Hello! ๐๏ธ This page is my personal list of devices and software that I use for work and everyday life. I try to surround myself with convenient, high-quality technology and software. Sometimes I make mistakes in my choices, but I always learn from these experiences.
I often enjoy trying something new, and I can easily spend a couple of hours installing and setting up a new IDE, only to give up by evening and go back to the old familiar one.
A complete list of applications, extensions, and even OS settings can be found at this link in the dotfiles repository.
๐ป Devices #
๐จโ๐ป Laptop #
My current work “machine” is a MacBook Air M2, 13", 16GB. It’s a great device, significantly faster compared to the Intel version. It doesn’t overheat or make noise (yes, it doesn’t have fans), and it doesnโt throttle due to overheating. The battery comfortably lasts a full workday.
Previously, I had a MacBook Pro 2020, 13", Intel i5, 16GB RAM. The Intel processor gets very hot โ even in idle mode it reaches 70 degrees, the device does not hold a charge well (a maximum of 2 hours with my usage), and it often throttled under load.
๐บ Monitor #
As an additional (but essentially primary) screen, I use an Iiyama XUB2792QSN. It’s 27 inches, 2K resolution. Honestly, it looks terrible for macOS because the interface is very dependent on the pixels per inch (PPI), and the ideal monitors are like 32 inches, 4K.
Also, macOS recently stopped rendering subpixels, which makes everything look very blurry on a 27/2K screen. I have to use hacks to make everything look somewhat decent:
- Using BetterDisplay to set a custom resolution (2048x1152) and enable HiDpi mode.
A huge plus of this monitor is the connection via Type-C. Fewer cables mean a cleaner desk, with charging and data all handled by one cable.
There was a small post about the monitor but it’s in Russian โ link.
๐ฑ Phone #
A device that I probably use even more than my laptop is the iPhone 14 Pro 256GB. I really like the entire Apple ecosystem, so I try to surround myself with such devices. Once you experience the user-friendly interaction of Apple devices, it’s hard to give it up in the future.
On the screenshot, you can see the Todoist widget on the home screen, but it needs to be removed because it operates very poorly on iOS โ it doesn’t automatically update when needed. It might display a task that has been closed 8 hours ago.
โ๏ธ Watch #
I wear an Apple Watch Series 6 with the Modular face every single day 24/7, only taking them off in the shower and for charging. Lately, I’ve been needing to charge it every one and a half days. It’s starting to bother me.
๐ง Headphones #
Airpods Pro 2
- Powerful active noise cancellation.
- Fit well in the ears.
- Still hold a good charge.
- Switch correctly between devices.
They are over a year old, and I use them every day. Sometimes they might suddenly disconnect from the MacBook completely and reconnect after 5-10 seconds. Sometimes this happens with just one earbud. I don’t know why.
โจ๏ธ Keyboard #
Keychron K3
75% layout. Brown switches are quiet enough not to annoy those around me, but also tactilely pleasant. I’m not at all a keyboard fanatic; I just needed a quality and comfortable device. Keychron K3 turned out to be just that.
It works both wired and via Bluetooth, and remembers three devices. A multitude of backlighting options. The main reason for choosing it was the low profile of the keys โ it’s comfortable for me.
The keyboard is over two years old, and I have no complaints or desires to change it.
When I started recording videos, I realized that it’s actually not quiet at all ๐ฅฒ
๐ Mouse #
Logitech MX Master 3
Only works via Bluetooth, and has a slightly unusual form factor. After two years, I still have mixed feelings about its comfort.
On one hand, it’s a quality device that works flawlessly. On the other hand, it seems like overkill for me:
- I don’t use the extra buttons.
- I’m not sure I like the form factor and the way it’s held.
What do I want to change it for? I’m thinking about buying an external trackpad from Apple โ Magic Trackpad.
๐ฎ Games #
Sometimes I allow myself to dive into gaming. I used to play on a PlayStation 4, but I had to leave it behind when I moved.
Nintendo Switch OLED. Very portable, comfortable to play. Just the games are expensive ๐ธ
๐ชค Soft #
๐ฅ๏ธ Shell, terminal #
- iTerm2 with fairly standard settings
- Font FiraCode, size 13
- Terminal theme โ gruvbox, slightly custom
- zsh, oh-my-zsh, theme powerlevel10k
๐ IDE #
I code in Visual Studio Code (VSCode).
- Interface theme -
gruvbox, icons -Material Icon Theme - Main extensions: GitLens, Nginx Config, Duplicate Action, Remote SSH
I tried Zed, but it lacked a few extensions I needed, though it had extra integrations with Copilot and collaborative work which were useless to me. I definitely won’t gain happiness from the 15ms faster response.
When there’s a separate post about setting up the terminal and IDE โ the link will be here.
๐ Task management #
I offload my brain into Todoist. I’ve long trained myself to jot down all ideas in the app and not keep them in my head because the human brain processes information well, but it doesn’t store it.
๐๏ธ Calendar #
For calendaring, I use the standard Apple Calendar app. I also manage all my main calendars, including the shared family one, right there.
When there’s a separate post or video about Todoist, the calendar, and task management โ the link will be here.
Google Calendar didn’t work for me, I wrote about it here but it’s also in Russian. Hope I’ll translate it into English somewhen ๐ฅฒ
โ๏ธ Notes and Knowledge Base #
I currently manage most of my notes in Notion. Although it’s a bit of a heavy combination, it handles its tasks well. I think Notion is good for managing projects, as well as writing texts and drafts. I’m currently writing video scripts, texts for posts on the Telegram channel, and the blog in it.
I also record all my work notes in Notion, like a knowledge base.
For quick notes, though they are stored permanently, I use Sublime Text2. I am currently looking for a replacement for it, as there are issues with subpixel rendering on the external monitor.
I tried Obsidian, but it lacked some convenient functionality that Notion has. But it seems I switched to it too abruptly. Probably soon I will move the knowledge base back to Obsidian, but I will leave the text management in Notion. I’m not sure yet; it’s still in process.
๐ฑ Other #
An incomplete list of the main programs I use:
- Spotify โ for music. Sometimes I switch to Yandex Music; they have a good recommendation system.
- BitWarden โ for storing passwords.
- Chrome โ for internet on the laptop
- Safari โ for internet on the smartphone
- Raycast โ MacOS automation, quick access to applications, files.
- Daylio โ I track mood, activities, write notes, reflect.
- Zenmoney โ finance tracking. After moving to another country, it became necessary to understand where I have money and what it’s spent on. Surprisingly, I’ve been continuously logging expenses for a year and a half.
- Shottr โ for screenshots with arrows, blur, and annotations. Free top! The closest alternative โ Cleanshot X, paid, but can record video.
- OBS โ for screen recording.
- Sublime Merge โ for working with git when I’m too lazy to type commands in the terminal. Solving conflicts is indeed easier in a graphical interface.
A more complete list here.