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Other than blue bubbles, why do you use iPhone?
  • iPhone 6 updates ended with iOS 15. Still, that's a pretty good run. Unfortunately, you can't root an iPhone and install a custom ROM like you can with Android.

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    What the best mastodon instance?
  • I host my own instance with Masto.host. (@gadgetboy@gadgetboy.social)

    I don’t need to be concerned with the Threads drama or worry about people defederating it - I’m in control.

    As for best client, I personally love Mona. It runs on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac and perfectly syncs my position in the timeline across devices. Lots of other great features, too.

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    Other than blue bubbles, why do you use iPhone?
  • Samsung hardware is generally pretty solid, so I'm not surprised - but are you still getting OS and security updates? That's the real downside of Android (at least to me).

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    Other than blue bubbles, why do you use iPhone?
  • The ecosystem. (For better or worse.)

    I prefer Android but the ability to do things such as use my AirPods on multiple Macs, iPhones, and iPads is very convenient. Ditto for things like Apple TV and HomeKit (though I use Home Assistant to control my HomeKit devices).

    Other things:

    • Hardware has a longer useful life (Android phone manufacturers "commit" to n years of updates, but the timing of releases is slow and usually limited to 3 years, at most.) There are still iPhone 6 devices in the wild running the latest version of iOS.

    • Standardized hardware and consistently updated software results in more and better apps.

    In short: iPhone is an appliance but an Android smartphone is/can be a pocket computer with greater flexibility.

    YMMV

    EDIT: Also, my wife and kids use iPhone. When I used an Android phone, I had them all install signal so we communicate securely. With iPhone, that's built in.

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  • www.theverge.com How to start a smart home using Home Assistant

    Home Assistant is the smart home ecosystem for nerds who like to really personalize their tech.

    "I am one of these people, and I am only getting worse over time, which is why I have converted my smart home to Home Assistant, the home automation solution for true freaks."

    I'm OK with that. 🤣

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    gadgetboy.social John Federico ⌘ (@gadgetboy@gadgetboy.social)

    Attached: 1 image I figured this would happen. In just over 48 hours, I’ve already exceeded my Media Storage limit on my masto.host “Moon” plan. I’m going to see if I can purge the cache more frequently. Otherwise, I’m going to have to upgrade. #mastodon #fediverse #hosting

    I set up a personal instance using https://masto.host. It's a small operation that I believe is run by one person. Hugo has been great about responding to my questions.

    My instance has only been up for about 3 days and I've exceeded my Media Storage limit twice. The first time, I upgraded to the "Planet" plan which has the added bonus of being more responsive.

    This time, I've tried setting my Media Retention Period to 3 days and am hoping that's sufficient.

    Do you have any other optimization tips to share? Unfortunately (but also, fortunately), it's a managed service, so I'm limited to only what is available in the Mastodon web interface.

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    www.theverge.com What is a smart home, and do you need one?

    The ABCs of smart homes, along with their pros and cons.

    All this week, The Verge is reviewing their picks for the top 5 smart home platforms - including Home Assistant.

    Their list:

    1. Amazon Alexa
    2. Apple Home
    3. Google Home
    4. Samsung SmartThings
    5. Home Assistant
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    www.home-assistant.io 2023.6: Network storage, favorite light colors, new integrations dashboard

    Add and use network storage, the integrations dashboard got a revamp, add your favorite colors to your lights, copy & paste support for automations, blazing speed through Python 3.11, and Matter an...

    If you're running Home Assistant on an SBC other storage constrained device, you can now use available storage elsewhere on your network. Game changer, at least for me. Lots of other updates in this release, too.

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