When Amazon first sent me their Echo product in early 2015, I was impressed. The Echo is the speaker that’s listens to verbal requests and provides intelligent answers, much like an audio version of Google search.  I’d ask it for the traffic report, the local news, or requested that it play some favorite songs, and, […]

Apple is being sued by Epic Games for levying a 30% charge on its app sold in its App Store. Epic wants to be able to sell directly to its customers, while Apple insists only it should provide software for its iPhones and iPads. The issue is one with strong arguments on both sides. Apple […]

Neil Young’s multi-decade effort to bring high resolution music to music fans scored a major victory this week when Apple announced it would be converting its streaming music service to hi res. One of the major holdouts, Apple finally joins Amazon and Qobuz in offering their music at the same quality as it was recorded, […]

The Internet is built on ads. Everything we do and everywhere we go we see ads. Google and Facebook are built on delivering ads that are intended to be more interesting and relevant than just presenting us with random offerings.  From an advertiser’s perspective that makes good sense, because it allows them to target their […]

When Facebook indefinitely suspended ex-President Trump after the January 6 attack on the capitol, its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, got no thanks from either side. Why did he wait so long, considering how Trump and his campaign had used Facebook to perpetuate lies, many complained. And Trump supporters complained that the suspension was a violation of […]

WaterField Designs has introduced the slim and elegant Double-Take iPad + MacBook Sleeve to protect and transport both devices at once. Increasingly, we routinely carry either an iPad Pro and a MacBook or two laptops, one personal and one professional. The modular Double-Take Sleeve, with two padded compartments, a designated Apple Pencil slot, a simple […]

The luggage industry has been hit hard this past year, with most of us stuck at home and not traveling.  Buying new luggage is the furthest from our minds. Samsonite, the world’s largest luggage maker, had nearly a one billion dollar loss in the first half of 2020, but showed a small improvement later in […]

As a business traveler for over fifty years, I’ve been on dozens of airlines flying to scores of countries. Most of it was for business travel to Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and China. But a fair amount of it was for pleasure, visiting family and going on vacations to Hawaii, Europe and elsewhere.  In […]

There are a few rules I’ve learned over the years relating to technology: If it’s not broken leave it alone Things rarely go as expected A bargain is not always a bargain Well,  I just broke all of them going through cell hell. It all began last week when I learned that Verizon was having […]

We are about to see some meaningful action against the incessant violation of our privacy by Facebook, data brokers, and others that collect and sell our personal information. Up to now, there have been no limitations to what they collect and what they share. With its next software update for iPhones and iPads, iOS 14.5, […]

This past Thursday marked one month since my wife got her second vaccine; I became eligible a few weeks earlier. At 6 am on Thursday we were off on a 500 mile road trip to Marin County from San Diego to visit our son, his wife, and our grandkids. We hadn’t visited them in Marin […]

In a recent column I described how Amazon knocked off one of Peak Design’s iconic bags. They copied the unusual design right down to the trapezoidal shape of the label and priced it at a third the cost. They even used the same name, “The Everyday Sling Bag.” Peak responded by creating a parody video that […]

Yes Watch has been making unusual watches since 1999 and has just brought out its latest model, the YES V7. It’s the most complex and comprehensive timepiece the company has ever created, built upon the designs that have preceded it. Like its earlier models, the watch provides an excellent value for those utilizing its unique […]

The number of new electric cars being introduced provides us with many good options to reduce our gas consumption, but they all suffer from one major disadvantage, range anxiety. Until the number of chargers becomes as common as gas stations, and until charging times can be reduced from an hour to mere minutes, EV (electric […]

It’s no secret that Amazon has become a haven for unauthorized and fake merchandise. Type in the name of any music artist or group appended with the word “shirt,” and up comes scores of them emblazoned with the the artist’s name and image. Then there are products on Amazon that are knock-offs or copies of […]

In 1985, a few years after moving to Silicon Valley, a new 20,000 square foot store opened in Sunnyvale, called Fry’s Electronics. It was founded by the same family that had run a regional supermarket chain by the same name. It was one of the first super-sized stores in the area to specialize in electronics, […]

Seemingly out of nowhere, the app Clubhouse has became one of the most talked about new social platforms since Facebook.  This iPhone-only app currently can be activated by invitation only, adding to its buzz. It’s been around since March of last year and supposedly has six million users around the world. Clubhouse connects people of like […]

Just when you thought there was an app for everything, there’s a new one that lets building tenants operate their elevators remotely from their smartphone or watch. Yes, you read that correctly. Control the elevator from your smartphone. Now what can go wrong with that? Atlanta-based thyssenkrupp Elevator claims their new app reduces elevator traffic […]

This country barely survived a disinformation campaign that was propagated and amplified by a combination of old fashioned broadcast propaganda and newly created algorithmic technologies. If we are to protect our democracy, both need to be addressed.  The most prominent actors in each of these areas are Fox News and Facebook. While they’re very different […]