I wrote this note on my phone when first considering buying a Boox Palma. I wasn’t convinced that replacing my social media action with reading was necessarily the best option, but in the sort term, I can’t see any other way. Like a smoker that needs to find something to do with their hands, I to need to find something to occupy myself instead of doom-scrolling. So I jumped in, but this question still exists.

Of course, I did my research before buying. Read loads of articles and watched far too many YouTube videos on the Book Palma. Luckily, this is the new hotness and content isn’t difficult to find — just this week members of The Verge team were talking about it on The Vergecast and MKBHD made a video on it. The Boox Palma is a device I have been eyeing for a while since friend of the blog Kevin Wammer posted about his, and Craigmod began gushing. This sounds like some kind of weird justification for purchasing such a weird device, and in some ways it is — but I wanted it before it was cool, OK!

Due to this research, YouTube thinks I am some kind of e-Ink obsessive, which is annoying, but at times interesting. Devices like the Hisense A9 and the BigMe HiBreak infiltrated my feed. Think Boox Palma, but with worse software and a SIM card slot. Reviews are mixed on all of these pink phones, but they all feature b-roll of someone reading on their phone with activities going in the background. This was sold as something great, it’s a Kindle in your pocket everywhere you go, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I am missing the point.

Granted, reading won’t be working to distract me as much as social media is. It won’t be hacking my brain to ruin my attention span and possibly, my mental health. So it’s better. Reading is one of my favourite things to do, but if I will be reading instead of being present in the world, that can’t be as good as I think it is. Can it? Given the choice, wouldn’t it be better to simply learn to be bored a bit more?

I’d like to say I have some evidence to back this up. However, my attempts to see if I am replacing one distraction with another remain unanswered. There is some subjective information out there that reading is much better, but much of this is removal of doom-scrolling, not the activity itself. Adding my own personal take, one that is much too early to hold much weight, I would agree that having a device like this instead of my phone is nearly all benefit.

I say nearly because it takes some understanding of its limits to mould it to your use. I took some time to think about how I wanted to limit the ability of my Boox Palma before buying, and several conversations with Kevin. However, that hard work at the start has led to reading more, visiting social media less and general feeling much more balanced. Long may it continue.

Habib writing about their version of social media brain

Instead of scanning my surroundings for something relatable to turn into a social media post, I pay attention to blog posts and articles I read on the web. I’m constantly looking for anything of relevance that triggers and sparks my thinking into jotting down whatever thoughts I may have to add to the conversation.

I know exactly what Habib is writing about here. I no longer break my world down into 280 characters sized bites as I did when I used Twitter — but I do often squeeze it into blog posts.

The great thing is, blog posts can be anything from a few words to thousands of them. Which gives me much of freedom to think about the things I want to say rather than attempting to paint a vivid picture of the complex work in a bite side chunk.

Thinking is one of my very favourite things to do, and if it is accompanied by a notebook or a blank Apple Note, then I enjoy it even more. What you see on my blog is the output of thinking and as Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. Having a blog and thinking about the world in which to publish to it is something everyone should have.

Manuel Moreale thinking about the differences between hobbies and side projects:

A hobby is something one does for themselves. This blog is a hobby. I write on it because I find it enjoyable and the primary user is myself. And since it’s a hobby, money is not taken into consideration because I’m expected to pay for my hobbies.

Agree with this completely, I don’t expect to get anything back from writing, and I do it for myself much more than I do it for other people. Sure, I love people reading and responding to the things I publish, but it’s my hobby, so I’m not focused on it. Like running or cycling is to some people, they may progress into races and competitions, it’s still something you enjoy doing for free.

Where most people start to worry is when it creeps towards the territory of marking money. They start to worry about losing that money, and the pressure of publishing starts to build. Been there, done that, and it almost ruined my hobby.

A side project is a bit different. The way I see it, the users of a side project don’t necessarily overlap with the creator. That’s for example the case of People and Blogs. P&B is not a hobby but a side project. The goal is to make something not for myself, but for others.

I tend to pick up and put down side projects, most of which revolve around my blog. Due to not achieving what I set my goals to be, and this is often the difference between the two things for me.

For instance, I view my podcast, YouTube, and the now folded newsletter very much as side projects. They didn’t achieve the traction I wanted, so I have no problem stopping doing them (although my podcast will return soon).

This post pulls on a similar thread to the one where I discussed posting slop. Both point to my ultimate frustration with social media: its addictive nature and the cultural impact it has on society, all for very little gain. Prompted by conversations I’ve had with social media managers, I felt the need to express my thoughts in a written post.

These conversations have been immensely frustrating, but I wonder if that’s because I’ve moved past caring about the things that seem to preoccupy others. There’s no preaching here; I’m not on some higher level — I’m just too old. Yet, when someone says, “If we do x, that will get loads of views,” I can’t help but cringe.

But it’s not just the words of social media managers that frustrate me. To be fair, I recognise the irony here. Even as I criticise this mindset, I’m not immune to it. When I reflect on my own creative journey, particularly with photography, I’m reminded of my early days as a blogger. Back then, I was similarly obsessed with metrics, constantly checking my visitor numbers as if they were the only indicator of success.

Listen, I understand that the overall aim of everything online is attention. It doesn’t matter what metric it is measured by — views, clicks, likes, total user minutes — it all boils down to eyeballs on your content. The only issue is that none of these things matter. Views only matter if they’re tied to something concrete, like ads or sales. Otherwise, they’re just empty metrics. To what end do views matter unless you’re showing adverts or selling something in them? Without that, they’re simply numbers we’re told to care about, supposedly as a proxy for people caring about your work.

That’s true in part when you’re talking about feature films and TV shows, to a point. In every other context, these views are merely mindless entertainment for people trying to distract themselves from the world. You can be the best social media manager in the world and produce loads of views for my company, but if it doesn’t lead to real-world impact, what’s the point? “Branding,” they say, which gets an even bigger groan from me before I switch off from their pitch entirely.

It’s worth acknowledging that many people argue these metrics — views, likes, and clicks — are crucial because they drive brand awareness. In a world where attention is currency, having more eyeballs on your content seems like a valuable asset. After all, increased visibility can lead to greater recognition, more followers, and potentially, more business opportunities.

However, this argument falls apart when you consider what these metrics truly represent. Views and likes are fleeting, often driven by algorithms rather than genuine interest or engagement. Brand awareness may increase, but it’s superficial if it doesn’t translate into meaningful actions — like a customer buying a product, subscribing to a service, or supporting your work in a tangible way. Chasing metrics for their own sake leads to a hollow pursuit, where numbers replace genuine connection with an audience that truly values your work.

Ultimately, the real measure of success isn’t in the number of followers or views you accumulate, but in the depth of engagement and the lasting impact of your work. This is something I’ve come to understand over time, yet it’s a lesson I find myself relearning with each new creative pursuit. Metrics may give the illusion of progress, but without substance, they’re just distractions from what truly matters.

Reflecting on this, I realise that my frustration isn’t just with social media managers or metrics, but with a mindset, I’ve wrestled with for years. This isn’t the first time I’ve been caught in the trap of chasing numbers. When I started blogging, I was equally obsessed with metrics — constantly checking visitor counts as if they were the ultimate measure of success. Now, with photography, I find myself repeating that same pattern.

Here I am 12 or so years later doing the same thing with my photos. I’m trying to push them into as many places as I can for no real gain. I’m not marketing or selling anything, so there’s really no point in my efforts. Yet, I feel as if I have to post to several places, many of which I hate visiting, just for “reach.” I search for likes as an ego boost, so I don’t feel as if my toils have been in vain.

The real metric is indeed people liking my photos, but not on Instagram with a double-tap. It’s about buying prints and putting them on their walls, selling them through online services, or being commissioned to take specific shots. They say that you only need 1,000 true fans to ‘make it,’ but that doesn’t mean followers on social media. That means true fans — people who engage with and support your work. It doesn’t mean watching your TikToks.

Seth Godin writing about the need to be clear in concise in your writing, even if you don’t consider yourself a writer:

Nobody asks you to design a bridge, write a sonnet or do open heart surgery. We leave these essential tasks to trained professionals. But many job descriptions carry the unstated addendum, “and write.” Write memos, proposals, and even instruction manuals.

One of the overriding things that I experience in my everyday life is the idea that everyone can write, or no one can write. They seem like conflicting ideas however they both fit together and get to the same point.

The non-writer is one that outputs words into whatever medium they are completing. Be it a memo, email, business plan or even a simple sign. They don’t worry about what they output because they are “not a writer” and don’t view these things as important.

The person who thinks everyone can write does the same because they do not understand the importance of written communication. They dismiss the importance of clear and concise writing and overestimate their own skills.

That isn’t to say I am any kind of expert in this field, but I have written enough words over more than a decade to give every single word the consideration it needs. I am also comfortable knowing where my skills end. Either that or I do as Seth suggest, place my words into an LLM and ask it to be clear and concise on my behalf.

Matt Birchler is an expert on payments, so when he writes about them, you listen:

I can’t see the future, and I don’t work directly in card issuance, but this is my very strong instinct. They want to win the payment volume game, and you don’t do that by restricting where your card can be used, you win that by being able to tell your customers, “you can use our card ANYWHERE!”

I quoted Matt’s post last time he wrote about opening Apple Wallet up to other payment providers and I still stand by my comments. I think the frustration will be when every reward or membership offering wants you inside their app.

Matt’s comment also reminds me of the frustrations I have every time I try to use an Android phone. I bank with Barclays, and whilst they now support Apple Pay, their card is not available everywhere. To use my card on a Samsung phone I must change the default to Google Wallet, which is a frustrating mess that only half works. In fact, it took them an absolute age to even do that, instead choosing to develop their own app with a permanent notification on the Lock Screen!

I’m hoping the times are gone, but not all banks seem to be made the same in my experience of ones outside the US. I’m hoping that most are so used to using Wallet now they just stick with that, as Matt points out the fees are negligible.

Cole blogging about writing on their iPhone:

Using my iPhone to write blog posts feels more casual and personable. It’s like drafting a note to a friend or texting them about the latest happenings.

I am often down on smartphones. If I had a real choice, I wouldn’t have one, yet it is by far the best computer I have. Like Cole above, I use mine for writing the majority of my blog posts, and catching up on my favourite things on the web. It is my creative computer.

Writing on my iPhone doesn’t feel the same as sitting down and writing at my desk — that feels like I am working. Whereas typing out some thoughts in between life events feels like I am texting to a friend, which in many ways I am — all of you.

Matt Birchler writing about his feeling from incident the Apple “cult”:

I do wonder if the Apple enthusiast crowd as we know is in permanent decline. You don’t need Daring Fireball, Panic, ATP, Birchtree, or anyone else like us to be massively financially successful (just look at Microsoft and Samsung), but I do find it a bit sad to see Apple stroll down the road to being a totally heartless mega corp like the rest

I’m starting to feel this too. I’m uncomfortable how Apple is increasingly focusing on income, despite being one of the riches on the planet, instead of its users.

I am beginning to feel squeezed for every penny, increasing prices of phones, services, and everything they can. Limiting features to the US and generally behaving like a petulant child when they have to comply with laws that protect users.

I have long grown tired of the Apple apologists that try and to explain away every decision apple makes, yet many of them are even quiet at the company Apple has become. Every time new Pixel phones come around I toy with the idea of using something different, I ultimately won’t due to my love of the Mac and Apple Watch, but mainly because I don’t trust Google either!

Of all the questions I have around the new AI on the block, Friend, I must admit that this one is the least of my worries. Like the rabbit that went before it, this gadget promises to address problems that are of a questionable existence. I understand that’s marketing 101 — overstate a concern and sell people a fix. However, they intend to do this by faking a conversation with a ‘friend’ and with it burn through resources that don’t fit their income stream.

There’s no question that these types of devices are going to start popping up all over the place. AI is the new buzzword to cram into every single service you have, and lately the new trend is making physical things. Despite many companies not really knowing what to do with it and still cramming it in. Whilst never making any money anyway.

We’ve long known that the balance sheets of darling valley companies like Open AI are massively in the red. Meta, Google, and Apple are also spending Billions trying to catch the craze and still can’t make a useful enough product to turn a profit, so why exactly are all these start-ups joining in, you might wonder? I suspect for nothing more than cashing in on the latest investment craze into AI businesses.

Rabbit was the first company to offer what on the surface appears a great deal for customers, but underneath promises to be an untenable business position. Their Rabbit R1 is available for a one-off fee of £199, with no monthly subscription. Which gives the company zero income to pay for continued usage of their cloud AI infrastructure ‘Rabbit OS’. A weird decision given that almost every instruction needs off device processing — with mixed results.

Friend clearly feel flush with cash, given they paid $1.8million just for their domain name, however their reported $2.5million (at a valuation of $50million) investment from some Silicon Valley heavyweights won’t last long. Their basic white version of their pendant retails at just $99. A price that will barely pay for a few months of server time for the recordings taken on the constantly listening device. Listen, I get that people are lonely, but let’s be clear on this part, this device is constantly listening and sending your data to their servers. This isn’t a Siri or Alexa dormant way, in a proactive Black Mirror inducing nightmare way—even if the company claims not to be storing any of the recordings.

Unless there is a drastic change to Ai processing needs, companies selling these devices are only going one way. To burn through investment cash and then ask their users for money. There simply isn’t another way to fund this. AI companies are loosing a tone of money and many people are starting to think that they are fighting a loosing battle. My worry is that users who buy these devices in good faith will be left holding the baby, or a device that no longer works.

MGX posting on their blog about the benefits of work that fits into your time frame:

An asynchronous work model, for example, empowers individuals to tackle complex problems on their own schedules based on critical thinking rather than constantly reacting to requests in real time.

If you are a knowledge or creative worker, and perhaps if you’re not, you will know the struggle of fitting your work into deadlines based on a regular 9-5 job.

The culture in many places still expects you to be at work during this time, switched on and being a good company person. When many of the tasks asked of you simply don’t fit into this mindset. The reason working from home works so well is that it is at least half a step in the right direction of letting workers control their lives, but it’s time for companies to go further.

I am immensely great full that my company lets me work when suits, granted mostly in the day, but to a beat that suits the rhythm of my life — namely earlier in the morning and later at night. By removing the pressure to deliver too quickly means more creative room to deliver better work.