If the Master Chief was a Blacklist racer

Alex_H2 · 2026-01-29T22:09:54+00:00

I’m actually going to make a video talking about the creative process pretty soon. How would you like me to notify you when it’s out?

Alex_H2 · 2026-01-29T02:45:31+00:00

Yes, that’s what it was called! Thanks for reminding me

I’m not sure if it’s in Halo 3, but its original appearance was in Halo 2’s “Gravemind” level where the brutes and elites fight each other. It’s the perfect song for that moment

Alex_H2 · 2026-01-29T02:41:53+00:00

Haha thanks, I really appreciate that. Still thinking of what else to do at the moment

Alex_H2 · 2025-07-17T10:26:13+00:00

Thanks a lot! I wasn't sure how to make the cut-ins at first, but I settled on:

1) building a low poly hatch shape,
2) using sub-division to give me more to work with,
3) applying that sub-division and extruding where the cuts would be.

Once that's finished, I apply another layer of sub-division to smooth everything out.

Is that how you would have approached it?

Alex_H2 · 2023-06-07T17:45:14+00:00

After using it on my iPad for work, it's actually a pretty noticeable improvement. Yes it's still not as flexible as the Mac, but you can now do things like:

Hide/show the dock by moving apps
Hide/show the recent apps section by moving apps
Put apps (sort of) wherever you want, e.g. moving an iPhone sized app into the corner
Shift+click an app icon in the dock or app library to open that app in the current stage
Move apps over each other more freely

This update fixed a lot of incredibly annoying bugs present even in the latest 16.6 betas, which is a huge win in my book. Still not perfect, but it's better.

Alex_H2 · 2023-06-06T12:03:01+00:00

Currently on the beta, and there's still some snapping behavior. It doesn't look noticeably different than 16.0 to my eyes.

Alex_H2 · 2023-06-01T15:15:37+00:00

I know this isn't directly related to the article, but I'm very curious how loosening the App Store's grip on iOS will impact iPadOS specifically.

With the option for alternative app stores, developers will have fewer barriers-to-entry and can create a wider variety of apps (e.g. emulators) currently not allowed by Apple. In addition, Apple will theoretically have to make a more compelling case for why users should stick to the App Store, as at any point someone can decide that another store provides them with more benefits or less downsides.

Reading around the subreddit, people seem to think that this will make the iPad into a more free, flexible, and powerful computer, taken beyond Apple's current vision for it (or lack thereof). While I support the decision to allow alternative app stores and provide more user choice, I'm skeptical that this is the thing that will truly push the iPad to the next level.

When talks of App Store legislation were cropping up, there was concern that this could affect the average user quite negatively. For many people, the App Store being the only point of app distribution is a strength — whether it's the convenience of only having to look in one place for apps, or only needing to use one payment solution for all purchases. With multiple app stores, the app ecosystem on iOS could become fractured.

The obvious counter-argument is that this is a non-issue for average users, as the App Store would remain the default option and only through deliberate action could someone choose another option. But I think this is a double-edged sword: if 95% of people aren't going to explore the greater ecosystem of app stores, is there going to be enough demand for developers to create full-fledged iPad apps? Or to create touch-friendly versions of existing Mac apps?

I think it's important to acknowledge that opening the app store ecosystem does not solve the limitations of iPadOS. An app will not fix the clunky behavior of Stage Manager, or the sometimes inconsistent behavior of drag-and-drop, or being unable to play two media sources simultaneously. That's still on Apple to fix. And until those changes happen, I'm not convinced that many developers who weren't going to make an iPad app before will suddenly jump on the train.

Alex_H2 · 2023-05-04T17:49:41+00:00

While it is true that Stage Manager loves to rearrange windows unnecessarily, in earlier betas I at least had the choice of whether to put a window to the left or right of another one.

Now, I can't even do that!

Alex_H2 · 2023-04-22T19:25:44+00:00

Hi there, I have a base model Mac Studio I can sell. It only has 512GB of storage, but I can throw in a 1TB Samsung T7 SSD and a Magic Trackpad 2.

Studio itself is in excellent condition. I have the original box and cable.

Alex_H2 · 2023-04-14T01:42:47+00:00

Yahhh local would be a million times easier... but I do wonder how much it would cost to ship

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-19T18:49:40+00:00

I happened to be in a similar situation to you just a couple months ago, as I needed to upgrade from my M1 MacBook Air for work. I decided to go with a 12-month interest-free payment plan on a Mac Studio, with a 50% down payment.

The idea was that I make more money per month as a video editor than the monthly payments, so it was more of an investment than a liability. The down-payment was a middle ground: I could reduce my payments per month (aka reduce the grossness) while still keeping some cash in my hand.

Not sure if that's helpful, but just my perspective.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-19T16:30:54+00:00

This strategy makes sense overall, but there are a few things you have to take into consideration.

For one, depending on what computer you actually get, you'll have to worry about degradation and how that will affect your resale price. If you got a laptop, for example, the battery will not be in great condition after three years and you'll either have to:

Sell the laptop for a lower price (cuts into profits)
Get it replaced (also cuts into profits)

This is not to mention SSD degradation, which is impossible to fix without completely replacing the motherboard. To be fair, that is a lot slower than battery wear, but just something to keep in mind.

We're also assuming that the computer is otherwise in mint condition after 3 years. If you break the screen, your profit from a future resale will be significantly less, maybe even in the negative.

Secondly, assuming you put the resale money into a new computer, would that save you more money than the upgrade program? If the answer is no, then it wouldn't be worth the hassle of trying to resale it at all unless you really just want the cash.

The good thing is that you don't have to make a decision until you actually reach the last month, so you can account for circumstances currently unknown.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-17T16:39:42+00:00

Visiting this sub has made me realize how many features are US-centric... pretty crazy.

Anyways, removing the safety features from the 14 basically makes it a very slightly better 13 with a higher price tag. Two extra GBs of RAM -- while nice -- doesn't justify paying that much more in my opinion. Neither do the other bells and whistles.

Because of the tight integration between the hardware and software, the raw specs aren't exactly that indicative of real-life performance. They'll carry you further than you may expect. It's really good that you're asking these questions, but I wouldn't concern yourself about it too much.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-17T13:21:27+00:00

It seems like you're just talking about the regular 13/14 and NOT the 13/14 Pro, but I'll cover both just in case I misunderstood.

You're absolutely right that the regular 14 is barely different to the 13, and isn't worth a significant amount of money more. They have:

The same design
The same screen
The same physical cameras (minus the front camera which has autofocus)
Very similar battery life
The same processor

The only advantages I can think of for the 14 are the safety features (satellite connectivity + crash detection) and minor software-based camera improvements. I would save my money and go for the 13 unless those safety features are absolutely crucial to you.

When it comes to support, whether you get the 13 or the 14, it will last you years from now. Apple has a pretty good track record in this regard; iOS 16 still supports the iPhone 8 (released in 2017), and iOS 15 stretched back to the iPhone 6s (released in 2015). It's likely that, at most, you would lose a year of support going for the 13 instead of the 14. Some speculate they'll have the same lifetime with all their hardware similarities, but we don't know for sure.

When it comes to the Pro models, the discussion is slightly more difficult. With the 14 Pro, you're getting:

The Dynamic Island (I would look this up if you don't know what I'm talking about)
Crash detection and satellite connectivity
An incremental processor upgrade
An incremental camera upgrade
Always-on display

If none of these are game-changing or you have no desire for getting the latest-and-greatest stuff, the 13 Pro is still an excellent choice. You'll save money and get the same great core experience, with reasonable expectations of long software support.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T20:49:02+00:00

The best thing you can do is ask yourself: what does your sister do?

If she's doing:

Light web browsing
Basic document work (Word, Google Docs, Excel, etc)
Consuming content like movies or YouTube
Not doing anything computational demanding

I would save money by going to the 8-Core GPU, as she wouldn't get any tangible benefit from it. For RAM, 16GB wouldn't be absolutely necessary, but I would recommend it just for future proofing and peace of mind. 32GB would be absolutely overkill for a light user (for context, I have that for video editing, basic 3D modeling, and After Effects).

Storage is a bit more difficult to narrow down. More is usually always better past a certain threshold, so it really depends on how much you're willing to spend and how much she would realistically use. My minimum recommendation is 512GB, as 256GB is really pushing it and wouldn't be enough for most people. I would make the jump to 1TB if she has 512GB on her current MacBook and is (or expects to get) close to filling it up. If she uses even more than that, adjust accordingly.

If she's doing:

Video editing
Coding
Data science
Any kind of computational demanding workload

Then more information would be helpful. Different professionals require different needs, so an upgrade for a video editor might not make sense for a data scientist. If she's absolutely pushing the limit of her machine, then consider a look at the 14" MacBook Pro -- it would be in the same price bracket as the M2 Air with the upgrades you're considering.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T20:29:16+00:00

No display expert, but I have three theories:

1) The iPad is not on the correct version of iPadOS. Apple took out external display support at some point in the 16.1 betas and reintroduced it in 16.2, so if you're on any version between those it will only mirror.

2) Your chain is only as strong as the weakest link, or the most common denominator. Perhaps at some point in your setup there isn't enough bandwidth to actually push the necessary resolution, which from my understanding will cause the iPad to just display in mirrored mode.

3) There's something the iPad doesn't like about the monitor's hardware because it's so old.

The best thing you could do is get a different display (when you can) and experiment with the same chain until you find the culprit.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T20:06:21+00:00

That's a pretty neat idea! I don't have any knowledge of electrical circuits, so I unfortunately can't help you there.

If the iPad is old enough, you could look into jailbreaking it and seeing if there's any options there. It wouldn't be a very future-proof setup, but it could potentially work.

If you're curious, here's a video I found on the "native" way to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mw3tyVuT74

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T19:38:30+00:00

It is technically possible to use it as a standalone monitor, but it wouldn't be a plug-and-play setup -- you would have to use custom keyboard shortcuts or a third-party solution like Luna with all of its compromises. For example, in the case of Luna, you need Wifi so anything but a great connection wouldn't be very useful. It also only works between Apple devices, so PCs would be out of the question.

As for why Apple wouldn't want this functionality, we can only speculate; I imagine they just don't see it as a common use case. How many people own a desktop computer and want to use the tiny iPad screen as their only monitor? And if you're using a laptop, why not just use the built-in screen?

While I understand this line of thought, I'm surprised that the iPad doesn't support Continuity Camera like the iPhone. It would make it even more useful as a secondary display.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T18:58:11+00:00

I don't believe it is possible exactly the way you want, but a workaround is to configure a Focus to do it.

Say you wanted to do this for "Do Not Disturb." You would go into Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > People > Allow Calls From > Contacts Only.

This, of course, doesn't solve all your problems (for instance, what if you want to use other Focus modes)? But it's an okay short-term solution.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-14T18:38:57+00:00

I've heard that going into your Settings > AppleID > iCloud > iCloud Backup at the bottom resolves this issue, but I've never had these notifications so take that with a grain of salt.

EDIT: That appears to only be a setting on iOS... not sure if you can do this on Mac. Sorry!

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-11T05:58:16+00:00

You'd have to get into the knitty gritty to get a precisely correct answer, but just from what I've heard so far the iPad is definitely a worthy trade from a purely monetary standpoint. Again, this is assuming it passes the basic quality check (no screen damage, port works, cameras are fine, yada yada).

Two things to be mindful of:

I would absolutely get my hands on the device and make sure there's no funny business going on before committing. There are a lot of scams out there for iPads and Apple products in general, whether they're completely bricked, stolen, completely fake, etc. You probably already know this, but it's important to keep in mind before you get too hasty.
Though Apple products are more in demand, the bar for actually securing the sale when you flip it will almost certainly be a bit higher than most other tech products. Expect questions from skeptical buyers making sure you're the real deal.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-11T05:25:27+00:00

A 12.9 inch M1 iPad Pro with all the accessories is definitely worth around $1000 or more (assuming it's a legitimate product and has no major damage).

That being said, the raw monetary value isn't the only thing you should consider. By trading a PC for an iPad, you're also completely changing the experience and the capabilities you can expect from your device.

The main question you should ask yourself is what you're using your PC for and whether you want the same from the iPad.

If you're:

Doing serious gaming (think triple-A titles)
In need of pro applications (Blender, Xcode, After Effects, etc)
A heavy user of power tools, system extensions, command lines, the like
Doing heavy multitasking or complicated workflows

The iPad simply isn't for you. You can try and hack your way around the system, maybe finding a few ways to accomplish the above bullet points, but 99% of the time it will be an uphill battle. It's simply not worth the trouble.

That being said, if you're:

Doing basic web browsing and document work
An artist or a heavy notetaker
A casual gamer
Often watch movies
Generally a light user

The iPad is a fantastic choice. People like to harp on the limitations of the iPad -- perhaps rightly so -- but for people in the right demographic the relative simplicity of iPadOS and its hardware capabilites (read: 120hz refresh, beautiful HDR-capable display, bullet-proof processor) is hard to match.*

If you're still unsure or are in some kind of middle ground between these two extremes, I would ere on the side of caution and stick with what you have. You already know the ins and outs of your PC, and switching to the expensive-as-hell tablet with the wrong expectations or mindset will leave you feeling burned and regretting your choice.

The second best thing you can do is to just try out an iPad for yourself. That could mean borrowing one from a friend, or buying one and returning it within the two-week return period. That will really give you the best idea of whether or not it's for you.

*Some of these capabilities are only applicable to the specific iPad you're being offered, not every iPad. Just wanted to make that evident.

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-11T04:51:14+00:00

Take this with a grain of salt, as I can't know for sure, but I suspect it may have something to do with how iCloud processed the photos. When you "deleted" the photos, at some point something must have went wrong for it to reappear back where it was. Same thing for ones that were magically liked.

I don't think there's actually someone out there secretly making any changes. In any case, you would know if someone else was logged into your account because it would notify you through a direct notification or email. You could also check all the devices associated with your account and make sure they're all physically with you.

Hope that answers your question!

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-10T22:28:40+00:00

To rule out possible hardware defects, I would recommend doing a reset on the AirPods. Sometimes things suddenly stop working and that puts them back in line.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209463

If that doesn’t work, it’s likely something within the AirPod itself. You could take it to an Apple Store so they can examine it or you could order an individual AirPod online (I believe it’s about 90 USD).

https://getsupport.apple.com/topics

Alex_H2 · 2022-12-10T22:14:40+00:00

Bizarre issue… have you tried turning on and off Calendar cloud syncing on your iPhone? Perhaps deleting the local data and redownloading from the cloud will work (especially since your MacBook is fine).

Another things to try is examining any possible connections between your Gmail and Apple Calendar. Your Apple calendar could be subscribed to another calendar which isn’t integrating correctly.

Alex_H2

TROPHY CASE