Recommeded software, hardware and various tech.

I get asked a lot about what I use and recommend so this is a list I try and update regularly.

Hardware

  • Any Mac computer

    As a tech nerd, data nerd and all round nerd-nerd, I've spent more than two decades now using various Windows and Mac computers. I've spent the equivalent in years of my time on the two different platforms and at times wondered why I spent so long on one or the other. Right now I firmly believe there is no contest. For performance, value and overall experience the Apple system wins hands down. And this is from someone that recently spent $20k building the best Window's system for data analasys, machine learning and content production. As of 2023 I can't recommend anything other than an Apple system. As for which one? That's a little more complicated but I'm confident that unless you have really specific needs, you'll be fine with anything.

  • Peripherals

    If you value your time and need a trackpad get an Apple one. Times are changing and there are tons of 'decent' ones for Windows systems but it's just so hit and miss. If you're looking for a mouse or keyboard then I'd recommend the logitech ones. This entirely depends on what you like but for a mouse I use the MX MASTER 3S and for the keyboard I use the MX KEYS. They are both incredible in their own right but what I also love is the easy-switch system that allows you to pair them with three different devices and switch between them with the press of a button. I still have Windows and Mac machines and they.. just.. work.

  • Powerbank

    I have dozens of these. Some I use for niche cases like cycling or camping but if it comes down to one single choice and I need to charge my laptop? It's the Baseus Blade 100W Power Bank. It recently got an upgrade as well which is a bonus but this thing is a beast. It has the output to charge a laptop as well as any other device you need. It has two USB C and two USB A outputs. Honestly, just get it. I've had mine for years and it's the best by far.

  • Other

    There are dozens of other things I use and will continue to add to the list as I go.

Development tools

  • MarkText

    If you ever use Markdown then try this. I use it every day and it's awesome. It's free and open source (if you get value then support them!) and so easy to use. Some features I love: Realtime preview (WYSIWYG), clean interface, supports CommonMark Specs, outputs HTML and PDF files and themes.

  • iTerm2

    I can't remember when I found this but if you're using Mac Terminal at all then you'll love iTerm. For any dev person this is one that I know I can't just list the things I love. Either you love this or not but if you haven't tried it then you really should. You're welcome.

  • DBngin & TablePlus

    Work with databases locally? These are epic. They work flawlessly and with every framework I have needed. If you don't want to get overwhlemed with database management as you're building then these are perfect.

Content

  • Adobe Creative Suite

    I know. You hate the subscription model. It' s not 2019 anymore though. Get over it. You get the best content software and they are finally catching up with some of the minor gripes creators have (noise reduction anyone?). The competition has been solid for a long time but if you value your time then this is a no-brainer.

Other

  • ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, MidJourney, Stable Diffusion etc.

    Of course. I regularly use these for various reasons and they're an excellent resource to put in your tooolkit. No they won't replace devs, content creators or marketers anytime soon but maybe one day they will. I think they're an amazing resource right now and will only get better. At this point they make a lot of mistakes but when you're working on something you can't figure out they're a great channel to use. Don't rely on it and use sparingly and you'll get value.

  • Dash

    This is something I only just found but if you use API's regularly then you should check it out. It's an API Documentation Browser and while I wish they'd update more often, I still use it every day. There are others out there but on the Mac system it's pretty great.

  • Discord

    I'm adding this one in beacuse I've talked to far to many people and they've never used it. It positions itself as a place to 'talk and hang out' which is a huge diservice. Most real-time help and servicing is now on Discord and hundreds of other tools use it either as their main form of communication or their entire platform. If you want a good example spend some time looking at how Midjourney uses it. If you're not convinced after that I can't help you.