Tech and Gear

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I’m a tech and productivity enthusiast, so I love searching for the best tools.

Here is a list of the tech and gear I’m using now.

Software

Generally, I try to use free and open-source software. Or at least, software that’s free.

If there is no good free option, I try to use apps with a lifetime subscription or one-time payment. I believe in buying once, and crying once.

Since I’m a Windows and iOS user, the software listed here is available on these platforms. (Sorry, Mac and Android users.)

General Use

This is what I use for various tasks. This section was inspired by the podcast episode “Duel of the Defaults!” from the podcast Hemispheric Views.

  • Notes:
    • Notion
      • I love this app. It’s the main app I use to organise my life. Notion is not just a note-taking app—it’s also great for databases and project management. Notion is okay at many things, and that’s what makes it powerful.
      • But I’m concerned about how it’s going to change in the long-term, and the longevity of my data. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good alternatives for my use cases at the moment.
    • Drafts
      • I use this if I need to write something down quickly, since Notion can be quite laggy.
      • I also use this if I don’t have access to the internet, since Notion is online-only.
  • Tasks:
    • Microsoft To Do
      • The iOS app gets slow after you have a large number of tasks, but I love the “My Day” feature, where you can sort tasks into a list of tasks that you want to complete today.
    • Notion
      • I use this for tasks related to bigger projects, as I can add more fields to each task and write notes for them in Markdown.
  • Habits:
    • Habitify
      • I use this for daily and weekly habits. I think the UI is nice.
      • I bought the lifetime subscription.
  • Timer:
    • Hourglass on Windows
      • I like being able to set a timer by just typing a number.
    • Timers on my Apple Watch
      • The default timer app on the Apple Watch. If my PC isn’t near me, this works too.
  • Calendar:
    • Google Calendar on Windows
      • I use this most of the time on Windows.
    • Checker Plus on Windows
      • I use this for timeblocking. I can timeblock on Google Calendar too, but I customised this app specifically for timeblocking: I changed the default calendar to the one I use only for timeblocking, and I changed the UI to the week view so it’s easy to create events by dragging my mouse.
    • Fantastical on iOS
      • This is great for creating new events with natural language—so I can type something like “lunch tomorrow at 2 pm at McDonald’s” to easily create a new event with all the fields filled up.
      • I also use this to check calendars that aren’t on Google Calendar.
  • Contacts:
  • Messaging:
    • Telegram
      • The main messaging app I use. It just has the most features among the popular messaging apps.
    • WhatsApp
      • Unfortunately, some people have not kept up with the times.
    • Discord
      • I read through Discord servers occasionally.
  • Mail Service:
  • Mail Client:
    • Spark
      • On my iPhone, I like being able to mark things as read by swiping emails to the left.
      • The Windows app used to crash a lot, but I haven’t encountered a crash recently. I think the UI is prettier than the other free mail clients on Windows.
  • Cloud Storage:
    • OneDrive
      • I still use the free 1 TB of storage for education accounts.
    • Google Drive
      • I use this if the people I’m working with want to.
  • Navigation:
    • Citymapper on iOS
      • This has a nicer UI for travelling on public transport than Google Maps, and the estimated time of arrival is more accurate.
    • Google Maps
      • I use this for walking around, since Google Maps has more accurate and detailed walking routes.
  • Package Tracking:
    • 17TRACK
      • I rarely track my packages now, but I used this when I did. Free and simple to use, and it has notifications.
  • File Search:
    • Everything on Windows
      • It’s way faster than File Explorer’s search.
  • Sleep Tracking:
    • Health, the default one on iOS and watchOS
      • I read that this is more accurate than third-party apps.
    • AutoSleep
      • AutoSleep wakes me up more gently than a regular alarm—this app analyses the depth of my sleep and wakes me during a lighter sleep phase, and its alarm sound gradually increases in volume, so waking up feels less jarring.

Creating

This is what I use to make things.

  • Writing:
    • Word
      • I use Word if I need its formatting features or if someone needs a DOCX file.
    • Scrivener
      • I use Scrivener for organising research, notes, and outlines for stories, since it’s designed for that—unlike Notion, you can see different pages in the same view, which is great for reorganising things.
      • It also has more database nesting than Notion.
    • Notion
      • I use Notion for writing sometimes, as it’s the main place where I save my text.
      • Since I have a Notion database for my poetry, I write my poems in Notion.
    • Drafts on iOS
      • I use this if I need to write something down quickly when I’m on the go, and when I don’t want to deal with Notion’s lag.
    • Visual Studio Code
      • I write my blog posts in VS Code since it can highlight Markdown and HTML syntax.
      • I also use VS Code for writing in Twine (a hypertext interactive fiction engine), since there is an extension highlights Twine syntax, and VS Code is easier to use than the Twine GUI.
    • Fade In
      • I use this if I need to write in a screenplay format.
    • Google Docs
      • It’s still the easiest tool for collaborating on documents, since everyone knows how to use it.
  • Spreadsheets:
    • Notion
      • I just like being able to open cells as a full page of text, and I prefer to have almost everything in a single app.
    • Excel
      • I use this if the people I’m working with are. But I’m not very familiar with Excel, and I won’t be winning the Excel World Championships anytime soon.
    • Google Sheets
      • I use this when I’m collaborating with other people.
  • Presentations:
    • Canva
      • I use Canva often nowadays, since I like its variety of templates and sleek animations.
    • PowerPoint
      • I use PowerPoint if someone wants a PPT file for some reason.
  • Photo Editing:
    • Photoshop
      • Unfortunately, despite how scummy Adobe has become, this is still the best photo editing software.
  • Graphic Design:
    • Illustrator
      • If you’re using Photoshop for graphic design, please stop.
  • Video Editing:
    • Premiere Pro
      • It crashes occasionally, but it syncs with After Effects, so I don’t have to rerender my After Effects shots.
      • I’m tempted to learn Da Vinci Resolve though, since it’s better at colour grading and correction.
    • LosslessCut
      • I use this if I need to shorten videos quickly.
  • Motion Graphics:
    • After Effects
      • It’s the industry standard for a reason—it has lots of useful extensions and features.
  • Drawing:
    • Procreate
      • I rarely draw, but if I need to sketch something, it’s easy to use Procreate for that.
  • Phone Photography:
    • Camera, the default one on iOS
    • Office Lens
      • I use this for capturing documents or slides, as it straightens slanted images automatically.
  • Phone Video Recording:
    • Camera—again, the default one on iOS
    • Filmic Pro
      • If I want higher quality videos, or if I want to adjust video settings more granularly, I use this.
  • Audio Recording:
    • Just Press Record on my Apple Watch and iPhone
      • When I stopped my iCloud subscription, the default Voice Memos app stopped syncing between my Apple Watch and iPhone, but this app’s syncing still works.
  • Screenshots:
  • Screen Recording:
  • Photo Management:
    • Photos, the default one on Windows
    • Photos, the default one on iOS
  • Code Editor:
    • VS Code
      • There are many other options, but I just love VS Code’s ecosystem of extensions.
      • I use the Monokai Pro theme.
  • Terminal:

Media Consumption

Here is what I use to consume my media.

  • Browser:
    • Arc on Windows and iOS
      • I really like the UI, but Arc is still missing a lot of features that the Mac version has, as well as some basic functionality (like the ability to reorder extensions by dragging and dropping).
      • I’m suspicious of the company’s cultish and overly-friendly marketing. I guess I’ll switch back to Chrome if Arc becomes dysfunctional.
    • Google Chrome on Windows
      • I currently use Chrome for full screen web apps.
    • Safari on iOS
      • Safari is still the most reliable iOS browser I’ve tried. Arc Search freezes sometimes.
  • Read It Later:
  • Video Player:
    • VLC
      • While you need to set it up, using a keyboard shortcut to change the video speed by 0.1 increments is really useful.
  • Ebooks:
  • Podcasts:
    • Overcast
      • I love how it shortens pauses and changes the playback speed dynamically.
  • Music:
    • Spotify
      • I don’t listen to music often, though.
    • YouTube
      • Some of the songs I do listen to aren’t available on Spotify.
  • Movie Tracking:
    • IMDb
      • I haven’t completely switched to Letterboxd, as I’m used to how the IMDb community rates movies. I like reading Letterboxd’s reviews, though.
  • Book Tracking:
    • Goodreads
      • I don’t think its alternatives have caught on yet.
  • Game Tracking:
    • Notion
      • I just use my own database for game tracking. I include some interactive media in this database too.
  • Theatre Tracking:
    • Notion
      • I also have a database for tracking plays, musicals, and other theatre performances on Notion. I don’t think there’s an app or service available for this.

Other Software

Here is what I use for more specific and niche tasks.

  • Shortcuts and Automation Scripts:
    • AutoHotKey on Windows
      • I love using this for shortcuts and little scripts, like changing my audio device, or pasting my clipboard as plain text without line breaks.
    • Python
      • I also use this to write scripts. It’s easy to code something up with all the packages available.
    • Shortcuts on iOS
      • I use this for scripts on my iPhone, such as a timer for mouthwashing, a YouTube video downloader, and a share sheet button to send links with notes to Notion.
  • Text Expansion:
    • Espanso on Windows
      • My text expander, which replaces snippets I type with longer text. Great for filling up forms quickly, or if I need to respond to a lot of people with the same answers.
    • I use the text replacement feature on iOS.
  • Assorted Utilities:
    • Powertoys on Windows
      • It has lots of utilities I find useful, like a colour picker for selecting colours on screen, and a text extractor for copying text from images.
  • Sticky Notes:
    • Notepad and Always On Top from PowerToys on Windows
      • This is for temporary notes and sticky notes on Windows. I don’t use it often, but it’s something I use from time to time.
      • I don’t use the default Sticky Notes app on Windows since it’s more bloated than Notepad, so it takes a little longer to start up.
      • To pin the Notepad window to the top of the screen, I use the Always on Top utility from PowerToys, so the Notepad window appears on top of other windows.

This Website

Here is what I use to build and manage this website.

This site is built with HTML, CSS (with SCSS as my preprocessor), JavaScript, and a little bit of Go, because I use Hugo to generate my site (and it uses Go syntax). All of my blog posts and most of my pages are written in Markdown.

  • Static Site Generator:
    • Hugo
      • There are other options, like Astro, but I haven’t found a strong need to switch from Hugo yet. Hugo builds sites really quickly.
  • Hosting:
  • Domain Registrar:
    • Cloudflare
      • Cloudflare doesn’t charge additional fees for registering domains.
  • CDN:
    • Cloudinary
      • I use this for hosting images, since it has a generous free plan.
  • CMS:
    • Front Matter
      • This is a VS Code extension, so I don’t have to set up anything on the site itself. I use this to create new blog post files, optimise my slugs, and ensure that certain webpage properties are valid.
  • Email Routing:
  • Comments System:
    • giscus
      • It’s free, customisable, and the default appearance already looks clean.
  • Markdown Previewer:

Hardware and Gear

Devices and Desk Setup

My desk setup is overkill for most people. It was built when I gamed more often, and when I was using After Effects and Premiere Pro to make motion graphics and videos, so I needed the power and features then.

I think it’s a nice setup though, and I haven’t felt a need to upgrade it for years. I probably won’t upgrade it anytime soon.

  • Desktop Computer:
    • My custom PC
      • I built my custom PC around the end of 2020, and it’s still working well. It’s no longer cutting edge, but I haven’t felt a need to upgrade any of its parts.
      • Here are its specs:
        • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
        • GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
        • RAM: T-Force 64 GB DDR4 3200 MHz
        • Motherboard: MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
        • Storage: 1 TB Samsung 970 EVO (for my OS and programs) and 512 GB Samsung 970 EVO (for games and media caches)
        • Case: Phanteks P400A (Digital)
        • PSU: Seasonic FOCUS GX-750 (750 W)
  • Laptop:
    • Surface Pro 7
      • I kind of regret buying this. It’s not very powerful, has a low battery life (of about four hours), and has a weird form factor (it has a kickstand, so it’s hard to use on small surfaces like my lap—so it’s not a good laptop).
      • I rarely use the touchscreen for drawing, since the laptop doesn’t have a compartment for its stylus, and the stylus has to be charged separately.
      • So I think I should have gotten a MacBook and an iPad instead of getting a 2-in-1 laptop.
  • Phone:
    • iPhone 12
      • I’m used to iOS, and I don’t see a good reason to switch to Android at the moment.
      • Like many people nowadays, I don’t upgrade my phone unless I really have to.
  • MagSafe Wallet:
    • PopWallet for MagSafe
      • It has a rubber backing and the magnet is very strong, so it’s very secure. From the video reviews I watched at the time, it was the most secure MagSafe wallet then.
  • Smartwatch:
    • Apple Watch Series 9
      • I use this as my morning alarm with AutoSleep, and I use Health’s sleep tracking to analyse my sleep quality.
      • It’s also just useful to have a watch on my wrist, so I can tell the time quickly.
      • I wear it with the Black/Blue Nike Sport Loop. I think it’s the most comfortable strap—perhaps the sweatpants of straps, as this Redditor said.
  • eReader:
    • Kobo Libra Colour
      • I wish the colour contrast was a bit higher, so the blacks would be deeper, but I like using an eReader—it’s less straining on the eyes.
  • iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Charger:
    • Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe
      • It’s nice to have a small and sleek device that charges my iPhone and Apple Watch while doubling as a phone stand.
      • Kind of expensive, but I use it everyday, so I think it’s quite worth it.
  • Keyboard:
    • QK75
      My QK75 keyboard, which has a red case and white on black keycaps.
      • I really wanted a keyboard that looks clean, has a red case, and has a 75% layout. I love the look of white on black keycaps with a red case, but there are very few red keyboards available.
      • The QK75 groupbuy ended in December 2022, so it isn’t in-stock now, but you can try to find a second-hand one. Another round may run soon, so you could check Qwertykeys’s socials for updates.
      • Here is what my keyboard was built with:
        • Keycaps: Akko WOB PBT
          • It’s actually a PBT ABS blend, so it’s starting to shine. But there aren’t any keycaps that quite look like this.
        • Switches: Gazzew Boba U4T lubed with Krytox 205g0.
          • It may have been better to use a less viscous lube, but I already had Krytox 205g0 lying around.
        • Switch Springs:
          • Enter Key: 60g 18mm TX spring
          • Spacebar and Left Shift Keys: 68g default Gazzew U4T springs
          • All Other Keys: 57.5g 18mm Geon springs
            • It’s better to change the switch springs to higher quality springs, since bad springs can sound unpleasant and feel weird.
            • Changing springs also changes how difficult it is to press the switches.
        • Stabilisers: OwlStabs V2, the stabilisers that came with the kit. Lubed with dielectric grease on the wires and Krytox 205g0 on the sliders.
          • They rattle a bit now, but I have given up trying to fix my stabiliser rattle.
        • Plate: The PC plate from the kit.
          • I tried using the keyboard without a plate, but it was too shaky.
        • Foam: None.
          • I don’t really like the “compressed” foamy sound signature.
  • Numpad:
  • Mice:
    • Logitech Superlight 2
      • Its clicks are starting to sound squeaky, and there are other good gaming mouse options, but I think Logitech’s wireless technology is reliable.
    • Logitech M585
      • I use this on the go. It would be better to use a more fully-featured productivity mouse like the MX Master 3S, but because this mouse was cheap, I don’t feel guilty about dragging it over the crummiest of surfaces.
  • Deskpad:
  • Desk:
    • Secretlab MAGNUS Pro
      • This desk is designed for cable management, and it has a cable tray integrated at its back. I love stuffing my cables there, so my setup can look cleaner.
      • It’s also a standing desk, which is useful for adjusting the wiring of my PC. And it allows me to stand up when I’m doing something boring.
      • The magnetic accessories you can use with this are expensive… but some of them (like the PC mount, headphone hanger, and cable anchors) were useful to me.
  • Monitors:
    • Two LG 27GL850-B monitors
      • 27 inches and a 1440p resolution is a comfortable size that offers a nice amount of clarity. The 144 Hz refresh rate was useful when I gamed more competitively, but it now just makes every movement feel a tiny bit smoother.
  • Monitor Arms:
    • Two Ergotron LX Monitor Arms
      • Moves very smoothly, and not having a stand frees up a surprising amount of space on my desk. I think it’s one of my better purchases.
      • For my setup, it also offers just enough mobility for me to turn my monitors vertically, in case I want to read or write text on a vertical screen.
  • Webcam:
    • Logitech C920
      • Works fine. It functions as my microphone as well.
      • I also use a webcam cover, so you can’t spy on me!
  • IEMs:
    • AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
      • One of my most useful purchases. Connects to my iPhone without a hitch (unlike a pair of Bose earphones I used previously), and it has great noise-cancelling.
  • Headphones:
    • Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
      • It has a boring sound signature, but it sounds clear and has good imaging.
      • Most of all, it’s very, very comfortable—other than the HD800s, it’s the most comfortable headphone I’ve tried, as the pads are soft and the headphone is very light. Comfort is the most important feature to me, so I’m okay with sacrificing a more enjoyable sound signature for that.
  • Headphone Amp:
  • Headphone DAC:
    • JDS Labs Atom DAC+
      • JDS is an audio company that focuses on clear sound, and they have great customer service.
  • Speakers:
    • Micca MB42X
      • These are absolutely overkill and they take up a lot of space on my desk, so I kind of regret purchasing them (and getting a full speaker setup). They sound great though.
  • Speaker Amp:
    • Kinter K3118
      • I don’t like how it looks, but I stuff it into the cable compartment at the back of my desk, so I don’t see it anyway.
  • Speaker DAC:
    • iFi Zen DAC V1
      • This used to be my headphone DAC, but it sounded too warm for my liking.

Other Gear

  • Backpack:
    • Aer City Pack X-Pac
      • It’s sleek. It has a clean Silicon Valley techie look. It has the right amount of compartments for me, and isn’t too big or thick.
      • I chose the X-Pac version as it’s more waterproof than the other fabrics available, and it can rain heavily and suddenly in Singapore.
  • Sling Bag:
    • Aer Day Sling 3 Max X-Pac
      • It’s about 6 litres in volume, which a good size for carrying my things around if I don’t want to use a backpack.
  • Pens:
    • uniball Vision Elite (Blue 0.8)
      • I use it for situations where I want to write very quickly, like for stream of consciousness writing.
    • Pentel Energel (Blue 0.5) ink with a uniball ONE (Blue 0.5) body
      • I’m still testing this, but I’m thinking of using this for more detailed writing.
      • I love how the uniball ONE looks. So sleek. So minimalist.
  • Notebooks:
    • Literally any free notebook I have
      • I own too many free notebooks right now, and paper quality isn’t extremely important to me.
      • I use the fancier notebooks for more important projects, while I use the cheaper notebooks for stream of consciousness writing.