My Year of Change
This year has been one of big changes for me. The first was switching to an iPhone after being an Android user from the very beginning. I think my first Android was version 3 on a Motorola, and since then I’ve had a string of devices — Samsung, more Motorolas, and several Pixels (3, 3+, 5, 6A, etc.). Now I’m on an iPhone. It’s fine, just different. Apple has its own way of doing things.
Next came my home/work computer setup. I don’t really use a laptop anymore — if I’m out, I only need a tablet (currently a Lenovo Tab 8, though I’m considering an iPad Air) and my phone. Between those two, I can get almost everything done.
Until recently, I was running a NUC with Windows 11. But I got tired of the constant prompts to use OneDrive and Co-Pilot. So, I picked up a used HP Mini PC from a friend and installed Mint Linux. It’s definitely different, and all the apps take some getting used to, but I like that there are no hidden data leaks and I’ve been able to find alternatives for almost everything I need. The only thing I haven’t been able to replace is printing to my Brother P-Touch QL-500 label printer. It’s about 10 years old, so I may just upgrade to a newer model that supports iOS so I can print straight from my phone.
One last hiccup: the Windows Phone Link app. There doesn’t seem to be an equivalent for iOS — Apple doesn’t allow that kind of direct access. The upside, though, is that I’ve found Siri to be much more accurate than Google’s voice assistant. I now use voice commands all the time to send texts without touching my computer. Not a perfect replacement, but a decent workaround.