Numeric Citizen Blog Posts Monthly Digest
Numeric Citizen Blog
I’m again tempted by an Oura ring. One big showstopper: the mandatory annual subscription. 😒
2025-04-01 ∞When are we going to stop referring to Musk as the richest man in the world. First, we don’t care as much as it sounds. Second, he’s probably the poorest man in the world if anything.
2025-04-02 ∞Looking at iOS 18.5 and I find that Apple is slow at iterating on AI. Nothing really new in AI. No mention of model improvements. Only a few things like turning off Mail automatic classification. I would have expected a much faster pace.
2025-04-03 ∞Each time I select a few emails in Outlook at the office and then move them into a folder I think of Severance’s employees working on their computer to gather numbers and drop them in a bucket. Every. Single. Time. And now you’ll probably do, too. You’re welcome.
2025-04-03 ∞Can you say Chaps?
Intriguing new product coming from the makers of Craft: Chaps. It seems to be a conversational service where users can build their own AI-based agents. Not integrated with Craft in any way, at least for now. The demonstrated UI seems polished as we can expect from them, but sadly we don’t get to see how those agents are built. I think “Ch_apps_” would have been a better name than “Chaps”, though. I hope they don’t get too much distracted from Craft because it still needs a lot of work and long-lasting issues are yet to be addressed.
2025-04-04 ∞Must Have Features in a Read Later Service
Read later service for me should have these features and attributes.
- Be cloud-based to enable access and syncing across different devices and platforms.
- Support metadata (tags, folders & description).
- Offer a well-designed share sheet implementation on iOS and iPadOS.
- Offer a great browser extension.
- Offer a native mobile application.
- It should work well with my go-to RSS reader, Inoreader.
- Be good at data mobility. In other words, it offers a data export option.
- Support article summarization with generative AI.
- Should be free if possible.
- It must support all Apple platforms.
Inoreader check them all.
2025-04-05 ∞That’s a useful website for Markdown lovers: Online Markdown.
2025-04-06 ∞Gumroad is going open source!? Are they ok is it a last-resort move? They have a detailed roadmap, though.
2025-04-07 ∞There is a lot to like about some of the iOS 19 redesign mockups, but the “rounder” app icons is certainly not one of them. 🤢
2025-04-07 ∞
Still about the iOS 19 mockup, the redesigned Tabbar is so much better. 😍
2025-04-07 ∞
I wish Ghost would expand their support for what are called “social accounts.” Given our current situation, I find this approach short-sighted. I wish Mastodon and Bluesky received more attention for this type of configuration.
2025-04-08 ∞
Connection isn’t just personal. It’s political.
A healthy democracy requires relationships, trust, physical presence, and shared stakes. If we don’t have anyone in our lives who voted differently than we did, if the only time we talk to our neighbors is when we have something to complain about (if we even bother), if we haven’t been in a room with strangers in months trying to solve a real problem without a mute button or a string of emojis—then we are actively making it easier to divide. Easier to manipulate. Easier to radicalize. Easier to rule.
We collectively dropped the ball. I honestly don’t know what to do and where to start to undo things. I feel alone on my island crying and shouting how wrong and off everything is right now.
2025-04-09 ∞Today I’m getting a brand new 15” M4 MacBook Air at work to replace my aging 2017 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. I won’t miss the Intel world, but I’ll somewhat miss the Touch Bar. 🤷🏻♂️
2025-04-10 ∞Apple was blindsided by GenAI and way too busy on Apple Vision Pro. It will take a major shift to regain momentum on AI-related initiatives.
2025-04-10 ∞Shared something really personal today on my Ko-fi page. Available to my dear supporters (yes, I have a few!)
2025-04-14 ∞One thing that I really appreciate about ChatGPT is their native macOS app. It would be too easy for them to do like so many developers these days and offer the “good enough” solution.
2025-04-14 ∞ Dear ChatGPT, Describe Me Based on All Our Chats
“👋 I’m a tech veteran by trade, creative by heart. With 30+ years in IT — from data centers to cloud, storage, and security — I help businesses build smarter, more resilient infrastructures. But when the day job ends, my creative side kicks in.
I’m a lifelong Apple fan, blogger, photographer, and content creator who loves blending tech with design. Whether I’m exploring the latest in cybersecurity, testing new apps, or writing about digital privacy, I bring a thoughtful eye and a creative edge.
I believe staying curious — and staying creative — is the best way to thrive in a tech-driven world.”
Not bad.
2025-04-17 ∞My Current Incomplete and Troubled Bucket List
While revisiting my writing projects pipeline, I found this unfinished blog post. It’s a bucket list. It was inspired by Manton Reece’s Revisiting 43 Things blog post. Recent comments in italic.
- Rent a country house for the whole summer, outside Canada — I would have been in the US, but this plan is on hold, because of Trump’s America.
- Get my house renovated — Completed!
- Do another trip with my two sons — TBD.
- Return to California to see the new Apple headquarters — This plan is on hold, because of Trump’s America.
- Visit Chicago — This plan is on hold, because of Trump’s America.
- See the launch of a rocket from Space X — Fuck Elon Musk.
- Return to Iceland — Most probable.
Given the current political environment, I must carefully reconsider each item on this list and remove the ones that will not happen.
2025-04-19 ∞My Next YouTube Video About Micro.blog
I finally found the subject and inspiration for my next YouTube video: how people can interact with Micro.blog users. In it, I’ll explain how posts can be cross-posted to other platforms and how people can reply to them, keeping the discussion ongoing even from seemingly different platforms.
2025-04-19 ∞I had plenty of time this weekend, but I must admit that I didn’t accomplish much of what I intended to work on. Sigh. 😒
2025-04-20 ∞It’s now possible to change the default username provided by Ghost’s Fediverse support. Currently, it is @index@numericcitizen.me, but I’m unsure what to replace @index with. 👀
2025-04-22 ∞I don’t care who is managing Apple’s robotic team, but I do have one question: why does Apple need a robotic team in the first place?
2025-04-25 ∞Realmac Software Elements is going to be a powerful blogging tool. This video shows a few upcoming features for bloggers. Currently in beta, Elements should ship in coming months. Can’t wait.
{{< youtube “rmKyTYm7j84?si=-DavFi2tFH5KFy4W” >}}
Simply THE Best
Just spent 10 minutes on Glass, just browsing and glancing at other people’s work, and I was blown away by the quality of photos that you can find there. I discovered many great photographers this morning that will brighten my view of the world. I would argue that Glass is probably THE best and most successful photo-sharing service of all that I experienced in my life.
2025-04-26 ∞David Spark on Nano texture displays:
I can’t help but wonder if Apple will eventually bring Nano-texture to the iPhone. Given how often people use their phones in direct sunlight, it could help. Regardless, for those who need a high-end, anti-reflective display, Apple’s Nano-texture glass is the best I’ve seen, and far superior to any screen treatment or film I’ve tried.
If nano texture display ever come to the iPhone, I would buy it in a heartbeat even if I didn’t for my M4 iPad Pro (too expansive).
2025-04-26 ∞I’m currently recording a YouTube video for Micro.blog users to demonstrate how you can interact with the social web from Micro.blog. Expect the video to be published soon. Feel free to say “hi”, you’re on camera!
2025-04-26 ∞Here’s a video for Micro.blog users who want to learn more about ways to interact with the social web from Micro.blog. I hope you enjoy and learn something new today. cc @manton
{{< youtube “KeBiZ1nE0Wc” >}}
2025-04-26 ∞I have to get myself ready to leave the ARC Browser behind and come back to Safari. It’s obvious that it is becoming abandoned. I will miss the left sidebar.
2025-04-27 ∞I don’t know when the trend started, but companies like IBM are starting to use gen AI to automatically offer translated technical documentation from English to… whatever language. I encountered quite a few funny errors today. Thankfully, we can ask for the original at the click of a button. Still work to be gone for this to be on-par with human-made texts.
2025-04-28 ∞Yesterday during Canada’s election night, Radio-Canada (French channel) had the best interactive board I’ve ever seen, albeit a bit laggy at times. I don’t know if it was purpose built or if it was based on a commercial solution, but it was impressive. It’s the first time the TV host didn’t struggle with the UI and interaction features. Tap-to-dismiss and a breadcrumb at the bottom made navigation a breeze, apparently. I wish I could have a short video showing it in action.
2025-04-29 ∞How is it possible that the « new » Meta AI app already got reviews many of not most of them dating back to three years ago? What am I missing here? Not that I want to try it, mind you. 🤔
2025-04-29 ∞I’m excited about the next two days as I will be traveling by train from Montreal to Quebec City. I enjoy train travel between those two cities because it’s relaxing, the scenery is usually beautiful, and the weather should be nice. I appreciate the opportunity to embrace modern technology; I’ll be able to work remotely from my laptop, with my iPhone’s 5G connection to stay productive while on the move.
2025-04-29 ∞The iPhone 17 Air looks wonderful – but that’s not why Apple is making it
That is my theory too: Apple will make the iPhone 17 Air because it is a mandatory step to the foldable iPhone.
2025-04-30 ∞Incoming: AI subscription fatigue...
ChatGPT. ChatGPT APIs. Notion AI. Inoreader Intelligence Reports. Raycast AI. Perplexity AI. I may have forgotten a few others1.
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In bold: those I’m currently subscribing. ↩
Cancelling my Ivory subscription to make room for the Bluesky version later this year. 🤷🏻♂️
2025-04-30 ∞