About Tom Merritt
Jul 5th 2007
Tom anchors the daily tech news show Tech news Today on the TWiT network as well as hosting special live news coverage and other events.
From 2004 until 2010 Tom was executive editor for CNET TV at CNET.com. He hosted the daily Buzz Out Loud podcast and a weekly how-to show called The Real Deal. In addition, Tom hosted regular segments on CNET TV like Top 5, How-to, Hacks, and more.
Tom served as executive producer for TechTV’s website until 2004. He started at ZDTV as Producer of The Screen Savers website in 1999.
Tom has run SuBBrilliant.com since 1996. It is a collection of Web experiments including SuBBrilliant News, a parody news blog, and the East Meets West podcast which features Roger Chang and airs weekly on the TWiT network.
Tom also co-hosts several independent podcasts. Sword and Laser is a science fiction and fantasy podcast and book club with Veronica Belmont. FourCast is a talk show with Scott Johnson that invites guests to predict the future. Current Geek is also a talk show with Scott Johnson that discusses the geekiest stories on the Net three times a week.
You’ll also find Tom as a guest or interviewed as an expert on many TV, radio and Internet shows like ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS Radio, NPR, This Week in Tech, The Phileas Club and more.
Bookshelf
28 Comments »
Jared on 08 Apr 2009 at 9:45 pm #
I watched a bit you did on CNET for parallels and VMware, I need something like this to remotely access my employer’s server and its applications via citrix ICA client. One of the programs I’ll run through the citrix client is SAP. Can parallels handle an app like SAP? Or do I need bootcamp? I wasn’t thrilled about your comment on bootcamp’s freeze issue. I’m running the most recent version of OSX.
Not a lot of help out there for stuff like this, any reply would be greatly appreciated!
Jared
etcheson@me.com
Ripon on 12 Apr 2009 at 4:15 pm #
Hey, Tom you F*#@ rule !!
Ripon on 12 Apr 2009 at 4:18 pm #
Also, Tom ..How do I burn a HD 720p mkv file to a dvd and make it work like a normal dvd?
Tom on 12 Apr 2009 at 5:52 pm #
The bootcamp freeze issue has gone away with further boot camp upgrades. It was tied into the keyboard remapper I was using, so if you didn’t use that keyboard remapper you would have never had the freeze issue. Good question about SAP and Parralells. They have something called Workstation Extreme now – http://sap.sys-con.com/node/903351. VMWare has a page on SAP for their suite of products, so they *might* be a better bet. – http://www.vmware.com/solutions/business-critical-apps/sap/ But I haven’t tried it on anything.
Jay on 15 Apr 2009 at 7:52 am #
Hey Tom.. (Sorry about the double post.. forgot to add it to the last message)
Remember the old instant pestering client called icq…
I just found out how dated I am by looking at my icq number. Its 6 numbers. The numbers now are in the 100s of millions. I did have a lower number but lost the email account long ago that was tied to it.
Kind of a pointless addon. Just wanted to see if I was the only one who noticed.
take care
Jay
oscar on 29 Apr 2009 at 11:46 pm #
Hey Tom, I have a question about bootcamp and parallels. I have a macbook with a bootcamp partition. Im thinking of purchasing parallels. However, I want to know if I can still boot up to my windows partition and say, for instance, play a game with intense video graphics with parallels installed. Because I still want to have a full pc when I need it, but still have parrellels when i just want to transfer files and open small applications. Can I do that?
Tom on 29 Apr 2009 at 11:51 pm #
Yep, you can create a PArralells image off the bootcamp partition and lvie the best of both worlds. A fewfunctions are not available when you do this however, but it’slivable. For instance you can’t have snapsjhots of a virtual machine when the image comes off the boot camp partition.
Tom on 29 Apr 2009 at 11:51 pm #
Er….. Handbrake?
oscar on 29 Apr 2009 at 11:54 pm #
elaborate on snapshots please
oscar on 29 Apr 2009 at 11:57 pm #
I’ve heard about snapshots but not really sure what it is.
Tom K on 11 May 2009 at 3:11 pm #
Hey Tom, had a question. I’m looking into getting a network hard drive, any pointers? I want to be able to log onto the hardrive and grab some files from my office to home.
Any suggestions?
Smelly Goat on 13 May 2009 at 8:30 pm #
Tom,
Sometimes my DRAM with a 1080p gets all crazy because it’s running PYTHON on a Linux BUS with only one infrared signal – how can I maximize my IP add while not decreasing my blog to OS14/kbps ratio?
You are cute.
Smell Goat
Passakorn Hongsyok on 02 Jun 2009 at 12:41 pm #
I wonder if you entertain guest appearance on a Thai podcast. I host a few podcasts in Thailand and am a big fan of BOL. Apparently, quite a few of our listeners are, too. Could not find a way to contact you, so I leave this comment here.
One way or another, please let me know.
Thanks,
Hey Tom on 24 Jun 2009 at 1:24 am #
I have to confess that as I write this story, I feel it goes to waste through the endless black hole that the internet is.
Today, June 23, I met my life role model. Yes, it’s Tom. By telling you this I can only prove that he is a real person. A person that likely is just as you see him on Cnet, normal, serious, sometimes hummorous, but also simple. He is a man just like us. He is not a crazy celebrity in rehab or by any other means he thinks he is more important than the bunch. I enjoyed a short conversation and a quick picture as a memory… but most of all made a good friend (Geek Friend).
PS: Tom is the most amazing celebrity I’ve met in my life!!!!! Thanks Tom.
Your Fan —Alex—
Actaully —Alex Munoz—
rfrosh on 23 Jul 2009 at 3:34 pm #
hi tom
how did you use subrilliant as the publisher for your boiling point book. Don’t you have to put Lulu as the publisher of your book specially when you use its services…..But both your amazon and lulu listings show subbrilliant as your books publisher. Does lulu allow that (using their services but not their name)?
I also wanted to know : Does lulu hurt the writers reputation and the book’s brand name because people assume that the book was written by and amateur (whenever lulu is mentioned)
thanks.
mamoun on 21 Oct 2009 at 1:03 pm #
Hallo Tom,
i got a question! I change the preference from Firefox on a mac, but in this video (http://firefox-tips-and-tricks.blogspot.com/) you use the firefox from Windows! Should i reset it or can i leave it in this way?
P.S: The Video is at the end of the page! Can you please send your answer on my email adress?
Thanks
Sigil Jenkins on 15 Dec 2009 at 3:54 pm #
Tom,
I really have some questions about the concept of “media locker.” You discussed this concept on BuzzOut 1124. It’s a Flaw that I noticed with Amazon and Xbox Live / Zune..
Can I contact you on one of your “question & answer” shows?
peter c on 07 Jan 2010 at 2:49 am #
Hi Tom,
Haven’t visited CNET TV for while. I notice you lost a lot of weight. Just concerned.
Thanks, Peter
Jim Diamond on 13 May 2010 at 7:31 pm #
Tom,
My top 3 favorite shows.
3. Biggest Loser
2. Lost
1. Buzz out Loud!!
gonna miss you over at CNET.. Congrats on your new gig at Twit!!
Ron on 14 May 2010 at 3:16 pm #
Tom:
Is there a way we can get all the links of the shows you will be on?
Ivo Vargas on 14 May 2010 at 8:27 pm #
HI, I allways think that you own CNET, really, how they let you leave, dont tell me that you have to jump from a window to run.
I hope that you can make funny shows in Twit, im sure you will shine in any place.
Im trying to put a website runing, but i dont have time, money, luck, girls, beers, some ideas are andy. And im from Portugal(not Spain, nether Brasil).
If you can give me some advice, i will be gratefull.
Have fun in Twit, and dont forget, he will always watching you
PS: Sorry for my bad English, next time i will write in Portuguese. XD
WhistlingWishes on 15 May 2010 at 9:49 am #
I just wanted to add to the increasingly diffuse chatter of this thread, but–yeah the heretofore titularly referenced Mr. Merritt rocks; everybody knows that. Duh.
TheInfiniteLoupe on 21 May 2010 at 12:07 am #
Hey Thom. Geeky Submission of the week from episode 70, here. Just thought i’d say “MAN!!!” what a resume, dude. Keep up the good work and I hope to meet you and Brian @ DragonCon this year. Also, if you’re in the Houston area in June. Come “con” with Spartacus(the wife) and I at Apollocon.org. I’m running a Cthulu LARP this year. Should be crazy. (yes, pun intended.)
Ammar on 23 May 2010 at 5:00 am #
i really loved your show i am sorry to hear that you left cnet hope for the best right ??
A Nannie Mouse on 08 Jun 2010 at 10:07 pm #
Lookin good Tom, love the beard..Grrr!
Kenny Kraly Jr. on 05 Jul 2010 at 10:03 pm #
Hello Tom I enjoy all the podcasts you do and also Tech News Today on The Twit Network. Your doing a super Tom I like tech as much as anyone keep up the good work.
Marion Delahan on 23 Aug 2010 at 4:45 pm #
Say Tom! What kind of contract did you have with CNET? This is not just an idle question. BOL is “on vacation” this week and have chosen to run “classic episondes.” This afternoon they are running a BOL from 12/31/09 on which you are front and center. I was just wondering if you were consulted or if you have a right to compensation. Just thought you should know.
Marion
Tom on 23 Aug 2010 at 4:51 pm #
I had no contract. I was an at will employee. Their employee manual claims all work you do for them is their intellectual property. So going by that, they can do whatever they want with whatever I did there. But I really have no problem with them running old episodes that I’m in. I was in them after all. It’s not like I need them to pretend I wasn’t. It’s actually really cool. That episode up today from back in December was kind of awesome. No beard. Molly not back as a regular yet, so I do the open. Seems so long ago!