Week in Review: May 25 - May 31, 2026

This week was all about shipping updates and tackling a slew of bug fixes across our suite of apps. The biggest win came with the release of PawJournal v1.5.1, which marked a significant milestone in terms of feature additions and user interface enhancements. However, what’s more interesting is the work that went into optimizing and refining other apps like InkSafe, SignalKit, and OutlineSketch.

App Updates and Bug Fixes

The week started with a flurry of updates to various apps, including SignalKit, which saw multiple bug fixes and feature additions. One notable update was the introduction of musical notes in SignalKit’s peak-ID feature, making it more intuitive for users to identify frequencies. This change involved creating a new musicalNote.ts file and updating the RTA tap/highest labels. Additionally, the Slow/Fast/Impulse UI picker in RTA Settings was revamped to provide a better user experience.

InkSafe also received significant updates, including fixes for PIN confirm stale closure, edge-to-edge status bar padding, and FAB repositioning above the nav bar. These changes improved the overall usability of the app. Furthermore, InkSafe’s drawing tools were enhanced with an 8-color palette, 4 stroke widths, tap eraser, undo/redo functionality, and three new components: ColorPalette, StrokeWidthSelector, and DrawingToolbar.

Performance Optimizations

Performance was a key focus area this week. For instance, the APK size of OutlineSketch was reduced from 96MB to 63MB through careful dependency management and optimization techniques. This not only improves download times but also enhances the overall user experience by reducing storage requirements on devices. The cold start time for OutlineSketch was also significantly improved to 733ms, with a peak set size (PSS) of 145MB.

Homelab and Infrastructure

On the homelab front, there were several updates aimed at improving efficiency and reliability. A significant cache drive fix resolved a nightly mover issue that had been causing problems, freeing up approximately 298G of storage by changing dashcam/media shares from cache-only to cache-yes. Additionally, Docker prune removed about 6GB of unnecessary data, contributing to better resource utilization.

The HA (Home Assistant) setup also saw some enhancements, including the expansion of all_lights and security_sensors groups, fixes for deprecated service_data, removal of stale hardware placeholder cards, and deduplication of garage light references in mobile.yaml. These changes streamline the home automation experience and prepare it for future expansions or integrations.

AdMob Integration

Another important task this week was integrating real AdMob IDs into several apps, including voice-memo, binaural-beats, and focus-timer. This involved swapping out fake IDs with real ones across multiple files and saving ad unit IDs for future use in scaffold apps that currently lack an ad stack. The goal is to improve monetization strategies without compromising user experience.

Forward-Looking Priorities

As we move forward, our priorities will include further optimizing app performance, addressing any remaining bugs or feature requests from users, and exploring new technologies or integrations that could enhance our existing products or pave the way for new ones. The development of a game side project continues in the background, with ongoing work on Unity workflows, asset pipelines, and AI content generation techniques. While specifics about these projects are still under wraps, they represent promising areas of growth and intion for GriswoldLabs.

In conclusion, this week has been marked by significant progress across various fronts, from app updates and bug fixes to performance optimizations and infrastructure improvements. As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with our homelab setup, apps, and game development projects, the focus remains on delivering high-quality experiences for users while exploring new technologies and strategies that can drive future success.