designguybrown

Hard call.
I use ad-blockers on all my browsers for desktop web-use - it's the only sane experience I can handle when on for more than 30 minutes - my iOS experience is a comparable nightmare.
But, I certainly know a lot of small-scale art, comic, creative, and specialty site owners that very-much depend on their 'garbage ad' revenue to support a page that allows them to communicate unique and quality content - and they all work full-time at real jobs - so you know they're not just influencer/off-grid/ unemployables - apparently, semi-popular sites cost money -and- contribute real-world one-of-a-kind variety I don't want to lose. There must be some ad-revenue 'thoughtful' model that, maybe, allows 'deep content' (not front page) to be only accessed by selecting a few user-selected companies to display non-distracting ads that more likely are somewhat applicable to user. Combine that with good deals by sites getting together to negotiate better revenue deals. At the end of the day, the garbage ad brokers such as Outbrain really are just hackers, eye-ball pirates, and trash-content promoters rather than legitimate non-profits (maybe) that are trying to bridge the gap with quality companies using one of the few remaining venues for promotions. I was always surprised that no one has really pushed 'pay for article' fees - pay 10c to 25c for access to an article based on a no-ads wallet you top-up every month - I would be willing to pay $10 per month to throw such change at various sites for good quality articles without ads - which would b different than a subscription since sites rarely have consistently good content. Meh my 2c.

One AppleID to Rule Them All.
I have always wanted to get more out of AppleID.
Since I have a vast selection of devices, some over 10 years old, and my gorgeous unreplaceable iPad1 (with limited uses), I have always worried about falling under Apple's evil spell of forced/early obsolescence, savage and apparently arbitrary update changes, and unwanted app changes which may undermine and destroy my collections - looking at you iPhoto and Podcast and Adobe Suite. Along with having a few AppleIDs and limited functionality between devices, I have always wanted to clean-up the whole eco-system and it seems that 'aggregating' to a single all-knowing, all-seeing AppleID was a major step. A good All Things AppleID might be a good primer, including said article with a relevant email address. Ho-hum.

This is unclear.
I wear my Airpods Pros for calls while driving with the windows open and satellite ON. So, I want to hear my car audio over whatever the Airpods are doing (nothing) while I wait for a call. So, what does noise-cancelling actually do? In my perfect world, a new call comes in and the Airpods SHOULD isolate the call - total noise block so I can hear the caller perfectly despite the window open and audio playing. Further, the ideal Airpods Pro would also noise-cancel and clean-up the noise on my end so the Caller can hear my voice crystal clear despite wind and audio. Are we getting there? Moreso with this firmware update (and how do I determine if my Airpods accessory have latest firmware update?) does this get accomplished?

Addiction typically occurs and continues to take hold because the rest of the affected person suffers from a lack of balance in the rest of their lives:
- happy significant other relationship-if only platonic
- several close friends and acquaintances that know about your life on a weekly basis
- few to no significant health problems; go to the gym, drink less, eat vegetables/ fruit/ pro-biotoics
- happy family and work peer relationships
- financial life in order - living within your means, not above your station, and with future savings in mind
- wide range of varied interests, inside and outside
- life goals not based on comparing yourself to others
2 or more of these not met or not possible - fix first
Easy. peasy. Addictions can't fit into a balanced life.
You can do it all - including maximize the fun and utility in screen time.

As much as the world is a better place for Apple having existing, I feel that Apple has to be taken down a notch - forced obsolescence in operating systems, software, hardware, and online services; morality police in passwords and data; over the top DEI initiatives; endless 'highly exclusive' proprietary wireless, chips, and online services; etc., etc. Apple hasn't done much really, really wrong as they have horribly neglected to do much 'politically' and socially right. This means they should win the suit but lose much money, customer loyalty, and developer/vendor attention/ service. Maybe a 30% drop in stock prices can deride the Arrogance. Hopefully, Apple will be a bit more like Tesla with absurdly open protocols and standardization - benefitting the industry more and the bottom line less.