# 90: The Last Detail with Alex Cox

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2022-12-09
- Length: 1h 06m
- Episode: 90
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/90

## Summary

Alex Cox, host of podcasts including Do By Friday and Roboism, discusses the design, ergonomics, and cultural impact of the Game Boy Color with hosts Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt. They analyze the device's shift from the angular original Game Boy to a softer, more ergonomic form factor, its role in popularizing the late-90s 'clear plastic' aesthetic, and the evolution of Nintendo's industrial design philosophy. The conversation also covers the device's durability, the rise of accessory culture, and the enduring legacy of its physical controls.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=8) Introduction: Alex Cox and the Game Boy Color
- [5:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=344) Ergonomics and the Shift from Appliance to Toy
- [25:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=1521) The Clear Plastic Aesthetic and 90s Design Trends
- [32:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=1970) PCB Design and the 'Hacker' Visual Style
- [38:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=2283) Ergonomic Tensions in Portable Gaming
- [44:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=2642) Screen Technology and the Analog Pocket
- [48:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=2881) Nintendo's Design Philosophy and the Switch
- [57:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-12-09-90-the-last-detail-with-alex-cox#t=3440) Dieter Rams Principles Applied to the Game Boy Color

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Game Boy Color (product)
- Nintendo (company)
- Game Boy Pocket (product)
- Pokemon Crystal (product)
- Analog Pocket (product)
- iMac G3 (product)
- Nintendo Switch (product)
- Nintendo DS (product)
- GameCube (product)
- PlayStation (product)
- Steam Deck (product)
- Panic (company)
- Playdate (product)
- Dieter Rams (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 13 - Next Generation Gaming Consoles (11/28)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-28-afterschool-podcast-episode-13-next-generation-gaming-consoles-11-28) (Core77 Podcast)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 8 - Neven Mrgan (10/7)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-05-afterschool-podcast-episode-8-neven-mrgan-10-7) (Core77 Podcast)
- [407: Mutant Cough](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2023-08-11-407-mutant-cough) (Making It)
- [NeXT, Objective-C, and contrasting histories](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2021-07-06-next-objective-c-and-contrasting-histories) (Oxide and Friends)
- [An Interview with Ben Heck(endorn)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-04-28-an-interview-with-ben-heck-endorn) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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