wallpaper
New Wallpaper: Silly String
I got this photo from a sidewalk near my work and didn't expect it to be a wallpaper, but it's definitely a striking look.
Blog
Game
Playing the Original Halo Again in 2020
Or listen to the podcast version.
podcast
Podcast #228: Value, Values, and More Value
Inspired by the book, Start With Why, and The Verge’s review of the Mac Pro.
Android
Pixel Owners Need Not Wait for Some of Those Android 11 Features
Any post about Android updates is going to be meet with some snarky folks say "ummmm, Android updates are like a year late if they come at all 🤓" Yes, we get it, iOS is much better at getting updates to more devices faster, but hey, people own Pixels and for them this isn&
Meta
My PC Diary: Week 2
Well, it’s been almost 2 weeks since I got my new PC and wanted to give an update. Specifically, how well is it doing compared to the 4 primary needs I had for it?
1. $1,000-sh price tag
2. Great performance, specifically for Creative Cloud apps
3. Top shelf gaming potential
4.
Birch Bark Sample Issue
Below is last week's Birch Bark issue. I'm sharing this one here so you get an idea of what my new weekly newsletter is like. I don't plan on posting all of these here, so make sure you subscribe to see these every Friday!
Welcome to week two of
surface
The Vision of the Microsoft Surface, and the Vision of Apple’s User Base
The latest iPad rumors are that the next Smart Keyboard will have a version with a trackpad. As many have
review
Unread 2: RSS That Looks Nice, but I Wish Did More
Unread is one of those apps that just has an incredibly loyal following. It’s not the biggest player in
ipad
One More Tale of Discoverability Oddness
Here's an interesting anecdote about discoverability. Below is a very rough mock up of a web app I manage at work:
The only things you need to know are the two places you can get to "General Settings."
1. A menu item which is hidden on page load and is only
Undiscoverable UI Madness
We have a couple Mac users in the office so I went around and asked them how to do some things on macOS, which as we all know, is much better than iPadOS at making important, useful UI elements easily discoverable. I talked to 3 people who have been using Macs for years at work
Game
Forza Horizon 4 Might be my Favorite Racing Game Ever
I don’t think I was prepared for just how good Forza Horizon 4 is. I’m not a big fan of racing games, but games like Gran Turismo 4 and Burnout Paradise spent tons of time in my PS2 back in the day. Since then no racing game has managed to capture my imagination
Links
Let’s Talk About Enforcing USB-C Everywhere
The EU Wants All Phones to Work With Interoperable Chargers, Here’s What That Means for Apple's Lightning Port - MacRumors
To reduce cost, electronic waste and make consumers' lives easier, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) want "binding measures" that ensure chargers fit all smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices.
Game
Nintendo is on Fire
The Switch has had a hell of a run since it launched almost exactly 3 years ago. It’s become
Meta
Birch Bark, Privacy, and Plans for the Future
Some stuff I probably should have covered when launching last week, oops! No surprises here though, so hopefully everything is exactly as you assumed it was.
A Console Gamer Gets a Gaming PC
I grew up with Macs, continued to use them as an adult, and then switched to the iPad. Needless to say, I haven't done much PC gaming in my life.
So when I looked into replacing my 8 year old Mac mini, I decided to go with something a lot better at playing
No Mac for You!
Michael Rockwell in response to my piece about buying a PC tower:
Ten years ago, I suspect Matt would have ended up with a Mac Pro. Perhaps begrudgingly since it was a bit over his budget, but at least he would have had an option that was attainable. The current Mac Pro is just too
Continuing the Trend, Android 11 Looks More Like iOS Than Ever
Look, I try to be fair in my takes on Android. I think the Apple-centric press is way too hard on it overall, and I believe it’s often talked about in ways that imply it hasn’t changed since 2013. It certainly has, and it’s gotten much better, even if I still
Comparing Video on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pixel 4
Last week I posted a photo comparison and this week I got some time to do a quick video comparison. In this case, the iPhone comes out way ahead in my book.