I have been a big fan of technology for a while. I’ve always enjoyed reading articles and watching videos on people’s on Favorite Tech. I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring of favorite tech articles. I’m going to highlight some of my favorite tech items so far here in 2024 that I have been using daily and some of the ways I have been using them.
iPhone 15 Pro
Let’s get things started with the piece of tech that is in my pocket every day. that is the iPhone 15 Pro. I have bounced between the Pro and Pro Max sizes the last few years and I really am liking the Pro size. One of the things I really enjoy about this phone are the cameras. It is crazy to think the type of photos I am able to capture with a device that fits into my pocket. If you are a parent like me, you know taking photos and a ton of them is not out of the ordinary. With this phone, I know I am going to get a quality photo of the subjects I’m taking.
All photos are unedited and shot with default camera on iPhone 15 Pro
Another aspect of this device I love is the action button. When it was announced, I wasn’t sure how much I would use it. Turns out, a lot. Especially since you are able to map a shortcut to it. Currently, I have a shortcut I created that quickly logs something to Twos, my quick capture app and the best place to write things down. The shortcut asks for an input and the asks me if it is a task or not. Depending on what I choose, it will either just log text to Twos or it will log a todo to Twos (that was kind of a tongue twister lol). You can download the shortcut here.
iPad Pro 11 4th Gen
Next on the list is my 11” iPad Pro. For as while I was a 12.9’ iPad guy, but recently moved to the 11’ and love it! It is the perfect size for being able to attach a keyboard case to it and type out a blog post (as I am right now), or put it in tablet mode to consume content. When we travel, this is usually the device I throw in my travel bag. When it comes to keyboard cases, I have tried a few but currently I am actually using the Keyboard Folio. While it does not have the trackpad like the Magic Keyboard case, I really like the slim design. When I am using it in typing mode, I will either use it alone or I will pair it with the Logi MX Master 3 mouse. I like this because I can assign the extra button on it to run shortcuts. Currently, I have one mapped to quickly enter a task into Reminders and the other mapped to my Twos shortcut I mentioned earlier. Overall, just a nice device to not only consume content on, but to also to be able to get some work done as well.
Nyphy Halo 65
When I have my iPad connected to an external display, I like to pair it with my favorite keyboard, the Nuphy Halo 65. I am by no means a mechanical keyboard expert. I’m not up on the different types of switches, all the inner workings of them. If we are being honest, I like the way they look, sound, and feel. I have acquired a few over the years and this one is by far my favorite. It is the one I gravitate toward every time I switch to another keyboard. It’s great because you can pair multiple devices to it so I have it paired to my MacBook Pro and my iPad. If you are looking to get into mechanical keyboards and want a good one to start with, I highly recommend this one. Use this link to get 10% off your order if you decide to check them out.
Boox Palma
Let’s be honest, we all know that staring at a screen all day is not good for our eyes. I was looking for a way to reduce the blue light, but also have some of the digital benefits, especially at night when I like to do some reading. I had used Kindles in the past but there was just something about them that was missing for me. I was searching and searching and then I came across this video by Brandon Boswell and instantly knew I found what I was looking for. The Boox Palma. It has the form factor of a smartphone, but all the benefits of an e-ink display. This has instantly found a home on my nightstand and is want I pick up to do some reading at night.
The best part is this device is an Android device so I can download apps like Kindle, my Bible App, and get all of my readings there. I also have my read-it-later app, Reader by Readwise on there so I can catch up on my RSS feeds. Since this device is an Android device, I was able to add Twos to it so I can quickly jot things down and not have to reach for my phone. As I’m sure you are aware, this is an absolute joy when traveling. This easily fits in my pocket so finding room for it is a non issue. There are times I will take this with me to work and take it on walks during my lunch break to do some reading. Reading outside with this device is awesome! no issues with sun glare. I’ve only had this device for a few months but am really enjoying it.
Remarkable 2
The final piece of tech I would like to go over is the Remarkable 2. I had been noticing that when I go to meeting at work, I usually took my laptop. This was fine to type out notes, but then I noticed that I was not really present at the meeting. Before I knew it, I was checking emails, looking something up, answering messages on our chat system, etc. I wanted a way to be less distracted at these meetings. I decided to just take a to book, but I soon found that I was having to them take things I wrote down, and enter them into a digital format. Enter the Remarkable. With the Remarkable, I am able to take handwritten notes and be present during my meetings. Then, I can go back and take my handwritten notes, convert them to text if I needed, and now they are in a digital format I can put into an email, my task manager, etc.
It has evolved and I not only use this for work, but I also use it for things like journaling, Bible notes, etc. It has all the benefits of an analog system, but some of the benefits of it being digital. I don’t have to worry about what notebook certain notes are in. I don’t have to worry about losing my notes. They are all in one place. Also, I can go online and find them there. Additionally, if I want to read articles, I can send them to the Remarkable via the Chrome extension. This is nice because it strips all of the fluff and just gives you the essentials of the article. So much less distracting. I can then annotate the PDF and send it off wherever I like. A lot of people don’t like the Remarkable because it don’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but to me that is essentially the reason I went for it. I didn’t want the bells and whistles with this product. I wanted an environment with no notifications, no web browser. Just a slab of glass and my thoughts.