Moving From PC to Apple – Part One

After a few decades in the PC world, I made the shift to the world Steve Jobs built. I am now an Apple kinda guy, at least as far as laptops go. Future installments will cover my migration from Android to Apple, but for now I have been looking at the laptop shift to Apple.

My MacBook Air is sleek and quick, but I admit there are some right click opportunities that I miss. Cutting and pasting is far more clunky in a one click mouse world; I expect in time I will discover an easier way than going back to the keyboard to complete the task.

A few items that have made my Apple transition easier include a separate mouse and keyboard.

Logoitech has done a great job developing peripheral products. I have been very pleased with the Ultrathin T630 mouse. It is easily swallowed up by my palm, unlike the bulky Microsoft mouse in my days of yore. Despite its diminutive size, the T630 mouse is responsive and customizable to my style of working. It packs easily for travel to work at another location.

Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 by Logitech

Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 by Logitech

An equally well-designed Bluetooth keyboard rounds out my desk equipment; being able to work in better ergonomic fashion is the main benefit of a separate keyboard. I like the backlighting of the keys of the Logitech K811, which mimics the MacBook Air functionality.

K811 by Logitech

K811 by Logitech

Another trick I am trying to master is clipping an image off the screen; I find I need to use the Mac’s keyboard to press the 4 keys as the separate keyboard won’t follow that command.

Personalization is a huge tendency in productivity tools, whether in mobile phones or laptops. When coupled with a prophylactic benefit, so much the better.

I found the right combination of protection and personalization with a SmartShell by Speck. I was loath to lose the smooth texture of the MacBook Air to a protective cover. Rumor has it Steve Jobs sent scouts around the world to find the right type of sand to mimic the feel he wanted for the iPhone, and I expect that same level of obsession went into the materials of the MacBook Air.

SmartShell from Speck

SmartShell from Speck

I had some hesitancy about clipping on the SmartShell, as I would be losing that silky feel of the original material. But the folks at Speck did not move randomly into the market. The matte black finish is almost as smooth as the computer it covers, but I am far more comfortable with Speck’s protective layer in place. The two pieces clip crisply to the laptop, The durable polycarbonate construction provides a scratch proof layer to my laptop, without blocking any of the access ports of the unit. The bottom portion has well-designed bubble non-slip feet. The one year warranty adds additional peace of mind.

Now if I could just get more nimble with the one-click functionality.


Brad Auerbach has been a journalist and editor covering the media, entertainment, travel and technology scene for many years. He has written for Forbes, Time Out London, SPIN, Village Voice, LA Weekly and early in his career won a New York State College Journalism Award.

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