Starting the year off right with a few big features
Words and videos and other similar stuff you won't find anywhere else.
Happy New Year, everyone. Sorry for being quiet there for the last month. I was trying my hardest to take some time away in December to recover from an exceptionally, rewardingly busy year. How busy? I submitted north of 200 features, reviews, exclusives, and videos for 38 outlets in 2023, totaling just shy of 290,000 words of written content. As a writer, it was my most productive year ever.
I wrapped up the year feeling incredibly thankful to get that kind of support from so many editors and outlets in my first full year of freelancing. That’s especially true given I can't tell you how many of those editors over the year had their freelance budgets culled in 2023. Matching those numbers in 2024 will be a real challenge, but I'll do my best, and I'm happy to say we're off to a good start.
An Exclusive Look at Starmatter Vision - The Verge
Verge Motorcycles has already designed an electric motorcycle that looks like no other on the road, and this morning, they're unveiling a six-camera, two-radar safety system unlike anything found on two wheels. When the Verge TS Ultra launches later this year, it'll alert drivers of threats around them, and I got an exclusive first look for The Verge. (No relation.)
Releasing the Lost Vectrex Game - Ars Technica
This was the last big feature I tackled last year, a fun adventure tracing the discovery and release of a game called A Crush of Lucifer. It came to market nearly 40 years after its console, The Vectrex, died prematurely at retail. Its circuitous path to release involves no shortage of chance, intrigue, and ultimately a lot of dedication. To trace the story, I interviewed the folks involved and traveled down to Hartford to see some of the early prototypes myself. You won't find this story anywhere else.
Prusa XL 3D Printer Review - Engadget
Look out, I'm back on the gadget review video scene. I ordered a Prusa XL two years ago, and it finally showed up at the end of last year. I'm initially blown away by the quality but disappointed by more than a few other aspects. Check out my impressions (and my garage) on Engadget’s YouTube channel.
Advanced ADAS Roundup - TechCrunch
This one dropped at the tail end of last year, but I still wanted to include it here because it took me months to pull together all the cars and seat time to make this happen. It's an in-depth comparison of today's most advanced, mostly hands-off driver assistance systems from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla. I don't pick a winner, but you get no bonus points for guessing the loser.