Clockwise Episode 647: A Seedy Jelly Experience

Date: March 11, 2026
Hosts: Dan Moren & Mikah Sargent
Guests: Andrej Tomic (Slovenian tech reporter/podcaster), Meg Marco (writer/editor: Wired, ProPublica, WSJ)
Theme: Four people tackle four tech topics in under 30 minutes—in this episode: affordable Macs, the USB-C "dream," LEGO smart bricks, loot boxes in games, and a not-so-side of playful nihilism.

Episode Overview

This episode examines the democratization of Apple hardware with the new MacBook Neo, celebrates (and questions) the USB-C era, tests the expansion of LEGO through smart bricks, and dives into ethical concerns around loot boxes in gaming. Throughout, the hosts and guests blend serious insight with signature Clockwise wit—plus a bonus round on everyone’s favorite jam, both literal and metaphorical.

Key Discussion Points

1. Apple’s MacBook Neo: Who Is It For?

[01:30 – 06:30]

• Andre: Recounts a friend buying the Neo and explains it fits users focused on writing, email, and “real work, not heavy computing.” (01:50)

  • Hesitates to broadly recommend it until hands-on experience, noting that "the price point … makes sense in most of the world for a computer, which has never been true of an Apple product."
  • Expresses concern about the 8GB RAM: "It's still kind of weird … Maybe it's okay, like, because Apple silicon is pretty great." (02:20)

• Mikah: Enthusiastic for the headline affordability, potentially gifting it to close family:

  "If I ended up winning $5,000, I would buy each one of my close family members this laptop … It just seems too good to be true." (03:08)

  • Shares Andre’s “suspiciousness” about it being that good and worries what might be missing.

• Meg: Wishes it had existed for her student days and highlights the importance of accessible powerful computers:

  "It's just so important for folks … to have a computer, an accessible computer with a keyboard that's a real machine." (04:07)

  • Acknowledges 8GB as a worry but finds faith in Apple’s newer chips.

• Dan: Sees the Neo as a “starter computer,” smarter than low-end PCs, and a possible vital conversion point for future Apple customers:

  "If you get them when they're young, I guess they may stick with [Apple] for the lifetime." (05:10)

2. The State of USB-C: Are We Living the Dream?

[06:30 – 13:11]

• Andre: Wonders if this is “the moment” we finally have a singular port, then asks what could shake it up again. (06:30)

• Mikah: Credits “living the dream” but laments devices that still require USB-A to USB-C, and predicts future messes will stem from wireless standards fragmentation:

  "Wireless connectivity is the area that's ripe for messiness." (08:40)

• Meg: Wryly calls herself “not yet living in the future”—still cycling through lightning vs. USB-C, but doubts any tech standard “ever sticks.” (09:09)

  "Nothing ever has. So I think the answer … is going to be from me, like, nah. It's a little nihilistic." (09:45)

• Dan: Feels close but still annoyed by lingering Lightning and micro USB devices at home. Foresees proprietary wireless protocols as the next source of confusion:

  "The first company to probably make a smartphone with no ports is probably going to be Apple because they hate it." (10:30)

  • Observes that USB-A has lasted a generation, expects USB-C will too… for now.

• Andre (wrap-up): Urges appreciation of this “sweet spot” before inevitable future complexity:

  "We have it good now. I think we should talk about it more because I think we're heading for a messiness again." (13:06)

3. LEGO Smart Bricks: New Play or Gimmick?

[13:43 – 19:06]

• Meg: Enjoys building & dusting LEGO, calls smart bricks “maybe the opposite of the point”—but still wants one for her birthday:

  "It's lights and computer stuff in the lego is kind of … the opposite of the point." (14:22)

  • Wishes for a replaceable battery, unsure if it adds significant value to classic play.

• Dan: Intrigued by tech features and upgradability (many sensors, potentially added via firmware), confesses LEGO appeals both to meditative adults and creative kids:

  "Someone will inevitably reverse engineer these things and find a way to program them, which I think will also be pretty cool." (17:10)

• Andre: Excited by the possibility to “retrofit” old sets with sound/interaction; relays building 90s LEGOs with his son:

  "If I had one of those smart bricks that just did the pew pew stuff, I could probably incorporate it like as a car or whatever. That would actually kind of be awesome." (18:06)

  • Agrees it’s “not for everybody,” but the potential for creative hacking is thrilling.

• Mikah: Praises LEGO for embracing replayability, possibly at the expense of new set sales—calls out NFC tech inside (19:06):

  "Adding interactivity and replayability to sets that already exist as opposed to going, 'okay, now you've built it, get more.' … It's very cool."

4. Loot Boxes & Gambling: Where’s the Line?

[20:22 – 27:49]

• Meg (topic intro): Spotlights NY Attorney General’s lawsuit against Valve for “promoting gambling” via loot boxes. Wonders if this is a legit mechanic or a troubling gamble trend.

• Dan: Calls loot boxes “a turn off”—worries about normalization of gambling, especially among kids:

  "The idea that everything is kind of monetized and randomized … is worrying … just because you can do it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be regulated." (21:00)

• Andre: Recalls prior, more restricted approaches to gambling—alarmed at its pervasiveness in sports, entertainment, and especially games for kids:

  "For the kids, we won't do, like, money directly, but you can sell a skin for an AK47 for I don't know how much money … It's kind of gross really." (23:20)

• Mikah: Breaks it down starkly:

  "Chance plus money equals gambling. And so this involves both of those things. … loot boxes in video games are gambling." (24:53)

  • Confesses unease about how normalized it’s become, particularly for youth.

• Meg: Summarizes:

  "If you're eight, right, you shouldn't know what a parlay is." (25:28)

  • Describes the “gamblefication” of everything, even educational tools like Duolingo giving loot boxes:

  "I can't even shut it off in an educational … relaxing experience. So I don't like to see that that's just in everything." (27:49)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Meg: “Nothing ever has. So … nah. It's a little nihilistic.” (On tech standards at 09:45)
• Andre: “We have it good now … I think we're heading for a messiness again.” (13:06)
• Dan: “The first company to probably make a smartphone with no ports is probably going to be Apple because they hate it.” (10:30)
• Meg: “If you're eight, right, you shouldn't know what a parlay is.” (25:28)
• Mikah: “Any … preserves. Whatever is the one that has seeds in it. I love a seedy jelly substance.” (28:08)

Bonus Topic: What’s Your Jam? (Literal or Figurative!)

[28:01 – 29:10]

• Andre: Red currant jam, especially his grandmother’s homemade.
• Mikah: Raspberry or blackberry (especially “seedy jelly”). “I love a seedy jelly substance.”
• Meg: Cheekily chooses "kick out the jams" (MC5 reference), not actually a jam person.
• Dan: Peach jam or jelly, particularly on a scone.

Tone & Vibe

Witty, fast-paced, and philosophical with recurring banter about “nothing lasts,” threads of nostalgia, and critical optimism about technology’s role. The episode is both accessible and thoughtful, offering honest skepticism with humor.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• MacBook Neo: 01:30 – 06:30
• USB-C Utopia: 06:30 – 13:11
• LEGO Smart Bricks: 13:43 – 19:06
• Loot Boxes & Gambling: 20:22 – 27:49
• Bonus Jam Round: 28:01 – 29:10

Final Thoughts

Episode 647 is a lively blend of critical analysis and playful pessimism, tackling pressing tech debates—affordable Apple hardware, the fleeting unity of USB-C, the evolution of LEGO, and the ethics of loot boxes. All delivered in Clockwise’s signature blend of speed, depth, and humor—plus a generous helping of jams and gentle nihilism.