Category: Google

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 24, 20239:04 pm

The Overlook Remembered

Twice we have shared the view from the Madison Avenue overlook in University Heights—2017 and 2021. The Featured Image gives glimpse from 2013. Yep, 10 years ago. Click the links to the two other musings; do compare the photo from the more recent of the pair with the one above.

You will see: Where once was a college is now a massive condominium complex. San Diego politicians can’t authorize the building of enough unaffordable housing. Why is that? Homeless encampments bear too much resemblance to refugee temporary housing—tent upon tent upon tent—seen in (other) countries besieged by natural disaster or war. Well, they give high-rise tenants living in high-cost flats something outside the window to look at.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 21, 202310:02 pm

Android and Me: Back to @Work

With a sigh of resignation, I handed the shipping box containing Galaxy S22 Ultra to the guy behind the FedEx counter, today. The smartphone is headed to a Samsung facility—fulfillment of my trade-in commitment. The manufacturer already credited the (expected) vaue to my purchase of successor S23 Ultra.

Considering that I only possessed the now older model for about two months, and because of otherwise overall intrinsic value, letting go was a bit challenging. Sentiment also weighed into my reluctance. The S22 Ultra marks my return to Android, after a long hiatus.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 18, 20239:26 pm

Real and Surreal

For this sunny Saturday, we once again go back 10 years to a Featured Image that I don’t recall taking—neither why nor where. The location data claims the 4500 block of Campus Avenue in San Diego neighborhood University Heights.

This one comes for the LG-produced, Googe-branded Nexus 4, on March 31, 2003. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec. 33mm (film equivalent); 2:16 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 13, 202310:23 pm

Espresso Joe

Imminent arrival of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is good reason to reminisce over old Android smartphone shots. When comparing to pics from various iPhones, while expelling the marketing spell that makes Apple Kool-Aid, I see just how over-hyped are the fruit-logo company’s devices. Yes, photos are often quite good. But the Androids’ are as good, and often better.

The Featured Image is randomly chosen example and was taken using LG-made Google Nexus 4 on Jan. 11, 2013. Yeah, 10 years ago. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 100, 1/570 sec, 33mm (film equivalent); cropped 3:2 but otherwise not altered.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 1, 202210:07 pm

Warty Witch Remembers

Seven years ago today, I posted a lengthy, revised review of the Nexus 9 tablet. In 2022, I use an 11-inch iPad Pro M1. That’s the state of my current computing life, which is matched by iPhone 13 Pro and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. Not long ago, I was all-in with Google devices—as recently as 2019. But I eventually bit into the bitter fruit that is Apple, partially because Big G introduced excellent gear that later would be abandoned. Also, I saw increasing need not to be bound to constant Internet access.

That said, I had some satisfying digital lifestyle days using Chromebook Pixel and LS successor, among other Google devices. Pixel C remains one of my all-time favorite tablets, in part for the crisp display and Android utility. I still have one in the closet, languishing; four or five Android versions ago, support stopped. I also still own Pixel 2 XL, which similarly can’t be updated.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 28, 202210:23 pm

Which Bee Better?

Welcome to an unexpected compare-and-contrast session. Tonight, while preparing to share a bee and sunflower shot, I came across another that is surprisingly pleasing, particularly considering its vintage and source. We’ll start with that one, from Google Nexus 5 smartphone on May 30, 2014. Vitals for the Featured Image: f/2.4, ISO 100, 1/4200 sec, 3.97mm; 9:44 a.m. PDT.

I made the moment outside what was the wonderful wildlife sanctuary nicknamed the Butterfly House. The tenants maintaining the lush plants and trees moved to Hawaii in January 2019 and the sanctuary is no more.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 16, 20208:27 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Sparky

Occasionally patience pays, as is the situation with Sparky, whose name I learned today. We made brief acquaintance about 9 months ago outside the home where also lives Herbie, The Love Bug. I have seen the newcomer sometimes since but deferred adding him to the series in hopes of learning his identity and hearing his story. This morning, while walking with my wife, I saw both cats’ caretaker tending the lawn and asked her about him, finally.

She had been a volunteer at the San Diego Animal Shelter, which the County turned over responsibilities to the Humane Society on July 1, 2018. Because of feline overcrowding resulting from the switchover, some cats were scheduled to transition to the animal afterlife, so to speak, rather than to the new facilities. Sparky was on the kill list. That last day of June. Herbie’s owner quite literally saved him from the executioner, by sudden adoption. Conjure up whatever cliché movie moment you like, where a governor pardons someone on Death Row seconds before the lethal injection.

Apple by Joe WilcoxJul 10, 201910:31 pm

A Purely Personal Purge

Today ends tight-integration between Google Drive and Photos, which when working on Chromebooks I earnestly depended for the fluidity of my imaging workflow. As expressed about three weeks ago, the change contributed to my decision to abandon all things Google. I have lost trust in the company’s commitment to treating users as customers; they are instead beta testers for products and commodities to be profited from. That’s the price paid for free.

I have waffled about Alphabet for more than a decade—delighting in beneficial innovation and ignoring even my own analysis about Google’s profiting from—no, exploiting—content created by others. As I have written before: “Google is a leech that feeds off the intellectual property of legitimate content producers. The search giant profits from your good work, reducing its value in the process. Stated differently, ‘You create it, we sell it, and you must give it away for free’. How convenient that Google assigns such value, free, to someone else’s good work, while producing little content of its own”.

Apple by Joe WilcoxJun 20, 201910:25 pm

Sorry, Google

The laptop that led me back to the Google digital lifestyle is gone. Two days ago, a preschool teacher—who happens to be the same age as my daughter—bought the Pixelbook that I purchased in June 2018 during a Father’s Day sale. Subsequently, my wife and I swapped iPhones for Pixel phones and each a MacBook Pro for Google Chromebook. I added the Pixel Slate five months later. Funny thing: While I sold her MBP, I kept mine and iPad 10.5 for software testing. That decision was wise, although sticking to the Apple Way would have been wiser.

I love the Google lifestyle, but it doesn’t love me. Too many workarounds impede my workflow, which makes me more likely to consume content rather than to create it. Google’s Material Design visually appeals, and the UX (user experience) is more consistent than Apple user interfaces, where too many motifs compete and distract. That said, Android and Chrome OS crumple where I need them to be solid. Half-baked is the Android-integration with Chrome OS—not ready for commercial release is Chrome OS tablet. The tools I need most either aren’t available, or they don’t work well. Or worse, Google takes them away.

Mobility by Joe WilcoxApr 24, 20196:14 pm

Why Would Google News Put These Two Together?

I find the layout of Google News to be abysmal on Pixel Slate compared to Android or iOS devices. The mobile app presents poorly, and that’s kindly stated, running on Chrome OS. But occasionally, GN […]

Google by Joe WilcoxApr 2, 201910:17 pm

Goodbye, Google+

Two months ago I posted to Google+: “On April 1, 2019, Google will ceremoniously announce that after conducting focus groups and consulting with loyal users, the company has reversed its decision to close down Google+. On April 2, 2019, Google will pull the plug as planned and tell us that we’re April Fools”.

There was no prank—and I was being facetious rather than prescient—but those of us who stayed to the end nevertheless were fools. The grand social media experiment is over. RIP, Google+: June 28, 2011 – April 2, 2019.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 1, 20199:37 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Rosie

When walking down Monroe from Maryland towards Arch, on Feb. 26, 2019, I spotted a pretty kitty close to where the Siamese Twins presented 11 days earlier. The owner carried in groceries, while her sister and I chatted. There’s a sad story to tell about one of the ladies, sometime later after I ask and if permission is granted.

I used Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens to capture the Featured Image and first companion. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/600 sec, 63mm; 1:25 p.m. PST. Other is the same except 1/450 sec.