2024-12-02 09:29:23
Every year, I publish a list of my Black Friday purchases. This year is no different in that regard. However, for more reasons than one, my purchase list is relatively short. It is almost too short to call it even a list.
The only thing I purchase this year is an app on Android, called Smart Launcher. I paid AUD22.99 for lifetime upgrade. Like a very good coffee machine, this app is also made in Italy 🇮🇹
Smart launchers are incredibly popular on Android and an app category that does not exist on iOS. Having said that, I generally use the default launcher. However, Smart Launcher is a perfect blend of keeping things simple yet providing features where needed.
Apps: over the years, I have bought many apps simply because they are on sale. I buy them and then never end of using it. In hindsight, this is a total waste of money. If I do not need an app, I shouldn't be buying it even if it is heavily discounted.
The same logic applies to physical purchases, too.
As an adult, I feel like I have finally grown up. I am now less influenced by the marketing and hype that surrounds our capitalist world.
I was running low on coffee beans and as luck would have it, one of my favourite roasters had a 60% off sale, so I bought some of those. That worked out well.
I also bought two shorts from Uniqlo.
Having said that, I am not sure whether I will keep those. They are a bit too short and I am not one of those that like to show more skin than necessary, especially my thighs 🍭. Since I am picking these up at my local store, I will try them on first.
From now on, my attempt will always be on buying things I am confident of using. Otherwise, it is just clutter, even if it's just digital.
2024-11-30 15:25:28
Assuming you have decided to move from an iPhone to an Android phone, the following are my tips that will help you in your transition.
If you cannot leave apps that are only available on Apple devices, please do yourself a favour:
Thankfully, most apps that most people use are available both on Android and iPhone. I just went through the Top 20 Free apps on the Australian iPhone App store and all of them are available on Android as well 🤷♂️.
MereCivilian
Potential further deal breakers:
Chances are, if you were all in on the Apple ecosystem, your new Android device needs to work well with your Apple ecosystem. This is because it is unlikely that you will sell all your Apple devices and adopt a Windows and Android setup.
One thing you will miss is AirDrop, but I have good news. There is a better AirDrop alternative, and it is multiform. For the last six months, I have been using Blip. The transfer speeds are significantly quicker and it works more reliably for me than AirDrop ever did. A cool feature is if you are transferring files from Mac to Android, you do not even have to have your android device awake to receive the files.
AirPods are bluetooth headphones and therefore they work with any device that supports bluetooth. There are, though, some things that can only be done on an iPhone. The following are two free open source apps (on FDROID) that enable Android users to have a similar feature set as their iPhone counter parts.
Explore some of my favourite apps from FDROID:
MereCivilian
Apple's iCloud calendar and contacts support open standards and therefore, you can safely sync your iCloud calendar and contacts to your Android phone. My family calendar is on iCloud but with the help of another open source gem, DAVx⁵ I can continue using iCloud calendar on my Android phone. I can sync changes, add new events etc without my family members even knowing that I am doing this from my Android phone. This works even if you have Apple's Advanced Data Protection turned on.
I have written about this in the past:
MereCivilian
There are few podcast apps that are good and multi-platform. However, Pocket Casts, which I have been using for almost a decade, works on every platform I have ever used. You must check it out because Apple Podcasts and Overcast does not exist on Android and never will 😥.
I can go on and on and I probably will, but am going to stop for now..
You can also check out all my android related posts here:
The transition from your iPhone to Android can be challenging and complex, especially if you are deeply integrated in the Apple ecosystem. Apple has built a beautiful wall garden, and it works really well.
Therefore, it is crucial to move for the right reasons. I brought Android into my life because I was bored with my iPhone and Apple Watch. I wanted a folding phone and a round face smart watch. Neither is something Apple accommodates. I did not switch completely and because I carry two phones, I can enjoy the benefits of both.
MereCivilian
Objectively, I do not believe being bored is a good reason to move. However, I am a tech enthusiast and, only using Apple products limited my exploration of other possibilities.
That is why I moved.
Was it worth it? For me, HELL YES....
BUT
Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, etc.
2024-11-17 19:22:59
In mid July (our winter), the Vision Pro landed in Australia. Unlike the US and UK, the Vision Pro took its sweet time in arriving in the lucky country. Better late than never, I suppose. My reason for highlighting this obvious fact is to show my interest in this product. I was so interested (sarcasm) that I waited 4 months to do demo at an Apple store located less than 15 minutes from my house. In short, my lack of interest was largely because of the price and I just didn't have a place in my life for a product like the Vision Pro.
I was going to the local Apple Store to return the M4 Mac Mini (story for another time), I figured I may as well book myself in for a demo. It wasn't a straightforward experience. I had to cancel my prior booking because my Dad's trusty car had a flat tire and it took longer than expected to change the tyre. Disappointingly, I am a lot slower than I thought to do something as simple as changing a flat tire.
The Vision Pro demo experience was mind blowing to the extent that the 30 minutes demo felt far too short. The key to the success of Vision Pro from my perspective is the content. It has a way of making you feel like you were there. For example, when viewing panoramic pictures, I felt as I was there. Viewing the immersive video by music sensation, The Weeknd felt as if I was in the ambulance with him. This is probably as close to him as I ever will get. Imagine being in a concert filmed for the Vision Pro. I rather that than actually going to a crowded concert lol.
The cinema mode watching content on Apple TV is also an elegant touch.
Within sixty seconds of wearing the Apple Vision Pro on my face, I felt its heft on my forehead and made minor adjustments to the band. The Apple Vision Pro never felt comfortable. It was always uncomfortable to some degree. However, I was told by a very kind Apple Store worker that with time, I will get used to it. Following the demo, I expressed my gratitude to the person and asked them to also process my Mac Mini return. During this process, he advised me that the Apple Holidays Extended Returns Policy is currently in place and therefore; I have till 8 Jan 2025 should I wish to return the Apple Vision Pro. This got me thinking, maybe I can give it a good go and effectively evaluate the Vision Pro for my needs. It was crazy. Even if it was perfect for my use case, I doubt my financial brain would ever approve this purchase.
Anyway, after many seconds of deliberations, I decided to purchase it, anyway. However, I wasn't sure if my credit card had sufficient funds, so I left the decision to my financial institution. If the transaction went through, I walk out with the Vision Pro and if it didn't, obviously; I walk out as a financially sane person.
To my extreme surprise, the transaction went through and now; I am one of those guys with a Vision Pro. Just six months back, I couldn't fathom why anyone would buy a Vision Pro. Today, I am one of those guys.
What happens next, only time will tell.
I fear, I've already experienced the best of the Vision Pro during my 30 minutes demo and living with it will highlight all the issues of a first gen product. There is more to the Vision Pro than its cost. I fear, besides the cost of acquiring a Vision Pro, there are significant tradeoffs of living with a Vision Pro.
2024-10-28 14:44:11
As promised, I am undertaking a small experiment where I use only the Surface Pro for seven days. This means, during this time, I will not be using my MacBook Pro and my iPad Pro.
Placing such restrictions encourages and/or forces me to develop new workflows and actually think about ways in which I can utilise the Surface Pro for my use cases.
Below is my log of my thoughts and adventures of the last 7 days of only with Windows. I hope you find it interesting.
Like most Mondays, it was another busy morning. Despite my rigorous planning, I actually didn't remember that today is the start of my Windows only challenge replacing both my iPad and, most importantly, my beloved MacBook Pro M1. However, as soon as my index figure touched the Touch ID key on my magic keyboard, it was pretty obvious that I have logged into the wrong machine. I quickly disconnected the USB C cable from my MacBook and attached it to my Surface Pro 11. Within seconds, thanks to Windows Hello, I was up and running.
All in all, first day was not bad at all. Once I was going, I was productive and very much enjoyed my time using Windows.
Below are the details/milestones of the day:
Today was a good day. Couple of things went well.
This morning, I was up relatively early and the first thing I did was reset my Surface Pro. I have previously mentioned that the Surface Pro 11 struggles to keep time, and I was using a third party app to keep time in sync. Pretty stupid problem to have. I reached out to Microsoft and was advised if the issue is not fixed after the factory reset, they will replace my Surface Pro. Considering the device is not even two months old, I figured, if it's a hardware issue, I may as well go down this path and get it replaced. I made an executive call. I do that sometimes.
Resetting the Windows PC was pretty straightforward and was quick as well. I setup the Surface as new instead of restoring from a backup. I installed the following applications and started my work:
I also paired my Keychron Q1 Pro and Logitech Master 3s.
That is all I need. Honestly, I would have just been fine with Citrix Workspace because for my job, that is all I need when working from home.
The whole day went by and it seems the timing bug has not shown its ugly face. This is a huge relief, but I will keep an eye for a few days. Update: few days later, still no issue yay
As the day went by, I installed:
Since I didn't get the time to install the Bootcamp drivers, I could not change the Apple Studio Display's brightness but thankfully, 50% brightness level was sufficient. When the room got bright, I reduced the light by using blinds.
I took a day off from work to spend time with my son, so the Surface Pro barely got any attention from me. Other than exploring options to add cellular to my Surface Pro, there isn't much to write yet.
Oh, almost forgot, I discovered that there are plugins for PowerToys Run. The currency conversion one is useful to me. Slowly, things are getting as easy and seamless as they were on macOS. I like that.
Weekends are generally less tech focused and more about family. Having said that, I took delivery of the Luna Display yesterday afternoon and I was keen to test how well it works with the Surface Pro.
Well, had I done my research instead of impulsively buying a used unit earlier in the week, I would have known that the Luna Display does not work with Surface devices.
I gave it a go anyway and the first couple of attempts were unsuccessful. However, like they always say, third time is a charm. It worked, and it worked well. The iPad was a secondary screen for the Surface Pro in retina resolution. It was glorious.
However, the initial connection is buggy, and I am going to give it a proper test later. However, it quickly became clear that I do not need the iPad as a secondary screen because the Surface screen, with its flexible stand, works just as well without taking up too much space. Technically, using the iPad was against the terms of this experiment, but I was eager to see how well it would work with the Luna Display. I am the boss, so I can amend the terms of any experiment. lol Who dare stop me lol.
Barely used the Surface Pro today because my son wasn't well.
Interesting discovery though that waking up the surface after 12 hours of not using it, takes a while. On the Mac, I can come days later and macOS will resume where I left off almost instantly. This is not the case with the Surface Pro. I would say it took a good minute to get going.
Today also is the last day of this experiment.
This blogpost was written and edited on the Surface Pro 11
2024-10-19 19:14:31
I am a huge fan of the original Frasier TV series. It was 11 seasons of complete joy and I have enjoyed every episodes many times.
So I have mixed feelings on the Frasier reboot. I just felt it wasn't able to capture the vibe of the original Frasier and perhaps never will.
As I reflect on the Frasier reboot, a wave of conflicting emotions washes over me. The sight of the familiar characters brings a sense of nostalgia, yet I can't help but notice that something is amiss. I watched every episode of the reboot and enjoyed it but still felt conflicted.
But season 2 has been good and the most recent episode has been fantastic. The writing and the way confusion and comedy is bundled together is simply delightful. Roz and Frasier seemed and behaved like the old Roz and Frasier
I am pretty thrilled that we live in a time where we not only can relive the memories of the original Frasier (now in 4K on ParamountPlus) but we also get to experience its reboot.
2024-10-17 19:15:20
Perhaps, its just me, but lately my YouTube feed has been filled with so many videos that are basically titled along the lines of; "long term iPhone user switches to android", "long term mac user tries windows snapdragon" and so on and so forth. You get the point. It seems these are the videos that get views because people appear to be interested, and I am one of those people.
Obviously, I shouldn't and do not care if someone else moves from one ecosystem to another. The reason is simple: my circumstances and preferences are unique to me and the chances that I share the same considerations with Youtubers is as remote as is the Antarctic.
Since publishing my "one month with Surface Pro" post, I have been planning my next experiment where I switch completely from macOS and iPadOS to Windows. Yes, I am a planner, I think things through. Sometimes, to my detriment, overthinking is a problem that I face more often than I would like.
Anyway, at some point, it occurred to me that the point of undertaking this experiment is lost on me. Why am I doing this experiment? What am I intending to achieve?
I didn't buy the Surface Pro to replace macOS. The sole reason was that the Surface Pro offered an unorthodox form factor which solved many of the friction points I experienced on my 12.9 inch iPad Pro for years. I must admit, the Surface Pro has certainly achieved that objective with flying colours.
Despite this, I enjoy using macOS. It is a wonderful operating system. Why the hell should I? Unlike most things in live, I think, I can have have my cake and eat it too.
Curiosity...
“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.” – William Ward (May we keep the fires of curiosity burning – and light the way with our creativity).
Yes, I am curious and keen to explore how this snapdragon powered Windows device performs when it does all the heavy lifting for both my work tasks and my personal endeavours. This implied restriction will force me to alter my workflows and explore new ways of doing things. It should be fun 🤣.
Being curious is enough of a reason to undertake this experiment but because I do not intend to "switch" from macOS permanently, this experiment will only go for 7 days. One full working week should be enough to feed my curiosity. Obviously, I can extend it if required.
A few years ago, I decided not to be invested in any ecosystem exclusively. I feel a sense of freedom from using a device that is best suited (for me) for the said tasks I am intending to complete. This expands my horizon from Apple range of devices to every device on this planet. Also, it is a lot more fun 😂.
Yes, this approach has its drawbacks but after living in the Apple ecosystem for over 10 years, I am happy to live in a multiplatform ecosystem. Apple has built a nice wall garden but as nice as it is, it is far from perfect and each year, it appears to get just a little bit worse and bit more expensive. With Apple "it just works" until it doesn't.
Building my very own ecosystem... this is exciting ⛵
Written entirely on Surface Pro 11
