Hard Fork

Our 2026 Tech Resolutions + We Answer Your Questions

Kevin Roose & Casey Newton
2 Jan 2026 22 min read 1h 28m
TL;DR

Kevin and Casey share their 2026 tech resolutions: Kevin commits to mastering short-form video to meet audiences where they are, while Casey vows to stick with his finally-perfected productivity system using the Capacities app with AI-powered 'blip' tracking for story research. Both reflect on how finding purpose and presence—rather than chasing productivity hacks or meditation apps—proved more effective than traditional self-help in 2025.

Key Moments
Casey Newton
“I am afraid I would have to categorize this one as a major flop.”
Casey reveals his 2025 meditation resolution failed despite good intentions and the help of Claude AI
▶ 1:31
Kevin Roose
“Everything is TV. Now, this is not a point that I am uh coming up with. Derrick Thompson recently had a very good post about this sort of shift of every platform, every social media experience is now sort of becoming dominated by video and specifically short form video.”
Kevin explains his 2026 resolution to get good at short-form video as a journalist
▶ 8:28
Kevin Roose
“I am going to um be where I am uh in in the broadest sense. Like I think one thing that has stood out to me, you know, we've spent the the year like talking with important and successful people and um one thing that always strikes me when I meet these people is that they are never looking at their phone when they're talking to you.”
Kevin shares his personal 2026 resolution to practice presence and monotasking
▶ 13:21
Casey Newton
“I think I've cracked it, Kev. I think I've cracked it. Okay. So, I want to tell you about this and I hope you don't find this too boring.”
Casey introduces his productivity system resolution, declaring he's finally found a system that works
▶ 15:10
Casey Newton
“And so I think if you want to be serious about this, the first thing you have to ask yourself is like, well, what are your actual goals? And over the past year, I feel like I figured out what I actually want out of this system and then I built the dang thing.”
Casey explains his philosophy behind building a sustainable productivity system in Capacities
▶ 15:58
About the show
›
Hard Fork is the New York Times' flagship podcast exploring the intersection of technology, culture, and society. Hosted by tech columnist Kevin Roose and Platformer's Casey Newton, the show tackles emerging tech trends—from AI and crypto to social media and startups—with sharp analysis and humor. Each episode combines breaking news coverage with deeper investigations into how technology reshapes our world.
Takeaways
1
**Short-form video isn't just hype—it's inevitable for journalists** Kevin argues that platforms are shifting decisively toward video content, and journalists should stop resisting and instead figure out how to do it authentically rather than letting influencers and low-quality creators dominate the space. This isn't about going viral or adopting gimmicks, but finding ways to deliver substantive journalism in formats where audiences actually are.
2
**Purpose beats productivity tools every time** Both hosts discovered in 2025 that reconnecting with their sense of purpose—attending events, writing books, meeting interesting people—did more for burnout and focus than any meditation app or productivity system. Tools are only as good as the clarity of goals and sense of meaning they support.
3
**Build systems around your actual needs, then lock in** Casey's 2026 resolution to stop switching productivity tools reflects a matured understanding: spend time identifying what you actually need (journaling, lightweight task management, narrative tracking via 'blips'), build a system around that, then commit to it for a year rather than chasing incremental improvements. Stability in your system infrastructure yields more returns than constant optimization.