Mastodawn

Jason Snell Dec 8, 2023

This guy posted that the iPod Hi-Fi was the original iPod Dock and it generated a lot of copycats. When I pointed out it wasn't true he ran away, tried to redefine the topic, and insulted me.

I'll just say it here: I don't know who this dude is, but I wouldn't trust a word that comes out of his mouth or on his social media feeds. He's apparently selling Apple posters (does he have the rights?) and fancies himself an expert on Apple design.

He sure seems like a phony to me.

Update: He's blocked me on Twitter and Threads now. I have no idea if he's plying his trade on Mastodon, too.

Eshu Marneedi Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell He sure is: https://mastodon.design/@darius/111538107014173826

Michael Darius (@[email protected])

It’s been 26 years since the Think Different campaign was first launched in 1997. Consider this the 25 year silver anniversary we never had. https://darius.design/thinkdifferent2024

mastodon.design

Elliot Shank Dec 8, 2023

@EshuMarneedi Oof.

Mike Noe Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell This Snell fella doesn't know what an Apple big shot I am! Probably.

Cabel Sasser Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell A few fun facts:

• presents icons and ui work on his site he had nothing to do with
• claims to be a ‘protege’ of Steve Jobs, come on man
• used an ai generated Steve Jobs voice to give a fake “keynote speech” for a project of his, one of the most tasteless things i’ve ever witnessed
• posted to twitter some beautiful teacup icons he “made” and when I replied to ask why he’s not saying they’re A.I. generated he hid my comment

Just red flag city all the way down

Matt VanOrmer Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @jsnell idk seems like a very authentic and totally real person to me

Zoe Knox Dec 8, 2023

@mvo @cabel @jsnell we need a 4 hour video essay about this guy now

@zmk @mvo @cabel @jsnell the four hours should just be part one of the video series

Jason Snell Dec 8, 2023

@cabel Yeah, I mean his profile seemed super questionable before, but I couldn't help but call him on the outright fabrication about an event I attended during a time I know quite well.

Pierre-Luc Gagné Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell @cabel If I had to assemble the Dream Team of Apple knowledge you’d be my first pick. You’re always right, and when you’re wrong you always know you’re guessing. How can this guy even hope to scold you?

I’d even pick you above Steve Jobs. That dude had forgotten anything that wasn’t a decades-long gripe against a guy.

Michael Stanclift Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell @cabel but he's verified on Twitter, so that's something.

Max Leibman has moved!Dec 8, 2023

@vmstan @jsnell @cabel Yep! Proves he has at least $8 a month of disposable income*.

(* ~ I’m sure it’s not $8 a month anymore but I have a strict policy of not going to Twitter even to fact-check things.)

Philipp Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell @cabel I think you should shine some light on this guy. Should be easy to find out if her ever worked at Apple, no?

Cabel Sasser Dec 8, 2023

@eierund @jsnell He HAS worked at Apple, but what I’ve heard is that (allegedly) his accomplishments are being wildly overstated by him. The problem is, of course, you’ll never get an Apple employee to say that on the record — which makes for a very convenient window of grifting opportunity (allegedly).

Philipp Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @jsnell aww man that’s super gross. Glad the two of you are throwing m a little bit of a spotlight onto the situation, though. Maybe Apple will at least come down hard on his poster sales ;)

Jonathan Reed Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @eierund @jsnell Maybe we crowd fund £398 and get Jason to ask him everything for an hour…

🔥 Tom Swift 🔥Dec 8, 2023

@jonathanreed @cabel @eierund @jsnell 👍🤣

Philipp Dec 8, 2023

@jonathanreed @cabel @jsnell omg!!! I’d totally chip in but it would probably be a waste of money. People like that would never but themselves in such danger. Jason would destroy him within the first 10 minutes 😂

Alex Griffiths Dec 9, 2023

@jonathanreed @cabel @eierund @jsnell I suspect we’d have to pay Jason a hell of a lot more than that to put up with this guy for an hour.

🔥 Tom Swift 🔥Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @eierund @jsnell Maybe someone is impersonating him 😄

Uhl Albert Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @eierund @jsnell Just take a look at their LinkedIn profile. Even if all those achievements are true, the self-centeredness and grandiose claims are troubling.

Kenny Dec 9, 2023

@uhl @cabel @eierund @jsnell that sure seems AI generated too

Drew Pickard Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @eierund @jsnell

I had suspected as much. Dude is sniffing his own farts.
Thank you for confirming with the birdies. I could not get over his preposterous . . . everything.

One of his recent posts includes around 50(!?)nice comments from colleagues but also . . . his wife?!

Philipp Dec 9, 2023

@drewpickard @cabel @jsnell he also seems to have posted some Airbnb reviews on his review page 😂

Drew Pickard Dec 9, 2023

@eierund @cabel @jsnell
Are you serious?
Hahahaha

Philipp Dec 9, 2023

@drewpickard @cabel @jsnell yep. His testimonial page: https://bento.me/testimonials

James "Jim" Ed Randson

Student at Indonesia Open University, Linux Enthusiasm, Graphics Designer, and newbie at Psychology. He/Him. Also VCC/VTuber at YouTube.

Bento

(((Jann Gobble)))🏳️‍🌈Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @jsnell C'mon, Cabel... he claims to be a "protégé" of Steve Jobs - not "protege". There's a difference to people like him! 😂

Steven Huang Dec 8, 2023

- “unparalleled design journey at Apple”, eclipsing Jony Ive
- “drove the formation of the HIG” that dates back at least to 1987, 12y before he joined
- claims 9 patents (key Apple designers typically have dozens) but not even listed as inventor on any that I could see
- left Apple just as work on iPhone was kicking into gear, so either not invited or didn’t see its potential
- puts Apple logo in LinkedIn user name

Jason Petersen (he)Dec 8, 2023

@cabel that third bullet point is well beyond a red flag. OK people sometimes have red flags. No one does that third thing who is a good person, that is outright deranged.

Craig Hockenberry Dec 8, 2023

@cabel @jsnell DUDE HAS GREAT HAND ON CHIN GAME THO

charlesesmith Dec 9, 2023

@chockenberry @cabel @jsnell Steve Jobs Protogé! Missed some points for no glasses, no turtleneck, and absolutely zero taste.

Mark Metzger Dec 9, 2023

@cabel @jsnell …and he disrespected Jason.

Jason Snell Dec 9, 2023

@markmetzger @cabel

Alphacheez Dec 9, 2023

@cabel @jsnell trying to persuade and influence people with colorful bullshit is straight out of the Steve Jobs playbook, but Steve knew when he really had something compelling and this guy doesn't seem to have a sliver of that insight, skill, or charisma

Todd Vaziri Dec 9, 2023

@cabel @jsnell MY GOODNESS

David Friedman Dec 9, 2023

@cabel This is embarrassing. And for sale!

Michael Knepprath Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell not very protege-of-steve-jobs of him

John Cutler Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell I’m guessing you’re the “journalist” he’s complaining about. 😂

Chancerubbage Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell but really- is that a lush position, ‘king of all tech?’

Steve Marshall Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell He is! He’s at-darius on mastodon.design. His LinkedIn profile is… quite a thing. By his telling, he was responsible for:

- Apple’s “first webmail system” as per of .Mac (no mention of iTools’ webmail)
- The visual language for iLife/iWork
- Apple winning 4 Red Dot awards (one each for iLife, Panther, and Tiger; fourth not listed)
- And more!

He also left Apple 2 years prior to the iPod Hi-Fi launching.

Interestingly, he *is* connected to someone I know at Apple who was there then.

Michael Stanclift Dec 9, 2023

@stevemarshall @jsnell @jeff I have some friends that tout working in Apple retail like they were responsible for the creation of iPhone. 😏

Jeff C. 🇺🇦🇬🇱Dec 9, 2023

@vmstan @stevemarshall @jsnell To be fair, he’s the designer behind iTools, .Mac, and iLife.

THE designer. They entrusted these things' soul-infusing to nobody else.

If none other than Jony Ive could have a healthy respect for him, why shouldn’t we?

😂

Paul Chernoff Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell I looked at his company web page and did search on the Internet and . . . weird. I never heard of him, more important, you never heard of him.

Joe Beam Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell why are you still on Twitter(X)?
There is no good reason to still be on there.

Jason Snell Dec 8, 2023

@JoeBeam Basically just sports twitter. (Today is Ohtani day, maybe?) I took this guy on over there largely because I discovered he was cross posting and I wanted to shine some light on his false statements in a place where he's making them.

Joe Beam Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell you are only feeding the right wing troll supreme, Musk. There still no good reason to be on there considering what an horrible racist person he is and the awful people he enables on that platform.

Jason Snell Dec 8, 2023

@JoeBeam I gave you my answer, I'm not interested in your opinion about how I use it.

Joe Beam Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell
I am no longer interested in your opinions, since they are without a moral compass. Your podcasts are no longer listened to by me.
Bye

Christof Stadler Dec 9, 2023

@JoeBeam @jsnell Wow. So still using X means having no moral compass? What about driving a Tesla (me)? That’s an interesting approach to categorize humanity.

Andrew Laurence Dec 8, 2023

@jsnell he is, same handle at mastodon dot design

Stefan in Sweden Dec 9, 2023

@jsnell - almost too easy to fact check and then they run away and block you - love your work!