I’m an ignorant investor in technology. I know the future is bright, but only my fund managers know where to allocate my money. I trust him. (And you should trust yours unless you can’t handle the fact that someone else is managing your money.)
Besides the fiscal investments, I’m big on buying technology that serves my needs. That would include computers, gadgets, and maybe an electric vehicle (at least in the future, if not right now). It doesn’t have to be the fanciest, but it needs to be functional.
However, over the past few years, I’ve realised that over-dependence on technology can be counter-productive. And this is true with platforms, be it iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, BitCoins, PayPal, Shopify, WordPress, and whatnot. Anything and everything can become a platform in the tech world, which compels me to deeply consider the value of creating cross-platform applications or digital products.
I think the future belongs to cross-platform (fill-in-the-blank here) everything as it enables mobility among devices, operating systems, and people. For example:
- owners of the current EV models should be able to swap out their car batteries with a bigger and better one (manufactured by a third-party) in the future.
- applications should have cross-compatibility with Windows, Mac, and even Linux! (I wrote this post on iAWriter, which is a cross-platform writing app.)
- devices should have the option to legally install or at least customise the operating systems they’re using
- payment gateways and systems should be integrated so that consumers don’t have to wreck their heads comparing options — one universal platform to connect them all!
I’m not a tech visionary, nor do I intend to become one with this post. The idea is to keep pushing the envelope until we democratise technology, at least from a usage perspective, if not data privacy and security.
Here’s my latest essential tech:
- Windows machine (a Lenovo) with great specs; I’m getting its hard drive upgraded to 1TB and getting the battery replaced. It’s Windows, and there are still many things that suck. However, they’ve become so much better than the Windows XP and Windows 7 days.
- A 2020 MacBook Pro — my go-to personal machine. Immensely capable, but its fan noise is terrible as if it’s about to take off my desk and fly away to the moon (or mars)! The USB dongles aren’t reliable as my WebCam keeps going off during live calls, which is embarrassing. The MacBook I used in 2010 was far more reliable than this one.
- iPad — I bought one to read books, and I’ve got many PDFs and EPUBs to go through. And my old Kindle, because it’s old and incapable, can’t handle all that. The 2020 Air is pretty nifty and feature-rich. A good investment compared to the Mac (I should’ve bought the ThinkPad!)
- iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S9 — I know, old tech for 2021, but they both work fine. Using an iPhone makes sense because of the “eco-system”, but I’m slowly cross-platforming everything so that I’m able to ditch Apple devices any time. I was hoping Apple would make the iPhone 12 with a USB-C…
- An LG monitor — 27 inches. I should’ve gone for a bigger one. This monitor has saved my life! (And my neck, of course!) I will upgrade this to a model that has USB-C later this year.
- An EV is on the cards, although I am yet to evaluate it deeply. For me, it’s about time to replace my clunky sedan with a futuristic, electric-powered coupe-like crossover. But I might change my mind.
As you can tell, I’m minimal when it comes to gadgets, but my focus has been on cross-platforming everything so I can switch in and out of devices when I want to or when it makes sense. That’s what true freedom is like, and that’s what we should expect from technology, no?
What about you? Do you think these technology platforms are making you overdependent? What measures are you taking to be genuinely cross-platform?