In continuation of week 29, here are a few thoughts and things that caught my attention in the thirtieth week of 2024:

  • 📝 Might be handy, but not sure if I will actually use it: WeExpire - Create emergency notes that can be read by your trusted contacts only after your death.

  • 🖥️ Apparency for macOS - The App That Opens Apps - received a nice update at the beginning of the month.

  • 🖼️ PicArrange for macOS as well; although I have not yet found whether the text-based image search happens on-device or sends anything to the cloud.

  • 🤖 Meta released Llama 3.1 and it does indeed produce much better results with e.g. Ollama.

  • 🌐 Apple Maps launches on the web in new public beta - practical.

  • 🎮 Along with a few new applications, Fortnite is now even coming to the AltStore PAL. Let’s see if Apple will “coincidentally” allow it back in the regular App Store. It’s also a shame that Apple has managed to make the update and installation process so broken on my system that it barely works without restarting or reinstalling the AltStore or the apps.

  • 🎁 The German computer magazine c’t had a review of the WOWCUBE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM - a very cool idea. Maybe a possible Christmas gift? I’m curious whether their software platform will flop or survive.

  • 🔠 Might come handy someday: Free Anagram Sentence Generator for English, German, French, and Spanish.

  • ✅ I’ve mentioned One Million Checkboxes in week 27, here you can read a little bit more about the author’s journey Dealing with unexpected popularity.

  • 🗳️ My Mastodon timeline has become much more interested in American politics since certain events. I follow this with some interest. However, I couldn’t initially understand the sudden memes about a certain person’s couch. Thanks to JD Vance couch memes, explained: Why AP pulled its story, now I know.

  • 🚑 My wife had shoulder surgery again. It’s no fun; now six weeks of complete rest are prescribed, and we really hope that the collarbone, or rather the implanted metal plate, holds this time. We had to cancel our vacation because of this. It’s a shame, but her health definitely comes first.

  • 🧱 I have quite a huge LEGO collection (> 700 sets and > 2200 minifigs) but stopped collecting a while ago, mainly due to space constraints and of course because it was becoming increasingly expensive. But I might be tempted by this set: LEGO 71438 Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi.

  • 🕹️ I’ve preordered Thank Goodness You’re Here! for the Switch.

  • 🎮 Of course, I am enjoying Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition on my Switch quite a bit and found this guide helpful. You can download a free PDF copy if you have a myNintendo account. Additionally, I am currently playing the remake of Dead Space on the PS5.

  • 🎥 And fittingly: Watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie - it was very light entertainment, but not bad.

  • 📺 I think someday I should really watch all episodes of Double Fine PsychOdyssey.

I wish you lovely summer days! 🌞