The hottest Smart Devices Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Why you need a Morning Phone

DeFi Weekly • 255 implied HN points • 29 May 23
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Consider using a separate phone for your morning routine to avoid distractions
  2. Design systems to shape your behavior and become the person you want to be
  3. Create a morning phone with essential apps like music, calendar, and meditation, while avoiding social media and other distracting apps

The Lightswitch Problem

The Rectangle • 113 implied HN points • 28 Jun 25
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Tech companies often try to improve products that already work well, but this can backfire. For example, making a simple light switch smart can lead to frustration when it glitches.
  2. Disruption is a buzzword in tech that sometimes pushes companies to change things that don’t need fixing. This leads to products that make life harder instead of easier.
  3. Many successful tools, like hammers and light switches, work perfectly as they are. Experts have refined them over years, so trying to redesign them often doesn't make sense.

Why Books Are My Metaverse: Part III

Sol Reader • 98 implied HN points • 09 May 23
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Current technology differs greatly from past futuristic visions, focusing on multi-purpose devices rather than specialized tools.
  2. The centralization of technology into smartphones sacrifices excellence in favor of mediocrity.
  3. Efforts should be made to create devices that excel at specific tasks rather than trying to do everything.

Switching to a dumb phone (sort of)

Rahul’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Experimenting with using a basic phone instead of a smartphone to reduce screen time and regain focus.
  2. Comparison of features and trade-offs between an iPhone and a basic Nokia phone for different user needs.
  3. Challenges and benefits of transitioning to a basic phone, like missing out on certain apps but gaining better focus and less distraction.
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My event-driven life

Basta’s Notes • 122 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Notifications play a significant role in shaping our daily lives and habits.
  2. Event-driven systems are prevalent in various aspects of technology, such as communication between processes and UI design.
  3. The utility and impact of notifications are crucial, from connecting us with loved ones to potentially influencing our purchasing decisions.

Why I don't like (some) smart devices

Fulton’s ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Smart devices with practical uses enhance lives, like doorbells or thermostats.
  2. Be cautious of useless smart features that can lead to unnecessary data collection.
  3. Companies are adding non-essential smart features to products to charge extra and surveil users; consumers can push back by being selective in purchases and expressing opinions.

Apple Secrets: A Glimpse Into Silicon Valley’s Most Exclusive Roadmap

The New Internet by Jeff Morris Jr. • 4 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. Apple is looking to upgrade the Apple Watch with smart fabric bands that can track health metrics like blood pressure and ECG readings. This could change how we monitor our health with wearable tech.
  2. A new patent suggests Apple is considering a modular iPhone design, allowing users to swap out components like batteries or cameras. This would make phones more customizable and easier to repair.
  3. Apple is working on enhancing Siri with advanced AI to have more natural conversations. This could improve how people interact with their devices and compete with other smart assistants.

Frustrating Apple Watch “features”

The Technically Challenged Newsletter • 2 HN points • 26 Feb 24
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. The Apple Watch offers useful features like Siri, timers, weather updates, and fitness tracking.
  2. The 'Raise to Speak' feature for Siri and the new double tap gesture on the Apple Watch can be frustrating due to inconsistencies and delays.
  3. Reliability is key, with both features on the Apple Watch not working consistently, making user experience less than optimal.

How HDMI CEC Simplifies My Life

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Smart Devices
  1. HDMI CEC makes my life easier by turning on my receiver when I turn on my TV and switching inputs automatically.
  2. When I turn off the TV, the receiver also turns off, so I don't have to control them separately.
  3. I can control the sound with either remote without worrying about two different volume levels, which makes it much more convenient.