New year, new No Office podcast episodes, Rafal’s new MacBook Pro and his newly arranged desk. Find out how to improve your home office set up and how to upcycle old gadgets and reuse your earlier equipment.
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⭐️ Key things you will learn from this episode:
- How did Michael’s staycation go
- Why Michael enjoys catching up after 3 weeks off
- What is one downside of MacBook Pro 14-inch
- Tips and tricks from Rafal’s home office setup
- How to reuse old gadgets
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🙋 Meet the Hosts
- Michael Sliwiński (@msliwinski)
- Rafał Sobolewski (@sobolowy)
🔗 Show notes
- A chapter about talking to customers from Michael’s book
- Nozbe.How template with Rafal’s 2022 home office setup with 14-inch MacBook Pro
- Michael’s article on 7 lives of his decade-old trusty Apple Thunderbolt Display
- Michael’s blog post on perfect zoom meeting setup or streaming kit in his home office
- Michael’s home office for 2022 with professional recording gear
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- No Office website: nooffice.fm
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- Follow us on Instagram @nozbe
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📝 Episode transcript
Hello and welcome to No Office, a podcast about work technology and life from a remote company perspective, and this remote company is Nozbe and CEO of Nozbe is Michael Sliwinski, who is also my good friend, and I am joined by him, as always. Hello, Mike, how are you?
Michael: Hey, hey. And the host of the podcast is our VP of product Rafal Sobolewski. Hey, Rafal.
Rafal: Hey, hey. Happy New Year, Michael. So that’s the first episode of 2022. How was your Christmas break?
Michael: It was different because we this because of the, you know, so I would like to wish all the health you can have for the next for this next year, because I think health should be the most important should be the the priority for all of us for 2022. And because of that, we decided not to visit our parents, not to like, visit our family in our hometown and stay where we live and with my family because of the COVID cases, because of the whole situation and because we were about to be vaccinated. So and about to vaccinate our kids. And because of all that, we decided to stay. So it was a staycation. But we did take time off for three weeks, which was glorious. And I must say it was a very nice staycation. So we, you know, we played with the girls, we went biking or cycling, however you want to call it, or we went, you know, looking just, you know, enjoying our family, playing board games.
I always have this pressure to travel somewhere. And now, because of the situation, travelling is not that much recommended. I believe I kind of I realized how cool it is also to chill and just have a staycation and just, you know, spend a few hours of the day just completely chilling, like everybody is just doing their thing and just chilling, but then do something together and they can mix both. So I liked it. It was it was fun.
Rafal: That’s very important to let ourselves to really turn out to nothing, not to focus on what do I have to do now or and and their homework, et cetera, even not not only work related stuff, but just just to chill. Let your brain rest for for thinking, analyzing stuff. And , I also did that and it was very, very cool. And I have Manafort’s to this chilling mode that let my brain to have Manafort’s about how my previous CI was and how what I want to do in the next year. So this Saturday and probably the next Saturday, also, I will I will focus on writing it down to to do a proper yearly review. What what do you plan to do about your yearly value? Because I remember you’re always going with your life, wife, summer, summer, intern drinks, hot, etc. Yes.
[00:03:49] Michael: So we we are doing that. Definitely so. And one of the things that Christmas at Christmas also means presents right gifts and stuff. And we also manage to dial down on the gifts. So we didn’t give lots of gifts to many people. I mean, also didn’t give too many gifts to the children, so they’re not overwhelmed with the gifts. Also, we agreed in our family this is the first. No more gifts for adults, so adults don’t give gifts to other adults. That’s it. Like, that’s the policy right now. It means like the whole stress of buying gifts for my mom, for my mother in law, like for like for the everyone or just getting in other sports T-shirt from my mother in law again. None of that. Right. So this is very good. But one of the things that our nanny gave us and gives us every year, and we love this gift every year and we like to repeat this gift is that she says, I will not buy you anything just planning your weekend with your wife.
[00:04:47] Michael: I’m staying with our kids for free.
[00:04:50] Michael: So, I mean, this is the best gift ever because having a nanny for a weekend costs lots of money. And if our nanny says she’s going to do it for free for us as a gift? It’s fantastic. So she already said that, and we are already planning. We usually plan, do we going to do it very similarly this year in the beginning of February or sometime in February to have a longer weekend? And this time she even like upgraded the gifts? She said, you can live on Thursday to have a longer week. So this is going to be glorious, like to have a longer weekend with my wife, without the three kids. And and by the way, today my eldest turns 13. So I have a 13 year old. I have a teenager in my house. Crazy stuff. So and I recommend this to people like give experiences and for us, then that day, then this gift is one of the best gifts ever that we can have. And that’s why, yes, we are planning this.
[00:05:48] Michael: But before this weekend with my wife, I always do my personal planning. So just to as a preparation for the weekend that I want to just this with things to discuss with my wife. So I managed to almost entirely plan my my, my year to do my annual planning, like in the meantime, again, in the meantime, I was just, you know, one hour here when I were there. Like again, it wasn’t a goal for this vacation. It was just, you know, I wanted to take time to do it. And so we’ll discuss it. Maybe if we have the time to at the end of the show about my plans for next year. But yes, I managed to do it and I also managed to and almost finish imparting my old blog Sliwinski come to Michael Dot team. So to my new blog, updating their posts, reviewing the posts and being surprised at myself from 2011 2012 was that that was pretty smart as well. Was writing for these smart things. Back then, back in the day.
[00:06:47] Michael: So and also I posted on my blog the best post of 2012, so best posts from a decade ago. And it’s surprising how many of these posts still hold true or have impacted me 10 years ago. Like, for example, in 2012, I started working standing just like I am now. In 2012, I stopped going. I iPad Only, which I’m doing now. So, like many things, started at 10 years ago and are still going strong, which is surprising and cool.
[00:07:20] Rafal: Whoa. , . 2012 was an awesome, awesome year for me as well. All right. We have the Euro 2012 in Poland. It was a huge, yes, huge deal. , . Well, it’s been 10 years, that guy. I don’t know when it’s passed. It feels like it was like four or five years ago. .
[00:07:42] Michael: And the following year you started working with me.
[00:07:45] Rafal: Yes. Yes, that is. That is true. , I was using Nozbe in 10 years ago.
[00:07:50] Michael: There you go.
[00:07:53] Rafal: I remember that. OK, speaking of using the Nozbe, I think, , you mentioned this to us on Monday, but I’m coming back from vacation to work. I can be can be really tricky because like on the first day after your vacation, you will have a many things to catch up.
[00:08:11] Michael: . And the way we do it now in Nozbe Teams is glorious. I think they’re just more features that you normally. Normally people don’t care about that much. But after like three weeks off, completely not looking at Nozbe tasks. Going back to Nozbe Teams was was fantastic because I had, for example, 100 or 200 items in activity, right? And like 15 or 20 Incoming tasks. So you think overwhelming lots of stuff to catch up, but actually, no, because all I had to do was review the Incoming first so that so the people doing the tasks that really concerned me to hear people mentioned me or delegate stuff to me like this kind of stuff and was like, you know, 15 20 tasks, OK? But then when I go to activity, we have this first part is like tasks you’re responsible for. And then second section tasks you’ll have participated in. And it was perfect because I just cleared these tasks first. So I went through tasks I was responsible for, like there were additional comments or something and then tasks where I participated in to see what’s up, what’s going on in the tasks that I cared about before going for holidays.
[00:09:21] Michael: And I did that. And you know, and I haven’t cleared everything, but I was kind of caught up already. You know, I knew what was going on. So it was surprising that it didn’t take me like the whole day to catch up to know what’s going on in the company. It took me, you know, an hour.
[00:09:35] Rafal: , this is really nice when when Nozbe tells you actually puts it in Incoming and on top of activity, so exactly into your face that the most important stuff, the stuff you are waiting for, your feedback and the stuff you you probably the most probably interested in to to read what happened. So that’s. That’s really nice. These two things, Incoming and the sections in the activity are my my my favorite features of Nozbe, actually.
[00:10:07] Michael: , I mean, so just today, I mean, you’ve started yesterday and the day before yesterday, I already had lots of customer interviews scheduled, of course, because I was away for three weeks. So everybody, everything piled up that people wanted to meet with me on on Tuesday, on Thursday and on Wednesday. And some of the customers, our customers, our business customers who have a, you know, bigger teams and they are still Nozbe personal, but are right now contemplating migrating to Nozbe Teams because Nozbe Teams is already, like, very feature powerful. And they were and they asked me and and there was there was a very nice meeting with customer. So meetings with the customer, I explained them in my book and I scheduled them, you know, every week. And usually there is where we are. We also have a dedicated episode about how to exactly customize. I think I really will link in this one. Yes.
[00:10:59] Michael: So sometimes just one customer shows up, but sometimes, for example, the the whole management board shows up like, you know, two or three people from the management of the company. They want to talk to me. They want to just meet me and talk to me. And this was the case. There was like three people from the management of the company showed up for this meeting, and they said that they were exploring Nozbe Teams, you know. And then they were asking about the future features. And of course, I was promising do everything you know, so you’re going to kill me?
[00:11:26] Michael: Hey, you know, but I was just thinking about, you know, what we are doing and what they I wanted to know exactly our thought process, why we built Nozbe Teams, what’s different between Nozbe Teams and Nozbe personal. And and one of them asked me, So Michael, so why the future? What’s your favorite one feature that’s differentiating, you know, it’s best not to Nozbe Teams. What’s your one favorite one? And before I answered the other management, you know and answered, I can tell you it’s Incoming. And I was like, Damn straight. You’re right. , I could. And he explained to the other guy, like, why Incoming is so great. And then I told, I just basically reiterated this. I just basically confirmed that he’s right. Like Incoming is the best feature is single best feature of Nozbe Teams. If we have to just put one.
[00:12:16] Rafal: If if a user, a customer can explain why our thought process, actually that means that we did something great. Yes.
[00:12:25] Michael: So it was very surprising and very nice moment for me. I enjoyed it. And so, , Rafal they agree with your customers, agree with you. After testing Nozbe Teams and seeing the difference they see there, the light at the end of the tunnel. But again, this is something that we will be doubling down maybe more in the in the future. This fact that Nozbe can can somehow, thanks to how you work and Nozbe filter out what’s really important for you right now. And because because this is like the key and this is why also, one of the things I did start during this staycation is the fact that I always read again. Essentialism by Greg McKeown, my favorite book and I read every year. This is my New Year’s tradition. Every year before the New Year, when I start my annual planning, I put in our order again the Greg McKeown, and I’m listening to him expanding me that I should focus on the essentials because I just need this. I’m a yes man, so I need this information again.
[00:13:27] Michael: How to focus on what’s essential, how to say no to great opportunities, to focus on the best opportunities. All that stuff.
[00:13:34] Rafal: All right, so let’s jump into geeky stuff. Mm hmm. You talked about Christmas gifts. I got one from Apple. No, because like, it wasn’t a gift. It was just what I oh. It happens to to come. Just after the Christmas, the Monday of twenty seven days of December. . So , it’s the new 14 inch MacBook Pro Man. I love this computer like it’s I don’t know how to describe it, but I’m so happy about about having this computer. And like, when I opened it for the first time, I thought, Whoa, this screen is huge. Is it is. It’s really 14 inch and 16 inch. Because, like for the past three years, I was accustomed to this laptop form factor to use 11 inch iPad Pro. So, OK, so comparing to this. The difference is it’s really huge. And , and I I noted out some, some sneak peeks, my observations about using it for like two weeks now. So first of all, I forgot how good trackpad trackpad is on MacBook because like I had trackpad in Magic Keyboard for iPad.
[00:14:54] Rafal: Mm hmm. But it’s not that it’s not the same I. Trackpad on Magic Keyboard for iPad is voted out, comparing two to this one on Monday, so it it was that loud that when I was working on iPad, like early morning when my fiance was sleeping, I didn’t use the track, but I’m just touching the screen.
[00:15:17] Michael: , but you can change that. You can change that in settings on iOS. And I did that that you can tap now. You don’t have to click.
[00:15:23] Rafal: , but I don’t like typing.
[00:15:24] Michael: OK, so but I’m not attached to like it’s because when I said it to tapping like there was like some accidental taps that I didn’t want, OK? And on MacBook, I can. I can. I can press the trackpad and it’s really, really quiet. So it’s it’s not a problem. Hmm. So that’s one that that was just one of the first thing I noticed. . And the opening screen feels amazing, like the the whole construction, the whole mechanism of the clamp. It just opens. And when I top opening it, stop putting the pressure. It just stays exactly in that place and it doesn’t wobble. Ah, , like it’s like I know like MacBooks was like this for for many years now, but but that’s the something I rediscovered. OK. Display the space. Awesome animations are so small I notice that it’s in some places that it’s 120 hertz, OK? The black is really black, and it’s just a joy to to to look on. And I actually I put it in the center of my desk to use it as a main screen, but we will get to get to it later, OK?
[00:16:45] Michael: . And speaking more about the design, like the whole design, the form factor I think I have. I used to get MacBook Air, MacBook 12 inch and MacBook Pro 15 inch, so this one is actually one I have never had before. And , this I think this is the perfect, the perfect size. It’s not too heavy to use it on my laps to just take it and use it on a kitchen table and so on at a design that’s like it’s so beautiful. Like it’s both smooth, thin, thin and off, but not not that Venus MacBook Air that we have with this.
[00:17:28] Michael: , with this website put this on the shape, with the shape, but somehow it turns it tells you that it has a power, it has a horsepower to do some serious stuff in the design itself. And , and I really like it. I love the notch and I will not talk about nuts anymore because all the notch discussions are pointless. Battery, it’s amazing. It’s it’s just something I like. I haven’t been able to tested the very, very hard because like, I don’t travel much like now because of COVID. But but still like battery is something I don’t. I don’t look at it like. I just don’t care about battery because when I am this, I connected to to external display with USB-C and and it’s it’s charging. And when I take it to kitchen table, it’s always it’s always. I think I have. I never had the battery below 50 percent. , for now, camera. Finally, the webcam is, as you can see, because I’m recording it.
[00:18:35] Michael: I deliberately choose to recorded this episode of podcast with this built in MacBook’s camera, so to show you the difference. So if you are a listener and want to see how it looks like you can go to to our YouTube channel to to see it, to see the recording. And as you can see, I I applied on the Mac was to have a portrait mode effect. It’s quite nice. But if you were wearing headphones like me, I like this right now. It just doesn’t blur the the space between my head and headphones, which looks kind of creepy, but still like my face is pretty well, light malattia and the background is not overexposed. That’s that’s the magic of image signal processing on this computer. The quality of this, this this picture is is good enough for recording to podcasts while traveling. I don’t have to think about tethering to another camera.
[00:19:39] Michael: , I mean, the quality of the video that I see right now is very similar to my Logitech Brio camera, and that really is 4K and all that stuff. But it’s the quality is very similar.
[00:19:50] Rafal: So it’s like the resolution is not the most important part. Like, if it’s an 8p, that’s good enough and others that. The light that it is the most important, it is box office, not No Office, not FM slash life, and you will and if you will see this episode, you will see the the video feed and you will see Rafal in his glory with the new webcam and an. When we met after I came back from holidays have learned that I like your new setup in the sense that I like that the light that you have in the in the office that you’re right now really finally taking advantage of of the light that you have.
[00:20:34] Rafal: , . And actually, I have another another piece of light in my office that was another Christmas gift, but we will get through it. And going back to the MacBook again, it’s it’s something that it shouldn’t and shouldn’t give me so much joy. But the ports ports are amazing. Like, I’ve already used the HDMI port and as the card reader and the like comparing to a couple of years experience of using dongles, it just feels great to to just connect directly to the cable, to the machine without any dongle. And, for example, importing photos from my camera has lower by the other. Yes, because I just take off the card and put it into my book. And that’s it. And , it felt great. . And actually, during Christmas break, we we watched some TV shows and we connected via HDMI to 4K Samsung TV to watch TV shows this MacBook. , and now it it was previously we always used iPad. , but now it was like no brainer because MacBook Air has has HDMI ports, so we don’t have to use any dongle.
[00:21:56] Rafal: . And what’s interesting? We connect it to this huge 4K Samsung TV, OK, which is not the newest. It’s it’s the TV from, like, 2017, I think. But but still, the the sound of the speakers of MacBook was nicer for us than the sound of speakers of the huge TV. So, so , that’s that’s how we watch this shows like video on on on the TV, huge TV, but the speakers from MacBooks?
[00:22:31] Michael: Yes. So you’re you’ve been basically exiled from the dongle down?
[00:22:36] Rafal: Yes. Yes. Like finally, like I have this one dongle that I used to always for for a first for my MacBook adult board and for MacBook 16 inch and after that for iPad, maybe I will use it some, some some day. So I have it just in case, because there are still some USB-A stuff to to be connected. But but man, it’s very nice to not to have think about battery, about dongles, about Ramos CPU usage. Right. Right now we are streaming it right? And like, I don’t care if I have many apps opened. How am I if I have many browsers open, et cetera? Previously on they Michael before streaming, I had to close everything that was that wasn’t necessary for the recording to , to make sure that that CPU will be fine. Actually, let me check an activity monitor. I will we will see how it’s used right now. So CPU load right now is it’s about 10 15 percent memory usage. It’s 22 gigabytes out of 32.
[00:23:54] Rafal: . So it’s it’s all green, actually.
[00:23:57] Michael: , it’s all nice.
[00:23:58] Rafal: , . And one the one that I noticed because I was wondering if if I can use this MacBook Pro as kind of charging up for my devices when travelling and I test this and when they, for example, during the night I connected to the charger, this MagSafe charger and use the Thunderbolt ports on the MacBook to connect my Apple Watch, iPad and iPhone. , . And Apple Watch and iPhone will charge who are charged. But I know, huh? I cannot be charged for MacBook and MacBook is sleeping, huh? Apparently, there’s not not not enough power. So , it’s a pity.
[00:24:45] Michael: OK, so I’m very happy that your MacBook Pro arrived safely and you love it. That’s great. This is so funny that, you know, because I’m using my iPad 13 inch, I not craving for the new I. MacBook Pro is so I have it. I did test the MacBook Pro in Apple Store, but I, you know, I don’t need it, so I didn’t buy it. So great. So let’s maybe take a break and, you know, introduce our sponsor. And then after the sponsor break, we could, you know, show that you could show the the the room where it happens, the the pictures of of your room and we could discuss your home setup.
[00:25:24] Rafal: , the the the impact of its MacBook Pro had on my desk setup.
[00:25:30] Michael: I mean, this is the best thing ever. You get a new device and there’s a geek. You, you you have this problem that you love this problem and you do to rearrange your home office. This is such a big problem is it’s such a good problem to have. And this is such a problem, a good problem to enjoy.
[00:25:47] Rafal: Just , like I was OK, I will go to my office for one hour to write our own stuff, and then I spend the whole day, then took a picture to take a quick picture posted on Twitter. And it was my best tweet ever because there was so, so much discussion that, OK, OK, let’s talk about it on the podcast. So let’s take a break now and we will get back to it right away. So No Office podcast is sponsored by Nozbe Teams to app that helps small teams do great things. Let’s hear what Nozbe customers say about the product.
[00:26:26] Speaker 3: When we’ve been around for about 10 years, our business has been using Nozbe for about eight of those years, and as we grew, we kind of got to the point where I just couldn’t remember everything anymore. I’m pretty organized. I would just kind of keep everything in my head and with person notes and things like that, and it just got to be too much. And so I started looking around for some sort of project management software that can help me have it set up. Really trusted system. But really, I just wanted a system where I could know that I had everything in there. I wasn’t going to forget anything. I wasn’t going to drop any balls for clients or missed deadlines.
[00:27:01] Rafal: All right. And we are back.
[00:27:02] Michael: OK.
[00:27:04] Rafal: . Let’s talk about my desk setup. Wow. , this is updated photo. It’s not that I posted on Twitter last week. And for those of you who are listening cardioversion, does the podcast chapter artwork with this and all the photos will be also in the show notes. So, yes, as I said, 14 inch display is so awesome that that I made the decision to make it my main display. OK, at least for now, because my external monitor is only Full HD, so it’s not good for my eyes to to to read and write texts using it. It’s fine as a second additional monitor to just display some reference material, but to work to create right stuff. It’s you always want to have the best screen possible when when you are focusing on something, it really needs to be a good quality tool just for your health. Mm-Hmm. We are not getting younger, so you know this is how it looks like it’s the MacBook Pro on the on a tray, on this bios on our battery.
[00:28:14] Rafal: But I already talked about it in previous episodes. And on the right side there is does a full HD 24 inch monitor and I have IPART on the left side of the MacBook as additional additional space. If I need that currently, when when we are recording this, this this episode, I don’t have a part attached there because I’m fine with with the windows I need. I can I can have it only on those two monitors. So, so it’s fine. But for example, where we’ll be doing Nozbe product work. Yes, that would be helpful to have. For example, Slack opened on the on the iPad connected to the Sidecar tool to see if there are some messages from the team that maybe I said something better. Cetera? OK. . And MacBook is very tied to to the high level, and that’s that’s really good for ergonomics. Still, my goal is to to buy 27 inch display. Because, , like I measured this, this display from from my, I guess, which I put, I put it on so that it’s not solid.
[00:29:31] Rafal: It’s not sold yet, but I hopefully will be sold. Actually, I I visited during Christmas break. I visit there on our Android developer. , . And he has the setup with a 15 inch MacBook Pro. That’s next to it. He has 4K 27 inch display and next to it, he has an ultra wide 14:40 display.
[00:29:57] Michael: I so.
[00:29:58] Rafal: Gaming display, he has like the idea that he has like the huge bass. I tested, tested, tested my MacBook Pro with with his 4K twenty seven inch display and it was good enough. Like, of course, it’s not that great this 5K iMac, but I tested it. Try to read some text, try to write something, and it’s like it’s good enough. So I think I would be buying some 27 inch 4K display and not to wait for Apple’s. Fancy monitors because I would probably say some money and it will be good enough. There is that, but for now it is. It is what it is. And it looks awesome because like apparently people on Twitter love the setup, how it looks. And , so this display situations and , I still enjoy using Magic Keyboard. That was that’s from my iMac, so I will have to switch it when I sat so that, like one year ago, I have this Keychron Kaizen mechanical keyboard.
[00:31:05] Michael: , that’s right.
[00:31:06] Rafal: . And I find out that I type faster on the Magic Keyboard. , really? I don’t know why, but this is what it is. And , so I will be probably buying the new Magic Keyboard for maybe some Logitech keyboards like this. I don’t know yet, but for now, I’m using this as long as I have it. Of course, I mean, monster free. We already talked about this mice, this mouse. I think the most interesting part of my setup is that how I attached this iPod next to the next to the MacBook. Uh-Huh. Because it is attached on the actually monitor microphone arm. Oh, really? . It can move. So I can I can just put it in in the position I I needed, for example, when I have my personal training via face time with my trainer. , I use actually the iPod on this, on this arm. And it’s I put it right closer to me on this arm and say, , use it as the face to face time device to do some training.
[00:32:17] Rafal: And it’s it’s it’s really nice. Have this how is this feature called when the camera follows you?
[00:32:25] Michael: . And the sensors sensors that exactly.
[00:32:29] Rafal: . So center stage for this kind of use is quite cool because like it, just the camera is very white and that it follows me. So it’s nice for exercising. And my trainer can see me, though for the whole time. , but sometimes it’s tricky because it’s optimized for tracking to your face, not the whole body. And sometimes my turn to my trainer needs to see my. That’s OK and not the face. , so I have to be clever about it and be far away from from the from the iPad, but from the camera of it, that’s the maximalism, as is the way that my whole body is still in the frame. , how it’s connected because I’ve also I receive after New Year, finally my peak design mobile pack of accessories. OK, so the iPhone case and all the magnetic accessories and one of this one of these accessories is magnetic mount. Yes, from peak design. With this like wall mount, you just put it on the wall or something and you can snap your iPhone down.
[00:33:38] Rafal: Mm hmm. So I had this microphone arm, so I attached to it some smartphone holder like generic smartphone holder from Joby and put it there the old smartphone Nexus five. , with the back up front to me that showed the photo, it will be, of course, at the top as well for outdoor version. So here it is. And the wall mount is glued to the back of the Nexus five. Yes. . And the that way I can connect my iPhone and also iPad because I bought this Moft invisible tablet stand that has magnets inside. Yes, so I can just snap. It stopped the iPad in the portrait or landscape orientation, and it just stays there. OK, and it’s super cool. Cool. I was planning to do it for months right now, but still waiting for this big design Kickstarter campaign to to finally see. . And it was like that. I I think the original date was May 2021, and I got it on January 2022. , this is what happens.
[00:34:52] Rafal: Kickstarter stuff. , but , it was worth waiting because, , the gadgets are awesome.
[00:34:58] Michael: OK, so just as a as a as a break, I would like to share my because in the last episode you asked me about my monitor thunderbolt display. So speaking of this place, I I wrote a blog post if you go to Michael daughter team slash display and will edit in the show notes. Then where I explain the many lives of this display and the display and you asked me, What is it doing on my on my wall? And I said I had no clue, and I just put it there because it’s nice and I think I’m going to find a use. So I did find a use I just had to buy and it’s been the lives of this display, seven lights of the display. And then what I did was I connected it to the eye, you know, Thunderbolt two, two Thunderbolt three dongles being of dongles. And this way I can connect it to my iPad 13-inch. So as you can see, it’s connected to my iPad 13 inch and it can serve as an external display for my iPad 13 inch, but also as a very big display, a nice display for, you know, YouTube or Netflix or, you know, anything I want to watch.
[00:36:00] Michael: And very often I do need to watch some YouTube videos on, you know, form for my work and the system it makes. It’s really nice.
[00:36:07] Rafal: So and this way, I’m really . , this is this is like, I know, so are you. Would I watching YouTube again? I’m working honey.
[00:36:17] Michael: Exactly, I’m working. This is very important work, and especially here, I’m sure people a nice news, so it’s very important for work. . So so this is a really cool thing that I can still use this 10, 10, 10 year old display and use it here with my new iPad Pro using this dongle and Thunderbolt dongle. And it works. It works beautifully and it this this is not retina, but from from that far away. I don’t really care. It’s good enough. And especially for videos, it’s really very well, very well done. So I was afraid that I would have to throw this away, but I didn’t have to. So that was good. So there’s my update from my home office.
[00:36:57] Rafal: Actually, I I took an inspo from you and you liked it. My Nexus five? , to be a holder for right for the wall mount.
[00:37:08] Michael: . And speaking of Moft, the company, as you mentioned, I am right now using this Moft wallet for the iPhone, right? So it works just like the Apple Wallet snaps using the, you know, for the MagSafe rinks. And the cool thing about this wallet is that it’s not is not thicker than the Apple Wallet and but what it does have it has a stand just like the stand that you mentioned on your MacBook Air and iPad. So this way I can I can have the I can put the iPhone like this so supported like this, or even again, watching YouTube for work. I can put it like this and watch something.
[00:37:53] Rafal: , so it works both on portrait and landscape because the multitouch MagSafe magnets are strong enough and to so very cool vertical. What from what? Something that I’m using right now. All right.
[00:38:04] Rafal: Actually, Moft and Peak Design are my two best companies for accessories right now. But , that’s that’s the whole ‘nother story because I have plenty of them and haven’t tested everything yet. Yes, of course, because of the weather, though, because some of them is for the bike and so on. So. But don’t worry, we will talk about it in the future. OK, let’s go back to the desk because many people asked about other stuff on the desk as well. So, , there is Olympus on the camera, but that’s that’s already something we talked about. There’s this link, right? There is Shure MV7 microphone on the road there. PSA1 arm. , it’s awesome. And what is interesting? I have this MacBook Pro connected to this display via USB-C and the display itself has two USB-A ports. So I I have there are connected to my microphone and my camera via commenting, of course. And I don’t have more USB-A ports. OK, so and it works reliably using this this screen as a hub.
[00:39:18] Rafal: I , however, to today morning I had because I just installed this sure ampofo. Sure to summative up, you know, to manage the microphone.
[00:39:28] Rafal: There to manage settings off of the microphone before the recording. , and it didn’t see it. I had to like reconnect to the monitor. OK, and then it worked for him. But apparently, , we will see with tape of the recording if it works. Yes, exactly because right now, but you can still hear me, so it means it works. I don’t have an Ethernet connection, so I’m on the Wi-Fi right now.
[00:39:55] Michael: OK, so you will need to get a dongle. For a four you four Thunderbolt two, , you know, like it depends with which monitor. 27 inch monitor. I would just CI. So I don’t want to buy a dongle right now because on we feel like it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough for now. , like I measured, that’s the ping is seven milliseconds, so it’s it’s not that bad.
[00:40:20] Michael: And I think the monitor that Leon has, the 27 inch 4K has Ethernet port.
[00:40:24] Rafal: I mean, I don’t think so.
[00:40:27] Michael: Maybe not.
[00:40:28] Rafal: OK. I think . No. I asked them that one uses Ethernet via USB three dongle connected to the monitor. . So on my desk there is airport time capsule that I use for backups and to have Ethernet connection. I used to to use it for Ethernet connection to my Mac and to my Sony PlayStation five, which is also on the now it’s on the desk. Yes. And it looks gorgeous. It’s very nice.
[00:40:56] Michael: Mm hmm.
[00:40:58] Rafal: . And between them are nice. Some IKEA gateaway for smart, I think. And then my new lamp that I recite from Christmas from my fiance. Hmm. And it’s it is a soul Trump. It is a sort of, um, made from Himalayan salt. Wow. It’s just a big piece of salt. So you’re basically licking it every day and they check it. Yes, I think it’s it’s salt. , it looks awesome. It keeps a really nice, warm light. Apparently, I haven’t verified it, so it might be maybe some B.S., but it seems logical because it’s the bulb. When it’s on, it produces heat.
[00:41:48] Michael: Of course.
[00:41:49] Rafal: . So the salt is warm and it. And air being ionized.
[00:41:55] Michael: That’s true, huh? It’s tricky.
[00:41:57] Rafal: And that helps for that. That’s that’s the more healthy. Plus, it apparently it keeps the dust out of your electronic devices. OK. So again, it may be some B.S. marketing B.S., but if it doesn’t, it still looks. It looks pretty cool. And I really love that gift. It was very hard to open because it is very heavy. , . Like, I found it under the Christmas tree at Whoa, that’s heavy. What the hell is that?
[00:42:27] Michael: So you can use it also as a as a weight for your training?
[00:42:32] Rafal: Oh , actually, I didn’t, uh, didn’t think about it. Here is how it looks like with with the IKEA Gateway and time capsule. , and I have also I built some Lego. OK. Yes, I. Another inspiration for me because you did it first on the last Nozbe Radek on the week. Aside from there on this small cu.m key keyboard mechanical keyboard. But this programmable. . And you built it from the Lego set. A case for it, some kind of case for it. So, , and they did the same. I I used the Lego you can buy in IKEA. Oh, OK. Like that. Like it cost like 15 bucks or something like this. So from the set I can, I was able to put it pretty nice, nice, colorful case for this. , you have this the similar case.
[00:43:30] Michael: Mm hmm. That’s my case of Lego’s a very nicely done. And the keys are in place and there is the connector. So, . Mm hmm.
[00:43:39] Rafal: . But I don’t have a spare USB-A port on this monitor, so I haven’t connected that yet. , but but that that’s I’m planning to to to use it. And it could be very useful during recordings to have the dedicated key, for example, to run some shortcut. Yes, that will save me a timestamp of recording. And for example, some note that this is the new chapter are here, here to Michael sneezed or hit. I need to put something, etc. I am. So that’s that’s the idea. How to use it. That other case I can use to because Streamyard has now some keyboard shortcuts, so I will be able to to switch camera if we find the key. One more thing I want to show, but this is really crucial. I’ve already shared it like a year ago, but this is a show if I have under my desk and they put iPhone there. Mm-Hmm. . This is custom made by Rob and I put iPhone there, and that way I don’t see an iPhone.
[00:44:39] Rafal: Mm hmm. And as a result, for example, when I taking a short break from from working at the desk and I go down to the bathroom or to the kitchen to prepare a coffee or or something, I don’t see an iPhone, so I don’t take it with you. . So that way, when I have a short break, I don’t look at an iPhone or another display because and I found it. That’s that’s very good for for keeping me in focus and do some some cheer for my brain to to rest from from the internet and this. So that’s that’s the pro tip. Put create a shelf like this or buy, buy, buy one and and put iPhone there and when they are working. , that’s true. And that’s really great. So, , and I think that’s that’s all from my setup. Of course, all the things I will be listed in the show notes I will prepare Nozbe health template with all of this so that I know you have a template for that would be it would be awesome.
[00:45:40] Rafal: And Michael photos would be there holds.
[00:45:43] Michael: . Cool. I’m really happy for you. I’m really happy that you got the the, you know, the the new MacBook Pro that you finally deserved. And it was a long wait because we ordered it this November. So it was like one and a half months or something. So it’s good that it arrived and then there and actually learned who we mentioned on this episode several times. He also ordered a new MacBook Pro, so he’s he’s going to be also upgrading his home office.
[00:46:13] Rafal: I’m sure he’s going to be so happy. .
[00:46:17] Michael: And also one of the things you mentioned the the big screen there, the big ultrawide screen that Leon has. My brother has a screen like this and my brother has a MacBook Air, the M1 MacBook Air, and he’s very happy with the setup to have the M1 MacBook Air like below the screen and just use the the big screen, this big ultrawide screen as his main screen to manipulate windows and then having the MacBook Air below it with male or Nozbe or something, you know, opened. So he he is using this his his MacBook Air like this, that at his desk, and he’s really happy with this. , actually, that’s that’s something I have never tried. But now when I think about it, it might be even you can call it ergonomic setup, because the problem with with the ergonomics is that you put your body into one fixed position for a long time. , that’s the problem all the way, even even if you were standing, even if you’re the the monitor is on the height of your eyes.
[00:47:23] Michael: And that way, if you have one monitor on the I never had one lower, you’re constantly moving. You’re like, not constant, but but once once a couple of minutes, you’re moving. And that’s that’s better than like like looking straight for a longer period of time or looking only down. Yes.
[00:47:45] Michael: So so that’s a setup. Like, it’s very simple, but I think also very, very cool pro for everyone who’s who’s who’s listening and who who wants to improve their setup.
[00:47:55] Rafal: . About. But when I was saying that one’s place loans, home office, I compared it to like, I did this. Some website or some text editor on this 4K 27 inch display, and it was all shot, et cetera, and not hurting my eyes, but on this ultrawide, it’s 14 40p height, so it’s it’s better than to nitpick, but it’s not 4K. Yes, 4K lava pixels per inch. The font wasn’t sharp. I mean, for a long time after, you know, after you have used my iMac 5K, you shouldn’t downgrade it or to a non-Retina display. This is this is a non-starter. I mean, that’s why you should get the 27 4K or the display that hopefully at some point Apple will be, you know, shipping, which will not be because everybody is complaining that Apple has in their offering, has no 5K display, no alternative to to to the either offer you. I mean, offer you this glorious MacBook Pros, but then they ask you to pay 6K for her 6K display, which is just, you know, ridiculous.
[00:49:08] Rafal: It’s bananas. So.
[00:49:09] Michael: So we are hoping I mean, the whole community of Apple enthusiasts are hoping for an Apple branded, you know, 2K as in price of $2000 display that you know, our 2100 three thousand five hundred or two thousand dollar display, which would be glorious, beautiful, but not super HDR like the like the 6K display. So we’ll see. We’ll see if Apple gives us this. But if not, then the 27 4K display is a good option.
[00:49:41] Rafal: , I would probably go with it and we will see later what happens. But good 4K 27 inch max 1k one thousand bucks.
[00:49:49] Michael: So anyway, we are running along, so I think we should cut this one short. . Like, we never have time for your iPad mini review.
[00:49:59] Rafal: But , like I have two two topics still pending for like for two months now.
[00:50:04] Michael: Yes, but look at there, you know, we’ll get there, we will get there. But I think I think it’s it’s a good conclusion and it’s a good inspiration that you gave us today that one of the things you should do when planning your year and setting up for year is to shake things up, change your home office and get inspired from my blog posts, from my review of my home office, from your review, from your home office, from your photos and optimize your Home Office. Change a little bit, you know, change the you don’t have to buy new gadgets, you have to buy a new MacBook Pros to do that. But just the fact that, you know, rethink how it’s set up. See what you can change or like in my case, see what you can reuse like I can reuse my 10 year old display and it’s useful now. Egg all that stuff. It’s a good idea for the New Year to make the Home Office a little bit different, because this will also like shake things up in your head and maybe inspire you for new ideas, new thoughts and, you know, better solutions for whatever you’re working on.
[00:51:04] Rafal: Let’s wrap up this episode Michael what day is tomorrow?
[00:51:08] Michael: It’s Friday and make them believe Mighty Friday, please.
[00:51:11] Rafal: Yes, daily care of your plan priorities for next week. Maybe we are on some stuff on your desk too, to refresh rate, to be more ergonomic, more productive and throw in something new to have a great weekend. And if you enjoy this episode, please feel free to help support this show, either by sharing it with a friend or giving us a nice review in the podcast. Or the best thing you can do is to check out our great app, Nozbe Teams. So thanks for listening. And that’s it for today. Say goodbye, Michael.
[00:51:43] Michael: OK, goodbye. Have a great Mighty Friday and maybe use this Friday for the Home Office renovation that you’re you’ve been thinking about and have a great year and stay healthy. They text.
[00:52:06] Rafal: This episode has not been created in the office because it Nozbe No Office No Office. The hosts were Michael Sliwinski and Rafal Sobolewski Holdings and show notes you can find on No Office daughter farms. That’s partly free. The whole production process has been coordinated in the product in the Nozbe Teams app. Work is not the place to go. It is a thing that you do. Thank you and see you in two weeks. Remember to have a Mighty Friday.
