Default Apps 2024

Inspired by the Hemispheric Views podcast, here is my annual list of Default Apps for 2024. My list seems pretty boring (to me). It’s changed a good deal over the year, but this is what I’m currently using and what seems to be sticking with me for now.

  • 📨 Mail Client: Hey 1
  • 📮 Mail Server: Hey 1
  • 📝 Notes: Obsidian 2
  • ✅ To-Do: Things 3 iOS
  • 📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: Default camera app.
  • 🟦 Photo Management: Apple Photos
  • 📆 Calendar: Apple Calendar
  • 📁 Cloud File Storage: Apple iCloud
  • 📖 RSS: Readwise Reader
  • 🙍🏻‍♂️ Contacts: Hey 1 and Apple Contacts
  • 🌐 Browser: Edge on Windows. Orion on iOS
  • 💬 Chat: Apple Messages. Signal.
  • 🔖 Bookmarks: Obsidian 3
  • 📑 Read It Later: Readwise Reader
  • 📜 Word Processing: Obsidian
  • 🛒 Shopping Lists: Our Grociers iOS
  • 🍴 Meal Planning: N/A
  • 💰 Budgeting and Personal Finance: YNAB
  • 📰 News: RSS
  • 🎵 Music: Apple Music
  • 🎤 Podcasts: Overcast
  • 🔐 Password Management: 1Password
  • 🔎 Search: Kagi 4
  • 🌍 Blogging Platform: Micro.blog and Pika

  1. I like Hey, but is it worth $99 a year? I’ll reevaluate when its time. ↩︎

  2. I’m working on transitioning all of my notes (worth keeping) from Apple Notes, Upnote, Reflect, Evernote, Drafts, and anywhere else I may have them stored. ↩︎

  3. I’ve been using Obsidian Web Clipper to save bookmarks into Obsidian. It’s lacking on mobile though. ↩︎

  4. I love Kagi, but have been experimenting with Perplexity and even ChatGPT Web search. ↩︎