§ My reMarkable tablet is seeing less use each week. I am now back to primarily using a physical notebook. I went with a nice large A4 spiral bound notebook which I have been using in “landscape mode.”

I appreciate being able to physically collage elements together. Paint samples and printed Fusion 360 renders can live inline with my notes. I can draw on top of them, highlight sections, and cross things out.

Paper preserves history. The digital note taking dream is that everything is infinitely flexible—you can move, erase, replace, and rewrite losslessly—but maybe that is a detriment to creativity. When looking back at old digital notes, only the final result is visible. The iterative process leading up to it is lost.

§ Apple’s “Wonderlust” event was on Tuesday. Some brief thoughts:

  • Apple Watch Series 9 recognizes a new “double-tap” gesture which is almost identical to the “select” gesture on the upcoming Vision Pro headset. I find this fascinating—the iPod click wheel, two finger scrolling on the mac, slide to unlock, pinch to zoom—Apple has a long history of introducing ubiquitous gestures. “Double-tap” is the first new multi-platform gesture in a long while and the first one that isn’t mediated by a touchpad or screen.
  • USB-C is long overdue. I am super excited it is finally on the iPhone.
  • Titanium seems great but the new colors couldn’t be more boring.
  • The new action button on the iPhone Pro models is alluring and will probably be the single largest factor temping me to upgrade.
  • The Pro models will be able to capture 3D Spatial Videos for the Vision Pro. Very cool but a lot was left unsaid. What is it like to view these videos on the iPhone itself? Will it be able to capture Spatial Photos too? How much depth data can you actually capture from two lens' so close together? I wouldn’t be surprised if next year’s iPhone 16 features a new camera arrangement for more robust spatial image capture.

§ My Keurig has been dying a slow death. I hit a breaking point this week when I realized it just really isn’t the right tool for the role it serves.

Most of my single-serving caffeine consumption comes from my espresso maker. The Keurig’s primary job is to fill up two travel thermoses each morning, a task that requires four K-Cup pods to accomplish. As I was waiting for one of those K-Cups to sluggishly brew, it finally occurred to me that brewing a traditional pot of coffee would be easier, faster, cheaper, and far less wasteful.

After spending an afternoon reading up on reviews I ultimately decided to get Oxo’s 8-cup brewer.

The coffee it makes is actually good.

Previously, I often wouldn’t finish my thermos full of Keurig coffee. It served more of a utilitarian role. The coffee it produced wasn’t bad, by any means, but it absolutely wasn’t good. By comparison, the coffee that the Oxo makes is cleaner, smoother, and is far less acidic. It is actually good! I’ve been finishing my coffee on my drive to work and then wishing I had more!

§ Welcome back to Car Talk.

On Monday, I got a call from the dealership. I assumed it was to tell me my car was ready for pick up.

Nope.

They successfully replaced the BECM, the reason my car was in the service center to begin with. During reassembly, however, the technician broke a dozen of the bolts that attach the battery assembly to the underside of the vehicle.

The technician was calling to tell me that, for not entirely convincing, warranty-related reasons, they will need to order replacement bolts directly from some central General Motors parts center, which could take a while. At least they replaced the blown tire on the loaner car.

I was able to pick up my car, finally, on Friday. Wow! After almost two weeks of driving a big gasoline-powered SUV my tiny plug-in hybrid feels unbelievably nimble. It is good to be back.

§ I desperately need some good TV show suggestions. I’m wallowing in the depths of Hulu right now and it is getting bleak. Seriously, send me an email.

§ I am now officially a source behind some hard hitting investigative journalism.

§ Links