Currently working at Google. Formerly Verge, Android Central, PreCentral, iMore, etc. Posts about bikes, tech, and whether or not today is Friday.https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3mllsx32ql224We have begun rolling out End-to-End Encryption for RCS across Android and iOS. This is a huge milestone for privacy, making messaging more secure in the default apps so many people use. https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/android-ios-end-to-end-encrypted-rcs-messaging/11 May 2026 17:39 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mllsx32ql224https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3mle2bzmpe22qMe: electronic shifting is nice I guess, but I'm happy with mechanical for the most part and like that I don't have to remember to charge another thing. Me after re-indexing Di2 once: Wait, what? This took literally one minute. What? WHAT? what. wut. I .... I am converted.08 May 2026 15:29 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mle2bzmpe22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3ml4oq573w224The Android Show: I/O Edition! May 12th, 10am PT. It's going to be a big one! You won't want to miss it. Sign up to get notified: https://www.android.com/new-features-on-android/io-2026/05 May 2026 17:13 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4oq573w224https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m7ge4aba2s2aIt is only when all hope is lost and you are staring the inevitable emptiness of the universe in the face that you can be truly free. You realize meaning is impossible yet still created through absurdity. Give up on thought and act with purpose where no purpose exists. All is folly! Skol Vikings [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Dec 2025 20:28 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7ge4aba2s2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m6uwb4fdtk2elol vikings30 Nov 2025 22:05 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6uwb4fdtk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m6uwb4fdtk2elol vikings30 Nov 2025 22:05 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6uwb4fdtk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m6l2cpepdk26Seeking absolution for buying the Metal Gear Solid bundle for Switch 2 and playing it for the first time and thinking I ain't got time for this old ass game with its antiquated controls. Sorry @reckless.bsky.social26 Nov 2025 23:50 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6l2cpepdk26https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m6d4g5thwk2aSeems bad [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Nov 2025 20:07 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6d4g5thwk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m5a56yxjrk2cGolden Gate Park > Central Park and it's not even close.09 Nov 2025 22:18 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5a56yxjrk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m5a3ixf2uc2cGot excited by the Vikings last week? That would have been a ...False Start09 Nov 2025 21:47 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5a3ixf2uc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m4o5gfh2k22q14 unanswered points. The Minnesota Vikings are BACK*! . . . . (*to giving fans hope they can compete before ultimately crushing their dreams at the end)02 Nov 2025 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4o5gfh2k22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m4mlj757hk2clol02 Nov 2025 03:41 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4mlj757hk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m3l4i6p75s2hLo, as was foretold by the sages, the Vikes hath Viked19 Oct 2025 20:14 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3l4i6p75s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3m2hkbnjvdc2lVikings ....didn't vike? I'm confused.05 Oct 2025 16:45 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2hkbnjvdc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lzwcrvsd6k2wI'd like to say vikes gonna vike but the essence of vike is to make you believe it's worth having hope in the first place. So what the vikes have viked is the very concept of vike.28 Sep 2025 20:15 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzwcrvsd6k2whttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lytjtknii227You learn more from your failures than your successes15 Sep 2025 00:18 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lytjtknii227https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lyswyea5oc27Maybe it's because I replayed Hollow Knight again last month and Got Gud (lol I did not), but I'm not finding Silksong to be that much harder? Or maybe: when your video game skill is like a 5, the delta between 8 and 10 difficulty is harder to perceive?14 Sep 2025 18:41 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyswyea5oc27https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lyqeijaups2aLazy / stupid question: is there a bank that lets you link your credit card to your checking account for ATMs? I swear I had this, long ago: a credit card that, when I put it in an ATM, let me choose to withdraw from checking, savings, or credit. I'm sure the reason I don't today is shenanigans13 Sep 2025 18:05 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyqeijaups2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lyeqky4ack2wJJ good09 Sep 2025 03:09 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyeqky4ack2whttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lxn4dvvljs2nI feel like I should get some kind of credit or points for writing out a whole post and then deciding against it and hitting cancel. No drafts, no nothing. Just putting it out there for likes from the universe instead of my followers.30 Aug 2025 17:36 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxn4dvvljs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lxfiiziwjx2aWell there goes my afternoon: I will be playing Watch Face Designer for Wear OS. It's a plugin for Figma that lets you craft watch faces right there and then export directly to Android Studio, to an APK, or even view directly on your device. https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/introducing-watch-face-designer.html27 Aug 2025 16:52 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxfiiziwjx2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lxd5lwxzmz2tHey look it's the new Android statue!26 Aug 2025 18:32 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxd5lwxzmz2thttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lwzdaqe6o225When I learned that the new Pixel 10 phones all support magnetic accessories and wireless charging without a case, I knew exactly what to do... https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eeGmDZ9IEgc22 Aug 2025 20:46 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwzdaqe6o225https://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lwrwg4kn4h2kWhoa am I first in line for Made by Google? Nice! 😎 There is only a little under 19 hours to go... hm wait where is everybody?19 Aug 2025 22:08 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwrwg4kn4h2khttps://bsky.app/profile/backlon.com/post/3lwf3wivtn524well well well https://youtube.com/shorts/9E2MYNyFXbs?feature=share14 Aug 2025 19:42 +0000at://did:plc:b72mon4ln5m6faftk4ln74d4/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwf3wivtn524