I don’t often recommend apps… but this one has changed my life. Things is essentially a todo app available and synced on all of your devices. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. If you are a busy person, give this thing two weeks. It will change your life too…
I’ve had this thing a little over a week now… and can say, fairly confidently, that this thing is every bit as reliable as the Prusa, fast as hell, and really… well, the first plug and play 3D printer.
Got some questions after my feature on the iPad mini yesterday about how my Pitaka MagEZ setup was doing over time. I think I’ve used the setup for close to a year now and here are my findings:
- All concerns about the durability of the case itself can be dismissed. I have had no problems with the case on my 12.9″ iPad Pro or my iPad mini. Both have been dropped and neither suffered any damage at all. Also, I’ve had the devices in and out of their cases regularly and this process doesn’t seem to affect the integrity of the cases at all.
- The “wireless” PitaFlow charger and MagEZ Stand are absolute game changers. Because each have a stand, they are always charged and always ready to go… As an added perk, the USB-C ports on each device are in perfect condition… and these ports are often considered the Achilles heal of these products.
So, all in all, I can’t recommend these products enough. And keep in mind, this isn’t sponsored. I paid for my cases and stands… and I couldn’t be happier.
Details here.
The mini has been out for years and is due an update, but I’ve never paid it much attention. Recently, I found myself in a bind and needed a cheep iOS device to test a project. I found an iPad mini 6 on ebay for $300 and pulled the trigger.
I’ve now been living with the device for several months and it’s become my favorite Apple device of all time. I don’t use it for productivity at all. In fact, I don’t even take it to the office. Instead, it sits in my living room at home and is dedicated entirely to consuming content.
I think the main driver behind its utility is its size. The best way to visualize it is to imagine a device half way between a normal iPad and one of the big ass iPhones. Or maybe just imagine your typical soft cover novel… It’s perfect for reading. Perfect for video… and perfect for all those small tasks you do while sitting on the couch and mindlessly watching football.
I just can’t say enough about it and have been cussing myself for not picking one up sooner.
In any case, they are on sale right now at Best Buy. Or, you can do what I did and risk buying a used one on eBay.
3D printing in the past has always been sort of a tinkerer’s hobby where you modded and massaged your printer and its settings in order to produce a semi-useful trinket or two. Companies like Prusa have stretched this a bit, but no one has ever really produced a plug and play printer that just works and is capably of producing consistently useful object.
In the past year, that has changed with the Bambu Labs X1. Essentially, it’s a 3D printer built for those that just want to print shit without worrying about the technicalities of doing so. It’s also built really well… Frankly, it’s brilliant.
I’ve often thought it would be a cold day in hell before I would part with my GoRuck tech pouch and then Boundary Supply dropped this tech roll. I haven’t used it yet, but it looks like this thing just might challenge the GoRuck.
I reached out to Pitaka and asked if I could review their MagEZ Case Pro and Stand for my new iPad Pro and they responded with a UPS tracking number. To be frank, I didn’t know what to expect. Reviews on YouTube are glowing while the real world reviews on Reddit are mixed – with the most common complaint being that the case itself suffers from thin and brittle plastic that is prone to snapping.
I’ve now been using the combo for a couple of weeks and as a whole, it’s been a very positive experience. The first thing I’ve noticed is that my iPad battery is now almost always over 80% charged. The MagEZ stand acts like a dock and a dedicated spot for my iPad (and iPhone) when not in use. So, every time I put my iPad away, it’s charging without going through the hassle of finding the cable, plugging it in, etc…
On top of this, the dock scenario actually ads functionality to my desktop through screen mirroring and sidecar. Typically, I use it in “sidecar” mode and the iPad becomes a third monitor in my setup – a perfect place to keep my media player for distraction free work.
So this has been my day-to-day setup for the most part and like I’ve said, it’s been almost entirely positive. I am aware of the “brittle plastic” complaints and can see how it might be a problem if you are entirely careless with your iPad. But for me, it just hasn’t been an issue as of yet. The case itself is thin, light, out of my way, and just fine for my use case.
But there’s also another benefit that the MagEZ Case Pro offers. When paired with your iPad, you can still use the Apple Magic Keyboard. The case does not disturb the functionality of Apple’s overpriced unit at all AND it protects the side of the iPad that is otherwise left unprotected when mounted in the keyboard. Oh, and the Apple Pencil still mounts through the case securely and charges just fine. It’s a win/win from all sides.
So, all-in-all, what do I think? I think the Pitaka setup has added a lot of convenience to my setup. It streamlines my use in a way that I didn’t really imagine – keeping my iPad charged, protecting it, and actually adding functionality to my desktop setup. If you are an iPad power user, I highly recommend you give it a shot.
You can get the stand here and the case here.
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Future Improvements: This setup runs just under $200 and I think the price point is just fine given the benefits. I’m hoping Pitaka has enough demand to continuously improve the idea however, and feel the next generation could benefit from further durability. For example, a 100% carbon fiber case would solve the “brittle plastic problem” and take the aesthetic up a level. The stand itself? Man… I don’t know that I would touch it at all…
Punkt has updated their stupid phone… It’s now available in Light Grey and remains the best option for people that want to simplify their life, get rid of connectivity, and live in peace. I highly recommend giving this thing a shot.
