Author Archives: Phil Baker

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 […]

Many of us on the West Coast who’ve been isolating during the pandemic have been dreaming of finally returning to one of our favorite vacation destinations, Hawaii. But the state government has been cautious about opening up, even discouraging airlines from resuming their regular scheduled service. In fact, it’s been the only state that’s not […]

Apple has the ability to wow and impress with its products beyond most any other company. Granted they do it with some impressive technology, but they also manage to impress when they both remove features and introduce new ones that competitors already have. It’s not a criticism, just an observation.  They do so many things […]

AT&T is in Hot Water It was revealed this week that AT&T executives played a key role in the founding of the far-right conspiracy television channel One America News (OAN). An investigative report from Reuters claims AT&T was involved in the idea for the network, its creation, and provides the network most of its revenue through a […]

Facebook is on the defensive once again with new revelations backed up by Facebook’s own documents. Will this time be different? Past revelations, no matter how outrageous, elicited responses much like we see now: Lawmakers express outrage, call for new laws and new hearings, and threaten Facebook. But then nothing happens. Yes, I do think […]

Developing products has always been a passion of mine, and I’ve written two books about the subject: “From Concept to Consumer,” and “To Feel the Music” (co-authored with Neil Young.)  The books describe the process of beginning with an idea, and taking it all the way through development into manufacturing, marketing and selling; dealing along […]

For years, Facebook has been criticized for the damage it creates because of its basic design that uses a set of rules and algorithms to bring people of like interests together. Originally it was intended to be used for advertisers, serving up ads to their most likely customers, based on their members’ interests. So, much […]

Many are reassessing our priorities after living through the pandemic the past year and a half – everything from changing jobs to appreciating the simpler things and figuring out what’s important and what’s not. As a frequent traveler, air travel, something I did a few times each month, has lost its luster. Many trips can […]

The time has come when we need to stop trying to coax the unvaccinated to get their shots. They’ve been given endless explanations about the benefit of being vaccinated yet refuse to comply. Their refusal is causing the continued spreading of the pandemic and putting innocent people in danger. Enough is enough. We’ve past the […]

At last we’re catching up with China and other countries and moving towards a form of electronic ID. China residents have had digital ID cards that identify themselves when they check into hotels or register for government services. It’s a replacement for a physical ID card. (Of course, China has also used these digital identity […]

I came across this terrific article republished in the Guardian a number of years ago, but its’ even more relevant today. It’s a subject I wanted to write about, but could not have said anything better than what Mr. Dobelli wrote. This is an edited extract from an essay first published at dobelli.com. The Art […]

Audio quality is finally getting more attention from the streaming services and now it’s time for the car manufacturers to pay attention. With Apple, Amazon and Qobuz now offering hi resolution audio, we need to improve the hardware in the cars to hear the music at its best. Streaming has become the default source in […]

If you’re a normal sane human being, you’ may be as frustrated as I am about how people are reacting to protecting themselves and their neighbors against Covid. We see so many exhibiting a total lack of logic and common sense. What seems obvious to us, wearing a mask and getting vaccinated, is not to […]