My 2024 Upgradies Picks
November 30, 2024
The latest instalment of The Upgradies is coming soon from our friends at the Upgrade podcast. I submitted my recommendations earlier today, and thought it would be fun to share my picks.
Best Overall iOS App
I once again don’t have a new app for this category, but Bear has been my trusty companion throughout the year. It’s where I do my business note taking, how I manage personal to do items, and where all of my blog posts start. Bear is simple, fast, beautiful, and syncs between all my Apple devices using iCloud. It remains my writing app of choice.
Best Newcomer iOS and Mac App
With all the social media craziness these days, it’s nice to have a way to quickly post to multiple channels (a theme that continues further down the list). Croissant is a way to post to Bluesky, Mastodon, or Threads from your iOS device or Mac. The Mac/iPad versions were only just released before I submitted my picks. This is a great app that solves a real problem for me in this weird multi-social-media time.
Best Overall Mac App
I switched to Visual Studio Code when TextMate started feeling long in the tooth. Nova launched in 2020, but it didn’t quite fit my needs at that time. I decided to give it another shot in early 2023, and I haven’t looked back. Nova is a Panic app, so it’s filled to the brim with attention to detail. It’s impossibly fast and just works.
Game of the Year
Balatro is a Rogue-like game based on poker. It’s also an easy way to lose several hours. Even if you’re not someone who plays many games, it’s worth giving a go. If you’re an Apple Arcade subscriber, you’ve already got access.
Favourite Book
I almost don’t want to say too much here. If you like sci-fi and/or fantasy, you should probably check out Moonbound. It’s one of those stories that seems simple at first, but gets more interesting as you go. As an aside, I’m not a fan of dust jackets when reading hardcover books. I saved the dust jacket on a shelf near my desk, and only noticed a couple of days later that some of the ink on it glowed in the dark. This sort of surprise extends to the contents of the novel as well.
Favourite Podcast
Upgrade remains my favourite podcast, but it feels weird recommending them for their own awards. Instead, I’ll point to Shift+F1. If you like F1, this is a great podcast. If you like F1 and video games, this podcast needs to be in your queue right now. The show is hosted by three thoughtful games journalists who dig into F1 with a broader perspective. I’m always happier when there’s a new episode to listen to, and the theme tune never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Favourite Apple Product of 2024
What an amazing little machine Apple built this year. It’s astonishingly fast, and puts my M1 Max Mac Studio to shame in most regards. If you’re interested in checking out the Mac lifestyle, this machine is worth your consideration.
Favourite Non - Apple Product
Robb Knight released Echofeed earlier this year, and I thought it was brilliant. The service is a way to turn content feeds into automated posts on other services. I use it to turn this blog’s Atom feed into posts to Mastodon and Bluesky. It’s a time saver and a wonderful new part of my blogging workflow.
Worst Gadget/Most Disappointing Tech
David Pierce’s written and video reviews are both worth checking out here. This is a shining example of the AI industry over-promising and under-delivering.
Favourite Tech Story
I might regret this in a year or two, but currently Bluesky is the place to be. I’m still extremely skeptical about many aspects of the service, from its extremely open nature to its crypto/AI-backed funding — but it’s hard to ignore at the moment. Right now it’s a fun place to be, and I’m OK living in the moment.
Favourite Tech Screw Up
Maybe it’s because I’ve been focused on the indie web this year, but the WordPress fracas is my biggest WTF for 2024. WordPress went from a standard piece of web infrastructure to a battle zone over the course of a few weeks. All, seemingly, because of one guy’s weird grudge. At least from my seat, this is the biggest self-own in the tech scene this year.