In spite of promises from cellular companies and threats of fines from the FCC, spam calls and spam texts continue to grow with no relief in site. As an aside, I’ve always been convinced that a candidate promising to eliminate these scourges would do better than running on most any other platform, and would unite […]

Apple has just introduced a digital driver license in Arizona. It’s the first state where drivers can add their driver license to their iPhone and not be required to carry a physical license. Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, and Utah. are currently working on doing much the same. […]

Apple ranks at the bottom of a recent analysis of product repairability, earning a 3 out of 10. The analysis, conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, rated companies producing laptops and cellphones. They looked at how well their products were designed to be repaired and whether the companies supported right to repair policies […]

Business flyers are a funny sort. We’re intensly loyal to our favorite airline, hotel chain and rental car company, and we love to relate our experiences to other business travelers. As business people, we can recognize innovation, competency and how we’re being treated, and we expect some recognition in return. But, alas, that’s a fanciful […]

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is being impacted by technology more than any previous war. Technology brings the war to the screens as well as being used as a weapon to retaliate. Ukrainians with cameras are sharing their experiences with millions around the world over social apps, all in real time. That enables us to […]

What are the best phone cases that incorporate a wallet? I look at the options. Like self-driving cars, eliminating the need to carry a wallet has been a long held dream. Using our phone to replace a wallet has been a work in progress for years. The U.S. has been behind other countries, notably China, […]

The Oura Ring is a tiny device designed to discretely monitor some of your basic health signs. While it looks like a simple metal ring, it’s packed full of microelectronics. The company recently introduced their 3rd generation product, the Oura Ring 3 with more capabilities than ever before. Oura, founded in Finland in 2015, has […]

How many times have you heard that Facebook couldn’t withstand another scandal or another breach of privacy? Nothing seemed to slow down its growth. After every outrage, users grew and Facebook got away with another breach of trust. That was true until suddenly it wasn’t, much to everyone’s surprise. On February 2, 2022 Facebook (now […]

Even before this past week’s events, I never considered using Spotify to listen to music. Spotify streams at the lowest audio quality among all its competitors. How low? About 1/20th the quality of streaming services such as Amazon, Apple and Qobuz. Just a couple of years ago Amazon, Apple and Spotify were all of similar […]

If we can’t travel to museums in distant lands, why not bring the art to us? That’s the premise of the multi-media presentation of the works of artist Vincent Van Gogh that’s been touring the U.S. Called “Van Gogh, The Immersive Experience.” I attended the exhibit that recently opened in Del Mar (San Diego.) Part […]

Companies have gone crazy in creating products with an app and an Internet connection. What began as a way to offer some added capabilities or new features has become an epidemic of useless gadgetry. Often there’s little thought given to whether an app or wireless connectivity provides something of value or is just an added […]

For many years I used an office-on-wheels bag from Briggs & Riley for all my business travel. I schlepped it wherever I went, through airports, on planes, to coffee shops, and hotel lobbies. It was a huge bag with compartments and dividers to hold my computer, chargers, cables, SLR camera and lenses, extra batteries, headphones, […]

Technology impacts most everything we do. It’s used to help us, exploit us, sell us and annoy us. Here are my choices for the best and the worst of technology as I remember – not too fondly – this past year, 2021. Companies Best From a customer perspective, Amazon has been one of the best […]

Apple is widely recognized for designing and producing some of the most innovative consumer hardware ever created. They’re known for their innovations in materials, manufacturing and industrial design that’s created a desirability and passion around most everything they make. But with these successes, they’ve failed to make their products environmentally responsible. As a result they’ve […]

If you have a phone with Verizon service you are likely being tracked and your personal information is being sold and shared with Verizon’s partners. I just discovered this based on an article in The Verge. According to the report by Emma Roth, “The My Verizon app might be collecting information about your browsing history, […]

If you’ve ever thought of adding security cameras to your home, now is a good time to consider it. There are a number of inexpensive products that are simple and cheap. Amazon’s Blink and Wyse offer battery powered cameras with good performance at a very low cost. I chose the Blink Outdoor camera that can be used […]

I’ve been using Apple’s new 14-inch MacBook Pro for the past two weeks, and it’s the best notebook Apple has ever produced. After five years of notebooks that were mediocre at best, the new 2021 Pro is measurably better in every way. Out of the box, it turns on instantly, it’s incredibly fast, it has […]

Most of us have been using Google as our default search engine for years. But over time, Google’s search engine has undergone major changes, some little-by-little, but significantly enough to make for a much worse user experience. The home page used to have a few sponsored ads separated from the search results with a beige […]

Tumi has come up with the perfect gift for the business traveler that has everything. It’s an International carry on made of titanium with leather accents. And it’s only $3000. But if you want to emboss the leather patch with initials you’ll need pay an additional charge of $15 per letter. Because, of course, it’s […]

Two weeks ago I asked if this time would be different when it comes to Facebook facing consequences for their behavior. A former employee claimed whistle blower status and shared internal documents that showed that Facebook was aware of the damage its product was causing and had covered much of it up. Among the worst […]