Lego's Smart Brick introduces a fusion of physical building and responsive tech, using NFC tiles and sensors to turn classic bricks into interactive experiences—like transforming into a Star Wars X-Wing or triggering sound effects. While promising, concerns linger about whether Lego will limit user customization to push proprietary sets. Meanwhile, Casey Newton shares his reflective approach to productivity: annual self-reviews, daily journaling, and a 'blips' system that resurfaces random ideas for deeper exploration. He pairs this with AI tools like Claude Code, which he uses to build web projects and analyze personal archives, showing how AI can support—not replace—thoughtful work. On e-readers, while modern models offer faster performance and better features, older devices that still function well don’t need replacing, challenging the notion of forced upgrades.