Return And Refund A Renewed iPhone

After winning the refurbished iPhone lottery several times, this week I lost. Sigh. It was the fourth ever iPhone that I ordered from Amazon Renewed and the first one to have a problem. The return process is already started. It’s disappointing and a bit frustrating, but buying refurbished still seems like a nifty and thrifty idea overall. Otherwise, maybe my “tale of woe” will inform and help others.

Shame Of The Mini iPhone

It’s not just me! That’s what I felt earlier this week while listening to an Upgrade podcast. Veteran Apple journalist, Jason Snell, shared an important fact about a longstanding frustration I have. It was a validating bit of confirmation and affirmation that I really appreciate.

The Power Of An Apple Journal Moment

Since trying out Apple Journal, I’ve embraced its ability to suggest personal activities and Moments. The feature is rich, rewarding, and has made journaling more delightful in a way I wasn’t expecting. Yet while the app is about a year old now, I was missing out.

Apple Journal On My Mac

My private journaling habit came to a screeching stop. Months ago, I had begun switching to Apple Notes (again) and faced a daunting migration from the Day One journal. Then I rethought everything. Now I’ve been trying the Apple Journal app for the first time (finally).

Four Year Old Tech Upgrade Challenge

At the start of this year, I set a goal to avoid upgrading my tech in 2024, or at least the main three computers. So far, I’ve stuck to that. But I’m not gonna lie: I’ve been shopping for an iPhone upgrade (contentment is hard). A blog post hinted at this possibility a few weeks ago. Now with the fresh iPhone 16s out in the wild, I’m trying to wait for prices on older refurbished smart-handsets to drop so I can score a good deal. If I’m gonna upgrade, I’ve gotta at least save some money in the process. And this viewpoint helps: consider a “certified pre-owned” phone purchase like buying a years-old used car.

Thoughts On The Annual iPhone Cycle

With new iPhones being announced last week — again, like last year, and the year before, and… — I was thinking about why this should probably change.

Apple In Ten Years Sounds Daunting

Over at Spyglass this week, M.G. Siegler broke my brain with this paragraph:

HearPods Are Here

Like many tech nerds (or geeks?), I watched Apple’s annual iPhone advernouncement infomercial bonanza this week — it was too long. I’ve also digested opinionated articles and podcasts about the new iPhones 16 and related stuff — it’s been fun. One item is a big deal to me: “Clinical-grade” AirPods Pro hearing aids, or what I call, “HearPods.”

The iPhone 7 In 2024

This week saw Apple announce the new hotness: iPhone 16. But that doesn’t mean an iPhone released way back in 2016 is no good. Matter of fact, I dragged it out from under the bed and put it to good use.

What Does A Post-Apple Future Look Like?

My phone, tablet, and laptop are all made by Apple in California. And I mostly use the default apps. Putting all my tech eggs in one tech basket may be risky. But you know, that whole ecosystem synergy thing is nice — thanks, iCloud. What if...it all didn't just work?

Dumber Smartphones Could Be A Boon

Smartphones are smarter than ever. Maybe too smart. Yet Google and Apple are making them ever-smarter with "Artificial Intelligence." Pure genius? Well, it remains to be seen how practical AI features will be. But as these mature pocket computers grow increasingly capable, I think there's wisdom in simplifying them. A "less is more" approach might be sage advice for future smartphones.

Smarter Smartphones Coming Soon

The Apple iPhone extravaganza is upon us, set for September 9th — only one week away. But anticipation for this year's pending updates seems weak. Rumored new features sound underwhelming. I think the iPhone 16s will be less interesting than any of the previous year models except maybe the iPhone 14s, which were lackluster. We're about to see the 18th version of the iPhone, a glass rectangle. Sometime in the last few years, the iPhone peaked. So what about that?

Blogging Six Months With Pika

Back on March 1st, I started blogging at Pika. Now that it's September 1st, how's it going after six months? The relatively new blog host is rock solid and has been steadily adding thoughtful additions. I enjoy blogging more than ever and don't miss managing a website.