Iterate Weekly - Issue 164
This week we're revisiting video game emulators, ALTR is the latest knowledge app for the black community, Uber launches a shuttle service, Nike creates a tent/poncho, and Uni Watch!
Welcome to issue 164 of Iterate Weekly.
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Thank you as always for reading!
🤖 Tech
Video game emulators are surging thanks to Apple
Retro gamers rejoice! Emulators for classic games are enjoying a resurgence thanks to Apple.
iPhone users can now freely download these apps to play retro games on their phones wherever they go.
So for those who have no idea what I’m talking about, an emulator is a piece of software that can recreate the environment of a classic game console like a Gameboy or Sega Genesis for example. You can download the emulator and then find ROMs which replicate the game cartridges that you used to insert into those lovely consoles.
On a high level, emulators are legal. ROMs typically aren’t. Or at least they aren’t if they contain copy-written material, which is essentially all games. Here lies the legal grey area for gamers. And it’s one of the reasons why Apple wanted nothing to do with this genre of app for a long time. That and also because they wanted you to purchase new games via their app store rather than download free games from some dark corner of the internet.
Personally, I haven’t had an emulator on my phone since the early days of Android. I loved the tactile feedback of the OG Motorola Droid’s physical keyboard for 8-bit gaming. It can still work with a touchscreen, but it’s not the same nostalgic vibes for me. But I thought it was irresponsible for me not to walk around with every 8 & 16-bit video game of all time in my pocket! Who knew when the mood would strike to conquer Shredder one last time in the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game” side scroller?
Will this open up the flood gates of iPhone users reliving their console glory days? Hard to say. I think most people who were into this sorta thing already found a way to make it work, legality be damned. But it’s fair to think that some more casual gamers may opt to play around with an emulator instead of whatever flash-in-the-pan new game is topping the charts that week. At least no NES games (to my knowledge anyway) had any in-app purchases or extra fees associated with it…
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
ALTR creates a new learning community
As someone who has had a quite a bit of experience working in the online education space, I’m always fascinated when a new app/site/service hits the market.
Right now I’m keeping my eye on a service called ALTR. It’s looking to find a new subset of the self-help community by creating downloadable audio content from some of the most influential black voices in their respective industries.
Some big names are associated with the service including Viola Davis and Charlamagne tha God and it’s giving me a lot of MasterClass/CreativeLive/Knowable vibes. And that’s mostly a compliment. While MasterClass still soldiers on (I recently saw an ad for an Amy Poehler course that looked interesting), CreativeLive and Knowable were both acquired way past their peak, and way before their peak respectively in my humble opinion.
The audio idea is interesting in a world that is dominated by video. It probably makes sense to zag in this regard, and I know that was the thought for Knowable as well. You want people to be able to learn new things when they’re working out, walking the dog, or driving in the car. Not exactly the domains for high-end video production.
The quote from Charlamagne tha God seems to echo that sentiment:
“In a booming $75 billion audio-based media market, audio content stands out as a powerful tool for engaging our community. ALTR will be a game-changer by tapping into this market and making a much-needed positive impact.”
Will ALTR be a success? I think it could take off. I can candidly say that my experience in the space does make me believe that this segment of the population is solely underrepresented. We’ll see how well the service can create real teachable audio moments that go beyond the star power of the initial big name contributors. Celebrities are never a bad thing for marketing, but students typically pay to learn a tangible skill rather than just listen to a TV-star talk.
♻️ Health/Environment/EVs
Uber’s Shuttle feature could ease congestion
Uber recently had their annual “Go Get” event to celebrate wins and announce new features.
While a lot of the presentations could be interpreted as corporate fluff, I was actually pretty interested to hear about their new Shuttle service.
What a novel concept right? Airport shuttles have been around long before the days of digital ride sharing. But it still blows my mind how inefficient Americans are at getting to the airport! Yes, some airports (including all of the Bay Area options) have decent public transport options that take you right to the terminal. Not all cities offer this though. Far too many people drive themselves to the airport in a personal vehicle and then pay a fortunate to park it there while they’re going.
Uber is hoping that its customers would warm up to the idea of an old fashion shuttle bus to get to places like sporting events, concerts, and yes the airport.
I think it will be a hit. While other airport shuttle services clearly exist, they aren’t super convenient. They likely don’t have an app. They likely don’t have that magical ease that Uber has cultivated in the last decade plus.
The screen shot above shows how the service should work. When looking for a ride to certain events, you’ll see the option of a standard Uber and then you’ll see the far cheaper shuttle option ahead of it. Seems like an easy way to save some cash and get more cars off the road right?
There will still be hurdles of course. How close will the shuttle get to your home? How long will it wait for people? Will it be fast enough? Will the rides be comfortable enough? Still lots to learn as the company only plans to test the new service in a few key markets. Sadly, it looks like none of them are in California to start, but I’d definitely be open to giving this a shot the next time I’m heading to the airport to see how it compares to public transportation and existing legacy shuttle services.
🛍 Grab Bag
Nike gives us a poncho that turns into a tent…finally!
I love functional clothing. Sure, I want my clothes to look good enough, but give me water repellence, odor-resistance, functional pockets, etc.
Well what could be more practical than a poncho that can also turn into a tent should the need arise? That’s exactly what Nike has just announced.
It’s called the ISPA Metamorph poncho and it can be purchased for $600. Obviously that price is somewhat reasonable for a high-quality tent and somewhat ridiculous for a poncho. Nice job hitting that sweet spot Nike!
All jokes aside, I love the innovation here. The real question is just how quickly this thing can morph. If it’s fast enough to convert to a rain or sun shelter just as the elements present themselves, it could be great. While it looks like a futuristic accessory for lunar expeditions, I actually could see it being super practical on a Bay Area beach day where the combination of sun, fog, and wind are extremely unpredictable.
Just wearing a tent to the beach would free up a hand for me to carry something else! That alone could be worth the $600 now that I think about it.
💬 Quote of the Week
"When a man opens a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife."
-Prince Philip
🖥️ Content Recommendation
Uni Watch
I’ve gone out of my way to mention Uni Watch on this publication as much as possible over the years.
This week it’s even more applicable as the long-running website dedicated to athletic aesthetics is coming to a major milestone.
Creator
has decided to call it quits and hand over the reigns of the brand to new ownership. Uni Watch contributors Phil Hecken and Jimmer Vilk will keep the content coming for sick freaks like me who can’t get enough of it. But it’s worth acknowledging what Lukas has built.If you’re at all interested and never have visited the site, go check it out now. Paul is embarking on a special cross-country tour this week before the big transition and there should be some killer content coming out of it
And if you’re not following them on Substack at
, now is the time to change that as well. Kudos to some amazing work by Paul over the years, and I’m excited to follow along on his new projects!Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
Hey! Could you use some help establishing healthy habits? Do you have a big project or new business that you want to get off the ground but could use some advice? Maybe you could benefit from hiring me as your coach. If you’re interested, read more about my coaching services here, or go ahead and book some time on my calendar to discuss further.
Iterate is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you should let me know that this writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless I enable payments at some point in the future. Think of it like an IOU in a tip jar.