I only caught the end of the vinyl era, so most of my memories as a young music lover are of flipping cassettes and making mixtapes. As the years passed, I, like many, kept upgrading towards the easiest ways to consume music: CDs, MP3, streaming services, etc. A few years back, I realized I no longer enjoyed listening to music like I once did. I was consuming music quickly, without much attention, and getting bored of each song before it would finish. It bothered me that I wasn’t listening through entire albums or having songs on repeat, so I decided to go old school and started a little vinyl setup in my home (see pic above). The first thing I noticed with records was how music felt less virtual and more real – like something from our dimension. The needle bouncing on the grooves created a much deeper feeling of connection to the music. That first day, I made a cup of coffee, sat on the couch, and listened through an entire side A. If you haven’t heard a record in a while, try it out sometime! Reckless Records in Chicago is my favorite one to visit in town with three locations. Although, after a long day at work, letting my Sonos music system shuffle my own YouTube Chill playlist is always a safe bet.
How has the way you enjoy music changed?
– Burak Sarac, Team Lead
Apple Will Scan iPhones For Images Of Child Abuse
There have been mixed reactions to this news: child protection groups are applauding, security specialists are concerned, and users are confused about how exactly Apple plans on executing this plan. To be clear, Apple isn’t going to be looking through all your photos. They will be using a tool that matches the “fingerprints” of files already in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, so parents with innocent photos of their child’s bath time don’t need to worry. There are, however, legitimate security concerns. Read this article to learn more.
National Relaxation Day is August 15th
Celebrate this Sunday in the best possible way: relaxing and unwinding. It’s National Relaxation Day, so you’re practically obligated to put your feet up! Unless, of course, you prefer to relax by doing something fun. In that case, definitely check out one of these lovely outdoor locations here in Chicago. If you’re a homebody like myself, perhaps a good book, show, or home-cooked meal is in order. Whatever you decide to do, just make sure to take it easy!
Convert to Wireless CarPlay!
If you have CarPlay in your vehicle, you already know how wonderfully convenient it is: being able to have all of your iPhone’s main apps accessible right on your car’s display is great! Unfortunately, many older vehicles don’t support the newer wireless CarPlay feature, meaning you must use a physical cord to connect. Well, no more! CarlinKit 2.0 will convert your CarPlay system from wired to wireless without a sweat. Read more here.
National Thrift Shop Day is August 17th
Thrifting has recently gained a reputation for being the ‘trendy’ thing to do, but it’s great for economic and environmental reasons as well! Fast fashion trends produce a lot of waste and are also priced based on popularity, not necessarily quality. Shopping second hand allows you to find quality items at discounted prices, plus you’re giving great clothing a second life. Sure, it takes a bit more effort to find what you’re looking for, but the hunt is half the fun! Here’s a list of the best thrift shops in Chicago to check out!
