Slow but Local LLM Are Good For A Lot of Things

I vibe coded a local LLM running on my M3 iPad Air using Apple's models and it works. Sort of. I had known that Apple has its own models that run  devices to power Apple Intelligence. How well does it work? Definitely. Am I replacing the app I created instead of ChatGPT or Gemini? No way. Not even close. Not because I created some great AI chat app. In fact, it is missing a few important features that users have come to expect from an AI app. I am still fine-tuning it and I do not know if I will be sharing it with the world because I do not know how Apple feels about building an app around their models for people to use. What I do want to discuss here that it is surprisingly useful. 

Let me first say that the LLM is very limited. I do not know whether it is because of the guardrails that Apple put into place on the models or it has something to do with how the app is built. I am still working on that part. What I do know is that I can have a regular conversation with it and get rudimentary information that the LLM feels comfortable providing. Recipes? Sure. Asking the Apple LLM what the difference is between an astronomer and astrophysicist and I can become an amateur of either or both. I think I'll just listen to Neil Degrasse Tyson on Startalk and try to learn something instead. 

Here are some key experiences:

MacBook Neo Likely To Cannibalize The MacBook Air Than The iPad

The Macbook Neo is a great laptop for a vast majority of users. Including myself. I spend nearly all of my time writing. I would say it is about 99% writing. However, I have been dabbling with AI, I think 10% of my time on my Macbook Air M2 are spend on experimenting with local LLM and vibe coding with Xcode and Python. Than running local LLM, My Air is not really doing any heavy lifting. If anything, its power and talents are wasted on me. So for emailing, browsing the web, writing, or watching videos, the Macbook Neo is great. But it is also a good alternative to the iPad as well. So, naturally, I am curious which Apple product the Neo will cannibalize and the more I think of it, I think the Neo is more likely to cannibalize the Air than the iPad. Let's look at this together.

 

I Spend An Hour A Day With AI Moving Being Just Dabbling But Not Quite A Power User Yet

 I am spending a lot of time with AI these days. About 60 minutes with AI each day. That comes out to 12.5% of my work day assuming it is a 8-hr work week. It’s a lot for me but I would like to know what others think. However, I anticipate that the type of AI activities that I will spend my time on will change over time.

I would like to go through my AI routine these past two weeks and I would appreciate some feedback. 

• I run a couple of reports. Those are quick. A couple of prompts, upload some files, press enter, and go make coffee or tea. That is probably a minute.
• I think out of the rest of the total hour in a day that I send with AI, I spend about 10 minutes just asking questions that come to mind, not necessarily work related. For example, I am so invested in Punch the monkey from Japan. Love the little guy and I request updates a couple of times every day.
• I send about 30-40 minutes working with AI on new report formats and, more importantly, I discuss with it my workflow and how I can become more efficient including changing how I work or handing off more load to the AI.
• I spend another 15 minutes vibe coding. This is like a game to me. I enjoy it a lot. And I am doing it in such a way that I am also picking up on coding as well. 
• I also write and I ask the AI for clarifications on writing styles, how to word passages that could be more interesting to the read. I never take what it gives me and just copy and paste into my writing. That’s a huge no for me. It has to be my own voice. I also ask it to proofread my writing as a high English teacher would.

That’s pretty much it. I think that time will go up once a project my wife and I want to get started on begins. 

Is this a lot of time that I am spending with AI? I don’t think so. There are folks like me who are even more engaged with their AI and are probably squeezing out more efficiency and productivity than I am managing. Then there are those who dabble in AI to write their emails or use it as a substitute for search. At most, these users use their choice of AI mere minutes each day. 

One that that I have not seen happening in my workflow is greater quality of my output. I”m saving time and getting things done faster. But I have yet to figure out what comes next. Perhaps it is a failure of imagination. However, I think it is something else entirely. Once I have my AI optimize my workflow to the point it’s just a few prompts or clicks each day, My AI and I are going to have a chat about what is next.

iOS Needs A Desktop Environment When Plugged Into A Monitor

It is time for Apple to give us a much needed features that I think many users are not aware they need: for them to plug their iPhone into an monitor and instantly use it as a desktop computer. I feel this is a feature is that is long overdue and will greatly enhance user experience and provide iPhone users greater productivity and enables Apple to truly innovate beyond the segmented OS that they created for the different categories of products.

This is a feature that already exists on Android for some time. While I do not know if Android users take advantage of the ability to use their phones as a computer when plugged into a monitor, I feel this is something iPhone users will greatly appreciate more given that Apple will implement it better given their experience with the MacOS and now iPadOS. 

I will likely get a new HDTV in the next few months. The current one I have works well for Youtube videos and some movies but it's showing it age after 15 years. I put Youtube videos on my iPhone and play them on the TV via Airplay but I want to get a good one so that I can use it as a monitor as well. At work, I already use a TV as a secondary monitor in my Windows laptop. Being able to plug in the iPhone with the TV and use a keyboard and mouse and instantly get to work on my writing or Youtube video of my dog would be great. No need to have to go transfer the video from my iPhone to the Mac in order to start editing.

Here is a video of what the experience is right now when the iPhone is plugged into a TV or monitor. It is very much like the one you see when you use the mirroring function through Airplay.

Apple can vastly improve this experience. I hate to say this next part but we are not likely to see this in the near future. Perhaps we will never see this at all. From Apple's perspective, If users want a desktop experience when they hook up an Apple device to a monitor, they already have options - Mac and iPad. There is a rumor that Apple will release a consumer grade MacBook powered by the chips used in iPhones. As far as Apple is concerned, the desktop computing through an iPhone is unnecessary and takes away from the iPad and Mac experiences. Plus, I can see things get messy and confusing and require Apple do a complete rethinking of how apps before.

This is not to say that we will never see such a feature. We still could if computing landscape changes. This is especially true if the competitors like Google and Samsung starts to offer seamless and enjoyable desktop experiences through their phones. Google is merging Android and ChromeOS. I think it is a great first step for mobile computing to come to the phones when plugged into monitors. 

It may never be the one device to do it all but it could work for a vast majority of users. 

AI Use - Looking For Deals

I’m on the prowl for a new pair of AirPods Pro and I figure AI might be able to help me find the best time to get one. As I dug deeper, I realized I should be asking AI when the best to is to buy anything at all:

• Best day of the week to get grocery? Wednesday. Apparently, that is when sales start. Also, that Tuesday evenings or Wednesday mornings is when they stock up and produce the most fresh. Also, that is also when there are markdowns on perishables. Brilliant! I did not know that. Both Gemini and Perplexity agree on this point. Perplexity went further and suggested the best time to go when it is not busy. Also, it suggests making a list to avoid impulse buying. My problem is that I do make a list and get what I need. Then I go beyond that but that’s something an AI can help me with. (PROMPT: Which day of the week is the best time to get grocery)

• Copilot suggested to me to wait a few more weeks and see if Apple’s retailers will discount the AirPods Pro 3 further. The best discount was last year when the AirPods Pro 2 went on sale for as low as $159. That is not like to happen since the AirPods Pro 2 had been out for two years. Given the AirPods Pro 3, which including many new features, still feature the same chip as the previous model, I’m hopeful. And AI gave me hope by suggesting that I could see $199 or lower in Prime Day or Black Friday. However, I am unlike to see to $159 this year. (PROMPT: The airpods Pro 3 just came out - please give me your prediction of when I can get the best deal. FOLLOW-UP PROMPT: WILL I see the $159 price that was available for the AirPods Pro 2 for the AirPods Pro 3?)

• A friend is looking to get a condo or house near me in Pasadena, California. Gemini offered me a generic response on when the best time to buy a house it (late summer, early fall). Then it provided me with some statistics - medium prices, prices compared to a year ago, and days on the market. (PROMPT: For areas around Cal Tech, when is the best time to buy a house or condo)

• I am looking for a a project/hobby. I went onto YouTube to look into making my own notebooks. Especially the pocket field guides. So, naturally, I asked AI to help me. I’ve made a few to use personally. Nothing fancy. Downright crude but I love it. Now, I just need to get the materials for better prices so I can make more for friends and family (and maybe even readers). (PROMPT: I am looking to make my own field notes and field note books. I want to use similar paper and cover. Where can I get the materials for a good price)

What’s your hobby or interest? Pick one. Need something but don’t want to search all the websites for a deal and when? Just ask your favorite AI. Going on a trip? I think Gemini and ChatGPT are great at helping you start looking in the right places. I’ll be planning a trip for around November/December. I also have an idea of how much I want to spend. Now, I want to see if AI can help me save with points, deals, and, of course, timing.

I’m Am Stil Going Pro But The Strange Obsession With The iPhone Air Persists

I paid another pilgrimage to the Apple Stores this weekend - this time to the stores at the Americana and Glendale Galleria. I really only need to go to one but I just happened to pass by the second one and decided to make a short stop. And I’ve pretty much decided that I am going with the Pro. However, I get the obsession with the iPhone Air and I have high hopes that I think iPhone is in my future, perhaps in a year or two. And it might not be the one we think if the rumors are true.

First, why the iPhone Air? It is a no brainer. It is so thin and light. I am not in the camp that the iPhone Air is having an iPhone X moment. It is inevitable that Apple and other phone makers to will make a stab at thinness as technology allows - speed, battery, and integrity of a thin smartphone. I will even wager that a small form factor iPhone will return in some form and based on some rumors, it is of sort (I’m looking at you, iPhone 13 mini, my current iPhone).

When you hold the iPhone Air on your hand, it feels so natural. Perhaps it has to do with the curve corners of the design because it has also made the iPhone Pro and the Pro Max feel more natural and really made me believe those phones are lighter than they really are. But the iPhone Air is something else. I was tempted to try to put it in my pocket and see how it feels. I didn’t try it but I can see it disappear into my jean pockets just the way my mini is right now now. The plateau on the iPhone Air is not as big an issue as people think. Although, you can you imagine a flushed camera lens on the iPhone Air someday and just a flat back?

But the single camera. Ugh, man. Since I went to the Apple Store the previous time, I spent a bit of time telling myself that I really don’t use the wide-angle lens as much as I do. And within a few days, I found myself taking photos using the wide-angle lens as much as I was using the main camera. For folks who do not mind walking backward a few meters to get a similar shot, the single camera lens will be fine for you. A few of the photos I took did not allowed me to do that. You simply will be making compromises. Since my mini does not have the telephoto lens, I am sure I’ll be using it often. I certainly did when I had the iPhone 12 and 13 Pro Max. 

The iPhone Air battery life does not concern me and should be a concern for users who are leaning towards the iPhone Air. Air owners will like be casual users - light to medium usage. They are unlike to be taking a lot of videos and photos. Some decent amount of doomscrolling. And perhaps some gaming that will not tax the processor and battery too heavily. These users will take out their Air, use it, maybe give it a loving gaze and put it away. 

The other thing with the iPhone Air that many users obsess over is the age old human condition - wanting it to be more than what it was meant to be. Everyone knows that Apple will have improvements for the iPhone Air 2. And they want them now on this year’s new Air. Well, folks, you just have to wait and hope that Apple will upgrade the Air on an annual basis which I think is the case rather than what some others believes which is that this will be updated every other year.

Putting all this together - wanting more camera features and not wanting to have Pro features come to the iPhone Air in the future when I can have them now, I am going to get the Pro once Black Friday rolls around. I have decided on the color as well. And it will go ceaseless on most days. 

We having a puppy that is very much part of our family as any creature or human can be. And she’s so adorable. I want the best camera that I can get to take photos of her. Time is preciously. It’s short and fleeting. And they will never come again. And the iPhone Pro simply is the best way for me to document our times tougher as a family. You can do that on the Air tool. Don’t get me wrong. But being able to use the telephoto lens to capture her zooming around and captures candid moments of her exploring the world is just priceless.

iPhone Air Versus the iPhone 17 Variants: It Is Quite Easy To Pick

I have read about how hard Apple made it more difficult for users to pick between the new iPhones released a couple of weeks ago. And while millions of of the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 variants hare already been shipped and delivered, it was likely a difficult choice to make for many users. Apple relished in the fact that users agonized over which iPhones to get. After reading reviews and watch YouTube videos, I realized it is quite easy.

I am still waiting to see if I can get a better deal with my carrier, I have decided on which model I will get if I decide to upgrade this year: the iPhone 17 Pro. The choice fo my is quite simple. Coming from the iPhone 13 mini, it is not the weight that drew me to it after downgrading from the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It was the size. However, the size between the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro are close enough that it is negligible. 

Before this past weekend, I was learning towards the iPhone Air. But now, I have changed my mind. Here is why: I want the additional cameras, longer battery life, and smaller form factor so that it is easier to carry in my hand when I go on runs (I use the flashlight on the iPhone when I run at night. I used to run in the dark before phones and I cannot imagine how I did and why anyone runs in the dark).

So, if you lean one way or another on these factors, you want the Air or the 17. I'll use "iPhone 17" to encompass all three models. Whether you for go for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, or the iPhone 17 Pro Max is entirely another matter.

• If you want something that is completely new, you want the iPhone Air. The iPhone 17 feels good in my hand. I do like the slight changes made to the iPhone 17. You have to see the iPhone Air 
• If you want a light iPhone, You want the iPhone Air weighing in at 5.82 oz. I will be coming from the 4.97 oz. iPhone 13 mini. One ounce is not going to matter to me. The lightest iPhone 17 is 6.24 oz. 
• If you need an iPhone that provides more battery life, you want the iPhone 17. Much like range anxiety for EV owners, I have a feeling that the iPhone Air will bring back some of the anxiety mobile users used to have about running out of juice towards the end of the day. You have the option to use a MagSafe Battery that would alleviate those fears. 
• Cameras for photography and recording. This one is easy. You are probably coming from an iPhone that has the Ultra Wide and/or the telephoto lens. If you use one or both of those lens often, you want the iPhone 17. It is disappointing the iPhone Air only has the regular camera. It is an excellent camera that is also on the iPhone 17. The following features are on the iPhone 17 that are missing on the iPhone Air: some models can record at higher rates, higher zoom, macro photography, ProRAW, spatial photography, better stabilization, cinematic mode, better microphones. and telephoto/Ultra Wide modes.

There are other feature differences that might make or break it for some users. Mostly powerful users who will likely pick the iPhone 17 over the iPhone Air, like faster transfer rate and faster charging. I think deep down, you know exactly what you need. I know, you still agonize over which model to get but it goes away once you are honestly about your needs. It comes down to your needs. If you need those features that are only available for the iPhone 17, one of those variants is what you want. If you want a showcase of Apple's newest innovation and do not care about the missing iPhone 17 features, you want the iPhone Air. 

I hope this clears thing up for you. At first, I was learning towards the iPhone Air because of the new form factor and its light weight. However, I know I will miss all the other features on the iPhone 17. I record a lot of video of my puppy and compromises Apple made on the iPhone Air is too far of a bridge for me. Anyway, hope this helps.

iPhone Air - Theories About Its Future

There is rampant speculation about the iPhone Air even as it has been released a little more than a week ago. Even though I do not have the device and currently has no plan on getting it, I feel a connection to it as I believe it holds the future to lighter iPhones and the iPhone Fold (which I’ll call the iBook - here is why I think Apple should call it the iBook).

As I listened to podcasts and watched YouTube videos of those who were lucky enough to have had hands-on with the iPhone Air, I noticed many of them made the mistake of call it the iPHone 17 Air or iPhone Air 17. It is a natural mistake after all - this year is iPhone 17’s moment. But why just iPhone Air?

Honestly, who cares. I have always felt that Apple should get away from the numbering scheme and stick with the iPhone and the year it is released. So, this year’s iPhone could be just iPhone, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max released in 2026. Or iPhone 2026 for anyone keeping score.

Apple already does something like this.

• iPad is just iPad. iPad Air and iPad Pro do not have a numbering sequence. If you are looking for a specific model, Apple’s own website refers to previous models by generation or the year it was released. 
• MacBook Air, MacBook Pro. iMac, Mac mini. Mac Studio. There is no Mac Studio 2. There is no MacBook Pro 7. Just MacBook Pro. 
• We have iOS, IPadOS, WatchOS, and MacOS all followed by “26” for 2026. 

Here is my prediction: There will be no iPhone 18. Just the iPhone, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max. 

Working With AI to Maximize My Time and I Learned A Valuable Lesson (Yes, You Can Doomscroll and Still Get Things Done!)

There have been quite a few AI uses this weeks and it is by far the most productive week that I have at work and with my personal life. And while I do not doomscroll and only look at a couple of funny or cute videos my partner share with me (she’s into corgi and spouses who scares their significant other), I realized that you can do all the things you want to do while remaining productive.

I started a process I called 10-minutes. Essentially, it is a review of what I did for the day and noting what I need to do the next time. It happens once in the morning, evening, and a miniaturized version of the process for work. I have incorporated AI into it and we work on it together. As I am writing this post, I have done my day’s work just before noon. And given how much I got done this week, I realized that I have a lot more time to do things that are fun - reading, playing with the dog, walking down to the busy street and just window shop, and have coffee and just watch the world. All of this without feeling pressured or guilty that I should be doing something else.

Here are other AI uses this week:

• As I mentioned here, I use AI to help me manage and manage tasks. Because I am human and I want to have fun and relax as much as I can, I quickly go into the groove of this new process. I can do whatever I want so long as I finished what I need to do. And in fact, I even pivot just a bit - I wanted to check out when a maker faire is happening in town and get more information about it, I wanted to see if there was some task I can do around the house first. I cleared the dining table.
• I used AI to find out how I can create a process for a database we are using at work. Apparently, our process is quite complicated and the AI from the company as well as others suggest that I do it on a spreadsheet first and then uploaded via a csv file. Oh well…
• My partner is looking at creating online content and sell products based on it. We have been using AI to look at opportunities and create a streamline process to do it.
• I liked Clash of Clans but I stepped away from it for a few months. When I came back, a lot has changed. I used AI to help me watch up and see what kind of strategies I should be using in my attacks. Right now, I have zero strategies. 
• I used AI to help me consider a financial decision. I have already made a decision but for fun, I wanted to see what these LLM models think or would do. While it is for fun, it did give me some insight on relying too much on AI to make decisions or soliciting advice. In the last week, I have come across articles about users using AI as a therapist or consulting AI on life decisions particularly among the youth.
• Used AI to understand how wills and trusts work. Do not, and I repeat, do not, do not consult an AI for legal matters. Laws are complicated. All types of laws. I participated in a trade seminar and they constantly have clients tell them “ChatGPT told me I can do that…”

Over all, my AI insight really has not been updated from previous weeks. If there is anything new about what I learned this week, it is that it is important to take a few steps back from what your interaction with an AI chatbot especially when it is about your personal life, advices they offer, and and the decisions you might have made as a result of it.

Collaborating with AI - Brainstorming and Feedbacks

The other day, I wrote an article and posted it to Gemini for critiques, have it asked me questions regarding my arguments, and point out weaknesses. I got shredded by Google's AI.  It basically said my arguments were not only weak but they run counter to each other and while it understand what I was trying to convey, it made no sense to it. 

As the writer, I persisted but I did make some changes to my article and published it. I did not go in for a second round of potential pounding. But then I thought perhaps I should. Many times, I have good ideas for a story or article with strong starts but weak finishes or have no idea where I should go after the first couple of paragraphs.

Perhaps, that is where AI comes in. I use AI to brainstorm  but in situations where I am stuck, I feel compelled to get myself out of the situation. Right now, I do not have that issue as I am merely sharing my experience in this regard and want to determine whether using AI at this point is in any way a betrayal of my humanity at all. 

Perhaps, I should simply adapt. When I find myself in a situation where I need help to go further in my writing, there is no shame is using ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to have a look at my story. Tell me where I went wrong, pivot, or offer suggestions on how to continue. 

As with brainstorming sessions, asking AI for help crafting learning plans, or using it to help me make my article better, I am still going to write all of my articles and stories. I can choose to accept the feedback from the AI or not. At the end of the day, if such a use of AI makes my writing better, I can accept that because it is still my writing.