Amiga Lagoon and the enduring power of marine aquarium screen savers

Long before anyone was teetotaling screen time like it was some kind of vice, we once stared into our displays for no reason at all, as long as possible. Friends, I’m here to tell you that that dream is alive, and everything from your latest smartphone to computer to flat panel TV can again come to life as a virtual undersea world. And for aquarium love, no one compares to computer artist Jim Sachs.

1996 peak Microsoft chillwave: if you heard it at all, you only heard it once

Move over, Brian Eno. “Velkommen” by Stan LePard is 90s Microsoft chillwave at its best. But like catching a fleeting glimpse of Brigadoon, for many years this song was heard over Microsoft installations and then lost to time–until passionate fans archived it for the ages. Even if that happened before you were born, you owe it to yourself to experience the supreme calm that only this track can bring.

Peter Kirn - July 16, 2025

The best Microsoft Songsmith mash-ups, from an age before generative AI

Wait – maybe that’s the worst mash-ups. They’re so bad they’re good, though. Microsoft Research Songsmith, a 2009 automatic accompaniment software that worked with monophonic vocal input, was best known for its viral, cringeworthy promo video. But long before generative AI came on the scene, Songsmith also gave us these. Queen – I’m sorry. Rewind/flashback time…

Peter Kirn - May 30, 2025

Read this story of how the original Xbox startup sound was created

Peter Kirn - October 20, 2021

Notch just added killer NVIDIA Broadcast support with cool features like body tracking

Peter Kirn - April 12, 2021

Azure Kinect promises new motion, sensing for art

Peter Kirn - March 1, 2019

The vaporwave Windows 98 startup sound remix no one asked for

Peter Kirn - June 27, 2018

Cakewalk SONAR DAW for Windows is back – and it’s now free

Peter Kirn - April 4, 2018

Now, DJing with a giant touchscreen using djay, Surface Studio, Surface Dial

Peter Kirn - April 11, 2017