Enough time has passed since the Apple Watch Series 4 was announced that the initial excitement has completely cooled off, so it’s a great time to figure out if you should actually buy one. Luckily, impulse purchases are not an option. Apple quickly sold through their stock of the Series 4, so even if you …
Category Archives: Tech
Switching back to a 2010 MacBook Pro for a week in 2018
One day I walked into my office and a co-worker was leaning over his laptop calmly sopping coffee he had spilled next to his computer. I was taken aback because he was experiencing my worst nightmare, and doing so with untroubled aplomb. I’m still lucky enough to say that I’ve never spilled liquid on a …
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Why the Apple TV shouldn’t be a smart assistant speaker
A prominent tech pundit named M.G. Siegler recently wrote about how he believes the Apple TV should have become a smart-home hub: a combination Wi-Fi router, smart speaker, video streaming device, and game console all-in-one. While I can see the appeal, I also see problems that would keep it from becoming a hit product. Apple recently …
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4 months with Apple AirPods: A picky sound person review
Four months ago I purchased AirPods, and they immediately became something I kept with me at all times. If they’re not stuck in my ears or stowed in a pocket of my pants — I panic until I locate them. Before AirPods, there were only three objects that held this level of importance: my wallet, my …
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Using a Samsung Chromebook Pro after years of MacBook Pro
I’ve been a satisfied Mac user for 14 years, and aside from the occasional hiccup, I’ve never been tempted to switch back to Windows. But the idea of having a little Chromebook around as a secondary computer is something I’ve considered, but never acted on. Luckily I came into possession of a Samsung XE510C24-K01US Chromebook Pro through …
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How to set up Sonos One with Alexa
The Sonos One is an excellent-sounding smart speaker that has the Amazon Alexa digital assistant built in. You just speak to it, and Alexa does what you ask her to do, such as playing your favorite music. This post features clearly written step-by-step instructions that explain how to get it working.
Three weeks with the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS: A review
The majority of Apple Watch Series 3 reviews focus on the cellular model, but the one most people should get is the less-expensive GPS version. While it’s amazing you can place calls from your wrist without a phone, the GPS-only version does almost everything the fancier one does, and it doesn’t add a $17-a-month fee to your bill (I explain …
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How to control Sonos with an Amazon Echo
The long-awaited ability to control Sonos with an Amazon Echo is here! I’ve written about how to connect these devices using cables, but this new skill lets you do it wirelessly. This post explains how to get it running…
How to use Sonos with the Amazon Echo (2nd Gen), Echo Plus and Echo Spot
The All-New Echo (2nd Generation), Echo Plus, and Echo Spot from Amazon each have an audio output, which makes them easy to directly connect to some Sonos speakers and components. This post clearly explains how to set this up and get it running.
Hey John Siracusa… Stop driving up the price of the Mac Pro!
I spend a fair chunk of time listening to podcasts, and one of the more interesting personalities out there is a fellow named John Siracusa. He’s a computer programmer and one of the most knowledgeable Apple nerds on the planet. His encyclopedic understanding of Macintosh computers is just a bonus, though. What makes him compelling is his …
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