Reading Time: < 1 min We’re getting to a point where phone numbers matter less and less. Names are saved in my phone so I don’t have to remember them, but a phone call or text is just one of a dozen ways I can contact someone. As we head toward an essentially number-less future, some relics from the past […]
Mobile
We’re at peak USB-C; is the next adaptor simply nothing?
Reading Time: 2 min Seven years ago, I wrote a post saying that you were going to love USB-C ports, and I think it’s held up well. I’m at the point now where literally every device that I own can be charged with a USB-C cable: Pixel Phone iPad Chromebook reMarkable tablet Kindle Verizon hotspot There’s probably more that […]
Who is it for?
Reading Time: 2 min Seth Godin has talked for years about people needing to remember two simple things when creating something: “who is it for?” and “what is it for?”. I find people misplacing “who is it for?” quite often, and a funny example of that just came up. The bank I use recently went through another merger, and […]
Some early thoughts on the Kindle Scribe
Reading Time: 3 min Amazon recently announced the Kindle Scribe, a new 10″ Kindle that comes with a pen. It’s very much like a Kindle meets a reMarkable, and I’m very excited about what that could mean. If you’ve not seen it, here is the official announcement video from Amazon: The video doesn’t show a lot of how it […]
A brilliant “paper” calendar on a digital device
Reading Time: 2 min Over the years I’ve tried various ways to handle my daily scheduling. While my official calendar lives in Google Calendar (and that’s not likely to change anytime soon), I’ve tried various ways of really processing and following my schedule throughout the day. A few years ago I picked up the Full Focus Planner, and it […]
Reducing and syncing notifications
Reading Time: 2 min I’ve talked a good bit about smartwatches on here over the years, from my first Google-vs-Apple post back in 2015, to recurring posts about how Pebble stuck around longer than we thought it might. I recently picked up a Galaxy Watch4, and it’s excellent. As I’ve been getting things set up, though, it’s helped me […]
The Freedom Phone is asking for trouble
Reading Time: 2 min There’s a new phone on the market called the “Freedom Phone”, and the basic idea behind it is solid. It’s a phone that gives you more privacy and less of the tracking from companies like Google and Apple, and I think most of us can agree that’s a good thing. The problem is that the […]
5G has a chance
Reading Time: 2 min I wrote last year about some of the issues facing 5G, the biggest being the lack of reach, as 5G signals just don’t travel nearly as far as 4G signals do, and they never will. As I mentioned back then, if your phone shows you have a “5G” signal, you almost certainly don’t. It’s pure […]
Some good news on robocalls
Reading Time: < 1 min We all get them, and we all hate them. Robocalls. Fortunately, the FCC is finally going to do something about it. More accurately, they’re going to force wireless carriers to do something about it, and it’s good news for us. The FCC has created a new database that all voice providers need to use to […]
Use URL shorteners for better QR codes
Reading Time: 3 min With the “don’t touch anything” approach to handling COVID, particularly at restaurants, we’re seeing a bit of a resurgence with QR codes. Couple that with the fact that iPhone and Android both read QR codes from the main camera app (instead of needing a separate app) means that they’ll likely stick around to some degree. […]