¶ 2020 Year in Review | New Tech

This past year has been…well, something else. While a global pandemic certainly threw a wrench in so many things for so many people, it really wasn’t the worst year for me, aside from the longest spring break my kid has ever had. In January, I started a new job at my old flame, 1Password. Being a fully remote job, my day-to-day work wasn’t significantly impacted.

One thing that did go by the wayside was writing here. I just couldn’t muster the wherewithal to write during all this, even though I certainly had plenty fo topics to write about. You see, 2020 ended up being the year I had opportunity to refresh a good deal of my tech. So, in lieu of individual reviews, I’m going to summarize my thoughts on pieces of new tech I added to my collection this year.

AirPods Pro

As a “yay, new job!” gift to myself, I bought a pair of AirPods Pro in January. The regular AirPods were already one of my favorite pieces of tech in years, and the Pro variant set the bar even higher. I absolutely love the noise cancellation, which worked well on the few flights I took before the pandemic lockdown began.

But it is the Transparency mode that is really fantastic. Being able to clearly hear both music or podcasts and my surroundings is game changing, particularly on a walk through the neighborhood.

And the AirPods Pro have continued to get better. iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur allow for seamless automatic transfer between devices, and it works really well. It’s not foolproof, but it is rare for me to experience a hiccup in the transfer. And the new support for spatial audio is astounding. I’ve been watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+, which supports spatial audio, and it is such an exciting audio experience. I really couldn’t recommend AirPods Pro enough. They are simply fantastic and remain my favorite gadget.

The Early 2020 MacBook Air

I had been rocking a 2012 MacBook Air until April this year. I loved that MacBook Air, and it was darn near the perfect computer. But it was certainly long in the tooth. Apple refreshed the MacBook Air back in 2018, giving it a Retina display and USB-C ports, but I held off because of the wretched butterfly keyboard. I was determined that my trusty MacBook Air would outlive the much-maligned butterfly keyboard design. That wager happened this year with a refresh bringing scissor switch keys to the MacBook Air.

I literally insta-ordered.

Little did I know I was buying the last Intel MacBook Air, since Apple swapped the brains for their own chips last month. Still, I am comforted knowing I bought the best Intel MacBook Air Apple had ever made. I have no regrets.

It’s a solid Mac, and more than fits my needs. But maybe this time around I won’t wait 8 years to upgrade.

The 2020 iPad Pro 12.9-inch

When Apple announced the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and did a slight refresh on the iPad Pro, I knew this was a system I wanted (note: not needed) to own. I know what you’re thinking: “Chris! What are you doing? You just bought a 13-inch MacBook Air, and now you’re buying basically a 13-inch iPad Pro with a case that makes it a laptop?!”

Yep.

Here’s the deal: I love my Mac, and it is the de facto workhorse. But I also have strong associations of Mac = Work. At the end of my workday, I just don’t really feel like being on a Mac anymore if I can help it.

And the iPad is an exciting computing platform. I love the modularity. It can be a touch-driven tablet, a laptop with a real keyboard and trackpad, of a notepad with the Apple Pencil. And it seamlessly switches between and even combines these contexts.

My Mac is the stable, trustworthy stalwart of computing. My iPad is my personal computer. Everything about it feels very personal and approachable. And this year I decided to go big or go home — quite literally! The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is big, yet balanced.

And like the AirPods Pro, it got even better this fall with iPadOS 14. I find myself using the new Scribble feature with the Apple Pencil all the time. The iPad is a jack of all trades, and I can do most anything I need to on it. In fact, there are things I can do better on my iPad than on my Mac thanks to the versatility of input methods.

Could I go all in on iPad? Yeah, I think I could. But I’m not ready to put the Mac out to pasture yet.

Apple Watch Series 6

In September, I picked up the Apple Watch Series 6. My Series 4 was fine, and not failing me in any way, but I’ve been on a traditional 2-year upgrade cycle with my Apple Watch, and decided to upgrade, gaining the benefits of the always-on display, and also the blood oxygen sensor for kicks.

That always-on display is really nice. I didn’t think it would be a huge deal to me since I had been accustomed to having to tilt my wrist up to activate the screen, but it is a noteworthy addition to the watch. I think most people rocking a Series 4 are fine to wait another year before considering an upgrade, but if you have a Series 3 or older, the Series 6 would be a huge quality of life improvement.

iPhone 12 Pro

Being on the Apple Upgrade Program has the benefit of getting a new phone if I want it. The new industrial design of the iPhone 12 Pro had me sold straight away. The iPhone 4 was my all-time favorite iPhone design (and still is), and the iPhone 12 Pro feels like the modern reinterpretation of that design. The flat sides won me over instantly.

This also marked the first time I did not get an iPhone that was either black or space gray. I decided to branch out and get the Pacific Blue model, and I do not regret that one bit. It is a delightfully gorgeous color. I’ve never been one to use cases, and this phone is no different. I love seeing that blue.

I was concerned that the increase in the screen size from 5.8-inches to 6.1-inches was going to be ungainly, but it’s been a non-issue. Apple made the overall body of the phone very comparable in size to the iPhone 11 Pro, and it really doesn’t feel any larger in the hand (or pocket).

HomePod mini (x2)

The final piece of tech I picked up from Apple this year was a pair of HomePod minis. One for the living room, one for the kitchen. They’ve been a very nice addition to the house that everyone in the family have enjoyed.

I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, so it doesn’t take much to impress me when it comes to audio quality. Needless to say, I’m impressed. At about 70% volume, the living room is filled with nice sound. I can’t believe how much sound a device the size of a softball can put out. And while it’s easy to pick on Siri, more often than not Siri works very well on both of our HomePod minis. Siri distinguishes easily between me, my wife, and my son, and hasn’t once been confused by who is talking.

If you’re skeptical about the HomePod mini, don’t be. It’s a nice little device to have around the house.

The New Year and Beyond

Only Apple knows what lies ahead for the coming year in its product line. There are some easy guesses: more Apple Silicon-based Macs, probably a more remarkable revision to the iPad Pro, new iPhones and Apple Watches, etc. But I’m thinking 2021 will be a quieter year for tech purchases for me. I updated most of my arsenal this year because the stars aligned just so. I’m not chomping at the bit to replace anything anytime soon at this point. But I am excited to see what is in store, especially on the Mac side with this architecture change to Apple Silicon.

Have a happy new year.

¶ Anticipation

In a few short hours Apple's giant countdown clock will reach zero and Tim Cook and his pals will show us what they have been working on for a while. The buzz around this particular event is palpable. I mean, not only is there the aforementioned countdown clock, but Apple has built a significantly sized building at their event venue. And that venue is the Flint Center, where the original Macintosh was revealed 30 years ago.

Everything about this event is exciting so far. iOS 8 is bringing app extensions and TouchID everywhere. OS X Yosemite is bringing a new look and Continuity with iOS.

New, larger iPhones (yes, plural) are a shoe in at this point. I have a 3D print that a friend of a friend made for me of the 4.7-inch model. While it is still pocketable for me, it does seem a bit too large. My thumb does not travel across the screen area well. I'm reserving judgment until I can use an actual device, though.

Those are the knowns, and they are exciting enough in their own right.

It's the unknowns that are really driving the hype. What is in that structure they are building? Some have suggested it is a mock home to showcase HomeKit enabled devices. The wearable (I refuse to call it an iWatch right now) has enough smoke that there has to be a fire. What will the wearable do? Is it simply a Fitbit replacement, or is it going to tie our other devices a bit closer to our lives?

Whatever is going to happen tomorrow is going to be big. Between the rumors, the venue, and that mysterious building, I'd say whatever happens tomorrow is going to set the stage for Apple for at least the next half decade — or maybe even the next 30 years.

¶ The Annoying State of the Apple Wireless Keyboard

Lately I have had conversations with a couple friends after I expressed rage frustration at how quickly my Apple Wireless Keyboard chews through a pair of Eneloop AA's¹. Naturally, once I began to resent one thing, I began to notice the rest of its flaws compared to the modern state of other Bluetooth keyboards. What follows are my gripes with the Apple Wireless Keyboard, and how they should be fixed.

Tim Cook, if you're reading, I would give my kingdom for this keyboard.

The Battery

AA's, while fairly universal, are ridiculous in this day & age of Apple devices. The iPad and the MacBook Air get amazing battery life. I'd like to see Apple bring their expertise in battery tech to their peripherals. Ditch the tube shape on the back that holds batteries, and go to a MacBook Air-like wedge shape with a good sized internal battery. Recharge it via a Lightning cable when needed, and have it still usable while plugged into your Mac.

Also, I imagine moving to Bluetooth 4 would help with energy usage, and every new Apple device in the past couple years has come equipped with that.

The Keys

If you've been paying attention to any of Apple's portable Macs in the last few years, you'd know that the white keys of the Apple Wireless Keyboard look like a turd compared to the elegant black keys of portable Macs. Can you imagine how mismatched this keyboard looks next to the new Mac Pro?

Another thing Apple could borrow from the MacBook line is backlit keys. My proposed wedge shape, which could accommodate a nicely sized rechargeable battery, with a more energy efficient Bluetooth 4, could hopefully handle powering backlit keys. It's darn near 2014, it is time to have black, backlit keys on a wireless keyboard.

Easy to Use Multiple Device Support

The Logitech K811 keyboard is almost the keyboard of my dreams, except it is a little on the ugly side with that black stripe across the top. It has black, backlit keys, an internal rechargeable battery (but over the sucky micro-USB), and this amazing ability to switch between a Mac, iPhone, & iPad with the press of a button. They call it EasySwitch for a reason.

When one of Apple's main goals is to get you to own a Mac, iPhone, & iPad, they should be selling a keyboard that gives extremely low friction in using it with all three devices.

Conclusion

There are some really great keyboards out there that are close to my dream keyboard, the aforelinked Logitech K811 being the closest, save for being a bit on the ugly side. I want Apple to step into this decade of technology with their keyboard, and utilize many of the technologies they've been pushing forward.

So let's recap what the next Apple Keyboard should be like.

• Wedge shape, like the MacBook Air
• Good-sized internal battery
• Lightning port for recharging from an outlet or Mac.
• Bluetooth 4
• Black keys
• Backlit keys
• Ability to switch quickly and easily between Mac, iPhone, & iPad.

And hey, while we're at it, let's update the Magic Trackpad with the wedge shape, internal battery, Lightning port, and Bluetooth 4.

Again, I'd give my kingdom for peripherals like this.

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1. It is widely believed Apple uses relabeled Eneloops for their rechargeable battery kit. ↩

It's Adjustable→

Studio Neat has unveiled a new Glif. The Glif is a fantastic little tripod mount, originally for the iPhone 4/4S, and it has a second generation for the 5/5S. The former Glifs had a couple drawbacks: you needed a new one whenever Apple changed the iPhone design, and you needed to remove your case if you had one.

The new Glif is adjustable. It can accomodate not just an iPhone in a case now, but any phone within a reasonable size limit. Better yet, it looks a lot more secure than the previous Glif design. I loved my Glif for the iPhone 4, but never got around to buying one for my iPhone 5. Seeing as how this should be future-proofed for a good long while, it was an insta-order. Apologies to relatives who already find me hard to shop for.

Once it arrives, I'll see about posting a review of how well it works.

Pencil→

When I was younger, it was very hard to pull me away from my colored pencil set and a good sketch pad. Then college came around and my time was consumed with writing papers all the time, and sketching fell a bit by the wayside.

Now, my five-year-old son loves to draw and sketch and I am reminded of my youth. While pencil and paper is still the best way to sketch, in my opinion, the day & age of being able to do so digitally on an iPad is also so much fun.

While I still do not sketch often (I can keep blaming time constraints, right?), I do enjoy seeing what is possible on my iPad. Naturally, I reach for Paper, by FiftyThree.

I also use a Cosmonaut stylus on occasion, and I love it, it does have some inflexibilities. I love the weight, the feel, and just generally how it handles. The tip is a bit broad, though.

Today, FiftyThree announced the Pencil, a perfect complement to Paper. It looks superb, and looks to be very versatil, as it has a bluetooth connection instead of being a passive hunk of rubber-coated aluminum. The only thing that is a bit of a downer for me is it looks like it only works great with Paper, and not other apps. I may be wrong there.

However, I adore their video to introduce it. Some friends of mine did not enjoy the motion in it, but I think it is a clever, fun, and delightful amount of whimsy.

So Panic Took a Hacksaw to a Lightning Digital AV Connector

…and found the tiniest little computer. Fascinating.

Apple's Bringing Mac Manufacturing Back to the US of A

Great move by Tim Cook & Company.

Bored now.

Rene Ritchie on why Apple is suddenly “boring”.

¶ Elevation Dock | Review

I don't think anybody really likes using just the cable that comes in the box when they set their iPhone down at night to charge. I'm certainly no fan of just laying my phone down flat on my nightstand.

And since the iPhone's first day, Apple has known this, too. They included a charging dock in the box with the first iPhone. A year later, with the iPhone 3G, they realized people would probably drop a cool $30 on one, and they decided to instead sell it as an accessory.

When I had an iPhone 3G, I used Apple's dock on my nightstand. It sucked. It wasn't heavy enough in comparison to the iPhone, so the slightest bump would tip it over. And when you are fumbling for your phone in the early hours of the morning, you're probably going to bump it before you grasp it.

Not only that, but taking the iPhone out of the dock required both hands. Lifting the iPhone single-handedly would bring the dock along with it. That gets old fast.

So, with my iPhone 4, I have been in search of the perfect dock. I've tried many things, and for the past year, I had settled on the Bluelounge Refresh. That was okay, but still required both hands to disconnect the iPhone, and it was a little too large for my small nightstand.

And then, about six months ago, the Elevation Dock was announced on Kickstarter. Its creator, Casey Hopkins, had the same frustrations as me. So he set out to make a dock to vanquish those problems.

It took a long time, but the wait was definitely worth it. Yesterday, two Elevation Docks (one for me and one for my wife) arrived.

Elevation 5

This dock is awesome. It works exactly as advertised. Here's a few more pictures.

Elevation 1

Elevation 2

Elevation 3

Elevation 4

There really isn't a whole lot more to say about the Elevation Dock. It is, after all, just a dock. It does one thing and it does it extremely well.

The machining and precision of craftsmanship on the Elevation Dock is outstanding. This is the dock you would have expected Apple to make.

Now, there has been one concern recently surrounding the rumors that Apple may change the dock connector on the next iPhone. Hopkins has assured should that happen, Elevation will make new circuit boards that users can purchase and install themselves (the board is held in by three little screws).

I can't recommend the Elevation Dock enough. It's beautiful. It does what a great dock should do. Elevation Lab is still fulfilling Kickstarter orders, but you can preorder one from their site.

With that, I'm going to leave you with their Kickstarter pitch video, which I think illustrates Hopkins' drive and passion well.

MiniDock

The MiniDock by Bluelounge looks like a fantastic piece of kit for frequent travelers. I can't tell you how many times I actually do set my iPhone on the floor to charge when traveling.