This past week, while digging up answers for tax planning for a Barron’s Advisor group that I participate in, I searched for the standard 2024 deduction changes based on age, etc. At the top of my Brave Browser search (their Leo AI engine), which I’ve found helpful several times, pop the summary below: This recent search […]
It has been a challenging week and a half for a few of my more liberal Democrat friends on the social media platform X.com (previously Twitter). I’m unsure if it is anger, disbelief or a way to strike back now that President-Elect Donald Trump won the election. Trump has been rapidly nominating his cabinet (mostly […]
Apple is finally rolling out the much ballyhooed Apple Intelligence on Apple devices … including my new iPhone 16 Pro Max. Their have been a few laughs from me when it comes to the AI “summary” feature generating a questionable summary (an automotive enthusiast John Rowe’s X.com comments – he does NOT recommend Sunbeam). On […]
So far I can endorse a couple of inexpensive “non-charging” Magsafe “magnetic” car mounts for our two iPhones (iPhone 14 and iPhone 16 Pro Max). Both were purchased together on Amazon with a minor discount for 2 items together … and for the low-price, I expected to be disappointed. Nope, I was not. The magnets […]
There is little doubt our family and friends aren’t the only ones who struggle with differences of opinions … be they political or technology related. In today’s case it’s not politics, Microsoft Windows vs Apple MacOS or Linux … but Google’s Android text messaging vs Apple’s iOS and their proprietary encrypted “Messages” app. Thankfully Apple […]
Since the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the first Apple phone that I’ve had with induction charging capability, I’ve been curious how to best manage the longevity of the new battery. I’ve generally plugged my iPhones in to charge once a day (overnight) for the last decade or so BUT did use the induction puck […]
One of the “very few” complaints with the Apple MacBook Air M2 is that macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 (and likely all recent MacOS versions) does not have a way to make the menu bar smaller in height. This is the one display dimension that has been the most difficult to get use to in coming from […]
Although I haven’t quite decided as to what Apple iPhone 16 Pro to pre-order, it will likely be a big jump from the current “borrowed” iPhone XS that I’ve been using since drowning my iPhone 7 Plus. It has been fine, but it is time to move past the smartphones of 2017 and 2018. 😊 […]
Europe and their big government overreaches in restricting personal liberty by American standards, but that same heavy handedness often does more that the U.S. to protect an individual’s privacy from Big Tech and their sweeping data collection machines. Ever since social media and cloud-oriented companies desired to take ownership of their users data, it has […]
Well it has been a good run, that of my Fitbit smartwatch. According to long running rumors and a recent flurry of technology articles, these very long lasting Fitbit smartwatches (four days between charging) have finally officially met their end. The Fitbit Versa 2 has been one of the best tech gadgets that I’ve ever […]
It is about time that our questionable Cincinnati Bell router is being updated by the aquiring company AltaFiber to an Eero device (similar to at the condo). It will hopefully improve and keep our home Internet connections a bit more stable. I’ve really never complained much since adding the Mesh system to the “cheap” Zytel […]
Have you ever been listening to a podcast that is getting a little long-winded? Oh, there are a few of them resembling those at a Donald Trump for President rally … or more recently, his speech at the Republican Convention. 😉 According to various reports, Donald Trump’s acceptance speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention […]
Although waiting until 2026 is a long time down the road, I’m still interested in a foldable iPhone. Every few month another rumor hints that Apple is working on an iPhone that will fold. Personally I’m hopefully that it will be a “flip” model as in recent articles, perhaps similar to Motorola’s Razr+ (left) or […]
Although the Late 2012 Intel-based iMac is “aging better than President Biden,” my desktop iMac is struggling and is no longer being used as my primary computer. Still … it does work as a larger twin 27” screens desktop computer along side my MacBook Air M2 these days. Recently I cross my fingers when updating […]
It seems like it it about that time again … the aging and off-brand mesh router set-up we are running at the house is getting flaky. Somedays all is fine, other days it start to stutter and blackout on a few of the “way too many” devices we are using. Thankfully it usually comes back […]
Last month I seriously considered upgrading my iPad to the Apple iPad Air … but really wanted the newest Brydge MAX+ Keyboard … which is currently unavailable (signed up for the “notify me” list though). I was still tempted to order a new iPad, but decided my sluggish, older iPad and “slow to connect” Bluetooth […]
After chatting with Brenda’s sisters and brother-in-laws about booking flights for a trip together, I mentioned that I was partial to Southwest Airlines. My brother-in-laws are both Delta fliers … and have a long history of booking business travel with the major airlines — I did feel as if I were ruffling feathers (text updates […]
The Nord apps have been working great for the last few years and I’ve been impressed with the improvements I’ve seen to NordPass for passwords on both the Firefox and Brave (Chromium-based) browsers. My preferred daily web surfing browsers is Brave and my steady secondary desktop is Firefox. If I were to judge, Firefox works […]
Although it is not an immediate need, the “want” in me is growing. My 2017 iPhone 7 plus is really starting to feel old; even my daughter mentioned that my shared photos were not the quality that they should be — she has a fair point. Phone cameras aside, the device I use the most […]
Sometimes I know that I’m just tempting fate … like when it comes to switching mobile phone carriers … in my case, MVNO companies. Last year, I switch my aging iPhone 7 plus over to USMobile on a trial. I ended up finding it preferred to Mint Mobile (T-Mobile) and found the service to be […]
A bigger than usual update this month for my Linux based servers and as it the norm, I spent a few minutes cleaning up storage and deleting unwanted bulked up logs (usual for me). Hopefully all will continue to run normally and that security will be improved. Personally I’ve notice a speed improvement (???), but […]
Making changes to the Apple MacOS, or my current MacBook Air M2 computer workstation setup, is something I hesitate to do when everything is working smoothly. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few things that I wouldn’t mind Apple addressing that “might” make my life easier. First my tiny gripe … is that there […]
Who isn’t … or more appropriately wasn’t … fond of listening to the interesting and smooth-toned audio that was part of National Public Radio (NPR) in the previous century. I spent an exorbitant amount of time in my car back then and listened to static-riddled politically conservative radio talk shows on AM radio and liberally […]
Computer backups and synchronized cloud data storage are topics I’ve addressed previously too many times. Last year I was pushed into tightening my subscription-belt after losing my free 1TB Miami University Google Workspace account and opted to give the economical iDrive a try. So after using it for a while now, I’ve concluded what I […]
Although at this point I’m still sticking with cable for my Internet and television entertainment, the difficulty in watching certain sporting events is increasing. I’m not happy about Amazon locking up Thursday Night Football and did not like having to plan ahead for the NFL playoff game in January, but for the most part … […]
As someone who has grown up with the “beware of Big Brother” mindset, the thought that even with an Apple iPhone turned off, those with access can still know your location is a bit spooky. Oh, to be sure, 99% of being able to find an iPhone that is powered down or without enough battery […]
Google exec Prabhakar Raghavan explained, Gemini “may not always be reliable,” so “we recommend relying on Google Search, where separate systems surface fresh, high-quality information on these kinds of topics from sources across the web.” Google is scrambling to tamp down a political uproar after its recently launched Gemini artificial intelligence app depicted the pope, […]
As an Apple advocate and device user from the 1980s and someone who as been begging for a foldable iPhone flip phone (or even slider) since using and retiring a foldable Samsung SPH i500 PalmOS device years ago, “I can’t wait”… as I mentioned to tech influencer Evan Kirsten. We seem to be getting closer, […]
As a long time Apple device buyer and user, I do tend to follow the company’s new gadgets. The Apple Vision Pro VR headset looks interesting, but limited as to what reason most of us would currently spend thousands of dollar to buy ($3500). After reading about it for months and glancing at the pre-release […]
This will probably excite my geeky readers on a Tech Friday … but am trying to decide if old 3-1/2” disks should be trashed or used at “disposable” drink coasters. BTW, who remembers Apple Computer’s Hypercard? EDIT: Thought … perhaps making thin wooden bases and inlay a disk to make a more creative coaster.
When it comes to taking phones on a cellphones (especailly low light) … the cameras on all smartphones have definitely improved over the past decade. I’ll let you guess which photo above was my iPhone 7 Plus and which one was Brenda’s iPhone 14?
While watching a couple of college football bowl games on New Year’s Day, I updated my “everyday carry” iPad with a new family wallpaper photo — slightly enhanced above. It was an opportunity to tinker with the new iPadOS 17 gadget feature (see stock and weather at lower left) anyway but the wallpaper photo needed […]
A couple weeks ago I mentioned ordering a $20 battery on Amazon for my iPhone 7 Plus. I probably really should be in the market to replace this phone, but even though the iOS can’t be upgraded, it still functions pretty well. The camera on ALL phones has been improved, but at $1000+ dollars, I’m […]
Just a little light “rumor reading” to close out the year when it comes to future Apple iPhones. Not that it makes any difference to most users, but it is possible the “side by side” camera lens (see below photo with my iPhone 7 Plus) could go vertical again (iPhone X thru 12)? Recent ones […]
While doing a little tech reading this week, it doesn’t look as if Apple is planning more than incremental updates for the MacBooks and iPads for spring … although they do like to surprise us? Apple plans to refresh the MacBook Air around March 2024, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said today in a report on Apple’s […]
After a long and steady battle with the Internet connections at the condo over our Thanksgiving vacation in Florida, the fight is finally over. The pain of returning the hardware Xfinity sent was enough to make me scream (long wait JUST to return something) … but after tossing the Netgear R7000 router and replacing with […]
A week or so ago, I went looking for an image of a Killer Whale (Orca) … and wanted one that had the happy look of a smiling Shamu, etc. It didn’t need to be a “real photo” so thought it would be a simple task for one of the artificial intelligence assistance. Microsoft’s Bing […]
Simple test for my automated MyDesultoryBlog’s X.com account after an API update. This WordPress plug-in using a newly updated service should start to work again. This post will probably be deleted although since I like the Elon Musk ani-gif, I might just keep it. Will this feature work again?
For years I’ve been running Parallels on my iMac after switching from Bootcamp on the old Mac Mini. It has been a love -hate relationship, but I’ve sort of always needed to run Microsoft Windows. Since adding the MacBook Air M2 without Parallels or a Windows10 option, I’ve learned to function fairly well without “at […]
“In other news” as the 6PM nightly news talking head would say, Rich broke his Fitbit Versa 2 watchband last night while raking the first drop of the leave this year. Bummer … but thankfully replacements on Amazon are just $7.99 or $9.99 for THREE (two of the three are the wrong colors for me, […]
Nothing important, but I wanted to backup the MyDesultoryBlog database and then update to WordPress 6.3.2; it is the first update since the PHP change. Thankfully all is running smoothly and the update took. All is well with the blog.
We live in a world where personal privacy has all but disappeared when it comes to our lives. We are surveilled everywhere and by practically every device. Our connected gadgets collect and send data on our every movement … and increasingly “inner” goings-on (smart devices monitoring our health). New cars are pumping data to the […]
This is really nothing new … it is just an exact replacement of the Brydge 10.2 inch keyboard for my iPad (new above and 2020 photo below). After a few years of heavy use, my second Brydge Keyboard, now out of warranty, was starting ot show some age. This well made keyboard has a couple […]
Decades ago when I was in graduate school, I taught classes at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio as a GT, I continued to stay connected to the university. As a student I was given an alumni email address (an alias at the time forwarded to another email address) and as part time faculty was granted […]
It is time to start cleaning up my older WordPress blog install and preparing for an eventual update … once again. I’m beginning to realize that part of the problem is that I hang onto old themes that are no longer updated and I continue to tweak them myself. As the components that run WordPress […]
Perhaps it is just me paying attention to the rumors and knowing the announcements that were planned at Apple’s annual September “new iPhones” announcement event … but the iPhone15s (and Apple Watch 9) upgrades left very little to get excited about? I’m not saying that I won’t be upgrading my aging iPhone 7plus this year, […]
One of my social media contacts who knows that I’ve been using computers to monitor investments and trade for decades heard me mention that I switched to a tiny MacBook Air M2 from a 27” PC display (iMac with a second Thunderbolt Apple display running Windows 10 on Parallels). He asked how it was possible […]
Samsung announced another “high screen real estate” monitor for those who like to plaster a lot of content on a single screen … or more that likely, play games … but besides ogling this massive 57 inch wide display, it is definitely not something I need these days. There was once a time that I […]
Our Wyze security cam detection continues to struggle with determining if birds are people. One would think that with artificial intelligence improving that software would be much better at detecting the difference between birds and people? But for years now (one, two, three), our friendly and curious cardinal regularly enjoys getting his photo uploaded to […]
Proton Mail offers a free email service with limitations … as expected. There is a paid version which over time I’ve contemplated switching to for both the enhanced privacy and ability to use my old original business email domain: whatevername@cppnet.com. The monthly (yearly) subscription price is reasonable, but since I already run several Linux servers […]
As My Desultory Blog approaches 8000 posts, it has become increasingly clear that tags and categories are becoming worthless. Besides having too many, they are all too full and do little for me to find anything (or anyone else). The search feature has always been a problem and makes it difficult for even me to […]
When trying to transfer photos and video from SD cards to a computer, you really need some kind of card reader. I have several that are USB readers, but none that are USB-C and will plug into my MacBook Air M2. So instead of a bulky dongle with extras, I opted for a small Anker […]
Things continue to change over at Twitter, at least as the old is removed and the new is implemented. I’m not sure the switch from the Twitter “bird” to the symbol “X” is all that big of a deal, but it does at least keep people in the tech world talking. Who knows if Elon […]
For those keeping score as to just how frugal Rich can descend when chasing after a wireless plan … “better” (cheaper) than Mint Mobile … “he” may have gone “a bridge too far” in the latest USMobile wireless plan decision (I know, another idiom and a 3rd person reference, but don’t get me started on the whole […]
One of the TWO reasons that I’ve opted for the Ridgid brand of cordless power tools is their LSA … which I’ve used once before on a couple of early batteries. Besides the minor hassle in registering and filing a claim, it seems to be the right way to go considering the problems with tools […]
Such a simple fix; why did it take me so long to add a bit of code to the “non-supported” WordPress theme that My Desultory Blog has been using since nearly the beginning in 2005? Ugh, well it is finally good to have a “DATE” listed when using the search box. Also while checking my […]
A couple of weeks ago, our our mostly flawless fiber service with AltaFiber (was Cincinnati Bell) was upgraded to a faster speed. Our Internet service has been as fast as we have needed and relatively stable for the last couple of years. Personally, nothing needs anything to change … except perhaps a lower monthly price? […]
Technology advancements and AI photo and video editing has been around a few years (FaceApp photos) … but some of the newer fakes or clones are a bit “too” convincing (link to a “human generated” one, but not necessarily convincing). 😉 As a society, there’s no turning back once artificial intelligence abilities are here, but […]
How long must I wait and watch in irritation as other manufacturers beside Apple or iOS “cloners” roll out “flip phone” (or even a slider) that at least from a first glance look like exactly what I personally am looking for in a future iPhone? The form and function are exactly what at least some […]
This test is more for my own curiosity than any kind of controlled tech test, but since I’m often away from convenient 110VAC charging plugs, I would like to be able to recharge iPads and iPhones on the go. A few years back, I preordered a package of products from a startup company called Magfast […]
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has announced that he will be handing over the reins of Twitter to a new female CEO. The move comes after Musk acquired the social media platform for $44 billion in April 2022. In a tweet on Thursday, Musk said: Excited to announce that I’ve hired a new CEO […]
Last month I switched my LTE iPhone 7-plus to USMobile, a budget-friendly wireless carrier, and have been satisfied with the trial. Since I will likely stay with the service after making the cumbersome switch from Mint Mobile, I started to think about switching Brenda’s iPhone7 — ugh! So after a little discussion with her about […]
Although my first computer was a Compaq Portable (I still have it and I think it still boots up) … my second computer was a Macintosh SE with a giant 20MB HD … the more successful and lower price version of the Lisa. Did you know that the Apple Lisa turned 40 this year? How […]
Last year one of my earlier Wyze Cams failed to update and wasn’t connecting to our mesh wifi (continued to disconnect). Thankfully Wyze politely discounted a newer version to which I happily upgraded. The old one has been sitting on my workbench and before tossing it in the trash, decided to peek under the hood. I […]
One of the untouched add-ons to my computer life has been the cloud component odrive. It took me a while to add it to my new Apple MacBook Air M2, but while messing with a few upgrades this week, decided it was time to add it. First, WordPress came out with their 6.2 update so […]
It has been almost a week and I’m slowly getting comfortable with my new “open box” MacBook Air M2. Everything is working as it should, but there are changes for me in getting comfortable with smaller type and less screen real estate. I suspect a second monitor is in my future? I’ve looked at the Apple […]
It has been quite a few years that I’ve been struggling with what to do when it comes to purchasing a new “travel” computer and I have contemplated doing something a number of times. The aging Lenovo still works, but I do struggle with not having everything with me that is part of my “Apple […]
Since a new iPhone will eventually be in my future, I’m paying a little more attention to the rumors around what is changing. The most obvious seems to be the USB-C port, but according to 9to5mac photos and renderings, the iPhone15Pro could see some bezel changes too. With the iPhone 15 lineup, a USB-C port […]
A fix or an update came out for MarEdit this week … and because I am really hoping to get comfortable posting to MyDesultoryBlog using this app the Mac rather than PC. There have been a few nagging issues so far in preventing my switching from Open Live Writer (Microsoft Windows world) … besides it is […]
While watching NFL playoff football this month, I started looking for a app like Blogsy or BlogPad Pro that was available “in the old days” in order to post from my iPad. Unfortunately it is looking as if fewer and fewer app developer are focused on blogging software. My preferred software “was” Microsoft’s Windows Live […]
Prior to 2022, I managed phone numbers and contacts on my iPhone poorly – perhaps “the wrong way.” Every year I created a new A/SPAM list of callers and emailers and self-managed these lists. Of course this didn’t stop callers or text messages from new unknown phone numbers. So I tried a couple of different […]
About this time of year the handful of servers that I maintain need to be looked at a little closer. Often I’m only doing the minimum maintenance, updates and backups … because there are often problems after an update. Pointing being, maintenance on this server have been getting over looked and put on the back […]
It is hard to believe that watching sports and movies on a 37" television just isn’t satisfactory enough these days? So when I saw a Walmart pre-Black Friday deal on a 65" TCL Roku TV for $228, I could not pass up the deal. It is very impressive for the money and a perfect upgrade […]
Part of what was in my long awaited Magfast order arrived earlier this month and after charging the MAGFAST battery packs, I started to test the output plugs. The USB-C worked just fine on my Kindle reader. The Lightning plug worked to charge my iPhone 7 and iPad. The Micro-USB worked (I think) and the […]
My older Canary Cams are still working but will eventually be retired as lower priced and higher quality Wyze Cams and Wyze Cam3s have become the “go to” products to fill my gadget addiction. On Wednesday a male cardinal trigger one of my cams and it reminded me to check on my subscription, re-read the […]
Posting this late on Thursday night after watching the Houston Astros win game 5 of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies making the series 3 games to 2; it has been an enjoyable five games so far … especially since I really am not invested in either team. As for the Tech Friday […]
For those using Apple products and subscription services, the monthly cost is going up. The company announced new version of their iPad lineup this week followed by the news that they are hiking fees for Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscription services this week for the very first time. In the U.S., the cost of […]