Smartphones

We fought the draw to get a smartphone for a long time. Tim was given an iPhone for his work phone for one of his jobs in Guam, though, and we realized during this time how useful it was. It's like having a planner, address book, computer, phone, calculator, book collection, and camera all in one easy-to-carry item that is even backed up to either your computer or the cloud so that the information isn't lost forever if you lose it. 

Generally, both of us have the latest iPhone Pros. We value having a larger, longer-lasting battery, their smaller size than the Max size that’s “one-handable,” and they have great cameras that generate images that can be on par with a consumer-level DSLR. In many cases, image quality is more due to the skill of the shooter and the subject matter rather than the equipment used anyway.

Computers

We have iOS mobile devices and use macOS computers. We love the tight integration that iOS and macOS share.

Tim loves to save money, but Apple products aren't the cheapest -- they're usually on the higher end of the spectrum regarding price. Because of this, Tim has tried multiple times to transition to Windows products, but he has found that he is more productive and efficient on macOS than Windows. Maybe that's because he's been using Macs since our first iMac in 2005 (has it really been that long?!). Tim uses Windows at work, though, so he's used to the shortcuts and Windows-specific features in Office. Even with Office products being a little more feature-rich in Windows(c), both Franicia and Tim still prefer macOS. 

Back in 2005, we had a Dell desktop that was only a couple of years old. Something happened with a display driver, and, even though Tim performed a fresh install of Windows and all of the drivers, that computer never was the same. At that time, we were in Guam and Tim was deploying as a helicopter pilot and couldn't stay home to keep troubleshooting the computer. The all-in-one iMac G5 had just been released, and we heard good things about Apple products. From that time on, we've been pretty loyal and bought our first Macbook Pro in 2008. We gave that laptop to a friend in 2015 (it was still going strong then).

Our main computer is an M1 Mac mini that replaced a 2009 Mac Pro that gave up the ghost in late 2020. We  bought our 2009 Mac Pro new in 2009 and it was going strong right up until the end. Franicia uses a 14” 2021 M1 MacBook Pro. Our children use an M1 MacBook Air, and Tim uses a 2015 MacBook Pro that is still going strong. We’re huge fans of Apple’s new M1 chips – they’re fast, power efficient, run cool, and they don’t require screaming fans to stay cool which is nice.

Camera Equipment

Back in the spring of 2012, we were wanting to replace our Nikon D40. We used that camera SO much. It actually had over 145,000 shutter actuations. We had been waiting for Nikon to come out with the replacement for the Nikon D700. That February or March, Nikon released the D800 (that has now been replaced by the D810 . We didn't have enough money initially, so we saved until we did have the money. When we finally had the money, the waiting list for the D800 was so long that we would receive the camera after our move from Guam to Florida. That timing wouldn't work for us, so we started looking for other options. We really wanted a camera that had a good (at least DX-size) sensor with excellent interchangeable lenses. I (Tim) wasn't even sure those existed. 

It turns out that Fujifilm had released the X-Pro 1 right around the same time that the D800 was released. The X-Pro 1 takes great pictures and good enough video. We bought our Fujifilm X-Pro 1 right before we left Guam and have used it a TON. It has taken great pictures for us and served us well. 

Last spring, we decided that it was time to upgrade our camera and, after considering all of the mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras that were on the market at the time, we decided to go with the Fujifilm X-T4. We went with this camera over other options for the following reasons:

1. Size: the lenses and bodies of the X Series cameras are generally smaller and lighter as compared to full-frame competitors. This makes it easier to hold for long periods of time as well reducing the amount of storage space needed when transporting equipment.

2. Image quality: the images that come out of the X Series cameras are really great. We generally shoot in JPEG rather than RAW simply because we don’t always have time to process RAW photos, and the JPEGs right out of the camera look really great without requiring edits on our part.

3. Video quality and length: While the X-T4 can get hot when recording 4K, it does not have any artificial time limits imposed by Fujifilm. We disagree on principle with Canon’s imposing an artificial time limit on the EOS R cameras, and we really appreciate that Fujifilm seems to try to maximize all of their cameras’ features for their customers.

4. X Series Lenses: While we have lenses that we used with our X-Pro 1, those lenses are the 1st generation lenses and are slow and often hunt focus when focusing. Autofocus is something that we really need to be accurate and fast since we take a lot of pictures of our very active (moving) children. When we bought the X-T4, we also bought the excellent Fujifilm XF 16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens. Having a wide, zoom lens has been awesome, and we almost never take this lens off of our camera.

5. Firmware updates: Historically, Fujifilm has been really good about regularly releasing firmware updates that add features and improve the performance of their cameras and lenses. In recent history, however, we have noticed that firmware updates have decreased in frequency. While this could be that they’re getting better about releasing the best firmware sooner and maximizing their cameras and lenses upon release, this is something that we’re watching closely. Other camera manufacturers including Canon, Nikon, and Sony have been releasing firmware updates more regularly which may indicate that they’re investing more in research and development (R&D) than Fujifilm which brings me to my next point….

While we have really loved Fujifilm cameras, we are troubled that Fujifilm’s new CEO that took over on June 29, 2021 announced that Fujifilm would be pivoting to prioritize their healthcare and medical business and reducing their emphasis on imaging products including their cameras. While Fujifilm is supposedly not abandoning photography, the new CEO’s statement seems to indicate that Fujifilm will not be investing as much into R&D as their competitors. This is troubling for several reasons but primarily because investing in the Fujifilm ecosystem may be not as financially wise as investing in a company that is continuing to invest heavily in R&D like Canon, Nikon, or Sony. 

We’ve used Nikon cameras before and really loved  and clicked with their ergonomics and menu system. 

Canon also generally gets their ergonomics and menu system right, but they seem to artificially limit their photo-centric cameras in order to keep from cannibalizing their cinema cameras. That just doesn’t seem right to us. The thing about Canon, though, is that their lenses and lens mount seems to be an industry standard. For example, the new RED $32k V-Raptor has a RF mount (Canon’s latest mirrorless mount). 

As far as Sony goes – we rented a Sony A7 IV in the winter of 2022 and liked it ok. The menu system wasn’t quite what we’re used to even though it’s greatly improved as compared to the previous A7 III, and the ergonomics weren’t quite what we were expecting. It has sharp corners and has some strange design choices including a battery door (or memory card door) that isn’t spring loaded to latch. That seemed like a very odd design choice. A great feature of Sony, though, is that they do not artificially limit their cameras. They also make both photo-centric cameras as well as cinema cameras that use the same lens mount and are highly regarded. Finally, Sony’s autofocus seems to regularly lead the rest of the industry. Autofocus is pretty important.

We also like Manfrotto's products for photography and have a 10% off code that you may use. They offer tripods, heads, accessories, alternative supports, dollies, and bags as well as video support systems. Use code SAVE10 for products delivered to the US only. Click here.

Productivity and Communications - Google Workspace

Google Workspace offers "Professional email, online storage, shared calendars, video meetings and more. Built for business, designed for teams.” You get the regular, free Google services but associated with your own domain AND you have more control over the content within your domain than you would with Google's free services..

We've tried Google Workspace, Exchange hosted on Office 365, hosted Exchange with Rackspace, business email with Rackspace, and even the Open Exchange Suite. We keep going back to Google Workspace because it is so flexible and powerful (and it's a great value compared to some other options).

One of our favorite things about Google Workspace is the ability to send and receive email from multiple aliases. It's possible to do this with the other solutions (mostly) while using a desktop or web-based interface, but Google Workspace can do this through it's own, very-capable Gmail interface both on a web browser and on the Gmail app available on most mobile devices. This is really a huge deal for us since we're pursuing several business opportunities and don't want to pay for multiple accounts for each of our brands.

Another thing that we really like about Google Workspace is Gmail's labeling feature. Labels are different than folders in that a single message or message thread can belong to several different labels. This is really helpful for cases when messages could go in two or more folders in other email solutions such as a regular IMAP or POP email account. With Gmail, you don't have to pick which folder they go to -- you can label to your heart's content. There is also a folder feature in Gmail if you want to organize your emails this way, but you still have the ability to label messages with multiple labels no matter what folder they're assigned. 

Google Drive with Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Forms, and more is also an amazing collaboration and productivity tool. We use all of these to keep our business documents synced and even plan events!

Ready to Give Google Workspace a Try?

Are you interested in giving Google Workspace a try? Contact us, and we’ll provide a 10%-off coupon for your first year!

Budget and Finances - Tiller Money

We’ve tried using YNAB, Mint, Mvelopes and others, but the service that seems to fit us best is Tiller Money’s feed service for MS Excel and Google Sheets. We love that we can automate our feeds and that we get daily emails with the balances or our accounts and recently-cleared transactions. Tiller Money is very flexible and has an active community too — things that are important in a financial tracking and budget solution. We use it for our personal and business finances, and it’s great!

Privacy-First, Secure Mail

Proton: “Privacy by Default”

Proton services include secure, privacy-first mail, calendar, file storage, and VPN services. Proton is marketed as a provider of productivity and communication services where “privacy and freedom come first.” To get a free month of their “Mail Plus” plan, click on the following link: https://pr.tn/ref/Q5ZHD4FW1F3G

Fastmail: “Fast, private email that’s just for you”

Fastmail, like Proton, offers private email services. One unique thing about Fastmail is its integration with 1Password which allows users to create random email aliases for when they do not want to share their email — like when signing up for a newsletter. To get 10% off of your first year, use the following link: https://ref.fm/u29021816

Filing Taxes - TurboTax and TaxAct

Paying taxes is no fun, but, if you have to file taxes, we recommend going with Intuit’s TurboTax for your personal tax. TurboTax also offers a business tax filing option, but it’s a bit more expensive than TaxAct. For our business taxes, we use TaxAct and then bring the applicable information over to TurboTax. TurboTax has a downloadable solution for business and personal taxes, but that only works for Windows devices. We use Apple devices, though, so that doesn’t work for us.

👉 If you use our referral code links above, you’ll get 20% off your service filing fees! Woohoo! 🎉

Task Management - Trello

Trello  is a simple but very powerful task and project management system. There is a web app as well as native apps for the macOS, Windows, Android, iOS. One thing we really like about Trello is that it will stay in sync between all of your devices. It also integrates really well with Google Calendar, Evernote, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Team Communication - Slack (and Zulip)

Slack is awesome! Our team could always communicate with each other via email, but then we'd have potentially a lot of email threads for various projects that could get lost among the rest of our important and unimportant emails. Slack is like a messaging application built specifically for projects and teams. One thing that is different about Slack as opposed to other messaging solutions is the ability to create your own channels and the ability to archive messages. Google Chat now offers “Spaces” which are much like Slack’s channels. Apple’s Messaging app is great, but it's hard to archive (and it doesn't offer channels). Slack offers both archiving and channels, as well as great integrations with external services.

We loved Slack, but We Love Zulip More!

We used to love Slack. Slack was aquired by Salesforce in 2021, though, and Salesforce has a long history of political moves we’re not comfortable with — things that are inconsistent with our sincerely held beliefs.

While we’ve loved Slack, Zulip is the service we’re currently using. In the past couple of years of cancel culture and people getting deplatformed due to their beliefs not aligning with the mainstream narrative, we decided it best to go with a communication solution that allows us to control our data. Slack relies on third parties for their hate-group list — third parties that have proven in recent history to have dangerous double standards. In 2022, we moved to Zulip and have really enjoyed the move. Do we miss Slack? Yes — Slack is fun and easy. But we love some things about Zulip more than Slack — especially the way they handle topics within channels. It’s even possible to host your own instance of Zulip on your own server or a hosting service like Digital Ocean. This is what we’re doing, and it’s been flawless so far!

Website Hosting

While WordPress is widely used and is very powerful, we prefer Squarespace. Building and maintaining a website with Squarespace is much easier and more intuitive than WordPress. Also, where WordPress generally requires plug-ins to function the way someone would generally expect. Squarespace, on the other hand, does not require plug-ins. Plug-ins offer some flexibility that Squarespace may not have, but that’s not something that has been an issue for us.

InMotion provides hosting on solid-state drives (SSDs), enabling WordPress sites to load up to 3x faster than traditional hosting services.

WordPress - The most widely-used and supported Content Management System (CMS).

Creative Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud - Adobe professional apps for creating such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Adobe Acrobat Pro and online (cloud) storage for sharing content across services and with others.

We love Apple's Final Cut Pro. For one, it’s a one-time purchase. Also, while it is only available for use on Apple devices, it’s optimised really well for Apple hardware. It’s generally rock-solid and never crashes and is relatively easy to use and intuitive.

Affinity Photo, Affinity Designer, and Affinity Publisher: These apps are very similar to Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign apps, but they do not require a subscription. They offer nearly all of the capabilities that Adobe’s apps offer, and they are generally more stable (no crashes that we can remember) than Adobe’s apps.

1. Google Drive - Google offers Google Drive with Docs, Sheets (spreadsheets), Slides (slide presentations), Forms, and Drawing for free with any Google account. Google Workspace also includes Drive with these features. Google Drive can also edit Microsoft Word files and save documents as Word files. Another great feature is its real-time collaboration features. Real-time collaboration is available on other services (like Microsoft 365 and iCloud). Still, Google has been doing real-time collaboration longer than almost anyone else. As a cloud-first solution, it’s easier for people we are collaborating with to understand and harder to mess up the collaboration feature.

2. Evernote Premium - We use Evernote as an electronic notebook for our family, website, and business. The Premium subscription to Evernote gives you added features over the free version, such as larger storage and syncing allotment, the ability to store notes to work offline, document search to include attached files, and premium support.

3. 1Password - "1Password is a comprehensive password manager for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android developed by AgileBits Inc. It provides a place for users to store various passwords, software licenses, and other sensitive information in a virtual vault that is locked with a PBKDF2-guarded master password.” We use it to keep all our accounts and passwords synced across multiple devices (including our desktop and laptop computers).

4. Google Calendar - We keep track of all our appointments and reminders through Fantastical on our phones, iPad, and computers. Viewing, modifying, and adding events AND reminders is quicker and easier than other applications, including the stock iOS and macOS apps.

5. Zulip - Zulip, mentioned above, also has dedicated apps for iOS and Android. We love Zulip!

We get many of our cooking tools from our favorite restaurant supply company, KaTom. They sell Vollrath and Shun among other great brands.

Cookware

We love, love, LOVE our Vollrath pots. We love stainless steel and cast iron cookware and try to stay away from non-stick surfaces simply because they're not natural. Finding stainless steel pots and pans that are high-quality and offer efficient cooking is not always easy and is often very expensive especially when you buy a full set. We try to stay away from rolled lips and seams that collect food and bacteria. Since stainless steel is not very conductive as compared to other materials like copper and aluminum, though, we also like to get cookware that has a layer of conductive material sandwiched between layers of stainless steel. This type of cookware can get VERY expensive. Vollrath cookware is designed for restaurant use and isn't quite as pretty as other cookware with polished, mirror finishes, but we love that they’re sturdy, easy to clean, and easy to use features. We enthusiastically recommend them!

Dinnerware

We try to use stainless steel dinnerware as much as possible so that we don’t have to be concerned about our children breaking their plates, cups, etc. We have bought Zebra Thailand stainless steel dinnerware before, but they can be difficult to find

• Tumblers - Vollrath 12-oz tumbler from KaTom.

• Plates - Amazon sells GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Plate and MSR Alpine Plate

• Silverware - We use Oneida Flight 45-Piece Stainless-Steel Flatware Set because they’re easy to get and are comfortable in our hands.

Water

Berkey water filters are great for general filtered water needs. We have a whole-house water filter as well as a Berkey water filter in our kitchen. One great thing about Berkey water filters is that they are powered by gravity! Their filters remove 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, and even fluoride when combined with their special fluoride attachments.

Kitchen knives

We love sharp knives and have tried Shun, Wulstof, Henckels, and even Cutco knives. We even have a $300 Shun Ken Onion Chef's knife. Our favorite knives for function, comfort, and price, though (BY FAR), are Victorinox Fibrox knives. Our favorite chef's knife is the Victorinox Fibrox 10-in knife. It is SO comfortable, cuts really well, holds an edge very well, and can easily be sharpened. It's not quite as fancy as the other knives from big-name, expensive brands with a big bolster and wooden handle, and it's stamped instead of ground or formed from a single piece of steel, but it's AWESOME! Their bread knife is really great too and works just as good if not better than our high-dollar German-made bread knife. Bottom line -- get Victorinox knives. That's what a lot of the world's top chefs use (trust us -- our brother is an executive sous chef at a Hyatt resort).