MobileViews Blog

Jon Westfall and I are joined by old friend, former Microsoft MVP, Rey Flores

1. Revisiting the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 over the ears $80 headphones for podcasting
   Can pair with more than one device – unlike the other non-Apple BT headsets I’ve bought/tried
2. Raspberry Pi 400 $100 kit version first impressions
3. A trip down tech memory lane with Rey

You can find Rey’s Twitch broadcast at: https://twitch.tv/reydio

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Todd Ogasawara and Jon Westfall are joined by Israel-based tech expert (and old friend) Helio Diamant. They catch up with is current mobile toolbox (including a motorcycle).

They also briefly discuss the updated Microsoft unified Office app that now supports the iPad’s larger display, Todd’s weeklong adventure uploading 16,000+ photos from an iPhone to Microsoft OneDrive (in preparation for Google’s switch away from unlimited high resolution uploads this summer), and Todd’s switch from recording this podcast using a Blue Yeti USB microphone with earbuds to the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Bluetooth over the ears headset.

1. Unified Microsoft Office app now available for iPad Previously designed for use for the iPhone’s display.
2. Updating Google Photos’ storage policy to build for the future
   What to use after Google? Shifting over to Microsoft OneDrive is challenging. Slow. No intelligent features on phones.
   One week to upload 16,000+ photos from an iPhone
3. Anker Soundcore Life Q30 over the ears Bluetooth headphones with dual mics
   End of my search for affordable (under $100) video conference headphones?
4. Helio’s MobilityFreak site
5. ZeTime. Hybrid smartwatch – analog watch

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. New Google Photos features. However, you need to pay (Google One) or have a Pixel phone.
2. Google Fit gains heart and respiratory rates feature
   Just look into the camera. Available in March
3. Google Maps feature to reduce stress if you have an electric vehicle
4. Microsoft Visual Studio Code available for the Raspberry Pi
5. CryptoCurrency Mobile: Ledger Nano X and the unique relationship between “cold” / “air gapped” and “accessible”
6. Jon’s doing a 1Password Password Audit / Cleaning. Goal: A letter a day!
7. Illium eWallet
8. Why is paper still so magical?

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast Jon Westfall and I welcome our old friend Arne Hess in Germany to catch up with him — and making for a rare trans-pacific and trans-atlantic podcast. The most surprising thing we heard from Arne was that he has not seen any discussions of Chromebooks in his part of the world.

1. Questions for Arne: What are you using now?
   Smartphone
   Tablet
   Laptop
   Watch
   Exercise tech
   Drone tech
2. Waiting for iOS 14.5 so I can unlock my iPhone when wearing a facemask. Ref: MacRumors
3. Tested the $60 One by Wacom tablet with a Macbook Pro and the free Autodesk Sketchbook software
4. Jon’s been playing with Homebridge connecting all of his miscellaneous IoT devices to homekit. Amazed with how quickly it’s been to set it up (running it in a Docker container). Also cool that it can trigger unix commands – so if you can shell script it, you can hook it in! (cmdswitch2 plugin)

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

1. One by Wacom
   $60 starter drawing tablet. Don’t confuse this with the $399 Wacom One which was, previously, Wacom’s most inexpensive tablet
   No driver needed for Chromebooks. Certified for:
   Works With Chromebooks
   Battery-less wireless stylus. Tablet connects to computer using a USB-A connector. No external power needed.
   Drivers needed for MacOS and Windows
   A very 1980s, pre-2016 iPad Pro/Apple Pencil experience
   Discounting the Microsoft Tablet/Surface which did not have a good “pen” experience
2. Mudra Band Touch free control for Apple Watch
3. Jon started using the Watchsmith App, allows for some nice customization for your Apple Watch complications. Would like to see data services expanded more.
4. Jon’s also been fighting with bookmarks lately – the convoluted way to get Firefox & iCloud bookmarks in sync when you don’t use a PC.
5. AutoX Opens Real Robotaxi Service In China To The General Public
   Would you hop in a robot-taxi that doesn’t have a human safety driver?
   AutoX – funded by Alibaba

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. Tucows closes its once-popular software download site
2. Microsoft Lists for iOS

Revisiting Past Purchases

3. Nulaxy A4 Cell Phone Stand, Fully Foldable, Adjustable Desktop Phone Holder Cradle Dock $12
4. A 60 GB iPod Video for $399.99 on 12/4/2005. In 2017 or so he gave it to a friend who still needed a dedicated music player, and for all I know, it might still be alive today.
5. https://the-gadgeteer.com/2004/01/29/roadwired_megamedia_bag_review/
6. A Timex Digital Ironman Data Link USB Watch for $67.96 on 5/13/2005. It was a great watch until it died, IIRC.
7. A lot of LiveScribe things in 2010 and used them for 2-3 years until he realized that it was a lot easier to use a tablet. But in 2010, the only other alternative was a Tablet PC, which wasn’t always the best experience
8. eBags Packing Cubes in 2011 that I still use, ya know, when I travel. Not always all 3, but mixing and matching as needed.
9. Keyspan by Tripp Lite Presentation Remote (https://amzn.to/369k4ZM) – still the best presenter remote in my opinion because it allows full mouse movement. Sadly hard to find today.
10. A Spring Bar Tool (https://amzn.to/3sSxtPD) that is the $8.50 tool that jewelers know about but us commoners don’t. If you’ve ever struggled with a watch band tension bar (to change the band on your watch), you need this thing.
11. An Insta-bed (https://amzn.to/3pe1BTb) which has held up very well for over 5 years. Makes traveling to friends who don’t have spare beds a breeze.
12. Beats Solo 3’s (https://amzn.to/3a5Wj6a) which haven’t had any issue other than having replace the ear cups after a few years.
13. Kindle Oasis – works great at the beach, but was it worth $309? Probably not. Hardly ever use it at home.
14. A Braun Series 7 Razor for $190.95 in 2016.
15. A Vivo rolling / sittings / standing desk / cart – $299.99 (https://amzn.to/2Mihn0P) Great to be able to flexibly work in a variety of places.

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.