Saturday, 28th March, 2026

I’ve paired a random Microsoft Surface Bluetooth keyboard with my phone and have been using it to write. I was thinking about my iPad Air and the Smart Keyboard (mostly as it’s sat in the garage in a state of brokenness) and how I used to enjoy typing on it for DayOne, or here etc. I found this in the garage when I was tidying away some other electronic detritus from the office, and wondered if it would pair and work. Yes was the answer and very easily. I had thought about an old Mac keyboard, as I used to like typing on those. This surface one is quite similar with butterfly switches (I think).

Anyway, this works well and perhaps now I’ll use it as my typing setup. The slight downside is the keyboard is full sized and so is a bit big, but I have it already and it works, so seems unnecessary to buy another.

Speaking of which, I would like to clear up some of the electronic junk - cables, components from various projects never done or got bored of, not owning three thinkpads. It’s just so hard to know what to keep and what not to keep. Plus it’s not exactly taking up masses of space, just a couple of boxes. But still it’s on my mind and bothering me.

I had thought of taking it all to the hackspace and dumping it in a box there. At least I’d know it was somewhere should I suddenly need something. And if someone else finds it and uses it, well good for them and at least the thing hasn’t sat doing nothing forever. My usual approach is to sell stuff but some of these things no-one wants to buy.

It’s like the laptops. I don’t need three thinkpads - a T480, T460s, and a T490. Probably I should just keep the T490 as it’s the newest with the fastest CPU. Maybe I’ll put the big battery in the 480 in the 490 as well, then sell the other two. I sort of kept them in case the kids needed computers. But they don’t and can do with fewer screens anyway. So maybe this step is easy enough - although I should load Windows 11 on them and clean up, take photos etc. to list on ebay (which is a faff).

It’s then the next thought, of should I get rid of them all and then get something “better” like a Framework or a MacBook Neo. I joked with a friend that the recently sold rowing machine sent for £500, and a MacBook Neo is £500. The Neo is nice as it comes in different colours 😅, plus decent screen and everything else. macOS would be nice to integrate more with my phone and apple stuff, and availability of other software. Framework is nice but it’s quite pricey. Out of the two, I’d probably go Neo. But for the amount I use a laptop, I think my thinkpad that I already have is good enough. Install linux and be content. (Never going to be content).

I should look up the shortcuts when using an external keyboard with iOS, I bet there are lots of useful things. I figured out how to switch chats in signal - Ctrl + tab. I thought “cmd” (which is windows key) and tab would switch apps but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Ctrl + Space brings up the option to pick the emoji keyboard, and then I use my finger on the screen. Disappointingly tab doesn’t accept the predictive next words.

It’s the first day of the Easter holidays and we’ve all been cleaning up somewhat. Mowed the lawn, put away rubbish etc. I should clean the cars really. Spring cleaning, I guess. I want to spring clean my digital situation too. But first I should put the towels away…think I started that an hour ago before I got distracted.