As we head into 2023, it’s a good time to begin thinking about tech resolutions for the year ahead. These resolutions can help us stay organized, safe, and on the cutting edge of technology. Here are some 2023 tech resolutions I’m looking at for the coming year.
Create weekly Time Machine backups and swap drives
One of the most important tech resolutions you can make is to back up your data regularly. Time Machine is a great tool for this because it allows you to easily create backups of your Mac’s data. However, remember to rotate your Time Machine drives as they can fail or become corrupted over time. By rotating your drives, you can ensure that you always have a reliable backup in case of an emergency. I struggled with this in 2022 as I had 90% of my stuff stored (including my hard drive) but I’m going to make it a great habit in 2023. If you need a new Time Machine hard drive (or a second one), here’s a great USB-C option.
Keep thinking about offsite/cloud backups
Besides regular backups of your data, it’s also a good idea to have an offsite backup in case of a natural disaster, fire, water leak, theft, etc. There are a number of cloud storage providers that offer backup services, or you can use a physical storage device like an external hard drive and keep it in a safe place away from your home or office. I’m currently using Backblaze on both my Mac and Plex Server running Windows 11, and I can’t say enough good things about the price or performance. As a reminder, services like iCloud or Google Drive are not backups. They are sync tools – a true backup is a one-way backup.
Keep experimenting with self-hosting
Self-hosting refers to the practice of hosting your own content rather than using a third party. Tools like Umbrel make it easy to set up and manage a self-hosted server, and exploring this option can be a worthwhile technical solution for the year ahead. I currently run my own bitcoin node and host a TOR relay.
I’m also investing a lot of time in the new Nostr protocol and it’s becoming an important part of my tech life. I assume that this will remain the case in 2023. I’ve been concerned for some time about platform dependency for much of our computing, and I’m grateful that we saw a massive movement and focus on protocols in late 2022. The web was built on protocols like IMAP, SMTP, HTTP, etc. and I want Nostr to become a key protocol for the next decade. Jack Dorsey recently donated 14 Bitcoin to the core developers of Nostr.
Nostr is a decentralized protocol that aims to create a censorship-resistant global data sharing network with a focus on improving social media. It does not rely on a single central server but allows all users to run their own relay. This relay allows users to publish content by writing a post, signing it with their private key, and sending it to other servers for relay. These relays are responsible for forwarding mail to other relay participants. Users can choose to entrust their data to one or more relays. In the event that a user’s information is removed or their broadcasts are blocked by conspiring relays, the user has the option to run their own relay. Users censored by specific relays can even build their own network of relays and share data with each other to create a strong network for the distribution of their content. On this website you will find a collection of projects built on top of Nostr.
Make sure iCloud photos are exported monthly from Photos.app and to regular file formats
If you use iCloud Photos to store and sync your photos and videos, it’s important to remember to regularly export them to regular file formats from the Photos app. This way you can ensure that you have a copy of your photos and videos in an easily accessible and portable format. Exporting your photos monthly is a great way to stay organized and ensure you always have a backup of your memories. I currently use PhotosTakeOut to export my photos to my Plex server which are then backed up by Backblaze. By doing this regularly, I limit my commitment to Apple if I ever wanted to move away from its services.
Investigate passwords that need to be changed
Another important technical solution is to regularly review and update your passwords. This can help protect your accounts and data from unauthorized access. Start by figuring out what passwords you use most often and consider using a password manager to help you create strong, unique passwords for each account. Since I currently use 1Password to manage my passwords, I will be using the WatchTower feature to help me find passwords that should be changed.
Make sure I use multi-factor authentication wherever it’s supported
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security feature that requires you to provide an additional form of authentication before you can access an account or service. This includes things like a one-time code sent to your phone or a biometric scan. MFA can provide an extra layer of protection for your accounts, so it’s a good idea to enable it wherever available. You can use tools like 1Password, Google Authenticator or Authy to generate the codes.
Delete apps and services that you no longer use
As we accumulate more and more apps and services, it’s easy for our devices to become cluttered and disorganized, and our personal information lands overall. A tech resolution for the coming year might be to review the apps and services you use and consider deleting those you no longer need or use. Many apps allow you to delete your accounts from within the apps, but if not, visit the website to find out.
Sort and organize notes from Apple Notes
If you use Apple Notes to store notes, ideas, and other information, you should regularly review and organize your notes. This can help you stay organized and ensure you can quickly access the information you need. Also, consider creating folders or tags to categorize your notes. I know I have a lot of random notes from our house building project, so I want to organize them well. One point I will make particularly noteworthy is documenting all of our paint colors in a single Apple Note.
Experiment with new HomeKit automations and scenes
When we moved into our new house, I completely erased all of my existing HomeKit scenes and automations when I created a new HomeKit environment. This year I want to get into new routines with scenes and home automations in HomeKit. Automations allow you to schedule specific actions to take place based on specific triggers. For example, you could set an automation to turn off all the lights in your home when you lock the front door. Scenes allow you to control multiple devices with a single command. For example, you could create a “Good Morning” scene that turns on the lights, starts the coffee maker, and sets the thermostat to your preferred temperature all at once. I plan to look at some HomeKit powered blinds for our living room and create some “movie” scenes. I also recently got myself a Roborock S7MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum and am looking forward to tinkering with HOOBs to add to HomeKit.
Wrap up
As we welcome in the new year, many of us make resolutions and set goals for the year ahead. If you’re a tech enthusiast, why not consider adding some tech-centric solutions to your list? What technical resolutions are you planning for 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
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