Tools of the Trade

I traded in my trusty Surface Book 2 after five years because the thing would not stay charged and with every new update it would get stuck and not reboot after the update. I took the plunge and bought an Apple MacBook Air M2. After a few months with it I wonder why I ever had a Surface.

Don’t get me wrong, the Surface book was an awesome machine. I had two of them, both the version one and two. Before that, I had three Surface pros. I loved them all, but Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, chose to retire the Surface Book and replace it with the Studio. I was underwhelmed. I missed the ability to remove the keyboard even if I rarely did so.

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So how did I wind up with the MacBook Air? I went to the Apple Store and took one for a test drive. The sheer responsiveness of the new M2 chip and the fact it was lighter than the keyboard alone of my old Surfacebook. I was hooked. Then when I got it in my hands and realized the features of the continuity between the Air, my iPad, and my iPhone I haven’t looked back. I love it and it just works for me. I do miss the detachable keyboard and the touchscreen of the Surfacebook, but if I need a touchscreen, my iPad works just fine.

Now that I am trying to write more with my Substack, I find that I prefer to have a keyboard and mouse for long articles. So I recently searched for a great peripherial that wouldn’t break the bank. I was ok with the price of the Mac because of the functionality, but I didn’t want to spring $300 for a keyboard and a mouse.

After much research and reading reviews, I decided on the Macally Wireless Bluetooth keyboard and mouse combo available on Amazon . It is very sleek and aerodynamic like the Apple keyboard, but a few things are even better.

First, it will pair the keyboard to up to three devices (unfortunately, the mouse is limited to one device), so I can pair with my Mac, my iPad, and my iPhone or other device.

Second, it has a number pad integrated into the keyboard. The mouse is also sleek, and both have an on/off switch to conserve battery. The website says it will last for three months on a charge with use of 3-4 hours a day and can be fully charged in one hour.

The keyboard is designed for Mac, but it has the keys labeled for a standard Windows layout also. I can be paired with Mac, Windows, or Android devices. The set comes in White, Silver Aluminum, or Space Gray. And the best part is at $49.99, it is just 1/6 the cost of the Apple keyboard and mouse. If you are inclined, take a look here

In an effort to be transparent, I may receive a commission if you purchase from the links I post in my blog.

#tools of the trade #Macally

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