Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Best Uses For An Old Apple Watch:

Best Uses For An Old Apple Watch:  
"... selling or trading in your old Apple Watch will be a no-brainer. (And you should manage to get at least something for it, as Apple products tend to hold second-hand value better than competing gadgets.)"

*  One of the best uses for your old Watch is to keep it around as a dedicated sleep tracker
*  Save it for swimming or dirty work
* Dedicated music player - loading its internal storage with albums and playlists gives you a modern equivalent of Apple's iPod
* Get an Apple Watch adapter that transforms your old model into a pocket watch:
     https://www.amazon.com/HiPai-Necklace-Compatible-Connector-Stainless/dp/B08GQC6B6G
     https://www.amazon.com/ZSJSRP-Compatible-Suitable-Fitness-Travel-Compatible/dp/B0CBYKRK53/ref=sr_1_3
     https://www.amazon.com/yothchose-Compatible-Keychain-Carabiner-Silicone/dp/B0BVTBW2BY/ref=sr_1_1
     https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-Carabiner-Military-Tactical-Breathable/dp/B0CD5RNHBF/ref=sr_1_6
     https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Mount-Compatible-Apple-Watch/dp/B09CVZKBVV/ref=sr_1_1_sspa
*  Wearing a watch on your arm or leg
     https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-South-ActionSleeve-Protective-Activities/dp/B09RYSBX4J
     https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BY8G4Y74/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1
     https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8H18XGX/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1
*  Pass it on to someone else ...
*  Leave it on its charger as a tiny desk clock
*  For Apple TV, repurpose your old Apple Watch as a remote for Apple's streaming set-top box
*  If you have a smart home, you can use your Apple Watch to control different things without using your iPhone
*  Stash it away as a backup
*  Trade-in, sell, recycle, or donate (Apple and Best Buy both let you trade in your old device to save a bit):
  Before selling or trading your old Apple Watch, be sure to unpair and factory-reset it for a new owner:
  •       Open the Apple Watch app on your paired iPhone.
  •       Go to the My Watches section at the top.
  •       Tap All Watches.
  •       Tap the info button (an "i" inside a circle).
  •       Choose Unpair Apple Watch.
  •       If it's a cellular model, remove your cellular plan when it asks during the unpairing process.
More ideas (scroll down): https://www.simplymac.com/apple-watch/repurposing-your-old-apple-watch
      https://www.idropnews.com/gallery/10-things-you-can-do-with-an-old-apple-watch/236206/13/
      https://www.cnet.com/pictures/extend-the-utility-of-your-old-apple-watch/
      https://www.cultofmac.com/how-to/what-to-do-with-old-apple-watch


Saturday, April 26, 2025

Intel Processor N95 description

"... an entry-level mobile CPU for thin and light laptops from the Alder Lake-N series. It was announced in early 2023"
"The average N95 in our database is in the same league as the Pentium 7505 and the Core i3-1115G4, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. That's not a great result, to put it mildly."
"The integrated graphics adapter is based on the Xe-architecture and offers only 16 of the 32 EUs (Execution Units) operating at only 1200 MHz. Due to the single channel memory, low clock speeds, and low shader count, the gaming performance of the iGPU is very limited."
"The N95 has a base power consumption of 12 W (compared to the 6 W of the N100) and is therefore well suited for thin and light systems."

"Earlier this year it transpired that in 2023, Intel intends to cease using its Celeron and Pentium brands for entry-level notebook CPUs."
"Since the Intel N95 is an entry-level product with only four efficient cores and rather low frequencies, it was certainly not designed to offer breakthrough performance. ... Yet, it stacks up very well against Intel's existing Celeron 7305 CPU with one high-performance and four energy-efficient cores that operate at 1.10 GHz. "

" ... both the Intel Processor N95 and Intel Processor N100 were released in the first quarter of 2023 and are based on the Alder Lake N architecture.
...
The two processors each have 4 processor cores that do not support hyperthreading, but the clock frequency is slightly different. The Intel Processor N95 has a slightly higher base clock frequency of 2.00 gigahertz; this is slightly lower for the Intel Processor N100 at 1.80 gigahertz. The maximum turbo clock frequency is identical at 3.40 gigahertz, but the Intel Processor N95 still reaches 3.20 gigahertz when all cores are utilized, whereas the Intel Processor N100 is already at 3.00 gigahertz."
" The biggest difference can be found in the power consumption: The Intel Processor N95 has a fixed TDP of 15W, while the Intel Processor N100 has 2 power limits, the first is 6W and the second is 25 watts."

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Mossberg 990 Aftershock review

The 990 is a semi-auto Shockwave available in 12 Gauge:
" This "other firearm" takes what makes the Mossberg 590 Shockwave cool, but with the fast-action shooting of a semi-auto shotgun. ... meaning you can rock through six rounds of 12-gauge mayhem that much quicker."

Monday, April 21, 2025

DOSBox Emulator

DOSBox is a free open-source emulator which runs software for MS-DOS compatible disk operating systems - it can be used to run older BASIC versions on modern Windows & Linux systems.

Basic Setup and Installation of DosBox:

More recently update:  https://dosbox-x.com/
"Unlike DOSBox's original focus on DOS games, DOSBox-X gives more focus on general DOS emulation, with the eventual goal of being a complete DOS emulation package that covers all pre-2000 DOS and Windows 9x based system scenarios, including all types and manners of hardware that were made for DOS PCs of that time."

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Dietary Supplements That Can Interact With Your Diabetes Medications

Watch your blood glucose more closely to verify the effect of these supplements.

1. Niacin - is found in many foods, such as beef, chicken, and marinara sauce. It's available as both a prescription medication and supplement to help lower cholesterol. But niacin and diabetes may not be the best mix.
Some studies have found that high doses of niacin (1,500 mg per day or more) can raise your blood glucose.

The dose of niacin in a multivitamin is unlikely to lead to a noticeable change in your blood glucose levels.

2. St. John's wort - an herbal product that's marketed to help improve mood.  It's notorious for interacting with medications. In most cases, it makes them leave your body too quickly, lowering medication effectiveness. But St. John's wort can amplify the effects of some medications, too.
There haven't been many studies that look into how St. John's wort affects diabetes medications. But it may make sulfonylureas like glipizide, thiazolidinediones like Actos (pioglitazone), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors like Januvia (sitagliptin) less effective.
Another study found that St. John's wort can raise the level of metformin in your body. This can lower your blood glucose by raising the amount of insulin released by your body.

3. Ginseng - a plant that's been used for thousands of years in medicine.
Newer research also suggests that ginseng may lower fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C in people with Type 2 diabetes. It's thought that ginseng does this by telling your body to make more insulin and remove glucose from the blood.
If you start taking ginseng with diabetes medications, you may want to watch your blood glucose more closely.
Good to know: Many types of ginseng are available, the most popular ones being Asian and American ginseng. They might not all have the same effect on blood glucose.

4. Aloe vera - a plant that's well-known for relieving the symptoms of conditions like sunburn. But aloe vera also comes in oral forms...
Topical aloe vera isn't a concern for diabetes interactions, but oral aloe vera may impact your blood glucose. Some studies found that it might lower fasting blood glucose in people with prediabetes. It may also lower A1C for people who already have diabetes.

5. Ginkgo biloba - One study found that ginkgo biloba can raise blood glucose levels in people who take oral diabetes medications. It's not exactly clear why this happens, but researchers think it causes your liver to break down insulin faster. To be safe, keep an eye out for high blood glucose symptoms and monitor your blood glucose more frequently after starting ginkgo biloba.
On the other hand, some interactions may be positive. Another study looked at taking ginkgo biloba with metformin. It found that ginkgo biloba helped improve blood glucose for people who didn't see much improvement from metformin alone.

6. Ginger - has been used for thousands of years to flavor food, but people also use it to treat certain ailments, such as nausea and menstrual cramps.
It's not fully clear if ginger interacts with diabetes medications, but some studies suggest that it can lower both your blood glucose and A1C. Other studies show it doesn't affect fasting blood glucose, but it can lower your A1C.

7. Vitamin E - an essential vitamin that is found in a variety of foods, such as nuts, broccoli, and tomatoes. Vitamin E may help improve heart, eye, and brain health when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
High doses may increase your risk for certain problems, including stroke and prostate cancer. On the other hand, some studies say that vitamin E is helpful for people living with diabetes. It may help lower fasting blood glucose levels in the short term.

8. Chromium - a mineral that's found naturally in many foods, such as fruit juice, certain meats, and lettuce. It may play a role in helping the body break down food for energy.
Chromium supplements may help improve your body's response to insulin, but more research is needed. What's more, it may also lower fasting blood glucose levels for people living with diabetes.

9. Green tea extract - It's been reported to potentially support lower blood pressure, improved digestion, and kidney stone prevention. Studies suggest that green tea may also slightly lower the risk of diabetes.
As a supplement, green tea extract may improve inflammation and skin quality. What's more, it may lower A1C and fasting blood glucose levels.