Thomas Pockrandt
Passionate Rower 🚣 & Mountain Biker 🚵♂️
Tech Advisor & Digital Enthusiast 🦾
- Louder, smarter… but still not foolproof. - iFixit finds Apple AirTag 2’s speaker 50% louder - Adds U2 Ultra Wideband chip - Yet the speaker’s still easy to silence Why it matters: Stalkers can silence alerts, leaving tracking undetected. Apple turned up volume, but not security. 🎯
- Just caught the northern lights over Germany! Breathtaking aurora borealis lighting up the night sky. Nature at its finest.
- Remember when millions of people lent their home computers to search for alien life? After 21 years, SETI@home scientists have narrowed billions of signals down to 100 mysterious ones that deserve a closer look. ✨
- Tailwind CSS explodes in use, but AI crushes revenue, team slashed. • Docs traffic -40%, sales -80% • 75% layoffs (3/4 engineers gone) • Google AI sponsors survival Harsh reality: AI skips page visits and kills ad funnels. Time to adapt - or build AI-native from day one with your next project. 🦾
- Ever heard of a dumb phone? They’re back - but who actually uses them? - seniors who want simple calls - kids' as their first phones - adults chasing a digital detox Fewer apps, longer battery, zero doom-scrolling.📱 Not for me, but from a tech perspective, “dumb” is starting to look pretty smart.
- 2025‘s stock market: S&P 500 up 12% YTD, but it’s the „Magnificent Seven“ AI stars (Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.) carrying the load. The other 493? Snoozing through a weak economy.
- They say you give a show 3 episodes to decide if it’s worth watching. Just finished episode 4 of #Pluribus and it definitely earned the hype. Vince Gilligan’s storytelling and Rhea Seehorn’s performance bring back that true quality TV show feeling.
- Apple finally brings a Digital ID for U.S. passports to Wallet. How it works: - Needs iPhone 11+ / Apple Watch 6+ - Scan passport, read chip, selfie for setup - Present at 250+ TSA checkpoints in U.S. airports! Cool step for travel, but not for international trips yet. 🛫
- From July 2026, streaming ads on Netflix, YouTube, and more won’t be louder than its shows anymore. No more sudden volume jumps ruining the vibe. Finally, some peace for tired ears! 🔉
- AirPods aren’t just for music or calls—now they can be game controllers too. 🎮 The game RidePods uses head tracking so you steer a motorcycle by simply tilting your head. It’s a playful, hands-free twist on iPhone gaming, supported on most recent AirPods models. 🏍️
- NYC just got a quirky new EV charger—mounted 10ft up on a lamppost. How it’s done: - Retractable cable avoids clutter + damage - Works on wood or metal poles - Level 2 charging, up to 9.6 kW - Pay by tap or app Feels very NYC: Even the EV chargers dream of being skyscrapers. 🏙️⚡️
- Amazon is ending Prime Invitee Oct 1. No more sharing free shipping outside your household — you’ll need your own $15/mo Prime. The “Amazon Family” plan only works if you live together. 📦 Chance to rethink: is Prime really worth it to subscribe on your own?
- California man sues Microsoft over “forced” Windows 11 switch. He wants free Win10 updates until less than 10% use it. He claims: - His laptops can’t run Win11 - Win10 support ends too soon - Upgrade is about AI + profit If you don’t go with the times, Microsoft will make you go with the times. 🤦♂️
- Kind of addicted to my daily coffee—and turns out science is finally on my side 😅 Caffeine does more than wake you up: - Activates ancient enzyme AMPK ⚡️ - Boosts DNA repair & stress resistance 🛠️ - May slow aging at the cellular level ⏳ In that case, time for another one ☕️
- Apple’s new haptic trailer for the F1 movie syncs iPhone vibrations with engine revs, curbs, and gear shifts. It adds a tactile edge that suits a sport built on feel. More a tech demo than a game-changer, but still a smart use case. 🏎️
- Keep losing or breaking your trimmer parts? Philips now lets you 3D print your own at home—starting with the OneBlade comb. It’s free, easy, and helps cut down on waste. ♻️
- Same showerhead: one made in Asia for $129, one made in the USA for $239. 25,650 people looked — nobody bought the U.S. version. According to this A/B test by brand Afina, price still matters more than good intentions.
- Paris cut air pollution by 50%—just by making it easier to bike. 🚲 - 100+ car-free streets - 100,000+ parking spots removed - Hundreds of miles of bike lanes Now it feels more like Copenhagen: clean air, quieter streets, and a city made for people, not traffic. 🌳
- Amazon’s vans might save lives, not just deliver packages. Amazon tested defibrillators in delivery vans—drivers often reach heart attack victims faster than EMTs. - Piloted in 3 European cities - 100+ trained drivers - Often beat emergency services Looking forward to a global rollout. 🚨
- Want to see something spectacular? Look up! The Northern Lights might be visible TONIGHT! You might see them in MT, ND, MN, MI, WI, NY, VT & ME Best time: 10pm-2am Go somewhere dark, look up, and enjoy the show! Use night mode for pics & share if you see them! 🌌
- Nearly 1.6M Android TV devices have been infected by the Vo1d malware, peaking on Jan 14. While North America isn’t hit hard yet, it’s a wake-up call: update your TV’s firmware, enable auto-updates, and stick to trusted app stores. Your smart TV is just as vulnerable as your phone or PC.
- I’ve always loved how Xcode makes building iPhone and iPad apps possible. With GitHub Copilot, coding feels smoother—less repetition, more focus on real problem-solving. It’s amazing to see how AI is opening the door for more people to create, making programming more accessible, intuitive, and fun.📱
- Mike Tyson's Punch-Out is a legendary game that's tested players for years. After 75,000 attempts over 5 years, Summoning Salt has finally defeated Tyson in under 2 minutes for the first time. A perfect mix of skill and luck made it happen, marking history in gaming! 🥊💥
- Even disruptors can make basic security mistakes. DeepSeek left its database wide open, exposing sensitive data. Key lessons: - AI security isn’t just about future threats—basics matter - Simple misconfigurations cause major risks - Rapid growth needs strong security - Innovation needs protection 🔐
- Social media shouldn’t belong to billionaires. @freeourfeeds.com is working to keep Bluesky’s tech open and fair for everyone. Imagine apps like Instagram or TikTok, but no one owns the roads we all use. A better internet, built for the people.
- In 1995, Tomorrow’s World imagined life in 2025. Here’s how it went: - Robots doing surgery? Check! - Holograms everywhere? Not quite—think smart speakers. - Mining asteroids? Still a dream. Big ideas, some progress, and plenty to look forward to. 🚀 Nice read.
- Turning traffic cams into a giant public selfie machine is such a creative idea. Morry Kolman turned surveillance tech into interactive art, making it feel absurd and playful while making a statement. Now NYC wants him to stop. 📸
- Rumor has it: Valve’s gearing up to take on Sony, Xbox, and even Meta—living room consoles, wireless VR, SteamOS devices, and more. Imagine playing anywhere with hardware made for gamers, by gamers. Maybe Steam Deck was just the start... 🔥
- This answers a question I had for some time: Does closing apps save battery? Not really. Apple says apps in the background don’t drain power, and reopening them uses more. Better tips: - Only close frozen apps - Use Low Power Mode to save battery - Keep iOS updated No need to force quit apps. 🔋
- California’s EV future? Still on track. If Trump ends the $7,500 tax credit, here is the Governors plan: - Bring back state EV rebates - Fund them with polluters’ dollars - Help more Californians go electric Clean cars, affordable options, and zero turning back. ⚡
- Coca-Cola’s new AI generated Christmas ads are getting roasted online: - Fans say the magic feels lost - Glitches, weird vibes and proportions in the footage - Critics call it a cheap move to cut costs Some say it’s playful, what do you think? 🎄 Read more: www.forbes.com/sites/danidi...
- UK mobile provider o2 introduced Daisy, the AI granny scammers can’t escape. Here’s how: - Detects and answers scam calls - Acts like a charming old lady - Keeps fraudsters talking for hours - Chats endlessly about cats, knitting, and more She’s got plenty of time—but zero payment info to share! 📞
- Bluesky keeps shaping the future of social media: - 20M+ users now, growing rapidly - Users pick tailored feeds: popular posts, quiet voices, or niche topics - Escape algorithmic echo chambers and X’s chaos This is what social media should be. Proud to be part of—well written @stokel.bsky.social
- Google’s Gemini AI telling a student to die isn’t just a ‘nonsensical response’—it’s dangerous. Be careful trusting AI systems.
- Just saw Back to the Future: The Musical in London—mind officially blown. I’m not a musicals person, but for BTTF, it’s something else entirely. Grew up loving the movies, and this brought the nostalgia and energy to 1.21 gigawatts. Great Scott, it’s worth it.
- Apples iOS 18.1 update tightens privacy security: - iPhones auto-restart after 3 days of no use - Restarts lock data in the most secure state - Police tools struggle to access locked phones With that, investigators now have just 72 hours to extract data before it’s nearly impossible. 🔐
- Big Ben glowing in the sunlight, surrounded by a blue sky. A moment of calm and beauty in the heart of London.
- Apple’s upcoming iOS update makes dealing with lost baggage easier—here’s how: - Share AirTag location data directly with airlines - Soon available with Delta, United & 15+ airlines - Find lost bags faster, skip the refund fight Now airlines can actually know where they lost it. 🧳
- NASA’s made it possible for astronauts on the ISS to send their ballots back from 250 miles up. Using a secure electronic system, they transmit votes straight to Earth. Pretty smart way to keep them involved in democracy. Every vote counts—even from space! 🪐
- As a longtime user since 2007, I'm curious—and a little cautious—about Apple acquiring Pixelmator. They say no big changes, but Apple’s known to shake things up. Anyone else think this could be huge for creatives? 🎨
- Germany’s 49-euro ticket has shifted travel from cars to trains—here’s how: - More travelers are choosing trains over cars - 30% increase in train use - Lower car traffic and CO₂ emissions - Price hikes could change this trend Let’s see if these benefits stick around. 🚆
- Just got back from the Everglades—seeing alligators in the wild was surreal. There’s something about being surrounded by raw nature that reminds you how small you are in the grand scheme of things.
- Watched the #Crew-9 rocket launch today! Two astronauts are heading to the ISS—what an amazing moment for space exploration. Exciting to see how technology keeps pushing us forward. 🚀 #nasa
- Self-service kiosks boost sales and improving fast-food jobs—calming job loss fears. Here’s how: - Customers order more on kiosks - Employees focus on food prep and service - Less pressure during busy times at registers - New roles like assisting with kiosks Now, let’s see when wages rise. 📈
- Norway now has more electric cars on the road than gas-powered ones. How they did it: - Generous subsidies for EVs - Higher taxes on gas/diesel cars - Cheap renewable energy (mostly hydropower) - Extensive charging stations Would love to see this in more countries.⚡️
- Nothing is more important than privacy. With the iOS 18 update, you can now lock apps like BlueSky behind Face ID for an extra layer of security. No more worrying about someone snooping—your data stays yours.
- AI can now easily read lips from videos without or unclear sound. This is a huge step forward for those with hearing impairments. But let’s not forget the privacy concerns it raises.
- It’s Glowtime – Apples live stream is on! 👀
- And that’s why decentralized platforms like Bluesky are so important 💪
