Doug Mejia

In time for Apple’s 50th anniversary, “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue tells the iconic company’s entire life story: how it was born, nearly died, was born again under Steve Jobs, and became, under CEO Tim Cook, one of the most valuable companies in the world. The 600-page book features 360 full-color photos, new facts that correct the record and illuminate Apple’s subversive culture, and 150 fresh interviews with the legendary figures who shaped Apple into what it is today.

You know… I’m a fan of history and I’m also a fan of technology, especially Apple products. My favorite, and maybe because it was my first, has always been the “Sunflower” style G4 iMac. It was so beautiful and elegant.

So when I heard that David Pogue was coming out with a book about Apple’s first 50 years, it definitely caught my attention . I did a bit more digging and discovered that it’s going to be a coffee table style book, packed with history and pictures, featuring new interviews with the likes of Woz, and spanning over 600 pages. I figured… “why not?” and pre-ordered it.

It won’t be released until March 2026, which conveniently aligns with Apple’s actual 50th anniversary in April. I have a feeling it will be worth the wait. I’ll have to wait until next year to find out for sure, but I’m optimistic.

If you’re interested, you can check it out at the book’s official site. There, you can pre-order from various places, including Amazon, Target, and bookshop.com, among others.

If you, or someone you know has low vision, you may want to take a look at this book… “Navigating Life with Low Vision” website Amazon

Although, I have not read it myself, it seems to be pretty comprehensive from the video review below. Odd that it is offered in regular print, large print and Kindle versions but not in audiobook format. Maybe it has a lot of illustrations that don’t translate well to audio? I am guessing that is it.

Be My Eyes is a company that started back in 2015. Their primary mission: to help visually impaired and blind individuals by offering real-time video conferencing. It’s a lifeline for those who need an extra pair of eyes to navigate the world. As someone who’s visually impaired, I have to admit, I’ve never used their service personally. I’m incredibly lucky to have a wonderful wife who’s always there to help me with everything I need. But let me tell you, Be My Eyes sounds like a life-saver for anyone looking to gain a bit more independence.

Now, they announced a pilot program where they will partner with Amtrak to continue assisting visually impaired and blind commuters. This partnership aims to help navigate train stations with better support. I hope it succeeds, so it can expand and be offered nationwide, as it is currently just a pilot program.

Blind and low vision passengers can now connect with trained Amtrak agents for real-time help, like navigating stations, finding platforms, reading signs & more.

Read the announcement here.

Our family loves going camping and spending some time outdoors.  Most of the time, our cell phones work pretty well, even if it is just to text each other.  However, sometimes, there is absolutely no signal at all where we go.  This is great because we get to play radio.  Although some of us have a ham radio license, not all of us do.  So, we just switch over to GMRS, which only requires a single license for our entire family.  Most of the time, the GMRS radios work great because we are relatively close to each other while exploring.  However, other times we get on our bikes and wander.  It is during these times that we need a little boost in our comms.  So, an elevated repeater would serve us greatly.    

Jason’s (KM4ACK) video of the Retavis RT97L Repeater really sparked some interest for me.  I will definitely be checking it out.  

Retevis RT97L GMRS Repeater – Key Specs:• Higher power than previous models• Fully GMRS-compatible (462 MHz repeater channels)• Built-in high-isolation duplexer• 12V DC or AC power options• Compact, portable, and IP66-rated case• Lightweight: just under 8 lbs• Plug-and-play with included programming.

As an Apple user and an Apple One subscriber, I have access to Apple news where I can read and listen to my heart‘s content. However, I don’t. Instead, I choose to use RSS as much as possible. That way, I can create my own custom “newspapers“ and go through hundreds of articles a day while reading only 10% or less of the ones I’m really interested in.

Molly White’s article explains what RSS is and some great ways of using it, way better than I could ever, but our sentiments are the same. Check it out here.

As a visually impaired person, a huge shout out goes to her because she also offers her newsletter articles in audio form, as a podcast. To make things even better, she doesn’t use in AI generated voice or anything. She actually reads them herself. Thank you so much for that, Molly.

Go out there and start using RSS today! Although there are numerous RSS readers out there, my favorite for the Mac and iOS is NetNewsWire.

The fish are on a roll.  Last month they were 16 games below 500.  After this weekend’s sweep of the New York Yankees, they reached 500.  What a comeback!  I truly enjoyed watching the whole series because it reminds me of the 1997 and 2003 seasons, when they won the World Series.  The players are just having fun out there, lose and ready to win.  Never giving up.  

Overlooking the Savannah River and enjoying the cacophony of nature, right before the hustle and bustle of a Monday morning.

Finished Listening: Mark Twain by Ron Chernow 📚

It was a 44+ hour audiobook, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I was sad to finish it, despite the roller coaster of emotions it brings with it.