Replacing Adobe, small biz tips for surviving the AI shopping transition, the GPT-5.1 update
Plus, my winch video, a cat on a lift, HM Royal Marines do Top Gun, an unusual animal, how AI will change society, and the Fallout Season 2 trailer
I’m David Gewirtz. Welcome to this week’s Advanced Geekery newsletter. It’s been an exciting week. Let’s dive in.
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My latest video
As promised, here’s my winch video. I demonstrate how the track, trolleys, straps, ratchet tie-downs, and mounting hardware work together. I also show my first real-world lift with a boxed machine weighing around fifty pounds.
Along the way, I share practical lessons and the mistakes I corrected. You’ll also see how small improvements, such as printable alignment gauges and adjustable straps instead of fixed-length lifting loops, make a big difference.
My articles
Here’s a quick recap of the articles I published in the last week on ZDNET.
How small businesses can survive AI shopping: 7 essential steps: With AI shopping agents quietly changing how we buy stuff, SMBs must adapt quickly or risk becoming invisible online.
I’m a Photoshop diehard, but Canva’s free tools won me over - and saved me money: Adobe’s subscription limits and AI stinginess pushed me over the edge. Canva offers freedom, flexibility, and serious savings. See if switching makes sense for you, too.
You’ll code faster and spend less with OpenAI’s new GPT-5.1 update - here’s how: This update could reshape how apps embed AI intelligence.
Must-watch YouTube
Moving on, let’s queue up some interesting YouTube videos for your entertainment and edification.
Christmas comes early this year. On December 17, the new season of Fallout will be on Prime Video. Now we have a trailer! If you haven’t seen the first season, and you can stand a little (ok, maybe a lot) of gore, this show is a delight for any Fallout gamer.
This former wired writer shares his really interesting view of the macro changes in our world based on AI, clean energy, and bio engineering. He referenced three previous periods when there was massive change due to technology in society.
For this week’s musical selection, I have the Top Gun theme. Oh, you’ve heard it before, have you? But have you heard it presented by HM Royal Marines? Per Mare, Per Terram!
Tool of the week
I’d like to say that I’m looking at other lifting alternatives beyond the winch, and while that’s true, I have to come clean. I’m spotlighting this product solely because whoever prepared the product for Amazon was smart enough to put a cat on it. That said, it looks pretty cool.
This model has a remote control and lifts to about 14 inches. They have others that go up to about 45 inches. Am I getting one? Not this week, but it’s in my wishlist in case I decide I want one in the future.
Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Interesting reads
And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth checking out.
Interesting story on what the ancients thought when they found fossils.
Have you ever heard of a Muntjac Deer? Most folks haven’t and until now, it' hasn’t been captured by a lens. But here it is, and it’s definitely something you’d expect to have been created by a creature effects shop in Hollywood.
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!