4 ways to get better use out of your macbook

Macbooks are widely considered to be one of the most popular general-use laptops and made Apple $9 billion in 2020 alone.

Photo by Ales Nesetril on Unsplash

They are clean, lightweight, incredibly user-friendly and have thousands of functions. But that’s the problem. Sometimes Macbooks can be overwhelming to a user who isn’t familiar with Apple products. Put simply, you want to get the most out of your device, but you don’t know where to begin. That’s where we can help.

This short guide will help you decipher how to benefit most from the multitude of advanced features on this game-changing piece of tech, as well as point you towards any functional products that will enhance your Mac-using experience. 

1. Get an anti blue light filter

We’re naturally exposed to blue light from the sun on a daily basis, and this is perfectly healthy. However, digital devices such as macbooks and mobile phones also emit artificial blue light. Considering how we engage with these devices on a daily basis (whether that’s checking your phone 263 times per day or glaring at laptop screens for long periods of time), overexposure to blue light is now all too common. 

What’s the problem with this? Well, new research has shown blue light from devices can lead to multiple negative side effects. First, there’s eye health. Blue light penetrates all the way to the retina (the inner lining of the back of the eye), and this can damage light-sensitive cells in the retina leading to macular degeneration.

Then there’s sleep. Exposure to all colours of light helps our natural sleep cycle, known as our circadian rhythm. When the sun sets and it gets darker, our body produces a hormone called melatonin that makes us sleepy. Blue light can stifle the production of melatonin, making it more difficult for us to fall asleep.

To prevent blue light from affecting your eyes and sleep cycle when using a macbook, it’s worth investing in an anti blue light screen protector. These screen protectors block blue light while maintaining the visibility of your screen – you won’t even realise it’s there.

2. Invest in an app suite 

App suites are a collection of applications and computer software that have similar user interfaces and integrate with one another. Essentially, they grant an all-access pass to curated Mac and iOS apps, allowing you to download as many apps as you please. If you’re into writing, coding, drawing or gaming, you’ll be able to get hold of the appropriate applications. What’s also useful is that your apps are fully synced across all your Apple devices, so whether it’s via your iPhone, iPad or iWatch, you can access whatever apps you need throughout the day.

Setapp is a subscription based service providing a huge collection of apps which are easily accessible. This allows you to think of a task you need and find the best app to assist. Every app is useful in its own way, but when you use them together, you unlock a new, optimised experience and get the most of what your powerful laptop can achieve.

3. Increase your storage with a mini flash drive

There’s nothing worse than completing a piece of work, saving cherished photos or downloading a game, when a pop-up states you don’t have enough storage space to open it. When that moment hits, you get a glimpse of all the unenviable tasks that await you, such as trudging through old files, sacrificing holiday photos, deleting documents from your previous job — not ideal.

There’s  an easy solution to this problem. Purchasing an easy to insert mini flash drive increases your storage in seconds, meaning the fateful pop-up about storage space shall never appear.

4. Charge on the go with a charging sleeve

Your desk is not the sole location for work, fun-filled gaming, or Netflix watching. You can take your Macbook wherever you go nowadays — university, your favourite coffee shop and your commute.  But one of the annoying things about this, is keeping your device charged. The last thing you want is a flashing battery icon when you’re halfway through an assignment or about to complete a mission in a game. As such, you need a method of accessible charging without having to seek out the nearest plug socket.

Laptop charging sleeves were invented for this very purpose — to simplify your life. They replace all chargers, adapters, cables and portable batteries in one compact device. No more searching for plugs on packed trains or full coffee shops alongside other laptop users. With a case that sustains your device, anywhere with a seat can be a desk for hours.