My App Defaults as of today, and comments about each one:

• Mail & Calendar: I’m slowly transitioning away from Google, and I don’t want to pay for yet another calendar subscription, so I’m using Fastmail for both right now. It just works, supports Apple Calendar, and it’s great.
• Writing & Notes: Obsidian for writing and long notes, and Antinote as a scratchpad on Mac.
• To-Do: Things 3. I bought it years ago, and with the overall subscription fatigue, it’s enough for my needs. Still, the financial model of Cultured Code is one of the biggest mysteries to me.
• RSS & Read It Later: NetNewsWire via Miniflux as a backend. I stopped using read-it-later apps because, over the years, I came to the conclusion that I never read what I save. So now, if I bump into anything worth reading, I try to read it right then and there. If that’s not possible, it goes into my bookmarks app (see below).
• Browser: Orion by Kagi, and Safari for work stuff. I’m also testing Zen with the hardened config from Privacy Guides. It works almost like a good ol’ Arc and scratches that itch. No Little Arc, though, sadly.
• Chat: Telegram / WhatsApp / Signal. Telegram is not private, but it’s used by everyone in Russia, so I need to use it because of the network effect. Plus, with messengers (including WhatsApp) being blocked there left and right, we’re actually running out of options for staying in touch.
• Bookmarks: Raindrop and Mymind. The free version of Raindrop is more than enough for me, and I use it as a bookmarks dump I might want to resurface later. I like where Mymind is going, but I don’t use it in a way that would require the advanced mastermind features.
• Music: I still have an Apple Music subscription, but I miss my iPod and think that a smartphone is not the best way to listen to music. I’m researching the market for DAPs and IEMs, and I’m this close 🤏 to buying one.
• Podcasts: Overcast. I’ve been using the free version for years. I like the layout and the interface (even with ads), so I’m stuck in my ways. Apple Podcasts is too noisy.
• Password Management: 1Password. The best on the market, even though it’s becoming a bit too “enterprise-y.” Plus, the alumni discount is hard to beat.
• Launcher: Raycast. I already wrote about it. Looking forward to their redesign and improvements next year.
• Code & Terminal: VS Code and Ghostty. I’m not a developer, so I use them rarely.
• Video Calls: Zoom and Google Meet for work, Jitsi Meet for personal calls. The latter is a little unconventional, but everything else is already blocked in Russia, so I need something to call my dad.
• VPN: Giving Mullvad a try.
• Small gems on Mac: Itsycal, Loop, and Supercopy for Safari.