Let’s talk tech, that’s always fun.
The MacBook
I recently bought a MacBook Air. My first Apple laptop. My dad has been a loyal Apple user his entire life, but until now, I’ve always been a Windows user. I never understood why you would spend more for having fewer functionalities. But over the last two to three years, things have changed. Currently, MacBooks are actually more affordable than high-end Windows laptops. At the same time, the quality of Windows has declined. In the latest Windows version, you’re shown all sorts of things that you didn’t sign up for. It’s starting to become full of bloatware. Yes, macOS has fewer functionalities and less compatibility, but compared to the bloatware, lesser security and privacy, I would choose the less functionality any day of the week.
The Ecosystem
Then there’s also the ecosystem part. For me, it began with an iPad provided by my workplace. It was nice to have at the time, and soon I got used to using it. It’s a very intuitive device. When my grandpa turned 80, we gave him an iPad for his birthday. I spent several months visiting after school for iPad lessons. Now, he can email, take pictures, upload pictures from his camera, and Google things for his crossword puzzle.
When I switched jobs, I missed my iPad, so I bought one for myself. Writing with the Apple Pencil feels very natural. I used it to take notes in class. Writing things down is proven to help with retention. Losing your notes not so much though! That’s why I preferred writing on the iPad in OneNote, compared to writing on paper. I can jot down as much as I want, without losing track of what I’ve written. AI has accelerated this further. The recognition is improving steadily. The search function picks up handwritten words now. And with other models, I’ve been quite impressed with how well they can turn my handwriting (which is really just scribbles) into organised texts.
Furthermore, being able to use the iPad as a second screen for the MacBook is a great feature. Although I had some initial issues setting it up (I expected a bit smoother experience from iOS), it now works well. The same applies to iPhone mirroring on the laptop. Apps often work more intuitively than using the same service as a web application, if it’s available to begin with. Being able to access your phone directly from your laptop provides a much smoother experience.
The Physical Notebook
That being said, for some things, I still prefer the physical notebook. I recently bought a travel journal for taking notes while on the go. I like the idea of disconnecting when on a trip. Bringing an iPad or laptop takes away from what, for me, is the point of going on a trip: disconnecting from work and connecting with nature and the culture around me. By bringing a notebook, I can still capture experiences, save memories, and create material for the blog.
The second instance I prefer physical writing is in the gym. When I’m working out, I’m there for the workout, and I don’t want to be distracted. As soon as I take my phone, I open the box of distraction. Not good for the results. Besides that, there’s also something more satisfying about writing by hand when logging my repetitions and weight. When doing it in an app, it doesn’t feel as real or set in stone as it does when writing by hand. Looking back through the pages and seeing how much you have improved is immensely satisfying.
The Audio
On to the earphones then. I’ve used two sets of Bang & Olufsen, one of which has active noise cancellation, the EQ, and the e8 Sport. Both broke quite quickly. The E8 Sport I liked a lot when doing sports. It had very little wind noise and a snug fit. After that, I had a pair of Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 that broke after one run in the rain. I had still shied away from Apple up until that point. But there’s little more frustrating than headphones not working, especially if you have an important phone call. So I decided to try out the Apple AirPods Pro 2. And I have to admit, they are the best. They cancel out the most noise, and they have the most stable connection, even with my Android phone at the time, and excellent battery life. This has only improved now that I have an iPhone.
On to the headphones, they are the Momentum 4. They’re actually not mine, but my girlfriend’s, who doesn’t like them because they hurt her ears. And yes, they do start to hurt when wearing them for a couple of hours. The controls are also very confusing. There’s no on or off button! It turns on when you pick it up. Which means it will always be out of battery when not lying flat on your desk. The touch controls are also confusing. Two good things about it are that the sound quality is very good for a Bluetooth headset, and it charges quickly as well. I wouldn’t recommend buying them, but at the same time, they’re good enough to function as my daily driver.
The iPhone
This brings me to the iPhone 16. Not a bad phone, but I like it the least of all the Apple products. This is quite contrary to most Apple users/fans I feel, who will always want to have an iPhone but are okay with switching out other pieces. My biggest frustration with it is that there’s no back button. I often have to swipe four to five times before I get it to go back to the previous page. Buttons, even if not physical, are more reliable than gestures.
So there you have it, my current setup. What’s your setup looking like these days?
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