At Home with Tech

It’s not as complicated as it looks. Tech tips for your life.
August 30, 2026

Why I Created Three AI Spokespeople to Promote My Blog

Meet Mr. Tech, a robot and a time traveler. I invented them and then brought them to life in their own commercials below. But here’s their true purpose.

I had a mentor who once told me about her 80/20 rule when producing content. The rule said you should spend 20% of your time ‘creating’ and the other 80% ‘promoting’ what you made.

Leaning into the spirit of that 80/20 marketing rule, I’ve decided to spin up a few Gen AI characters inspired by my blog topics to help promote a few of my past posts. (And of course, by doing that, I’m instantly breaking that rule.)

So please meet my three AI spokespeople I created who are now starring in the below 30-second At Home with Tech commercials.  

The Time Traveler

Mr. Tech (You’ve seen him before.)

The Robot Teacher

My next step was to bring these freeze frames to life. But to accomplish that, I had to first wear the following hats:

  • Casting
  • Location Scout
  • Script Writer 
  • Talent Director
  • And Director of Photography
    (I occasionally used Claude for this.)

Once I provided the necessary creative direction and script, I put Gen AI to work creating video clips for my commercials. Here are the results.


This Time Traveler has a Mission to Save Time

My Blog Post:
How to Use Shortcuts on Your iPhone to Save Time



Mr. Tech Worries About Capturing the Sunrise on a Cloudy Day 

My Blog Post:
How Clouds Transformed My Boring Sunrise Timelapses
into Pure Magic



Robot Teacher Explains How to Unlock an Old Suitcase

My Blog Post:
Try this Luggage Hack If You Forget Your Lock’s 3-Digit Code



I Used Google Flow

So yes, I hope you watch my above AI commercials and then read my blog posts they’re promoting.

But truthfully, that’s not the main reason why I created them.

I gave myself this marketing assignment, because I wanted to learn more about how to make these AI spots.

For this project, I used Google Flow (Veo) as my Gen AI tool of choice. 

The Steps to Bring My AI Characters to Life

And while parts of my workflow generated cool, unexpected AI iterations, which I used for inspiration, much of my creative process still relied on this human’s creative vision. 

And because this astonishing technology is still highly imperfect, I found a clear need for an organized process that would lead me to an acceptable level of creative consistency and output.

So, I had to stick to the following steps:

  • Create the characters and their voices first
  • Generate their environments
  • Then put them together
  • Write the script and figure out each shot and length
  • Be ready to adjust certain shots if they’re not generating correctly
  • Don’t forget that each failed video generation drains your monthly credit allotment 
  • So allow yourself the flexibility to leave certain ideas behind
  • Give yourself enough time to account for platform generation delays
  • Simplify as needed

Though you can perform basic video edits on the Google Flow platform, I decided to bring my clips into Final Cut Pro for more advanced results.

I’m Learning a New Way to Communicate

None of this went especially quickly, and I found there were clear limits to what this ‘beginner’ could accomplish. What I ended up with wasn’t exactly what I envisioned, but it was close. It still feels remarkable that this is even possible.

And though there is some commentary out there about how AI may be taking away our need to ‘think,’ let me tell you, I had to do a whole lot of thinking with this. It was like trying to solve a puzzle that was regularly shifting on me. 

Sure, I traveled through several phases of frustration. But I also found the process entirely fun and invigorating. I was like a Star Trek ‘Q,’ creating realities from the whims of my imagination.

Of course, I know it’s only going to get easier. Not only because AI is constantly improving, but because this ‘organic’ is learning too.

Radical Change

As I travel through this new creative process to visualize my own ideas through AI, I hope you enjoy my silly AI spokespeople and find more of my blog posts.

The road ahead is far more serious.

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August 23, 2026

Has “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Jumped the Shark?

If you’ve noticed that season 4 of “Strange New Worlds” has been warping through entirely different storytelling genres, you’re not alone. Confused? Is there some logic behind all this? Let’s explore…

What do the following movie and TV genres have in common?

  • Dinosaurs
  • Zombie ghosts
  • Piecing together a blackout night of mayhem
  • 1942’s “Casablanca”
  • And the Muppets

Yes, it would be the first half of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” season 4.

Based on the first five episodes, “Strange New Worlds” has settled into a certain genre-of-the-week groove. And it’s certainly not what you might say is classic Trek. 

Puppets in Space?

We just got the long-teased comedic puppet adventure. (Yes, the crew is turned into puppets by a transporter accident.) 

This comes after the film noir episode, the ‘Hangover’ homage, the horror episode and the time-travel dinosaur plot.

Boldy Go?

With the writers exploring a different genre each week, you might simply conclude the show is taking some big swings or alternately feel it’s become a bit gimmicky. 

It’s not that “Strange New Worlds” hasn’t explored varied storytelling genres before (such as season two’s musical episode). And even the original series had its comedic plots like the famous “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

But we’re halfway through this second-to-last season for “Strange New Worlds.” Except for the premiere, which was solid science fiction (the dinosaur-punch notwithstanding) the show is acting like it has all the time in the world to have its fun.

Lost in Space?

But the reality is we’ve only got 11 episodes left to the series finale. (Season five will contain only six episodes.)

Shouldn’t the writers be giving us more serious plots that try to push the boundaries of science fiction? Well, they’re certainly pushing “Star Trek” norms. 

So, you might conclude that “Strange New Worlds” is off course and jumped the shark.

But you’d be wrong, And I’ve got two reasons why…

Reason #1 
Look Under the Hood of the Gimmick

Sure, transforming the crew into puppets (via Jim Henson’ Creature Shop) may seems like a silly gimmick. But when you move beyond the plot device and realize it’s just a metaphor for what show is really about (just wait for the ‘aha moment’), you understand how clever this concept really is. 

Then, you can rewatch “Level-Five Transporter Accident” and enjoy the episode on a totally new level. 

Many great “Star Trek” stories are often just metaphors for something entirely different. Let’s not forget that.

Reason #2
Let the Show Have its Fun. The End is Near.

“Strange new Worlds” has already served up a variety of lighter plots in its first three seasons. We just happened to get a grouped set of these ‘unique’ episodes at the top of this season.

Let’s enjoy this fun… because we know it’s not going to last.

There’s a lot of ground to cover to get from Captain Pike’s Starship Enterprise to a very different Enterprise crew let by Kirk.

I imagine there’s going to be choppy waters ahead for this ship and crew. Plus, we already know Pike’s fate. And unless the writers are going to reveal a sci-fi deus ex machina to soften that blow (like the Klingon ‘time crystal’ from the season 1 finale), we’ll be shedding a few tears next year.

There’s a Method to this Madness

So why not enjoy some hijinks before we need to get to that finish line? Spock and Scotty are still in their formative years, which the writers are clearly leaning into. Every episode doesn’t have to be a universe-saving venture.

And despite the tonal swings, the writers are demonstrating intention with each episode’s messaging. Plus, they pull regularly from Star Trek canon. I love that. And I will trust there is some logic in the larger plan.

The Warp Core is Sound

I’ve read some critics’ conclusions that there are too few episodes left to waste on ‘fun’ episodes. And they may have a point.

But “Strange New Worlds” has already proven itself during the past three seasons. It’s earned the opportunity to take some creative license.

Enjoy the Last Days of Summer

Season 4 has been a perfect summer series. And don’t forget, winter’s coming.

For now, I’m going to sit back and happily enjoy my Trek.

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August 16, 2026

How to Use Shortcuts on Your iPhone to Save Time

Saving time doesn’t have to be a universal rescue mission. It can be accomplished in short increments lasting just a few seconds. And the Shortcuts app on your iPhone helps you do exactly that by simplifying many of your screen tasks.

How many times a day do you tap or swipe your phone screen? One study suggests the number is over 2,600 times for the average smartphone user. Though it’s ten-year-old research, the conclusion is clear. That’s a lot of finger action… and a fair amount of mental work as well. Any way to reduce all these taps would be welcome, and Apple offers one solution.

Apple Shortcuts has been around for years in a dedicated iPhone app called… Shortcuts. You select from a variety of predesigned shortcuts to activate that will help speed up certain tasks on your iPhone. 

You can also create your own shortcuts using a series of ‘actions.’ You can even automate many shortcuts to run automatically.
(Yes, they’re called… automations.)

If you’re new to using these shortcuts, their powers enable you to combine multiple actions with a single tap (or you can also use Siri). 

How to Set Up an Apple Shortcut

To get started in Shortcuts, you simply select the Gallery icon on the bottom of your screen. This brings up all of Apple’s shortcuts. Then if you tap on one of them, it explains what it does. If you want to activate it, tap on “Add Shortcut” or “Set up Shortcut” on the bottom.

After that, the new shortcut is easily accessible in the main library view in the Shortcuts app. You can also choose to create a little icon for your shortcut that lives on your phone’s home screen for even quicker access. 

You activate the icon by tapping on the three dots on the top right of the colorful shortcut box. This brings up more choices. Select the drop down by the name on top and select “Add to Home Screen.”

Six Shortcuts to Try that I’ve Found Useful

Dictate & Share

There are multiple ways to dictate messages on your iPhone, but this as efficient as it gets. You tap the shortcut to begin recording, and then you can immediately start talking. After you’re done, you choose where to send your text file.

Email Myself

Though this may feel old school, emailing something to yourself can still be a quick solution. Once you activate this shortcut, it’s available directly from the ‘Share Sheet’ that displays after you tap the ‘share’ icon (square with the up arrow).

Directions to Event

Sometimes when I get in the car to drive to an appointment, I realize I need directions. Then, I have to open my Calendar app and tap on the address I’ve added to my appointment. This activates my Maps app and I’m ready to go. 

But this shortcut speeds up that process by instantly pulling the address and sending it to the Maps app. (No more need to first open my Calendar app.)

Estimate Meeting Travel Time

Have you ever worried how long a drive is going to take depending on traffic conditions? As long as you’ve added an address and day/time in your calendar for your destination, this shortcut first confirms the future event and then calculates the current estimated travel time. 

This is especially helpful a few hours before you intend to leave to see if traffic is already building up.

Share Location

There are several ways to do this from your phone, but this shortcut enables you in one tap to immediately share your location to a predetermined contact via text. 

No need to go to your Messages app and choose who you’re texting. It’s lightning fast.

Play Podcast

Often, when I decide to listen to a podcast, I get a little cranky spending time after I open the Podcasts app to find my specific podcast, even if I follow it. If you have a favorite podcast, this enables one-tap access to it from your iPhone’s home screen. No Podcasts app required.

I created this shortcut myself by simply tapping on the plus-sign at the top right of the Shortcuts’ screen. Then I typed “Podcast.” 

From there, I scrolled to the bottom, which displayed the podcasts I’ve been listening to. Next, I selected the podcast I wanted. After that, at the top drop down, I updated the name of my podcast shortcut and tapped “Add to Home Screen.”

You can repeat this process for as many podcasts as you like.

Be Kind to Your Finger

Shortcuts certainly aren’t as cool as what AI can do for you these days, but they do eliminate some unnecessary finger taps throughout your day. 

Alternately, you can continue to take the extra few seconds to do it all yourself for each screen task. But those seconds add up quickly!

I do think proactively setting up easy shortcuts to help simplify your own user interface is a no brainer.

For your consideration…

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