My new charging station project, VisionOS 2, Apple AI, and fighting fake reviews
Plus, what happened to the Seaview models, why garages are so small, how to fix your TV sound, and how an eclipse ended a war.
I’m David Gewirtz. Welcome to this week’s Advanced Geekery newsletter. It’s been an exciting week. Let’s dive in.
My articles
Let’s kick it off with a quick recap of the articles I published in the last week on ZDNET.
New VisionOS 2 features unveiled at WWDC. What I'm excited about (and puzzled by): I wished for 10 VisionOS 2.0 features and got two. (Yay?) Here's everything Apple Vision Pro fans need to know from WWDC 2024.
Apple coders, rejoice! Your programming tools just got a big, free AI boost: With AI-powered features in Xcode, Apple aims to revolutionize app development. Here's what developers need to know about new tools like on-device code completion, enhanced SiriKit, and AI-driven App Intents.
Fake reviews are a big problem -- and here's how AI could help fix it: Can AI save us from AI-generated fake reviews? Trustpilot's chief trust officer Anoop Joshi discusses the impact of AI on online trust.
Ultimate Charging Tower v2 project begins
Some of you may remember my first prototype of the Ultimate Charging Tower, this bad boy right here:
It’s been two years since I built that, and it’s as inflexible as I feared at the time. It’s almost impossible to add new devices to the charging tower, and it’s also absolutely impossible to reorganize the devices already on the tower.
To remedy that, I’m creating my next version, with the express purpose of making it as flexible as possible, so I can reconfigure it as needed. I’ve started working on the design for the side rack. I’m replacing the pegboard with the 3D printed Multiboard system, which has a ton of options and accessories. I added my own design for two new parts sets.
My first design is the Pole Attachment Fixture Assembly, which helps the Multiboard attach to a vertical wire rack pole:
But the thing that should make this all work is the Keystone Multiboard Attachment Assembly, which allows standard Keystone cable adapters to hang from a Multiboard.
The idea is that USB power will go to the Keystone adapter, and then I can swap cables from the Keystone adapter to the item being charged quickly and easily. Here’s a picture of my test print in action:
Right now, I only have one cable going to the Keystone array, but that will change in the full build. I’ve designed mounting arrays for 1, 2, 3, and 4 Keystone adapters and I’m thinking of building one that’s wider, maybe with a full 8 attachment points.
I’m pretty happy with the design concept for the side rack. Next up, I’m going to try to work out a method of making the shelving area equally as flexible, possibly mixing Multiboard with a 3D printed drawer system.
Let me know what you think. Stay tuned for more as this project progresses.
Must-watch YouTube
Moving on, let’s queue up some interesting YouTube videos for your entertainment and edification.
Have you noticed garages in America are getting smaller? There’s no way you can get an actual car in my garage, and I’m probably not alone. This video has one theory about why (although the reason in my house is because the wacky previous owner decided to build a closet on the other side that ate into the parking area inside the garage).
One of my favorite classic TV shows is Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Want to know what happened to the Seaview models? This guy will tell you. I vividly remember building a model of the Flying Sub when I was but a wee lad.
This is mostly for my fellow Oregonians, but it’s an interesting business story nonetheless. It’s about the Oregon clothing brand (started right in the area where we now live) that made Disneyland fashionable.
Interesting reads
And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth reading.
Are you having trouble hearing TV dialog? You’re not alone. ZDNET’s Chris Bayer shows how modifying three settings on your TV might help out.
This is an interesting NY Times story about how an ancient eclipse ended a war.
Here’s a fun story about how Jim Davis tried to head off inevitable Garfield questions from the earliest days of the comic.
Send in your projects
I’d like to regularly spotlight a reader project or two here. Your project doesn’t have to be a big Kickstarter launch. If you’ve built something cool, it has some pretty pictures, and you’re proud of it, I might be able to share it here.
If you have a photogenic reader project, send an email to me at david@zatz.com with the subject “READER PROJECT,” a few pictures, and a short one-paragraph description. If you have a social media link or a link to the project, include that, too.
Both my EPs are now streaming
Available on all your favorite streaming services.
More clicky
I’ve got a lot happening all over the web. Here are links to my various stuff:
House of the Head: home for my published music
ZATZ Labs: where I host my published software projects
Feel free to dig around, visit, and say hey!
Leave some comments
Substack supports comments, so feel free to leave some. I promise to read them. Just, please, let’s keep our personal politics out of any discussion.
That should do it for this week. This newsletter is really starting to pick up subscribers. Please help it out by sharing links on all your socials.
Have a great week!