Tag: Life

Well, I’ve finally done it. I’ve ditched my Windows PC and bought a MacBook Air so all my PC tech is now Apple.

Am I a fanboy? Possibly. But for me it’s more about things working easily, and I’m not really into hacking stuff these days so the fact I can plugin an Airport Express in and instantly I can bounce music to a nice beefy set of speakers across the room, or fire up a video on either my MacBook, iPhone or iPad and bounce it to Apple TV to watch on my big screen… well it’s simple, easy and works. For me.

I don’t feel “locked in”, I still use a hybrid service for things like email and calendaring (Google), and I don’t use many of the default Apple apps (Sssshhhh I have Microsoft Office installed on my MacBook!). It all just works for what I want to do, I will continue to tweak things like that but I’m very happy that things are just working (I won’t mention the failed hard drive in my NAS box the other day..).

I’m very aware it’s materialistic but I’d argue that having a simple, reliable system for entertainment, is good for me. It lets me relax and as I don’t watch to all that much TV, being able to bounce 6Music round my flat is a just wonderful. I no longer spend frustrating hours trying to get something ‘simple’ to work and whilst I don’t ‘hack’ things all that much these days it’s still nice to not have that stress in my life.

• Activity: Cycling
• Distance: 7.58 mi
• Duration: 00:31:00

Fast, and very very wet (fnar!)

• Activity: Cycling
• Distance: 5.54 mi
• Duration: 00:21:29

I’ve had a long term aim to move away from a big ‘box’ of a computer to a smaller laptop with a nice big storage system. Last week I took the last step towards that goal. I’ve been waiting several years for this and, in retrospect, should never have bought the last Dell machine I did (it’s a good enough PC but I was already thinking about going ‘laptop’ at that point).

It will also mean that, for home use, I will be completely Apple Mac based, MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Airport Extreme, Airport Express (and, errr… a Synology NAS box).

Oddly, one of the main reasons for this switch isn’t actually anything to do with technology. It’s more about simplicity, minimalism and the desire to have ‘less’. A slim sleek laptop , a minimal desk setup, with as much as possible tidied away.

And yes, I was very VERY tempted by the retina display but, as yet, can’t really justify that extra cash… anyway, in a few years time when I’m ready to upgrade, EVERY laptop will have a “retina” style display.

Just for kicks, and because I asked for suggestions on Twitter (and someone obliged with a blog post), I’ll post about the apps I pick up to get my Mac running the way I need it. I’ve done this in the past and it’s good to have it all written down somewhere as I have a shockingly bad memory.

Roll on the 16th July, delivery day!!

Map is a bit wrong, lost GPS for some reason, I did not magically fly across the Clyde and back!

• Activity: Cycling
• Distance: 13.14 mi
• Duration: 00:45:34

Weight, muddy, wee bit harder than I thought it’d be!

• Activity: Cycling
• Distance: 12.33 mi
• Duration: 00:55:40