justin․searls․co
Breaking Change artwork
Available where all fine podcasts are sold
Sometimes, I put down my keyboard and pick up my microphone to record a solo podcast that I like to call Breaking Change. It's an intermittent series of long-form discussions on whatever's happening in my little corner of life and technology. Each episode also features a hand-crafted pun delivered to us by Aaron "@tenderlove" Patterson and then I rank the pun on air. So that's fun.
More about "Breaking Change"

Should I listen to it?

If you like to listen to podcasts while you do the dishes, walk the dog, or drive from A to B, and you enjoy blazing hot takes marinated in uncomfortably personal banter about Apple rumors, AAA gaming, whatever's streaming on TV, and life as a programmer, then yes!

If you like tightly-produced, heavily-sponsored, 30 minute panel discussions on a narrow topic, keep moving.

Solo? No cohost? Just you?

They are unusual, for sure. The podcast has a real drive time radio feel, which has become something of a lost in the current era that seems to dictate all podcasts must be interviews and panel discussions. Trust me, I have plenty of voices in my head for the both of us. When you're listening to Breaking Change, It's just me and you out there.

How do I get my ideas into the show?

Have a question you want me to answer or a hot take and want me to react to? Shoot me an e-mail at podcast@searls.co and I'll try to fit it on the next show! I read each and every e-mail.

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Invite or suggest Justin as a guest!
I also have a second podcast called Merge Commits. It's a cool new interview show where the only rule is that I'm always the guest.
More about "Merge Commits"

Wait, what is this?

A podcast that does nothing but mirror my appearances on other people's podcasts.

What? Why?

Well, sometimes I get interviewed as a guest on other podcasts, and I didn't necessarily want to throw them on the main Breaking Change feed. Breaking Change is designed to be an inclusive potty-mouthed podcast that never gets too technical, and if episodes started showing up in my cousin Jay's feed that were nothing but API technobabble, he'd probably unsubscribe. And to be honest, my ego needs every subscriber I can get.

Should I subscribe?

Two reasons you might want to subscribe to Merge Commits:

  1. You are a Justin Searls superfan, and you would like to consume every morsel of content I excrete (also: gross)
  2. You want to discovering new podcasts that occupy my particular corner of the Internet

If neither of these are particularly appealing to you, DO NOT SUBSCRIBE to Merge Commits. I want to be very clear about that.


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Changelog: My Siri Theory

Merge Commits

Had a blast, as usual, joining my Changelog friends for a vigorous discussion of Apple's Intelligence struggles and the tumultuous state of the software industry.

It's also on YouTube:

Appearing on: The Changelog
Recorded on: 2025-03-18
Original URL: https://changelog.com/friends/85

Comments? Questions? Suggestion of a podcast I should guest on? podcast@searls.co

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v33 - Apathetic Intelligence

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I hope you ordered your podcast spicy, because this version is a slow heat, but it builds. I was pretty fired up by the end of this one. If I crossed a line here, please report it to HR at podcast@searls.co and they will conduct an investigation.

Video of this edition of the show is up on YouTube.

I tossed this bouquet of URLs in the air but no one caught them:

Show those show notes…

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v32 - Large Lemon Model

Breaking Change

Turns out I'd accidentally been letting some of your e-mail get filtered as junk mail. I want to be clear that I don't think you're junk, Apple does. Write in with your feelings to podcast@searls.co and I'll read it, assuming I get it.

Video of this edition of the show is up on YouTube.

Without further ado, links!

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v31 - Full Searls Driving

Breaking Change

Update: This is the first version of Breaking Change available in 4K video. Check it out on YouTube.

The one where Justin picks the perfect time to buy his first Tesla vehicle.

Sometimes the things I say and do make people feel things. Share those feelings with me at this e-mail address: podcast@searls.co. Whatever you're feeling, I'll read it and do my best to acknowledge it. I also may read it on air. Unless you ask me not to, in which case I won't.

Okay, so anyway, there are links to be lunked:

Show those show notes…

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v30 - Mall of the Gulf of America

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If you're here for the spicy, good news: you're gettin' it spicy.

I am usually joking, but I mean it this time: I'm going to stop doing this podcast if you don't write in to podcast@searls.co. Give me proof of life, that's all I need. I won't even read it on air if you don't want!

If you're not bored yet, click the links:

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v29 - Super Switch

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In this episode: Justin goes to a birthday party, drives a Tesla, and configures your BIOS.

The compliments department is, as always, available at podcast@searls.co.

Have some URLs:

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v28 - Do you regret it yet?

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I don't normally do this, but content warning, this episode talks at length about death and funerals and, while I continue to approach everything with an inappropriate degree of levity, if that's something you're not game to listen to right now, go ahead and skip the first hour of this one.

Recommend me your favorite show or video game at podcast@searls.co and I will either play/watch it or lie and say I did. Thanks!

Now: links and transcript:

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v27 - The Punsort Algorithm

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HEADS UP: This one has a video version in case you'd prefer to watch that!

HEADS UP SEVEN UP: Here's a spoiler-free link to this year's puns as they existed prior to this recording.

Welcome to a very special Holiday Edition of Breaking Change: our first annual Breaking Change Punsort! Today, we're joined by a surprise guest! Want to know who it is? You'll just have to listen and find out. Yes, it's Aaron.

As always, you can e-mail the show at podcast@searls.co. If you enjoyed this episode and want to see a second annual edition next year, let me know! If you don't write in, I'll stop—because editing multiple speakers plus video is a massive pain in the ass.

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v26 - Luigi's Mansion

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I'd write more here, but I've got places to be. Becky, Jeremy, and I are going to engage in some holiday festivities. We have a couple gingerbread houses to make and a tree to trim. And no nog to speak of. Really, that's all you get by way of show notes this time as a result, deal with it.

Send your complaints to podcast@searls.co and they will be read on air.

Some bullet points below the fold:

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v25 - Ghost Engineering

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I left the country for a few weeks to get that taste out of my mouth but now I'm back and as salty as ever. Brace yourself.

I made a pretty strong appeal that you should e-mail the show at podcast@searls.co, so I won't repeat myself here. DO IT. DO IT NOW.

Hopefully I'll be back at least once more before we call it for 2024. Stay tuned. 📻

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v24 - Prophylactic Jet Lag

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TIL that 4 AM is way too goddamn early to record a podcast. Apologies if I'm more chipper than usual, that's probably the coffee talking.

Had some great e-mails this show. You should keep the streak alive and mouth off with your fingers at podcast@searls.co.

Savor this version, folks. Gonna be at least a few weeks until you'll have another one.

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v23 - M4 Supermax

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It is Wednesday, my dudes! This is normally a weekend listen, but there are new Macs to talk about. I wanted to give you the absolute freshest, least accurate information I can about all these neat new computers that I WILL NOT BE BUYING BECAUSE TIM COOK IS A COWARD.

Write something you want to say in all caps over at podcast@searls.co and maybe I'll scream it on the show!

Inside-voice links follow:

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v22 - Coming to VHS

Breaking Change

Welcome to this podcast which, by now, you have probably decided you either listen to or don't listen to! And if you don't listen to it, one wonders why you are reading this.

Remember to write in at podcast@searls.co with suggestions for news stories and whatever you'd like me to talk about. Please keep it PG-rated or NC-17 rated. I want nothing in between.

Family-friendly and/or sexually explicit links follow:

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v21 - Not From Backup

Breaking Change

Get ready for a three-hour-plus Breaking Change spectacular! Why is it special? I'm not going to tell you. You'll just have to listen.

Remember, money doesn't change hands when you consume this Content™, but that doesn't make it free! In exchange for downloading this MP3, the license requires you to write in to podcast@searls.co at least once every three episodes. Some of y'all are past due, and I know where to find you.

Want URLs? I got URLs:

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v20 - Mandatory Stealth

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There have now been 20 major versions since the initial release of Breaking Change, but this is one of the less bad ones. It was substantially improved by friend of the show, Eric Doggett, who helped out with mixing!

If you have strong feelings about anything you hear, you know where to stuff those feelings (other than "deep, deep down"): podcast@searls.co.

Spicier-than-usual show notes follow:

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v19 - Feature Complete

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It is me, I am back! And after working too hard and becoming too dull I'm finally done* with that big app I've been working on.

I'm running behind on e-mails and need your best and worst takes for the next episode: podcast@searls.co.

Find out what that asterisk refers to below:

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v18 - Arriving today by 10 PM

Breaking Change

Boy, have I got a great show for you today! I guess. You be the judge.

If you listen to the podcast, please rate it on a scale from Good Charlotte to My Chemical Romance at podcast@searls.co.

The following links are included with your subscription:

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v17 - Shallow Tissue Massage

Breaking Change

I hope you like stories about moaning during a couples massage, bugs with Apple's Home Key system, and when it's OK to duplicate code in software. Because that's most of what I got this time.

Not enough of you are writing in, and if you don't start soon I am going to CANCEL this PODCAST production PERMANENTLY: podcast@searls.co. (Write in or else.)

Some proof of work:

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v16 - No Politics Allowed

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Big day: now with transition music! 🎶

There's one topic that's been dominating headlines for the last two weeks, but if you want to hear about it you'll have to look elsewhere! That's because Breaking Change is a safe space. So listen up and let's find other things to get mad about.

Do you have opinions about politics? Do you want to share them with an Internet friend? Now's your chance: podcast@searls.co. (Other topics also welcome.)

I heard you like links:

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v15 - An E Ink iPod Touch

Breaking Change

I bought a new gadget! And it runs Android! And I don't hate it!

Tell me about things you hate and don't hate and I might just read your feelings on air, for others to have opinions about! The e-mail, as always, is podcast@searls.co.

Sources below:

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