Stuff I Use

Last Updated : May 2024

Computers

I currently use the M1 MacBook Air. I had the M1 MacBook Pro two years ago but sold it after just two months due to persistent compatibility issues with my workflow. Now that everything runs natively, I realize how slow my previous Intel-based Macs were. I chose the Air because I don't like the Touch Bar and prefer a fanless laptop.

Prior to this, I used an Intel-based 2015 MacBook Pro that I assembled from scratch, as well as a Pixelbook Go. ChromeOS has matured so much that I can now use it to get almost all of my work done without any tinkering, like I had to do back in 2015. I seriously considered staying with ChromeOS, but due to my work requiring desktop apps, I still need a Mac.

Development

Code Editor

I got hooked on Sublime Text after using it on my Pixelbook Go. Unlike Textmate, Sublime Text isn't exclusive to a single operating system - you can pretty much install it on Windows/Linux and be familiar with the same UI. I still keep Textmate for quick editing.

For the rest of my work, I rely on the magic of Google Chrome with Developer Tools and iTerm2 as Terminal replacement.

Gadgets

Mobile devices

My daily mobile phone is the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I also carry a Pixel 4a as my secondary phone for mainly for testing and as a portable hotspot whenever I'm out of the country. While I can safely move in and out of any ecosystem, the benefits of staying with Apple's ecosystem outweigh pretty much all the minor cons I can think of.

Audio

For the past 10 years, I have purchased a lot of audio gear, including the legendary Goldring DR150 and a Portable Wolfson DAC. Then, I bought my first AirPods, and Apple worked their magic with the Mac's speakers. These combinations changed the way I listen to music forever. Now, I am happy to trade off a bit of quality for a huge amount of convenience.

Music

I am now back to managing my own music. It makes no sense to keep paying while I listen to the same music for about 2-3 times a month.

Entertainment

I switched to an Android TV after years of streaming with Chromecast. It's good to have a standalone device for content consumption instead of relying on a phone. I chose the Onn TV 4K over the more popular Mi TV because of its better specs and good reviews.

Whenever I feel like gaming, my PS4 Pro will handle the task.

Services

Majority of the code that runs this blog is written by me, with exception of some plugins. Over the past few years, it has gone through several migrations, few redesigns and countless typo fixes. I also design and maintain few cloud services for my company. While I am considering co-hosting my own hardware, the current local prices still outweigh the benefits by a huge factor.