Smartphones
SmartphonesWhy I Recommend Android Over iPhone
Lessons from selling phones professionally and replacing my own every year, on why Android usually wins over iOS.
SmartphonesI Used to Be an iPhone Loyalist
Why I switched from iPhone Pro Max, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch Ultra to a Galaxy S25 Ultra, an ASUS Zenbook, and an eGPU.
SmartphonesHow a Garmin quatix 8 Changed Golf and Diving for Me
Yardage, a virtual caddie, and dive safety-stop tracking, all with no subscription required.
SmartphonesOPPO Find X9 Ultra: My Hands-On Review
Camera, battery, 100W charging, and data-transfer speed, compared against my old Galaxy.
Video & Apps
Video & AppsHow to Compress a Video's File Size on Your Phone
A fix for when a video won't send on LINE or email because “the file is too large,” with resolution guidelines included.
Video & AppsHow to Convert a Video to MP4 on Your Phone
Steps to convert a video that won't play or upload into MP4 format, using only your phone.
Video & AppsHow to Encode and Convert Video on Your Phone
A round-up of when and how to encode (convert/compress) video, and which MediaToolbox feature to use.
Video & AppsHow to Extract Just the Audio from a Video
How to pull just the audio (M4A) out of a meeting recording, lecture, or performance video, on your phone.
Image & Apps
Image & AppsHow to Convert Images Between JPEG, PNG, and WEBP
A WEBP image won't open, or a PNG is too heavy — convert an image's format using only a phone app.
Image & AppsHow to Resize an Image to Any Size
Match a form's required pixel size, or just shrink a photo's file size, by specifying width and height.
PDF & Apps
PDF & AppsHow to Convert a PDF to Images (JPEG/PNG)
Export a PDF page as an image to post on social media or paste into a slide, using only your phone.
PDF & AppsHow to Merge and Compress PDFs on Your Phone
How to combine multiple PDFs into one, and shrink a PDF that's too large to send, using only a free app.
PDF & AppsHow to Combine Photos into a Single PDF on Your Phone
Steps to convert accumulated photos of receipts and documents into a single PDF, using only your phone.
PDF & AppsHow to Edit PDFs on Android
Merge, split, compress, OCR, and sign — a round-up of everything you can do to a PDF with one app on Android.
PDF & AppsHow to Make PDF Text Searchable and Copyable
How to use OCR to recognize scanned text and turn it into a searchable, copyable PDF.
PDF & AppsHow to Split a PDF
How to pull just the pages you need out of a large PDF, using only a phone app.
PDF & AppsHow to Scan Paper Documents into a PDF
No scanner needed — turn a camera shot into a deskewed, cropped PDF.
PDF & AppsHow to Rotate and Extract PDF Pages
How to fix a page's orientation, and how to pull just the pages you need out as a new PDF.
PDF & AppsHow to Add a Handwritten Signature to a PDF
Sign a contract right on your phone screen, no printing required, and save or send it as a PDF.
PDF & AppsEditing PDFs on Your Phone: iPhone Means a Subscription, Android Is Free
The developer-economics gap behind it, and what PDF Toolkit can do for free.
Health & Apps
Health & AppsHow to Choose a Pedometer App for Seniors
Points for choosing a pedometer app that's easy for seniors to stick with, who often give up on complicated controls.
Health & AppsDoes a Pedometer App Drain Your Battery?
Why a pedometer app needs "Physical Activity" permission, and whether it's actually safe for your battery.
Health & AppsHow to Add a Pedometer Widget to Your Home Screen
How to add and resize a home-screen widget so you can check your steps at a glance, without opening the app.
Health & AppsTips for Sticking with Walking Using a Pedometer App
How to use the title system, goal notifications, and step history to keep a walking habit going.
Outdoor & Apps
Outdoor & AppsWhat Your Garmin Data Field Should Show When Hiking: Grade, VAM and Time to Sunset
The data worth watching while hiking (elevation, grade, VAM and time to sunset), what the standard data fields are missing, and how to fit it all on one screen.
Screenshots & Apps
Screenshots & AppsHow to Instantly Copy Text from a Screenshot
A method for copying text visible in a screenshot without retyping it, using an app with automatic OCR recognition.
Diving
DivingHow to Get a PADI C-Card (Diving License)
Cost, process, and my own experience getting certified in Kerama and Advanced in Shakotan.
DivingDiving Ear Equalizing Tips
Why you need to equalize, the three main techniques, and how to avoid pain and mistakes.
DivingA Beginner's Diving Gear Guide
What to buy early versus what's fine to rent when you're just starting out.
DivingBest Diving Spots in Japan | Kerama Islands vs. Shakotan Peninsula
A firsthand comparison of two contrasting seas, based on real dives at both.
DivingWhat Is Rescue Diver?
The requirements, what you'll learn, and how it changes the way you approach diving.
DivingDiving Glossary
Essential terms every beginner should know, grouped by certification, safety, gear, and technique.
DivingWhat to Watch After a Dive
How long to wait before flying, and health management tips to avoid decompression sickness.
DivingMarine Life I've Encountered in Kerama & Shakotan
Whales, whitetip reef sharks, tuna, sea lions, and the ever-reliable sea turtle.
DivingChoosing a Diving Mask
How prescription lenses made a huge difference for poor eyesight and astigmatism.
DivingOvercoming Seasickness While Diving
How the over-the-counter drug Aneron solved my motion sickness on dive boats.
DivingA Diving Equipment Trouble Story
What I learned about trusting your instructor from a scary underwater malfunction.
DivingFinding the Right Weight & Choosing Fins
Why Okinawa and Shakotan, wet and dry suits, all need a completely different amount of weight.
DivingHow to Take Underwater Photos
My experience with the Insta360 Ace2 Pro, and the basic tips for a clean shot.
DivingHow to Convert Underwater Diving Videos to MP4
Shrink heavy action-camera footage down to a size you can share, entirely on your phone.
Custom PC
Custom PCRTX 5060 Ti Desktop vs. External GPU (eGPU)
Compares using the same RTX 5060 Ti in a custom desktop or in an external GPU box with a laptop.
Custom PCA Complete Home-Office Desk Setup
How to choose a keyboard, monitor, mouse, numpad and more to make working from home less tiring, with a full example setup.
Custom PCA Silent Mechanical Keyboard Build for Late-Night Work
Chasing silence and looks by swapping keycaps and switches on a Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K.
Custom PCA Laptop + eGPU Setup for the Ultimate Space-Saving Desk
A lightweight laptop that turns desktop-class the moment you plug in one Type-C cable at home.
Custom PCI Plugged In a GPU While the Power Was Still On, and It Exploded
My worst mistake across 100+ builds, and why familiarity is more dangerous than inexperience.
Custom PCSolving My Custom PC's Audio Problems
Fixing sound card noise, and why I keep separate headphones for music and gaming.
Custom PCA Custom PC Case Mistake
Choosing on looks alone, and why airflow and cable planning matter more.
Custom PCMice and Keyboards Are About Fit, Not Specs
What trying a huge number of input devices taught me about choosing what actually fits you.
Custom PCWhich Parts Actually Matter in a Custom PC?
What a 3-way SLI build taught me about GPU limits, and why CPU/memory matter more.
Other Hobbies
GolfBreaking 100 Without Practice
Playing only business golf with no driving-range practice, why prioritizing a stable swing over distance keeps scores consistent.
DanceCan You Get Good at Dance With No Sense of Rhythm?
Years of breakdancing despite being rhythm-tone-deaf, and why having fun matters more than being skilled.
DartsBetter Darts Comes Down to Mental Game and Barrel Fit
From forming a darts team, why mental consistency and finding a barrel that fits your grip drive real improvement.
BilliardsInstalling a Billiard Table at Home
Cloth and shaft maintenance, and the cue-ball-control fundamentals that improvement is built on.