Category: Samsung

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 15, 20269:27 pm

The Trekkers

Fourteen years ago today, San Diego Comic-Con wrapped up for another annual gathering. Sunday is my favorite day of the entire event. Locals, particularly families, dominate attendance. Most of the Hollywood crowd has left the building, so to speak.

But pulp media presence is full-force present by way of brands. Star Trek is one of the biggest, considerably more so currently than 2012. One booth used to sell authentic sci-fi uniforms from several prominent TV series—I’m partial to those from Battlestar Galactica, thank-you. Star Trek was among them, but Anovos, the company producing the uniforms, no longer exists.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 14, 20268:35 pm

Day Three Crowd, Comic-Con 2012

Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con is by far the busiest day and most jam-packed, whether measured by attendance size or number of panels featuring actors, content creators, showrunners, and more.

Fourteen years ago today, a throng of people pushed past the G4 booth—as you can see from the Featured Image. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 125, 1/17 sec, 3.4mm; 1:43 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 13, 20269:52 pm

Stormtrooper in a Kilt

Ho-ho, the on-this-date review from San Diego Comic-Con continues—reaching back to July 13, 2012. My attendance started in 2009, although I had a press pass for 2008—about nine months after the Wilcox family moved to Southern California. My return for two days next week will be my first appearance since 2017.

The Featured Image is intriguing for a couple of reasons. The kilt is obvious. You can see that. You have to wonder what impression a brigade of like-adorned stormtroopers would make. Would rebel forces laugh and not take their adversaries seriously enough, ending up even more dead?

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 3, 202610:33 pm

A Tragic Scene

The text message appeared at 6:29 p.m. PDT: “Crash at Florida and Monroe! Don’t know the scoop!” I responded to my good friend and neighbor: “I better go look!!” She owns kitties Guido and Little, who have appeared in my “Cats of University Heights” series.

Approaching the scene, I expected to see a couple of shattered and smashed cars in the intersection. As you can see from the Featured Image and companions, I came upon something more somber, and unsettling.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 30, 202610:00 am

MacBook Neo: Sadly Underpowered, Easily Overwhelmed

If you are an iPhone and/or iPad owner who has pined for a somewhat affordable Mac, if you aren’t rushed and don’t mind waiting, and if you are bestowed with Herculean patience, then Apple MacBook Neo is for you. If you don’t mind paying $100 more than you would have five days ago, by all means partake the forbidden fruit.

For the record, other than anyone fitting the above criteria—or perhaps someone wanting to be one of the cool kids—I don’t recommend MacBook Neo for almost anyone who does more than surf the web or check email. Lag is the best term to describes how the Neo feels in real world usage. Performance reminds me of early Chromebooks, other than Google’s own Pixel series, and also Netbooks. Remember those?

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 27, 20269:11 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Jolie

Happy Caturday! I held back this kitty, thinking that the Featured Image was Donuts, because of fur markings, size, and location seen. But on closer inspection, they are different animals.

The portrait comes from Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, on April 1, 2026. Vitals: f/2.9, ISO 25, 1/135 sec; 7:44 a.m. PDT. Nickname: Jolie, which is French for Pretty.

Living by Joe WilcoxJun 23, 20264:29 pm

They’re Here, But Where’s the Lanyard?

The mailman, whose last day delivering to my street is tomorrow, delivered not one but two golden tickets: Thursday and Sunday passes to San Diego Comic-Con 2026. The annual pulp media pilgrimage starts one month from today, July 23, and runs through the 26th. Additionally, the lucky—or the chosen—can attend Preview Night on the 22nd.

Thursday is official first day. Friday tends to be busier. Saturday often is busiest because of the masquerade ball that evening. You will see more cosplayers strutting about than on any other day. I call Sunday “family day”; locals predominantly fill the convention center. Meanwhile, the majority of celebrities have gone. (Should I say good riddance?)

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 21, 202610:13 pm

Godspeed, JB

This afternoon, as I walked along Mississippi Street, about a block-and-a-half South of El Cajon Blvd, a gentleman coming towards me wished a hearty “Happy Father’s Day!” He passed, I turned around, and I called, “Are you a dad??” So that I could return the sentiment. He isn’t one yet.

So, I asked how old he is. Thirty-one. He hopes to be a father someday, but he’s still single, and he is but six months into the current relationship; I heard hope in the man’s voice regarding the woman.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 17, 20269:53 pm

The Great Escape, and Not the First Time

This morning my wife rang, unexpectedly. After a brisk morning of cooking, she had gone out for an unwinding walk. I stayed behind to clean up the kitchen and wash dishes. She called after coming upon a wayward rabbit. By fur color, this was a wild bunny. But another characteristic revealed a domesticated animal. Somebody’s pet.

When living in the Washington, DC area, our family owned two bunnies: Daisy and Mayflower. Both had floppy ears, which is not a trait exhibited in nature. As you can see from the Featured Image and companions, this rabbit has floppy ears, which are a product of domestication and selective breeding.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 14, 20269:40 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Gingerbread

This fine feline is the eighty-sixth found behind door or window. I spotted him on June 12, 2026, during an early morning walk, and used Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to shoot the Featured Image.

Vitals: f/2.9, ISO 25, 1/2000 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 8:17 a.m. PDT. Nickname: Gingerbread.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 9, 202610:05 pm

Getting Ready for the 250th

The United States of America’s 250th birthday is weeks away. But you wouldn’t have an itsy-bitsy inkling in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. The measure of patriotism here is support for the next No Kings protests on June 14, 2026 or the number of paraded pride flags, which outnumber another symbol: Upside-down American flags.

So, tonight, I was delighted to pass this classic Craftsman decked out with American bunting decor and string lights. Finally, someone prepares for the Fourth of July—unless their objective is Flag Day on the Fourteenth.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 8, 202610:05 pm

Too Good To Go

I install few apps on my phone or tablet, not trusting how intrusively nosey and tracking they can be. But a few exceptions are notable, one being Too Good to Go. The Wilcox family uses the app almost daily now, for finding good food made available at substantial discount.

The stuff might otherwise be trashed, particularly because of local regulations that restrict fresh, produced goods’ salability after set time period. Freshness is another consideration. Both could apply to baked goods, such as bagels or donuts. Over-production is an additional factor. Maybe the pizzeria has too many slices leftover at the end of day.