Category: Tech

Choose Carefully

A recap: Google notified registered users of its Pixel 4a phone that an update would affect battery performance. Three alternatives were offered in compensation.

I chose to take the $100 credit at the Google Store. Combined with a sale price that was already $100 off, I bought a Pixel 8a for $300.

All’s well that ends well… except when it doesn’t.

I planned to… switch my “appeasement,” but then I noticed the fine print: No changes are possible after making a selection. So—no money for me.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/how-google-nerfed-my-pixel-4a-then-stuck-it-to-me-too/

Casting Call

The second Google inconvenience this year has been resolved. Unlike the battery update that crippled my Pixel 4a, bringing my Chromecast pucks back to life with new encryption certificates didn’t cost me anything. Google’s follow-up is appreciated.

Update regarding your Chromecast device

Thank you for your patience as we worked to resolve the issue with Chromecast (2nd gen) and Chromecast Audio devices. As of today, this disruption has been fixed.

If you did not perform a factory reset, your device should now function normally. If it is still not functioning as intended check the firmware version of your device by following the instructions here. If your device is not on the corresponding firmware version, please try rebooting your device to start the update process.

For users who have performed a factory reset, you will need to update your Google Home app to the latest version (3.30.1.6 for Android and 3.30.106 for iOS) to set up your Chromecast (2nd gen) or Chromecast Audio device again. The app roll out is beginning today and may take up to a few days to roll out to everyone. Updates will be posted in the Google Nest Community.

We sincerely apologize for this disruption and any inconvenience it may have caused, and we are committed to ensuring all users are back up and running as quickly as possible.

© 2025 Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

You received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important information regarding your Google Nest product or account.

On the Receivering End

My first receiver was a Pioneer SX-440, purchased when I was sixteen, with money I earned washing dishes.

The SX-440 gets a shout-out from Kevin, owner of Skylabs Audio, a vintage hi-fi store in Iowa. He likes the “black front” Pioneers, but says they aren’t selling very well.

Every so often I think about recreating my high school stereo by buying an SX-440, a Garrard 40B turntable and a pair of Realistic MC-1000 speakers. Maybe I’ll do it, but probably won’t. I already have a pair of my first headphones, the Pioneer SE-20A.

We’re Moving to Serve You Better?

Fifteen years ago, I made what could be called a “strategic decision,” by moving this site from iPower to Bluehost. At that time the company, based in Orem, Utah, was owned by its founder, Matt Heaton.

Since then, Bluehost has been through a couple acquisitions and mergers. Ironically, along the way iPower became part of Bluehost.

My strategy in going with Bluehost was based on the premise that bigger is better. (My former employer’s refusal to embrace growth over quarterly profit has left it struggling to survive for more than ten years.) Bluehost, with its WordPress-centered business model, seemed poised for growth. I guessed right, as Bluehost is one of the largest WordPress hosting platforms.

Larry Ellison has announced that Bluehost’s parent company will be migrating to Oracle Cloud. We shall see if this will have an effect, one way or another, on ‘Prattling Before the Pratfall’.

https://www.techradar.com/pro/bluehost-owner-is-moving-to-oracle-cloud-so-could-thousands-of-websites-be-about-to-migrate