Hey folks, how's it going? Hope you're all doing well. At the beginning of the year, I intended to write regularly at least once a month. Now it's March and only two articles have been released. Haha... Well, anyway, hopefully, I'll be more motivated to write in the future.
This time I want to talk about everyday carry. I've actually talked about this before in an article back in 2020. You can read it here. But since it's been over 4 years, I just want to give an update. Here is a list of all-black essentials that you might consider carrying daily to support your work. "Why black?" Well, it doesn't have to be black actually. But black gives an elegant impression. Let's check it out.
Smartphone
Let's start with the smartphone. Besides being a communication tool, smartphones are used for work and photography, so you don't always need to carry other devices like a laptop and camera. If you enjoy exploring the city and sometimes accidentally come across something interesting about a building to photograph, a smartphone camera is more than enough to capture it.
You can use any type of smartphone with a good camera. If you're on iOS, the iPhone 15 is a great choice. This latest device supports USB-C, making it more compatible with other devices. If you're on Android, you can try the Samsung Galaxy S24 with its amazing camera specs. Additional apps commonly used are Snapseed for photo editing and Black Magic Camera for video recording.
Wallet
A wallet is a must-have item that everyone carries. You can use the Cowather slim wallet , which is thin, compact, and minimalist in design. This wallet can hold about 6 cards and some cash and comes with a single press card out feature. A slim wallet like this is more than enough if you prefer carrying a little cash, especially now that it's the era of cashless transactions. A thin and small wallet also prevents you from stacking shopping receipts.
Smart Watch
Even though you can check the time on your phone, a wristwatch is one of the essential accessories you should have. Why? Because people who wear watches seem to value time more. A watch also makes you look more respectful to the person you're talking to compared to checking your phone during a conversation. This can be seen as less polite in front of your conversational partner.
There are many watch options out there, from conventional watches to smartwatches. You can choose according to your budget. For a smartwatch, you can consider the Redmi Watch 3, which is very affordable. The Redmi Watch can connect to your smartphone using the Mi Fitness app. This smartwatch, like others, is an activity tracker device. Other features of the Redmi Watch are similar to other smartwatches.
Wireless Earbuds
For those who love listening to music or podcasts, you might consider wireless earbuds. I recommend the Anker Soundcore R50i after seeing reviews and recommendations on social media. It's affordable, less than 200 thousand, has great sound quality, and comes with a dedicated app to manage the earbuds. The battery life is good, sometimes I forget when was the last time I charged them. Oh, for those who like podcasts, maybe you can check out architecture podcast recommendations in this post.
Tablet
As a secondary device, I only bring my tablet occasionally and not every day. Usually only during field meetings or when sketching during online coordination. I still use the iPad Air 4 that I bought at the end of 2020. So far, I haven't encountered any issues after 4 years of use. It still receives OS updates, has plenty of storage, performs well, and never lags. You can read about my iPad in this post. If you're interested, you can use the iPad Air Gen 5 for better performance powered by the Apple M1 chipset, or the Pro series with the M1 or M2 chipset.
External Hard Drive
This item isn't something I carry every day, but I included it in this list because I often bring it when working outside the office or home. Some of my work data is on this hard drive, while some are stored in cloud storage. I use the Seagate Expansion 1TB. This hard drive is quite old, but because it's still in good condition, I haven't had a reason to upgrade. You can also consider an External SSD for faster performance than an HDD. I recommend the Sandisk Extreme 1 TB.
Perfume
I have several travel-sized perfumes that I sometimes carry in my pocket almost all the time because they're small. The reason is, besides keeping me smelling good and confident, it can also enhance a professional impression when meeting clients, colleagues, or in other formal situations. Currently, I'm using Bvlgari Man in Black. It has a classy scent with Spices, Rum, and Tobacco notes in the top.
Waist Bag
The last EDC item I recommend is a waist bag to store all the items I mentioned earlier. You can use the Kalibre Formiga because its size is suitable for an 11-inch tablet. It also has several compartments inside.
That's it, folks, the everyday carry items I recommend. I'm sure you also have several items that you carry daily to support your activities. See you in the next post. Bye!