WEBVTT 00:00.031 --> 00:02.976 [SPEAKER_00]: a factual day to creation facility production. 00:13.774 --> 00:15.978 [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to the OFN Tea Podcast. 00:16.719 --> 00:22.229 [SPEAKER_02]: A show mainly about tech and other topics and how their influence affects our host. 00:22.249 --> 00:24.132 [SPEAKER_02]: Now here he is, Jim Schaffer. 00:24.668 --> 00:30.615 [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the OF&T podcast episode 308, which I'm calling, HardwareScare. 00:31.917 --> 00:36.022 [SPEAKER_01]: The reason for that title will become apparent to you in the tech I'm using section. 00:37.544 --> 00:39.146 [SPEAKER_01]: All is fairly well around here. 00:39.747 --> 00:41.609 [SPEAKER_01]: No more snow, but it's raining now. 00:42.470 --> 00:44.072 [SPEAKER_01]: No, it's still better than snow. 00:44.092 --> 00:44.192 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. 00:45.434 --> 00:47.456 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I hope that you had a great weekend. 00:47.677 --> 00:48.498 [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for listening. 00:49.579 --> 00:51.942 [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, I guess I'll just get started here now. 00:56.900 --> 01:08.874 [SPEAKER_01]: Tech News, a official Samsung will hold an unpacked event on February 25th, where the company is expected to launch its Galaxy S26 series of smartphones. 01:09.695 --> 01:14.761 [SPEAKER_01]: I know this because I received an email from Samsung earlier last week announcing the event. 01:15.962 --> 01:20.207 [SPEAKER_01]: I've used Galaxy phones in the past and love the hardware. 01:20.187 --> 01:23.616 [SPEAKER_01]: What I didn't like was Samsung's interpretation of Android. 01:24.639 --> 01:28.549 [SPEAKER_01]: I found it bloated in after a while, the bloat slowed the phone down. 01:28.569 --> 01:30.634 [SPEAKER_01]: And software updates? 01:31.517 --> 01:36.610 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, to borrow a phrase used a lot by my fellow New Yorkers, forget about it. 01:37.518 --> 01:40.141 [SPEAKER_01]: from there I went on to Nexus phones and Pixels. 01:41.542 --> 01:55.337 [SPEAKER_01]: I've heard that old Samus change its ways, but I'm deep into the sacred world, a garden ecosystem of Apple, however besides Google, Samsung is the only alternative to the giant fruit companies offerings. 01:56.138 --> 02:07.390 [SPEAKER_01]: Detect press has been predicting no radical changes for this year's Galaxy phone lineup, but we've come to a point in smart from development where all manufacturers can do, 02:07.370 --> 02:08.352 [SPEAKER_01]: But who knows? 02:09.054 --> 02:10.677 [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe Samsung will surprise us. 02:11.479 --> 02:15.327 [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, how much more can one expect from these glass slabs? 02:16.089 --> 02:17.732 [SPEAKER_01]: I'll be watching this year's unpacked. 02:18.173 --> 02:19.736 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, what else do I have to do? 02:19.776 --> 02:21.480 [SPEAKER_01]: Will you be watching? 02:24.262 --> 02:31.473 [SPEAKER_01]: Android Police has an article on its site which details their investigation of the fiscal health of the smart-bring company circular. 02:31.533 --> 02:39.605 [SPEAKER_01]: Circular is one of a bevy of companies who've risen up to challenge aura, which currently leads the smart-bring market. 02:40.826 --> 02:47.136 [SPEAKER_01]: Some outfits like Ultra-human and Ringcon have given aura run for its money over the last couple of years. 02:48.257 --> 02:50.100 [SPEAKER_01]: The same can't be said for circular. 02:50.080 --> 03:02.352 [SPEAKER_01]: The company is now on version 2 of its ring, but online reviews are full of unsatisfied users, some of which express a loading for both the ring and the company behind it. 03:03.580 --> 03:11.230 [SPEAKER_01]: The ring itself is jam-packed with features, and unlike aura, most of the features don't require a subscription in order to use them. 03:11.711 --> 03:13.293 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? 03:13.813 --> 03:16.837 [SPEAKER_01]: It would be if those features actually worked. 03:16.857 --> 03:21.464 [SPEAKER_01]: These circular ring two comes in at over $100 cheaper than the aura. 03:22.064 --> 03:28.693 [SPEAKER_01]: But according to the reviews, you give up durability and accompanying software which actually works. 03:28.673 --> 03:38.114 [SPEAKER_01]: Circular software is best known for its random crashes, and the failure to sink with third-party software and devices, as well as the circular ring itself. 03:39.376 --> 03:44.708 [SPEAKER_01]: Rumors have been circulating, see what I did there, that circular was in financial trouble. 03:44.688 --> 03:51.658 [SPEAKER_01]: Documents filed on behalf of Circular with the French government that have just been discovered seemed to confirm this. 03:52.940 --> 04:02.173 [SPEAKER_01]: Circular was headquartered in France and filed for judicial liquidation back in November of last year, which I assume was already accomplished. 04:02.153 --> 04:09.600 [SPEAKER_01]: However, a new circular company was established in Hong Kong, where apparently circular established its new headquarters. 04:10.581 --> 04:15.026 [SPEAKER_01]: This only came to light when Android Police contacted the company asking what its status was. 04:16.507 --> 04:31.722 [SPEAKER_01]: According to the company's response, users have nothing to worry about, but if co-states say that, the company has indeed moved to Hong Kong in order to be closer to its production facilities, and the original founders are still on board and now reside in Hong Kong. 04:31.702 --> 04:33.886 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, nothing sketchy about that. 04:34.927 --> 04:39.314 [SPEAKER_01]: To we I see it, this can go two ways with one being bad and the other terrible. 04:40.336 --> 04:45.504 [SPEAKER_01]: The first outcome is the company quietly folds, leaving current users orphaned. 04:46.586 --> 04:50.853 [SPEAKER_01]: The second outcome is that the reliability improves in the software becomes impeccable. 04:51.193 --> 04:54.098 [SPEAKER_01]: How would this be considered a bad outcome? 04:54.078 --> 05:04.031 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, the software would be coded in China, which would then be hosting the circular data servers exposing your data to Chinese government's myriad of intelligence agencies. 05:05.112 --> 05:10.339 [SPEAKER_01]: The founders would be offered an accept a nice buyout and beyond their way to launching another product. 05:11.421 --> 05:18.550 [SPEAKER_01]: This would leave circular as a fully-owned and operated Chinese-based company, which it has basically already become. 05:19.272 --> 05:20.454 [SPEAKER_01]: But hey, I could be wrong. 05:20.494 --> 05:26.225 [SPEAKER_01]: At this point, I'd stay away from circular, and stick with aura or samsung. 05:27.307 --> 05:31.314 [SPEAKER_01]: I've experienced this offering with my first smart ring, the Motiv Ring. 05:32.496 --> 05:38.227 [SPEAKER_01]: In Motiv's case, they were bought out by a security metrics company for their patents, and then quickly shut down. 05:39.529 --> 05:42.715 [SPEAKER_01]: While the Motiv Ring didn't have as many features as the aura ring, 05:42.695 --> 05:44.599 [SPEAKER_01]: The few it did have worked very well. 05:44.639 --> 05:49.889 [SPEAKER_01]: The software was great and had no problem syncing with third-party software and hardware. 05:50.711 --> 05:53.697 [SPEAKER_01]: It tracked heart rate, sleep, steps, and other basic things. 05:54.879 --> 05:57.525 [SPEAKER_01]: The motive decided on going down a different path than aura. 05:58.527 --> 06:02.695 [SPEAKER_01]: They started focusing on identity biometric based on walking gate. 06:03.417 --> 06:08.347 [SPEAKER_01]: Once a style this you can use your motor for ink to do things like login to your computer, big deal. 06:08.909 --> 06:10.773 [SPEAKER_01]: It was a big deal in 2016. 06:11.795 --> 06:17.647 [SPEAKER_01]: Remember this was before Face ID was a thing and Apple hadn't yet added that unlocking feature to the Apple Watch yet. 06:18.389 --> 06:20.233 [SPEAKER_01]: And motive was cross platform. 06:21.094 --> 06:24.261 [SPEAKER_01]: It worked well on iOS and Android and even Windows. 06:25.068 --> 06:29.482 [SPEAKER_01]: I like to style and build quality of the mode of ring over that of the aura ring to this day. 06:29.502 --> 06:34.056 [SPEAKER_00]: I guess you can call the motive ring the Windows phone of smart rings. 06:34.638 --> 06:35.922 [SPEAKER_00]: Don't get me started. 06:38.770 --> 06:40.832 [SPEAKER_01]: in what can be called good news for Google. 06:41.273 --> 06:46.219 [SPEAKER_01]: Counterpoint research just released report which breaks down the global share of active smartphones. 06:47.000 --> 06:51.545 [SPEAKER_01]: This measures only those smartphones that are in active use, ignoring sales numbers. 06:52.005 --> 06:54.648 [SPEAKER_00]: You're not going to tell us that Android is number one, are you? 06:55.169 --> 06:56.110 [SPEAKER_00]: We already know that. 06:56.591 --> 07:00.675 [SPEAKER_01]: This report has nothing to do with what mobile operating system is being used. 07:01.236 --> 07:02.938 [SPEAKER_01]: Just a hardware. 07:02.918 --> 07:10.940 [SPEAKER_01]: While Google's Pixel phones are at the bottom of the list with a 1% of the global active phone share, what's so good about coming in last? 07:11.260 --> 07:17.417 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, previously Pixel phones didn't even make the chart, so this can be considered a albeit small victory. 07:18.106 --> 07:20.328 [SPEAKER_01]: I have only seen one pixel phone out in the wild. 07:21.069 --> 07:22.871 [SPEAKER_01]: That was a couple of years ago up in New York. 07:23.512 --> 07:29.078 [SPEAKER_01]: There must be something to that, as Google has two of their nine stores there, when in Brooklyn and when in Manhattan. 07:29.899 --> 07:35.525 [SPEAKER_01]: I think this small upward trend will continue with the pixel becoming the hip phone to have. 07:36.466 --> 07:47.978 [SPEAKER_01]: Around where I currently reside, the only phones I see are iPhones and Galaxy phones, with a smattering of Chinese manufacturers phones. 07:50.725 --> 07:55.851 [SPEAKER_01]: Continuing with the counterpoint report, iPhone's account for one in four active smart phones. 07:57.233 --> 07:57.954 [UNKNOWN]: NOOOOO! 07:57.974 --> 08:06.484 [SPEAKER_01]: According to the report that's nearly a 25% share of all's active smart phones on the planet, with Samsung having a 22% share. 08:07.746 --> 08:11.190 [SPEAKER_01]: Just those two brands make up 44% of the world's active phones. 08:12.111 --> 08:16.817 [SPEAKER_01]: So it's no wonder those brands with smart phones are what I usually see while I'm out in about. 08:19.379 --> 08:38.839 [SPEAKER_01]: According to Waybow Leaker, fixed focus digital, Apple's upcoming modem chip, which is to be dubbed the C2, include full 5G, cellular satellite service, right now we have satellite testing available from different companies, but only the promise of full call and video chatting so far. 08:39.960 --> 08:44.965 [SPEAKER_01]: The only new revelation here is that Apple's own modem chip will also include this capability. 08:45.232 --> 08:49.736 [SPEAKER_01]: As I've predicted before on this very podcast, blowing your own horn, are we? 08:50.217 --> 08:51.057 [SPEAKER_01]: You bet I am. 08:51.097 --> 08:57.023 [SPEAKER_01]: Eventually, this method of cellular service where we place terrestrial cell towers. 08:57.884 --> 09:04.109 [SPEAKER_01]: They'll keep a stripped down number of land-based cell towers around for backup, but the future is in space. 09:05.411 --> 09:12.437 [SPEAKER_01]: The tech news press believes this new capability, the C2 model will bring, will debut with the iPhone 18, 09:15.286 --> 09:19.392 [SPEAKER_01]: an article from MacRumors.com, ask the following question. 09:19.412 --> 09:22.436 [SPEAKER_01]: This Apple phasing out the iWork brand. 09:23.758 --> 09:32.991 [SPEAKER_01]: They're asking this question because besides the recent introduction of the subscription based creator studio bundle, Apple has removed the iWorks section from its website. 09:34.591 --> 09:54.133 [SPEAKER_01]: If you didn't already know, I work consists of or consisted of the word processor pages, spreadsheet app numbers, and the presentation app keynote, the dedicated I work pages were replaced with a generic apps page, featuring created studio, Apple Arcade, and Apple Invites. 09:54.674 --> 09:54.854 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh. 09:55.415 --> 09:57.097 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, and image playground. 09:57.577 --> 09:57.778 [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. 09:58.218 --> 10:04.345 [SPEAKER_01]: The I work branding came about in 2007 as Apple's 10:04.325 --> 10:06.587 [SPEAKER_01]: and each app was sold for $20 each. 10:07.849 --> 10:14.876 [SPEAKER_01]: The iOS version of IWork launched in 2010, at the same time the original iPad and cost-a-user 10 bucks each. 10:16.018 --> 10:22.545 [SPEAKER_01]: The iOS version of IWork launched in 2010 at the same time as the original iPad and cost-a-users 10 bucks each. 10:23.706 --> 10:29.252 [SPEAKER_01]: In 2013, Apple decided to make the IWork bundle for both Mac OS and iOS 3. 10:30.734 --> 10:44.136 [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if Apple is doing a variation of the old, give them the razor and sell them the blades routine, but I'd be pretty upset if going forward, would have to subscribe to the creator bundle in order to continue using them. 10:44.622 --> 10:55.897 [SPEAKER_01]: I was a Microsoft Word guy and followed on to the Office 365 thing, but when getting closer to retirement, I switched over to I work apps because, well, they were good. 10:56.959 --> 11:02.586 [SPEAKER_01]: And they were free, skin-flint, guilty, well, somewhat, it depends. 11:03.007 --> 11:11.338 [SPEAKER_00]: Now, what will you do if Apple eventually does require you to subscribe to the creator bundle in order to keep using the I work apps? 11:11.656 --> 11:12.518 [SPEAKER_01]: I have a backup. 11:13.619 --> 11:20.432 [SPEAKER_01]: I own IA writer, but for convenience, I'd probably download one of the many open source word processors out there. 11:21.193 --> 11:24.639 [SPEAKER_01]: I'd be willing to purchase a stand-alone word processor if I could find one. 11:25.821 --> 11:35.318 [SPEAKER_01]: The article does point out that Apple seems to be facing out the I branding over the last few years, using Apple Books and Apple Photos as examples. 11:35.703 --> 11:39.328 [SPEAKER_01]: Those apps used to be known as eyebooks and eye photos, respectively. 11:40.550 --> 11:47.239 [SPEAKER_01]: In this stage of my life, all I require are a simple word processor and spreadsheet applications. 11:48.360 --> 11:49.762 [SPEAKER_01]: Have any suggestions for me? 11:52.766 --> 12:00.577 [SPEAKER_01]: A big Apple story broke late last week and it concerns the giant food companies groundbreaking but largely ignored digital assistant Siri. 12:00.958 --> 12:01.879 [SPEAKER_02]: Oh no! 12:01.994 --> 12:21.662 [SPEAKER_01]: If you recall, couple of years ago Apple made a big deal about Apple Intelligence, and especially the new AI and few Siri, I think it was announced during the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, better known as the WWDC, and featured that weird-looking actress that's been everywhere for some reason. 12:22.042 --> 12:23.504 [SPEAKER_00]: You're referring to Bella Ramsey. 12:24.045 --> 12:24.846 [SPEAKER_01]: Whatever. 12:25.231 --> 12:28.657 [SPEAKER_01]: Most recently she's been on HBO's flopped the last of us. 12:29.799 --> 12:37.171 [SPEAKER_01]: The video was probably meant to be edited down to a television advert, and showed her calling on Siri for a host of things. 12:37.853 --> 12:42.160 [SPEAKER_01]: The highlight being her being greeted by a person whose name she had forgotten. 12:42.292 --> 12:46.159 [SPEAKER_01]: But was able to ask Siri what the person's name was based on a calendar entry. 12:47.140 --> 12:51.007 [SPEAKER_01]: None of what was demonstrated during that video has come the past as of yet. 12:51.488 --> 12:55.214 [SPEAKER_01]: As Apple has since realized that artificial intelligence is hard. 12:56.517 --> 12:57.879 [SPEAKER_01]: Most two years have passed since. 12:58.660 --> 13:05.312 [SPEAKER_01]: An Apple was forced to strike a deal with rival Google in order to use that company's Gemini to power new Siri. 13:05.292 --> 13:11.339 [SPEAKER_01]: Apple promised that this new and proved Siri would be finally coming in March alongside iOS 26.4. 13:11.439 --> 13:11.960 [SPEAKER_01]: No. 13:13.322 --> 13:14.543 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, apparently not. 13:15.384 --> 13:19.028 [SPEAKER_01]: According to Bloomberg, you mean Bloomberg's Mark German? 13:19.349 --> 13:25.616 [SPEAKER_01]: Surprisingly no, just plain old Bloomberg is reporting that Siri has once again been pushed back until late 2026. 13:27.258 --> 13:31.283 [SPEAKER_01]: For Apple this means December 31st at one minute before midnight. 13:31.263 --> 13:37.859 [SPEAKER_01]: If this delay rumor turns out to be true, even the next iPhone won't ship with this new version of Siri. 13:38.320 --> 13:38.761 [SPEAKER_02]: What? 13:39.263 --> 13:48.445 [SPEAKER_01]: During the past year Apple has fired its AI head and restructured the whole team in an attempt to get this product out the door to apparently know a van. 13:49.083 --> 13:54.652 [SPEAKER_01]: I guess Apple hasn't learned its lesson from their past, which is dumb an ounce something that isn't ready yet. 13:55.673 --> 13:58.217 [SPEAKER_01]: We had a turn for this back at the dawn of home computing. 13:58.959 --> 14:00.341 [SPEAKER_01]: We called it vaporware. 14:01.022 --> 14:03.686 [SPEAKER_01]: That's exactly what this new Siri was in is. 14:04.968 --> 14:08.393 [SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully when the new Siri is released, it will be near perfect. 14:09.235 --> 14:14.483 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it'll have to be after what's shipping up to be an over two-year delay. 14:14.463 --> 14:20.813 [SPEAKER_01]: combine this with the recent releasing of some buggy software, and it's starting to look like Apple is losing its focus. 14:22.115 --> 14:25.761 [SPEAKER_01]: Now liquid glass looks good, but in use has some problems. 14:26.562 --> 14:34.334 [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe Apple's attention is focused on augmented reality glasses, which the tech world is hurleding as the next big thing. 14:34.394 --> 14:40.183 [SPEAKER_01]: Manufacturers are in endless search for something to replace the now common smartphone. 14:42.982 --> 14:49.330 [SPEAKER_01]: To wrap things up for the tech section, supply chain analysts, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Mingxhi Quo. 14:52.668 --> 15:02.439 [SPEAKER_01]: says that the new quote, a budget MacBook will be constructed of metal and will be available in many fun colors, similar to the iMac. 15:02.459 --> 15:08.565 [SPEAKER_01]: This will quote also, predicts that this MacBook will ship the first week of March, along with the iPhone 17E. 15:08.886 --> 15:14.832 [SPEAKER_01]: If true, we can expect the two products to be announced via, press release sometime next week. 15:15.813 --> 15:20.278 [SPEAKER_01]: And if that doesn't happen, then it'll be no weekly overflow episode this week. 15:21.963 --> 15:24.570 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm sure you'll be heartbroken about this. 15:24.631 --> 15:30.808 [SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't much tech news this past week, and I got everything concerning tech onto this episode. 15:35.581 --> 15:36.602 [SPEAKER_01]: Check I'm using. 15:36.622 --> 15:39.946 [SPEAKER_01]: Nothing really knew as far as, new tech here lately. 15:39.966 --> 15:43.650 [SPEAKER_01]: I did get a new microphone stand from Inno gear. 15:44.411 --> 15:49.977 [SPEAKER_01]: I haven't used yet because in the next week or so I'll be rearranging my desk because it has become too cluttered. 15:51.118 --> 15:58.046 [SPEAKER_01]: However, I did experience some problems with my LG 4K computer monitor, which is attached to my MacMany of course. 15:59.107 --> 16:00.228 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that MacMany. 16:00.629 --> 16:03.732 [SPEAKER_01]: The one I've been having problem with for the last month or so. 16:04.471 --> 16:10.825 [SPEAKER_01]: While doing some old fart computing last Tuesday, all of a sudden the display became super bright and started flickering. 16:10.865 --> 16:16.577 [SPEAKER_01]: Then I noticed the display started retaining a ghost image of apps that I had already minimized. 16:17.639 --> 16:24.133 [SPEAKER_01]: I changed HDMI cables which had no effect, changed the connection to the second HDMI port. 16:24.113 --> 16:27.716 [SPEAKER_01]: with no result, and to deal, rebooting everything trick. 16:28.817 --> 16:30.559 [SPEAKER_01]: Nothing remedied this situation. 16:31.540 --> 16:34.922 [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing I didn't try was bang on both the computer and monitor. 16:35.643 --> 16:37.405 [SPEAKER_01]: It was tempted to do so, though. 16:37.425 --> 16:45.772 [SPEAKER_01]: And then went into the monitor's settings and changed the resolution settings from normal to high resolution, and that solved things. 16:46.613 --> 16:52.618 [SPEAKER_01]: But the high resolution was way too bright 16:52.598 --> 16:58.390 [SPEAKER_01]: It was as if I was staring directly into the sun and how an earth do you know this? 16:59.348 --> 17:00.129 [SPEAKER_01]: See what I did then? 17:00.609 --> 17:05.175 [SPEAKER_01]: Because I attempted that folly of staring into the sun as a child, that's how. 17:06.276 --> 17:09.901 [SPEAKER_01]: No one has ever accused me of being intelligent, especially when I was a child. 17:11.142 --> 17:15.367 [SPEAKER_01]: Wednesday I returned the monitor setting to normal and so far all seems well. 17:16.408 --> 17:19.131 [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing I've noticed is that the color red seems off. 17:19.512 --> 17:20.353 [SPEAKER_01]: More like orange. 17:20.713 --> 17:23.136 [SPEAKER_01]: Perhaps this problem can be blamed on your eyes. 17:23.817 --> 17:28.883 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I did consider that, but every other screen I look at doesn't have this problem. 17:29.707 --> 17:33.856 [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, I'm taking this as a warning sign that my monitor is on its way out. 17:34.758 --> 17:43.176 [SPEAKER_01]: So, I've been producing Amazon looking for a replacement and once I find one, it will reside on my wish list until my current monitor gives up the ghost. 17:44.359 --> 17:47.125 [SPEAKER_01]: Ink technology grand. 17:48.961 --> 17:49.782 [SPEAKER_01]: body grooming. 17:50.343 --> 17:52.867 [SPEAKER_00]: And here I thought this was the tech I'm using section. 17:53.388 --> 17:56.712 [SPEAKER_01]: If you would have let me finish, you'd have been made aware of the connection. 17:56.732 --> 18:00.017 [SPEAKER_01]: And by the way, no one pays you to think. 18:00.798 --> 18:02.341 [SPEAKER_01]: You're incapable of it anyway. 18:02.381 --> 18:03.162 [SPEAKER_01]: That's true. 18:03.883 --> 18:04.344 [SPEAKER_01]: For now. 18:05.105 --> 18:09.151 [SPEAKER_01]: You know, the older I become, the more I find myself needing to groom my body. 18:09.651 --> 18:10.733 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yuck. 18:10.713 --> 18:15.178 [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know why, but as I get older, hair has started sprouting up everywhere on my body. 18:15.999 --> 18:17.681 [SPEAKER_01]: That is everywhere but on my head. 18:17.721 --> 18:28.032 [SPEAKER_01]: Here grows on and in my ears and nose, my facial hair besides growing faster has taken on the consistency of freed copper wire. 18:28.092 --> 18:32.597 [SPEAKER_01]: To do battle with this hairy situation, see what I did there? 18:33.098 --> 18:33.598 [SPEAKER_01]: No! 18:33.618 --> 18:35.961 [SPEAKER_01]: I've enlisted technology. 18:35.941 --> 18:44.569 [SPEAKER_01]: Over the past 10 years or so, I relied on no-name timers for my years and knows while using a Panasonic Arc Series electric shaver for facial hair. 18:45.670 --> 18:50.735 [SPEAKER_01]: Over those years, I've augmented the Panasonic shaver with good old-fashioned razors. 18:51.916 --> 18:56.781 [SPEAKER_01]: I was forced to do this because the electric razors didn't cut close enough on certain areas of my face. 18:57.862 --> 19:03.467 [SPEAKER_01]: One afternoon, while shopping at my local 19:03.447 --> 19:10.817 [SPEAKER_01]: I saw that a lower-end Phillips-Noralco rotary razor was on sale and after obtaining clearance, I decided to purchase it. 19:11.919 --> 19:16.966 [SPEAKER_01]: After using it, I found that it outperformed the much more expensive Panasonic arc shaver. 19:17.707 --> 19:23.214 [SPEAKER_01]: This outcome made me decide on converting all my grooming tools over to the Phillips-Noralco brand. 19:24.195 --> 19:27.059 [SPEAKER_01]: My electric razor knows hair trimmer, head and body trimmer. 19:27.180 --> 19:32.627 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I have to shave my head because my male pattern baldness has no discernible pattern to it. 19:32.607 --> 19:40.136 [SPEAKER_01]: mouth irrigator and electric toothbrush, they all now bear the Philips Naroko badge, and I couldn't be happier. 19:40.176 --> 19:45.422 [SPEAKER_01]: The mouth irrigator, especially, is the best I've ever used, hands down. 19:45.482 --> 19:53.592 [SPEAKER_01]: The only problem I'm having with all this Philips Naroko gear is almost all of the separate charging connections they require. 19:53.632 --> 20:02.563 [SPEAKER_01]: Now I can understand things like the mouth irrigator having a different charging connector, 20:02.543 --> 20:08.857 [SPEAKER_01]: This had made my side of the bathroom sink look like the wiring of a computer server farm done in coherently. 20:08.877 --> 20:16.654 [SPEAKER_01]: While charging the built-in batteries of the various grooming tools, I'm constantly having this, which charging cables. 20:17.039 --> 20:26.331 [SPEAKER_01]: Now I do have one of those combination outlet extender slash surge protector awards, but I've run out of USB connections. 20:26.351 --> 20:27.973 [SPEAKER_01]: The award has a capacity of four. 20:28.895 --> 20:34.963 [SPEAKER_01]: You'd think that Phillips would standardize its charging connection cables, but I guess that's just asking too much. 20:35.904 --> 20:37.886 [SPEAKER_01]: Have you ever run into problems like this? 20:38.828 --> 20:42.152 [SPEAKER_01]: And where's the European Union when you need them? 20:47.228 --> 20:53.054 [SPEAKER_01]: Entertainment news, I use Fubo as my main live TV streaming provider. 20:54.074 --> 20:57.998 [SPEAKER_01]: Fubo replaced Sling TV, but Sling was much easier on my wallet. 20:58.999 --> 21:02.322 [SPEAKER_01]: To be frank, I hardly watch Fubo and hardly watch Sling. 21:03.423 --> 21:15.835 [SPEAKER_01]: The only reason I even use these services because of sports, particularly Major League Baseball. 21:16.237 --> 21:17.704 [SPEAKER_01]: but some games are blacked out. 21:18.970 --> 21:21.844 [SPEAKER_01]: Home Market Games are unavailable, wait a minute. 21:22.426 --> 21:24.255 [SPEAKER_00]: You're a New York Yankees fan. 21:24.775 --> 21:30.282 [SPEAKER_00]: The way I understand it is, all of their game should be available for you because you live out of market. 21:30.763 --> 21:37.472 [SPEAKER_01]: That's true, but if the Yankees happen to be playing Cincinnati or Atlanta, well, that's considered in-market where I reside. 21:37.512 --> 21:44.622 [SPEAKER_01]: That's because the state of Tennessee doesn't have a major league baseball team, but they're working on resolving this situation. 21:45.323 --> 21:52.993 [SPEAKER_01]: But they will probably take a couple of years or more. 21:53.817 --> 21:58.984 [SPEAKER_01]: Various networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and CBS carry those games. 21:59.825 --> 22:03.490 [SPEAKER_01]: Concerning myself, well, I don't mind missing a game here or there. 22:04.611 --> 22:07.815 [SPEAKER_01]: But my lovely wife has to watch every single Yankee's game. 22:08.496 --> 22:17.428 [SPEAKER_01]: Plus she becomes unhappy, and if she's unhappy, well, I will be made unhappy too, no matter what mood I have to be in at the time. 22:17.408 --> 22:25.756 [SPEAKER_01]: So the way I had it worked out was the MLB app for most games, sling for playoff games because sling included TBS and Fox. 22:26.957 --> 22:28.559 [SPEAKER_01]: This worked out fine until it didn't. 22:29.520 --> 22:31.642 [SPEAKER_01]: We were still missing those in-market games. 22:32.583 --> 22:36.527 [SPEAKER_01]: Bobo offered these games as an add-on but didn't carry TBS. 22:37.648 --> 22:44.074 [SPEAKER_01]: However at the time HBO did, so I got an ad supported subscription to HBO at a discount. 22:44.054 --> 22:52.785 [SPEAKER_01]: The hoops you have to jump through in order to watch the content you want that cutting the cord from cable television has created are becoming unsur mountable. 22:53.146 --> 22:54.648 [SPEAKER_01]: So what's the point here? 22:54.668 --> 23:04.961 [SPEAKER_01]: What I'm trying to get at is that Google's YouTube TV has just announced an entertainment package and a separate sports package, both at a lower price in the all you can eat package. 23:05.943 --> 23:11.530 [SPEAKER_01]: According to the YouTube TV blog, these plans are coming real soon now. 23:11.510 --> 23:13.637 [SPEAKER_01]: Once they're official, I'll be checkin' them out. 23:14.359 --> 23:18.452 [SPEAKER_01]: I did have YouTube TV back in what I finally remembered as being. 23:18.472 --> 23:25.654 [SPEAKER_01]: The day, but drop them when they lost the rights to those regional sports channels. 23:25.820 --> 23:29.164 [SPEAKER_01]: If it weren't for those damn Yankees, I see what you did there. 23:29.184 --> 23:33.529 [SPEAKER_01]: I wouldn't have a need for any television streaming service like Fubo and the rest. 23:34.430 --> 23:40.116 [SPEAKER_01]: I hardly watch network television though my wife does, but Hulu covers all her network needs. 23:41.017 --> 23:43.680 [SPEAKER_01]: I watch mostly YouTube and Netflix these days. 23:48.746 --> 23:50.308 [SPEAKER_01]: Podcast News 23:50.609 --> 23:53.053 [SPEAKER_01]: Sennheiser MK4 in the house. 23:53.835 --> 23:55.958 [SPEAKER_00]: My voice overset up is now complete. 23:56.299 --> 24:01.868 [SPEAKER_00]: Um, don't you already have a Neumann TLM102 and a road NT1? 24:02.069 --> 24:04.853 [SPEAKER_00]: Why yes I do, then why get an MK4? 24:05.054 --> 24:07.538 [SPEAKER_00]: Because it matches my voice better. 24:07.518 --> 24:13.226 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, least in my opinion, you're hearing that microphone now, so you'd be the judge. 24:14.288 --> 24:16.370 [SPEAKER_01]: The price of the mic was very reasonable. 24:17.392 --> 24:21.678 [SPEAKER_01]: At least when compared to Neumann microphones, which sent hyzerones by the way. 24:21.738 --> 24:30.190 [SPEAKER_01]: And as a added bonus, the shock-mounted came with the MK4, can also be used for my Neumann TLM 102 microphone. 24:31.291 --> 24:35.297 [SPEAKER_01]: But I'm not here to brag about the Sennheiser MK4. 24:35.277 --> 24:52.729 [SPEAKER_01]: While researching this microphone, which mainly consisted of watching YouTube videos, besides realizing that most videos reviewing the MK4 are over five years old now, I stumbled upon a video from a year ago from a channel out of the UK which is broadcast radio centric. 24:52.709 --> 24:56.635 [SPEAKER_01]: The host of the channel seems to test and compare microphones mainly. 24:57.556 --> 24:59.940 [SPEAKER_01]: It's called Sounds, Lights, and Video Show. 25:01.181 --> 25:10.054 [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, this particular video had a host comparing a, quote, real, synthesizer MK4 to a Chinese made knock-offie purchase from AliExpress. 25:11.036 --> 25:15.983 [SPEAKER_01]: He concludes that there's virtually no differences between the two besides the price. 25:15.963 --> 25:20.110 [SPEAKER_01]: Where things got interesting, though, were within the comments section of the video. 25:21.072 --> 25:27.042 [SPEAKER_01]: It was pointed out to the hosts at both MK4's were in fact counterfeit and stood similar performance. 25:28.284 --> 25:34.174 [SPEAKER_01]: The MK4 capsule is housed within the microphone in a way you can actually see its details. 25:34.238 --> 25:39.289 [SPEAKER_01]: The back of the capsule of a real MK4 has what looks like two white stickers on it. 25:40.351 --> 25:43.618 [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if these are actual stickers, but that's what they resemble. 25:44.641 --> 25:48.990 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, either of the 2 MK4's the host was testing had these. 25:49.561 --> 25:58.272 [SPEAKER_01]: The two capsules on the MK4 is he was testing, also had screws, which protruded on both the front and the rear of the capsule. 25:58.612 --> 26:01.576 [SPEAKER_01]: That's something he, uh, real MK4 doesn't have. 26:02.377 --> 26:08.745 [SPEAKER_01]: Another commentator pointed this out while another stated that this capsule was a common Chinese electric capsule. 26:09.486 --> 26:17.256 [SPEAKER_01]: The host admitted he had been the victim of fraud and being led to believe that he had actually purchased a genuine MK4. 26:17.236 --> 26:18.699 [SPEAKER_01]: It was embarrassed because of it. 26:19.882 --> 26:25.093 [SPEAKER_01]: To his credit, he left the video up as a warning about counterfeit microphones being on the market. 26:25.955 --> 26:36.477 [SPEAKER_01]: I purchased my MK4 directly from Sinhizer, but just to be safe, I checked for those two white stickers or whatever they are, and they were indeed present on my microphone. 26:36.457 --> 26:45.632 [SPEAKER_01]: The MK4 can be considered what's called a sleeper microphone, because not many musicians, voice-over artists or podcasters utilize them. 26:46.594 --> 26:51.782 [SPEAKER_01]: Though the MK4 has been around for over 10 years, it's flown under the radar, so to speak. 26:52.218 --> 26:53.680 [SPEAKER_01]: Those that do use it, love it. 26:54.561 --> 26:58.325 [SPEAKER_01]: Sinheis herself doesn't seem to be very concerned about the MK4. 26:59.146 --> 27:03.111 [SPEAKER_01]: The last video on their YouTube channel about it was posted over six years ago. 27:03.792 --> 27:07.236 [SPEAKER_01]: I guess after they purchased Neumann, there was no need to do so. 27:07.576 --> 27:09.879 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, why mess would a cash cow? 27:16.587 --> 27:22.073 [SPEAKER_01]: The music is playing as the episode winds down on this rainy Sunday evening here in Tennessee. 27:23.352 --> 27:24.774 [SPEAKER_01]: Hope you enjoyed this episode. 27:25.696 --> 27:26.998 [SPEAKER_01]: I enjoyed making it for you. 27:28.360 --> 27:29.361 [SPEAKER_01]: You like what you heard? 27:29.842 --> 27:32.466 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you can make a donation using the link in the show notes. 27:33.968 --> 27:36.412 [SPEAKER_01]: Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. 27:37.594 --> 27:41.580 [SPEAKER_01]: You can always reach me at LFNT podcast at gmail.com. 27:42.201 --> 27:46.027 [SPEAKER_01]: If you're so inclined, I didn't enjoy hearing from you. 27:46.868 --> 27:48.010 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I really would. 27:48.850 --> 28:14.065 [SPEAKER_01]: remember don't listen to what they say watch what they do it's already muddy out there after all the snow has melted in the rain we've gotten over the weekend you know I want something to mold this spring so get off my lawn stay skeptical uhmm out see ya and that folks is the