I've been chewing on this one for a while. It's the kind of story that's almost too perfect: a couple of trademark attorneys (one of whom actually used to work at Twitter) noticed that Elon Musk has scrubbed every visible trace of the word "Twitter" from the platform formerly known as Twitter, and decided to file a petition with the USPTO arguing that he's effectively abandoned the brand. Then they put up a landing page with the bird, a waitlist, and a promise to rebuild "the public square."

It's a great pitch. I'm just not sure it's going to work. And even if it does work, I'm not sure it matters in the way the founders seem to think it will.

What Operation Bluebird is actually doing

Quick recap, because the legal mechanics are the most interesting part of this story.

In December 2025, Operation Bluebird — led by Illinois attorney Michael Peroff and former Twitter associate director of trademarks Stephen Coates — filed two things with the USPTO. First, a petition to cancel X Corp.'s existing registrations for "Twitter" and "Tweet." Second, new applications to register those same marks in their own name. The argument is straightforward: under U.S. trademark law, you can lose a mark if you stop using it commercially and have no intention of resuming use. Bluebird's position is that Musk has done exactly that. The bird logo is gone. The word "tweet" is gone (we now have "posts"). Even x.com, which used to redirect to twitter.com, now goes the other direction.

X Corp. has, predictably, sued. The case is now X Corp. v. Operation Bluebird in federal court, which means we'll find out what "abandonment" really means in 2026, when the abandoning party still owns the underlying platform.

If Bluebird wins — a real if — they plan to launch a social network at twitter.new in 2026. The landing page is already live. As of when the trademark attorney Josh Gerben wrote about it, 73 people had reserved handles. That number has presumably grown, but probably not to the level that keeps Linda Yaccarino up at night.

The legal angle is more interesting than the product

Here's the part of this story I actually find compelling, and it has nothing to do with social networking.

Trademark abandonment is a real doctrine, but it's hard to win on, especially against a brand as recent and famous as Twitter. The standard isn't "did they stop putting the logo on things." It's whether the owner has both stopped using the mark in commerce and has no intention to resume use, with three consecutive years of nonuse creating a presumption of abandonment.

Musk's rebrand happened in July 2023. We're at roughly two and a half years. Even if you accept Bluebird's premise that the brand has been completely eradicated — which is debatable, because there's still backend code, archived documentation, and arguably "residual goodwill" that protects the mark even if it isn't actively used — they're cutting it close on the timeline.

And then there's the goodwill problem. Even when a trademark registration is canceled, courts have long held that the original owner can retain rights based on consumer association. The bird still means Twitter to most people. The word "tweet" still means a Twitter post. That association doesn't evaporate just because the corporate parent decided to put an X on the building.

So Bluebird is fighting on two fronts: the technical question at the USPTO, and the broader common-law question in federal court. Winning one without the other doesn't get them very far.

Even if they win, then what?

Let's say Bluebird pulls it off. The USPTO cancels the registrations, the federal court rules in their favor, and twitter.new launches in late 2026 with the bird logo, the word "tweet," and a waitlist of nostalgic former power users.

Then they have to actually build a social network.

This is the part everyone glosses over. The Twitter we remember wasn't great because of the name or the logo — it was great because of the people, the timing, the network effects, and a very specific cultural moment. The brand was the wrapper. The actual product was a critical mass of journalists, comedians, sports fans, niche communities, and weirdos all yelling at each other in real time, and that critical mass is something you cannot acquire through trademark litigation.

We've watched several well-funded, well-designed alternatives try to recapture that energy over the last few years. Bluesky has done the best of them, and it's still a fraction of what Twitter was. Threads has Meta's distribution muscle behind it, and it still feels like a slightly polite cocktail party. Mastodon has the principled federation story and a user base that mostly talks about Mastodon. None of them has managed to rebuild the public square, and none of them are operating with the handicap of "we have to build the entire thing from scratch after a multi-year court battle."

A new Twitter, even with the original branding, is still a new social network. It still needs trust and safety, content moderation, an algorithm, mobile apps, an API story, advertiser relationships, and several hundred million dollars of runway. Two trademark attorneys with a landing page is a fun start, but it's a long way from there to "platform."

Why I'm still glad they're trying

All of that said, I want to be clear about something. I'm rooting for them.

Not because I think it'll work. I think the odds are long on the legal side and even longer on the product side. But the fact that someone is willing to spend their own time and money to reclaim a brand that meant something to many people is, on balance, good. The original Twitter wasn't perfect — far from it — but it was a place where you could stumble into a real conversation with someone interesting, and that's increasingly rare on the modern web.

The other reason I'm rooting for them is that the legal theory itself is worth testing. If you can build a global brand, walk away from it, and then prevent anyone else from picking it up out of pure trademark squatting, that's not a great precedent. Trademarks are supposed to protect consumers from confusion, not lock up culturally significant names indefinitely. A USPTO ruling here would be useful regardless of whether Bluebird ever ships an app.

So sure. I went to twitter.new. I reserved my handle. I think the chances I ever actually use it are somewhere between "slim" and "are you kidding me," but the cost of being wrong is zero, and I'd kind of like to be wrong.

I owe you an apology. But before you accept it, I need you to hear the whole story — because buried inside this "I'm sorry" is also a "here's what you need to fix."

I left you. I went to Verizon. It was awful. I came back.

That's the short version. Here's the long one.

Why I Left in the First Place

This wasn't a snap decision. My wife and I both have personal lines, and we each have our iPhones. On the surface, that sounds like a perfectly standard two-line setup. The problem? We don't actually need data on both lines. Since the main line has the data plan, paying for two full unlimited data plans felt like leaving money on the table every single month.

So I went looking for flexibility. I looked at your plans. Then I looked again. And again.

You don't offer a meaningful second-line option without bundling in a full data plan. No "light" tier. No data-optional add-on. Just full plans, full price, take it or leave it. That rigidity stings — especially when you built your whole brand on breaking the rules of an industry that was exactly that rigid.

And let's be honest about the pricing, too. Every year, there's another restructure, another quiet increase, another plan change that nudges things upward. What used to feel like genuine value started feeling like the same slow squeeze I'd expect from the carriers you used to publicly call out.

Which brings me to the thing that hurt most to admit: somewhere along the way, T-Mobile, you became Verizon. The Un-carrier energy — the scrappiness, the customer-first attitude, the sense that you were actually on our side — it faded. The bold moves got quieter. The enthusiasm I once had for recommending you to friends has dried up. You stopped feeling different.

So I left. And I went to the real Verizon.

The Switch to Verizon

I want to be fair here: I went in with an open mind. Maybe I'd been too loyal to you for too long. Maybe I'd been blind to what else was out there.

I was not blind for long.

The switch itself was a mess. Porting issues, portal problems, service hiccups that took way longer to sort out than they should have. What should have been a straightforward transfer became a drawn-out ordeal that left me on hold, bouncing between support channels, and seriously questioning my life choices.

But the moment that really sealed it happened in Las Vegas last weekend.

I was trying to upload a reel from my phone. Full bars. I'm talking full signal — the kind that makes you feel confident. The upload stalled. I waited. Still stalled. I tried again. Nothing. I stood there in the middle of Las Vegas — one of the most connected cities on the planet — unable to upload a simple video to a carrier that charges a premium price for the privilege.

I gave up.

When I got back to the hotel, I did something I genuinely hate doing: I connected to the hotel Wi-Fi. Public networks make me uncomfortable, but I had no other choice. The reel wasn't going to upload itself, and Verizon wasn't going to help either.

Within minutes of connecting to that hotel Wi-Fi, the reel uploaded without a single issue.

That was the moment. Full bars on a major carrier, standing in Las Vegas, beaten by a hotel's internet connection. I couldn't justify it anymore.

So I Came Back

T-Mobile, I came back to you. And yes, I'm glad I did. But I'm not writing this letter just to say "all is forgiven" — I'm writing it because I want you to do better.

The reasons I originally left haven't disappeared. The pricing is still stiff. The plans are still inflexible for households that don't fit the unlimited-everything mold. The Un-carrier spirit is still noticeably quieter than it used to be.

Verizon reminded me that things can always be worse. But "better than Verizon" shouldn't be the bar you're aiming for. You used to aim so much higher than that.

Give us flexible options for second lines. Bring back the pricing that made you a no-brainer. Recapture the energy that made us believers in the first place.

I came back, T-Mobile. Don't make me regret it.

With complicated, but still hopeful, feelings,

Matt

The honest version: I've been prioritizing my health. It's not the most exciting blog content, but it's real, and it's been where my energy has gone. I'm getting there, and that matters more than keeping up a posting streak.

That said, the brain never really stops, so I've also been quietly heads-down on some tech projects.

We Dumped the VW. We Have No Regrets.

If you've been around here long enough, you know about the VW Taos. If you don't, consider yourself lucky. That car was a character. Not in a charming way.

So we did what any reasonable person would do: sold it before it could break our spirits any further, and picked up a Ford Mustang Mach-E.

We love this car.

And in what I can only describe as peak timing, we made the switch right before gas prices decided to go on their little adventure upward. The Mach-E runs on electricity, which means I now drive past gas stations with a level of smugness I'm not entirely proud of but also refuse to suppress.

Winter: A Review. One Star.

I want to say something nice about winter. I really do. Presque Isle Winter Nights is genuinely lovely — the lights, the quiet, the whole vibe. I appreciate it. I do.

But this year? This year broke me a little.

There's a specific kind of tired that comes from months of grey skies and cold that settles into your bones, and I hit that wall hard. I've started casually browsing what it would cost to just... live somewhere with the sun. Somewhere that doesn't require a ten-minute car warm-up before you can feel your fingers again.

I'm not making any announcements. I'm just saying the thought has crossed my mind. Frequently. While wearing three layers indoors.

Warmer weather, please get here. I'm rooting for you.

More Soon

That's the quick version of where I've been. There's more to share, and I'm glad to be writing here again.

That realization inspired the creation of MakerDeck. While MattMakes3D.com is a personal initiative, MakerDeck is meant to be a community-focused platform. It seeks to cultivate a space where the entire maker community can unite, not just me.

The first notable feature created with that vision in mind is called Show & Tell.

What Show & Tell Is

The concept is straightforward. If you have printed something worth sharing, simply submit it. Add a photo, a brief description, your username, and, if you’d like, a link to the original model source so others can print it too. That’s all there is to it. No account or profile setup is required. Just share what you’ve created.

On the gallery side, anyone can browse the creations made by the community, discover model links, and gather inspiration for their next print. Currently, we have makers sharing a wide range of items. All submissions are moderated before going live to ensure consistent quality and prevent spam.

How the Moderation Works

When someone submits a form on the site, their submission goes into a database, where all moderation occurs. The team reviews the photo, description, and model link. Once everything looks good, they simply check the "Approved" box to make the submission live on the site.

I added another checkbox labeled "Post to Mastodon." When this checkbox is selected, the submission is automatically picked up and posted to the MakerDeck Mastodon account. This includes the photo, a mention of the maker if they provided their handle, and relevant hashtags. I'll explain how this works in more detail shortly.

The Tech Behind It

The website is built with Astro and hosted on Vercel. I chose Astro because MakerDeck is primarily content-driven, and I aimed for fast, lightweight pages without delivering excessive JavaScript to the browser.

Notion is doing much of the heavy lifting on the backend. Rather than building a traditional CMS or admin panel, I am using a Notion database as the source of truth for all Show & Tell submissions. The Notion API pulls approved entries and serves them to the gallery upon request. This keeps the content pipeline dead simple because the people managing submissions are already living in Notion.

Photos submitted through the form get uploaded directly to Cloudflare R2. I generate a presigned URL on the server side so the file goes straight from the browser to R2 without bouncing through Vercel. The public URL for each photo is stored on the Notion page for that submission, so when the gallery renders, it just pulls the image URL from Notion and serves it from R2's CDN.

For notifications, I have a GitHub Actions workflow that runs every 15 minutes and checks for any newly approved submissions that have not yet been posted to Discord. When it finds one, it sends a message to the MakerDeck Discord server with the photo and the submission details.

The Mastodon integration follows the same pattern. A second GitHub Actions workflow polls Notion every 15 minutes, looking for submissions where Post to Mastodon is checked and where a Mastodon Post ID has not already been written back. When it finds a match, it downloads the photo, uploads it to the Mastodon media endpoint, constructs a status with the maker's details and hashtags, and posts it. Once the post goes through, the resulting post ID gets written back to the Notion page so the same submission never gets posted twice.

I went with GitHub Actions for scheduling instead of something like Vercel Cron because the project is on the Hobby plan, and Vercel's Cron feature requires Pro. GitHub Actions gave us the same result at no cost, and since I already had a workflow file for the Discord notifications, adding Mastodon followed the same pattern.

Where This Is Going

Show & Tell is currently live at MakerDeck.net and is still in beta as we gather early feedback. The submission form is open, so if you've been working on something interesting that you'd like to share, we want to see it!

The long-term goal is to make MakerDeck a community gathering place. Show & Tell is one aspect of that. More initiatives are in development.

This year feels different, though. There's a palpable sense that Apple needs to earn back some goodwill. The Liquid Glass redesign from iOS 26 was a bold swing — but bold doesn't always mean smooth — and Siri, bless its digital heart, is still out here struggling to set a timer without an existential crisis. So let's break down what we're expecting, what we're hoping for, and what Apple absolutely, positively, cannot afford to mess up again.

iOS 27 & iPadOS 27: Refinement Is the New Feature

Here's the thing about iOS 27: the most exciting rumor about it is that it might be... boring. And we mean that as a compliment.

Early reports are comparing it to macOS Snow Leopard — the legendary "no new features" release that Apple shipped in 2009, specifically to fix everything under the hood. The focus is reportedly on bug fixes, stability improvements, and rewriting old code. There's even talk of better battery life on older iPhones as a side effect. Yes, Apple might actually make your existing phone better without selling you a new one. Revolutionary.

But let's talk about Liquid Glass, because we have feelings. Apple's frosted-glass aesthetic was genuinely fresh — until it wasn't. The rollout was bumpy at best, and for users with visual impairments or older adults who simply want their phones to work, it was more than an inconvenience. The good news is that Apple is introducing blur customization options this cycle, which is a step in the right direction. The bad news is that it's a step, not a sprint, and this needed to be a sprint.

Apple: The aesthetic is not the problem. Legibility is the problem. Keep the blur option. Make it the default if you have to. But keep refining this.

And while we're in fix-it mode, can we please address the home screen icon shuffle? You know the one. You're trying to move an app into a folder, your screen is packed, and suddenly the icon from the bottom row teleports to the next row like it's trying to escape. It's a small thing. It's also been happening for years. This is the kind of friction that makes people mutter under their breath at their phones, and we have enough of that already.

macOS 27: The Desktop Deserves Some Love Too

MacOS has been quietly getting better with each point release — macOS 26 included some genuinely good refinements, and the blur options that landed there are welcome. But macOS still has the same problem as its mobile sibling: too many rough edges that have been around for too long.

The theme for macOS 27 should be polish, not pizza. Nobody needs another flashy new feature if the existing ones still occasionally fail in weird ways. Fix the bugs. Tighten the bolts. Make the Mac feel as reliable as the hardware it runs on, which is — let's be clear — absolutely exceptional. The M-series chips are astounding. The software should rise to meet them.

Siri: A Promise Long Overdue

Let's talk about Siri. Specifically, let's talk about the gap between what Apple promised and what Siri actually does.

Apple announced a revamped Siri, often called "Siri 2.0", with much fanfare. Personal context. On-screen awareness. The ability to take actions across apps. It was supposed to be a genuine AI assistant, not just a slightly confused search engine. The problem? Most of those features still haven't fully arrived. Apple has now partnered with Google to use Gemini as the backbone for the next generation of Apple Intelligence, and a full chatbot version of Siri — think ChatGPT, but in Apple's walled garden- is expected to debut with iOS 27.

That's exciting. It's also table stakes at this point. Every major tech company has a capable AI assistant. Apple is playing catch-up, which is a sentence nobody expected to write.

Whatever they call it — Siri 2.0, Siri 3.0, "New Siri Who Dis". It needs to work. No more promises. No more "coming in a future update." Deliver the features. All of them. On launch in September.

Five Things That Should Already Exist

Beyond the headline updates, here are the features that deserve a spot in iOS 27 — some practical, some long overdue, and all frankly a little embarrassing that we're still asking for them.

1. An Archive Folder for Messages

This one feels almost too obvious to say out loud, and yet here we are. Messages is one of the most-used apps on iPhone, yet it still lacks an Archive folder. No way to move old threads out of your main inbox without permanently deleting them forever.

Many of us keep old conversations specifically to reference them later — proof of a reservation, a contractor's instructions, a friend's address, that recipe someone texted three years ago. Deleting them feels wrong. But letting them pile up forever also feels wrong. An Archive folder is a simple, elegant solution that virtually every email app figured out a decade ago. Apple: Just do it.

2. Smarter Messages for Dual SIM Users

Apple has made some progress here. You can now filter messages by line, which helps, but it still feels half-baked. What would really help is a Focus Mode integration that automatically sets a default line based on your current focus. In Work Focus? Messages defaults to your work number. In Personal Focus? Your personal line takes over.

3. Smaller Icon Sizes

This is one of those things that sounds minor until you've been frustrated by it every single day. Apple lets you make icons bigger, a great accessibility feature. But they don't let you make them smaller. And they won't let you remove icon labels unless you're using the large icon layout.

Some of us want a clean, minimal home screen with small icons and no text labels. That's a perfectly reasonable preference. Samsung allows it. OnePlus allows it. This is iOS 27. Let's finally make it happen.

4. Redesigned Folders

Open a folder on your iPhone right now. What do you see? Nine apps, a bunch of empty space, and the ghost of a design decision made when the iPhone 5 had a 4-inch screen.

The iPhone now has a massive display, and folders still show nine apps per page, like it's 2012. Why? There's room for so much more. Samsung and OnePlus have already figured out larger, more flexible folder grids that actually make the home screen more useful. Apple could go further and allow expandable folders directly on the home screen — open a folder without it launching a full overlay, just expand it inline. That would be genuinely useful. Do it.

5. Better Home Screen Organization (See: Icon Teleportation Bug)

Already mentioned above, but worth repeating on the wishlist: fix the icon-moving experience. The fact that apps jump around unpredictably when you're trying to organize a full screen of icons is a usability failure hiding in plain sight. This isn't a feature request. It's a bug. Ship the fix.

The Bigger Picture

WWDC 2026 lands at a pivotal moment for Apple's software reputation. The hardware has never been better. The M-series chip line is a genuine engineering triumph. But software, the part that millions of people interact with dozens of times a day, has some catching up to do.

The good news is that all the signals point to Apple knowing this. A "Snow Leopard" style iOS release. A serious push on Siri. Continued Liquid Glass refinement. These aren't the actions of a company that thinks everything is fine. They're the actions of a company trying to get its house in order.

June 8 can't come soon enough. Let's see if Apple delivers.

So I built MattMakes3D.com.

This post is going to get into the weeds on how the whole thing is put together — the stack, the workflow, and why I made the decisions I did. If you just want to see the prints, go click around the site. If you want to know how the sausage is made, keep reading.

The Goal

Simple: a site that shows off what I'm printing week to week, with zero friction to update. I didn't want to log into a CMS, write a blog post, upload images, fill out metadata, and hit publish every time I finish a print. I wanted to add a row to a database and have the site update itself.

That's the north star the whole stack is built around.

The Stack

Astro — Static Site Framework

The frontend is built with Astro. If you haven't used it, Astro is a static site generator that ships zero JavaScript by default — you get HTML, CSS, and only the JS you explicitly opt into. For a content-heavy showcase site, that's exactly what I want. Fast, lightweight, and no unnecessary runtime overhead.

Astro also has a great component model. I can write .astro components that look a lot like HTML with a little frontmatter at the top for data fetching and logic. The whole site compiles down to static files that get served instantly from the CDN.

One feature I'm using heavily is View Transitions — Astro 4's built-in page transition system. When you navigate between pages on the site, instead of a hard reload you get a smooth fade. The header and MakerDeck bar persist across navigations so they don't flash or re-render. It gives the site a much more app-like feel without any client-side routing framework.

Notion — The CMS

Every print on the site lives in a Notion database. Each row is a print, with fields for:

• Title — the name of the model
• Date Printed — when it came off the bed
• Photo — a URL pointing to the image (more on hosting below)
• Model URL — link to MakerWorld, Printables, Thingiverse, etc.
• Model Source — the platform name (shown in the card and lightbox)
• Featured — a checkbox to mark something as a featured make on the homepage
• Status — used to filter the Print Queue panel

There's no Notion SDK involved. The site talks directly to the Notion REST API using native fetch(). At build time, Astro calls the API, pulls all the print data, and bakes it into the static HTML. The result is a site that reads like a database-driven app but serves like static files.

This setup means I can add a new print from my phone, tablet, or any device that can open Notion — which is all of them.

Vercel — Hosting and Deployment

The site is deployed on Vercel. It's connected to the GitHub repo, so every push to main triggers a new build and deploy. The whole pipeline — build, optimize, CDN deploy — takes under a minute.

Vercel also exposes Deploy Hooks: unique URLs you can POST to in order to trigger a rebuild without a code push. That's the key piece that makes the auto-update workflow possible.

Make.com — The Automation Glue

Here's where it gets fun. Since the site is statically generated, it only reflects what Notion had in it at the time of the last build. If I add a new print to Notion, nothing happens on the site until I trigger a rebuild.

Rather than manually hitting a button every time, I set up a Make.com scenario that watches the Notion database and automatically triggers a Vercel rebuild when anything changes. The scenario runs every 15 minutes, checks for updates in the Notion database, and if it finds any new or modified rows it fires a POST request to the Vercel deploy hook. Combined with a scheduled nightly rebuild at 3am as a backstop, the site stays current with almost no manual effort.

No code. No scripts running on a server. Just a two-step automation that keeps everything in sync.

Image Hosting

Images are hosted running off my DreamHost account. The workflow is simple: I drop photos into a local folder on my computer, Cyberduck watches that folder and automatically syncs new files to DreamHost via FTP. I then paste the URL into the Photo field in Notion.

I went through a few iterations on image hosting. I originally tried using GitHub's CDN (images uploaded via GitHub Issues), but those URLs use JWT tokens that expire — so images started 404ing after a few days. Not ideal. DreamHost was already in my stack for other things, and the images performance has been solid.

How a New Print Gets Published

Here's the full flow from print completion to live on the site:

1. Print comes off the bed.
2. I take a photo and drop it into my local sync folder.
3. Cyberduck automatically uploads it to DreamHost CDN.
4. I open Notion on my phone and add a new row: title, date, paste the CDN image URL, add the model link and source, check Featured if it deserves the spotlight.
5. Make.com detects the new row within 15 minutes and POSTs to the Vercel deploy hook.
6. Vercel rebuilds the site, Astro fetches the updated Notion data, the new print appears.

Total hands-on time after the print itself: about 2 minutes.

Site Features

Homepage — Latest Prints

The homepage shows up to two Featured Makes at the top — larger cards I hand-pick for prints I'm most proud of. Below that is a grid of the 12 most recent prints with a "View All Makes" button linking to the full archive.

Lightbox

Clicking any print card opens a lightbox — a full-screen overlay with the full-size photo, print title, date printed, model source, and a direct link to the model. There's also a Share button: on mobile it triggers the native share sheet, on desktop it copies a direct link to your clipboard. Each lightbox has a unique URL hash (e.g. mattmakes3d.com/#titan-falcon) so you can share a link that opens directly to that print.

Archive — Full Print History

The archive page has every print ever, with two view modes: Grid (same card layout as the homepage) and Timeline (grouped by year and month, great for seeing the progression). There's also a live search that filters by title or year.

Print Queue

A sidebar panel showing what's currently queued up or in progress — models I'm planning to print next. It pulls from the same Notion database, just filtered by status.

Design

The design is intentional: dark navy background, amber accents, Bebas Neue for display headings, Barlow for body text, IBM Plex Mono for labels and metadata. It's supposed to feel like a maker's workspace — technical but not cold, polished but not corporate.

What's Next

The site works well for what I need right now, but I've got bigger plans.

Open source for makers. The whole codebase is going to be available for other makers to fork and use for their own print showcase. If you're a 3D printing hobbyist who wants a site like this, you shouldn't have to build it from scratch. My goal is to make it easy to clone the repo, connect your own Notion database, and have a live site in an afternoon.

MakerDeck integration. Down the line, I'm working on a version of this concept that plugs directly into MakerDeck.net — letting makers upload their prints to a shared platform and automatically cross-post to the MakerDeck Discord. That's a bigger project and still in the early stages, but it's where this is all heading.

Final Thoughts

I've been wanting to build something like this for a long time. Not a blog with posts, not a social feed, just a clean archive of the things I make. Astro, Notion, Vercel, and Make.com turned out to be a surprisingly tight combination for exactly this kind of project — static performance with dynamic content, all driven by a database I can update from my couch.

If you want to follow along with what's coming off the bed, MattMakes3D.com is the place. And if you're a maker who wants to build something similar, stay tuned — the repo is coming.

My website was previously hosted on Squarespace and WordPress. Although both platforms are user-friendly, neither allowed me to achieve my goals.

I am now using a new platform for my website—Astro. I’ve wanted to create something custom for quite some time. I considered Astro before, but one major reason I chose it was that it lets me create blog posts from Markdown documents.

I began working on a design with Astro over a year ago, but the learning curve and design process took a long time. I'm not a designer, but I knew I wanted something simple, and that’s exactly what I aimed for.

Let's begin with the navigation menu. It features a simple layout with a logo, navigation options, and a toggle for dark or light mode.

I still maintain my tech blog, as well as my unplugged blog that covers non-tech topics. I have a gear page and a "now" page. Speaking of my "now" page, I accomplished something challenging that I found difficult to do with WordPress and Squarespace: I used a custom API to pull data about the TV shows I’m currently watching. I also plan to integrate this feature for podcasts, movies, and books, and that is in the works.

This is an update on the new platform. I will have another update for you soon. Additionally, I'm currently creating a print log for all my 3D printing projects. You can find it at MattMakes3D.com.

Remember all those whispers swirling around WWDC in January? The ones that sounded almost too good to be true? Well, as it turns out, the rumor mill was working overtime and got it spot on. Apple officially unveiled its new Liquid Glass design at WWDC, and let me tell you, it's the biggest redesign to iOS in years. It’s like they decided to give iOS a spa day, and it came back looking absolutely radiant.

Now, I'm not one to jump the gun on betas so early. Usually, I'm all in beta 3 or 4. "This isn't the final product, people! Patience, my friends!" And that still holds true, as I'll probably do a deep dive on the final release in a later blog post. However, I must admit that I've been running the iOS 16 beta for the past few weeks, and I'm genuinely impressed with the Liquid Glass design. It’s a bit of a chameleon, though. In Beta 1, we saw more of that pure, unadulterated liquid glass vibe. Then Beta 3 rolled around, and suddenly it's feeling a little more… frosted. Like someone left the glass in the freezer too long, but that's the beauty (and sometimes the headache) of betas; Apple is clearly still tweaking things, and I'm sure it's going to evolve again before we see the finished product.

One of the things I'm beyond excited for is CarPlay. This is, hands down, the biggest update to CarPlay since it first appeared on our cars. We're talking dark icons, those oh-so-satisfying Tapbacks (in messages), and, of course, the Liquid Glass design carries over, making your car's display look like a fancy, futuristic portal. But here’s a little nugget I stumbled upon in CarPlay: Smart Zoom under display settings. Now, this is a game changer for me. It takes those big, sometimes a little too big icons, and shrinks them down just a smidge. It may depend on your vehicle model, but in mine, it makes everything look significantly more refined and sleek. It’s like CarPlay went on a diet.

And speaking of public opinion, I conducted a highly scientific (read: casual) poll on Threads to gauge your thoughts on the Liquid Glass design. The results are in, and it's looking pretty good for Apple’s new aesthetic. As of right now, the poll sits at a resounding 68% love it, with a small but vocal 8% who hate it, and a diplomatic 24% who simply don't care. So, it seems the majority are drinking the Liquid Glass Kool-Aid, and honestly, after using it, I can see why!

What are your thoughts on Liquid Glass? Are you loving the new look, or are you still clinging to the old design like a security blanket? Let me know in the comments below or share them with me on Threads.

WordPress, launched in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, has grown into the world’s most popular content management system (CMS), powering over 40% of websites globally. Its open-source nature has fostered a vast community of developers, designers, and businesses that contribute to and benefit from its ecosystem.

WP Engine, founded in 2010, emerged as a leading managed hosting provider specializing in WordPress sites. Offering optimized performance, security features, and premium support, WP Engine attracted a substantial user base, including enterprises and high-traffic websites.

The dispute became public in September 2024 when Matt Mullenweg, during a presentation at WordCamp US, criticized WP Engine for what he perceived as inadequate contributions to the WordPress open-source project. He accused the company of profiting significantly from WordPress without giving back proportionally, labeling WP Engine as a “cancer to WordPress” and urging the community to consider alternative hosting providers.

Mullenweg’s criticisms centered on several points: -

He argued that WP Engine had not contributed meaningful code or resources to the core WordPress project, despite building a profitable business atop the platform. -

WP Engine was accused of disabling certain WordPress core features, such as post revisions, which Mullenweg claimed degraded the user experience and led to confusion among users. -

Mullenweg expressed concerns over WP Engine’s significant ties to private equity, suggesting that profit motives might overshadow community-oriented values.

WP Engine’s vs. Mullenweg & Automattic

In response to Mullenweg’s public statements, WP Engine issued a cease-and-desist letter, accusing him and Automattic of defamation and extortion. The company claimed that Automattic had demanded a significant percentage of WP Engine’s gross revenues as a licensing fee for the “WordPress” trademark, which WP Engine viewed as an attempt to extract undue profits.

The situation escalated when WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg, alleging abuse of power, extortion, and greed. The lawsuit asserted that Automattic’s actions were detrimental not only to WP Engine but also to the broader WordPress ecosystem.

Mullenweg took several steps that intensified the conflict:

Mullenweg restricted WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources, including security updates and the plugin repository, citing trademark violations. This move disrupted WP Engine’s operations and affected its customers’ ability to access essential WordPress features.

Mullenweg runs WordPress.org and forked and took control of WP Engine’s popular Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, citing unpatched security vulnerabilities. While Mullenweg argued that this action was in the interest of public safety, critics viewed it as an overreach and a potential misuse of power.

WordPress Community Reactions

The dispute elicited strong reactions within the WordPress community:

Automattic offered severance packages to employees who disagreed with its stance against WP Engine. This led to the departure of approximately 8.4% of its workforce, highlighting internal disagreements over the company’s approach.

Many community members expressed concerns that the dispute could undermine the collaborative spirit of the WordPress project. There were fears that such conflicts might deter contributors and negatively impact the platform’s reputation.

In December 2024, a California District Court issued a preliminary injunction against Automattic and Mullenweg, ordering the company to cease blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources. The court found that Automattic’s actions were causing irreparable harm to WP Engine’s business relationships.

This dispute underscores the complexities inherent in the relationship between open-source projects and the commercial entities that rely on them. The conflict highlights differing expectations regarding how companies benefiting from open-source projects should contribute back, whether through code, financial support, or other means.

My Take on Everything

I’m not an expert on legal changes regarding trademarks, but I understand the importance of protecting them. Initially, I supported Mullenweg’s position, and I still do to some extent. WP Engine may be infringing on the WordPress trademark, as some people may mistakenly think WP Engine is owned by the creators of WordPress. However, it’s important to note that WP Engine has been around since 2010. So, why is this issue coming up now? Additionally, what about all the other themes and extensions that use “WP” in their names? Are they in violation of the trademark as well?

WP Engine is alleging abuse of power, extortion, and greed in a lawsuit they filed. Some messages attributed to Mullenweg raise serious concerns. Mullenweg will have the opportunity to defend himself against these claims.

As a longtime user of WordPress, I believe it is a fantastic platform, and Mullenweg deserves credit for its success as a co-founder. I also want to recognize all the other developers who have contributed to this open-source platform. WP Engine has also contributed to its success as they host websites using the WordPress platform. But I also hope that WP Engine will give back to the WordPress community and support the open-source software on which its success relies.

I wish both parties much success and hope they come to a settlement in 2025. This dispute is ultimately hurting the WordPress community, and a resolution is crucial to maintaining the collaborative spirit that has made WordPress a global succes

As a certified pizza lover (and an unapologetic fan of Detroit-style in particular), I’m hooked on their 8x10 pies. The crispy, caramelized edges, the fluffy yet substantial crust, and the sauce on top make for the perfect combination of textures and flavors. It’s technically shareable, but let’s be real: I never share mine.

Starting your meal with the Sourdough Garlic Parm Breadsticks is an absolute must. They’re warm, garlicky, and have just the right amount of chew, making them the perfect prelude to any pizza. And to drink, East Glisan offers RC Cola, a retro classic that adds a nostalgic touch to the experience. There’s something about sipping this old-school soda that pairs perfectly with the vibe of the place.

Located on NE Glisan Street in the heart of Montavilla, East Glisan is a cozy, intimate lounge with a small bar and limited seating. It’s not designed for large parties, but it’s the perfect spot for a laid-back evening with great food. The atmosphere is enhanced by their choice of entertainment, with classic TV shows like the original Star Trek and The Twilight Zone playing on their screens. The nostalgic charm of the lounge creates a unique and welcoming ambiance that makes every visit memorable.

East Glisan Pizza & Lounge opens at 5 PM, and there’s often a line, so arriving early is a smart move if you want a seat. Whether you’re coming alone to savor every bite in peace or bringing along fellow pizza lovers, this spot delivers an unforgettable experience. From the mouthwatering pizzas to the retro vibes, East Glisan has a special kind of magic that keeps you coming back for more. Treat yourself to a visit—you won’t regret it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to share your opinions, ask questions, or join the discussion below. Just remember to follow the comment rules to keep this space fun, respectful, and valuable for everyone.

SaneBox is a powerful email management tool that helps you achieve the elusive dream of Inbox Zero—a clean, focused inbox that’s free of distractions. By automatically filtering out newsletters, promotions, and other low-priority emails, SaneBox ensures that your inbox is reserved for messages that actually matter. It uses AI technology and an intelligent algorithm to filter emails based on your customization and training preferences. With its help, you can focus on the important messages first and save serious time—the average SaneBox user saves 3-4 hours per week on email time.

Curious how it works and whether it’s worth the hype? Let’s dive into how I use it, what’s great about it, and where it could be even better.

How I Use SaneBox to Stay Inbox Zero

Maintaining a clean inbox is like having a tidy workspace—it’s essential for staying focused and productive. For me, Inbox Zero isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. SaneBox is the tool that makes it possible.

Here’s my setup:

@SaneNews

This is where all the newsletters and promotional emails automatically go. Thanks to this filter, I never see these in my inbox. They’re neatly tucked away where I can browse them when I have time (spoiler: I usually don’t). To keep things tidy, SaneBox automatically deletes emails in this folder after 30 days—unless I turn off that feature, which is an option.

@BlackHole

Got an email sender you never want to hear from again? That’s what the @BlackHole is for. It’s a magical place where unwanted messages go to disappear forever.

@SaneLater

This filter catches all the low-priority emails that don’t require immediate attention. Think of it as the waiting room for emails that you’ll deal with later—if you even need to.

SaneBox uses its AI-powered algorithm to analyze email headers (but never the content) and determine where emails should go. The more you interact with it—dragging emails to specific folders—the better it gets at understanding your preferences.

The Good

Effective Filtering

SaneBox works like magic when it comes to keeping your inbox focused. Newsletters and promotions go straight to @SaneNews, and emails that don’t need your immediate attention land in @SaneLater.

Comprehensive Features

Beyond filtering, SaneBox offers tools like auto-reply tracking, snoozing, one-click unsubscribing, and do-not-disturb mode. These features make managing emails even easier, so you can stay productive without distraction.

Privacy and Security

SaneBox is built with privacy in mind. It only reads email headers and never accesses the body content of your emails. It’s also Google Verified, undergoes regular security audits, and ensures your credentials are encrypted.

Cross-Platform Support

I use Google Workspace, but SaneBox works wherever you check your email—whether it’s Outlook, Gmail, or another provider. It’s a universal solution for your inbox.

Time-Saving Power

The average SaneBox user saves 3-4 hours per week on email time. That’s hours you can spend on something more fun (or just binge-watching your favorite shows guilt-free).

Cost Efficiency

SaneBox is a price-performance leader that saves you more money than it costs. For its suite of features, it’s an incredibly valuable investment in productivity.

The Bad

It’s Not Perfect

SaneBox’s filtering isn’t always spot-on, especially at first. Sometimes an important email might end up in @SaneLater, or a low-priority message sneaks into your inbox. Thankfully, it gets smarter over time as it learns your preferences.

Cost

SaneBox isn’t free, and while its benefits are worth the price for me, some users might hesitate to pay for an email management tool when free options (like Gmail’s filters) exist.

Learning Curve

While it’s not overly complicated, setting up and fine-tuning SaneBox requires a little bit of time and effort upfront.

Is SaneBox Worth It?

If you’re someone who craves a clean inbox but struggles with the sheer volume of emails, SaneBox is a game-changer. With its AI-driven filtering, intelligent customization, and comprehensive feature set, it makes achieving Inbox Zero not just possible but sustainable.

Sure, it has its quirks—it’s not free, and it’s not perfect—but the ability to focus on what matters most in your inbox is worth every penny in my book.

So, is SaneBox for you? If you’re drowning in emails and ready to take back control of your inbox, it’s definitely worth a try. After all, your sanity is worth saving.

Want to join SaneBox? Sign up using my affiliate link and you will get a credit of $25 applied to your account.

Developed by the creators of Wunderlist, Superlist is a fresh take on task management. It’s like Things, but with added collaborative superpowers, integration options, and a pricing model that might appeal to a broader range of users. Could it replace my beloved Things? Let’s dig in.

Why Superlist Caught My Eye

Superlist isn’t just another task management app—it’s a reimagining of what productivity can look like, especially for those who work solo and in teams. It blends many of the features I love about Things (hello, simplicity and elegance) with some exciting extras: -

Team Collaboration: Built-in group messaging and the ability to work on shared tasks. -

Integrations Galore: Direct integration with tools like Slack and GitHub. -

Cross-Platform Access: Unlike Things, which is Apple-exclusive, Superlist works on iOS, Android, macOS, and beyond. -

Flexible Pricing: A free plan plus subscription tiers, as opposed to Things’ one-time-per-platform purchase model.

As someone who loves experimenting with tools but values keeping everything in one place, Superlist’s combination of power and flexibility is intriguing.

Features That Matter to Me

When it comes to task management, I need a system that works with my brain, not against it. ADHD means juggling a million ideas, tasks, and goals at once, so these features are non-negotiable:

Multiple Lists: I create lists for everything—health and fitness, a wishlist for iOS updates, even a bucket list of things I’d love to do someday. Things makes this effortless, and I’m curious to see if Superlist can match its ease of organizing tasks into neatly categorized lists.

A Unified Today View: While I like my lists separate, I need to see everything due today in one glance. Things nails this with its Today view, and it’s a feature I’ll be closely scrutinizing in Superlist.

Simplicity Meets Power: I value apps that are easy to use but powerful under the hood. Features like natural language processing (e.g., “Pickup package tomorrow at 10 AM”), nested task lists, and recurring tasks are essential. Superlist ticks these boxes—and adds extras like real-time collaborationand widgets for quick task access.

Offline Support: Superlist offers offline support, a critical feature for those moments when inspiration strikes in the middle of a no-service zone.

Superlist vs. Things: First Impressions

Design & Simplicity

Things is a minimalist’s dream. Every tap and swipe feels intentional, and there’s never any clutter. Superlist shares this focus on simplicity but introduces a slightly more modern aesthetic. It’s intuitive enough, but will it become second nature like Things has? Time will tell.

Collaboration

This is where Superlist truly shines. Things is phenomenal for solo task management, but if I want to collaborate, I’m out of luck. Superlist’s team features—messaging, shared tasks, and real-time updates—could be a game-changer, especially when working with others on projects.

Pricing

Things requires a one-time purchase per platform, which can add up if you want it on your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Superlist, on the other hand, offers a free plan and subscription tiers, making it potentially more accessible. But how does the value stack up over time?

What’s Next?

Over the next few months, I’ll be putting Superlist to the test. Can it replace Things as my ultimate task management tool? Will its collaborative features become indispensable, or will I miss the polished simplicity of Things?

Here’s what I’ll be paying attention to: -

How intuitive it feels for day-to-day use. -

Whether the collaborative features truly enhance my productivity. -

How well it integrates with other tools I rely on, like Slack and GitHub. -

Whether the pricing model offers enough value for the features.

A Work in Progress

Switching task management systems isn’t something I take lightly—it’s like changing the operating system of my life. But I’m excited to see where this journey with Superlist takes me. Whether it becomes my new daily driver or just a fascinating detour, one thing’s for sure: there’s always room to explore new ways to stay organized and (mostly) on top of things.

Stay tuned for updates on how Superlist fares in my ADHD-fueled world of task management!

Think of this blog as your favorite non-tech podcast, but in written form and without the awkward ad breaks for meal kits or mattresses. Whether I’m gushing over the latest binge-worthy series on Apple TV+ or waxing poetic about a pizza place so good it makes me question every bad delivery choice I’ve ever made, this is where I share the passions that keep me smiling.

What’s This Blog About?

In a nutshell: everything but technology.

Okay, fine—there might be some technology because, let’s face it, I live in a tech-saturated world. But the emphasis here is on stepping back, unplugging, and enjoying life’s simpler pleasures. This is the place where I get to explore a variety of interests and hopefully inspire you to do the same. From food finds and book recommendations to movie reviews and the occasional deep dive into why pineapple on pizza might not be such a crime, there’s a little something for everyone.

Right now, the comment section isn’t quite up and running (I’m working on it—promise!), but I’d love to hear from you. Catch me on Threads, Bluesky, or Mastodon if you want to chat about anything you read here. Let’s start a conversation about what’s fun, fascinating, and worth celebrating in this beautifully chaotic world.

I wanted a space that feels different from the usual hustle of tech-heavy chatter. Sometimes it’s refreshing to step away from tech and talk about the good stuff—like that life-changing slice of pizza or the tv show that kept me up all night.

This blog is as much for me as it is for anyone who stumbles across it. Even if I’m the only one reading these posts, I’ll still be here, happily rambling away. But I hope you’ll stick around, join in, and help make Unplugged a little community of curious minds.

So grab a coffee (or tea, if you’re fancy like that), settle in, and let’s dive into all the things that make life fun. Welcome to Unplugged—let’s see where this adventure takes us!

The Ecosystem That Actually Works

Let’s start with the obvious: the Apple ecosystem is a symphony of perfect harmony. My iPhone, iPad, and Mac work together like a dream team, passing files, messages, and random memes between each other like a digital relay race. The seamlessness of Airdrop alone is enough to make any tech enthusiast swoon. And while most people might name iMessage or FaceTime as the MVPs of this setup, my secret weapon is productivity.

You see, I’ve got ADHD, and organization isn’t just a nice-to-have for me—it’s a survival mechanism. That’s where my iPhone truly shines, thanks to two little apps that I’d trade my soul for: Fantastical and Things.

The Calendar App of the Gods

Fantastical is the Beyoncé of calendar apps. It’s beautiful, it’s talented, and it makes all other apps look like they’re stuck in 2007. I’ve tried breaking up with it (because, wow, is that subscription steep), but I always come crawling back.

This app doesn’t just remind me of meetings; it keeps my life on track. Its natural language input lets me type “Lunch with Sarah at 1 PM next Thursday” and bam—the event is scheduled without me even breaking a sweat. Want to color-code your chaos? Fantastical’s got your back. Need to track multiple calendars? Easy-peasy. It’s not just a calendar—it’s a personal assistant that never complains or judges me for rescheduling “workout” 12 times.

The Task App That Gets Me

If Fantastical is Beyoncé, Things 3 is my calm, cool, and collected best friend who’s always there to remind me to “buy milk” or “actually go to the gym this time.” It’s sleek, intuitive, and deeply satisfying to use. Every to-do item gets a cozy home in my system, and checking off tasks feels like winning at life.

Here’s the catch: it’s exclusive to Apple. Like Fantastical, there’s no Android version, and that’s a dealbreaker for my productivity. I’ve looked for alternatives on Android, but none of them come close to the blissful simplicity of Things. So here I am, firmly planted in iPhone territory, happily crossing off tasks one checkbox at a time.

But It’s Not All Sunshine and Retina Displays

Now, let’s be real: iOS and the iPhone aren’t perfect by any means. If you’ve ever updated your iPhone and suddenly found half your apps crashing or your battery draining like it’s being powered by a hamster on a wheel, you know what I mean.

For all the polish and seamless integration Apple offers, their software updates could use a lot more quality assurance testing. Every major iOS update seems to come with its own set of quirks, bugs, and “features” that nobody asked for. (Looking at you, Home Screen & Control Center.)

Sometimes, it feels like being in a relationship with someone who’s gorgeous and charming but occasionally forgets your birthday. You forgive them because of all the good they bring to your life, but deep down, you’re hoping they get their act together. Apple, you’re amazing, but could you maybe QA test a little more before pushing updates?

The Side Hustle

Now, I’m not completely monogamous in my tech relationships. I keep an Android phone around, mainly for RCS chats and as my go-to social media scrolling device when I want to take a break from my iPhone’s relentless productivity reminders. But with RCS making its debut on the iPhone, even that excuse is wearing thin. Will I transfer my chats to iPhone? Stay tuned—this drama is still unfolding.

Why Productivity Is My Lifeline

Here’s where it gets real: my ADHD means I need tools that don’t just work; they need to work for me. Fantastical and Things 3 aren’t just apps—they’re lifelines. They help me stay organized, remember deadlines, and avoid drowning in the chaos of my own brain. Without them, I’d probably forget my own birthday, let alone important meetings or projects.

For most people, the Apple ecosystem might be about the convenience of iMessage or the joy of FaceTime. For me, it’s about staying focused, on track, and (mostly) sane. My iPhone isn’t just a daily driver—it’s a co-pilot in the wild ride that is my life.

At the end of the day, my iPhone is more than just a phone. It’s a calendar, a task manager, a messaging hub, and a life coach rolled into one sleek package. Could I survive without it? Maybe, but why would I want to? Whether I’m using Airdrop to send files, Fantastical to keep my day in order, or Things 3 to check off another task, the Apple ecosystem makes my life easier, more productive, and—dare I say it—a little more magical.

So, Android, I’ll always keep you around for variety, but when it comes to daily driving, the iPhone is, and always will be, my first love.

In Washington, we were hit by a bomb cyclone, and I initially mistook it for a mere indication of strong winds. However, I was thoroughly mistaken, as this storm was one of the most powerful I’ve experienced or, at the very least, can recall. In August I moved to Issaquah which is on the eastside. We are aboutb15 miles from Seattle but closer to the foothills. And the bomb cyclone slammed into Issaquah which very powerful winds. Bringing down massive trees into people homes.

We’re grateful that our apartment community was spared significant damage. While some branches and smaller trees fell, reaching our home requires traversing a road lined with trees. On Wednesday morning, after waking up, we ventured out to find the extent of the destruction. Roads were blocked by trees, and downed power lines littered the landscape. We had lost power on Tuesday night around 5 pm as the storm approached. As I write this post on Saturday at 1:40 pm, we still lack power. On Friday, when the power briefly returned, we had a small hope, but only half of our apartment was illuminated. However, this respite was short-lived as power crews began repairs to our grid. Power was gone again.

We were not prepared for the storm. I had anticipated a power outage for a day or so, expecting to be able to leave safely. However, that was clearly not the case. We did not have water and our dog’s food was gone too as it need to be kept in the freezer. We were eventually able to get out and get food and water. Thursday night we got a hotel room so we could get some sleep and take a warm shower.

As we weren’t prepared for the storm, neither was PSE, our power company. They brought in crews from other areas, but the damage to the power grid was extensive. What made it even more frustrating was the communication and reporting system. It was a complete failure, and they blamed it on an upgrade made this fall. The notification system sent me a message informing me that my power was out and asking me to text Status back for an update. After sending them a message, they informed me that my phone number wasn’t registered with their system.

The outage map was constantly changing and never provided accurate information, such as the time of my power outage or whether crews were on-site. In contrast, PSE simply issued generic PR messages stating that most customers should expect power restoration by Saturday at 2 p.m. PSE is a prominent power company in Washington, serving multiple counties and cities. However, the statement was later revised, indicating that some customers would receive power on Saturday, some on Sunday, and more on Monday.

My power was later restored while I was writing this blog but as I am there are still thousands in the dark. In writing this blog I’m hoping that PSE will take this message seriously and make changes to their systems and protocols.

This year's "big" upgrades are the camera, screen size, battery, and new camera control feature. Oh yeah, and the unreleased Apple Intelligence features. But the phone is largely the same as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. You also get the Apple Intelligence features in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. I have been using the iOS 18.1 beta and just wanted to be upfront about it.

I didn't think I would notice a significant difference in the screen size, but I certainly did. It throws me off a bit because when I'm typing, I don't always spell words correctly. But I do enjoy the smaller bales.

The bigger battery is definitely an upgrade for me, as I have been pushing the limits with my battery this summer. I was struggling to get through an entire day on a single charge, which could largely be due to running the iOS betas. While I've only had the phone for a few days, the battery life has improved.

Since I shoot many videos and photos on my iPhone, I'm excited about the camera control and upgrades. The camera is super fast, and I love opening it from the camera control "button." The A18 Pro might be responsible for this, as it offers 15% better processing performance. The 48MP ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro Max significantly improved over the 12MP ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, allowing for high-resolution macro photography.

Finally, it's worth upgrading if you are excited about these features. If you currently have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max and are happy with it, there may not be a compelling reason to upgrade. However, if you have an iPhone 15 or an older model and want to take advantage of the new Apple Intelligence, then upgrading is a must. Remember that many of these features announced at WWDC have yet to be released and will be rolled out in beta over time. I hope this helps.

What’s the Big Deal with the Fediverse, Anyway?

Picture the fediverse as this giant, sprawling neighborhood where each house is its own little social network. People from one house can easily chat, share, and hang out with folks from another without needing to jump fences or get past a gatekeeper. It’s all about being open and connected without one big boss controlling the block.

This idea might have seemed like a techy pipe dream back in the day but then came the ActivityPub protocol—a common language that lets different platforms chat it up seamlessly. And who’s been taking charge of making this dream a reality? Mastodon. Think of it as the friendly giant of the fediverse, showing that a more open, less centralized way of online socializing isn’t just possible; it’s actually pretty awesome.

So, Threads deciding to join the fediverse? It’s like the new kid on the block deciding to throw a block party. It’s not just about Threads wanting to explore new territories; it’s about challenging X (formerly known as Twitter) and hinting at a future where social networks aren’t walled gardens but a big, interconnected community garden.

As Threads dips its toes into the fediverse waters, there’s a ton of chatter about what this means for the future. How will this change the game for Mastodon, the ActivityPub protocol, and us, the users? It’s like we’re all part of this experiment in building a more open, interconnected digital world.

And sure, it’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows. There are going to be challenges—like figuring out how to keep things friendly across different platforms, managing the digital equivalent of noisy neighbors, and making sure this open community vibe doesn’t get lost in translation.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

Integrating with the fediverse brings its own set of challenges, including technical hurdles, community governance, and moderation concerns. Yet, the opportunities it presents for creating a more interconnected, decentralized web are immense. It could enhance user agency, promote privacy, and foster a culture of openness and collaboration across platforms.

Looking ahead to the future of decentralized social media services

As Threads explores the fediverse, everyone is watching to see how this move reshapes social media's future. Questions arise about whether others will adopt similar integrations and the implications for Bluesky, another decentralized service using the AT Protocol. The impact on the fediverse and ActivityPub protocol's evolution is yet to be seen. However, one thing's clear: Threads' venture might pave the way for a new chapter in social networking.