As much as I loathe its misuse, ChatGPT is fairly good as far as search goes nowadays. I believe it piggybacks off Bing, but uses its generative powers to cross-reference and draw results. It's best on the paid 4o model since it cites sources. Often, when it doesn't, you'll need to double-check anyway because it has a high probability of being wrong. I'd say I correct it 40% of the time, which isn't ideal, but I still feel it's faster than going the Google route nowadays.

I've also used a fair bit of Bing across 2024 and don't understand the hate. I feel it provides the same results Google used to before it killed everything with copious sponsored elements, zero-click snippet boxes that aren't always relevant or accurate, and HCU updates prioritising big fish and AI-generated sites over smaller indies, etc.

Where do I start in 2024?

First, either my Intel Core i9-11900K or the Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero it's plugged into gave up the ghost. It caused my desktop to bluescreen whenever it did anything strenuous and no amount of troubleshooting could solve it. This is the failure that inspired my suggestion for this bounty.

Then, my Samsung Galaxy Flip4 screen broke. The hinge just couldn't take it anymore, even though I hadn't had it much more than a year. This forced me back into the metaphorical arms of my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G, which - you guessed it - died on me a month later. The backlight died on the capacitive touchscreen despite the phone still being on and responsive. This is an issue Samsung was apparently aware of but did nothing about for years.

I've learned several things from my experiences here:

1. I am incredibly lucky to work in tech media, otherwise I'd have pulled my hair out by now

2. I will likely never go for a foldable again. They're neat but simply introduce another point of failure for little in return

3. I will likely avoid Samsung from here on out, especially now I'm running my first-ever iPhone

Advents

Hard riffs for the Bad Omens adjacent fans out there. I'm a particular fan of heavier music with mostly clean vocals, accented with the odd scream here and there. Staggering how these aren't more popular, but I only just heard them for the first time on Saturday.

• How has technology changed your life?

• What was the last tech failure you had?

• What's the most underrated gadget you own?

• Name a product that deserves a follow-up and tell us why.

• What's the best advice you have for anyone shopping for [product]?

Is it your mum or your sister?

There's actually a story behind this one.

Back in school, there was a compulsive liar who claimed their brother invented the Xbox, they'd tragically lost their grandmother whenever an obligation came up (he must've had a lot of nans), and he was always the single coolest person you'd ever meet having seen all the latest bands live.

To catch him out in a lie, my friend came up with this ridiculous name with the claim they'd just come back from the gig. Surprise, surprise, Mr. Mythomania (which would also be a fantastic submission here) said he went to the same gig. I forget the song names we all came up with, though.

🔗🏞️ - 📰✂️

🕶️💊1️⃣0️⃣

Set It Off - Why Worry

Released during my stint at university, Set It Off's Why Worry was serendipitous with an upbeat tune and lyrics that put things into perspective. It's easy to think that whatever burden rests on our shoulders is monumental as if we're Altas himself holding up the skies.

The first verse sets the tone, capturing the crushing feeling we all get in our chests when worry strikes, but leads into a chorus that questions it all:

[Verse 1]
This sinking feeling sets,
It feels just like a hole inside your chest.
I know you're thinking,
No, no, no, no, it is easier said than done,
But please let me attest.
I know it's hard.
You're feeling like you're trapped,
But that's how you react,
When you cannot see the light.
But try and see the light.
I'm tellin' you,
No, no, no, no,
You're the only one
Standing in your way,
Just take a breath, relax, and tell me…

[Chorus]
Why?
Please tell me why do we worry?
Why?
Why do we worry at all?
Why?
Just tell me why do we worry?
When worry is never helping tell me why worry at all?

[Verse 2]
Why do we insist,
On crossing bridges that do not exist?
Let's take these issues
Step by step by step, to work it out,
Day by day by day we're falling down,
But life goes on.
I've got some questions,
Are you sick of feelin' sorry?
Uh huh,
And people sayin' not to worry?
Uh huh,
Sick of hearing this hakuna matata motto,
From people who won the lotto,
We're not that lucky.
Have you noticed that you're breathing?
Uh huh,
Look around and count your blessings,
Uh huh,
So when you're sick of all this stressin' and guessin' I'm suggestin' you turn this up and let them hear you sing it.

[Chorus]

[Breakdown]
Chin up, quit actin' like you're half dead.
Tears can only half fill how you’re feelin'.
Don't worry, be happy baby.
Stand up, life is too damn short,
That clock is ticking.
Man up, if ya feel me,
Everybody sing it.

[Chorus]

I can't say it's my favourite Set It Off song, as the band has some really good tunes out there, but the message couldn't be clearer, and it's something we all need to take on board.

Unsure if this is a conflict of interest since the bounty was my suggestion but here are my two cents anyway:

I have no brand loyalty, but I do have brand preference

Brand loyalty means you give trust to companies based on their past actions. They've bought good faith through releasing repeatedly good products and you're willing to take the chance. My problem with this is that it introduces risk to your hard-earned money, as all it takes is one bad product or poor decision for you to be caught out. This is particularly important while we're on the precipice of fledgling generative AI features dominating just about every new release. It's prime time for brands to screw up.

Brand preference means a company is at the top of your considerations but you still want to do that last leg of research and treat each purchase on a case-by-case basis. You'll look into reviews for the latest thing rather than earmarking money for it before you've seen a single impression.

As for which brands I prefer, I'm strictly Nvidia for graphics cards simply because its unrivaled with upscalers and latency features, which is where the future is headed. AMD is better at pure rasterisation this generation, but is rumoured to bow out of the high-end in the next one, leaving little choice outside of the mid-range.

I'm a big Keychron fan with keyboards nowadays, because it drops the gaming fluff and focuses on the typing experience. With the latest 2.4GHz wireless models, they're basically unrivalled.

I've tested a lot of MSI monitors over the past six months and have to say the consistency is outstanding. While the cases are bit on the plastic side, the features are robust and the out-of-box colour calibration is just out of this world accurate. If I were to buy a new one, it'd probably be with them (just with none of the AI crap, I don't want to cheat in games).

Fullmetal Alchemist (both series)

I'd dabbled in anime before, growing up with Pokemon, Digimon, Yugioh, Cardcaptors, and the like, but it was just the odd episodes here and there. I'd never truly followed any of them from start to finish. Fullmetal Alchemist was the first to hook me and carry me right the way through until the end.

First, you must know that there are two series: Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2008). The first follows the manga up until partway through, then diverges into its own story because it caught up with the source material during its original run. The second re-tells the story but in a more faithful way to author Hiromu Arakawa's vision once the manga had finished. Most people immediately say to watch Brotherhood and ignore the original. That's certainly the simplest advice for anyone just starting out, but I'm going to buck that trend.

The original anime paces itself better in the early story, with the more harrowing details hitting home harder. Brotherhood rushes through the beginning because it's aware that many people have already experienced that part of the story. If you have to choose just one, Brotherhood is the pick, but watching both really gives you a deeper appreciation of certain elements.

Why is this good for first-timers? Well, it's mature in its themes, so perhaps not ideal for the youngest of viewers, but the original is 51 episodes, and Brotherhood is 64 episodes. It's impossible to get lost in thousands of episodes, and they each tell a pretty tight story with nearly no filler.

It's a Shonen, designed with action in mind, but has a greater heart. It's not about the sparkly fights but the journey of two brothers searching for things they've lost in a desperate, misguided attempt to break the rules of physics in their world. Set in a European-inspired fictional world, it's incredibly distinct to look at compared to most anime and still stands out today. If nothing else, it's a narrative-first piece that isn't designed primarily to sell you toys or merch.