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  • MobileViews Podcast 307: Google buying fitbit, Xerox buying HP, Jon’s AirPod Pro

    Jon Westfall and I discuss:

    1. Google bought Fitbit
      Now what? How long until Fitbit and its server, which holds Fitbit data, disappears?
    2. CNBC: Xerox has made a cash-and-stock offer for HP, sources say
      What???
    3. Unified Office App for iOS and Android
    4. Jon bought AirPods Pro, and he’s quite impressed with them (compared to first gen airpods)
    5. The 500GB external HD backup for my 2008 iMac died. I think it was my second HD for it and this one lasted 7 years. Feel like I got my money’s worth. Bought a 5TB HD for under $100 to replace it.
    6. Enjoying my Lenovo Chromebook C330 in the office. But!!! I found that it is not lap-able. I think it it is because its inexpensive case is too flexible. This causes the touchpad to move the cursor on its own when typing on my lap.
    7. Can’t find my old Qi wireless charger. So, bought a $14 Yootech charger.

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

  • MobileViews Podcast 306: My Microsoft-Chromebook experiment

    In this podcast Jon and I discuss:

    1. Audio changes? Switched from Levelator to Rogue Amoeba Fission for volume leveling. But, it does not behave the same was a Levelator which actually increases the volume as part of the leveling process. Since I can’t move to MacOS Catalina because Audacity doesn’t have a version for it yet, I will go back to using Levelator until I am able to upgrade to Catalina.

      Note: Audio Hijack just got an upgrade that makes it compatible with Catalina.

    2. New shell in MacOS Catalina is ZSH?
    3. Microsoft Chromebook experiment
      Bought a low-end Chromebook: ARM processor, 4 GB RAM, 64GB eMMC
      Installed Android Office 365 apps.
    4. Google Chromecast
      Will carry one to project the Chromebook display on large display/projectors for presentations
    5. This Android Central article is dead wrong:
      Comparing the Pixelbook Go to cheap Chromebooks is silly and everyone should stop doing it
      In fact, this is exactly what I did after hearing the the Pixelbook Go announcement and then deciding to buy a much lower priced Lenovo C330.
    6. The strange effect of carrying AirPods on my belt versus in my bag. Will the same thing happen to my Apple Pencil?

      TwelveSouth AirSnap airpod carrying case

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

  • MobileViews Podcast 305: Removing Apple Watch glass scratch, new Google hardware, Jamovi

    1. Removed a scratch on my Apple Watch glass using toothpaste and a soft paper towel. Try this at your own risk. But, it worked for me.
    2. Fitbit Inspire HR one week later
    3. Goodbye Google Daydream VR. Ref: The Verge
    4. Google announcements
      Pixel 4

      Pixelbook Go – too expensive despite a price lower than earlier models

      New Pixel Buds Rumors of new AirPods with noise cancellation.

    5. Jamovi free and open statistical software
    6. Jon got his Apple Smart Keyboard replaced – died after 10 months of use. I, like Todd, am starting to think these things just aren’t made for daily use

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

  • MobileViews Podcast 304: Farewell to my Fitbit One

    Jon Westfall and I are back after a three week hiatus due to schedule conflicts.

    1. Did Jon upgrade to MacOS Catalina?
      Yes… but not much difference other than no 32-bit apps. A few older games now live on my 2009 Macbook Pro that hasn’t gotten an upgrade since El Capitan. Seem to be a bit more bugs in iOS / MacOS this year though, just glitchy things which didn’t seem to show up in iOS until the past week or two.
    2. Todd:My Fitbit One (nearly 6 years old) is fading away. Its button no longer functions as of two days ago. So, I can’t activate the display (minor) or start sleep tracking (moderately annoying). I tweeted with Fitbit and learned their newish Inspire models can be used without its band. So, I bought one this weekend. It doesn’t have a floor climbing feature. But, it has a number of new interesting features.
    3. Bought Rogue Amoeba Fission audio editor for my Mac hoping it could replace both Audacity (Open Source audio editor) and the freeware Levelator. But, it looks like it will only be able to replace Levelator. It doesn’t seem to have all the Audacity features I need to process a podcast.
    4. Bought a Brother P-Touch Bluetooth label printer. It doesn’t have a keyboard and requires a smartphone or tablet to create labels.
    5. A $350 3D printer? Prusa Mini
    6. What to expect at Google’s October 15 Pixel launch event

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

  • MobileViews Podcast 303: Apple’s 2019 fall announcements

    Jon Westfall and I discuss the most interesting items (to us) from Apple’s Fall 2019 announcements on Sept. 10.

    1. First: Happy 20th birthday to WiFi
      History of WiFi
    2. iPhone 11 Pro
      Still has Lightning connector. Not USB-C
      Three lenses – 3rd for ultra-wide – 120 degree view
      2x optical zoom “out” as well as in
      Night Mode (like Android Night Sight)
      Video: What is “audio zoom”?
      Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
    3. iOS 13
      High-Key Mono photos
      Portrait lighting control
      Nearly every tool and effect you use on your photos can be used on videos, including rotate, crop, and auto enhance.
      Maps has new features (catch up to Google Maps?)
      Silence unknown callers
      Carrier‑verified Calls
    4. Apple Watch Series 5
      No sleep tracking!
      Always on display
      Noise app w/alerts
      Watch app store
      Dexcom G6 glucose monitor – requires additional hardware
      Built-in compass
    5. 10.2-inch iPad (not Air, not Pro)
      Starts at $329
      Lightning connector (still)
    6. Jon’s running ios 13.1 on iPhone, iPadOS on his iPad, and Watch OS 6 on his watch. All are pretty stable thus far!
    7. What to do with an old Macbook that you can’t upgrade to modern software – Load vintage operating systems.

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

  • MobileViews Podcast 302: Mostly iPadOS

    1. Free lifetime subscription for Enlight Pixaloop for owners of “selected” Chromebooks
    2. Android 10 update hit my Pixel 3a
    3. 40th anniversary Sony Walkman – Android-based
    4. OpenSource PowerToys are back for Windows 10
      Available from GitHub
    5. Sept. 10 Apple event
    6. Jon’s Quick Rant; Come on Google – I just logged into Yahoo and it pushed a 2FA prompt to my watch! Yours still requires you open the GMail app on my phone. You’re being shown up BY YAHOO!

    Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.