Back to Basics: Cloud 101

Back to Basics: Cloud 101

Ask ten people to describe the cloud and you’ll get ten different answers. Some might say it’s a mysterious place where your files go to disappear. Others would say it’s a server. Many assume it’s a place to store your photos so you can delete them from your device. ...
Do We Still Need Cursive?

Do We Still Need Cursive?

Everything’s coming up QWERTY. At least, that’s what the rise of the keyboard feels like. Everywhere you look, typing has replaced the pen. At home, at work, in classrooms—there’s just no need for handwriting anymore. Or is there? There are two entrenched sides in the...
The Myth of the Indestructible Device

The Myth of the Indestructible Device

I’ll never forget the look on the young man’s face as he handed me his waterlogged phone. It was a brand new flagship device, barely six months old, and it had all the functionality of a brick. Even less, in fact, since he couldn’t build much with a broken phone. He’d...
Accessible Tech

Accessible Tech

Love it or hate it, there’s no debate that technology is a boon for accessibility. From Braille keyboards to apps you control with your voice, the tech industry is creating new and better accessibility features all the time. Which is why it surprises me how rarely...
Who Owns Your Robot?

Who Owns Your Robot?

Who owns your robot? Not an actual robot, but the kind in the picture up there. The kind of image I created after typing a few prompts into Stability AI.  The answer might surprise you, especially if you plan to use any sort of AI content in your own life. Because...
Don’t Ditch Your Passwords (Yet)

Don’t Ditch Your Passwords (Yet)

If you haven’t heard of passkeys yet, odds are good you’ll be hearing about them soon. They’re a new way to log in to apps and websites, and they hold the promise of a future without passwords. Passkeys are great for a lot of reasons. They’re more secure than...
Favourite Reads of 2023

Favourite Reads of 2023

As much as I love tech, I also love the quiet, focused feeling of sinking into a great book. And the past year was a fabulous one for discovering some new reads! Some, like Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, were recommended by family. Others, like Robopocalypse by Daniel H....
Under the Social Media Spell

Under the Social Media Spell

Some days it feels like our devices have cast some sort of spell over us. Everywhere we look people are constantly scrolling their phones, drawn like moths to the brilliant light of their screens.  It might be your spouse surfing social media, or your kids playing...
Cave Art and AI

Cave Art and AI

I was recently debating the idea that artificial intelligence will replace humans, and heard what seemed like a solid point against it: AI won’t replace humans for the simple reason that it can’t come up with anything original.  Everything AI creates is simply a...
Your Garage in the Cloud

Your Garage in the Cloud

There you are, phone in hand, lined up to get the perfect shot. Or maybe someone’s emailed you an important file, something you need to download and sign to sell your house or get a job. Except there’s one problem: your device is full. There’s no room to download any...
Fill Your Thimble Slowly

Fill Your Thimble Slowly

Suppose you had to fill a bathtub and you had two ways to do it. The first is with a thimble. The second is with a bucket. Obviously, you’d choose the bucket—until you realize that the bucket is riddled with holes, and nearly every drop of water runs out as fast as...
Your Phone is a Jet Plane

Your Phone is a Jet Plane

It’s incredible to ponder the immense power of a jet plane. The sheer brilliance of being able to step on board, buckle in, and travel at incredible speed around the world. Now suppose someone gave you the controls—the power of a sleek jet all your own, the ability to...
Was Aesop Dumbing It Down?

Was Aesop Dumbing It Down?

We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment these days. Whether you’re commuting to work or chilling on the sofa, there’s no end of movies and TV shows to pick from—everything from Love Island to Animal Control. To some, it’s one more sign of our...
What Year Would You Stop Technology?

What Year Would You Stop Technology?

I get it. It’s all going too fast, this technology stuff. One minute we’re trying to set the time on our VCRs, the next we’re at risk of annihilation by AI. You’re not alone if it feels like technology is speeding out of control. Just trying to learn the basics can be...
Shepherd Book Discovery

Shepherd Book Discovery

If you love discovering new books and new authors, you should check out Shepherd. It’s a great new site that cuts through the clutter with a clean design, but also offers the kinds of categories that get straight to what you’re looking for. Want adventure and tales of...
Fresh Starts

Fresh Starts

Welcome to the new decade, and a fresh new look for the site! Old posts are gone and you could even say that things are looking positively spare at the moment, but all for good reason. First, the lure of a new WordPress theme was calling me (including the ease of...