Phase of life: Enjoying life and watching family doing the same
Posted By RichC on October 14, 2019
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Simple mount in BMW X5 35d for Amazon Echo Auto
Posted By RichC on October 12, 2019
It isn’t easy to see this little magnetic bracket I made to hold my new Amazon Echo Auto low on the dash of the BMW X5 35d. I opted to make a little aluminum bracket that straddles the 
pushbutton switch blanks to the right of a few other buttons. It is fastened with automotive trim tape on two rails and several leftover neodymium magnets used on previous projects. The bracket was painted with some zinc chromate primer that I used for my aluminum aircraft parts and some leftover Rustoleum Hammered paint that I used on petite outdoor cast aluminum table and chairs – I barely had enough and it was going bad (keeping old paint fresh enough to use is a pet peeve of mine).
I’m saving back the Amazon included AC air vent mount and cord holder … just in case I want to put it in Brenda’s “new to her” 2010 Acura RDX or my old van … if I can figure out a way to connect to my old 2002 Honda Odyssey “work wagon” (no Bluetooth or 3.5mm plug – maybe a FM gizmo?)
Tech Friday: Apple iOS 13.1.2 was a challenging update
Posted By RichC on October 11, 2019
My conclusion is that some of my most recent Apple iPhone and iPad iOS update problems stem from having older mobile devices and 
having loads older apps? That said, the upgrade to the mobile operating system known as iOS 13.1.2 (current) did not go smoothly for me. My iPhone 7plus is a few years old now as the iPhone 11 arrives on the scene in the fall of 2019, and my iPad Air getting the new iPad version (new separate release) is even older. Both have been running nearly flawlessly and I foolishly decided to update … after knowing never to jump on the “latest and greatest” bandwagon if everything is running well with a previous version. When will I learn?
So, in order to fix the problem, I’ve been on Twitter with DMs (Direct Messages) with AppleSupport regarding my issues. First, and most important to me, is the loss of battery life. Prior to updating, I could comfortably go a full day on my relatively new battery. One of the screenshots clearly shows the Mail app using WAY more battery than at anytime in the past. The techs suggested I give it 24 hours to “index” … then see if it was still happening. I gave it 48 hours and it improved … but then out of the blue it happened again? Zap … late in the afternoon my phone got very hot in my pocket and once I again noticed that the Mail app was using over half the battery again? Who knows why.
Currently, everything seems fine and the Mail app is down to using only 7% … but I also tweaked the PUSH settings to 1 hour rather than the 30 minute I usually keep it at – I’ll be moving back to 30 now that it is working again … as long as I have a charger and cord with me!
Issue two was that the LTE or WiFi indicator would not switch when connecting to a broadband connection instead of wireless. That is not really a big deal, but it is not suppose to happen. I again took a couple screenshot to illustrate 
the problem, yet no matter if I was connected to WiFi or not, the indicator (underlined above) indicates that the iPhone is still on LTE (in my case VirginMobile). The suggestion was to remove a few of the legacy utility apps that have not been updated for a while … the culprit might have been Fing or it all might just be tied to the indexing after the new iOS install? In any case, my advices is to stick with your older iOS until you have a lot of time to tinker with your phone or mobile device.
Now that things seem to have settled down a bit, I’m ok with the new features and redesign … although can’t say that any of the tweaks make it all that much easier to use? So far, my favorite “simple feature has been the volume slider that takes up very little screen and just shows a bar next to the volume buttons on your iPhone.
Evaluating the Fitbit Versa – three month in and a little #TBT
Posted By RichC on October 10, 2019
Previously I mentioned that Katelyn and Drew brought me kicking and screaming (not really) into the Fitbit “wrist device” wearing age and world. 
I had given up wearing a watch decades ago when I started carrying a pager. Eventually I adopted the Nextel belt holstered cellphone, then pocket folding Samsung i500 PDA phone. The new century brought a more functional 
keyboarded PDA cellphone 
in the form of the Palm Treo and finally a more modern PalmPre followed by the iPhone (my Apple life).
I was hesitant to return to a “wrist device,” but it has been much more positive experience than I expected …especially with the encouraging me to exercise thing.
Ever since I started to wear the Fitbit Versa in July 2019, I have found myself paying more attention to portion control when eating, exercise (number of steps) and trying to monitor and control my weight – something I rarely ever did. I’ve really never been “out of control” in that regard and tend to naturally focus on balanced meals and “somewhat” healthy eating … but wearing the Fitbit does focus me on long term trends when it comes to a healthier lifestyle and changes that I can make to activity and eating.
In fact … in looking back (the Throwback Thursday #TBT tie-in), there really has been a “10 pounds” trend throughout my life:
Let’s all put into practice Ellen’s “Be Kind To Everyone” advice
Posted By RichC on October 9, 2019
An Ellen DeGeneres video clip (shared on EllenTube) has been circulating this week after she attended a Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers NFL football game last weekend. With inflamed politics and our divided country it was both good to see and good to hear celebrities getting along. We all need to take her advice to heart …
“We’re all different and I think we’ve forgotten that that’s OK.”
Archive: Photos of Annalyn sure brings a smile to this grandpa
Posted By RichC on October 8, 2019
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Music Monday: Remembering Aerosmith – Sweet Emotion 1975
Posted By RichC on October 7, 2019
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Do you participate in Us vs Them with life and political issues?
Posted By RichC on October 5, 2019
Most people recognize how polarized our country has become … thanks in part to politicians and the media fanning the divisive flames. I’m not sure why we fall prey to their tactics, but generating hate and dislike for each other does seem to work when it comes to building campaign war-chests and rabid supporters.
I recognized it this past week even within our family. Rather than recognizing positive ideas because they represented a a good economic or environmental position … rational, thoughtful and decent people bash the opposing political party behind them. Each side, even within family, are unwilling to acknowledge positive movement because it comes from an overall ideology that they dislike. For the economic side of things, the economy under President Trump is stronger and ALL willing to work and live within their means are better off now than in recent years (unfortunately no one in Washington DC wants to cut spending, reduce waste or deal with divisive issues). As for those on the left proposing ideas to better care for our environment, those on the political right “for some crazy reason” are unwilling to recognize simple, painless and small steps each of us can make to be smarter about using resources and damaging our environment. Not every small step has to mean an economic setback, moves us backward or makes life difficult (ie. So we give up a few plastic water bottles or straws – painless, but good for the environment) Since the back and forth mentioned above was between generationally different people, I thought of this “Green Thing” video (below) … it definitely falls into the us vs them, one group vs the other, etc. Can’t we all be a little more respectful and realize we can all find “some” middle ground?
Now I understand the “give an inch, they take a mile” once the ball gets rolling position. I’m as guilty as the next person fearing compromise on constitutional issues. For example, if safety and improved gun control were really the modus operandi by anti-second amendment activists, I’d be far more willing to discuss what we can do to get a handle on gun violence … but I also know those using the term “commonsense gun laws” aren’t planning to stop at improved background checks or limiting just those “evil black guns.” The give and inch and they’ll want a mile is very real.
Tech Friday: Loving the new Amazon Echo Auto in my car
Posted By RichC on October 4, 2019
Last week, Amazon authorized my invitation and gave me a promo code for the Echo Auto Alexa device for the car (it was a long wait, but they did discount to $24.99 for invitation holders). 
For the passed several months I’ve been using an Echo Input (no speaker) in my BMW X5 35d in an attempt to simulate the Echo Auto set-up (I picked one of those up for $14.95). It has worked surprisingly well, although the WiFi takes longer to connect than the bluetooth Auto version – both require a smartphone connection.
As for ordering and installation, the new device arrived within a few days and I simply replaced the wired Echo Input with the EchoAuto. Initially I did try to connect the audio to the Avin Android based Nav PLUS display – really not all that great … and very difficult to keep multiple devices connected. So instead, I stuck with the AUX cord that I was using for the Input device. That aside, what I was surprised with, besides how quick it connected to my iPhone, was that it will hand-off what ever streaming audio that I’m listening to in the car to my After Shotz bluetooth headset when I turn off the car. Nice!
So far I haven’t tried much more than the basics … questions, leaving Alexa messages and “dropping-in",” setting audio volume, controlling lights and home devices and streaming SiriusXM or Pandora … but will soon try it for navigation and phone calling (unsure if it dials and switches to my iPhone or using Amazon two-way communication?) So far I think Amazon has a winner … and expect they’ll work a deal to build in their Echo devices in new cars.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.