A Note on My Ecosystem

For clarity, my tech stack is tailored for the Apple ecosystem, which means the following applications are exclusive to iOS and macOS.

Section 1.1: Drafts

Drafts is an app that I absolutely adore. Its seamless cross-device functionality makes it ideal for capturing ideas as they come to me. While we often think of cross-device capabilities as primarily involving phones or iPads, I find my Apple Watch to be particularly useful.

With Drafts set as one of my watch's complications, I can easily dictate ideas that pop into my head, even during a shower or while out for a walk. This allows me to set these thoughts aside until my next review session, where I can evaluate their merit.

The best part? Drafts offers a free version with a paid subscription that unlocks advanced features such as powerful integrations and custom actions. For me, the main advantages are the accurate speech-to-text features and device syncing, so I don't subscribe, but many users find great value in the premium options. More details can be found at www.getdrafts.com.

Section 2.1: Things3 Overview

For nearly five years, Cultured Code’s Things3 has been my go-to task management tool. Its minimalist design and ease of adding tasks from anywhere have made it indispensable. The app features a robust watch app, allowing me to quickly add tasks to my inbox whenever they arise.

I also connect Things with Reminders, enabling me to utilize Siri for task creation. You can learn more about setting this up and how I maximize Things3's cross-device capabilities here. Visit www.culturedcode.com for further information.

Section 2.2: Readwise

Readwise may already be familiar to many, but it is a fantastic service that consolidates highlights from various eBook and Read-it-Later platforms. It stores your highlights centrally, making them searchable and categorized, and feeds them back to you daily via the app or email.

This tool forms the cornerstone of my data collection, especially when paired with Readwise Reader, which ensures I capture every interesting fact or anecdote efficiently. More information on Readwise can be found at www.readwise.io, with subscription pricing starting at $55/year.

Section 2.3: Readwise Reader

Included with your Readwise subscription, Readwise Reader is more than just a "Read-it-Later" service. It allows you to store PDFs, eBooks, videos, and various file formats for offline access. One particular advantage is the email addresses that come with the subscription, which I use for managing newsletter subscriptions effectively.

I utilize this app to gather useful articles and data for reference in my writing. The ability to categorize both entire articles and specific highlights integrates seamlessly with my main Readwise product, which is then exported to Obsidian for deeper analysis. For more details, visit www.readwise.io/read.

Section 2.4: Craft

Craft is another visually appealing app that I use for writing articles. Recently, changes in their pricing structure made it more accessible, allowing me to use 95% of its features for free as long as I don't require collaboration on documents. This makes initiating writing tasks much easier. Craft also stores essential company information and notes from completed courses. More info can be found at www.craft.do.