RichC | December 12, 2025
What is Vibe-coding … and an interesting CNBC segment on Google partnering with Replit. Vibe-coding is an informal term for a newer style of software development in which the intent, flow, and natural language “vibe” of what a developer wants matters more than writing detailed, line-by-line code. Leading companies and platforms
RichC | December 5, 2025
If you’re like me, having an online calendar that automatically keeps things up-to-date has been super convenient. I’m referring to things like airlines and hotel reservations showing up when emails arrive after purchasing tickets or making reservations. It has also been helpful with personal events like invitations from my daughter for the events in their […]
RichC | November 28, 2025
Since I’m still “admiring Brenda’s 2019 Tesla Model 3,” but I’ve also been intrigued by some of the impressive navigation and realtime data. The other day on a trip to our local Costco, the Sentry Mode security recorded all the carts and people who were around the car while parked. I now know why so […]
RichC | November 21, 2025
I’ve been using an Apple iPad the same way for nearly the past decade or so (yikes, 2011); using it has been pretty much a habitual rut for me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy using every iPad for reading, browsing, note taking (typing as I don’t have an Apple Pencil) and answering emails … […]
RichC | November 14, 2025
If you’re like me and thousands of frustrated smart home users, you’ve probably hit the wall with Sengled bulbs, their Hub and Alexa. For the past six months (and officially since Amazon axed the integration on August 1, 2025), the Sengled Home app error codes with NSURLErrorDomain -1202 — thanks to a flaky SSL certificate […]
RichC | November 8, 2025
In keeping with yesterday’s “a day behind” theme, the Tech Friday post for this week will be “a day late.” Instead of on Friday … it will be on Saturday this week; I’ll hopefully catch up and will try not to make this a trend. 😊 As the dawn of the automobile did to the […]
RichC | November 7, 2025
I know, it is Friday and that generally means an interesting (at least to me) Tech Friday story. Does a photo of Brenda’s “tech-y” Tesla Model 3 with the trees changing count? I didn’t think so … In reality, I’m slightly behind in my week and totally missed posting a #TBT photo my buddy Jeff […]
RichC | October 31, 2025
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RichC | October 24, 2025
After a few days of owning/driving a “previously loved” 2019 Tesla Model 3, I’m learning a little more about it each day … and as the 2003 McDonald’s jingle goes, “I’m lovin’ it.” 😊 So far the Tesla has surpassed my expectation as for driving pleasure. It is solid on the road, very fast when acceleration […]
RichC | October 17, 2025
Not that this Tech Friday update is at all important … because it is not … but I’m thinking about changing the encoding of clunky video on MyDesultoryBlog.com … and perhaps elsewhere? The time it takes to re-encode, upload and save video to archive has improved as computers and internet connections are now faster, but […]
RichC | September 19, 2025
Artificial intelligence with Grok, Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc has been a real help for rookie computer and server problem-solvers like me. It may be one of the best ways to learn if you’re not in a classroom, have an experienced teacher or coworkers handy? Occasionally I run into questions in “how to best use” AI. […]
RichC | September 12, 2025
This is a test post after some website changes (nothing major) and a backup on Tech Friday afternoon/evening … and another Hummingbird video. 😉
RichC | September 5, 2025
This is not really new, but my ongoing battle with bots and blog bloat … especially the logs. Some of it is due to my aging WordPress theme … but most of it is due to the constant hammering of the server by bots from around the world. One option that I’ve been experimenting with […]
RichC | August 22, 2025
Although this may be late to the game (YouTube video is 1 year old) this was impressive. I guess there is more to an expensive Apple USB-C Thunderbolt 4 cable than meets the eye?
RichC | August 8, 2025
For years, Google-served ads have appeared in the headers and footers of My Desultory Blog. Each time removing them seems appealing, the realization hits that they generate enough income – though far less than in the early days — to cover server costs, so they remained. Early this summer, tweaks were made to lessen their intrusiveness, […]
RichC | August 1, 2025
It has been too long between truly “desultory” posts, so I’ll add one on the topic of iOS photo editing and iOS apps. Ever since I updated my iPhone from the long-lasting iPhone 7 Plus almost a year ago, I’ve been missing the magnifier highlighting tool that was part of Apple’s previous iOS. Now that […]
RichC | July 18, 2025
The rise of AI in search and browsing is a double-edged sword. On one hand, AI-powered tools offer efficiency, delivering quick, synthesized answers without the need to navigate multiple websites. For users, this can feel like a leap forward—why sift through links when a chatbot can summarize the best information? However, this convenience comes at […]
RichC | July 11, 2025
The Bombardier beetle is a remarkable insect known for its unique and powerful chemical defense system. Belonging to the family Carabidae, these beetles are found on nearly every continent and are especially famous among entomologists and naturalists for the way they defend themselves from predators. Key Characteristics: Chemical Defense:The Bombardier beetle can eject a hot, […]
RichC | July 4, 2025
One of the problems with monitoring user signups for a small WordPress blog is determining who should be granted access to ALL content or just public content. In the old days, I allowed whoever wanted to sign up to sign up and clean up the list later. But as time progressed, most were spammers or […]
RichC | June 6, 2025
Testing a few Tech Friday blog updates that have scrambled the MDB server. For the “media” inclusion, here is a graph of 10-year Treasury yield this morning when the better than expected job numbers were released.
RichC | May 30, 2025
This past week, regular readers may have noticed MDB going down. I battled with it instead fo relaxing on Wednesday night — wasting time building an entire new Digital Ocean Droplet/Server with an overnight (automated while sleeping) older “snapshot” set to
RichC | May 23, 2025
After asking both ChatGPT and Grok for some “value investor, dividend stock” advice on May 2nd (see link), I received an invite from Gemini 2.5 Pro to test an update. So I decided to ask the same question just to see what Google’s Gemini would spit out. Unfortunately I must have picked a busy time […]
RichC | May 16, 2025
Having tested and used ElevenLabs “text to speech” artificial intelligence software in the past, at newer “Voice Changer” (and clean up) application came available recently. I’m not sure where it might be useful, but I especially liked the “clean up” (removing background noise) and “speaker boost” filter … but unless there is a reason to […]
RichC | May 2, 2025
Having both an interest in Value Investing and AI, I decided to do a side by side comparison between ChatGPT and Grok3 for “stock trading advice for value investors” (highlighted in my request) … and “recommend three dividend stock buys that limit risk of loss but offer the highest chance of gains over the next […]
RichC | April 11, 2025
Just a bummer of a Tech Friday and shopping post after our “fairly new” 65” TCL Smart TV failed to light up the screen when we were at the condo in Florida. It was a great buy and the image quality was excellent … but it didn’t last. After looking around on the Internet, it […]
RichC | March 21, 2025
Have you ever wondered how the yearly floating date for Easter is determined … or why it is so late this year (April 20, 2025)? Almanac.com had a great article, but since I’m thinking about Tech Friday today, here’s what Grok3 AI has to say about it. 😉 The date of Easter Sunday is determined […]
RichC | March 7, 2025
This A.G.Bell Telegraphy patent filing was in a “history” email and decided that the hermit crab info using AI wasn’t really a fulfilling Tech Friday addition. So check out this patent that we still “sort of” use everyday … if cell and smartphones are included. On March 7, 1876, 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell receives a […]
RichC | March 7, 2025
Brenda and I were debating crabs and shells after seeing a couple crabs on our beach walks and finding a beautifully polished Cowry/Cowrie shell (left). I suspected that the hermit crab ate the snail forming the shell and used it for protection and “a home.” Of course I was wrong … but didn’t know it […]
RichC | February 28, 2025
Since I did not take Latin in school (it wasn’t offered), there are legal terms and phrases that need to be looked up … even for someone who has been around a while. Someone mentioned “Caveat emptor” to me the other day and although I recognized it as a common term, it required a little […]
RichC | February 14, 2025
I’m not much of a TikTok person (actually anti-TikTok) and you might want to take this with a grain of salt, but it is interesting to contemplate where computer development is going in the next 75 years?
RichC | February 7, 2025
MarsEdit has been my WordPress blogging software of choice for 2 years now and although there have been a few disappointments since moving from the non-supported Windows Live Writer or Open Live Writer software (both PC only), it has been great to be able to work from my MacBook Air M2 … but more importantly, […]
RichC | January 24, 2025
My MacBook Air M2 is a fantastic portable computer. It has worked nearly flawlessly for the past couple of years and will likely be fine for a couple more. The missing feature has been the inability to connect more than one external monitor … something I use everyday. Unfortunately I was used to using a […]
RichC | January 10, 2025
Elon Musk’s verson of email called Xmail can’t come soon enough for a lot of Google Gmail users and as a way to dump my 70,009 Gmail SPAM collection. 😊 Although did remember an older Windows 95 X Mail (logo above and insecure link) and I was hoping for some kind of improvement from ProtonMail […]
RichC | January 3, 2025
Take this post will a grain of salt since I’m new to using an Apple Watch. That said, I’ve been an Apple computer user since 1986 and iPhone user for over a decade. My wife is on her second Apple Watch, my best friend on his third and my son Taylor has been using an Apple […]
RichC | December 20, 2024
As a “Stone Age” user of the Apple Macintosh computer, it is always surprising to stumble upon a feature or shortcut that I didn’t know about. Command-click the files to Quick Look I often use the Quick Look spacebar shortcut (2007) to preview a file in a folder, but until reading an iBoysoft article this […]
RichC | December 19, 2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is infiltrating almost everything we do on a smartphone, tablet or computer these days. Last week, my X.com feed sent a message that “you should try generating an image of yourself” based on whatever data it collects. I suspect it relies on my profile information, but am not sure what else it […]
RichC | December 13, 2024
Although I don’t have an Apple Watch like Brenda, but I think one is coming my way for Christmas now that I have a modern iPhone (my Fitbit Versa 2 is “still ticking after taking a licking” — old Timex joke). One of the features or apps that does not exist, is an app for SiriusXM.I […]
RichC | December 6, 2024
The annual Corbett Christmas Letter has been reduced to the ubiquitous Christmas card printed by one of the many card producers (below). This year’s card was ordered before our Thanksgiving famly get-together and unique Google “Add Me” AI feature used in the photo above on Drew’s new Pixel 9. Very impressive — hey, Apple, get […]
RichC | November 22, 2024
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 […]
RichC | November 15, 2024
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 […]
RichC | November 8, 2024
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 […]
RichC | November 1, 2024
Although watching Major League Baseball was not high priority in our life this year, Brenda and I did enjoy this year’s World Series. I didn’t really have a favorite, as I’ve always had a dislike for the NY Yankees (adversary to the Cleveland Indians, now Guardians) and frankly the LA Dodgers fit that same category […]
RichC | October 25, 2024
Nobody really knows when the next recession will come, but economists and those of us who monitor investments would really like to know before it arrives. This week while moving a few more dollars to the sideline, at least until after the November 2024 election and until mid-January 2025 (parked in a 3-month CD) … I […]
RichC | October 11, 2024
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 […]
RichC | October 4, 2024
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 […]
RichC | September 27, 2024
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 […]
RichC | September 20, 2024
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 […]
RichC | September 13, 2024
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. 😊 […]
RichC | September 6, 2024
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 […]
RichC | August 23, 2024
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 […]
RichC | August 16, 2024
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 […]
RichC | August 2, 2024
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 […]
RichC | July 26, 2024
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 […]
RichC | July 19, 2024
I don’t think I’ve ever recalled a hot summer in July or August that I’ve needed to “remove” water from the pool? I did so with a spare pump leftover from my biodiesel days and a sprinkler. 😊 This year, we’ve had the somewhat normal hot and dry weather … followed by thunderstorms, tornado warning […]
RichC | July 12, 2024
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 […]
RichC | June 21, 2024
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 […]
RichC | June 14, 2024
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 […]
RichC | June 7, 2024
I’ve been using Twitter, which is now X.com after Elon Musk purchase $TWTR and renamed it, since the early days of the 240 character social network. Shockingly, it has now been over 17 years since I joined in February of 2007 … and I decided it was finally time to eliminate the ads and gain […]
RichC | May 31, 2024
It is Tech Friday, but because I’ve already prepared and posted, I still wanted to highlight the newsworthy headline story regarding the politically motivated trial against former president and the likely Republican candidate for president, Donald J. Trump. So opted to test the relatively “new to me” AI client (Perplexity.AI) by asking: Can you summarize […]
RichC | May 31, 2024
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 […]