Amber’s work setup includes an iMac, a MacBook Air, an iPad Air — and one very, very expensive laser cutter. Here’s how it all works together, and how she gets things done for AppleInsider.
At this point, I’m pretty sure I’ve earned my reputation as the most tech-critical member of the AppleInsider staff through countless other pieces I’ve written. I’m sure that’ll also be reflected here.
When Mike asked me to write a piece about my setup, I scoffed. Surely, my setup would be far less impressive than my coworkers’ — and I still stand by that.
However, I think what I’ve chosen to keep as I’ve slowly pared down my tech arsenal might be somewhat interesting. If nothing else, I’m sure it’ll be a great contrast to everyone else’s setup.
Low tech, but not no tech
If you’ve ever worked a job in fast food, chances are you went through a phase where you were repulsed by whatever you were making. In the early aughts, I worked at a little bagel shop in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This short-lived stint as a baker meant for about a decade after I stopped working there, I hated bagels and cream cheese.
Weirdly enough, I think working in tech journalism has kind of done the same thing. It’s hard to get excited about things when you’re exposed to them every day, and after a while you even sort of begin to resent some of it.
That isn’t to say that I hate all technology or that I suggest you throw your iPhone into the nearest dumpster. It isn’t as simple as that — but it has changed how I interface with my tech on a deep level.
So, here’s what my setup looks like as some sort of modern-era Luddite if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
2021 M1 iMac
For as much as I’ve scaled back my tech use in recent years, I still love the feeling of a desktop computer. If given the choice, I’d probably get rid of my iPhone and iPad well before my iMac, which might not have been something I’d said even as recently as a year ago.
In fact, I used to have an Intel MacBook Pro, which I traded in for credit toward the iMac. What can I say, I’ve always been a desktop user.
My M1 iMac is a workhorse, even though it’s not particularly impressive by current generation Apple Silicon standards (check discounted M4 iMac prices). It has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB hard drive, which is more than enough for anything I need.
My iMac, days after I got it
It handles Photoshop and Premiere without fussing, runs all the software I need for my laser cutter and Cricut, and is way more aesthetically pleasing than any PC I’ve ever owned. That final point becomes more important once you realize you will spend every day staring at your computer for at least a few hours.
Its gigantic screen means I have enough room to keep a word processor up alongside whatever I’m researching without squishing my face against the screen to read anything.
I swapped the included Magic Keyboard for the Lofree Flow, though this time with the number pad, and the Magic Mouse for a Logitech M340. I still use my color-matched HyperDrive iMac Hub.
Swapped out the Magic Keyboard for the Lofree Flow and never looked back
A couple of vigilant viewers have also spotted a now-ancient-by-tech-standards BenQ Screen Bar which has lived at the top of my screen since February 2020. There’s also a Satechi USB-C Slim Dock that I use, though it primarily just gives me a couple of extra USB-A ports.
But that’s all that I have when it comes to my main work machine. Pretty simple.
Eventually, I’m probably going to retire the iMac and may bump my M2 MacBook Air up as my main machine, provided I can find a monitor that feels as nice as my iMac screen. And when that day comes, I assume I’ll probably feel a twinge of sadness.
But, for the time being, I adore it. I love its sunny yellow color, the 24″ retina display, and the fact that I’ve never had a single problem with it in the three years I’ve owned it. As someone who only ever seemed to have issues with PCs, I’ve learned to love the reliability that Apple brings to the table.
M2 MacBook Air
One of the nice things about working from home is that you can, theoretically, work from anywhere. I’m not exactly a globetrotter, but the ability to take my work on the road means fewer hiccups when something comes up.
This became apparent in 2022 when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Taking my iMac to my parents’ house or to lengthy doctor’s appointments wasn’t possible, so I wound up working on my iPad Air, which was not my favorite.
Amber’s M2 MacBook Air
So, this year, I finally added a new computer into my setup, something I wasn’t exactly excited to do then, but I am genuinely glad I did.
My M2 MacBook Air (check prices) isn’t particularly impressive spec wise. I opted for the 8GB version because I typically don’t do anything particularly resource intensive on it. I went with the 256GB hard drive; my biggest regret is that I didn’t double that. I don’t tend to keep a lot of things on my hard drive, but the operating system alone takes up 25GB, which doesn’t leave much space after I install Photoshop.
Other than the storage issue, I really like this little machine. It’s always dead silent; it’s extremely portable, and, like my iMac, I’ve yet to have a problem with it.
4th-Gen iPad Air
I’ve gone on record here at least three or four times, saying that my favorite Apple product is the iPad. I’m not entirely sure if I still stand by that sentiment or not, though I still think it’s the best product that Apple makes.
My iPad Air is ancient by iPad standards, but it still works extremely well for everything I need.
My iPad accessories are fairly standard. When using it to browse the web, screw around on Discord, or watch YouTube, I keep it attached to its complementary Magic Keyboard. This setup is, honestly, fantastic, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a laptop-like experience but doesn’t necessarily need macOS.
When I use the iPad for reading, taking notes, or using Procreate, I usually pull it off the Magic Keyboard and just use it with my Apple Pencil. Additionally, I have it set up with the Rock Paper Pencil screen protector and Apple Pencil Tip, two accessories I consider essential if you’re writing or drawing on your iPad.
Used in tandem with Astropad’s Rock Paper Pencil
I used to do much more on my iPad back in the day, but lately, it’s mostly been relegated to the device I play Hearthstone on. Part of this is because I got a MacBook Air, which I knew would likely be the case.
The other part is that I don’t have time to use my iPad as much as I’d like. I try to spend a decent chunk of my day away from screens, which means after work, any extra devices have sort of been backburnered.
When it comes time to retire the iPad Air, I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to do. I used to assume that I’d simply get another iPad Air to replace it, but that currently isn’t anything I’m interested in.
I’ve toyed around with the idea of maybe going back to the iPad mini (check prices), which was the first iPad I ever owned, all the way back in 2014. I love the size of an iPad mini, and its lighter weight means I can comfortably hold it in a single hand when I want to read.
But, for now, I’ll continue using my iPad Air.
iPhone 13 mini
I don’t particularly love smartphones. I think I’ve probably said that plenty of times here, but it bears repeating.
I get overwhelmed pretty easily when I’m hunkered down in focus mode, and a smartphone seems exclusively designed to interrupt whatever thoughts you’re currently having.
Even as I write this, my iPhone has lit up with three notifications. And, while I didn’t check them proper, my eyes did dart across my desktop to the MagSafe charger my iPhone lives on while I’m working.
Not my iPhone 13 mini, but it looks just like it
And yes, there are arguments where you could easily set up different focus modes to handle this. Trust me, I am aware of my options. But many of these notifications are things I actually can’t silence: Slack notifications, texts from friends and family, smart doorbell alerts, notifications reminding me to take my medication, etc.
The fact is, if you own a smartphone and want to participate in society, you’re still going to need to deal with a non-zero amount of notifications. For many people, it’s not a problem, but I’m hardly alone in my tech exhaustion.
It also taught me that social media isn’t for me. I found that, just like everyone else on the planet, I had been losing a lot of time to doom scrolling. First, it was through Twitter, which resulted in me deleting my personal Twitter in 2020.
Then, it was Instagram, which I wound up getting rid of about a month ago. Reels were eating up a substantial amount of my day and really not giving me anything in return, aside from a weird compulsion to check Instagram upwards of 50 times a day.
That being said, the iPhone 13 mini is pretty much what I want out of a phone, smart features aside. I love the fact that it fits in all my pockets, which is not something most women can say about their smartphones.
I like the battery life, which is still going strong even though it’s three generations behind. I like that it integrates seamlessly with all my other Apple products.
And, as someone who spends at least two hours a day talking on the phone, I like the fact that it’s pretty reliable. It’s started to show some age-related goofiness, but even that has been relatively minimal.
Eventually, I’ll need to upgrade my iPhone to a newer generation. Unfortunately, it’s probably going to be sooner than I’d like.
I’m already dreading an upgrade because I don’t particularly love having a smartphone in the first place, and dropping several hundred dollars to replace a device I’ve had paid off for years is particularly frustrating.
Blink Doorbell
Let me go on record by saying I don’t actually like video doorbells — at all. I recognize their utility, but something is unsettling about knowing how there’s going to be a camera slapped on the side of nearly everyone’s front door.
I have a complicated relationship with my Blink doorbell. A big part of it is the motion detection feature.
For whatever reason, motion detection seems to be particularly bad on this model. I get mail delivered to my front door almost every day, and I think the camera has managed to catch the U.S. Postal carrier twice in the two years I’ve had it.
On the other hand, I can pretty much tell you whether or not the city bus is running on schedule because I’m not sure if it’s ever missed recording a nice little clip of the bus driving by. It also catches stray cats and spider webs and frequently triggers if the sun goes behind a cloud too quickly.
But if someone walks up to my house and drops off a package I’ve been expecting for work, the odds are, the camera isn’t going to even pretend like it’s going to work.
And, turning up or down the camera’s sensitivity only worsens matters. One step down and it quits capturing motion altogether, and one step up means it triggers every car, person, or stray animal passing by my house.
If you’re currently white-knuckle gripping your mouse or iPad while you read this, saying, “Amber, why do you have a video doorbell if you hate them?” I understand your frustration.
It ultimately boils down to this: My house doesn’t currently have a hardwired doorbell. I got a quote to install one for $350, provided the project went off without a hitch.
My house is 140 years old, so pretty much anytime I’m quoted for “best case scenario” pricing, I know to add at least two hours of labor to the total price tag.
Comparatively, my Blink doorbell was bought on sale for $20, and my ancient subscription plan is $10 a year. At that price, I can get about 32 years of service out of my doorbell for the cost of having a new one hardwired in.
My doorbell won’t be supported for 32 years. I’d be surprised if it’s supported for another five.
My point stands, though. Even if I have to buy another Blink doorbell, it’s not going to be as expensive as getting something hardwired in — doubly so because these doorbells frequently drop in price during the holidays and Prime Days.
My only plan to change anything about the doorbell is to add a third-party doorbell chime so I don’t need to rely on my phone for the alerts.
Ride1Up Roadster
This isn’t something I use explicitly for work, but there have been a handful of times where it’s come in useful to return loaner review items and the like. Not to mention, it’s also improved my life outside of work, which I’m sure is probably beneficial to my job in one way or another.
This little beauty is my Ride1Up Roadster, and it is probably one of my favorite things I own.
Having a bike is fantastic, especially when you live in a city that has nascent bike infrastructure. In 2024 alone, I’ve ridden my bike just shy of 1,200 miles, and it’s given me a lot of freedom I wouldn’t have had if I just stuck to walking.
Riding by the lake has become one of my favorite activities
Trips to the grocery store are a breeze. Both grocery stores I shop at are roughly 20 minutes via bike, and they both allow me to ride my bike along the lakeshore, which is a great way to remind myself that the place I live can be very pretty.
This year, I also started going to the gym when the weather was decent, something I would never have been able to do without a bike. Waking up at 5:30 am and taking a pre-dawn bike ride to the gym before work genuinely became one of my favorite activities.
My bike is light, tipping the scales at all of 33lb. This means that I can easily bring it in and out of my house myself — I don’t have a garage, so I do have to carry it up a couple of steps.
Originally, I had range anxiety because I’d only have about 18 miles worth of travel with pedal assist on the second setting (out of a maximum of five). However, since getting a bit stronger and losing a little weight, I use pedal assist less, even though I have a bad knee.
However, I do live in a place with wild temperature fluctuations. These fluctuations mean once the weather dips down between 40 and 50 — e.g., the entirety of early spring and late fall — my range decreases drastically.
Here it is, folks. My favorite piece of technology in my entire house — a 99-pound CO2 laser that lives in my craft room. This is the xTool P2 CO2 Laser Cutter, or as I call her, Penelope.
I don’t use it nearly enough, but every time I do, I’m perpetually surprised by the quality of the product it puts out. In a perfect world, I would have enough time and money to use this thing daily.
xTool P2 55W Desktop CO2 Laser Cutter
My big laser project this year is cutting Christmas ornaments for friends and family. I also enjoy cutting out 3D model houses, which, for some reason, I’ve taken to hanging on an otherwise blank wall in my living room.
A laser cutter is one of those things that almost no one needs, but the second you get one, you feel weird about the prospect of not having it.
You know the old adage “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail”? Well, when you have a laser cutter, everything looks like a potential project.
My projects over the year have included Christmas ornaments, acrylic LED night lights and signage, keychains, coasters, jewelry, jewelry stands, jewelry boxes, 3D models, plant trellises, and about three dozen engraving projects for friends and family. So, it’s very versatile indeed.
Again, I’m not convinced that the average person needs a nearly 100-pound CO2 laser. If you’re only planning on making a small handful of projects, you’d probably be better off seeing if your local makerspace has a laser cutter you can use.
However, it is extremely fun to use. If you do a lot of crafts, have a small business that needs novel kinds of merchandise, or are willing to look for one-off jobs to offset the cost, it might be worth picking one up.
What I plan to add in the future
My biggest project coming down the pipeline is to convert one of my spare bedrooms into a theater room of sorts. It would be a nice use of the space and a good place to unwind, especially on those rainy or snowy days when you can’t get outside.
So, this means that at some point, I’ll need to look into either a TV or a projector for the space, some seating and storage, and some mood lighting for the room. This project is still in its very early stages, but I’m sure I’ll talk more about it on AppleInsider once it takes off.
