Posts

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Alternatives to Google alternative DuckDuckGo?

I’ve been using DuckDuckGo on Mac and iOS for years at this point (primarily just to NOT use Google and give them literally all my life’s data) and generally for 90% searches it’s been fine and it’s easy to hop to Google when it’s not.

But… I accidentally searched for “tv” just now and the first result was TV Guide. Compare DDG to the Google results in my screenshots:

Search results for "tv" on DuckDuckGo.
Search results for "tv" on Google.

In what decade does a person searching for TV mean they want TV listings from TV Guide?

Maybe it’s time to relent and go back to Google or find a alternative to my Google alternative.

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Video: An introduction to Photoshop’s Generative Fill

Adobe’s five minute demo of their new AI-based Generative Fill feature in Photoshop is absolutely incredible. Check it out:

I think using AI for iterative creation like this could be the more interesting new capability AI gives us, at least for for a little while. Fabricating new images from thin air still has so many obvious flaws (ethically, technically, and artistically) so this type of use seems like it could be both more successful while also less ethically murky.

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My daughter is hogging Tears of the Kingdom

Apparently I need to buy a physical copy of Tears of the Kingdom because after watching me play a bit the last couple of days, my 7 year old has now installed it on her Switch and been playing/hogging it all last night and this morning. She’s finished the first two shrines and is about to need to learn about staying warm. Interested to see how she’ll do as the puzzles and combat get harder but she’s enjoying it so far.

I tried to convince her she’d like Breath of the Wild just as much but as any parent could guess, that did not work.

She’s playing on the main Switch, can I just turn off wifi and then be able play on my OLED at the same time she is?

Watching her NOT obsessively pick up every single tiny item/fruit/tree branch in every single area is driving me a little batty but I’m doing my best to keep that to myself. 🤪

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Google Chrome “privacy” enhancements

“We have enhanced your privacy by sharing your browsing history and behavior with random websites. You’re welcome.”

Dialog from Google Chrome: Enhanced ad privacy in Chrome We're launching new privacy features that give you more choice over the ads you see. Chrome notes topics of interest based on your recent browsing history. Also, sites you visit can determine what you like. Later, sites can ask for this information to show you personalized ads. You can choose which topics and sites are used to show you ads. X X X To measure the performance of an ad, limited types of data are shared between sites, such as the time of day an ad was shown to you. More about ads in Chrome You can make changes in Chrome settings

(via @rmondello@hachyderm.io)

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I preordered a ROG Ally

Asus ROG Ally

Preorders for the ROG Ally are up at Best Buy.

Got my order in almost right away so hopefully that launch day shipping estimate turns out to be accurate.

I really like my Steam Deck, but have discovered since owning it that my Game Pass “library” is more important (at least lately) than my Steam one. And often the Xbox games I’m playing the cloud streaming options just aren’t good enough. (Streaming is plenty good for some games though, just depends.)

I’ve spent 30+ years as a console gamer, so my biases and history are definitely still there. I’m really wanting primarily looking for a handheld/mobile way to play console type games. Pretty much only PC ass PC games I’ve really spent a bunch of time on over those years were Diablo, SimCity, and Civ and I can always plug the Ally into a monitor if I want to play that type of game. Plus, things like Age of Empires and SimCity are on Game Pass anyways so win-win.

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RIP Dooce

In incredibly sad news Dooce, aka Heather Armstrong, passed away yesterday at only the age of 47.

I’ve been reading her blog, marveling at her writing and photography, and following along with her life and family and struggles off and on since at least 2004. I had just started reading her site again and resubscribed to her RSS in the last couple of weeks. I was so happy to read recently that she had found sobriety but unfortunately it seems like that didn’t mean the end of all the things she struggling with.

My thoughts are with her girls and other loved ones. Please hug your own loved ones extra tonight and if you or someone you love is struggling please don’t hesitate to reach out and find the support you need.

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I’m so tired

The latest of the daily and no longer shocking mass shootings in this country happened extremely close to home.

I’m so tired.

I don’t understand why a huge portion of this country is okay with this happening over and over again. Will it ever be enough? I don’t have any other words, at least not for the world.

I’m so tired.

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Please don’t call me

I literally tear up every time my kids mention how they’re getting older, but also I am so ready for them to grow up just so I can turn on the iPhone setting to block all incoming calls not in my contacts.

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Information on candidates for school board and city council seats is sorely lacking

It’s sad that the best way for me to know who to vote for in city council and school board races is to drive by and look at the signs in the yard of the one neighbor’s house who I know is both in the loop on local stuff and not a book burning nutjob.

I spent a good 30 minutes Googling and reading various articles without much luck. A couple made their extremism loud and clear and then and several others mentioned cutting taxes two dozen times (including on completely unrelated questions.) Sadly, many of the candidates don’t even respond to the various survey/interview requests so there’s zero information on where they stand on any issue.

You can however search the Federal Election Commission database to see the past political donations the candidates have made it is often more revealing than a bunch of vague answers in an interview about what they actually believe in.

Get out and vote folks, local elections are just as important as national ones and are often decided by a shockingly small number of voters.