‘Review’ articles

A technical and privacy review of Cloudflare Web Analytics

Cloudflare has launched a new free web analytics/visitor-counting service. It promises to put end-user privacy first. The service has plenty of room to improve.

Linux on Lenovo ThinkPad T14: great except the webcam/mic

Lenovo continues its tradition of excellent Linux hardware support on the ThinkPad T14. Except minor issues with the built-in webcams and microphone.

The $10 LensPen Hurricane Blower vs a $1 air puffer

Comparing a cheap air puffer to a brand-name model. You get what you pay for, even when it comes to a simple product like an air puffer/blower.

Review of Firefox “Daylight” for Android

The new Firefox version for Android comes with big changes under the hood, but also drops support for thousands of extensions, and is less configurable.

Genuine Roomba replacement parts vs off-brand clones

I bought authentic and off-brand Roomba 900-series replacement parts to compare their perceived quality. The differences are quite small.

Review: Joplin note-taking app

The open-source note-taking app Joplin supports encryption and choose-your-own-cloud. Desktop app gets the job done, but the Android app is slow and clunky.

ProtonMail vs Mailbox.org comparison

Comparison review of the two secure PGP-oriented email providers ProtonMail vs Mailbox.org. A huge price discrepancy for the same service.

Review of Mailbox.org: Email privacy with a thick German accent

There’s a lot to like about the privacy-focused Mailbox.org email hosting provider. Some things, not so much.

Why I prefer using Instapaper on the web over their Android app

The Instapaper app for Android has several issues, but its mobile web app is mostly okay.

Not getting much done with Microsoft To-Do

Microsoft To-Do app is slow and requires frequent reloading. It doesn’t sync with Outlook, Cortana, and other Microsoft task list apps.

Pocket Casts’ desktop apps are okay

I listen to podcasts at my desk, and Pocket Casts’ new desktop apps (based on their web apps) means I don’t need my smartphone to enjoy them comfortably.

Re-review of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro laptop/tablet hybrid 3 years later

The battery is dead, performance is terrible, and Lenovo abandoned its drivers. My Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro 1370 didn’t stand up to the test of time.

Vilfo VPN router review: Conclusions – Part 4:4

The final part and conclusions in my review-series for the Vilfo VPN router. Is it worth the premium price tag?

Vilfo review: Not designed for security or privacy – Part 3:4

I found several privacy and security issues with the Vilfo VPN router during my week-long review.

Vilfo VPN router review: Vilfo as a Wi-Fi access point – Part 2:4

The Vilfo VPN router has support for Wi-Fi but is too under-powered to serve as a Wi-Fi router.

Vilfo VPN router review: Overview and hardware – Part 1:4

The Vilfo router uses off-the-shelve hardware components but it isn’t top-grade stuff.

Linux on Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 (5th generation)

My experiences running Linux on the fifth-generation Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1. All but the GPS and fingerprint reader worked out of the box.

The many problems with the Logitech G403

Let’s just say Logitech’s G403 gaming mouse hardware, firmware, and the companion software has some design flaws.

CDNSun, KeyCDN, and BunnyCDN; budget CDNs compared

Compare three budget content delivery networks to find which one gets you the most bang for your bucks.

I regret transferring my domains to Hover

Ads had promised me that Hover.com was a great domain registrar. Trusting them to handle my domains turned out to be a big mistake.

Charge devices faster with a new USB 3.1 Type-C controller

How upgrading the USB 3.1 PCIe controller on my mainboard let my devices quick-charge over USB 3.1 from my PC.

Review: Delock USB-C volt-/ammeter

A review of the Delock USB-C volt-/ammeter used to measure the power going through a USB Type-C connector.

Postmortem re-review of the Sense sleep monitoring system

The Sense sleep monitoring system from Hello Inc. was discontinued and its cloud services put to sleep.

SpiderOak ONE review: Okay backup service, clunky software

The SpiderOak ONE backup service is better than their client software. Good security and privacy protections but tough to use.

Keep an eye on your certificates with SSLPing

SSLPing can keep an eye on the health of your TLS certificates and email you before they expire.

Review of IPFire as a home router

So is the Linux firewall distribution IPFire well suited as a home network router?

Review: ASUSWRT router firmware

A deep look at the ASUSWRT router firmware.

Review: Managed GeoDNS on a budget

A comparison review of six GeoDNS service providers. GeoDNS can help reduce latency by directing your website traffic to the nearest datacenter.

The allure of Textpattern: Why I never chose it as my CMS

My review of Textpattern. It has all the traits of a good CMS and WordPress alternative but never quite made the cut.

The not always Simplenote

Simplenote is a great note-taking service, but the apps and service have some serious issues with syncing.

Review: Neato D3 Connected robot vacuum

The D3 Connected is the only robotic vacuum cleaner I’ve had that damaged itself the first week and that sees “ghost furniture”.

Review of the Ethernet Adapter for Google Chromecast

An Ethernet connection is usually the more reliable and faster than Wi-Fi, and the Chromecast Ethernet Adapter is no exception.

Review of Lenovo IdeaCentre Stick 300

Lenovo’s contender to the stick-PC market runs Windows 10 but doesn’t even have enough storage space to perform upgrades. Linux may be the better option.

My experiences purchasing Bitcoins on Cubits using a credit card

I purchased Bitcoins with a credit card from Cubits. The experience was better than Cex.io but still not great.

My experiences purchasing Bitcoins on Cex.io using a credit card

I had to replace my passport and credit card after purchasing Bitcoins from the Cex.io exchange.

KDE Connect: Making friends between Android and the Linux desktop

A smart app connects your Linux desktop and Android device. Lets them share files and clipboard with each other.

Review of Linode VPS – 2 GB RAM plan for $10/month

I’ve migrated from DigitalOcean to Linode. I was surprised to learn it used a Unified Linux Kernel (with no SELinux support) instead of the upstream kernel.