Author Archives: Phil Baker

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 […]

Facebook and Donald Trump are both threats to our democracy and our well-being. Each have contributed to the events on January 6 in Washington D.C. Trump facilitated and emboldened white supremacists to come out of hiding and storm the Capitol, while Facebook helped them organize, grow in number, and coordinate their plans. They are each […]

With our spending more time at home and with all the streaming entertainment available, now is a good time to buy a large screen TV (HDTV). New models are being announced, older models are being closed out, and the annual Super Bowl sales are about to begin.  Even without the sales, you can find decent […]

Apple has suffered a huge embarrassment with their recently announced Air Pods Max headphones. While the super expensive $500 headphones get excellent reviews for their audio quality, design, materials and build quality, it’s been ridiculed for the dinky “Smart case” that’s supplied with it. It’s less of a case and more a cheaply made cover […]

Facebook has been relentless in selling our personal information to their customers in order to target us with ads and messaging, some even encouraging people to join groups with like interests, including hate groups. They’ve done this with little opposition as they sweep up more and more of our data, to the point where they’ve […]

After running amok for years, Facebook has finally gotten some serious pushback from state attorneys general and the FTC, each filing lawsuits against the company, accusing it of engaging in monopolistic practices.  It’s been a long time coming, and few companies deserve it more. Not just for its monopolistic behavior, but for abhorrent behavior cooked […]

Staying home in voluntary isolation, I’m spending more time than ever with my 13-inch MacBook Pro, purchased earlier this year shortly after it was announced. This is the first MacBook Pro in five years without the unreliable butterfly keyboard design that caused no end of grief for many, including myself. With that change, it’s been […]

Remember when products used to come with instruction manuals? You know, those little booklets that thanked you for buying the product, explained how it worked and provided helpful advice. Even though today’s tech products have become more complicated, few come with more than a safety warning and a few tips for getting started. And that’s […]

While I frequently review hardware and software products, this week I’m reviewing an incredible website that’s like no other. Full disclosure, its a site I’ve been working on for several years with a talented team and now manage. It’s neilyoungarchives.com,  (abbreviated as NYA) a site whose vision, concept, inspiration, design, scope, and essentially every detail […]

I’ve never been a fan of ballot initiatives. They seem like a way for legislatures to avoid doing their job. Too often initiatives are poorly worded, often making you think a yes is a no or no is a yes. But they’re with us for good and the recent election was no exception. There were […]

Who would’ve thought that my takeout lunch was decided by a restaurant’s app? In these days of the pandemic, if you choose to be extra cautious and isolate yourself, curbside pickup has become a perfect solution for restaurants and stores. Call in your order, arrive at the restaurant, and your meal is delivered to your […]

I want to bring you up to date and provide new information on some of my past reviews and stories. Too often you’ll read early impressions and rarely hear anything further. With more time first impressions often change, the novelty wears off, and new information comes to light. Moving from Cable to Streaming Living with […]

Apple just introduced four new iPhone 12 models, shown in the image below in blue. The major improvement over last year’s models are the inclusion of 5G cellular on all models.  5G promises to speed up data downloads and create the opportunity for new high-bandwidth services such as high resolution music and hi def videos. But […]