Rob O'Connor

Academic/Geek/Musician/DJ/Eejit

Tips on Buying a Laptop for College

Every year around this time, I’m asked for advice on buying a laptop for a student heading off to college. This could come from the young person themselves, a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or a friend seeking to help. My answer is always, “It depends” followed by a lengthy discussion. Here, I’ll try to distil those discussions into a readable article. I’ll also aim to keep jargon and acronyms to a minimum!


While individual universities or the Department of Education may say laptops are optional for students, at this stage, a reliable machine is an essential piece of equipment for most students. Beyond being a work device, it might also serve as an entertainment centre (TV, game console, etc.). You might be shaking your head in disbelief, but this is the world we live in. “Whatever happened to pen and paper??” – they’re still around and used more than ever, but computers can also be formidable learning devices. However, owning a powerful laptop doesn’t make someone a brilliant student, just as owning a Fender Stratocaster doesn’t make someone a brilliant guitarist – they still have to learn how to play.


“Hey, shut up and just tell me what laptop to get” you might mentally cry. If you want that, scroll to the recommendations at the end or visit one of the articles elsewhere on the web. Also, I’m not going to spend time explaining the functions of each individual component in a computer. If you want something like that, there are excellent articles already written. I won’t get into the Mac vs. PC debate either. Suffice it to say, they can both be excellent, and most software packages are available for both platforms. “What about Linux?” – if you’re the kind of person considering a Linux laptop, then you don’t need to read any further. The point of this piece is to help non-techies make a more informed purchase.


Try to imagine that buying a computer is kind of like buying a car (I don’t know much about cars). Some people just need small runaround to get them from A to B. Others need a van that can store loads of store and can take a bit of beating. A few need truck that can haul a heavy load and there’s plenty out there who don’t really care as long as it looks nice and is reliable. There’s even a racers out there who like to modify their cars. Different drivers. Different needs. Poor analogy? Maybe …


So, what laptop should a student buy? The answer depends on several factors, but I’ll boil it down to two: requirements and budget. I’ll briefly describe some things NOT to do, and finally, I’ll recommend some specific machines.


Requirements – What Do You Need the Machine to Do?

A person learning computer programming is likely to have different IT needs than an individual studying agricultural science. In the same way, someone taking English and Philosophy in an Arts program is likely to have requirements that differ from someone studying Graphic Design or Engineering. First and foremost, you need to figure out what those requirements are. For example, is there a particular software package they’re likely to use (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD)? If so, you’ll want to make sure any machine you buy will definitely run that software. Check the specifications of the machine to ensure the processor, memory, etc., meets the recommended requirements. Most software packages publish these minimum and recommended requirements online – your favourite search engine will yield results here. For example, the system requirements for Adobe Photoshop can be found here – on a Windows machine, a multicore 64 bit processor with 16GB RAM is recommended and a Graphics Card that supports DirectX 12. That might read like a load of gobbledegook, but you’ll be able to match it up to the advertised specs of any laptop you’re considering. The main thing you want to do is ensure you don’t buy a seriously underpowered machine that won’t do what’s needed.


Some “requirements” that are often forgotten (but are very important) include form factor, portability, battery life, and aesthetics. These are often less quantifiable than straight specs like the amount of RAM in a machine. How do you measure how “nice” a machine looks? However, do not underestimate the importance of things like portability. There’s a world of difference difference between lugging around a bulky laptop that weighs 2.5kg and a svelte ultrabook that’s only 1.2kg. You might not even consider how much a machine weighs when looking at potential purchases, but your back and shoulder muscles will definitely feel the difference! You might also want to check the build materials. Some machines are constructed from hard plastics. These can be cheaper than aluminum shells, but they’re also less likely to survive a fall or spill. Is the student someone who’s “hard” on gear? If so, you may be better off buying a more rugged laptop. Otherwise, they could end up breaking the first one and then having to buy a second.


Figure out what your requirements are and rank them in terms of importance. You may need to make some compromises.

Budget – You Get What You Pay For

This brings us to the second major factor when buying a laptop – price. I could recommend a swanky Surface Pro or a sleek MacBook, but that recommendation is useless if you can’t afford it. I think of laptop purchases like a seesaw, with “features” on one side and “cost” on the other. The more features, the higher the cost. You’ve got to figure out the right balance. The best laptop for you is the one that meets as many of your requirements as possible while staying within your budget. Small, light and powerful machines tend to be more expensive than larger, heavier ones. It might be better to go for a lighter machine with a less powerful processor than a bigger machine with a powerful CPU that’s impractical to carry around. If you’re only going to be running basic Office-type software, the latest and greatest CPU won’t be necessary anyway. Nor will you need a ridiculous amount of RAM. However, if the student is starting a media course and will be editing lots of photos/audio/video, then a cheap €500 laptop would be useless. There are lots of other factors to consider. Is that 17” screen really neccessary? Sure, the big viewing space is nice, but large high-definition screens increase the cost. Would a or 15” not be fine? Find the sweet spot that works for you.


A word for gamers: Gaming laptops are expensive, big, and heavy (some can be VERY heavy). Every year, I see students breaking their backs lugging these bulky machines around college – yet they’re mostly using those laptops to run text-editing software and web browsers. They don’t have time to play games in college. If you’re someone who’s really into gaming, it’s likely you already have a pretty sweet desktop PC at home. Why bother spending huge money on a gaming laptop? If gaming-on-the-go is that important to you, buy a Steam Deck.


Know your budget before you begin. All colleges and universities in Ireland have computers in labs that students can use. If your budget is falling short of getting a machine that matches your requirements, you might be better off buying nothing at all. Use the computers in the college for a few months while you save up more money to buy the right machine.


Things Not to Do

Don’t Spend Less Than €600

Cheap low-end machines are a waste of time. To be honest, I’d be reluctant to spend less than €700 on a laptop at this stage, but you might find a good deal on sale in the €600-700 range. By all means, you can find machines that cost less but you’re just creating a load of hassle for yourself. If you don’t have €700 to spend, you’d be better off saving up until you do. I’ll probably repeat this shortly.


Don’t Be a Slave to Specs

The numbers are important (e.g., processor speed, memory size), but they’re not the only things when it comes to computers. Also, specs often need context. For example, over the past few years, I’ve had PC junkies deride the base-model MacBook Air because it “only” has 8GB of RAM while they boast about having 32GB of RAM in their Windows machines. However, they’re not comparing like-for-like and don’t really understand how memory is used in a computer. The vanilla MacBook Air is a fantastic computer and is a great option for a huge number of university students (so are loads of Windows laptops, by the way). If you’re considering a particular machine, look up reviews of it online. You might be impressed that something has 32GB of RAM and seems like a bargain – but you might be unimpressed when reviews tell you the processor is slow and drags everything else down. Specs are just measurements – it’s about getting the best set of components that work well together.


Don’t Be Dazzled by Hype

Yes, the MacBooks are lovely, and nobody does marketing like Apple. But does that mean you need one? At the time of writing, the cheapest MacBook Air is selling for €1,249 on Apple Ireland’s Education store. That’s still expensive! If you’re only going to be using Office software, then a €700 Windows machine might be a better option. Equally, I see a lot of ads now about “Next-gen AI” laptops. To me, this seems like pure hype and marketing fluff. This article is already long enough without me getting into Artificial Intelligence. Suffice it to say there’s an important set of technologies there, but also a huge amount of smoke and mirrors.


Cheap Machines Are Paperweights

(Here comes to repeat!) Every year, I see 1st-year students with laptops that were bought on sale in the middle aisle of a large supermarket. These can seem cheap (under €500) and are often bought by a well-meaning parent (or grandparent). The problem is they’re nearly always useless, certainly for any process-intensive activity (like building software or editing RAW photographs). The build materials are usually nasty too and they break easily. Steer clear of these. They’ll end up as paperweights, and you’ll have to save up for something better.


Don’t Fall For Student Software Deals

I’m not trying to bash the IT industry, and salespeople are only doing their job when they try to upsell software bundles to go along with your new laptop, but students don’t need them. That antivirus subscription? There are plenty of free alternatives. The Student Microsoft Office 365 deal – chances are the university provides it to students as part of their registration anyway! Besides, student offers on software are available all the time and can be found online. You don’t need to make a pressured purchase in the shop (whether a brick-and-mortar building or an online store).


Chromebooks Are Useless

Don’t – just don’t. I know there are whole schools in the United States that give out Chromebooks to all students. I’d still recommend avoiding them. I’ve yet to see a student with a Chromebook who wasn’t trying to bin it. Just say no.

Stay Away from Windows S-Mode

Windows 11 is an excellent operating system, but for some reason Microsoft decided to release a hobbled version that often comes on laptops in Back-to-School deals. Windows S-mode can only install applications directly from the Microsoft store, meaning a massive amount of open-source or free tools can’t be used. Also, from a techie perspective S-mode makes a large number of settings unavailable. It’s incredibly annoying. If you’re getting a Windows machine, go for the full-fat version and avoid the pain-in-the-hole S-mode.


Don’t Rush In

This is the bit that will get me barred from electronics superstores. Maybe the student don’t need a laptop at all? For example, does someone taking a course who’ll only use Word for writing essays and Powerpoint for some presentations really need their own laptop? There’s plenty of usable machines in computer labs in every university in Ireland. Or maybe the student in your life doesn’t need a laptop …. yet. Why not let them find their feet for a month or two and figure out exactly what you need (gathering those requirements). They can talk with their lecturers about what their requirements might be and the kind of software they’re likely to run. This is certainly the case if a student is in one of my classes. I love spending time in the lab exploring this stuff. In the meantime, you might have saved some extra money to increase the budget, and you can make a more informed choice down the road.


Specific Recommendations

Finally, here are a few laptop recommendations. I’ve based this list on current prices in Ireland and picked a few laptops that seem to be worth considering. I’m trying to list different machines that match different requirements and budgets. It’s my intention to periodically update this list (last updated 30th August 2024):


MacBook Air M2 13”

Good for: pretty much anyone with the money to spend. Can quietly handle most tasks

The Macbook Air is a fantastic computer. It’s powerful, light, quiet, has sturdy build quality and spectacular battery life. The base model currently comes with an M2 chip and 8GB of RAM and costs €1129 on the Apple’s Irish Education Store (you might find it cheaper elsewhere). It can be bought more cheaply in the US, just watch out for taxes. If you have the budget, the M3 models are better, but the M2 is probably fine for 80% of students. I bought my wife an M1 Macbook Air two and a half years ago and it’s still going strong. She’s a Humanities lecturer so mostly uses Office tools and some video editing software. We got 6 years out of her last one – this is a brilliant machine.

Surface Pro 11

Good for: pretty much anyone with the money to spend, but hates Apple.
Microsoft has quietly become a premium laptop powerhouse. Many of my colleagues use Surface machines and they’ve all had good experiences. The Surface Pro 11 is a hybrid device, serving as both a laptop and touch screen tablet. You can also get a pen if you’re keen on pseudo-handwriting. The lowest spec one with a 10-core Snapdragon X Plus chip starts at €1229, so it’s not cheap. Personally, I’d think the Macbook Air is a better device but there are people out there who dislike Mac OS. If that’s the case and you have the budget, the Surface Pro 11 is worth a look.

ASUS Vivobook 16

Good for: student who needs a reliable machine on a budget
ASUS make some good machines. The Vivobook 16 gets lots of good reviews so I’m willing to go with that. A couple of years ago, I bought an earlier Vivobook model for my niece going off to the college and it’s worked out fine. You can expect to spend around €700 on one of these (depending on the spec). You might pick one up on sale is you look around too.

LENOVO Yoga Slim 6 14″

Good for: student who needs a reliable machine on a budget. Has slightly more to spend than the ASUS
Lenovo have a good rep for well-built machines. They can take a knock or two, but aren’t too bulky and easy to carry around. You’d be looking at around €800(ish) for one of these – but you might find a model on sale somewhere.

A Computer Is Just a Tool

Buying a laptop can be a daunting task – for many people it might be their first “big” purchase. A computer is incredibly useful when someone is getting into serious academic pursuits. I couldn’t imagine working without one – but then again, I’m a computer science lecturer! However, it’s important to remember, it won’t do the work for you. A computer is just a tool. A student still needs to turn up for class, engage with their material, read around the subject and use their brain to think. A good laptop might make it a bit easier to get those thoughts from their head into the outside world – that’s really the best you can hope for.

Epilogue: For what it’s worth, I use a Macbook Pro 14” M3, which was bought by my employer in April of 2024. It’s a compact beast of a machine – I use it daily for audio recording/editing, coding and lately I’ve been running local large language models for some AI research. If you have the money, these are absolutely savage – however, you’re looking at around €2500. I don’t know many students with that kind of cash to spend!

Level 1 EP

Following on from the single ‘Conspiracy’, I’ve released a three track EP ‘Level 1’ on digital services today. It contains a longer version of ‘Conspiracy’, sandwiched between the synth drenched ‘How Long Should I Wait’ and ‘Quiz Team.’

My plan is to follow this up with two more three-track EPs. If things go well, I might throw another track in and badge it up as a physical album.

As you’ll see from the artwork, there’s very much a video game aesthetic going on, but it’s not a chiptune-fest. I’ve really enjoyed playing with some synth sounds and I love building up uncomplicated layers of music. After spending years railing against the 80s and being a snob, I recognise that bands like Erasure, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, The Cure and <INSERT YOUR FAVOURITE HERE> have really had a huge influence on me. You can play an Erasure track on an acoustic guitar because they work as songs – eg. A Little Respect. But it sounds great with all the production elements thrown in! That was my goal with this project. Songs that can stand on their own, but hopefully have production elements that elevate them. Whether I’ve achieved that is for others to decide.

Anyway, if you’d like to listed you find Level 1 on all the streaming services. Here’s a few direct links.

New Music – Conspiracy

Hey, I have a new song out! It’s all about conspiracy theories and is sung from the perspective of a populist spouting slogans in place of solutions.

As a song, this has been going around my head for a few years (you can probably guess why). I’ve been itching to create some new music for a while and this is first in a series of releases I have planned. It’ll be followed shortly by a 3-track EP ‘Level 1’.

I’ll write some more about this in a while. If you fancy a listen, you can check it out on SoundCloud above or you’ll find ‘Conspiracy’ on all the streaming services – Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.

This version is a single edit. There’s a slightly longer cut on the EP, with extra nonsense thrown in.

Lyrics – Conspiracy

There’s a conspiracy, it’s deep, it’s dark and it’s true,
There’s a conspiracy, only I may reveal it to you

It’s shrouded in secrecy, they’re playing you for a fool
And President Kennedy is, conducting the orchestra from the moon

There’s a conspiracy
Oh, there’s a conspiracy

There’s a conspiracy, but we’re taking back control,
From unwelcome tyranny, we shall prevail ourselves alone,

They aim for supremacy, whispered through thirty shades of truth
They’re coming for our memory, and next they’re coming for you

Something must be blamed
Something must be blamed
There’s a conspiracy

International Women’s Day 2024 Podcasts

As we approach the 8th March, I wanted to highlight some recent podcasts we’ve produced at SETU that chime in with the spirit of International Women’s Day. The subject matter varies across the podcast, but they all feature inspiring women or discussions on gender and equality issues.

9plus – Roses From The Heart w/ Christina Henri & Kieran Cronin

This is a discussion about an art project – Roses From The Heart – that commemorates women and young girls who were forcibly transported to Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries. Dr. Christina Henri is the founder and lead artist of the project, having been inspired by her research at the Cascades Female Factory Site in Tasmania. It is estimated that that over 25000 women were sent to Australia, often for the most spurious of reasons. Many of them from Ireland, many of the from Waterford. The project tells individual stories, changing those women from historical statistics into real people. I am not a very emotional person, but as Christina described how girls as young as 11 were often “sent” from Ireland to the likes of Tasmania to act as servants and wives for the settlers, I found myself having a reaction as I pictured my own 11-year daughter Wendy in that situation. Roses From The Heart is a powerful project and worth learning about. I hope this podcast helps us see the bigger picture. Podfollow Link

The Machine – Nuria Oliver – Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Addressing Imbalances

Dr. Nuria Oliver is a Spanish computer scientist specialising in computational models of human behavior, human computer-interaction, intelligent user interfaces, mobile computing and big data for social good. The podcast touches on her work to date, such as using big data systems to help unbanked people access credit in developing nations or combating bias in AI systems. There’s a very good section that addresses the gender imbalances in technology and engineering disciplines. Nuria is the first female computer scientist in Spain to be named an ACM Distinguished Scientist and an ACM Fellow. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) in New York and I’m delighted to say is a featured item on their website. Podfollow Link

The Nerve – How to talk about race with Dr Ebun Joseph

Dr. Ebun Joseph is a lecturer on social policy, equality, migration and race at UCD and she joined us at SETU for two seminars (one with students and another with staff) on understanding racial diversity and talking about race in the classroom. In this episode of The Nerve podcast, Dr. Jenny O’Connor chatted to Ebun about her educational journey, setting up the Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies, and how Irish universities can improve their efforts at inclusion. Also in studio was the organiser of the event, Dr Christa de Brún, who discussed the importance of Ebun’s visit, and second year Arts student, Chika Dike, who spoke about what she learned from attending the event. Podfollow Link

If that’s not enough, I’d also direct you to the new Irish Sports and Exercise Science podcast, hosted by SETU’s Bruce Wardrop. While this isn’t strictly a University production, it does feature a lot of female SETU faculty members discussing issues around sports and exercise science. I’d highlight one particular episode about how an older lady took part in the ExWell (Exercise for Wellness) project to maximise her mobility after suffering a stroke. The lady is my mother! Direct Link

The Alien Overlords

Throughout 2023, I somehow became involved with a bunch of green-skinned extra-terrestrial musicians*. ‘The Alien Overlords’ claim to be one of the most successful musical acts in the galaxy and they approached me on “how to break into the lucrative music market on Earth” (their words). Despite my surprise at being spoken to by visitors from another world, I calmly explained there wasn’t much money in music on this planet. But they persisted … I have no idea why aliens would want human money – your guess is as good as mine. They threatened to melt my brain if I didn’t help. I’m quite fond of my brain, so did as I was told.

Zargon threatened to melt my brain

The aliens performed a couple of shows over the year, starting off with their leader Zargon featuring in the Dublin St, Patrick’s Day parade in March. After that, they disappeared for a while (probably conducting anal probes or something) but returned for the Spraoi festival in Waterford over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands

The Overlords played a few shows on the streets and Zargon once again joined in the parade as it meandered through Waterford. After some more threats from the aliens, I helped get their song ‘Zorbareeno’ onto Earth’s music streaming platforms. They insist it’s been a huge hit across several star systems, but I don’t believe them. Truth be told, the song seems rather silly. The lyrics just sound like alien gibberish to me. Zargon says my puny human mind is too primitive to understand the fractal beauty of alien poetry, but I think he’s just bullshitting me. However, I don’t want him to melt my brain so I’m not getting in a big argument with him (or her, I don’t understand the gender identities of these aliens)

Zorbareeno – The Alien Overlords

After the summer, the Alien Overlords flew off in their spaceship again – the stars their destination. One of them (the “brass” alien) took a load of cats with him as he says they’re a delicacy on his planet. Aliens – what can you do?!

Should the Alien Overlords return, I hope they bother someone else and leave me alone. However, Zargon left a strange looking device with me and said he would get in contact if the need arises.

If you’re feeling somewhat masochistic, you can listen to ‘Zorbareeno’ on Spotify, Apple Music or any of the other music platforms.

* this entire piece may be a pack of lies

In Praise of Free Spaces

I began writing this piece at Schiphol airport in The Netherlands, having spent a week in the city of Groningen and its surroundings. I’ve only visited the country once before (summer 2019) and after two trips I’ve arrived at the conclusion that there’s something the Dutch do very well – free public spaces. This is on top of sustainable transport, an integrated canal network and a mastery of languages. In The Netherlands, it seems they’re quite content for you to loiter, with no intent.

During this week-long trip with the family, there were plenty of beautiful places where we rocked up and felt no pressure to buy anything. Just enjoy the physical space at our leisure. On one cycling trip, we arrived at a campsite, with a picnic in our backpacks. The people running the campsite seemed very happy to direct us to a picnic area, overlooking the lake. There was no issue using the toilets in the bar, even though we didn’t purchase a thing.

The city centre of Groningen is full of free public spaces. The main town square (Grote Markt) is a large civic amenity that seemed to be used by a variety of groups (including students) during our visit. However, it’s The Forum cultural centre that really stands out! The Forum in Groningen is an amazing and unusual building in itself – lots of angles and lines. I know almost nothing about architecture, but it’s pretty cool to look at and I’m sure architecture-enthusiasts could tell me why.

Spread over ten floors, it houses a library, museum, cinema and exhibition space, as well as cafés, restaurant and a few shops. I first visited it one day that my wife and elder daughters were wandering round the boutiques of Groningen. Browsing around clothes stores is one of my least favourite activities. Our youngest also hates this, with the honest passion only an 8 year old can articulate. To let the girls off, Stella (8) and I walked over to the Forum and hung around for TWO hours without spending a penny. She tried out their stop-motion animation station, while I plonked myself on one of their many comfortable seats and read my book.

Stella at The Forum. Shot with Dutch angle

Two days later, something similar happened, but I had two children with me. This time, we rode the escalator to the fifth (or sixth?) floor. The girls sat at another animation station and watched some classic shorts, while again I appreciated reading my book. There are things to buy and exhibitions you can purchase a ticket for in the Forum – but there’s plenty that carry no charge. After a while, I bought a coffee (a very nice one for €3) though I felt no pressure to do so. I just fancied a coffee. What an amazing amenity to enjoy without having to spend money. To cap it all off (literally), the top floor of the Forum contains a rooftop terrace where anyone can experience a spectacular view of the whole city. For free.

In case you’re thinking that this chap is a miser – I’m quite happy to spend money! We visited The Forum again as a whole family and paid for the “Disney – Telling Timeless Stories” and “Storyworld: comics, animation and games” exhibitions. I’m lucky enough that we can afford luxuries like this. However, I’m mindful that’s not the situation for all people and everyone should be able to appreciate nice spaces, regardless of how much someone earns.

Two-Face model from Batman The Animated Series (on display at The Forum)

There were plenty of other “free” Dutch spaces, but The Forum is the best example we encountered on this trip. Of course, we have places like this in Ireland. Many of the national museums are free to visit, but it’s the public libraries that really come to mind. Libraries in the 2020s are vastly different places from the ones I remember from 1980s Ireland. They’re welcoming, inclusive spaces, filled with a wide selection of reading materials: books, newspapers, graphics novels, magazines, audiobooks and more. The excellent library service in Waterford also has other facilities, such as a podcast studio, 3D printer and of course, a study area. In my experience, the libraries are one of the few places in city centres that have toilet facilities. I found this to be particularly valuable when my children were small. Libraries in Ireland are also free! They also have electronic services such as eBooks and audiobook downloads via the BorrowBox app. If you’re not a member, you’re missing out.

Hanging around shouldn’t always be a commercial activity. It turns basic existence into a transactional prospect. I’m not suggesting that every pub, café, etc should open their facilities for all-and-sundry to use without buying anything. They’re private businesses and I understand that they have to make money. I’m writing about “public” spaces that are open for everyone. These are often funded via the central government. I am 100% in favour of this. Spend collective money on places that all can enjoy. Everyone’s a winner.

I’m finishing up this piece while tapping on my iPad in John Robert’s Square, in the heart of City Centre Waterford. I’m surrounded by shoppers, delivery drivers, street vendors, buskers, beggars and there’s even a few god-botherers. Mostly, it’s people walking from one place to another. As I sit on a black marble bench, I have a clear view of a handsome old tree, with cartoon eyes placed within its branches. It’s almost as if it’s looking back at me. There’s a coffee kiosk about 100m away. I might buy a cup and sit another while; but I don’t have to – that’s the beauty.

Using an iPad for Work Travel: Replacing My Laptop For Ten Days 

Questions like “can an iPad replace my laptop?” are often asked. iPads are pretty powerful machines and the availability of a huge selection of apps makes them an attractive option. While some believe it’s definitely possible, others think tablets aren’t quite there yet.

My everyday machine is a 2019 MacBook Pro. It’s a proper workhorse for my daily tasks – audio recording/editing, coding, preparing presentations, documents, spreadsheets, etc, as well as the usual work communications stuff. Recently, an iPad Air (5th Generation M1 chip – review) became part of my technological arsenal. In May, I had a work trip coming up which would involve three flights and numerous bus and train journeys. Travelling as light as possible was a priority. While abroad, it would be mostly Office and communications applications I’d use – did I need to bring the MacBook? Perhaps the iPad could replace the laptop for a limited time? 

My trip involved travelling from Ireland to Toronto, attending and presenting at an academic conference. After that, I’d be heading south to cross the Canadian/US border at Niagara Falls to join an Erasmus+ meeting in New York State. I’d have a weekend to myself in New York City afterwards, before flying home early the following week. I was pretty certain I could do all this on the iPad, so why not put it to the test?

Crossing at Niagara Falls. I swear Superman just flew by …

The most striking thing about the iPad (with the Magic keyboard) is just how light it weighs and how little space it takes up. I’ve read some criticisms of the device with respect to portability, but those just don’t resonate with me. The Magic Keyboard itself is very comfortable for typing and greatly increases the usability of the machine. I didn’t really use the trackpad much, but I could imagine plenty of situations where it’d be handy (e.g. Photoshop). The USB-C interface was brilliant, and in my opinion, Apple should retire the Lightning port across its entire device lineup. Via a dongle, I was easily able to connect a bog-standard USB memory stick for copying files. I didn’t use it to connect to an external HDMI monitor, but it’s not difficulty to see how that would extremely useful.

The iPad fit neatly onto the tray of the Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Toronto. It was effortless to carry around in my backpack once I landed and very easy to whip out for a bit of work at any desk or table at a café. It didn’t look out of place on a bar top either! The battery life was excellent and simple to charge via mains electricity, USB ports or a battery pack.

A neat little machine

In terms of applications, I was mainly using: 

  • Outlook for emails 
  • the various applications in the Microsoft Office365 suite 
  • Keynote for my presentation at the conference
  • Slack/Teams for communications
  • WordPress for some minor website editing 

Since all my files are saved on either OneDrive or Dropbox, I didn’t face any storage issues. For browsing, Safari is my go-to app, and the likes of YouTube, Disney+, etc were handy for a bit of entertainment. On the flight over, I started playing the addictive strategy game Into The Breach. I know the game is years old, but I never had time to play it before. Into The Breach has become my new just-one-more-turn obsession and I’ll be damned if I don’t condemn The Vek to oblivion!

At the conference, the iPad was perfect for taking notes, editing my presentation and keeping in touch with colleagues in SETU. Once I travelled to New York, it handled the Erasmus+ meeting easily (again taking notes, writing documents, etc). One morning in New York, I had to attend an online exam meeting from SETU. The session was at 6.30am New York time. This was too early for the office I could access, but I found a beautiful spot on the grounds of Columbia University, connected to the global Eduroam network and easily joined the Teams session. The split-screen feature on iPadOS was perfect for this situation, with Teams on one half of the screen and the ability to mark up PDFs with the Apple Pencil on the other. My backdrop was the Columbia library – famous among nerds like me as the location from the start of Ghostbusters.

I ain’t afraid of no ghost …

Nearly 20 years ago, I travelled quite extensively around continental Europe as I worked on EU-funded research projects. Back then, a ridiculously large Dell laptop was my everyday machine. It was quite powerful in terms of processing – but absolutely USELESS in terms of portability. It was too large for an airplane seat tray, barely fit in my backpack and weighed a tonne (^ not an actual tonne). To say that devices have become more portable in the intervening period would be an understatement! Back then, WiFi connectivity was still a novelty and battery life was rubbish. There’s a Grand Canyon of a difference between using an iPad Air in 2023 and that Dell machine in the mid noughties. (not ragging on Dell – their newer machines are obviously much more portable, but that’s my point of reference.)

Circling back around to find out if the initial question – could the iPad permanently replace my laptop? Well, not entirely – for audio recording/editing*, I can’t see my workflows transferring easily to the iPad. Applications like Xcode, VSCode and Android Studio aren’t available for the iPad. However, when it comes to “light” work, the iPad was an absolute joy. Unless specific software is necessary, I can’t imagine myself ever travelling with a laptop again. I hate to be overly gushing about a piece of technology, but Apple have really hit a sweet spot with this machine. If you have the budget and the need, the iPad Air (5th Gen) with the Magic Keyboard is a smashing bit of kit.

Now, I’ll just have another quick round of Into The Breach …

* Apple have recently announced an iPadOS version of Logic X and the initial reviews are quite positive, so what do I know?! I haven’t tried it yet.

Creating a Deaf-accessible Podcast

This week I’ll be travelling to Toronto to attend and present at the ICA 2023 Preconference 20 Years of Podcasting: Mapping the Contours of Podcast Studies. I’m very much looking forward to this as it’s the first in-person conference I’ll have been at in years.

At the conference, I’ll be talking about a special episode of 9plus, which we attempted to make as accessible as possible for a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) audience. This came from a conversation with SETU researcher Una Kealy and Kate McCarthy, who really initiated the push towards accessibility.

The subject of this podcast episode was their project Lyrical Bodies, which is all to do with Waterford playwright and author Teresa Deevy. Important point – Deevy was deaf. The project includes a collaboration with the Dublin Theatre of the Deaf and Una and Kate wanted to ensure any materials produced as part of the project would be accessible to their stakeholders. The podcast involved a conversation between me, Una, Kate and another project partner Jenny O’Connor [full disclosure – Jenny and I are married]

I would love to say that this arose from some sort of altruistic intention on my part to adhere to UDL guidelines with the podcast, but the attempt came from a suggestion by Una and Kate. I’ll be 100% honest – DHH accessibility was not something I had considered before this, much to my own shame. I researched the subject as best I could and fudged together an attempt at making the podcast more inclusive.

At the conference next week, I’ll be talking about what we did and how we did it. I will refer to a number of artefacts that are linked here:

The regular audio version of the podcast is available on all the usual podcast platforms. Here’s a podfollow link to the specific episode.

A text transcription of the conversation is available here

Finally, there are two video versions of the podcast (both hosted on YouTube). The first contains a video with captions:

The second version is a video of the podcast with Irish Sign Language (ISL) translation, provided by Caoimhe Coburn-Grey:

I plan on recording a version of the presentation after the event (being selfish – it’s so I don’t forget what I said!) If you’re interested in some of the background research, I’ll have a full bibliography in the presentation, but I recommend reading these to get going:

Five Podcasts to Help You Learn About Computing & Technology

I learn a lot from listening. There’s nothing profound in that short sentence – it’s a pretty obvious statement actually. Whether through real-life conversations, radio programmes or podcasts, I’ve always found audio to be a fantastic medium through which information can be absorbed. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a new student, a seasoned professional or somewhere in between – everyone can learn something new every day.

Staying on top of technology and computing news can be daunting. Things change constantly and new developments are always on the horizon. The life-cycle of new technologies can be incredibly short – sometimes things can go from being novel and exciting to discontinued incredibly quickly (here’s looking at you Quibi)

With that in mind, here are five recommendations of technology podcasts you can digest in your own time to help you navigate the technology currents and stay afloat. Hopefully you might enjoy these while out for a walk, cleaning up the kitchen, sitting on a bus or wherever you listen to audio. There’s no shortage of tech podcasts available, but these are one I regularly listen to, so can personally vouch for their high quality.

The VergeCast

The flagship tech podcast from the Vox media group (their words!). Hosted by Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn (with a revolving cast of side characters), this weekly podcast takes a wry and irreverent look at computing and gadget news. Episodes typically last 1hr 15mins in duration, though they often go past the 1hr 30 mark. It’s always divided up into chunks though, so if you just want to hear them review the latest phone or tech gadget, you can usually skip the first 30 minutes.

ReplyAll

A beast in the world of technology podcasts. Produced by Gimlet Media, ReplyAll has been going since 2014. They mostly cover internet technologies, but always from a human angle. Hosts Alex Goldman and Emmanuel Dzotsi are total pros and are always easy to listen to. Since they have such a huge archive, the producers have created a handy “New Listeners” guide, highlighting some of the best jumping off points. Episode 79 (Boy in the Photo) is particularly good. There’s an element of mystery to that one, so I’ll say nothing and let you experience it spoiler-free.

Upgrade/Clockwise

OK, this is two podcasts rather than one, but they’re from the same gene pool, both produced by Relay FM. If you want to get a handle on the latest gadgets, apps and services, these are well worth a listen. Clockwise’s format is where the 4 person panel discuss 4 tech topics in 30 minutes. It definitely has a very American feel and they tend to focus on the Apple ecosystem a lot. If you’re busy, this is definitely the one to check out (I usually catch Clockwise each week).

Upgrade is a deeper dive covering similar topics and episodes can last up to 90 minutes. They’re both well produced and easy to listen to, whatever your own level of technical knowledge. 

If I was to make a criticism, it’d be that there’s a lot of faffing about at the start of episodes – the radio producer part of my brain wants them to cut the waffle and get to the good stuff earlier. However, this seems to be a feature of many podcasts and Relay FM aren’t alone here.

The Digital Human

The Digital Human is a BBC Radio 4 production that discusses social aspects of techno-culture. Aleks Krotoski (PhD) and the production team usually take an abstract topic and explore how it is impacted by technology. For example, one memorable episode explored the concept of “getting lost” and how mapping technology has removed the random factors of wandering around a new city, trying to find a place of interest. If you’re following a line on a screen, you’re not looking around you and perhaps missing some unexpected gems. I absolutely ADORE this series as it prompts me to question technology from different perspectives.

One of my all time favourite episodes of The Digital Human was ‘Devotion’ about TempleOS which unexpectedly turned into a mini-thesis on operating systems, religion and the divine elegance of good design: 

“When a homeless man was killed by a train on 11/08/18 in The Dalles, Oregon, no-one realised how many people it would effect. He was Terry Davis, and he was on a mission from God.”

The Digital Human is produced in series batches and broadcast on BBC Radio 4. However, most listeners outside the UK (such as me!) will enjoy it as a podcast on BBC Sounds or their preferred podcast app.

The Machine

Naturally, when recommending tech podcasts, I’d include our own one, geared specifically towards computer science education! The Machine is produced internally in WIT, where a bunch of faculty members (hosted by yours truly) discuss topics related to computing and technology, such as programming, AI, Big Data, etc. The conversations are targeted at tech novices, so we don’t assume a huge amount of prior knowledge before listening. That said, we also seem to have a decent audience amongst technology professionals, so hopefully that means the conversations are both accessible and reasonably deep. 

The Machine is a bit sporadic in its output as everyone contributes to this in their spare time. We aim to release six episodes per semester, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Last year, more episodes than expected were produced, whereas we’re behind this year. Can I still blame the global pandemic??? 😜

The Machine is available on pretty much every podcast platform. It probably the best tech podcast produced at 3rd Level in Ireland (I may be biased in my pronouncement)

Pop In Those Earbuds

All of these are pretty much general purpose computing podcasts. If you need something that’s a bit more focussed or specific to a technology, there’s probably a podcast for that too. For example, when I was first learning Kotlin a few years back, I found JetBrain’s Talking Kotlin podcast very useful, but you’re really getting into niche listening there. 

Obviously, these podcasts are not meant as a substitute for real-life conversations, but we don’t always have fellow geeks around to talk tech in person. Next time you’re alone and seeking some brain food of the technology variety, pop in those earbuds and give one of these podcasts a whirl. If you find any of these worthwhile or have any recommendations yourself, I’d love to hear about it – drop me a line on Twitter @roboconnor_irl

Updates

I haven’t posted in a while as I’ve been busy – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

I have been keep the MixCloud updated each week with every Irish Beats radio show, so if you want to have a listen to some of the latest and greatest in homegrown music, fill yer ears! The shows from the last two weeks are particularly interesting as they spotlight 18 acts from the South East whom I think are worth checking out. There’s a short feature on each on and one of their latest tracks.

Beyond that, I’m conducting some research in podcasting and trying to get another music project finished, whilst also experiencing home renovations. First world problems …

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