I’m onboard with Apple Card — it’s a welcome change

I’ve been using credit cards for a long time, and the experience has always been unpleasurable. I usually stay in control and never slip too far into debt, but the cards are still a source of stress. A few months ago I decided to stop using them completely. Points and rewards are nice, but constant worry is not. It never feels good to owe money, and the latency between when you spend money with a credit card and when you’re supposed to pay it is endlessly irritating. I thought I was finished with credit cards, and then I tried Apple Card.

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How to back-up iPhone photos without paying for iCloud

I love Apple for certain things, like my Macintosh computers, and I greatly prefer using an iPhone over using Android mobile devices. But there are some things from Apple that I truly do not like. For example, the “Photos” program that comes pre-loaded on Mac computers is absolutely terrible. Another example is iCloud.

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Tascam DR-40X In-Depth Review

I own several portable digital audio recorders, and when I need to make a recording I usually grab my old Tascam DR-40. Why? I like how it sounds, and the controls are easy to use. I also occasionally record line-level audio, and the DR-40 has a simple switch that adjusts the input levels for that kind of signal. It’s been my go-to recorder for many years, but it was recently discontinued. Thankfully, the DR-40 was replaced by a very similar device: the new DR-40X. Tascam sent me one to try out, and I wanted to share my impressions of it.

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How I made a homemade pedalboard for my guitar

The only thing I was into in from ages 15 to 35 was playing guitar and being in bands. I was also vaguely interested in writing, filmmaking, and technology, but they were insignificant compared to music. Later in my adulthood I took a big step back and focused on other things, but out of nowhere in January of 2019 I started playing guitar every day again. Before long I was building a pedalboard.

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How to survive the MacBook nuclear winter with a Siracusintosh

Anyone who uses a MacBook (Pro, Air, etc.) needs to recognize the dire state of Apple’s current laptop lineup. While they’re still incredible machines in their hearts, the positive qualities are mostly canceled out by the shortcomings of their faulty butterfly keyboards, and other problems, like a simple wire that wears out after three years of normal use and costs $600 to replace. In my personal opinion, no one should buy a current Apple laptop. The only way forward, for now, is to use MacBooks from 2010 – 2015. Let me explain…

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Anatomy of an Indoor Cycling Smart Trainer Setup

I recently got all of the equipment required for an indoor cycling smart trainer setup. It took a tremendous amount of research to figure out all of the pieces I needed, so I decided to create this blog post and video to show you everything I picked out, and explain why I chose it.

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One month with the Apple Watch Series 4: A review

The entirety of the Apple Watch Series 4 experience boils down to one thing: the screen is remarkably larger and that alone makes everything better. It’s worth it to buy one or to upgrade to one just for the screen. I’ve been using a 44mm Apple Watch Series 4 GPS for one month, and I share detailed thoughts on the experience below — but the main takeaway is that the bigger screen makes it worthwhile.

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Should you buy an Apple Watch Series 4?

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 decide to order one today, you’re not going to get it for three solid weeks.

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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 computer (and yes, I knocked on wood immediately after I typed that), but nine days ago I did something far worse to my beloved laptop.

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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 announced that they’re leaving the router business, I think it’s a wise decision.

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