they were any good. In this episode of Artifacts, I'm revisiting a curious piece of gaming history and exploring how those silly, pixelated snapshots could end up preserving memories we never intended to keep. Get Involved If you enjoy Artifacts, you can support it with either a one-off tip, or become a monthly Archivist. No commitment - just a simple way to say thanks. Show your support here. If you enjoy the show, I'd love for you to leave a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! And please let your friends know they can listen for free on Apple Podcasts or their preferred podcast app, or online at Artifacts Podcast. The Archive The sister newsletter to the Artifacts podcast, sharing a story that didn't quite fit into an episode, a forgotten corner of the internet I've stumbled across, or a memory that deserves preserving before it quietly fades away. Get the Artifacts Newsletter Products I Use for Artifacts Note: these may contain affiliate links, so I get a small percentage of any product you buy when using my link. My equipment: RODE NT1-A large diaphragm condenser mic Rodecaster Pro II audio production studio Sony MDR-7506 Studio Monitor Headphones Elgato Wave Mic Arm Low Profile Recommended resources: Captivate.fm podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization Hindenburg Pro recording and editing Auphonic mastering tool for audio post production Beehiiv email marketing

Enjoying the show? Support it here. Remember the Zune? Microsoft's answer to the iPod never came close to matching Apple's success, but it had some interesting ideas of its own. From wireless music sharing to a social listening community, the Zune tried to make music discovery about more than just the songs on your device. In the Season 3 premiere of Artifacts, I'm revisiting a much-mocked music player and looking at why a product can lose the market but still win a place in people's memories. Mentioned in this episode: Pods Like Us - Apple Podcasts Martin Quibell | Podbites Microsoft Unveils Device Customization via New Zune Originals Store, New Zune Players Available Tomorrow Microsoft’s Zune Delivers Connected Music and Entertainment Experience Microsoft to Put Zune Experience in Consumers’ Hands on Nov. 14 Get Involved If you enjoy Artifacts, you can support it with either a one-off tip, or become a monthly Archivist. No commitment - just a simple way to say thanks. Show your support here. If you enjoy the show, I'd love for you to leave a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! And please let your friends know they can listen for free on Apple Podcasts or their preferred podcast app, or online at Artifacts Podcast. The Archive The sister newsletter to the Artifacts podcast, sharing a story that didn't quite fit into an episode, a forgotten corner of the internet I've stumbled across, or a memory that deserves preserving before it quietly fades away. Get the Artifacts Newsletter Products I Use for Artifacts Note: these may contain affiliate links, so I get a small percentage of any product you buy when using my link. My equipment: RODE NT1-A large diaphragm condenser mic Rodecaster Pro II audio production studio Sony MDR-7506 Studio Monitor Headphones Elgato Wave Mic Arm Low Profile Recommended resources: Captivate.fm podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization Hindenburg Pro recording and editing Auphonic mastering tool for audio post production Beehiiv email marketing

Enjoying the show? Support it here. Season 3 of Artifacts is going back to the things that started it all. This season, I'm looking at the technology, games, objects and pieces of internet culture we remember - from the Zune and MiniDisc to LaserDisc, the Game Boy Camera and Choose Your Own Adventure books. Each episode starts with an artifact, explores its history and then follows the story underneath it: the memories, experiences and feelings that made these things matter in the first place. Because Artifacts isn't about whether things were better back then. It's about why some of those things can still take us straight back to another time in our lives. Find the artifact first. Then find the feeling inside it. Season 3 is coming soon. Get Involved If you enjoy Artifacts, you can support it with either a one-off tip, or become a monthly Archivist. No commitment - just a simple way to say thanks. Show your support here. If you enjoy the show, I'd love for you to leave a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! And please let your friends know they can listen for free on Apple Podcasts or their preferred podcast app, or online at Artifacts Podcast. The Archive The sister newsletter to the Artifacts podcast, sharing a story that didn't quite fit into an episode, a forgotten corner of the internet I've stumbled across, or a memory that deserves preserving before it quietly fades away. Get the Artifacts Newsletter Products I Use for Artifacts Note: these may contain affiliate links, so I get a small percentage of any product you buy when using my link. My equipment: RODE NT1-A large diaphragm condenser mic Rodecaster Pro II audio production studio Sony MDR-7506 Studio Monitor Headphones Elgato Wave Mic Arm Low Profile Recommended resources: Captivate.fm podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization Hindenburg Pro recording and editing Auphonic mastering tool for audio post production Beehiiv email marketing

Enjoying the show? Support it here. I recently discovered This Week in Fandom History, a podcast exploring the history of fandom, internet culture and the communities that grow around the things people love. It felt like such a natural fit for the Artifacts audience that I wanted to introduce you to the show properly. For this bonus episode, they've put together a special 10-minute cut of one of their recent episodes. A quick heads-up: this episode contains some adult language, which is natural to This Week in Fandom History but a little different from what you'll normally hear on Artifacts. If you enjoy it, be sure to check out the full show and its back catalogue. Mentioned in this episode: This Week In Fandom History | Discover Fandom Stories — Listen Now Get Involved If you enjoy Artifacts, you can support it with either a one-off tip, or become a monthly Archivist. No commitment - just a simple way to say thanks. Show your support here. If you enjoy the show, I'd love for you to leave a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! And please let your friends know they can listen for free on Apple Podcasts or their preferred podcast app, or online at Artifacts Podcast. The Archive The sister newsletter to the Artifacts podcast, sharing a story that didn't quite fit into an episode, a forgotten corner of the internet I've stumbled across, or a memory that deserves preserving before it quietly fades away. Get the Artifacts Newsletter Products I Use for Artifacts Note: these may contain affiliate links, so I get a small percentage of any product you buy when using my link. My equipment: RODE NT1-A large diaphragm condenser mic Rodecaster Pro II audio production studio Sony MDR-7506 Studio Monitor Headphones Elgato Wave Mic Arm Low Profile Recommended resources: Captivate.fm podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization Hindenburg Pro recording and editing Auphonic mastering tool for audio post production Beehiiv email marketing

Enjoying the show? Support it here. Season 2 of Artifacts was an experiment. After a first season built around the objects and technology we remember, I wanted to try something different, starting with the experiences technology changed rather than the artifacts themselves. Looking back, I'm glad I did. Not because I think every experiment worked perfectly, but because it helped me understand what makes Artifacts feel like Artifacts. In this bonus episode, I look back at Season 2, the things I learned along the way, the one-star shareware review that reminded me to keep questioning my research, and why Season 3 is going back to the things themselves. Get Involved If you enjoy Artifacts, you can support it with either a one-off tip, or become a monthly Archivist. No commitment - just a simple way to say thanks. Show your support here. If you enjoy the show, I'd love for you to leave a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! And please let your friends know they can listen for free on Apple Podcasts or their preferred podcast app, or online at Artifacts Podcast. The Archive The sister newsletter to the Artifacts podcast, sharing a story that didn't quite fit into an episode, a forgotten corner of the internet I've stumbled across, or a memory that deserves preserving before it quietly fades away. Get the Artifacts Newsletter Products I Use for Artifacts Note: these may contain affiliate links, so I get a small percentage of any product you buy when using my link. My equipment: RODE NT1-A large diaphragm condenser mic Rodecaster Pro II audio production studio Sony MDR-7506 Studio Monitor Headphones Elgato Wave Mic Arm Low Profile Recommended resources: Captivate.fm podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization Hindenburg Pro recording and editing Auphonic mastering tool for audio post production Beehiiv email marketing