maltz

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maltz
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  • Apple Watch Series 10 almost had a new health sensor

    maltzmaltz
    "Current methods for blood glucose monitoring typically relies on sampling the blood directly."

    Continuous glucose monitors work by measuring interstitial fluid.  Still kind of invasive, but it's not as painful as the finger pricks - just a raised nub on the back of your arm that sometimes catches on things.  lol

    It's slightly less accurate, and readings lag slightly behind the finger-prick blood-measuring method, but it has the advantage of continuous monitoring.  Which is great for watching trends and how different foods and activities affect your glucose in real-time.  It can even be life-saving for people whose blood sugar tends to drop below safe levels, allowing them to be aware of it in time to take action, or even alert others if they fail to do so.

    IMO, even an Apple Watch that paired with an OTC CGM device would be pretty great.  Other OTC solutions like Lingo have an app, but they don't work on the watch and don't export data to Apple's Health app, afaik.
    Xeddocbburkwatto_cobra

  • Reverse charging rumor resurfaces for the iPhone 17 Pro

    maltzmaltz
    It's probably worth mentioning that even iPhone 16 (maybe others?) can reverse charge Airpods and Apple Watch right now, but it requires a charging cable.  So saying Apple is testing "reverse charging" without specifically mentioning wireless doesn't even seem like a rumor - this is something iPhones already do.

    Wireless reverse charging would be great, though.  Especially if it could reverse charge other phones and Airpods and Watches, but I wonder if the latter is possible, since they seem to require a different charge pad than a phone.
    dewmewatto_cobra

  • Why Walmart still won't accept Apple Pay

    maltzmaltz
    mknelson said:
    That's because Chip and Pin and tap are pretty ubiquitous here in Canada. It's pretty difficult to get the processor to shut tap off (although you can set a limit).

    Tap activated is all that's needed - ApplePay just works.

    Walmart's main concern may be that they aren't covered if it's a stolen card which was tapped - no security (thanks banks) but the store will often still be liable.
    Outside of gas pumps, NFC is very widely available here in the states, too.  I'd say probably 85%+ of places I go to accept it.  (Gas pumps are probably around 10-20%, and only the newest pumps.  Hardly any have been retro-fitted.)  Walmart definitely stands out these days that they don't accept NFC at all.

    It's not a liability thing, though.  Vendors aren't (and never were) on the hook for credit card fraud.  At some point, they were required to move to chip to maintain that coverage, but as long as they don't require a magstripe swipe (except as a fallback) then they're covered.
    watto_cobra

  • Twenty years of the Mac mini, the little Mac that could

    maltzmaltz
    The Mini was always my platform of choice over the years because it seemed stupid to replace a perfectly good monitor every time I got a new computer.  I owned/used around half a dozen at home and work.  Being OS ambidextrous myself, Apple's prices and inflexible hardware eventually pushed me out of the Mac market - all my machines are Windows or Linux these days.  But I'm glad the headless Macs live on.
    watto_cobra

  • How to use a VPN to get the best travel deals

    maltzmaltz
    ashsaturday said:
    Another reason to use VPN -- This is slightly criminal in behavior from the booking sites. "Profiling" is against the law. Discriminating against someone because of their "anything" is now somehow legal for Flight Booking sites.

    VPN for the win.

    Discrimination (to use the term broadly) is only actually illegal for a very few, very specific things.  Location is not one of them.
    Hrebbeowulfschmidt