John Spahr

Hi, everyone. It's been around a month since I last released an update for the iOS version of Violoncello, so I think it's about time for a new one! As a result, I have gone ahead and released version 1.2.0, which is a fairly major update to the app. So, here's what's new: Quick Menu: You can now long-press the center menu button to access some handy shortcuts! These include options to edit the URL, start a new search, and navigate or search from your clipboard. Updated Bookmarks: Tired of Violoncello using page titles as bookmark names? If so, you'll be glad to know that you can now give bookmarks custom names! UI Improvements: I have made several noticeable improvements to the app's user interface in this update. The Little Things: This update also fixes some bugs and makes some quality improvements to the app.  While it hasn't been approved for release by Apple yet, this version should hopefully be rolling out very soon to the App Store . I hope you...

Hey, everyone! After a long trip to Michigan and then the west coast, I'm finally back home and able to resume work on my projects. In this post, I'll be going over some of my plans for the rest of summer and fall 2021. So, let's begin! Violoncello Updates This fall, my main focus will continue to be Violoncello! Since its launch in November 2020, it has become my most successful project ever, and I have really enjoyed working on it and improving it over time. There's still a ton of new things I want to work on and add to the app, so I will likely be spending a considerable amount of time doing so for the foreseeable future! Other Plans While Violoncello is going to be my primary focus, I also want to dedicate some time to improving some other existing projects. These include TaskNudge and Compliment Moi as you probably would expect, but also LifeBoard, binoc, and some of my Wear OS projects among other things. My hope is that I will be able to continue to improve and p...

Hey, everyone! Though this may change with the introduction of Google's rumored homegrown "Whitechapel" SOC, as of now, the main reasons most people seem to buy a Pixel phone are their value, software, and of course, the stunning photos they can produce.  The first point, value, mainly has to do with the fact that Google continues to sell its very capable Pixel 4a for just $349 here in the United States, making it one of the most compelling budget Android phones available for sale in this part of the world. Furthermore, another factor that makes it such a great option at that price is Google's software. From the clean Android experience to the frequent updates, there's a lot to like about the software experience on a Pixel. However, as my fellow tech enthusiasts surely know, Google's main claim to fame with its Pixel smartphones has traditionally been their excellent image processing. Though the Pixel 5 may use the same primary sensor as the last few Pixels, i...