Category: Tech Musings

Cable Confusion, Mac Specs, and Two Handy Tools for Smarter Buying

I wanted to share two fantastic resources that I came across recently that will be helpful for Mac users.

First up is Glenn Fleishman’s Apple Specs Database which lets you search technical specifications by model — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and more. But the really interesting feature that I haven’t seen elsewhere is search by spec. Simply select a specific spec and see every Apple product model that includes it, along with its release date and more. Wild!

Alongside hardware, the Apple Specs Database includes a tab for searching OS features across macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and visionOS. So if you’re curious to know what key features were introduced in macOS 11 Big Sur, you can see them at a glance.

Next up is the Mac Cable Bandwidth Calculator, found on the RetinaDesk website. This site lets you select your input signal (4K, 1440p, etc.), resolution, refresh rate and more and provides a list of compatible cables that can carry that signal. The “Try a Scenario” option includes selections like 4K Gaming on a Mac, 8K 60Hz, etc. so you can get a feel for the types of cables that will work best for your setup.

And when it comes time to upgrade your external display, be sure to check out RetinaDesk’s reviews and buying guides for the best 5K and 6K displays for the Mac.

-Krishna

June 5, 2026
WWDC 2026 Predictions: macOS
WWDC 2026 is upon the world in less than a week. Amidst all of the usual kerfuffle that surrounds the event, I remain solely fixated on what Apple will bring to macOS. Like others, I’ve written about what I hope to see in macOS 27, but for this post, I’m going to share what I think Apple will actually announce.
1. A user option to set a cohesive visual appearance across all Apple devices from the Mac. For example, if I want every Apple device to have the same wallpaper, accent color, etc. I can set it once and it will apply itself across all Apple devices.
2. Related to the above, the ability to have the same wallpaper generatively scale and resize across Apple devices. Set once, see everywhere.
3. The ability to toggle Widgets and Desktop icons ON or OFF from the Control Center.
4. A built-in icon / wallpaper generator using Image Playground, that will feed into the above unified appearance prediction.
-Krishna
June 3, 2026
The Right to Repair Is Important

Yesterday, I took apart my GE Profile dishwasher for the first time ever to replace a worn and damaged control panel. This panel serves as the touch interface to control the dish washer. Here’s what it looked like. The entire outer trim was gone. While functional, the plastic laminate was badly bent, twisted and coming apart. It was an eye sore.

I watched several YouTube videos to better understand the installation process. To replace the control board, I had to first remove the dish washer door from the unit, and then separate the inner door from the outer door. (More on that in a bit.) Feeling somewhat confident, I ordered a replacement OEM part from iFixit, for about $200US.

The part arrived within a week, and was an exact replacement.

I have never taken apart my dish washer before, but I’ve tinkered with all manner of tech, so I felt up to the challenge.

The most difficult part was removing the inner door from the outer door. Not because it was difficult, but because each video i watched failed to mention that two screws on either side of the inner door had to be removed.

The whole process took me about six hours – and two of those hours were spent trying to separate the inner door from the outer door. Having gone through the process once, I feel that I can easily perform the entire task in under an hour. While I had the dishwasher apart, I addressed a pair of rusty hinges that connect the door to the dishwasher frame.

I learned a lot by performing this repair. There were some easy wins, some difficult struggles, and moments where I wanted to give up and call a repairman. But ultimately, I persevered and completed the install. Looking at a new dishwasher panel that I installed felt immensely satisfying.

Being able to purchase a part to fix things is important. If I bought it, I want to be able to fix it. This is the crux of “the right to repair” movement. All manufacturers should take notice.

-Krishna

June 2, 2026
Mac Security Begins with a Level Head

A few weeks ago, as I was working on my Mac mini, I received a rather odd notification, warning that my Mac was at risk for malware. The notification included a link to perform a scan. Of course, I knew better and did not click the link. But I can easily see a less tech savvy user clicking the notification in a moment of panic.

As a rule, I tend to be very cautious when it comes to browsing sites on the Internet. One self-imposed security measure involves avoiding unscrupulous websites. As such, I was perplexed at how such a notification could have come about. Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly. I documented my troubleshooting steps in the hopes that others can avoid getting tricked into installing malware.

Being level-headed had a lot to do with it.

-Krishna

June 2, 2026
What I Want from macOS in WWDC 2026

A few days ago on the Rocket Yard blog, I pontificated on features and fixes I’d like Apple to include in macOS 27. My hopes are not high, particularly due to the rumors swirling around Apple’s intent to deeply embrace AI integration within their numerous operating systems. Nevertheless, my wish list may resonate with other Mac users.

At this moment in time, macOS 26.5 seems fine, in terms of its overall stability in my day-to-day use. I’ve tested it on both the Mac mini M4 and the M1 Pro MacBook Pro. If you’ve been avoiding Tahoe, now may be the time to give it a spin.

With the M5 Pro MacBook Pro, I’m hoping to establish a clear Tahoe baseline. Some of the smaller annoyances I’m experiencing with macOS Tahoe on my M1 Pro model may stem from years of accumulated cruft.

-Krishna

May 20, 2026
How Custom Stickers Help Me Keep Tabs on My Tech

How do you identify and label your tech accessories?

For me, it’s through the use of custom designed sticker labels. I created my stickers in Photoshop and used a print-to-order company to print a spool of them. I use my custom sticker labels on just about every tech gadget I carry: smartphone cases, external storage devices (hard drives, SSDs, etc.) and portable accessories, such as USB chargers.

My sticker labels were designed intentionally. Each label measures approximately 2” wide by 3/4” tall. The labels are orange and red and include my last name, with blank lines reserved for Name and Capacity. For convenience, the stickers can be written on with a Sharpie marker. This makes it easy to annotate information, like a storage device’s volume name and storage capacity.

Since I travel back and forth between work and home, having labels on my devices allows me to quickly identify them. The stickers were designed to stand out visually, making it less likely that I’ll forget my devices when I pack up and go.

I also use my sticker labels for any gadget that comes with a large power brick. I never have to guess which power brick goes with which device.

-Krishna

May 6, 2026
Apple Doesn’t Want You to Uninstall Software

If you use a Mac for any period of time, you will slowly accumulate a raft of applications. But what happens when you want to remove an app you no longer need or use? In this scenario, users are often left to discover third party uninstallers, such as Pearcleaner, CleanMyMac or AppCleaner. Reviews across the Internet have been mixed, with regard to their effectiveness at removing all traces of a given app. (Personally speaking: I’ve used all three, and haven’t had any issues.)

But it brings me to my main point: Why doesn’t Apple include its own uninstaller app?

In the year of 2026, the exercise of removing apps is left to the user. And it’s not as simple as dragging an application into the Trash.

How very un-Apple like.

-Krishna

May 5, 2026
Floppy Disks on a Modern Mac… with a Twist

Remember when software could fit entirely on one floppy disk?

If you used a computer in the late 80’s, this was the norm. Hard drives were a luxury for many of us, so the almighty floppy disk was our only means to load programs and games. For context: my first computer, an Apple IIGS, came with one external 3.5″ 800K drive and one external 5.25″ (140K) drive. For computers of that era, it was commonplace to insert a disk, power on the computer, and wait anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute for an application to load. (We were more patient back then.)

I seriously doubt that anyone still yearns for the days of using floppy disks. But being forced to use floppies had a profound impact on developers from that era. They had to squeeze a lot of capabilities within a seemingly paltry amount of storage.

With gigabytes and terabytes of data being the norm nowadays, developers have no incentive to create fully optimized applications. As a result, modern software is mostly bloatware, getting larger and larger in size with each new release. (I’m looking at you Adobe, Microsoft, and Apple.)

The mindset of shipping something small, fast, native, and single-purpose is largely lost upon most modern developers. But one guy is doing something about it. Matt Sephton created a clever macOS screensaver called Fits on a Floppy, which thoroughly embraces the mindset of late 80’s development: speed and efficiency, in an almost meta way.

Fits on a Floppy is like After Dark’s Flying Toasters screensaver, if the toasters were replaced with a variety of 3.5″, 5.25″ and floppy disks. And if you’re feeling fancy, you can also toss in a few miniDiscs into the mix.

What I really appreciate about this screensaver is the attention to detail. Each and every disk that floats by is adorned with its own custom disk label. Watching the screensaver for a few minutes filled me with a wave of nostalgia. Fits on a Floppy isn’t bare-bones, it comes with several customization options – such as Disk Count, Disk Scale, Speed and more.

Fits on a Floppy, true to its namesake, fits inside a 1.44MB disk. (I wouldn’t expect anything less.) It’s also free, so what are you waiting for? And while you’re at it, check out the rest of Matt’s apps.

-Krishna

May 2, 2026
The Modern Web as Super Villains

Creative Director Tyler Sticka brilliantly reimagines the modern web experience as a Rogues’ Gallery of evil doers. These antagonists make the Joker or Doc Ock seem tepid by comparison.

When did the web get so… bad? And, more importantly, why are we still putting up with it?

-Krishna

April 29, 2026
Long-term Notes on MacBook Pro Battery Usage

From time to time, I lurk on the r/macbookpro reddit group. Chief among the main worries of new MacBook Pro owners are battery life and battery cycles. These folks seem extraordinarily concerned about the battery cycle count, to the point of anxiety.

To them, I would say:

Batteries are a consumable item – they will degrade over time. Don’t worry about battery cycles or charging. Just relax and use your MacBook Pro as you normally would.

If you want to optimize your battery’s health, macOS Tahoe provides a new option to set your battery’s charge limit. I have mine set to charge up to 95% of the full charge limit. But, truthfully, I never even remotely cared about charge limit before.

After five years of extensive use, my M1 Pro MacBook Pro has 81% charging capacity. The battery’s cycle count is 115, and its condition is reported as normal.

While my MacBook Pro remains plugged in 80% of the time, I’m not afraid to run the MBP on battery juice when I’m out and about. It’s not uncommon for me to run my Mac’s battery completely down to the point where I have to plug it in. When it happens, I don’t worry about it. (The battery still lasts about 4 to 5 hours on one charge. Pretty impressive for a five year old laptop, all things considered.)

Bottom line: Don’t worry about your Mac’s battery cycle count. Just use it like you normally would.

It’s fine.

-Krishna

April 23, 2026