Why I switched from Gmail to Proton Mail to iCloud Mail?

I value privacy and was delighted to discover Proton Mail. Their solution sounded like a wonderful counterpoint to the dominance of Gmail and other ad-driven services. Once I read books about surveillance capitalism, I knew that I wanted to protect my data and experience what it means to use the end-to-end encrypted, open-source email provider called Proton. Although, after over a year of using it, I’m switching to Apple’s iCloud Mail.

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Beeper the universal chat app using Matrix protocol

Recently, I published my impressions about the Texts app and how well it addresses the chat apps market fragmentation. Which is especially crucial for digital nomads and our international outreach. Automattic, who acquired Texts in October 2023, just six months later bought another chat aggregator called Beeper. There’s more to that story.

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One year of using AI tool in tech support

I’m Happiness Engineer at Octolize, where I provide tech and customer support for our Woo plugins. It’s a niche within a niche: shipping solutions for online stores. The inquires are about possible shipping scenarios, issues with carriers’ APIs, plugin configurations, and everything in between. About a year ago, our team decided to implement an AI tool for our email support channel, and here is my summary.

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New kind of satellite connectivity in iPhone 14

Apple understands that their flagship mobile device has to offer groundbreaking features. Therefore, it’s refreshing to see an entirely new satellite functionality that combines dedicated built-in antenna, data compression and software stack. This currently delimited offering is a glimpse into the future of smartphones connectivity.

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Decentralize your web3 internet presence

If web3 foundation lies in decentralization, why do so many projects rely on centralized web2 platforms? It seems that the “revolution” promised by every other web3 project uses tools that are notoriously prone to centralized abuse. In the form of paywalls, censorship and surveillance capitalism. Here are some decentralized web2 alternatives for your web3 endeavor.

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eSIM – the next big thing for the Internet

Being always connected should be an option, not a struggle. The plastic chip we call SIM has been essential for mobile phone adoption by the majority of human population. But because it grew on top of national telecoms it inherited many issues that date back to Graham Bell – the inventor of cable telephone. Fortunately, we now have an eSIM that addresses the need for international mobility of digital nomads.

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Infinite Machine book – short and invigorating history of Etherum

Do you remember when we watched movies on DVDs? Or when mobile phones were big as a brick? If you do, then you have lived through a tech disruption cycle. There’s always a period when one standard dominates the market but there’s a new thing coming, to change the game. Etherum is one of the major tech solutions that ties flexibility of the digital world with broad financial services of the real world. If you are used to paying for your soy latte with your smartphone, then prepare for what’s coming next.

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The end of “unbreaking news” experiment with The Correspondent

People around us and the stories we tell are two timeless factors of our wellbeing. The vast and unprecise term for everyday stories – “the news media” is used as a scapegoat. Any political outcome, social unrest, or economic struggle can be connected to the controversial stories in “the news”. I don’t fall into the trap of simplification. Understanding the complexity of journalism, business models and the role of the Internet is vital for me. Until now The Correspondent was the best news project that unfortunately didn’t pass the test of time.

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Build Better Systems – What to do after watching the Social Dilemma documentary?

Like many other technologists, I am also fascinated by the wide spectrum of possibilities made with machines. Social Media is one of the prime examples of a “thing” that managed to become a mainstream method of building online relationships. In some regions, it’s even perceived as the Internet itself. Yet, the tremendous privacy abuse, political manipulation, and mental toll can’t be a “necessary evil” characteristic. It’s time to Build Better Systems.

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The important activities

Time is the only common denominator. Fortunately, our perception of it is subjective and open for interpretation. This allows us to choose and value the time we spend on important activities. For me, the act of writing is one of them. I love every single part of it – the struggle to focus, the slow process and the lightweight output that fits any screen. Here’s a random blog post to play with creativity.