The new Action Button on iPhone 15 replaces the hard mute switch which has existed since the original iPhone as a way to mute calls. It comes set by default to behave like the old mute switch, but it’s easy to re-program it to do almost anything. But when I went to use the Shortcuts app to make the button open Bing to complete a voice search, I struggled at first with how to make it do something within the…
This post and the last are weirdly timed. Last week, I wrote about how Google make terrible business decisions that harm their long-term success. I said, interestingly, that since around 2011, Google has failed to make any new business models work. And this week, the US Department of Justice trial against Google started in earnest. The Verge has a great podcast episode about it, describing some of the arguments that are being made on each side. Although their description of…
Google is one of the wealthiest, companies in the world. I don’t want to imply, in the rest of this article, that Google is ‘unsuccessful’, but there are some things that I think are worth saying and which, from an outsider’s perspective, make no sense at all. The Google of old The original Google had a compelling product: the best search engine ever designed. The search engine has been improved over the years and, ultimately, that is still its core…
On September 19 this year, we vote for our next Mayor. I genuinely believe our best option is Will Stewart because his policies reflect the reality on the ground. There is another good candidate, but Will’s policies go that little bit further beyond what is some candidates believe will be politically tolerated, towards what is actually needed, will work, and what is supported by the evidence. For example, we know that most of the Western world has a lack of…
I recently bought a new Mac Mini. The 2023 edition, like the following devices, has Wi-Fi 6E, which should mean it has a better connection to the internet, especially if you are very close to a new Wi-Fi router: The presence of Wi-Fi 6E, though, turned out to be our problem. Until recently, all Wi-Fi routers had two bands: 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. 2.4Ghz is slightly slower but has a longer range. 5Ghz is faster but has a shorter range. I…
In the last seven months or so, artificial intelligence has taken a large step forward. You may have noticed a sudden surge in media about these systems. Something that has surprised me, though, is how few people I know have actually tried them. So I thought I would share an example of why they’re so powerful. Example: Researching electric cars There are a lot of things to consider when buying a new car, but for me the most important elements…
The Apple Vision Pro is expensive. There are no two ways about it. But – and this is important – so are all Apple products. They are expensive, but they also provide value. My Macbook Pro 16 with the Apple Silicon chip is so much better than any Windows laptop I have ever used, seen, or heard about, that it’s ridiculous. It’s more expensive than a typical Windows laptop, but the battery lasts more than a day, the processor is…
Hi all, Just a quick reminder I am writing a novel. Want to make sure as many people as possible know this! The novel’s first draft is now officially finished. I have submitted it as part of my MFA in Creative Writing and am awaiting feedback and am letting the book become unfamiliar to me so that I can hack at it with a sharp knife when it’s time to revise, next term. The working title is Peter and Petra,…
It’s important to me that we create an inclusive society. Though this website is but a small part of the greater internet, I want to make sure it can be read by everyone, whether they have difficulties discerning colours, use a screen-reader or other assistive technology, or if they have dyslexia or other impediments. If you fit into any of those groups, or none, you’re welcome here! Until recently, if you tried to have my site read out loud, it…
The EU is known as one of the world’s most pro-science governments and, with a vast population and the third largest economy behind the USA and China, massive economic clout. The facts of climate change are no longer in doubt, not least because companies like Exxon had internal research groups flagging warning signs long before the company itself would admit to the reality, just as with smoking and sugar industries. One of the main concerns about being at the vanguard…