October 21, 2020

iPhone 11 Camera Retrospective

With the iPhones 12 hitting the market, I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel about my iPhone 11.

I found it pretty boring when I bought it and that hasn’t changed. I don’t like that generation’s rounded design language and the phone itself was certainly not worth the upgrade over my previous iPhone X…except for one aspect: the camera.

Read More → photography digital lifestyle

September 28, 2020

How to Avoid Instapaper/Pocket Queue Bankruptcy

There’s been a lot of conversation in my circles recently about how to effectively save links and deal with articles you want to read later.

The trouble these folks run into is that their queue quickly grows to impractical proportions, forcing them to give up, empty it, and start again.

I don’t pretend to have the one true solution, but since this isn’t a problem I run into, I thought it might be worth outlining my approach in case it helps.

Read More → digital lifestyle productivity

August 31, 2020

I Need a Break →

My friend Álvaro recently penned this piece about his decision to step away from social media for a while.

I myself left Facebook last year, for similar reasons, so Álvaro’s frustration resonated with me:

I’ve come to the conclusion that social media, in its current form, is actively detrimental to my mental health and well-being. It’s taken a lot of introspection, but I’ve realized that social media has been slowly poisoning my character in ways I don’t even fully understand. Being constantly exposed to an endless stream of negativity has made me more angry, and it has shortened my fuse significantly. My tolerance for disagreement is at an all-time low, and I find myself being defensive even when there’s no apparent reason for it. Perhaps more importantly, it’s been draining my capacity for joy and my ability to appreciate the little things in life. All of this has had an impact in my everyday life, my work and my relationships, and I’ve had enough.

Two New UAG Watch Straps: Nato & Civilian Silicone

A year after my initial review, the UAG Leather Watch Strap is still my most-used strap for the Apple Watch Series 4.

It has held up to the rigours of daily wear and tear, and its blend of good design, good materials, and handsome aesthetics lend an air of rugged sophistication to a watch that I’m otherwise not especially fond of.