Essential Gadgets

[ukdane]

Since August, I've given my bank manager plenty to complain about. How?
I've reignited my interest in gadgets. Probably one of the most expensive hobbies about due to a the sheer magnitude of items available. Until a few weeks ago I still had a 15" screen that filled ½ the office, let alone the desk! I still run Office 2000, an upgrade is just too expensive at the moment. Although I am looking forward to Windows 7. Vista was justa bad dream, right? I will be upgrading my laptop soon it must be 5 years old by now, and is so sluggish it takes near on ½ hour to start up (is it the HP printer drivers, or the constant Zone Alarm securty upgrades?), and sometimes just as long shutting down.

I've recently bought:
1) Humax Foxsat-HDR
2) Sagem HD PVR 101-ST
3) Canon PowerShot SX200 IS
4) iPhone 3GS
5) iPod Nano (for Mrs Dane)

The embers have been relit.
Now fuel my fire.
What are your top 5 MUST HAVE gadgets, and why?

I use the Humax for freesat- it's a great box, as it does everything I need. It's hard to find fault, If I have to push, yes it can be a little slow to start up, but it's quicker than the Sagem, and I have once had a recording cut short at the end, although that could be the signal that it was sent, as the previous program went on too long.

I use the Sagem for Canal Digital. It serves it's purpose, but next to the Humax, it looks second rate. The functionality isn't as well defined as the Humax, and the remote is feeble.

I used to have a Grundig DSR-6450, to receive both freesat and CD, BUT it didn't have HD (both the new ones do) and the PVR died on me (twice!) Plus there was no "red button" functionality on the Grundig. Yes it was "easier" having just one box. But on the plus side, I can now record and see up to 7 channels at one time, depending on which channels they are.

The Canon was my impulse buy. I was on holiday, staying with in-law realtives, and was shown the quality of image that the canon had. Compared to my, now ancient,Olympus (with damaged battery cover) I fell in love. Although I have to admit I but off buying it for a few months. But when Amazon launched their £40 cash back offer, I was sold. I also bought 2 extra items with this; a spare battery, and a memory card- both essential kit I feel. I already have a mini tripod, which I used with the Olympus.

The iPod Nano, was a birthday present for Mrs Dane, she's been going to the gym, and power walking, and wanted an mp3 player. She'd also just been competing in a paedometer competition, a few minutes of research, and 5 G from the gadget show, I was sold on getting her the new 5G iPod Nano. She's not into tech, but she seems to enjoy using it, which was a fear of mine. Originally I thought about getting her an iTouch, on the back of the performance of my iPhone- but she didn't want a new phone, but she wanted something that was smaller (more feminine???) and easier to have in her pocket/purse etc.

Then we have my fave new toy, it keeps me up SO late at night, enticing me with more apps, podcasts, and the such, it does so much, and is a long way from my old HP Jordana. If I have one fault with this, it's that they are so hard to comeby here, that I bought the first, and only one I found, and at work a few days later I found someone who had bought the 32GB (I have the 16GB) version, for the same price. I wasn't over charged, based on the prices I have seen, but I was pissed that he was able to get such a good deal. I only got 20% of the accessories that I bought.

So what are your favourite gadgets, and why?

For that matter do you have a favourite software program?

[johnnystress]

Mobile phone
I haven't memorized a phone number in years

Boss TU Tuner
guitar pedal that also powers every other pedal on my board
Because of it I have lost the ability to tune by ear but saved a fortune on batteries

Wacom Intuos
I used to draw with pens and pencils, then a mouse, now I use the Wacom exclusively- just recently started drawing on paper again though, it's a good thing

That's about it really for gadgets, still have a CRT tv, a cheapo Lidl DVD player..

[Richmond Clements]

I got me a Blackberry a month or so ago and it is wonderful.
My mp3 player is also vital, but apart from that- unless a laptop counts- that's about it.

[SuperSurfer]

Apple Mac Pro
Continues to serve me well over last three years. Nowadays would go for an iMac (I didn't like the iMac range when I went for this Mac).

Wacom Intuos 2 tablet
Trusty old friend. Has had some hiccups which I manage to overcome. Takes up too much desk space. Should've gone for a smaller one.

Canon EOS 350D camera
One day I'll get round to learning all the functions.

iPod photo
It's ancient in iPod years. Don't use it so much now I work from home and I certainly don't walk in the street using it. Its main use now tends to be helping me get to sleep when there is noise ie the Mrs snoring.

Wish list:
Need to look into a flatscreen TV but need to get more funds in.
Only have 5 basic channels so need to look into Freesat or whatever but depends on TV.
Need computer speakers as old hifi is in living room and I only really listen to music now using Spotify through tinny computer speaker or headphones.
Want an iPhone but no can do at the moment.
Need to sort out some wireless way to send music to hifi from Mac. Airport I think will do the trick.

[WoD]

Sky+ (HD) - it's the dog's danglies

iPhone 3GS - simply the best bit of kit for work and play I've ever had.

XBoX 360 - Inspite of the technical failures and not having much time to play...it is a lovely machine and the recent 100-1 quiz was brilliant fun.

DS - great fun for family when travelling.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I have no essential gadgets that I can think of. I have lots of things but I could live without most of them.

Mobile phone gets on my tits.
MP3 player (got one for the wife) I don't ever listen to a song the whole way through so told her not to get me one.
Games consoles, have the PS1, PS2 & Wii and only bought these so I could play the Dredd/Rogue games (I have bought a few other games but only play the Wii now)
Bluray player, bought 4 films and only watched 1 in the last year, can't be arsed anymore.
LCD flat screen, just watch everyday stuff on it as watch most of my programmes on laptop.
Cable TV, don't know why I bother really.

There we go, after that list of not bothered's I've come to my 1 essential gadget. The Laptop because of all the things I can do on it.

[Tiplodocus]

I will be upgrading my laptop soon it must be 5 years old by now, and is so sluggish it takes near on ½ hour to start up (is it the HP printer drivers, or the constant Zone Alarm securty upgrades?), and sometimes just as long shutting down.

Possibly just five years of accumulated crap installing themselves into your start-up, grabbing big chunks of memeory and sitting there doing nothing because you never really use them.  I cleaned mine out earlier this year and went from twenty minute start up and internet browsing that looked like it was on dial up to two minute start up and broadband speeds again.

[Tiplodocus]

My Nintendo DS (with Frank Quitely BATMAN customisation).

Ideal for whiling away long train journeys.

I can't play all of the games (currently struggling with GTA: Chinatown wars because I can't drive)

[uncle fester]

Boss TU Tuner
guitar pedal that also powers every other pedal on my board
Because of it I have lost the ability to tune by ear but saved a fortune on batteries

Me too! ...Don't leave home without it!




Anyway...

Maxtor external Terrabyte hard drive. An essential purchase. Especially as more and more work recently seems to require at least one or two posters or display boards at at least A2 size. Filling up unsettlingly quickly. But at least they're less than £100 these days.

iPhone 3G. Contract's running out soon, so hopefully can get the upgrade to the 3GS. Yes most of the apps are pointless. But it's still the coolest phone going by a country mile. And the recording app is a lifesaver for music ideas.

Wacom wirelss pen / tablet / mouse. About ten years old now, but showing absolutely no signs of age. Would be stranded without it.

LG 22" widescreen monitor. Because I still need every floating window open. Everyone has their own way of working!

Samsung 32"" tv. Hooked up to another computer for music, when I have my Mutt Lange/Brian Wilson/ Phil Spector hat on.

1960 reissue Gibson Les Paul & Gibson 333 with Bigsby Tremelo. Those in the know will know 

[Peter Wolf]

I am not one for gadgets as they dont really interest me so all i have is a 2yr old Imac and a PS2 and a mobile .

I got a  Nokia mobile as a Xmas present from my dad and it didnt come out of its box for six months.Eventually i took it out of its box to use and the first time i took it out it fell out of my pocket somehow and got driven over by a car so that was 170 quid down the drain.I replaced it with a cheap mobile.

Sony CD/SACD/DVD player which i couldnt live without and a Musical fidelity B200 amplifier.

I also have a Quad amplifier/pre-amp/CD player system that is out of action because it needs repairs.

Thats it really.

[TordelBack]

I used to be a gadget fiend, now I prefer reflecting on how old all my techno-doodads are, and yet still do their jobs just fine.  Good thing too, as these days I'm as broke as a promise.

Essential exceptions:

1.  My Mp3 player.  Following the failed fourth resurrection of my beloved iRiver, I rested my soldering iron and bought a wee 2GB Sansa Fuze player for bugger all, having been impressed with one I got my Dad for Christmas last year.  Slapped a hefty microSD card in the side, upgraded the firmware and now I'm merrily toting my entire music collection, catching up on podcasts and audiobooks, watching old movie serials, listening to the radio and backing up my laptop and camera as needs be. Great battery life, and with entire seasons of Clone Wars, Charlie & Lola and Bob the Builder squeezed on there, it's an essential child-placating device on buses, in coffee shops and at boring relatives' houses the world over.  Amazing yoke for the money, just amazing.

2.  My Pentax digital SLR.  Finally, a digital that can use all my old K-fit lenses, admittedly with funny focal length effects, but hey.  Packing it with my 20-year-old metal print body and the same lenses is like a dream come true.  Even uses double AA batteries, so there's never a risk of being caught short.   Also, the wife's wedding present to me, so sentimentally essential too.

3.  My MacBook.  Now pushing 4 years of continual usage in muddy site huts, landrover backseats and hotel balconies, this is the best computer I have ever owned.  Other than a replacement battery, and an occasioanl flicker on the screen on startup, she's been flawless since day one.

My mobile phone OTOH is Satan's slave collar, and about as essential as an appendix. 

[LARF]

1. Mac Powerbook Pro, 17" 2.5ghz
2. IMac 27" 3.06ghz duo with 1 Tb hard disk - fast, f'in fast, like violently splash fartin a mist of shit that evaporates and just leaves a brown powder in your shorts
3. All my other Macs
4. Iphone 3G
5. Sky+ (god send when you have kids who like Wizards of Waverley lots of money in your face and merchandise)
6. My Wife's iPod Touch - so we can bump together
7. Flip Video MINO camcorder - brilliant, absolutely brilliant
8. .mac for syncing
9. Springer Spaniel
10. Time Capsules for back-up

[Dandontdare]

9. Springer Spaniel

With real springs?