Uses
A list of hardware and software that I use on a regular basis.
I can be a bit of a pedant when it comes to the things I use. People who know me, know that I am usually quite frugal, however when it comes to my daily drivers, I don't mind spending the extra coin.
My purchasing principle is usually as follows: If I think and feel that an item can add value to my life and that (often most importantly) that value outweighs the price tag, then in my eyes it is worth the money. The value I typically look for is convenience; does this item make my life easier? How much time can I save by using this item?
I thought it would be fun to list out everything that I use here. Furthermore, doing something like this allows me to take a step back and look at what I already have, so that I can:
- 1.Be grateful
- 2.Stop buying more shit
- 3.Look at what can be improved
I frequently change aspects of my setup / what constitutes as my daily drivers so I will try my best to keep this page updated.
This is one of my most prized possessions. Definitely not top-of-the-line but it's my pride and joy - and my first ever PC build. I built this PC during the midst of a state-wide COVID-19 lockdown in a battle against boredom. I'd always wanted to build a PC and I'm glad I finally acted on my urges. Overall, I found the building process to be much more simple than expected and more importantly, rewarding. It was like I was five again and was assembling a Lego set. I had a tonne of fun scouring the internet for sweet deals on parts and learning how to build this machine.
I dual-boot Arch Linux (Insert meme: I use Arch btw) and Windows 11. I use Arch daily for web development and all other typical computer stuff. I primarily use Windows for gaming, but at times run a WSL Linux distro called Pengwin.
This is my laptop that I used to use for university. I first started learning web development on this machine.
Although I do not use this computer as much as my custom built PC (mainly due to lesser processing power), I do love the portability this laptop provides. Moreover, I must say that I really do enjoy using Mac OSX, the UI is very polished and I like that it is UNIX-based. There's also a lot of Mac-only apps that are really nice.
Using a combination of frequent flyer points and hard-earned cash, I was able to get my hands on the iPhone 12 Pro a few months before the 13th generation released. I love using my new phone a little too much. The battery life is amazing when compared with my previous phone (iPhone 7 Plus) - I barely need to use my RAVPower portable charger (which is a relief as it's a heavy son-of-a-gun, though incredibly reliable). The iPhone allows me to do things on-the-go and comes in handy when I have any last-minute deadlines.
I like to use cross-platform apps. I have many iOS Shortcuts and automations set-up.
A gift from my grandma - I use the iPad to read articles from a variety of sources - namely Matter, Medium and my read-it-later app of choice, Instapaper. Moreover, the iPad is my go-to device for reading my Kindle purchases, as well my preferred way to browse Reddit through Apollo. I like to pick up my iPad in the morning to check on any reminders and to-dos. I've slowly started using my iPad more over time and have found myself using it as a hub for brainstorming, exploring and crystalising thoughts.
I don't really take it out the house, and mainly use either in bed or in the toilet.
Got this camera through an eBay auction - it was an absolute steal! I use this in conjunction with a RØDE VideoMic Pro that my good friends got me for my birthday. I only have the 16-50mm lens that the Camera Kit was bundled with. I definitely will look to add some lenses to my collection. I decided to hit "Place Bid" because I wanted to capture different parts of my life and also because I was watching a lot of Potato Jet at the time.
- The two monitors are basically the same (both 31.5" Curved & FHD w/ 165Hz).
- Dual monitors are awesome, definitely a productivity booster for me.
- Pretty much got this for the knob.
- My favourite mouse of all-time - not that I've tried very many.
- Favourite feature: The Hyper-fast Scrollwheel
- Second favourite feature: The Easy-Switch button - allows me to switch between my linked devices.
- A new addition to my setup - a gift from my girlfriend.
- The look and sound quality on these speakers are fucking great.
- Headphones:
- I've had these for years - very reliable and great battery life, perfect for travel.
- I hate it when my face is mirrored.
- I feel like a Twitch streamer when I'm using this.
- Works great with my microphone. Haven't had any issues using this across the different operating systems I use.
- The latest addition to my setup. This is a really cool device that allows me to connect my MacBook and work laptop to my dual monitors, as well as charge them through one USB-C/A cable.
- I have a KVM switch hooked to this, so that I can use the same peripherals across my PC and whatever device is linked, with the click of a button.
- I use my Fitbit to track and monitor my steps, heart rate and sleep quality. The Fitbit allows me to read notifications from my iPhone, however I usually have this feature disabled as it can be too distracting at times. The battery life is starting to slow down but other than that I can't complain - it's good at what it does!
My day-to-day workhorse. The installation process was really fun and definitely different to what I had previously experienced. I love that the installation is minimal and bare-bones as it allows me to customise how I do things to my heart's content. The Arch Wiki is bloody amazing (probably what sold me on Arch) and the AUR community is very active.
Pretty standard stuff. I use Windows 10 mostly for gaming (VALORANT) but do have Ubuntu and Pengwin set-up via WSL2. I must say, the developer experience you get from Pengwin is top notch.
Everyone's beloved Apple OS. Was a good experience when all I had was my MacBook. Homebrew has a strong community around it so using the command line gave me no problems.
As mentioned earlier, I like to use software that is available across different platforms - so a lot of web-based apps.
Productivity
- Todoist
- Google Calendar
- Notion
- Raindrop.io
- GitHub
- 1Password
- IFTTT
Reading
- Gmail
- Kindle
- Medium
- Dev.to
- Audible
- Instapaper
- Readwise
- Inoreader
- Apollo
Tracking
- Fitbit
- MyFitnessPal
- Rise Sleep
- Day One
- EMMO
- Habitify
- Google Sheets
Music
- Spotify
- Brain.fm
- Snoozemaker
- Airr
Other
- Parcel
- Steer
- Find Gas Nearby
- Delayed Time Message
- Text Last Image
- Make a QR Code
I generally try to automate anything that I can afford to. The reason being that I want to simplify life for myself. In a day, we are limited in the amount of time, energy and focus that we have. By automating different aspects of my life, I set up systems so that I save time and mental energy for more important task, even if its only a few minutes.
- When my wake-up alarm is stopped -> Siri Speak Text: Greeting, Current Weather, Precipitation% -> Open Todoist
- At 7AM -> Send Message to loved ones
- When I arrive to the gym -> Open Google Sheets: Workout Tracker
- When I leave the gym -> Show Alert: "Make post-workout protein shake!"
- When iPhone is connected to AirPods -> Set Volume to 65%
- When battery level is 50% -> Set Low Power Mode On
- When iPhone is connected to power -> Set Low Power Mode On
- When iPhone is disconnected from power -> Set Low Power Mode Off
Last modified 1yr ago