Let's Talk Tech
It’s happening!
Video output on the Pixel 8 Pro! The Android Desktop Mode is functional again! It’s an amazing day! And yet, have we seen much progress in making this a useful feature? Continue reading “Desktop Mode on a PIXEL!!! Android 15 Developer Preview 2 and Video Output on the Pixel 8 Pro!”
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fantastically anxious about the launch of Qualcomm’s new PC chip. While there’s always been a fun (if ruthless) rivalry between Intel and AMD, the computer scene gets a lot more interesting when an outside player can come in and disrupt.
I’ve been preaching the benefits of ARM based PCs for a while now, and I genuinely believe a lot of folks out there would have preferred having better battery life away from a charger over the more traditionally powerful laptops and convertibles offered over the last several years, even for some issues with software compatibility.
I felt validated in this when Apple switched all of their laptops and desktops over to ARM System on Chips (SOCs).
Qualcomm has offered solutions in this market in the past, but their new chip could springboard Windows users into a much more competitive tier opposite MacBooks and Mac desktops.
While we wait for manufacturers like Dell, HP, Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft to ship new Windows on ARM devices, I feel it’s time Qualcomm helped us understand the X Elite a little better.
FIGHT FOR BLOOD!!!
There’s an interesting fixation on dedicated cameras which seems to exist at the bookends of photography. While I try to highlight how good our smartphone cameras have gotten, we see groups of influencers playing with old point and shoot cameras. At the other end of the spectrum, no matter how good a phone sensor might be, we often hear from photographers that you can’t beat a “proper” zoom lens.
I really didn’t want to spend money on an old point and shoot, but while cleaning out a box of old gear, I found my old Samsung Galaxy Camera. The battery had turned into a spicy pillow, but prying it out, I was able to track down a replacement and get the camera working again.
Continue reading “Were point and shoot cameras as good as we remember them?”
I hate being “that guy”, but social media is in a pretty dark place. I don’t want to be negative. I don’t want to “hate” on something just because it’s trendy. I genuinely want good ideas to thrive and find success.
There’s success, and then there’s “SUCCESS ®™ ©”.
As we approach a long-delayed IPO, if investors reward Reddit with a healthy stock price, I can’t see any positive outcome for the communities that rely on Reddit. Continue reading “Reddit’s IPO: I Hope It Fails…”
A little walk-and-talk vlog to chat about phone audio, and what we need to make it better.
We really don’t need much. If we connect external audio sources, we should be able to hear what those audio devices capture… Continue reading “Phone cameras rock, but we need better audio…”
Who would have thought we’d see an OMNIVISION camera sensor perform this well on a premium phone?
I’m kinda shocked. This company has come out of nowhere, delivering some fantastic solutions for phones recently. Xiaomi’s partnership with this sensor manufacturer is delivering capabilities I wouldn’t have expected.
We expect expensive phones to get better every year, and these kinds of feature improvements help us push cameras in more challenging conditions.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the sensor tech! Continue reading “Xiaomi 14 and an Omnivision Camera Sensor? Putting Sony on Notice!”
Google Magic Eraser versus Microsoft Generative Erase!
A new feature for the Windows Photos app! Computers running Windows on ARM can now use AI tools to erase info in photos, and generative AI will fill in the content removed. Google is the gold standard for consumer eraser tools, and Magic Eraser is simple and fun to use.
Can this Windows update deliver an easy tool for tablet users? Continue reading “Microsoft Generative Erase vs Google Magic Eraser!”
Is the right shape more important than other aspects like performance? Have we found the right form factor for mini-tablets? These gadgets still feel “new”, but what have we learned about folding phone design? Continue reading “Folding Phones: Is there a “correct” shape?”