“All the work that’s fit to ship.” The week in review from a one-person shop in Alice, Texas.
Written by an AI newsroom from the shop’s real code, every day.
Week of July 2 to 4, 2026
Saturday, July 4, 2026 · Alice 75° Partly Cloudy
14 ships · 3 projects this week
Big week. We opened a laser engraving service for custom gifts and signs after it passed safety and legal checks. We launched a course on how computers and AI actually work. And we fixed the phone number for North Point Computers, a one-person repair shop here in Alice, so it shows the same number everywhere online instead of three different ones. The real work was invisible: we made sure Google Maps and other directories recognize the shop as a real business, and we rebuilt how service pros show up in search results so people don't call someone who doesn't know they're listed.
New ServicesClip
Clip is our app for recording your screen or camera, then trimming and sharing the clip.
By The Shop · Dispatch from Alice
We opened a laser engraving service this week. Upload an image or text, tell us what to put it on (wood, metal, acrylic, and more), and we make it and ship it.
Nameplates, gifts with a name on them, business signs. The service cleared its safety and legal checks and is live now.
“A new course explains how computers and ai actually work”
New ServicesLearn
Learn is our phone-first course app that teaches how computers and AI actually work, one short lesson at a time.
We launched a self-paced course on computers and artificial intelligence. It starts with the basics and builds from there, laying out what AI can do, what it can't, and why people get excited about it. The aim is to sort the real from the marketing.
Finding A ProNPCLocal
NPCLocal is our local-services site that connects Coastal Bend folks with local pros, plus a jobs board.
When someone searches for a business that hasn't claimed its page, the page used to show a generic number that often didn't work. Now it shows Google Maps, the business's website if there is one, and a contact form, so there are real ways to reach the business.
Finding A ProNPCLocal
NPCLocal is our local-services site that connects Coastal Bend folks with local pros, plus a jobs board.
North Point Computers is a one-person computer repair shop in Alice. Its service number is 668-0599. The number was listed wrong on some sites and right on others, and this week we made it match everywhere.
More that shipped this week, in brief. Some of the build runs under the hood and stays there, so this is just the part we can show.
Short videos of real pieces coming off the laser. Watch one get made, then order your own.
Worth your time, from around the web. We follow this stuff so you don’t have to, then point you to what’s good and how it touches the Coastal Bend.
Some gear links below are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, we earn a small cut at no extra cost to you.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · Guide
Cybersecurity for Small BusinessWe like this one because it comes straight from the FTC and covers all three threats in plain language, from spotting phishing emails to backing up files and what to do right after an attack hits. No login, no paywall, no fluff, just a solid checklist any Coastal Bend shop owner can read in one sitting and actually use.
Lock down your shop’s tech Gear we’d grab: a hardware security key
Fit Small Business · Guide
59 Free QuickBooks Tutorials: Learn QuickBooks Fast (+Video)We found a full free course, 59 step-by-step lessons with videos, written by certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, that walks you through setup, invoicing, expenses, bank reconciliation, and reporting from scratch. No sign-up, no paywall, just sit down with your QuickBooks account open and follow along at your own pace.
Get a hand with your shop tech Gear we’d grab: a bookkeeping guide
No Dead Zones (no-dead-zones.com) · Guide
How to fix Wi‑Fi dead zones and dead spots fastWe like this one because it tells you to run a quick walk test first so you know whether your problem is weak coverage or a bad hop between nodes, and that keeps you from buying gear you do not need. It is written plain, covers small offices just like homes, and points you toward wired backhaul fixes before it ever suggests spending more money.
iFixit Answers (community forum) · Discussion
How do I get started with device repair?We bookmarked this one because real repair folks share exactly where to start when you want to fix your own phone or laptop instead of paying someone else to do it. Out here in the Coastal Bend where the nearest big-box repair shop can be a long drive away, knowing how to swap a battery or crack open a screen yourself is just plain useful.
See what repairs cost near you Gear we’d grab: a repair tool kit
CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) · Guide
Cyber Guidance for Small BusinessesThis is the free, no-sales-pitch playbook straight from the federal agency whose whole job is keeping businesses safe from ransomware, phishing, and hackers. We like it because it skips the outdated advice and tells you exactly what to turn on first, starting with multi-factor authentication on every account.
Lock down your shop’s tech Gear we’d grab: a hardware security key
iFeeltech IT Blog · Guide
3-2-1 Backup Rule Explained: Implementation Guide for Small Business (2026)We like this one because it skips the jargon and walks you straight through what the 3-2-1 rule actually means for a small shop, including real tool picks and a cost example you can steal right now. It also clears up the big trap most folks fall into: your Dropbox or Google Drive sync is not a backup, and this guide explains exactly why that matters when ransomware shows up.
Talk to us about backups Gear we’d grab: a solid backup drive
The rest of what this one shop builds and runs across the Coastal Bend.
NPCLocal
A local-services site for the Coastal Bend that helps people find the right pro fast.
NPC Laser
Custom laser-engraved gifts and signs, with short videos that show each one being made.
Adhere
Coastal Bend direct mail: one shared postcard to 5,000 homes, one local business per kind of work.
All Brands STX
Repairs for commercial kitchen and restaurant equipment across the Coastal Bend.
brandstx
Websites, software, and branding for Coastal Bend businesses, built in public.
Boothpress
Custom photo magnets and event photo products for other shops to sell.
The week and month in review, sent when there is real news. No spam, one-click out.
