harrymccracken

harrymccracken, 5 days ago to random

Justin Long has now done paid promotions for Apple, Intel, and Qualcomm. I fully expect him to endorse AMD and Nvidia and possibly Mediatek before eventually decrying technology’s effect on our lives and going off the grid entirely. And then, by 2044, coming back to do more ads for a company that hasn’t been founded yet.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/3/24170277/qualcomm-mac-guy-copilot-plus-pcs-apple-microsoft-arm

harrymccracken, 8 days ago to random

Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank/Toluca Lake is one of California’s treasures. I had breakfast there last week!

(Not mentioned in this article: Ben Washam, who drew the original Big Boy, was one of the greatest Looney Tunes animators.)

https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/bobs-big-boy-burger-restaurant-history-19461955.php

harrymccracken, 10 days ago to random

I wrote about why Google search telling us all to eat rocks isn’t as serious an issue as it claiming there’s a non-existent Dr. Seuss book. https://www.fastcompany.com/91132217/google-ai-overview-errors

harrymccracken, 12 days ago to random

Glad to see people trying to do comparison tests, though Perplexity still makes up way too much stuff to be taking seriously as a tool for looking up facts. https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/ai-chatbots-chatgpt-gemini-copilot-perplexity-claude-f9e40d26?st=qr25rixxk1o73s6&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

harrymccracken, 13 days ago to random

This was completely normal in 1994.

harrymccracken, 17 days ago to random

TRS-80 Model III imagery spotted at Microsoft Build. Or at least it’s very nearly a Model III.

harrymccracken, 19 days ago to random

Oh no, not again

harrymccracken, 23 days ago to random

Hey, I just met @Gargron. (Photo by @mike.)

harrymccracken, 24 days ago to random

Every year at Google I/O, I'm relieved to see that the Shoreline Ampitheater has had the good sense to not remove this signage, which is a source of never-ending delight to me.

harrymccracken, 25 days ago to random

Google is showing lots of cool stuff at I/O, though plenty of it doesn't involve any specified launch dates and it's unclear how far along it is. The AI race has prompted more vague pre-announcements of things than I can remember in a long time.

harrymccracken, 25 days ago to random

I reviewed the new iPads, decided that reducing the Pro's weight and thickness was a worthy goal after all, and expressed the obligatory concern about the future of iPadOS. https://www.fastcompany.com/91122368/ipad-pro-ipad-air-review-2024

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

For my Plugged In newsletter this week, I wrote about why the Humane Ai Pin and Rabbit R1 feel so similar to ... the BlackBerry PlayBook and Motorola Xoom. https://www.fastcompany.com/91118796/humane-ai-pin-rabbit-r1-reviews

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I'm at a small in-person viewing of Apple's event, which starts in 11 minutes, and will write about it over at https://bsky.app/profile/harrymccracken.com.

(There are a LOT of events coming up in the next few weeks and I plan to cycle through social networks as I cover them.)

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

Any last-minute Apple event predictions or wish-list items? I do hope that today marks the end of iPad Pro models with portrait-mode front-facing cameras.

Also, might just be me, but I'd like to see the iPad surpass its traditional 10 hours of battery life, which is no longer the wonder it was in 2010.

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I forgot to celebrate the 60th anniversary of BASIC yesterday. But in 2014, I tried to pull out all the stops in my 50th anniversary story. https://time.com/69316/basic/

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

Boy, AI has really improved Facebook search.

Screenshot of a smartphone displaying a text message conversation about Harry McCracken's fly fishing instruction approach, with a list of key points highlighting his teaching strategy for anglers.
A screenshot of a social media post about Harry McCracken, a piano instructor and author, promoting his piano instruction books, online lessons, and workshops.

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I wrote about how far the classic voice assistants are from living up to their potential, and why there's at least modest hope for major improvements in the next few weeks. https://www.fastcompany.com/91114731/siri-alexa-and-google-assistant-vs-chatgpt-generative-ai?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I can't believe I've never considered the possibility of living inside an abandoned Radio Shack. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/california-man-hid-months-secret-room-circuit-city-19422415.php

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

This is ridiculous:

1. MKBHD is as fair as they come

2. Honest reviews are a huge favor to any company smart enough to pay attention

3. If Humane has its act together, it paid someone with reviews experience to evaluate the product and knew what to expect

https://www.businessinsider.com/youtuber-mkbh-dtrashes-humane-ai-pin-firestorm-over-damage-startup-2024-4

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

Strangely enough, the first reviews of the Ai Pin inspired me to write about my Brother label printer for this week's Plugged In newsletter. It's an incredible device, in part because it doesn't try too hard to be incredible! https://www.fastcompany.com/91091644/brother-p-touch-label-printer

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I remember this chain when it had one location, as it apparently might well soon once again. https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2024/03/29/boston-market-last-days-closing-bankruptcy/

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

Finishing up doing my taxes with TurboTax, and it's been such an unsatisfying experience that I tried H&R Block's equivalent, which is also bad, but in different ways. Are any of these good? Maybe the desktop versions?

harrymccracken, 1 month ago to random

I really wanted this to be good. Maybe someone else has the opportunity to make a device that is to the AI Pin as the first PalmPilot was to the Newton. https://www.theverge.com/24126502/humane-ai-pin-review

harrymccracken, 2 months ago to random

One of the people who acquired Deadspin has a bid in to buy a defunct Santa Barabara newspaper's digital assets. Locals are worried. (By @ernie) https://www.fastcompany.com/91077421/santa-barbara-news-press-bankruptcy-sale-max-noremo

harrymccracken, 2 months ago to random

I haven't left Twitter, but I'm spending less time there. Which has freed up time for lots of other stuff! https://www.fastcompany.com/91072116/using-twitter-less-alternatives-newsletter-reading-mastodon-bluesky-threads-reddit-discord-facebook-groups