The Digital Notebook
We believe that knowledge grows when it’s shared.
This page is where we step away from the code and design tools to write about the things that inspire us, challenge us, and keep us curious. From honest tech reviews to tips on how to manage your own creative projects, this is our open journal.
We write for creators, business owners, and anyone who wants to understand the web a little better. No gatekeeping, just honest thoughts from our studio to your screen.
Grab a coffee and see what’s on our mind.
- Edge Architecture vs. Centralized Cloud: The 2026 Speed Benchmark
The physical speed of light is officially the bottleneck for modern application architecture. For the last decade, we treated the cloud as an infinite resource capable of handling any load. In 2026, that centralized model is hitting a hard wall. The speed wars are no longer about bandwidth width. They are entirely about physical proximity.… Read more: Edge Architecture vs. Centralized Cloud: The 2026 Speed Benchmark - Ethical UX: The Death of “Dark Patterns” in 2026
In 2026, the digital landscape is undergoing a silent revolution. The clever, deceptive design tricks that once fueled rapid growth are now becoming a brand’s greatest liability. For those of us navigating the intersection of technology and creativity at xdcweb.com, the message is clear: the age of “Dark Patterns” is over, and Ethical UX has… Read more: Ethical UX: The Death of “Dark Patterns” in 2026 - The Great “AI-Free” Label: A New SEO Power Move
In the frantic rush to automate everything, the digital landscape has become cluttered with a very specific kind of noise. We have all felt it—that uncanny valley of prose where the sentences are too perfect, the structure too rhythmic, and the soul entirely absent. As we enter 2026, a significant shift is happening in how… Read more: The Great “AI-Free” Label: A New SEO Power Move - The “Dead Man’s Switch” for the Lonely: Inside the ‘Are You Dead?’ App Viral Phenomenon
The most talked-about app of January 2026 isn’t a new social media platform or a flashy AI assistant. It’s a somber, minimalist utility from China with a name that cuts straight to the bone: “Are You Dead?” (or Sileme in Mandarin). At xdcweb, we track how design meets human necessity, and this app is the… Read more: The “Dead Man’s Switch” for the Lonely: Inside the ‘Are You Dead?’ App Viral Phenomenon - Stop Paying for Adobe: The Best Free UI Kits for 2026
Being a UI/UX designer for years, I’ve been searching for tools/apps that would help my life and work a bit easier. But, it has to be good and won’t break my wallet. Let’s be real: spending $50 a month on software subscription fees hurts, especially when you are just building your portfolio. In 2026, the… Read more: Stop Paying for Adobe: The Best Free UI Kits for 2026 - Clicks Communicator and New Power Keyboard – The New Blackberry?
In an era where we spend more time doom-scrolling than actually doing, Clicks has just dropped a bombshell that might change your daily carry. Most of us know Clicks for their quirky iPhone keyboard cases, but their latest announcement shifts them from an accessory maker to a serious hardware player. I’ve been following the “physical… Read more: Clicks Communicator and New Power Keyboard – The New Blackberry? - Debugging 101: How Free AI Tools Are Fixing Spaghetti Code
We’ve all been there: staring at a console error at 2 AM, questioning our career choices. In 2026, banging your head against the wall is optional. AI debugging tools have become frighteningly good at spotting logic errors that human eyes miss. ChatGPT (Free Tier) with Custom Instructions: Don’t underestimate the free version of ChatGPT. The… Read more: Debugging 101: How Free AI Tools Are Fixing Spaghetti Code - Codeium Review 2025: Why a 15-Year Dev Switched from Copilot
My name’s Vladimir, I’ve been writing code for 15 years. I remember the days before IntelliSense, when “autocomplete” meant a printed O’Reilly book on your desk and a strong memory. Over the last decade and a half, I’ve moved from jQuery spaghetti code to complex Next.js architectures and microservices. Like many of you, I jumped… Read more: Codeium Review 2025: Why a 15-Year Dev Switched from Copilot - The Decade’s Biggest Shift: Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold Review & Fold 7 Comparison
Over the past years shifting to Android and Using the Samsung Galaxy Ultra Series, I’ve seen the smartphone landscape change dramatically. I remember when the first Galaxy Note seemed “too big,” and when the first Z Fold felt like sci-fi prototype. But today? Today feels different. Samsung has finally cracked the code on the device… Read more: The Decade’s Biggest Shift: Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold Review & Fold 7 Comparison - The “Junior Designer” in Your Browser: Mastering Framer AI
I used to tell people to learn to code if they wanted to build great websites. Now? I tell them to learn Framer. In 2026, Framer’s AI capabilities have matured from a gimmick into a legitimate workflow powerhouse. It’s not just about generating a landing page from a prompt (though it does that beautifully). It’s… Read more: The “Junior Designer” in Your Browser: Mastering Framer AI - Stop Wireframing from Scratch: 3 Free AI Tools for UI/UX Designers for 2026
Let’s be honest: drawing the same login box for the hundredth time is nobody’s passion. In 2025, if you are still pushing pixels for low-level wireframes, you are wasting billable hours. The trend now isn’t “AI replacing designers”—it’s “AI removing the boring stuff.” Here are three tools that have permanent spots in my bookmark bar… Read more: Stop Wireframing from Scratch: 3 Free AI Tools for UI/UX Designers for 2026 - Neuro-Inclusive Design: The “Nice-to-Have” That Became Essential in 2026
For a long time, “accessibility” in design meant checking color contrast ratios and adding alt text. Important? Absolutely. Sufficient? Not anymore. The defining trend of 2026 is Neuro-Inclusive Design—building digital spaces that respect how different brains work. I’ve seen too many flashy websites that are a sensory nightmare for users with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia.… Read more: Neuro-Inclusive Design: The “Nice-to-Have” That Became Essential in 2026 - Beyond the Screen: Why 2026 is the Year of “Invisible” UI
Remember when we thought “responsive design” just meant a website that worked on a phone? That feels like ancient history now. As we move into 2026, the biggest shift I’m seeing isn’t about better pixels—it’s about fewer of them. We are entering the era of the Invisible Interface. For years, we’ve forced users to tap,… Read more: Beyond the Screen: Why 2026 is the Year of “Invisible” UI - Battle of the Tablet Titans: Apple iPad Pro 2025 vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
The Clash of the Titans this Late 2025: Precision vs. Canvas As we close out 2025, the tablet market has solidified into a binary choice between two distinct philosophies. On one side, we have the freshly released iPad Pro 13-inch (M5), Apple’s latest silicon marvel released just last month. On the other, the Samsung Galaxy… Read more: Battle of the Tablet Titans: Apple iPad Pro 2025 vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra - Apple Tablets vs Android Tablets for Drawing: My Honest Take as a Digital Artist
As someone who has spent way too many late nights sketching, painting, and even finishing commissions on both iPads and Android tablets, I figured it’s about time I share my personal experience. If you’re an artist trying to decide which tablet is worth it for drawing, I’ve been in your shoes — confused by specs, tempted by shiny screens, and wondering if I really need Procreate. - AI Essentials
The world of video creation is rapidly evolving, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of this transformation. Creating videos used to require expensive equipment, specialized software, and significant technical expertise. Now, thanks to the emergence of free AI video creation tools, anyone can bring their ideas to life in video format. This guide will walk you through the essential fundamentals of creating free AI videos, empowering you to explore this exciting technology and start producing your own content. - What We Know About the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – Specs and Release Date
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the latest addition to the company’s flagship smartphone line, and it boasts some of the most advanced technology and features currently available on the market. One of the most notable features of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its camera system. The device has a quad-lens… Read more: What We Know About the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – Specs and Release Date - The Upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra 2023 – The Rumors
The Upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra – The Rumors We just had the taste of the best and the latest from the iPhone 14 series and yet tell tales of the upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra kept coming. Are these rumors so enticing that they will make you take a pause on getting the iPhone 14? Let’s… Read more: The Upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra 2023 – The Rumors - The New 2022 Apple IPAD 10th Generation is now in the Philippines
The New 2022 Apple IPAD 10th Generation The IPAD family is known to showcase the most powerful tablets in their genre, period! Let’s face it, IPADs’ are easy to use, fast and contains apple’s powerful chips. The New 2022 IPAD 10th generation is Apple’s entry level IPAD and is now available here in our country… Read more: The New 2022 Apple IPAD 10th Generation is now in the Philippines - Inktober 2022 Challenge – Dark Arts by Poetic Dustbin
Inktober 2022 Challenge – Dark Arts by Poetic Dustbin Inktober 2022 is over and as Poetic Dustbin, I only managed to create 15 Dark Art Ink works… Been a busy month with work and family… Priorities had to be sorted out… I had to draw within the free time I have… It was a fun… Read more: Inktober 2022 Challenge – Dark Arts by Poetic Dustbin - This is The Nothing Phone
Nothing Nothing is a new tech company founded by Carl Pei. Name sounds familiar? He was a co-founder of the famous OnePlus. The company who introduced the term “Flagship Killer” mobile devices that went head to head with the likes of Apple and Samsung that cost more than half of the high-end phones out there.… Read more: This is The Nothing Phone - I Summon Thee – A Dark Poetry
I Summon Thee I lit the candledrew the pentagramlaid down a lifeslit her throatand blood drip downpainting the circlein ominous red inkthen i spoke Latinknelt and screamedI summoned all of youto make them sufferto make them bleedto maim their soulsuntil all is nothingthe hate, the blamewill all be undone. - Poetic Dustbin – Inktober 2021 Artworks
Inktober 2021 It’s that time of the year again! Nope it ain’t about Christmas… It’s INKTOBER time! And like the previous year, I am participating! Inktober is not about who has the best ink arts but it’s about pushing your passion to create art concepts for 31 days. The rule is just follow the inktober… Read more: Poetic Dustbin – Inktober 2021 Artworks - mysque.com … what to expect
mysque.com … what to expect? My daughter Xylestine.Com, who’s currently taking up Media Arts in UST, asked me if I can put up a site focusing on her art works. While I currently created her personal website at https://xylestine.com, I think it’s more appropriate to have a site focused on her creations. mysque.com is currently… Read more: mysque.com … what to expect - A Poem About Depression
Unmask Demons crawl in my veinsI hear their screamsinside my dreamsI hear their laughtersinside my brainI need to unmask myselfBefore I go insane… Demons talk to meI listen to the murmursWhen i’m sillThey play in my headThey moan, they groanI have to unmask nowAnd claim my throne… Poetic Dustbin - Microsoft Windows 11 is here!
A Subtle Design Upgrade Windows 11 showcases a simpler and subtle look and feel with bright but calm colors. I really like the default wallpaper. The aim of the design is for easy accessibility and to be more user-friendly . It will also feature a translucent window design with rounded border and sets of new… Read more: Microsoft Windows 11 is here! - poeticdustbin.com – Poetic Dustbin Blog Site Redesigned! Check it out!
PoeticDustbin.com is up and running with a new look ! Still designed in wordpress but now customized with Elementor and its essential add-ons. Elementor is the ultimate & free WordPress page builder, that lets you create beautiful WordPress websites in the easiest and quickest way possible. What is so unique about Elementor? The key difference… Read more: poeticdustbin.com – Poetic Dustbin Blog Site Redesigned! Check it out! - New Site: xdcspace portal
Just created a simple portal landing page that links to other Social Media Sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others. It also has quick access to all our websites namely poeticdustbin.com, xylestine.com, houseofhazelknots.com, hazelknots.com and xdcweb.com This is my first dive into using Elementor in site building. I can say that this is a… Read more: New Site: xdcspace portal - Best Budget Gaming Laptop – Bang for the Buck for Gamers
Gaming laptops nowadays are the in-thing for power users. They aren’t only good for running modern games but can also be used for graphics/video editing and for some; software development. Here’s a list of gaming machines that are wallet friendly and still performs like champs - Welcome to xdcweb solutions
xdcweb solutions is a place of arts and design. It’s not entirely a business hub. It’s more about passion. I’ve been designing, drawing and creating artworks for decades now and I never grow tired of it. I put this website up for my family. The name xdc was derived from Xylestine.Com, our daughter’s name. Take… Read more: Welcome to xdcweb solutions