Another Phone
So I got another phone.
Because of this I’ve updated and added to my articles about phone setup:
I’ve also purchased a few peripherals to try to make up for the sad state of modern phone features. I got a case, a usb-c u-bend, a headphone jack usb-c splitter, and a small bluetooth keyboard.
So far I have only tested the keyboard, which failed spectacularly. Whenever it times out to save battery, it fails to reconnect and has to be setup from scratch. And people wonder why I want to keep my wired headphones. It also lacks a right side shift key. So capitalizing any letter on the left side is very difficult. I will probably return it.
The U bend and the adapter fit quite nicely but I haven’t tested them for functionality or determined how to fix them to the phone case.
I’ve also commandeered my girlfriend’s Samsung Galaxy Active2 Watch, which she hasn’t used in years. I’ve missed having a smart watch since my Basis Band fizzled out years ago, but never been willing to fork up the cash to pay for it. So I’m going to give this one a try and see how it goes. If I like it (or break it) I’ll pay her for it.
F(x)tec pro1 - my last phone
So why am I switching? The fact is that the experience with the f(x)tec pro1 which I got in a crowd funding campaign has been largely miserable, and that phone was a long awaited replacement for a phone that died just as the fxtec arrived.
The fxtec form factor was everything I could want and the keyboard felt fantastic. Every other thing failed though. There are no cases available. The side buttons were incredibly sensitive. The wifi and cell signal cut out for a few seconds every few minutes. The mic stopped working completely for phone calls. One of the two speakers only works sometimes. The fingerprint scanner refreshes Chrome when hit. Just miserable.
Also it’s 4g and uses some 3g frequencies that the North American telecom is in the process of decommissioning. 😑
More on Haibane Renmei
How does does buying all this stuff fit in with my used first plan?
First and foremost, I count phones as consumables. This is not my choice. They are designed that way from the ground up. No effective modularized phone exists that doesn’t have the same problems as the f(x)tec phones. So I’m stuck. Fixing this is way way outside of the size of project I am capable of taking on at this time. The best I can do is maintain my phones and keep them until they are very completely used.
The case has to match the phone and I can currently only print pla. So making my own is out of the question for now.
The adapters I am counting as raw materials for the project of customizing the phone. I plan to semi-permanently affix these adapters to the case if I can find a placement that I like. I’m going to first have to wait until I find a better keyboard in case I need to change the configuration to allow for a usb cable for it.
Customization is a part of the framework I’m developing that I failed to note in the previous article. Customization is a focal point of the works of Tom Sachs and the Neistat brothers, and is probably the most significant part of their style that I would like to emulate.
The phone-sized bluetooth keyboard is a rare enough object that I believe finding a working used one would prove difficult.
Finally the watch is used. I don’t think I would have gone for it if we didn’t already have it.
So, with a bit of a stretch, I think this still fits my framework, and even allowed me to illuminate another tenant.
I still haven’t watched the rest of Haibane Renmei btw. Can’t find it streaming and the city library no longer has a copy.
Oh also I got the Pixel 7. Android phones are mostly all the same now though. I don’t know if this even needs mentioning.
Gaming
I’ve continued to play Call of Duty. We’ve largely switched over to DMZ now that it’s out. I don’t know if it is built with longevity in mind, but it has been a lot of fun so far!
The Halo Infinite forge maps are looking good! I’ve hopped in to see a few of them. Still a bummer that there’s no matchmaking or anything. We’ll see I guess!
I briefly started Coffee Talk on gamepass which appears to be a sober version of VA-11 Hall-A. The art is nice so far! More thoughts if I continue it.
Reading
I’m slogging through Neil Stephenson’s book some remarks. This is, I believe, the third time I’ve tried to read this. It has interesting historical footnotes but really just isn’t holding my attention.
I’ve started over with Spice and Wolf again. Buying the giant hardback collected edition was a mistake. It is so large that it is physically difficult to read.
On Thanksgiving day I briefly started Spook Country again. Absolutely love this trilogy but you should start with Pattern Recognition first.
Sportsball
I’ve watched a bit of the World Cup. Very torn here. I love soccer but the absolute horror of Qatar’s involvement is impossible to gloss over. It’s sad that I still want to watch anyway. I think it is possible to engage with something while still pushing for change. This particular thing is so far outside of my control that I don’t really see a path forward.
OSU lost spectacularly. At home. Kind of pathetic honestly.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was a great break from work. The food was great! It was nice to sit down with my immediate family in a low stakes setting and share a meal. I’m thankful for the life they built for me. I’m thankful that I’m able to share this world with my girlfriend.
The Journey Continues
Reach out to someone you’re thankful for and let them know. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, take some time to prep for winter. Then slow down and relax with the winter days.
Stay chill and enjoy