Did you try shrinking the photos a bit? I narrowed the browser to shrink them and my phone camera picked up 11 of 12 of the ones in a grid.

Options are definitely nice for those technical enough to understand and use them.

Though personally I am keeping an eye on Linux devices for my next upgrade.

Do I not want USB-C (for some weird reason)?

This is probably temporary until it is time to move past USB-C. Which will be a slower and more difficult process now that there are laws in place requiring it.

Same reason that people stick with Google.

After years in the eco-system it is obnoxious to swap, and the other main competitor isn’t any better of a company to deal with.

I also stared at the picture for way too long before realizing there was a video down below.

This is a fantastic read.

I remember febreeze coming out and being like, that would be cool but you can’t trust ads and it sounds like total BS. I knew they added a scent, but I had not idea about the subtle social manipulation that they used to shift people’s habits.

Speaking of habits, this is the first time I have heard about all the science involved in studying and breaking them.

Thank you for that link. Definitely going to save it.

basic HTML Gmail is dying in early January 2024

I can’t speak for others, but I typically don’t use email on the PC. When it is more convenient to use the PC, usually because of an attachment, I will log into the browser version.

Agreed. I’ve reverted to HTML mode recently when tethering from my phone. The signal is bad enough sometimes that it makes a world of difference. Gmail was virtually unusable until I realized HTML mode was still an option.

Really just time to bite the bullet and acknowledge that it is worth the hassle to switch away from a company that I don’t like or trust.

Ah good catch. I wonder if I saw it out of the corner of my eye and thought I had a sudden “brilliant” idea.

I don’t know how long this has been around, but I feel like they missed a good opportunity to call this the Google Graveyard.

The dictation software we have is pretty shitty though.

As someone who used dictation software when said software needed to be trained first and also trained its users how to speak more clearly, it always amazes me when I hear people say things like this.

The problem is human speech is lazy and inaccurate. Half of the time I have to listen to a voice clip there are two or three words in the clip that are barely intelligible. If I don’t catch it by the third pass I stop and just guess by context. It is the same thing the AWESOME dictation software we have today does, but saves me the time and effort and gives the sender a chance to fix their own mumbles.

Of course, I’m one of those people whose voicemail message used to be, “Don’t leave me a message unless your call went straight to voicemail. I will see your missed call and call you back.”

I am with the authors more like 80% here.

Authors read each others works and are influenced by them and we don’t expect them to go back and buy special licenses for each work that might have influenced their current novels. Art as much as any field stands on the shoulders of mice and giants alike. Pretending that AI language models shouldn’t “read” as many novels as possible to assist their own growth is a preposterous idea.

Should they have to buy a copy of the book like everyone else? Sure. Should they get bent over without lube by publishing companies? Well that is a bit more complex.

In my opinion there is no “right” answer right now. We as a society need to decide what we are okay with.

Furthermore, there are a lot of really good books out there that would be truly great “except”. Except what? That depends. Maybe it has annoying side characters, or maybe it is littered with plot holes, maybe there are outdated social norms that distract from the real point of the book, or maybe the fact that not one character in the book looks or talks like you and your friends.

It would be wonderful if we could use AI to adjust or even personalize those books.

Can you imagine a Harry Potter that isn’t just translated into other languages, but has each of the characters localized as well. Neither Harry Potter being British nor being male is fundamental to the story. There is no reason the French, Aria Potter couldn’t save the world through the power of her mother’s love, and with the help of her friends. Well except the fact that it would likely make JKR lose her mind, since she doesn’t even tolerate fan fiction.

Is it possible to make these changes now, sure? It just isn’t really practical for even really big name authors, much someone who only sells a few thousand copies of each book.

I was just thinking the opposite. Maybe we can get AI to give us that last book that we are otherwise may never see. Especially if it actually does end as poorly as the TV series did.

Chat GPT write me a final novel for ASOIF in the style GRRMartin but with a better ending.

How does it feel to be on the same side as most preachers and weekly church-goers?

Few things drives them more nuts than people who call themselves Christians and don’t even attempt to be followers of Christ. Trying and failing is one thing, and always an embarrassment to the church, but living like the worst dregs of society, while using that name, is worse than an intentional smear campaign.

There are a lot of good points here. There would definitely be a weight and fragility issue. Maybe I am just too attached to the idea.

more likely stretch it out to be both thicker and wider

I think there would be a large market for a wide device that needed two wrist straps to hold it in place. Hard to tell sometimes though. It would either become super trendy or only for super nerds. Either way, I would probably scoop it up.

In any case, I am pretty sure the phone companies want us to have a watch also, not instead, and will suppress any development that changes that mentality.

perhaps the watch becomes the phone rather than an accessory to one.

I was hoping for something like this when the Apple Watch came out, but they were clearly very against the idea.

Sci-fi phones are the best. I like the slide ones alright, but I was always a huge fan of the mid-air projections. Seems like we are decent way off from either right now.

Also, I keep hoping we get a short term pair of glasses or ultra light weight VR/AR goggles before we figure out projection anywhere tech.

Biblical wisdom mostly. Certain parts definitely don’t hold up to modern morality, but there is a lot well-thought-out advice buried in it that has helped people in Judeo-Christian areas for thousands of years.

One of the Proverbs in particular comes to mind: “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Hard to argue against the inherent wisdom in such a statement.

Also, like you, I have an appreciation for old churches and some religious art.

I wouldn’t want to be reincarnated to earth, but reincarnated to a fantasy world with magic might be nice to try out. My biggest hangup with reincarnation is not bringing the wisdom of hard learned lessons with.