Our Tech Column was made possible by the fine folks at Mozilla Firefox.  The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation believes the Internet must always remain a global public resource that is open and accessible to all.  And that’s why we love Firefox as our browser, and you should too. GUEST POST BY DAVID

As our country’s permanent festival of capitalism and conspicuous consumption marches forward, prepare for some holiday-infused reminders of what you, your family, and friends must absolutely buy to stay happy. And this year, what you absolutely need to buy is the Internet, but on devices.

As 2024 winds down, we’re reflecting on another incredible year of sharing the stories, art, culture, and nightlife that make the Bay Area so unique. BrokeAssStuart.com wouldn’t be what it is without you—our community of readers, supporters, and believers in independent media. This year, instead of asking you to join Patreon

You’ve heard about it on dates. You’ve read about it on Tinder profiles. You’ve seen it emblazoned on startup t-shirts worn at 21st Amendment.

“Blockchain.”

Our Tech Column was made possible by the fine folks at Mozilla Firefox.  The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation believes the Internet must always remain a global public resource that is open and accessible to all.  And that’s why we love Firefox as our browser, and you should too. It’s also why we’re

I remember getting my first smartphone in 2008. It was a Blackberry, and I was so excited that I’d be able to take care of emails on the go. I was researching my book, “Broke-Ass Stuart’s Guide to Living Cheaply in New York,” at the time and was on the go all day and night. The idea of being able to handle things without being in front of the computer seemed amazing.

The tech ideal of “move fast and break things” is cute until really important things, like access to housing, healthcare and a job, are broken.

The FabLab was alive with energy, dozens of engineers working with impenetrable focus on all sorts of machines I’d never seen before, shop bots, laser cutters, 3D printers; computer screens flashed with renderings of Raul’s arms while a big ass fan whirled above.