Stockpile
A Thinker's Dozen
When you order a dozen donuts at our local shop, they provide your dozen and then they throw a stack of donut holes on top. I think it's their version of the baker's dozen. In that vein, here is a Thinker's Dozen with 13
Tech
Family
Three ways we use Notes app as a family
The Notes app comes on every iOS and macOS device by default. In the early days, it wasn't very reliable or feature filled and that turned some people away from it. The current app is great though. You can easily scan text or full documents to a note.
Tech
Switch from Eero to UniFi for Home Wifi
On a recent trip to Bolivia, our family enjoyed much of what this overlooked gem of South America had to offer. One thing we did not enjoy was the slow access to internet. The cellular was slow because of the terrain. This made it hard to get around. Even worse
Tech
Force an Apple TV to remain as the Home Hub for HomeKit
In order for HomeKit to work properly, you need a home hub in your house. This can be any HomePod or Apple TV on your network. (iPad no longer operates as a home hub...thank goodness.) Ideally, all of this operates flawlessly and "just works." In reality though,
Tech
Site Update: Move to Ghost
After 21 years of blogging on Wordpress, I decided to move to Ghost. It's strange to be using another platform. I installed my first wordpress blog in 2003 soon after the initial release. But things have changed a lot on the Wordpress front. I decided it was time
Tech
Some Thoughts on Dropcam, UniFi Protect, HomeKit, and Notifications
In a few days, Google is going to drop support for Dropcam and Dropcam Pro cameras. It’s understandable considering the age and history of these products. They also gave plenty of notice and offered a couple free current cameras so at least they did things the right way. But
Tech
The First Person Problem
There is a habit on social media that isn’t very social. Let’s call it the “First Person Problem.” It is the tendency for a person to constantly steer the conversation to be about themselves. You’ve seen it many times. A post is made online and the comments
Tech
Three Tips for Social Media and Young People
The American Psychological Association has released a health advisory regarding social media use in adolescence. You can read it online or download the PDF. It is full of good advice, warnings, and things to watch for in this realm. Every parent should read it… preferably with their teenagers. It leads
Tech
Screen Time is Unreliable
In 2018, Apple released Screen Time for iOS. I was elated. I wrote a post encouraging families to take time and setup their Apple accounts the right way so they can take advantage of it. (ie, stop sharing one Apple ID.) As a father of four great kids, I am
Travel
Be Sure You Are Fast Charging Your Stuff
If you have upgraded your iPhone or Apple Watch over the years, you’ve probably just removed the new device, put away the box, and used all of your existing cables and chargers. If you have done that, you may be missing out on fast charging. What’s so good
Travel
Travel Charger Packs
Now that the kids are traveling on their own more, I’ve put together some travel charger packs for them to grab. It’s a lot easier than unwrapping the cables from the charging stations. (Note: our charging station is in a public part of the house. Remember, kids shouldn’
Travel
Use Captions for Travel Photos
I recently returned from a trip to Israel. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people. The time spent there was enlightening and confirming for me and I’ll have plenty more to say about it in the future. A quick photography tip. A couple years ago, Apple added the
Tech
Add an AirTag to a Harmony Remote
In our house, the remote in the main room is always misplaced. Somehow it is in cushions, below couches, and in the wrong room constantly. We get tired of looking for it. Today we purchased an AirTag and just used gorilla tape to attach it to the top of the
Tech
On Screen Time in iOS 15
Today is the release date for iOS 15, the latest operating system for your iPhone. You can see all the new features here or read an in-depth review here. Overall, it’s a nice upgrade. I just want to make thre quick observations on Apple’s Screen Time. It is
Tech
Helping kids organize their money through teaching and technology
Our kids are good savers. They stash most of their money away to plan for big purchases. The most difficult part of this habit was trying to keep track of it all. There were random bills and coins placed here and there. We’d take trips to the store and
Tech
Beat The Algorithms
Social media is all about the algorithms. They are designed to keep you on the site, steer you to make purchases, and keep you enraged and engaged. This isn’t good. It’s profitable (for them) but not healthy for you. Controlling the time you spend online is one more