If you have been a regular reader, then you know very well how I feel about Vision Pro, which is the best entertainment device I have ever owned (outside of my iPad.) And you also know that I think it is a two-horse race between Meta and Apple. (You can see my comments in this CN … | Continue reading
At present, these are my most used web/desktop/mobile apps. Honorable Mentions: Topaz Labs AI & Google Labs’ (AI Search.) Legacy Apps & Services that I still use a lot: Apple Mail, Apple Music (Classical), Plex, VLC, Twitter, Safari, and Apple Notes. Frankly, they all need some … | Continue reading
Let’s file this one under the #TimeFlies category! It is hard to imagine that it was a year ago that Silicon Valley faced an existential crisis. Its premier financial institution, Silicon Valley Bank, was taken over by the federal regulators. It was one of the most difficult week … | Continue reading
The veritable German heritage brand, known for its cameras and optics, Leica, has announced a brand new flagship mirrorless camera — the Leica SL3. I have had a chance to use a pre-release version of the camera for a day (or so) and have quick early impressions, especially from t … | Continue reading
What is dystopia? What is technology? What is progress? What is society? What is civilization? It’s all a moving target. What seems like dystopia, seems normal eventually. I was reminded of this when I read a piece by Mahatma Gandhi, originally published in 1909. He was writing a … | Continue reading
Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash It is not uncommon to hear the question: what is 5G really good for? After all, it doesn’t change the current applications, it doesn’t change our mobile experience to… | Continue reading
It is not uncommon to hear the question: what is 5G really good for? After all, it doesn’t change the current applications, it doesn’t change our mobile experience too much from the more advanced version of LTE mobile broadband that is widely available around the world. So, again … | Continue reading
Your body has a weird way of reminding you of your “age.” For me, that reminder came in the form of jetlag. There was a time when my jet lag would be gone in a day when I would fly back from Delhi, but this time it has taken three days to bounce back and adjust to California time … | Continue reading
I have been away visiting my parents in Delhi, India. I went not only to check in on their health, but also to get a chance to celebrate their sixty years together, along with my siblings. It was a short, packed trip. I got to spend time not only with my parents and my siblings, … | Continue reading
I gave up on Google’s Chrome a long time ago and switched to Brave before it started getting flak for doing questionable things. Then Josh Miller, the co-founder of The Browser Company (whom I met during his Branch.com days), offered me a chance to try out Arc, their new, clean, … | Continue reading
Hello from somewhere over the Philippine Sea! My watch just nudged me to get up and walk around. My phone tells me that I am connected at roughly 10 Mbps. I am having a WhatsApp conversation with family members while receiving some email updates. The book I was reading on my iPho … | Continue reading
A review unit of Apple’s Vision Pro showed up yesterday. I’ve spent the majority of the past 24 hours setting it up. The setup was much simpler than I thought it would be. Given my previous experiences with the device at Apple Park, I have a slight advantage. So, your mileage mig … | Continue reading
No, not again! Not another Vision Pro Review! I feel you — after all the reviews yesterday, I am pretty sure you don’t want to read another review. Here’s the good news — it’s not a review. Instead, I will share my quick impressions from a deep dive at Apple Park, and my two magi … | Continue reading
Apple Vision Pro reviews have started to roll in — and depending on who you read, the consensus vacillates between amazing and work in progress. In most cases, they reflect some version of reality. If one is looking for faults with Apple’s face computer, then one will find them. … | Continue reading
As a way to play music, it was better in nearly every way. Spotify then became my favorite way to listen to music. Recently though, I’ve found myself hating Spotify. The app loads slowly. Music no longer plays instantly. The interface is riddled with recommendations, podcasts, au … | Continue reading
“Friends don’t let friends go to Forbes.com.” — me! Twenty-five years ago, while working for Forbes Digital Tool, the digital offshoot of Forbes magazine, I collaborated with Adam Penenberg and many other colleagues to bring to light the story of Stephen Glass, a young journalist … | Continue reading
The shuttering of the popular music website Pitchfork has led to a eulogy for the critic. Given how we consume media, I would argue that this was inevitable. However, I see things differently — the role of critics is adapting to our new algorithmic reality. | Continue reading
When I finished reading this (must-read) wonderful profile of Bell Labs, the singular most iconic research institution of the modern era, I was left wondering — just because you invent the future, it doesn’t mean you get to enjoy the benefits from it, nor does it guarantee that f … | Continue reading
I had promised myself that I would go out with my camera and look for images that resonated with me. I wanted to capture the abstraction of San Francisco, especially in areas that are so familiar to me. I used a vintage lens (with an adapter) on a Leica TL camera. It may be consi … | Continue reading
Editor’s Note: I want to take a moment to welcome new readers who have stumbled upon my internet homestead, thanks to Ben Thompson’s interview with me on the Stratechery Podcast (Subscription Required). We delved into the history of technology and my renewed enthusiasm for its fu … | Continue reading
I want to take a moment and say a silent prayer for David Mills, the creator of Network Time Protocol (NTP), which is fundamental to the functioning of networks. Mills, nicknamed the Internet’s Time Lord by his peers, passed away on January 17 at the age of 85. His contributions … | Continue reading
CES 2024, unlike its predecessors, lacked the usual impact because tech companies now prefer their own events for product releases. This was an in-between year, and no one knew what to build, or whom to copy. As is usually the case, the looming shadow of Apple, along with the lau … | Continue reading
A Man may make a Remark –In itself – a quiet thingThat may furnish the Fuse unto a SparkIn dormant nature – lain –Let us divide – with skill –Let us discourse – with care –Powder exists in Charcoal –Before it exists in Fire –A Quiet Thing, Emily Dickinson When reading this poem, … | Continue reading
I could use the rain as an excuse, but that would be a cop-out. I did go out often, and there were opportunities to capture images. The rain itself gave me so many opportunities. Even when I did find images that spoke to me, I couldn’t get things to work out. Usually, my everyday … | Continue reading
Every so often, when I ask myself — why do I make such an effort to maintain my homestead on the internet and manage my newsletter? The answer bubbles up every so often when a social media platform manages to jerk its users around. The latest brouhaha around Substack is like yet … | Continue reading
In San Fran's bay, where dreams take flight,Ma.tt's the name, shining oh so bright.Crafting internet fame, in the WordPress game.Jazz in his soul, coding's his art,Like a sax, soaring high and low,Crafting WordPress, with a soft, mellow flow.Ma.tt’s the maestro!Remote is his styl … | Continue reading
The rumor machine can finally turn itself off — Apple has announced that its spatial computer, Vision Pro, is going on sale on January 19. It will start taking pre-orders for the $3,500 device, which ships on February 2nd. And I am excited. Let me rephrase that — I am super excit … | Continue reading
Week One of my 366 Photo Project is in the bag. Of the seven photos that I shared with my community — on Glass and here on the website — two were captured this week, while the rest were older images that I edited (or re-edited) this week. This practice of working on images and … | Continue reading
Matt Mullenweg’s 40th birthday is coming up — and as a gift, I was going to buy him 40 types of cables. However, for a gift, he wants everyone to blog — especially on WordPress. So, that’s what I will do! I mean, I already blog. So, not that much of a stretch. However, for Matt, … | Continue reading
The company pitches Link History as a useful tool for consumers “with your browsing activity saved in one place,” rather than another way to keep tabs on your behavior. With the new setting you’ll “never lose a link again,” Facebook says in a pop-up encouraging users to consent t … | Continue reading
Nothing quite reminds you of the passage of time as the passing of people you have met on your journey. Today I learned from Andy Abramson that Jim Courtney, a long-time blogger who wrote about all things voice telephony and Skype, had recently passed away. Andy knew him much mor … | Continue reading
On January 2nd, 1993, Wired burst onto the scene, and let me tell you, it transformed the way many of us looked at technology and its impact on our future. It was like part field notes, part research lab, and a whole lot of fantastic storytelling. That magazine infused us with th … | Continue reading
Subscription overload is a problem that is finally being discussed in the open. The mainstream spenders seem to have had enough of it — especially when it comes to streaming services. The Wall Street Journal, citing research from analytics company Antenna, writes: About one-quart … | Continue reading
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.T. S. Eliot First of all, I wish you all a very Happy New Year! I hope this year proves to be an educational and inspiring one, motivating yo … | Continue reading
It isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last. At the end of every year, I like to pause and reflect on how much effort has gone into nurturing and maintaining my digital homestead. My decision to slowly retreat from social media prompted me to spend more time around here. So … | Continue reading
I am one of the lucky ones. Why? Because I have two birthdays: one on the day I was born and the second on the day I was reborn, which is today. Sixteen years ago, I found myself on the brink, facing mortality, only to be mysteriously saved. My natural instinct is not to dwell … | Continue reading
The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) and its wide-ranging impact is inescapable. But beyond industry disruption, what significant effects does this groundbreaking technology hold for geopolitical dynamics and conflicts? Joining me in this episode is Sean Gourley, a renow … | Continue reading
When we look back at 2023, we quickly realize that this was the year when the hype and reality of self-driving cars collided head-on. This pivotal year marked the convergence of hopes, fears, and excitement surrounding the autonomous revolution, setting the stage for an intriguin … | Continue reading
Adobe and Figma have mutually agreed to terminate their previously announced $20 billion merger agreement due to anticipated difficulties in receiving necessary regulatory approvals from the European Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority. The decision ends the p … | Continue reading
The 120th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight serves as a good reminder to reflect on the long arc of technology and its impact. By drawing inspiration from Isaac Asimov and employing my "present future" framework, I delve into the power of envisioning the future, be … | Continue reading
For photographers and videographers, Apple's Vision Pro will serve as a catalyst to rethink traditional photography. This technology, when combined with smartphones, represents yet another step towards a life dominated by digital screens filled with photos. It also heralds a shif … | Continue reading
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I am a big fan of Apple’s Vision Pro, a spatial computer that probably will reshape our relationship with entertainment, media, and content—if nothing else—when it comes to market. Ever since Apple announced the device at WWDC 2023, … | Continue reading
Microsoft & the AFL-CIO have formed a partnership aimed at shaping the future of AI in the workforce. Big news! If you look beyond the headlines, and questions emerge about the actual impact of AI on employment, particularly in white-collar sectors. | Continue reading
One of the great/weird things about iPhotos is the ‘this day today’ feature. It brings up memories, both good and not-so-good. Today, it popped up a photo of Travis Kalanick hanging out backstage at Loic’s Le Web in 2009. Travis, in case you didn’t know, is the co-founder of Uber … | Continue reading
My endocrinologist wanted me to go get some bloodwork done, just to make sure I am doing okay, my diabetes is under control, and if all my markers were in line. I popped over to UCSF to get the bloodwork done. I wore a mask and used sanitizer. You know the drill. And yet, a … | Continue reading
After shying away from “AI” for a few years, Apple has finally started to tout the “AI” capabilities of its computers. Good riddance, for I have been fairly critical of their apathy towards this move towards “augmented intelligence.” It all started with the recently announced M3 … | Continue reading
It’s about photographing things you see. It’s photographing the light and direction of the light. It’s not stamp collecting. It’s about a beautiful original photograph where you use your own initiative, your own individuality, your own instincts to come up with something. It does … | Continue reading
Glass, the photo community that forms a significant part of my online visual presence, announces a monthly theme. This encourages members to upload entries interpreting the theme in their own way. For November, the chosen theme was ‘Framed.’ November’s Monthly Category is Framed! … | Continue reading