MobileViews Blog

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. Apple Arcade just got a huge update of new games, including some mobile classics
2. Jon’s discussion on the accuracy of fitness gadgets
3. Star Trek props – the TNG Bluetooth comm badge
   Jon has the TOS Communicator, the TOS Phaser, and the TOS Phaser & Rock from the Wand Company as well
4. The Wand Co: Tricorder
5. Microsoft revealed the latest truths about working from home. One is truly disturbing

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

This week, Jon Westfall and I caught up with our old friend and, like us, former Microsoft MVP, Johan van Mierlo.

1. MobileViews podcast 355 was published as planned last week. So, the MacOS Big Sur update to my Intel-based MacBook Pro (2019) didn’t break the audio software.
2. Todd’s Rant: Lenovo Chromebook C330 purchased only in October 2019 (17 months ago). Keyboard went bad about two months ago. On the other hand, the Samsung Chromebook Plus (my first Chromebook) which I received in April 2017 has a fully functional keyboard despite being 4 years old. I’m using it right now to type this rant in our show notes
3. Catching up with Johan and what his company is up to (Proclip USA). Johan gave Jon and me a fascinating mini-seminar on B2B activity in the custom mobile device mount industry.

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I regroup after a one week podcasting hiatus. In this podcast we discuss:

1. Thanks to special guest panelist Eric Hicks for joining us for episode 354!
2. Upgraded my 2019 MacBook Pro to MacOS Big Sur. Hope the audio apps all still work!
3. Although Jon and I only publish an audio podcast, we do have video turned on during the session to provide visual cues for speaking, etc. So, I bought a Logitech C925e to learn if provides a better video image than the 2019 MacBook Pro’s built-in camera.
4. Recording this week’s podcast (on my side) using the Logitech camera’s microphone instead of the Blue Yeti USB mic that I usually use for recording audio.
5. USI styluses are still difficult to find. But, third party EMR pens seem everywhere and look great. The real stylus standard may be Wacom’s EMR not USI
   electromagnetic resonance technology
6. Jon’s been on a Home Automation kick as he’s gotten two new kittens to keep an eye on. Here’s what he’s been buying:
   Aqara HomeKit Secure Video cameras (2) – $69 each, supports night vision, wide view angle, motion detection, and HomeKit Secure Video.
   Aqara 3 function switches (2)
   3 Eufy (Anker) Security battery cameras also support HomeKit, but a different backend ecosystem than Aqara
   A VocoLink smart lock that is just over $100. Can I stop having to use keys? Supports the KW1 key way, probably the most popular key way in the US, so I can re-key it to be the same as my existing locks.

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I are joined by our old friend and tech expert Eric Hicks for this podcast. We had a few small discussion topics prior to our catching-up conversation with Eric.

1. More about syncing iPhone photos with OneDrive.
   OneDrive’s photo features are really few/weak compared to the “old” Google Photos.. It auto-creates day-albums and has a “On This Day” feature. But, that is about it. It also seems like it doesn’t sync photos from the iOS device to OneDrive unless the OneDrive app is in the foreground.
   In Mid-December 2020, it gained the ability to iOS Live Photos – which are small MOV files
   That said, Google Photos has removed a lot of its interesting features over the past year. And, new features are reserved for Pixel owners or require additional fees: Google One benefits for Google Photos
2. Jon moved a few albums from Google Photos to iCloud, and will continue forward with just iCloud & Local NAS
3. From the seas, to more ZZZs: Your new Pixel features
4. Google Recorder

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

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.