What’s in My WWDC 2024 Bag?

My Tom Bihn Synapse 25 backpack.

It’s time to get packed for WWDC, and like most years, my carry-on bag will be stuffed with everything I need to cover the event for MacStories. This year, I’ve focused on streamlining my podcast recording setup after some problems that slowed me down last year. Built around my everyday ‘away from home’ setup that I’ve been using for several months, I think I finally have a simple yet powerful writing and podcasting travel setup that should serve me well on the trip.

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11” M4 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

The center of my setup will be a 14” M3 Max MacBook Pro that Apple sent me for testing. It’s a fantastic computer that’s more than capable of handling the research, writing, and audio production work I’ll be doing, along with any video taken during the week.

I’ll also take my new 11” iPad Pro, which should help lighten my bag when I’m traveling back and forth from my hotel to Apple Park. Swapping my old 12.9” iPad Pro for the new 11” model will be perfect for this sort of trip. I plan to use it for getting some work done on the flight to California and for taking notes at the WWDC keynote. It’s hard to jot much down during the event while you’re sitting outside in the sun, so anything more than my iPad would be overkill.

GL.iNet GL-MT3000 portable Wi-Fi router and Sound Devices MixPre-3 II.

The part of my setup that is changing the most is the equipment I’ll take for podcasting. Last year, I took my Sound Devices MixPre-3 II to WWDC to use as an audio interface. The trouble was that, at the time, I hadn’t used it as my primary interface in months, and as a result, its complexity slowed me down. So, this year, I simplified and added redundancy.

The core of my new mobile podcasting setup.

My new travel microphone is a Shure MV7+ that can be used with USB-C or XLR cables. In the past, I used an Audio-Technica ATR2100x USB/XLR mic, but the model I have uses mini USB, which is a pain. Fortunately, the new version uses USB-C, but I went with the Shure MV7+ because it’s a better-sounding mic overall, even if it isn’t quite as good as the Earthworks ETHOS mic in my home office.

The new Shure mic, which will sit on a lightweight Mictop Desktop Mic Stand, will allow me to record directly to the MacBook Pro via USB-C. For backup, I’ll also bring along the MixPre-3 II, but not for its audio interface capabilities. The MixPre-3 II can also serve as a field recorder, so I’ll connect it to the Shure MV7+ using an XLR cable and simultaneously record directly to an SD card as a backup in case something goes wrong on the Mac.

Multipurpose headphones.

I’ll also take a couple sets of headphones. My Audio-Technica ATH-M70X are excellent multi-use headphones that work well for recording and editing podcasts, as well as listening to music or playing videogames. They’ll be joined by a set of the Shure SE215 PRO Wired Earbuds, which work well for monitoring my mic when I’m recording video.

Storage and batteries.

Over the past year, I’ve fallen in love with Samsung T9 SSDs for creating fast, quiet backups. The T9 uses a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 cable for fast transfers, which is perfect for managing large files. I’ll have one for backups of the MacBook Pro in my bag, along with a 2TB model that I just purchased for extra outboard storage that should make it easier to move large files between my Mac and iPad.

The Belikin BoostCharge Pro and my trusty AI-free sunglasses.

Of course, I will also take battery packs. I have a 10,000 mAh Belkin BoostCharge Pro battery that has a built-in fast charger for the Apple Watch, eliminating the need for a separate cable. I’ll also pack my big 27,650mAh 250W Anker Prime Power Bank. It takes no time to top off any device using the Anker battery and a Thunderbolt cable. I will probably bring Apple’s discontinued MagSafe battery pack for the iPhone, too. It doesn’t charge quickly or have the highest capacity, but it does a nice job of extending the iPhone’s life when I’m out for many hours at a time and taking lots of photos and videos.

For Internet connectivity, I’ll bring along my GL.iNet GL-MT3000 portable Wi-Fi 6 router. It’s perfect for boosting the Wi-Fi signal in hotel rooms or connecting directly to any Ethernet port and creating its own local network. Because it can run on a power bank, the router works equally well at a coffee shop, or anywhere else I find myself struggling with a bad Wi-Fi connection.

The MacStories Unwind 2024 playlist.

Although I know from experience that I won’t have a lot of downtime during WWDC, I’ve packed some fun, too. I’ll be listening to the MacStories Unwind 2024 playlist that Federico and I are collaborating on, along with other recent favorites, using my AirPods Pro (3rd generation).

The GameSir X2s iPhone controller and my Anbernic RG35XXSP.

One more shot of the RG35XXSP because transparent gadgets are my thing.

Of course, I’ll bring a device for games, too. For this trip, I’m bringing my brand new Anbernic RG35XXSP, which just arrived a couple of days ago. The RG35XXSP, one of our topics on the next episode of NPC: Next Portable Console, is designed to look like a Game Boy Advance SP and has received excellent reviews so far. I’ll also take my GameSir X2S iPhone controller because I have a lot of iOS games in my backlog that I want to check out.

Well, that’s about it. Now all that’s left to do is to run some final equipment tests to make sure everything is working correctly and pack it all up. I’m excited as always to get to see so many of the developers we write about all year, and although some of my friends aren’t able to make it this year, it will be great to see those who will be there, hang out, and get some writing and podcasting done for MacStories readers and listeners.

You can follow all of our WWDC coverage through our WWDC 2024 hub or subscribe to the dedicated WWDC 2024 RSS feed.