Tech

Here's some of the tools I use, apps I love, and other things I recommend. Just some of my favorite tech that you might enjoy too.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 64GB RAM (2021)

    This thing is an absolute beast. I've never had anything with this much RAM and it's super nice to not have to think about memory, since I usually have 20+ apps running at the same time.

  • iPhone 14 Pro

    I've been an iPhone user since day one. I remember standing in line for hours back in 2007 just to get my hands on one. A few years back I joined the Apple Upgrade program which took away the stress of having to decide if I was going to upgrade every year. Of course I'm going to upgrade.

  • Ergodox EZ keyboard

    The ergodox is a split keyboard that allows you to have your hands spaced out on your desk. I've been using it for years and it's by far the best keyboard I've ever used. Ortholinear keyboards are much more comfortable to use and I never want to go back to a staggered layout.

  • Logitech MX Vertical Mouse

    A few years ago I was having some RSI pain. One of the changes I made was moving to a vertical mouse which helped immensely. I've been using this one for a couple years now and it's great. Strange at first, but feels completely natural now.

Audio/Video gear

  • Sony a5100 w/ Sigma f1.4 50mm lens

    This is the primary camera I use for recording. It's an older model, but does the job for now (plus it has a nice flip-out screen I use as a mini monitor). Definitely an area I'd like to upgrade when I can. The Elgato Cam Link 4k lets me use it as a webcam for Zoom calls.

  • Shure MV5 microphone

    I tried several alternatives that all required too much fiddling to get the gain close to decent. This one just works flawlessly with no fiddling. Highly recommended.

  • Opal C1 webcam

    New addition that is surprisingly comparable to my previous dSLR setup. I'm starting to use this in place of the dSLR for most calls, so that I can keep the dSLR on the tripod for recording.

Mac apps

  • Descript

    This little app is a lifesaver for editing podcasts. It's the primary tool that allows me to create both audio and video versions of the ADHD Nerds podcast, complete with full transcripts. It's a revolutionary way to edit audio (and is starting to do some really cool stuff in the video space as well).

  • Figma

    My primary design tool. Vector networks—if you know, you know.

  • Final Cut Pro X

    I've been a FCPX fan since it first released over 10 years ago. The magnetic timeline was and still is a game changer.

  • Raycast

    I've been using Alfred for years and years, but this newcomer has recently become my favorite and taken over the role of my daily driver. It just makes a lot of little things much easier, and the extensibility is super promising.

  • Visual Studio Code

    My primary app for writing code. I started writing web code in the late 1990s with Notepad.exe on Windows 95. Things have improved a bit since then.

iOS apps

  • Apollo

    If you use Reddit, you need this app. It has so many little details that make it a pure joy to use. They've thought of everything.

  • Due

    The best reminder app. It nags you and nags you until you do the thing, which is exactly what I need. I make sure to only put a few things in it at a time, so that it doesn't get too overwhelming.

Gadgets

  • Time Timer

    The best visual timer that exists. Without timers, I don't know how I would survive. I often have one running, and Time Timers are the best out there.