My friend Shawn announced the 3rd edition of the annual ShawnBlanc.net membership drive today:

It’s been two years since I quit my job and began writing shawnblanc.net as my full-time gig. It’s amazing how vividly I remember being scared out of my wits the morning I announced my intentions to take this site full time. It’s worked out well so far, and I have every intention of continuing.

In a tech blogging scene that’s increasingly filled with negativity, mindless criticism, inaccurate reporting, and an obsession for pageviews over quality, Shawn’s work is refreshing because it’s the complete opposite.

Shawn writes with passion, honesty, and a genuine interest in knowing what’s accurate rather than what’s best for Techmeme. And in spite of somewhat disregarding the “best practices” that other tech blogs follow, Shawn is a writer who has managed to build a successful business.

I have...

447 days ago, I found out I had cancer.

Last Monday, 445 days after my first scan, my PET scan came back negative. This doesn’t mean my journey is over: it means the treatments I have received, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, have been very effective. I will likely get more treatments to “consolidate” – e.g. “wrap up” – everything, but, overall, this is great news. It means I have kicked cancer’s ass.

This is not a post about the lessons I’ve learned. I am still learning. There’s an old saying in Italy that goes like this: “life is a continuous exam”. I believe that’s true. How can I write about life when I’m still learning how to deal with it?

However, I would like to permanently pen two reminders, and some notes.

First off, keep in mind that while obtuse governments around the world are cutting research funds to fatten their other interests, science is that thing that beams a bunch...

“What do you do for a living, Federico?”

First conversations with doctors are awkward, particularly when you’re 23 and you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. Inevitably, you’ll talk with many doctors in many hospitals in many rooms with the same uncomfortable chairs and outdated Windows XP computers connected to printers that make terrible rattles. And your parents will be there every time as well.

You’re going to have to answer questions about your name, address, habits, and, yes, what you do for a living, while your parents whisper the answers with you. But since I was diagnosed with cancer 12 months ago, every time a doctor arrived at “What do you do for a living?” my parents remained silent, turning to look at me. He’s got to answer this one.

Fill in the job field

It’s November 2011, and I’m about to have surgery to get a lymph node removed. Doctors are expecting it to be fairly...

Myke Hurley of the 70Decibels network was kind enough to invite me as a guest on his podcast CMD+Space.

I think the episode turned out great. We discuss a lot of topics including my app setup, tech journalism, learning English with Game Boy games, and communicating with people using iMessage.

Listen here.

Ryan Cash has written one of the posts I’ve always wanted to publish some day.

Why are sounds of smartphones or computers always wrong in TV shows and movies?

One of the main characters, Andy, calls and leaves a voicemail for his mother using an iPhone 4 or 4S (couldn’t tell from looking at it). When he “hangs up his iPhone”, the phone makes a beep sound as he presses the “End” call button. This is doubly wrong – the iPhone doesn’t make any sound when hanging up a call, nor does it ever make this particular sound (or one like it) at any time.

I honestly have no idea why the TV and movie industry thinks it’s better to “fake” sounds. The only theory I have is that pictures shown on screen also need a sound feedback to communicate action.

Another thing that annoys me: when, during phone calls in TV shows or movies, the screen isn’t locked by the proximity sensor, indicating the call...

Manton’s amazing collection of 450 tweets after Steve Jobs died a year ago. I remember that first @AP tweet like yesterday.

But, in all this, you know what’s great?

That hundreds of those tweets were created on devices Steve invented.

Steve’s legacy lives with us.

Every day.

This is great news for all GY!BE fans out there.

On a more unfortunate note for fans of good music, Foo Fighters are now on hiatus (via MG Siegler).

Oceanhorn is the iOS game I’m most excited about. If only for that Wind Waker feel that reminds me why WW is my favorite Zelda ever made.

Check out the gameplay video below, and the developers’ blog here. I can’t wait for this.

Emil Protalinski at The Next Web:

App.net today announced new pricing options. First off, there’s a new $5 per month member plan. Secondly, and more importantly for existing members, the current price has dropped from $50 per year to $36 per year.

Interesting timing for App.net. Just as the initial buzz and user adoption somewhat slowed down, they’re coming out with a lower annual fee and a more convenient monthly plan. More details are available over at the App.net blog.

Clearly now is the right moment for Twitter-like services. I’m on App.net, but I’m also keeping an eye on Tent.