Hardware
13” M1 MacBook Air (2020)
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My current daily driver is the 13” M1 MacBook Air with base specs. I’m disappointed didn’t include user upgradable memory. Because it was a standard issue from work, I’m stuck with 8GB for the foreseeable future… but at least I don’t currently need any super resource intensive apps and I’m not a tab hoarder. The other bummer about the M1 Air is is doesn’t officially support more than 1 external display. I’ve used 2-4 monitors for most of my working years, so that was a let down. However, I found this incredible site and decided on a Dell USB-C Docking Station which handles my 3 monitors, keyboard, trackball, webcam, and passthrough power all through one USB-C cable to my MacBook. My absolute number one quality of life hack is magnetic adaptors; totally underrated and good enough to give their own section below.
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ZSA Moonlander
At the start of 2022, to commemorate my new job, I picked up the ZSA Moonlander. By that point I’d already been using the Planck EZ for almost a year and loving it, but wanted to do whatever I could to avoid developing any wrist issues and the Moonlander takes ergonomics to the next level. Both are mechanical keyboards, but the Moonlander is a split which lets me keep my hands at shoulder width, the most natural place for them. I still use the Planck when away from my desk (I’m writing on it right now) since it sits nicely on top of my MacBook keyboard.
I use Gazzew Boba U4 switches, which I really like. They’re tactile but near silent, especially when lubed & filmed. My keycaps are the stock ZSA caps, but they’re really well made and, after purchasing 2 ZSA keyboards and 1 extra keycap set, I love that I have a big collection of matching keycaps to work with.
What’s great about the mechanical keyboards is that they are 100% configurable; you can easily change the position and behavior of any key on the board without any programming knowledge required. From simple changes like turning Caps Lock into a Backspace key (seriously, when’s the last time you intentionally used Caps Lock?) to adding multiple layers so that 1 key can take on the functionality of many (up to 36). ZSA’s boards also run on an open source firmware called QMK, which means if ZSA the company ever ceases to exist you’re not reliant on them to continue supporting & updating the firmware. There will still be an entire community around QMK.
I’ve done a lot to upgrade my keyboard game and LOVE talking about it so I wrote a lot more detail over here. I even share a bunch of keyboard power-ups you can start using now without getting a new keyboard.
Ploopy Nano Trackball
I’ve used trackball for years, specifically the Logitech M570. When I discovered them they clicked with me immediately; why do we subject ourselves to dragging mice across desks when we don’t need to? When I got my Moonlander I started thinking about how I could achieve my Holy Grail: never having to move my hands off the keyboard. The risk of getting lost and having to look down at my hands constantly is too much and the time saved moving my hand back and forth could be better spent on Productivity™.
That’s when I discovered the Ploopy Nano. No buttons. Just a ball. I removed the right thumb cluster from my Moonlander and the Nano fit perfectly in its place. I added two extra keys to the right half’s inner column as my mouse buttons. I 3D printed a custom shell for the Nano to drop the ball a little lower. Dream. setup. achieved… almost.
This solution has its quirks, the big one being scrolling. I ended up flashing firmware to the Nano that would send scroll events instead of mouse events when NumLock is on and I use setLEDs to toggle NumLock with a hotkey… it’s convoluted, but it works! I occasionally get some wrist strain that I’m still trying to work out, I think the size of the trackball makes it still a bit too high compared to the keyboard. Next I’m planning to experiment with a tiny trackpad to see if I like that even better.
Fully’s Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk
I use the ubiquitous and really great Jarvis standing desk from Fully. Regrettably, however, mine is raised & lowered by a manual crank. The non-profit I worked for a few years ago was paying so I was trying to be responsible and save a few bucks but I’m kicking myself for it now. The friction of adjusting it is just enough to keep me sitting or standing for longer than I would like to rather than alternating regularly. I’ve gotten into better habits though and have plans to turn an old drill into an automatic height adjuster (maybe even trigger by keyboard shortcut??).
AirPods Max
I wear my headphones all day, every day while working. They really help drown out the screaming from the kids. 😅 There are plenty of cheaper headsets with noise-cancelling that are just as good but—being totally in on the Apple ecosystem—these are 100% worth it. The case is ridiculous, so I only use it if traveling. I 3D printed a stand with a slot for a magnetic cable so they’re always charged up & ready. The battery life is amazing, but with my charging stand I never have to worry about it.
This is one of my favorite pieces of gear just because no matter where I am I can put them on, play my collection of lofi beats, and get in the zone; no distractions.
AirPods Pro
These are always in my front-left pants pocket; I love taking advantage of any time I get while on the go or doing house chores to listen to podcasts. I also have some sensory sensitivities when there’s lots of noise or activity going on around me and wearing the AirPods with noise-canceling on for a while actually helps tremendously. I can still hear what’s going on around me, but they take the edge off.
iPhone 11
I’ve been using iPhones exclusively since the iPhone 4S for the same reason I’ve always used a MacBook, they almost always just work without having to fuck around with them and they’ll last a long time if you want them to. I’ve been using the iPhone 11 for 3 years now and it’s still going strong. Also same as my MacBooks, I’m a fan of upgrading and fixing my (expensive) devices to prolong their lives as much possible. I don’t every put a case on my phones, haven’t in years. They’re too well designed to cover them up and I’m pretty careful with my stuff. Plus the cost of a broken screen or two in the lifetime of my phone is well worth not having a case on it.
I also love small phones. I don’t get the trend to bigger & bigger phones that you can’t use with one hand and a smaller phone discourages me from using too much. I loved the size of the iPhone 5 and I had the iPhone SE that released alongside the 6S before upgrading to the 11. At the time I upgraded Apple hand’t put out any updated smaller models so I didn’t have the option, but what did they do just 1 year after I got my 11? They put out the 12 Mini. 😑 I’m just hoping when I’m ready for another upgrade in a year or so they’ll have a small version again.
Apple Watch SE
Meta Quest
Occasionally I’ll use my Meta Quest (v1) to work in VR, especially when working while traveling. Immersed lets me create multiple virtual monitors so I can replicate my home setup and be just as productive (this is aided by my minimal hand movement setup I go into below). I also 3D printed wall mounts for the headset & controllers.
2013 iMac
I have a 2013 iMac in my office closet that acts as my Plex server with a connected Drobo array as mass-storage for my media library, PhotoPrism backups, files, old film projects etc. I would love to upgrade that to a Synology NAS eventually and ditch Google Drive.
Magnetic Cables
This is so great it deserves it’s own section. One of my top quality of life hacks is magnetic cables and adaptors; totally underrated and good enough to give their own section below.
Software
Raycast
I HAVE to start with Raycast. It’s a Spotlight replacement/launcher that also handles clipboard history, text/code snippets, scripts, window management, quick-links, a growing store of extensions... and everything can have custom hotkeys. 🙌 This let me consolidate multiple distinct apps into just one and, though I’m barely scratching the surface of what it can do, I couldn’t live without it.
HEY Email
HEY fixes almost everything I hated about email. I rarely use email for work now, but dealing with all the personal email I get because I have to for one reason or another is a breeze. I love that notifications are off by default and you turn them on per sender or domain.
1Password
1Password helps me stay sane in our password-ridden world. Password managers are kind of obvious for a lot of techy people, but at my last non-tech job -I- was the weird one for using it, meanwhile everyone else was using & reusing the same passwords over and over and STILL forgetting them… sure… I’m the weird one. 🙄
Given recent breaches & scandals at LastPass
Immersed
Notion
Rocket
Lightning fast emojis on Mac
Hour
Menubar time conversions, essential working at a distributed company
Karabiner
Keyboard customizer for Colemak layout on the MacBook keyboard
CleanShot
Great screencaps & recordings
Things
Great todo app without any fluff or complicated features
Balance Lock
Fixes a weird bug where AirPods sometimes shift to the left or right.
Other things I love
- Texting from my laptop (thank you iMessage ❤️ )
- Using Slack instead of email for work