In MacOS, I’ve found that Safari provides the best experience, although I do use the Apple TV+ app, which of course is preinstalled. I don’t bother installing any of the apps for a given service. It supports 4K and high dynamic range (HDR) on most services, very specifically in the case of Netflix. In Windows 11, the best way to stream video is through the Edge browser. I’m also looking into Baldur’s Gate 3, which is available on Steam. I’m not a huge gamer, but I do play some strategy games like Civilization VI and role-playing games like Diablo IV. So, Steam and are two of the first apps I install. I also occasionally play a few games, stream media, and listen to a lot of music. Just for fun Jacob Roach / Digital Trends As I’m writing this, I’m thinking maybe I should look into some kind of antivirus protection for my Apple devices. I admit that I don’t install anything on my MacBook or iPad, which may or may not be a smart thing depending on your position on the security of Apple’s operating systems. It provides another layer of security against various types of malware, and it’s relatively unobtrusive. But, for additional peace of mind, I also install the free version of Malwarebytes. I rely on Windows 11’s default Defender antivirus app and functionality for my basic protection. PeaZip is a decent, free alternative on Mac. I use Archiver 4 on my MacBook, which is available for $20 directly from the vendor or the App Store. I also work with a lot of compressed files, and while Windows 11’s built-in functionality is fine for basic Zip files, I like the features provided by 7-Zip. This tool sorts through all of your files and provides a high-level overview of how much space everything takes up, which is helpful for creating some extra storage space. I don’t keep that many files on my MacBook, and so I don’t bother with an equivalent MacOS utility. I use TreeSize Free on Windows 11 to help me manage my rather complex file structure. In addition to the major apps, there are a few utilities that I also install. The personal version is already built into Windows 11, but you need the separate, business version to use it for work. I’m sure to install the corporate version so that I can connect to all relevant accounts. I barely use a fraction of the apps’ functionality, but I find it better than Windows 11’s built-in Snipping Tool. The PC limit is something I need to manage, but otherwise, it’s a great tool for grabbing screenshots and performing simple edits. There’s also a maintenance plan you can purchase that provides free upgrades. It costs $63, with special pricing for education and government, and it can be installed on two machines. But all add something that makes me more productive.įirst up is TechSmith’s Snagit. Some are free, and some are either upfront purchases or subscriptions. Those apps handle the basics, but there are still a few that I install for enhanced productivity. Enhanced productivity and security Digital Trends It’s a more cumbersome process, but not by much. On a MacBook and iPad, I need to manually download Microsoft Office, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype, then configure and sign into each. It’s a simple process that’s built into muscle memory by now. OneNote requires additional configuration to open the files that I use the most. Or, rather, at least on Windows 11 PCs, I sign in with my Microsoft account during the initial setup and that automatically signs me into the suite (which is almost always already installed) and, typically, OneDrive as well. So, those are the first apps I install and configure. It doesn’t require much configuration on a new PC, because it syncs things like extensions automatically. I know that’s not the most popular choice, but I’ve tried all the major browsers and Edge just feels right to me. It’s a full office suite similar to Microsoft 365, though it lacks the centralized, cloud-synced functionality that Microsoft offers.įor web browsing, I use Microsoft Edge. Finally, I use Skype for basic messaging, mostly with my family.įor a free alternative, there’s Google’s cloud-based suite, but you can also download LibreOffice if you prefer the desktop experience. That provides both backup and syncing across the variety of devices I use, which include a few Windows 11 laptops (the Dell XPS 15 and XPS 13 Plus), an Apple MacBook Pro 14, my Windows 11 desktop, and an iPad Pro 11-inch. Since we’re on the topic of Microsoft, I also store my documents in OneDrive. The suite provides a lot more than that, but those are the apps I use the most. I settled on Microsoft products a long time ago, and so I currently use Microsoft 365, which gives me access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. I hope Microsoft adds this rumored AI feature to Windows 11 Microsoft September 2023 event: Copilot, Surface Laptop Studio 2, and more
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