Blog : Joshua Lowcock

Joshua Lowcock sometimes blogs on non-work-related topics, most of which are posted below. If you are work related thought leadership pieces by Joshua, you can find them here. If you’re after the Audience Attention Dilemma, it can be found here.

If we meet in person and I recommend software or a specific website, you can find Joshua’s tips link here.

The blog posts are organized into the following categories:

There’s a miscellaneous category for things that don’t really have a home. I also have a long blog post full of useful websites, simply called tips. If we meet in person or virtually, odds are I will mention a website listed in tips.

The more popular technically skewed posts, you can find a list of those here. For tips specific to macOS, you can find macOS tips here. If you’re an owner of a Remarkable eInk tablet and what hacks, guides, and utilities start here.

From 2016-2021, Joshua published a weekly email, called Last Week in Digital Media. The newsletter summarizes the latest news in digital media, marketing, and technology of the week. The email newsletter was published for several years and was available as both a (limited) free or paid subscription. The archive is still available.

Need some fun and something less serious? Go here for some fun!

Recent Blog Posts

Guide: How to change the XTEINK X4 to English (Works)

If you just bought or are thinking about buying an XTEINK X4, it is a great value and very compact eInk eReader. If you bought on AliExpress, it's likely your X4 came with Chinese firmware. It's easy to switch the language to English, here's how: Selecting English Language on the XTEINK X4 From XTEINK X4 home screen, navigate to and select the gear (Settings) icon. From the Settings menu, the language option will be the first item selected. Press OK (this is the right edge of the left face rocker) to change the UI language to English. You're done! There's ...

XTEINK S4 leaks: Is this the successor to X4?

If you're on this page, you probably know all about XTEINK a company that makes small eInk devices that can, quite literally, attach to the back of your phone. Their most popular device is the X4 (see my getting started guide for X4 owners here) and in February 2026, we will get the X3 (see my thoughts on the XTEINK X3 here). But! and this is the interesting bit, sometime in 2026 we're getting an XTEINK S4... what is the S4? It's the potential successor to the X4, here's what is known based on what I have found digging through ...

Guide: Best 2.5GB Ethernet Adapter/Hub for macOS

The Best 2.5Gb Ethernet Adapters for MacBook Pro (Real‑World Tested, Ranked by Price) If you own a modern MacBook Pro, you already know Apple’s Wi‑Fi implementation is excellent. Depending on the model, you get Wi‑Fi 6E or Wi‑Fi 7, with theoretical maximum speeds of 9.6Gbps for Wi‑Fi 6E and 46Gbps for Wi‑Fi 7. Those numbers look impressive, but real‑world Wi‑Fi performance um... well different. You can still end up in that strange dead zone in your home where the signal drops for no obvious reason, or you might be dealing with interference from neighbors, or someone else in the house ...

Guide: XTEINK X3 vs X4 Compared (Buyers Guide)

If you're thinking of buying an XTEINK X4, I love mine - it's fun, hackable, and despite the limitations it helps me read more distraction free as it's small enough to be always in my pocket. In December, XTEINK announced the X3, a smaller version of the X3. Pre-orders have sold out and ship February 2026. I didn't pre-order, but now wish I did. The big selling point of the X3 is smaller form factor and higher DPI (see table below) but they abandoned USB C for a pogo plug cable. I really don't like pogo cables, as it's just ...

Guide: Best Oura Charging Case Alternative

In January of 2026, Oura announced an official Oura Ring 4 Charger Case. If you’ve looked at the official Oura Ring 4 Charging Case, you already know the issue: it’s expensive. At US$99, it’s a premium accessory and there has to be a cheaper alternative. While, like everything from Oura, it’s well‑designed, but it only works with the Oura Ring 4 and requires you to buy yet another dedicated charger with no path to upgrade. After testing multiple Oura charging options, there is a cheaper and more flexible alternative that makes far more sense for most people. The Vokelater Portable ...

Lifehack: The best guide, tools, hacks for XTEINK X4 Owners

I am a fan of eInk devices having owned a Kindle since forever, the Remarkable 2 and Remarkable Paper Pro Move (and even the original Pebble watch). All of which means when the XTEINK X4 became available I had to get my hands on one. The 4.3" sized form factor was the big drawcard for me. If you're after an XTEINK X4 yourself, you can't (yet) find them on Amazon, your options are either direct from XTEINK for about US$69 + Shipping or AliExpress. I opted for AliExpress as it worked out cheaper. If you're in the US and buy ...

Guide: How to Cancel Google One

Yes, you can cancel Google One and they will pro-rata refund you for any unused balance. There's a 2 step process to fully cancel Google One and it's best done on a desktop vs mobile. Desktop is better as if you do this on your phone, Google may spawn various Google apps or services, making the process less intuitive. Why might you want to do cancel Google One? Maybe you're switching away from a shared family plan? Maybe you want to use Google Play credit to pre-pay a subscription? Maybe you are migrating from Google One to some other service? ...

Guide: Best Oura Ring 4 Charger Alternative / Replacement Oura 4 Charger

As a fan of traditional watches, I'm always on the search for an unobtrusive health tracker and really like the Oura ring. Having owned both the Oura 3 and the Oura 4. Unfortunately, an extra Oura Ring 4 Charger is not cheap, coming in at US$59+ tax. So, I have been on the hunt for a cheaper aftermarket Oura charger. Something I can throw in my travel bag, so I don't have to worry if I get the "recharge" notification when I'm not home. Or, if you're unlucky, you may need a replacement Oura 4 charger because you lost yours ...