Random thoughts.... [Tech Edition]

Oh, one important thing I forgot to mention is that the laptop is only used on the go. So during uni lectures, when I'm at my parents' place, and when I'm traveling. That's why I'm still torn between a MacBook Air and a 14" MacBook Pro for my next laptop, one is super light and portable, the other is powerful and will probably last forever. The current XPS 13 is supplemented by an old, but still 'gets the task done' workstation. Dell Precision T3610 that I upgraded with a decent SSD, an older but still decent GPU and a server CPU with double the core count of the original. It can't run Windows 11, it can't really play high-end games at ultra settings on monitor's native 1440p resolution, a modern-day Ryzen 3/Core i3 system with an RTX 3060 Ti would probably run circles around it, but it still gets the job done for uni, stuff like animation in Cinema 4D and video editing.

On the topic of ergonomics, I'm definitely planning to buy a decent desk (that's large and high enough, I'm 182 cm/6 ft so the desk I'm currently using is okay, but I'd prefer something a bit higher and definitely something much larger), get a decent chair (are IKEA Makrus and Järvfjället good enough?), and set it all up. The current monitor is okay, if nothing special (Dell U2717D, 27" at 2560x1440), the mouse is a bit older but gets the job done (MX Master, the original one), and keyboard is, well, there's no nicer way of putting it: utter shit. I can't really use a mechanical keyboard ATM because of my roommate, so I'm using a shitty rubber dome from Dell that would come with Optiplexes some decade ago, but that is now commonly found where it belongs, in e-waste.

I'll see once I get a proper job, if I stay at the place where I'm doing my internship, I'll have what they give me, but I'd like to have my home office as well, if for nothing else, then for editing photos. (Which just reminded me photography's a great way to spend time outdoors in my free time, and I should do it more often, but I digress.)
 
The touchpads on my Macbooks are among the best I've ever used. Having said that, they are still just that, touchpads. A proper mouse (Logitech MX Master FTW) will run circles around it, usability wise, but more importantly, ergonomics wise. A laptop is nigh on impossible to use without getting back, shoulder, neck, and / or arm issues in the long run. A display needs to be at eye height, your arms should rest on your desk with the upper arms vertical and a 90 degree bend in the elbow. These tow conditions cannot be met with a laptop without going external display and / or external input.

Take this from an old person who has spent way too much time and (taxpayer) money getting treatment for the consequences of poor work ergonomics and get these things right before you need professional help. Get a good desk, chair, screen at proper height (unless your screen has an adjustable stand, get ready to buy printer paper, and even when it is adjustable, they often need help getting high enough), and a set of peripherals that allow you to work without too much arm strain.
Yes, all of this.
 
Son of a bitch...

Canvas (the 3D LiDAR scanning software, not the education platform) has been stuck on the "Your files are uploading. Please keep the app open and online" message for hours.

Unfortunately, the very job we BOUGHT this iPad for is Monday, but I can't get the app to do anything, even with an iPad re-boot.

All I could find is this help center post saying that if restarting doesn't help, to contact them. But I got a support email auto-reply from Canvas that says that they are out until Tuesday.

Because of course...
 
So what’s the verdict on wireless CarPlay adapters? Can you expect them to work solidly day in and day out without dropouts and bullshit?
 
I've been watching the price of the DJI Mini Pro 3, the place that previously had a discount on the version with the RC-N1 has the RC version discounted now, so it's only just above the RRP of the cheaper version. I'm going to resist, I feel like the built-in screen is too much of a restriction.
 
Well after reading and watching many reviews, I went for the RC version of the Mini 3 Pro with the screen. That controller is much lighter than the RC-N1 would be with my current phone and I don't want to have to keep taking my magnetic connector out of the phone lighting port every time I fly the drone. Also the extra buttons and control wheel makes a difference.

Regarding the screen brightness, one review made a fair point that iPhones dim their screens when they get hot and I experienced this yesterday while driving the Mazda. There are combined sunshades and protectors available for the RC controller, so I'll likely get one of those. I do agree that the screen placement isn't perfect but as the controller is so much lighter I think it'll comfortable to hold it at a different angle to compensate. Another point I took into account is that my phone storage is almost full and transferring any recordings would be a pain, however I have a load of microSD cards that could be used in the controller and transferring those recordings would be as easy as the ones from the drone itself.

I've got the Mini 3 Pro RC kit along with the Fly More kit for only a small amount more than the RRP of just the RC kit, a deal too good to miss really.

I don't think we ever had a drone thread, so I'll probably start one when it arrives in a couple of days. I won't be activating it, registering as a pilot, taking the UK test or purchasing DJI care until after I come back from my holiday.
 
Perc vs. Wi-Fi part XXIV: Mesh network.

Right now I have a location with a Huawei 4G home router that's serving a Ring camera over wi-fi. This setup has been rock solid for several years now and since it's used for video surveillance this is obviously important. But some better wi-fi coverage would be nice. Today I use an extender to get the wi-fi to all the places I want it at. It's bad, like all wi-fi extenders. It creates a separate SSID for the extended network, bandwidth gets cut in half and all that.

I don't want to get rid of the existing router since it's been so trouble free. What I'm thinking of is to keep the 4G router as is, with a hidden SSID for the camera only, and then plug a bridged mesh router into it. The problem is that these days it seems I always have to buy and return a couple of products before I find something that works, no matter the price range, and I really can't be arsed to do this rigamaroll again :LOL:
 
Well, this was quick. An order confirmation for a Netgear RBK352 mesh kit just landed in my inbox. I realized they can be had for cheap now so I pulled the trigger, €107 shipped. Wi-Fi 6 AX1800 dual-band. I use the RBK752 kit at home (AX4200 tri-band) and it's solid and plenty fast enough. RBK352 will obviously not be as fast but the bottleneck is still going to be the 4G connection.

You're obviously dying to know what RBK752 and RBK352 means. K seems to mean Kit, 7/3 is the horsepower rating and 2 means it's a kit with two devices. . My RBK752 kit at home consists of an RBR750 Router and a RBS750 Satellite.

I would throw the old wi-fi extender into the sea (it's only a couple of meters away), but I'm afraid it will scare the fish.

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Apple vision pro. 3.500$. Wtf :shock2:
I had the same reaction. But at the same time...it's all pretty dope, except for the uncanny valley-ness of it's generated 3D avatar (based on a face scan) for facetime. This is arguably the most impressed I've been with a piece of Apple hardware in years, aside from maybe the first M1 Mac mini.
 
As usually, good shit costs money. And this looks like good shit. I can't wait for version 2 or 3 where they got rid of the battery brick though.
 
This is arguably the most impressed I've been with a piece of Apple hardware in years, aside from maybe the first M1 Mac mini.
As usually, good shit costs money. And this looks like good shit.
oh, don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's an insanely impressive piece of kit and probably the best AR/VR headset there is. but to me at least there's still the main flaw: why? all the uses i've seen for these things are just gimmicks. most of the AR stuff also works with an iphone/ipad and even that gets barely used. yeah i can watch my ikea furniture in my actual room before buying... but who would ever pay 3500$ for stuff like that?

much more impressed with what they're doing with watchOS regarding sports now. that is a seriously good direction they're moving in.
 
For real. The AR/VR headset may have been the headline grabber, but the things that excite me the most are the 15" MBA and the developments to Siri.

That last one may actually not suck in a little bit.
 
but who would ever pay 3500$ for stuff like that?
People with too much money and/or people with tech channels that need to show-off to other techbros/apple cultists
 
Not sure where to put this random thought... but it's sort of tech, sort of annoyance, sort of funny, sort of politics... screw it let's go here.

So we have this nice photovoltaic system on our roof now for about 6 weeks. But we still have our old analog meter, so technically we're not allowed to turn the PV on, because the old meter would just run backwards anytime we feed electricity back into the grid. Which, currently, with the size of the system and clear skies and whatnot, would probably amount to, on average, 60 kWh / day despite having a heat pump, home battery and EV all being run exclusively off solar. So anyway, we're waiting for the meter to be switched... but we haven't heard a peep from the DSO about our meter. Since we have those large consumers, we also have a larger buffer, so naturally, the meter's running backwards now (because nobody will ever notice).

Additionally, the installer advised us to have a few parts of the roof checked out by a roofer (i.e. the surrounds of a hatch and chimneys (yes 2, both "dead"), which are for some reason made of plastic which has become brittle what with 40 years of sun and weather and shit (literally)). First, junior boss roof man came round and complained loudly about the PV system being "illegally installed" because we didn't leave any room on the outside for him to run around on. Still made an appointment for them to check out the non-PV part of the roof.

Roof worker guy shows up, promptly declares his boss an idiot office chair farter, climbs up the PV-side roof and checks everything out. His own PV system, that he has for two months now, is also built all the way up to the sides of the roof. Anyway, he declares the roof good and proper, apart from those surrounds that have to be replaced. He's also, for his system, waiting for a meter. But funnily enough, in his case, they actually took his old analog meter out, then saw that there was literally an ethernet cable missing - which they're not gonna use anyway - in his metering cabinet, so refused to install a new meter. This is probably due to a new DSO having won the concession off of another DSO, but still employing that old DSOs personnel to run the show - maybe those employees are showing their loyalty through malicious compliance. I.e. "can't install meter because not up to standard here, despite there only missing one LAN cable". So now, he doesn't have a meter. He does receive electricity nonetheless, of course... for free. It's just the DSO has to pay.

Anyway: what a shitshow... if shit like that goes down, I don't feel bad even a little for running my PV even though I shouldn't. Which is super retarded anyway. Didn't everyone want more renewables?
 
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