I don't like that cache system they have. It basically forces everyone to receive from the aggregation cache, and write to the user's defined servers. You're not the only one I've heard complaining about that cache. And there's nothing you can do to disable it, and just receive from your relays. That's why using different relays makes no difference because your read requests are automatically being handled by the cache server. Your relays don't even come into play unless it's a write request.

I just <15min confirmation time with a 2 sats/vB fee. If you have transactions you want to send, now is a great time! #musings

Careful. Adrian Dittman may not like this, and you could find yourself banned.

Maybe. Your sparkling personality may have attracted a lot of followers 🤷‍♂️

I've heard the Primal experience on iOS isn't great. I'm noticing a trend.

I really like the Coinkite wallets, both the Mk4 and the Q. I think Coinkite has been very thoughtful in their designs, and have created hardware that's solid, reliable, and ready to manage the funds of the biggest whales. My only gripe is with the cost. I'd like to see them priced about 15-20% less. But I don't know their manufacturing cost, or their profit margin so I'm just judging from my consumer perspective.

The Passport from Foundation is another really nice walet/signer. I haven't used one, so I can only judge based on the specs, reviews, and video walkthroughs I've seen, but the Passport, and soon the Passport Prime, are the Cadillac of hardware wallets. Their design is beautiful, and you can tell they're appealing to the high-value users. But with the Cadillac design comes a Cadillac price. It won't be an issue for people holding dozens of BTC, but for the average bitcoiner, it may seem intimidating.

I really like the design and functionality of the Portal. Using the NFC connection to power the device is ingenious, as it always works, and you never have to be concerned about dead batteries, or being near an outlet to conduct business. It looks like a very sleek, and efficient signer, and at $95 and considering its ease of use, it's accessible to everyone. What I don't like about it is that it's 100% NFC. It doesn't do true air-gapped transfers via QR or transaction files on a MicroSD. It's probably not a dealbreaker, especially if you do all or most of your transactions on your phone, but I like having options as it makes the device more versatile, and more easily used across platforms.

I've also been looking into the SeedSigner. It's a nifty little Raspberry Pi Zero project that you can build yourself, or purchase fully assembled. It has its own OS, and it's purpose-built to conduct true air-gapped transactions using a small screen that displays QR codes, and a small camera on the back that scans QR codes provided by your companion software wallet. It also backs up to MicroSD makings backups easy. The SeedSigner costs about $85 assembled and with an SD card, and the DIY kit ends up costing about $10 less. But there's downsides to every hardware wallet, and with SeedSigner the downside is no secure element chip. Instead, it relies on the software, and embedded microprocessor to protect the seeds. For this reason, I think it's a great choice for people holding less than 1 BTC, but probably not ideal for those holding larger sums. It's a great introductory signer for people new to bitcoin.

Given that SeedSigner's cost is similar to Portal, I think it's a toss-up between Portal and SeedSigner. Is it more important to have a secure element and a professionally manufactured device, or is it more important to have true air-gapped transaction signing? That's what I have to determine for myself.

I feel like YakiHonne is best suited to create such a client. They could just make a Yaki version with all that unwanted functionality stripped out, leaving just their long-form functionality, which is excellent.

And they're rude AF.

GN frens! We did it! Another year behind us! And if we're better off than we were when the year started, then we've got nothing to complain about. Here's to another year of dips and climbs, and ever increasing prosperity, both in our wallets and in our lives. Sleep well, nostriches. Tomorrow, we build! 😴💤🛌

I don't believe you can do it. You're too hooked on zapping. You'll go through serious zap withdrawal 😁

Agreed. We're an odd bunch. 😁

Awe, thanks. I've always been self-conscious about the freckles, but what am I gonna do? 🤷‍♂️ I appreciate your affirming words ♥️

FYI, I think your node is down. Just tried zapping you and got an error about your Alby node not responding.

Jeez, I hope that isn't true. I love zapping and receiving zaps. And I just spun up a new node just for zapping. I hope zapping doesn't go out of style.

Failed on my end, too. I tried zapping directly from my Lightning node, but it never went through. You probably have to fix something in your config.

You gotta get a Samsung phone to make an avatar like mine, that looks like you. Although there may be other avatar creators that aren't platform dependent. 🤷‍♂️

Lifpay is a solid wallet, and they've done a good job of making it nostr compatible. It's ability to send and receive on-chain is also a nice touch. It would be a solid competitor if it also had ecash, but it's a minor inconvenience. I think Minibits is the better option, and it sounds like you came to that conclusion, too! I'm glad to hear things are working out for you. Don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need any advice or information regarding wallets and Lightning. I'm happy to help! Happy New Year to you! 🎉🥂

It's crazy, the more you zoom in, the more it actually looks like me! It's even got the little mole on the side on my face 😂

Oh that's great! I've read a bit about Bull Bitcoin, but I haven't really dug into yet. Their payjoin feature sounds really cool, but its functionality will be limited to other Bull Bitcoin users. I don't believe there's any other wallet doing payjoin yet, and I'm not sure if it would be compatible with other clients if they did institute payjoin. We'll have to see how it plays out. I'm sure there will be further development in the coming months, and I'll be following its progress closely.

Minibits is a great choice for a zap wallet. It's got a lot of features, and its well coded and designed for maximum usability. And you get the benefit of both lightning and ecash, so you don't need multiple wallets for each. I'm happy hear that found something you like, and which works for you.

I'm with you every step of the way!