Matt Birchler
@birchtree.me
Day one reviews you should never trust implicitly.
- "This new LLM is my new go-to model and leaves everything else in the dust"
- "This new VR headset definitely isn't going to get boring after 2 weeks and live in my closet"
- "This new LLM is my new go-to model and leaves everything else in the dust"
- "This new VR headset definitely isn't going to get boring after 2 weeks and live in my closet"
November 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Day one reviews you should never trust implicitly.
- "This new LLM is my new go-to model and leaves everything else in the dust"
- "This new VR headset definitely isn't going to get boring after 2 weeks and live in my closet"
- "This new LLM is my new go-to model and leaves everything else in the dust"
- "This new VR headset definitely isn't going to get boring after 2 weeks and live in my closet"
🔗 I just won’t buy one https://birchtree.me/blog/i-just-wont-buy-one/
I just won’t buy one
John Voorhees writing for MacStories: Apple and ISSEY MIYAKE Introduce a Limited-Edition iPhone Pocket The iPhone Pocket will be available starting Friday, November 14, for $149.95 for the short strap version and $229.95 for the long strap version from Apple’s online store and ten retail stores worldwide
birchtree.me
November 12, 2025 at 3:40 AM
🔗 I just won’t buy one https://birchtree.me/blog/i-just-wont-buy-one/
🔗 Leveling up the "spend more to get less" iPhone https://birchtree.me/blog/leveling-up-the-spend-more-to-get-less-iphone/
November 11, 2025 at 5:47 PM
🔗 Leveling up the "spend more to get less" iPhone https://birchtree.me/blog/leveling-up-the-spend-more-to-get-less-iphone/
Why does Canva have the slowest auth system I've ever seen in the new Affinity app? Do this in the background, why do I need to look at this splash screen for 5 seconds every time I open the app 🫠
November 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Why does Canva have the slowest auth system I've ever seen in the new Affinity app? Do this in the background, why do I need to look at this splash screen for 5 seconds every time I open the app 🫠
🔗 + The enshitification cycle keeps going https://birchtree.me/blog/the-enshitification-cycle-keeps-going/
+ The enshitification cycle keeps going
It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
birchtree.me
November 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🔗 + The enshitification cycle keeps going https://birchtree.me/blog/the-enshitification-cycle-keeps-going/
Quick Notes has another update out today!
If you’d like to keep and download your notes as audio, now you can. It’s a one-time paid unlock, and you get it for life.
If you’d like to keep and download your notes as audio, now you can. It’s a one-time paid unlock, and you get it for life.
November 10, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Quick Notes has another update out today!
If you’d like to keep and download your notes as audio, now you can. It’s a one-time paid unlock, and you get it for life.
If you’d like to keep and download your notes as audio, now you can. It’s a one-time paid unlock, and you get it for life.
This is not a chill first snow alert of the year.
November 9, 2025 at 11:10 PM
This is not a chill first snow alert of the year.
🔗 Another example of babying your phone for minimal advantage https://birchtree.me/blog/another-example-of-babying-your-phone-for-minimal-advantage/
November 9, 2025 at 12:36 PM
🔗 Another example of babying your phone for minimal advantage https://birchtree.me/blog/another-example-of-babying-your-phone-for-minimal-advantage/
Reposted by Matt Birchler
Millennials haven’t had easy lives but at least we’ll always have this beat drop at 3:07
November 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Millennials haven’t had easy lives but at least we’ll always have this beat drop at 3:07
🔗 How do you review a product that you don’t find useful? https://birchtree.me/blog/how-do-you-review-a-product-that-you-dont-find-useful/
How do you review a product that you don’t find useful?
Here's a quote from a post on Reddit. I'm not linking to it because this could be seen as punching down, and I really don't mean it that way. I’m sure you could Google for it if you want to see the whole post. Here is why and all
birchtree.me
November 7, 2025 at 10:51 PM
🔗 How do you review a product that you don’t find useful? https://birchtree.me/blog/how-do-you-review-a-product-that-you-dont-find-useful/
Man, 2022 was the year of Vampire Surviors, 2024 was the year of Balatro, and 2025 is the year of Ball x Pit.
November 7, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Man, 2022 was the year of Vampire Surviors, 2024 was the year of Balatro, and 2025 is the year of Ball x Pit.
Reposted by Matt Birchler
Comfort Zone, Episode 74: Freak'n Toad
@chrislawley.me simplifies his backpack, @birchtree.me has complex feelings about the new Affinity Studio, and @nileane.fr's challenge has her questioning the sanity of the American suburbs.
🎧 www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/
▶️ youtu.be/0qv0A5EMyU4
@chrislawley.me simplifies his backpack, @birchtree.me has complex feelings about the new Affinity Studio, and @nileane.fr's challenge has her questioning the sanity of the American suburbs.
🎧 www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/
▶️ youtu.be/0qv0A5EMyU4
November 6, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Comfort Zone, Episode 74: Freak'n Toad
@chrislawley.me simplifies his backpack, @birchtree.me has complex feelings about the new Affinity Studio, and @nileane.fr's challenge has her questioning the sanity of the American suburbs.
🎧 www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/
▶️ youtu.be/0qv0A5EMyU4
@chrislawley.me simplifies his backpack, @birchtree.me has complex feelings about the new Affinity Studio, and @nileane.fr's challenge has her questioning the sanity of the American suburbs.
🎧 www.macstories.net/comfort-zone/
▶️ youtu.be/0qv0A5EMyU4
🔗 LLM memory: either the best or worst thing about chatbots https://birchtree.me/blog/llm-memory-either-the-best-or-worst-thing-about-chatbots/
LLM memory: either the best or worst thing about chatbots
This video brings up some salient points on the security concerns of using a browser that has an agent capable of doing things. New technology tends to bring new security concerns that need to be tackled, and prompt injection is undoubtedly one we have for LLMs. One thing I found
birchtree.me
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
🔗 LLM memory: either the best or worst thing about chatbots https://birchtree.me/blog/llm-memory-either-the-best-or-worst-thing-about-chatbots/
🔗 Quick Subtitles is FINALLY on the Mac! https://birchtree.me/blog/quick-subtitles-is-finally-on-the-mac/
Quick Subtitles is FINALLY on the Mac!
I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this notification pop up on my phone this evening. After nearly 2 months of fighting with App Review (in fairness, I haven’t done much the last month as I’d lost the will to fight for a bit), it’s
birchtree.me
November 6, 2025 at 12:48 AM
🔗 Quick Subtitles is FINALLY on the Mac! https://birchtree.me/blog/quick-subtitles-is-finally-on-the-mac/
The blatant racism on the right is pretty shocking. The replies on X are largely agreeing too. Every Muslim is a terrorist, apparently.
Meanwhile, not all white peole are little bitches, but Eric Daugherty is. See, that’s how you criticize 🫡
Meanwhile, not all white peole are little bitches, but Eric Daugherty is. See, that’s how you criticize 🫡
November 6, 2025 at 12:19 AM
The blatant racism on the right is pretty shocking. The replies on X are largely agreeing too. Every Muslim is a terrorist, apparently.
Meanwhile, not all white peole are little bitches, but Eric Daugherty is. See, that’s how you criticize 🫡
Meanwhile, not all white peole are little bitches, but Eric Daugherty is. See, that’s how you criticize 🫡
🔗 The App Store is now on the web https://birchtree.me/blog/the-app-store-is-now-on-the-web/
The App Store is now on the web
John Voorhees: Apple Recreated the App Store on the Web With No Way to Download or Buy Apps An even bigger difference from the native App Stores is that you can’t buy anything on the web. That’s right: there’s no way to log into your Apple account
birchtree.me
November 5, 2025 at 5:01 PM
🔗 The App Store is now on the web https://birchtree.me/blog/the-app-store-is-now-on-the-web/
🔗 iOS 26 gets another glass slider https://birchtree.me/blog/ios-26-gets-another-glass-slider/
November 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
🔗 iOS 26 gets another glass slider https://birchtree.me/blog/ios-26-gets-another-glass-slider/
🔗 An absolute drubbing https://birchtree.me/blog/an-absolute-drubbing/
An absolute drubbing
Last night was an absolute drubbing for conservative politics across America, and I couldn't be happier about it. Zohran Mamdani demolished Andrew Cuomo for the second time this year, and will be the next mayor of New York City. And California's Prop. 50 passed with an overwhelming majority, nearly 2-to-1.
birchtree.me
November 5, 2025 at 3:02 PM
🔗 An absolute drubbing https://birchtree.me/blog/an-absolute-drubbing/
Quick Notes 1.2 is out now! It's a very nice release (IMO) with a few things I think you'll enjoy.
Nearest and dearest to me is the new diff view. When you clean up your transcript, now you can see what the local LLM did to your original transcript.
Nearest and dearest to me is the new diff view. When you clean up your transcript, now you can see what the local LLM did to your original transcript.
November 4, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Quick Notes 1.2 is out now! It's a very nice release (IMO) with a few things I think you'll enjoy.
Nearest and dearest to me is the new diff view. When you clean up your transcript, now you can see what the local LLM did to your original transcript.
Nearest and dearest to me is the new diff view. When you clean up your transcript, now you can see what the local LLM did to your original transcript.
Here's a quick look at how I'm managing my tasks at work lately. It's still very much in progress, but I'm amazed how effective it's been for me catching up on my work lately.
youtu.be/DEyFa4rjhzo
youtu.be/DEyFa4rjhzo
November 4, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Here's a quick look at how I'm managing my tasks at work lately. It's still very much in progress, but I'm amazed how effective it's been for me catching up on my work lately.
youtu.be/DEyFa4rjhzo
youtu.be/DEyFa4rjhzo
🔗 Apple TV's new sound https://birchtree.me/blog/apple-tvs-new-sound/
Apple TV's new sound
I gotta be honest, I'm bummed they aren't referencing the classic Mac boot sound anymore.
birchtree.me
November 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM
🔗 Apple TV's new sound https://birchtree.me/blog/apple-tvs-new-sound/
🔗 + Browser agent modes are fucking stupid https://birchtree.me/blog/browser-agent-modes-are-fucking-stupid/
+ Browser agent modes are fucking stupid
I have had it with these monkey-fighting agent modes on this Monday-to-Friday plane.
birchtree.me
November 3, 2025 at 12:01 PM
🔗 + Browser agent modes are fucking stupid https://birchtree.me/blog/browser-agent-modes-are-fucking-stupid/
My spicy weekend take is that it’s usually silly not to use some cool app today just because it might get enshitified in a few years. As if this isn’t the case for every app out there. Use what you like and move on if it gets bad.
Yes, this is about Affinity Studio 🫣
Yes, this is about Affinity Studio 🫣
November 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
My spicy weekend take is that it’s usually silly not to use some cool app today just because it might get enshitified in a few years. As if this isn’t the case for every app out there. Use what you like and move on if it gets bad.
Yes, this is about Affinity Studio 🫣
Yes, this is about Affinity Studio 🫣
This was a fun Lego build!
November 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM
This was a fun Lego build!