iPadness
iPad goes well with milk tea! Over the years, iPad became the “bicycle for the mind” for me personally. It is my go-to computer for creative writing, reflection, research, and anything I need done on the go.
In 2009, I decided to pursue digital minimalism and instead of using many apps, reduce to a basic few. I still check a lot of new apps, but instead of incorporating many of them into my workflows, I’m constantly reducing to a few the most useful.
iOS system apps like Notes, Reminders, and Calendar are my biggest collaborators. While Notion and Figma on a Mac shaped my professional life as a designer and product manager, OS apps are infrastructure I’m using every day.
Adopting new features in these apps is incredibly impactful. This week, I was renewing my contract with 1010 and in the process of talking with an agent started to write down numbers: and got instant calculations. It is a feature from last year, but how delightful was it in this situation! Perfect match of a tool to a purpose.
The agent was following along and soon stopped using his calculator because both of us could see numbers faster on iPad.
iPad does not make me smarter, but my habits around iPad do.
I write a lot more reflective notes when I’m using an iPad. It helps me think. I publish my thoughts as articles and posts on social media and get feedback. Which helps me think deeper.
I read more books. I watch more talks. I follow my plans better with an iPad. It is the “bicycle for the mind” for me. A perfect companion.
Could I do all the same with a PC, a phone, or a paper notebook? Of course, I could. I just wired myself to do these on an iPad, and now, for me, an iPad is an empowering and enabling piece of magical glass.
What is the most personal computer for you?
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