After decades as a diehard Windows user, I’ve made the switch to all-Apple computing. I ditched my Windows PC and laptop, my Android smartphone, and my Wear OS smartwatch for a MacBook Pro 16, iPad, iPhone, and Watch. I’m all in.
It’s still early in the process, but the change has already been illuminating if incredibly costly — it’s expensive to make such a significant change in platforms. The transition has required changes to how I get things done, but it’s offered some distinct advantages that have made the investment a good one.
Before this transition, I used a Windows desktop for my most intensive work. Equipped with an older (but still fast) AMD processor and Nvidia GPU and coupled with three 27-inch 4K displays, it was my workhorse machine. I’ve replaced it with a MacBook Pro 16, which I chose over a Mac Studio, thanks to its ability to provide almost as much performance in a portable package.
So far, the MacBook has served as an excellent desktop replacement. I’m using a Buy at Amazon to feed my Ethernet connection and two of my displays, with the other display plugged into the MacBook’s HDMI port and with power provided by the MagSafe 3 connection. When I need to unplug and use the MacBook outside of my home office, it’s a simple enough process.
The configuration provides better performance and less noise than my PC. The MacBook is completely silent unless I’m gaming, while my loud Windows PC fans were likelier to spin up at random times and run longer. The M3 Max powers through my most demanding productivity work while offering a ton of overhead for when I start delving into video editing and large language models (LLMs).
And then there’s the transition from Windows to macOS. One reason I decided to change up my computing so drastically was a spate of issues with Windows 11. I was spending too much time on things like getting OneDrive to sync correctly and fixing the Ethernet connection to my router, and every Windows update seemed to bring a new problem to resolve. It was maddening.
Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 14 I used was remarkably stable, without requiring monthly updates (or more often on occasion). While I had always defended Windows as being as reliable as macOS, my recent experiences changed my perspective. I’ve suffered none of the same kinds of issues with the MacBook Pro 16. The transition required some adjustments, but it’s been surprisingly trouble-free.
It wasn’t just reliability that swayed my decision. Going back and forth between macOS and Windows was jarring, a fact that was compounded by the increased use of my iPad 11 Pro. MacOS and iPadOS aren’t identical but are much closer in look and feel.
The effect was compounded when I switched from my aging LG G8 ThinQ and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to an iPhone 15 Pro Max and a Watch Ultra 2. Constantly transitioning from macOS to iPadOS to Windows to Android to Wear OS was a real pain, while the combination of macOS, iPadOS, iOS, and watchOS provides a consistency that makes my workflow much more comfortable.
There was a time when I didn’t consider a tablet, smartphone, and smartwatch to be elements of my computing platform, but today they all play important parts. I use the iPhone and iPad to work on my novel using the excellent Scrivener app, something I couldn’t do on Android, and both support a host of other computing duties while the Watch keeps me updated on projects and conversations. They may not be “real” computers, but I increasingly use them for real computing tasks. I have a lot of irons in the fire, and I need these tools to keep me organized and productive. Simply put, Apple provides a more cohesive, integrated, and predictable platform, something I wouldn’t have believed before making the switch.
I’m not saying that Apple’s products are perfect. They’re not. But my previous platform was causing difficulties that I just didn’t have to accept. You could say that going all-Apple has raised the bar, dramatically increasing what I expect from my computing devices. It will take a lot for Microsoft and Google to win me back.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.
Samsung's next budget fitness tracker may look a lot like its predecessor. Although the company has yet to share any details about the device, Android Authority has obtained videos showing the Galaxy Fit 4 in three colors, offering a closer look at a wearable that appears to retain the same basic design as the Galaxy Fit 3.
Samsung may be playing it safe with its next fitness band