IPad or not to iPad
M1 iPad pro is the most portable computer I have. Running into an issue to be able to post to bearlybakes from anywhere. I want to use my phone but wordpress backend is not really optimized for a smartphone. I was going to look at any new OLED Macbook replacements that might be announced this year…so expensive T.T
I have started a habit of reminding myself ‘How can I do this now without spending more money’ Just carry around the iPad I have and run it into the ground. Use it a lot. Type on the expensive keyboard it came with and be flexible.
Honestly it already feels great because I am writing this from a iPad right now. I just need to clean it and move forward. This is my creating machine and it will be until no more OS updates. The battery is already shot but I have a usb-c wire everywhere in the house. It’s heavy but a laptop is heavier. It doesn’t have an OLED screen but it does have a mini-LED screen. Biggest HDR screen I got.
Just make more things.
Mac after M1
I started to do some research on what is possible today when thinking about M series macs and linux. Time will come when apple stops supporting older M series devices with newer OS updates. Asahi Linux to the rescue. I have limited knowledge about linux so now I am on a learning journey.
I like using Macs and MacOS but I want to be able to still use them later in life. Another hurdle is if the software that I want to use is available for linux or not. Generally I feel it’s fine to run older OS on the older machines. I do worry about security vulnerabilities for older macs. It seems though apple will send out an update to even older machines if it is a high tier security issue. Regardless am excited to see future updates on Asahi Linux variant. Watched a informative video by Veronica Explains about Asahi to get more familiar.
Also iPAD bootlock issue is dumb, specially because it has a M series chips in there.
Science Heroes
This is an exciting week. In my mind I thought the launch would not happen again and didn’t place much stress on what was happening. It did not hit me until a friend messaged me with the word ‘Launched’. I started to scrabble because I thought I waiting for the Nasa live stream to start with 72K other people on youtube. Turned out it was just not working for me so missed the live launch. I still wanted to experience the history in the making so I decided to just watch it with a 10 min delay on my phone since the stream was working there. I have always wanted to experience a launch in person and someday I will. I will rent a camera with a long lens and since on top of my car an capture science. One day.
I hope that the mission of Artemis II is a success and I wish for a safe return for all the astronauts back home.
Mac Me
A new m5 mac mini cannot get here sooner. I really want to replace my main mac mini m1 and retire it to my 3D printer. I am also really looking forward to a OLED macbook pro with a touch screen. If apple let’s us use a apple pencil with a laptop then it would be a nice upgrade computer from a iPad pro m1 I have been using. I also have been thinking about switching to the latest iPad pro M5 for that sweet sweet LG Tandem OLED screen. I watch movies and shows mostly not on a TV so the iPad would be a nice TV upgrade at the same time. But if the OLED macbook hits all the requirements it might be in the running for better than iPad pro.
Currently I have a intel iMac (not sure if it’s 5K) sitting next my 3D printer. It is also a small business shipping computer next to all the shipping supplies. I wanted to convert it into a monitor but not sure if that will happen. I keep thinking about the logistics of doing getting it done time to time. It is a nice designed piece of tech that I want to keep alive as a monitor. I feel like while I am writing all this I am convincing myself to do it. I don’t want to place a cheap hp/dell monitor there and I don’t want to buy a new apple studio display for a mac mini M1 either.
I need to believe in myself and just do it.
‘Predator Badlands’ Movie Review
It’s interesting to see how Predator as a brand has traveled from something distant and scary to something familiar enough that the audience feels empathy for Dek the alien. The VFX tech has gotten really good and that gives the production permission to tell a story about the predator where we see and feel the emotions from a very alien main character. Previous renditions of predator had to hide behind a mask for production cost reasons so the story was more centered around a human actor. Now we can go to Yautja home world and learn about them intimately. And follow them throughout the movie as the main character.
Badlands is an extremely refreshing take on the predator genre. It feels equal in my mind James Camerons Avatar movies in a way. We travel to a world with a ecosystem that is very foreign yet our main character has to learn to adapt and become one with nature. Sounds familiar and I loved it.
Felt entertaining to watch throughout the whole ride. Not overall gory movie which was surprising for a Predator movie. Don’t get me wrong there is gore but felt motivated by story rather than just because they can. I am interest in finding more behind the scenes and studying the VFX work that went into this movie. Framestore did put a video breakdown for some parts of the movie. Still wondering if there were other VFX houses that helped out.
Interested in seeing where they take the sequels in the future. Not sure if they can do better but I will hold out hope.
Overall I give the movie 8/10. Will watch it again when I have a larger OLED screen.