Published work, shop talk, and stray thoughts.
Subscribe via RSS. (What’s that?)
Follow along on Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, or LinkedIn.
You should also get my newsletters.
-
-
How my switch from Gmail is going (Advisorator)
Fastmail has done everything necessary to prove itself as an adequate (or even superior) Gmail replacement.
The post How my switch from Gmail is going appeared first on Advisorator.
-
-
Apple was always against touchscreen Macs. What changed? (FastCo)
The new “PROLED” MacBook Pro is the first with a full touchscreen, but don’t expect any drastic changes.
Ever since Windows 8 paved the way for touchscreen laptops, Apple’s been against them. And the company hasn’t exactly been shy about making its feelings known.
“It gives great demo, but after a short period of time you get fatigue,” Steve Jobs said in 2010. “It’s ergonomically terrible.”
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91631800/apple-proled-macbook-pro-touchless-about-face?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
My personal notetaking setup (Advisorator)
Obsidian offers a level of freedom and flexibility that basic notetaking apps can’t touch.
The post My personal notetaking setup appeared first on Advisorator.
-
These 2 free compression tools protect your privacy (FastCo)
Simple, free, and respectful of your privacy—what more could you ask for?
Sometimes you just need to make a file smaller, quality be darned.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91616289/best-free-compression-tools-privacy?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
-
Take better notes (Advisorator)
What to use for digital notes and how to do a better job taking them.
The post Take better notes appeared first on Advisorator.
-
This quick test will tell you if your home Wi-Fi is to blame for laggy internet (FastCo)
You deserve the speed you’re paying for—and OpenSpeedTest will help make sure you’re actually getting it in a way most standard speed tests can’t manage.
If you suspect something’s amiss with your home network, the first thing you might do is run a speed test from sites like speedtest.net or fast.com—or even the newer Orb speed test tool featured here last May.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91606189/slow-wi-fi-open-speed-test?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
Apple’s HomeView has a Google problem (FastCo)
Photos might be HomeView’s killer app. Too bad for those of us who don’t store them with Apple.
As someone who’s kept a smart display on the kitchen counter for the last eight years, I should be among the target audience for Apple HomeView.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91625533/apples-homeview-has-a-google-problem?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
-
The AI software slop invasion (Advisorator)
As the future of software becomes and endless stream of unvetted AI slop, you’ll have to become more discerning about which tools you use.
The post The AI software slop invasion appeared first on Advisorator.
-
Start vibe-coding your own iPhone Shortcuts already (FastCo)
Apple’s automation app is easier than ever now that AI can build them for you.
Thanks to Siri AI and Shortcuts in iOS 27, I’ve finally created a better version of Shazam.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91621141/start-vibe-coding-your-own-iphone-shortcuts-already?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
Googlebooks mark the end of the old Google (FastCo)
The dream of the open web as the next great computing platform is finally over.
Does Google still believe in the open web? With the launch of its new Googlebooks, it doesn’t feel that way.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91615554/googlebooks-mark-the-end-of-the-old-google?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
-
Free alternatives to expensive apps (Advisorator)
What to use instead of Word, Photoshop, and more.
The post Free alternatives to expensive apps appeared first on Advisorator.
-
The 6 next big things in consumer tech for 2026 (FastCo)
Shoes that put on themselves, glasses that help you hear, a hassle-free smart microwave, and more.
Consumer technology is at its best when it’s solving problems that exist outside of the tech world. This year’s honorees include better ways to clean your floors, put on your shoes, hear the conversation around you, and practice music effectively. There’s also a less-intrusive smart lock, a refreshingly simple microwave oven, and—if you’ll allow one solution to a problem caused by technology itself—a way to spare your smartphone screen from prying eyes.
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91609906/consumer-next-big-things-in-tech-2026?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
-
Please read this before pitching me on your obviously vibe-coded app
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a surge in emails that all follow the same pattern.
An app developer introduces themselves, then praises (or at least references) my newsletter or freelance work. They then encourage me to try their app, which is usually some utility like a voice note-taker, a calculator, or a text converter with some freemium business model attached.
The apps are obviously vibe-coded in Claude or whatever, or at least they seem that way, with clashing fonts, over-explained interfaces, and slapdash design. The pitches themselves are also AI; running them through Pangram confirms that the text is entirely AI-generated.
Even if the apps are real, the whole thing feels unseemly, as if I’ve found myself in the midst of some new AI hustle: Use Claude Code to churn out low-effort utility apps, round up a list of journalists who write about useful tech tools, and have AI generate personalized email pitches based on their public work.
I’m not saying all vibe-coded software is inherently bad. I’ve put together a few such projects myself as a way to scratch a personal itch or fulfill what seems like an unmet need. But there’s no passion on display here. What I’m seeing in these pitches is nothing more than a raw numbers game.
So if you (or your AI agent) are reading this and thinking about pitching me on your app, I have a few requests first:
- Tell me about your qualifications as a developer.
- If you don’t have any qualifications other than vibe coding, at least explain to me what unique expertise or experience you’ve brought to making this app.
- Don’t use AI to write your pitch.
- Acknowledge that you’ve read this, if only to help convince me that you didn’t just have Claude do everything for you.
A couple years ago, I would have felt pretty guilty about deleting a pitch from an indie developer. My inbox is already awash in human-written PR slop, so the creators who take the time to send a personal message would always get my attention. It’s too bad that some opportunistic individuals are now using AI to abuse this privilege.
-
-
A wild new way to protect your personal info (Advisorator)
Here’s what happened when I used AI to wipe my personal info from the internet.
The post A wild new way to protect your personal info appeared first on Advisorator.