197 - Basic Apple Guy

Basic Apple Guy is a lover of all things mainstream, popular, and trending in the world of Apple.

Originally started in 2020 as a way for him to connect with the Apple community and show appreciation for their products, his blog and social media presence have taken off in popularity and respect.

Twitter → twitter.com/BasicAppleGuy
Blog → basicappleguy.com

Setup:

• Mac Studio
• Studio Display
• Keyboard: Magic Keyboard w. TouchID
• Mouse: Magic Mouse
• Trackpad: Magic Trackpad
• Speakers: 2 HomePod Mini (blue)
• Figurines: Buddha Homer from Kidrobot & Quatchi, a 2010 Vancouver Olympics mascot
• Mat: Satechi DeskMate
• Chair: Fabric Patchwork Armchair from Wazo Furniture
• Mug: Hasami Porcelain mug (Apple logo; exclusive to Apple Infinite Loop store)

My setup is in the second room of our two-bedroom townhouse, a room that does quadruple duty as a spare bedroom, workout space, reading nook, and office (or should I say studio?). I'd previously been using an M1 iMac, and though I adored that machine, as my creative work grew in scale, I found I was beginning to come up against the limits of the M1 iMac more often. Could I have made an iMac work? Of course! Was the Mac Studio the perfect excuse to upgrade? Yes. And after scouring the internet for a Mac Studio & the Studio Display I wanted, in May 2022, I took the plunge & upgraded my setup.

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

The favourite item in my workspace has become the Studio Display. At first, the larger 27-inch silver display (coming from a 23.5-inch iMac) felt cold and excessive, but I've fallen in love with it in short order. The sound is fantastic, the webcam is acceptable (6.5/10), and the brightness and vibrancy of this display make the pixels positively lickable (but don't lick the display). I splurged on the tilt-and-height adjustable stand, and have found that versatility phenomenal. The larger canvas is top-shelf for doing any design work, and the effortless height adjustment has been ideal for when I want to adjust the monitor for a Fitness+ class or when my wife is using the display.

How do you spark creativity?

"While ideas ultimately can be so powerful, they begin as fragile, barely formed thoughts, so easily missed, so easily compromised, so easily just squished." - Jony Ive speaking at Steve Jobs' Memorial

This quote isn't meant to draw a comparison between what I create and the work of Ive or Steve, but to convey my appreciation for how fragile ideas are. I never leave it to chance that I will remember an idea when it strikes; I always try to take a pause and write it down. I have a folder in Notes that I open to sketch my thoughts or write out something I am inspired to create whenever the mood strikes, which I then move into Agenda to flush out and detail further when I have more time to organize myself. I also like to surround myself with beautiful ideas, whether on social media, colour palettes, books, tutorials; anything really. The more I surround myself with creative ideas, the more I find myself thinking of things I want to create.

How do you manage work-life balance?

With great struggle.

Honestly, it hasn't been easy. I work a full-time job and recently took on 2 more side gigs that had taken up most of my work during the summer. And in addition to work, I try to focus on my family, fitness and enjoying my leisure time. Juggling all these responsibilities has been difficult, and I continuously need to decide to postpone something because family and work do take precedence over whatever I do for my social media/blog.

When did your love for all things Apple begin?

The minute I saw the iBook G3. I was too young to afford a laptop at the time, and I didn't understand the difference between Macs and PCs, but something about that computer struck a chord in me, and I began to scrimp and save to afford a laptop of my own. Eventually, I got to work with a Blue Dalmatian iMac in school, and several years later got my first iPod (3rd Generation) and Mac (12-inch PowerBook G4), and I have been in love with the Mac ever since.