Craig Grannell

#Writer for hire. Mostly #tech, #Apple, #games, #retrogaming, design. Smashes out words for #Wired, #Stuff, TapSmart and others. Writes #DailyRetroGame here on Mastodon. He/him. GF/DF. Likes #Lego and Mini #Schnauzers. Email: hello at craiggrannell dot com // https://linktr.ee/craiggrannell

Website: https://www.craiggrannell.com
Blog: https://reverttosaved.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/craiggrannell

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Last Notes

2026-03-02 16:30:24 UTC

In space year 2026, it is *still* illegal to rip a CD you bought with your own money to play the resulting MP3s (or whatever) on your computer. That is not considered fair use.
But if the UK government gets its way (and it will – it has a massive majority, despite winning only a third of the popular vote), AI companies eating all of our creative work for free, forever, soon will be.
Fuck off, Labour.

2026-02-02 16:48:46 UTC

Brutal correction on the Guardian’s review of Melania: “The star rating for this film was corrected on 2 February 2026. A formatting issue led an earlier version to be awarded one star, when the reviewer’s intention was zero.”

2026-01-13 23:59:06 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@bradlinder/115889540842337929
I’m in two minds about this, but some initial thoughts:
1. Where is Photomator?
2. iWork apps in a “creative suite”?
3. Subs-only for iPad hints what Apple really wants to do.
4. The new icons are dismal.
#note13sg…guwq

2026-01-02 17:02:44 UTC

Anyone know of a Safari/Mac browser extension that shows the number of open tabs? (I know I can view the number in the sidebar, but I’d like one that lurks in the toolbar.)

2025-12-28 10:10:08 UTC

Hard to disagree with anything Howard Oakley says here: Last Year on My Mac: Look back in disbelief https://eclecticlight.co/2025/12/28/last-year-on-my-mac-look-back-in-disbelief/
Sad to see that last pic of an older macOS and see how far things have fallen. (And Howard didn’t even mention the absurd “hovering” buttons.)

2025-11-25 14:39:43 UTC

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That said, last time we were over, I was a little wide-eyed at how many folks were *sunbathing* at the place we went to. Clearly, I didn’t acclimatise well in my time in Iceland – and have fully reverted since. :D

2025-11-25 14:38:21 UTC

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Oh, absolutely. And, as you may remember from our previous chats, I’ll pick an ISL pool over a British one every single time. They’re so much better for all kinds of reasons *including* the demands that ensure they are clean. But it’s also not a bad thing, where possible, to provide options for people. (I’m fully aware, however, that it isn’t always possible.)

2025-11-25 12:14:08 UTC

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So, yeah:
✅ Wash all your bits before you get in the pool
But also:
✅ Maybe whack a couple of showers inside of cubicles too

2025-11-25 12:13:16 UTC

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It’s an odd one. I’ve had some… odd experiences in Iceland due to shitty signage, but I do think the intended default is a good idea for keeping things clean. That said, I also think it’s not a bad thing to offer people the *option* of privacy if they want it, for all kinds of reasons.

2025-10-10 12:24:25 UTC

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“the website's forums were moved to read-only mode”
Yikes

2025-09-29 10:17:13 UTC

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Not sure if we ever used Express. I do recall the ticket prices ramped up the second you started going through the process of purchase, and when you were done you ended up with something not that much cheaper than Icelandair, which at the time was still a full-service airline.

2025-08-28 10:56:00 UTC

Would any app creators/designers be willing to go on the record regarding their thoughts on Liquid Glass for a piece I’m writing? If so, please DM me. (Can be pointing out issues with it, or even being in favour.)
(Reposts appreciated!)

2025-08-15 18:48:21 UTC

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Mostly plugged in, because I was using it in a pseudo laptop-in-office setup for which I’d also be plugged in. I don’t get the impression the new windowing system saps juice any more than the old one though.

2025-08-14 13:57:02 UTC

My latest for WIRED:
I Replaced My Mac With an iPad for an Entire Week. It Went as Well as You’d Expect
The latest iPadOS makes Apple’s tablet behave more like a Mac than ever. Can an iPad now finally replace a Mac for everyone?
https://www.wired.com/story/i-replaced-my-mac-with-an-ipad-for-an-entire-week-it-went-as-well-as-youd-expect/

2025-08-11 17:35:10 UTC

Then: UK govt loses mind
Now: Wikipedia loses legal challenge
Next: UK loses Wikipedia access?
This legislation is way, way beyond porn and stated scope. There is no good reason to age gate an encyclopaedia *at national level* under the guise of protecting children.
https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2025/08/11/wikimedia-foundation-challenges-uk-online-safety-act-regulations/

2025-08-09 16:43:15 UTC

Column! Google AI Mode is showing me the future of the internet – and I don’t like it
Funnelling your online life through the whims of a big-tech AI chatbot doesn’t sound like the future we all envisioned
https://www.stuff.tv/features/google-ai-mode-showed-me-the-future-of-the-internet-and-i-didnt-like-it/

2025-07-28 10:29:10 UTC

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I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d head to my massive pile of backup drives.

2025-07-28 09:48:56 UTC

Just saw someone whose Google account was shuttered. They’d been… using Sheets to track movies they’d watched.
A question people should ask themselves, but rarely do: What would you do if, tomorrow, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Dropbox, and every other cloud provider you use closed your account without warning? Then maybe spend some of today safeguarding against that eventuality.

2025-07-16 10:03:02 UTC

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The sheer number of times I get alerts when trying to work with WebP drives me fucking nuts. It’s so irritating.

2025-06-20 06:46:02 UTC

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I’ve seen quite a few videos this week from Aussies in the UK saying that the heat is bloody horrible though. It’s different when it’s so humid and you can’t escape it at any time. https://reverttosaved.com/2025/06/19/its-hot-in-the-uk-really-or-why-it-feels-hotter-in-a-uk-summer-than-you-might-think/
(The flip is in the winter when Brits see Aussie news freaking out over lows that here we just shrug off. Because our housing, heating, etc is build for them.)

2025-06-19 17:26:19 UTC

https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/711/196/969/458/670/original/1bfcb192b35febd0.png

2025-05-18 16:02:15 UTC

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Happily! 20–24 is my YASSSSSS zone. This past few weeks in the UK has been bliss (because it’s also cooled overnight).
I was quite surprised to see the temps in Iceland though. Warmer in Reykjavik a few days than here in the south of England – and the temps here have been way above average. (Normality reportedly returning this coming week though, for both of us.)

2025-05-16 16:10:00 UTC

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I wonder how much of it’s down to the dopamine hit and devices. I love tech, but it is surely rewiring our brains. I found myself getting to the point where movies felt like a bit much… effort. Where I’d watch snatches of shows on YouTube. Reading… even graphic novels were too much. And that was a bit FUCK NO. So I’ve spend a chunk of time reworking habits. I’m not nearly close to 100% successful there, but things have meaningfully changed to build up ‘muscles’ again.

2025-05-16 14:55:48 UTC

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In addition, the arguments side of things is interesting. With some people, it feels like nuance is in decline, like you note. I wonder how much of the bubble effect is to blame, or people being high on their own supply?
The other side of things that concerns me is that attention spans are broadly in decline while the amount of ‘stuff’ continues to grow. People lack the time and patience to read but also to write. Too many folks I know are gleeful about eg AI summarises. :/

2025-05-16 14:53:36 UTC

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1. 700 feeds‽
2. The fog thing is interesting.
I’m now certain I have long covid. I don’t have it *bad* but I definitely haven’t felt right since I got my first bout of covid last summer. (And the UK gave up with boosters after the second one. That was it for most people.) Not sure how much that affects my head, but it must do a bit. It certainly affects my ability to function and physical activity.
I wonder how many others are operating at 90% without realising it?

2025-05-01 10:07:17 UTC

Bloody EU, forcing Apple to change how it operates its business— HANG ON
https://www.theverge.com/news/659246/apple-epic-app-store-judge-ruling-control

2025-04-28 10:26:55 UTC

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I would accept more sensible, practical, rules-based clothing. 5yos shouldn’t be cosplaying as 1950s office workers. And even secondary kids should be dressed for comfort in hours-long desk-based sessions, not like estate agents with an added blazer.

2025-04-28 06:58:04 UTC

Little to celebrate here. UK still insistent on sending children to school in 1950s office cosplay. Boys (and some girls) from 11 forced to wear ties – why? Kids from 5 often in clothes unsuitable for play – why? Enforced posh shoes that cost a small fortune – why?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgp08ln84no

2025-04-07 12:55:11 UTC

When I ditched Prime last year, it fundamentally changed how I shop. But residual instincts remain, notably re tech. Amazon had long been where I bought SSDs & micro SD cards, because it was always cheapest. Turns out direct from Sandisk = WAAAAY cheaper than Amazon right now. Glad I shopped around.

2025-01-22 13:31:51 UTC

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I did an archive dump, but I’m keeping the account. Too risky to let it go, because some AH might nick the handle, use my pic, and start trying to get kit in from companies.

2025-01-18 11:25:52 UTC

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what does that mean for Hellboy, if you have it? (I don’t have an AH section. I’m mulling over what to do and the level of AHery required to dispense with the books entirely. NG is past that point. WE I have very little or anyway. Scott Allie kind of sits on a tipping point but I’m not sure I want to keep my BPRD books anyway, given how that series went.)

2025-01-03 19:59:21 UTC

“A BBC spokesperson said: ‘It is essential that Apple fixes this problem urgently’”
Thing is, Apple can’t. No company can ‘fix’ errors going out in AI summaries, because they’re fancy autocomplete. AI doesn’t understand information and context.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx27zwp7jpxo

2024-12-18 10:00:44 UTC

UK: “It’s still illegal to rip a CD you legally own to MP3!”
Also UK: “Hey, let’s exempt those AI guys from copyright law!”
FFS.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/copyright-and-artificial-intelligence

2024-11-30 12:19:42 UTC

Apple hates emulators, part 43,209 https://reverttosaved.com/2024/11/30/apple-hates-emulators-part-43209/ #retrogaming

2024-11-30 12:03:35 UTC

My review of The Spectrum, the latest attempt to modernise Sir Clive’s rubber-keyed wonder. And this one even has rubber keys. https://www.stuff.tv/review/the-spectrum-review/

2024-11-05 12:02:18 UTC

Elections are weird. In the UK, we knew the results of the general to some degree. We were going to get a Labour government. The only real surprise was how many seats the Libs took off the Tories. And even that was at the high end of estimates.
But in the US today, it’s a coin flip between someone who could do real good and someone hell-bent on flipping the table on everything.
Crossing every available digit and hoping when I wake up tomorrow it won’t be a repeat of 2016. Repeats are shite.

2024-10-19 13:04:05 UTC

My 24-second first-look/review video of the new Hyper Mega Tech Super Pocket Atari and Technos editions: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6WqedtnrO-E
(These are basically mini Evercades, but with some built-in games from a single publisher.)
#retrogaming

2024-10-19 10:05:47 UTC

Column! Yes, I know retro gamers love their original hardware and ‘proper’ set-ups, but…
I’m converted: cheap and cheerful plug-and-play is a great way to revisit classic retro games • https://www.stuff.tv/features/im-converted-cheap-and-cheerful-plug-and-play-is-a-great-way-to-revisit-classic-retro-games/
(Don’t come at me with a sharpened ZX80!)

2024-10-14 17:03:55 UTC

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But hasn’t it flipped? I know Kay said when she was at school, the sort order was ISL > DK > ENG. But her siblings (10+ years younger) say theirs was ISL > ENG > DK. So it seems kind of natural that at some point you’d have a president who’d feel more comfortable conversing in English (which is, to some degree, also more ‘neutral’, given the history of the two countries).

2024-10-14 17:02:30 UTC

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Maybe the Danes should speak Icelandic once in a while.

2024-10-14 12:37:49 UTC

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Kay was saying there was controversy recently when the president visited Denmark and spoke in English rather than Danish. Says a lot about how colonial roots can run deep and be hard to eradicate.

2024-09-30 14:52:51 UTC

New from me over on Stuff:
The mini retro game console revivals we’d all love to see
https://www.stuff.tv/features/miniature-heroes-six-mini-retro-gaming-consoles-we-want-see/
And by ‘we’, I mean ‘me’. #retrogaming

2024-09-21 10:05:46 UTC

Time for my annual email to Apple accessibility this weekend. From what I can tell, Safari has gone backwards and now has more animation on iPhone, which is causing me a problem. Calendar needs taming. Has anyone spotted any other major animation issues when Reduce Motion is active?

2024-09-17 12:46:48 UTC

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I also wonder whether teaching more broadly has improved. When I was in Iceland – admittedly 20 years ago – it was bloody awful at the uni. So even at that basic foundational level, everything was full of errors and problems (yet driven by academics who thought themselves fluent in English). That said, the lack of resources today is something I find quite sad. Again, probably down to so many of them now being automated and there not being data for Icelandic.

2024-08-10 10:43:50 UTC

Column! Apple stealing Windows Vista’s worst feature is not a good look. https://www.stuff.tv/features/apple-stealing-windows-vistas-worst-feature-is-not-a-good-look/
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/937/316/607/440/722/original/4a0b13cb44a4a81b.jpeg

2024-06-18 16:26:26 UTC

Still floored that the new iOS 18 #iPhone Home Screen gives you four different options for how your icons can look, at two different sizes, but no sorting options. Apple execs must like busywork and fiddling around, rather than efficiency.

2024-06-15 17:02:17 UTC

Column! Playing my Game Boy Micro again was a reality check about old games consoles – and getting older myself • https://www.stuff.tv/features/playing-my-game-boy-micro-again-was-a-reality-check-about-old-games-consoles-and-getting-older-myself/
#retrogaming

2024-06-10 18:45:45 UTC

Note the total omission in this keynote of anything to do with the environment. #WWDC24

2024-05-25 13:07:21 UTC

I hope if Sega gripes about this, someone will ask why it delivered so little on its promises regarding bringing its back catalogue to mobile.
From: @npub1c89…a5l4
https://mastodon.social/@_Davidsmith/112495290720391515

2024-05-21 16:14:05 UTC

Wondering how big a Game Boy can get before things start getting a wee bit silly. #retrogaming
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/479/957/087/653/507/original/99476e77ce94bfa6.jpeg

2024-05-19 08:16:25 UTC

Not even close. In that game alone, there were harder puzzles. But elsewhere in Infocom’s catalogue – and more widely in text adventures – there were tougher tests.
Where the Babel Fish puzzle got things right was through being clever, funny and absurd, and in also deviating radically from expectations. It’s as far as possible from other media, where the fish is simply put into Arthur’s ear. And so that makes it *memorable*. #retrogaming
From: @npub1ltv…pax6
https://dosgame.club/@sqhistorian/112464455745407129

2024-05-07 14:18:34 UTC

Apple: The M4 is fantastic!
British people: fucking horrible motorway.