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Malhela
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Devices:
I have three technological devices that I use. The first and main device I use is the ThinkPad E545, released in 2013, yet thanks to Linux Mint, it continues to be a suitable piece of hardware as of 2026. It features a 4-core AMD A8-4500M APU, with 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 120GB SSD. For those wondering, the APU doesn't contain AMD PSP. I got this from eBay in November 2025 for about £55 + £10 to upgrade the RAM to what it is now.
My 2nd device I use is the HP ProDesk 400 G2, released in 2014, and it also runs Linux Mint. It features a 4-core i5 4590s, with 16GB of DDR3 RAM and a 500GB HDD. I got the computer refurbished for £30, and shortly after, I spent an additional £20 on the Nvidia GTX 745GB to upgrade it. I would've built my own PC, however, I found it cheaper to just buy a refurbished computer and a used GPU instead. The monitor I use for this computer is a refurbished/used ViewSonic VA2013W 20" Inch Widescreen HD LCD, which I got for £20. It's a generic office monitor, nothing special, it gets the job done for me. All these purchases were made in July 2024.
My 3rd device is the Samsung Galaxy A05S, it's part of Samsung's budget line-up, it features regular Android, NFC and its own headphone jack, so ultimately as smartphones go I'd say it's pretty good. I got this in new condition for £100 in 2021 or 2022, which I think is a fair balance between getting a phone that's not too expensive while also being good enough. On the topic of smartphones, avoid any smartphones that run Android Go, as the OS is very restricted in what it can do, it's often unrootable since barely any hacks exist, and it's very laggy (ironic since Android Go is supposed to be lightweight). I know this because I previously owned two Android Go phones (Nokia C2 and an Alcatel Pixi). For my next phone purchase, I'd definitely be interested in purchasing used or refurbished.
I also own a PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Gameboy Advance SP and a Nintendo 3DS (the original). Since about the age of 14, I lost a significant interest in video games, so those devices are just collecting dust, though I still keep them because I haven't gotten around to getting rid of them or hacking them to do cool things.
Software:
I use Linux Mint with the Cinnamon Desktop environment. Linux Mint is often perceived as a distro for Linux beginners, however, I've been using Linux since about 2013, and I find Linux Mint to be adequate for me. I have tried Arch, but I found it to be too difficult for me. I'm not a Linux enthusiast, and I wouldn't consider myself to be part of a Linux community, so perhaps this explains why I'm not too bothered about figuring Arch out, as I'm not concerned about the philosophy.
I use the Brave browser. I appreciate the built-in AdBlock system as well as the easy access to Tor mode, which is necessary as I live in a country where Imgur is banned, so being able to quickly right-click on a link and click on Open Link In Tor is very nice.
For video editing, I use Vegas Pro via WINE, which I've used for over a decade, the current version I'm on is Vegas Pro 13. I find myself incredibly unwilling to navigate through Kdenlive's user interface (as well as OpenShot, Shotcut, etc), so it's my laziness that prevents me from moving to free open source video editing software. To be fair, sometimes I do make sophisticated videos, and in those instances, I do appreciate Vegas Pro's features.
As for Office Suite, when it comes to word document, I use a combination of LibreOffice, OnlyOffice (the open-source community version), and Google WorkSuite. However, for spreadsheet, I use Excel 2007 (via WINE) because, strangely, a 19-year-old spreadsheet application has features I like to use that even current FOSS spreadsheet applications lack, for example, the ability to add an image to a cell comment, and being able to make use of the quick access toolbar.
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Last Updated: 25th February 2026. There are other software programs I use, which I will discuss more about at a later point, and images are coming soon too.