Tsikbal: from my perspective

With time, we have come to rely on more gadgets to manage more of our daily lives. From smart TVs , to our smartphones , we use them ever more often for work and play. One would think that once we buy them, we would be able to do with them as we want. Specially to be able to get them fix if they fail, and be able to extend their live a for some more time. Being able to repair expensive electronic devices, like TVs and smartphones, is specially important for people who can't afford to buy one every time something happens to them. Some other people, for example, simply don't want to through the hassle of buying a new smartphone if they can just replace the screen or the battery. Yet, many OEMs seem to want to take that choice from the user. They cite anything from safety concerns, to possible intellectual property theft. as reasons why people shouldn't be able to repair they devices. Specially when third party services give that choice to the end user. At the end of the day,...

Before I began using wireless headphones on regular basis, I must admit that I was not really sure about how they would work for me. But since I got a set of Otium headphones a couple of years ago as a gift, I must admit that I found that I prefer them over wired headphones when I'm commuting to, and from, work. Or just when I go for a walk. While I still prefer my wired over the ear headphones Perfect Choice set when I'm at home, or writing at a coffee shop, my Otium pair is one of the things I always carry with me when I go out. I've found wireless headphones to be more practical way to enjoy my music, or podcasts, when out and about. Specially when I take the any of public transportation systems I use to move around the city, since there is no cable to tangle at the worst possible moment. To be honest, while the sound quality might not be as good on my headphones as it is on my wired headphones, it is still more than good enough for the what I expect from them. What I ...

One of the things that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the most in my life, is that traditional banks have been pushing to make use of their mobile apps. As such, they have been making a lot of improvements on the user interface, and making it a lot easier to manage your money using their app. Not only that, making payments and transferring money using the app has become a lot easier. So much so, that so far I've just needed to use the web page on my laptop for edits which I wasn't able to do on the app itself. This has meant that I can administer my financial life where ever I am when the need arises, without needing to have a computer at hand. My smartphone has become a powerful tool to enable me to effectively manage my bank accounts without much hassle, and with all the information I need at a moments notice. It has also meant, that my need for cash has been declining over the last year. Since it most places I frequent on regular basis, I can pay either by credit, debit, or a...

Since a couple of years ago, there has been easier to carry less cash in Mexico with several ways both businesses and people can pay for services electronically or with credit or debit card. Banks have been making transfers to other people, and paying for services and taxes, via their apps a lot easier. I use the apps of Santander, and Banorte, and both have been making such transactions easier with each app update. Specially since March, when the lock downs started because of the pandemic. Also companies that allow to take payments using a tablet, or an smartphone, have been making a lot of inroads. The biggest one has been Clip , followed closely by PayPal's iZettle . Also PayPal , and Mercado Pago , have entered the Mexican market heavily. For the time being, most people use their bank's app, or website, to manage their payments. Specially since in Mexico almost everyone with a formal job receives their payroll on a bank account that their employer set up for them, or which ...

Up to last week, I didn't have to do home office. As such, I haven't had to access the computer on work remotely. But when I had to work remotely last week, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do so since I use Linux Mint on my personal laptop and Windows at work. As such, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to access my desktop remotely in order to be able to work from home. This was compounded by the fact that the IT department of my workplaces had problems doing so in the past, so much so that they trashed the idea to move to Linux. So, I had some hours to find a way to connect remotely in a way that wouldn't interfere with my ability to work from home. After a couple of hour I narrowed my search to Remmina , which had a lot of good reviews to work at a remote Windows desktop from Ubuntu or Linux Mint. And so far, it has worked as a charm. I've no problems related to Remmina, just a problem at the server side. As such, this opens the door for me to con...

After a couple of months of using a couple of fintech products, I've to say that they have been working rather well for me. Although there are ways that would make them better for me, overall both have high marks from me. The first product is a credit card issued by Stori (link is in Spanish). Since its backed by Mastercard ,I haven't had a problem with it. All the places on which I usually pay with a credit, or debit, card take it without an issue. Not only that, with the app update released a couple of week ago made it a lot more usable and got a redesign for the better. Of the things I would like to see improve, is that your balance get updated at the moment you make a purchase and when a payment is made. This way it would make it a lot more practical and user friendly. Not only that, it would make less likely not to go over your credit limit by mistake. The second product I'm using, is a business account that comes with debit card called Oyster (link also in Spanish). W...

One of the things I've picked up in the last year or so, is listening to podcasts. I found that, in my case, is the best way to learn or get a glimpse into the minds of people that have common interests with. Some of my favorite are The Adam Savage Project , Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast , AvTalk Aviation Podcast , and Basketball Time Machine Podcast . All of this podcast allow me either to learn about subjects I'm interested in, or simply get to know people that make possible things I enjoy consuming. Another podcast that gives me an insight what motivates people to do something to make the world a better place is Este Podcast Salvara al Mundo in Mexico. It features people with project that are starting, or aren't all that well known, that are striving to have a meaningful impact in peoples lives, or in society at large. This podcast is in Spanish, but if you can is would really make you reflect about how you could do something good happen. On the entertainmen...

As the COVID-19 effects continue to drag on, it seems that how the new normal will be is not something anyone can predict with certainty. Every time that things seem to be setting enough to at least try to have a look, things change enough as to make predictions hard to make. This time, the challenge is one that is faced globally. There is no country that has been speared, and we all have been affected by it in one way or another. The only thing that seems certain, is that every aspect of our lives has change in one or another. We are being forced to adapt, no matter if we like it or not. The Internet, and the technologies around it, have gained far more importance than ever before. Not only that, those who know how to use them, or have the chance to learn them, have an advantage over those who don't have either of them. Having access to them now is vital to be able to make out the most of the current situation or take the new opportunities as they present themselves. This gives a ...

I've been hunting for a credit card, and new savings account, for some time now. Until a couple of months ago, I didn't find anything that fit my needs or expectations. For the credit card, my income wasn't enough, the fees that they had were to high, or they were secured credit cards that required a high deposit. On the savings account side, the main problems were that they required so sort of minimum balance so no fee was paid, or a high initial deposit. Both are things that I don't like, since I don't have the money upfront, and I want access my money in case of an emergency without having to worry about maintaining a balance. Then a couple of Mexican fintech companies came along, and I decided to give their services a try. For the credit card, I decided to apply for the Stori(link in Spanish) classic credit card. The main reasons I decided to apply for it, where that isn't a secured credit card, it has no no annual fee, and that its backed by Mastercard . ...

It is somewhat ironic that the so called snowflake generation is called that way not because they are actually weak, but because they are standing up to all those things that previous generations just didn't do. And while at times those stances have been taken to extremes, it could be said that many of their detractors don't like the idea that they younger people will question them, and act in order to stand against wrongs not only committed against them, but also to others. When people who justify doing something is right, or wrong, by saying that is has been done a certain way for since they can remember miss the point that isn't justification to keep doing that way. Just because our grandparents, and parents, did something a certain way doesn't justify keep doing so if there is a better way to do so. Just because bulling wasn't called out, doesn't mean we shouldn't call it out now. That it wasn't called that way before, it doesn't mean that it did...

For a while now, I've been using a card call Innova Card to pay my bus fare when going to work, and I'm find it to be practical. Yet, there is one thing that prevents me for using it to is full potential. The card used to pay: And that is the fact that I can't get credit to it easily, because the machines that from which I can do so are only available on the light train stations . There is plans to partner with a convenience store chain called Oxxo so one can recharge the card more easily, but one is left to wonder why this wasn't done sooner. What makes so attractive to me, is the fact that I can use it to ride on the light train and all the bus routes I use to go almost everyone in the city. Meaning that I don't need to worry to have some spare change to be able to get to where I need, on more than one public transportation system. For what I gather, I could also use it on the Macrobus , which would make it even more valuable for me since it would be grant me acc...

The advent of the Internet is still changing how we interact not only with each other, but with governments, small business and corporations. Add to this the advent of smartphones, which allow us to access the Internet on the go, the dynamics of power and how society relates to the government and corporations, has changed in ways are still being determined. While I'm hopeful that smartphones, and computers connected to the Internet, can empower the people, we are still learning of to effectively use it. I know that there are some people, and groups, that already know how to use it; there is a long way to go before a meaningful percentage of the population can actually use it effectively. Part of it, is because the education system as a whole still hasn't figure out how to give people the tools needed to do so. While some school are ahead of the curve, most people don't get the education that would give them the tools to actually be able to use all the resource the Internet ...

With people carrying smartphones connected to the Internet with them basically all the time, everywhere they go, it has become a lot more easier for everyone to share abuses committed by people with power basically as they happen. As such, it has become a lot harder to keep those abuses hidden from the public. As the protests that have been occurring around the world, the protestors themselves have been documenting their struggle and capturing what is going on around them in order to have evidence of how their protest are developing. Not only that, they are also bringing to light how the authorities respond to them. It has become harder for media, and the governments, to keep control of the narrative. Now the people have a stronger, and louder, voice on how the story is shaped. Social media, and other online forums, have given the people the platforms we need not only to organize in a more organic way, but have a wider reach for our message and a bigger impact on how the story is told....

As the COVID-19 rages on, it seems that people can be fit into those willing to heed the warning of the medical experts, and do they can to prevent the spread of the decease as much as possible. Meanwhile, others seem to ignore all efforts to defeat the virus because they are inconvenienced by those efforts. It seems that for the second group of people, their rights are all what matters and everyone else should act according not for what is needed, but for what they want to do. It seems that they cannot see beyond what they want now, in order to prevent the spreading of a decease that has proven to be deadly. The idea that the lock downs, social distancing, and wearing mask is to prevent as many people possible from getting COVID-19 to begin is something those people don't seem to understand. People will get it, and some will lose their lives to the virus, but all the measures put into effect are meant to make them as few as possible. If all those measures are follow, also means t...

One of the things that things that are sourly lacking in society, is how to critically think and how to process new information. Sadly, it seems that many of the educational systems in place in many countries aren't focused in helping people to think critically in an independent way. Why information needs to be memorized, focusing in doing only that is not really helpful in the long run if people can take that information to brake it down to the base data to make new information when circumstances require it. Pure memorization is only useful for particular circumstances, or take standardized tests that measure just that. But going on in life, it requires to be able to take that information to compare it to new one we receive in daily basis, and adapt both our beliefs and actions according to our new surroundings. Not being able to do so put not only those individuals at a disadvantage, but the whole society since we need all to be able to be capable to independently do so. We need ...

As the shelter-in place orders keep dragging on, things feel like they aren't changing that much lately. News seem to turn around the pandemic, with few other things seem to be happening. Political events that could change the landscape, or business deals that could mean a big change moving forward are all focused on containing the pandemic. The economy not being kick stated out of fears that the pandemic might get worse, and as time goes on it will take longer to restart it. The usual thing that people could do to distract themselves, are put on hold since sport and entertainment venues are closed. Not only that, places where people could gather or just get to for some distraction are not available. Though with the content in the Internet and the ability to contact our loved ones without having to leave our homes has helped somewhat, they are not full substitutes for actually going out to meet people or distract ourselves from our daily routines. Even for the few ...

The economic downturn that the COVID-19 shutdowns brought, are creating a lot of new opportunities in business and technological development. How many will be able to actually benefit from this new opportunities, will the ones who are positioning to take them as soon as they can. Most of those who can actually able to take those positions, are the ones who already are in that position and those who have the flexibility to take those position in a timely manner. Those who will be most likely to do so, are those who are small enough to adapt to the new situations, and have the finances to be able to take them. Not all small businesses could be benefited though, since they have been some of the hardest hit by the shutdowns. This means, that many of those who survive the shutdowns possibly won't have the best financial position to make the best of the new opportunities. Freelancers on the other hand, could benefit greatly of the new opportunities. They could approach them ...

One thing that the COVID-19 shelter-in place orders have proven, is that people Internet access is vital to keep working and for children have to have keep getting an education. No one can argue that access to the Internet is a luxury, since an access to an education and to work are considered human rights . For many people, having access to a Internet connection is the only way they can receive an education, or have a work that allows them to maintain themselves and their families. As such, access to the Internet has to be at least affordable for those people who need to be readily available to them. It might not mean to have free access to the Internet everywhere, but it means that price of to such access can not be so expensive that it cut anyone to be able to access it. Other thing that the shelter-in place order can prove to many employers, is the feasibility of many roles can be done remotely. This can have the consequence of more people working from home than ever...

One of the things I've noticed, and found quite interesting, is how people have become a lot more proactive not just holding each other about their actions; but also their local government and other representatives about their handling of the pandemic. Not only that, in some cases they were at the front of not only proposing what actions to take, but of actually taking them before an official came out to enact such actions. People are becoming not only more socially conscious about the needs of their local neighborhoods, they are actively shaping policy and how it is enacted.   People finally become active participant not only sharing important information among themselves, but actually having a hand in shaping how governments respond. It is becoming quite hard for governments to hide what they respond, and how they do it. Finally it seems that more people are becoming conscious that they can wield the power to shape the response of local governments. And this is a ver...

One of the things that it seems could change significantly after the pandemic, is the way we work and collaborate with each other. With employers asking a higher percentage of their workforce to work from home, and the amount of time that people will have to fulfill their jobs this way, it quite likely that a significant percentage of the workforce might just keep working this way. This could be beneficial not only for employers, and the employees, that fall in this arrangement. This could mean less people having to move on daily basis to their workplaces, alleviating some of the congestion we have on our cities, but also it could mean that by staying home they could spend a larger percentage of their income on local businesses of their neighborhoods. Not only that, quality of life could greatly increase by not having to commute and sharing more time with their families, or friends. Not only employees could save money, and increase their quality of life. Employers could see th...

One of the things that the outbreak  of COVID-19 has demonstrated, is how interconnected the world has become. It highlights how much people move around, not only for tourism but also for business. Very few things are completely manufactured in one country, or any country produces all the products that move their market places. Economies are interconnected in various degrees, directly or indirectly. There is no country that is fully insoleted from what happens on other countries, it has become a question on how much it will impact them. For better, or for worse, we have built a world where we share a common fate. This is why we need to start demanding governments to start working together in such a way that allows people to work together in a more effective way. Closing borders is no longer a viable option to make the best possible future come for us. Such integration is not out of the hands of the those who want to stop it, now we have to work to make beneficial to a...

For me, one of the thing that is more underused, and underrated, about smartphones, is how easy they make for us to access any information(and content) at any time, anywhere we are at the moment. Not only we can access it, but we have the opportunity to be active contributors to the pool of knowledge not just passive consumers of it. This fact marks a flexing point in human history, when the traditional gatekeepers of what went into that pool, and who could access it, are losing its power. Now, that role has been spread into more hands, many of which would be even considered possible. Old barriers have been broken, new ones come and go as we are still learning how to use this new power. Now, we need to learn the tools needed not only to find the information we want, or learn new skills. There is a need to learn how to filter trough until we get to the relevant information, and to process it in order to use it effectively. We are now directly responsible to find, and use, more ...

The fact that there are no simple solutions to the problems we face, is something that most people don't seem to be able, or want, to coupe with. So much so, that people seem more than willing to over simplify things just in order to feel comfortable with the world around them. Add to that, it seems hard to make sense of things with all the information we are constantly bombarded with continuously it make harder to make sense of things. It hard to filter what's information is relevant to solve any given problem, not to mention that its even harder to determine what is true. Without the tools of critical thinking, is hard to recognize what information is actually relevant to solve any given problem. To make things worse, not everyone receives the education needed to have the tools needed for critical thinking, much less how to use them. This complicate things, because it makes it hard to communicate that the solutions we need are complex in order to actually solve thing...

It's interesting, and somewhat irritating, that every time changes come our way people tend to forget that things haven't been a certain way. Specially in the last hundred years, we have seen changes come with unprecedented speed and scope. For the looks of it, things will continue to keep constantly changing in the short and medium terms. Only the speed of these changes might change depending on the area we are talking about, but things will be changing we like it or not. We'll have to adapt, and solutions found to the new issues that those changes bring. At the end of the day, people will have to learn to adapt to change and make the best out of it. For the look of it, the new generations are learning not only to cope with change, but actually be a part of it or be who makes change happen. More and more people are not willing to see change, but to change things by themselves. Change is becoming a tool, and not a problem. People are learning to see change as s...

One of the biggest ironies of having the tool that enable people to actually look into things to learn about them, or find all the information you need to understand whatever you want, is that most willingly don't do it. There are people who are even proud of not doing even basic research to have some level of understanding about any of the subjects that affect them. In some ways, ignorance is now somewhat of an option. With the advent of the Internet, and smartphones that give us access to it from mostly everywhere we are, is hard to make a point that people don't have access to information they need to learn about anything. Not only that, now there are many ways to access courses that allow people to learn almost any skill they choose, or have an interest in. Not knowing something is not an excuse any more not to go, and learn something about it. Whats more, now more than ever before we have access to news from many different point of views. Which means that maki...

One of the oddest combinations the Internet, and smartphones, have created is combining socialism and the free markets. What I mean, is that they have brought together people in order to see socialism as the form of government that brings the most benefits to the majority; and the free market as the economic system to follow that brings prosperity to the majority. As a democratic socialist , I've always believed that the combination of a socialist form of government, and a free market economy, is the best way to create more fair and inclusive society. The main reason why the combination of the Internet and smartphones is bringing socialism and the free markets together, is that it not only increases the transparency of both governments and corporations. It also allows people connect self organize, and have more say on how the government works, and to free markets even more by allowing, both the individuals and small producers, by allowing them a more direct access to t...

For me, its mind-blowing that having a device on your pocket that allows you not only to connect with others in real time, access wealth of information on any subject, but also create content or contribute any way you in an instant, has become so normal. Smartphones give us the ability not only of being consumes of knowledge, or content. They also give us the chance to contribute with knowledge to be used by other, or create content in a way that years ago would be unthinkable. In many ways, they also have made harder to control how knowledge spread and how we consume content. More than ever, this abilities gives people to take ownership of both knowledge and content in more immediate, and powerful way. And even though we are still far from being something that everyone can take advantage of, we are well in the path of it becoming a reality in just a few decades. Now, the importance of making sure that our children have the tools to process all of this vital not only for t...

It irks me somewhat when people compare their childhood with the one of the today's children, and proclaim that theirs is far superior just because the children won't be able to experience what they did. They seem to willfully ignore that every generation's childhood is different from generations past and future. The world each generation experience their childhood in a different context from each other. To compare how we experience our childhood to the one of today's children is not fair, since their world isn't the one we grew up in. We see our childhood with tainted eyes, ones that in some ways make it a bit better than it actually was. People forget that we have to give them the tools to be able to face a world that'll be different that the world we are now. Trying to give children the same childhood that we had, is not the best idea. We need to let them be children in the context of how the world is now, while giving them the tools to make them abl...