As we kick off 2023, it’s a good time to start thinking about tech resolutions for the coming year. These resolutions can help us stay organized, secure, and up-to-date with the latest technology. Here are some tech resolutions for 2023 that I am looking at for the upcoming year.
Make weekly Time Machine backups, and rotate the drives
One of the most important tech resolutions you can make is to regularly back up your data. Time Machine is a great tool for this, as it allows you to easily create backups of your Mac’s data. However, it’s important to remember to rotate your Time Machine drives, as they can fail or become damaged 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 belongings in storage (including my drive), but I will make it a great habit in 2023. If you need a new Time Machine drive (or a second one), here’s a great USB-C option.
Continue thinking through offsite/cloud backups
In addition to making 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 store it in a safe location away from your home or office. I currently use Backblaze on both my Mac and my Plex Server running Windows 11, and I can’t say enough good things about the price or performance. Here’s a reminder: Services like iCloud or Google Drive are not backups. They are syncing tools – a true backup is a one-way backup.
Continue experimenting with self-hosting
Self-hosting refers to the practice of hosting your own content rather than using a third-party provider. Tools like Umbrel make it easy to set up and manage a self-hosted server, and exploring this option can be a rewarding tech resolution for the coming year. I am currently running my own bitcoin node and hosting a TOR relay.
I am also investing a lot of time in the new Nostr protocol, and it’s becoming a key part of my tech life. I expect that to continue in 2023. I’ve been concerned about the reliance on platforms for much of our computing for some time, and I am thankful that in late 2022, we saw a massive movement and focus toward protocols. The web was built upon protocols like IMAP, SMTP, HTTP, etc, and I want to see Nostr 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 rather allows all users to run their own relay. Using this relay, users can publish content by writing a post, signing it with their private key, and sending it to other servers for relay. These relaysnare responsible for forwarding the post along to other relay participants. Users can choose to trust one or multiple relays with their data. In the event that a user’s information is removed or their broadcasts are blocked by colluding relays, the user has the option of running their own relay. Users who are censored by certain relays can even start their own network of relays and share data among themselves to create a strong network for distributing their content. Check out this site for a collection of projects built on top of Nostr.
Ensure iCloud Photos get exported out of Photos.app monthly and into normal file formats
If you use iCloud Photos to store and sync your photos and videos, it’s important to remember to periodically export them out of the Photos app and into normal file formats. This can help ensure that you have a copy of your photos and videos in a format that is easily accessible and portable. Exporting your photos on a monthly basis is a good way to stay organized and ensure that you always have a backup of your memories. I currently use PhotosTakeOut to export my photos to my Plex server which are then are backed up by Backblaze. By doing this regularly, I am limiting my lock-in to Apple if I ever wanted to move away from its services.
Investigate passwords that need to be changed
Another important tech resolution is to review and update your passwords regularly. This can help protect your accounts and data from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Start by identifying which passwords you use the most 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’ll use the WatchTower feature to help me find passwords that should be changed.
Ensure I am using multi-factor authentication everywhere that supports it
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, which can include 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 it is available. You can use tools like 1Password, Google Authenticator, or Authy to generate the codes.
Delete apps and services you are no longer using
As we accumulate more and more apps and services, it’s easy for our devices to become cluttered and disorganized as well as our personal information to end up everywhere. One tech resolution for the coming year could be to review the apps and services you are using and consider deleting those that you no longer need or use. Many apps allow you to delete your accounts from within the apps, but if not, head over to the website to find out.
Cull and organize notes from Apple Notes
If you use Apple Notes to store notes, ideas, and other information, it’s a good idea to periodically review and organize your notes. This can help you stay organized and ensure that you can quickly access the information you need. Consider creating folders or tags to help you categorize your notes as well. I know that I have a lot of random notes from our house-building project, so I want to get those organized well. One item I’ll be doing in particular is documenting all of our paint colors in a single Apple Note.
Experiment with new HomeKit automation and scenes
When we moved into our new house, I completely wiped away all of my existing HomeKit scenes and automation as I created a new brand HomeKit environment. This year, I want to settle into new routines with scenes and home automations in HomeKit. Automations allow you to set specific actions to occur based on certain 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 machine, and adjusts the thermostat to your preferred temperature all at once. I plan on looking at some HomeKit powered window shades for our living room and creating some “movie” scenes. I also recently picked up a Roborock S7MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum, and I am looking forward to tinkering with HOOBs to add it to HomeKit.
Wrap-up
As we welcome in the new year, many of us are making resolutions and setting goals for the year ahead. If you’re a tech enthusiast, why not consider adding some tech-focused resolutions to your list? What tech resolutions are you planning for 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
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Tech resolutions to kick off 2023: Rotate backups, export photos out of iCloud, experiment with self-hosting tools, and more
