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My Productivity Desk Setup (Portable)

2023-01-18 · Tech review, setup or bag tour · Ali · recording, 5:08 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Tools, apps and tech (also: YouTube, writing online and creators) · mode: Demonstration and walkthrough · tags: His own products discussed

Ali walks through his portable desk setup for remote work, four modules that fit in one backpack: essentials (MacBook Pro, notebook, pens, phone), a "digital nomad" module (laptop stand, Magic Keyboard, MX Master 3S, Sony headphones), a content-creator module (Shure MV7, Sony A7C, tripods, Insta360 Go 2) and accessories.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Intro: a modular portable desk setup that fits in a single backpack

  • ★★ Ali's portable productivity desk setup for remote work is modular and fits in a single backpack, so he can work from anywhere in the world: writing his book, recording podcasts and making YouTube videos. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ The essentials module of Ali's portable setup is his 14-inch MacBook Pro, a Leuchtturm1917 notebook, a Lamy Swift rollerball and a Lamy Safari medium-nib fountain pen, which he switches between by mood, and the iPhone 13 Pro and AirPods Pro he always carries. — 00:00:00 · MacBook
  • ★★ Ali's 14-inch MacBook Pro, with the M1 Pro processor, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, is good enough for basically everything he does; only for video editing does he need to edit off an external SSD. — 00:00:00 · MacBook

00:00:19 — Module one, the essentials: MacBook Pro, journal, pens, iPhone and AirPods

  • ★★ Ali has really been enjoying journaling recently: it has been great for thinking more strategically about his business and his life, and the journal sometimes acts as his personal therapist. — 00:00:29

  • ★★ In a cramped space like an aeroplane, or for a small amount of work, Ali just uses his journal or MacBook; for an extended work session he adds the second module of his setup, which he calls the obnoxious digital nomad module. — 00:00:58 · MacBook

    “the obnoxious digital nomad module”

  • ★★ Ali's Oripura laptop stand from Herman Miller folds down compactly into his backpack's notebook compartment and, raised, elevates his laptop and helps his posture so he is less likely to hunch over. — 00:00:58

  • ★ Ali says Herman Miller is not sponsoring the video, but he is a Herman Miller ambassador and they sometimes send him free things. — 00:00:58

00:01:13 — Module two, the obnoxious digital nomad module: laptop stand, keyboard, mouse, headphones

  • ★★ Ali carries the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID because it is thin and light: although he enjoys a good mechanical keyboard, nothing beats the Magic Keyboard's portability and reliability. — 00:01:27
  • ★★ Ali calls the white Logitech MX Master 3S his favourite mouse, the perfect mix of ergonomics and performance and way nicer than the Apple Magic Mouse he used while the Logitech was not available in white. — 00:01:27
  • ★★ Ali tested all the popular noise-cancelling headphones on the market and the Sony WH-1000XM4 were his favourite. — 00:01:57
  • ★★ When trying to focus, Ali normally plays his Study With Me playlist on Spotify, with soundtracks from Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and other films. — 00:01:57 · Spotify, Harry Potter (book series)
  • ★★ Ali's content creator module starts with the Shure MV7 microphone on a tripod stand, which he uses for Zoom calls and for recording podcast episodes remotely, so he can do podcasts from anywhere in the world. — 00:02:26 · Zoom
  • ★★ Ali is an angel investor in Riverside, the remote podcast recording app, which is not sponsoring the video. — 00:02:26
  • ★★ Ali uses Riverside several times a week to record Not Overthinking, his weekly podcast with his brother, and some episodes of Deep Dive, his podcast interviewing entrepreneurs, creators, authors and other inspiring people. — 00:02:26 · Not Overthinking, Taimur Abdaal, Deep Dive

00:02:28 — Module three, the content creator module: microphone, Riverside, camera, tripods, action cam

  • ★★ Ali calls Riverside the best way to record remote audio and video podcasts: it records high-quality audio and video locally, so however poor the internet connection, the podcast looks and sounds amazing. — 00:02:55
  • ★★ Ali's vlog camera is the Sony A7C: less fancy than some other Sony cameras, but the perfect combination of size, weight and features; he normally fits the Sony 16-35mm G Master lens, a Peter McKinnon ND filter and Sony's ECM-B1M shotgun microphone. — 00:02:55 · Peter McKinnon
  • ★★ Ali uses the Sony A7C to record YouTube videos on the go, to take photos, and sometimes connected to his MacBook as a webcam for podcasts. — 00:03:24 · MacBook
  • ★★ Ali's everyday tripod is the PGYTech MantisPod, good for tabletop and vlog use; in his overnight bag or suitcase he keeps the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod for when he needs a proper tripod for YouTube videos. — 00:03:24
  • ★★ Ali carries the Insta360 Go 2, a tiny action camera whose case is a mini tripod and whose magnetic necklace, worn under his shirt, lets him capture first-person footage when vlogging. — 00:03:53
  • ★★ Ali usually carries the Joby Telepod, a phone tripod he uses for time-lapses or to turn his phone into a spare camera or a podcast recording camera. — 00:03:53

00:04:23 — Module four, accessories; sign-off pointing to the Mo Gawdat interview

  • ★★ Ali's accessories module, always in his bag: Apple's MagSafe battery pack, the MagSafe Duo charger for his Apple Watch and iPhone, a Mophie cable kit, a Sony headphone adapter for aeroplanes and wired Lightning headphones for calls. — 00:04:23 · Apple Watch
  • ★ Ali calls his Deep Dive interview with happiness researcher Mo Gawdat one of the conversations that has most impacted the way he sees the world. — 00:04:52 · Deep Dive

In the description and comments

  • ★ Ali Abdaal (channel): Asked which laptop cover Ali uses, the channel points to dbrand's laptop skins. — creator comment

Threads in this video

  • refine · Should you journal, and how? — Ali has really been enjoying journaling recently: it has been great for thinking more strategically about his business and his life, and the journal sometimes acts as his personal therapist. (00:00:29)
  • refine · How should you set up your desk? — Ali's Oripura laptop stand from Herman Miller folds down compactly into his backpack's notebook compartment and, raised, elevates his laptop and helps his posture so he is less likely to hunch over. (00:00:58)
  • refine · Which tech is worth buying? — Ali calls the white Logitech MX Master 3S his favourite mouse, the perfect mix of ergonomics and performance and way nicer than the Apple Magic Mouse he used while the Logitech was not available in white. (00:01:27)
  • restate · Which tech is worth buying? — Ali tested all the popular noise-cancelling headphones on the market and the Sony WH-1000XM4 were his favourite. (00:01:57)
  • restate · Should you listen to music while studying? — When trying to focus, Ali normally plays his Study With Me playlist on Spotify, with soundtracks from Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and other films. (00:01:57)
  • refine · How do you start and grow a podcast? — Ali calls Riverside the best way to record remote audio and video podcasts: it records high-quality audio and video locally, so however poor the internet connection, the podcast looks and sounds amazing. (00:02:55)
  • refine · What gear do you need to make YouTube videos? — Ali's vlog camera is the Sony A7C: less fancy than some other Sony cameras, but the perfect combination of size, weight and features; he normally fits the Sony 16-35mm G Master lens, a Peter McKinnon ND filter and Sony's ECM-B1M shotgun microphone. (00:02:55)
  • milestone · Not Overthinking, Ali and Taimur's podcast (2019) — Ali uses Riverside several times a week to record Not Overthinking, his weekly podcast with his brother, and some episodes of Deep Dive, his podcast interviewing entrepreneurs, creators, authors and other inspiring people. (00:02:26)
  • milestone · Ali's interview podcast with entrepreneurs and creators (2021) — Ali uses Riverside several times a week to record Not Overthinking, his weekly podcast with his brother, and some episodes of Deep Dive, his podcast interviewing entrepreneurs, creators, authors and other inspiring people. (00:02:26)

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: digital nomad · MacBook · Riverside

Also: People: Mo Gawdat · Peter McKinnon · Taimur Abdaal

Projects: Deep Dive · Not Overthinking

Works: Harry Potter (book series) · The Lord of the Rings

Organizations: Herman Miller

Concepts: angel investment

Products: AirPods Pro · Apple Magic Keyboard · Apple Watch · Insta360 Go 2 · iPhone 13 Pro · Joby GripTight TelePod · Lamy Safari · Lamy Swift · Leuchtturm1917 notebook · Logitech MX Master · Magic Mouse · MagSafe Battery Pack · MagSafe Duo · Mophie Cable Kit · Oripura Laptop Stand · Peak Design Travel Tripod · PGYTech MantisPod · Shure MV7 · Sony 16-35mm G Master · Sony A7C · Sony ECM-B1M · Sony WH-1000XM4 · Spotify · Zoom

Only in the description or credits: dbrand

Also centred on digital nomad: How to Become a Digital Nomad · I'll definitely be bringing this travelling @WHOOP #ad · Everything's Changing - Life Update

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