A.J. Petix

A.J. Petix

@ajpetix.com

Tech lover, Michigan outdoorsman, gamer, car enthusiast, and riichi mahjong addict.

118 followers175 following1.4K posts

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

On the whole, I do still think that the world would be a better place without large language models causing a vortex of economic change, especially in the US, but I do have to admit it has made solving issues in Linux much faster and easier, especially when search results suck for niche issues.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

For example, I just used Perplexity this morning to help me troubleshoot some issues with Rustdesk in my distro of choice (Garuda Dr460nized Gaming, a highly opinionated Arch fork) and once you're this niche accurate data can be tough to find!

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

In today's day and age, it's just nice to see a rebrand actually done with human hands and effort. It's not my favorite branding I've ever seen but it is quite a pretty animation.

9to5Mac@9to5mac.com

Apple Music unveils new design rebrand, with logo ‘made by sound’

9to5mac.comApple Music unveils new design rebrand, with logo ‘made by sound’Apple Music has officially launched its rebrand with a new design, logo, and more. And in a video detailing the rebrand, Apple reveals the new look was actually “made by sound.” more…
A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

php2shell is giving big log4shell vibes and I've got the heebie-jeebies. If you're self-hosting anything that is on the public web, make sure none of it is using PHP and pull anything that is.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Jailbroke my LG C3 OLED TV to disable the eavesdropping telemetry spyware built into webOS, then discovered I could also install software that runs my Nanoleaf 4D without the camera and instead polls the screen contents at 48Hz. Fun!

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Call me an Apple fanboy if you want, but I do truly believe that macOS is the least invasive desktop OS when it comes to day-to-day use like web browsing, image/video creating, writing, etc. I worry the least about dependencies and updates breaking functionality compared to Windows or Linux.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Writing this because a Discord server I'm in is having a field day smack talking macOS and it just strikes me as a lot of "I want Apple to let me put a square peg in a round hole" complaints. At some point we need to learn how to use a tool instead of forge a new tool from the existing steel.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

This isn't to discredit people who want to maximize the use of their computer hardware; I think that's also important and there are many Linux distros designed to allow that! macOS doesn't have to be, and if it's not for you that's fine! I think it's disingenuous to say it's bad for everyone.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Starting to really kick myself for buying a 5080 instead of a 5090 back in February with all of these news outlets reporting the end of 5090 production. There were always a few at the local Micro Center but as of last week they’re all gone save for one ROG Astral bundle.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Arc and Zen browsers have ruined my window moving habits. More apps should let you click and drag from the left side bar in any empty area. It's so useful and convenient.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

One of the best companies in gaming, folks.

Panic@panic.com

Somehow, we are an episode of NPR's Planet Money now. www.npr.org/2026/10/09/n...

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

I did it y'all. I unpinned Arc from my Dock on my Macs and completely switched to @zen-browser.app Big step! Now I just need Zen to improve its tab sync (i.e. make it happen more often) and make it work on mobile... then it will have full important feature parity. But I can deal without for now.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Five days and I am still absolutely enamored. At this point it is truly a better version of Arc across all desktop operating systems. It's still not as quick to sync tabs as Arc, but I can forgive that for the QOL improvements Firefox extensions and full OS parity bring to the table.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Probably the most confusing thing about HomeView as a product: the wall mounted model uses less material but costs the same as the standing model without a down firing woofer or any cable, power supply, or wall mounting hardware included. I liked the idea of this until I saw the pricing. Dumb.

MacRumors.com@macrumors.bsky.social

HomeView's Wall Model: Pay More, Get Less Speaker

macrumors.comHomeView's Wall Model: Pay More, Get Less SpeakerApple offers two versions of the HomeView, one that can be mounted on the wall and one that's a standalone model with a speaker base. The wall-mounted version and the speaker version are both priced at $299, with no discount for the base-free model. Wall mounting is the more expensive option because most buyers will need hardware that's sold separately and is currently priced starting at $60. There are three options for mounting the HomeView on the wall. * Power Mount USB-C Wall Connector ($59.95) - The USB-C mount is from Schneider Home, and Apple says it is a self-install mount. It uses a standard USB-C cable that goes to a power adapter, which the user also needs to supply. It requires a 20W or higher power adapter. * Power Mount AC Wired ($79.95) - The AC Wired mount uses in-wall power so there's no visible cable. Apple recommends having it installed by a licensed electrician and is partnering with ADT to offer installation services. * Power Mount PoE Wired ($129.95) - The Power over Ethernet hardwired mount is not available right now. Apple says to check back later for availability. It will require a home with PoE wiring. * No mount - There is an option to buy the wall-mounted version with no additional hardware. Presumably, accessory companies will eventually offer mounting solutions, but Apple has the only mount option right now. In addition to being more expensive, the wall-mounted HomeView comes in more limited color options. It can only be purchased in silver or space gray, while the speaker version also comes in starlight and rose pink. Both HomeView models have speakers with "two custom full-range drivers" in the display, and the wall-mounted version uses computational audio tuned for on-wall placement. The model with a speaker base also has a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators that are not available in the wall-mounted version. We'll need to wait for reviews to see sound comparisons on the speaker version and the wall-mounted version, but customers who opt for the wall-mounted version are going to be paying more for less hardware. The HomeView is available for pre-order now and will launch on November 13. This article, "HomeView's Wall Model: Pay More, Get Less Speaker" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

The Aqara U400 smart deadbolt lock with everything this LG offering has plus a fingerprint reader is nearly $100 less, but doesn't integrate with a doorbell camera I guess if that's something you want.

MacRumors.com@macrumors.bsky.social

Apple Launches 'Apple Home Collection' With Cameras, Lock, Thermostats and More

macrumors.comApple Launches 'Apple Home Collection' With Cameras, Lock, Thermostats and MoreApple today debuted the "Apple Home Collection," an accessory lineup it developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The collection includes cameras, thermostats, temperature sensors, and a door lock. All of the home devices are designed to work with the HomeView, Apple's new home hub. Apple says each one is made from premium materials with a minimal aesthetic. The accessories are able to be set up with a single tap from the iPhone, and can be controlled with the Home app and through Siri. * LG Video Doorbell ($249.95) - The Video Doorbell has dual cameras that capture views of visitors and packages. The front camera has a 2.5K resolution and the bottom camera is HD resolution. It has a built-in spotlight and a chime that plays through HomeView, HomePod, or HomePod mini. * LG Outdoor Cam ($299.95) - The Outdoor Cam has low-color night vision and can be angled in multiple positions. * LG Indoor Cam ($199.95) - The Indoor Cam has a privacy-preserving feature that allows it to tilt up when people are in the home so it's not recording, and down when people leave for keeping an eye on the home. The tilt function works based on geofencing, but can also be controlled in the Home app or manually. * LG Floodlight Cam ($399.95) - The Floodlight Cam has dual floodlights that activate when motion is detected and low-color night vision. * LG Smart Deadbolt Lock ($349.95) - The lock has UWB and can unlock automatically when the homeowner approaches, with no tap required. It also supports unlocking via PIN or a hidden backup key slot, and there is detection for whether the door is opened, closed, or has been tampered with. The doorbell and lock can work together as one, letting users see who is at the door and unlocking it if needed. * LG Thermostat ($199.95) - The thermostat supports Adaptive Temperature and in the U.S., heating and cooling can be activated during lower-cost periods for users with a compatible utility plan. The thermostat can read temperature and humidity across multiple rooms using separate temperature and humidity sensors. Sensors are priced at $39.95. * Schneider Electric Thermostat ($199.95) - Also supports Adaptive Temperature and can be used with temperature and humidity sensors. Sensors are priced at $39.95. Cameras work with iCloud+ plans and users can view live footage and camera activity from the Home app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, and HomeView. The Apple Home Collection will be available starting in December, though select accessories will not launch until early 2027.Tag: Apple Home This article, "Apple Launches 'Apple Home Collection' With Cameras, Lock, Thermostats and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Very seriously interested in HomePod Minis and new Apple TV now, though. I think Siri is finally able to replace Alexa as my assistant around the house. At least until I can build a self-hosted Home Assistant compatible voice assistant. Neither will happen for a while, though. Car project first!

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Stupid hypothetical thought: buy a Pi with the least RAM possible and attach two SSDs on a hat. Use one for storage, and configure the other so it's dedicated for swap. Run some low-level home lab stuff this way. Some perceived lag ofc, but is it cheaper this way than with 8 or 16GB RAM onboard?

View full thread
A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

I also have to assume that a Pi 4 B doesn't quite have the PCIe lane bandwidth to manage two SSDs on a hat efficiently, especially when one SSD is expected to function as swap memory exclusively. It would probably be an impractical, laggy mess for most home lab apps.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

It's certainly not cheap enough to warrant trying without owning at least some of the parts already. With RAM likely continuing to rise in price I figured it might be fun to at least run the high level thought exercise. This also assumes NAND prices remain stable which... they probably won't.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Stupid hypothetical thought: buy a Pi with the least RAM possible and attach two SSDs on a hat. Use one for storage, and configure the other so it's dedicated for swap. Run some low-level home lab stuff this way. Some perceived lag ofc, but is it cheaper this way than with 8 or 16GB RAM onboard?

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

A quick glance at Micro Center's website shows a 1GB Pi 4 B is $65 and a 256GB M.2 SSD is $60. A 16GB Pi 5 is $260. Obviously you'll need a compatible hat and with two cheap SSDs we're already sitting at ~$200 in components with no case and significantly inferior memory management. It *is* cheaper.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

I absolutely adore Tumblr because sometimes a post is so good that you want to share it but you can’t fit the whole post into a single screenshot. This time, I’m only sharing the middle of the post to leave you wondering.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma is one of those movies I will think about for a VERY long time. What a wild ride with the horniest KFC scene I’ve ever witnessed.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Wow. Microsoft is cutting total family storage from 1TB per family member (for up to 5 members) to 2TB total for the entire family on MS 365 Family subscriptions. All the more reason for me to abandon MS 365 entirely as I continue to rely less and less on Windows and online subscriptions.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Just crossed the border into Indiana and I’m stopping for gas & lunch. Just witnessed a man wearing a cheese grater hat on his head walk into Speedway. Never change, Midwest USA.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Related: I am once again back on my self-hosted bullshit. monetr.app Finding a self-hosted budgeting app that actually follows my personal budgeting method has been impossible... until now. This is the closest I've seen to tools like DAS Budget. Not ready to switch yet, but this is promising!

monetr.appmonetrTake control of your finances, paycheck by paycheck, with monetr. Put aside what you need, spend what you want, and confidently manage your money with ease. Always know you’ll have enough for your bil...
A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Lots of big software discoveries lately. This one is huge. I've been told these are vibe coded and not very stable yet, but the promise is there. I might forgive the AI cost to build these if they realistically mean I can run good creative apps in linux and this eats into Adobe profits.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

If I wasn't saving up for car parts, I would love to replace my front door dead bolt with this... I've heard nothing but good things about the UWB automatic lock and unlock feature.

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

My mind is kind of blown right now. At some point Apple removed the "renew lease" button from the Wi-Fi settings on iOS and a quick online search doesn't have any obvious results saying if there are alternative ways to renew a DHCP lease on a wireless network. Anyone know something I don't?

A.J. Petix
@ajpetix.com

Hot take: I actually think the Windows 11 UI design, when consistent, is quite beautiful. There are some apps that look and feel really nice! It's just the inconsistency, bloat, and privacy nightmare across the OS that ruins it.