Thoughts, opinions, wild speculation, and haphazard technical advice from Dom. I’m a hearing disabled irrigation contractor, B-movie aficionado, self-hoster, and hopeless Linux desktop romantic. Former co-host of Go With The Heat Miami Vice podcast. This site uses no tracking pixels, does not set cookies, and works without javascript. You may also want to checkout my blogroll and a running list of bookmarks I save while browsing. Last, if this is your first time here, check out my favorite posts.
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Playing in my our Lovelier World | LAN Minecraft server setup guide
Playing in my our Lovelier World | LAN Minecraft server setup guide
Feb. 15, 2021
Having exclusively played the Java version of Minecraft for a decade, I was finally pulled into the Bedrock edition because of a new map from Stampy. In his recent videos he has been exploring his Lovelier World which my 5-year old has been devouring. Of course, this means I wanted to setup a server so both of us could play in Stampy’s Lovelier World together.
…Streaming at home with NDI and virtual cams for family fun
Streaming at home with NDI and virtual cams for family fun
Feb. 8, 2021
I’ve used OBS for a long time for game and screen recording. I was well aware that was barely scratching the surface of what it can do. Yet, that’s basically all I needed it for, mostly for screen recording training videos. I never had a reason to go deeper into OBS, but now I’ve spent my entire vacation learning deep diving after running some fun experiments based on ideas I had while watching a few of my favorite streamers. In particular, virtual cams and NDI streaming.
…Embracing my disability & addressing accessibility
Embracing my disability & addressing accessibility
Jan. 25, 2021
Although there are not many nice things to say about 2020 – including my journey through the economic crisis of being pandemic laid-off, being denied unemployment by the State of Arizona, then moving 2,000 miles across the country – there was one aspect of my life that has changed for the better. This is the year I finally accepted that I am hearing disabled.
…The Best Tech of 2020 – A New Mindset on Ownership
The Best Tech of 2020 – A New Mindset on Ownership
Dec. 28, 2020
Listen to this post. Narrated by me!
Something I both love and loathe are end of year tech lists. Since affiliate income has proliferated online, nearly all of these lists are filled with products the writer has never used or even seen in real life. The lists are filled with items that are either in the perfect range for quality affiliate payouts or that are already so popular they sell themselves.
…Giving Anbox Android emulator a shot
Giving Anbox Android emulator a shot
Dec. 28, 2020
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After seeing the news of a new Ubuntu-based distro using /e/ OS app store, my interest was piqued about running Android apps on my desktop. Having recently played around with screen mirroring on my Pop_OS desktop, running the apps directly seems like a much better experience.
…Replacing Smartphone Batteries – My Honor 7x Experience
Replacing Smartphone Batteries – My Honor 7x Experience
May 7, 2020
Last week I wrote up a guide for choosing and living with a budget Android device, especially for people who have lost access to their company provided flagship phone. In that piece I mention the importance of repairability when selecting a device, using XDA and iFixIt for reviews and info before buying. This week I urgently repaired one of my mobile devices because of a swollen battery. This process was a solid reminder for me on why all phones should be easy to replace the battery and should be mandated from the beginning.
…Wanted: Indie content curators, RSS a plus
Wanted: Indie content curators, RSS a plus
March 12, 2020
Earlier today, Flipboard announced a $3/month subscription (coming soon) to curate public video into a single feed. What I really want is a way to easily consolidate YouTube, feeds, newsletters, and podcasts into a single source. Unfortunately, this Flipboard subscription is a good idea, too lost in its own ego, justifying the “algorithm” over allowing indie curators and creators to build their own audiences.
…The Bliss of /e/ OS – The UnGoogled Android
The Bliss of /e/ OS – The UnGoogled Android
Sept. 19, 2019
Listen to this post. Narrated by me!
One of the biggest factors I take into consideration before purchasing an Android phone is if it is supported by 3rd. party ROM’s. Previously I’ve run devices without Google Apps after installing LineageOS, which had significant speed and battery performance in addition to privacy upgrades. Last week I installed /e/ OS on my Honor 5x after stumbling on it on Twitter. There’s a few aspects of this really unique OS that I feel merit a test for anyone who has a supported device.
…Living the Keyboard Dream
Living the Keyboard Dream
September 12, 2019
For some time, I’ve been fixated on finding the right mobile device for me. A device that’s curated just for my use case, not a black slab of glass that is just a notification vehicle. In my heart I thought this was a device with a physical keyboard. Thinking of this I fondly remember my days as a Blackberry Curve user and how much I loved that phone. But now, I’m not so sure if I wanted it for getting more work done, or if my rose-colored nostalgia for the early days of smartphones.
…Lite Apps on Android for the Masses
Lite Apps on Android for the Masses
Aug. 19, 2019
The fact that lite apps are not available in all markets is a major problem. This is true for mainline apps from Facebook or Google and then unfortunately for apps from surprising sources like Mozilla. As your Android device ages these apps are lifelines to keeping functionality of older devices that are still perfectly fine to use, but modern apps are so bloated they run terribly on anything but recent flagships.
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