Blog

Blog

Notes from the workbench.

The Aulvem blog is where I keep the build logs of the things I make on my own, plus what I picked up along the way. Two categories — Build and Reviews — under one theme: build it, write it down.

Build

Build is where I keep the design, build, ship and improve loop for the services I make under Aulvem, plus the technical notes and coding basics that came up along the way. Honest about what got stuck, what was actually used, and why.

Build

Reviews

Latest posts

How Rakuten's API hides the JAN, and the 3-tier cross-marketplace match

How I compute the real, point-inclusive price — design notes from a 3-layer model

Generating llms.txt and llms-full.txt in Astro for a Bilingual Site

Emitting reciprocal hreflang only when both languages exist — Aulvem's i18n customisation

Reading sitemap lastmod from MDX frontmatter — customising Astro's sitemap integration

Pushing operational rules into Astro Content Collections with Zod

How this blog is built — Aulvem on Astro 5 and Content Collections

Figma basics, part 3 — color, font, and shadow styles, then components and variants

How to use Figma — basics, part 2

Figma basics, part 1 — frames, fills, text, and alignment

How to use Figma — setup guide

Design thinking, and how I actually use it at work

How to pick a microSD card — reading the spec markings and matching them to use case

Manfrotto PIXI EVO review — a ball-head mini tripod that holds a full-frame body and still fits in a bag

Minecraft PC specs — a mid-range GPU is enough for Bedrock; for MOD/Java, mid-range GPU + 16 GB is the realistic line

Sony Walkman NW-A105 review — the Type-C, Android DAP I switched to, revisited from 2026

HDD vs SSD — in 2026, SSD is the default; HDD is for high-capacity archives

Video connectors at a glance — HDMI when in doubt, DisplayPort for 4K high-refresh

Peak Design Capture V3 and ProPad review — the clip that locks a DSLR onto your hip belt

Vue.js basics — v-if and v-for

Getting started with Vue.js — v-bind basics, explained

Sennheiser HD 598 SR review — open-back spaciousness and a fit that lasts for hours

Elecom EX-G Bluetooth M-XGL10BBBK review — the budget mouse where grip differences show up most

How to pick an iPad for illustration — iPad Pro if you draw seriously, iPad Air as the realistic entry point

How to pick a numeric keypad for Windows — laptop built-in, USB, or Bluetooth

Vue.js for beginners — components, props, and two-way binding, explained with real code

How to pick a MacBook for blogging — Air covers it; Pro is for creators

Logitech MX Master 2S vs 3 — which one to buy

How to pick an iPad mini — the 8.3-inch one-hand form factor earns its keep for reading, gaming, and on-site notes

Logitech MX MASTER 3 review — the natural sequel to the 2S, with USB Type-C and a MagSpeed wheel

Vue.js basics — a working engineer's guide to the file structure and lifecycle

Angular vs Vue.js — what a year of using both in production actually felt like

YAMAHA TW-E3A review — a year of commuting with YAMAHA's honest, even-handed true wireless

Anker PowerCore 10000 review — two or three phone charges in a palm-sized power bank

How to pick a Windows laptop for programming — 16 GB RAM and Core i5 / Ryzen 5 are the realistic floor

How to pick a MacBook for programming — the Air covers most cases; reach for the Pro if you're doing ML or iOS

How to pick an iPhone 12 — viewing the first 5G-rollout-year iPhone as a buy today

How to pick an iPhone 11 — Pro, Pro Max, or the standard model, sorted by use case

How to pick a monitor for programming — start with one 24-inch, full HD, pivot-capable panel

How to pick an HDMI cable — decide by version (1.4 / 2.0 / 2.1) and use case

How to pick a monitor arm — get VESA, load capacity, and the clamp right and you won't end up with a bad one

Picking a monitor panel by use case — IPS / VA / TN / OLED, and where each one fits

How to pick a gaming monitor — 144Hz, 1ms, and panel type cover 90% of the decision (2026 edition)

A 4K monitor isn't for everyone — how to pick between 4K, WQHD, and FHD by use case

How to pick a display tablet — decide on four things: 14–16 inch size, color gamut, response time, and parallax

How to pick a monitor for illustration — three things to check: color gamut, panel type, and size

How to pick a PC monitor — three things you can't get wrong, plus one to taste

Publishing a blog with VuePress — the 2021 roadmap, and the parts still worth keeping in 2026

How to pick a laptop for blogging — a 50,000-yen entry model is enough; if you write away from home, weight and battery decide it

PC cleaning with an air-duster can and an anti-static brush — Elecom ECO and Sanwa Supply brush review

Logitech MX MASTER 2S review — the side wheel that fixes Excel horizontal scrolling

Pointing an Onamae.com domain at Netlify — DNS handover steps and gotchas

RATOC RS-WFIREX4 review — a sub-10,000-yen entry point into the smart home

Setting up a static site with VuePress, GitHub, and Netlify

Cup Noodle Refill Lidded Mug review — a wide-bottomed desk mug that resists spills

Image placement and sitemap setup for VuePress — a 2021 build note (archived)

JOBY GorillaPod JB01542-PKK review — a small tripod for wrapping a webcam around a pillar

VuePress Markdown extensions — Components / Slots / frontmatter (2021 archive)

Belis wireless numeric keypad review — a slim USB 2.4GHz keypad with a calculator key

VuePress/blog directory structure — a 2021 build note (archived)