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Tech Columnist

Dwight Silverman

Dwight Silverman worked for the Houston Chronicle in a variety of roles for more than 30 years, serving as a technology reporter and columnist; manager of HoustonChronicle.com; social media manager; online news editor; and assistant State Desk Editor.

He has returned as a freelancer to continue his long-running technology column. You can email him at dsilverman@outlook.com and follow him on Mastodon at mastodon.social/@dsilverman .

Stories By Dwight Silverman

How "weird and creepy" Rewind.ai finds everything on your Mac

But suppose your computer remembered everything? And I do mean everything. Imagine that all you wrote, saw, searched for, heard or watched on your system could be found, instantly, regardless of the source. Dwight Silverman

Want to test drive a cell carrier’s service? eSIMs make it easy.

With the advent of eSIMs — virtual versions of the physical SIM cards that link handsets to carriers — some wireless providers like Verizon and T-Mobile are letting would-be customers give their networks a test drive. Dwight Silverman

Got WiFi woes? Here’s how to fix them.

Wireless home internet connections have many points of failure, and what’s causing the problem can range from the simple to the complex. Dwight Silverman

Silverman: Here are 3 apps to ease you into the AI revolution

Some of the most advanced AI technology on the planet is now available to anyone with a desktop computer, tablet or smartphone, usually at little or no cost. Dwight Silverman

The best free email app for your Mac may come from Microsoft

For the most part, Microsoft's free version of Outlook for Mac is a fully functional email client and one of the best you can use on a Mac. Dwight Silverman

Houston volunteers read aloud for those who aren't able to

Sight Into Sound reads newspapers, magazines or custom books and manuals for the blind. Dwight Silverman

New tech will help you and Siri, Google and Alexa work better

New tech based on the Matter standard will help you and your Siri, Google and Alexa devices communicate better in a smart home. Dwight Silverman

Samsung’s big, bad Galaxy S23 Ultra Android phone

Earlier this month, Samsung took the wraps off its 2023 lineup: the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. Dwight Silverman

Apple’s pricey, big HomePod is back — and you’ll want two

With the second-generation HomePods, which went on sale this month, the sound quality remains excellent, the price is lower but still formidable and Siri is still more frustrating than useful. Dwight Silverman

OnePlus 11 is a tempting Android phone at a great price

Meet the OnePlus 11 5G, the latest phone from a manufacturer owned by China-based Oppo. The company has a reputation for making devices that undercut prices from the big guys while still coming close their capabilities. Dwight Silverman

Netflix reveals more about its password-sharing crackdown

Netflix this week finally began to detail how it will crack down on password sharing, with an approach that appears to be stricter than expected and -- so far -- with no mention of the “paid sharing” option that its executives had mentioned... Dwight Silverman

As Twitter kills third-party apps, new life blooms on Mastodon

As Twitter continues its implosion under the chaotic ownership of billionaire Elon Musk , a new social media world order is being born. The killing off of an entire software ecosystem by fiat has given a boost to development elsewhere. While... Dwight Silverman

Missing Dark Sky weather? Merry Sky will brighten your day.

Dec. 31, 2022, was the last day you could use either the iOS app or the darksky.net website. Purchased in March 2020 by Apple, its features were integrated into the the computer giant's own weather apps. Dwight Silverman

3 things to consider when choosing between a laptop and desktop

Trying to decide between buying a desktop or laptop computer has been a dilemma for decades, but depending on what you want to do with the machine, the decision can become clearer. Dwight Silverman

Netflix wants to end password sharing. Here’s how it could work.

As first detailed by the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is calling the approach “paid sharing,” and it's modeled on trials the company has conducted in Latin America. Those using someone else’s password are required to enter a confirmation code... Dwight Silverman

Time to update, expand and walk back some 2022 recommendations

Writing about personal tech is tricky because the topic is one big moving target. Each review of a new product or discussion of a technological advance is just a snapshot in time. And over time, things change. Dwight Silverman

Got juice? Power banks get smarter, heavier and pricier

If you received mobile electronics as presents this holiday season, congratulations! Now that you’ve added more batteries that need to be charged to your digital tools, let me suggest just one more. Dwight Silverman

Mostly painless: Using a wearable sensor to battle diabetes

In early October, I learned I had developed diabetes. The news came in a blunt letter containing the results of a recent physical (yes, a snail-mail letter; my doctor is seriously old-school). “Dwight,” he wrote, “your blood sugars are getting... Dwight Silverman

Geek gift guide: Here’s the best gear I own and use in 2022

Depending on when you’re reading this, you’ve got about two weeks before Christmas to get your holiday shopping done. Giving for Hanukkah instead? You’ve got just a week, my friend. Dwight Silverman

Keep your private data safe from prying eyes at the repair shop

When you hand your hardware to a technician, you’re putting a lot of trust in that person’s hands: Will your data be safe? Dwight Silverman