Gadgets 10/12/2021: Holiday shopping; lower storage prices; M1 price returns; mixed reality headset; FHD projector

My new tech days are comprised of today’s deals and then upcoming tech that I think kewl.

Try shopping early this holiday season. As you may know, there is a shortage in a number of industries/supply chains. In fact, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart and other big retailers will probably get their own planes to make up for the cargo ship problem.

This could be great. I just question the decision to not have the peripheral vision immersed.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stanlarroque/lynx?ref=discovery&term=mixed%20reality%20headset

M1 Macbook at $850
https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-256GB-Storage/dp/B08N5LNQCX/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=m1+macbook&qid=1634058025&sr=8-4

Cheaper micro sd cards
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=micro+sd+card&i=computers&rh=n%3A516866%2Cp_n_feature_two_browse-bin%3A13203835011&dc&crid=237NQWK1KJUNR&nav_sdd=aps&qid=1634058218&rnid=6518301011&sprefix=micro&ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_two_browse-bin_1

This is not completely clear to me, but is it a rear projector?
Splay- Expandable Display & Ultra-Short-Throw Pico Projector by Arovia — Kickstarter

China’s Aggression and U.S. Debt

The incursions on Taiwanese airspace seems to have picked up. I don’t know how this will work out if there is conflict with the U.S. Will the debt we owe China be called in if there is a conflict? We know that it would have a horrible effect, but China would suffer as well. This piece I wrote a little while back talks about the debt and Chinese aggression before these events.

Thoughts on 100th Anniversary of the CCP

Skynet is Rebooting

What is everyone doing now? I kid, but no really.

We are so dependent on Facebook and this could be time for reflection. What do we do at home, out and about–God forbid, at work? I know that FB is a kind of drug for some people and I have found that I need a timeout sometimes myself. But when 2.89 billion people on the planet are on this infernal thing, the question is what would happen in a long term outage? People may get back to life.

Avoiding the Crush

Part 2 of Considering the Crush

So what should we do being in Europe amid the crush? I thought, “how can we make this work? How to sleep well, get around relatively cheaply and easily, and to just enjoy ourselves?” We could have made a frantic travel plan, to see all the big attractions, run to and fro, and try to get photos of everything. You may encounter someone in your party like Ellen Griswold (National Lampoon’s “Vacation”): Continue reading “Avoiding the Crush”

Active Reconnaissance – There’s no place like 127.0.0.1

Before I continue, I should mention that scanning any other system than yours could get you in big trouble. To be safe, you need written permission to do so on systems other than your own. The IP number for the computer you are on is 127.0.0.1, also called “localhost” or just home. If you run nmap against that IP you should be OK. Continue reading “Active Reconnaissance – There’s no place like 127.0.0.1”

Debt Limit – Non-stop

If we keep borrowing money and only repay the interest, aren’t we saying that we don’t intend on paying it back? I don’t see a way out of this and we’re just kicking the can down the road. Fiscal responsibility used to be part of conservative ideology.

Yellen wrote “This uncertainty underscores the critical importance of not waiting to raise or suspend the debt limit. The full faith and credit of the United States should put at risk.”

I think the full faith and credit are already at risk. As long as we can’t touch entitlements, we are not pursuing a responsible solution. Someone is going to have to break the news, someone preferably in their last term of their job and not concerned with being re-elected.

Gadgets 09/25/2021: Fold 3, Galaxy S22/22+ advance view, $150 off 2020 Macbook M1 13″, Noku Canvas wall planter, Nest Everyday Adventure Backpack

My new tech days are comprised of today’s deals and then upcoming tech that I think kewl.

The Fold 3 doesn’t seem to have the same problems as the prior versions (the Fold 1 in particular broke upon much folding). I really like the pinned taskbar for multi-tasking. I think that further adds to a Windows/Mac taskbar experience. But the crease issue could be reason for waiting for maturity of the tech. (My friend j0mb13 said he’ll wait for it to become more durable/less trendy.) This is a very popular review.

Look forward to Samsung Galaxy 22/22+ – The Ultra model will have a S-Pen!
https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s22-plus-ultra-design-leaks-144617511.html

2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop: Apple M1 Chip, 13” – rare deal with $150 off, costing just $850
https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-256GB-Storage/dp/B08N5LNQCX/

The Noku Canvas: bring your walls to life. This would add to Zen ambiance, or future city night soundtrack.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shirinoku/the-noku-canvas-bring-your-walls-to-life

Nest: The Everyday Adventure Backpack
This backpack has some great organization/modular ecosystem for your gadgets. I still prefer my leather laptop case, which is made for a 17″er.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tropicfeel/nest-the-everyday-adventure-backpack

 

Considering the Crush

PUBLISHED 
Travel restrictions are still in place in a number of countries around the world. But I am taking time to consider what I am really missing out on.

My last international trip was to Italy, which currently has curbs on any non-essential travel, and when I was in Rome, I realized that I can no longer be on vacation in Europe without realizing I am vacationing. Turning the corner with my smartphone map, we ran into the crush to shoot photos at the Trevi Fountain. Everyone shooting the same photo and posting it instantly. Look where I am!

Who really is “winning” this one? Continue reading “Considering the Crush”

Ransomware: best practices

Still the preferred attack against businesses, education, and governments. As a home user, the cyber policies below still go a long way to securing your computers against attacks:

“The FBI and CISA’s recommendations echo best practices for most cybersecurity situations: Don’t click on suspicious links. Make an offline backup of your data. Use strong passwords. Make sure your software is up to date. Use two-factor authentication. If you use Remote Desktop Protocol—a Microsoft product that has historically proven a popular entry point for attackers—proceed with caution.”

Out of Order

So typing with one hand is not impossible, but the flow of words is slower.

Anyway, I’ve still been making notes while I read. That’s what I always do. I go through old articles or books and see notes for which I don’t remember the context. I also have the stack of papers wherein I have a lot of my ideas for articles.

Some of these are not good either, but sounded good at the time. I think it coincides with those “great ideas at night.” Though I have tried, through writing them down, to stop forgetting those, that still happens.

But my activities being a little more sequestered, I am thinking more long-term. I hope to bring some of those projects online soon.

I have my first doctor’s follow-up this afternoon.

How to Write White Papers #6

In regard to writing, closing bit on White Papers for Dummies:

  • See how you can rearrange your writing environment/conditions
  • Try mind mapping or brainstorming
  • Trick yourself to get started
  • Ease off the self-criticism until after you write
  • Try positive affirmations

I’ll add: don’t think the ocean side, forests, deserts are automatically great places to write. If they help you then that’s fine, but some people think they must have a special environment.

It’s been a great read.

Return to SCUBA (coming soon)

I’ve been reading my new subscription to Scuba Diving Magazine from PADI and am now waiting for some friends of mine to join me diving soon. I need to take a refresher, but I am certified. Here are the main points that you should know about how to dive from my memory and reading:

  1. Keep on breathing, i.e. never hold your breath.
  2. Don’t rise faster than your bubbles. This is a rough estimate of your proper decompression when diving. Beware the bends:
    “Scuba divers decompress by ascending slowly. The gases (in particular nitrogen) that have dissolved into your bodily tissues under pressure at depth are released as you ascend, as the water pressure reduces.”
  3. Keep equalizing, i.e. pinch your nose and as you swim down or up and then try to breathe out of your nose. You will feel a slight pop as the air behind your eardrum equalizes pressure with the air in the front of your eardrum. If your ears dot not pop, stay at the depth you are until they do. If after a few seconds, you can still not pop them, go slowly up and try again at different depths. If you just can’t get them to equalize, surface and call the dive off.
  4. Pay attention to time, depth, and air supply and make decompression stops if required. Try this rundown.
  5. Always have a buddy!

I plan to extend this, but for now, anyone want to comment?

Gadgets 08/19/2021: Z Flip update, Pocket Monkii 2, Ecoflow power box, multi-tool with hammer, air fryer

My new tech days are comprised of today’s deals and then upcoming tech that I think kewl.

The Galaxy Z Flip is going places since I first heard of it having screen issues:
https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-review-price-specs-cameras-screen-170051882.html

Continue reading “Gadgets 08/19/2021: Z Flip update, Pocket Monkii 2, Ecoflow power box, multi-tool with hammer, air fryer”

How to Write White Papers #5

Secondly, these are optional promotional actions after the required ones:

Mention the paper in your email sig line, your LinkedIn, or Google+
Sponsor a podcast, video chat
Send it to relevant analysts
Submit a guest post to relevant blogs
Post it on channel partner websites
Get it mentioned in industry association newsletters
Post it on industry association websites, portals or forums
Submit it to trade magazines
Syndicate it through a content network
Create a self-running presentation
Post your slidedeck online or use it for a webinar
Give a presentation at an industry conference
Give out hard copies at tradeshows and events
Give out digital copies on flash drives at events
Use it as a conversation starter
Use it as a leave-behind
Set up a Google AdWords pay-per-click campaign
Make an online display ad campaign
Advertise in trade magazines

I also thought about how we used swag at shows to get our name out there.

Google Home and Alexa vuln exposes IoT to audio-video theft

A new vulnerability exposes your cameras, video recorder, or baby monitor.

IoT users should regularly apply patches and updates to devices to ensure they’re protected against known vulnerabilities

The company’s website said its home video surveillance products also support Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant.

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/17/researchers-say-theyve-found-flaw-exposing-million/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

Zdnet coverage on protection https://www.zdnet.com/article/critical-iot-security-camera-vulnerability-allows-attackers-to-remotely-watch-live-video-and-gain-access-to-networks/

How to Write White Papers #4

White Papers for Dummies held me a little more when it talked about promoting your white paper after you have created it.

First up, the must-do’s have all the things that I did in my marketing department position:

  1. Create a landing page with an abstract
  2. Feature it prominently on your site
  3. Mention it in company newsletters
  4. Email your salespeople/partners/in-house opt-in list
  5. Tweet about it on Twitter
  6. Blog about it
  7. Announce it in LinkedIn groups
  8. Publish a press release
  9. Send it to relevant journalists and bloggers
  10. Get mentioned in channel partner newsletters (and vice versa for them)
  11. Post it on (Scribd.com, slideshare.com, slideboom.com, mybrainshark.com)
  12. Create a slide deck and send it to sales and channel partners

Daily Practice

So I have to remind myself:

  1. Write every day
  2. Challenge the belief that you can’t learn any more about being a good writer
  3. Read the classics often
    The Elements of Style (illustrated one like I have)
    The AP Stylebook (all the way back to undergrad!)
    Writer’s Market (100th anniv this year)

    I’ll update this now and then today.

2:51 PM –
4. Just remembered Faulkner’s advice for writing: kill all your darlings, i.e. don’t be afraid to cross out that turn of phrase or word that you really think is great. Something better may come out of it.