2017 has been a transformative year for me. I have become a sucker for self-improvement. So in the spirit of ATP’s Tech Thanksgiving, I am writing this one on the eve of New Year to pay homage to technologies (both software and gadgets) that helped me made some meaningful changes in my life.
Software
Strava
My appetite for cycling went astronomical this year. Last year, I biked 3,740 km—granted I started on the second quarter—but this year I hit 8,464km, more than doubling my stat last year. Using Strava, I have become very objective with all of my cycling regimen.
Apple Photos
I collected almost 21,949 photos and 352 videos to date. That’s a whopping 70.8 GB of memories with family and friends. I have photos as early as 2002 and they are always available with a quick search. Every time I get a new phone, I just key in my Apple Id and viola! Everything’s there! It is chockfull of niceties that makes you appreciate the memories more like reminding you of photos you took nearby or sending you video of pictures that belong together.
Messenger
I was skeptical to include this. I’m an iMessage guy. However, it’s impossible to deny how Messenger has become the de facto standard in communicating with friends and family. Everyone is just there, it’s ridiculous.
Office 365
My company has been using Office 365 since day 1 and I have had zero headache. The service is just phenomenal. The uptime is almost 100%. The apps are universal and such a pleasure to use.
Gadgets
iPhone
This is no surprise. I’ve been using an iPhone since 4s and I have every year’s model. I am heavily invested to Apple’s ecosystem: Apple Photos, Apple Music, and MacOS so this is just a natural pick for me. Moreover, iPhone just saves me the hassle of deciding. It’s a rock solid phone that you cannot go wrong with.
Bose QC35
Whenever I want to get into the zone and work, I would put this on and everything would just fade into the background. QC35’s noise-canceling feature is just amazing. The audio quality is also very good. The wireless connection is also a joy, it will spoil you that going back to wired headphones would sound ridiculous.
Macbook 2015
This is 3-year old laptop is my secondary machine and even though it’s not a performer, I still love it. The portability of this laptop is a killer. I can whip it out anywhere and I can pick up where I left off with my main machine.
Corratec CCT Evo
This is my first serious bike. This is also my first road bike. It changed my perception of distance. Long distance cycling used to be daunting but not anymore. This bike pushed me to my next level.