As a tech & productivity enthusiast, I’m always on the hunt for the perfect tools of productivity. This article is an always up-to-date list of my favourites.
My Favourite Gears
Phone
My daily driver is the iPhone 13. I’ve just been an iPhone guy for one year. But I’m so fascinated by the Apple ecosystem, it’s powerful that I could use so many amazing apps that’s unavailable in Android to increase my productivity.
iPad
The 11 inch iPad Pro(3rd generation) is my daily driver, which I use it to write notes and as a second screen using Sidecar. Maybe a shiny new iPad is not fantastic for writing with, a good idea is to protect it with something like the Paperlike Screen Protector.
Listening Tools
Airpods pro2 and Sony WH-1000XM3 are my favourite products. Thanks to their noise cancellation function, I’ve listened to dozens more videos and podcasts than I would have without them.
Reading
The Amazon Kindle is a life-changing invention for reading books. Although I left my Kindle for over a year, I’m glad that I picked it up in time. I’ve been read than 10 books in my Kindle PaperWhite4（others in iBook or WeRead）, and I’ve highlighted hundreds of books since then.
My Favourite IOS Apps
A good app can reduce the barriers to our actions. I’ve found a few apps that really help me stay organized, focused, and inspired.. Here are them that I rely on regularly in different devices:
Notion
This all-in-one workspace lets me manage projects, take notes, and store information in one place. I use it for everything from praceticing English writing to documenting research work. Notion is highly customizable and intuitive to use, making it a real game-changer for my productivity.
Logseq
This is a new note-taking tool that’s based on the concept of “networked thought.” It allows me to connect ideas, link notes, and visualize my thinking in a way that’s both creative and practical. Whenever a new and interesting idea comes to mind, I can simply open the tool and jot it down.
Readwise
This tool connects with my Kindle, iBook, and Weread to capture highlights and notes. It then sends me a daily email with a selection of these highlights, so I can review and remember what I’ve read. Repetition strengthens memory.
Reader
This is a All-in-One reader that lets me add any websites I’m interested in to my Later folder. I often come across interesting articles or other things that capture my attention. However, if I stop to read them immediately, it can disrupt my workflow. To avoid this, I collect them in a box that is Reader and set aside a specific time to read them all at once.
Reeder
This is a powerful RSS reader that lets me subscribe to newspapers that I’m interested in. I like it because it’s easy to use, doesn’t have any distracting ads or clutter, and lets me quickly read with BR. And it also supports syncing across all devices through iCloud.
Some RSS links I used：
feedx.net/rss/reutersen.xml
feedx.net/rss/economist.xml
feedx.net/rss/guardian.xml
feedx.net/rss/wsjen.xml
WordUp
This is a vocabulary learning app that helps me expand my English vocabulary. Learn as many passive vocabulary words as possible, and then continuously review them to transform them into active vocabulary words. Additionally, unlike MaiMemo, WordUP offers the option to choose specific topics for learning and reviewing words in more engaging and dynamic ways.
Researcher
This is a powerful search engine for academic research. It allows me to subscribe academic journals like AER, and provides me with easy-to-read summaries and abstracts. Researcher is a must-have tool for anyone who does research.
Spotify
This music streaming service is my favorite way to listen to podcasts while I walk, relax, or do something unimportant.
Some podcasts I like：
Effortless English Podcast
This American Life
StarUp Podcast
Inside the FBI
PDF Expert
This app help me read PDFs more efficiently. PDF Exporter lets me sync PDFs to iCloud and read or revise them in any Apple devices.
More apps in Mac OS and Windows in the next article.
2023-04-15