An Ideal Set-Up
It’s been four years, almost five, since I first looked at the ideal set-up for my work. Within the structure of the work itself, a couple of shifts, not to mention the big life-changing, world-shaking events with a common cold virus that is spreading out of control, yeah, not going to mention that influence.
This particular iPad is now five years old, one of the original 12.9-inch models. It’s been through a series of keyboards, but the latest is merely a re-purposed Apple “magic” keyboard from a desktop model, the keyboard itself wrapped in a canvas cover that unfolds to make a stand, and paired with that older iPad? Works, works well. Only has wifi, the iPad, and there was a series of events of that led me this way.
The original Apple Macintosh (only) astrology software I used was a complete suite of calculations. In the end, when the store shuttered, I had over 20K in astrology charts, and those were only the ones I kept on file. There were countless others, in a career that spanned almost the same amount of time.
The difference is I updated. Part of this is from a peak of “every weekend on, no weekends off” spent traveling, working, plying my craft across the state, sure some of it is from that. Started on a laptop but times being what they are? In the previous years, I shifted towards just using an iPad for work.
One of my old Austin buddies, “S’up dude,” watched as I scrolled through a phone full of music, looking for a some verifiable punk music. Had to prove my worth. He commented on the size of the type and, although I can cast a chart on my phone? Without cheaters, it’s too hard to really read the details.
An Ideal Set-Up
I like the iPhone/iWatch combination. I use it for health monitoring, as much as anything, and the watch’s timer has proven to be effective for meditation and steeping coffee. Some days, depends, I might answer a text on the watch, as well. On rare occasions, I’ve even answered a call on the watch.
But the purpose of this of this exercise is to start thinking about moving forward, what will work, and that’s based upon what has worked. I doubt I’ll be reading an astrology chart on my i-Watch.
Looks like, eventually, I’ll be working San Antonio and Austin again. My guess is September/October for the earliest date, and even then, I’m unsure. What has worked well this far? For work, I’ll carry two iPads. One is the early version of 12.9, originally, it was kitted out with AT&T cellular connection, but in a huff, and bad practice from the phone company, I dropped them. They still owe me a hundred bucks — off that last bill.
Still the hardware serves to work well, the old i-Tablet and keyboard, dependent on the home or venue wifi. In landscape mode, it fits the keyboard perfectly, and has adequate processing power to record an mp3 while calculating an astrology chart for me to read. I can also update various feeds.
I have a second, slightly newer but still out-of-date iPad Pro with a wireless plan, no longer AT&T, wrapped in its second cover, but I tend to carry it either as a primary or back-up, depending on the situation. For just an afternoon of reading charts and cards? I’ll have both, with the larger, older model working best as it provides a modicum of more screen real estate, making it easier for me.
But in a pinch, and on more than one occasion, I’ve started packing up and used just the slightly smaller iPad Pro 11, it’s just the screen is a little smaller, and I haven’t negotiated the right keyboard arrangement.
Works in progress.
I also have a “thing” about not going to bed with the device I use for work. The 11 inch is perfect for reading in bed, as well as scrolling news feeds, and so forth.
The iPads have replaced a myriad of laptops for most of what I do. The other, kind of expensive, but not really, but sort of piece in my computer arrangements? A small “mac-mini” at home, attached to remote drive back-up. I’m loathe to get too attached a single computer because computers fail. But I do like this one as it was older, almost end-of-life computer, but it works. Music, simplified bookkeeping, and some pieces of the original code for the websites, that’s what I have.
Digital ephemera. Photos (digital images).
An Ideal Set-Up
tl;dr
From a strictly hardware perspective, I’m roped into the Apple eco-system, but that’s not too troubling. From two phones back, I have a now-retired set Apple Air Pods, the wireless ear things. Lasted almost four years with the left one going out sooner, from repeated commutes Austin. Four years is a long time for supposedly disposable tech.
The current ‘work’ iPad, the 12.9 1st Gen.? Still entirely functional. Useful. Bit long in the tooth and its limited RAM means I exercise some degree of digital minimalism.
My daily driver is the 11-inch iPad Pro, now wrapped in a leather case. Functional, twice the capacity of the early 12-inch, even at more than two years old, it still holds up well. I use it for reading and it’s part of my grab-n-go gear.
I do have that Mac Mini paired with keyboards, mice, trackpads, and an extra-wide gaming screen. That Mac Mini sits atop a standing desk, itself more than 20 years old. With its gaming screen attached, there’s fast response, lots of visual real estate. I fear it’s getting close to its end, as that Mac Mini should be replaced soon. Not sure I’ll get around to that. The
