Joshua Lowcock sometimes blogs on non-work-related topics, most of which are posted below. For the more technically-skewed posts, you can find a list of those here. Separate from the blog, there is also a list of handy websites, lifehacks, and other useful tips here. For tips specific to macOS, you can find macOS tips here.
Joshua previously 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.
If you’re after thought leadership pieces by Joshua, you can find them here.
Need something less serious? Go here for some fun!
Recent Blog Posts
A few good elves…
The classic film, A Few Good Men, meets Christmas and the little boy who wants to know if Santa is real. Or as I like to call it, "A Few Good Elves". A great mashup. This is a parody, so I believe it qualifies under fair-use rules. I'm not the creator of this, not sure where it comes from, but felt it was too good to be lost. All copyright belongs to the original owners ...
Works! How to Download your entire Google Photos Library
Important I am not affiliated with Google or any of the companies mention and this is my personal experience. If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee or buy my book on Amazon (it's not about technology!). It helps keeps this page ad-free. Thank you! On November 11, 2020, Google announced plans to end free unlimited photo storage on Google Photos. The new Google Photos limit will be 15GB which Google claims is equivalent to 15GB. The Google Photos storage limit will come into effect on June 2021. After which, if you go over 15GB you will ...
Tip: G3100/E3200 Replacement Power Supply/Power Brick
The short answer is there is no aftermarket power supply or power brick you can buy for the G3100/E3200. I have tried several options on Amazon without luck. Your best hope is to try Verizon FiOS support to see if they can replace or send one to you. Although, I personally found more luck going to a Verizon equipment drop-off site (the place Verizon lets you return unwanted equipment) to get a replacement. FYI Verizon does not stock G3100 or E3200 power supply bricks in their standard retail stores. If this changes, I'll update the post. Other things you may ...
Works! How to Factory Reset the J5 Create ScreenCast / Connection Troubleshooting
j5 Create ScreenCast The j5 Create ScreenCast (technically the JVAW56) is a dongle-like device that lets you wirelessly connect to your TV or monitor. What makes the J5 stand out is it supports AirPlay, Chromecast, and Mirracast. To be clear, the J5 Create ScreenCast is not a streaming stick; it sits closer to being a Chromecast or the sort of thing you might have in your office if you can wirelessly project to a screen. The difference is the J5 Create doesn't require any app, as it will support whatever native wireless screen mirroring is supported at the OS level ...
Fixed! Microsoft Edge Chromium not showing Bing Image of the Day (IOTD)
In my personal life, I use a Windows ARM Laptop running Chromium Edge. I'm a big fan of Chromium Edge, it's a fast browser and since it syncs with my work laptops (x64) which makes life easier. If you re-install Edge or setup a fresh installation of Windows, you may discover that Edge doesn't show the Bing Daily Image also known as the Image of the Day (IOTD) when you start a new tab. I've worked out why this happens, the good news is you don't need to do anything but wait - so here's the fix. For what it's ...
Tip: Verizon G3100 Compatible Network Switch
I was an early adopter of the Verizon G3100 router and as a WiFi mesh router, it's great. However, you're limited to only 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports. This can be a bit limiting because in a smart home it doesn't take much to run out of ethernet ports. We have a smart TV, a console, a smart hub, and an Apple TV and boom - no more spare ports. This is where a Network Switch can come in handy (and this has nothing to do with Nintendo). I'm sharing this in the hope it helps others. Best Verizon G3100 Network ...
How To: Setup Raspberry Pi with PiVPN, WireGuard and NoIP.com
Background The Raspberry Pi is a great sub-US$200 device that offers great value for hobby projects and educational purposes. In this review, I'll share my experience and instructions for setting up a Raspberry Pi with PiVPN using NoIP.com, a free Dynamic DNS service. If you need a list of PiVPN commands, check this link. Running your own Raspberry PiVPN can be useful if you want a free VPN for when you're traveling (great if you live in the US and want a US VPN when overseas), if you want to VPN into your home network, or if you want to ...
A List of PiVPN commands
PiVPN is a personal VPN server you can install on a Raspberry Pi or any Debian LINUX setup. If you don't own a Raspberry Pi, I recommend a Pi 4B kit. If you need a microSD card reader, this one is great and it's both USB A and USB C - so works on macOS and Windows devices. I have also written a guide on how to setup PiVPN, just in case you need to reinstall. But onto all the useful commands! Once installed, all commands are available by typing in the shell / terminal. pivpn -command Help The help ...
