July 26, 2024
I received a text message from Xfinity today saying they were working on fixing an issue with my Internet service. Apparently, that was code language for "completing a service upgrade." I ran a speed test this afternoon and saw download speeds above 2 Gbps (2,000 Mbps) for the first time ever.
Download: 2334.05 Mbps
Upload: 357.56 Mbps
July 4, 2024
In elementary school, we read a short story by Hans Christian Andersen called "The Emperor's New Clothes." The emperor loved fancy garments and showing off his apparel to those around him. One day, two thieves, purporting to be weavers, convinced the emperor they could make him a garment so beautiful that it would be invisible to those who were "simple in character."
The emperor agreed to their enticing proposal. When the thieves presented the finished garment, the emperor would not admit he couldn't see it. So he went out in public wearing only his underwear. His officials and the townspeople were too scared to state the obvious, for they did not want to be considered simpletons. Instead, they praised the emperor and his new garment, which they could not see. The emperor paraded around the city, blissfully ignorant that he was exposed in his underwear. That is, until a young child exclaimed, "The emperor has no clothes!"
July 1, 2024
I often duplicate files and folders to create a quick backup. For example, I might duplicate an entire website folder before making major changes to the site. Or I might create monthly backups of a database so I can reference or revert to previous data if needed.
While duplicating data is a quick and easy way to create a backup, the copies can take up unnecessary disk space. If you're not planning to use the data for a while, it's best to compress your backups (there's a reason they're called "compressed archives"). Below is an example of a database backup I created that is less than 25% the size of the original database.
June 11, 2024
The A in "AI" stands for Apple. That is, according to CEO Tim Cook, who announced "Apple Intelligence" at yesterday's WWDC keynote address.
It was an atypical Worldwide Developers Conference with zero hardware announcements. Instead, the lengthy keynote address focused entirely on software, first covering OS updates, then "Apple Intelligence."
June 1, 2024
In a recent conversation with friends, I was surprised to learn how many of them used ad blockers. Some had good reasons, such as preventing their children from seeing unknown advertisements. Others just blocked ads because they were annoying.
While it might be tempting to jump on the ad-blocking train, here are a five reasons why you shouldn't use an ad blocker:
May 14, 2024
Stands for "Internet Message Access Protocol" and is pronounced "eye-map." IMAP is a method of accessing email messages on a mail server without having to download them to your local device. It has mostly replaced the previous protocol "POP3," which required you to download messages before reading them.
The advantage of using an IMAP is it allows you to check your mail from multiple devices and always see the same messages. This is because the messages stay on the server until you choose to download them. (POP3 would remove messages from the server — either immediately or after a specific amount of time.) Most webmail systems are IMAP based, which allows you to access to both sent and received messages no matter what computer / device you use to check your mail.
May 1, 2024
Did you know a smartphone can work as a portable charger?
It's true: USB-C devices, like the iPhone 15, can send an electrical charge to another device. So, if your smartwatch is running low, all you need is a charging cable and your phone, and you can charge your smartwatch on the go. I've used my iPhone 15 to charge both my Apple Watch and my AirPods before my workout several times. A quick 10-minute charge is typically enough to get them through a one-hour workout.
