John Spahr

Hi, everyone. As you may know, laptops really started to gain popularity in the early 90s, and at the forefront of this new clamshell computer craze was none other than Apple. Indeed, their innovative line of PowerBook laptops pioneered many of the things we take for granted on laptop computers today. So, when I brought home a free PowerBook 520, I was thrilled to try it out. Here’s my experience with this classic notebook over the last few days! Hardware To begin, I want to make it clear that this is a very chunky laptop. It's incredibly heavy, and it’s obviously not as portable as we’re used to these days. Regardless, some things do feel very familiar, like the built-in stereo speakers and trackpad technology these 500 series laptops first introduced. However, some features of this laptop are long gone now, such as its dual battery bays, array of ancient ports hidden behind a folding panel, and 3.5 inch floppy drive. It definitely looks its age, but there’s no denying that this P...

Hi, everyone! As I somewhat diverge from the traditional purpose of this blog, said purpose being project updates, I feel that it is a good time to start writing about some of my other hobbies that I enjoy. One such hobby is watch collecting, and this post is the first of potentially many in a series I call “John’s Watch Box.” Today’s watch is one that watch enthusiasts will likely not appreciate, but more casual wearers like myself will enjoy for the most part. This is a Fossil SK-4928, a 1990s skeleton quartz watch that I inherited with a retro and eye-catching design. An Important Note Before we begin, I want to make it clear that this is very much a watch that prioritizes form over function. While this may not fly for a more expensive watch, these vintage Fossils tend to go for very little on sites like eBay since they lack the craftsmanship and brand prestige that you’ll find from some alternatives. That being said, if you ask me, the only issue with these so-called “fashion watch...

Hey, everyone! This will be a pretty short post, as there's not too much to say. Essentially, I have once again revamped my website, introducing a darker theme, a more intuitive design, and a newer look. What's more notable, however, is that I have done away with the Tectra branding, favoring my own name instead. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that I am trying to make my website more personal and less corporate-like. Overall, I'm very proud of how it has turned out, and I hope you like it, too! So, what are you waiting for? You can check out the new and improved site  here .

Hey, everyone! As you may already know, I recently released an update for the Android version of Violoncello that introduced an all-new tab manager. However, this feature was still notably lacking from the app’s iOS counterpart. That is, until now! Version 1.3.0 of Violoncello for iOS is finally here, and it introduces tabs while also making some other changes to the app. So, here’s what’s new: Tabs: As I just mentioned, the main feature that this update brings to the table is the iOS tab manager. As you would likely expect, it has a lot in common with the Android version. This is a very good thing, as the iOS tab manager retains its simplicity and ease of use. I’ve been meaning to introduce this feature to Violoncello as a whole for quite a while, but I think the result here and on the Android side of things was certainly worth the wait! UI Improvements: The other major change in this update has to do with the app’s user interface. I’ve made several tweaks and improvements to it, and ...

Hey, everyone! While there have certainly been some very major Violoncello for Android updates over the last year or so, this one might just take the cake in terms of importance. While version 1.9.0 might initially seem like yet another incremental upgrade over the previous release, it actually brings a lot of frequently requested features to the app. So, without further ado, here’s what’s new! Main Menu: Of all of the changes that come with this update, this is probably the most noticeable of them all. Gone is the old menu, located in the top-right corner, replaced with a sleek, easily reachable, and spacious grid of tiles for different browser functions. I am very proud of how this new menu has turned out, and I think it's definitely a massive improvement over its predecessor! Tabs: Yes, you read that right. At long last, Violoncello finally offers tabbed browsing! The tab manager can be accessed from the new main menu, or you can alternatively hold the menu button to get there. ...