rands

The MacBook Neo Guide

You can read all the reviews you want about new hardware, but if it’s hardware you touch, there is one test that can only be performed in person, and it’s important: you hold it in your hand and you feel the answer to the question, “Is this a piece of junk?” I was skeptical about… more

April 16, 2026 1 Comment

Short Attention Span Theater

Back in 2013, Alex King and I redesigned the Rands in Repose. Thirteen years — still happy with the design. It’s readable, clean, and prominently features typography I love. What you look at this moment is 90% Alex’s original design. But there was one more thing we never finished. Over the years, Esquire featured a… more

April 15, 2026

Better, Faster, and (Even) More

I’ve never built more interesting, random, and useless scripts, tools, and services than I have in the last six months. The cost to go from “Random Thought” to “Working Something” has never been lower thanks to Claude Code. However, this increase in speed has only made my desire to move faster and more efficiently higher.… more

March 20, 2026 2 Comments

The One About In Real Life

In our 97th episode, we talk about how much more we learn in person and why the last 10% of anything is the most important part. Things we mentioned: Rands Leadership Slack South by Southwest Jony Ive & Patrick Collison at Stripe Sessions Related Important Things episodes: EP 73: The One About Robots Enjoy it… more

March 12, 2026

The One About ARC Raiders

In our 96th episode, Rands goes deep (perhaps too deep) on ARC Raiders, an extraction shooter where trust is the real currency. Mentioned, referenced, or obsessed over: ARC Raiders The Last of Us (HBO) Pokemon Go Sea of Thieves World of Warcraft Acquired Podcast Related Important Things episodes: EP 25: The One About the Pro… more

March 6, 2026

Hit and Run

As you drive by a cyclist, you have one of three opinions: As a person who drives, I’ve experienced #1 and #2 quite a bit. My perspective has shifted as I dived into both road and gravel cycling over the last half decade. As a person who rides a lot, I do understand road rage,… more

March 5, 2026 5 Comments

What’s in the Nerd Bag?

On the Pro Leisure Circuit, I’m spending a lot of time in random coffee shops. Cafe Dio in Los Gatos. Long-standing desk. View of the redwoods in front of my high school. Can recommend. It’s been a while since I’ve documented what’s in my bag, but there have been several recent notable updates worth discussing,… more

February 21, 2026 5 Comments

Extremely Lazy and Immensely Curious

When I explain that Claude Code has changed my relationship with developing software completely, I’m under-exaggerating… if that’s even a thing. This off-the-cuff piece started as a unposted social update that read: Watching Claude Code adeptly use every type of Unix command shows me that a) you can do anything in Unix, b) my higher-level… more

February 16, 2026 2 Comments

Three Bad Managers

I worked for each of these humans. They either hired or promoted me. I worked for them for many years. As is my way, I’ve vastly altered the details of each human, but the core issue I describe is the core issue. Also, each of these humans is very smart. No dummies. Here are their… more

February 9, 2026