Devs: How Does Your Personal Laptop Compare to Your Work Laptop?

How does your personal machine compare to your work laptop? If you were going to get a new personal computer/laptop today, what would you go with? Just curious as I consider replacing my aging 2016 MacBook Pro as my personal laptop (especially since costs might go up soon for electronics, due to tariffs). For work, I’ve got a 2019 MacBook Pro. More details below: Personal machine: 2016 MacBook Pro 13-inch 2 Thunderbolt ports 2 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 processor 16 GB memory 250 GB storage Work machine: 2019 MacBook Pro 16-inch 4 Thunderbolt ports 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7 processor 32 GB memory 500 GB storage Essentially, I’m thinking of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Not quite sure which specs to go with. I don’t need crazy capabilities at this time for personal hacking/development, but I’d like to be able to build and run stuff locally using stuff like LangGraph to build AI tools. ...

April 9, 2025 · 1 min · joshuapsteele

Anyone Can Use AI Tools: Here's How

Are you drowning in tasks, yearning for more hours in a day, or simply itching to supercharge your creativity? What if I told you that a digital sidekick exists—one that’s awake 24/7, tailored to boost your efficiency and spark ingenuity? No, this isn’t science fiction; it’s the transformative power of AI tools at your fingertips. Think AI is only for tech gurus and coding aficionados? Think again. AI is breaking down the ivory tower, becoming an invaluable asset for everyone from marketers and writers to busy parents. If you’re intrigued by the idea of harnessing AI to make your life more productive, more balanced, and yes, even more fun, then you’re in for a treat. ...

August 24, 2023 · 6 min · joshuapsteele

Avoiding Online Scams: A Simple Guide for Non-Tech-Savvy Internet Users

Introduction Online scams can touch anyone’s life. They don’t discriminate based on how tech-savvy you are or how often you use the internet. We’ve all heard stories—maybe from a friend, a family member, or even in the news—of someone getting tricked online, often with distressing consequences. It serves as a stark reminder of the darker side of our digital world. This is why it’s crucial for every one of us to understand online scams—how they operate, how to identify them, and most importantly, how to avoid becoming a victim. ...

July 25, 2023 · 7 min · joshuapsteele