# Mert Bulan - Personal Blog & Portfolio
> Product-minded developer in Hamburg sharing experiences, thoughts, guides, reviews, and discoveries about building, learning, technology, and everyday life.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About](https://mertbulan.com/about.md) - I’ve always been drawn to computers, the internet, and making things. I got my first computer in 2005. Like many kids, I mostly used it for games at first, but soon I discovered forums, websites, and blogs. That opened up a completely different world for me. In 2008, I launched my first real WordPr…
- [Alsterrunde](https://mertbulan.com/alsterrunde.md) - A weekly newsletter for anyone who wants to know Hamburg a little better. Local politics, new discoveries, everyday moments, and everything in between.
- [Posts](https://mertbulan.com/blog.md)
- [Books](https://mertbulan.com/books.md)
- [Farklı Düşün](https://mertbulan.com/farkli-dusun.md) - A technology-themed podcast (Think Different) largely discussing Apple, books, software industry, and related technologies in Turkish.
- [Footer](https://mertbulan.com/footer.md)
- [fruitful apps](https://mertbulan.com/fruitful-apps.md) - A small studio dedicated to creating practical, user-friendly apps for Apple platforms, built around problems that are actually worth solving.
- [Hero Intro](https://mertbulan.com/here-intro.md) - Moin! I’m Mert. Product-Minded Developer based in Hamburg, Germany. I'm a builder and a lifelong learner who loves diving into new ideas and figuring things out. On this site I share my experiences, thoughts, and discoveries, from how-to guides and reviews to interesting finds and things I'm curren…
- [Incorruptible](https://mertbulan.com/incorruptible.md)
- [Now](https://mertbulan.com/now.md)
- [Programming](https://mertbulan.com/programming.md)
- [Quotes](https://mertbulan.com/quotes.md) - Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Be aware of the world's magical, mystical, and artistic sides. The most important things in life are not the goal-oriented, materialistic things that everyone and everything tries to convince you to…
- [Cuisine and Culture](https://mertbulan.com/steve-jobs-in-exile.md)
- [The Well of Ascension](https://mertbulan.com/the-well-of-ascension.md)
- [Work](https://mertbulan.com/work.md) - As a generalist, I’m interested in a wide range of projects, from developing apps for Apple platforms to podcasting and writing a weekly newsletter.

## Posts
- [How to declare taxes in Germany as an App Developer](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-declare-taxes-in-germany-as-an-app-developer.md) - A practical guide to filing your taxes on Elster as an app developer in Germany, covering the three forms you need to submit every year.
- [Einbürgerungsantragsjubiläum](https://mertbulan.com/einbuergerungsantragsjubilaeum.md) - A personal look at Germany’s slow citizenship process and why it matters for the skilled immigrants the country says it needs.
- [My Favorite Books in the First Quarter of 2026](https://mertbulan.com/my-favorite-books-in-the-first-quarter-of-2026.md) - Sharing my favorite books from the first quarter of 2026 and how they impacted my perspective on various topics.
- [Why I Stopped Following the News](https://mertbulan.com/why-i-stopped-following-the-news.md) - A personal reflection on the decision to stop following daily news and its impact on my well-being.
- [When the Tech Industry Becomes Disgusting](https://mertbulan.com/when-the-tech-industry-becomes-disgusting.md) - A reflection on how the tech industry has shifted from curiosity-driven innovation to a culture of excess and influence.
- [About Being Grateful](https://mertbulan.com/about-being-grateful.md) - Reflecting on the importance of gratitude in a world driven by consumerism.
- [My 2025 Q4 Highlights: Favorite Books, Games, and TV Shows](https://mertbulan.com/my-2025-q4-highlights-favorite-books-games-and-tv-shows.md) - Sharing my favorite books, games, and TV shows from the fourth quarter of 2025.
- [What is a City Super App and Why Every City Needs One](https://mertbulan.com/what-is-a-city-super-app-and-why-every-city-needs-one.md) - Why I believe every city needs a super app and how it will transform the way we engage with digital devices.
- [My 2025 Q3 Highlights: Favorite Books and Movies](https://mertbulan.com/my-2025-q3-highlights-favorite-books-and-movies.md) - Sharing my favorite books and movies from the third quarter of 2025.
- [We'll Never Have Flying Cars](https://mertbulan.com/well-never-have-flying-cars.md) - A look at why flying cars are unlikely to become a reality.
- [The Differences Between Expats and Immigrants](https://mertbulan.com/differences-between-expats-and-immigrants.md) - A personal take on how expats and immigrants differ in their goals, lifestyles, and impact on the places they live.
- [Why Paying for Spotify Mostly Pays Taylor Swift](https://mertbulan.com/why-paying-for-spotify-mostly-pays-taylor-swift.md) - Your money isn't going to the bands you love, it's going to the ones everyone else listens to.
- [How digital is Germany?](https://mertbulan.com/how-digital-is-germany.md) - You'll be surprised to hear how many times I actually had to use a fax machine.
- [My 2025 Q2 Highlights: Favorite Books, Games, and TV Shows](https://mertbulan.com/my-2025-q2-highlights-favorite-books-games-and-tv-shows.md) - Sharing my favorite books, games, and TV shows from the second quarter of 2025.
- [Budgeting 101: How to Save More to Enjoy More](https://mertbulan.com/budgeting-101-how-to-save-more-to-enjoy-more.md) - Effective budgeting strategies to save on everyday expenses and spend more on what matters most.
- [Why I don't ride the AI Hype Train](https://mertbulan.com/why-i-dont-ride-the-ai-hype-train.md) - While everybody talks about AI, I have plenty of reasons to ignore the bubble.
- [Munich from a Hamburger's Perspective](https://mertbulan.com/munich-from-a-hamburgers-perspective.md) - A first-time visitor from Hamburg reflects on Munich's royal roots, museums, and surprising contrasts between two of Germany's most iconic cities.
- [The American vs. European Mindset on Life](https://mertbulan.com/the-american-vs-european-mindset-on-life.md) - A personal look at how the American and European mindsets shape the way we live, work, and find happiness.
- [My story of passing the telc B1 German exam](https://mertbulan.com/my-story-of-passing-the-telc-b1-german-exam.md) - Something I once thought was too difficult, turned out to be more manageable than I expected.
- [Why I stopped using the Tchibo capsule coffee machine](https://mertbulan.com/why-i-stopped-using-the-tchibo-capsule-coffee-machine.md) - What started as a simple way to enjoy coffee quickly turned into a daily struggle that left me seeking something better.
- [These 4 watchOS 11 Bugs Are Driving Me Crazy](https://mertbulan.com/4-watchos-11-bugs-driving-me-crazy.md) - I’ve used my Apple Watch daily for over a year—and these 4 bugs in watchOS 11 are driving me nuts.
- [Becoming 30: Reflections and the Road Ahead](https://mertbulan.com/becoming-30-reflections-and-the-road-ahead.md) - A journey through the lessons of youth and the promise of what's to come.
- [My Cowboy Classic E-Bike Review After 3.000 KM](https://mertbulan.com/my-cowboy-classic-e-bike-review-after-3000-km.md) - Commuting around Hamburg for almost 3 years with the Cowboy Classic e-bike.
- [My 2025 Q1 Highlights: Top 3 Faves in Books, Movies, and TV Shows](https://mertbulan.com/my-2025-q1-highlights-top-3-faves-in-books-movies-and-tv-shows.md) - Sharing my favorite books, movies, and TV shows from the first quarter of 2025.
- [My checklist before submitting a new app to App Store Connect](https://mertbulan.com/my-checklist-before-submitting-a-new-app-to-app-store-connect.md) - A checklist to simplify app submissions and reduce rejection risk on App Store Connect.
- [The Role of A/B Testing in Enshittification](https://mertbulan.com/the-role-of-a-b-testing-in-enshittification.md) - How over-relying on A/B testing can degrade user experience and contribute to the enshittification of products.
- [Don't rely on BGAppRefreshTask for your app's business logic](https://mertbulan.com/dont-rely-on-bgapprefreshtask-for-your-apps-business-logic.md) - Why you shouldn’t rely on background app refresh tasks for critical data updates in your app.
- [How to get subscription notifications on iPhone without RevenueCat](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-get-subscription-notifications-on-iphone-without-revenuecat.md) - Learn how to set up subscription notifications on your iPhone using CloudKit and Cloudflare for free.
- [Steve Jobs Syndrome and How to Identify It](https://mertbulan.com/steve-jobs-syndrome-and-how-to-identify-it.md) - Recognizing the danger of imitating an icon without understanding the real principles behind success.
- [We need Universal Basic Land, not Universal Basic Income](https://mertbulan.com/we-need-universal-basic-land-not-universal-basic-income.md) - Before you jump to labeling me a socialist, just take a moment to hear me out and consider the idea.
- [We don't need startups, we need Digital-Mittelstand](https://mertbulan.com/we-dont-need-startups-we-need-digital-mittelstand.md) - While the German economy is stagnating, Digital-Mittelstand may offer a solution.
- [Once You're Laid Off, You'll Never Be the Same Again](https://mertbulan.com/once-you-are-laid-off-you-will-never-be-the-same-again.md) - It’s been over a year since one of the most significant turning points in my life, and it’s time to reflect on that.
- [Be careful how you save Relationship in SwiftData](https://mertbulan.com/be-careful-how-you-save-relationship-in-swiftdata.md) - SwiftData is cool but it comes with a lot of issues but you can easily avoid them.
- [Never use SwiftData without VersionedSchema](https://mertbulan.com/never-use-swiftdata-without-versionedschema.md) - No versioned schema in SwiftData? Prepare for crashes—learn from my mistake.
- [How to retire early in Germany](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-retire-early-in-germany.md) - It's not about how much you earn, but how much you save. Here's how you can retire early in Germany.
- [How to bring back English as supported languages on App Store](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-bring-back-english-as-supported-languages-on-app-store.md) - After starting to use String Catalogs, I noticed that English was no longer listed as a supported language on the App Store. This post shows you how to bring it back.
- [How to handle dynamic text with String Catalogs](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-handle-dynamic-text-with-string-catalogs.md) - Using String Catalogs is a new way to localize your app, but how do you handle dynamic text?
- [How to test the same Rake task multiple times](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-test-the-same-rake-task-multiple-times.md) - In some cases, you may want to test the same Rake task multiple times with different arguments. This post shows you how to do that.
- [Dune: Part Two Review (Spoiler-Free)](https://mertbulan.com/dune-part-two-review-spoiler-free.md) - The second movie in the Dune series, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a visual and auditory masterpiece. It's a must-watch, even if you're not a Sci-Fi enthusiast.
- [A comprehensive review of Apple Watch by a first-time user](https://mertbulan.com/a-comprehensive-review-of-apple-watch-by-first-time-user.md) - Apple Watch is not just a watch that only shows time. It's a device that can help you stay active, monitor your health, and even pay for your coffee.
- [Watt's the Secret? Cutting My Electricity Costs by 30%](https://mertbulan.com/how-did-i-cut-my-electricity-cost-by-30-percent.md) - Living in a country where electricity is the most expensive globally, you need to get creative to lower your bill.
- [How to apply for permanent resident permit in Germany](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-apply-for-permanent-resident-permit-in-germany.md) - I received my permanent resident permit last month, and since I have many friends and colleagues who are going to apply for the permanent resident permit in Germany, I thought it would be helpful to write down the application process.
- [One Bag Traveling with Aer Travel Pack 2 Small](https://mertbulan.com/one-bag-traveling-with-aer-travel-pack-2-small.md) - A few weeks ago, I traveled from Hamburg to Barcelona, and during my trip, I used only one bag. I'd like to share the details of my experience in this blog post.
- [Learning the history of Germany with Rammstein](https://mertbulan.com/learning-the-history-of-germany-with-rammstein.md) - Putting aside the controversy surrounding the group, their “Deutschland” music video offers a lot to learn from.
- [How to invest and pay your taxes in Germany via DEGIRO](https://mertbulan.com/how-to-invest-in-germany-via-degiro.md) - Since the banks give you almost no interest in Germany, the only way to earn money from your saving is investing in stocks or ETFs. If you don't speak German very well, it might be hard for you to invest the money that you save.
- [Why some buildings in Hamburg have a greenish roof?](https://mertbulan.com/why-some-buildings-in-hamburg-have-a-greenish-roof.md) - There are a lot of things I like about Hamburg and the buildings are one of them.
- [Should we #EnjoyCapitalism?](https://mertbulan.com/should-we-enjoy-capitalism.md) - If you are a person like me who moved from a third world country to a first world country, probably your priorities and problems are different now.
- [Moving to Germany: Things that you need to know](https://mertbulan.com/moving-to-germany-things-that-you-need-to-know.md) - Many friends have asked me about moving to Germany. Since I’ve already answered their questions, I thought sharing them here could help others too.

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