September is just around the corner, and every Apple fan knows it’s the month when new hardware drops. I’ve been reading rumors that Apple will release new HomePod minis, so I figured it’s a good time to part with a few of mine … ehem … to make space for the new ones. We currently…
Category: technology
Upgrading Our Almost 10-Year-Old Toilet
The Red Light That Started It All Our toilet is almost 10 years old. Our building was built in 2016, and while it’s still working fine, we recently saw a red blinking light on our Lixil toilet. A blinking light is never a good sign, but since nothing seemed wrong, we checked the user manual….
Upgrading Our Living Room: The LG OLED Story
We finally caved in. After watching hours of TV reviews and visiting multiple electronics shops across different areas of Tokyo, we settled on one TV and bought the LG OLED C4 48-inch. Our previous TV, a Sony Bravia LCD 43-inch, was purchased in 2018 when we moved to our old place in Yotsuya. It was…
Do I Really Need a Pro iPhone? The 16e Has Me Questioning My Choices
The iPhone 16e, the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE series, just came out, and it got me thinking—maybe this is the phone for me. I currently have the iPhone 15 Pro, but to be honest, I don’t really need all the “Pro” features. I don’t need three cameras on the back. I don’t need…
A Day to Myself: Yoshinoya, BicCamera, and Takanawa Gateway
The other day, my wife attended a full-day kyudo event, so I had the day to myself. I could either stay home and do nothing or go outside and be a little more productive. I had to admit, the former option was very tempting, but I had a dentist appointment at 2 PM, so I…
Why We Don’t Own a Car in Tokyo (And Don’t Miss It)
We sold our last car in 2013, thinking we might miss the convenience. Over a decade later, we haven’t looked back. Living in Tokyo, we’ve found that owning a car just isn’t necessary—and in many ways, it’s more of a burden than a benefit. Getting Around Is Easy Without a Car The train station, which…
From Minimalist to Multi-Monitor: My Home Office Upgrade
In 2022, we decided to get rid of our 27-inch iMac, try something new, and not buy a replacement desktop. Instead, we opted for iPads with keyboards and tried using those as our main personal computers. To log in to work, I would use my office laptop directly, eliminating the need for a desktop. Everything…
Will Apple Intelligence replace ChatGPT as my proofreader?
I’ve been a regular user of ChatGPT ever since I discovered its capabilities. I use it to proofread my writing in both English and Japanese. It helps me refine my grammar and even adjust the tone of my text. I employ it for various purposes, including creating blogs, crafting social media posts, and even engaging…
Upgrading Our Workspace: From Budget Lighting to a Multi-Functional Ceiling Fan
When we moved here in 2021, we realized we didn’t have ceiling lights, so we went to Yamada Denki and bought some inexpensive ¥2,000 lights from Iris Ohyama, just to get by for a few days. Since then, we’ve gradually replaced most of them with higher-quality, more expensive lights, except in one room—our workspace. That…
How I Used My Apple Watch to Monitor a Tennis Session
Just realized I can use my Apple Watch to monitor my tennis workouts. On Friday, I decided to give it a try. Unlike running and cycling, the option to track tennis is hidden deep in the list of supported workouts—almost as if Apple didn’t want us to find it. Still, I play tennis regularly, and…
Why I Went Back to the Apple Watch After 7 Years
A few years ago, I stopped using my Apple Watch and decided to go without a watch altogether. The idea was to simplify my life. Everything I used my watch for, I could already do with my smartphone. My phone tells the time, has Suica for trains, and acts as a pedometer to track my…
Why I’m not Upgrading to the iPhone XS
Ever since I got my first iPhone, the 3G, I’ve been very religious in upgrading my iPhone at least every two years. What can you say? I was an Apple fan boy. I still am. This year, however, even if my iPhone 7 is already 2 years old, and the new iPhone XS just came…
Enrico in Tokyo 