-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
Copy pathfeed.json
1799 lines (1676 loc) · 831 KB
/
feed.json
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
{
"version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1",
"title": "marco's µ.blog",
"icon": "https://micro.blog/esamecar/avatar.jpg",
"home_page_url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/",
"feed_url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/feed.json",
"items": [
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2025/01/16/omg-why-did-nobody-tell.html",
"content_html": "<p>OMG why did nobody tell me that Dataview Publisher (<a href=\"https://github.com/udus122/dataview-publisher\">https://github.com/udus122/dataview-publisher</a>) for #Obsidian exists? What a freakin' game changer 🤩.</p>\n",
"content_text": "OMG why did nobody tell me that Dataview Publisher (https://github.com/udus122/dataview-publisher) for #Obsidian exists? What a freakin' game changer 🤩.\n",
"date_published": "2025-01-16T13:27:22+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2025/01/16/omg-why-did-nobody-tell.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2025/01/12/that-sounds-easy-and-fun.html",
"content_html": "<p>That sounds easy and fun. I will definitely try it out: <a href=\"https://there.oughta.be/a/game-boy-slideshow\">There oughta be a Game Boy Slideshow</a></p>\n",
"content_text": "That sounds easy and fun. I will definitely try it out: [There oughta be a Game Boy Slideshow](https://there.oughta.be/a/game-boy-slideshow)\n",
"date_published": "2025-01-12T17:21:31+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2025/01/12/that-sounds-easy-and-fun.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html",
"content_html": "<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n<p>+1</p>\n",
"content_text": "<blockquote class=\"quoteback\" data-author=\"Manuel Riess\" data-avatar=\"https://micro.blog/hutaffe/avatar.jpg\" cite=\"https://hutaffe.blog/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html\">Why do we have to read all the crap about Trump again. All the headlines, all the newspapers… filled with a big load of bullshit. As if our own countries would not be of any interest. Can‘t we just ignore this fucking clown? I try to escape but there’s no way! I need a content blocker that removes everythi... <a href=\"https://hutaffe.blog/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html\">hutaffe.blog</a><footer>Manuel Riess <cite><a href=\"https://hutaffe.blog/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html\" class=\"u-in-reply-to\">https://hutaffe.blog/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html</a></cite></footer></blockquote><script src=\"https://cdn.micro.blog/quoteback.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n+1\n",
"date_published": "2025-01-09T13:17:58+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2025/01/09/why-do-we-have-to.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/12/11/til-if-you.html",
"content_html": "<p>TIL if you enable “Offload unused apps” in iOS settings, an app will eventually be deleted, even if you use its functions via a shortcut every day. This will of course break the latter. 🤷♂️</p>\n",
"content_text": "TIL if you enable \"Offload unused apps\" in iOS settings, an app will eventually be deleted, even if you use its functions via a shortcut every day. This will of course break the latter. 🤷♂️\n",
"date_published": "2024-12-11T07:32:17+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/12/11/til-if-you.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/12/07/tech-i-dont.html",
"title": "Tech I Don’t Need (But Want)",
"content_html": "<p>There are a few tech items I’ve been eyeing for a long time<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>, which I’d love to have, but the rational part of my brain forbids me from buying—at least for now, thankfully.</p>\n<p>First on the list is a drone. Long before insurance requirements and discussions about drone safety became prevalent, I owned a DJI drone<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>. It was incredibly large and loud but fascinating and took beautiful pictures for its time. Previously, I flew 3D aerobatics with RC helicopters, but I couldn’t afford or justify the constant repairs anymore—almost every flight resulted in something breaking. Anyways, drones are quite different now, practically indestructible if you know what you’re doing. Currently, you can get a <a href=\"https://www.dji.com/neo?backup_page=index\">DJI Neo</a> for about €160 on sale. I wonder how much has changed in the last ten years. But I don’t really need it. While it’s small enough to be carried easily, I’m not an Instagram influencer needing a vlog drone. I’m more interested in aerial photography, which would require larger models, registration, a license, and insurance. Plus, you can’t just carry them around casually. Therefore, I really should resist my curiosity.</p>\n<p>Next are AR glasses. The <a href=\"https://www.xreal.com/one/\">XReal One</a> seems quite <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=SlLHJbqUhxo\">awesome</a>. I’d like to try one and see if such devices could replace a TV. However, the cable setup is still quite extensive, requiring a battery pack, adapters, and a game console or other input device, leaving you tethered to the living room sofa. Also, while you might not look quite as strange wearing them as you would sitting in the living room with ski goggles, sunglasses aren’t much better either, I guess. And is the whole experience really better than just holding a handheld or iPad? For the best experience, I sit in front of my PlayStation connected to a 4K OLED monitor in my “home office” anyways. The chair there isn’t that uncomfortable either. Ultimately, I haven’t used a VR headset since the PlayStation VR for the PS4, eight years ago. How much better are they nowadays? Again, I’m very curious but think it’s not worth buying or owning one—and unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who owns one.</p>\n<p>I don’t know why, but I would really love to own a <a href=\"https://shop.flipperzero.one\">Flipper</a>. I’m fascinated by the idea and versatility of this device, and it looks so awesome. But even after watching tutorials on YouTube, I still don’t know what I’d actually achieve with one. I think I’m just not a hacker and therefore not the target group. 😅</p>\n<p>Lastly, there are always new gaming consoles and handhelds in various form factors. I’d love to have an original Game Boy Advance SP with an <a href=\"https://godofgamingshop.com/products/game-boy-advance-sp-ips-mod-console\">IPS panel</a> or an Anbernic <a href=\"https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xxsp\">RG35XXSP</a>, or their recently announced <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=64M_BHXsiiE\">RG34XX</a>, and so many others. But I already own a bunch and must stop buying even more—I should <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6rV_wTxWXk\">start playing some games</a> instead! Speaking of handhelds, I’d really love to own a <a href=\"https://www.retrorgb.com/mister.html\">MiSTER</a>. Although I have devices that can connect to a TV, including a Raspberry Pi running <a href=\"https://batocera.org/\">Batocera</a> and an <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/pocket\">Analogue Pocket</a>, there’s still a MiSTER missing from my collection to tinker with.<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup> I must not order one!</p>\n<p>By the way, this Fujifilm <a href=\"https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/x100vi/\">X100VI</a> is so awesome. And what about the <a href=\"https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/x-t5/\">X-T5</a>? 😇</p>\n<p><strong>Update 2024-12-08</strong></p>\n<p>And how could I forget the <a href=\"https://ouraring.com/\">Oura</a> Ring 4—another category of devices I find very tempting?</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>and I just don’t mean newer models of devices I already own, e.g. iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, PS5 (Pro), Action Cam, 3D Printer, etc. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>a DJI Phantom 3 in 2015 <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>or alternatively a <a href=\"https://retroremake.co/pages/store\">MiSTER Pi</a> <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\n\nThere are a few tech items I’ve been eyeing for a long time[^3], which I’d love to have, but the rational part of my brain forbids me from buying—at least for now, thankfully.\n\nFirst on the list is a drone. Long before insurance requirements and discussions about drone safety became prevalent, I owned a DJI drone[^1]. It was incredibly large and loud but fascinating and took beautiful pictures for its time. Previously, I flew 3D aerobatics with RC helicopters, but I couldn’t afford or justify the constant repairs anymore—almost every flight resulted in something breaking. Anyways, drones are quite different now, practically indestructible if you know what you’re doing. Currently, you can get a [DJI Neo](https://www.dji.com/neo?backup_page=index) for about €160 on sale. I wonder how much has changed in the last ten years. But I don’t really need it. While it’s small enough to be carried easily, I’m not an Instagram influencer needing a vlog drone. I’m more interested in aerial photography, which would require larger models, registration, a license, and insurance. Plus, you can’t just carry them around casually. Therefore, I really should resist my curiosity.\n\nNext are AR glasses. The [XReal One](https://www.xreal.com/one/) seems quite [awesome](https://youtube.com/watch?v=SlLHJbqUhxo). I’d like to try one and see if such devices could replace a TV. However, the cable setup is still quite extensive, requiring a battery pack, adapters, and a game console or other input device, leaving you tethered to the living room sofa. Also, while you might not look quite as strange wearing them as you would sitting in the living room with ski goggles, sunglasses aren’t much better either, I guess. And is the whole experience really better than just holding a handheld or iPad? For the best experience, I sit in front of my PlayStation connected to a 4K OLED monitor in my “home office” anyways. The chair there isn’t that uncomfortable either. Ultimately, I haven’t used a VR headset since the PlayStation VR for the PS4, eight years ago. How much better are they nowadays? Again, I’m very curious but think it’s not worth buying or owning one—and unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who owns one.\n\nI don’t know why, but I would really love to own a [Flipper](https://shop.flipperzero.one). I’m fascinated by the idea and versatility of this device, and it looks so awesome. But even after watching tutorials on YouTube, I still don’t know what I’d actually achieve with one. I think I'm just not a hacker and therefore not the target group. 😅\n\nLastly, there are always new gaming consoles and handhelds in various form factors. I’d love to have an original Game Boy Advance SP with an [IPS panel](https://godofgamingshop.com/products/game-boy-advance-sp-ips-mod-console) or an Anbernic [RG35XXSP](https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xxsp), or their recently announced [RG34XX](https://youtube.com/watch?v=64M_BHXsiiE), and so many others. But I already own a bunch and must stop buying even more—I should [start playing some games](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6rV_wTxWXk) instead! Speaking of handhelds, I’d really love to own a [MiSTER](https://www.retrorgb.com/mister.html). Although I have devices that can connect to a TV, including a Raspberry Pi running [Batocera](https://batocera.org/) and an [Analogue Pocket](https://www.analogue.co/pocket), there’s still a MiSTER missing from my collection to tinker with.[^2] I must not order one!\n\nBy the way, this Fujifilm [X100VI](https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/x100vi/) is so awesome. And what about the [X-T5](https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/x-t5/)? 😇\n\n**Update 2024-12-08**\n\nAnd how could I forget the [Oura](https://ouraring.com/) Ring 4—another category of devices I find very tempting?\n\n[^1]: a DJI Phantom 3 in 2015\n[^2]: or alternatively a [MiSTER Pi](https://retroremake.co/pages/store)\n[^3]: and I just don't mean newer models of devices I already own, e.g. iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, PS5 (Pro), Action Cam, 3D Printer, etc.\n",
"date_published": "2024-12-07T12:11:52+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/12/07/tech-i-dont.html",
"tags": ["Gadget"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/12/04/apps-that-make.html",
"title": "Apps that make me smile",
"content_html": "<p>There are those apps that really do nothing productive but just make you smile while using your computer. One I really love is <a href=\"https://bananabin.app\">BananaBin</a> a “playful reminder that it’s time to take out the trash”. Today <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@simonbs\">Simon B. Støvring</a> released another one of this kind: <a href=\"https://www.festivitas.app\">Festivitas</a>, which “brings the holiday spirit to your Mac with festive lights for the dock and menu bar 🎄”.\nYou can’t invest your money any better I think.</p>\n<p>Update 2024-12-07: <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@laptopllama/113608815868850717\">laptopllama</a> mentioned “Typibara (a capybara pal that types with you) and Ball (a crucial app for the times where it’s important for you to bounce a ball out of your Dock)”. I instabought <a href=\"https://www.typibara.com\">Typibara</a> and <a href=\"https://github.com/nate-parrott/ball\">Ball</a> is also awesome.</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nThere are those apps that really do nothing productive but just make you smile while using your computer. One I really love is [BananaBin](https://bananabin.app) a \"playful reminder that it's time to take out the trash\". Today [Simon B. Støvring](https://mastodon.social/@simonbs) released another one of this kind: [Festivitas](https://www.festivitas.app), which \"brings the holiday spirit to your Mac with festive lights for the dock and menu bar 🎄\". \nYou can't invest your money any better I think.\n\nUpdate 2024-12-07: [laptopllama](https://mastodon.social/@laptopllama/113608815868850717) mentioned \"Typibara (a capybara pal that types with you) and Ball (a crucial app for the times where it's important for you to bounce a ball out of your Dock)\". I instabought [Typibara](https://www.typibara.com) and [Ball](https://github.com/nate-parrott/ball) is also awesome.\n",
"date_published": "2024-12-04T16:31:00+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/12/04/apps-that-make.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/12/02/state-of-app.html",
"title": "State of App and Services Subscriptions 2024 Edition",
"content_html": "<p>I use a variety of apps and services across iOS, macOS, and the web. Most operate on subscription models, and although I aim to keep each subscription under € 5 per month, the total monthly cost can quickly become significant.</p>\n<p>At the end of 2023, <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html\">I reviewed</a> all the apps and services I was subscribed to and decided to cancel some of them.</p>\n<p>Now, one year later, it’s time to revisit my list of subscriptions. Some are new (➕), some I will definitely keep (🟢), others I need to (re)consider (🟡), some I won’t renew once their subscription period ends (🔴)<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>, others I already discontinued and no longer use (⛔), and for a few I bought a lifetime license (LT).</p>\n<p>Here’s my current list<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> of all the apps and services I’m subscribed to:</p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>App or Service</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:right\">Cost / Month</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">Type</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">State</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Apple One Premium</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">31.95 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>MS Office 365</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">8.25 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>YNAB</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">8.19 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>PlayStationPlus</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">6.00 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nintendo Switch Online+ (Family)</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Setapp</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Feedbin ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.00 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Micro.blog</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.63 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Obsidian Sync</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.45 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NordVPN</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.80 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Readwise</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Arq</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.22 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>omg.lol (2x)</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.18 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>trakt.tv</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.32 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Play</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.92 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hemispheric Views</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.86 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mastodon</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.79 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Drafts</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mercury Weather</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.67 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>EchoFeed ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.59 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chronicling</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TV Forecast</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Epic Weather Ride</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>HealthFit</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TrainerRoad ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">21.01 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney+ (Standard)</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">8.33 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>1Password</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kagi</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.78 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>FDDB</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.33 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ivory</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>iConnectHue</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.67 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>SwitchBuddy ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Looks Like Rain ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>tinylytics ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.17 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Frame Screenshots ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Callsheet ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reeder ➕</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>DayOne</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>ifttt</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Neptunes</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Overcast Premium</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Personal Best</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Söka</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Timery</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Training Today</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Up Ahead</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wahoo Systm</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Zenitizer</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">⛔</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Anybox</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">LT</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Photomator</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">LT</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Waterllama</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">LT</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Total</strong>:</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">166.22 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p>In total, they cost 166 € a month and almost 25 € more than last year 🤔.</p>\n<p>Actually, my goal was to spend less money on software subscriptions, not more. It didn’t really work out. Let’s see how it will be in a year.</p>\n<p>As last year this list only covers tech related stuff. Charity and other related expenses are not listed here.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>If anyone reading here happens to have anything to do with any of the apps mentioned, please don’t misunderstand: Those are all awesome apps, otherwise I would never have subscribed to them before! 😄 <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>All subscriptions have been converted to Euros and annual subscriptions divided by 12. Some are family subscriptions, some are subscriptions with an education discount. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nI use a variety of apps and services across iOS, macOS, and the web. Most operate on subscription models, and although I aim to keep each subscription under € 5 per month, the total monthly cost can quickly become significant.\n\nAt the end of 2023, [I reviewed](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html) all the apps and services I was subscribed to and decided to cancel some of them.\n\nNow, one year later, it’s time to revisit my list of subscriptions. Some are new (➕), some I will definitely keep (🟢), others I need to (re)consider (🟡), some I won’t renew once their subscription period ends (🔴)[^2], others I already discontinued and no longer use (⛔), and for a few I bought a lifetime license (LT).\n\nHere’s my current list[^1] of all the apps and services I’m subscribed to:\n\n| App or Service | Cost / Month | Type | State |\n| -------------------------------- | -----------: | :--: | :---: |\n| Apple One Premium | 31.95 € | m | 🟢 |\n| MS Office 365 | 8.25 € | y | 🟢 |\n| YNAB | 8.19 € | y | 🟢 |\n| PlayStationPlus | 6.00 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Nintendo Switch Online+ (Family) | 5.83 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Setapp | 5.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Feedbin ➕ | 5.00 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Micro.blog | 4.63 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Obsidian Sync | 4.45 € | y | 🟢 |\n| NordVPN | 3.80 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Readwise | 3.71 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Arq | 3.22 € | y | 🟢 |\n| omg.lol (2x) | 3.18 € | y | 🟢 |\n| trakt.tv | 2.32 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Play | 1.92 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Hemispheric Views | 1.86 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Mastodon | 1.79 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Drafts | 1.71 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Mercury Weather | 1.67 € | y | 🟢 |\n| EchoFeed ➕ | 1.59 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Chronicling | 0.83 € | y | 🟢 |\n| TV Forecast | 0.83 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Epic Weather Ride | 0.71 € | y | 🟢 |\n| HealthFit | 0.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| TrainerRoad ➕ | 21.01 € | m | 🟡 |\n| Disney+ (Standard) | 8.33 € | y | 🟡 |\n| 1Password | 5.50 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Kagi | 4.78 € | m | 🟡 |\n| FDDB | 3.33 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Ivory | 2.50 € | y | 🟡 |\n| iConnectHue | 1.67 € | y | 🟡 |\n| SwitchBuddy ➕ | 1.50 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Looks Like Rain ➕ | 0.83 € | y | 🟡 |\n| tinylytics ➕ | 4.17 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Frame Screenshots ➕ | 1.50 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Callsheet ➕ | 0.83 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Reeder ➕ | 0.83 € | y | 🔴 |\n| DayOne | | | ⛔ |\n| ifttt | | | ⛔ |\n| Neptunes | | | ⛔ |\n| Overcast Premium | | | ⛔ |\n| Personal Best | | | ⛔ |\n| Söka | | | ⛔ |\n| Timery | | | ⛔ |\n| Training Today | | | ⛔ |\n| Up Ahead | | | ⛔ |\n| Wahoo Systm | | | ⛔ |\n| Zenitizer | | | ⛔ |\n| Anybox | | | LT |\n| Photomator | | | LT |\n| Waterllama | | | LT |\n| **Total**: | 166.22 € | | |\n\nIn total, they cost 166 € a month and almost 25 € more than last year 🤔.\n\nActually, my goal was to spend less money on software subscriptions, not more. It didn't really work out. Let's see how it will be in a year. \n\nAs last year this list only covers tech related stuff. Charity and other related expenses are not listed here.\n\n[^1]: All subscriptions have been converted to Euros and annual subscriptions divided by 12. Some are family subscriptions, some are subscriptions with an education discount.\n[^2]: If anyone reading here happens to have anything to do with any of the apps mentioned, please don't misunderstand: Those are all awesome apps, otherwise I would never have subscribed to them before! 😄\n",
"date_published": "2024-12-02T21:41:49+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/12/02/state-of-app.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/29/my-top-obsidian.html",
"title": "My Top 10 Obsidian Plugins",
"content_html": "<p>I know there are now <a href=\"https://obsidian-plugin-stats.vercel.app\">over two thousand plugins</a> for <a href=\"https://obsidian.md/\">Obsidian</a>, and everyone uses a different combination. There are also countless lists suggesting various plugins. But that’s the great thing: The individual combination of plugins makes Obsidian exactly the (power) tool that each user wants it to be. So, here are my ten most important plugins<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview\">Dataview</a>:</strong> If the Dataview plugin didn’t exist, I might not use Obsidian but something else.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/czottmann/obsidian-actions-uri\"><strong>Actions URI</strong></a><strong>:</strong> Essential for <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/actions-for-obsidian/id1659667937\">Actions for Obsidian</a>, which I’ve already used over 20,000 times on my Macs and iPhone.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/denolehov/obsidian-url-into-selection\">Paste URL into Selection</a></strong>: I am always confused when an app does not support this feature.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/liamcain/obsidian-calendar-plugin\">Calendar</a>:</strong> It’s a calendar in your sidebar to access daily and weekly notes.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/xryul/obsidian-image-converter\">Image Converter</a>:</strong> Love this plugin; it automatically resizes images that you paste into a note.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater\">Templater</a>:</strong> A combination of Templater and Dataview brings my new notes to life.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/platers/obsidian-linter\">Linter</a></strong>: Sometimes I paste something into a note which has a bad MD format; Linter fixes that.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/alangrainger/obsidian-frontmatter-modified-date\">Update Modified Date</a></strong>: Does exactly this.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/pjeby/tag-wrangler\">Tag Wrangler</a></strong>: A handy plugin for managing large task lists; you can easily rename and join tags.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/swar8080/obsidian-plugin-update-tracker\">Plugin Update Tracker</a></strong>: Again a plugin that makes things easier. Check for updates, read release notes and update plugins from within a single view.</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I actually use a few more. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "I know there are now [over two thousand plugins](https://obsidian-plugin-stats.vercel.app) for [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/), and everyone uses a different combination. There are also countless lists suggesting various plugins. But that's the great thing: The individual combination of plugins makes Obsidian exactly the (power) tool that each user wants it to be. So, here are my ten most important plugins[^1]:\n\n* **[Dataview](https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview):** If the Dataview plugin didn't exist, I might not use Obsidian but something else.\n- [**Actions URI**](https://github.com/czottmann/obsidian-actions-uri)**:** Essential for [Actions for Obsidian](https://apps.apple.com/app/actions-for-obsidian/id1659667937), which I’ve already used over 20,000 times on my Macs and iPhone.\n* **[Paste URL into Selection](https://github.com/denolehov/obsidian-url-into-selection)**: I am always confused when an app does not support this feature.\n* **[Calendar](https://github.com/liamcain/obsidian-calendar-plugin):** It's a calendar in your sidebar to access daily and weekly notes.\n* **[Image Converter](https://github.com/xryul/obsidian-image-converter):** Love this plugin; it automatically resizes images that you paste into a note.\n* **[Templater](https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater):** A combination of Templater and Dataview brings my new notes to life.\n* **[Linter](https://github.com/platers/obsidian-linter)**: Sometimes I paste something into a note which has a bad MD format; Linter fixes that.\n* **[Update Modified Date](https://github.com/alangrainger/obsidian-frontmatter-modified-date)**: Does exactly this.\n* **[Tag Wrangler](https://github.com/pjeby/tag-wrangler)**: A handy plugin for managing large task lists; you can easily rename and join tags.\n* **[Plugin Update Tracker](https://github.com/swar8080/obsidian-plugin-update-tracker)**: Again a plugin that makes things easier. Check for updates, read release notes and update plugins from within a single view.\n\n[^1]: I actually use a few more.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-29T09:58:57+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/29/my-top-obsidian.html",
"tags": ["Obsidian"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/28/i-think-by.html",
"title": "Discounted macOS / iOS Apps",
"content_html": "<p>I think by now everyone has noticed that there’s another <a href=\"https://indieappsales.com\">Indie App Sale</a> going on. Take a look and see if there are any software bargains you don’t own yet but would like to have. Additionally, the <a href=\"https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/\">Space/Time</a> sale is also happening, where you can get some really good apps<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> at a 50% discount.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>And at least <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html\">one application</a> that has been the subject of controversial discussions 😇. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "I think by now everyone has noticed that there's another [Indie App Sale](https://indieappsales.com) going on. Take a look and see if there are any software bargains you don't own yet but would like to have. Additionally, the [Space/Time](https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/) sale is also happening, where you can get some really good apps[^1] at a 50% discount.\n\n[^1]: And at least [one application](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html) that has been the subject of controversial discussions 😇.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-28T09:00:51+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/28/i-think-by.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/27/tilthat-in-addition.html",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/accidental-tech-podcast/id617416468?i=1000677971790\">TIL</a> that, in addition to hitting esc - which I already knew and use all the time - you can cancel a drag of a Finder item by dragging it onto the menu bar. Also, you can drag an item to the header of a Finder’s list view and don’t have to find an empty, safe spot to release it.</p>\n",
"content_text": "[TIL](https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/accidental-tech-podcast/id617416468?i=1000677971790) that, in addition to hitting esc - which I already knew and use all the time - you can cancel a drag of a Finder item by dragging it onto the menu bar. Also, you can drag an item to the header of a Finder's list view and don't have to find an empty, safe spot to release it.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-27T17:11:26+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/27/tilthat-in-addition.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/25/app-defaults-edition.html",
"title": "App Defaults - 2024 Edition",
"content_html": "<p>It has now been over a year since <a href=\"https://social.lol/@canion\">Andrew</a>, <a href=\"https://social.lol/@martinfeld\">Martin</a>, and <a href=\"https://social.lol/@jason\">Jason</a> of <a href=\"https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097\">Hemispheric Views</a> listed their app defaults, causing probably the biggest internet movement of 2023, documented with meticulous detail by <a href=\"https://defaults.rknight.me\">Robb</a>.</p>\n<p>Time to <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/04/app-defaults.html\">update my list</a>. Indicated are unchanged entries (🔒) and updated entries (✨). I still use the various categories as written by Andrew:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Mail Client</strong>: Mail.app</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Mail Server</strong>: iCloud with custom domain and <a href=\"https://posteo.de/en\">posteo.net</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Notes</strong>: <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> and some stuff left in Notes</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>To-Do</strong>: Reminders (and <a href=\"https://culturedcode.com/things/\">Things</a> at work)</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>iPhone Photo Shooting</strong>: iOS Camera</li>\n<li>✨ <strong>Photo Management</strong>: Photos, supplemented by <a href=\"https://www.pixelmator.com/photomator/\">Photomator</a> and <a href=\"https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/\">PowerPhotos</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Calendar</strong>: Calendar</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Cloud file storage</strong>: iCloud Drive</li>\n<li>✨ <strong>RSS</strong>: Classic <a href=\"http://reederapp.com\">Reeder</a> (macOS) and <a href=\"https://lireapp.com\">Lire</a> (iOS) in conjunction with <a href=\"https://feedbin.com\">Feedbin</a> <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Contacts</strong>: Contacts</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Browser</strong>: Safari</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Chat</strong>: iMessage, <a href=\"https://threema.ch/en\">Threema</a>, WhatsApp</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Bookmarks</strong>: <a href=\"https://anybox.app\">Anybox</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Read It Later</strong>: Readwise <a href=\"https://read.readwise.io\">Reader</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Word Processing</strong>: Pages (MS Word at work)</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Spreadsheets</strong>: Numbers (MS Excel at work)</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Presentations</strong>: Keynote</li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Shopping Lists</strong>: <a href=\"https://www.ponlist.de\">Pons</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Meal Planning</strong>: <a href=\"https://mela.recipes\">Mela</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Budgeting & Personal Finance</strong>: <a href=\"https://www.ynab.com\">YNAB</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>News</strong>: Mastodon, <a href=\"https://www.tagesschau.de\">tagesschau.de</a></li>\n<li>🔒 <strong>Music</strong>: Apple Music</li>\n<li>✨ <strong>Podcasts</strong>: Apple Podcasts</li>\n<li>✨ <strong>Password Management</strong>: Apple iCloud Keychain with <a href=\"https://1password.com\">1Password</a> as backup</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>In between, also the new <a href=\"https://reederapp.com\">Reeder</a> and <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry\">Tapestry</a>. I have the feeling that this will change a few more times in the near future. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\n\nIt has now been over a year since [Andrew](https://social.lol/@canion), [Martin](https://social.lol/@martinfeld), and [Jason](https://social.lol/@jason) of [Hemispheric Views](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097) listed their app defaults, causing probably the biggest internet movement of 2023, documented with meticulous detail by [Robb](https://defaults.rknight.me).\n\nTime to [update my list](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/04/app-defaults.html). Indicated are unchanged entries (🔒) and updated entries (✨). I still use the various categories as written by Andrew:\n\n- 🔒 **Mail Client**: Mail.app\n- 🔒 **Mail Server**: iCloud with custom domain and [posteo.net](https://posteo.de/en)\n- 🔒 **Notes**: [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) and some stuff left in Notes\n- 🔒 **To-Do**: Reminders (and [Things](https://culturedcode.com/things/) at work)\n- 🔒 **iPhone Photo Shooting**: iOS Camera\n- ✨ **Photo Management**: Photos, supplemented by [Photomator](https://www.pixelmator.com/photomator/) and [PowerPhotos](https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/) \n- 🔒 **Calendar**: Calendar\n- 🔒 **Cloud file storage**: iCloud Drive\n- ✨ **RSS**: Classic [Reeder](http://reederapp.com) (macOS) and [Lire](https://lireapp.com) (iOS) in conjunction with [Feedbin](https://feedbin.com) [^1]\n- 🔒 **Contacts**: Contacts\n- 🔒 **Browser**: Safari\n- 🔒 **Chat**: iMessage, [Threema](https://threema.ch/en), WhatsApp\n- 🔒 **Bookmarks**: [Anybox](https://anybox.app)\n- 🔒 **Read It Later**: Readwise [Reader](https://read.readwise.io)\n- 🔒 **Word Processing**: Pages (MS Word at work)\n- 🔒 **Spreadsheets**: Numbers (MS Excel at work)\n- 🔒 **Presentations**: Keynote\n- 🔒 **Shopping Lists**: [Pons](https://www.ponlist.de)\n- 🔒 **Meal Planning**: [Mela](https://mela.recipes)\n- 🔒 **Budgeting & Personal Finance**: [YNAB](https://www.ynab.com)\n- 🔒 **News**: Mastodon, [tagesschau.de](https://www.tagesschau.de)\n- 🔒 **Music**: Apple Music\n- ✨ **Podcasts**: Apple Podcasts\n- ✨ **Password Management**: Apple iCloud Keychain with [1Password](https://1password.com) as backup\n\n[^1]: In between, also the new [Reeder](https://reederapp.com) and [Tapestry](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry). I have the feeling that this will change a few more times in the near future.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-25T16:29:14+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/25/app-defaults-edition.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","Software","AppDefaults"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/25/sindres-new-app.html",
"title": "Sindre's New App: Supercharge",
"content_html": "<p>I purchased <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@sindresorhus\">Sindre Sorhus</a>' Mac app <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge\">Supercharge</a>, not because I’ve tested the demo version extensively or think I really need it or will even use it, but because Sindre has released so many different, <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/apps\">really great software</a> for free so far. I wanted to take this opportunity to reward him for his wonderful apps. For now though, I’m going to install Supercharge and see what it has to offer. I am sure I’ll enjoy using this one, too.</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nI purchased [Sindre Sorhus](https://mastodon.social/@sindresorhus)' Mac app [Supercharge](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge), not because I've tested the demo version extensively or think I really need it or will even use it, but because Sindre has released so many different, [really great software](https://sindresorhus.com/apps) for free so far. I wanted to take this opportunity to reward him for his wonderful apps. For now though, I'm going to install Supercharge and see what it has to offer. I am sure I'll enjoy using this one, too.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-25T15:01:41+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/25/sindres-new-app.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/24/the-first-cold.html",
"content_html": "<p>The first cold days with hoarfrost. Everything silver and gray, only the fallen leaves of a tree added a touch of color to the scene.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "The first cold days with hoarfrost. Everything silver and gray, only the fallen leaves of a tree added a touch of color to the scene.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/img-2759.jpeg\" width=\"402\" height=\"600\" alt=\"A frosty morning scene with a field covered in hoarfrost. A tree stands in the center with a vibrant yellow carpet of fallen leaves surrounding its base, contrasting against the muted silver and gray tones of the landscape. A dog on a red leash walks along a frosty pathway in the foreground. The sky is overcast, with hints of sunrise light peeking through the distant treeline.\">\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-24T16:06:47+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/24/the-first-cold.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/19/unrealistic-wishes-for.html",
"title": "Unrealistic Wishes for Switch 2",
"content_html": "<p>If I could wish for something completely unrealistic for the Switch 2, it would be Nintendo allowing users to legally digitize old game packs and cartridges on the device, and play them via emulation.</p>\n<p>Imagine a Switch Online Plus subscription that permits connecting Nintendo-provided cartridge readers to your Switch. This reader (or readers) would support Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, N64, Nintendo DS, and 3DS systems. Nintendo could sell them separately, potentially at premium prices.</p>\n<p>Games would be copied to the Switch as virtual cards, playable only with a valid subscription linked to your account.</p>\n<p>For DS and 3DS games, you could rotate the Switch 2 into portrait mode, attaching the rumored magnetic Joy-Cons (maybe with an optional adaptor) on the sides.</p>\n<p>What’s there to lose? Nothing! Users still need an online subscription, and Nintendo could sell additional hardware. It’s a win-win situation, isn’t it?</p>\n",
"content_text": "If I could wish for something completely unrealistic for the Switch 2, it would be Nintendo allowing users to legally digitize old game packs and cartridges on the device, and play them via emulation.\n\nImagine a Switch Online Plus subscription that permits connecting Nintendo-provided cartridge readers to your Switch. This reader (or readers) would support Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, N64, Nintendo DS, and 3DS systems. Nintendo could sell them separately, potentially at premium prices.\n\nGames would be copied to the Switch as virtual cards, playable only with a valid subscription linked to your account.\n\nFor DS and 3DS games, you could rotate the Switch 2 into portrait mode, attaching the rumored magnetic Joy-Cons (maybe with an optional adaptor) on the sides.\n\nWhat's there to lose? Nothing! Users still need an online subscription, and Nintendo could sell additional hardware. It's a win-win situation, isn't it?\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-19T11:49:20+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/19/unrealistic-wishes-for.html",
"tags": ["Gaming","Retro","Switch"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/16/i-have-recently.html",
"title": "I have recently started collecting again",
"content_html": "<p>I’ve recently started collecting something new again. I don’t mean video games, LEGO <a href=\"https://brickset.com/minifigs/ownedby-racemase\">minifigures</a>, retro handheld consoles, SAKs, or virtual <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pok%C3%A9mon-tcg-pocket/id6479970832?mt=8\">Pokémon trading cards</a> <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>.</p>\n<p>This time it’s crown caps.</p>\n<p>I did this already as a kid, and at a certain stage, my own kids started doing so too. But, the collection needs physical space and always looks a little messy. I have never found a nice way to store or display them.</p>\n<p>A few weeks ago, I just decided to do it virtually. I use the app <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/collections-database\">Collections</a> together with a Apple Shortcut I set up. I can take a picture, use my shortcut to enter the name of the company, the beverage type and the shortcut extracts the location of the photo, the date, removes the background of the picture, and exports everything into my Collections database.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n<p>There, I have a nice list or grid view of all the crown caps I’ve collected. I can open a map and see where I found them, and I really do enjoy this kind of virtual collection so far.</p>\n<p>Who knows, maybe you’ll find something you’d like to collect in the form of virtual memories too? If so, I can recommend the app <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/collections-database\">Collections</a>.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>BTW my ID is 3136836414506186 😎 <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "I've recently started collecting something new again. I don't mean video games, LEGO [minifigures](https://brickset.com/minifigs/ownedby-racemase), retro handheld consoles, SAKs, or virtual [Pokémon trading cards](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pokémon-tcg-pocket/id6479970832?mt=8) [^1]. \n\nThis time it's crown caps.\n\nI did this already as a kid, and at a certain stage, my own kids started doing so too. But, the collection needs physical space and always looks a little messy. I have never found a nice way to store or display them.\n\nA few weeks ago, I just decided to do it virtually. I use the app [Collections](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/collections-database) together with a Apple Shortcut I set up. I can take a picture, use my shortcut to enter the name of the company, the beverage type and the shortcut extracts the location of the photo, the date, removes the background of the picture, and exports everything into my Collections database.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/collections-database-screenshot-showing-my-crown-cap-collection.png\" alt=\"CleanShot 2024-11-16 at 10.36.45.\" title=\"Collections Database Screenshot showing my crown cap collection.png\" border=\"0\" width=\"1072\" height=\"1000\" />\n\n\nThere, I have a nice list or grid view of all the crown caps I've collected. I can open a map and see where I found them, and I really do enjoy this kind of virtual collection so far.\n\nWho knows, maybe you'll find something you'd like to collect in the form of virtual memories too? If so, I can recommend the app [Collections](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/collections-database).\n\n[^1]: BTW my ID is 3136836414506186 😎\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-16T11:06:10+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/16/i-have-recently.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/11/15/switching-to-lire.html",
"title": "Switching to lire",
"content_html": "<p>I was using the new <a href=\"https://reeder.app\">Reeder</a> app for the last couple of months, but today I quit. For my number of subscribed feeds, it simply takes far too long to refresh. There are bugs, there is no support, and there is not even an OPML export feature. So, I purchased <a href=\"https://www.lireapp.com\">lire</a> and set it up with <a href=\"https://feedbin.com\">Feedbin</a>, a service I was not using before either. I’m curious to see what will come of this.</p>\n",
"content_text": "I was using the new [Reeder](https://reeder.app) app for the last couple of months, but today I quit. For my number of subscribed feeds, it simply takes far too long to refresh. There are bugs, there is no support, and there is not even an OPML export feature. So, I purchased [lire](https://www.lireapp.com) and set it up with [Feedbin](https://feedbin.com), a service I was not using before either. I'm curious to see what will come of this.\n",
"date_published": "2024-11-15T22:00:12+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/11/15/switching-to-lire.html",
"tags": ["Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/10/27/fly.html",
"content_html": "<p>Fly</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Fly\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/3d648e5d09.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" alt=\"\">\n",
"date_published": "2024-10-27T15:00:26+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/10/27/fly.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/10/02/broken-daily-notes.html",
"title": "Broken Daily Notes Workflow thanks to iOS 18",
"content_html": "<p>As an enthusiastic <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> user, over time I’ve built a rather complex system consisting of about 15 different shortcuts that are triggered sequentially by a master shortcut. At the end of each day, these shortcuts collect data from various apps and add them to my daily notes in Obsidian. It was undoubtedly a challenge to develop this system, and without the <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a> plugin, it would have been impossible. It’s definitely not elegant, but rather a bit of a hack, though it worked wonderfully for the past six months or so.</p>\n<p>Despite my love for Obsidian, I must admit that the difficulty of importing data into the app, along with the non-native user interface, represents its biggest drawback. Nevertheless, I was extremely satisfied with my solution—until iOS 18 came along.</p>\n<p>With the update to iOS 18, my carefully crafted system broke down. About half to a third of my shortcuts stopped working correctly. The errors occur mainly with internal iOS functions but also in conjunction with integrated actions from third-party apps like <a href=\"https://chroniclingapp.com\">Chronicling</a>. But it’s obviously Apple who broke it and there is nothing the developers can do about it at the moment. Every error causes the shortcut to stop entirely. <em>Rien ne va plus</em>—nothing works anymore. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for workarounds, disabled certain functions but at the end I came to the conclusion that running the shortcuts on my Mac, which I haven’t updated yet, worked the most reliably—even though this introduced new challenges to my workflow, as certain apps just aren’t available there. (Looking at you, Apple Health.)</p>\n<p>This situation has made me reflect. I even considered switching back to the native Notes app from Obsidian. Partly because I also wanted to take a look at <a href=\"https://www.myforevernotes.com\">Forever ✱ Notes</a>, which has made the rounds through the Fediverse in recent days. It’s paradoxical: Apple’s poor software quality is driving me to avoid third-party software and return to Apple’s own apps?! No, that can’t be the solution. 🤷♂️</p>\n<p>For now, I’ve given up and am hoping for iOS 18.1. Next year, I’ll probably hold off on updating <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/113136977472135502\">not just my Mac</a> but also my phone to the new release.</p>\n",
"content_text": "As an enthusiastic [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) user, over time I’ve built a rather complex system consisting of about 15 different shortcuts that are triggered sequentially by a master shortcut. At the end of each day, these shortcuts collect data from various apps and add them to my daily notes in Obsidian. It was undoubtedly a challenge to develop this system, and without the [Actions for Obsidian](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian) plugin, it would have been impossible. It’s definitely not elegant, but rather a bit of a hack, though it worked wonderfully for the past six months or so.\n\nDespite my love for Obsidian, I must admit that the difficulty of importing data into the app, along with the non-native user interface, represents its biggest drawback. Nevertheless, I was extremely satisfied with my solution—until iOS 18 came along.\n\nWith the update to iOS 18, my carefully crafted system broke down. About half to a third of my shortcuts stopped working correctly. The errors occur mainly with internal iOS functions but also in conjunction with integrated actions from third-party apps like [Chronicling](https://chroniclingapp.com). But it's obviously Apple who broke it and there is nothing the developers can do about it at the moment. Every error causes the shortcut to stop entirely. *Rien ne va plus*—nothing works anymore. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for workarounds, disabled certain functions but at the end I came to the conclusion that running the shortcuts on my Mac, which I haven’t updated yet, worked the most reliably—even though this introduced new challenges to my workflow, as certain apps just aren’t available there. (Looking at you, Apple Health.)\n\nThis situation has made me reflect. I even considered switching back to the native Notes app from Obsidian. Partly because I also wanted to take a look at [Forever ✱ Notes](https://www.myforevernotes.com), which has made the rounds through the Fediverse in recent days. It’s paradoxical: Apple’s poor software quality is driving me to avoid third-party software and return to Apple’s own apps?! No, that can’t be the solution. 🤷♂️\n\nFor now, I’ve given up and am hoping for iOS 18.1. Next year, I’ll probably hold off on updating [not just my Mac](https://social.lol/@esamecar/113136977472135502) but also my phone to the new release.\n",
"date_published": "2024-10-02T15:10:26+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/10/02/broken-daily-notes.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/09/23/psa-no-more.html",
"content_html": "<p><!-- raw HTML omitted -->PSA: No More macOS 15 Sequoia Monthly Screen Recording Permission Reminders<!-- raw HTML omitted --> - I haven’t tried it yet because I haven’t updated to macOS Sequoia myself, but I’ll definitely keep that in mind for that day in the future.</p>\n",
"content_text": "<a href=\"https://blog.eternalstorms.at/2024/09/23/psa-no-more-macos-15-sequoia-monthly-screen-recording-permission-reminders/\">PSA: No More macOS 15 Sequoia Monthly Screen Recording Permission Reminders</a> - I haven't tried it yet because I haven't updated to macOS Sequoia myself, but I'll definitely keep that in mind for that day in the future.\n",
"date_published": "2024-09-23T10:36:49+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/09/23/psa-no-more.html",
"tags": ["macOS"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/09/23/tilthat-you-can.html",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://hachyderm.io/@leoncowle/113149445183495991\">TIL</a> that you can open the current macOS Finder window in Terminal by right clicking in the Path Bar in the bottom of the Finder window. So far I only used to drag the proxy icon on the Terminal icon in the dock.</p>\n",
"content_text": "[TIL](https://hachyderm.io/@leoncowle/113149445183495991) that you can open the current macOS Finder window in Terminal by right clicking in the Path Bar in the bottom of the Finder window. So far I only used to drag the proxy icon on the Terminal icon in the dock.\n",
"date_published": "2024-09-23T10:16:35+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/09/23/tilthat-you-can.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/09/11/latest-tech-temptations.html",
"title": "Latest Tech Temptations",
"content_html": "<p>In recent days, a lot of new hardware has been introduced, and for all these great new devices and gadgets, I consider myself part of the potential target audience. Apple has presented new <a href=\"https://www.apple.com/iphone-16-pro/\">iPhones</a>, <a href=\"https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-10/\">Apple Watches</a>, and <a href=\"https://www.apple.com/airpods-4/\">AirPods</a>. Thanks to Apple’s decision to slowly and gradually roll out the promised AI features and not at all in Germany in the long run, the innovations of the iPhone 16 are limited for me. Therefore, I have decided to use my iPhone 14 Pro for another year, especially since I was recently able to replace the battery thanks to Apple Care. So far, I always had the Pro model, but this year, for the first time, I had the impression that it is actually aimed at professional photographers/videographers, and I no longer belong to the target audience. If I were to order a new device today, I would choose the regular iPhone, and who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky, and next year the iPhone 17 will even have Always On. That would probably be the only feature I would really miss. (120 Hz is guaranteed to be great, but I actually don’t see the difference in daily use; which in my case is an advantage.)\nIt’s similar with my Apple Watch. Although I could justify a new one, since my Series 7 is now almost three years old, I recently got to replace the battery and see no urgent need for an upgrade. I’m already eyeing the <a href=\"https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-ultra-2/\">Ultra</a> anyway, and this time it hasn’t received any technical improvements. And since I already own AirPods Pro Gen 2, I followed the announcement of the AirPods 4 with interest, but there is no risk of FOMO 🥳.</p>\n<p>Apart from Apple, the new <a href=\"https://www.goretroid.com/products/retroid-pocket-5-handheld?srsltid=AfmBOop5cCQYozTUgHs2R5uHEt03ow-9gJZDIWctOSNETsQYrNdd2lJP\">Retroid Pocket 5</a> and <a href=\"https://www.goretroid.com/collections/retro-game-system/products/retroid-pocket-mini-handheld\">Retroid Pocket Mini</a> have been announced. Despite my interest in a dedicated retro handheld with an OLED display, my <a href=\"https://www.steamdeck.com/en/\">Steam Deck OLED</a> and the other devices I already own are enough for now. The constant new hardware releases in this area are increasingly annoying me. When ordering, you already know that you’ll be presented with a slightly improved device in a couple of weeks. The manufacturers don’t allow you to have the feeling of truly owning the perfect device for even a minute, and it gives the impression that they are deliberately putting imperfect handhelds on the market 😡.</p>\n<p>Speaking of retro and must-have: <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-gbc-colors\">Analog Pocket</a> has announced a new special edition. This time, there are beautiful GBC colors at the usual prices and not totally overpriced <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-aluminum\">aluminium models</a>. Although it tempts me, I try to curb my collector’s instinct 😅.</p>\n<p>The announcement of the <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=6HaRMiTfvks\">PlayStation 5 Pro</a> initially triggered me as well, but I came to the conclusion that my current PS5 in combination with my <a href=\"https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/\">4K OLED gaming monitor</a> is completely sufficient. Spending €800 for slightly better graphics is something I actually can’t justify to myself.</p>\n<p>It’s different with the Switch 2. I’m curious and will probably buy it, provided Nintendo doesn’t make any major mistakes 🤞.</p>\n",
"content_text": "\n\nIn recent days, a lot of new hardware has been introduced, and for all these great new devices and gadgets, I consider myself part of the potential target audience. Apple has presented new [iPhones](https://www.apple.com/iphone-16-pro/), [Apple Watches](https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-10/), and [AirPods](https://www.apple.com/airpods-4/). Thanks to Apple's decision to slowly and gradually roll out the promised AI features and not at all in Germany in the long run, the innovations of the iPhone 16 are limited for me. Therefore, I have decided to use my iPhone 14 Pro for another year, especially since I was recently able to replace the battery thanks to Apple Care. So far, I always had the Pro model, but this year, for the first time, I had the impression that it is actually aimed at professional photographers/videographers, and I no longer belong to the target audience. If I were to order a new device today, I would choose the regular iPhone, and who knows, maybe I'll get lucky, and next year the iPhone 17 will even have Always On. That would probably be the only feature I would really miss. (120 Hz is guaranteed to be great, but I actually don't see the difference in daily use; which in my case is an advantage.)\nIt's similar with my Apple Watch. Although I could justify a new one, since my Series 7 is now almost three years old, I recently got to replace the battery and see no urgent need for an upgrade. I'm already eyeing the [Ultra](https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-ultra-2/) anyway, and this time it hasn't received any technical improvements. And since I already own AirPods Pro Gen 2, I followed the announcement of the AirPods 4 with interest, but there is no risk of FOMO 🥳.\n\nApart from Apple, the new [Retroid Pocket 5](https://www.goretroid.com/products/retroid-pocket-5-handheld?srsltid=AfmBOop5cCQYozTUgHs2R5uHEt03ow-9gJZDIWctOSNETsQYrNdd2lJP) and [Retroid Pocket Mini](https://www.goretroid.com/collections/retro-game-system/products/retroid-pocket-mini-handheld) have been announced. Despite my interest in a dedicated retro handheld with an OLED display, my [Steam Deck OLED](https://www.steamdeck.com/en/) and the other devices I already own are enough for now. The constant new hardware releases in this area are increasingly annoying me. When ordering, you already know that you'll be presented with a slightly improved device in a couple of weeks. The manufacturers don't allow you to have the feeling of truly owning the perfect device for even a minute, and it gives the impression that they are deliberately putting imperfect handhelds on the market 😡.\n\nSpeaking of retro and must-have: [Analog Pocket](https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-gbc-colors) has announced a new special edition. This time, there are beautiful GBC colors at the usual prices and not totally overpriced [aluminium models](https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-aluminum). Although it tempts me, I try to curb my collector's instinct 😅.\n\nThe announcement of the [PlayStation 5 Pro](https://youtube.com/watch?v=6HaRMiTfvks) initially triggered me as well, but I came to the conclusion that my current PS5 in combination with my [4K OLED gaming monitor](https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/) is completely sufficient. Spending €800 for slightly better graphics is something I actually can't justify to myself.\n\nIt's different with the Switch 2. I'm curious and will probably buy it, provided Nintendo doesn't make any major mistakes 🤞.\n",
"date_published": "2024-09-11T11:16:07+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/09/11/latest-tech-temptations.html",
"tags": ["Apple","PS5","iPhone","Retro Gaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/25/finished-reading-mr.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9783641142933\">Mr. Mercedes</a> by Stephen King 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Mr. Mercedes](https://micro.blog/books/9783641142933) by Stephen King 📚\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-24T23:37:45+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/25/finished-reading-mr.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/23/074906.html",
"content_html": "<p><img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/c5ecb23b-e2f1-4531-ae43-f9aadf08d3c6.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n",
"content_text": "![](https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/c5ecb23b-e2f1-4531-ae43-f9aadf08d3c6.jpg)\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-23T06:49:06+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/23/074906.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/15/whats-up-with.html",
"title": "What's Up With My Username?",
"content_html": "<p>I think we now live in a time where people don’t really wonder about things like usernames anymore. But maybe some of you have wondered about mine?</p>\n<p>I’ve only been using <em><strong>esamecar</strong></em> for two or three years. Before that, I had a series of others, but for most services, I usually used the same one at the same time. I still somehow remember two of them. As a child or teenager, I naturally wanted a username that mainly sounded cool. Any appended numbers, like year of birth, were an absolute no-go for me. I’ve also never really been a fan of l33t speech. So the options were a little more limited. But, initially, it wasn’t necessary for my username to be globally unique. It was enough if it wasn’t used in the BBS network or in the Usenet groups where you were active. I believe, but I’m not 100% sure anymore, that I came up with <em>Zodiac</em> at the beginning of my BBS days and then years later realized that there were other people on Usenet who were much more well-known than me and had the same name. So I needed a new one.</p>\n<p>After that, I had the username <em>paxton</em> for what feels like decades. I was a big fan of Bill Paxton from a specific, quite well-known sci-fi movie. But there were already others who had made a name for themselves earlier in the world wide web, and I don’t mean the actor, who probably wasn’t really hanging around in the interwebs at those times.</p>\n<p>Therefore, I was looking for the next username and, because I became a scientist, decided on “Racemase”. <em>Racemase</em> sounds like an artificial term, many Americans pronounce it like “Race Maze”. But it’s actually the German term for an enzyme from the group of isomerases that enables the conversion between the two enantiomers of a substance. Anyway.</p>\n<p>I don’t know exactly when and why, but I probably messed up and registered one or two accounts with this username and then forgot that I did and couldn’t remember the email address I was using for password recovery. Suddenly, I wasn’t able (re)register for those online communities with my chosen username when my interest returned. So I needed something new again, as I don’t wanted to be racemase68 on PSN.</p>\n<p>And since I was very uncreative, I simply started writing <em>racemase</em> backwards, and now I often use this completely artificial word <em>esamecar</em> as an username for English-speaking communities and continue to use <em>racemase</em> for German-speaking ones. Let’s see how long that lasts.</p>\n<p>Now, you know 🤷♂️🤣.</p>\n<h3 id=\"update\">Update</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>2024-08-15 19:31: Slightly rephrased some paragraphs and eliminated a few typos.</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nI think we now live in a time where people don't really wonder about things like usernames anymore. But maybe some of you have wondered about mine?\n\nI've only been using ***esamecar*** for two or three years. Before that, I had a series of others, but for most services, I usually used the same one at the same time. I still somehow remember two of them. As a child or teenager, I naturally wanted a username that mainly sounded cool. Any appended numbers, like year of birth, were an absolute no-go for me. I've also never really been a fan of l33t speech. So the options were a little more limited. But, initially, it wasn't necessary for my username to be globally unique. It was enough if it wasn't used in the BBS network or in the Usenet groups where you were active. I believe, but I'm not 100% sure anymore, that I came up with *Zodiac* at the beginning of my BBS days and then years later realized that there were other people on Usenet who were much more well-known than me and had the same name. So I needed a new one.\n\nAfter that, I had the username *paxton* for what feels like decades. I was a big fan of Bill Paxton from a specific, quite well-known sci-fi movie. But there were already others who had made a name for themselves earlier in the world wide web, and I don't mean the actor, who probably wasn't really hanging around in the interwebs at those times.\n\nTherefore, I was looking for the next username and, because I became a scientist, decided on \"Racemase\". *Racemase* sounds like an artificial term, many Americans pronounce it like \"Race Maze\". But it's actually the German term for an enzyme from the group of isomerases that enables the conversion between the two enantiomers of a substance. Anyway.\n\nI don't know exactly when and why, but I probably messed up and registered one or two accounts with this username and then forgot that I did and couldn't remember the email address I was using for password recovery. Suddenly, I wasn't able (re)register for those online communities with my chosen username when my interest returned. So I needed something new again, as I don't wanted to be racemase68 on PSN.\n\nAnd since I was very uncreative, I simply started writing *racemase* backwards, and now I often use this completely artificial word *esamecar* as an username for English-speaking communities and continue to use *racemase* for German-speaking ones. Let's see how long that lasts.\n\nNow, you know 🤷♂️🤣.\n\n### Update\n\n- 2024-08-15 19:31: Slightly rephrased some paragraphs and eliminated a few typos.\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-15T14:44:17+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/15/whats-up-with.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/14/the-biggest-problem.html",
"content_html": "<p>The biggest problem with owning multiple gaming platforms is choosing the right one for a particular game. Those are the really tough decisions in life, I guess.</p>\n",
"content_text": "The biggest problem with owning multiple gaming platforms is choosing the right one for a particular game. Those are the really tough decisions in life, I guess.\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-14T08:45:53+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/14/the-biggest-problem.html",
"tags": ["Gaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/13/til-that-when.html",
"content_html": "<p>TIL that when Safari on macOS suggests a username for a login and you have a Touch ID enabled Mac you can just directly use the sensor. In the past I always clicked on the popup with the mouse to select it first, and then used my finger on the sensor.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "TIL that when Safari on macOS suggests a username for a login and you have a Touch ID enabled Mac you can just directly use the sensor. In the past I always clicked on the popup with the mouse to select it first, and then used my finger on the sensor.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/cleanshot-2024-08-13-at-10.32.20.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"458\" alt=\"\">\n\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-13T09:44:33+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/13/til-that-when.html",
"tags": ["til"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/12/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week thirty-two, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/05/what-caught-my.html\">31</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirty-second week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ If you’re tired of always having to find a tiny free spot on an macOS app window to move or resize it, then this app might help: <a href=\"https://www.swiftshift.app\">Swift Shift</a> - <em>Manage your macOS windows like a pro</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ <a href=\"https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay\">BetterDisplay</a> - <em>Unlock your displays on your Mac</em> - was updated to version 3.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/quick-note-taking-type/id1664249924?mt=12\">Quick Note Taking - Type</a> made the rounds. <a href=\"https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/quick-note-taking-type\">Lout</a> has (of course) already written about it. I like the idea, but the app <del>does not support ISO formats for date and time and it</del><sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> does not fit into my personal Obsidian workflow, as I would have to configure a new note daily. However, I can imagine that the app could be great for many people. I will stick with <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/drafts\">Drafts</a> in combination with <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a>, though.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📷 The image uploader for micro.blog <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mimi-uploader/id1484555696\">Mimi Uploader</a> was updated.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>☀️ A hat that produces energy? Sure, why not: <a href=\"https://us.ecoflow.com/products/solar-power-hat\">EcoFlow Power Hat</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚴♂️ I really like my <a href=\"https://ridelumos.com/products/lumos-ultra-fly-pro\">Lumos Ultra Fly Pro</a> bike helmet and the matching <a href=\"https://ridelumos.com/collections/smart-bike-lights/products/lumos-firefly\">Firefly</a> are used in a variety of ways within my family. I also really like their announced new, smaller <a href=\"https://ridelumos.com/blogs/stories/introducing-firefly-mini-smart-bike-light\">Firefly Mini</a>.<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍏 I really hope that Apple manages to get a grip on <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/macos-sequoia-permission.html\">macOS Sequoia Permission Madness</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😢 I have once again been annoyed by poorly translated apps: <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/automated-translations-in.html\">Automated Translations in Apps: A Threat to Quality and Credibility</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌡️ For many months now I bake bread (yeast and sourdough) several times a week. I distrusted the temperature display of our oven and was therefore looking for a reasonable thermometer I can place inside my oven. I came to the conclusion, that this is one of those <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/29/there-are-a.html\">categories of items</a> for which there is only trash available to purchase. Ultimately, I bought the meat thermometer <a href=\"https://store-us.meater.com/#\">Meater 2 plus</a>. I suspect that my Meater will never see the inside of a raw piece of meat and I dislike their target group marketing and even more dislike their advertising campaign (woman lets food burn and star chef, of course a man, rushes to help 🤦♂️) BUT I still found the product very interesting. My Meater now measures the dough temperature, supposedly to the decimal point. (The reading of the ambient temperature seems to be completely off as well but the internal readings seem to be awesome.) It does leave an ugly hole in the bread, but the endpoint (96-98 °C, depending on the dough) can be determined pretty well. (For the first loaves, it was 5 - 10 minutes longer than the maximum duration stated in the recipe; so I have already learned something about our oven.)<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👋 After actively ignoring Gruber in my podcast and RSS feed as well as social media for a while, I have now deleted all sources.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ DOOM + DOOM II was <a href=\"https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en-US/article/doom-doomii-release-notes?linkId=100000279162898\">released</a> - <em>The legendary action FPS is enhanced, combined, and now available on modern platforms</em>! Nice move: <em>Existing owners of DOOM (1993) and/or DOOM II on any of the above platforms receive a free upgrade to the new combined game, and can still access their previously owned versions</em>. So, I could download the new version for my Steam Deck, Switch, and PS5 for free. (Of course, I own a legal copy of Doom and Doom II for all these platforms.)</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a sunny week ahead! ☀️</p>\n<hr>\n<h3 id=\"update\">Update</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>2024-08-14: corrected paragraph about Type</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p><a href=\"https://social.lol/@amerpie/112956332619757876\">Lou</a> was kind enough to point out that it is possible to define ISO formats as custom formats. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>You can never have enough (pocket) knives, flashlights, bike lights, retro consoles, and gamepads 🤦♂️. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Of course, a few days after my purchase, the successor was announced 🤷♂️. <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [31](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/05/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirty-second week of 2024:\n\n- 🖥️ If you're tired of always having to find a tiny free spot on an macOS app window to move or resize it, then this app might help: [Swift Shift](https://www.swiftshift.app) - *Manage your macOS windows like a pro*.\n\n- 🖥️ [BetterDisplay](https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay) - *Unlock your displays on your Mac* - was updated to version 3.\n\n- 📝 [Quick Note Taking - Type](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/quick-note-taking-type/id1664249924?mt=12) made the rounds. [Lout](https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/quick-note-taking-type) has (of course) already written about it. I like the idea, but the app ~~does not support ISO formats for date and time and it~~[^1] does not fit into my personal Obsidian workflow, as I would have to configure a new note daily. However, I can imagine that the app could be great for many people. I will stick with [Drafts](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/drafts) in combination with [Actions for Obsidian](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian), though.\n\n- 📷 The image uploader for micro.blog [Mimi Uploader](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mimi-uploader/id1484555696) was updated.\n\n- ☀️ A hat that produces energy? Sure, why not: [EcoFlow Power Hat](https://us.ecoflow.com/products/solar-power-hat).\n\n- 🚴♂️ I really like my [Lumos Ultra Fly Pro](https://ridelumos.com/products/lumos-ultra-fly-pro) bike helmet and the matching [Firefly](https://ridelumos.com/collections/smart-bike-lights/products/lumos-firefly) are used in a variety of ways within my family. I also really like their announced new, smaller [Firefly Mini](https://ridelumos.com/blogs/stories/introducing-firefly-mini-smart-bike-light).[^2]\n\n- 🍏 I really hope that Apple manages to get a grip on [macOS Sequoia Permission Madness](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/macos-sequoia-permission.html).\n\n- 😢 I have once again been annoyed by poorly translated apps: [Automated Translations in Apps: A Threat to Quality and Credibility](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/automated-translations-in.html).\n\n- 🌡️ For many months now I bake bread (yeast and sourdough) several times a week. I distrusted the temperature display of our oven and was therefore looking for a reasonable thermometer I can place inside my oven. I came to the conclusion, that this is one of those [categories of items](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/29/there-are-a.html) for which there is only trash available to purchase. Ultimately, I bought the meat thermometer [Meater 2 plus](https://store-us.meater.com/#). I suspect that my Meater will never see the inside of a raw piece of meat and I dislike their target group marketing and even more dislike their advertising campaign (woman lets food burn and star chef, of course a man, rushes to help 🤦♂️) BUT I still found the product very interesting. My Meater now measures the dough temperature, supposedly to the decimal point. (The reading of the ambient temperature seems to be completely off as well but the internal readings seem to be awesome.) It does leave an ugly hole in the bread, but the endpoint (96-98 °C, depending on the dough) can be determined pretty well. (For the first loaves, it was 5 - 10 minutes longer than the maximum duration stated in the recipe; so I have already learned something about our oven.)[^3]\n\n- 👋 After actively ignoring Gruber in my podcast and RSS feed as well as social media for a while, I have now deleted all sources.\n\n- 🕹️ DOOM + DOOM II was [released](https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en-US/article/doom-doomii-release-notes?linkId=100000279162898) - *The legendary action FPS is enhanced, combined, and now available on modern platforms*! Nice move: *Existing owners of DOOM (1993) and/or DOOM II on any of the above platforms receive a free upgrade to the new combined game, and can still access their previously owned versions*. So, I could download the new version for my Steam Deck, Switch, and PS5 for free. (Of course, I own a legal copy of Doom and Doom II for all these platforms.)\n\nHave a sunny week ahead! ☀️\n\n[^1]: [Lou](https://social.lol/@amerpie/112956332619757876) was kind enough to point out that it is possible to define ISO formats as custom formats. \n[^2]: You can never have enough (pocket) knives, flashlights, bike lights, retro consoles, and gamepads 🤦♂️.\n[^3]: Of course, a few days after my purchase, the successor was announced 🤷♂️.\n\n---\n\n### Update\n\n- 2024-08-14: corrected paragraph about Type\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-12T15:11:55+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/12/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","sourdough","bread"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/08/automated-translations-in.html",
"title": "Automated Translations in Apps: A Threat to Quality and Credibility",
"content_html": "<p>Apps that clearly contain automatically generated translations that no native speaker has reviewed are so disturbing to me that I can’t use them<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. I don’t think the developers realize the damage they are doing to their software. Such apps come across as incredibly unprofessional to me, and I find it very difficult to spend money on them because I judge the quality of the entire project based on this sloppy usage of automated (AI) translation, which is now so easily accessible. Two examples that come to mind: <a href=\"https://appraven.net\">Appraven</a> and <a href=\"https://www.twosapp.com/home\">Twos</a>. Unfortunately, there are so many more.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Sometimes I give them a second chance by switching the language to English, which is thankfully possible on iOS and macOS. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nApps that clearly contain automatically generated translations that no native speaker has reviewed are so disturbing to me that I can't use them[^1]. I don't think the developers realize the damage they are doing to their software. Such apps come across as incredibly unprofessional to me, and I find it very difficult to spend money on them because I judge the quality of the entire project based on this sloppy usage of automated (AI) translation, which is now so easily accessible. Two examples that come to mind: [Appraven](https://appraven.net) and [Twos](https://www.twosapp.com/home). Unfortunately, there are so many more.\n\n[^1]: Sometimes I give them a second chance by switching the language to English, which is thankfully possible on iOS and macOS.\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-08T11:46:47+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/automated-translations-in.html",
"tags": ["Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/08/macos-sequoia-permission.html",
"title": "macOS Sequoia Permission Madness",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://9to5mac.com/2024/08/06/macos-sequoia-screen-recording-privacy-prompt/\">9TO5Mac</a> reports that Apple is apparently planning to present its Mac operating system users with a copy of Microsoft’s Vista disaster:</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>With macOS Sequoia this fall, using apps that need access to screen recording permissions will become a little bit more tedious. Apple is rolling out a change that will require you to give explicit permission on a weekly basis to these types of apps, and every time you reboot your Mac.</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>I really hope this gets sorted out during the beta phase; otherwise, I will try to stay on Sonoma as long as possible. For years now, I’ve been waiting to upgrade until at least the first .1 release because Apple’s software quality hasn’t exactly inspired confidence. Additionally, Sequoia only has one new feature that genuinely interests me: iPhone Mirroring. And this won’t be available for EU users initially anyway. (The integrated AI stuff doesn’t interest me on the Mac at all, so I’m not sad about not having it in my operating system for the foreseeable future. I think it will be several years before it’s useful for anything until then I just use third party app for ChatGPT.)</p>\n<p>But I currently use 15 apps that are allowed to record my screen:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/cleanshot-x\">CleanShot X</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/default-folder-x\">Default Folder X</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/ice\">Ice</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/keyboard-maestro\">Keyboard Maestro</a></li>\n<li>LogiPresentation</li>\n<li>MacWhisper</li>\n<li>Microsoft Teams</li>\n<li>OwlOCR</li>\n<li>QuickLens</li>\n<li>ScreenFloat</li>\n<li>ScreenSnapAl</li>\n<li>Steam</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/superkey-ttujg8pj\">Superkey</a></li>\n<li>TeamViewer QuickSupport</li>\n<li>Xnapper</li>\n</ul>\n<p>The idea of approving these weekly or after every restart is not very appealing to me. Additionally, Apple apparently plans to make running apps installed from outside the App Store more <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/06/macos-sequoia-gatekeeper-security-change/\">difficult</a>. Thanks a lot for nothing.</p>\n<p>Well, let’s wait and see 🤞.</p>\n",
"content_text": "\n[9TO5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2024/08/06/macos-sequoia-screen-recording-privacy-prompt/) reports that Apple is apparently planning to present its Mac operating system users with a copy of Microsoft's Vista disaster:\n\n> With macOS Sequoia this fall, using apps that need access to screen recording permissions will become a little bit more tedious. Apple is rolling out a change that will require you to give explicit permission on a weekly basis to these types of apps, and every time you reboot your Mac.\n\nI really hope this gets sorted out during the beta phase; otherwise, I will try to stay on Sonoma as long as possible. For years now, I've been waiting to upgrade until at least the first .1 release because Apple's software quality hasn't exactly inspired confidence. Additionally, Sequoia only has one new feature that genuinely interests me: iPhone Mirroring. And this won't be available for EU users initially anyway. (The integrated AI stuff doesn't interest me on the Mac at all, so I'm not sad about not having it in my operating system for the foreseeable future. I think it will be several years before it's useful for anything until then I just use third party app for ChatGPT.)\n\nBut I currently use 15 apps that are allowed to record my screen:\n\n- [CleanShot X](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/cleanshot-x)\n- [Default Folder X](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/default-folder-x)\n- [Ice](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/ice)\n- [Keyboard Maestro](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/keyboard-maestro)\n- LogiPresentation\n- MacWhisper\n- Microsoft Teams\n- OwlOCR\n- QuickLens\n- ScreenFloat\n- ScreenSnapAl\n- Steam\n- [Superkey](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/superkey-ttujg8pj)\n- TeamViewer QuickSupport\n- Xnapper\n\nThe idea of approving these weekly or after every restart is not very appealing to me. Additionally, Apple apparently plans to make running apps installed from outside the App Store more [difficult](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/06/macos-sequoia-gatekeeper-security-change/). Thanks a lot for nothing.\n\nWell, let's wait and see 🤞.\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-08T10:05:09+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/08/macos-sequoia-permission.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Apple"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/05/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week thirty-one, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/28/what-caught-my.html\">30</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirty-first week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ I’ve mentioned the image viewers <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/lyn-for-macos\">Lyn</a> and <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picarrange/id1530678223?mt=12\">PicArrange</a> before, but this week <a href=\"https://brushedpixel.com/musebox/\">Musebox</a> made the rounds. I will take a closer look at it when I get a chance.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔄 Speaking of alternatives: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/diffraction-image-editor/id1544476110?mt=12\">Diffraction</a> might be a (currently free) alternative to <a href=\"https://flyingmeat.com/acorn/\">Acorn</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔍 And if you only want to find (even the smallest) differences between two images, you can check out <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imagediff-compare-images/id6504044598?mt=12\">ImageDiff</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ Somehow, mini apps for the Dynamic Island of various MacBooks were making the rounds this week. I came across <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imagediff-compare-images/id6504044598?mt=12\">NotchDrop</a> (FOSS), <a href=\"https://wouter01.github.io/MediaMate/\">MediaMate</a> ($7), <a href=\"https://lo.cafe/notchnook\">Notchnook</a> ($25), and <a href=\"https://www.dynamiclake.com\">DynamicLake Pro</a><sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> ($14). Since I mostly use my MacBooks with larger monitors, I currently don’t need these apps. But maybe in the future.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 There is a <a href=\"https://iosdev.space/@podomunro/112904952036549544\">public beta</a> for Söka 2.0 available if you’re interested.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📑 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/goodlinks/id1474335294\">GoodLinks</a> also received an update and now supports highlighting text on web pages after subscribing via IAP. Since I am very happy with <a href=\"https://readwise.io/read\">Readwise Reader</a>, which admittedly is very expensive, I don’t need it. If I weren’t, I would definitely take a closer look at this feature.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 Many people were excited about <a href=\"https://www.goldenhillsoftware.com/2024/07/unread-for-mac-available-now/\">Unread for Mac</a>. I don’t want another subscription and will stick with <a href=\"https://www.reederapp.com\">Reeder</a> for now.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📰 Speaking of RSS, <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry\">Tapestry</a> is slowly taking shape and looks promising. However, the concept only works for me with a very limited selection of resources, and I find it very difficult to choose the right ones.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📁 <a href=\"https://magnumbytes.com/\">Nimble Commander</a> - <em>Free dual-pane mac file manager with classic design, charged for power users</em>. A possible alternative for those who don’t have a license for <a href=\"https://binarynights.com\">Forklift</a><sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>, <a href=\"https://www.cocoatech.io\">Path Finder</a><sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>, or <a href=\"https://commander-one.com\">Commander One</a><sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔍 There are <a href=\"https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/file-finding-apps\">countless different apps</a> that help you find files on your Mac in addition to Spotlight. There is now another free app that promises to do just that: <a href=\"https://pixel-master.github.io/File-Find/\">File Find by Pixel-Master</a> - <em>Search and find files fast and easily</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 This looks cool: <a href=\"https://orama-interactive.itch.io/pixelorama\">Pixelorama</a> - <em>a powerful and accessible open-source pixel art multitool</em>. Unfortunately, I am not talented enough to use such an app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>☔ <a href=\"https://norden.social/@czottmann/112876834666236060\">Carlo</a> discovered <a href=\"https://merrysky.net\">Merry Sky</a>. Looks cool, too and like a free, supercharged web version of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/en/app/looks-like-rain/id6443960587\">Looks Like Rain</a>. Well, probably the other way round - but what the heck 😇.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I like the idea of a game controller that can be used with your mobile phone and a Nintendo Switch: <a href=\"https://www.gamesir.hk/products/g8plus-bluetooth-mobile-controller\">GameSir G8 Plus Bluetooth Mobile Controller</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤦 I first thought it was a joke because it’s so cringe: <a href=\"https://www.friend.com/product.html\">Friend</a>. Maybe they just want to get the addresses of people who urgently need psychological support? (They already have their own addresses, though.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎧 I was about to throw away our Beats Solo3 because the ear pads were starting to disintegrate. Luckily, I learned that you can buy <a href=\"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0BTL5C32J/\">replacements</a> very cheaply and mount them yourself. And If I had studied the instructions more carefully, I wouldn’t have almost destroyed them during the process 🤦♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💍 There were increasing rumours this week about <a href=\"https://www.macsparky.com/blog/2024/07/the-apple-ring-and-health-tracking/\">The Apple Ring and Health Tracking</a>, presumably in response to Samsung’s <a href=\"https://www.samsung.com/uk/rings/galaxy-ring/galaxy-ring-titanium-black-size-10-sm-q500nzkaeub/\">Ring</a>. I would also find such a device very attractive. After my first COVID-19 infection at the end of last year and the resulting break in my streak of closing my rings every day for several years, I’m no longer as keen on achieving this, but I still pay attention to them. On the other hand, I’m getting bored with the design of my Apple Watch(es), which I’ve been wearing on my wrist for almost 18 years now. Therefore, some <em>variety</em> in the form of other watches or none at all would certainly be welcome. Samsung will surely not integrate its Ring into the Apple Health universe (although this would probably be possible even without DMA). So, I just have to wait for Apple or just ignore my rings.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚴 Due to my wife’s shoulder surgery, we unfortunately had to cancel our vacation. We will now have to go hiking in the French Alps another time. However, I still took three days off from work and did what I would have done on vacation: ate very well, read a <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/03/finished-reading-der.html\">book</a><sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup>, finished a <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/112905362772124060\">game</a> on my Switch, but spent only little time on the computer overall. Oh yes, I finally went for a bike ride again, which I hadn’t had time or motivation for lately.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a wonderful week ahead! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p><a href=\"https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/dynamic-lake-pro-an-app-for-the-notch\">Lou</a> took a closer look at the app and also provided a discount code. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>also available on <a href=\"https://setapp.com/\">Setapp</a> <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>many thanks to <a href=\"https://hiro.report/28jul2024-2/\">Hiro</a> for the tip! <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [30](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/28/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirty-first week of 2024:\n\n- 🖼️ I've mentioned the image viewers [Lyn](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/lyn-for-macos) and [PicArrange](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picarrange/id1530678223?mt=12) before, but this week [Musebox](https://brushedpixel.com/musebox/) made the rounds. I will take a closer look at it when I get a chance.\n\n- 🔄 Speaking of alternatives: [Diffraction](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/diffraction-image-editor/id1544476110?mt=12) might be a (currently free) alternative to [Acorn](https://flyingmeat.com/acorn/).\n\n- 🔍 And if you only want to find (even the smallest) differences between two images, you can check out [ImageDiff](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imagediff-compare-images/id6504044598?mt=12).\n\n- 🖥️ Somehow, mini apps for the Dynamic Island of various MacBooks were making the rounds this week. I came across [NotchDrop](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imagediff-compare-images/id6504044598?mt=12) (FOSS), [MediaMate](https://wouter01.github.io/MediaMate/) ($7), [Notchnook](https://lo.cafe/notchnook) ($25), and [DynamicLake Pro](https://www.dynamiclake.com)[^1] ($14). Since I mostly use my MacBooks with larger monitors, I currently don't need these apps. But maybe in the future.\n\n- 🌐 There is a [public beta](https://iosdev.space/@podomunro/112904952036549544) for Söka 2.0 available if you're interested.\n\n- 📑 [GoodLinks](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/goodlinks/id1474335294) also received an update and now supports highlighting text on web pages after subscribing via IAP. Since I am very happy with [Readwise Reader](https://readwise.io/read), which admittedly is very expensive, I don't need it. If I weren't, I would definitely take a closer look at this feature.\n\n- 📱 Many people were excited about [Unread for Mac](https://www.goldenhillsoftware.com/2024/07/unread-for-mac-available-now/). I don't want another subscription and will stick with [Reeder](https://www.reederapp.com) for now.\n\n- 📰 Speaking of RSS, [Tapestry](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry) is slowly taking shape and looks promising. However, the concept only works for me with a very limited selection of resources, and I find it very difficult to choose the right ones.\n\n- 📁 [Nimble Commander](https://magnumbytes.com/) - *Free dual-pane mac file manager with classic design, charged for power users*. A possible alternative for those who don't have a license for [Forklift](https://binarynights.com)[^2], [Path Finder](https://www.cocoatech.io)[^2], or [Commander One](https://commander-one.com)[^2].\n\n- 🔍 There are [countless different apps](https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/file-finding-apps) that help you find files on your Mac in addition to Spotlight. There is now another free app that promises to do just that: [File Find by Pixel-Master](https://pixel-master.github.io/File-Find/) - *Search and find files fast and easily*.\n\n- 🎨 This looks cool: [Pixelorama](https://orama-interactive.itch.io/pixelorama) - *a powerful and accessible open-source pixel art multitool*. Unfortunately, I am not talented enough to use such an app.\n\n- ☔ [Carlo](https://norden.social/@czottmann/112876834666236060) discovered [Merry Sky](https://merrysky.net). Looks cool, too and like a free, supercharged web version of [Looks Like Rain](https://apps.apple.com/en/app/looks-like-rain/id6443960587). Well, probably the other way round - but what the heck 😇.\n\n- 🎮 I like the idea of a game controller that can be used with your mobile phone and a Nintendo Switch: [GameSir G8 Plus Bluetooth Mobile Controller](https://www.gamesir.hk/products/g8plus-bluetooth-mobile-controller).\n\n- 🤦 I first thought it was a joke because it's so cringe: [Friend](https://www.friend.com/product.html). Maybe they just want to get the addresses of people who urgently need psychological support? (They already have their own addresses, though.)\n\n- 🎧 I was about to throw away our Beats Solo3 because the ear pads were starting to disintegrate. Luckily, I learned that you can buy [replacements](https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0BTL5C32J/) very cheaply and mount them yourself. And If I had studied the instructions more carefully, I wouldn't have almost destroyed them during the process 🤦♂️.\n\n- 💍 There were increasing rumours this week about [The Apple Ring and Health Tracking](https://www.macsparky.com/blog/2024/07/the-apple-ring-and-health-tracking/), presumably in response to Samsung's [Ring](https://www.samsung.com/uk/rings/galaxy-ring/galaxy-ring-titanium-black-size-10-sm-q500nzkaeub/). I would also find such a device very attractive. After my first COVID-19 infection at the end of last year and the resulting break in my streak of closing my rings every day for several years, I'm no longer as keen on achieving this, but I still pay attention to them. On the other hand, I'm getting bored with the design of my Apple Watch(es), which I've been wearing on my wrist for almost 18 years now. Therefore, some *variety* in the form of other watches or none at all would certainly be welcome. Samsung will surely not integrate its Ring into the Apple Health universe (although this would probably be possible even without DMA). So, I just have to wait for Apple or just ignore my rings.\n\n- 🚴 Due to my wife's shoulder surgery, we unfortunately had to cancel our vacation. We will now have to go hiking in the French Alps another time. However, I still took three days off from work and did what I would have done on vacation: ate very well, read a [book](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/03/finished-reading-der.html)[^3], finished a [game](https://social.lol/@esamecar/112905362772124060) on my Switch, but spent only little time on the computer overall. Oh yes, I finally went for a bike ride again, which I hadn't had time or motivation for lately.\n\nHave a wonderful week ahead! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: [Lou](https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/dynamic-lake-pro-an-app-for-the-notch) took a closer look at the app and also provided a discount code.\n[^2]: also available on [Setapp](https://setapp.com/)\n[^3]: many thanks to [Hiro](https://hiro.report/28jul2024-2/) for the tip!\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-05T20:50:10+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/05/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/08/03/finished-reading-der.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9783641272838\">Der Astronaut</a> by Andy Weir 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Der Astronaut](https://micro.blog/books/9783641272838) by Andy Weir 📚\n",
"date_published": "2024-08-03T22:21:02+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/08/03/finished-reading-der.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/29/there-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>There are a number of household product categories where it feels like you can only buy junk, even if you were prepared to spend more money.</p>\n<p>Off the top of my head:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>kitchen scales,</li>\n<li>draining racks,</li>\n<li>kitchen thermometers, and</li>\n<li>laundry baskets.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Which ones can you think of?</p>\n",
"content_text": "There are a number of household product categories where it feels like you can only buy junk, even if you were prepared to spend more money.\n\nOff the top of my head:\n\n- kitchen scales,\n- draining racks,\n- kitchen thermometers, and\n- laundry baskets.\n\nWhich ones can you think of?\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-29T10:03:19+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/29/there-are-a.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/28/finished-reading-brssel.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9783644019447\">Brüssel sehen und sterben</a> by Nico Semsrott 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Brüssel sehen und sterben](https://micro.blog/books/9783644019447) by Nico Semsrott 📚\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-28T20:12:32+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/28/finished-reading-brssel.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/28/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week thirty, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/21/what-caught-my.html\">29</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirtieth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>📝 Might be handy, but not sure if I will actually use it: <a href=\"https://weexpire.org/\">WeExpire</a> - <em>Create emergency notes that can be read by your trusted contacts only after your death</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ <a href=\"https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Apparency/\">Apparency</a> for macOS - <em>The App That Opens Apps</em> - received a nice update at the beginning of the month.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picarrange/id1530678223?mt=12\">PicArrange</a> for macOS as well; although I have not yet found whether the text-based image search happens on-device or sends anything to the cloud.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 Meta released Llama 3.1 and it does indeed produce much better results with e.g. <a href=\"https://ollama.com/\">Ollama</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 <a href=\"https://9to5mac.com/2024/07/24/apple-maps-web-beta-now-available/\">Apple Maps launches on the web in new public beta</a> - practical.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Along with a few <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/112842555810648093\">new applications</a>, Fortnite is now even coming to the <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112848981069946420\">AltStore PAL</a>. Let’s see if Apple will “coincidentally” allow it back in the regular App Store. It’s also a shame that Apple has managed to make the update and installation process so broken on my system that it barely works without restarting or reinstalling the AltStore or the apps.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎁 The German computer magazine <a href=\"https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/17\">c’t</a> had a review of the <a href=\"https://wowcube.com/\">WOWCUBE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM</a> - a very cool idea. Maybe a possible Christmas gift? I’m curious whether their software platform will flop or survive.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔠 Might come handy someday: <a href=\"https://anagrams.io/\">Free Anagram Sentence Generator for English, German, French, and Spanish</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✅ I’ve mentioned <a href=\"https://onemillioncheckboxes.com/\">One Million Checkboxes</a> in <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html\">week 27</a>, here you can read a little bit more about the author’s journey <a href=\"http://eieio.games/essays/scaling-one-million-checkboxes/\">Dealing with unexpected popularity</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗳️ My Mastodon timeline has become much more interested in American politics since certain events. I follow this with some interest. However, I couldn’t initially understand the sudden memes about a certain person’s couch. Thanks to <a href=\"https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/07/jd-vance-couch-memes-associated-press\">JD Vance couch memes, explained: Why AP pulled its story</a>, now I know.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚑 My wife had shoulder surgery again. It’s no fun; now six weeks of complete rest are prescribed, and we really hope that the collarbone, or rather the implanted metal plate, holds this time. We had to cancel our vacation because of this. It’s a shame, but her health definitely comes first.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧱 I have quite a huge <a href=\"https://brickset.com/sets/ownedby-racemase\">LEGO collection</a> (> 700 sets and > 2200 minifigs) but stopped collecting a while ago, mainly due to space constraints and of course because it was becoming increasingly expensive. But I might be tempted by this set: <a href=\"https://brickset.com/sets/71438-1\">LEGO 71438 Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ I’ve preordered <a href=\"https://thankgoodness.game/\">Thank Goodness You’re Here!</a> for the Switch.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Of course, I am enjoying <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Nintendo-World-Championships-NES-Edition-2569575.html\">Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition</a> on my Switch quite a bit and found this <a href=\"https://my.nintendo.com/rewards/feba38a937fd6b81\">guide</a> helpful. You can download a free PDF copy if you have a myNintendo account. Additionally, I am currently playing the remake of <a href=\"https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/dead-space/dead-space?setLocale=en-gb\">Dead Space</a> on the PS5.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 And fittingly: Watched <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6718170/\">The Super Mario Bros. Movie</a> - it was very light entertainment, but not bad.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 I think someday I should really watch all episodes of <a href=\"https://youtu.be/kRlI72bsNRc?si=bh9hWQM4np7hSv0r\">Double Fine PsychOdyssey</a>.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>I wish you lovely summer days! 🌞</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [29](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/21/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirtieth week of 2024:\n\n- 📝 Might be handy, but not sure if I will actually use it: [WeExpire](https://weexpire.org/) - *Create emergency notes that can be read by your trusted contacts only after your death*.\n\n- 🖥️ [Apparency](https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Apparency/) for macOS - *The App That Opens Apps* - received a nice update at the beginning of the month.\n\n- 🖼️ [PicArrange](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picarrange/id1530678223?mt=12) for macOS as well; although I have not yet found whether the text-based image search happens on-device or sends anything to the cloud.\n\n- 🤖 Meta released Llama 3.1 and it does indeed produce much better results with e.g. [Ollama](https://ollama.com/).\n\n- 🌐 [Apple Maps launches on the web in new public beta](https://9to5mac.com/2024/07/24/apple-maps-web-beta-now-available/) - practical.\n\n- 🎮 Along with a few [new applications](https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/112842555810648093), Fortnite is now even coming to the [AltStore PAL](https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112848981069946420). Let's see if Apple will \"coincidentally\" allow it back in the regular App Store. It's also a shame that Apple has managed to make the update and installation process so broken on my system that it barely works without restarting or reinstalling the AltStore or the apps.\n\n- 🎁 The German computer magazine [c't](https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/17) had a review of the [WOWCUBE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM](https://wowcube.com/) - a very cool idea. Maybe a possible Christmas gift? I'm curious whether their software platform will flop or survive.\n\n- 🔠 Might come handy someday: [Free Anagram Sentence Generator for English, German, French, and Spanish](https://anagrams.io/).\n\n- ✅ I've mentioned [One Million Checkboxes](https://onemillioncheckboxes.com/) in [week 27](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html), here you can read a little bit more about the author's journey [Dealing with unexpected popularity](http://eieio.games/essays/scaling-one-million-checkboxes/).\n\n- 🗳️ My Mastodon timeline has become much more interested in American politics since certain events. I follow this with some interest. However, I couldn't initially understand the sudden memes about a certain person's couch. Thanks to [JD Vance couch memes, explained: Why AP pulled its story](https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/07/jd-vance-couch-memes-associated-press), now I know.\n\n- 🚑 My wife had shoulder surgery again. It's no fun; now six weeks of complete rest are prescribed, and we really hope that the collarbone, or rather the implanted metal plate, holds this time. We had to cancel our vacation because of this. It's a shame, but her health definitely comes first.\n\n- 🧱 I have quite a huge [LEGO collection](https://brickset.com/sets/ownedby-racemase) (> 700 sets and > 2200 minifigs) but stopped collecting a while ago, mainly due to space constraints and of course because it was becoming increasingly expensive. But I might be tempted by this set: [LEGO 71438 Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi](https://brickset.com/sets/71438-1).\n\n- 🕹️ I've preordered [Thank Goodness You're Here!](https://thankgoodness.game/) for the Switch.\n\n- 🎮 Of course, I am enjoying [Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Nintendo-World-Championships-NES-Edition-2569575.html) on my Switch quite a bit and found this [guide](https://my.nintendo.com/rewards/feba38a937fd6b81) helpful. You can download a free PDF copy if you have a myNintendo account. Additionally, I am currently playing the remake of [Dead Space](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/dead-space/dead-space?setLocale=en-gb) on the PS5.\n\n- 🎥 And fittingly: Watched [The Super Mario Bros. Movie](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6718170/) - it was very light entertainment, but not bad.\n\n- 📺 I think someday I should really watch all episodes of [Double Fine PsychOdyssey](https://youtu.be/kRlI72bsNRc?si=bh9hWQM4np7hSv0r).\n\nI wish you lovely summer days! 🌞\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-28T16:02:18+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/28/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/21/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-nine, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/14/what-caught-my.html\">28</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-ninth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>📱 Just in time for its <a href=\"https://marco.org/2024/07/16/overcast-rewrite\">tenth anniversary</a> the rewrite of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/overcast/id888422857\">Overcast</a> was released. I had canceled my subscription months ago, but since it hasn’t expired yet, I downloaded the new version and used it over the past week. It seems significantly more performant than before, but its UI is still confusing. I think I’ll switch back to Apple’s Podcast App, which I am also not really satisfied with.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📑 With <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/showdown-presentation/id6504288864?mt=12\">Showdown</a>, a free presentation app based on Markdown has been released. I’ve been using <a href=\"https://www.deckset.com\">Deckset</a> for a while, and then there’s <a href=\"https://hyperdeck.io/index.html\">Hyperdeck</a> or, of course, <a href=\"https://ia.net/presenter\">iA Presenter</a>, all of which can do similar things.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 The first beta of <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry\">Tapestry</a> for iOS by the <a href=\"https://iconfactory.com\">Iconfactory</a> was distributed to Kickstarter backers; it is still just a concept; I am curious to see how it develops.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 Sindre’s <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/ai-actions\">AI Actions</a> for the Shortcuts app now supports GPT-4o mini.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍌 <a href=\"https://bananabin.app\">BananaBin</a> was released in version 1.0 and here you can find some other <a href=\"https://lifehacker.com/tech/weird-but-useful-mac-apps\">weird but useful macOS apps</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔋 The battery capacity of my iPhone 14 Pro was down to 79% after just 1.5 years, so I used Apple’s Express Replacement Service through Apple Care+. You have to hand it to Apple, I had the replacement device in my hands the next day. The migration went quite well. My second prepaid eSIM was not as easy to transfer, but it was eventually reactivated. But guess what didn’t work afterward? Altstore PAL along with Delta and Clip<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. A knave who thinks ill of it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚑 My wife had a collarbone fracture a few weeks ago, had to undergo surgery, and now has a plate inside her. About a week ago, she suddenly experienced severe pain again. It turned out that two screws had come loose. Now she has to be operated on again. I feel very sorry for her.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔪 The new <a href=\"https://www.victorinox.com/en-GB/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Medium-Pocket-Knives/Farmer-X-Alox-Damast-Limited-Edition-2024/p/0.8271.J24\">Victorinox Damast Limited Edition 2024</a> was released. Additionally, as a big Victorinox fan, I found this <a href=\"https://youtu.be/_jOcOtwhlP8?si=3lhGnywRjOWmEPG_\">video</a> by <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@JonGadget\">Jon Gadget</a> interesting. He was invited to the company headquarters after he had posted a <a href=\"https://youtu.be/WRMDpSIvjxs?si=3Wgrqg8YMqqIl6JR\">critical video</a> some time ago.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Continued my journey in <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Link-s-Awakening-1514327.html\">The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening</a> .</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 Enjoyed <a href=\"https://rknight.me/blog/everybodys-free-to-make-websites/\">Everybody’s Free (to Make Websites)</a>, even though I didn’t even know the <a href=\"https://music.apple.com/de/album/everybodys-free-to-wear-sunscreen-full-mix/260071971?i=260072003\">original</a> before.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>I wish you all a wonderful week and perhaps even relaxing holidays! 🌴</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I had to delete Altstore and both apps, restart my phone and reinstall the store and its apps and of course all my roms, settings and save files are gone … <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [28](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/14/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-ninth week of 2024:\n\n- 📱 Just in time for its [tenth anniversary](https://marco.org/2024/07/16/overcast-rewrite) the rewrite of [Overcast](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/overcast/id888422857) was released. I had canceled my subscription months ago, but since it hasn't expired yet, I downloaded the new version and used it over the past week. It seems significantly more performant than before, but its UI is still confusing. I think I'll switch back to Apple's Podcast App, which I am also not really satisfied with.\n\n- 📑 With [Showdown](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/showdown-presentation/id6504288864?mt=12), a free presentation app based on Markdown has been released. I've been using [Deckset](https://www.deckset.com) for a while, and then there's [Hyperdeck](https://hyperdeck.io/index.html) or, of course, [iA Presenter](https://ia.net/presenter), all of which can do similar things.\n\n- 📱 The first beta of [Tapestry](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry) for iOS by the [Iconfactory](https://iconfactory.com) was distributed to Kickstarter backers; it is still just a concept; I am curious to see how it develops.\n\n- 🤖 Sindre's [AI Actions](https://sindresorhus.com/ai-actions) for the Shortcuts app now supports GPT-4o mini.\n\n- 🍌 [BananaBin](https://bananabin.app) was released in version 1.0 and here you can find some other [weird but useful macOS apps](https://lifehacker.com/tech/weird-but-useful-mac-apps).\n\n- 🔋 The battery capacity of my iPhone 14 Pro was down to 79% after just 1.5 years, so I used Apple's Express Replacement Service through Apple Care+. You have to hand it to Apple, I had the replacement device in my hands the next day. The migration went quite well. My second prepaid eSIM was not as easy to transfer, but it was eventually reactivated. But guess what didn't work afterward? Altstore PAL along with Delta and Clip[^1]. A knave who thinks ill of it.\n\n- 🚑 My wife had a collarbone fracture a few weeks ago, had to undergo surgery, and now has a plate inside her. About a week ago, she suddenly experienced severe pain again. It turned out that two screws had come loose. Now she has to be operated on again. I feel very sorry for her.\n\n- 🔪 The new [Victorinox Damast Limited Edition 2024](https://www.victorinox.com/en-GB/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Medium-Pocket-Knives/Farmer-X-Alox-Damast-Limited-Edition-2024/p/0.8271.J24) was released. Additionally, as a big Victorinox fan, I found this [video](https://youtu.be/_jOcOtwhlP8?si=3lhGnywRjOWmEPG_) by [Jon Gadget](https://www.youtube.com/@JonGadget) interesting. He was invited to the company headquarters after he had posted a [critical video](https://youtu.be/WRMDpSIvjxs?si=3Wgrqg8YMqqIl6JR) some time ago.\n\n- 🎮 Continued my journey in [The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Link-s-Awakening-1514327.html) .\n\n- 🌐 Enjoyed [Everybody's Free (to Make Websites)](https://rknight.me/blog/everybodys-free-to-make-websites/), even though I didn't even know the [original](https://music.apple.com/de/album/everybodys-free-to-wear-sunscreen-full-mix/260071971?i=260072003) before.\n\nI wish you all a wonderful week and perhaps even relaxing holidays! 🌴\n\n[^1]: I had to delete Altstore and both apps, restart my phone and reinstall the store and its apps and of course all my roms, settings and save files are gone ...\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-21T10:25:47+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/21/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/14/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-eight, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html\">27</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-eighth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🆓 DEVONtechnologies released their free <a href=\"https://www.devontechnologies.com/blog/20240711-network-utility-10\">Neo Network Utility</a> app for macOS.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ Another new app from <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/apps\">Sindre</a>: <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/menu-bar-spacing\">Menu Bar Spacing</a> - <em>Customize the gap between menu bar items</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📄 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/beyondpdf/id6505050906?mt=12\">BeyondPDF</a> - <em>BeyondPDF is your intelligent document companion, here to change the way you search for content in your PDF files</em>. It works locally, without sending data to any AI startup, but so far, only for English texts. I am still waiting for a real use case and therefore cannot comment on its quality yet.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/telestream/id6450406513?mt=12\">Telestream</a> - <em>Use Continuity Camera from your menu bar!</em></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💸 There was another series of discounts for software from indie developers as part of the <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/09/indieappsales-sommer.html\">IndieAppSales</a>. This time I didn’t go overboard like at the beginning of the year, but there were still a few very nice new apps to discover.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💰 Speaking of discounts, <a href=\"https://indieapps.space/@skoro/112777672976130526\">Skoro 3.0</a> is still available at a reduced price.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍎 Apple <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/13/24198015/apple-utm-se-pc-os-emulator-for-ios\">has approved</a> <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/utm-se-retro-pc-emulator/id1564628856\">UTM SE</a> for iOS on the App Store.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 Many people in my Apple bubble are impressed by this really cheap and very stylish Android <a href=\"https://nothing.tech/pages/cmf-store\">mobile phone</a>. Instead of a used iPhone, I might also buy a CMF Phone 1 for one of my sons if the need suddenly arose. A few years ago, this would have been unthinkable for me. BTW, since the end of last week, the Vision Pro is now available in Germany, and I haven’t even thought about checking out the device in person. That would have been unthinkable a few years ago, too. Due to what I believe to be very poor software quality lately, their behavior towards developers, and childish actions against the EU’s demands, Apple has actually managed to kill any interest I had in new devices from Cupertino. What a shame 😢.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏳️🌈 <a href=\"https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112774121937194544\">Niléane</a> from MacStories published an article about her impression that <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/stories/lgbt-and-marginalized-voices-are-not-welcome-on-threads/\">LGBT and Marginalized Voices Are Not Welcome on Threads</a>. <a href=\"https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112774656837852705\">She</a> and <a href=\"https://mastodon.macstories.net/@viticci/112774756298562226\">Federico</a> received the unfortunately expected feedback directly. I don’t understand why people have such a problem with others just being different from them. What are they afraid of? It’s great to see that Niléane received a lot of support from within the Mastodon community and many people took this as an opportunity to <a href=\"https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112778424770956951\">donate</a> to various organizations.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤧 My cold is getting better. I hope that I can finally get back on my bike in the course of next week.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Analogue announced an <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-aluminum\">Aluminum Edition</a> of the Pocket. Unfortunately, it’s unaffordable for me. Additionally, the <a href=\"https://www.ayntec.com/products/odin2-mini\">Odin 2 Mini</a> looks extremely tempting, and the <a href=\"https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pocket-evo-world-s-first-7-oled-android-handheld/coming_soon\">Ayaneo Pocket EVO</a> with an OLED screen has also been announced 🤷♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Instead, I’ve added the <a href=\"https://scufgaming.com/uk/mobile-controllers/scuf-nomad-black\">SCUF Nomad Mobile Gaming Controller</a> to my wishlist. (BTW there’s a review at <a href=\"https://youtu.be/70AF2touZ6k?si=UKf57tlNcCE92a16\">Retro Game Corps</a> if you’re interested.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ I finally played through <a href=\"https://www.firewatchgame.com\">Firewatch</a> and started <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Link-s-Awakening-1514327.html\">The Legend of Zelda - Link’s Awakening</a> on my Nintendo Switch.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a nice week! 🌞</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [27](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-eighth week of 2024:\n\n- 🆓 DEVONtechnologies released their free [Neo Network Utility](https://www.devontechnologies.com/blog/20240711-network-utility-10) app for macOS.\n\n- 🛠️ Another new app from [Sindre](https://sindresorhus.com/apps): [Menu Bar Spacing](https://sindresorhus.com/menu-bar-spacing) - *Customize the gap between menu bar items*.\n\n- 📄 [BeyondPDF](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/beyondpdf/id6505050906?mt=12) - *BeyondPDF is your intelligent document companion, here to change the way you search for content in your PDF files*. It works locally, without sending data to any AI startup, but so far, only for English texts. I am still waiting for a real use case and therefore cannot comment on its quality yet.\n\n- 🎥 [Telestream](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/telestream/id6450406513?mt=12) - *Use Continuity Camera from your menu bar!*\n\n- 💸 There was another series of discounts for software from indie developers as part of the [IndieAppSales](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/09/indieappsales-sommer.html). This time I didn't go overboard like at the beginning of the year, but there were still a few very nice new apps to discover.\n \n- 💰 Speaking of discounts, [Skoro 3.0](https://indieapps.space/@skoro/112777672976130526) is still available at a reduced price.\n\n- 🍎 Apple [has approved](https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/13/24198015/apple-utm-se-pc-os-emulator-for-ios) [UTM SE](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/utm-se-retro-pc-emulator/id1564628856) for iOS on the App Store.\n\n- 📱 Many people in my Apple bubble are impressed by this really cheap and very stylish Android [mobile phone](https://nothing.tech/pages/cmf-store). Instead of a used iPhone, I might also buy a CMF Phone 1 for one of my sons if the need suddenly arose. A few years ago, this would have been unthinkable for me. BTW, since the end of last week, the Vision Pro is now available in Germany, and I haven't even thought about checking out the device in person. That would have been unthinkable a few years ago, too. Due to what I believe to be very poor software quality lately, their behavior towards developers, and childish actions against the EU's demands, Apple has actually managed to kill any interest I had in new devices from Cupertino. What a shame 😢. \n\n- 🏳️🌈 [Niléane](https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112774121937194544) from MacStories published an article about her impression that [LGBT and Marginalized Voices Are Not Welcome on Threads](https://www.macstories.net/stories/lgbt-and-marginalized-voices-are-not-welcome-on-threads/). [She](https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112774656837852705) and [Federico](https://mastodon.macstories.net/@viticci/112774756298562226) received the unfortunately expected feedback directly. I don't understand why people have such a problem with others just being different from them. What are they afraid of? It's great to see that Niléane received a lot of support from within the Mastodon community and many people took this as an opportunity to [donate](https://nileane.fr/@nileane/112778424770956951) to various organizations.\n\n- 🤧 My cold is getting better. I hope that I can finally get back on my bike in the course of next week.\n\n- 🎮 Analogue announced an [Aluminum Edition](https://www.analogue.co/editions/pocket-aluminum) of the Pocket. Unfortunately, it's unaffordable for me. Additionally, the [Odin 2 Mini](https://www.ayntec.com/products/odin2-mini) looks extremely tempting, and the [Ayaneo Pocket EVO](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pocket-evo-world-s-first-7-oled-android-handheld/coming_soon) with an OLED screen has also been announced 🤷♂️.\n\n- 🎮 Instead, I've added the [SCUF Nomad Mobile Gaming Controller](https://scufgaming.com/uk/mobile-controllers/scuf-nomad-black) to my wishlist. (BTW there's a review at [Retro Game Corps](https://youtu.be/70AF2touZ6k?si=UKf57tlNcCE92a16) if you're interested.)\n\n- 🕹️ I finally played through [Firewatch](https://www.firewatchgame.com) and started [The Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Link-s-Awakening-1514327.html) on my Nintendo Switch.\n\nHave a nice week! 🌞\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-14T10:17:22+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/14/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","lgbt"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/09/indieappsales-sommer.html",
"title": "IndieAppSales Summer 2024",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://www.indieappsales.com/\">Indie App Sales!</a> is running again, this time from July 9th to 10th.</p>\n<p>The last sale wasn’t that long ago, so the list of apps I checked out or bought this time is significantly shorter than my <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html\">last one</a>. However, this still means that those who didn’t make a purchase last time might find something they like this time.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id6499126552\">Authenticator App Widget</a> - thinking about buying it; I should delete my <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/3/24191791/twilio-authy-2fa-app-phone-numbers-hack-data-breach\">Twilio</a> account and I can still not decide if I should keep my 2FA in iCloud Keychain, hardware token, 1PW or an independent third party app</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id1590304377\">Bookmarks - URL manager</a> - I just have to buy and try every bookmark manager out there</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id1614129680\">Bookmarks+</a> - <em>c.f.</em> Bookmarks 😎</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/en/app/intervallfasten-16-8-fasten/id6448909309\">Fasty: Intermittent Fasting</a> - downloaded (may always be available for free)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/find-any-file-faf/id402569179?mt=12\">Find Any File (FAF)</a> - <a href=\"https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/file-finding-apps\">Lou</a> recommended it before and now was a good opportunity to purchase it; did not try yet myself</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=6447783408&code=INDIESALE\">GamingBuddy: Games Discovery</a> - looks interesting, but it’s regular price is not worth it for me and therefore I won’t go with the discount for the first year either</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gentler-streak-workout-tracker/id1576857102\">Gentler Streak</a> - I think I will skip it this time again</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plinky-easily-save-links/id1597187737\">Plinky</a> - looked briefly into the free version; even 50% off $45 for the yearly subscription is way too much money for me, esp. considering the fact that <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com//app/anybox-bookmark-read-later/id1593408455\">Anybox</a> only costs $18 / a or $45 for Lifetime</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/store\">PowerPhotos</a> - I actually use several photo libraries at work, but I think I can probably continue to get by without this app; if I do need it, I just have to pay the full price, which is not that much more expensive than its sale price</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://soka.appdeco.ca/download\">Söka: Al Bucket List Generator</a> - I enjoyed using Söka but I am just not travelling enough</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/surfed-history-bookmark/id1591590700\">Surfed - History & Bookmark Manager</a> - bought the Lifetime Purchase and will re-evaluate</li>\n</ul>\n<p>What did you buy this year? Are there any other gems that I have overlooked so far?</p>\n",
"content_text": "\n[Indie App Sales!](https://www.indieappsales.com/) is running again, this time from July 9th to 10th.\n\nThe last sale wasn't that long ago, so the list of apps I checked out or bought this time is significantly shorter than my [last one](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html). However, this still means that those who didn't make a purchase last time might find something they like this time.\n\n- [Authenticator App Widget](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6499126552) - thinking about buying it; I should delete my [Twilio](https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/3/24191791/twilio-authy-2fa-app-phone-numbers-hack-data-breach) account and I can still not decide if I should keep my 2FA in iCloud Keychain, hardware token, 1PW or an independent third party app\n- [Bookmarks - URL manager](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1590304377) - I just have to buy and try every bookmark manager out there\n- [Bookmarks+](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1614129680) - *c.f.* Bookmarks 😎\n- [Fasty: Intermittent Fasting](https://apps.apple.com/en/app/intervallfasten-16-8-fasten/id6448909309) - downloaded (may always be available for free)\n- [Find Any File (FAF)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/find-any-file-faf/id402569179?mt=12) - [Lou](https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/file-finding-apps) recommended it before and now was a good opportunity to purchase it; did not try yet myself\n- [GamingBuddy: Games Discovery](https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=6447783408&code=INDIESALE) - looks interesting, but it's regular price is not worth it for me and therefore I won't go with the discount for the first year either\n- [Gentler Streak](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gentler-streak-workout-tracker/id1576857102) - I think I will skip it this time again\n- [Plinky](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plinky-easily-save-links/id1597187737) - looked briefly into the free version; even 50% off $45 for the yearly subscription is way too much money for me, esp. considering the fact that [Anybox](https://apps.apple.com//app/anybox-bookmark-read-later/id1593408455) only costs $18 / a or $45 for Lifetime\n- [PowerPhotos](https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/store) - I actually use several photo libraries at work, but I think I can probably continue to get by without this app; if I do need it, I just have to pay the full price, which is not that much more expensive than its sale price\n- [Söka: Al Bucket List Generator](https://soka.appdeco.ca/download) - I enjoyed using Söka but I am just not travelling enough\n- [Surfed - History & Bookmark Manager](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/surfed-history-bookmark/id1591590700) - bought the Lifetime Purchase and will re-evaluate\n\nWhat did you buy this year? Are there any other gems that I have overlooked so far?\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-09T15:18:13+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/09/indieappsales-sommer.html",
"tags": ["macOS","IndieAppSales"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-seven, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/23/what-caught-my.html\">25</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh week of 2024:</p>\n<p>At the end of the 26th week, I suddenly became ill. It started with a sore throat, followed by headaches, cough, runny nose, and total exhaustion. I am still not completely fit. Covid tests were negative, but I suspect that I caught the summer wave 🤒. Since I spent a lot of time sleeping in bed, I could only evaluate a few things, but I bookmarked a few programs that might be helpful later on.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ <a href=\"https://upscayl.org/\">Upscayl</a> - <em>Free and Open Source AI Image Upscaler</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 <a href=\"https://github.com/yeahitsjan/WiredBuddy\">WiredBuddy</a> - <em>The missing icon for ethernet interfaces</em>. And matching: <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/online-check\">Online Check</a> by <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/apps\">Sindre Sorhus</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚶♂️ <a href=\"https://nilcoalescing.com/apps/strolly/\">Strolly</a> - <em>Generated daily walks</em>: The app generates short (or longer) walking routes based on your location. I imagine the app to be quite helpful, especially if you are somewhere else and want to plan a dog walk.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗑️ <a href=\"https://bananabin.app/\">BananaBin</a> - <em>Lets you know when to empty the MacOS Bin</em>. This is definitely the app I was waiting for! (And 100% worth giving it full disk access 😇.) And be sure to install <a href=\"https://github.com/nate-parrott/ball\">Ball</a> as well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 <a href=\"https://github.com/0xCUB3/About-This-Hack\">About-This-Hack</a> - <em>Discover your hardware on macOS with this simple, user-friendly hardware info app that retains the beloved design language of the classic ‘About This Mac’ interface, while gaining access to a wealth of additional features</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/en/app/zavala/id1546457750\">Zavala</a>: This promising looking outliner had flown under my radar until now.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗺️ <a href=\"https://github.com/vincentneo/Avenue-GPX-Viewer\">Avenue-GPX-Viewer</a> - <em>A simple and easy GPX viewer for macOS</em>. I use <a href=\"https://scribbles.page/write/4796\">myTracks</a>, but if you are looking for a simple and open source GPX viewer, you could check out Avenue.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌍 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/overlap-by-moleskine-studio/id1516950324\">Overlap</a> - <em>Time zones made simple</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👀 <a href=\"https://github.com/ejbills/DockDoor\">DockDoor</a> - <em>Window peeking for macOS</em>. Personally, “too much” for me but maybe great for you …</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💸 <a href=\"https://indieappsales.com\">Support an Indie Developer today!</a> - <em>Indie App Sales is back for our July ‘24 Edition for two days only - July 9-10!</em> Lot’s of discounted apps 🥰.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📊 <a href=\"https://www.datawrapper.de/\">Datawrapper</a> - <em>Create charts, maps, and tables</em>. Looks like a very promising web application.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💰 <a href=\"https://www.ynab.com/pricing\">YNAB</a> has unfortunately increased prices again. I still can’t imagine life without it, but <a href=\"https://canion.blog/2024/07/02/with-ynab-leaning.html\">Canion</a> has already started looking for alternatives.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐘 Thanks to <a href=\"https://social.lol/@adam/112690435853556041\">Michael</a> I can look up all those custom Mastodon icons (<a href=\"https://emojos.in/social.lol?show_all=true&show_animated=true\">emojos</a>) of a given instance from the web. (BTW if you’re interested in additional data, you could check out <a href=\"https://mastowatch.app\">Mastowatch</a>.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 <a href=\"https://www.whitescreen.online/fake-mac-os-x-update-screen/\">Mac OS Fake Update Screen</a>: That’s a great one for procrastination for sure. And right after the update is finished you can visit <a href=\"https://onemillioncheckboxes.com/\">One Million Checkboxes</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✏️ <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@habibcham\">Habib</a> linked to the <a href=\"https://habibcham.net/post/kohei-ohmori\">Hyper Realistic Pencil Drawings of Metallic Objects by Kohei Ohmori</a>. Wow!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Stay healthy and have a great week! 🙌</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [25](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/23/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh week of 2024:\n\nAt the end of the 26th week, I suddenly became ill. It started with a sore throat, followed by headaches, cough, runny nose, and total exhaustion. I am still not completely fit. Covid tests were negative, but I suspect that I caught the summer wave 🤒. Since I spent a lot of time sleeping in bed, I could only evaluate a few things, but I bookmarked a few programs that might be helpful later on.\n\n- 🖼️ [Upscayl](https://upscayl.org/) - *Free and Open Source AI Image Upscaler*.\n\n- 🌐 [WiredBuddy](https://github.com/yeahitsjan/WiredBuddy) - *The missing icon for ethernet interfaces*. And matching: [Online Check](https://sindresorhus.com/online-check) by [Sindre Sorhus](https://sindresorhus.com/apps).\n\n- 🚶♂️ [Strolly](https://nilcoalescing.com/apps/strolly/) - *Generated daily walks*: The app generates short (or longer) walking routes based on your location. I imagine the app to be quite helpful, especially if you are somewhere else and want to plan a dog walk.\n\n- 🗑️ [BananaBin](https://bananabin.app/) - *Lets you know when to empty the MacOS Bin*. This is definitely the app I was waiting for! (And 100% worth giving it full disk access 😇.) And be sure to install [Ball](https://github.com/nate-parrott/ball) as well.\n\n- 💻 [About-This-Hack](https://github.com/0xCUB3/About-This-Hack) - *Discover your hardware on macOS with this simple, user-friendly hardware info app that retains the beloved design language of the classic 'About This Mac' interface, while gaining access to a wealth of additional features*.\n\n- 📝 [Zavala](https://apps.apple.com/en/app/zavala/id1546457750): This promising looking outliner had flown under my radar until now.\n\n- 🗺️ [Avenue-GPX-Viewer](https://github.com/vincentneo/Avenue-GPX-Viewer) - *A simple and easy GPX viewer for macOS*. I use [myTracks](https://scribbles.page/write/4796), but if you are looking for a simple and open source GPX viewer, you could check out Avenue.\n\n- 🌍 [Overlap](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/overlap-by-moleskine-studio/id1516950324) - *Time zones made simple*.\n\n- 👀 [DockDoor](https://github.com/ejbills/DockDoor) - *Window peeking for macOS*. Personally, \"too much\" for me but maybe great for you ...\n\n- 💸 [Support an Indie Developer today!](https://indieappsales.com) - *Indie App Sales is back for our July '24 Edition for two days only - July 9-10!* Lot's of discounted apps 🥰.\n\n- 📊 [Datawrapper](https://www.datawrapper.de/) - *Create charts, maps, and tables*. Looks like a very promising web application.\n\n- 💰 [YNAB](https://www.ynab.com/pricing) has unfortunately increased prices again. I still can't imagine life without it, but [Canion](https://canion.blog/2024/07/02/with-ynab-leaning.html) has already started looking for alternatives.\n\n- 🐘 Thanks to [Michael](https://social.lol/@adam/112690435853556041) I can look up all those custom Mastodon icons ([emojos](https://emojos.in/social.lol?show_all=true&show_animated=true)) of a given instance from the web. (BTW if you're interested in additional data, you could check out [Mastowatch](https://mastowatch.app).)\n\n- 💻 [Mac OS Fake Update Screen](https://www.whitescreen.online/fake-mac-os-x-update-screen/): That's a great one for procrastination for sure. And right after the update is finished you can visit [One Million Checkboxes](https://onemillioncheckboxes.com/).\n\n- ✏️ [Habib](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham) linked to the [Hyper Realistic Pencil Drawings of Metallic Objects by Kohei Ohmori](https://habibcham.net/post/kohei-ohmori). Wow!\n\nStay healthy and have a great week! 🙌\n",
"date_published": "2024-07-08T08:52:47+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/07/08/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/26/til-that-you.html",
"content_html": "<p>TIL that you can scroll the list of Shortcuts in Apple’s Shortcut menu item.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "TIL that you can scroll the list of Shortcuts in Apple's Shortcut menu item.\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width: 88px;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-26-at-09.52.31.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a list of shortcuts in the menu bar icon\" title=\"CleanShot 2024-06-26 at 09.52.31.png\" border=\"0\" />\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-26T08:58:35+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/26/til-that-you.html",
"tags": ["til"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/24/til-that-you.html",
"content_html": "<p>TIL that you can open a copy of a message in Apple Mail to edit and resend it via ⇧⌘D. I never thought about this feature, but it seems quite useful.</p>\n",
"content_text": "TIL that you can open a copy of a message in Apple Mail to edit and resend it via ⇧⌘D. I never thought about this feature, but it seems quite useful.\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-24T15:54:27+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/24/til-that-you.html",
"tags": ["til"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/23/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-five, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/17/what-caught-my.html\">24</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-fifth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 The outrage about unethical behavior by big tech companies wanting to make money with AI features continued. See for example: <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/stories/ways-you-can-protect-your-website-from-ai-web-crawlers/\">How We’re Trying to Protect MacStories from AI Bots and Web Crawlers – And How You Can, Too</a> or <a href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/perplexity-plagiarized-our-story-about-how-perplexity-is-a-bullshit-machine/\">Perplexity Plagiarized Our Story About How Perplexity Is a Bullshit Machine</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😠 I have a strong opinion about Apple’s statement regarding alternative marketplaces during <a href=\"https://youtu.be/J7al_Gpolb8?si=cAr72MW2ILeFVg4p&t=4064\">The Talk Show Live</a> and the latest <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/linked/apple-says-it-wont-ship-major-new-os-features-in-the-eu-this-fall-due-to-dma-uncertainty/\">announcements</a> about missing features in the upcoming iOS update in the fall concerning the DMA. I have long considered whether I should write it down in detail. But I’d rather save my energy for discussions with my teenage son, behave like an adult, and might simply take the advice to get an Android device as my next phone 😇.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 How absolutely freaking cool is this: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec_BtS97IR8\">I made an AI LEGO® PixelArt Robot</a>?!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Speaking of awesome: <a href=\"https://retrododo.com/doom-x-mario-mod-is-a-game-all-nintendo-fans-need-to-see/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=doom-x-mario-mod-is-a-game-all-nintendo-fans-need-to-see\">Doom x Mario Mod</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 There are some <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1750125921\">Mac games—available at a discount for a limited time.</a>. I bought <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gris/id1465779286?mt=12\">GRIS</a>, which is BTW <a href=\"https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/gris\">on sale</a> for Steam right now as well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎉 Thanks to <a href=\"https://social.lol/@bendaubney/112661456120973694\">Ben</a> and <a href=\"https://social.lol/@ehqo/112661882960706921\">Ehqo</a> and will now look for discounts on games on <a href=\"https://gg.deals/\">Game deals</a> and <a href=\"https://isthereanydeal.com/\">IsThereAnyDeal</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💸 Speaking of discounts. Some long-established macOS apps are once again on <a href=\"https://www.artisanalsoftwarefestival.com/\">SummerFest</a> sale. For some of them, I <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/14/macos-apps-i.html\">wish</a> they were a bit more modern 😎.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🪟 There is just another free and open-source window manager for macOS that looks promising: <a href=\"https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop\">Loop</a> - <em>Window management made elegant</em>. Bookmarked just in case I have to switch from <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com\">Rectangle</a> some day.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📈 Another app I’ve bookmarked in case I need it: <a href=\"https://process-spy.app/\">ProcessSpy - View macOS processes with command line arguments</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 If you don’t want to subscribe to <a href=\"https://getdrafts.com\">Drafts</a> to quickly jot down text snippets and move them to other places and also don’t really warm up to <a href=\"https://www.jackcheng.com/bebop/\">Bebop</a>, you might want to check out <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/funnel-quick-capture/id6466168248\">Funnel: Quick Capture</a> as recommended by <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@thomas_mathoi\">Thomas</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔌 I have completely lost track of my USB-C cables. Which ones can only charge, which ones support fast data transfer? So I recently bought two gadgets recommended in the c’t<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>: <a href=\"https://treedix.com\">Treedix USB Cable Tester</a><sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> and <a href=\"https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0CQKC7SPR/?th=1\">Gianac USB Adapter</a><sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup> and now I know that I only have one high-speed USB-A to C cable and only very few USB-C to C cables supporting it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ I have been using my <a href=\"https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/\">ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM</a> monitor for about a week now and I am blown away by its panel. Still don’t like the gaming vibe, though but hey, I bought a gaming monitor so nothing to complain about. Was playing <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/ratchet-and-clank-rift-apart/\">Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart</a> on my PS5 and enjoy it so far.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>As always, have a wonderful week ahead! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>German computer magazine <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>behind paywall: <a href=\"https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/6/2403809501250336626\">www.heise.de/select/ct…</a> <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>behind paywall: <a href=\"https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/13/2411017250818288494\">www.heise.de/select/ct…</a> <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [24](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/17/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-fifth week of 2024:\n\n- 🌐 The outrage about unethical behavior by big tech companies wanting to make money with AI features continued. See for example: [How We're Trying to Protect MacStories from AI Bots and Web Crawlers – And How You Can, Too](https://www.macstories.net/stories/ways-you-can-protect-your-website-from-ai-web-crawlers/) or [Perplexity Plagiarized Our Story About How Perplexity Is a Bullshit Machine](https://www.wired.com/story/perplexity-plagiarized-our-story-about-how-perplexity-is-a-bullshit-machine/).\n\n- 😠 I have a strong opinion about Apple's statement regarding alternative marketplaces during [The Talk Show Live](https://youtu.be/J7al_Gpolb8?si=cAr72MW2ILeFVg4p&t=4064) and the latest [announcements](https://www.macstories.net/linked/apple-says-it-wont-ship-major-new-os-features-in-the-eu-this-fall-due-to-dma-uncertainty/) about missing features in the upcoming iOS update in the fall concerning the DMA. I have long considered whether I should write it down in detail. But I'd rather save my energy for discussions with my teenage son, behave like an adult, and might simply take the advice to get an Android device as my next phone 😇.\n\n- 🤖 How absolutely freaking cool is this: [I made an AI LEGO® PixelArt Robot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec_BtS97IR8)?!\n\n- 🎮 Speaking of awesome: [Doom x Mario Mod](https://retrododo.com/doom-x-mario-mod-is-a-game-all-nintendo-fans-need-to-see/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=doom-x-mario-mod-is-a-game-all-nintendo-fans-need-to-see).\n\n- 💻 There are some [Mac games—available at a discount for a limited time.](https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1750125921). I bought [GRIS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gris/id1465779286?mt=12), which is BTW [on sale](https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/gris) for Steam right now as well. \n\n- 🎉 Thanks to [Ben](https://social.lol/@bendaubney/112661456120973694) and [Ehqo](https://social.lol/@ehqo/112661882960706921) and will now look for discounts on games on [Game deals](https://gg.deals/) and [IsThereAnyDeal](https://isthereanydeal.com/).\n\n- 💸 Speaking of discounts. Some long-established macOS apps are once again on [SummerFest](https://www.artisanalsoftwarefestival.com/) sale. For some of them, I [wish](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/14/macos-apps-i.html) they were a bit more modern 😎.\n\n- 🪟 There is just another free and open-source window manager for macOS that looks promising: [Loop](https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop) - *Window management made elegant*. Bookmarked just in case I have to switch from [Rectangle](https://rectangleapp.com) some day.\n\n- 📈 Another app I've bookmarked in case I need it: [ProcessSpy - View macOS processes with command line arguments](https://process-spy.app/).\n\n- 📝 If you don't want to subscribe to [Drafts](https://getdrafts.com) to quickly jot down text snippets and move them to other places and also don't really warm up to [Bebop](https://www.jackcheng.com/bebop/), you might want to check out [Funnel: Quick Capture](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/funnel-quick-capture/id6466168248) as recommended by [Thomas](https://mastodon.social/@thomas_mathoi).\n\n- 🔌 I have completely lost track of my USB-C cables. Which ones can only charge, which ones support fast data transfer? So I recently bought two gadgets recommended in the c't[^1]: [Treedix USB Cable Tester](https://treedix.com)[^2] and [Gianac USB Adapter](https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0CQKC7SPR/?th=1)[^3] and now I know that I only have one high-speed USB-A to C cable and only very few USB-C to C cables supporting it.\n\n- 🖥️ I have been using my [ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM](https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/) monitor for about a week now and I am blown away by its panel. Still don't like the gaming vibe, though but hey, I bought a gaming monitor so nothing to complain about. Was playing [Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/ratchet-and-clank-rift-apart/) on my PS5 and enjoy it so far.\n\nAs always, have a wonderful week ahead! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: German computer magazine\n[^2]: behind paywall: [www.heise.de/select/ct...](https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/6/2403809501250336626)\n[^3]: behind paywall: [www.heise.de/select/ct...](https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2024/13/2411017250818288494)\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-23T12:18:32+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/23/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/17/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-four, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/09/what-caught-my.html\">23</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 24th week of 2024.</p>\n<p>My eldest son has a guest student from America visiting, who will be staying with us for the next three weeks. Last week was therefore very much about preparation and, after his arrival, a lot of social activities. I really hope, he enjoys his stay with us 😅.</p>\n<p>I still watched the <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXeOiIDNNek\">WWDC keynote</a> and exceptionally listened to the <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7al_Gpolb8\">Talk Show</a>. I will leave the further reporting and commentary to others. Besides that, there was very little I watched this week or that I had a chance to try.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🔍 Somewhere I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch\">fastfetch-cli</a>, which can also be installed via <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/homebrew\">Homebrew</a>; a nice tool for the CLI.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗓️ If you would like to use an event countdown iOS app but don’t want to spend money on a subscription for <a href=\"https://upaheadapp.com\">Up Ahead</a> or <a href=\"https://pinning.app\">Pinning</a>, you might want to take a look at <a href=\"https://countdown-widget.app/\">Countdown Widget</a> - <em>The best app for your important events</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ Very beautiful wallpapers: <a href=\"https://basicappleguy.com/haberdashery/macintoshwallpapers\">macOS Sequoia 1984 Macintosh Wallpapers</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 A new version of <a href=\"https://smallcolossus.com/apps/barcodes\">Barcodes for iOS</a> was released. I don’t carry many plastic cards anymore, but this seems to be a very nice app to digitize them.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎬 The trailer for <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tk8lkmYGWQ&t=109s&pp=2AFtkAIB\">DOOM: The Dark Ages</a> was released.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 Robb has declared war on AI companies: <a href=\"https://rknight.me/blog/blocking-bots-with-nginx/\">Blocking Bots with Nginx</a> and <a href=\"https://rknight.me/blog/perplexity-ai-is-lying-about-its-user-agent/\">Perplexity AI Is Lying about Their User Agent</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐻 Somehow, half of my timeline seems to be discovering <a href=\"https://bearblog.dev/\">Bear Blog</a>, and I had to first learn that it has nothing to do with the app <a href=\"https://bear.app/\">Bear - Markdown Notes</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😊 I was very pleased that Lou mentioned me on his <a href=\"https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs\">Junited List</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 My wife doesn’t like video games being played in the living room, and she also doesn’t want to tolerate a bigger TV there<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. On the other hand, my 24" 4K LG monitor for the Mac in my room unfortunately doesn’t have an HDMI input, so I could only use the PS5 remotely or when she was already in bed. That should change, and last week I was looking for a monitor that is at least 27" in size, provides 4K, 120 Hz, 90 W USB-C PD Upstream with DP alt., Audio out, at least one HDMI input, and could actually be purchased. The picture quality should also not be terrible. There are shockingly few options. Anyway, it ended up being the <a href=\"https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/\">ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM</a> and I am totally blown away 🤷♂️🤦♂️🤣.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a wonderful week! 🌟</p>\n<hr>\n<p>Update 2024-06-18: added link to 🤖 paragraph</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>ours is only Full HD and 32" 😢 <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [23](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/09/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 24th week of 2024.\n\nMy eldest son has a guest student from America visiting, who will be staying with us for the next three weeks. Last week was therefore very much about preparation and, after his arrival, a lot of social activities. I really hope, he enjoys his stay with us 😅.\n\nI still watched the [WWDC keynote](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXeOiIDNNek) and exceptionally listened to the [Talk Show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7al_Gpolb8). I will leave the further reporting and commentary to others. Besides that, there was very little I watched this week or that I had a chance to try.\n\n- 🔍 Somewhere I stumbled upon [fastfetch-cli](https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch), which can also be installed via [Homebrew](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/homebrew); a nice tool for the CLI.\n\n- 🗓️ If you would like to use an event countdown iOS app but don't want to spend money on a subscription for [Up Ahead](https://upaheadapp.com) or [Pinning](https://pinning.app), you might want to take a look at [Countdown Widget](https://countdown-widget.app/) - *The best app for your important events*.\n\n- 🖼️ Very beautiful wallpapers: [macOS Sequoia 1984 Macintosh Wallpapers](https://basicappleguy.com/haberdashery/macintoshwallpapers).\n\n- 📱 A new version of [Barcodes for iOS](https://smallcolossus.com/apps/barcodes) was released. I don't carry many plastic cards anymore, but this seems to be a very nice app to digitize them.\n\n- 🎬 The trailer for [DOOM: The Dark Ages](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tk8lkmYGWQ&t=109s&pp=2AFtkAIB) was released.\n\n- 🤖 Robb has declared war on AI companies: [Blocking Bots with Nginx](https://rknight.me/blog/blocking-bots-with-nginx/) and [Perplexity AI Is Lying about Their User Agent](https://rknight.me/blog/perplexity-ai-is-lying-about-its-user-agent/).\n\n- 🐻 Somehow, half of my timeline seems to be discovering [Bear Blog](https://bearblog.dev/), and I had to first learn that it has nothing to do with the app [Bear - Markdown Notes](https://bear.app/).\n\n- 😊 I was very pleased that Lou mentioned me on his [Junited List](https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs).\n\n- 🎮 My wife doesn't like video games being played in the living room, and she also doesn't want to tolerate a bigger TV there[^1]. On the other hand, my 24\" 4K LG monitor for the Mac in my room unfortunately doesn't have an HDMI input, so I could only use the PS5 remotely or when she was already in bed. That should change, and last week I was looking for a monitor that is at least 27\" in size, provides 4K, 120 Hz, 90 W USB-C PD Upstream with DP alt., Audio out, at least one HDMI input, and could actually be purchased. The picture quality should also not be terrible. There are shockingly few options. Anyway, it ended up being the [ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM](https://rog.asus.com/us/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-swift-oled-pg32ucdm/) and I am totally blown away 🤷♂️🤦♂️🤣.\n\nHave a wonderful week! 🌟\n\n---\nUpdate 2024-06-18: added link to 🤖 paragraph\n\n[^1]: ours is only Full HD and 32\" 😢\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-17T17:05:27+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/17/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/15/i-wonder-how.html",
"content_html": "<p>I wonder how many people don’t know that in iOS they can access a multiple selection mode in lists with a double tap and hold, e.g. in Apple Mail, with which they can very easily mark many mails as read, for example. That’s only one of so many non-discoverable features in iOS.</p>\n",
"content_text": "I wonder how many people don't know that in iOS they can access a multiple selection mode in lists with a double tap and hold, e.g. in Apple Mail, with which they can very easily mark many mails as read, for example. That's only one of so many non-discoverable features in iOS.\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-15T07:53:49+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/15/i-wonder-how.html",
"tags": ["iOS"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/14/macos-apps-i.html",
"title": "macOS apps I wish were better",
"content_html": "<p>I am a long-time macOS user and over the decades I’ve tried a lot of different apps. Many I have used only briefly or they were discontinued after some time. However, some grow close to my heart, accompany me for countless years, and make my daily life easier. Nevertheless, sometimes some of them eventually lose their shine or fall behind, and I use them just out of habit or nostalgia, even though there are (supposedly) better alternatives.</p>\n<p>Currently, there are mainly three programs for me that fall under this category:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/devonthink\">DevonThink</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.obdev.at/en/products/launchbar/index.html\">Launchbar</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://1password.com/\">1Password</a></li>\n</ul>\n<p><a href=\"https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/devonthink\">DevonThink</a> could have become the native macOS version of <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> for me, but with Version 3, I somehow lost access to it. Nowadays, I only use the app, which once shaped my workday, as a storage place for PDFs. That makes me sad.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://www.obdev.at/en/products/launchbar/index.html\">Launchbar</a> hasn’t seen any real innovations for a very long time, and more significantly, sometimes it starts with a delay on my Macs, which leads to unwanted keystrokes in other programs. There is a plugin system, but I wish the community was as motivated and diverse as with <a href=\"https://www.raycast.com\">Raycast</a>.</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://1password.com/\">1Password</a> was such a great password manager. Since the update to Version 8 and the switch to Electron, it no longer feels native, it’s sluggish and buggy. The Safari integration<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> has become unusable for me, and I currently keep my passwords in both 1PW and Apple’s Keychain. I think with the appearance of Sequoia in the fall, I will probably say goodbye entirely. Even though it will be hard for me.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>for sure this is not only 1PW’s fault <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "I am a long-time macOS user and over the decades I've tried a lot of different apps. Many I have used only briefly or they were discontinued after some time. However, some grow close to my heart, accompany me for countless years, and make my daily life easier. Nevertheless, sometimes some of them eventually lose their shine or fall behind, and I use them just out of habit or nostalgia, even though there are (supposedly) better alternatives.\n\nCurrently, there are mainly three programs for me that fall under this category:\n\n- [DevonThink](https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/devonthink) \n- [Launchbar](https://www.obdev.at/en/products/launchbar/index.html) \n- [1Password](https://1password.com/)\n\n[DevonThink](https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/devonthink) could have become the native macOS version of [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) for me, but with Version 3, I somehow lost access to it. Nowadays, I only use the app, which once shaped my workday, as a storage place for PDFs. That makes me sad.\n\n[Launchbar](https://www.obdev.at/en/products/launchbar/index.html) hasn't seen any real innovations for a very long time, and more significantly, sometimes it starts with a delay on my Macs, which leads to unwanted keystrokes in other programs. There is a plugin system, but I wish the community was as motivated and diverse as with [Raycast](https://www.raycast.com).\n\n[1Password](https://1password.com/) was such a great password manager. Since the update to Version 8 and the switch to Electron, it no longer feels native, it's sluggish and buggy. The Safari integration[^1] has become unusable for me, and I currently keep my passwords in both 1PW and Apple's Keychain. I think with the appearance of Sequoia in the fall, I will probably say goodbye entirely. Even though it will be hard for me.\n\n[^1]: for sure this is not only 1PW's fault\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-14T12:57:35+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/14/macos-apps-i.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/09/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-three, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/02/what-caught-my.html\">22</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-third week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🔑 As the Safari integration of <a href=\"https://1password.com/\">1Password</a> is getting worse and worse - at least for me it is so buggy, that I have disabled the Safari extension and moved my passwords to Apple’s Keychain<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> - I am looking for alternatives. I actually don’t want to store my passwords only with Apple, either. I feel too locked in there. But using 1PW in parallel with iCloud seems weird to me in the long run. So, I looked around and for the emerging passkey front I ordered a <a href=\"https://www.token2.com/shop/product/token2-t2f2-pin-dual-release2-fido2-u2f-and-totp-dual-port-nfc-security-key-with-pin-complexity-feature\">Token2</a> security key, which arrived this week. According to its description, it “combines hardware-based authentication, public-key cryptography, TOTP/HOTP, U2F, and FIDO2 protocols to protect your accounts.” To make a long story short, this post-password world is still way too complicated for me. OTP/HOTP, U2F, and FIDO2?! 🤯 The token stores passkeys but also 2FA codes, and I never know what exactly where and when. Sometimes passkeys alone are enough to log in, sometimes I have to enter an additional 2FA OTP, sometimes - as with Mastodon - the 2FA seems to be the passkey and I still need a username and PW! For the token2 to work, I have to touch it, enter a 6-digit code on my Mac, and then touch it again. That’s much more cumbersome than just putting my finger on the touch ID sensor of my Macbook. On my Mac, I can access the stored passkey (but not all or just the OTP tokens, I dont know) on the token2 only very awkwardly but at least via Chrome’s settings page. OTP codes can be accessed via the iPhone app but not the passkeys. WTF?! I don’t understand anything. In addition, my most important accounts still don’t support passkeys. Parallel to this, the <a href=\"https://protonapps.com\">macOS version</a> of <a href=\"https://proton.me/pass\">ProtonPass</a> was released this week, and the <a href=\"https://account.proton.me/pass/signup?coupon=DPROMO&ref=d-promo-banner&currency=EUR\">annual subscription</a> could be purchased for 10 €. What the heck, I thought, and I purchased it. The Mac app seems, like 1Password, to be an Electron app, and it feels like they just released a web wrapper. It is still far from being a viable alternative. Maybe I have to hope for the rumor mill come true and enjoy Apple’s <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/06/apple-standalone-passwords-app/\">standalone password manager</a> starting this fall? Anyway, I could not agree more: <a href=\"https://birchtree.me/blog/a-passwordless-future-needs-portability/\">A Passwordless Future Needs Portability</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚨 There was a bit of <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html\">fuss</a> this week about the app Bartender for macOS, which I have highly appreciated so far. I uninstalled it and have been using <a href=\"https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice\">Ice</a> since a couple of days, as <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/ice\">mentioned</a>. It works flawlessly.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗺️ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/organic-maps-offline-map/id1567437057?ign-mpt=uo%3D4\">Organic Maps: Offline Map on the App Store</a> now also supports iCloud sync.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 <a href=\"https://indieapps.space/@sequel/112564001930067974\">Sequel</a>, the manager for a variety of media, received a <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/reviews/sequel-2-3s-magic-lookup-is-a-perfect-example-of-how-apps-should-integrate-ai/\">major update</a>. I am actually very happy with <a href=\"https://booktrack.app\">Booktracks</a>, <a href=\"https://gamery.app\">Gamery</a>, and <a href=\"https://tvforecastapp.com\">TV Forecast</a>, but I started testing the app again. I am not yet sure if there is a place for an additional, more general app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 I also tried <a href=\"https://surfed.app\">Surfed</a> again because I actually find the idea of the app very cool. However, it somehow did not reliably record my history and synchronize it between my three used devices. This led to me not finding the things I was looking for, so I will let the subscription expire at the end of the month.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📶 <a href=\"https://www.obdev.at/en/products/littlesnitch/index.html\">Little Snitch</a> shows network usage in the menu bar on my work computer. If you are looking for a free alternative for just this function, you can check out <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/scaler-bandwidth-monitor/id1612708557?mt=12\">Scaler Bandwidth Monitor</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏲️ I have been using <a href=\"https://matthewpalmer.net/rocket/\">Rocket</a> for a long time, but <a href=\"https://matthewpalmer.net/horo-free-timer-mac/\">Horo - the best free timer app for Mac</a> from the same <a href=\"https://matthewpalmer.net\">developer</a> had slipped through my fingers until now.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍏 Apple already announced the <a href=\"https://developer.apple.com/design/awards/\">2024 winners and finalists - Apple Design Awards</a>. Congrats to <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crouton-recipe-manager/id1461650987\">Crouton: Recipe Manager on the App Store</a>. (I only wish there was an import feature for <a href=\"https://mela.recipes\">Mela</a>, the app I currently use.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 <a href=\"https://mihobu.lol/2024/06/im-not-anti-ai\">I’m Not Anti-AI</a> spoke to my soul, and since I’m already mentioning <a href=\"https://mihobu.lol/about\">Michael</a>, I was very pleased with his mention in the <a href=\"https://mihobu.lol/junited2024\">Junited</a> post 🥰.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📸 I <a href=\"https://toot.cafe/@codepo8/112562828562908837\">learned</a> that on macOS, you can open an image with Quick Look by hitting the Space bar and then just select all recognized text (⌘A) and copy it (⌘C) to your clipboard 🤯.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧸 I had to stop collecting <a href=\"https://brickset.com/sets/ownedby-racemase\">LEGO</a> sets due to space constraints and definitely must not buy the <a href=\"https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/06/evercade-alpha-bartop-arcade-system-now-available-for-pre-order\">Evercade Alpha Bartop Arcade System</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 However, I couldn’t prevent myself from acquiring a Nintendo N64 console. Thanks to <a href=\"https://kaicolabs.com/product/nintendo-n64-line-doubler-hdmi/\">2x Line Doubler</a> and RetroScaler <a href=\"https://retroreiz.de/shop/nintendo/nintendo-64-n64/zubehoer-nintendo-64/retroscaler-n64-blueretro-wireless-controller-bluetooth-adapter-fuer-nintendo-64/#\">N64 BlueRetro</a> Wireless Controller Bluetooth Adapter, I can now play Mario 64 with my <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-64-controller/\">Nintendo 64 Bluetooth Controller</a>. Please don’t ask why I don’t just do it via Nintendo Switch Online, <a href=\"https://www.emudeck.com\">EmuDeck</a> on the Steam Deck, or simply my iPhone with <a href=\"https://faq.deltaemulator.com\">Delta</a> 🤷♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 Speaking of which: more awesome skins for Delta: <a href=\"https://store.seanfletcher.co/l/delta-pocket-gba\">Delta Pocket - Transparent Edition</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 And: <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/04/nintendo-3ds-emulator-for-iphone-on-app-store/\">Nintendo 3DS Emulator for iPhone Released in App Store With Caveats</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔋 If you don’t trust macOS’s built-in battery management, don’t use <a href=\"https://apphousekitchen.com\">AlDente</a>, and are looking for another application of this kind, you might want to check out <a href=\"https://micropixels.software/apps/batfi\">BatFi – maximize your Mac’s battery lifespan</a>. BTW I have decided that the built-in function must suffice for me.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔋 Same topic, different area: <a href=\"https://lihaoyun6.github.io/airbattery/\">AirBattery</a> - <em>Get the battery usage of all your devices at once!</em> I noted it down in case <a href=\"https://v2.airbuddy.app\">AirBuddy</a> stops working someday.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 If you ask nicely, you might be able to test a new web-based feed reader: <a href=\"https://vincentritter.com/2024/06/03/an-introduction-to-sublime-feed\">An introduction to Sublime Feed</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 <a href=\"https://commandline.johnnydecimal.com\">Johnny Decimal</a> brings Ellane the command line of macOS. If you want to dive deeper afterward, I can definitely recommend <a href=\"https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/command-line/\">Take Control of the Mac Command Line with Terminal</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ I had planned <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html\">months ago</a> to finally dive into to the <a href=\"https://gridfinity.xyz/\">Gridfinity</a> system. Somehow, I never had the time to pick out the right base plates. Thanks to the “reminder” from <a href=\"https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112552631190246734\">Marcus</a> and the hint about these <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/model/170956-basic-gridfinity-baseplates-cadquery-customizable\">baseplates</a>, I just started with one desk drawer. I already knew it, but oh, how awesome is that! I definitely won’t get out of this rabbit hole anytime soon. BTW thanks to <a href=\"https://makerworld.com/en/models/481168\">Gridfinity Extended</a>, you can easily click together all sorts of things with <a href=\"https://seasick.github.io/openscad-web-gui/?https%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fostat%2Fgridfinity_extended_openscad%2Fmain%2Fcombined%2Fgridfinity_basic_cup.scad\">OpenSCAD</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎙️ <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/\">MacStories</a> has added two new podcasts to its family. The pilot episodes were entertaining. However, based on their teasers, I honestly expected a little more than using the Reminders backend in Fantastical or playing games on the iPad with a controller to get the hosts out of their <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/\">Comfort Zone</a> 😈.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗣️ German-speaking readers should try the <a href=\"https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dialekt-test-wir-wissen-woher-sie-stammen-jetzt-noch-genauer-205060715129\">dialect test</a> from the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger, which has made its rounds on the web. I’m still unsure how they fake it, but the precision of the results is amazing.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🇪🇺 This weekend are European elections. Go vote! (And vote for a democratic party!)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍏 Next week is the WWDC. It will not be a bug fix year once again. I hope so much that Apple can resist the urge to integrate pointless AI functions into every little app. (I just want a PDF reader that doesn’t mess up my annotations and a more stable system in general 😢.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🙋♂️ I’ve received my fist feedback email to a blog post I wrote. Friendly shout-out to <a href=\"https://darren.me\">Darren</a>!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😮 Apart from that, this week in my filter bubble I learnt once again that we are all just people with feelings and that they can be hurt very quickly. I hope that the apologies were sincere and, above all, that they are accepted. Being able to forgive is also a very important trait in a tolerant community.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a great week! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>whatever they are calling it now <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [22](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/02/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the twenty-third week of 2024:\n\n- 🔑 As the Safari integration of [1Password](https://1password.com/) is getting worse and worse - at least for me it is so buggy, that I have disabled the Safari extension and moved my passwords to Apple's Keychain[^1] - I am looking for alternatives. I actually don't want to store my passwords only with Apple, either. I feel too locked in there. But using 1PW in parallel with iCloud seems weird to me in the long run. So, I looked around and for the emerging passkey front I ordered a [Token2](https://www.token2.com/shop/product/token2-t2f2-pin-dual-release2-fido2-u2f-and-totp-dual-port-nfc-security-key-with-pin-complexity-feature) security key, which arrived this week. According to its description, it \"combines hardware-based authentication, public-key cryptography, TOTP/HOTP, U2F, and FIDO2 protocols to protect your accounts.\" To make a long story short, this post-password world is still way too complicated for me. OTP/HOTP, U2F, and FIDO2?! 🤯 The token stores passkeys but also 2FA codes, and I never know what exactly where and when. Sometimes passkeys alone are enough to log in, sometimes I have to enter an additional 2FA OTP, sometimes - as with Mastodon - the 2FA seems to be the passkey and I still need a username and PW! For the token2 to work, I have to touch it, enter a 6-digit code on my Mac, and then touch it again. That's much more cumbersome than just putting my finger on the touch ID sensor of my Macbook. On my Mac, I can access the stored passkey (but not all or just the OTP tokens, I dont know) on the token2 only very awkwardly but at least via Chrome's settings page. OTP codes can be accessed via the iPhone app but not the passkeys. WTF?! I don't understand anything. In addition, my most important accounts still don't support passkeys. Parallel to this, the [macOS version](https://protonapps.com) of [ProtonPass](https://proton.me/pass) was released this week, and the [annual subscription](https://account.proton.me/pass/signup?coupon=DPROMO&ref=d-promo-banner¤cy=EUR) could be purchased for 10 €. What the heck, I thought, and I purchased it. The Mac app seems, like 1Password, to be an Electron app, and it feels like they just released a web wrapper. It is still far from being a viable alternative. Maybe I have to hope for the rumor mill come true and enjoy Apple's [standalone password manager](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/06/apple-standalone-passwords-app/) starting this fall? Anyway, I could not agree more: [A Passwordless Future Needs Portability](https://birchtree.me/blog/a-passwordless-future-needs-portability/).\n\n- 🚨 There was a bit of [fuss](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html) this week about the app Bartender for macOS, which I have highly appreciated so far. I uninstalled it and have been using [Ice](https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice) since a couple of days, as [mentioned](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/ice). It works flawlessly.\n\n- 🗺️ [Organic Maps: Offline Map on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/organic-maps-offline-map/id1567437057?ign-mpt=uo%3D4) now also supports iCloud sync.\n\n- 📚 [Sequel](https://indieapps.space/@sequel/112564001930067974), the manager for a variety of media, received a [major update](https://www.macstories.net/reviews/sequel-2-3s-magic-lookup-is-a-perfect-example-of-how-apps-should-integrate-ai/). I am actually very happy with [Booktracks](https://booktrack.app), [Gamery](https://gamery.app), and [TV Forecast](https://tvforecastapp.com), but I started testing the app again. I am not yet sure if there is a place for an additional, more general app.\n\n- 🌐 I also tried [Surfed](https://surfed.app) again because I actually find the idea of the app very cool. However, it somehow did not reliably record my history and synchronize it between my three used devices. This led to me not finding the things I was looking for, so I will let the subscription expire at the end of the month.\n\n- 📶 [Little Snitch](https://www.obdev.at/en/products/littlesnitch/index.html) shows network usage in the menu bar on my work computer. If you are looking for a free alternative for just this function, you can check out [Scaler Bandwidth Monitor](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/scaler-bandwidth-monitor/id1612708557?mt=12).\n\n- ⏲️ I have been using [Rocket](https://matthewpalmer.net/rocket/) for a long time, but [Horo - the best free timer app for Mac](https://matthewpalmer.net/horo-free-timer-mac/) from the same [developer](https://matthewpalmer.net) had slipped through my fingers until now.\n\n- 🍏 Apple already announced the [2024 winners and finalists - Apple Design Awards](https://developer.apple.com/design/awards/). Congrats to [Crouton: Recipe Manager on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crouton-recipe-manager/id1461650987). (I only wish there was an import feature for [Mela](https://mela.recipes), the app I currently use.) \n\n- 🤖 [I’m Not Anti-AI](https://mihobu.lol/2024/06/im-not-anti-ai) spoke to my soul, and since I'm already mentioning [Michael](https://mihobu.lol/about), I was very pleased with his mention in the [Junited](https://mihobu.lol/junited2024) post 🥰.\n\n- 📸 I [learned](https://toot.cafe/@codepo8/112562828562908837) that on macOS, you can open an image with Quick Look by hitting the Space bar and then just select all recognized text (⌘A) and copy it (⌘C) to your clipboard 🤯.\n\n- 🧸 I had to stop collecting [LEGO](https://brickset.com/sets/ownedby-racemase) sets due to space constraints and definitely must not buy the [Evercade Alpha Bartop Arcade System](https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/06/evercade-alpha-bartop-arcade-system-now-available-for-pre-order).\n\n- 🎮 However, I couldn't prevent myself from acquiring a Nintendo N64 console. Thanks to [2x Line Doubler](https://kaicolabs.com/product/nintendo-n64-line-doubler-hdmi/) and RetroScaler [N64 BlueRetro](https://retroreiz.de/shop/nintendo/nintendo-64-n64/zubehoer-nintendo-64/retroscaler-n64-blueretro-wireless-controller-bluetooth-adapter-fuer-nintendo-64/#) Wireless Controller Bluetooth Adapter, I can now play Mario 64 with my [Nintendo 64 Bluetooth Controller](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-64-controller/). Please don't ask why I don't just do it via Nintendo Switch Online, [EmuDeck](https://www.emudeck.com) on the Steam Deck, or simply my iPhone with [Delta](https://faq.deltaemulator.com) 🤷♂️.\n\n- 🎨 Speaking of which: more awesome skins for Delta: [Delta Pocket - Transparent Edition](https://store.seanfletcher.co/l/delta-pocket-gba).\n\n- 📱 And: [Nintendo 3DS Emulator for iPhone Released in App Store With Caveats](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/04/nintendo-3ds-emulator-for-iphone-on-app-store/).\n\n- 🔋 If you don't trust macOS's built-in battery management, don't use [AlDente](https://apphousekitchen.com), and are looking for another application of this kind, you might want to check out [BatFi – maximize your Mac's battery lifespan](https://micropixels.software/apps/batfi). BTW I have decided that the built-in function must suffice for me.\n\n- 🔋 Same topic, different area: [AirBattery](https://lihaoyun6.github.io/airbattery/) - *Get the battery usage of all your devices at once!* I noted it down in case [AirBuddy](https://v2.airbuddy.app) stops working someday.\n\n- 🌐 If you ask nicely, you might be able to test a new web-based feed reader: [An introduction to Sublime Feed](https://vincentritter.com/2024/06/03/an-introduction-to-sublime-feed).\n\n- 💻 [Johnny Decimal](https://commandline.johnnydecimal.com) brings Ellane the command line of macOS. If you want to dive deeper afterward, I can definitely recommend [Take Control of the Mac Command Line with Terminal](https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/command-line/).\n\n- 🛠️ I had planned [months ago](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html) to finally dive into to the [Gridfinity](https://gridfinity.xyz/) system. Somehow, I never had the time to pick out the right base plates. Thanks to the \"reminder\" from [Marcus](https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112552631190246734) and the hint about these [baseplates](https://www.printables.com/model/170956-basic-gridfinity-baseplates-cadquery-customizable), I just started with one desk drawer. I already knew it, but oh, how awesome is that! I definitely won't get out of this rabbit hole anytime soon. BTW thanks to [Gridfinity Extended](https://makerworld.com/en/models/481168), you can easily click together all sorts of things with [OpenSCAD](https://seasick.github.io/openscad-web-gui/?https%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fostat%2Fgridfinity_extended_openscad%2Fmain%2Fcombined%2Fgridfinity_basic_cup.scad).\n\n- 🎙️ [MacStories](https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/) has added two new podcasts to its family. The pilot episodes were entertaining. However, based on their teasers, I honestly expected a little more than using the Reminders backend in Fantastical or playing games on the iPad with a controller to get the hosts out of their [Comfort Zone](https://www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/) 😈.\n\n- 🗣️ German-speaking readers should try the [dialect test](https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dialekt-test-wir-wissen-woher-sie-stammen-jetzt-noch-genauer-205060715129) from the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger, which has made its rounds on the web. I'm still unsure how they fake it, but the precision of the results is amazing.\n\n- 🇪🇺 This weekend are European elections. Go vote! (And vote for a democratic party!)\n\n- 🍏 Next week is the WWDC. It will not be a bug fix year once again. I hope so much that Apple can resist the urge to integrate pointless AI functions into every little app. (I just want a PDF reader that doesn't mess up my annotations and a more stable system in general 😢.)\n\n- 🙋♂️ I've received my fist feedback email to a blog post I wrote. Friendly shout-out to [Darren](https://darren.me)!\n\n- 😮 Apart from that, this week in my filter bubble I learnt once again that we are all just people with feelings and that they can be hurt very quickly. I hope that the apologies were sincere and, above all, that they are accepted. Being able to forgive is also a very important trait in a tolerant community.\n\nHave a great week! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: whatever they are calling it now\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-09T12:21:56+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/09/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","RetroGaming","security"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html",
"title": "Bartender Alternatives",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/\">Bartender</a> was acquired and neither the original programmer nor the new owner informed about it. Since the app requires extensive permissions to perform its service, including screen recording, and the communication about the sale apparently went rather catastrophically<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>, many <a href=\"https://isfeeling.social/@matt/112560795817973480\">users</a> are somehow concerned and are looking for an alternative. Fortunately, there are some, but I have not dealt with them much, as I have been using Bartender since its initial release many years ago.</p>\n<p>So far, I have come across the following apps, which can now be looked at more closely with regard to their privacy policy and, of course, their suitability as a replacement:<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/\">Vanilla</a> - <em>Hide Mac menu bar icons for free</em>,</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice\">Ice</a> - <em>Powerful menu bar manager for macOS</em><sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup>,</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/ibar-menubar-icon-control-tool/id6443843900\">iBar</a> - <em>Menubar icon control tool</em>,</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/barbee-hide-menu-bar-items/id1548711022?mt=12\">Barbee</a> - <em>Hide Menu Bar Items</em>,</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden\">Hidden Bar</a> - <em>An ultra-light MacOS utility that helps hide menu bar icons</em> (also on <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/hidden-bar/id1452453066?mt=12\">MAS</a>),</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/jacklandrin/OnlySwitch#hide-menu-bar-icons\">OnlySwitch</a>, and</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://docs.folivora.ai/docs/1700_menubar_status_items.html\">Better Touch Tool</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Which one are you using?</p>\n<p>Most people seem to be very happy with <a href=\"https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden\">Hidden Bar</a> and <a href=\"https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice\">Ice</a>, both <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software\">FOSS</a>. And there is now an official (?<sup id=\"fnref:4\"><a href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">4</a></sup>) response from Bartender’s original developer Ben Surtees you can read <a href=\"https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/A-New-Chapter-for-Bartender/\">here</a> or <a href=\"https://surteesstudios.com/a-new-chapter/\">here</a>. And another <a href=\"https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/Lets-Try-This-Again/\">statement</a> from the new owners was published on their blog as well.</p>\n<hr>\n<h3 id=\"updates\">Updates</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>2024-06-07: added footnote 4</li>\n<li>2024-06-06: added update above and a link to Michael Tsai in footnote 1 😎</li>\n<li>2024-06-05: added OnlySwitch, thanks to <a href=\"https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112564832240465605\">Marcus</a>, link to the github version of Hidden Bar, and link to AppleInsider</li>\n<li>2024-06-13: added link to new developer statement</li>\n<li>2024-07-17: added BTT</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>There is only one small note on their <a href=\"https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/support/\">support page</a> informing about a certificate change. The full extent of this has been very nicely summarised on <a href=\"https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/06/05/bartender-apps-new-owner-has-burnt-years-of-good-will-with-a-lack-of-transparency\">AppleInsider</a>. You can read some more responses to this whole saga on Michael Tsai’s <a href=\"https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/06/05/bartender-acquired-by-applause-group/\">blog</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Alternatively, one can potentially revert to a Bartender version prior to the sale (5.0.48) and additionally block its connections to the internet, e.g., via <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/little-snitch\">Little Snitch</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>That’s the one I just started using without any particular reason and it works just great so far. <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:4\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Of course, there are already <a href=\"https://talk.tidbits.com/t/bartender-developer-explains-and-apologizes-for-quiet-acquisition/27980/4\">speculations</a> that the texts were not written by him and were created by ChatGPT. <a href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\n[Bartender](https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/) was acquired and neither the original programmer nor the new owner informed about it. Since the app requires extensive permissions to perform its service, including screen recording, and the communication about the sale apparently went rather catastrophically[^1], many [users](https://isfeeling.social/@matt/112560795817973480) are somehow concerned and are looking for an alternative. Fortunately, there are some, but I have not dealt with them much, as I have been using Bartender since its initial release many years ago.\n\nSo far, I have come across the following apps, which can now be looked at more closely with regard to their privacy policy and, of course, their suitability as a replacement:[^2]\n\n- [Vanilla](https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/) - *Hide Mac menu bar icons for free*,\n- [Ice](https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice) - *Powerful menu bar manager for macOS*[^3],\n- [iBar](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/ibar-menubar-icon-control-tool/id6443843900) - *Menubar icon control tool*,\n- [Barbee](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/barbee-hide-menu-bar-items/id1548711022?mt=12) - *Hide Menu Bar Items*,\n- [Hidden Bar](https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden) - *An ultra-light MacOS utility that helps hide menu bar icons* (also on [MAS](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/hidden-bar/id1452453066?mt=12)),\n- [OnlySwitch](https://github.com/jacklandrin/OnlySwitch#hide-menu-bar-icons), and\n- [Better Touch Tool](https://docs.folivora.ai/docs/1700_menubar_status_items.html).\n\nWhich one are you using?\n\nMost people seem to be very happy with [Hidden Bar](https://github.com/dwarvesf/hidden) and [Ice](https://github.com/jordanbaird/Ice), both [FOSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software). And there is now an official (?[^4]) response from Bartender's original developer Ben Surtees you can read [here](https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/A-New-Chapter-for-Bartender/) or [here](https://surteesstudios.com/a-new-chapter/). And another [statement](https://www.macbartender.com/b5blog/Lets-Try-This-Again/) from the new owners was published on their blog as well.\n\n---\n### Updates\n\n- 2024-06-07: added footnote 4\n- 2024-06-06: added update above and a link to Michael Tsai in footnote 1 😎\n- 2024-06-05: added OnlySwitch, thanks to [Marcus](https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112564832240465605), link to the github version of Hidden Bar, and link to AppleInsider\n- 2024-06-13: added link to new developer statement\n- 2024-07-17: added BTT\n\n[^1]: There is only one small note on their [support page](https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/support/) informing about a certificate change. The full extent of this has been very nicely summarised on [AppleInsider](https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/06/05/bartender-apps-new-owner-has-burnt-years-of-good-will-with-a-lack-of-transparency). You can read some more responses to this whole saga on Michael Tsai's [blog](https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/06/05/bartender-acquired-by-applause-group/).\n[^2]: Alternatively, one can potentially revert to a Bartender version prior to the sale (5.0.48) and additionally block its connections to the internet, e.g., via [Little Snitch](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/little-snitch).\n[^3]: That’s the one I just started using without any particular reason and it works just great so far.\n[^4]: Of course, there are already [speculations](https://talk.tidbits.com/t/bartender-developer-explains-and-apologizes-for-quiet-acquisition/27980/4) that the texts were not written by him and were created by ChatGPT.\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-05T12:19:40+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/bartender-alternatives.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/05/til-that-on.html",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://toot.cafe/@codepo8/112562828562908837\">TIL</a> that on macOS you can open an image with Quick Look by hitting Space bar and then just select all recognised text (⌘A) and copy it (⌘C) to your clipboard 🤯.</p>\n",
"content_text": "[TIL](https://toot.cafe/@codepo8/112562828562908837) that on macOS you can open an image with Quick Look by hitting Space bar and then just select all recognised text (⌘A) and copy it (⌘C) to your clipboard 🤯.\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-05T10:59:27+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/05/til-that-on.html",
"tags": ["til"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/06/02/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-two, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/26/what-caught-my.html\">21</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 22. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🚴♂️ This week was relatively quiet in terms of tech-related news, partly because my wife had a bicycle accident in the middle of the week. I have borrowed a car, transported her 100 km from one hospital to the local one, she had surgery, and now she is hopefully recovering quickly at home and will soon be back on her feet (and back on the bike).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌦️ <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@CARROT/112524771010511872\">CARROT Weather</a> has been released in version 6.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 The trick on how to <a href=\"https://9to5mac.com/2024/05/24/get-chatgpt-for-mac-skip-waitlist/\">Get ChatGPT for Mac and skip the waitlist</a> actually works seamlessly.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏯️ This week, I repeatedly<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> came across <a href=\"https://iina.io/\">IINA - the modern media player for macOS</a> - which I amusingly already had in my bookmarks collection but hadn’t looked at yet. While I was at it, I finally connected <a href=\"https://eternalstorms.at/transloader/\">Transloader</a> with <a href=\"https://software.charliemonroe.net/downie/\">Downie</a>. BTW: <a href=\"https://papertube.live/\">Papertube</a> - <em>Turn any YouTube podcast, TED Talk, or chat into easy-to-read text with real speaker names:</em> I need to take a closer look at it when I get the chance. And while I’m at it, <a href=\"https://cobalt.tools/\">cobalt</a> also looks like an interesting service.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://wandzeitung.xyz/@pixelgraphix/112513549637333081\">pixelgraphix</a> pointed out <a href=\"https://www.jackcheng.com/bebop-design-dev-process/\">Bebop</a>. If <a href=\"https://getdrafts.com\">Drafts</a> is an overkill (or maybe too expensive) for you, you might be able to quickly and easily push texts to Obsidian with this really nice app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📅 I use <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/dato\">Dato</a>, but if you’re only interested in the <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/week-number/id6502579523?mt=12\">Week Number</a> in the menu bar, you can install the app of the same name from the same <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/apps\">developer</a> for free.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 I completely overlooked that there is now a sister application for iOS for <a href=\"https://bombich.com/ccc-mobile-backup\">Carbon Copy Cloner</a>. I need to check it out when I get the chance.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/kino-pro-video-camera/id6472380172\">Kino - Pro Video Camera</a> from the makers of <a href=\"https://halide.cam\">Halide</a> has been released. It also looks very promising.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 In a quiet moment, I need to take a closer look at this: <a href=\"https://steamdeckhq.com/another-majoras-mask-pc-port-on-steam-deck/\">Another Majora’s Mask PC Port Is Here</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I wasn’t aware until now that you can even run <a href=\"https://github.com/ryanrudolfoba/SteamOS-Waydroid-Installer\">Android</a> on the Steam Deck. I’ll keep that in mind until I figure out what I would actually use it for 😎.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 Recently, I wanted to find out what a specific setting is called in English in macOS System Settings, so I set up a virtual macOS installation with <a href=\"https://mac.getutm.app/\">UTM - Virtual machines for Mac</a>. Wow, that was easy. (Unfortunately, I can’t manage to access external USB devices/hard drives yet.) Next, I should get into Docker…</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 This week, after more than two months, my “repaired,” i.e., replaced Playdate arrived. It’s now the third one. Maybe this one will last a bit longer 🤞.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I also acquired an old Nintendo N64 console. The picture quality of PAL games on the PAL version of the console is abysmally bad on my LG LED TV. Interestingly, NTSC games, started from the <a href=\"https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartridges/ed64x5.html\">Everdrive</a>, look good 🤷♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 I was happy to hear from <a href=\"https://lubieniebieski.pl/bullets/15/\">Adam</a> again.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a great week and take care 😇</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>among others at <a href=\"https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-21/\">Markus</a> (blog in 🇩🇪) <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [21](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/26/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 22. week of 2024:\n\n- 🚴♂️ This week was relatively quiet in terms of tech-related news, partly because my wife had a bicycle accident in the middle of the week. I have borrowed a car, transported her 100 km from one hospital to the local one, she had surgery, and now she is hopefully recovering quickly at home and will soon be back on her feet (and back on the bike).\n\n- 🌦️ [CARROT Weather](https://mastodon.social/@CARROT/112524771010511872) has been released in version 6.\n\n- 💻 The trick on how to [Get ChatGPT for Mac and skip the waitlist](https://9to5mac.com/2024/05/24/get-chatgpt-for-mac-skip-waitlist/) actually works seamlessly.\n\n- ⏯️ This week, I repeatedly[^1] came across [IINA - the modern media player for macOS](https://iina.io/) - which I amusingly already had in my bookmarks collection but hadn't looked at yet. While I was at it, I finally connected [Transloader](https://eternalstorms.at/transloader/) with [Downie](https://software.charliemonroe.net/downie/). BTW: [Papertube](https://papertube.live/) - *Turn any YouTube podcast, TED Talk, or chat into easy-to-read text with real speaker names:* I need to take a closer look at it when I get the chance. And while I'm at it, [cobalt](https://cobalt.tools/) also looks like an interesting service.\n\n- 📝 [pixelgraphix](https://wandzeitung.xyz/@pixelgraphix/112513549637333081) pointed out [Bebop](https://www.jackcheng.com/bebop-design-dev-process/). If [Drafts](https://getdrafts.com) is an overkill (or maybe too expensive) for you, you might be able to quickly and easily push texts to Obsidian with this really nice app.\n\n- 📅 I use [Dato](https://sindresorhus.com/dato), but if you're only interested in the [Week Number](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/week-number/id6502579523?mt=12) in the menu bar, you can install the app of the same name from the same [developer](https://sindresorhus.com/apps) for free.\n\n- 📱 I completely overlooked that there is now a sister application for iOS for [Carbon Copy Cloner](https://bombich.com/ccc-mobile-backup). I need to check it out when I get the chance.\n\n- 🎥 [Kino - Pro Video Camera](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/kino-pro-video-camera/id6472380172) from the makers of [Halide](https://halide.cam) has been released. It also looks very promising.\n\n- 🎮 In a quiet moment, I need to take a closer look at this: [Another Majora's Mask PC Port Is Here](https://steamdeckhq.com/another-majoras-mask-pc-port-on-steam-deck/).\n\n- 🎮 I wasn't aware until now that you can even run [Android](https://github.com/ryanrudolfoba/SteamOS-Waydroid-Installer) on the Steam Deck. I'll keep that in mind until I figure out what I would actually use it for 😎.\n\n- 💻 Recently, I wanted to find out what a specific setting is called in English in macOS System Settings, so I set up a virtual macOS installation with [UTM - Virtual machines for Mac](https://mac.getutm.app/). Wow, that was easy. (Unfortunately, I can't manage to access external USB devices/hard drives yet.) Next, I should get into Docker...\n\n- 🎮 This week, after more than two months, my \"repaired,\" i.e., replaced Playdate arrived. It's now the third one. Maybe this one will last a bit longer 🤞.\n\n- 🎮 I also acquired an old Nintendo N64 console. The picture quality of PAL games on the PAL version of the console is abysmally bad on my LG LED TV. Interestingly, NTSC games, started from the [Everdrive](https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartridges/ed64x5.html), look good 🤷♂️.\n\n- 🌐 I was happy to hear from [Adam](https://lubieniebieski.pl/bullets/15/) again.\n\nHave a great week and take care 😇\n\n[^1]: among others at [Markus](https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-21/) (blog in 🇩🇪)\n",
"date_published": "2024-06-02T10:52:52+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/06/02/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/28/til-that-the.html",
"content_html": "<p>TIL that the number of a CR battery <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_cell\">indicates its diameter and thickness</a>. For example, CR2032 is 20 mm wide and 3.2 mm thick.</p>\n",
"content_text": "TIL that the number of a CR battery [indicates its diameter and thickness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_cell). For example, CR2032 is 20 mm wide and 3.2 mm thick.\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-28T12:44:44+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/28/til-that-the.html",
"tags": ["til"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/27/in-the-whole.html",
"content_html": "<p>In the whole Pro discussion about the iPad, I always miss the decisive factor for me: There is no multi-user support. I’m not going to spend €2000 on an ultra-modern device that only one person in the household can use, whereas a Macbook Air is available to the whole family for a very similar price.</p>\n",
"content_text": "In the whole Pro discussion about the iPad, I always miss the decisive factor for me: There is no multi-user support. I'm not going to spend €2000 on an ultra-modern device that only one person in the household can use, whereas a Macbook Air is available to the whole family for a very similar price.\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-27T19:02:56+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/27/in-the-whole.html",
"tags": ["macOS"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/26/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty-one, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/20/what-caught-my.html\">20</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 21. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>⌨️ In <a href=\"https://esamecar.weblog.lol/2023/09/what-caught-my-attention-in-week-thirty-seven-2023\">week 37 of 2023</a> I bought a <a href=\"https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-se-wireless-mechanical-keyboard?variant=39652024713305\">Keychron K1 SE Wireless Mechanical Keyboard</a> and have been trying to learn to type on the keyboard since then. My error rate was extremely high, and I found it exhausting to have to lift my fingers significantly higher than I am used to with other keyboards. I actually really like the keyboard, but this week I finally pulled the plug and bought a <a href=\"https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/mx-keys-mac-wireless-keyboard.920-009552.html\">Logitech MX Keys for Mac</a>. I should have done this six months ago. I get along with it unbelievably better.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 And in <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html\">week 01</a> I was tempted to order a Clicks Keyboard for my iPhone. <a href=\"https://microblog.pratikmhatre.com/2024/05/20/review-clicks-keyboard.html\">Glad I did not do this</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 Speaking of devices I find interesting but won’t buy: <a href=\"https://daylightcomputer.com/\">Daylight - A More Caring Computer</a>. If there was just an affordable Android-based e-ink reader I could use <a href=\"https://readwise.io/read\">Readwise Reader</a> on. (570 € for an <a href=\"https://pocketbook.de/de_en/pocketbook-inkpad-eo-mist-grey\">PocketBook InkPad Eo</a> is too much.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔍 <a href=\"https://512pixels.net/2024/05/udm14/\">&udm=14</a> is the suffix you want to use for Google searches. This AI stuff is really <a href=\"https://www.404media.co/google-is-paying-reddit-60-million-for-fucksmith-to-tell-its-users-to-eat-glue/\">getting bananas</a> and <a href=\"https://www.threads.net/@crumbler/post/C7VGpYSPOgT\">completely</a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@JoeUchill/112493317168967705\">out of control</a> it <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@niclake/112496938801436276\">seems</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📦 I am waiting now for almost two months for Panic to ship a replacement for my broken <a href=\"https://play.date\">playdate</a>. It seems the first package was lost and maybe I’ll receive the next one.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Fortunately, this parcel did not get lost and I have I received my <a href=\"https://www.epilogue.co/product/gb-operator\">GB Operator</a> and went through my ROMs collection. I was irritated to find out that my “Super Mario Advance 4” is on a rewritable unofficial ROM cartridge. It cost about $20 and looks absolutely genuine to me. Why do people go to so much trouble to fake these not-so-rare and not-so-expensive cartridges?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@seanfletchr\">Sean Fletcher</a> is currently working on another <a href=\"https://faq.deltaemulator.com/getting-started/how-to-install-delta\">Delta</a> Skin, this time for the NDS: <a href=\"https://seanfletchr.gumroad.com/l/delta-duo\">Delta Duo (Preview)</a>. I really like it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 And if someone has lost track of all the iOS emulators, the <a href=\"https://retrododo.com/beginners-guide-to-iphone-ipad-and-apple-tv-emulators/\">Beginner’s Guide To iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV Emulators</a> might help, and for newcomers to Retroarch, the <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHlJ3zANcjo\">iPhone & iPad Starter Guide on YouTube</a> could be helpful.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎬 <a href=\"https://mastodontech.de/@andrekaiser/112500666826531181\">Andre</a> mentioned <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/switch-tv-on/id6474692732\">Switch TV ON</a> - <em>TV shows and movies in detail</em>. It seems to be a great source for finding information about shows, actors, etc. Like <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/callsheet-find-cast-crew/id1672356376?platform=iphone\">Callsheet</a> but without a subscription.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏲️ If you are looking for a simple and free focus / Pomodoro timer, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/breaks-focus-timer/id6450434996\">Breaks: Focus Timer</a> might be the right iOS app for you.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔒 <a href=\"https://obdev.at/en/products/littlesnitch/index.html\">Little Snitch — Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS</a> has been upgraded to version 6.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Nice set of rules from <a href=\"https://louplummer.lol/post/my-rules-for-me\">Lou</a> and <a href=\"https://marginalia.micro.blog/2024/05/24/and-the-rules.html\">Alexandra</a>. I would say that you absolutely can’t go wrong with it in your life.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a nice week! 🙋♂️</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [20](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/20/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 21. week of 2024:\n\n- ⌨️ In [week 37 of 2023](https://esamecar.weblog.lol/2023/09/what-caught-my-attention-in-week-thirty-seven-2023) I bought a [Keychron K1 SE Wireless Mechanical Keyboard](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-se-wireless-mechanical-keyboard?variant=39652024713305) and have been trying to learn to type on the keyboard since then. My error rate was extremely high, and I found it exhausting to have to lift my fingers significantly higher than I am used to with other keyboards. I actually really like the keyboard, but this week I finally pulled the plug and bought a [Logitech MX Keys for Mac](https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/mx-keys-mac-wireless-keyboard.920-009552.html). I should have done this six months ago. I get along with it unbelievably better.\n\n- 📱 And in [week 01](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html) I was tempted to order a Clicks Keyboard for my iPhone. [Glad I did not do this](https://microblog.pratikmhatre.com/2024/05/20/review-clicks-keyboard.html).\n\n- 💻 Speaking of devices I find interesting but won't buy: [Daylight - A More Caring Computer](https://daylightcomputer.com/). If there was just an affordable Android-based e-ink reader I could use [Readwise Reader](https://readwise.io/read) on. (570 € for an [PocketBook InkPad Eo](https://pocketbook.de/de_en/pocketbook-inkpad-eo-mist-grey) is too much.)\n\n- 🔍 [&udm=14](https://512pixels.net/2024/05/udm14/) is the suffix you want to use for Google searches. This AI stuff is really [getting bananas](https://www.404media.co/google-is-paying-reddit-60-million-for-fucksmith-to-tell-its-users-to-eat-glue/) and [completely](https://www.threads.net/@crumbler/post/C7VGpYSPOgT) [out of control](https://mastodon.social/@JoeUchill/112493317168967705) it [seems](https://mastodon.social/@niclake/112496938801436276).\n\n- 📦 I am waiting now for almost two months for Panic to ship a replacement for my broken [playdate](https://play.date). It seems the first package was lost and maybe I'll receive the next one.\n\n- 🎮 Fortunately, this parcel did not get lost and I have I received my [GB Operator](https://www.epilogue.co/product/gb-operator) and went through my ROMs collection. I was irritated to find out that my \"Super Mario Advance 4\" is on a rewritable unofficial ROM cartridge. It cost about $20 and looks absolutely genuine to me. Why do people go to so much trouble to fake these not-so-rare and not-so-expensive cartridges?\n\n- 🎨 [Sean Fletcher](https://mastodon.social/@seanfletchr) is currently working on another [Delta](https://faq.deltaemulator.com/getting-started/how-to-install-delta) Skin, this time for the NDS: [Delta Duo (Preview)](https://seanfletchr.gumroad.com/l/delta-duo). I really like it.\n\n- 📱 And if someone has lost track of all the iOS emulators, the [Beginner's Guide To iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV Emulators](https://retrododo.com/beginners-guide-to-iphone-ipad-and-apple-tv-emulators/) might help, and for newcomers to Retroarch, the [iPhone & iPad Starter Guide on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHlJ3zANcjo) could be helpful.\n\n- 🎬 [Andre](https://mastodontech.de/@andrekaiser/112500666826531181) mentioned [Switch TV ON](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/switch-tv-on/id6474692732) - *TV shows and movies in detail*. It seems to be a great source for finding information about shows, actors, etc. Like [Callsheet](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/callsheet-find-cast-crew/id1672356376?platform=iphone) but without a subscription.\n\n- ⏲️ If you are looking for a simple and free focus / Pomodoro timer, [Breaks: Focus Timer](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/breaks-focus-timer/id6450434996) might be the right iOS app for you.\n\n- 🔒 [Little Snitch — Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS](https://obdev.at/en/products/littlesnitch/index.html) has been upgraded to version 6.\n\n- Nice set of rules from [Lou](https://louplummer.lol/post/my-rules-for-me) and [Alexandra](https://marginalia.micro.blog/2024/05/24/and-the-rules.html). I would say that you absolutely can't go wrong with it in your life.\n\nHave a nice week! 🙋♂️\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-26T12:06:21+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/26/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","weeknotes","RetroGaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/21/finished-reading-doom.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9781647005368\">Doom Guy</a> by John Romero 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Doom Guy](https://micro.blog/books/9781647005368) by John Romero 📚\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-21T20:07:10+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/21/finished-reading-doom.html",
"tags": ["reading"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/20/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twenty, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/05/what-caught-my.html\">18</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 19. - 20. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🚴♂️ I was cycling with my wife for a few days along the former East-West German border. The weather was fantastic, the inclines were not to be underestimated but manageable. A bit of a shame, but we tried to take it with humour: Once again, we had to realize that the concept of Deutsche Bahn has unfortunately totally failed. Train travel is an absolute disaster in our country, and that makes me very sad and angry at the FDP (the party that provides our transport minister). But that’s a topic for another time.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📵 During the bike tour, I decided to take a one or two-week break from social media. I deleted my Mastodon clients from my devices (I already don’t use Threads, Instagram, X, Facebook, etc.) and also avoided YouTube. I still read a few posts in my RSS reader, though. So, do I feel better now? I don’t think so, but it was good anyways, I think.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>What else was interesting to me?</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🚴♂️ <a href=\"https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/05/hammerhead-new-karoo-3-review-upgrade.html\">Hammerhead Karoo 3 In-Depth Review: Worth the Upgrade?</a>: there’s a <a href=\"https://www.eu.hammerhead.io/products/karoo\">successor</a> to my current bike computer. Since my two biggest criticisms, battery life and responsiveness, have obviously not been addressed, I am not in danger of wanting to spend the 500 € (!) for it for now.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/retroarch/id6499539433\">RetroArch</a> has been released for iOS and similar platforms. For those who aren’t totally into retro gaming, dedicated emulators like <a href=\"https://faq.deltaemulator.com\">Delta</a>, <a href=\"https://www.ppsspp.org\">PPSPPP</a> are probably the much more convenient way to enjoy some old games. Nevertheless, it’s wonderful to see that RetroArch now runs on the iPhone and especially on the AppleTV! (I use a dedicated Raspberry Pi with <a href=\"https://batocera.org\">Batocera</a> or my An<a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/pocket\">alogue Pocket</a> with its dock for the TV, though.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📑 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/pdf-squeezer/id6478766883\">PDF Squeezer</a> is now also available for iOS.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💾 <a href=\"https://bombich.com/\">Carbon Copy Cloner</a> has been released in version 7, and I took the opportunity to support the developer by purchasing the upgrade.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ If you have an old, currently unused iPad lying around (I’ve heard there are new ones 😇), you might want to check out <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/synced-photo-frame-by-re-frame/id1667679282\">Synced Photo Frame by Re-Frame</a> and repurpose it as a digital photo frame.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/photo-tape-connect-images/id1637682813\">Photo Tape</a> - <em>Connect Images</em>: the app looks like a pretty neat way to simply merge images.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔖 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/plinky-easily-save-links/id1597187737\">Plinky</a> - <em>Easily Save Links</em>: there’s another bookmark manager. I just bought the lifetime license for <a href=\"https://anybox.app\">Anybox</a> and therefore my search (for now) is over.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏳ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/time-ring/id6479212418\">Time - Ring</a> - the elegant and fun way to count down to your most anticipated events! For those interested who haven’t yet paid for <a href=\"https://pinning.app\">Pinning</a>, <a href=\"https://upaheadapp.com\">Up Ahead</a> (which has <a href=\"https://indieapps.space/@upahead/112456859633684855\">resumed development</a>), <a href=\"https://countdowns-app.com\">Countdowns</a>, or one of the many other apps and are looking for a simple, free option.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I installed <a href=\"https://streetpea.github.io/chiaki4deck/\">chiaki4deck</a> on my <a href=\"https://www.steamdeck.com/\">Steam Deck</a> and can now effortlessly do <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/en-us/remote-play/\">PS5 Remote Play</a>. However, I fear that someone might empty half the PSN Store with my account, but certain risks have to be taken 😬</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Due to the early access release of <a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/\">Hades II</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/\">first one</a> was very cheap, so I bought it for the Steam Deck and started playing it. Actually, I wanted to keep my hands off these rogue-like games, but it’s just too good.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌞 Have a great week!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>That was also the reason why there was no blog post from me last week. I assume almost no one noticed ;-) <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [18](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/05/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 19. - 20. week of 2024:\n\n- 🚴♂️ I was cycling with my wife for a few days along the former East-West German border. The weather was fantastic, the inclines were not to be underestimated but manageable. A bit of a shame, but we tried to take it with humour: Once again, we had to realize that the concept of Deutsche Bahn has unfortunately totally failed. Train travel is an absolute disaster in our country, and that makes me very sad and angry at the FDP (the party that provides our transport minister). But that's a topic for another time.\n\n- 📵 During the bike tour, I decided to take a one or two-week break from social media. I deleted my Mastodon clients from my devices (I already don't use Threads, Instagram, X, Facebook, etc.) and also avoided YouTube. I still read a few posts in my RSS reader, though. So, do I feel better now? I don't think so, but it was good anyways, I think.[^1]\n\nWhat else was interesting to me?\n\n- 🚴♂️ [Hammerhead Karoo 3 In-Depth Review: Worth the Upgrade?](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/05/hammerhead-new-karoo-3-review-upgrade.html): there's a [successor](https://www.eu.hammerhead.io/products/karoo) to my current bike computer. Since my two biggest criticisms, battery life and responsiveness, have obviously not been addressed, I am not in danger of wanting to spend the 500 € (!) for it for now.\n\n- 🎮 [RetroArch](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/retroarch/id6499539433) has been released for iOS and similar platforms. For those who aren't totally into retro gaming, dedicated emulators like [Delta](https://faq.deltaemulator.com), [PPSPPP](https://www.ppsspp.org) are probably the much more convenient way to enjoy some old games. Nevertheless, it's wonderful to see that RetroArch now runs on the iPhone and especially on the AppleTV! (I use a dedicated Raspberry Pi with [Batocera](https://batocera.org) or my An[alogue Pocket](https://www.analogue.co/pocket) with its dock for the TV, though.)\n\n- 📑 [PDF Squeezer](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/pdf-squeezer/id6478766883) is now also available for iOS.\n\n- 💾 [Carbon Copy Cloner](https://bombich.com/) has been released in version 7, and I took the opportunity to support the developer by purchasing the upgrade.\n\n- 🖼️ If you have an old, currently unused iPad lying around (I've heard there are new ones 😇), you might want to check out [Synced Photo Frame by Re-Frame](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/synced-photo-frame-by-re-frame/id1667679282) and repurpose it as a digital photo frame.\n\n- 🖼️ [Photo Tape](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/photo-tape-connect-images/id1637682813) - *Connect Images*: the app looks like a pretty neat way to simply merge images.\n\n- 🔖 [Plinky](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/plinky-easily-save-links/id1597187737) - *Easily Save Links*: there's another bookmark manager. I just bought the lifetime license for [Anybox](https://anybox.app) and therefore my search (for now) is over.\n\n- ⏳ [Time - Ring](https://apps.apple.com/app/time-ring/id6479212418) - the elegant and fun way to count down to your most anticipated events! For those interested who haven't yet paid for [Pinning](https://pinning.app), [Up Ahead](https://upaheadapp.com) (which has [resumed development](https://indieapps.space/@upahead/112456859633684855)), [Countdowns](https://countdowns-app.com), or one of the many other apps and are looking for a simple, free option.\n\n- 🎮 I installed [chiaki4deck](https://streetpea.github.io/chiaki4deck/) on my [Steam Deck](https://www.steamdeck.com/) and can now effortlessly do [PS5 Remote Play](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/remote-play/). However, I fear that someone might empty half the PSN Store with my account, but certain risks have to be taken 😬\n\n- 🎮 Due to the early access release of [Hades II](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/), the [first one](https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/) was very cheap, so I bought it for the Steam Deck and started playing it. Actually, I wanted to keep my hands off these rogue-like games, but it's just too good.\n\n- 🌞 Have a great week!\n\n[^1]: That was also the reason why there was no blog post from me last week. I assume almost no one noticed ;-)\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-20T11:36:48+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/20/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/05/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week eighteen, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/28/what-caught-my.html\">17</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 18. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🚀 <a href=\"https://norden.social/@czottmann/112382917610810130\">Carlo</a> just released a beta of <a href=\"https://actions.work/ui-actions\">UI Actions</a>. It follows his awesome <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a>, but with this you can script macOS apps that lack native shortcut integration. Definitely an app to keep an eye on, as an addition or alternative to <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/keyboard-maestro\">Keyboard Maestro</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ It seems like every week a handful of new retro handhelds hit the market. Whether interest will wane due to <a href=\"https://faq.deltaemulator.com\">Delta</a>, I don’t know, but for those like me who have long lost track of all the different devices, take a look at <a href=\"https://joeysretrohandhelds.com/handheld-list/\">Handheld List</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐰 Following the <a href=\"https://humane.com\">humane AI pin</a> <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/24132139/humane-ai-pin-launch-review\">disaster</a>, the second AI gadget, <a href=\"https://www.rabbit.tech\">rabbit R1</a>, doesn’t fare much better: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTV12hErTc\">Rabbit R1: Barely Reviewable</a>. But at least it’s orange, costs only a fraction of its sibbling, and looks totally cute on a shelf next to a <a href=\"https://play.date\">playdate</a> console. Speaking of which, in <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html\">week 12</a> the crank handle of mine broke, I sent it in for repair, and now the replacement device has been waiting somewhere in America to be shipped for over 4 weeks 😢. I’m curious to see if I will ever see my playdate again 🤞.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📦 On <a href=\"https://bento3d.design/\">Bento3D</a> you can easily click together boxes for your 3D printer according to your needs and download the corresponding .stl files. I wish it were compatible with <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8\">Gridfinity</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⌨️ I am a long-time <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/typinator\">Typinator</a> user and there are a bunch of other alternatives for text expansion, but someone<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> mentioned <a href=\"https://espanso.org/\">Espanso</a>. So, this might be worth checking out if you’re still on the hunt.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖱️ As previously mentioned, I own a <a href=\"https://ergonis.com/keycue/download\">KeyCue</a> license, which I don’t really utilize, but a nice feature is its ability to add your own shortcuts to menu entries. If you only want to use this feature and have so far not employed the cumbersome method of doing it via the Settings app, you might want to take a look at the free app <a href=\"https://www.houdah.com/customShortcuts/\">CustomShortcuts – Customize menu keyboard shortcuts</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⌚ For months, the capacity display of my Apple Watch S7 stood at exactly 80%. Apple replaces the battery for free if it drops to 79% and you are paying for Apple Care. I was about to file a class-action lawsuit because I was sure the value would never drop to 79% 😇. However, this week it finally happened and my watch was replaced. It’s great not to risk the watch refusing to work in the afternoon. I think this also means I can get by with my current model for another year and not be in a bind wanting a new one in the fall. What I found interesting was that despite a backup, not all settings were transferred to the new one. So, I had to search in vain in the Watch app on my phone and then in the settings directly on the watch for where to set that a simple swipe on the watch face switches to another. I couldn’t find it and had to consult the <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/change-apple-watch-faces-with-a-swipe/\">internet</a>. I’ve had better experiences with Apple’s UI in the past I must say. A few other little things were also not set correctly. It’s as if an intern at Apple had quit, and now the latest settings are no longer included in the backup routine 🤷♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I had actually forbidden myself from buying games for other platforms if I already own them for one. Well, buying <a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/Hades/\">Hades</a> for less than 9 EUR for the Steam Deck, even though I already have the PS5 version, was definitely the last exception 🤦♂️. Luckily, Nintendo stubbornly prevents me from logging into their eShop with my mobile phone (despite the disabled ad blocker and paused pi hole), so at least I’m not in danger of acquiring the Switch version as well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 I wish it wouldn’t cost 300 € to have <a href=\"https://readwise.io/read\">Reader</a> running on an <a href=\"https://euroshop.boox.com/products/boox-palma\">E-Ink Android</a> device.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📖 Anyone who has ever wanted to test how well they can type can do so by copying a book: <a href=\"https://www.typelit.io/\">Practice typing by retyping ENTIRE novels — TypeLit.io</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💾 The small 88x31 icons in the website footer are enjoying great popularity again. BTW those by <a href=\"https://ko-fi.com/s/798b83fbcc\">Andy</a> are awesome. If you want to take a look at the originals from GeoCities, you’ll find them here: <a href=\"https://hellnet.work/8831/\">THE 88×31 ARCHIVE</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I don’t own a Nintendo 64 console, but I’ve already ordered an <a href=\"https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartridges/ed64x5.html\">EVERDRIVE-64 X5</a> just in case 🤷♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 Watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/the-terminator-1984\">The Terminator</a> with my sons. Also, I resubscribed to <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/vip/\">trakt.tv</a>. I think the service is worth supporting.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚴 Finally got to ride my bike outside several times this week 🥰.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a great week! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Sorry, I forgot who it was 😅. Update 2024-05-06: It was most probably <a href=\"https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-17/\">Marcus</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [17](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/28/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 18. week of 2024:\n\n- 🚀 [Carlo](https://norden.social/@czottmann/112382917610810130) just released a beta of [UI Actions](https://actions.work/ui-actions). It follows his awesome [Actions for Obsidian](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/actions-for-obsidian), but with this you can script macOS apps that lack native shortcut integration. Definitely an app to keep an eye on, as an addition or alternative to [Keyboard Maestro](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/keyboard-maestro).\n\n- 🕹️ It seems like every week a handful of new retro handhelds hit the market. Whether interest will wane due to [Delta](https://faq.deltaemulator.com), I don't know, but for those like me who have long lost track of all the different devices, take a look at [Handheld List](https://joeysretrohandhelds.com/handheld-list/).\n\n- 🐰 Following the [humane AI pin](https://humane.com) [disaster](https://www.theverge.com/24132139/humane-ai-pin-launch-review), the second AI gadget, [rabbit R1](https://www.rabbit.tech), doesn't fare much better: [Rabbit R1: Barely Reviewable](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTV12hErTc). But at least it's orange, costs only a fraction of its sibbling, and looks totally cute on a shelf next to a [playdate](https://play.date) console. Speaking of which, in [week 12](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html) the crank handle of mine broke, I sent it in for repair, and now the replacement device has been waiting somewhere in America to be shipped for over 4 weeks 😢. I'm curious to see if I will ever see my playdate again 🤞.\n\n- 📦 On [Bento3D](https://bento3d.design/) you can easily click together boxes for your 3D printer according to your needs and download the corresponding .stl files. I wish it were compatible with [Gridfinity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8).\n\n- ⌨️ I am a long-time [Typinator](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/typinator) user and there are a bunch of other alternatives for text expansion, but someone[^1] mentioned [Espanso](https://espanso.org/). So, this might be worth checking out if you're still on the hunt.\n\n- 🖱️ As previously mentioned, I own a [KeyCue](https://ergonis.com/keycue/download) license, which I don't really utilize, but a nice feature is its ability to add your own shortcuts to menu entries. If you only want to use this feature and have so far not employed the cumbersome method of doing it via the Settings app, you might want to take a look at the free app [CustomShortcuts – Customize menu keyboard shortcuts](https://www.houdah.com/customShortcuts/).\n\n- ⌚ For months, the capacity display of my Apple Watch S7 stood at exactly 80%. Apple replaces the battery for free if it drops to 79% and you are paying for Apple Care. I was about to file a class-action lawsuit because I was sure the value would never drop to 79% 😇. However, this week it finally happened and my watch was replaced. It's great not to risk the watch refusing to work in the afternoon. I think this also means I can get by with my current model for another year and not be in a bind wanting a new one in the fall. What I found interesting was that despite a backup, not all settings were transferred to the new one. So, I had to search in vain in the Watch app on my phone and then in the settings directly on the watch for where to set that a simple swipe on the watch face switches to another. I couldn't find it and had to consult the [internet](https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/change-apple-watch-faces-with-a-swipe/). I've had better experiences with Apple's UI in the past I must say. A few other little things were also not set correctly. It's as if an intern at Apple had quit, and now the latest settings are no longer included in the backup routine 🤷♂️.\n\n- 🎮 I had actually forbidden myself from buying games for other platforms if I already own them for one. Well, buying [Hades](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/Hades/) for less than 9 EUR for the Steam Deck, even though I already have the PS5 version, was definitely the last exception 🤦♂️. Luckily, Nintendo stubbornly prevents me from logging into their eShop with my mobile phone (despite the disabled ad blocker and paused pi hole), so at least I'm not in danger of acquiring the Switch version as well.\n\n- 📚 I wish it wouldn't cost 300 € to have [Reader](https://readwise.io/read) running on an [E-Ink Android](https://euroshop.boox.com/products/boox-palma) device.\n\n- 📖 Anyone who has ever wanted to test how well they can type can do so by copying a book: [Practice typing by retyping ENTIRE novels — TypeLit.io](https://www.typelit.io/).\n\n- 💾 The small 88x31 icons in the website footer are enjoying great popularity again. BTW those by [Andy](https://ko-fi.com/s/798b83fbcc) are awesome. If you want to take a look at the originals from GeoCities, you'll find them here: [THE 88×31 ARCHIVE](https://hellnet.work/8831/).\n\n- 🎮 I don't own a Nintendo 64 console, but I've already ordered an [EVERDRIVE-64 X5](https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartridges/ed64x5.html) just in case 🤷♂️.\n\n- 🎥 Watched [The Terminator](https://trakt.tv/movies/the-terminator-1984) with my sons. Also, I resubscribed to [trakt.tv](https://trakt.tv/vip/). I think the service is worth supporting.\n\n- 🚴 Finally got to ride my bike outside several times this week 🥰.\n\nHave a great week! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: Sorry, I forgot who it was 😅. Update 2024-05-06: It was most probably [Marcus](https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-17/).\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-05T15:43:11+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/05/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","Gaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/05/02/i-am-so.html",
"content_html": "<p>I am so grateful that some clever mind once invented the bicycle 🙏🥰</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "I am so grateful that some clever mind once invented the bicycle 🙏🥰\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2024/img-1404.jpeg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"A cyclist is riding along a road, viewed from behind another cyclist's handlebars, displaying a cycling computer in clear weather.\">\n",
"date_published": "2024-05-02T08:33:51+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/05/02/i-am-so.html",
"tags": ["cycling"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/04/28/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week seventeen, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/21/what-caught-my.html\">16</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the seventeenth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖱️ <a href=\"https://512pixels.net/2024/04/ai-overlay-tmp-home-folder-mac-os/\">Logitech’s Mouse Software Now Includes ChatGPT Support, Adds Janky ‘ai_overlay_tmp’ Directory to Users’ Home Folders</a>: It seems to be a good time to reconsider using <a href=\"https://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/index.html\">SteerMouse</a> or <a href=\"https://better-mouse.com/\">BetterMouse – Comprehensive mouse utility for macOS</a> instead. In addition, lots of people seem to like <a href=\"https://macmousefix.com/\">Mac Mouse Fix</a>. Guess, I have to evaluate “mouse drivers” now 🤦♂️.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 The enthusiasm for retro gaming continues to hold on. Delta received its first update in the AltStore PAL (installation went absolutely smoothly) and a <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112344968893166844\">native iPad version</a> has been announced for non-Europeans. Moreover, <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@seanfletchr/112316140524281749\">Sean Fletcher</a> has released absolutely great skins for Deltas GBC und GBA cores.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ macOS can also be beautified, as <a href=\"https://pdx.social/@louie\">Louie Mantia, Jr.</a> has updated his beautiful <a href=\"https://lmnt.me/blog/icons/ive-drives-vol-3.html\">Time Machine icons</a>. Thanks to <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@harshil/112336437696902565#.\">Harshil Shah</a> for bringing this to my attention.<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 And for all those who have now rediscovered their love for Pokemon thanks to Delta, <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@BenRiceM/112332217934897288#.\">BenRiceM</a> has released the appropriate app: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477297968?pt=96658924&ct=Mastodon&mt=8\">Ketchup for Pokémon</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 As you might know, I switched from Apple Notes to <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> as my main notes app some time ago, but those who still use Apple Notes as their <a href=\"https://defaults.rknight.me\">App Defaults</a> now have in addition to <a href=\"https://smallest.app/notesollama/\">NotesOllama</a> another extensions available, <a href=\"https://www.pronotes.app/\">ProNotes</a>, which hopefully further improves working with it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📊 Speaking of <a href=\"https://obsidian.md/\">Obsidian</a>, for those still looking for new plugins, the current episode of AppStories <a href=\"https://appstories.net/episodes/380\">Obsidian Setup Check-In</a> and the blog post <a href=\"https://amerpie.lol/2024/04/24/lesser-known-but.html\">10 Lesser Known But Super Useful Obsidian Plugins</a> by <a href=\"https://social.lol/@amerpie\">Lou Plummer</a> might be worth checking out. Additionally, <a href=\"https://brettterpstra.com\">Brett Terpstra</a> has released a <a href=\"https://github.com/ttscoff/Marked2-obsidian\">plugin</a> for his brilliant Markdown Preview App <a href=\"https://marked2app.com\">Marked 2</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⌨️ I own a <a href=\"https://ergonis.com/keycue\">KeyCue</a> license and use the app less than I thought I would. The app is not exactly cheap, but fortunately, there are a number of alternatives for those interested, including <a href=\"https://sergii.tatarenkov.name/keyclu/support/\">KeyClu</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏋️♂️ <a href=\"https://mastodon.ie/@donovanh/112331598617823066#.\">Donovan</a> has released a free <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/reps-bodyweight-exercises/id6477761819\">Bodyweight exercises</a> tracker for iOS.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍏 <a href=\"https://9to5mac.com/2024/04/26/signed-out-of-apple-id-account-problem-password/\">Apple users are being locked out of their Apple IDs with no explanation</a> - fortunately, I have not been affected so far.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ I also played a lot of <a href=\"https://deadcells.com\">Dead Cells</a> on the <a href=\"https://www.steamdeck.com/en/oled\">Steam Deck OLED</a> this week but couldn’t get past the penultimate level. I also briefly looked at <a href=\"https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/\">Hades</a> on the PS5. It looks very nice, but I need to play something other than RogueLi[kt]e games before I dive into this. I really long to be able to load a game save to progress in a game.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 I know I definitely shouldn’t do it, but I’m thinking about whether or not I should spend 150 € on a <a href=\"https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/the-force-of-creativity-5008878\">book</a> 🤦♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎬 Watched <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27165281/\">Sterben</a>, a German movie, in the cinema - very intense 3 hours.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤒 I’ve been sick with a cold for two weeks now and feel unable to exercise and in general struggling through the day. I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting over this next week.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Wishing you a beautiful week! ☀️</p>\n<hr>\n<p>2024-04-29: Fix credentials for Time Machine Icons</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I’ve started with SteerMouse and so far have no complaints. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Sorry, I got this wrong on my initial post. Hopefully corrected now. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [16](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/21/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the seventeenth week of 2024:\n\n- 🖱️ [Logitech’s Mouse Software Now Includes ChatGPT Support, Adds Janky ‘ai_overlay_tmp’ Directory to Users’ Home Folders](https://512pixels.net/2024/04/ai-overlay-tmp-home-folder-mac-os/): It seems to be a good time to reconsider using [SteerMouse](https://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/index.html) or [BetterMouse – Comprehensive mouse utility for macOS](https://better-mouse.com/) instead. In addition, lots of people seem to like [Mac Mouse Fix](https://macmousefix.com/). Guess, I have to evaluate \"mouse drivers\" now 🤦♂️.[^1]\n\n- 🎮 The enthusiasm for retro gaming continues to hold on. Delta received its first update in the AltStore PAL (installation went absolutely smoothly) and a [native iPad version](https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112344968893166844) has been announced for non-Europeans. Moreover, [Sean Fletcher](https://mastodon.social/@seanfletchr/112316140524281749) has released absolutely great skins for Deltas GBC und GBA cores.\n\n- 🖥️ macOS can also be beautified, as [Louie Mantia, Jr.](https://pdx.social/@louie) has updated his beautiful [Time Machine icons](https://lmnt.me/blog/icons/ive-drives-vol-3.html). Thanks to [Harshil Shah](https://mastodon.social/@harshil/112336437696902565#.) for bringing this to my attention.[^2]\n\n- 🎮 And for all those who have now rediscovered their love for Pokemon thanks to Delta, [BenRiceM](https://mastodon.social/@BenRiceM/112332217934897288#.) has released the appropriate app: [Ketchup for Pokémon](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6477297968?pt=96658924&ct=Mastodon&mt=8).\n\n- 📝 As you might know, I switched from Apple Notes to [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) as my main notes app some time ago, but those who still use Apple Notes as their [App Defaults](https://defaults.rknight.me) now have in addition to [NotesOllama](https://smallest.app/notesollama/) another extensions available, [ProNotes](https://www.pronotes.app/), which hopefully further improves working with it.\n\n- 📊 Speaking of [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/), for those still looking for new plugins, the current episode of AppStories [Obsidian Setup Check-In](https://appstories.net/episodes/380) and the blog post [10 Lesser Known But Super Useful Obsidian Plugins](https://amerpie.lol/2024/04/24/lesser-known-but.html) by [Lou Plummer](https://social.lol/@amerpie) might be worth checking out. Additionally, [Brett Terpstra](https://brettterpstra.com) has released a [plugin](https://github.com/ttscoff/Marked2-obsidian) for his brilliant Markdown Preview App [Marked 2](https://marked2app.com).\n\n- ⌨️ I own a [KeyCue](https://ergonis.com/keycue) license and use the app less than I thought I would. The app is not exactly cheap, but fortunately, there are a number of alternatives for those interested, including [KeyClu](https://sergii.tatarenkov.name/keyclu/support/).\n\n- 🏋️♂️ [Donovan](https://mastodon.ie/@donovanh/112331598617823066#.) has released a free [Bodyweight exercises](https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/reps-bodyweight-exercises/id6477761819) tracker for iOS.\n\n- 🍏 [Apple users are being locked out of their Apple IDs with no explanation](https://9to5mac.com/2024/04/26/signed-out-of-apple-id-account-problem-password/) - fortunately, I have not been affected so far.\n\n- 🕹️ I also played a lot of [Dead Cells](https://deadcells.com) on the [Steam Deck OLED](https://www.steamdeck.com/en/oled) this week but couldn't get past the penultimate level. I also briefly looked at [Hades](https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/) on the PS5. It looks very nice, but I need to play something other than RogueLi\\[kt]e games before I dive into this. I really long to be able to load a game save to progress in a game.\n\n- 📚 I know I definitely shouldn't do it, but I'm thinking about whether or not I should spend 150 € on a [book](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/the-force-of-creativity-5008878) 🤦♂️.\n\n- 🎬 Watched [Sterben](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27165281/), a German movie, in the cinema - very intense 3 hours.\n\n- 🤒 I've been sick with a cold for two weeks now and feel unable to exercise and in general struggling through the day. I'm really looking forward to hopefully getting over this next week.\n\nWishing you a beautiful week! ☀️\n\n[^1]: I've started with SteerMouse and so far have no complaints.\n[^2]: Sorry, I got this wrong on my initial post. Hopefully corrected now.\n\n---\n\n2024-04-29: Fix credentials for Time Machine Icons\n",
"date_published": "2024-04-28T12:58:58+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/28/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/04/22/casio-fxp.html",
"title": "CASIO fx-4800P",
"content_html": "<p>In the latest Clockwise episode <a href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/clockwise/id665964031?i=1000652770646\">Strap In and Forget My Email</a> the question came up, what the oldest tech gadget was that is still being used. For me it’s an old <!-- raw HTML omitted -->CASIO fx-4800P<!-- raw HTML omitted --> calculator I got most probably <!-- raw HTML omitted -->1990<!-- raw HTML omitted --> 🤯. I still use it several times a week, whenever I’m not in the mood for <!-- raw HTML omitted -->PCalc<!-- raw HTML omitted --> or <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Soulver<!-- raw HTML omitted --> on the Mac/iPhone.</p>\n",
"content_text": "In the latest Clockwise episode [Strap In and Forget My Email](https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/clockwise/id665964031?i=1000652770646) the question came up, what the oldest tech gadget was that is still being used. For me it's an old <a href=\"https://www.calculator.org/calculators/Casio_fx-4800P.html\">CASIO fx-4800P</a> calculator I got most probably <strong>1990</strong> 🤯. I still use it several times a week, whenever I'm not in the mood for <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/pcalc\">PCalc</a> or <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/soulver-3\">Soulver</a> on the Mac/iPhone.\n",
"date_published": "2024-04-22T09:37:31+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/22/casio-fxp.html",
"tags": ["technology"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/04/21/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week sixteen, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/15/what-caught-my.html\">15</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the sixteenth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 This week was an exciting one for retro gaming on iOS. After some initial debacle with a <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/\">ripoff GB emulator</a>, which was pulled after a few days by Apple, another one, Bimmy, <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/16/24132351/iphone-apple-app-store-nes-emulator-bimmy-removed\">was pulled</a> by its developer just a day after it was approved. But then the well-known <a href=\"https://faq.deltaemulator.com\">Delta</a> emulator developed by <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut\">Riley Testut</a>, which was previously only available via the <a href=\"https://altstore.io/\">AltStore</a> was <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/112287558511134794\">released worldwide</a> in the <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688\">App Store</a>, except for Europe. Here you can get it exclusively via the AltStore PAL, an alternate iOS Appstore.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> Its developer wrote a little about the <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112299267044864020\">availability of Delta</a> and the <a href=\"https://rileytestut.com/blog/2024/04/17/introducing-altstore-pal/\">AltStore PAL</a> in general. Installing the AltStore and downloading Delta went as smoothly as Apple currently allows, and the app is just great. Very nicely designed, customizable through <a href=\"https://skins4delta.com/\">skins</a> and comprehensive. However, I see myself rather less playing GB[AC]* games on my iPhone, as they bring more fun on the <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/pocket\">Analogue Pocket</a> or one of my other devices with a built-in gamepad. However, the situation is similar to photography, you know, the best camera is the one you have with you …</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ If you’ve now gotten a taste for it and also want to play some of your legally acquired <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/stories/how-to-load-your-game-boy-games-onto-the-iphone-to-play-in-the-delta-emulator/\">Roms</a> on your Mac but don’t want to install an all-in-one solution like <a href=\"https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms\">RetroArch</a> or even <a href=\"https://es-de.org\">ES-DE</a> right away, you can also pick up some tips on stand-alone emulators here: <a href=\"https://birchtree.me/blog/emulators-arent-new-heres-the-great-ones-on-the-mac/\">Emulators aren’t new; here’s the great ones on the Mac</a>.\n<a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/19/ps1-gamecube-wii-emulator-coming-to-app-store/\">More emulators</a> are also apparently in the starting blocks, and I also downloaded a <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/emu64-xl/id6483251916\">C64 emulator</a>, but I haven’t looked at it yet and therefore don’t know if this a valid recommendation.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧠 This week, <a href=\"https://www.meta.ai/\">MetaAI</a> unveiled its new Llama 3 models, which can be easily downloaded to the Mac using <a href=\"https://ollama.com\">Ollama</a> with commands such as <code>ollama pull llama3:8b</code> or <code>ollama pull llama3:70b</code>. If you prefer not to use the command line to interact with the LLM or any of the GUIs mentioned in <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html\">Week 8</a>, you might consider exploring <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/enchanted-llm/id6474268307\">Enchanted LLM</a>. This app offers a free and slick interface to interact with Ollama’s LLMs.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 I mainly use <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com/pro\">Rectangle Pro</a> for window management on macOS, which also offers the possibility to throw windows into predefined areas via mouse gestures (<em>Window Throw</em>), but if you are looking for an alternative, you might want to check out the free <a href=\"https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop\">Loop</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 This is so f*%king incredible: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9EM5_VFlt8\">Farewell to HD Atlas</a>. But of course that can still be topped: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ECwExc-_M\">All New Atlas</a> 🤯.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🦉 As already mentioned on my little <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol/post/dropscout\">Site Project</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/dropscout/id6477324347\">DropScout</a> for iOS / iPad is out of beta and available for free: <em>DropScout tracks your Amazon products and alerts you when prices drop!</em> Also mentioned there, since version 3.11, <a href=\"https://soulver.app\">Soulver</a> once again includes an iOS version that can be unlocked with a one-time purchase. After years of incompatibility, you can finally exchange files between macOS and iOS again. Did I mention before, that I love Soulver?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 Lou blogged about apps that <a href=\"https://amerpie.lol/2024/04/15/open-at-login.html\">Open at Login</a> on his Mac, and two apps were new to me. As <a href=\"https://www.fadel.io/missioncontrolplus\">Mission Control Plus</a> - <em>Put the “control” back in Mission Control</em> - is included in my Setapp subscription, I started evaluating it. The app does mainly two things, it adds an X-button to Mission Control’s windows and several keybard shortcuts managing them. The other one was <a href=\"https://github.com/nielsmouthaan/backup-status?tab=readme-ov-file\">Backup Status</a> - <em>View the status of Time Machine right from your desktop or Notification Center</em>. Bookmarked but not tried myself yet.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 On <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/abettercomputer\">A Better Computer</a>, I stumbled across <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHrMLowLpDY\">10 useful Mac apps you may not have heard of</a> and found <a href=\"https://www.cleftnotes.com\">Cleft</a> quite interesting. However, it absolutely did not want to work for me and instead of transcribing my spoken text, it bombarded me with error messages and just deleted everything. Well, I might look at it again in version 1.1 or maybe 2.x.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ Whether I spend a lot of time troubleshooting to get something running that I would like to accomplish depends strongly on the platform I’m doing it on and my expectations of the project/product.<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> With Apple products or other commercial services, my tolerance for having to spend a lot of time to make something work as it should is quite low, for example. This was also one of the reasons why I switched from Windows to macOS about 20 years ago. I just didn’t feel like dealing with the fiddling anymore. With Linux projects, it’s different for me. I almost expect it to be difficult, and it’s fine with me because in general it’s open source and I heavily benefit from the hard work from others. So, I spent countless hours trying to set up a WLAN access point on a Raspi that is connected to my network via LAN and brings the connected devices into the network via VPN. (My regular router can’t do this, and I have one or two devices that I’d like to connect to the network via VPN, but I can’t install a client on them.) I ultimately failed and gave up a few weeks ago. Last week, I stumbled across the <a href=\"https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt3000/\">BerylAX GL-MT3000</a> and it took me no more than 5 minutes to get it up and running with <a href=\"https://nordvpn.com/\">NordVPN</a>. This really blew me away.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏺️ The <a href=\"https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/stream-deck-neo\">Stream Deck Neo</a> was announced and looks really compelling to me.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Continued watching <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/palm-royale/seasons/1/episodes/1\">Palm Royale</a> - still not sure about this TV series.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 Watch <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/riders-of-justice-2020\">Riders of Justice</a> - enjoyed that one.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ Spent way too much money for discounted games on Steam and played a lot of <a href=\"https://deadcells.com\">Dead Cells</a>. Really hard but I like it a lot.<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a nice week! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>BTW I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple’s spontaneous change of direction regarding emulators was related to the AltStore PAL to take some wind out of the sails of the alternative app store, but maybe I’m going too far with that. Perhaps others can unravel this. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>This paragraph was obviously inspired by a section of <a href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/clockwise/id665964031?i=1000652770646\">Clockwise</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>BTW as of writing this, Dead Cells is no longer on sale on steam but for Nintendo Switch. So, if you own one, go and check it out. <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [15](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/15/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the sixteenth week of 2024:\n\n- 🎮 This week was an exciting one for retro gaming on iOS. After some initial debacle with a [ripoff GB emulator](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/), which was pulled after a few days by Apple, another one, Bimmy, [was pulled](https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/16/24132351/iphone-apple-app-store-nes-emulator-bimmy-removed) by its developer just a day after it was approved. But then the well-known [Delta](https://faq.deltaemulator.com) emulator developed by [Riley Testut](https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut), which was previously only available via the [AltStore](https://altstore.io/) was [released worldwide](https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/112287558511134794) in the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688), except for Europe. Here you can get it exclusively via the AltStore PAL, an alternate iOS Appstore.[^1] Its developer wrote a little about the [availability of Delta](https://mastodon.social/@rileytestut/112299267044864020) and the [AltStore PAL](https://rileytestut.com/blog/2024/04/17/introducing-altstore-pal/) in general. Installing the AltStore and downloading Delta went as smoothly as Apple currently allows, and the app is just great. Very nicely designed, customizable through [skins](https://skins4delta.com/) and comprehensive. However, I see myself rather less playing GB\\[AC]* games on my iPhone, as they bring more fun on the [Analogue Pocket](https://www.analogue.co/pocket) or one of my other devices with a built-in gamepad. However, the situation is similar to photography, you know, the best camera is the one you have with you ...\n\n- 🕹️ If you've now gotten a taste for it and also want to play some of your legally acquired [Roms](https://www.macstories.net/stories/how-to-load-your-game-boy-games-onto-the-iphone-to-play-in-the-delta-emulator/) on your Mac but don't want to install an all-in-one solution like [RetroArch](https://www.retroarch.com/?page=platforms) or even [ES-DE](https://es-de.org) right away, you can also pick up some tips on stand-alone emulators here: [Emulators aren’t new; here’s the great ones on the Mac](https://birchtree.me/blog/emulators-arent-new-heres-the-great-ones-on-the-mac/). \n [More emulators](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/19/ps1-gamecube-wii-emulator-coming-to-app-store/) are also apparently in the starting blocks, and I also downloaded a [C64 emulator](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/emu64-xl/id6483251916), but I haven't looked at it yet and therefore don't know if this a valid recommendation.\n \n- 🧠 This week, [MetaAI](https://www.meta.ai/) unveiled its new Llama 3 models, which can be easily downloaded to the Mac using [Ollama](https://ollama.com) with commands such as `ollama pull llama3:8b` or `ollama pull llama3:70b`. If you prefer not to use the command line to interact with the LLM or any of the GUIs mentioned in [Week 8](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html), you might consider exploring [Enchanted LLM](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/enchanted-llm/id6474268307). This app offers a free and slick interface to interact with Ollama's LLMs.\n\n- 💻 I mainly use [Rectangle Pro](https://rectangleapp.com/pro) for window management on macOS, which also offers the possibility to throw windows into predefined areas via mouse gestures (*Window Throw*), but if you are looking for an alternative, you might want to check out the free [Loop](https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop).\n\n- 🤖 This is so f*%king incredible: [Farewell to HD Atlas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9EM5_VFlt8). But of course that can still be topped: [All New Atlas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ECwExc-_M) 🤯.\n \n- 🦉 As already mentioned on my little [Site Project](https://apps.icymi.lol/post/dropscout), [DropScout](https://apps.apple.com/app/dropscout/id6477324347) for iOS / iPad is out of beta and available for free: *DropScout tracks your Amazon products and alerts you when prices drop!* Also mentioned there, since version 3.11, [Soulver](https://soulver.app) once again includes an iOS version that can be unlocked with a one-time purchase. After years of incompatibility, you can finally exchange files between macOS and iOS again. Did I mention before, that I love Soulver?\n\n- 💻 Lou blogged about apps that [Open at Login](https://amerpie.lol/2024/04/15/open-at-login.html) on his Mac, and two apps were new to me. As [Mission Control Plus](https://www.fadel.io/missioncontrolplus) - *Put the \"control\" back in Mission Control* - is included in my Setapp subscription, I started evaluating it. The app does mainly two things, it adds an X-button to Mission Control's windows and several keybard shortcuts managing them. The other one was [Backup Status](https://github.com/nielsmouthaan/backup-status?tab=readme-ov-file) - *View the status of Time Machine right from your desktop or Notification Center*. Bookmarked but not tried myself yet.\n\n- 💻 On [A Better Computer](https://www.youtube.com/c/abettercomputer), I stumbled across [10 useful Mac apps you may not have heard of](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHrMLowLpDY) and found [Cleft](https://www.cleftnotes.com) quite interesting. However, it absolutely did not want to work for me and instead of transcribing my spoken text, it bombarded me with error messages and just deleted everything. Well, I might look at it again in version 1.1 or maybe 2.x.\n\n- 🛠️ Whether I spend a lot of time troubleshooting to get something running that I would like to accomplish depends strongly on the platform I'm doing it on and my expectations of the project/product.[^2] With Apple products or other commercial services, my tolerance for having to spend a lot of time to make something work as it should is quite low, for example. This was also one of the reasons why I switched from Windows to macOS about 20 years ago. I just didn't feel like dealing with the fiddling anymore. With Linux projects, it's different for me. I almost expect it to be difficult, and it's fine with me because in general it's open source and I heavily benefit from the hard work from others. So, I spent countless hours trying to set up a WLAN access point on a Raspi that is connected to my network via LAN and brings the connected devices into the network via VPN. (My regular router can't do this, and I have one or two devices that I'd like to connect to the network via VPN, but I can't install a client on them.) I ultimately failed and gave up a few weeks ago. Last week, I stumbled across the [BerylAX GL-MT3000](https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt3000/) and it took me no more than 5 minutes to get it up and running with [NordVPN](https://nordvpn.com/). This really blew me away.\n\n- ⏺️ The [Stream Deck Neo](https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/stream-deck-neo) was announced and looks really compelling to me.\n\n- 📺 Continued watching [Palm Royale](https://trakt.tv/shows/palm-royale/seasons/1/episodes/1) - still not sure about this TV series.\n\n- 🎥 Watch [Riders of Justice](https://trakt.tv/movies/riders-of-justice-2020) - enjoyed that one.\n\n- 🕹️ Spent way too much money for discounted games on Steam and played a lot of [Dead Cells](https://deadcells.com). Really hard but I like it a lot.[^3]\n\nHave a nice week! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: BTW I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's spontaneous change of direction regarding emulators was related to the AltStore PAL to take some wind out of the sails of the alternative app store, but maybe I'm going too far with that. Perhaps others can unravel this.\n\n[^2]: This paragraph was obviously inspired by a section of [Clockwise](https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/clockwise/id665964031?i=1000652770646).\n\n[^3]: BTW as of writing this, Dead Cells is no longer on sale on steam but for Nintendo Switch. So, if you own one, go and check it out.\n\n",
"date_published": "2024-04-21T13:07:53+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/21/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/04/15/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fifteen, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/07/what-caught-my.html\">14</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 15. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I was briefly excited when I read that the first GBA emulator had landed in the iOS App Store. Unfortunately, it was not a legitimate app, and it was subsequently removed (again too late and why at all approved?) from the store: <a href=\"https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/\">Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations - MacRumors</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ Jarod Blundy released another great shortcut: <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/simple-mb-image-uploader\">Simple MB Image Uploader</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏎️ I’ve learned that in Mario Kart 8, you can choose from 703,560 driver, kart body, tires, and glider combinations, but you can still be more clever than others: <a href=\"https://www.mayerowitz.io/blog/mario-meets-pareto\">Mario meets Pareto</a> 🤯.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 At first, I was skeptical, but <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455\">Simple Scan • Quick Scanner</a> gets updated regularly and has reached a stage where it is definitely much more useful than a simple one-step shortcut or going into the Files app and initiating the scan from within there.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 I am a long-time <a href=\"https://www.macbartender.com/\">Bartender 5</a> user and don’t see a reason to switch. However, for those who don’t already have a <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/bartender\">Setapp</a> subscription or don’t want to pay that much money for a “simple” utility app, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/ibar-menubar-icon-control-tool/id6443843900?mt=12\">iBar-Menubar icon control tool</a> might be worth a look. However, you have to more or less blindly trust the developers, as their website will probably remain incomprehensible to many people.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛑 If it also bothers you that every App Store link in Safari directly opens the store instead of just calling up the overview page, maybe this will help: <a href=\"https://github.com/lapcat/StopTheMacAppStore\">StopTheMacAppStore</a> - <em>Mac app that stops Safari from automatically opening the App Store app</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ I used to have a version of <a href=\"https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/\">iStat Menus</a> (<a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/istat-menus\">Setapp</a>) running on every Mac, but nowadays I do without. However, there is also a number of alternatives, for example, the freshly updated <a href=\"https://usage.pro/\">Usage</a>, which, for instance, also allows access to the status of the Mac from a mobile device, or the free <a href=\"https://github.com/exelban/stats\">Stats</a> - <em>macOS system monitor in your menu bar.</em></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📁 In <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html\">week 9</a>, I mentioned <a href=\"https://github.com/neilsardesai/Manila\">Manila</a>, a free app that lets you change the color of a folder’s icon. There seems to be a similar paid upfront app called <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/foldery/id815333099\">Foldery</a>, that might be easier to set up and is regularly updated; bookmarked for the case that Manila stops working someday. If just a color is not enough, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/folderizer/id6480047256?mt=12\">Folderizer</a> might be worth a try, too. So far, I was occasionally using the <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/image2icon\">Setapp</a> version of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/image2icon-make-your-icons/id992115977?mt=12&ls=1\">Image2icon</a> but might give the former a shot.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I fell in love with <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/gamery-game-tracker/id1607763458\">Gamery - Game Tracker</a> and switched to the app from <a href=\"https://gametrack.app\">GameTrack</a>. Actually, I was looking for an app that runs both on iOS and macOS, but I am not very satisfied with the macOS version of GameTrack. The developer of Gamery has mentioned that he plans to enable the iPadOS version on macOS and is working on a native macOS version, too. That all sounds very good.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗓️ Sindre Sorhus makes so many great apps, and many of his programs are free. To support him, I bought the Mac App Store version of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/dato/id1470584107?mt=12\">Dato</a> even though it was available via <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/dato\">Setapp</a>, too. Anyways, if you’re looking for a free alternative, <a href=\"https://www.mowglii.com/itsycal/\">Itsycal for Mac</a> or <a href=\"https://github.com/pakerwreah/Calendr\">Calendrx</a> might be worth a try.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📸 I briefly looked into the new app from Aptonic, the developers of <a href=\"https://aptonic.com\">Dropzone</a> (<a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/dropzone\">Setapp</a>), called <a href=\"https://screensnap.ai/\">ScreenSnapAI</a> - <em>AI Powered Screenshot Manager</em>. But that’s not for me. I will definitely stick with <a href=\"https://cleanshot.com\">CleanShot X</a> (<a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/cleanshot\">Setapp</a>) for the time being. By the way, did you know that pressing space to switch to window capture from capture area mode also works with CleanShot X and not only with the built-in macOS tool?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 The one and only master of the indie web, <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb\">Robb</a>, released <a href=\"https://echofeed.app/\">EchoFeed</a>. You have most probably already heard of his service to pipe an RSS feed to open web endpoints, like Mastodon or Micro.blog, etc. Love it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📲 Did you know that you can change the iOS wheel picker to a <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@sandropennisi/112268681870145361\">number pad</a> by just clicking on it? I did not!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌍 <a href=\"https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112264822932312746\">Marcus reminded me</a> that it is a very good idea to support OpenStreetMap. I am now an associated member.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Watched the Pilot of <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/palm-royale/seasons/1/episodes/1\">Palm Royale</a> with my wife. Not yet sure what it will turn into.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [14](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/07/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 15. week of 2024:\n\n- 🎮 I was briefly excited when I read that the first GBA emulator had landed in the iOS App Store. Unfortunately, it was not a legitimate app, and it was subsequently removed (again too late and why at all approved?) from the store: [Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations - MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/15/apple-removes-igba-from-app-store/).\n\n- 🛠️ Jarod Blundy released another great shortcut: [Simple MB Image Uploader](https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/simple-mb-image-uploader).\n \n- 🏎️ I've learned that in Mario Kart 8, you can choose from 703,560 driver, kart body, tires, and glider combinations, but you can still be more clever than others: [Mario meets Pareto](https://www.mayerowitz.io/blog/mario-meets-pareto) 🤯.\n\n- 📱 At first, I was skeptical, but [Simple Scan • Quick Scanner](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455) gets updated regularly and has reached a stage where it is definitely much more useful than a simple one-step shortcut or going into the Files app and initiating the scan from within there.\n\n- 💻 I am a long-time [Bartender 5](https://www.macbartender.com/) user and don't see a reason to switch. However, for those who don't already have a [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/bartender) subscription or don't want to pay that much money for a \"simple\" utility app, [iBar-Menubar icon control tool](https://apps.apple.com/app/ibar-menubar-icon-control-tool/id6443843900?mt=12) might be worth a look. However, you have to more or less blindly trust the developers, as their website will probably remain incomprehensible to many people.\n\n- 🛑 If it also bothers you that every App Store link in Safari directly opens the store instead of just calling up the overview page, maybe this will help: [StopTheMacAppStore](https://github.com/lapcat/StopTheMacAppStore) - *Mac app that stops Safari from automatically opening the App Store app*.\n\n- 🖥️ I used to have a version of [iStat Menus](https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/) ([Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/istat-menus)) running on every Mac, but nowadays I do without. However, there is also a number of alternatives, for example, the freshly updated [Usage](https://usage.pro/), which, for instance, also allows access to the status of the Mac from a mobile device, or the free [Stats](https://github.com/exelban/stats) - *macOS system monitor in your menu bar.*\n\n- 📁 In [week 9](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html), I mentioned [Manila](https://github.com/neilsardesai/Manila), a free app that lets you change the color of a folder's icon. There seems to be a similar paid upfront app called [Foldery](https://apps.apple.com/app/foldery/id815333099), that might be easier to set up and is regularly updated; bookmarked for the case that Manila stops working someday. If just a color is not enough, [Folderizer](https://apps.apple.com/app/folderizer/id6480047256?mt=12) might be worth a try, too. So far, I was occasionally using the [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/image2icon) version of [Image2icon](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/image2icon-make-your-icons/id992115977?mt=12&ls=1) but might give the former a shot.\n \n- 🎮 I fell in love with [Gamery - Game Tracker](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/gamery-game-tracker/id1607763458) and switched to the app from [GameTrack](https://gametrack.app). Actually, I was looking for an app that runs both on iOS and macOS, but I am not very satisfied with the macOS version of GameTrack. The developer of Gamery has mentioned that he plans to enable the iPadOS version on macOS and is working on a native macOS version, too. That all sounds very good.\n\n- 🗓️ Sindre Sorhus makes so many great apps, and many of his programs are free. To support him, I bought the Mac App Store version of [Dato](https://apps.apple.com/app/dato/id1470584107?mt=12) even though it was available via [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/dato), too. Anyways, if you're looking for a free alternative, [Itsycal for Mac](https://www.mowglii.com/itsycal/) or [Calendrx](https://github.com/pakerwreah/Calendr) might be worth a try.\n\n- 📸 I briefly looked into the new app from Aptonic, the developers of [Dropzone](https://aptonic.com) ([Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/dropzone)), called [ScreenSnapAI](https://screensnap.ai/) - *AI Powered Screenshot Manager*. But that's not for me. I will definitely stick with [CleanShot X](https://cleanshot.com) ([Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/cleanshot)) for the time being. By the way, did you know that pressing space to switch to window capture from capture area mode also works with CleanShot X and not only with the built-in macOS tool?\n\n- 🌐 The one and only master of the indie web, [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb), released [EchoFeed](https://echofeed.app/). You have most probably already heard of his service to pipe an RSS feed to open web endpoints, like Mastodon or Micro.blog, etc. Love it.\n\n- 📲 Did you know that you can change the iOS wheel picker to a [number pad](https://mastodon.social/@sandropennisi/112268681870145361) by just clicking on it? I did not!\n\n- 🌍 [Marcus reminded me](https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/112264822932312746) that it is a very good idea to support OpenStreetMap. I am now an associated member.\n\n- 📺 Watched the Pilot of [Palm Royale](https://trakt.tv/shows/palm-royale/seasons/1/episodes/1) with my wife. Not yet sure what it will turn into.\n",
"date_published": "2024-04-15T20:41:29+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/15/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/04/07/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fourteen, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>The week before Easter was once again very quiet in terms of new software and tech-related stuff. This was probably also because there was a lot to do at work before we went on our Easter vacation. For a few years now, we have been traveling more or less regularly during the Easter holidays together with my wife’s family. She has three siblings, all of whom have partners and children, and our dog joins us as well. This year we went to Belgium, the weather was quite rainy and gray, but that’s okay. We were 15 people and, of course, it was very bustling but also very nice. There was a lot of hiking, eating, reading, playing, and laughing. Especially for the younger ones, who let it show more, the fact that there was almost no functioning internet in the area and in the vacation apartment was quite noticeable. Wi-Fi and mobile networks were unusable. It took several minutes just to retrieve a single email. Social media, game streaming, YouTube, etc. were completely unthinkable. Digital detox par excellence. Actually, it did quite good and that was the reason there was also no post here on the blog last week. 🐣</p>\n<p>Therefore, in brief and in continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html\">12</a>, here are very few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 13th and 14th week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>📘 During the vacation, I finished my first <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_(novel)\">novel</a> <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> in a long time and read a second <a href=\"https://sebastianfitzek.com/buch/das-paket/\">book</a> within another day. The third one is also already half done: <a href=\"https://romero.com/shop/p/doomguy\">DOOM Guy: Life in First Person by John Romero</a>. I wouldn’t have thought it, but I find the autobiography very interesting so far. (Doom actually had a big impact on me during my school years.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📷 Also not a novel, but already noted, a new Take Control Book: <a href=\"https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/iphone-photography/\">Take Control of iPhone Photography</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✍️ I couldn’t resist playing with <a href=\"https://vincentritter.com\">Vincent</a>’s <a href=\"https://scribbles.page\">Scribbles</a>; I “secretly” played with a small <a href=\"https://apps.icymi.lol\">side project</a> there, which Habit immediately <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@habibcham/112173355622816543\">discovered</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 Alongside <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com/pro\">Rectangle Pro</a> and <a href=\"https://superkey.app/\">Superkey</a>, I started trying out another app by <a href=\"https://ryanhanson.dev/\">Ryan Hanson</a>: <a href=\"https://charmstone.app/\">Charmstone</a> - <em>The quicker switcher launcher for macOS</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ I asked on Mastodon for Terminal alternatives and three were mainly mentioned: <a href=\"https://www.warp.dev/\">Warp: Your terminal, reimagined</a>, <a href=\"https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/index.html\">WezTerm - Wez’s Terminal Emulator</a>, and <a href=\"https://iterm2.com/\">iTerm2 - macOS Terminal Replacement</a>. I haven’t had the chance yet, but hopefully, I will be able to take a closer look at them over the next week(s).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I was not aware of how easy it can be on macOS to get Windows games purchased from the Epic Game Store or GOG to run: <a href=\"https://heroicgameslauncher.com/\">Heroic Games Launcher</a> - <em>An Open Source Epic, GOG, and Amazon Prime Games Launcher</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Speaking of games: Played <a href=\"https://tann.itch.io/slice-dice\">Slice & Dice</a> and <a href=\"https://www.playbalatro.com\">Balatro</a>. (It’s all <a href=\"https://danielsantos.org/blog/week-12-2024/\">Daniel Santos</a>' fault! 😎)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ <a href=\"https://chrishannah.me/\">Chris Hannah</a> released a <a href=\"https://chrishannah.me/projects/2024/pst-a-cli-tool-to-post-to-microblog/\">CLI Tool to Post to Micro.Blog</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌱 Spring is coming and we took this as an opportunity to completely reseed our lawn; it was more of a field than a lawn and therefore urgently needed; we are curious to see if it will turn out well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 No television, no movies, no series in the last two weeks.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a pleasant week ahead!</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I thought I’d start with a Stephen King novel since his books always captivated me in the past; however, I was not so convinced by Holly; the book is quite repetitive and long-winded. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nThe week before Easter was once again very quiet in terms of new software and tech-related stuff. This was probably also because there was a lot to do at work before we went on our Easter vacation. For a few years now, we have been traveling more or less regularly during the Easter holidays together with my wife's family. She has three siblings, all of whom have partners and children, and our dog joins us as well. This year we went to Belgium, the weather was quite rainy and gray, but that's okay. We were 15 people and, of course, it was very bustling but also very nice. There was a lot of hiking, eating, reading, playing, and laughing. Especially for the younger ones, who let it show more, the fact that there was almost no functioning internet in the area and in the vacation apartment was quite noticeable. Wi-Fi and mobile networks were unusable. It took several minutes just to retrieve a single email. Social media, game streaming, YouTube, etc. were completely unthinkable. Digital detox par excellence. Actually, it did quite good and that was the reason there was also no post here on the blog last week. 🐣\n\nTherefore, in brief and in continuation of week [12](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html), here are very few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 13th and 14th week of 2024:\n\n- 📘 During the vacation, I finished my first [novel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_(novel)) [^1] in a long time and read a second [book](https://sebastianfitzek.com/buch/das-paket/) within another day. The third one is also already half done: [DOOM Guy: Life in First Person by John Romero](https://romero.com/shop/p/doomguy). I wouldn't have thought it, but I find the autobiography very interesting so far. (Doom actually had a big impact on me during my school years.)\n\n- 📷 Also not a novel, but already noted, a new Take Control Book: [Take Control of iPhone Photography](https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/iphone-photography/).\n\n- ✍️ I couldn't resist playing with [Vincent](https://vincentritter.com)'s [Scribbles](https://scribbles.page); I \"secretly\" played with a small [side project](https://apps.icymi.lol) there, which Habit immediately [discovered](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham/112173355622816543).\n\n- 💻 Alongside [Rectangle Pro](https://rectangleapp.com/pro) and [Superkey](https://superkey.app/), I started trying out another app by [Ryan Hanson](https://ryanhanson.dev/): [Charmstone](https://charmstone.app/) - *The quicker switcher launcher for macOS*.\n\n- 🖥️ I asked on Mastodon for Terminal alternatives and three were mainly mentioned: [Warp: Your terminal, reimagined](https://www.warp.dev/), [WezTerm - Wez's Terminal Emulator](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/index.html), and [iTerm2 - macOS Terminal Replacement](https://iterm2.com/). I haven't had the chance yet, but hopefully, I will be able to take a closer look at them over the next week(s).\n\n- 🎮 I was not aware of how easy it can be on macOS to get Windows games purchased from the Epic Game Store or GOG to run: [Heroic Games Launcher](https://heroicgameslauncher.com/) - *An Open Source Epic, GOG, and Amazon Prime Games Launcher*.\n\n- Speaking of games: Played [Slice & Dice](https://tann.itch.io/slice-dice) and [Balatro](https://www.playbalatro.com). (It's all [Daniel Santos](https://danielsantos.org/blog/week-12-2024/)' fault! 😎)\n\n- 🛠️ [Chris Hannah](https://chrishannah.me/) released a [CLI Tool to Post to Micro.Blog](https://chrishannah.me/projects/2024/pst-a-cli-tool-to-post-to-microblog/).\n\n- 🌱 Spring is coming and we took this as an opportunity to completely reseed our lawn; it was more of a field than a lawn and therefore urgently needed; we are curious to see if it will turn out well.\n\n- 📺 No television, no movies, no series in the last two weeks.\n\nHave a pleasant week ahead!\n\n[^1]: I thought I'd start with a Stephen King novel since his books always captivated me in the past; however, I was not so convinced by Holly; the book is quite repetitive and long-winded.\n\n\n\n\n\n",
"date_published": "2024-04-07T11:14:34+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/04/07/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week twelve, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/18/what-caught-my.html\">11</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 12th week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>😴 Actually, this week was a very quiet week in terms of tech-related stuff. It was probably because I was very busy at work and in the evenings, I preferred to relax with a game of <a href=\"https://www.playbalatro.com/\">Balatro</a><sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> instead of surfing the net a lot.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ This week, many things just broke. It started with dishes, not just once, followed by a PS5 controller that wouldn’t turn on anymore and got dangerously hot while charging and started to smell. Then, the power supply of the old MacBook simply quit working, a 256 GB USB stick made my Mac crash reproducibly as soon as I tried to access it, the <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/112128048360997520\">crank handle</a> of my Playdate just broke without any external force<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>, our eCargo bike suddenly refused to go any further (Error E010), the coffee machine at work gave up the ghost, and my knee is broken. Well, it’s been messed up for 30 years, it just hurts more this week than usual. I think that’s a good sign for next week. It can only get better.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔄 The developer of <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a> has released a new app: <a href=\"https://pinning.app/\">Event countdown & up - Pinning app</a>. I was a long-time user of <a href=\"https://countdowns-app.com/\">Countdowns</a> before I switched to <a href=\"https://upaheadapp.com/\">Up Ahead</a> because the latter was much more fun to use. However, there has been no update for over ten months, and I’m somewhat reluctant to pay a subscription price for that. I’ll take a look at Pinning, although there is no macOS version yet and it also has a subscription model behind it. Otherwise, I should dig out Countdowns again. It works wonderfully, it just doesn’t look nice at all.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎉 <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb/112122739225364588\">Robb</a> announced that his Podcast Ruminate joined MacStories. Congrats!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤔 I was curious and also signed up for <a href=\"https://scribbles.page\">Scribbles</a>. I definitely don’t need another way to blog, but I kind of like the projects by <a href=\"https://vincentritter.com\">Vincent</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧩 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/table-of-contents-for-safari/id1665115607\">Table of contents — for Safari on the App Store</a>: A funny little plugin that does exactly what it promises.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>❤️ I was absolutely impressed that I sent a feature request to the developer of <a href=\"https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/\">Default Folder X</a> and he replied on the same day that he had implemented the feature and it will be included in the next release.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐶 Besides, I was pleased that you can now use Siri in German without saying “Hey.” This solves our biggest mistake in dog training. We chose “Hey” as a stop signal (“no”) for our dog, and therefore we could only ask the Homepods to do things via voice very limitedly, otherwise, we would completely confuse our dog every time 😅.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I’ve finished <a href=\"https://www.igdb.com/games/super-mario-land-2-6-golden-coins\">Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins</a> (GB) on my Analogue Pocket and started playing <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Mario_vs._Donkey_Kong\">Mario vs. Donkey Kong</a> (GBA). The next real Mario game will be <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-64/Super-Mario-64-269745.html\">Super Mario 64</a>. I’ve been thinking a bit about how and on which system I want to play it. I’ve decided to buy the <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-64-controller/\">Nintendo 64 bluetooth controller</a> and try it on the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online Plus.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 We watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/the-shawshank-redemption-1994\">The Shawshank Redemption (1994)</a> (again) with our sons. What a damn good movie.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎸 I was at an <a href=\"https://www.idlesband.com\">IDLES</a> concert 🤘.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a wonderfull week ahead!</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Somehow I really like the game, although I’m not really into card games otherwise. I’m still failing at the first deck of cards, at the latest at ante 8/8, but what the heck 🤷♂️. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Thanks to my 3D printer, I was able to print a temporary <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/112129266640076878\">replacement</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [11](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/18/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 12th week of 2024:\n\n- 😴 Actually, this week was a very quiet week in terms of tech-related stuff. It was probably because I was very busy at work and in the evenings, I preferred to relax with a game of [Balatro](https://www.playbalatro.com/)[^1] instead of surfing the net a lot.\n\n- 🛠️ This week, many things just broke. It started with dishes, not just once, followed by a PS5 controller that wouldn't turn on anymore and got dangerously hot while charging and started to smell. Then, the power supply of the old MacBook simply quit working, a 256 GB USB stick made my Mac crash reproducibly as soon as I tried to access it, the [crank handle](https://social.lol/@esamecar/112128048360997520) of my Playdate just broke without any external force[^2], our eCargo bike suddenly refused to go any further (Error E010), the coffee machine at work gave up the ghost, and my knee is broken. Well, it's been messed up for 30 years, it just hurts more this week than usual. I think that's a good sign for next week. It can only get better.\n\n- 🔄 The developer of [Anybox](https://anybox.app/) has released a new app: [Event countdown & up - Pinning app](https://pinning.app/). I was a long-time user of [Countdowns](https://countdowns-app.com/) before I switched to [Up Ahead](https://upaheadapp.com/) because the latter was much more fun to use. However, there has been no update for over ten months, and I'm somewhat reluctant to pay a subscription price for that. I'll take a look at Pinning, although there is no macOS version yet and it also has a subscription model behind it. Otherwise, I should dig out Countdowns again. It works wonderfully, it just doesn't look nice at all.\n\n- 🎉 [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb/112122739225364588) announced that his Podcast Ruminate joined MacStories. Congrats! \n\n- 🤔 I was curious and also signed up for [Scribbles](https://scribbles.page). I definitely don't need another way to blog, but I kind of like the projects by [Vincent](https://vincentritter.com).\n\n- 🧩 [Table of contents — for Safari on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/table-of-contents-for-safari/id1665115607): A funny little plugin that does exactly what it promises.\n\n- ❤️ I was absolutely impressed that I sent a feature request to the developer of [Default Folder X](https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/) and he replied on the same day that he had implemented the feature and it will be included in the next release.\n\n- 🐶 Besides, I was pleased that you can now use Siri in German without saying \"Hey.\" This solves our biggest mistake in dog training. We chose \"Hey\" as a stop signal (\"no\") for our dog, and therefore we could only ask the Homepods to do things via voice very limitedly, otherwise, we would completely confuse our dog every time 😅.\n\n- 🎮 I've finished [Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins](https://www.igdb.com/games/super-mario-land-2-6-golden-coins) (GB) on my Analogue Pocket and started playing [Mario vs. Donkey Kong](https://www.mariowiki.com/Mario_vs._Donkey_Kong) (GBA). The next real Mario game will be [Super Mario 64](https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-64/Super-Mario-64-269745.html). I've been thinking a bit about how and on which system I want to play it. I've decided to buy the [Nintendo 64 bluetooth controller](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-64-controller/) and try it on the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online Plus.\n\n- 🎥 We watched [The Shawshank Redemption (1994)](https://trakt.tv/movies/the-shawshank-redemption-1994) (again) with our sons. What a damn good movie.\n\n- 🎸 I was at an [IDLES](https://www.idlesband.com) concert 🤘.\n\nHave a wonderfull week ahead!\n\n[^1]: Somehow I really like the game, although I'm not really into card games otherwise. I'm still failing at the first deck of cards, at the latest at ante 8/8, but what the heck 🤷♂️.\n\n[^2]: Thanks to my 3D printer, I was able to print a temporary [replacement](https://social.lol/@esamecar/112129266640076878).\n",
"date_published": "2024-03-25T21:29:29+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/25/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/03/18/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week eleven, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"XXX\">10</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 11. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>👀 <a href=\"https://social.lol/@adam\">Adam</a> is once again working on something new: <a href=\"https://neato.pub/\">Neato</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏦 IndieAppSales 2024 was going on last week and I <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html\">bought some new apps</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 Just like for <a href=\"https://ia.net/presenter\">iA Presenter</a>, there is now also an iOS version of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/deckset/id6476942011?ign-mpt=uo%3D4\">Deckset</a>. I had hoped that it might do without a subscription, but far from it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ <a href=\"https://www.gentlemencoders.com/nitro-for-macos/index.html\">Nitro for macOS</a> might be something to keep an eye on.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📆 Currently, I also have no use for this, but I can imagine that might change: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/rules-shortcuts-based-on-event/id6461118886?mt=12\">Rules Shortcuts based on Event</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💎 Here I found a few <a href=\"https://brew.sh\">Homebrew</a> gems: <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=D2_8qJi2jpQ\">Hidden FREE Mac Apps!</a>. Especially interesting I found <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mailsy#default\">mailsy</a>, <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/speedtest-cli#default\">speedtest-cli</a>, <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ata#default\">ata</a>, <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/wifi-password#default\">wifi-password</a>, <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mas#default\">mas</a>, and <a href=\"https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/yt-dlp#default\">yt-dlp</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎵 There are media control apps for macOS now like sand by the sea, but this one is free and looks quite nice: <a href=\"https://www.martinfekete.com/Tuneful\">Tuneful</a> - <em>Control your music with ease</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 <a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/2533960/SUMMERHOUSE/\">Summerhouse (Steam)</a> looks cozy, and thanks to <a href=\"https://micro.danielsantos.org/2024/03/16/week.html\">Daniel</a> I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://www.playbalatro.com/\">Balatro</a>. In addition there were (are?) significant discounts on <a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/70300/VVVVVV/\">VVVVVV</a> and <a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/504230/Celeste/\">Celeste on Steam</a> . I especially suck at the latter on the <a href=\"https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145\">pico-8</a> but I adore its aesthetic and am excited to play it on my MacBook.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ For the Playdate, I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://tedbrakob.itch.io/\">Quandino</a> and bought <a href=\"https://marsaftermidnight.com/\">Mars After Midnight</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 I did not know now that <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=1H3dTVuNvzs\">Retro Gaming on the Amazon Fire TV Stick</a> is a thing.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 <a href=\"https://wikiflix.toolforge.org/#/\">Wikiflix</a>: an interface to browse, search, and view movies published as public domain at Wikimedia Commons, the Internet Archive, or YouTube.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚀 Nice idea and cool implementation, for which, however, I have no necessity: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/ipulse-monitor-your-device/id6474695786\">iPulse - Monitor Your Device</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😓 <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@habibcham\">Habib</a> wrote about <a href=\"https://www.chamline.net/overwhelming-tech-fatigue/\">Overwhelming Tech Fatigue</a>. I too have been feeling an increasing kind of dissatisfaction with technical devices in general lately. I am becoming more intolerant regarding shortcomings, especially of the system’s software. I yearn for things to simply function and find myself increasingly reluctant to invest significant time in troubleshooting things that have been implemented with minimal effort and, as a result, are prone to errors. (Although I still like trying out new software and starting new projects 🤷♂️.) I suspect that this actually has to do with age. In the past, I passionately tinkered with (Windows) PCs but eventually had no more desire to spend more time making things work than using them.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> I then switched to Apple because its OS and software was (seemingly) much more thoughtful, functional, stable, and beautiful. This love is massively being lost in recent months, and since there seem to be no real alternatives, turning away from the enthusiasm for technology itself would be the next logical step - even though I don’t actively pursue that of course.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✨ There seem to be only two opinions about <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/asteroid-city-2023\">Asteroid City</a>, and I belong to the fraction that had a lot of fun watching it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎉 Celebrated my birthday, had a lot of good food and nice people around me.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🪙 Last but not least, go and check out the <a href=\"https://oneamonth.club/\">One a Month Club</a> and become a member of all those great blogs listed there 😎</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Have a nice week! 🙋♂️</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Although that also seems to be a pattern in my life: as soon as something works (reasonably) or I master it (reasonably), I (unfortunately) often lose the interest in it. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [10](XXX), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 11. week of 2024:\n\n- 👀 [Adam](https://social.lol/@adam) is once again working on something new: [Neato](https://neato.pub/).\n\n- 🏦 IndieAppSales 2024 was going on last week and I [bought some new apps](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html).\n\n- 📱 Just like for [iA Presenter](https://ia.net/presenter), there is now also an iOS version of [Deckset](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/deckset/id6476942011?ign-mpt=uo%3D4). I had hoped that it might do without a subscription, but far from it.\n\n- 🖥️ [Nitro for macOS](https://www.gentlemencoders.com/nitro-for-macos/index.html) might be something to keep an eye on.\n\n- 📆 Currently, I also have no use for this, but I can imagine that might change: [Rules Shortcuts based on Event](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/rules-shortcuts-based-on-event/id6461118886?mt=12).\n\n- 💎 Here I found a few [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) gems: [Hidden FREE Mac Apps!](https://youtube.com/watch?v=D2_8qJi2jpQ). Especially interesting I found [mailsy](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mailsy#default), [speedtest-cli](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/speedtest-cli#default), [ata](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ata#default), [wifi-password](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/wifi-password#default), [mas](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mas#default), and [yt-dlp](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/yt-dlp#default).\n\n- 🎵 There are media control apps for macOS now like sand by the sea, but this one is free and looks quite nice: [Tuneful](https://www.martinfekete.com/Tuneful) - *Control your music with ease*.\n\n- 🎮 [Summerhouse (Steam)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2533960/SUMMERHOUSE/) looks cozy, and thanks to [Daniel](https://micro.danielsantos.org/2024/03/16/week.html) I stumbled upon [Balatro](https://www.playbalatro.com/). In addition there were (are?) significant discounts on [VVVVVV](https://store.steampowered.com/app/70300/VVVVVV/) and [Celeste on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/504230/Celeste/) . I especially suck at the latter on the [pico-8](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145) but I adore its aesthetic and am excited to play it on my MacBook.\n\n- 🕹️ For the Playdate, I stumbled upon [Quandino](https://tedbrakob.itch.io/) and bought [Mars After Midnight](https://marsaftermidnight.com/).\n\n- 📺 I did not know now that [Retro Gaming on the Amazon Fire TV Stick](https://youtube.com/watch?v=1H3dTVuNvzs) is a thing.\n\n- 🎥 [Wikiflix](https://wikiflix.toolforge.org/#/): an interface to browse, search, and view movies published as public domain at Wikimedia Commons, the Internet Archive, or YouTube.\n\n- 🚀 Nice idea and cool implementation, for which, however, I have no necessity: [iPulse - Monitor Your Device](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/ipulse-monitor-your-device/id6474695786).\n\n- 😓 [Habib](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham) wrote about [Overwhelming Tech Fatigue](https://www.chamline.net/overwhelming-tech-fatigue/). I too have been feeling an increasing kind of dissatisfaction with technical devices in general lately. I am becoming more intolerant regarding shortcomings, especially of the system's software. I yearn for things to simply function and find myself increasingly reluctant to invest significant time in troubleshooting things that have been implemented with minimal effort and, as a result, are prone to errors. (Although I still like trying out new software and starting new projects 🤷♂️.) I suspect that this actually has to do with age. In the past, I passionately tinkered with (Windows) PCs but eventually had no more desire to spend more time making things work than using them.[^1] I then switched to Apple because its OS and software was (seemingly) much more thoughtful, functional, stable, and beautiful. This love is massively being lost in recent months, and since there seem to be no real alternatives, turning away from the enthusiasm for technology itself would be the next logical step - even though I don't actively pursue that of course.\n\n- ✨ There seem to be only two opinions about [Asteroid City](https://trakt.tv/movies/asteroid-city-2023), and I belong to the fraction that had a lot of fun watching it.\n\n- 🎉 Celebrated my birthday, had a lot of good food and nice people around me.\n\n- 🪙 Last but not least, go and check out the [One a Month Club](https://oneamonth.club/) and become a member of all those great blogs listed there 😎\n\nHave a nice week! 🙋♂️\n\n[^1]: Although that also seems to be a pattern in my life: as soon as something works (reasonably) or I master it (reasonably), I (unfortunately) often lose the interest in it.\n",
"date_published": "2024-03-18T17:04:40+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/18/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html",
"title": "IndieAppSales Spring 2024",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://www.indieappsales.com/\">Indie App Sales!</a> is running from 12. to 13. March 2024</p>\n<p>Here are some Apps I’ve looked into so far:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://blurdata.app/\">Blur sensitive data with BlurData (macOS)</a> → I don’t really need the app and then it’s a bit too expensive; not bought</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id6466660721?mt=12\">Bridges Link Formatting (macOS)</a> → <strong>bought it</strong> and after I found the hidden “add folder” icon in the left pane thanks to the friendly support of its <a href=\"https://mastodon.online/@refactoredd\">developer</a> I really like what I’ve seen so far</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002\">Bridges: Link Formatting</a> → bought the iOS version as well</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/in/app/clorde/id1544909562\">Clorde</a> → <strong>bought it</strong> and like the iOS widget (on my Mac)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdowns-event-countdown/id917514700\">Countdowns - Event Countdown</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://displaybuddy.app/\">DisplayBuddy - Control monitor brightness directly from your Mac</a> → available via Setapp as well</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084\">DoMarks</a> → not sure if this is really better than <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/everlog-journal/id1519935634\">Everlog Journal</a> → I have heard a lot of praise for this app and you can get the lifetime option for a steep discount; I personally use Obsidian for journaling so I have no need for the app at the moment.</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-adhd-reading-glide/id1593045116?mt=12\">Focus & ADHD Reading - Glide (macOS)</a> → <strong>bought it</strong> and will evaluate</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homebuttons-for-homekit/id1561615144\">HomeButtons for HomeKit</a> → have decided against a purchase</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homecam-for-homekit/id1292995895\">HomeCam for HomeKit</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homelog-for-homekit/id1584408332\">HomeLog for HomeKit</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homepass-for-homekit-matter/id1330266650\">HomePass for HomeKit & Matter</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homerun-2-for-homekit/id1527725746\">HomeRun 2 for HomeKit</a> have decided against a purchase</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iconic/id1582751983\">Iconic (macOS)</a> → already have access to Image2Icon via <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/image2icon\">Setapp</a> and therefore have no real use for it</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://cloud.kaleidoscope.app/store\">Kaleidoscope</a> → with almost $70 for the first year still too expansive for what I would use it for</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002\">Longplay</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/logger-log-track-journal/id1479321094\">Logger - Log, Track & Journal</a> → have decided against a purchase</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mastowatch/id1662271463\">Mastowatch</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://mindmac.app/\">MindMac — Elegant and Fullfil ChatGPT Client for macOS</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and use it often and with pleasure</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/relog-task-logger/id6462759656\">Relog: Task Logger</a> → it’s free (right now?); can’t remember buying it, but I am able to just download it; I use <a href=\"https://chroniclingapp.com/\">Chronicling</a> daily but will look into Relog</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674\">ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal</a> → I find the idea interesting, but I have far too many tasks that I don’t want to tag with a keyword so that they don’t appear in my calendar; not bought</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sharepal-quick-info-sharing/id6457261534\">SharePal - Quick info sharing!</a> → I also like this app, but I just don’t share short text snippets often enough, so unfortunately I don’t need it</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signals-for-homekit/id1453293391\">Signals for HomeKit</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sleepr-app/id6465683427\">Sleepr App (macOS)</a> → several years ago I bought Coca and it still does its job; there should be lots of other free Apps doing the same; not bought</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/text-workflow-text-converter/id1600520682?mt=12\">Text Workflow: Text Converter</a> → <strong>already own</strong> the app and like it, although I still prefer to solve many text problems with BBEdit and Regex</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/timeview-calendar-statistics/id1439197028\">Timeview - Calendar Statistics</a> → I think you can have fun with it; <strong>bought it</strong></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yosum-subscription-manager/id6451242119\">Yosum: Subscription Manager</a> → I already own two other subscriptions managers and recently started managing them in Obsidian; no real need for this one; not bought</li>\n</ul>\n<hr>\n<p>Update 2024-03-12T13:00: add Everlog and SharePal; update note for Bridges<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\nUpdate 2024-03-12T21:35: add Text Workflow</p>\n",
"content_text": "\n[Indie App Sales!](https://www.indieappsales.com/) is running from 12. to 13. March 2024\n\nHere are some Apps I've looked into so far:\n\n* [Blur sensitive data with BlurData (macOS)](https://blurdata.app/) → I don't really need the app and then it's a bit too expensive; not bought\n* [Bridges Link Formatting (macOS)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id6466660721?mt=12) → **bought it** and after I found the hidden \"add folder\" icon in the left pane thanks to the friendly support of its [developer](https://mastodon.online/@refactoredd) I really like what I've seen so far\n* [Bridges: Link Formatting](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002) → bought the iOS version as well\n* [Clorde](https://apps.apple.com/in/app/clorde/id1544909562) → **bought it** and like the iOS widget (on my Mac)\n* [Countdowns - Event Countdown](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdowns-event-countdown/id917514700) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [DisplayBuddy - Control monitor brightness directly from your Mac](https://displaybuddy.app/) → available via Setapp as well\n* [DoMarks](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084) → not sure if this is really better than [Anybox](https://anybox.app/)\n* [Everlog Journal](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/everlog-journal/id1519935634) → I have heard a lot of praise for this app and you can get the lifetime option for a steep discount; I personally use Obsidian for journaling so I have no need for the app at the moment.\n* [Focus & ADHD Reading - Glide (macOS)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-adhd-reading-glide/id1593045116?mt=12) → **bought it** and will evaluate\n* [HomeButtons for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homebuttons-for-homekit/id1561615144) → have decided against a purchase\n* [HomeCam for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homecam-for-homekit/id1292995895) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [HomeLog for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homelog-for-homekit/id1584408332) → **already own** the app\n* [HomePass for HomeKit & Matter](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homepass-for-homekit-matter/id1330266650) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [HomeRun 2 for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homerun-2-for-homekit/id1527725746) have decided against a purchase\n* [Iconic (macOS)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iconic/id1582751983) → already have access to Image2Icon via [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/image2icon) and therefore have no real use for it\n* [Kaleidoscope](https://cloud.kaleidoscope.app/store) → with almost $70 for the first year still too expansive for what I would use it for\n* [Longplay](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [Logger - Log, Track & Journal](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/logger-log-track-journal/id1479321094) → have decided against a purchase\n* [Mastowatch](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mastowatch/id1662271463) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [MindMac — Elegant and Fullfil ChatGPT Client for macOS](https://mindmac.app/) → **already own** the app and use it often and with pleasure\n* [Relog: Task Logger](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/relog-task-logger/id6462759656) → it's free (right now?); can't remember buying it, but I am able to just download it; I use [Chronicling](https://chroniclingapp.com/) daily but will look into Relog\n* [ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674) → I find the idea interesting, but I have far too many tasks that I don't want to tag with a keyword so that they don't appear in my calendar; not bought\n* [SharePal - Quick info sharing!](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sharepal-quick-info-sharing/id6457261534) → I also like this app, but I just don't share short text snippets often enough, so unfortunately I don't need it\n* [Signals for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signals-for-homekit/id1453293391) → **already own** the app\n* [Sleepr App (macOS)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sleepr-app/id6465683427) → several years ago I bought Coca and it still does its job; there should be lots of other free Apps doing the same; not bought\n* [Text Workflow: Text Converter](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/text-workflow-text-converter/id1600520682?mt=12) → **already own** the app and like it, although I still prefer to solve many text problems with BBEdit and Regex\n* [Timeview - Calendar Statistics](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/timeview-calendar-statistics/id1439197028) → I think you can have fun with it; **bought it**\n* [Yosum: Subscription Manager](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yosum-subscription-manager/id6451242119) → I already own two other subscriptions managers and recently started managing them in Obsidian; no real need for this one; not bought\n\n\n---\nUpdate 2024-03-12T13:00: add Everlog and SharePal; update note for Bridges<br>\nUpdate 2024-03-12T21:35: add Text Workflow\n",
"date_published": "2024-03-12T12:19:39+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/12/indieappsales.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/03/11/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week ten, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html\">09</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 10th week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🌸 <a href=\"https://social.lol/@mihobu\">Michael</a> made incredible paper flowers and you can help him picking the best one: <a href=\"https://mihobu.lol/2024/03/battle-of-the-blooms-2024\">Battle of the Blooms 2024</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 In addition to <a href=\"https://grepjason.sh/office\">Office Space</a>, Jason made <a href=\"https://grepjason.sh/matrix\">The Matrix Gifs</a> available as well 🥳.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎞️ <a href=\"https://www.titledrops.net/explorer?movies=tt0088763+tt0096874+tt0099088&title=Back\">Full of Themselves: An analysis of title drops in movies</a> (thanks <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb/112038415003335362\">Robb</a>).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ New wallpapers by <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@BasicAppleGuy\">BasicAppleGuy</a>: <a href=\"https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/glassy\">Glassy Wallpapers</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💰 The <a href=\"https://www.indieappsales.com/\">Indie App Sales!</a> will start at March 12. It’s a great opportunity to support individual developers and their projects. Here is a list of apps I already own and like, or will look into: <a href=\"https://blurdata.app/\">Blur sensitive data with BlurData for macOS</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id6466660721?mt=12\">Bridges Link Formatting (Mac)</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002\">Bridges: Link Formatting</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/in/app/clorde/id1544909562\">Clorde</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdowns-event-countdown/id917514700\">Countdowns - Event Countdow</a>, <a href=\"https://displaybuddy.app/\">DisplayBuddy - Control monitor brightness directly from your Mac</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084\">DoMarks</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-adhd-reading-glide/id1593045116?mt=12\">Focus & ADHD Reading - Glide</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homebuttons-for-homekit/id1561615144\">HomeButtons for HomeKit</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homecam-for-homekit/id1292995895\">HomeCam for HomeKit</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homelog-for-homekit/id1584408332\">HomeLog for HomeKit</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homepass-for-homekit-matter/id1330266650\">HomePass for HomeKit & Matter</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homerun-2-for-homekit/id1527725746\">HomeRun 2 for HomeKit</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iconic/id1582751983\">Iconic</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/logger-log-track-journal/id1479321094\">Logger - Log, Track & Journal</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002\">Longplay</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mastowatch/id1662271463\">Mastowatch</a>, <a href=\"https://mindmac.app/\">MindMac — Elegant and Fullfil ChatGPT Client for macOS</a>, <a href=\"https://cloud.kaleidoscope.app/store\">Kaleidoscope</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/relog-task-logger/id6462759656\">Relog: Task Logge</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674\">ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signals-for-homekit/id1453293391\">Signals for HomeKit</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sleepr-app/id6465683427\">Sleepr App</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/timeview-calendar-statistics/id1439197028\">Timeview - Calendar Statistics</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yosum-subscription-manager/id6451242119\">Yosum: Subscription Manager</a>, and many more.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 <a href=\"https://sakesalverda.nl/powermode/\">PowerMode for Mac</a> - <em>A utility app to control the energy mode of your MacBook from the status bar.</em></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎵 Enjoyed <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REPPgPcw4hk\">CDK - Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye - YouTube</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I’ve bookmarked these homebrew games for the Gameboy: <a href=\"https://mrpapshmir.itch.io/enceladus\">Enceladus - GBCompo2023 Version by mr.papshmir</a>, <a href=\"https://gumpyfunction.itch.io/feed-it-souls\">Feed IT Souls by Gumpy Function</a>, and <a href=\"https://patmorita.itch.io/hermano-game-boy\">Hermano (Game Boy) by Pat Morita Team</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Finished playing <a href=\"https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Mario_World:_Super_Mario_Advance_2\">Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Watched an episode of <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4\">For All Mankind S4</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌤️ As you can see, I didn’t discover much new this week, which isn’t a bad thing per se; the work was very intense due to exams week, and I was able to go cycling outdoors a few times in good weather together with my wife, practice curving with our dog, and go to the theater 😄.\n </p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [09](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 10th week of 2024:\n\n- 🌸 [Michael](https://social.lol/@mihobu) made incredible paper flowers and you can help him picking the best one: [Battle of the Blooms 2024](https://mihobu.lol/2024/03/battle-of-the-blooms-2024).\n\n- 🎥 In addition to [Office Space](https://grepjason.sh/office), Jason made [The Matrix Gifs](https://grepjason.sh/matrix) available as well 🥳.\n\n- 🎞️ [Full of Themselves: An analysis of title drops in movies](https://www.titledrops.net/explorer?movies=tt0088763+tt0096874+tt0099088&title=Back) (thanks [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb/112038415003335362)). \n\n- 🖼️ New wallpapers by [BasicAppleGuy](https://mastodon.social/@BasicAppleGuy): [Glassy Wallpapers](https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/glassy).\n\n- 💰 The [Indie App Sales!](https://www.indieappsales.com/) will start at March 12. It's a great opportunity to support individual developers and their projects. Here is a list of apps I already own and like, or will look into: [Blur sensitive data with BlurData for macOS](https://blurdata.app/), [Bridges Link Formatting (Mac)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id6466660721?mt=12), [Bridges: Link Formatting](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002), [Clorde](https://apps.apple.com/in/app/clorde/id1544909562), [Countdowns - Event Countdow](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdowns-event-countdown/id917514700), [DisplayBuddy - Control monitor brightness directly from your Mac](https://displaybuddy.app/), [DoMarks](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084), [Focus & ADHD Reading - Glide](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-adhd-reading-glide/id1593045116?mt=12), [HomeButtons for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homebuttons-for-homekit/id1561615144), [HomeCam for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homecam-for-homekit/id1292995895), [HomeLog for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homelog-for-homekit/id1584408332), [HomePass for HomeKit & Matter](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homepass-for-homekit-matter/id1330266650), [HomeRun 2 for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/homerun-2-for-homekit/id1527725746), [Iconic](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iconic/id1582751983), [Logger - Log, Track & Journal](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/logger-log-track-journal/id1479321094), [Longplay](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002), [Mastowatch](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mastowatch/id1662271463), [MindMac — Elegant and Fullfil ChatGPT Client for macOS](https://mindmac.app/), [Kaleidoscope](https://cloud.kaleidoscope.app/store), [Relog: Task Logge](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/relog-task-logger/id6462759656), [ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674), [Signals for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signals-for-homekit/id1453293391), [Sleepr App](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sleepr-app/id6465683427), [Timeview - Calendar Statistics](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/timeview-calendar-statistics/id1439197028), [Yosum: Subscription Manager](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yosum-subscription-manager/id6451242119), and many more.\n\n- 💻 [PowerMode for Mac](https://sakesalverda.nl/powermode/) - *A utility app to control the energy mode of your MacBook from the status bar.*\n\n- 🎵 Enjoyed [CDK - Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REPPgPcw4hk).\n\n- 🎮 I've bookmarked these homebrew games for the Gameboy: [Enceladus - GBCompo2023 Version by mr.papshmir](https://mrpapshmir.itch.io/enceladus), [Feed IT Souls by Gumpy Function](https://gumpyfunction.itch.io/feed-it-souls), and [Hermano (Game Boy) by Pat Morita Team](https://patmorita.itch.io/hermano-game-boy).\n\n- 🎮 Finished playing [Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2](https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Mario_World:_Super_Mario_Advance_2).\n\n- 📺 Watched an episode of [For All Mankind S4](https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4).\n\n- 🌤️ As you can see, I didn't discover much new this week, which isn't a bad thing per se; the work was very intense due to exams week, and I was able to go cycling outdoors a few times in good weather together with my wife, practice curving with our dog, and go to the theater 😄.\n \n",
"date_published": "2024-03-11T12:02:42+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/11/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week nine, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html\">8</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 9. week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 Inspired by <a href=\"https://social.lol/@jason\">Jason’s</a> awesome <a href=\"https://grepjason.sh/2024/officespace-gif\">OfficeSpace.gif</a>, we (re)watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/office-space-1999\">Office Space (1999)</a> as a family. We had a lot of fun.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😆 Cool: <a href=\"https://rss-is-dead.lol/\">RSS IS DEAD LOL</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 Bookmarked <a href=\"https://calibresync.bitbucket.io/\">Calibre Sync</a>. It seems like a great way to access your Calibre library on the go. I’m thinking about moving my library to my NAS and sharing it via WebDAV.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 A few years ago, I had this little Finder Service installed that let me change folder colors via the context menu. Somehow, it was not migrated to my new MacBook, and I had a hard time finding it on the web again: <a href=\"https://github.com/neilsardesai/Manila/releases\">Manila</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ This might come in handy at times: <a href=\"https://github.com/ninxsoft/Mist\">Mist</a> - <em>A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔄 <a href=\"https://github.com/jacklandrin/OnlySwitch\">OnlySwitch</a> for macOS was updated.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 If I had a PSP Go and shipping did not cost three times the price of the adapter, I would have bought this right away: <a href=\"https://geniusgamemods.com/collections/frontpage/products/psp-go-micro-sd-memory-card-adapter-kit\">Micro SD Memory Card Adapter for the PSP Go</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 There was a lot of buzz about the changes in the upcoming iOS version to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). One positive outcome might be this: <a href=\"https://macpaw.com/news/setapp-ios-beta-announcement\">MacPaw Announces Upcoming Beta Version of Setapp Mobile</a>. Now, I’m just waiting for retro gaming emulators to be released for iOS on an alternate store.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ Right now, <a href=\"https://initialcharge.net/2024/02/emulation-on-iphone-guide/\">Emulation on iPhone</a> is a mess. It’s easier to stream PS5 games to your phone or even <a href=\"https://merecivilian.com/playstation-5-games-on-apple-tv/\">Apple TV</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 But iOS is not the only complicated platform for emulation (frontends). As mentioned last week, <a href=\"https://es-de.org\">ES-DE</a> was released for Android. The programmer did not get permission to distribute it on the Google Play Store and therefore went to Amazon. They <a href=\"https://es-de.org/android-amazon\">delisted</a> it too, and he had to move to <a href=\"https://www.patreon.com/es_de/\">Patreon</a>. Anyway, it’s a bit finicky to set up but runs very well on my Retroid Pocket 2S.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 On my Anbernic RG35XX, I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://thelettervsixtim.es/index.html\">VVVVVV</a>. How could I have ignored this for so long?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐸 Came across <a href=\"https://timbojay.itch.io/bubblefrog\">Bubble Frog by Timbo Johnson</a>. It’s a lovely little game for the Game Boy, and the developer seems very passionate about his project. You can download it for free on itch.io, and to support him, I backed it on <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/timbojay/bubble-frog-a-game-boy-bubbly-adventure\">Kickstarter</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ BTW, there is a new GBA emulator out there. So, if you collect ROMs and emulators as well, you can get this one: <a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/s/cuRF9BB6Zf\">Hades: A Nintendo Game Boy Advance Emulator v1.0.0 released</a></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏰 Finished <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Advance_4:_Super_Mario_Bros._3\">Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3</a>. This took me a while and was really, really hard at the end. Next, I finished <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Land\">Super Mario Land</a>. This was the opposite; it only took a few hours. Right now, I am playing <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_World:_Super_Mario_Advance_2\">Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2</a>.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 Even though I’m not 100% convinced that my purchase of a <a href=\"https://pocketbook.de/de_de/pocketbook-era-stardust-silver\">PocketBook Era</a> was the right decision, I still like the idea of an e-ink reader/tablet. These look really great: <a href=\"https://shop.boox.com/products/noteair3\">BOOX Note Air3 C and Note Air3 Series</a>. I’ve never heard of them before, and I wonder if they are more performant than normal e-readers.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚴♂️ My wife and I went for our first bike ride (55 km) of the year outdoors. The weather was fantastic, and there was a hint of spring in the air. It was beautiful.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I’ve decided to (re)play all the <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_(series)#Main_games\">main Mario games</a> in chronological order but don’t necessarily stick to the original platform. If there was a remake available for GB[AC]*, I bought the cartridge and play that version on my Analogue Pocket. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [8](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the 9. week of 2024:\n\n- 🎥 Inspired by [Jason's](https://social.lol/@jason) awesome [OfficeSpace.gif](https://grepjason.sh/2024/officespace-gif), we (re)watched [Office Space (1999)](https://trakt.tv/movies/office-space-1999) as a family. We had a lot of fun.\n\n- 😆 Cool: [RSS IS DEAD LOL](https://rss-is-dead.lol/).\n\n- 📚 Bookmarked [Calibre Sync](https://calibresync.bitbucket.io/). It seems like a great way to access your Calibre library on the go. I'm thinking about moving my library to my NAS and sharing it via WebDAV.\n\n- 💻 A few years ago, I had this little Finder Service installed that let me change folder colors via the context menu. Somehow, it was not migrated to my new MacBook, and I had a hard time finding it on the web again: [Manila](https://github.com/neilsardesai/Manila/releases).\n\n- 🛠️ This might come in handy at times: [Mist](https://github.com/ninxsoft/Mist) - *A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers*.\n\n- 🔄 [OnlySwitch](https://github.com/jacklandrin/OnlySwitch) for macOS was updated.\n\n- 🎮 If I had a PSP Go and shipping did not cost three times the price of the adapter, I would have bought this right away: [Micro SD Memory Card Adapter for the PSP Go](https://geniusgamemods.com/collections/frontpage/products/psp-go-micro-sd-memory-card-adapter-kit).\n\n- 📱 There was a lot of buzz about the changes in the upcoming iOS version to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). One positive outcome might be this: [MacPaw Announces Upcoming Beta Version of Setapp Mobile](https://macpaw.com/news/setapp-ios-beta-announcement). Now, I'm just waiting for retro gaming emulators to be released for iOS on an alternate store.\n\n- 🕹️ Right now, [Emulation on iPhone](https://initialcharge.net/2024/02/emulation-on-iphone-guide/) is a mess. It's easier to stream PS5 games to your phone or even [Apple TV](https://merecivilian.com/playstation-5-games-on-apple-tv/).\n\n- 🤖 But iOS is not the only complicated platform for emulation (frontends). As mentioned last week, [ES-DE](https://es-de.org) was released for Android. The programmer did not get permission to distribute it on the Google Play Store and therefore went to Amazon. They [delisted](https://es-de.org/android-amazon) it too, and he had to move to [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/es_de/). Anyway, it's a bit finicky to set up but runs very well on my Retroid Pocket 2S.\n\n- 🎮 On my Anbernic RG35XX, I stumbled upon [VVVVVV](https://thelettervsixtim.es/index.html). How could I have ignored this for so long?\n\n- 🐸 Came across [Bubble Frog by Timbo Johnson](https://timbojay.itch.io/bubblefrog). It's a lovely little game for the Game Boy, and the developer seems very passionate about his project. You can download it for free on itch.io, and to support him, I backed it on [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/timbojay/bubble-frog-a-game-boy-bubbly-adventure).\n\n- 🕹️ BTW, there is a new GBA emulator out there. So, if you collect ROMs and emulators as well, you can get this one: [Hades: A Nintendo Game Boy Advance Emulator v1.0.0 released](https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/s/cuRF9BB6Zf)\n\n- 🏰 Finished [Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3](https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Advance_4:_Super_Mario_Bros._3). This took me a while and was really, really hard at the end. Next, I finished [Super Mario Land](https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Land). This was the opposite; it only took a few hours. Right now, I am playing [Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2](https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_World:_Super_Mario_Advance_2).[^1]\n\n- 📚 Even though I'm not 100% convinced that my purchase of a [PocketBook Era](https://pocketbook.de/de_de/pocketbook-era-stardust-silver) was the right decision, I still like the idea of an e-ink reader/tablet. These look really great: [BOOX Note Air3 C and Note Air3 Series](https://shop.boox.com/products/noteair3). I've never heard of them before, and I wonder if they are more performant than normal e-readers.\n\n- 🚴♂️ My wife and I went for our first bike ride (55 km) of the year outdoors. The weather was fantastic, and there was a hint of spring in the air. It was beautiful.\n\n[^1]: I've decided to (re)play all the [main Mario games](https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_(series)#Main_games) in chronological order but don't necessarily stick to the original platform. If there was a remake available for GB\\[AC]\\*, I bought the cartridge and play that version on my Analogue Pocket.\n",
"date_published": "2024-03-03T20:57:51+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/03/03/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week eight, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html\">07</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the eighth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>📱 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455\">Simple Scan • Quick Scanner</a> was teased by <a href=\"https://agiletortoise.com\">Agile Tortoise</a>. Curious to see if this will be a better solution than just opening the Files.app and initiating a scan from there. (Actually, I’ve never checked if those generated PDFs have automatic OCR.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>☑️ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/twodos-simple-todos/id6463499163\"> Twodos - Simple Todos</a>: Interesting concept but definitely too basic for my needs.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌧️ <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/looks-like-rain/id6443960587\"> Looks Like Rain</a>: Another weather app. It focuses on graphical bars showing the rain tendencies for the next couple of days. I like that because that’s the main reason for me to open a weather app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ And another updated utility: <a href=\"https://dockexpose.netlify.app/\">Dock Exposé - MacOS window previews on the dock</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐬 <a href=\"https://flipperzero.one/\">Flipperzero - Portable Multi-tool Device for Geeks</a>. I totally missed the <a href=\"https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/the-flipper-zero-has-gotten-a-bad-rap-why-i-love-this-little-hacking-tool\">hype</a> about this device and am not that tech-savvy, but somehow I wish I was able to do something with it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤔 I still don’t quite understand why I am still looking for alternatives to <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a>. The only thing that bothers me about the app is that the sync speed is a bit too sluggish for my taste. Everything else is great. Regardless, after I took a closer look at <a href=\"https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/\">Link Cluster</a> <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html\">last week</a>, this week there was an update for <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/linkeeper/id6449708232\">Linkeeper</a>. The new version also looks quite promising but unfortunately does not support the import of bookmark collections as an .html file. And therefore, there is no easy way for me to migrate my bookmarks. I’ll keep both Apps in mind, though.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ Stumbled upon <a href=\"https://www.zint.org.uk/\">Zint</a> - <em>a complete cross-platform open source barcode generating solution</em>. For individual QR codes, I still use V2 of QR Factory, which is now available in <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/qr-factory-3/id1609285899\">Version 3</a>. Zint is only available as a CLI on the Mac but I’ll keep it in mind in case I want to generate a lot of codes automatically someday.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 Mainly for work, I revisited various ChatGPT / LLM frontends and local LLMs. I had somehow completely lost track of the tools and their capabilities. In the process, I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://mindmac.app/\">MindMac - Connect seamlessly, chat effortlessly with ChatGPT on macOS</a>. It’s a (not very pretty) GUI for more or less all the AI services in the world. Together with <a href=\"https://openrouter.ai/\">OpenRouter</a>, you can quickly and easily try out the major commercial APIs (OpenAI, Google Gemini, etc.), but also, for example, integrate a range of local LLMs (Mistral, Llama, Llava) with the help of <a href=\"https://github.com/ollama/ollama\">ollama</a>. Even uploading images is possible, and the integration of the Google Search API for queries that do not allow online searches. (If you only want to use Ollama with a GUI, there is also, for example, <a href=\"https://github.com/kevinhermawan/Ollamac\">Ollamac - A macOS app for interacting with the Ollama models</a>). In addition, MindMac also combines <a href=\"https://lmstudio.ai/\">LM Studio</a> and <a href=\"https://www.gpt4all.io/\">GPT4All</a> under its interface. The developer is also extremely helpful. I like the app. Apart from that, at the end of the day (more or less in the truest sense of the word), I had to realize once again that ALL of these LLMs are still not capable of doing what I hope for them. Serious work on scientific texts is simply not possible with them. The models make too many mistakes and fail at seemingly simple tasks. I’ll take another look at this in six months. But it does scare me a bit that these tools are probably already being (supposedly) used productively in many related areas.<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💡 I’ve learned quite a bit from JDHeyburn’s <a href=\"https://jdheyburn.co.uk/blog/how-i-use-obsidian-to-journal/#conclusion\">How I use Obsidian to journal</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 As mentioned last week, I really enjoy <a href=\"https://batocera.org\">EmulationStation</a> on my Anbernic <a href=\"https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h\">RG35XX H</a> (for which a <a href=\"https://github.com/rg35xx-cfw/rg35xx-cfw.github.io/releases/tag/rg35xx_plus_h_batocera_20240220\">new release</a> was just published) and Raspberry Pi. Actually, there was no reason, but this week I’ve installed <a href=\"https://es-de.org/#Download\">ES-DE Frontend (EmulationStation Desktop Edition)</a> on my MacBook. Next, I will try to get the <a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVXRHWTT\">Android</a> version running on my Retroid Pocket 2S. According to <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=qGqOSvh2UjQ\">Retro Game Corps</a>, it might not be that hard. IMHO it’s just the best Retroarch / Emulation frontend and it’s fun tinkering around with it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I wanted to check something on playstation.com this week and had to enter my password three or four times, provide a 2FA code, and solve a CAPTCHA. WTF!? That’s why I took the opportunity to switch my account to a <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/en-us/passkey/?country-selector=true#09\">Passkey</a>. I am curious to see what hurdles Sony will now put in my way when using it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📊 This <a href=\"https://sixcolors.com/post/2024/02/a-graphical-2023-report-card-breakdown/\">graphical 2023 Report Card breakdown</a> I found interesting in terms of the biggest Apple fanboys in the “community” 😜.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍿 Watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/l-immensita-2022\">L’immensità (2022)</a> with my wife. Neither of us liked the movie.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Raindrop.io is still not an option for me, as I am uncomfortable with the developer’s proximity to Russia and especially the potential access to its servers by governments. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>With <a href=\"https://smallest.app/notesollama/\">NotesOllama</a> - <em>Use Ollama to talk to local LLMs in Apple Notes</em> - you can also consult your Apple Notes via a local LLM; however, I don’t really use Apple Notes anymore. Just for ChatGPT I still really enjoy <a href=\"https://www.macgpt.com\">MacGPT</a> and there are quit some Obsidian plugins I all don’t like. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [07](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the eighth week of 2024:\n\n- 📱 [Simple Scan • Quick Scanner](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455) was teased by [Agile Tortoise](https://agiletortoise.com). Curious to see if this will be a better solution than just opening the Files.app and initiating a scan from there. (Actually, I've never checked if those generated PDFs have automatic OCR.)\n\n- ☑️ [ Twodos - Simple Todos](https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/twodos-simple-todos/id6463499163): Interesting concept but definitely too basic for my needs.\n\n- 🌧️ [ Looks Like Rain](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/looks-like-rain/id6443960587): Another weather app. It focuses on graphical bars showing the rain tendencies for the next couple of days. I like that because that's the main reason for me to open a weather app.\n\n- 🖥️ And another updated utility: [Dock Exposé - MacOS window previews on the dock](https://dockexpose.netlify.app/).\n\n- 🐬 [Flipperzero - Portable Multi-tool Device for Geeks](https://flipperzero.one/). I totally missed the [hype](https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/the-flipper-zero-has-gotten-a-bad-rap-why-i-love-this-little-hacking-tool) about this device and am not that tech-savvy, but somehow I wish I was able to do something with it.\n\n- 🤔 I still don't quite understand why I am still looking for alternatives to [Anybox](https://anybox.app/). The only thing that bothers me about the app is that the sync speed is a bit too sluggish for my taste. Everything else is great. Regardless, after I took a closer look at [Link Cluster](https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/) [last week](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html), this week there was an update for [Linkeeper](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/linkeeper/id6449708232). The new version also looks quite promising but unfortunately does not support the import of bookmark collections as an .html file. And therefore, there is no easy way for me to migrate my bookmarks. I'll keep both Apps in mind, though.[^1]\n\n- 🛠️ Stumbled upon [Zint](https://www.zint.org.uk/) - *a complete cross-platform open source barcode generating solution*. For individual QR codes, I still use V2 of QR Factory, which is now available in [Version 3](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/qr-factory-3/id1609285899). Zint is only available as a CLI on the Mac but I'll keep it in mind in case I want to generate a lot of codes automatically someday.\n\n- 💻 Mainly for work, I revisited various ChatGPT / LLM frontends and local LLMs. I had somehow completely lost track of the tools and their capabilities. In the process, I stumbled upon [MindMac - Connect seamlessly, chat effortlessly with ChatGPT on macOS](https://mindmac.app/). It's a (not very pretty) GUI for more or less all the AI services in the world. Together with [OpenRouter](https://openrouter.ai/), you can quickly and easily try out the major commercial APIs (OpenAI, Google Gemini, etc.), but also, for example, integrate a range of local LLMs (Mistral, Llama, Llava) with the help of [ollama](https://github.com/ollama/ollama). Even uploading images is possible, and the integration of the Google Search API for queries that do not allow online searches. (If you only want to use Ollama with a GUI, there is also, for example, [Ollamac - A macOS app for interacting with the Ollama models](https://github.com/kevinhermawan/Ollamac)). In addition, MindMac also combines [LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai/) and [GPT4All](https://www.gpt4all.io/) under its interface. The developer is also extremely helpful. I like the app. Apart from that, at the end of the day (more or less in the truest sense of the word), I had to realize once again that ALL of these LLMs are still not capable of doing what I hope for them. Serious work on scientific texts is simply not possible with them. The models make too many mistakes and fail at seemingly simple tasks. I'll take another look at this in six months. But it does scare me a bit that these tools are probably already being (supposedly) used productively in many related areas.[^2]\n\n- 💡 I've learned quite a bit from JDHeyburn's [How I use Obsidian to journal](https://jdheyburn.co.uk/blog/how-i-use-obsidian-to-journal/#conclusion).\n\n- 🎮 As mentioned last week, I really enjoy [EmulationStation](https://batocera.org) on my Anbernic [RG35XX H](https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h) (for which a [new release](https://github.com/rg35xx-cfw/rg35xx-cfw.github.io/releases/tag/rg35xx_plus_h_batocera_20240220) was just published) and Raspberry Pi. Actually, there was no reason, but this week I've installed [ES-DE Frontend (EmulationStation Desktop Edition)](https://es-de.org/#Download) on my MacBook. Next, I will try to get the [Android](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVXRHWTT) version running on my Retroid Pocket 2S. According to [Retro Game Corps](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qGqOSvh2UjQ), it might not be that hard. IMHO it's just the best Retroarch / Emulation frontend and it's fun tinkering around with it.\n\n- 🎮 I wanted to check something on playstation.com this week and had to enter my password three or four times, provide a 2FA code, and solve a CAPTCHA. WTF!? That's why I took the opportunity to switch my account to a [Passkey](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/passkey/?country-selector=true#09). I am curious to see what hurdles Sony will now put in my way when using it.\n\n- 📊 This [graphical 2023 Report Card breakdown](https://sixcolors.com/post/2024/02/a-graphical-2023-report-card-breakdown/) I found interesting in terms of the biggest Apple fanboys in the \"community\" 😜.\n\n- 🍿 Watched [L'immensità (2022)](https://trakt.tv/movies/l-immensita-2022) with my wife. Neither of us liked the movie.\n\n[^1]: Raindrop.io is still not an option for me, as I am uncomfortable with the developer's proximity to Russia and especially the potential access to its servers by governments.\n\n[^2]: With [NotesOllama](https://smallest.app/notesollama/) - *Use Ollama to talk to local LLMs in Apple Notes* - you can also consult your Apple Notes via a local LLM; however, I don't really use Apple Notes anymore. Just for ChatGPT I still really enjoy [MacGPT](https://www.macgpt.com) and there are quit some Obsidian plugins I all don't like.\n",
"date_published": "2024-02-25T13:08:32+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/25/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week seven, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/12/what-caught-my.html\">06</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the seventh week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>👌 So, I think I’ve read and seen enough about the Apple Vision Pro for now. I hope I’ll stay firm and wait at least for Gen 2 and not want to buy it as soon as the AVP is available in Germany. However, I still find this video noteworthy: <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=eOH33sWgds8\">What Reviewers Aren’t Telling You About Apple Vision Pro</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😤 <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/111945573099378265\">Gruber’s polemics</a> and <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/2024/02/eu_rcs_imessage\">European Union bashing</a> are getting on my nerves. I’m going to remove him from my RSS reader and podcast player for a while. Maybe then my Watch won’t complain about an elevated pulse even though I’m not currently training. <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎶 Last week I mentioned <a href=\"https://www.algoriddim.com/\">algoriddim djay</a>, which now also supports Apple Music, and this week I came across <a href=\"https://mixxx.org/news/2024-02-16-mixxx-2-4-0-features/\">Mixxx</a> in my Mastodon timeline for the first time. (Sorry, I can’t find where I saw it right now.) It doesn’t seem to support any streaming services, but it is open source and therefore free to try.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 Well, as said I can’t make music and I can’t draw either, but I found this app interesting: <a href=\"https://astropad.com/product/slate/\">astropad slate</a> - <em>Control your Mac using your iPad and Apple Pencil</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔗 In <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html\">week 5</a> I briefly looked into <a href=\"https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/\">Link Cluster</a> but due to its lacking ability to copy links in Markdown format it was no real alternative to <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a> for me. I sent Link Cluster’s developer a feature request and this week version 2.1 was released. Among many other new features, you can now copy MD links but unfortunately there is still no share sheet extension for adding links on iOS. So, still on my watch list but no real alternative to <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖼️ <a href=\"https://lowtechguys.com/clop/\">Clop</a> - <em>Image, video, PDF and clipboard optimiser Copy large, paste small, send fast</em>: There’s plenty of software for shrinking, for single images, for <a href=\"https://flyingmeat.com/retrobatch/\">batch</a> processes or even as a <a href=\"https://github.com/xryul/obsidian-image-converter\">plugin</a> for Obsidian. Clop monitors the clipboard or directories and optimises images and videos. It’s also available on <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/clop\">Setapp</a>. I will definitely take a look at it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📸 I don’t understand why Apple doesn’t offer a way in Photos.app to compare several photos from a series and specifically select the best one. I even briefly subscribed to Lightroom because it offers a brilliant X|Y comparison function. But since I didn’t really need most of the other functions, the subscription costs were of course not justifiable. I bought <a href=\"https://www.houdah.com/photosWorkbench/\">Photos Workbench</a>, but I didn’t really get along with the app - I have no idea why 🤷♂️. For iOS, there is now <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/photoscope-storage-cleaner/id6474432385\">Photoscope - Storage Cleaner</a>, which I will take a closer look at, but of course it won’t be able to replace a macOS app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://www.reorproject.org/\">Reor</a> - <em>AI note-taking app that runs models locally</em>: Looks interesting, especially in combination with lots of MD files you already store e.g. in Obsidian, but I don’t get the difference between all those LLM available. I have to dig a little bit deeper into this, I guess. I just tried it with TheBloke/DiscoLM_German_7b_v1-GGUF and a sample collection of 5,300 text files and the results were very, very disappointing. Can’t recommend it yet.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 Speaking of AI. Google’s <a href=\"https://deepmind.google/technologies/gemini/#introduction\">Gemini</a> is now supposed to understand books in a fraction of a second and Open AI’s <a href=\"https://openai.com/sora\">Sora</a> can now create videos. I can’t keep up. Today, I asked <a href=\"http://perplexity.ai\">Perplexity</a> to extract the first 25 hits from a Tier List from a website and the LLM absolutely refused to maintain the correct order. But why start small when you can make <a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1arrqpz/funny_glitch_with_sora_interesting_how_it_looks/\">chairs float</a> …</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🗂️ After reading <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb\">Robb</a>’s <a href=\"https://rknight.me/blog/three-months-of-the-johnny-decimal-system/\">Three Months of The Johnny Decimal System</a> I decided to preorder <a href=\"https://hachyderm.io/@johnnydecimal\">Johnny</a>’s <a href=\"https://jdcm.al/10-19-concepts/14-build-your-system/14.03-the-decimal-workshop/\">Workshop</a>. I’ve been using the basic concept <sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> of the <a href=\"https://johnnydecimal.com/00-09-site-administration/00-index/\">Johnny.Decimal System</a> for many years (I would claim ten, but I don’t know how long it’s been around actually), but especially in a work context I eventually hit my limits with the system and am curious if I can apply it even better if I engage with it more intensively.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I spent way too much time with <a href=\"https://batocera.org\">Batocara.linux</a> this week. I installed it on a Raspberry Pi and a <a href=\"https://github.com/rg35xx-cfw/rg35xx-cfw.github.io/releases\">derivative</a> of it on the <a href=\"https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h\">Anbernic RG35XX H</a>. Wow, I’m very impressed with what’s possible with it. It looks so stunning 🥰.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Continued watching <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4\">For All Mankind S04</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😊 My mood was better than last week but not perfect. I hope yours is and have a nice week ahead!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Update 2024-02-20</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Added reason why I don’t yet use Link Cluster as my bookmark manager of choice.</li>\n<li>Added disappointment about Reor.</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Speaking of training, since the beginning of the year I’ve been doing workouts six to seven days a week (sometimes only for 15 min), of which I ride 5 - 6 times on the trainer (30 - 60 min). It’s actually way too strenuous for me, but my FTP at the end of the week attested me a significant jump 🎉 . Now I just need to muster the strength to lose 10 kg. But phew, one thing at a time. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Meanwhile, my file storage in Obsidian has also partially merged with the PARA system and is threatening to collapse into chaos. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [06](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/12/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the seventh week of 2024:\n\n- 👌 So, I think I've read and seen enough about the Apple Vision Pro for now. I hope I'll stay firm and wait at least for Gen 2 and not want to buy it as soon as the AVP is available in Germany. However, I still find this video noteworthy: [What Reviewers Aren’t Telling You About Apple Vision Pro](https://youtube.com/watch?v=eOH33sWgds8).\n\n- 😤 [Gruber's polemics](https://social.lol/@esamecar/111945573099378265) and [European Union bashing](https://daringfireball.net/2024/02/eu_rcs_imessage) are getting on my nerves. I'm going to remove him from my RSS reader and podcast player for a while. Maybe then my Watch won't complain about an elevated pulse even though I'm not currently training. [^1]\n\n- 🎶 Last week I mentioned [algoriddim djay](https://www.algoriddim.com/), which now also supports Apple Music, and this week I came across [Mixxx](https://mixxx.org/news/2024-02-16-mixxx-2-4-0-features/) in my Mastodon timeline for the first time. (Sorry, I can't find where I saw it right now.) It doesn't seem to support any streaming services, but it is open source and therefore free to try.\n\n- 🎨 Well, as said I can't make music and I can't draw either, but I found this app interesting: [astropad slate](https://astropad.com/product/slate/) - *Control your Mac using your iPad and Apple Pencil*.\n\n- 🔗 In [week 5](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html) I briefly looked into [Link Cluster](https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/) but due to its lacking ability to copy links in Markdown format it was no real alternative to [Anybox](https://anybox.app/) for me. I sent Link Cluster's developer a feature request and this week version 2.1 was released. Among many other new features, you can now copy MD links but unfortunately there is still no share sheet extension for adding links on iOS. So, still on my watch list but no real alternative to [Anybox](https://anybox.app/). \n\n- 🖼️ [Clop](https://lowtechguys.com/clop/) - *Image, video, PDF and clipboard optimiser Copy large, paste small, send fast*: There's plenty of software for shrinking, for single images, for [batch](https://flyingmeat.com/retrobatch/) processes or even as a [plugin](https://github.com/xryul/obsidian-image-converter) for Obsidian. Clop monitors the clipboard or directories and optimises images and videos. It's also available on [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/clop). I will definitely take a look at it.\n\n- 📸 I don't understand why Apple doesn't offer a way in Photos.app to compare several photos from a series and specifically select the best one. I even briefly subscribed to Lightroom because it offers a brilliant X|Y comparison function. But since I didn't really need most of the other functions, the subscription costs were of course not justifiable. I bought [Photos Workbench](https://www.houdah.com/photosWorkbench/), but I didn't really get along with the app - I have no idea why 🤷♂️. For iOS, there is now [Photoscope - Storage Cleaner](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/photoscope-storage-cleaner/id6474432385), which I will take a closer look at, but of course it won't be able to replace a macOS app.\n\n- 📝 [Reor](https://www.reorproject.org/) - *AI note-taking app that runs models locally*: Looks interesting, especially in combination with lots of MD files you already store e.g. in Obsidian, but I don't get the difference between all those LLM available. I have to dig a little bit deeper into this, I guess. I just tried it with TheBloke/DiscoLM_German_7b_v1-GGUF and a sample collection of 5,300 text files and the results were very, very disappointing. Can't recommend it yet.\n\n- 🤖 Speaking of AI. Google's [Gemini](https://deepmind.google/technologies/gemini/#introduction) is now supposed to understand books in a fraction of a second and Open AI's [Sora](https://openai.com/sora) can now create videos. I can't keep up. Today, I asked [Perplexity](http://perplexity.ai) to extract the first 25 hits from a Tier List from a website and the LLM absolutely refused to maintain the correct order. But why start small when you can make [chairs float](https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1arrqpz/funny_glitch_with_sora_interesting_how_it_looks/) …\n\n- 🗂️ After reading [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb)'s [Three Months of The Johnny Decimal System](https://rknight.me/blog/three-months-of-the-johnny-decimal-system/) I decided to preorder [Johnny](https://hachyderm.io/@johnnydecimal)'s [Workshop](https://jdcm.al/10-19-concepts/14-build-your-system/14.03-the-decimal-workshop/). I've been using the basic concept [^2] of the [Johnny.Decimal System](https://johnnydecimal.com/00-09-site-administration/00-index/) for many years (I would claim ten, but I don't know how long it's been around actually), but especially in a work context I eventually hit my limits with the system and am curious if I can apply it even better if I engage with it more intensively.\n\n- 🎮 I spent way too much time with [Batocara.linux](https://batocera.org) this week. I installed it on a Raspberry Pi and a [derivative](https://github.com/rg35xx-cfw/rg35xx-cfw.github.io/releases) of it on the [Anbernic RG35XX H](https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h). Wow, I'm very impressed with what's possible with it. It looks so stunning 🥰.\n\n- 📺 Continued watching [For All Mankind S04](https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4).\n\n- 😊 My mood was better than last week but not perfect. I hope yours is and have a nice week ahead!\n\n---\n**Update 2024-02-20**\n- Added reason why I don't yet use Link Cluster as my bookmark manager of choice.\n- Added disappointment about Reor.\n\n\n[^1]: Speaking of training, since the beginning of the year I've been doing workouts six to seven days a week (sometimes only for 15 min), of which I ride 5 - 6 times on the trainer (30 - 60 min). It's actually way too strenuous for me, but my FTP at the end of the week attested me a significant jump 🎉 . Now I just need to muster the strength to lose 10 kg. But phew, one thing at a time.\n\n[^2]: Meanwhile, my file storage in Obsidian has also partially merged with the PARA system and is threatening to collapse into chaos.\n",
"date_published": "2024-02-19T18:14:11+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/19/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/02/12/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week six, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html\">05</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the sixth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🤦♂️ <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html\">Last week</a>, I failed to configure my Mac as a WIFI Access Point with NordVPN. This week, I tried to do it with a Raspberry Pi 4. Since I no longer have a monitor with an HDMI input, I connected the Raspi using a micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter, HDMI cable, HDMI Capture Card with a USB-A connection, and a USB-A to USB-C hub to my iPad 🤯 What a mess but it worked with <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id6459355072\">HDMI Monitor - Orion</a> perfectly fine. I then tried to set up an AP with the help of <a href=\"https://docs.raspap.com/\">RaspAP</a> and install NordVPN on the Raspi. No matter what I tried, my devices just don’t want to connect to the Raspberry Pi’s WLAN, although my iPhone briefly did in hotspot mode and everything seems to work in principle. Well, failed again 🤷♂️ 😢.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💿 I <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5-install-m2-ssd/\">upgraded</a> my PS5’s disk space. It now has an additional 2 TB internal SSD. It took me less than 2 minutes; what an alternative universe it would be if it were the same on a Mac.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💡 Adam had a cool idea again: <a href=\"https://notes.neatnik.net/\">Neatnik Notes · URL as a sentence</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 I enjoyed reading Hiro’s first impressions of his <a href=\"https://hiro.report/2024/02/05/hiroreport-vision-pro.html\"> Vision Pro</a> and was <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/05/apple-vision-pro.html\">wondering about the future</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ So far, I use <a href=\"https://github.com/mattpannella/pupdate\">Pupdate</a> to update my Analogue Pocket. Looked briefly into <a href=\"https://github.com/neil-morrison44/pocket-sync\">pocket-sync: A GUI tool for doing stuff with the Analogue Pocket</a>, but I think I will stick to Pupdate.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😢 I lost all my Save Files for my Analogue Pocket, mainly Super Marios Bros. games. I cried a little bit and now have to start all over with Super Mario Advance 4.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 It’s somehow cool that there is still a lot of great stuff released for the Game Boy, like <a href=\"https://mhughson.itch.io/from-below-pocket\">From Below Pocket by Matt Hughson (NES Dev)</a> or <a href=\"https://skittlesfiddles.itch.io/repugnant-bounty\">Repugnant Bounty by Repugnant Bounty</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎵 I really enjoy using <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002\">Longplay</a> on the iPhone. There is now also <a href=\"https://adrianschoenig.gumroad.com/l/longplay\">Longplay for Mac (Early Access)</a>, but I’m not sure if it’s worth $25+ to me at the moment.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📈 I stumbled upon another Obsidian plugin: <a href=\"https://github.com/pyrochlore/obsidian-tracker\">obsidian-tracker</a> - <em>A plugin tracks occurrences and numbers in your notes</em>. You can really dive deep into it if you want.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎶 Unfortunately, I lack any major DJ skills, but still had a lot of fun at parties in the past with algoriddim djay; that was back when people weren’t streaming 100% of their music and still owned stuff. Unfortunately it was not possible with Apple Music. Years after its launch, that finally changed: <a href=\"https://www.algoriddim.com/\">algoriddim djay</a> - <em>Now with Apple Music Integration</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⚡ This <a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGCR138W\">Portable Wireless Charger for Apple Watch</a> looks interesting. My S7 only has 80% of its initial capacity and this might be handy.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚴 I first watched the making of, <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=QAV51eiO0S8\">Riding the hardest Ski Race track on a bicycle (with Spikes)</a>, and then the actual video <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF5dA5ta5hI\">Fabio Wibmer - THE STREIF</a>. Infinitely insane and great to see the immense preparations needed to capture such an extraordinary performance on film.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 Watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/the-big-sick-2017\">The Big Sick</a> together with my wife and <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/the-marvels-2023\">The Marvels</a> with the whole family. Enjoyed the first one, and the latter wasn’t that bad either. It was quite amusing.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😔 My mood has been extremely bad this week. I’m sure everything will be better next week. I hope you have a great week too!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [05](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the sixth week of 2024:\n\n- 🤦♂️ [Last week](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html), I failed to configure my Mac as a WIFI Access Point with NordVPN. This week, I tried to do it with a Raspberry Pi 4. Since I no longer have a monitor with an HDMI input, I connected the Raspi using a micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter, HDMI cable, HDMI Capture Card with a USB-A connection, and a USB-A to USB-C hub to my iPad 🤯 What a mess but it worked with [HDMI Monitor - Orion](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6459355072) perfectly fine. I then tried to set up an AP with the help of [RaspAP](https://docs.raspap.com/) and install NordVPN on the Raspi. No matter what I tried, my devices just don't want to connect to the Raspberry Pi's WLAN, although my iPhone briefly did in hotspot mode and everything seems to work in principle. Well, failed again 🤷♂️ 😢.\n\n- 💿 I [upgraded](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5-install-m2-ssd/) my PS5's disk space. It now has an additional 2 TB internal SSD. It took me less than 2 minutes; what an alternative universe it would be if it were the same on a Mac.\n\n- 💡 Adam had a cool idea again: [Neatnik Notes · URL as a sentence](https://notes.neatnik.net/).\n\n- 📱 I enjoyed reading Hiro's first impressions of his [ Vision Pro](https://hiro.report/2024/02/05/hiroreport-vision-pro.html) and was [wondering about the future](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/05/apple-vision-pro.html).\n\n- 🕹️ So far, I use [Pupdate](https://github.com/mattpannella/pupdate) to update my Analogue Pocket. Looked briefly into [pocket-sync: A GUI tool for doing stuff with the Analogue Pocket](https://github.com/neil-morrison44/pocket-sync), but I think I will stick to Pupdate.\n\n- 😢 I lost all my Save Files for my Analogue Pocket, mainly Super Marios Bros. games. I cried a little bit and now have to start all over with Super Mario Advance 4.\n\n- 🎮 It's somehow cool that there is still a lot of great stuff released for the Game Boy, like [From Below Pocket by Matt Hughson (NES Dev)](https://mhughson.itch.io/from-below-pocket) or [Repugnant Bounty by Repugnant Bounty](https://skittlesfiddles.itch.io/repugnant-bounty).\n\n- 🎵 I really enjoy using [Longplay](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/longplay/id1495152002) on the iPhone. There is now also [Longplay for Mac (Early Access)](https://adrianschoenig.gumroad.com/l/longplay), but I'm not sure if it's worth $25+ to me at the moment.\n\n- 📈 I stumbled upon another Obsidian plugin: [obsidian-tracker](https://github.com/pyrochlore/obsidian-tracker) - *A plugin tracks occurrences and numbers in your notes*. You can really dive deep into it if you want.\n\n- 🎶 Unfortunately, I lack any major DJ skills, but still had a lot of fun at parties in the past with algoriddim djay; that was back when people weren't streaming 100% of their music and still owned stuff. Unfortunately it was not possible with Apple Music. Years after its launch, that finally changed: [algoriddim djay](https://www.algoriddim.com/) - *Now with Apple Music Integration*.\n\n- ⚡ This [Portable Wireless Charger for Apple Watch](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGCR138W) looks interesting. My S7 only has 80% of its initial capacity and this might be handy. \n\n- 🚴 I first watched the making of, [Riding the hardest Ski Race track on a bicycle (with Spikes)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QAV51eiO0S8), and then the actual video [Fabio Wibmer - THE STREIF](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF5dA5ta5hI). Infinitely insane and great to see the immense preparations needed to capture such an extraordinary performance on film.\n\n- 🎥 Watched [The Big Sick](https://trakt.tv/movies/the-big-sick-2017) together with my wife and [The Marvels](https://trakt.tv/movies/the-marvels-2023) with the whole family. Enjoyed the first one, and the latter wasn't that bad either. It was quite amusing.\n\n- 😔 My mood has been extremely bad this week. I'm sure everything will be better next week. I hope you have a great week too!\n",
"date_published": "2024-02-12T21:11:54+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/12/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","analogue_pocket"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/02/05/apple-vision-pro.html",
"title": "Apple Vision Pro - a glimpse of the future?",
"content_html": "<p>After <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/24054862/apple-vision-pro-review-vr-ar-headset-features-price\">reading</a> and <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=GkPw6ScHyb4\">watching</a> selected reports about the Apple Vision Pro, the consensus seems to be that the experience is absolutely unique. Although, it seems to be just the beginning of something really big to come due to its many existing <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/the_vision_pro\">shortcomings</a> (weight, battery life, bulkiness, price etc.). Therefore, the device is more of a vision what Spatial Computing could be like in the future. Wouldn’t it be great if, in a few years, we could wear cheaper and especially much lighter and smaller glasses that discreetly answer all our questions anywhere or project a cinema screen in front of our faces, even though we’re sitting on a <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=UvkgmyfMPks\">bench on the Times Square</a>? Similar to how the iPhone initially had a number of shortcomings (price, EDGE, no copy and paste, no app store, no video recording, poor camera, etc.) that have now been almost completely eliminated, the next few years will also provide a far better Spatial Computing experience.</p>\n<p>However, I wonder whether this will really be the case with the Apple Vision Pro, or whether we will only see improved versions of the current hardware in the foreseeable future, but no radical shift or further development that the reviewers / YouTubers are dreaming of.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> Will it really be possible to project non-transparent objects into our eyes without completely shielding them from ambient light? But as long as this is not the case, we will have to continue walking around<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> with far too large, bulky, ski goggles tailored exactly to the wearer’s face, and no, this is definitely not the future I want to experience.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I mean, the iPhone and the Apple Watch have definitely improved a lot over the years, but fundamentally neither of these two devices has evolved from the first version into a new dimension. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I actually mean exactly that - walking around. I can already see the great potential of the Vision Pro when you’re more or less in one place (couch, workplace), but I wonder whether the vision of “everyone wearing one of these devices everywhere and at all times” can actually be realized with this concept. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nAfter [reading](https://www.theverge.com/24054862/apple-vision-pro-review-vr-ar-headset-features-price) and [watching](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GkPw6ScHyb4) selected reports about the Apple Vision Pro, the consensus seems to be that the experience is absolutely unique. Although, it seems to be just the beginning of something really big to come due to its many existing [shortcomings](https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/the_vision_pro) (weight, battery life, bulkiness, price etc.). Therefore, the device is more of a vision what Spatial Computing could be like in the future. Wouldn't it be great if, in a few years, we could wear cheaper and especially much lighter and smaller glasses that discreetly answer all our questions anywhere or project a cinema screen in front of our faces, even though we're sitting on a [bench on the Times Square](https://youtube.com/watch?v=UvkgmyfMPks)? Similar to how the iPhone initially had a number of shortcomings (price, EDGE, no copy and paste, no app store, no video recording, poor camera, etc.) that have now been almost completely eliminated, the next few years will also provide a far better Spatial Computing experience.\n\nHowever, I wonder whether this will really be the case with the Apple Vision Pro, or whether we will only see improved versions of the current hardware in the foreseeable future, but no radical shift or further development that the reviewers / YouTubers are dreaming of.[^1] Will it really be possible to project non-transparent objects into our eyes without completely shielding them from ambient light? But as long as this is not the case, we will have to continue walking around[^2] with far too large, bulky, ski goggles tailored exactly to the wearer's face, and no, this is definitely not the future I want to experience.\n\n[^1]: I mean, the iPhone and the Apple Watch have definitely improved a lot over the years, but fundamentally neither of these two devices has evolved from the first version into a new dimension.\n[^2]: I actually mean exactly that - walking around. I can already see the great potential of the Vision Pro when you're more or less in one place (couch, workplace), but I wonder whether the vision of \"everyone wearing one of these devices everywhere and at all times\" can actually be realized with this concept.\n",
"date_published": "2024-02-05T13:00:25+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/05/apple-vision-pro.html",
"tags": ["Apple"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week five, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html\">04</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the fifth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 This week I had to repeatedly curb my nearly uncontrollable urge to buy gadgets I don’t need - so far quite successfully. I did not order the <a href=\"https://www.ayaneo.com/product/AYANEO-NEXT-LITE.html\">Ayaneo Next LITE</a> nor pledged the <a href=\"https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ayaneo-flip-world-1st-dual-screen-windows-handheld--2#/\">Ayaneo Flip - World 1st Dual-Screen Windows Handheld</a> on Indiegogo. I definitely do not need more gaming handhelds at the moment, even though I don’t own one that supports Windows games yet. My backlog is already long enough, I don’t need another platform with even more games that I will never play. <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ One of the games therein is <a href=\"https://exok.com/games/celeste/\">Celeste</a> for the Switch or Playstation. It <a href=\"https://retrododo.com/celeste-64/\">seems to be an absolute classic</a> and I only know the version for the <a href=\"https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145\">pico-8</a>, where it all started. It’s really hard and so far I can’t even get past the third (or fourth?) screen. Regardless, there is now a version as a homage to the N64 area: <a href=\"https://maddymakesgamesinc.itch.io/celeste64\">Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain by Maddy Makes Games, Heidy Motta, Noel, saint11</a>. Unfortunately not yet for the Mac, but in the comments you could already read that it is technically quite possible and probably will come.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ Speaking of gaming on the Mac: This week <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/death-stranding-directors-cut/id6449748961\">Death Stranding Director’s Cut</a> was released. I hadn’t dealt with the game so far, I don’t know either the original version for the PS4 or the Director’s Cut for the PS5. Unlike Resident Evil 4, which recently appeared for Apple’s devices, this was an opportunity to get an AAA game for macOS at a reasonable price that I hadn’t played before. And wow, I am absolutely impressed by the graphics on my MacBook Pro M2 so far. Holy shit, I mean, wow. So far I was not considering a Mac being able to do such a thing. Whether the actual game will appeal to me, I still have to find out, but as a tech demo it has definitely already picked me up. To be able to play it better, I bought a <a href=\"https://www.8bitdo.com/pro2/\">Pro 2 Controller</a> from 8BitDo. At first I despaired of their product portfolio, <sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> and then I realized that I could have used an old PS4 controller. Well, what can you do. I guess, now I am not only somehow collecting retro handhelds, but also game controllers …</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏱️ The release of Death Stranding was well timed, as I finished the story of Diablo IV after about 56 hours of playtime this week. I can note for myself that I always take about twice as long for a game as indicated on <a href=\"https://howlongtobeat.com/game/71960\">HowLongToBeat</a> 🤷♂️. My Rogue is now level 49 and I will definitely tackle the end game again, at least until I reach level 50 with her. I enjoyed the game, but Diablo IV did not 100% convince me. At first it overwhelmed me with its complexity and its own language for all the facets of the game. The whole system seems unnecessarily complicated to me and later the gameplay became quiet repetitive. And all this in-game loot box up sell shit really got on my nerves. I mean, you buy a full price game and then you’re constantly being thrown pointless IAPs for up to 150 € in your face. Seriously?! Anyway, in the next few weeks I think I will focus again on Super Marios Bros. 3 (GBA) on my <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co\">Analogue</a> Pocket and look maybe at smaller indie titles on the console at most. Then I see if I enjoy Death Stranding. Maybe I’ll understand the <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QLq2k22AB0\">trailer for part 2</a> better afterwards?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 BTW what definitely interests me more than a Windows handheld is the now possibly upcoming Switch 2 this year and I found the rumors that <a href=\"https://retrododo.com/ps-vitas-successor-is-reportedly-on-the-way/\">The PS Vita’s Successor Is Reportedly On The Way & Compatible With PS4/PS5 Titles</a> interesting, too.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 I also did not give in to my impulse to pre-order a rabbit <a href=\"https://www.rabbit.tech/\">r1 - your pocket companion</a>. I find the r1 very exciting as a concept study. I like the design, which comes from the <a href=\"https://teenage.engineering\">same pen</a> as the <a href=\"https://play.date\">playdate</a>. However, the r1 would not be delivered to Europe until the second half of the year anyways, and if the rumors are true, hopefully a usable AI will also be included in <a href=\"https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/01/tim-cook-apple-ai-ios-18/\">iOS 18</a> in the fall. Ultimately, of course, something like this belongs in the smartphone, and I therefore see the r1 at best as a cute gimmick, without a real future. But that’s not a reason not to have fun with a toy, is it?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 If I understood correctly, the r1 uses <a href=\"https://www.perplexity.ai\">perplexity.ai</a>, about which I have read a lot of good things lately. Therefore, I wanted to take a closer look at this service, but their Cloudflare configuration initially did not want to <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/111861940258698097\">let me play along</a> with Safari 🤷♂️. I don’t know what exactly Cloudflare didn’t like, the check also came with the Arc browser, but disappeared after some time. I’m not really convinced yet, but I definitely need to use the service more to form a final opinion.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 Speaking of <a href=\"https://arc.net\">Arc Browser</a>, I suspect that <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/arc-search/id6472513080\"> Arc Search</a> also uses <a href=\"https://www.perplexity.ai\">perplexity.ai</a>, especially since it can be configured as the default search engine in Arc. I am still not 100% convinced by the browser, either. It all seems a bit strange and opaque to me (why do I need an account to surf the web?!) <sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup> and I find the browser itself quite sluggish and already a bit bloated. I also don’t know what to make of this <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/news/the-browser-company-announces-act-ii-for-arc-the-browser-that-browses-for-you/\">Act II</a>. Anyway, there were very <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/reviews/arc-search-for-iphone/\">enthusiastic reports</a> about Arc Search, but the app hasn’t really picked me up yet by now. I will force myself to use it more often in the next few days in order to be able to form a better opinion.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🚀 I stumbled upon this post in my RSS Reader - <a href=\"https://www.blast-o-rama.com/2024/01/30/the-iconfactory-looks-to-launch-project-tapestry-via-kickstarter/\">The Iconfactory Looks To Launch PROJECT TAPESTRY via Kickstarter</a> - and more or less backed the <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry\">Early Bird Special</a> immediately: <em>With Project Tapestry, we’ll create a universal, chronological timeline for iOS for any data that’s publicly available on the Internet.</em> Who doesn’t like the guys from <a href=\"https://iconfactory.com\">The Iconfactory</a> and after the whole Twitter debacle a year ago, I’m happy to support the developers. I’m curious to see if an app will ultimately come out that I find useful, and if not, at least I was able to follow the development and had access to some nice <a href=\"https://wallaroo.app\">wallpapers</a> for a year 🤷♂️. Not coincidentally, <a href=\"https://gloria.social/@rizzi/111856959119832404\">Silvio Rizzi</a> announced his new app a few days later: <em>A new app, completely rebuilt and rethought from the ground up. This probably won’t replace the current Reeder (not going away) for a lot of users.</em> He also didn’t miss the opportunity to show Project Tapestry directly in his screenshot 😈.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧹 This little app from <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@_inside\">Gui Rambo</a> <em>helps you clean your Mac’s keyboard and trackpad</em>: <a href=\"https://cleanupbuddy.app/\">CleanupBuddy</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📎 As announced <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html\">last week</a>, I took a look at <a href=\"https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/\">Link Cluster</a> - <em>Collect and manage links</em>. In principle, I like the app, but it yet lacks the ability to copy links as Markdown links, and that alone is a reason for me to stick with <a href=\"https://anybox.app/\">Anybox</a> for now. Therefore, I have not yet bought the full version and cannot assess how Link Cluster handles large bookmark collections. But I will definitely continue to follow the development of the app.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 I stumbled upon this at the beginning of the week on <a href=\"https://waxy.org\">Waxy.org</a> and am surprised that it is still online: <a href=\"https://ascii.theater/\">ASCII Theater</a> - <em>stream free-text-based movies-in your-terminal</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>I was very happy and honoured that <a href=\"https://social.lol/@mihobu\">Michael</a> included my little site in his <a href=\"https://mihobu.lol/blogroll\">blogroll</a>. I also enjoy reading his posts a lot, so its mutual. I also need to revise my own <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/blogroll/\">blogroll</a>, I just have to find the time to do it.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📵 At the beginning of the year, I had resolved to give up certain things for a few months, each for a month. In January, I started with giving up alcohol and today I realized that it is already February. My problem now is that all the things I had thought of not doing for February, I have already done in the last three days 🤦♂️. Now what?! I think I just have to spend February without consuming alcohol as well and prepare better for March 🤣 On my list of ideas is also “A month without a smartphone” or “A month without an Apple Watch”. That seems too crazy to me right now, and maybe I’ll combine it into a “A month less gadgets” and give up my iPhone or my watch for “only” a week each, like Arne did with his <a href=\"https://arne.me/articles/i-lived-7-days-without-a-smartphone\">phone</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😂 When I read this, I had to laugh a lot:<sup id=\"fnref:4\"><a href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">4</a></sup> <a href=\"https://www.heise.de/news/Deutsche-Bahn-sucht-Admin-fuer-Windows-3-11-for-Workgroups-9611543.html\">Deutsche Bahn sucht Admin für Windows 3.11 for Workgroups</a>, which means “Deutsche Bahn is looking for an Admin for Windows 3.11 for Workgroups” and immediately thought of <a href=\"https://norden.social/@racemase/111341692772365841\">my photo</a> which I took in one of our, oh so modern, ICE trains last November.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 I stumbled upon this at <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/blog/2024/1/7-things-this-week-129\">Hey Dingus</a>: <a href=\"https://www.perry.qa/morse\">Learn Morse Code</a>. I would also like to learn something like this. But first, I should probably start refreshing the tying of various <a href=\"https://www.animatedknots.com/\">knots</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍪 I printed a very large <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/658952-giant-oreo-container\">Oreo cookie</a>. It weighs (not just a feeling) a good half kilogram, consists of six parts, has hardly any space inside but is absolutely awesome. In addition, I printed a <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/56004-homepod-mini-stand\">HomePod Mini stand</a> for ours in the kitchen. This way it might survive a disaster better. I also like this <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/518689-apple-watch-stand\">Apple Watch Stand</a> and while I was at it, I also printed <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/423218-snes-cartridge-holder-pal\">SNES Cartridge Holder (PAL)</a> and the <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/512566-n64-single-cartridge-display-stand\">N64 Single Cartridge Display Stand</a> for my Super Mario cartridges.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖨️ The next project for my <a href=\"https://www.ankermake.com/eu-en/m5?ref=naviMenu_2_2_img\">AnkerMake M5</a> is to take a closer look at <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8\">Gridfinity</a>. It seems to me to be a <a href=\"https://gridfinity.xyz\">nice system</a>. Now I just need to figure out which base plates I can best use.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 This week I wanted to use a VPN connection with a device that is only WLAN capable. Since there is no way to set up a VPN service directly on the device, I thought it should be easy to make my Mac’s VPN connection available to other devices via WLAN Sharing. Well, far from it. Basically, it seems to be possible somehow, but unfortunately not with the help of <a href=\"https://nordvpn.com/\">NordVPN</a>, my until now used VPN provider 😢.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👌 In the Apple universe, of course, the launch of the <a href=\"https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/\">Apple Vision Pro</a> was the event of the week. The usual suspects have already <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/the_vision_pro\">written</a> or <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/24054862/apple-vision-pro-review-vr-ar-headset-features-price\">published videos</a> extensively about it. As a European, I will thankfully not be confronted with the question of whether it might be worth the money for me in the next couple months. Basically, I am of course extremely fascinated and would give a lot to be able to try it out. Especially the entertainment aspect appeals to me, because my better half only tolerates a tiny 32" TV in the living room, <sup id=\"fnref:5\"><a href=\"#fn:5\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">5</a></sup> and not only having a home cinema, but a whole iMAX cinema in my own four walls, of course appears extremely tempting. However, I am also not sure what would happen if I used a VisionPro at home in her presence, I at least only dared to use the PS VR 1 when she was out … 🤷♂️</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 Last but not least, <a href=\"https://mas.to/@obsidian/111863007663904581\">Obsidian</a> now also offers servers outside the USA. I therefore moved my private Obsidian vault to a European server and immediately imagine that the synchronization is faster. Apart from that, I find it better anyway to know my data in a European data center.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Continued watching <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4\">For All Mankind</a> S4 with my wife. I enjoy this TV show but it definitely does not make you happy or confident.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Buying computer games is also a kind of <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/111846076008240616\">addiction for me</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I find it very confusing and difficult to find out which controller fits with which device how. Especially since some are listed as not compatible with the Mac, but can pretend to be a Switch controller, which macOS usually recognizes without problems. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Is that still the case? 🤔 <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:4\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Actually, it’s much too sad, but by now I have come to terms with the fact that I live in a country where a lot, a lot is broken and only a few people believe we are at the forefront of anything or really good at it. <a href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:5\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>But I was allowed to buy a projector and a portable screen for shared movie nights. <a href=\"#fnref:5\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [04](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the fifth week of 2024:\n\n- 🎮 This week I had to repeatedly curb my nearly uncontrollable urge to buy gadgets I don't need - so far quite successfully. I did not order the [Ayaneo Next LITE](https://www.ayaneo.com/product/AYANEO-NEXT-LITE.html) nor pledged the [Ayaneo Flip - World 1st Dual-Screen Windows Handheld](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ayaneo-flip-world-1st-dual-screen-windows-handheld--2#/) on Indiegogo. I definitely do not need more gaming handhelds at the moment, even though I don't own one that supports Windows games yet. My backlog is already long enough, I don't need another platform with even more games that I will never play. [^1]\n\n- 🕹️ One of the games therein is [Celeste](https://exok.com/games/celeste/) for the Switch or Playstation. It [seems to be an absolute classic](https://retrododo.com/celeste-64/) and I only know the version for the [pico-8](https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=2145), where it all started. It's really hard and so far I can't even get past the third (or fourth?) screen. Regardless, there is now a version as a homage to the N64 area: [Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain by Maddy Makes Games, Heidy Motta, Noel, saint11](https://maddymakesgamesinc.itch.io/celeste64). Unfortunately not yet for the Mac, but in the comments you could already read that it is technically quite possible and probably will come.\n\n- 🖥️ Speaking of gaming on the Mac: This week [Death Stranding Director's Cut](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/death-stranding-directors-cut/id6449748961) was released. I hadn't dealt with the game so far, I don't know either the original version for the PS4 or the Director's Cut for the PS5. Unlike Resident Evil 4, which recently appeared for Apple's devices, this was an opportunity to get an AAA game for macOS at a reasonable price that I hadn't played before. And wow, I am absolutely impressed by the graphics on my MacBook Pro M2 so far. Holy shit, I mean, wow. So far I was not considering a Mac being able to do such a thing. Whether the actual game will appeal to me, I still have to find out, but as a tech demo it has definitely already picked me up. To be able to play it better, I bought a [Pro 2 Controller](https://www.8bitdo.com/pro2/) from 8BitDo. At first I despaired of their product portfolio, [^5] and then I realized that I could have used an old PS4 controller. Well, what can you do. I guess, now I am not only somehow collecting retro handhelds, but also game controllers ...\n\n- ⏱️ The release of Death Stranding was well timed, as I finished the story of Diablo IV after about 56 hours of playtime this week. I can note for myself that I always take about twice as long for a game as indicated on [HowLongToBeat](https://howlongtobeat.com/game/71960) 🤷♂️. My Rogue is now level 49 and I will definitely tackle the end game again, at least until I reach level 50 with her. I enjoyed the game, but Diablo IV did not 100% convince me. At first it overwhelmed me with its complexity and its own language for all the facets of the game. The whole system seems unnecessarily complicated to me and later the gameplay became quiet repetitive. And all this in-game loot box up sell shit really got on my nerves. I mean, you buy a full price game and then you're constantly being thrown pointless IAPs for up to 150 € in your face. Seriously?! Anyway, in the next few weeks I think I will focus again on Super Marios Bros. 3 (GBA) on my [Analogue](https://www.analogue.co) Pocket and look maybe at smaller indie titles on the console at most. Then I see if I enjoy Death Stranding. Maybe I'll understand the [trailer for part 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QLq2k22AB0) better afterwards?\n\n- 🎮 BTW what definitely interests me more than a Windows handheld is the now possibly upcoming Switch 2 this year and I found the rumors that [The PS Vita's Successor Is Reportedly On The Way & Compatible With PS4/PS5 Titles](https://retrododo.com/ps-vitas-successor-is-reportedly-on-the-way/) interesting, too.\n\n- 📱 I also did not give in to my impulse to pre-order a rabbit [r1 - your pocket companion](https://www.rabbit.tech/). I find the r1 very exciting as a concept study. I like the design, which comes from the [same pen](https://teenage.engineering) as the [playdate](https://play.date). However, the r1 would not be delivered to Europe until the second half of the year anyways, and if the rumors are true, hopefully a usable AI will also be included in [iOS 18](https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/01/tim-cook-apple-ai-ios-18/) in the fall. Ultimately, of course, something like this belongs in the smartphone, and I therefore see the r1 at best as a cute gimmick, without a real future. But that's not a reason not to have fun with a toy, is it?\n\n- 💻 If I understood correctly, the r1 uses [perplexity.ai](https://www.perplexity.ai), about which I have read a lot of good things lately. Therefore, I wanted to take a closer look at this service, but their Cloudflare configuration initially did not want to [let me play along](https://social.lol/@esamecar/111861940258698097) with Safari 🤷♂️. I don't know what exactly Cloudflare didn't like, the check also came with the Arc browser, but disappeared after some time. I'm not really convinced yet, but I definitely need to use the service more to form a final opinion.\n\n- 🌐 Speaking of [Arc Browser](https://arc.net), I suspect that [ Arc Search](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/arc-search/id6472513080) also uses [perplexity.ai](https://www.perplexity.ai), especially since it can be configured as the default search engine in Arc. I am still not 100% convinced by the browser, either. It all seems a bit strange and opaque to me (why do I need an account to surf the web?!) [^2] and I find the browser itself quite sluggish and already a bit bloated. I also don't know what to make of this [Act II](https://www.macstories.net/news/the-browser-company-announces-act-ii-for-arc-the-browser-that-browses-for-you/). Anyway, there were very [enthusiastic reports](https://www.macstories.net/reviews/arc-search-for-iphone/) about Arc Search, but the app hasn't really picked me up yet by now. I will force myself to use it more often in the next few days in order to be able to form a better opinion.\n\n- 🚀 I stumbled upon this post in my RSS Reader - [The Iconfactory Looks To Launch PROJECT TAPESTRY via Kickstarter](https://www.blast-o-rama.com/2024/01/30/the-iconfactory-looks-to-launch-project-tapestry-via-kickstarter/) - and more or less backed the [Early Bird Special](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iconfactory/project-tapestry) immediately: *With Project Tapestry, we'll create a universal, chronological timeline for iOS for any data that’s publicly available on the Internet.* Who doesn't like the guys from [The Iconfactory](https://iconfactory.com) and after the whole Twitter debacle a year ago, I'm happy to support the developers. I'm curious to see if an app will ultimately come out that I find useful, and if not, at least I was able to follow the development and had access to some nice [wallpapers](https://wallaroo.app) for a year 🤷♂️. Not coincidentally, [Silvio Rizzi](https://gloria.social/@rizzi/111856959119832404) announced his new app a few days later: *A new app, completely rebuilt and rethought from the ground up. This probably won’t replace the current Reeder (not going away) for a lot of users.* He also didn't miss the opportunity to show Project Tapestry directly in his screenshot 😈.\n\n- 🧹 This little app from [Gui Rambo](https://mastodon.social/@_inside) *helps you clean your Mac's keyboard and trackpad*: [CleanupBuddy](https://cleanupbuddy.app/).\n\n- 📎 As announced [last week](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html), I took a look at [Link Cluster](https://www.witt-software.com/linkcluster/) - *Collect and manage links*. In principle, I like the app, but it yet lacks the ability to copy links as Markdown links, and that alone is a reason for me to stick with [Anybox](https://anybox.app/) for now. Therefore, I have not yet bought the full version and cannot assess how Link Cluster handles large bookmark collections. But I will definitely continue to follow the development of the app.\n\n- 🎥 I stumbled upon this at the beginning of the week on [Waxy.org](https://waxy.org) and am surprised that it is still online: [ASCII Theater](https://ascii.theater/) - *stream free-text-based movies-in your-terminal*.\n\n- I was very happy and honoured that [Michael](https://social.lol/@mihobu) included my little site in his [blogroll](https://mihobu.lol/blogroll). I also enjoy reading his posts a lot, so its mutual. I also need to revise my own [blogroll](https://mb.esamecar.net/blogroll/), I just have to find the time to do it.\n\n- 📵 At the beginning of the year, I had resolved to give up certain things for a few months, each for a month. In January, I started with giving up alcohol and today I realized that it is already February. My problem now is that all the things I had thought of not doing for February, I have already done in the last three days 🤦♂️. Now what?! I think I just have to spend February without consuming alcohol as well and prepare better for March 🤣 On my list of ideas is also \"A month without a smartphone\" or \"A month without an Apple Watch\". That seems too crazy to me right now, and maybe I'll combine it into a \"A month less gadgets\" and give up my iPhone or my watch for \"only\" a week each, like Arne did with his [phone](https://arne.me/articles/i-lived-7-days-without-a-smartphone).\n\n- 😂 When I read this, I had to laugh a lot:[^3] [Deutsche Bahn sucht Admin für Windows 3.11 for Workgroups](https://www.heise.de/news/Deutsche-Bahn-sucht-Admin-fuer-Windows-3-11-for-Workgroups-9611543.html), which means \"Deutsche Bahn is looking for an Admin for Windows 3.11 for Workgroups\" and immediately thought of [my photo](https://norden.social/@racemase/111341692772365841) which I took in one of our, oh so modern, ICE trains last November.\n\n- 📚 I stumbled upon this at [Hey Dingus](https://heydingus.net/blog/2024/1/7-things-this-week-129): [Learn Morse Code](https://www.perry.qa/morse). I would also like to learn something like this. But first, I should probably start refreshing the tying of various [knots](https://www.animatedknots.com/).\n\n- 🍪 I printed a very large [Oreo cookie](https://www.printables.com/de/model/658952-giant-oreo-container). It weighs (not just a feeling) a good half kilogram, consists of six parts, has hardly any space inside but is absolutely awesome. In addition, I printed a [HomePod Mini stand](https://www.printables.com/de/model/56004-homepod-mini-stand) for ours in the kitchen. This way it might survive a disaster better. I also like this [Apple Watch Stand](https://www.printables.com/de/model/518689-apple-watch-stand) and while I was at it, I also printed [SNES Cartridge Holder (PAL)](https://www.printables.com/de/model/423218-snes-cartridge-holder-pal) and the [N64 Single Cartridge Display Stand](https://www.printables.com/de/model/512566-n64-single-cartridge-display-stand) for my Super Mario cartridges.\n\n- 🖨️ The next project for my [AnkerMake M5](https://www.ankermake.com/eu-en/m5?ref=naviMenu_2_2_img) is to take a closer look at [Gridfinity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8). It seems to me to be a [nice system](https://gridfinity.xyz). Now I just need to figure out which base plates I can best use.\n\n- 💻 This week I wanted to use a VPN connection with a device that is only WLAN capable. Since there is no way to set up a VPN service directly on the device, I thought it should be easy to make my Mac's VPN connection available to other devices via WLAN Sharing. Well, far from it. Basically, it seems to be possible somehow, but unfortunately not with the help of [NordVPN](https://nordvpn.com/), my until now used VPN provider 😢.\n\n- 👌 In the Apple universe, of course, the launch of the [Apple Vision Pro](https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/) was the event of the week. The usual suspects have already [written](https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/the_vision_pro) or [published videos](https://www.theverge.com/24054862/apple-vision-pro-review-vr-ar-headset-features-price) extensively about it. As a European, I will thankfully not be confronted with the question of whether it might be worth the money for me in the next couple months. Basically, I am of course extremely fascinated and would give a lot to be able to try it out. Especially the entertainment aspect appeals to me, because my better half only tolerates a tiny 32\" TV in the living room, [^4] and not only having a home cinema, but a whole iMAX cinema in my own four walls, of course appears extremely tempting. However, I am also not sure what would happen if I used a VisionPro at home in her presence, I at least only dared to use the PS VR 1 when she was out ... 🤷♂️\n\n- 📝 Last but not least, [Obsidian](https://mas.to/@obsidian/111863007663904581) now also offers servers outside the USA. I therefore moved my private Obsidian vault to a European server and immediately imagine that the synchronization is faster. Apart from that, I find it better anyway to know my data in a European data center.\n\n- 📺 Continued watching [For All Mankind](https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4) S4 with my wife. I enjoy this TV show but it definitely does not make you happy or confident.\n\n[^1]: Buying computer games is also a kind of [addiction for me](https://social.lol/@esamecar/111846076008240616).\n[^2]: Is that still the case? 🤔\n[^3]: Actually, it's much too sad, but by now I have come to terms with the fact that I live in a country where a lot, a lot is broken and only a few people believe we are at the forefront of anything or really good at it.\n[^4]: But I was allowed to buy a projector and a portable screen for shared movie nights.\n[^5]: I find it very confusing and difficult to find out which controller fits with which device how. Especially since some are listed as not compatible with the Mac, but can pretend to be a Switch controller, which macOS usually recognizes without problems.\n\n",
"date_published": "2024-02-03T16:47:28+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/02/03/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week four, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>Continuing from week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/22/what-caught-my.html\">03</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the fourth week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🌐 I didn’t quite understand the commotion about the DMA this week. <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/apples_plans_for_the_dma\">Gruber</a> proved himself to be a true patriot once again, and I still don’t understand where exactly the doomsday mood is coming from. Whether Apple has chosen an appropriate strategy, I don’t know either, see also <a href=\"https://thedent.net/post/apple-ruins-its-big-week-9nanx5jv\">Apple ruins its big week</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 My <a href=\"https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h\">Anbernic RG35XX H</a> arrived. Now I can sell my RG353PS and send the RGB30 (more or less electronic waste right from the start) to recycling. So far, one is more or less reliant on the stock firmware, which isn’t very nice. But there are a number of very young <a href=\"https://retrohandheldguides.com/rg35xx-h-custom-firmware/\">Custom Firmware Projects</a> and also a <a href=\"https://github.com/cbepx-me/RG35xx-P-RG35xx-H-Modification\">cleaned-up stock version</a>. To not lose track of all the associated SD cards, I printed a series of these <a href=\"https://www.printables.com/de/model/27021-micro-sd-label-sticks\">Micro-SD Label Sticks</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ I was surprised to learn how easy it is to get <a href=\"https://youtu.be/KURrNV7jupI?si=brG7PHl53uC_GAQB\">The Full AMIGA Experience on Analogue Pocket</a>. Until now, I was also unaware that you can convert save states created with an emulator to and from the Pocket / MISTER: <a href=\"https://savefileconverter.com/#/mister\">Save File Converter</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ I am actually very satisfied with <a href=\"https://anybox.app\">Anybox</a>. Only sometimes I wish that the sync speed would be much faster. I recently archived 20,000 (!) old bookmarks and kept “only” the last 2k, which only helped to a limited extent in getting the bookmarks stored on the iPhone displayed faster on the Mac. Over the last few years, I’ve tried more or less all the alternatives, except for Link Cluster. Its developer <a href=\"https://witt-software.com\">Daniel Witt</a> is not an unknown<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>, the app was an up-front one-time purchase, and so far I have been hesitant to pay the money without knowing that the app does better than Anybox. That changed this week. A big update to <a href=\"https://www.witt-software.com/releasenotes/?app=linkcluster\">Version 2.0</a> has been released and you can now (very limited) test it first, which I will definitely do over the next week: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/link-cluster/id6443942506\">Link Cluster</a> - <em>Collect and manage links</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📰 I checked out <a href=\"https://netnewswire.com\">NetNewsWire</a> for macOS again. I will stick with <a href=\"https://reederapp.com\">Reeder</a> for the time being.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 I changed my window manager again. The app <a href=\"https://manytricks.com/moom/\">Moom</a>, which has been used on my macOS for decades, has now been replaced by <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com/pro\">Rectangle Pro</a>. <a href=\"https://ryanhanson.dev\">Ryan Hanson</a> is another indie developer who releases just great utilities, and that’s why I bought the Pro version right away. Alternatively, you can also use the free <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com\">Rectangle</a> first. In fact, I can hardly imagine my life without <a href=\"https://superkey.app\">Superkey</a> (alternatively <a href=\"https://hyperkey.app\">Hyperkey</a>) anymore.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 No week without a new app from Sindre: <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/doodle-draw\">Doodle Draw</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏠 I hung a very inexpensive Amazon Kindle Fire tablet on the refrigerator a year or two ago and display in a Full Kiosk Browser <a href=\"https://magicmirror.builders\">Magic Mirror2</a>, which runs on a Raspberry Pi. I programmed a series of small Python scripts that show me the energy consumption and our weekly changing family tasks, in addition to standard functions like family calendar, weather, date, time, etc. Unfortunately, I have forgotten most of what I taught myself with Python last year, and for some reason, Magic Mirror can no longer be updated without everything breaking afterwards. I’m afraid that if the shaky construct falls apart completely soon, I’ll have to hang an old iPad on the wall and perhaps use a solution like the recently updated <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/wallflower-f%C3%BCr-homekit/id1406806705\">Wallflower for HomeKit</a> or just understand more about IT, Linux, Python, NPM, and Node ;-)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🏆 The Obsidian <a href=\"https://obsidian.md/blog/2023-goty-winners/\">2023 Gems of the year winners</a> have been announced. It’s a pity that <a href=\"https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a> didn’t win. While looking at the entries, I stumbled upon <a href=\"https://youtu.be/djj7QXZAIjM?si=eywCZXEaZMjyGh2r\">Data Visualization in Obsidian with Obsidian Charts</a>. There’s simply nothing you can’t do with Obsidian, albeit much more complicatedly than with other programs better suited for the task. I love that! 🤣</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔋 If I ever think I need a big battery pack on the go, I might buy this one: <a href=\"https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/shargeek-170-unbeatable-power-unparalleled-style#/\">Shargeek 170: Unbeatable Power</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏰ The idea of a location-based alarm clock for train rides or similar is great. But I believe I wouldn’t have the confidence to rely on this solution: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/wakemehere/id448033390\">WakeMeHere</a> - A Location Alarm with Brain.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 I have been diligently reading <a href=\"https://openlibrary.org/works/OL34057778W/Holly\">Holly</a> - for my standards. However, I am disappointed with the <a href=\"https://pocketbook.com\">PocketBook Era</a>. I had hoped that e-book readers would have evolved somehow over the past ten years. But at least the Era is insanely sluggish, and marking text is an outrage. Well, at least most of the time the text is displayed…</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎬 Watched <a href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/998022\">The Teachers’ Lounge (2023)</a>; I know exactly why I work at the university and not at a school.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🙋♂️ Have a great week!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>For example, I am a big fan of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/pdf-squeezer-4/id1502111349?mt=12\">PDF Squeezer 4</a> and regularly use <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/remote-wake-up/id860874272?mt=12\">Remote Wake Up</a>. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nContinuing from week [03](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/22/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the fourth week of 2024:\n\n- 🌐 I didn't quite understand the commotion about the DMA this week. [Gruber](https://daringfireball.net/2024/01/apples_plans_for_the_dma) proved himself to be a true patriot once again, and I still don't understand where exactly the doomsday mood is coming from. Whether Apple has chosen an appropriate strategy, I don't know either, see also [Apple ruins its big week](https://thedent.net/post/apple-ruins-its-big-week-9nanx5jv).\n\n- 🎮 My [Anbernic RG35XX H](https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xx-h) arrived. Now I can sell my RG353PS and send the RGB30 (more or less electronic waste right from the start) to recycling. So far, one is more or less reliant on the stock firmware, which isn't very nice. But there are a number of very young [Custom Firmware Projects](https://retrohandheldguides.com/rg35xx-h-custom-firmware/) and also a [cleaned-up stock version](https://github.com/cbepx-me/RG35xx-P-RG35xx-H-Modification). To not lose track of all the associated SD cards, I printed a series of these [Micro-SD Label Sticks](https://www.printables.com/de/model/27021-micro-sd-label-sticks).\n\n- 🕹️ I was surprised to learn how easy it is to get [The Full AMIGA Experience on Analogue Pocket](https://youtu.be/KURrNV7jupI?si=brG7PHl53uC_GAQB). Until now, I was also unaware that you can convert save states created with an emulator to and from the Pocket / MISTER: [Save File Converter](https://savefileconverter.com/#/mister).\n\n- 🛠️ I am actually very satisfied with [Anybox](https://anybox.app). Only sometimes I wish that the sync speed would be much faster. I recently archived 20,000 (!) old bookmarks and kept \"only\" the last 2k, which only helped to a limited extent in getting the bookmarks stored on the iPhone displayed faster on the Mac. Over the last few years, I've tried more or less all the alternatives, except for Link Cluster. Its developer [Daniel Witt](https://witt-software.com) is not an unknown[^1], the app was an up-front one-time purchase, and so far I have been hesitant to pay the money without knowing that the app does better than Anybox. That changed this week. A big update to [Version 2.0](https://www.witt-software.com/releasenotes/?app=linkcluster) has been released and you can now (very limited) test it first, which I will definitely do over the next week: [Link Cluster](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/link-cluster/id6443942506) - *Collect and manage links*.\n\n- 📰 I checked out [NetNewsWire](https://netnewswire.com) for macOS again. I will stick with [Reeder](https://reederapp.com) for the time being.\n\n- 💻 I changed my window manager again. The app [Moom](https://manytricks.com/moom/), which has been used on my macOS for decades, has now been replaced by [Rectangle Pro](https://rectangleapp.com/pro). [Ryan Hanson](https://ryanhanson.dev) is another indie developer who releases just great utilities, and that's why I bought the Pro version right away. Alternatively, you can also use the free [Rectangle](https://rectangleapp.com) first. In fact, I can hardly imagine my life without [Superkey](https://superkey.app) (alternatively [Hyperkey](https://hyperkey.app)) anymore.\n\n- 📱 No week without a new app from Sindre: [Doodle Draw](https://sindresorhus.com/doodle-draw).\n\n- 🏠 I hung a very inexpensive Amazon Kindle Fire tablet on the refrigerator a year or two ago and display in a Full Kiosk Browser [Magic Mirror2](https://magicmirror.builders), which runs on a Raspberry Pi. I programmed a series of small Python scripts that show me the energy consumption and our weekly changing family tasks, in addition to standard functions like family calendar, weather, date, time, etc. Unfortunately, I have forgotten most of what I taught myself with Python last year, and for some reason, Magic Mirror can no longer be updated without everything breaking afterwards. I'm afraid that if the shaky construct falls apart completely soon, I'll have to hang an old iPad on the wall and perhaps use a solution like the recently updated [Wallflower for HomeKit](https://apps.apple.com/app/wallflower-für-homekit/id1406806705) or just understand more about IT, Linux, Python, NPM, and Node ;-)\n\n- 🏆 The Obsidian [2023 Gems of the year winners](https://obsidian.md/blog/2023-goty-winners/) have been announced. It's a pity that [Actions for Obsidian](https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian) didn't win. While looking at the entries, I stumbled upon [Data Visualization in Obsidian with Obsidian Charts](https://youtu.be/djj7QXZAIjM?si=eywCZXEaZMjyGh2r). There's simply nothing you can't do with Obsidian, albeit much more complicatedly than with other programs better suited for the task. I love that! 🤣\n\n- 🔋 If I ever think I need a big battery pack on the go, I might buy this one: [Shargeek 170: Unbeatable Power](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/shargeek-170-unbeatable-power-unparalleled-style#/).\n\n- ⏰ The idea of a location-based alarm clock for train rides or similar is great. But I believe I wouldn't have the confidence to rely on this solution: [WakeMeHere](https://apps.apple.com/app/wakemehere/id448033390) - A Location Alarm with Brain.\n\n- 📚 I have been diligently reading [Holly](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL34057778W/Holly) - for my standards. However, I am disappointed with the [PocketBook Era](https://pocketbook.com). I had hoped that e-book readers would have evolved somehow over the past ten years. But at least the Era is insanely sluggish, and marking text is an outrage. Well, at least most of the time the text is displayed...\n\n- 🎬 Watched [The Teachers’ Lounge (2023)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/998022); I know exactly why I work at the university and not at a school.\n\n- 🙋♂️ Have a great week!\n\n[^1]: For example, I am a big fan of [PDF Squeezer 4](https://apps.apple.com/app/pdf-squeezer-4/id1502111349?mt=12) and regularly use [Remote Wake Up](https://apps.apple.com/app/remote-wake-up/id860874272?mt=12).\n",
"date_published": "2024-01-28T12:49:06+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/28/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/01/22/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week three, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html\">02</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the third week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖨️ Almost 2 years after Anker introduced its V6 Color Engine for the <a href=\"https://www.ankermake.com/uk/m5\">M5 3D printer</a>, it <a href=\"https://all3dp.com/4/ankermake-pulls-plug-on-v6-multicolor-add-on-to-refund-backers/\">cancelled it</a>. You can either get a $600 discount for an as yet unannounced product, or they will refund the paid money. I’ve opted for a $330 refund. Although it’s a pity, I think it was the right decision for Anker to pull the plug on this product. My M5 already has problems with just one filament; getting the printer to work reliably with 6 print heads was probably indeed an unsolvable task.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 I had resolved to read more books this year. I have finished <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/15/finished-reading-die.html\">one</a> so far, although I probably started it over ten months ago and have only now finally completed it. Instead of reading one of the countless hardcover books owned by my wife, I wanted to start with <em>Holly</em> as an eBook. But on the iPhone, despite Focus Modes etc., I get distracted far too easily, so I bought a <a href=\"https://pocketbook.de/de_en/pocketbook-era-stardust-silver\">PocketBook Era</a> (with a 20% discount). With it, I will definitely manage to outwit myself 🤦♂️.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⏰ <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb/111778116563858113\">Robb</a> linked to this inspiring Clock: <a href=\"https://www.authorclock.com/\">A Novel Way To Tell Time</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 As teased <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html\">last week</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/screenfloat-screenshot-tools/id414528154?mt=12\">ScreenFloat 2.0</a> was released. A ton of <a href=\"https://blog.eternalstorms.at/2024/01/17/get-to-know-screenfloat-2-part-i-an-overview/\">new features</a> and even a free upgrade.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ In addition to all those great windows managers like <a href=\"https://manytricks.com/moom/\">Moom</a>, <a href=\"https://rectangleapp.com\">Rectangle</a>, <a href=\"https://thelasso.app\">Lasso</a>, you name it, there is another (free) little utility: <a href=\"https://github.com/pablopunk/swiftshift\">SwiftShift</a> - <em>Sweet window management for macOS</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📆 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674\"> ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal</a> looks interesting: <em>View Apple Reminders natively in Apple Calendar</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 And this might be a (better?) alternative to Playstation Remote: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mirrorplay-remote-streaming/id1638586503\"> MirrorPlay - Remote Streaming</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧠 Marcus <a href=\"https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-02/\">mentioned</a> <a href=\"https://future.mozilla.org/blog/introducing-llamafile/\">llamafile</a> - <em>bringing LLMs to the people, and to your own computer</em>. A nice way to produce alt text for images locally.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔍 This was mentioned on <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/blog/2024/1/7-things-this-week-127\">HeyDingus</a>: <a href=\"https://pageviews.wmcloud.org/topviews/?project=en.wikipedia.org&platform=all-access&date=last-year&excludes=\">Topviews Analysis</a>: there you can <em>see the most popular pages on Wikipedia per specified timeframe</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Continued watching <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4\">For All Mankind</a> together with my wife and <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/slow-horses/seasons/4\">Slow Horses</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐌 This week was a rather slow one regarding new software I was looking into but in RL it was much more intense.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>❄️ Besides cancelled and new hardware and a couple of new apps, we had a few real winter days this week with temperatures down to -10 °C. Since this is quite unusual here, everyone was totally overwhelmed. There were storm warnings up to warnings of life-threatening conditions, people were advised to avoid driving, schools were closed, and public transportation was severely limited for two days. But the landscape was really beautiful, and the rounds with the dog were slippery but dreamy.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✊ Moreover, in the last few weeks, there has finally been an <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/19/turmoil-in-germany-over-neo-nazi-mass-deportation-meeting-explained\">outcry</a> in Germany against the increasing number of Nazis in society and political parties. There were nationwide demonstrations with millions of people on the streets. Even in our small town, between 13,000 and 15,000 were demonstrating on the weekend. The march had already returned to the starting point, and yet not everyone had even started walking. It was absolutely impressive to see so many people absolutely peacefully demonstrating in freezing cold for human rights in the city center. Our two sons were also there, which made me somehow proud.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [02](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the third week of 2024:\n\n- 🖨️ Almost 2 years after Anker introduced its V6 Color Engine for the [M5 3D printer](https://www.ankermake.com/uk/m5), it [cancelled it](https://all3dp.com/4/ankermake-pulls-plug-on-v6-multicolor-add-on-to-refund-backers/). You can either get a $600 discount for an as yet unannounced product, or they will refund the paid money. I've opted for a $330 refund. Although it's a pity, I think it was the right decision for Anker to pull the plug on this product. My M5 already has problems with just one filament; getting the printer to work reliably with 6 print heads was probably indeed an unsolvable task.\n\n- 📚 I had resolved to read more books this year. I have finished [one](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/15/finished-reading-die.html) so far, although I probably started it over ten months ago and have only now finally completed it. Instead of reading one of the countless hardcover books owned by my wife, I wanted to start with *Holly* as an eBook. But on the iPhone, despite Focus Modes etc., I get distracted far too easily, so I bought a [PocketBook Era](https://pocketbook.de/de_en/pocketbook-era-stardust-silver) (with a 20% discount). With it, I will definitely manage to outwit myself 🤦♂️.\n\n- ⏰ [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb/111778116563858113) linked to this inspiring Clock: [A Novel Way To Tell Time](https://www.authorclock.com/).\n\n- 💻 As teased [last week](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html), [ScreenFloat 2.0](https://apps.apple.com/app/screenfloat-screenshot-tools/id414528154?mt=12) was released. A ton of [new features](https://blog.eternalstorms.at/2024/01/17/get-to-know-screenfloat-2-part-i-an-overview/) and even a free upgrade.\n\n- 🖥️ In addition to all those great windows managers like [Moom](https://manytricks.com/moom/), [Rectangle](https://rectangleapp.com), [Lasso](https://thelasso.app), you name it, there is another (free) little utility: [SwiftShift](https://github.com/pablopunk/swiftshift) - *Sweet window management for macOS*.\n\n- 📆 [ ReminderCal - Reminders to Cal](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674) looks interesting: *View Apple Reminders natively in Apple Calendar*.\n\n- 🎮 And this might be a (better?) alternative to Playstation Remote: [ MirrorPlay - Remote Streaming](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mirrorplay-remote-streaming/id1638586503).\n\n- 🧠 Marcus [mentioned](https://www.marcusjaschen.de/blog/2024/2024-02/) [llamafile](https://future.mozilla.org/blog/introducing-llamafile/) - *bringing LLMs to the people, and to your own computer*. A nice way to produce alt text for images locally.\n\n- 🔍 This was mentioned on [HeyDingus](https://heydingus.net/blog/2024/1/7-things-this-week-127): [Topviews Analysis](https://pageviews.wmcloud.org/topviews/?project=en.wikipedia.org&platform=all-access&date=last-year&excludes=): there you can *see the most popular pages on Wikipedia per specified timeframe*.\n\n- 📺 Continued watching [For All Mankind](https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4) together with my wife and [Slow Horses](https://trakt.tv/shows/slow-horses/seasons/4).\n\n- 🐌 This week was a rather slow one regarding new software I was looking into but in RL it was much more intense.\n\n\t- ❄️ Besides cancelled and new hardware and a couple of new apps, we had a few real winter days this week with temperatures down to -10 °C. Since this is quite unusual here, everyone was totally overwhelmed. There were storm warnings up to warnings of life-threatening conditions, people were advised to avoid driving, schools were closed, and public transportation was severely limited for two days. But the landscape was really beautiful, and the rounds with the dog were slippery but dreamy.\n\t\n\t- ✊ Moreover, in the last few weeks, there has finally been an [outcry](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/19/turmoil-in-germany-over-neo-nazi-mass-deportation-meeting-explained) in Germany against the increasing number of Nazis in society and political parties. There were nationwide demonstrations with millions of people on the streets. Even in our small town, between 13,000 and 15,000 were demonstrating on the weekend. The march had already returned to the starting point, and yet not everyone had even started walking. It was absolutely impressive to see so many people absolutely peacefully demonstrating in freezing cold for human rights in the city center. Our two sons were also there, which made me somehow proud.\n\n",
"date_published": "2024-01-22T09:25:31+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/22/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/01/15/finished-reading-die.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9783961210596\">Die subtile Kunst des Daraufscheißens</a> by Mark Manson 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Die subtile Kunst des Daraufscheißens](https://micro.blog/books/9783961210596) by Mark Manson 📚\n",
"date_published": "2024-01-15T21:21:02+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/15/finished-reading-die.html",
"tags": ["reading"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week two, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html\">01</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the second week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🏋️ After my <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html\">Covid infection</a> in early December, followed by exhaustion, I started with a training program. It includes (indoor) cycling, strength training, and yoga sessions. It’s exhausting, but it also feels good to finally be able to challenge my body a little again.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 Additionally, I wanted to read more, watch movies more regularly, meditate daily if possible, and do other nice little things more frequently. Therefore, I have started to enter these things as events in my calendar so that I don’t lose sight of them.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> The first week has already gone quite well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 <a href=\"https://jb.heydingus.net/2024/01/12/i-just-updated.html\">Jarod Blundy</a> released an excellent Shortcut on <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/generate-alt-text-with-openai-vision\">HeyDingus</a>. It <em>automatically generates an image description using OpenAI’s GPT4</em>. And if this was not enough, he released <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/microblog-multimedia-uploader\">Micro.blog Multimedia Uploader</a> - <em>upload any file to Micro.blog and format it for your blog post</em>. 🤩</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔗 <a href=\"https://norden.social/@czottmann/111742655994401539\">Carlo</a> pointed to <a href=\"https://forum.actions.work/t/open-mastodon-thread-in-phanpys-excellent-thread-viewer/258\">Phanpy’s excellent Mastodon thread viewer</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💻 I really enjoy all the <a href=\"https://www.apptorium.com/apps\">Apps</a> from Apptorium. Lots of great stuff available, mainly for macOS. They came up with a new app: <a href=\"https://www.apptorium.com/blog/cursor-teleporter\">Cursor Teleporter</a> - <em>Teleport your cursor across your displays</em>. In my lectures, I often struggle with moving and finding the cursor on the projector behind me; this app helps a lot to avoid that.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://mas.to/@obsidian/111721992062128063\">Obsidian</a> collected projects for its Gems of the Year 2023, and now the voting on their Discord has begun. Lots of interesting plugins. I already use some of them, but most were new to me. I voted for Carlos' <a href=\"https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a>, among others, and installed <a href=\"https://github.com/xRyul/obsidian-image-converter\">Image Converter</a>: <em>Convert and compress images from one format to another by drag’n’dropping or pasting files into the note</em>. I’ve been looking for a plugin like this for a long time and created something similar myself with the help of Shortcuts and Retrobatch. But, this plugin is much more convenient and powerful. I also really like the <a href=\"https://github.com/platers/obsidian-linter\">linter</a> plugin - <em>an Obsidian plugin that formats and styles your notes with a focus on configurability and extensibility</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔖 Furthermore, I have bookmarked the following plugins to possibly come back to them at the right time: <a href=\"https://tfthacker.com/canvas-candy\">canvas candy</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/trey-wallis/obsidian-dataloom\">dataloom</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/ivan-lednev/obsidian-day-planner\">day planner</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-easy-bake\">easy bake</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/LostPaul/obsidian-folder-notes\">folder notes</a>, <a href=\"https://davish.github.io/obsidian-full-calendar/\">full calendar</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/denolehov/obsidian-git\">git</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-kanban\">kanban</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj\">khoj</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/mProjectsCode/obsidian-meta-bind-plugin\">meta bind</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/danielo515/obsidian-modal-form\">modal form</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/artisticat1/obsidian-latex-suite\">latex suite</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/andrewbrereton/obsidian-to-ical-plugin\">obsidian to ical</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/chhoumann/quickadd\">quickadd</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/brianpetro/obsidian-smart-connections\">smart connections</a>, and <a href=\"https://github.com/joshuatazrein/obsidian-time-ruler\">time ruler</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 It was mentioned on the last episode of <a href=\"https://hemisphericviews.com\">Hemispheric Views</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/idle-iktah/id1631764038\"> Idle Iktah</a> - <em>Idle Iktah is an incremental</em> iOS <em>game set in a fictionalized Pacific Northwest where you start from nothing and create your own path to success</em>. It looks very strange. I downloaded it but have not started playing yet.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ I believe this one-dimensional Pac Man game that you can play in your browser was mentioned on DF<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>: <a href=\"https://abagames.github.io/crisp-game-lib-11-games/?pakupaku\">Paku Paku</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎥 Max Handelman, the developer of <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id6448645963\">GameButler</a>, released <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6475015890\"> Minerva for Trakt</a> - <em>the movie and TV show app that you’ve been looking for</em>. Yet another Trakt client. It has a similar, quite cool, aesthetic as GameButler (I would call it very functional) and no subscription model (just a small one-time payment). I still stick to <a href=\"https://tvforecastapp.com\">TV Forecast</a> though, the only thing missing for me is the ability to sort my own watchlist by various criteria. (Which seems to be possible with Minerva.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛠️ <a href=\"https://eternalstorms.at\">Eternalstorms</a> is another developer whose software I really like. I was a long-time user of Screenfloat before I replaced it with the corresponding function of <a href=\"https://cleanshot.com\">CleanShot X</a> (also on <a href=\"https://setapp.com/apps/cleanshot\">Setapp</a>). But I am still excited about <a href=\"https://blog.eternalstorms.at/2024/01/10/screenfloat-2-january-17-2024-somethings-up/\">Version 2</a>, which will be released next week.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 Barebones released version 15 of <a href=\"https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/\">BBEdit</a>. I instantly upgraded before even reading the <a href=\"https://www.barebones.com/support/bbedit/notes-15.0.html\">release notes</a>. Its <a href=\"https://sixcolors.com/post/2024/01/bbedit-15-adds-chatgpt-support/\">main new feature</a> is ChatGPT worksheet support. <a href=\"https://isfeeling.social/@matt/111732443355317204\">Matt</a> made a <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=G1zFWFzKRUI\">video</a> about it, if you’re interested.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 Hiro posted these <a href=\"https://bylokki.gumroad.com/l/tewallaper\">Teenage Engineering iPhone Wallpapers</a> in his weeknotes. I am not into sequencer stuff at all (unfortunately, I am completely talentless when it comes to music) but they look awesome, nevertheless.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Started watching <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/slow-horses/seasons/3\">Slow Horses S3</a>, <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4\">For All Mankind S4</a> and watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/jiro-dreams-of-sushi-2011\">Jiro Dreams of Sushi</a>. What a great documentary!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I had previously tried to write these things down as normal lists or tasks in Obsidian and other apps. But I didn’t like that. Even specialized apps like <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/id1639800794\">RoutineFlow</a> were not the right tool for me. The calendar does the trick for now. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Yes, I was <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/linked/2024/01/10/paku-paku\">right</a> :-) <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [01](https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the second week of 2024:\n\n- 🏋️ After my [Covid infection](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html) in early December, followed by exhaustion, I started with a training program. It includes (indoor) cycling, strength training, and yoga sessions. It's exhausting, but it also feels good to finally be able to challenge my body a little again.\n\n- 📚 Additionally, I wanted to read more, watch movies more regularly, meditate daily if possible, and do other nice little things more frequently. Therefore, I have started to enter these things as events in my calendar so that I don't lose sight of them.[^1] The first week has already gone quite well.\n\n- 🤖 [Jarod Blundy](https://jb.heydingus.net/2024/01/12/i-just-updated.html) released an excellent Shortcut on [HeyDingus](https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/generate-alt-text-with-openai-vision). It *automatically generates an image description using OpenAI’s GPT4*. And if this was not enough, he released [Micro.blog Multimedia Uploader](https://heydingus.net/shortcuts/microblog-multimedia-uploader) - *upload any file to Micro.blog and format it for your blog post*. 🤩\n\n- 🔗 [Carlo](https://norden.social/@czottmann/111742655994401539) pointed to [Phanpy's excellent Mastodon thread viewer](https://forum.actions.work/t/open-mastodon-thread-in-phanpys-excellent-thread-viewer/258).\n\n- 💻 I really enjoy all the [Apps](https://www.apptorium.com/apps) from Apptorium. Lots of great stuff available, mainly for macOS. They came up with a new app: [Cursor Teleporter](https://www.apptorium.com/blog/cursor-teleporter) - *Teleport your cursor across your displays*. In my lectures, I often struggle with moving and finding the cursor on the projector behind me; this app helps a lot to avoid that.\n\n- 📝 [Obsidian](https://mas.to/@obsidian/111721992062128063) collected projects for its Gems of the Year 2023, and now the voting on their Discord has begun. Lots of interesting plugins. I already use some of them, but most were new to me. I voted for Carlos' [Actions for Obsidian](https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian), among others, and installed [Image Converter](https://github.com/xRyul/obsidian-image-converter): *Convert and compress images from one format to another by drag'n'dropping or pasting files into the note*. I've been looking for a plugin like this for a long time and created something similar myself with the help of Shortcuts and Retrobatch. But, this plugin is much more convenient and powerful. I also really like the [linter](https://github.com/platers/obsidian-linter) plugin - *an Obsidian plugin that formats and styles your notes with a focus on configurability and extensibility*.\n\n- 🔖 Furthermore, I have bookmarked the following plugins to possibly come back to them at the right time: [canvas candy](https://tfthacker.com/canvas-candy), [dataloom](https://github.com/trey-wallis/obsidian-dataloom), [day planner](https://github.com/ivan-lednev/obsidian-day-planner), [easy bake](https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-easy-bake), [folder notes](https://github.com/LostPaul/obsidian-folder-notes), [full calendar](https://davish.github.io/obsidian-full-calendar/), [git](https://github.com/denolehov/obsidian-git), [kanban](https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-kanban), [khoj](https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj), [meta bind](https://github.com/mProjectsCode/obsidian-meta-bind-plugin), [modal form](https://github.com/danielo515/obsidian-modal-form), [latex suite](https://github.com/artisticat1/obsidian-latex-suite), [obsidian to ical](https://github.com/andrewbrereton/obsidian-to-ical-plugin), [quickadd](https://github.com/chhoumann/quickadd), [smart connections](https://github.com/brianpetro/obsidian-smart-connections), and [time ruler](https://github.com/joshuatazrein/obsidian-time-ruler).\n\n- 🎮 It was mentioned on the last episode of [Hemispheric Views](https://hemisphericviews.com), [ Idle Iktah](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/idle-iktah/id1631764038) - *Idle Iktah is an incremental* iOS *game set in a fictionalized Pacific Northwest where you start from nothing and create your own path to success*. It looks very strange. I downloaded it but have not started playing yet.\n\n- 🕹️ I believe this one-dimensional Pac Man game that you can play in your browser was mentioned on DF[^2]\\: [Paku Paku](https://abagames.github.io/crisp-game-lib-11-games/?pakupaku).\n\n- 🎥 Max Handelman, the developer of [GameButler](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6448645963), released [ Minerva for Trakt](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6475015890) - *the movie and TV show app that you’ve been looking for*. Yet another Trakt client. It has a similar, quite cool, aesthetic as GameButler (I would call it very functional) and no subscription model (just a small one-time payment). I still stick to [TV Forecast](https://tvforecastapp.com) though, the only thing missing for me is the ability to sort my own watchlist by various criteria. (Which seems to be possible with Minerva.)\n\n- 🛠️ [Eternalstorms](https://eternalstorms.at) is another developer whose software I really like. I was a long-time user of Screenfloat before I replaced it with the corresponding function of [CleanShot X](https://cleanshot.com) (also on [Setapp](https://setapp.com/apps/cleanshot)). But I am still excited about [Version 2](https://blog.eternalstorms.at/2024/01/10/screenfloat-2-january-17-2024-somethings-up/), which will be released next week.\n\n- 📝 Barebones released version 15 of [BBEdit](https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/). I instantly upgraded before even reading the [release notes](https://www.barebones.com/support/bbedit/notes-15.0.html). Its [main new feature](https://sixcolors.com/post/2024/01/bbedit-15-adds-chatgpt-support/) is ChatGPT worksheet support. [Matt](https://isfeeling.social/@matt/111732443355317204) made a [video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=G1zFWFzKRUI) about it, if you're interested.\n\n- 🎨 Hiro posted these [Teenage Engineering iPhone Wallpapers](https://bylokki.gumroad.com/l/tewallaper) in his weeknotes. I am not into sequencer stuff at all (unfortunately, I am completely talentless when it comes to music) but they look awesome, nevertheless.\n\n- 📺 Started watching [Slow Horses S3](https://trakt.tv/shows/slow-horses/seasons/3), [For All Mankind S4](https://trakt.tv/shows/for-all-mankind/seasons/4) and watched [Jiro Dreams of Sushi](https://trakt.tv/movies/jiro-dreams-of-sushi-2011). What a great documentary!\n\n[^1]: I had previously tried to write these things down as normal lists or tasks in Obsidian and other apps. But I didn't like that. Even specialized apps like [RoutineFlow](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1639800794) were not the right tool for me. The calendar does the trick for now.\n\n[^2]: Yes, I was [right](https://daringfireball.net/linked/2024/01/10/paku-paku) :-)\n",
"date_published": "2024-01-14T15:57:57+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/14/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week one, 2024",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/31/what-caught-my.html\">52</a>, 2023, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the first week of 2024:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🤔 I read some blog posts about <a href=\"https://0xdstn.site/writing/without/\">One Month Without</a> and I always find it interesting to see what people are willing to give up for a month. I did this spontaneously in the first half of 2023, giving up alcohol, caffeine (not entirely true, I did drink green tea a few times, but completely abstained from coffee, cola, etc.), sweets, and snacks. Giving up coffee was definitely the hardest. I have not yet decided if and for how long I will repeat it this year, but I have declared January to be alcohol-free.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 <a href=\"https://www.clicks.tech/\">Clicks for iPhone</a> - <em>a REAL KEYBOARD for your iPhone</em>: tempting, and I still hate typing on my iPhone (sometimes I get the impression that Apple wants to annoy me on purpose, always choosing keys nearby and never those that lead to sensible words; the new LLM for autocorrect is also not yet available in German). But I wouldn’t want to keep taking my phone out of the case (which I use most of the time), putting it into this keyboard and back into the case again.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@sindresorhus\">Sindre</a> did it again and released a little utility for the Mac: <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/second-clock\">Second Clock</a> - <em>Show a second clock for a different time zone in your menu bar</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎨 <a href=\"https://github.com/kevinhermawan/Canvas\">A DALL·E playground for the Mac</a>: I had not tried DALL-E before because I always assumed that you needed an OpenAI-plus subscription for it. For this app, you only need an API key.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ <a href=\"https://malenfant.net/@didier/111685970411351670\">Didier</a> posted about <a href=\"https://github.com/dirkwhoffmann/vAmiga\">vAmiga</a> - <em>a user-friendly Amiga 500, 1000, 2000 emulator for macOS</em>. I have not tried it myself yet, but it looks great.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📷 <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/linked/2024/01/03/unknown-items-in-icloud-photos\">Gruber</a> had a problem with unknown files in his Photo Library, and Caleb Hailey <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@calebhailey/111653442283836729\">helped</a> him.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📚 <a href=\"https://otavio.cc/2024/01/01/the-website-standard.html\">Otávio</a> posted a link to <a href=\"https://standardebooks.org\">Standard Ebooks</a> - <em>a volunteer-driven project that produces new editions of public domain ebooks that are lovingly formatted, open source, free of U.S. copyright restrictions, and free of cost</em>. Oh well, if only I read more books …</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💾 Speaking of Otávio. He is the author of <a href=\"https://github.com/otaviocc/obsidian-microblog\">Micro.publish</a>, an Obsidian plugin that lets you publish directly to <a href=\"https://micro.blog\">micro.blog</a>. Love it. I ran across a bug trying to publish my last weeknote and he was so kind to fix right it away 🤩. (Otávio even wrote a <a href=\"https://otavio.cc/2024/01/01/micropublish.html\">blog post</a> about it.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🇩🇪 <a href=\"https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/111685272251532868\">Marcus</a> posted a link to <a href=\"https://gist.github.com/MarvinJWendt/2f4f4154b8ae218600eb091a5706b5f4\">All German words (German wordlist)</a> - who knows what it might be useful for in the future; bookmarked.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Remakes I knew about, but I only just learned that there are also Demakes: <a href=\"https://github.com/lambertjamesd/portal64\">Demake of Portal for the Nintendo 64</a></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹️ Downloaded <a href=\"https://crunchyroll.com/himesquest/\">Crunchyroll Presents: Hime’s Quest</a> for my Analogue Pocket - <em>Go back to 1999 and help Crunchyroll-Hime protect New Crunchy City from Y2K!</em> By the way, my Analogue Pocket Dock has arrived, which I should have ordered directly. 🥰</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I don’t even want to know how much time this boy has spent playing Tetris on the NES to achieve this: <a href=\"https://kottke.org/24/01/13-year-old-becomes-first-to-beat-nes-tetris\">13-Year-Old Becomes First to Beat NES Tetris</a>. I also wonder why a 13-year-old spends his free time in front of an NES and not playing Fortnite or Minecraft 🤣. And how crazy are these different <a href=\"https://kottke.org/21/05/new-nes-tetris-technique\">playing techniques</a>?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🐭 I thought this would never happen: <a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/24006670/mickey-mouse-steamboat-willie-enters-copyright-public-domain-2024\">Welcome to the public domain, Mickey Mouse</a> - <em>Steamboat Willie finally slips out of copyright</em>.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> As a result, you can now watch <a href=\"https://ledbetter-games.itch.io/steamboat-willie\">Steamboat Willie</a> via <a href=\"https://hteumeuleu.itch.io/playorama\">Playorama</a> on your <a href=\"https://play.date\">Playdate</a>, if you want to.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤔 While <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html\">reviewing my subscriptions</a>, I had already considered canceling <a href=\"https://kagi.com\">kagi</a>. <a href=\"https://nileane.fr/@nileane/111705532073853768\">This</a> made it easier for me, although I am aware that probably every search engine at least tolerates unethical practices indirectly or even practices them directly to some extent. My hope is that if service providers realize that such non-technical aspects are also relevant to customers, they will hopefully take them more into account in future decisions.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Finished Season 2 of <a href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/136315\">The Bear</a> and <a href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/84958\">Loki</a> - loved both.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤯 Watched <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/movies/oppenheimer-2023\">Oppenheimer</a> (2023) - and I wanted to be more <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@kepano/111670149481580297\">optimistic</a> in 2024!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>with many restrictions, of course <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [52](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/31/what-caught-my.html), 2023, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the first week of 2024:\n\n- 🤔 I read some blog posts about [One Month Without](https://0xdstn.site/writing/without/) and I always find it interesting to see what people are willing to give up for a month. I did this spontaneously in the first half of 2023, giving up alcohol, caffeine (not entirely true, I did drink green tea a few times, but completely abstained from coffee, cola, etc.), sweets, and snacks. Giving up coffee was definitely the hardest. I have not yet decided if and for how long I will repeat it this year, but I have declared January to be alcohol-free.\n\n- 📱 [Clicks for iPhone](https://www.clicks.tech/) - *a REAL KEYBOARD for your iPhone*: tempting, and I still hate typing on my iPhone (sometimes I get the impression that Apple wants to annoy me on purpose, always choosing keys nearby and never those that lead to sensible words; the new LLM for autocorrect is also not yet available in German). But I wouldn't want to keep taking my phone out of the case (which I use most of the time), putting it into this keyboard and back into the case again.\n\n- 🖥️ [Sindre](https://mastodon.social/@sindresorhus) did it again and released a little utility for the Mac: [Second Clock](https://sindresorhus.com/second-clock) - *Show a second clock for a different time zone in your menu bar*.\n\n- 🎨 [A DALL·E playground for the Mac](https://github.com/kevinhermawan/Canvas): I had not tried DALL-E before because I always assumed that you needed an OpenAI-plus subscription for it. For this app, you only need an API key.\n\n- 🕹️ [Didier](https://malenfant.net/@didier/111685970411351670) posted about [vAmiga](https://github.com/dirkwhoffmann/vAmiga) - *a user-friendly Amiga 500, 1000, 2000 emulator for macOS*. I have not tried it myself yet, but it looks great.\n\n- 📷 [Gruber](https://daringfireball.net/linked/2024/01/03/unknown-items-in-icloud-photos) had a problem with unknown files in his Photo Library, and Caleb Hailey [helped](https://mastodon.social/@calebhailey/111653442283836729) him.\n\n- 📚 [Otávio](https://otavio.cc/2024/01/01/the-website-standard.html) posted a link to [Standard Ebooks](https://standardebooks.org) - *a volunteer-driven project that produces new editions of public domain ebooks that are lovingly formatted, open source, free of U.S. copyright restrictions, and free of cost*. Oh well, if only I read more books ...\n\n- 💾 Speaking of Otávio. He is the author of [Micro.publish](https://github.com/otaviocc/obsidian-microblog), an Obsidian plugin that lets you publish directly to [micro.blog](https://micro.blog). Love it. I ran across a bug trying to publish my last weeknote and he was so kind to fix right it away 🤩. (Otávio even wrote a [blog post](https://otavio.cc/2024/01/01/micropublish.html) about it.)\n\n- 🇩🇪 [Marcus](https://digitalcourage.social/@mjaschen/111685272251532868) posted a link to [All German words (German wordlist)](https://gist.github.com/MarvinJWendt/2f4f4154b8ae218600eb091a5706b5f4) - who knows what it might be useful for in the future; bookmarked.\n\n- 🎮 Remakes I knew about, but I only just learned that there are also Demakes: [Demake of Portal for the Nintendo 64](https://github.com/lambertjamesd/portal64)\n\n- 🕹️ Downloaded [Crunchyroll Presents: Hime's Quest](https://crunchyroll.com/himesquest/) for my Analogue Pocket - *Go back to 1999 and help Crunchyroll-Hime protect New Crunchy City from Y2K!* By the way, my Analogue Pocket Dock has arrived, which I should have ordered directly. 🥰\n\n- 🎮 I don't even want to know how much time this boy has spent playing Tetris on the NES to achieve this: [13-Year-Old Becomes First to Beat NES Tetris](https://kottke.org/24/01/13-year-old-becomes-first-to-beat-nes-tetris). I also wonder why a 13-year-old spends his free time in front of an NES and not playing Fortnite or Minecraft 🤣. And how crazy are these different [playing techniques](https://kottke.org/21/05/new-nes-tetris-technique)?\n\n- 🐭 I thought this would never happen: [Welcome to the public domain, Mickey Mouse](https://www.theverge.com/24006670/mickey-mouse-steamboat-willie-enters-copyright-public-domain-2024) - *Steamboat Willie finally slips out of copyright*.[^1] As a result, you can now watch [Steamboat Willie](https://ledbetter-games.itch.io/steamboat-willie) via [Playorama](https://hteumeuleu.itch.io/playorama) on your [Playdate](https://play.date), if you want to.\n\n- 🤔 While [reviewing my subscriptions](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html), I had already considered canceling [kagi](https://kagi.com). [This](https://nileane.fr/@nileane/111705532073853768) made it easier for me, although I am aware that probably every search engine at least tolerates unethical practices indirectly or even practices them directly to some extent. My hope is that if service providers realize that such non-technical aspects are also relevant to customers, they will hopefully take them more into account in future decisions.\n\n- 📺 Finished Season 2 of [The Bear](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/136315) and [Loki](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/84958) - loved both.\n\n- 🤯 Watched [Oppenheimer](https://trakt.tv/movies/oppenheimer-2023) (2023) - and I wanted to be more [optimistic](https://mastodon.social/@kepano/111670149481580297) in 2024!\n\n[^1]: with many restrictions, of course\n",
"date_published": "2024-01-07T12:36:31+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2024/01/07/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/31/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fifty-two, 2023",
"content_html": "<p>In addition to week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/17/what-caught-my.html\">50</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 51 and 52, 2023:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🖼 Many new iPhone wallpapers made the rounds: <a href=\"https://designertom.gumroad.com/l/retrobacks\">Gameboy</a> style, <a href=\"https://store.oliur.com/b/ipod-wallpapers\">iPod</a> style. On Reddit, there are some simpler versions available for free (<a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fmade-a-lock-screen-wallpaper-of-the-iconic-first-gen-ipod-v0-61b5kun81gd91.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Dacffa8bc4b6181abb6a21a723f37755b3ebda938&rdt=44250\">Original</a>, <a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fios-16-in-mind-lock-screen-wallpapers-of-the-legendary-ipod-v0-9ww5016zbkd91.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D47efddb8c0bdc9d1f6ccb5d15d8f891e65c47075\">iPod Mini</a>), and moreover, Basic Apple Guy has recently released some very nice ones, <a href=\"https://basicappleguy.com/haberdashery/auroraborealisgradient\">Aurora Gradient</a> and <a href=\"https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/ugly-christmas-sweater-wallpapers-mac-edition\">Ugly Christmas Sweater Wallpapers (Mac Edition)</a>, and just published his <a href=\"https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/rewind-2023-wallpapers\">Rewind 2023: Wallpapers</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 <a href=\"https://social.lol/@bw\">Blake</a> released a web app for omg.lol: <a href=\"https://write.omg.lol/\">write.omg.lol</a> - <em>A simple notepad in your browser backed by omg.lol’s Pastebin feature</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ Found this on <a href=\"https://baty.net/journal/2023/12/27/using-setapp-versions-of-apps\">baty.net</a>: <a href=\"https://brettterpstra.com/2019/04/22/so-you-got-setapp-dot-dot-dot-make-the-most-of-it/\">So you got Setapp… make the most of it</a>: A Terminal script, “<em>which will tell you what apps you have that also have a Setapp version</em>”. This way you can “<em>contribute part of the monthly subscription fee you’re already paying to the developers of the apps you love</em>”.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✏️ <a href=\"https://social.lol/@canion\">Canion</a> posted about another nice-looking plain text/markdown note-taking app I had never heard of before: <a href=\"https://www.notebooksapp.com\">Notebooks</a>. I now use <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> with its <a href=\"https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview\">Dataview</a> plugin and <a href=\"https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian\">Actions for Obsidian</a> so intensively that I can’t imagine switching, but in principle, native macOS/iOS apps of this kind are extremely welcome.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎵 Installed <a href=\"https://github.com/martinfekete10/Tuneful\">Tuneful</a> - <em>a native macOS menu bar playback control app for Spotify and Apple Music</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖊️ <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/\">Sindre Sorhus</a> has released just another new app: <a href=\"https://sindresorhus.com/memo-widget\">Memo Widget</a> - <em>Sticky notes on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, and desktop</em>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎉 <a href=\"https://github.com/x74353/KeyJerk-Reactions\">KeyJerk Reactions</a> lets you bind the new macOS' Video reactions via a nice UI or a script.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔗 Bookmarked <a href=\"https://getsharepal.app\">SharePal</a> - <em>Lightning speed sharing. Add. Organize. Share</em>. I don’t have a specific use case for this app yet, but should it come to that, I now have an idea of how I could make the task easier.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🌏 This one looks interesting: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/globetrotter-travel-tracker/id6469319235\">Globetrotter</a> - “<em>a location-based travel photos app, providing a fast and fun way to share your travel highlights with your friends and family</em>”. Now I just need to get around more, which is not so easy for a household that doesn’t own a car and for some reason doesn’t fly.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 Additional apps for iOS, many of which with a free lifetime license thanks to the Indie App Santa promotion: <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cheatsheet-notes-widget/id914665829\">Cheatsheet</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatbot-assistant-joy-ai/id6447106829\">Joy</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ai-keyboard-assistant-keybot/id1663671666\">Keybot</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindr-erinnern-ohne-stress/id6451364783\">Mindr</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/peaks-biorhythm-tracker/id6446705377\">Peaks</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/photo-route-map-your-photos/id6444888265\">Photo Route</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdown-pretty-progress/id1597616326\">Pretty Progress</a>, and <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/screen-mirroring-cast-mirror/id1468495939\">Replica</a>. It remains to be seen which of these I will actually use on a regular basis.<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📱 I installed <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/finity/id1071698434\">finity</a> on my iPhone and enjoyed playing it now and then during some trips over the Christmas holidays.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Finished <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros._2#Super_Mario_Advance\">Super Mario Advance</a> (Super Mario Bros. 2 port for GBA) on my <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co\">Analogue Pocket</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😈 Started playing <a href=\"https://diablo4.blizzard.com/de-de/\">Diablo 4</a>. I absolutely do not understand yet what one has to do here and especially when and why, but I enjoy it so far ;-)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹 I checked out <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/resident-evil-4/id6462360082\">Resident Evil 4</a> on my M2 MacBook Pro and was pleasantly surprised at how well and smoothly it plays. I imagine I see clear differences to the PS5 version I already own, but if I didn’t, it could have been a good purchase for the Mac as well. (I’m not sure if it’s such a clever idea to sell games that have been available for established gaming consoles for years to “real” gamers, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Apple.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 Funko Box- So many of them almost everywhere. Awesome; did not let <a href=\"https://designer.microsoft.com/image-creator?p=Funko+figure+of+a+male%2C+smiling%2C+called+%5BFrank+Meeuwsen%5D%2C+wearing+%5Bglasses%2C+a+yellow+and+brown+flannel+Vans+shirt%2C+dark+blue+Levis+501+jeans+%5Dand+%5BBlack+Vans+skater+shoes%5D%2C+%5Bclean+cut+hair%5D%2C+%5Ba+medium+long+black+beard+with+touches+of+grey+in+the+front%5D.+The+Funko+is+displayed+%5Binside+and+outside%5D+a+limited+edition+%5Bgreen+and+yellow%5D+Funko+box+with+%5BBlogger%5D+text%2C+allowing+visibility+of+the+figure%2C+typography%2C+3D+render.+%5BWhite%5D+background\">Microsoft Designer</a> create my own, though.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>💿 I’ve signed up to <a href=\"https://1001albumsgenerator.com/esamecar\">Album Of The Day</a> and enjoy the daily recommendations so far.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎙 I’ve deleted Overcast and moved to Apple Podcasts.app. Just added only a few shows back in. I’ll try to listen to less Podcasts at 1,0 x speed and more music.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📖 I read the countless annual reviews and outlooks<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> with great interest and was pleased about the (perceived) <a href=\"https://rknight.me/blog/the-web-is-fantastic/\">renaissance of blogging</a>. Of course, a large part of this was due to <a href=\"https://defaults.rknight.me\">Rob’s App Defaults</a> overview page, which now offers > 300 individual blogs as RSS feeds for simple import into your own feed reader.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🥰 Speaking of it, my <a href=\"https://hemisphericviews.com\">Hemispheric Views</a> <a href=\"https://hemisphericviews.bigcartel.com/product/hemispheric-views-defaults-laptop-sticker\">Defaults Laptop Sticker</a> <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/111619449278404002\">arrived</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🍿 Watched <a href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/346698\">Barbie (2023)</a> with the family. Was fun!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🙏 Thank you for reading my Weeknotes in 2023! I didn’t quite manage to consistently follow through on the resolution I made at the beginning of the year to write down a few things each week, was briefly on the verge of <a href=\"https://esamecar.weblog.lol/2023/11/what-caught-my-attention-in-week-fourty-seven-2023\">giving up</a> entirely, and still find it a bit odd, but I had a lot of fun with it. I registered with omg.lol at the beginning of 2023, moved my then only a few weeks old Mastodon account to social.lol, and became a member of micro.blog. I am very happy to have discovered this part of the net. I have actually gotten to know several people who have become dear to me, even though I do not know them personally. Thank you for that! It actually made the year 2023 better, although otherwise, it wasn’t really a year I look back on with much joy. <strong>So, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, stay healthy, and see you soon. Looking forward to it!</strong></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Keybot is definitely pretty high up on the list. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>way too many to list them here, sorry 🤷♂️ <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn addition to week [50](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/17/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 51 and 52, 2023:\n\n- 🖼 Many new iPhone wallpapers made the rounds: [Gameboy](https://designertom.gumroad.com/l/retrobacks) style, [iPod](https://store.oliur.com/b/ipod-wallpapers) style. On Reddit, there are some simpler versions available for free ([Original](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fmade-a-lock-screen-wallpaper-of-the-iconic-first-gen-ipod-v0-61b5kun81gd91.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Dacffa8bc4b6181abb6a21a723f37755b3ebda938&rdt=44250), [iPod Mini](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fios-16-in-mind-lock-screen-wallpapers-of-the-legendary-ipod-v0-9ww5016zbkd91.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D47efddb8c0bdc9d1f6ccb5d15d8f891e65c47075)), and moreover, Basic Apple Guy has recently released some very nice ones, [Aurora Gradient](https://basicappleguy.com/haberdashery/auroraborealisgradient) and [Ugly Christmas Sweater Wallpapers (Mac Edition)](https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/ugly-christmas-sweater-wallpapers-mac-edition), and just published his [Rewind 2023: Wallpapers](https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/rewind-2023-wallpapers).\n\n- 📝 [Blake](https://social.lol/@bw) released a web app for omg.lol: [write.omg.lol](https://write.omg.lol/) - *A simple notepad in your browser backed by omg.lol's Pastebin feature*.\n\n- 🖥️ Found this on [baty.net](https://baty.net/journal/2023/12/27/using-setapp-versions-of-apps): [So you got Setapp… make the most of it](https://brettterpstra.com/2019/04/22/so-you-got-setapp-dot-dot-dot-make-the-most-of-it/): A Terminal script, \"*which will tell you what apps you have that also have a Setapp version*\". This way you can \"*contribute part of the monthly subscription fee you’re already paying to the developers of the apps you love*\".\n\n- ✏️ [Canion](https://social.lol/@canion) posted about another nice-looking plain text/markdown note-taking app I had never heard of before: [Notebooks](https://www.notebooksapp.com). I now use [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) with its [Dataview](https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview) plugin and [Actions for Obsidian](https://actions.work/actions-for-obsidian) so intensively that I can't imagine switching, but in principle, native macOS/iOS apps of this kind are extremely welcome.\n\n- 🎵 Installed [Tuneful](https://github.com/martinfekete10/Tuneful) - *a native macOS menu bar playback control app for Spotify and Apple Music*.\n\n- 🖊️ [Sindre Sorhus](https://sindresorhus.com/) has released just another new app: [Memo Widget](https://sindresorhus.com/memo-widget) - *Sticky notes on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, and desktop*.\n\n- 🎉 [KeyJerk Reactions](https://github.com/x74353/KeyJerk-Reactions) lets you bind the new macOS' Video reactions via a nice UI or a script.\n\n- 🔗 Bookmarked [SharePal](https://getsharepal.app) - *Lightning speed sharing. Add. Organize. Share*. I don't have a specific use case for this app yet, but should it come to that, I now have an idea of how I could make the task easier.\n\n- 🌏 This one looks interesting: [Globetrotter](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/globetrotter-travel-tracker/id6469319235) - \"*a location-based travel photos app, providing a fast and fun way to share your travel highlights with your friends and family*\". Now I just need to get around more, which is not so easy for a household that doesn't own a car and for some reason doesn't fly.\n\n- 📱 Additional apps for iOS, many of which with a free lifetime license thanks to the Indie App Santa promotion: [Cheatsheet](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cheatsheet-notes-widget/id914665829), [Joy](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatbot-assistant-joy-ai/id6447106829), [Keybot](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ai-keyboard-assistant-keybot/id1663671666), [Mindr](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindr-erinnern-ohne-stress/id6451364783), [Peaks](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/peaks-biorhythm-tracker/id6446705377), [Photo Route](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/photo-route-map-your-photos/id6444888265), [Pretty Progress](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/countdown-pretty-progress/id1597616326), and [Replica](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/screen-mirroring-cast-mirror/id1468495939). It remains to be seen which of these I will actually use on a regular basis.[^1]\n\n- 📱 I installed [finity](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/finity/id1071698434) on my iPhone and enjoyed playing it now and then during some trips over the Christmas holidays.\n\n- 🎮 Finished [Super Mario Advance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros._2#Super_Mario_Advance) (Super Mario Bros. 2 port for GBA) on my [Analogue Pocket](https://www.analogue.co).\n\n- 😈 Started playing [Diablo 4](https://diablo4.blizzard.com/de-de/). I absolutely do not understand yet what one has to do here and especially when and why, but I enjoy it so far ;-)\n\n- 🕹 I checked out [Resident Evil 4](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/resident-evil-4/id6462360082) on my M2 MacBook Pro and was pleasantly surprised at how well and smoothly it plays. I imagine I see clear differences to the PS5 version I already own, but if I didn't, it could have been a good purchase for the Mac as well. (I'm not sure if it's such a clever idea to sell games that have been available for established gaming consoles for years to \"real\" gamers, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Apple.)\n\n- 🤖 Funko Box- So many of them almost everywhere. Awesome; did not let [Microsoft Designer](https://designer.microsoft.com/image-creator?p=Funko+figure+of+a+male%2C+smiling%2C+called+%5BFrank+Meeuwsen%5D%2C+wearing+%5Bglasses%2C+a+yellow+and+brown+flannel+Vans+shirt%2C+dark+blue+Levis+501+jeans+%5Dand+%5BBlack+Vans+skater+shoes%5D%2C+%5Bclean+cut+hair%5D%2C+%5Ba+medium+long+black+beard+with+touches+of+grey+in+the+front%5D.+The+Funko+is+displayed+%5Binside+and+outside%5D+a+limited+edition+%5Bgreen+and+yellow%5D+Funko+box+with+%5BBlogger%5D+text%2C+allowing+visibility+of+the+figure%2C+typography%2C+3D+render.+%5BWhite%5D+background) create my own, though.\n\n- 💿 I've signed up to [Album Of The Day](https://1001albumsgenerator.com/esamecar) and enjoy the daily recommendations so far.\n\n- 🎙 I've deleted Overcast and moved to Apple Podcasts.app. Just added only a few shows back in. I'll try to listen to less Podcasts at 1,0 x speed and more music. \n\n- 📖 I read the countless annual reviews and outlooks[^2] with great interest and was pleased about the (perceived) [renaissance of blogging](https://rknight.me/blog/the-web-is-fantastic/). Of course, a large part of this was due to [Rob's App Defaults](https://defaults.rknight.me) overview page, which now offers > 300 individual blogs as RSS feeds for simple import into your own feed reader.\n\n- 🥰 Speaking of it, my [Hemispheric Views](https://hemisphericviews.com) [Defaults Laptop Sticker](https://hemisphericviews.bigcartel.com/product/hemispheric-views-defaults-laptop-sticker) [arrived](https://social.lol/@esamecar/111619449278404002).\n\n- 🍿 Watched [Barbie (2023)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/346698) with the family. Was fun!\n\n- 🙏 Thank you for reading my Weeknotes in 2023! I didn't quite manage to consistently follow through on the resolution I made at the beginning of the year to write down a few things each week, was briefly on the verge of [giving up](https://esamecar.weblog.lol/2023/11/what-caught-my-attention-in-week-fourty-seven-2023) entirely, and still find it a bit odd, but I had a lot of fun with it. I registered with omg.lol at the beginning of 2023, moved my then only a few weeks old Mastodon account to social.lol, and became a member of micro.blog. I am very happy to have discovered this part of the net. I have actually gotten to know several people who have become dear to me, even though I do not know them personally. Thank you for that! It actually made the year 2023 better, although otherwise, it wasn't really a year I look back on with much joy. **So, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, stay healthy, and see you soon. Looking forward to it!**\n\n\n[^1]: Keybot is definitely pretty high up on the list.\n[^2]: way too many to list them here, sorry 🤷♂️\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-31T12:07:47+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/31/what-caught-my.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/28/i-remember-times.html",
"content_html": "<p>I remember times when BMW used to build relatively “reasonable looking” cars.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "I remember times when BMW used to build relatively \"reasonable looking\" cars.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/385c17c85c.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"591\" alt=\"Front of a BMW iX\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-28T10:07:38+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/28/i-remember-times.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/17/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fifty, 2023",
"content_html": "<p>Due to my Covid infection, I was only able to publish my Weeknotes for week 49 quite late, so here are just a few more thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 50, 2023:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>💶 I published my <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html\">State of App and Services Subscriptions 2023</a> and read similar posts from other people with great interest.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎙 <a href=\"https://canion.blog/2023/12/15/hello-this-is.html\">Canion</a> tried <a href=\"https://setapp.com/de/apps/murmur\">MurmurType on Setapp</a> - <em>Transcribe your speech</em> and I plan to take a closer look at the app soon as well.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤖 <a href=\"https://lmstudio.ai/\">LM Studio</a> - <em>Discover, download, and run local LLMs</em>: It feels like the AI hype has significantly flattened, but of course, chatbots are here to stay. The possibility of running them locally on your computer is naturally tempting. Bookmarked.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧵 Awesome <a href=\"https://social.lightbeamapps.com/@dave/111569274622087794\">thread</a> initiated by <a href=\"https://social.lightbeamapps.com/@dave\">Dave</a> with lots of Indie Mac and iOS Apps. I’ve bookmarked <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bartleby/id6471288787\">Bartleby</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084?itsct=apps_box&itscg=30200\">DoMarks</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cheatsheet-notes-widget/id914665829?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=apps_box_link\">Cheatsheet</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002\">Bridges</a>, <a href=\"https://www.pxlwaves.com/meterstats/#roadmap\">MeterStats</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ride-stats/id1559853093\">Ride Stats</a>, <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/walk-routes-by-meandr/id1518077791\">Walk Routes</a>, and some others to evaluate them when I get the chance.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>I love <a href=\"https://hyperkey.app\">Hyperkey</a> and therefore started evaluating <a href=\"https://superkey.app\">Superkey</a>. I am not sure yet if I will use its added functionality but it would be a way to support <a href=\"https://ryanhanson.dev\">Ryan’s</a> work nevertheless.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 Finished <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/de-de/games/stray/\">Stray</a> on PS5 and now I’m looking for a non-open-world game to tackle next. Any ideas?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖨 I finally managed to upgrade my Anker Make M5 to the <a href=\"https://www.ankermake.com/products/all-metal-hotend-set-m5?variant=43639453778069\">All Metal Hotend</a>; of course, I had two screws left over in the end and had to take everything apart again. But now it’s up an running again. 😅</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Started watching <a href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/84958\">Loki</a> S2 and continued watching <a href=\"%5BThe%20Bear%20poster%5D(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/3MVHF64rlvH1eofKefIoazXwOK0.jpg)\">The Bear</a> S2.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "\nDue to my Covid infection, I was only able to publish my Weeknotes for week 49 quite late, so here are just a few more thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 50, 2023:\n\n- 💶 I published my [State of App and Services Subscriptions 2023](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html) and read similar posts from other people with great interest.\n\n- 🎙 [Canion](https://canion.blog/2023/12/15/hello-this-is.html) tried [MurmurType on Setapp](https://setapp.com/de/apps/murmur) - *Transcribe your speech* and I plan to take a closer look at the app soon as well.\n\n- 🤖 [LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai/) - *Discover, download, and run local LLMs*: It feels like the AI hype has significantly flattened, but of course, chatbots are here to stay. The possibility of running them locally on your computer is naturally tempting. Bookmarked.\n\n- 🧵 Awesome [thread](https://social.lightbeamapps.com/@dave/111569274622087794) initiated by [Dave](https://social.lightbeamapps.com/@dave) with lots of Indie Mac and iOS Apps. I've bookmarked [Bartleby](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bartleby/id6471288787), [DoMarks](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/domarks/id1518886084?itsct=apps_box&itscg=30200), [Cheatsheet](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cheatsheet-notes-widget/id914665829?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=apps_box_link), [Bridges](https://apps.apple.com/app/bridges-link-formatting/id1661901002), [MeterStats](https://www.pxlwaves.com/meterstats/#roadmap), [Ride Stats](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ride-stats/id1559853093), [Walk Routes](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/walk-routes-by-meandr/id1518077791), and some others to evaluate them when I get the chance.\n\n- I love [Hyperkey](https://hyperkey.app) and therefore started evaluating [Superkey](https://superkey.app). I am not sure yet if I will use its added functionality but it would be a way to support [Ryan's](https://ryanhanson.dev) work nevertheless. \n\n- 🎮 Finished [Stray](https://www.playstation.com/de-de/games/stray/) on PS5 and now I'm looking for a non-open-world game to tackle next. Any ideas?\n\n- 🖨 I finally managed to upgrade my Anker Make M5 to the [All Metal Hotend](https://www.ankermake.com/products/all-metal-hotend-set-m5?variant=43639453778069); of course, I had two screws left over in the end and had to take everything apart again. But now it's up an running again. 😅\n\n- 📺 Started watching [Loki](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/84958) S2 and continued watching [The Bear](<[The Bear poster](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/3MVHF64rlvH1eofKefIoazXwOK0.jpg)>) S2.\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-17T16:41:53+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/17/what-caught-my.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/17/those-were-the.html",
"content_html": "<p>Those were the days …</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Those were the days ...\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/6193f7d082.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"264\" alt=\"Vintage Handspring Visor and Sony Clié models.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-17T11:26:06+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/17/those-were-the.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html",
"title": "State of App and Services Subscriptions 2023",
"content_html": "<p>I use a variety of different apps and services on iOS and macOS. Most of them are based on subscription models, and even though I try to make sure that each program doesn’t cost more than 5 € / month, a not insignificant monthly amount<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> quickly adds up.</p>\n<p>Here is a table of all the apps and services I’m currently subscribed to:<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>App or Service</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:right\">Cost / Month</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">Type</th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">State</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1Password</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Anybox</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.21 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Arq</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.22 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chronicling</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>DayOne</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.21 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Drafts</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Epic Weather Ride</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>FDDB</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.00 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">1/2y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>HealthFit</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>iConnectHue</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.67 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>ifttt</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.39 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ivory</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kagi</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.63 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mastodon</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.79 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mercury Weather</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.67 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Micro.blog</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.63 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mindnode</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>MS Office 365</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">8.25 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Neptunes</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.17 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NordVPN</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.80 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Obsidian Sync</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">4.45 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Overcast Premium</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Personal Best</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Play</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.92 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Photomator</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.92 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Readwise</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">3.71 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Setapp</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Söka</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Timery</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.87 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>trakt.tv</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.32 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Training Today</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TV Forecast</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Up Ahead</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.00 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🔴</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Waterllama</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">0.58 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>YNAB</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">8.19 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Zenitizer</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">1.83 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Apple One Premium</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">31.95 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney+</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">7.50 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nintendo Switch Online</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">2.92 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>PlayStationPlus</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">5.00 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">y</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟡</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wahoo Systm</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">13.75 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">m</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">🟢</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Total</strong>:</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:right\">141.64 €</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\"></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p>In total, they cost well over 140 € a month, which is 1700 €<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup> a year! 😱</p>\n<p>Time to go through all the apps one by one and consider whether I really need them and whether they are still worth their money to me.<sup id=\"fnref:4\"><a href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">4</a></sup></p>\n<ul>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"http://1password.com\">1Password</a>: <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html\">Until last week</a>, my standard password manager. I am currently considering whether it could potentially be replaced by Apple’s Keychain; however, I am not fully there yet.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"http://anybox.app\">Anybox</a>: My current bookmark manager of choice; I could possibly live with the free version of <a href=\"https://raindrop.io\">Raindrop.io</a>; but even though the developer probably <a href=\"https://nitter.net/raindrop_io/status/1550785806796742656\">no longer lives</a> in Russia, the <a href=\"https://numericcitizen.me/when-war-in-ukraine-influences-my-application-choices/\">proximity</a> is somehow still too uncomfortable for me.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://www.arqbackup.com\">Arq</a>: I use Arq since 2016 together with the countless TB of free OneDrive storage space available to me as part of the MS Office subscription; I couldn’t sleep peacefully without offsite backup.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://chroniclingapp.com\">Chronicling</a>: I use it a lot lately, especially to fill my Daily Journal in Obsidian via Shortcuts.app; I really don’t want to miss it.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://dayoneapp.com\">DayOne</a>: Since I moved my Daily Journal to Obsidian in the middle of the year, I don’t really use it anymore. But I still let it be filled (automatically). My first entries go back to the year 2008, although I can’t figure out when it was actually published. Would feel strange without it.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://getdrafts.com\">Drafts</a>: I used the app extensively in the past, then didn’t understand it for a long time, and currently, I can’t imagine life without it again.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://www.epicrideweather.com\">Epic Weather Ride</a>: An indispensable weather tool for planning bike tours.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/fddb-kalorienz%C3%A4hler-di%C3%A4t/id1105332761\">FDDB</a>: I regularly fail to track my calories consistently and thus control my weight. Most of the year an unused app because it is too exhausting to constantly weigh your food. I should cancel and only resubscribe when I really (for a month or two) want to use it.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/healthfit/id1202650514\">HealthFit</a>: One of the few ways to get .fit files from the <a href=\"https://www.hammerhead.io\">Hammerhead Karoo 2</a> into Apple Health and much more. Subscription is even voluntary and IMHO extremely well invested.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"http://iconnecthue.com\">iConnectHue</a>: An alternative way to program and control Philips Hue lamps. In the past, the things I wanted to implement could only be set up properly through it. However, I should take a look during the brighter time of the year to see if most of it can now also be done via the native app.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"http://ifttt.com\">ifttt</a>: Oh, I actually only use it to import various things into Day One automatically. I don’t really need it but I love automating things 🤔.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://tapbots.com/ivory/\">Ivory</a>: There are a number of alternative Mastodon clients like <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mona-for-mastodon/id1659154653\">Mona</a> etc. that do not rely on a subscription; also, the development speed is not very high at the moment. On the other hand, I’ve gotten very used to these very polished apps for iOS and macOS.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"http://kagi.com\">Kagi</a>: A really good Google alternative. But ultimately “only” for the conscience. It’s not that I achieve anything with Kagi that wouldn’t be possible with google.com or <a href=\"http://duckduckgo.com\">duckduckgo</a>.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://upaheadapp.com\">Up Ahead</a>: Incredible nice-looking app, but I feel like it hasn’t been updated for almost a year now. (How nice it would be if you could simply add entries from the calendar.) It’s hard, but</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://www.patreon.com/mastodon\">Mastodon</a>: Completely voluntary and actually too small an amount.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mercury-weather/id1621800675\">Mercury Weather</a>: I really like it, it has even won big at the <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/stories/macstories-selects-2023-recognizing-the-best-apps-of-the-year/\">MacStories Selects</a>, but since I rarely travel to other places/countries and the Weather app is also getting better…</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://micro.blog\">Micro.blog</a> : What can I say …</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://www.mindnode.com\">Mindnode</a>: Used to be one of my most used apps; it is now also available via Setapp and I only have the subscription because of the iOS version; however, I use the latter very rarely ATM.</li>\n<li>🟡 MS Office 365: In the meantime, my sons through school as well as my wife and I through work theoretically have free access to Office at home, however, I paid for several years in advance a long time ago and now the subscription just runs. I use the storage space intensively with Arq (see above); I should check at some point whether it can be realized more cheaply.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/neptunes/id1006739057?mt=12\">Neptunes</a>: Costs almost nothing and I use it daily on the Mac.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://nordvpn.com/\">NordVPN</a>: Everyone should have a VPN service, right?</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://obsidian.md/sync\">Obsidian Sync</a>: Without Obsidian, my computer life would be meaningless right now. There would be alternatives to synchronize the content between platforms, but the Sync subscription is a good way to support Obsidian in its entirety.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://overcast.fm\">Overcast Premium</a>: I never understood the UI concept of Overcast. However, it has Shortcuts support and I have automated a few things with it. Are they really necessary? No.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/personal-best-workouts/id1510256676\">Personal Best</a>: Nice, but the UI is still a bit too confusing for me and the actual benefit may be too small.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/play-save-videos-watch-later/id1596506190\">Play</a>: I’ll take a look at it again in a year. Right now, I really enjoy the channels feature <a href=\"https://www.macstories.net/reviews/play-2-0-adds-youtube-channel-support-folders-and-a-new-premium-subscription/\">introduced in 2.0</a>.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://www.pixelmator.com/photomator/\">Photomator</a>: Great app, but I don’t use it often enough.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://readwise.io/read\">Reader Readwise</a>: The price is at the upper limit of pain for me but only thanks to an educational discount. I use the app very extensively; if it were more expensive, I would switch to <a href=\"http://omnivore.app\">Omnivore</a>.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://setapp.com/de\">Setapp</a>: Worth the money thanks to the Edu discount.</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/s%C3%B6ka-bucket-lists-made-easy/id6446223795\">Söka</a>: I like it. I travel too little to really take advantage of it. Maybe I’ll subscribe for a month or so before the next vacation?</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://timeryapp.com\">Timery</a>: I use it professionally, but I pay for it privately because it helps me keep a little better track.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://trakt.tv/vip\">trakt.tv</a>: Actually, I watch too few series to justify a VIP account. But in this way, things can be automated very nicely and transferred to Day One via IFTT, etc. Oh …</li>\n<li>🔴 <a href=\"https://trainingtodayapp.com\">Training Today</a>: After the app once attested to me the best fitness despite fever and malaise, I believe it is just an (expensive) random number generator.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://tvforecastapp.com\">TV Forecast</a>: I love this app.</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://waterllama.com\">Waterllama</a>: I have now bought a Live Time license.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://www.ynab.com\">YNAB</a>: Without YNAB, we would be heavily in debt, I would have even more pointless stuff, and my wife would have left me with the kids and dog.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://manuelkehl.com/apps/zenitizer/\">Zenitizer</a>: The subscription reminds me that I damn well need to work on overcoming my inner laziness more regularly.</li>\n<li>🟢 Apple One Premium: As a family, we need a large iCloud storage tier just for the photos. In addition, we use Apple Music and Apple TV+. In total, still more expensive than Premium. It’s a pity, really.</li>\n<li>🟢 Disney+: Marvel, Star Wars, etc. - we can’t do without it.</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch-Online/Benefits/Benefits-2060569.html\">Nintendo Switch Online</a>: Necessary just for my son’s ZELDA backup, although 😈 …</li>\n<li>🟡 <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/ps-plus/\">PlayStationPlus</a>: If I could understand what exactly happens to my 300 previously “acquired” games through it if I were to cancel it, it might even be conceivable to do so 🤷♂️.</li>\n<li>🟢 <a href=\"https://uk.wahoofitness.com/wahoo-x-membership\">wahoo X</a>: The Zwift UI has too negative an impact on my blood pressure; I have therefore been looking for a long time for an alternative to indoor cycling that just works reliably. The Sufferfest / wahoo SYSTM does this. My way of exercising in the winter months.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Well, there are a few programs / services that I have now canceled as a result. I still have to think about the other 🟡 apps. It would probably be wise to cancel them as well and after the subscription expires, see if I can bear their loss and if not, just resubscribe.</p>\n<p>But basically, nice things cost money and all these services and apps make my day easier or enrich my life. At least now I know where I stand at the moment. 😀</p>\n<p>P.S. I totally forgot to include <a href=\"https://home.omg.lol\">omg.lol</a>, my <a href=\"https://posteo.de/en\">e-mail provider</a>, and Hemispheric Views' One Prime Plus, but those are all no-brainers for me. 😅</p>\n<p>P.P.S: This list only covers tech related stuff. Charity and other related expenses are not listed here.</p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Update 2023-12-14</strong>: If you’re interested in other people’s subscriptions, you can have a look here: <a href=\"https://rknight.me/subscriptions/\">Robb</a>, <a href=\"https://canion.blog/2023/12/14/subscriptions.html\">Canion</a>, <a href=\"https://kevquirk.com/on-subscriptions\">Kev</a>, and <a href=\"https://crafted.numericcitizen.me/current-subscriptions\">Numeric Citizen</a>.</p>\n<p><strong>Update 2023-12-17</strong>: And here is a <a href=\"https://microblog.pratikmhatre.com/2023/12/17/subscriptions.html\">post</a> by pratik.</p>\n<p><strong>Update 2023-12-18</strong>: Posts from <a href=\"https://otavio.cc/subscriptions\">Otávio</a>, <a href=\"https://maique.eu/2023/12/17/subscriptions-edition.html\">Maique</a>, and <a href=\"https://alpine.weblog.lol/2023/12/subscriptions\">Zachary</a>.</p>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>All subscriptions have been converted to Euros and annual subscriptions divided by 12. Some are family subscriptions, some are subscriptions with an education discount. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Sorry <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Canion<!-- raw HTML omitted -->, not in <code>$ / week</code> this time 😇. m: monthly; y: yearly; 🟢: keep subscription; 🟡: think about subscription; 🔴: cancel subscription <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>$ 1.834 <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:4\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>If anyone reading here happens to have anything to do with any of the apps mentioned, please don’t misunderstand: They are all awesome apps, otherwise I would never have subscribed to them before! 😄 <a href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nI use a variety of different apps and services on iOS and macOS. Most of them are based on subscription models, and even though I try to make sure that each program doesn't cost more than 5 € / month, a not insignificant monthly amount[^1] quickly adds up.\n\nHere is a table of all the apps and services I'm currently subscribed to:[^2]\n\n| App or Service | Cost / Month | Type | State |\n| ---- | ---: | :--: | :--: |\n| 1Password | 5.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Anybox | 1.21 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Arq | 3.22 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Chronicling | 0.83 € | y | 🟢 |\n| DayOne | 2.21 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Drafts | 1.71 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Epic Weather Ride | 0.71 € | y | 🟢 |\n| FDDB | 2.00 € | 1/2y | 🔴 |\n| HealthFit | 0.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| iConnectHue | 1.67 € | y | 🟡 |\n| ifttt | 1.39 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Ivory | 2.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Kagi | 4.63 € | m | 🟡 |\n| Mastodon | 1.79 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Mercury Weather | 1.67 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Micro.blog | 4.63 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Mindnode | 1.83 € | y | 🔴 |\n| MS Office 365 | 8.25 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Neptunes | 0.17 € | y | 🟢 |\n| NordVPN | 3.80 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Obsidian Sync | 4.45 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Overcast Premium | 0.83 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Personal Best | 0.50 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Play | 1.92 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Photomator | 2.92 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Readwise | 3.71 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Setapp | 5.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Söka | 0.83 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Timery | 0.87 € | y | 🟡 |\n| trakt.tv | 2.32 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Training Today | 1.50 € | y | 🔴 |\n| TV Forecast | 0.83 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Up Ahead | 1.00 € | y | 🔴 |\n| Waterllama | 0.58 € | | |\n| YNAB | 8.19 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Zenitizer | 1.83 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Apple One Premium | 31.95 € | m | 🟢 |\n| Disney+ | 7.50 € | y | 🟢 |\n| Nintendo Switch Online | 2.92 € | y | 🟡 |\n| PlayStationPlus | 5.00 € | y | 🟡 |\n| Wahoo Systm | 13.75 € | m | 🟢 |\n| **Total**: | 141.64 € | | |\n\nIn total, they cost well over 140 € a month, which is 1700 €[^3] a year! 😱\n\nTime to go through all the apps one by one and consider whether I really need them and whether they are still worth their money to me.[^4]\n\n- 🟢 [1Password](http://1password.com): [Until last week](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html), my standard password manager. I am currently considering whether it could potentially be replaced by Apple's Keychain; however, I am not fully there yet.\n- 🟢 [Anybox](http://anybox.app): My current bookmark manager of choice; I could possibly live with the free version of [Raindrop.io](https://raindrop.io); but even though the developer probably [no longer lives](https://nitter.net/raindrop_io/status/1550785806796742656) in Russia, the [proximity](https://numericcitizen.me/when-war-in-ukraine-influences-my-application-choices/) is somehow still too uncomfortable for me. \n- 🟢 [Arq](https://www.arqbackup.com): I use Arq since 2016 together with the countless TB of free OneDrive storage space available to me as part of the MS Office subscription; I couldn't sleep peacefully without offsite backup. \n- 🟢 [Chronicling](https://chroniclingapp.com): I use it a lot lately, especially to fill my Daily Journal in Obsidian via Shortcuts.app; I really don't want to miss it. \n- 🟡 [DayOne](https://dayoneapp.com): Since I moved my Daily Journal to Obsidian in the middle of the year, I don't really use it anymore. But I still let it be filled (automatically). My first entries go back to the year 2008, although I can't figure out when it was actually published. Would feel strange without it.\n- 🟢 [Drafts](https://getdrafts.com): I used the app extensively in the past, then didn't understand it for a long time, and currently, I can't imagine life without it again. \n- 🟢 [Epic Weather Ride](https://www.epicrideweather.com): An indispensable weather tool for planning bike tours. \n- 🔴 [FDDB](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/fddb-kalorienz%C3%A4hler-di%C3%A4t/id1105332761): I regularly fail to track my calories consistently and thus control my weight. Most of the year an unused app because it is too exhausting to constantly weigh your food. I should cancel and only resubscribe when I really (for a month or two) want to use it.\n- 🟢 [HealthFit](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/healthfit/id1202650514): One of the few ways to get .fit files from the [Hammerhead Karoo 2](https://www.hammerhead.io) into Apple Health and much more. Subscription is even voluntary and IMHO extremely well invested. \n- 🟡 [iConnectHue](http://iconnecthue.com): An alternative way to program and control Philips Hue lamps. In the past, the things I wanted to implement could only be set up properly through it. However, I should take a look during the brighter time of the year to see if most of it can now also be done via the native app. \n- 🟡 [ifttt](http://ifttt.com): Oh, I actually only use it to import various things into Day One automatically. I don't really need it but I love automating things 🤔. \n- 🟢 [Ivory](https://tapbots.com/ivory/): There are a number of alternative Mastodon clients like [Mona](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mona-for-mastodon/id1659154653) etc. that do not rely on a subscription; also, the development speed is not very high at the moment. On the other hand, I've gotten very used to these very polished apps for iOS and macOS. \n- 🟡 [Kagi](http://kagi.com): A really good Google alternative. But ultimately \"only\" for the conscience. It's not that I achieve anything with Kagi that wouldn't be possible with google.com or [duckduckgo](http://duckduckgo.com). \n- 🔴 [Up Ahead](https://upaheadapp.com): Incredible nice-looking app, but I feel like it hasn't been updated for almost a year now. (How nice it would be if you could simply add entries from the calendar.) It's hard, but \n- 🟢 [Mastodon](https://www.patreon.com/mastodon): Completely voluntary and actually too small an amount. \n- 🔴 [Mercury Weather](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mercury-weather/id1621800675): I really like it, it has even won big at the [MacStories Selects](https://www.macstories.net/stories/macstories-selects-2023-recognizing-the-best-apps-of-the-year/), but since I rarely travel to other places/countries and the Weather app is also getting better... \n- 🟢 [Micro.blog](https://micro.blog) : What can I say ...\n- 🔴 [Mindnode](https://www.mindnode.com): Used to be one of my most used apps; it is now also available via Setapp and I only have the subscription because of the iOS version; however, I use the latter very rarely ATM. \n- 🟡 MS Office 365: In the meantime, my sons through school as well as my wife and I through work theoretically have free access to Office at home, however, I paid for several years in advance a long time ago and now the subscription just runs. I use the storage space intensively with Arq (see above); I should check at some point whether it can be realized more cheaply. \n- 🟢 [Neptunes](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/neptunes/id1006739057?mt=12): Costs almost nothing and I use it daily on the Mac. \n- 🟢 [NordVPN](https://nordvpn.com/): Everyone should have a VPN service, right? \n- 🟢 [Obsidian Sync](https://obsidian.md/sync): Without Obsidian, my computer life would be meaningless right now. There would be alternatives to synchronize the content between platforms, but the Sync subscription is a good way to support Obsidian in its entirety. \n- 🔴 [Overcast Premium](https://overcast.fm): I never understood the UI concept of Overcast. However, it has Shortcuts support and I have automated a few things with it. Are they really necessary? No. \n- 🔴 [Personal Best](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/personal-best-workouts/id1510256676): Nice, but the UI is still a bit too confusing for me and the actual benefit may be too small. \n- 🟡 [Play](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/play-save-videos-watch-later/id1596506190): I'll take a look at it again in a year. Right now, I really enjoy the channels feature [introduced in 2.0](https://www.macstories.net/reviews/play-2-0-adds-youtube-channel-support-folders-and-a-new-premium-subscription/). \n- 🔴 [Photomator](https://www.pixelmator.com/photomator/): Great app, but I don't use it often enough. \n- 🟡 [Reader Readwise](https://readwise.io/read): The price is at the upper limit of pain for me but only thanks to an educational discount. I use the app very extensively; if it were more expensive, I would switch to [Omnivore](http://omnivore.app). \n- 🟢 [Setapp](https://setapp.com/de): Worth the money thanks to the Edu discount. \n- 🔴 [Söka](https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/söka-bucket-lists-made-easy/id6446223795): I like it. I travel too little to really take advantage of it. Maybe I'll subscribe for a month or so before the next vacation? \n- 🟡 [Timery](https://timeryapp.com): I use it professionally, but I pay for it privately because it helps me keep a little better track. \n- 🟡 [trakt.tv](https://trakt.tv/vip): Actually, I watch too few series to justify a VIP account. But in this way, things can be automated very nicely and transferred to Day One via IFTT, etc. Oh ... \n- 🔴 [Training Today](https://trainingtodayapp.com): After the app once attested to me the best fitness despite fever and malaise, I believe it is just an (expensive) random number generator. \n- 🟢 [TV Forecast](https://tvforecastapp.com): I love this app. \n- [Waterllama](https://waterllama.com): I have now bought a Live Time license.\n- 🟢 [YNAB](https://www.ynab.com): Without YNAB, we would be heavily in debt, I would have even more pointless stuff, and my wife would have left me with the kids and dog. \n- 🟡 [Zenitizer](https://manuelkehl.com/apps/zenitizer/): The subscription reminds me that I damn well need to work on overcoming my inner laziness more regularly. \n- 🟢 Apple One Premium: As a family, we need a large iCloud storage tier just for the photos. In addition, we use Apple Music and Apple TV+. In total, still more expensive than Premium. It's a pity, really. \n- 🟢 Disney+: Marvel, Star Wars, etc. - we can't do without it. \n- 🟡 [Nintendo Switch Online](https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch-Online/Benefits/Benefits-2060569.html): Necessary just for my son's ZELDA backup, although 😈 ... \n- 🟡 [PlayStationPlus](https://www.playstation.com/ps-plus/): If I could understand what exactly happens to my 300 previously \"acquired\" games through it if I were to cancel it, it might even be conceivable to do so 🤷♂️. \n- 🟢 [wahoo X](https://uk.wahoofitness.com/wahoo-x-membership): The Zwift UI has too negative an impact on my blood pressure; I have therefore been looking for a long time for an alternative to indoor cycling that just works reliably. The Sufferfest / wahoo SYSTM does this. My way of exercising in the winter months. \n\nWell, there are a few programs / services that I have now canceled as a result. I still have to think about the other 🟡 apps. It would probably be wise to cancel them as well and after the subscription expires, see if I can bear their loss and if not, just resubscribe.\n\nBut basically, nice things cost money and all these services and apps make my day easier or enrich my life. At least now I know where I stand at the moment. 😀\n\nP.S. I totally forgot to include [omg.lol](https://home.omg.lol), my [e-mail provider](https://posteo.de/en), and Hemispheric Views' One Prime Plus, but those are all no-brainers for me. 😅\n\nP.P.S: This list only covers tech related stuff. Charity and other related expenses are not listed here.\n\n---\n**Update 2023-12-14**: If you're interested in other people's subscriptions, you can have a look here: [Robb](https://rknight.me/subscriptions/), [Canion](https://canion.blog/2023/12/14/subscriptions.html), [Kev](https://kevquirk.com/on-subscriptions), and [Numeric Citizen](https://crafted.numericcitizen.me/current-subscriptions).\n\n**Update 2023-12-17**: And here is a [post](https://microblog.pratikmhatre.com/2023/12/17/subscriptions.html) by pratik.\n\n**Update 2023-12-18**: Posts from [Otávio](https://otavio.cc/subscriptions), [Maique](https://maique.eu/2023/12/17/subscriptions-edition.html), and [Zachary](https://alpine.weblog.lol/2023/12/subscriptions).\n\n[^1]: All subscriptions have been converted to Euros and annual subscriptions divided by 12. Some are family subscriptions, some are subscriptions with an education discount.\n[^2]: Sorry <a href=\"https://social.lol/@canion\">Canion</a>, not in `$ / week` this time 😇. m: monthly; y: yearly; 🟢: keep subscription; 🟡: think about subscription; 🔴: cancel subscription\n[^3]: $ 1.834\n[^4]: If anyone reading here happens to have anything to do with any of the apps mentioned, please don't misunderstand: They are all awesome apps, otherwise I would never have subscribed to them before! 😄\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-13T16:47:54+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/state-of-app.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fourty-nine, 2023",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation of week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/03/what-caught-my.html\">48</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 49, 2023:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🦠 Yes, I had already feared it, and unfortunately, it happened: My wife’s Covid-19 infection did not pass me by. Therefore, my weeknote is regrettably appearing a little too late “this week.”</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔫 You may not necessarily like the content, but technically, the <a href=\"https://youtube.com/watch?v=QdBZY2fkU-0\">trailer for GTA VI</a> definitely blew me away.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✏️ Another PDF editor that I will look at in my long search for an alternative to Preview<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> is <a href=\"https://www.pdfgear.com\">PDFgear</a> - <em>PDF Tasks Made Easy.</em><sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🪟 <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/linked/2023/12/05/an-applescript-for-safari-split-tabs-to-new-window\">Gruber released</a> <em>An AppleScript for Safari to move all tabs in the frontmost window, from the current tab to the rightmost (last) tab, to a new window</em>: <a href=\"https://gist.github.com/gruber/eb89728474ba59287df79c054e1097a5\">Split Tabs to New Window.scpt</a>. But even better is <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@jackwellborn/111539651190313429\">the tip</a> from <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@jackwellborn\">Jack Wellborn</a>, that you can easily drag and drop multiple tabs into a new window.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 I have been doing most of my (transformative) text work with BBEdit for decades. I really wouldn’t know what to do with my life without Multi-File Search and Regex, but sometimes I also like to use <a href=\"https://retina.studio/textbuddy/\">TextBuddy</a> or <a href=\"https://www.gtrigonakis.com/textworkflow\">Text Workflow</a>. Another nice app that does something similar is by <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/@chrishannah\">Chris Hannah</a> and now apparently even free for iOS and macOS: <a href=\"https://textcase.app\">Text Case</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📝 While I’m on the topic of text editors. <a href=\"https://coteditor.com\">CotEditor</a> now also has a Quick Action Bar - if only the programs could agree on a uniform shortcut!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹 For the 30th anniversary of Doom, I <a href=\"https://www.gog.com/de/game/doom_1993\">bought it again</a> and immediately installed it <a href=\"https://www.paulfioravanti.com/blog/classic-doom-mac/\">on my MacBook</a> and <a href=\"https://github.com/OnionUI/Ports-Collection\">Miyoo mini plus</a>. In keeping with this, John Romero released <a href=\"https://romero.com/sigil\">SIGIL II</a>. Speaking of Miyoo mini plus - there is now a <a href=\"https://github.com/XK9274/pico-8-wrapper-miyoo\">native pico-8 wrapper</a>, too 🥳.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👾 I started playing <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301905/\">Super Mario Advance</a> (GBA) on my Analogue Pocket. I noticed that I definitely never played Super Mario Bros. 2 before. (I could have sworn that I had at least tried all the major releases.) You can tell that the second part is a reskin and somehow it doesn’t really fit into the series. I also find it absurdly difficult already in the third / fourth world. Let’s see how far I will get in the game.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or due to the recently released firmware updates, but lately my Playstation Portal has been running absolutely smoothly 🥰</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🧵 Unfortunately, I now have to crawl out of <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@gruber/110667962169426329\">my European library</a> again, because soon <a href=\"https://www.threads.net\">the fun begins here too</a>! (However, I will continue to ignore Threads, just like Facebook and Instagram, for the time being.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>↔️ In terms of features, it’s not yet an alternative to Kaleidoscope, but it’s affordable: <a href=\"https://proxymanstore.gumroad.com/l/textdiffer\">Text Differ</a> - <em>Meet Text Differ, a native macOS app that shows beautiful differences between 2 texts.</em></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎙 Lately, I was a little annoyed by the ever-same content in my overflowing podcast subscription list. I think I will actually export all my subscribed podcasts, delete Overcast, and in Apple Podcasts, subscribe to <a href=\"https://ruminatepodcast.com\">Ruminate</a> and <a href=\"https://hemisphericviews.com\">Hemispheric Views</a>, and then consider whether and which <a href=\"https://flamedfury.com/posts/my-podcast-rotation-keeping-it-at-four/\">other two</a> of the usual suspects I choose. Also, I <a href=\"https://rknight.me/smart-speed-broke-my-brain/\">followed Robb’s advice</a> and turned off Smart Speed and reset the playback speed to 1.0.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🛑 I have now forbidden 1Password on all my devices from wanting to fill anything anywhere and only use it as a (backup) vault. I have exported all my passwords from 1PW into the Apple Keychain<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup>, and my life has become significantly less annoying. I’m going to look at this for a few weeks now and then consider whether I completely get rid of 1PW or keep it running alongside.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖊️ iOS 17.2 was released, and with it the Journal.app. I can’t do anything with the app itself, but <a href=\"https://dayoneapp.com/blog/introducing-journaling-suggestions/\">DayOne is allowed to use the same API</a> and can suggest the same things. That’s cool!<sup id=\"fnref:4\"><a href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">4</a></sup></p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⌚ watchOS 10.2 has brought back the ability to change Watch Faces by simple swiping. Thank you, Apple! I had to search for quite a while until I finally understood that this setting can only be made on the watch itself: <code>Settings > Clock > Swipe to Switch Watch Face</code></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>In the past, I have suffered significant data loss after annotating PDFs with Preview.app, and since then, I no longer trust the application. Thank you, Apple. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>However, I have not yet really understood their monetization concept. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Of course, Safari crashed immediately during import; whoever is responsible for software quality at Apple, in my opinion, should be fired. <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:4\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>At the moment, I primarily keep my Daily Journal in Obsidian but transfer a copy of it to Day One via Shortcuts.app; I need to rethink my use of Day One separately. <a href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "\nIn continuation of week [48](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/03/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 49, 2023:\n\n- 🦠 Yes, I had already feared it, and unfortunately, it happened: My wife's Covid-19 infection did not pass me by. Therefore, my weeknote is regrettably appearing a little too late \"this week.\"\n\n- 🔫 You may not necessarily like the content, but technically, the [trailer for GTA VI](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QdBZY2fkU-0) definitely blew me away.\n\n- ✏️ Another PDF editor that I will look at in my long search for an alternative to Preview[^1] is [PDFgear](https://www.pdfgear.com) - *PDF Tasks Made Easy.*[^2]\n\n- 🪟 [Gruber released](https://daringfireball.net/linked/2023/12/05/an-applescript-for-safari-split-tabs-to-new-window) *An AppleScript for Safari to move all tabs in the frontmost window, from the current tab to the rightmost (last) tab, to a new window*: [Split Tabs to New Window.scpt](https://gist.github.com/gruber/eb89728474ba59287df79c054e1097a5). But even better is [the tip](https://mastodon.social/@jackwellborn/111539651190313429) from [Jack Wellborn](https://mastodon.social/@jackwellborn), that you can easily drag and drop multiple tabs into a new window.\n\n- 📝 I have been doing most of my (transformative) text work with BBEdit for decades. I really wouldn’t know what to do with my life without Multi-File Search and Regex, but sometimes I also like to use [TextBuddy](https://retina.studio/textbuddy/) or [Text Workflow](https://www.gtrigonakis.com/textworkflow). Another nice app that does something similar is by [Chris Hannah](https://fosstodon.org/@chrishannah) and now apparently even free for iOS and macOS: [Text Case](https://textcase.app).\n\n- 📝 While I'm on the topic of text editors. [CotEditor](https://coteditor.com) now also has a Quick Action Bar - if only the programs could agree on a uniform shortcut!\n\n- 🕹 For the 30th anniversary of Doom, I [bought it again](https://www.gog.com/de/game/doom_1993) and immediately installed it [on my MacBook](https://www.paulfioravanti.com/blog/classic-doom-mac/) and [Miyoo mini plus](https://github.com/OnionUI/Ports-Collection). In keeping with this, John Romero released [SIGIL II](https://romero.com/sigil). Speaking of Miyoo mini plus - there is now a [native pico-8 wrapper](https://github.com/XK9274/pico-8-wrapper-miyoo), too 🥳.\n\n- 👾 I started playing [Super Mario Advance](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301905/) (GBA) on my Analogue Pocket. I noticed that I definitely never played Super Mario Bros. 2 before. (I could have sworn that I had at least tried all the major releases.) You can tell that the second part is a reskin and somehow it doesn't really fit into the series. I also find it absurdly difficult already in the third / fourth world. Let's see how far I will get in the game.\n\n- 🎮 I don't know if it's a coincidence or due to the recently released firmware updates, but lately my Playstation Portal has been running absolutely smoothly 🥰\n\n- 🧵 Unfortunately, I now have to crawl out of [my European library](https://mastodon.social/@gruber/110667962169426329) again, because soon [the fun begins here too](https://www.threads.net)! (However, I will continue to ignore Threads, just like Facebook and Instagram, for the time being.)\n\n- ↔️ In terms of features, it's not yet an alternative to Kaleidoscope, but it's affordable: [Text Differ](https://proxymanstore.gumroad.com/l/textdiffer) - *Meet Text Differ, a native macOS app that shows beautiful differences between 2 texts.*\n\n- 🎙 Lately, I was a little annoyed by the ever-same content in my overflowing podcast subscription list. I think I will actually export all my subscribed podcasts, delete Overcast, and in Apple Podcasts, subscribe to [Ruminate](https://ruminatepodcast.com) and [Hemispheric Views](https://hemisphericviews.com), and then consider whether and which [other two](https://flamedfury.com/posts/my-podcast-rotation-keeping-it-at-four/) of the usual suspects I choose. Also, I [followed Robb's advice](https://rknight.me/smart-speed-broke-my-brain/) and turned off Smart Speed and reset the playback speed to 1.0.\n\n- 🛑 I have now forbidden 1Password on all my devices from wanting to fill anything anywhere and only use it as a (backup) vault. I have exported all my passwords from 1PW into the Apple Keychain[^4], and my life has become significantly less annoying. I'm going to look at this for a few weeks now and then consider whether I completely get rid of 1PW or keep it running alongside.\n\n- 🖊️ iOS 17.2 was released, and with it the Journal.app. I can't do anything with the app itself, but [DayOne is allowed to use the same API](https://dayoneapp.com/blog/introducing-journaling-suggestions/) and can suggest the same things. That's cool![^3]\n\n- ⌚ watchOS 10.2 has brought back the ability to change Watch Faces by simple swiping. Thank you, Apple! I had to search for quite a while until I finally understood that this setting can only be made on the watch itself: `Settings > Clock > Swipe to Switch Watch Face`\n\n[^1]: In the past, I have suffered significant data loss after annotating PDFs with Preview.app, and since then, I no longer trust the application. Thank you, Apple.\n[^2]: However, I have not yet really understood their monetization concept.\n[^3]: At the moment, I primarily keep my Daily Journal in Obsidian but transfer a copy of it to Day One via Shortcuts.app; I need to rethink my use of Day One separately.\n[^4]: Of course, Safari crashed immediately during import; whoever is responsible for software quality at Apple, in my opinion, should be fired.\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-13T12:18:39+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/13/what-caught-my.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/03/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fourty-eight, 2023",
"content_html": "<p>In continuation to week <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/26/what-caught-my.html\">47</a>, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 48, 2023:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🦠 My wife was plagued at the beginning of the week with severe headaches and especially nausea. The Corona test was negative. However, on Friday it turned out that she did have Corona, for the first time (proven) since the beginning of the pandemic. She is now slowly getting better, but it has really knocked her down. Let’s hope the children remain spared, who have already had it several times, though. Now I am the last one in the house on whom the virus has not yet shown up on a rapid test. Let’s see how much longer.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🤷♂️ Somehow I can’t decide right now whether I should publish my weeknotes in full length on <a href=\"https://blog.esamecar.net\">weblog.lol</a> or <a href=\"https://mb.esamecar.net\">micro.blog</a>. So far, I have done it on weblog.lol and only created the shorter posts on micro.blog<sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. But there are so many nice tools like <a href=\"https://github.com/otaviocc/obsidian-microblog\">Micro Publish</a>, <a href=\"https://redsweater.com/marsedit/\">MarsEdit</a>, and <a href=\"https://ia.net/writer\">iA Writer</a> to publish directly on mb. I’ll just put the post on both platforms for now and think about how I will handle this in the future by next week.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>✏️ Speaking of <a href=\"https://ia.net/writer\">iA Writer</a>, a really great editor that I use far too <a href=\"https://social.lol/@esamecar/111506814371408216\">infrequently</a>, was just released in <a href=\"https://ia.net/topics/ia-writer-7\">Version 7</a>. It has a very interesting approach regarding “citing”<sup id=\"fnref:2\"><a href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> in Markdown files<sup id=\"fnref:3\"><a href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup>. There is also a <a href=\"https://forum.obsidian.md/t/support-markdown-annotations-a-la-ia-writer-7/\">call</a> to implement the syntax extension in Obsidian.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🎙 And speaking of omg.lol. The <a href=\"https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/099\">last episode</a> of <a href=\"https://listen.hemisphericviews.com\">Hemispheric Views</a> was not as absurdly funny as the <a href=\"https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097\">App Defaults</a> episode, but <a href=\"https://social.lol/@adam\">Adam</a> was a guest. I always find it very interesting to hear what he has to say and am looking forward to his <a href=\"https://home.omg.lol/advent\">25 days of omg.lol</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ This week at <a href=\"https://indieappsanta.com\">Indie App Santa</a>, <!-- raw HTML omitted -->MacWhisper<!-- raw HTML omitted -->, probably the best-known Whisper client, was available for free. With <a href=\"https://www.bjnortier.com/2023/11/17/Hello-Transcribe-3.2.html\">Hello Transcribe</a>, there seems to be an alternative that I have not yet tried myself.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ Also using LLM, but not for transcription, rather for translation, is <a href=\"https://github.com/tisfeng/Easydict\">Easydict</a>: <em>Easydict is a concise and easy-to-use translation dictionary macOS App that allows you to easily and elegantly look up words or translate text.</em> It supports a bunch of different services.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👨💻 I started evaluating <a href=\"https://wouter01.github.io/MediaMate/\">MediaMate</a>: <em>Fresh visuals for Volume, Brightness, and Now Playing</em>. It has a nice Notch UI for now playing. Have not tested how it plays together with <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/notchmeister/id1599169747?mt=12\">Notchmeister</a>, though.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹 Started playing <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stray_%28video_game%29\">Stray</a>. It is a welcome, quite peaceful change after the 100+ hours fighting as <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/games/horizon-forbidden-west/\">Aloy</a>.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹 This week, I actually finished my first Mario game: <a href=\"https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Bros._Deluxe\">Super Mario Bros. Deluxe</a> (GBC). I played the cartridge on my <a href=\"https://www.analogue.co/pocket\">Analogue Pocket</a> and thanks to Save States, I have finally managed to see the end credit scene. With every other Mario, I gave up along the way at some point, even though I probably started them all.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🕹 There are not only seemingly 23,342 different retro handhelds, but at least 42 new ones are added every week. I had not heard of the <a href=\"https://evercade.co.uk/exp/\">Evercade EXP</a> until now. You cannot play copies of your own ROMs or original cartridges here, but classics are reissued as cartridges for this system. Interesting concept, and there’s even <a href=\"https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/duke-nukem-collection-1/\">Duke Nukem</a>!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👰 I found it interesting to read how much <a href=\"https://daringfireball.net/linked/2023/12/01/fake-iphone-computational-photography-glitch\">fuss</a> was made about this one <a href=\"https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/11/30/a-bride-to-be-discovers-a-reality-bending-mistake-in-apples-computational-photography\">bride photo</a>. But probably because we no longer know or can assess what is real at all. I always wonder how my children are supposed to learn which statements in the form of a photo, a video, or an audio recording they can still trust. But that might also be the reason why many people only dive into their own filter bubble and generally dismiss everything as fake news that is too complicated for them or contradicts their own ideas and blindly believe what they want to believe. This is probably actually the biggest challenge we as a society are facing right now, alongside the climate crisis of course.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👱 Speaking of audio recordings, I couldn’t resist having my iPhone create <a href=\"https://support.apple.com/en-us/104993\">my own voice</a>. I dutifully read aloud 150 sentences in English. At the beginning, I thought it would never end, but it went quickly towards the end. My iPhone then calculated a lot overnight and the next day I was allowed to try it out. The voice definitely sounds like me. But for my taste, it is significantly too slow. I don’t know if this is generally the case or because I tried to speak as clearly as possible in a foreign language. How do people find it whose mother tongue is English? (I generally find it strange to hear my own voice, which of course makes the whole thing even more absurd.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🔑 I really need to reconsider my password strategy. 1Password and Apple’s Keychain just don’t cooperate well anymore on my systems, especially when Passkeys are involved. Autofill with 1Password is frequently broken, and you can’t have both enabled. Perhaps I should designate my 1Password vault as the master (or as a backup?) and save duplicates in Keychain to use for autofill. I’m really unsure. I feels strange to have all my passwords in two separate “clouds”.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 Even though the subscription price is personally a little too high for me, because I’m actually trying to reduce subscription costs, I signed up for the <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/play-save-videos-watch-later/id1596506190\">Play</a> 2.0 trial. I really like the new channel features and together with <a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/de/app/vinegar-tube-cleaner/id1591303229\">Vinegar</a>, it helps me get over paying 24 € a month for a Youtube Prime Family subscription, which is actually way too expensive for my taste.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>📺 I’m really looking forward to <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5875444/episodes/?season=3\">Slow Horses Season 3</a>, but before that, I want to finish <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/\">The Bear</a> with my wife. Then there’s <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9140554/episodes/?season=2&ref_=tt_eps_sn_2\">Loki S2</a> and the new season of <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772588/episodes/?season=4&ref_=tt_eps_sn_4\">For All Mankind S4</a> waiting. Advent will definitely not be boring.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Micro.blog is a service for which I have a kind of love-hate relationship (although this is greatly exaggerated). I want to love the service, and Manton seems to be a really nice person; the community and idea are also great. However, I always feel like mb is so fragile that you only have to look at it sideways for it to fall apart. Something is always not working and it seems very oddly cobbled together. It’s supposed to be a simple service but often it ends up being totally complicated and confusing. I never know if I’m just too stupid to tick the right boxes, or if I’ve stumbled upon another bug again. <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:2\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>They call it “text from AI tools”, but it’s more ore less citation in the end. <a href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n<li id=\"fn:3\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>I really do like their other Markdown based app <!-- raw HTML omitted -->iA Presenter<!-- raw HTML omitted -->. There are a couple of similar apps already, like <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Deckset<!-- raw HTML omitted --> and <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Hyperdeck<!-- raw HTML omitted -->, but iA’s implementation is awesome as usual. <a href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "In continuation to week [47](https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/26/what-caught-my.html), here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in week 48, 2023:\n\n- 🦠 My wife was plagued at the beginning of the week with severe headaches and especially nausea. The Corona test was negative. However, on Friday it turned out that she did have Corona, for the first time (proven) since the beginning of the pandemic. She is now slowly getting better, but it has really knocked her down. Let's hope the children remain spared, who have already had it several times, though. Now I am the last one in the house on whom the virus has not yet shown up on a rapid test. Let's see how much longer.\n\n- 🤷♂️ Somehow I can't decide right now whether I should publish my weeknotes in full length on [weblog.lol](https://blog.esamecar.net) or [micro.blog](https://mb.esamecar.net). So far, I have done it on weblog.lol and only created the shorter posts on micro.blog[^3]. But there are so many nice tools like [Micro Publish](https://github.com/otaviocc/obsidian-microblog), [MarsEdit](https://redsweater.com/marsedit/), and [iA Writer](https://ia.net/writer) to publish directly on mb. I'll just put the post on both platforms for now and think about how I will handle this in the future by next week.\n\n- ✏️ Speaking of [iA Writer](https://ia.net/writer), a really great editor that I use far too [infrequently](https://social.lol/@esamecar/111506814371408216), was just released in [Version 7](https://ia.net/topics/ia-writer-7). It has a very interesting approach regarding \"citing\"[^1] in Markdown files[^2]. There is also a [call](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/support-markdown-annotations-a-la-ia-writer-7/) to implement the syntax extension in Obsidian.\n\n- 🎙 And speaking of omg.lol. The [last episode](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/099) of [Hemispheric Views](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com) was not as absurdly funny as the [App Defaults](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097) episode, but [Adam](https://social.lol/@adam) was a guest. I always find it very interesting to hear what he has to say and am looking forward to his [25 days of omg.lol](https://home.omg.lol/advent).\n\n- 🖥️ This week at [Indie App Santa](https://indieappsanta.com), <a href=\"https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/macwhisper\">MacWhisper</a>, probably the best-known Whisper client, was available for free. With [Hello Transcribe](https://www.bjnortier.com/2023/11/17/Hello-Transcribe-3.2.html), there seems to be an alternative that I have not yet tried myself.\n\n- 🖥️ Also using LLM, but not for transcription, rather for translation, is [Easydict](https://github.com/tisfeng/Easydict): *Easydict is a concise and easy-to-use translation dictionary macOS App that allows you to easily and elegantly look up words or translate text.* It supports a bunch of different services.\n\n- 👨💻 I started evaluating [MediaMate](https://wouter01.github.io/MediaMate/): *Fresh visuals for Volume, Brightness, and Now Playing*. It has a nice Notch UI for now playing. Have not tested how it plays together with [Notchmeister](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/notchmeister/id1599169747?mt=12), though.\n\n- 🕹 Started playing [Stray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stray_%28video_game%29). It is a welcome, quite peaceful change after the 100+ hours fighting as [Aloy](https://www.playstation.com/games/horizon-forbidden-west/).\n\n- 🕹 This week, I actually finished my first Mario game: [Super Mario Bros. Deluxe](https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Bros._Deluxe) (GBC). I played the cartridge on my [Analogue Pocket](https://www.analogue.co/pocket) and thanks to Save States, I have finally managed to see the end credit scene. With every other Mario, I gave up along the way at some point, even though I probably started them all.\n\n- 🕹 There are not only seemingly 23,342 different retro handhelds, but at least 42 new ones are added every week. I had not heard of the [Evercade EXP](https://evercade.co.uk/exp/) until now. You cannot play copies of your own ROMs or original cartridges here, but classics are reissued as cartridges for this system. Interesting concept, and there's even [Duke Nukem](https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/duke-nukem-collection-1/)!\n\n- 👰 I found it interesting to read how much [fuss](https://daringfireball.net/linked/2023/12/01/fake-iphone-computational-photography-glitch) was made about this one [bride photo](https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/11/30/a-bride-to-be-discovers-a-reality-bending-mistake-in-apples-computational-photography). But probably because we no longer know or can assess what is real at all. I always wonder how my children are supposed to learn which statements in the form of a photo, a video, or an audio recording they can still trust. But that might also be the reason why many people only dive into their own filter bubble and generally dismiss everything as fake news that is too complicated for them or contradicts their own ideas and blindly believe what they want to believe. This is probably actually the biggest challenge we as a society are facing right now, alongside the climate crisis of course.\n\n- 👱 Speaking of audio recordings, I couldn't resist having my iPhone create [my own voice](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104993). I dutifully read aloud 150 sentences in English. At the beginning, I thought it would never end, but it went quickly towards the end. My iPhone then calculated a lot overnight and the next day I was allowed to try it out. The voice definitely sounds like me. But for my taste, it is significantly too slow. I don't know if this is generally the case or because I tried to speak as clearly as possible in a foreign language. How do people find it whose mother tongue is English? (I generally find it strange to hear my own voice, which of course makes the whole thing even more absurd.)\n\n- 🔑 I really need to reconsider my password strategy. 1Password and Apple's Keychain just don't cooperate well anymore on my systems, especially when Passkeys are involved. Autofill with 1Password is frequently broken, and you can't have both enabled. Perhaps I should designate my 1Password vault as the master (or as a backup?) and save duplicates in Keychain to use for autofill. I'm really unsure. I feels strange to have all my passwords in two separate \"clouds\".\n\n- 📺 Even though the subscription price is personally a little too high for me, because I'm actually trying to reduce subscription costs, I signed up for the [Play](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/play-save-videos-watch-later/id1596506190) 2.0 trial. I really like the new channel features and together with [Vinegar](https://apps.apple.com/de/app/vinegar-tube-cleaner/id1591303229), it helps me get over paying 24 € a month for a Youtube Prime Family subscription, which is actually way too expensive for my taste.\n\n- 📺 I'm really looking forward to [Slow Horses Season 3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5875444/episodes/?season=3), but before that, I want to finish [The Bear](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/) with my wife. Then there's [Loki S2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9140554/episodes/?season=2&ref_=tt_eps_sn_2) and the new season of [For All Mankind S4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772588/episodes/?season=4&ref_=tt_eps_sn_4) waiting. Advent will definitely not be boring.\n\n[^1]: They call it \"text from AI tools\", but it's more ore less citation in the end.\n[^2]: I really do like their other Markdown based app <a href=\"https://ia.net/presenter\">iA Presenter</a>. There are a couple of similar apps already, like <a href=\"https://www.deckset.com\">Deckset</a> and <a href=\"https://hyperdeck.io/\">Hyperdeck</a>, but iA's implementation is awesome as usual.\n[^3]: Micro.blog is a service for which I have a kind of love-hate relationship (although this is greatly exaggerated). I want to love the service, and Manton seems to be a really nice person; the community and idea are also great. However, I always feel like mb is so fragile that you only have to look at it sideways for it to fall apart. Something is always not working and it seems very oddly cobbled together. It's supposed to be a simple service but often it ends up being totally complicated and confusing. I never know if I'm just too stupid to tick the right boxes, or if I've stumbled upon another bug again.\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-03T17:15:20+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/03/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","RetroGaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/12/01/i-just-realized.html",
"content_html": "<p>I just realized that I’m slowly getting old and tired. In the past, I knew at least a little bit about every (Apple) thing. Nowadays, I’ve lost track and have no desire to understand whether I can simply integrate Matter devices into my existing Homekit setup or if I need to make some fundamental changes and then everything implodes. I’d rather not touch anything and just let it continue as it is. And what is this RCS? Does it also run on mobile data or does the provider charge a fee for each message, like for an SMS? And if so, why does anyone believe that it could somehow be an alternative to WhatsApp? And these passkeys; is there really no way to copy them from Keychain to 1Password or vice versa? Do I have to think in advance about how and where to save them? Seriously? Then I’d rather stick with conventional passwords. Oh man 🤷♂️🤦♂️</p>\n",
"content_text": "I just realized that I'm slowly getting old and tired. In the past, I knew at least a little bit about every (Apple) thing. Nowadays, I've lost track and have no desire to understand whether I can simply integrate Matter devices into my existing Homekit setup or if I need to make some fundamental changes and then everything implodes. I'd rather not touch anything and just let it continue as it is. And what is this RCS? Does it also run on mobile data or does the provider charge a fee for each message, like for an SMS? And if so, why does anyone believe that it could somehow be an alternative to WhatsApp? And these passkeys; is there really no way to copy them from Keychain to 1Password or vice versa? Do I have to think in advance about how and where to save them? Seriously? Then I'd rather stick with conventional passwords. Oh man 🤷♂️🤦♂️\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-01T20:42:16+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/12/01/i-just-realized.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/29/105144.html",
"title": "Fun stuff with Obsidian and Dataview II - costs per week",
"content_html": "<p>You can do so much fun stuff with <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Obsidian<!-- raw HTML omitted --> and <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Dataview<!-- raw HTML omitted -->. I added notes for all of my electronic gear and based on properties for purchase date and price an inline dataview calculates the costs per week for each item, every time the note is opened 🤩</p>\n<p>This is the actual inline calculation for cost/week:</p>\n<p><code>=round(number(replace(this.preis,",",".")) / number(durationformat(dur(date(now) - this.kaufdatum),"w")),2)</code></p>\n<p>with<!-- raw HTML omitted --></p>\n<ul>\n<li><code>preis</code>: price property; as I am located in GER I use a textfield with an entry like “42,99 €”; therefore the replacement of “,” by “.” and conversion to a number<!-- raw HTML omitted --></li>\n<li><code>kaufdatum</code>: purchase date property</li>\n</ul>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n<h3 id=\"update-2023-12-05\">Update 2023-12-05</h3>\n<p>Here is a slightly improved version of the inline field:</p>\n<p><code>=replace(string(round(number(replace(this.preis,",",".")) / number(durationformat(dur(default(this.nutzung_bis, date(now)) - this.kaufdatum),"w")),2)),".",",")</code></p>\n<p>with<!-- raw HTML omitted --></p>\n<ul>\n<li><code>nutzung_bis</code>: a properties date field that marks the end of usage; the cost is calculated either until this date or if it is missing until today</li>\n</ul>\n<p>and it changes the ENG decimal point back to the GER “,”</p>\n",
"content_text": "You can do so much fun stuff with <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> and <a href=\"https://blacksmithgu.github.io/obsidian-dataview/\">Dataview</a>. I added notes for all of my electronic gear and based on properties for purchase date and price an inline dataview calculates the costs per week for each item, every time the note is opened 🤩\n\nThis is the actual inline calculation for cost/week:\n\n`=round(number(replace(this.preis,\",\",\".\")) / number(durationformat(dur(date(now) - this.kaufdatum),\"w\")),2)`\n\nwith<br>\n- `preis`: price property; as I am located in GER I use a textfield with an entry like \"42,99 €\"; therefore the replacement of \",\" by \".\" and conversion to a number<br>\n- `kaufdatum`: purchase date property\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/obsidiandataview-costperweek.png\" alt=\"Obsidian dataview with costs per week based on purchase date and price\" title=\"obsidiandataview_costperweek.png\" border=\"0\" width=\"627\" height=\"440\" />\n\n### Update 2023-12-05\n\nHere is a slightly improved version of the inline field:\n\n`=replace(string(round(number(replace(this.preis,\",\",\".\")) / number(durationformat(dur(default(this.nutzung_bis, date(now)) - this.kaufdatum),\"w\")),2)),\".\",\",\")`\n\nwith<br>\n- `nutzung_bis`: a properties date field that marks the end of usage; the cost is calculated either until this date or if it is missing until today\n\nand it changes the ENG decimal point back to the GER \",\"\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-29T10:51:44+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/29/105144.html",
"tags": ["Software","Obsidian"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/29/fun-stuff-with.html",
"title": "Fun stuff with Obsidian and Dataview - pico-8 game launcher",
"content_html": "<p>You can do so much fun stuff with <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Obsidian<!-- raw HTML omitted --> and <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Dataview<!-- raw HTML omitted -->. I added notes for all my <!-- raw HTML omitted -->pico-8<!-- raw HTML omitted --> games, containing the cartridge png itself and added some <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Templater<!-- raw HTML omitted --> and Properties magic. With the help of <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Keyboard Maestro<!-- raw HTML omitted --> I can now click on the little play button in my Dataview table and the game just launches 🤩</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "You can do so much fun stuff with <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> and <a href=\"https://blacksmithgu.github.io/obsidian-dataview/\">Dataview</a>. I added notes for all my <a href=\"https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php\">pico-8</a> games, containing the cartridge png itself and added some <a href=\"https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater\">Templater</a> and Properties magic. With the help of <a href=\"https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/main/\">Keyboard Maestro</a> I can now click on the little play button in my Dataview table and the game just launches 🤩\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/cleanshot-2023-11-29-at-10.38.31.png\" alt=\"pico-8 games list in Obsidian with built-in launcher\" title=\"CleanShot 2023-11-29 at 10.38.31.png\" border=\"0\" width=\"563\" height=\"521\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-29T10:13:57+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/29/fun-stuff-with.html",
"tags": ["Software","Obsidian"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/28/winter-is-coming.html",
"content_html": "<p>Winter is coming</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Winter is coming\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/1769dbe8f8.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" alt=\"dog on field covered with snow\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-28T11:09:31+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/28/winter-is-coming.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/26/what-caught-my.html",
"title": "What caught my attention in week fourty-seven, 2023",
"content_html": "<p><a href=\"https://social.lol/@lubieniebieski\">Adam</a> told me to <a href=\"https://social.lol/@lubieniebieski/111416411270482033\">stay on the path</a>, so I’m trying to motivate myself to get back into the <a href=\"https://blog.esamecar.net/week\">habit of writing</a> down what has interested me throughout the week. So, here comes week 47.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>🎮 I finished playing <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_Forbidden_West\">Horizon Forbidden West</a>. It was my first computer game in years, and probably the first AAA title in decades that I actually watched the end credits for. Usually, I start playing and then eventually stop. (Why should it be any different with video games than with other areas of my life?) I invested over 100 hours into Forbidden West, and whether or not that was a waste of time is for each person to decide, but I had a lot of fun. Over the past two weeks, I used the <a href=\"https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/playstation-portal-remote-player/\">Playstation Portal</a>. This accessory for the PS5 is essentially just a (pretty good, but unfortunately not OLED) screen with a built-in, very good controller - nothing more and nothing less. It allows me to play on the couch in the living room while my wife watches one of her shows. (My wife doesn’t like me playing games on the TV in the living room when she’s present.) <a href=\"https://birchtree.me/blog/playstation-portal-early-review/\">The Portal suffers</a> from the same weaknesses as Playstation’s Remote Play itself: even with very good Wi-Fi coverage and the PS5 connected to the router with a cable (and <a href=\"https://heydingus.net/blog/2023/11/playstation-ethernet-connection\">properly configured</a>), there are regular artifacts, slow downs, and sometimes even stuttering. I really hope that Sony gives its Remote Play implementation a little bit more attention and love now that they sell a dedicated device for this feature. But ultimately, I’m quite satisfied, and the hardware is really well-made. (The lack of Bluetooth support doesn’t bother me at all; I wouldn’t want to constantly pair BT headphones anyway, and I actually have some very good headphones with a headphone jack that are happy to have found a new use.)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👾 Recently, my <a href=\"https://powkiddy.com/products/pre-sale-powkiddy-rgb30-rk3566-handheld-game-console-built-in-wifi\">Powkiddy RGB30</a> also arrived. The handheld device was highly praised by a bunch of youtubers and the 1:1 screen is really great for GB, GBA, and GBC games. I also really like <a href=\"https://github.com/JustEnoughLinuxOS/distribution/releases\">JELOS</a>. HOWEVER, the hardware quality and customer service of this device and this company are extremely poor. The device arrived defective, with a stuck shoulder button. I had to contact Powkiddy multiple times to get a response. They casually suggested that I could try opening it up. Opening up a device that is only a few days old, still under warranty, with a spatula and screwdriver is not exactly what I had in mind. I actually managed to open the case and free the button without causing major damage to the device. Shortly after, another shoulder button got stuck, and then the first one again. And if that wasn’t enough, the card slot eject mechanism also broke. All within one week. I really don’t feel like having to dismantle the device every two days just to play a game for a few minutes. Powkiddy mentioned that I could send the device back to China at my own expense and then get a refund - yeah, right. Never ever again! 😡</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👾 Speaking of retro gaming, while setting up the RGB30, I stumbled upon the <a href=\"https://lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php\">pico-8</a> Fantasy Console and was immediately impressed. I wasn’t aware of the extent of this community. There are so many nice games, and almost all of them are free. You can play them on macOS, a variety of other operating systems, and even on retro handhelds. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s also the <a href=\"https://tic80.com\">TIC-80</a>. Oh boy!</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ During the Black Week, or whatever this discount rally is called, I made my way through the impressive list of over 400 apps for macOS and iOS in the <a href=\"https://app.indieappsales.com\">Indie App Sales</a> 2023. Fortunately, I already own the ones that interest me most and “only” bought three additional small apps this year:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spin-the-wheel-pick-me/id1523238520\">Spin the Wheel - Pick Me</a> (iPadOS)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://candies-jam-92d.craft.me/MSXtqHo7c0lP3E\">NowPlaying - Liner Notes</a> (iOS)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1515445551?pt=121118333&ct=IndieAppSales&mt=8\">Pi-hole Remote</a> (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Nevertheless, it’s an impressive list that also includes many Mastodon developer accounts that I didn’t know about before. Definitely worth looking into.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>🖥️ I also noticed <a href=\"https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/?coupon=DFX-BLACKFRIDAY-2023\">the Apps</a> campaign: 10 applications for you and your Mac. It really only lists great apps. And even though I use <a href=\"https://manytricks.com/moom/\">Moom</a>, I’ve bought a single Mac license of <a href=\"https://thelasso.app\">Lasso</a> and both play quite nicely together.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>⌨️ <a href=\"https://obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html\">Launchbar</a>, the launcher I’ve been using on macOS for almost 10 years, recently had noticeable delays when launching. It was impressive how my muscle memory was trained to expect to be able to perform actions immediately after pressing cmd+space. It was so bad, I took a look at <a href=\"https://www.alfredapp.com\">Alfred</a> and <a href=\"https://www.raycast.com\">Raycast</a> again, but thanks to the nightly build Version 6.18.5 nightly (6247), everything is back to how I’m used to it 😅</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>😍 Oh, and definitely not to be left unmentioned is this insanely awesome <a href=\"https://defaults.rknight.me/\">App Defaults movement</a> that <a href=\"https://social.lol/@robb\">Robb</a> unintentionally kicked off and wonderfully shows off.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>👖 Furthermore, I enjoyed “the <a href=\"https://mstdn.social/@yurnidiot/111451042954144680\">walkthrough</a> explaining the inner workings of the ship that made the kessel run in less than 12 parsecs”, saved <a href=\"https://asciiflow.com/#/\">ASCIIFlow</a> in my bookmarks, and <a href=\"https://social.lol/@muhh/111465755801912892\">pants</a> whose pockets may not be worn out by the phone after a few months.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "[Adam](https://social.lol/@lubieniebieski) told me to [stay on the path](https://social.lol/@lubieniebieski/111416411270482033), so I'm trying to motivate myself to get back into the [habit of writing](https://blog.esamecar.net/week) down what has interested me throughout the week. So, here comes week 47.\n\n- 🎮 I finished playing [Horizon Forbidden West](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_Forbidden_West). It was my first computer game in years, and probably the first AAA title in decades that I actually watched the end credits for. Usually, I start playing and then eventually stop. (Why should it be any different with video games than with other areas of my life?) I invested over 100 hours into Forbidden West, and whether or not that was a waste of time is for each person to decide, but I had a lot of fun. Over the past two weeks, I used the [Playstation Portal](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/playstation-portal-remote-player/). This accessory for the PS5 is essentially just a (pretty good, but unfortunately not OLED) screen with a built-in, very good controller - nothing more and nothing less. It allows me to play on the couch in the living room while my wife watches one of her shows. (My wife doesn't like me playing games on the TV in the living room when she's present.) [The Portal suffers](https://birchtree.me/blog/playstation-portal-early-review/) from the same weaknesses as Playstation's Remote Play itself: even with very good Wi-Fi coverage and the PS5 connected to the router with a cable (and [properly configured](https://heydingus.net/blog/2023/11/playstation-ethernet-connection)), there are regular artifacts, slow downs, and sometimes even stuttering. I really hope that Sony gives its Remote Play implementation a little bit more attention and love now that they sell a dedicated device for this feature. But ultimately, I'm quite satisfied, and the hardware is really well-made. (The lack of Bluetooth support doesn't bother me at all; I wouldn't want to constantly pair BT headphones anyway, and I actually have some very good headphones with a headphone jack that are happy to have found a new use.)\n\n- 👾 Recently, my [Powkiddy RGB30](https://powkiddy.com/products/pre-sale-powkiddy-rgb30-rk3566-handheld-game-console-built-in-wifi) also arrived. The handheld device was highly praised by a bunch of youtubers and the 1:1 screen is really great for GB, GBA, and GBC games. I also really like [JELOS](https://github.com/JustEnoughLinuxOS/distribution/releases). HOWEVER, the hardware quality and customer service of this device and this company are extremely poor. The device arrived defective, with a stuck shoulder button. I had to contact Powkiddy multiple times to get a response. They casually suggested that I could try opening it up. Opening up a device that is only a few days old, still under warranty, with a spatula and screwdriver is not exactly what I had in mind. I actually managed to open the case and free the button without causing major damage to the device. Shortly after, another shoulder button got stuck, and then the first one again. And if that wasn't enough, the card slot eject mechanism also broke. All within one week. I really don't feel like having to dismantle the device every two days just to play a game for a few minutes. Powkiddy mentioned that I could send the device back to China at my own expense and then get a refund - yeah, right. Never ever again! 😡\n\n- 👾 Speaking of retro gaming, while setting up the RGB30, I stumbled upon the [pico-8](https://lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php) Fantasy Console and was immediately impressed. I wasn't aware of the extent of this community. There are so many nice games, and almost all of them are free. You can play them on macOS, a variety of other operating systems, and even on retro handhelds. And as if that weren't enough, there's also the [TIC-80](https://tic80.com). Oh boy!\n\n- 🖥️ During the Black Week, or whatever this discount rally is called, I made my way through the impressive list of over 400 apps for macOS and iOS in the [Indie App Sales](https://app.indieappsales.com) 2023. Fortunately, I already own the ones that interest me most and \"only\" bought three additional small apps this year:\n\n\t- [Spin the Wheel - Pick Me](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spin-the-wheel-pick-me/id1523238520) (iPadOS)\n\t- [NowPlaying - Liner Notes](https://candies-jam-92d.craft.me/MSXtqHo7c0lP3E) (iOS)\n\t- [Pi-hole Remote](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1515445551?pt=121118333&ct=IndieAppSales&mt=8) (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)\n\n- Nevertheless, it’s an impressive list that also includes many Mastodon developer accounts that I didn’t know about before. Definitely worth looking into.\n\n- 🖥️ I also noticed [the Apps](https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/?coupon=DFX-BLACKFRIDAY-2023) campaign: 10 applications for you and your Mac. It really only lists great apps. And even though I use [Moom](https://manytricks.com/moom/), I've bought a single Mac license of [Lasso](https://thelasso.app) and both play quite nicely together.\n\n- ⌨️ [Launchbar](https://obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html), the launcher I've been using on macOS for almost 10 years, recently had noticeable delays when launching. It was impressive how my muscle memory was trained to expect to be able to perform actions immediately after pressing cmd+space. It was so bad, I took a look at [Alfred](https://www.alfredapp.com) and [Raycast](https://www.raycast.com) again, but thanks to the nightly build Version 6.18.5 nightly (6247), everything is back to how I'm used to it 😅\n\n- 😍 Oh, and definitely not to be left unmentioned is this insanely awesome [App Defaults movement](https://defaults.rknight.me/) that [Robb](https://social.lol/@robb) unintentionally kicked off and wonderfully shows off.\n\n- 👖 Furthermore, I enjoyed \"the [walkthrough](https://mstdn.social/@yurnidiot/111451042954144680) explaining the inner workings of the ship that made the kessel run in less than 12 parsecs\", saved [ASCIIFlow](https://asciiflow.com/#/) in my bookmarks, and [pants](https://social.lol/@muhh/111465755801912892) whose pockets may not be worn out by the phone after a few months.\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-26T16:19:22+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/26/what-caught-my.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","weeknotes","RetroGaming"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/24/indie-app-sales.html",
"title": "Indie App Sales 2023",
"content_html": "<p>It feels like every day for weeks now is a special day and everything is and will be discounted. Oh, wouldn’t life be nice if things were just generally cheaper and my inbox was spared the flood of advertising? Anyway …</p>\n<p>There’s another <a href=\"https://app.indieappsales.com\">Indie App Sale</a> this year and there are now over 400 (!) programs listed for macOS and iOS. Fortunately, I already own the ones that interest me most and bought three additional apps this year:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spin-the-wheel-pick-me/id1523238520\">Spin the Wheel - Pick Me</a> (iPadOS)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://candies-jam-92d.craft.me/MSXtqHo7c0lP3E\">NowPlaying - Liner Notes</a> (iOS)</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1515445551?pt=121118333&ct=IndieAppSales&mt=8\">Pi-hole Remote</a> (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Nevertheless, it’s an impressive list that also includes many Mastodon developer accounts that I didn’t know about before. Definitely worth looking into.</p>\n<p>I also noticed <a href=\"https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/?coupon=DFX-BLACKFRIDAY-2023\">the Apps</a> campaign: 10 applications for you and your Mac. It really only lists great apps. And even though I use <a href=\"https://manytricks.com/moom/\">Moom</a>, I’ve been dancing around Lasso for a long time, maybe I’ll buy it this time?</p>\n",
"content_text": "\nIt feels like every day for weeks now is a special day and everything is and will be discounted. Oh, wouldn't life be nice if things were just generally cheaper and my inbox was spared the flood of advertising? Anyway ...\n\nThere's another [Indie App Sale](https://app.indieappsales.com) this year and there are now over 400 (!) programs listed for macOS and iOS. Fortunately, I already own the ones that interest me most and bought three additional apps this year:\n\n- [Spin the Wheel - Pick Me](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spin-the-wheel-pick-me/id1523238520) (iPadOS)\n- [NowPlaying - Liner Notes](https://candies-jam-92d.craft.me/MSXtqHo7c0lP3E) (iOS)\n- [Pi-hole Remote](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1515445551?pt=121118333&ct=IndieAppSales&mt=8) (macOS, iOS, iPadOS)\n\nNevertheless, it's an impressive list that also includes many Mastodon developer accounts that I didn't know about before. Definitely worth looking into.\n\nI also noticed [the Apps](https://unclutterapp.com/bundle/?coupon=DFX-BLACKFRIDAY-2023) campaign: 10 applications for you and your Mac. It really only lists great apps. And even though I use [Moom](https://manytricks.com/moom/), I've been dancing around Lasso for a long time, maybe I'll buy it this time?\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-24T11:00:49+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/24/indie-app-sales.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/04/app-defaults.html",
"title": "App Defaults",
"content_html": "<p>Shamelessly stolen from <a href=\"https://rknight.me/app-defaults/\">Robb</a> and inspired by <a href=\"https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097\">Hemispheric Views 097 - Duel of the Defaults!</a> here are all the apps I use in the various categories as written by Andrew:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mail Client</strong>: Mail.app</li>\n<li><strong>Mail Server</strong>: iCloud with custom domain and <a href=\"https://posteo.de/en\">posteo.net</a></li>\n<li><strong>Notes</strong>: <a href=\"https://obsidian.md\">Obsidian</a> and some stuff left in Notes</li>\n<li><strong>To-Do</strong>: Reminders (and <a href=\"https://culturedcode.com/things/\">Things</a> at work)</li>\n<li><strong>iPhone Photo Shooting</strong>: iOS Camera</li>\n<li><strong>Photo Management</strong>: Photos</li>\n<li><strong>Calendar</strong>: Calendar</li>\n<li><strong>Cloud file storage</strong>: iCloud Drive</li>\n<li><strong>RSS</strong>: <a href=\"http://reederapp.com\">Reeder</a></li>\n<li><strong>Contacts</strong>: Contacts</li>\n<li><strong>Browser</strong>: Safari</li>\n<li><strong>Chat</strong>: iMessage, <a href=\"https://threema.ch/en\">Threema</a>, WhatsApp</li>\n<li><strong>Bookmarks</strong>: <a href=\"https://anybox.app\">Anybox</a></li>\n<li><strong>Read It Later</strong>: Readwise <a href=\"https://read.readwise.io\">Reader</a></li>\n<li><strong>Word Processing</strong>: Pages (MS Word at work)</li>\n<li><strong>Spreadsheets</strong>: Numbers (MS Excel at work)</li>\n<li><strong>Presentations</strong>: Keynote</li>\n<li><strong>Shopping Lists</strong>: <a href=\"https://www.ponlist.de\">Pons</a></li>\n<li><strong>Meal Planning</strong>: <a href=\"https://mela.recipes\">Mela</a></li>\n<li><strong>Budgeting & Personal Finance</strong>: <a href=\"https://www.ynab.com\">YNAB</a></li>\n<li><strong>News</strong>: Mastodon, <a href=\"https://www.tagesschau.de\">tagesschau.de</a></li>\n<li><strong>Music</strong>: Apple Music</li>\n<li><strong>Podcasts</strong>: <a href=\"https://overcast.fm\">Overcast</a></li>\n<li><strong>Password Management</strong>: <a href=\"https://1password.com\">1Password</a></li>\n</ul>\n",
"content_text": "Shamelessly stolen from [Robb](https://rknight.me/app-defaults/) and inspired by [Hemispheric Views 097 - Duel of the Defaults!](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097) here are all the apps I use in the various categories as written by Andrew:\n\n- **Mail Client**: Mail.app\n- **Mail Server**: iCloud with custom domain and [posteo.net](https://posteo.de/en)\n- **Notes**: [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) and some stuff left in Notes\n- **To-Do**: Reminders (and [Things](https://culturedcode.com/things/) at work)\n- **iPhone Photo Shooting**: iOS Camera\n- **Photo Management**: Photos\n- **Calendar**: Calendar\n- **Cloud file storage**: iCloud Drive\n- **RSS**: [Reeder](http://reederapp.com)\n- **Contacts**: Contacts\n- **Browser**: Safari\n- **Chat**: iMessage, [Threema](https://threema.ch/en), WhatsApp\n- **Bookmarks**: [Anybox](https://anybox.app)\n- **Read It Later**: Readwise [Reader](https://read.readwise.io)\n- **Word Processing**: Pages (MS Word at work)\n- **Spreadsheets**: Numbers (MS Excel at work)\n- **Presentations**: Keynote\n- **Shopping Lists**: [Pons](https://www.ponlist.de)\n- **Meal Planning**: [Mela](https://mela.recipes)\n- **Budgeting & Personal Finance**: [YNAB](https://www.ynab.com)\n- **News**: Mastodon, [tagesschau.de](https://www.tagesschau.de)\n- **Music**: Apple Music\n- **Podcasts**: [Overcast](https://overcast.fm)\n- **Password Management**: [1Password](https://1password.com)\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-04T18:08:35+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/04/app-defaults.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/11/04/ms-office-reset.html",
"title": "MS Office Reset",
"content_html": "<p>TIL that you can easily uninstall your entire MS Office package under #macOS with Office Reset (<a href=\"https://office-reset.com/)\">https://office-reset.com/)</a>, then download only the app(s) you need from the Mac Appstore and use your existing Office 365 subscription. I always thought you had to purchase a new one somehow via Apple IAP. Cool, now I’m rid of all that garbage MS AutoUpdater.</p>\n",
"content_text": "TIL that you can easily uninstall your entire MS Office package under #macOS with Office Reset (https://office-reset.com/), then download only the app(s) you need from the Mac Appstore and use your existing Office 365 subscription. I always thought you had to purchase a new one somehow via Apple IAP. Cool, now I'm rid of all that garbage MS AutoUpdater.\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-04T10:46:00+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/11/04/ms-office-reset.html",
"tags": ["macOS","Software"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/09/17/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/37\">week 37</a>.</p>\n<p>Teaser: and not much again 🤷♂️</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in [week 37](https://week.esamecar.net/37).\n\nTeaser: and not much again 🤷♂️\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-0084.jpeg\" alt=\"Road with car driving towards sunset with bike lane next to it.\" title=\"IMG_0084.jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-09-17T21:44:14+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/09/17/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/09/10/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 36: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/36\">week.esamecar.net/36</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: not so much 🤷♂️</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 36: [week.esamecar.net/36](https://week.esamecar.net/36)\n\nTeaser: not so much 🤷♂️\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-0044-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Hot air balloon that just landed on a field.\" title=\"IMG_0044 (1).jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-09-10T15:30:32+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/09/10/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/09/03/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 35: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/35\">week.esamecar.net/35</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: iOS and macOS stuff</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 35: [week.esamecar.net/35](https://week.esamecar.net/35)\n\nTeaser: iOS and macOS stuff\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-9968.jpeg\" alt=\"[Old gas station in Bonn, Germany, no longer operated as such.\" title=\"IMG_9968.jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-09-03T18:26:46+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/09/03/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["iOS","macOS","journal","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/27/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 32 - 34: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/34\">week.esamecar.net/34</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: Family vacation, lots of RetroGaming, a little Obsidian, iOS and macOS stuff, one movie and a little TV.</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week 32 - 34: [week.esamecar.net/34](https://week.esamecar.net/34)\n\nTeaser: Family vacation, lots of RetroGaming, a little Obsidian, iOS and macOS stuff, one movie and a little TV.\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-9844.jpeg\" alt=\"A very, very nice old road bike in front of a brick wall.\" title=\"IMG_9844.jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-27T14:26:42+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/27/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/27/use-kagi-as.html",
"content_html": "<h2 id=\"how-to-use-kagi-search-within-launchbar\">How to use kagi search within Launchbar</h2>\n<p>There is a <a href=\"https://kagi.com\">kagi</a> help document for <a href=\"https://help.kagi.com/kagi/getting-started/application-integrations.html\">Alfred</a> and another one for <a href=\"https://www.obdev.at/resources/launchbar/help/SearchTemplates.html\">Search Templates</a> in <a href=\"https://obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html\">Launchbar</a> I used as a reference. It’s really easy to set up:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>In your Browser\n<ol>\n<li>go to <a href=\"https://kagi.com/\">kagi.com</a> / Settings / <a href=\"https://kagi.com/settings?p=user_details\">Account</a></li>\n<li>copy your <em>Session Link</em></li>\n</ol>\n</li>\n<li>Invoke Launchbar\n<ol>\n<li>select <code>Menu bar / Index / Show Index</code></li>\n<li>in Launchbar index go to <code>Web / My Search Templates</code> <sup id=\"fnref:1\"><a href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup> -> add a new one</li>\n<li>paste your <em>Session Link</em> into the <em>Template URL</em> field</li>\n<li>append <code>&q=%s</code></li>\n</ol>\n</li>\n<li>done</li>\n</ol>\n<section class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"fn:1\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>on my system it’s in German, but you’ll figure it out <a href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</section>\n",
"content_text": "## How to use kagi search within Launchbar\n\nThere is a [kagi](https://kagi.com) help document for [Alfred](https://help.kagi.com/kagi/getting-started/application-integrations.html) and another one for [Search Templates](https://www.obdev.at/resources/launchbar/help/SearchTemplates.html) in [Launchbar](https://obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html) I used as a reference. It's really easy to set up:\n\n1. In your Browser\n\t1. go to [kagi.com](https://kagi.com/) / Settings / [Account](https://kagi.com/settings?p=user_details) \n\t2. copy your *Session Link*\n2. Invoke Launchbar\n\t1. select ```Menu bar / Index / Show Index```\n\t2. in Launchbar index go to ```Web / My Search Templates``` [^1] -> add a new one\n\t3. paste your *Session Link* into the *Template URL* field \n\t4. append ```&q=%s``` \n4. done\n\n[^1]: on my system it's in German, but you'll figure it out\n\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-27T10:45:50+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/27/use-kagi-as.html",
"tags": ["macOS","blogpost"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/18/okay-until-just.html",
"content_html": "<p>Okay, until just now I thought my 3D printer was just such a useless thing. But far from it - look what you can do with it! 🪿😍</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Okay, until just now I thought my 3D printer was just such a useless thing. But far from it - look what you can do with it! 🪿😍\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/da117fb2d3.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"3d printed goose - reminiscent of Untitled Goose Game from Panic\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-18T21:14:57+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/18/okay-until-just.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/15/110807.html",
"content_html": "<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/5d054f2f3049491089d922a15ad9b71d.jpg\" width=\"449\" height=\"600\" alt=\"A camera lies on a table in the restaurant with a half-drunk wheat beer glass next to it.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-15T10:08:07+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/15/110807.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/10/lets-have-some.html",
"content_html": "<p>Let’s have some fun 😅</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Let's have some fun 😅\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/ce0f63494bca454582bac20fedfbcfd5.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Free Fall Tower in Hansa Park, Germany\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-10T12:55:01+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/10/lets-have-some.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/08/vw-bulli-t.html",
"content_html": "<p>VW Bulli T1</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "VW Bulli T1\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/09c6617bac7945ad978e8e60ac756b84.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Front of a yellow VW Bulli T1 with "Dunlop Reifen" written on it.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-08T19:38:17+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/08/vw-bulli-t.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/07/211752.html",
"content_html": "<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/b9d694f082574eff96d54440b8651608.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" alt=\"Brick wall of house with mailbox slot and door taped shut\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-07T20:17:52+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/07/211752.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/07/finished-reading-nutzen.html",
"content_html": "<p>Finished reading: <a href=\"https://micro.blog/books/9783962674830\">Nutzen Sie Ihr zweites Gehirn</a> by Tiago Forte 📚</p>\n",
"content_text": "Finished reading: [Nutzen Sie Ihr zweites Gehirn](https://micro.blog/books/9783962674830) by Tiago Forte 📚\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-07T10:20:43+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/07/finished-reading-nutzen.html",
"tags": ["reading"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/06/i-finally-found.html",
"content_html": "<p>I finally found the answer 🙂</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "I finally found the answer 🙂\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/image.png\" width=\"276\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Draft widget on iOS lockscreen stating 42 drafts in the inbox.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-06T10:32:27+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/06/i-finally-found.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/05/our-dog-relaxes.html",
"content_html": "<p>Our dog relaxes on the train ride towards the holiday.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Our dog relaxes on the train ride towards the holiday.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/d6e3ef62ea.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Dog relaxes on train's floor.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-05T09:42:05+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/05/our-dog-relaxes.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/03/ive-come-to.html",
"title": "I've come to a decision today.",
"content_html": "<p>I’ve been using Apple products for almost 18 years now. I adore their hardware and used to be a big fan of their software ecosystem. However, the software quality has plummeted lately, to the point where I’ve decided not to buy any new Apple products for the time being.</p>\n<p><strong>Because it just does not work</strong> (reliably).</p>\n<p>I will continue using the devices I already have, and I do have quite a few. But I will actively resist the urge to acquire new flashy products from Cupertino until I feel that Apple gets its act together again.</p>\n<p>Here are just a few random examples:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>My new Airpods Pro (2nd Gen) just do not appear in Find My.</li>\n<li>The for us essential Screen Time feature often doesn’t work at all on my youngest son’s iPhone.</li>\n<li>Both of my Macs often lose all their entries in System Settings / Accessibility, rendering a bunch of apps useless until I manually add them back in.</li>\n<li>System Settings itself are a nightmare.</li>\n<li>Messages ALWAYS informs me that my son has enabled “do not disturb mode,” preventing him from receiving incoming messages. Of course, that is not true at all.</li>\n<li>Screen Time requests from my son show up in a group chat with him and my wife. I have to delete all messages daily in that chat because the Screen Time messages make the thread unresponsive. It even crashes on macOS. So, the chat becomes unusable for communication. We have to use another app - WTF?</li>\n<li>Preview under macOS loses text notes for annotations I’ve made after saving a PDF. This is a complete showstopper for the entire app. Data loss should be unacceptable.</li>\n<li>My Home Pod mini in the kitchen often forgets timers. This really makes me happy during cooking.</li>\n<li>Don’t even get me started on the general reliability of Siri.</li>\n<li>Recently, I discovered that many files do not appear in Spotlight search. It’s frustrating when I know a file is there, but it simply cannot be found. This is almost as bad as data loss.</li>\n<li>And then there all those little bugs I just ignore on a daily basis. There are definitely enough to start a “a bug a day” series …</li>\n</ol>\n",
"content_text": "I've been using Apple products for almost 18 years now. I adore their hardware and used to be a big fan of their software ecosystem. However, the software quality has plummeted lately, to the point where I've decided not to buy any new Apple products for the time being.\n\n**Because it just does not work** (reliably).\n\nI will continue using the devices I already have, and I do have quite a few. But I will actively resist the urge to acquire new flashy products from Cupertino until I feel that Apple gets its act together again.\n\nHere are just a few random examples:\n\n1. My new Airpods Pro (2nd Gen) just do not appear in Find My.\n2. The for us essential Screen Time feature often doesn't work at all on my youngest son's iPhone.\n3. Both of my Macs often lose all their entries in System Settings / Accessibility, rendering a bunch of apps useless until I manually add them back in.\n4. System Settings itself are a nightmare.\n5. Messages ALWAYS informs me that my son has enabled \"do not disturb mode,\" preventing him from receiving incoming messages. Of course, that is not true at all.\n6. Screen Time requests from my son show up in a group chat with him and my wife. I have to delete all messages daily in that chat because the Screen Time messages make the thread unresponsive. It even crashes on macOS. So, the chat becomes unusable for communication. We have to use another app - WTF?\n7. Preview under macOS loses text notes for annotations I've made after saving a PDF. This is a complete showstopper for the entire app. Data loss should be unacceptable.\n8. My Home Pod mini in the kitchen often forgets timers. This really makes me happy during cooking.\n9. Don't even get me started on the general reliability of Siri.\n10. Recently, I discovered that many files do not appear in Spotlight search. It's frustrating when I know a file is there, but it simply cannot be found. This is almost as bad as data loss.\n11. And then there all those little bugs I just ignore on a daily basis. There are definitely enough to start a \"a bug a day\" series ...\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-03T19:28:48+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/03/ive-come-to.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/08/02/i-would-also.html",
"content_html": "<p>I would also have liked to have hiked directly to the castle on the horizon, but there was no time for that :-)</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "I would also have liked to have hiked directly to the castle on the horizon, but there was no time for that :-)\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/56afbaf219.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" alt=\"Landscape photo with castle on the horizon\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-08-02T20:45:12+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/08/02/i-would-also.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/31/i-thought-before.html",
"content_html": "<p>I thought before I implement my own blogroll on my <!-- raw HTML omitted -->omg.lol<!-- raw HTML omitted --> page, I might as well first compile a list of blogrolls created by people whose blogs I like to follow. So, a blogroll for blogrolls: <!-- raw HTML omitted -->blogroll.lol<!-- raw HTML omitted --></p>\n<p>It’s still a fairly short list, but maybe it will get longer with time. I really don’t know why I’m such a meta lunatic. 🤦♂️</p>\n<p>#blogroll</p>\n",
"content_text": "I thought before I implement my own blogroll on my <a href=\"https://blog.esamecar.net\">omg.lol</a> page, I might as well first compile a list of blogrolls created by people whose blogs I like to follow. So, a blogroll for blogrolls: <a href=\"https://blogroll.lol\">blogroll.lol</a> \n\nIt's still a fairly short list, but maybe it will get longer with time. I really don't know why I'm such a meta lunatic. 🤦♂️ \n\n#blogroll\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-31T21:12:37+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/31/i-thought-before.html"
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/30/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week thirty: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/30\">week.esamecar.net/30</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: Not so much, as I was a little sickly. 🤒</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week thirty: [week.esamecar.net/30](https://week.esamecar.net/30)\n\nTeaser: Not so much, as I was a little sickly. 🤒 \n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-9697.jpeg\" alt=\"A forest path in the middle towards the horizon. Right and left trees. In front a dog can be seen from behind\" title=\"IMG_9697.jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-30T21:42:39+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/30/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/29/i-am-very.html",
"content_html": "<p>I am very grateful to be able to be in the forest within a few minutes to walk my dog.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "I am very grateful to be able to be in the forest within a few minutes to walk my dog.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/c29d6e86e8.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Dog on a drag line on a path in the forest.\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-29T08:40:11+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/29/i-am-very.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/23/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week twenty-nine: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/29\">week.esamecar.net/29</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: #Sourdough, Summerfest #macOS App, #Playdate, #Obsidian and some #iOS apps.</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week twenty-nine: [week.esamecar.net/29](https://week.esamecar.net/29)\n\nTeaser: #Sourdough, Summerfest #macOS App, #Playdate, #Obsidian and some #iOS apps.\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-9599.jpeg\" alt=\"Sourdough bread on a wire rack\" title=\"IMG_9599.jpeg\" border=\"0\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-23T18:44:49+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/23/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["journal","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/21/great-scenery-on.html",
"content_html": "<p>Great scenery on today’s bike trip.</p>\n<p><!-- raw HTML omitted --><!-- raw HTML omitted --></p>\n",
"content_text": "Great scenery on today's bike trip.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/776a4b6082.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"449\" alt=\"Cyclist, two castles and a rain front\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/c203dc6b1a.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" alt=\"Detail of a road, grain field and dark clouds\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-21T20:16:57+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/21/great-scenery-on.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/17/found-this-one.html",
"content_html": "<p>Found this one. Those were days!</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Found this one. Those were days!\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/b18ccf5637.jpg\" width=\"421\" height=\"600\" alt=\"an old WD HDD with 170 M(!)B\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-17T10:49:18+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/17/found-this-one.html",
"tags": ["photography"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/16/here-are-a.html",
"content_html": "<p>Here are a few things that caught my attention in week twenty-eight: <a href=\"https://week.esamecar.net/28\">week.esamecar.net/28</a></p>\n<p>Teaser: #IndieAppSales for #macOS and #iOS, my initial purchases on Apple’s App Store, and some footnote thoughts on collecting, TV, and movies.</p>\n<p>#weeknotes</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "Here are a few things that caught my attention in week twenty-eight: [week.esamecar.net/28](https://week.esamecar.net/28)\n\nTeaser: #IndieAppSales for #macOS and #iOS, my initial purchases on Apple's App Store, and some footnote thoughts on collecting, TV, and movies.\n\n#weeknotes\n\n<img style=\"display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/img-9523.jpg\" alt=\"In the center a dog on a dirt road, right and left grain fields; in the background a thunderstorm front.\" title=\"IMG_9523.jpg\" border=\"0\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-16T16:16:05+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/16/here-are-a.html",
"tags": ["journal","weeknotes"]
},
{
"id": "http://esamecar.micro.blog/2023/07/11/the-sky-is.html",
"content_html": "<p>The sky is falling down.</p>\n<!-- raw HTML omitted -->\n",
"content_text": "The sky is falling down.\n\n<img src=\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/95406/2023/cb10799a76.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"449\" alt=\"\">\n",
"date_published": "2023-07-11T19:42:00+01:00",
"url": "https://mb.esamecar.net/2023/07/11/the-sky-is.html"
},
{