Technology -- still kicking my ass in 2025

[toprob]

Another episode of my ongoing battle with technology.

AI -- now and then I play with AI, mostly image generation tools, but really, I don't have much use for today's language model AIs. But with the recent release of the Chinese AI tool -- DeepSeek -- I decided to give the current free tools a look, and see which one suited me. The problem I had was that I'd previously created a Spotify playlist of songs where the lyrics all started with the word 'and'. For some reason -- probably something stupid I've done -- my playlist has disappeared. I wondered if AI could help me recreate this list, so I tried a few to see if they could help. As I said, I only use free versions, as I'm a pensioner.
I chose Google Gemini, which is the default search tool on my phone, Copilot which is available from the Bing search on my PC, DeepSeek, the new tool on the market, and lastly Chat GPT, which is considered one of the best free tools available. I gave these four the same prompt -- "Give me a playlist of popular songs where the first word of the lyrics -- not necessarily the title -- is the word 'and'."
Gemini, being part of Google, actually created a Youtube music playlist, which was very impressive, but it just overlooked my prompt, giving me songs with 'and' in the title. Copilot and Chat GPT weren't any better, although they seemed excited to help with this 'unique, fun' request. Basically, nond of these gave me any songs which matched my prompt.
DeepSeek did give me a few, but most of the songs didn't meet my requirements. However, it did apologise for the songs which didn't match, so at least it understood what I was asking. So although none of the tools helped me much, I feel that only DeepSeek actually heard me. It's nice to feel that someone is listening. Even if it's China....

If anyone knows of any songs from the last 60 years where the first word of the lyrics is 'and', please let me know.

I've recently replaced my old TV, a 42" budget Warehouse thing made smart with a Chromecast including Google TV. I did like my TV, especially using the amazing Google remote, with just a handful of buttons, plus voice control, but my deteriorating eyesight was starting to annoy me. I decided to go a bit bigger, although the space I have would only cater up to 55". I settled on a TCL 4K 55", which was on sale at the time. This is a very nice TV, again using Google TV for the smarts, but now built-in. I've always used a soundbar, as the old Veon sound was terrible, so now I can really enjoy a good HDR movie with high quality sound. Although I'm aware that there is a tenant in the flat downstairs, so I've just bought some budget, but highly recommended, Bluetooth headphones, which work a lot better than expected. I'm amazed at what I ended up with, a great TV experience for around $1000.

Another reason why I was keen on a new TV, which I've mentioned before, is that I am looking at buying an Xbox. I haven't made up my mind yet, as this was mainly to allow me to use MSFS without the PC, and so far MSFS 2024 isn't impressing people on the Xbox. I've aware that I'd have to give up my own addon airports, but hey, I'm retired now. I did have the very first Xbox, back when I was a solo dad on the weekends, and it kept the kids happy. (Although they did save up for a Playstation, go figure.) I also had the Xbox 360, which was amazing for its time, but it didn't survive the earthquakes. I don't have much interest in games now that I'm a squillion years old, but I do like the idea of sitting a couple of metres away from a bit screen to fly in 4K, or relive the old days of Halo or Gears of War.

I have also mulled over upgrading my PC, to improve my sim experience. This year we lose Windows 10 support, but my PC isn't Win11 compatible. I wouldn't like to have to replace it, as it is still a good PC. I'm hoping that Microsoft make some sort of deal to update all of us left behind, but if not I'm happy to live without support going forward.

But now we have a new generation of Nvidia GPUs it might be time to upgrade the GPU. Of course it isn't a good time, as the price of the new cards is crazy, and nobody is upgrading, so there's not much on the second-hand market. But this could settle down in a few months, and I'm happy to wait.

I won't get into my recent issues with MSFS, this week I joined the beta, and now my own scenery no longer works. Oh well. Might be time to scrap the PC, get an Xbox, and shoot aliens for fun.

[cowpatz]

A great post Rob and I think you have touched on most things that have all caused us a certain degree of annoyance over the years.
That 4K TV sounds a bargain. Have you tried plugging your PC into it?

[toprob]

I did try some of my sims with the TV, MSFS 2024 was a nuisance to get looking great at first, as I didn't want to change too many settings. It really needs a way to save different configs, I'll have to find this on the wish-list site and vote for it. Also, with the 2024 SP1 beta installed there are so many issues that nothing looks finished yet. Plus I've lost my airport aerial images with the beta, I do hope they come back one day, I miss them....

However after doing some tweaking, MSFS 2024 looks amazing with HDR10 at 4K. (My PC monitor is 4K, but I fly 2024 at 1440p because of my GPU. However since I last flew in 4K I've activated frame generation, so on the TV at 4K I was still getting a useable frame-rate.) There are things which I don't notice on my normal monitor, such as the low-level clouds on the horizon, which look just so real on the big screen. Both MSFS 2020 and X-plane 12 benefited a lot as well.

[toprob]

Ouch, this morning my PC wouldn't start, and made a funny sparking noise somewhere around the PSU. I took a look, and cleaned out the dust -- who knew the air intake was underneath the case, and therefore it's never been cleaned...

Anyway, I ordered a replacement PSU, and hopefully that'll be enough. Back when I was working, buying a new PC was easy, as the business paid for it, but now that I'm a pensioner it doesn't seem anywhere near as much fun. To get something to run MSFS ok would take almost a year's savings, and I just don't wanna do it. It's looking more and more like I'll spend the rest of my days in front of a TV connected to an Xbox, provided MSFS 2024 works better that it apparently does now.

Speaking of technology for the oldies, I really used to love my Windows Phone, until it was no longer a thing, but recently I've been using Square Home to make my Android phone look like my old Windows phone. Best $7 I ever spent. Did I say I don't like change? Now I don't need to change, ever.

[Charl]

Hahaha...
Windows Phone:"to hide observances, go to Goog..."

[toprob]

Yeah, Square Home comes with some lookalike Windows phone widgets, but these are not that reliable, so I tend not to use them. And of course all the apps are Android. Yes, I know it's an Android phone at heart, it just looks so much better though.