Author: Jim Collison

Mac mini M4 versus RTX 3060 PC for local AI and OpenClaw, comparing Apple Silicon with an NVIDIA desktop.

Mac mini M4 vs RTX 3060 PC for Local AI: What I Learned Running Both

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Quick answer: After running local AI on both a Mac mini M4 with 32GB of unified memory and a Windows PC with a Ryzen 5, NVIDIA RTX 3060 and 128GB of RAM, I would choose the Mac mini if I wanted a quiet, efficient, always-available local AI box. I would keep the RTX PC when CUDA/NVIDIA compatibility, Windows workloads or GPU-specific experimentation mattered more. Neither replaces hosted models for every job, but both taught me that local AI hardware should be matched to the work rather than bought for benchmark bragging rights. Amazon disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn

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EcoFlow DELTA 3 portable power station used for home backup, solar charging and Home Assistant in a real-world long-term review.

EcoFlow DELTA 3 Long-Term Review: What I Learned Using It for Home Backup and Solar

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Quick answer: After using the EcoFlow DELTA 3 in my real home-energy setup, I would buy it again. I have used it for solar charging, backup power, running appliances, and as part of a Home Assistant-monitored system. What keeps it at the center of my setup is not one headline specification. It is the combination of fast charging, useful solar input, a good app, and day-to-day usability. My pick: If I were buying a roughly 1kWh portable power station again today, the EcoFlow DELTA 3 is the direction I would go. This article contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy

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Bluetti AC180 and EcoFlow Delta 3 portable power stations compared for home backup, solar charging and real-world use.

Bluetti vs EcoFlow: Which Portable Power Station Brand Is Better in 2026?

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Quick answer: I use both Bluetti and EcoFlow power stations in my home energy setup, and if I were starting over and choosing one ecosystem today, I would choose EcoFlow. In my experience, EcoFlow has been the better overall fit because of charging speed, the app experience, and how well it works as the primary battery in my solar and backup setup. That does not make Bluetti a bad choice. My Bluetti AC180 is still useful as secondary storage and an overflow energy sink, and Bluetti can be a compelling value when the price is right. This article is based

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Tech, BBQ, and the Blackstone Lifestyle with Mark Robson – HGG678

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What happens when technology troubleshooting meets backyard cooking, meal planning, and a growing obsession with grills? This week, Mark Robson returns to Home Gadget Geeks for a relaxed conversation that blends home tech, networking stories, pellet grills, Blackstone cooking, pizza ovens, and the routines that make outdoor cooking such an addictive hobby. From fixing a… Click for more / Podcast Player>
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AI That Thinks: Dewain Robinson on Agents, Copilot, and What’s Next – HGG677

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What happens when AI stops being just a chatbot and starts to reason, plan, and actually do useful work? This week, Dewain Robinson joins me for a conversation on Copilot Studio, AI agents, reasoning models, vibe coding, and the future of software development. We go beyond the usual AI hype and into the practical side,… Click for more / Podcast Player>
YouTube thumbnail of Jim Collison pointing at text about OpenClaw AI safety with coding screen background

A Hard Look at OpenClaw: Is It Safe to Use This AI Right Now with Gavin Campbell – HGG675

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Is the AI future helpful or just plain dangerous? This week, Gavin Campbell from HomeTech.fm and I take a hard look at OpenClaw, “vibe coding,” and what it really takes to run autonomous AI agents safely in your home lab. I’m trying to find out if you can actually let AI do the work without… Click for more / Podcast Player>