Dwight Silverman
@dwightsilverman.com
Retired but not good at it. Still tech columnizing at @houstonchronicle.com. Passable iPhone photographer, pizza lover, aspiring cat lady. Other base camps at https://mastodon.social/@dsilverman, https://www.threads.net/@dsilverman #housky
How to remove Copilot from Windows 11. News you can use!
Microsoft keeps reinstalling Copilot, so I found a way to rip it out of Windows for good
You can get rid of all those stubborn AI components for better privacy and performance.
www.howtogeek.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:50 PM
How to remove Copilot from Windows 11. News you can use!
It's not just you: Verizon is down.
Verizon is down, with many users seeing 'SOS' – here's everything we know about this outage
Seemingly 'SOS' is replacing network bars
www.techradar.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:44 PM
It's not just you: Verizon is down.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
What to Do If ICE Invades Your Neighborhood. there’s no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact. www.wired.com/story/what-t...
What to Do If ICE Invades Your Neighborhood
With federal agents storming the streets of American communities, there's no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact.
www.wired.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:57 PM
What to Do If ICE Invades Your Neighborhood. there’s no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact. www.wired.com/story/what-t...
Generally I'm not a fan of folding phones, overpriced and something of a gimmick.
But if #Apple plays to its strengths, I might be more interested in an iPhone Fold, PARTICULARLY if the Fold instantly switches from iOS to iPadOS when it opens up. That's the smart way to go, if you're Apple.
But if #Apple plays to its strengths, I might be more interested in an iPhone Fold, PARTICULARLY if the Fold instantly switches from iOS to iPadOS when it opens up. That's the smart way to go, if you're Apple.
January 11, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Generally I'm not a fan of folding phones, overpriced and something of a gimmick.
But if #Apple plays to its strengths, I might be more interested in an iPhone Fold, PARTICULARLY if the Fold instantly switches from iOS to iPadOS when it opens up. That's the smart way to go, if you're Apple.
But if #Apple plays to its strengths, I might be more interested in an iPhone Fold, PARTICULARLY if the Fold instantly switches from iOS to iPadOS when it opens up. That's the smart way to go, if you're Apple.
Still getting those gig speeds, intermittently.
January 10, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Still getting those gig speeds, intermittently.
When AT&T Fiber raised its monthly price to $90 for the 1-gigabit-per-second service I was using,I decided to see what it would feel like to cut that speed in half, saving $180 a year in the process. Would I even notice?
The TL;DR: No! But I got a surprise: My gig speeds didn't go away! Kind of.
The TL;DR: No! But I got a surprise: My gig speeds didn't go away! Kind of.
How I cut my speed and my cost with AT&T Fiber, with unexpectedly happy results
After AT&T Fiber raised the price on my gigabit plan, I downgraded to 500 Mbps and found no drop in everyday performance — and in some cases saw even higher speeds.
www.houstonchronicle.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:01 PM
When AT&T Fiber raised its monthly price to $90 for the 1-gigabit-per-second service I was using,I decided to see what it would feel like to cut that speed in half, saving $180 a year in the process. Would I even notice?
The TL;DR: No! But I got a surprise: My gig speeds didn't go away! Kind of.
The TL;DR: No! But I got a surprise: My gig speeds didn't go away! Kind of.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Here’s a comment for the people who are upset that MN hasn’t charged Jonathan Ross already:
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
January 9, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Here’s a comment for the people who are upset that MN hasn’t charged Jonathan Ross already:
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
The Clash - Know Your Rights (Remastered)
YouTube video by theclashVEVO
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Still think that large language models are "just predicting the last word." This author says you're living in the recent past, and that they have evolved past that. That trope is no longer true.
Excellent article - long, but worth your time to read. Definitely see his footnotes and the comments.
Excellent article - long, but worth your time to read. Definitely see his footnotes and the comments.
AI isn’t “just predicting the next word” anymore
On new abilities and how AI has changed
stevenadler.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Still think that large language models are "just predicting the last word." This author says you're living in the recent past, and that they have evolved past that. That trope is no longer true.
Excellent article - long, but worth your time to read. Definitely see his footnotes and the comments.
Excellent article - long, but worth your time to read. Definitely see his footnotes and the comments.
re: my previous post about vertical video and vertical eye alignment. As I mentioned, it was really hard to get ChatGPT to generate the image of a human with vertically aligned eyes. So once it finally did, I asked it why. The answer was so interesting, I turned it into a blog post.
#AI #ChatGPT
#AI #ChatGPT
Why it’s so hard to get image generation models to create pictures of people with eyes aligned vertically, as explained by ChatGPT
A man with eyes aligned vertically instead of horizontally, as generated by ChatGPT 5.2 after three tries. Me, after trying three times to get ChatGPT to create a picture of a man with eyes aligned…
dwightsilverman.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Disney+ is going to add vertical video. But human eyes are aligned horizontally, making horizontally shot video natural. If human eyes were aligned vertically - and based on this ChatGPT image, thankfully they are not - then vertical video would make sense. It doesn't.
deadline.com/2026/01/disn...
deadline.com/2026/01/disn...
January 8, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Disney+ is going to add vertical video. But human eyes are aligned horizontally, making horizontally shot video natural. If human eyes were aligned vertically - and based on this ChatGPT image, thankfully they are not - then vertical video would make sense. It doesn't.
deadline.com/2026/01/disn...
deadline.com/2026/01/disn...
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:35 PM
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Reminder to Dem leadership as midterms approach: throwing out the demented US healthcare system and replacing it with something modeled in approaches proven to cost less and provide better results in other countries is a *centrist* position.
January 8, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Reminder to Dem leadership as midterms approach: throwing out the demented US healthcare system and replacing it with something modeled in approaches proven to cost less and provide better results in other countries is a *centrist* position.
When M5 MacBook Airs launch, presumably this spring, I'll likely replace my 2021 M1 MacBook Pro. I no longer need the pro features, and don't mind living That Dongle Life™. I'd rather have a great 15-inch screen, killer battery life, minimal weight.
Former MBP owners who switched: Regrets?
#apple
Former MBP owners who switched: Regrets?
#apple
January 8, 2026 at 3:03 PM
When M5 MacBook Airs launch, presumably this spring, I'll likely replace my 2021 M1 MacBook Pro. I no longer need the pro features, and don't mind living That Dongle Life™. I'd rather have a great 15-inch screen, killer battery life, minimal weight.
Former MBP owners who switched: Regrets?
#apple
Former MBP owners who switched: Regrets?
#apple
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Houston sees the possibility of thunderstorms with a front on Friday night, folllowed by a cooldown that will stick around for awhile. Winter, it seems, really might be here. ❄️
Also, start line conditions for the Houston Marathon are the best we can recall.
#houwx
Also, start line conditions for the Houston Marathon are the best we can recall.
#houwx
A few thunderstorms may occur with the passage of Friday night’s front
In brief: Today’s post discusses the possibility of thunderstorms with a front on Friday night, folllowed by a cooldown that will stick around for awhile. Winter, it seems, really might be he…
spacecityweather.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Houston sees the possibility of thunderstorms with a front on Friday night, folllowed by a cooldown that will stick around for awhile. Winter, it seems, really might be here. ❄️
Also, start line conditions for the Houston Marathon are the best we can recall.
#houwx
Also, start line conditions for the Houston Marathon are the best we can recall.
#houwx
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Apple Photos Reminds Man He Was Nude In Capitol Building 5 Years Ago
January 6, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Apple Photos Reminds Man He Was Nude In Capitol Building 5 Years Ago
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Microsoft Edge is getting a Copilot-inspired redesign
Microsoft Edge is getting a Copilot-inspired redesign
The Copilot UI could come to more Microsoft products
buff.ly
January 5, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Microsoft Edge is getting a Copilot-inspired redesign
PSA: It's not "on accident”, it's "by accident."
There are a lot of grammatical abominations out there, this is the latest one that brings out the raging pedant in me. Die in a fire, it should.
www.grammar.com/on_accident_...
www.vocabulary.com/articles/par...
There are a lot of grammatical abominations out there, this is the latest one that brings out the raging pedant in me. Die in a fire, it should.
www.grammar.com/on_accident_...
www.vocabulary.com/articles/par...
On Accident vs. By Accident
Ever wondered how prepositions can change the whole meaning
of your sentence? Well, in the case of on accident and by accident, only one of
them is the right way of using the phrase. In this grammar.c...
www.grammar.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:42 AM
PSA: It's not "on accident”, it's "by accident."
There are a lot of grammatical abominations out there, this is the latest one that brings out the raging pedant in me. Die in a fire, it should.
www.grammar.com/on_accident_...
www.vocabulary.com/articles/par...
There are a lot of grammatical abominations out there, this is the latest one that brings out the raging pedant in me. Die in a fire, it should.
www.grammar.com/on_accident_...
www.vocabulary.com/articles/par...
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
In this Sunday special edition of Space City Weather, we're offering the latest forecast for the Houston Marathon, which is one week from today. The tl;dr - things look really good.
#houwx
#houwx
Our official forecast for the Houston Marathon: trending cooler, with borderline ideal conditions
In brief: In this Sunday special edition of Space City Weather, we’re offering the latest forecast for the Houston Marathon, which is one week from today. The short version is that things loo…
spacecityweather.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:12 PM
In this Sunday special edition of Space City Weather, we're offering the latest forecast for the Houston Marathon, which is one week from today. The tl;dr - things look really good.
#houwx
#houwx
AT&T Fiber raised prices, going to $90 a month for a 1 Gbps service. The increase wasn't all that much, but I decided to see how much of a difference I'd see day to day if I dropped back to 500 Mbps for $75. It looks like it kicked in this morning, and I can't tell much difference so far.
January 4, 2026 at 4:00 PM
AT&T Fiber raised prices, going to $90 a month for a 1 Gbps service. The increase wasn't all that much, but I decided to see how much of a difference I'd see day to day if I dropped back to 500 Mbps for $75. It looks like it kicked in this morning, and I can't tell much difference so far.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
On his first day in office, Mayor Mamdani completed the first of three miracles necessary for sainthood.
Some news — George Santos has fled NYC due to Zohran Mamdani.
January 2, 2026 at 6:13 PM
On his first day in office, Mayor Mamdani completed the first of three miracles necessary for sainthood.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
After turbulent weather, Houston swings into to a calmer vibe. We bring you tidings of a tranquil entry into the year 2026, a brief warm-up, and then a truly gorgeous weekend. Happy New Year, everyone!
#houwx
#houwx
After this morning’s chill, Houston’s weather turns calmer for awhile
In brief: In today’s post we discuss our transition from turbulent weather to a calmer vibe. We bring you tidings of a tranquil entry into the year 2026, a brief warm-up, and then a truly gor…
spacecityweather.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:17 PM
After turbulent weather, Houston swings into to a calmer vibe. We bring you tidings of a tranquil entry into the year 2026, a brief warm-up, and then a truly gorgeous weekend. Happy New Year, everyone!
#houwx
#houwx
Editors used to pride themselves on clear, concise headlines that provided readers with basic information about a story.
Then the internet happened.
Then the internet happened.
December 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Editors used to pride themselves on clear, concise headlines that provided readers with basic information about a story.
Then the internet happened.
Then the internet happened.
Reposted by Dwight Silverman
Call me crazy, but I do think it's important for news orgs to work on business models that don't treat their readers like enemies, just like I thought the same of record labels decades ago. Too many business models are antagonistic. We can fix that.
You Shouldn’t Have To Hate Your News Source To Support It
Last week, I pointed out that part of the reason for running our current fundraiser (donate $100 or more and you’ll get our first commemorative challenge coin) is to show that it is possible to have a successful media business model that…
Last week, I pointed out that part of the reason for running our current fundraiser (donate $100 or more and you’ll get our first commemorative challenge coin) is to show that it is possible to have a successful media business model that…
You Shouldn’t Have To Hate Your News Source To Support It
Last week, I pointed out that part of the reason for running our current fundraiser (donate $100 or more and you’ll get our first commemorative challenge coin) is to show that it is possible to have a successful media business model that doesn’t involve annoying its community into paying. Apparently that struck a nerve. A (actually very good) journalist for a billionaire-owned news org complained, suggesting that it was unfair of me to call out other media organizations for choosing to annoy people for money.
www.techdirt.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Call me crazy, but I do think it's important for news orgs to work on business models that don't treat their readers like enemies, just like I thought the same of record labels decades ago. Too many business models are antagonistic. We can fix that.
TIL it is super easy to combine PDFs on a Mac.
Bring up both documents in Preview, making sure the Thumbails sidebar is turned on in both.
Drag the thumbnail for the page (or pages) from one PDF from that sidebar into the other PDF's sidebar.
Save that PDF. Done! 😮
Bring up both documents in Preview, making sure the Thumbails sidebar is turned on in both.
Drag the thumbnail for the page (or pages) from one PDF from that sidebar into the other PDF's sidebar.
Save that PDF. Done! 😮
December 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
TIL it is super easy to combine PDFs on a Mac.
Bring up both documents in Preview, making sure the Thumbails sidebar is turned on in both.
Drag the thumbnail for the page (or pages) from one PDF from that sidebar into the other PDF's sidebar.
Save that PDF. Done! 😮
Bring up both documents in Preview, making sure the Thumbails sidebar is turned on in both.
Drag the thumbnail for the page (or pages) from one PDF from that sidebar into the other PDF's sidebar.
Save that PDF. Done! 😮