Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.
I get asked a lot about the things I use to build software, stay productive, or buy to fool myself into thinking I’m being productive when I’m really just procrastinating. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.
Workstation
16” MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 16GB RAM (2021)
I was using an Intel-based 16” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I’ve never heard the fans turn on a single time, even under the incredibly heavy loads I put it through with our various launch simulations.
27" Samsung Odyssey G3 Gaming Monitor
The most attractive screen in terms of value for money. Perfect for both video games and professional activities.
Apple Airpods Max
A perfect balance of exhilarating high-fidelity audio and the effortless magic of AirPods. The ultimate personal listening experience is here.
Development tools
VS Code
Not original but best one so far. Redefined and optimized for building and debugging modern web and cloud applications.
OrbStack
Fast, light, simple Docker & Linux on macOS. Tired of latency on Docker Desktop? OrbStack is the ideal solution.
DataGrid
Great software for working with databases. Has saved me from building about a thousand admin interfaces for my various projects over the years.
Productivity
Alfred
It’s not the newest kid on the block but it’s still the fastest. The Sublime Text of the application launcher world.
Reflect
Using a daily notes system instead of trying to keep things organized by topics has been super powerful for me. And with Reflect, it’s still easy for me to keep all of that stuff discoverable by topic even though all of my writing happens in the daily note.
SavvyCal
Great tool for scheduling meetings while protecting my calendar and making sure I still have lots of time for deep work during the week.
Focus
Simple tool for blocking distracting websites when I need to just do the work and get some momentum going.