About Sam Smart
Sam is a journalist based in Vancouver, BC. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in English literature with a minor in Creative Writing, cutting her teeth through her university newspaper and radio station. She's particularly interested in the audio side of tech, being a musician and a lover of music and podcasts. You can also find her work in Soundguys, Android Authority, Bon Appetit, and The Maple.
What was your first phone?
My first phone was a Samsung U740, the dual flip phone. In 2008 an older friend of mine had one and I was obsessed with the full keyboard and the hinge that allowed the phone to open two ways, so when I was finally able to get a phone of my own, I knew I needed that one. It lasted me until 2012, I had to keep the hinge together with duct tape and the screen worked only a quarter of the time by that point. I texted people with muscle memory, it was a whole thing!
When did your interest in technology begin?
I'd say my interest in tech began from early childhood, as a Gen Z-Millennial cusper I had pretty unfettered access to the internet from a young age and discovered a lot on my own. I taught myself HTML and CSS so I could customize my Neopets profile, and I became especially interested in audio tech when I got the iPod Classic I shared with my brother.
What tech products or categories are you most passionate about?
I'm super passionate about headphones, I have some strong opinions about design and fit, as well as sound quality. I am a bit of a wired headphones evangelist, but I do love really good Bluetooth headsets and earbuds too. I'm also really interested in microphones, I get super excited any time I get to mess around with a new microphone, especially ones with lots of pickup patterns or software options.
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This is the most beautiful cassette player I've ever seen
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The Fiio CP13 is the most beautiful cassette player I've ever seen
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