Why I'm getting an iPhone 16, Temu's policy changes, Netflix on the Quest 3
Why I'm getting an iPhone 16, Temu's policy changes, Netflix on the Quest 3
Plus, more on my charging tower project, the most viewed picture ever, why nails are measured in pennies, the next Star Trek has a trailer, and more.
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.
6 reasons why iOS 18 makes the iPhone 16 a must-upgrade for me: iOS 18 is forcing me to upgrade my iPhone 12 Pro Max. Here's why.
Temu's return policy changes: What happened when I tried returning a bunch of items: Temu can be addictive. Make sure you understand its new return rules before your next order.
Netflix is now Meta Quest 3's killer app, thanks to these two new modes: Want a large-screen TV but can't afford it or don't have the room? Netflix on the Meta Quest 3 might just be the ultimate large-screen TV replacement you're looking for.
Ultimate Charging Tower: At the now-what stage
Last week, I introduced you to the next stage of my Ultimate Charging Tower, where my plan is to introduce flexibility into the design. I showed you how I think Keystone cable adapters can provide that flexibility, and I showed you how using Multiboard to replace the pegboard can increase flexibility even more.
So, now I’m kind of stuck. I wanted to talk about my “now-what” stage (which may well become one of many), because I don’t want you to think that these projects just happen, or that some of us are so good at designing things that the projects just come together with ease.
Let’s recap some of the decisions: the Multiboard and Keystone adapters are solid choices. I’m using two 18-inch square wire shelving units to replace the 18-inch x 36-inch Home Depot HDX plastic shelves I’ve been using. I have the wire shelves already, and they’re on wheels, which is another big win in this project.
I also decided on a possibly impossible goal: I’d like to make this thing work without any tie wraps. All of my other charging station solutions have used tie wraps to an almost overwhelming degree, and I’d like to build a solution that doesn’t rely on those plastic ties to hold everything together (and then make it hard to change things).
But while I know how to hang the Multiboard in place of the pegboard along the side, I’m at a bit of an impasse about how to design the inner areas, the stuff on the shelves.
I’m a bit embarrassed to show you this, but here’s what my shelves look like now.
I do think it makes sense to create 18-inch cubes with the wire shelving. That will make everything symmetrical, so if I design something that fits one unit, it will fit across units. But then again, 18-inches is not exactly an optimal storage height for tiny little items being charged.
I really like the bins-on-Multiboard approach, but that won’t work on the wire shelves, or at least I don’t think it will. I’m thinking of trying to reproduce some kind of internal grid system with the Multiboard and perhaps some 3D printed drawers, but the plan isn’t really taking form in my head yet.
For the power tool batteries, I’d like to be able to remove them with one hand, so I’d like them somehow securely fastened to the shelves. I’m thinking of possibly displaying them at an angle for easier viewing and access.
Let me know what you think. Seriously. I really would like your feedback on this project, and any thoughts or suggestions you have. I can use all the help I can get.
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.
It’s here. We now have the official trailer for Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy. Netflix is posting the entire series at once in July. After that, probably no new Trek until 2025.
Let’s take a look inside the Preservation Lab at the National Archives.
Ever wondered why nails in the US are measured in pennies? I remember asking my dad. He grunted at me with an expression that implied he’d never, ever thought of that as a question. But, still, I wondered. Now, we know.
Random AI image of the week
DALL-E 3 draws very well, but sometimes misses the logical aspects of the image. Why is the jet blast coming out of the flyer’s feet instead of the jet pack? This is supposed to be a representation of the Albert bridge crossing from Chelsea to Battersea, except that once I told it to put in the flying man, it relocated it to the Snake River.
It did, however, manage to extend the concrete caissons so that they properly fit in the canyon.
Interesting reads
And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth reading.
Apparently, sitting and drinking coffee is considerably healthier than just sitting.
Can you inherit memories from your ancestors? I sure hope not. Shudder.
Do you know what the most viewed picture ever is? Sure you do. As soon as you read this, you’ll know because you probably had a copy, too. Here’s what the photographer who took it says about the experience.
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!