2026-08-15 -  From Thomas Tuchel's dissatisfaction with a winning England performance to a man running in the 35-degree Austin sun – this month's Field Notes is about doing things properly, even in difficult conditions.

2026-08-09 -  Rising prices, diminishing generational leaps, and the slow death of physical media have stripped games consoles of their advantages. The days of PlayStation and Xbox as we know them may be numbered.

2026-08-02 -  Gianni Infantino has scrapped his plan to sell stakes in FIFA's competitions, including the World Cup, to investors. It was always the wrong idea – custodians don't get to sell what they're only trusted to protect.

2026-07-26 -  Software bloat went unchecked for decades because memory was cheap. Now it isn't, and consumers can't afford those same specs. Which way the industry turns next depends on values, not just technology.

2026-07-19 -  June in the UK was something of an endurance test, with temperatures regularly hitting the 30s. Also – reflections on my Amazon Kindle review a year on, and how to zero in on your most valuable work.

2026-07-12 -  Great products are built for users – not to chase new trends, save a few extra pennies, or restrict customer choice. Sometimes what seem like good ideas to executives and designers simply don’t stand up in real life.

2026-07-05 -  After two recent albums that felt like pale imitations, Muse have returned to their space rock roots with something raw, coherent, and genuinely emotional. A track-by-track review from a long-haul flight.

2026-06-28 -  This month's Field Notes flows from Formula 1 commentary to a Studio Ghibli stage adaptation to an elaborate royal dolls' house. What connects them all is craft, care, and people who refuse to cut corners.

2026-06-21 -  The UK government wants to ban social media for under-16s. The goal is reasonable, but there are more effective alternatives that don't require sacrificing privacy and anonymity for the rest of the population.

2026-06-14 -  The Online Safety Act brought age checks to websites. Now the government wants them built into your devices – removing anonymity that protects whistleblowers, dissidents, and honest personal writing.