My name is Stephen Hackett. I live in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. My wife and I have three kids and a cat named Albert Queso.
I’ve been writing this site since 2008. The sidebar says that it’s “a blog about things that light up and make noise.” I write about computer history, space, modern technology, and more.
I am a nerd for a living, and have been self-employed since 2015. You can learn more about my various projects below.
Podcasting
In 2014, Myke Hurley and I co-founded the Relay podcast network. We have shows with topics ranging from Apple and Google to pens and feelings. We get to work with the best people in the business.
I co-host Connected with Myke Hurley and Federico Viticci of MacStories.. The podcast is a weekly panel discussion on Apple and the impact of technology on our lives. We each have a unique accent and perspective, making Connected special. And weird.
Since 2019, the Relay community has raised nearly $5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause near and dear to my heart.
Cross Forward
I work with David Smith on Widgetsmith, Pedometer++, and Sleep++. I run a growing team of folks working on David’s apps and get to play designer, marketer, business manager, and whatever else needs to be done.
More About 512 Pixels:
Here’s how you can follow along:
- Subscribe via RSS.
- via Bluesky
- via Mastodon
People often ask me what the name “512 Pixels” means. The original Macintosh’s screen was 512 pixels across, making the screen resolution 72 DPI. The Mac’s GUI paved the way for computers and design as we know them today. Here are some links that you may enjoy:
- Every default macOS wallpaper, with the old ones remastered for our modern Retina age.
- I have assembled a detailed screenshot collection of every major version of macOS.
- Aqua and Bondi is my book about the early days of Mac OS X and how it was made possible by the iMac G3. Download it here for free.
- You can see a list of gear I use here. This page also shows off photos of my studio. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Contact
I’m not on social media much these days, but you can keep up with what I’m doing by visiting my Now page, but if you do want to follow my accounts, they are here:
You can email me at stephen@hackett.fm. I don’t accept faxes.