Just Checking In
I’ve been using my Surface Laptop more and Apple’s apps less, not because I’m switching sides — but because I’m finding freedom in using tools that work everywhere. This isn’t about picking ecosystems; it’s about staying flexible.
Apple announced its first products with the M5 chip today — the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro all now come equipped with it.
And to be honest, none of those really interest me.
I thought I might be drawn to the MacBook, but almost everything I do on my computer these days is web-based. I don’t see much advantage over my Surface Laptop, which continues to surprise me with how capable it is. I’ve been spending more time in Notion lately, and I’m really enjoying that setup. I’ve also switched from Apple Calendar to Google Calendar simply because I can access it through the browser anywhere.
I’m still a little torn on task management. I’ve been using a task database inside Notion paired with the SyncTasks app, and that’s working fairly well — which probably means I shouldn’t even be considering changing it. But I can never seem to leave well enough alone.
The more I use iOS 26, the less I enjoy the visual aspects of Apple’s native apps. That’s kind of pushed me toward Google Calendar and away from Reminders. I’ve even pulled a lot of my notes out of Apple Notes. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Apple’s apps; they’re just designed to shine inside their own ecosystem.
Right now, though, I’m enjoying the universal feel of tools like Notion and Google’s apps — things that work the same everywhere. And honestly, I’m enjoying my laptop a lot more than I expected to. It’s quietly changing the way I work.
This shift isn’t really about picking sides. It’s about flexibility — finding tools that meet me where I am instead of locking me into one way of doing things. Maybe that’s what growth looks like for me right now: staying open to change, keeping what works, and letting go of what doesn’t.
