Ugh, so sorry to hear that. But I've had the same.
I recently got a grip for my phone (TELESIN Master Grip). It gives me a physical shutter button, as well as a much better ergonomic hold on the phone, and a tripod thread to attach my old reliable wrist strap. That, plus Lightroom Mobile configured for high-quality yet editable shots (eg, DNG), allowed me to build what felt like 80% of a proper camera — and yet with far, far less public obviousness.
I won't give up my rangefinder, but now I feel I have two choices: phone+grip for places where I don't feel comfortable with the camera, and then the camera everywhere else.
As someone with a workshop full of DeWalt tools, this was a bit concerning!
However, looking into the Dewalt situation (dunno about the other brands), it seems like only certain higher-end tools have Tool Connect+ built-in. (Dewalt's website isn't working right for me, so this isn't definitive.) For other models, it seems you can buy a locking dongle to add it to a given tool.
It seems to be primarily a Bluetooth tracker, which has to be enabled/configured in order to work.
Please do correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like this is the kind of thing (like, say, HP printer carts) that will phone home and disable itself.
I think this vague term of 'use' isn't being very helpful here. Does that mean actively posting original content? Commenting? Liking? Sharing? Just scrolling/reading? Seems all those modes have a much different involvement, and likely quite different measures.
I don't use FB myself (in any mode), so this is second-hand... but my younger friends (< 30) use FB only as a necessary, lowest-common-denominator tool to keep in touch with less-close family/friends. It's low-effort ambient connection, not passionate interest or obsession. (I'm in a rural area with fairly low online/tech interest, which might affect things too.)
I've used Averia (Serif Libre, specifically) for at least a decade as my primary font for email, web pages in 'reader' mode, writing long-form text, etc. I find it extremely legible, and even calming.
Ironically, I've been a typographer for decades, both for print and online. Averia might seem an odd choice for someone intimately familiar with typographic theory/history and the vast catalog of possible fonts. But there's a certain pleasure and comfort in a font that is not trying to stand out or do anything particularly special.
A few weeks back I was messing around with Claude and some sample prompts, and happened to use the term 'xyzzy', and other terms from the classic ADVENTURE. Out of the blue, Claude started presenting itself as the game. I started a brand-new conversation with the prompt "Let’s play Adventure!"... and ended up having two joyful hours of exploring. Granted, this is kind of the opposite of the posted article — in this case, I was the adventurer, not the LLM — but it was still amazing. Try it out!
———
> Let’s play Adventure!
WELCOME TO ADVENTURE!
You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Around you is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.
Having this author as a travel companion would be a nightmare.
> In the many great cities I have actually lived and worked in, I would never consider spending whole days walking.
How utterly strange! I can't think of a city I've lived in which I've not explored extensively by walking. The idea of simply moving to a place and never seeing it as new and strange, never having the urge to learn it by exploration, feels completely alien to me.
I suppose that's why I ensure I avoid this particular type of person when traveling... :-)
I recently got a grip for my phone (TELESIN Master Grip). It gives me a physical shutter button, as well as a much better ergonomic hold on the phone, and a tripod thread to attach my old reliable wrist strap. That, plus Lightroom Mobile configured for high-quality yet editable shots (eg, DNG), allowed me to build what felt like 80% of a proper camera — and yet with far, far less public obviousness.
I won't give up my rangefinder, but now I feel I have two choices: phone+grip for places where I don't feel comfortable with the camera, and then the camera everywhere else.