Trevor Manternach

Aug 18, 2022 ⌘

The earliest photo I have of me at a computer. Circa 1997!

How to re-map your Fn/Globe 🌐 key to anything

Aug 7, 2022 ⌘

The newer Apple laptops have the Function key pulling double duty as a “🌐 Globe key”. This must be mapped to the emoji picker by default, because it would randomly appear on my screen whenever I accidently hit the key by itself. I wanted a way to be able to re-map this key to anything I wanted. Here are the two simple steps to get this done. Note that this requires Keyboard Maestro.

Step 1: Disable system default

Open System Preferences -> Keyboard and set “Press 🌐 to” to Do Nothing

screenshot of Keyboard System Preferences on macOS

Step 2: Keyboard Maestro

Create a macro and set the Trigger to Hot Key Trigger. Press the 🌐 icon. The UI inserts a question mark, but it does actually work.

I am using Raycast as my Spotlight replacement these days. I couldn’t map 🌐 directly in Raycast, so I left it as ⌘+Space and then the KM macro types ⌘+Space when triggered.

That’s it! You now have a single keystroke that still works as a Fn key when held.

Jul 7, 2022 ⌘

I had to share my Wordle solve today. It’s perfectly U-shaped!

Wordle 383 4/6*

🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Jul 6, 2022 ⌘

I got my first Solo Loop Apple Watch band today. It feels so different than the Sport Band I’ve had since I got my watch. It doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing a watch anymore, I love it!

Jul 5, 2022 ⌘

I am having fun building a small electronics workbench in my basement. Here I used some left-over 3D printed clips for PVC pipe to build a wire spool holder.

Jun 15, 2022 ⌘

I got my first electric toothbrush and was blown away at how forceful it is. Not in a bad way, and I don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely surprised me! 🪥

Jun 11, 2022 ⌘

Making some popcorn at the local movie theatre tonight. I love this old Manley machine! 🦖🦕

Jun 6, 2022 ⌘

I avoided all of the WWDC rumors that I could over the last couple of weeks; I wanted to try to enter the keynote with no expectations. Not entirely sure how I feel about everything that was (or wasn’t) discussed yet, though. Still soaking it all in. Macbook Air looks great!

Jun 5, 2022 ⌘

I just filled my coffee pot up for the morning. And then hit the “On” button instead of the “Schedule” button. They are right next to each other, it was bound to happen eventually! ☕

My iPod history

Jun 4, 2022 ⌘

Last month Apple announced the end of the iPod. I thought it might be fun to document my history with the product.

–

I got my first iPod in March 2005. I believe I bought mine at Best Buy on a weekend trip 350 miles away from home.

I was listening to a lot of podcasts in those early days and had to use “podcatcher” software because iTunes didn’t support podcasts yet. That changed later that year when iTunes 4.9 added podcasts and the rest is history.

I visited that same Best Buy a couple years later when the iPod Touch was released. I remember checking their website and they said they had them in stock, but when I got to the store I couldn’t find them. I finally asked and they were still in the back, they went and got one for me.

The iPod Touch was so much fun back then. The iPhone wasn’t “in” Montana back then (no joke) and so the Touch was as close as I could get. I remember jailbreaking the thing, and even hanging out in IRC chatrooms trying to troubleshoot my jailbreak attempts. :-D

This past winter I spent ~$100 on new parts to revive my old 4th gen iPod. It now has new life with a fresh battery and an SD card in place of the 20GB spinning hard drive. It’s hard to believe a piece of consumer technology from 17 years ago is still alive and well.

I love iPod. It was one of my first adventures into a lifetime of technology.

May 31, 2022 ⌘

Day31: endurance

I bought an exercise bike last month to try to build some endurance. It made me realize how out of shape I am! #mbmay