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Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

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Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#131

Post by etrautmann »

maxglute wrote: post #128

This is more of request for recommendation for sleep headphones. https://www.meeaudio.com/M6G2 I bought a dozen of above headphones for sleep, cheap low profile that is very comfortable to sleep in. Lays flat, no hot pressure points. Only issue is they're wired, and josling in bed means every few months I kill one from wrecking their cabling/connector. They had a cheaper discontinued bluetooth version of the buds I w…

+1 for cheap wired sleep headphones! Changed my life listing to brown noise with no worries about battery life.

Also the manta sleep mask

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#132

Post by rimunroe »

maxglute wrote: post #116
rimunroe wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used a JBL Flip 4 speaker to listen to audiobooks and podcasts while floating in the pool for a while. Bluetooth doesn’t penetrate more than a few centimeters into water, so I’d just put my phone in a dry bag, tie it to the side of the speaker, and set it adrift. Way less clunky than a headset and worked great

There's $100 waterproof bone conduction headphones with built in storage that works great. Speech is pretty trippy and well suited for bone conduction. Only issue is you have to find mp3s of audio, which usually means sailing high seas.

There are, but that limits the number of people listening to one, I don't like the feeling of wearing headphones though, and I didn't want to lose sync with podcast/audiobooks either :)

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#133

Post by PAPPPmAc »

pdn1 wrote: post #2

$23 Bluetooth earbuds (late to the party)

I generally hate dealing with bluetooth headphones (extra non-replaceable batteries to die then die! Extra drain on your phone battery! Run a unique ID tracking beacon all the time! Have a fight every time you want to switch sources! Pay more for inferior sound quality!), but the difference between the no-names and the mid-tier brands is shocking.

I've used a couple cheap wireless earbuds all of which were _awful_, and some over-ear TaoTronics headphones that are bluetooth-or-wired which are pretty OK, but I decided to try going up a tier and got a pair of Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds on sale for a bit over $50, and their ANC is _fabulous_, their pairing only rarely does something frustrating (they'll remember two different devices, which helps), they're actually reasonably comfortable despite being a larger object supported from the ear, etc.

One thing I realized the first time I had them on a flight is that the _lack_ of a simple way to hook them to a standard 3.5mm source is limiting - it means they can't take over for as many tasks from a wired pair as they otherwise could.

On the topic of headphones for loud environments: I've had mine for several years, but Plugfones (I have their Guardian model) are also a worthy object; earbuds which are also ANSI S3.19-1974 29db NRR hearing protection. Really nice for both noisy environments and working with power tools.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#134

Post by straight-shoota »

Cockbrand wrote: post #117

Portable 16" monitor with 4k resolution and USB C passthrough. Very handy when travelling. It makes me much more productive when working from a hotel room or anywhere else, and it's just about the size of a 16" laptop, but thinner.

I bought the 1080p variant. It makes a great preview monitor for video signals, camera output etc. I'm considering buying a 4k version with touchscreen for travelling, which fits well to the 4k touchscreen on my laptop. Not sure if I actually need touch for a side monitor, though. Or even 4k for that matter...

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#135

Post by PAPPPmAc »

0xCAP wrote: post #84

A shavette/straight razor blade: even after deciding on going 100% bald I still love cutting my own stuff, so I decided to go down the rabbit hole of self beard cutting. Never had more fun, outlining my beard has become one of my favourite pastimes ever. And I can have my beard on point whenever I need to, at no cost. Paid ~20€ for the blade holder, and ~8€ for 400 blades. (Bonus addition: hair clipper. Just make sur…

I haven't gone as far as a straight razor, but I've just in the last few weeks switched to a DE razor coming from years of using cartridge razors with too many too closely spaced blades that clog then degrade and cause irritation.

I'm trying a Rockwell 6C (around $60) with its interchangeable base-plates for different aggressiveness on blade exposure/angle, and just started on a variety pack of blades to see what suits me - so far so good on the experiment, it's at very least not causing any more irritation and produces less waste. Shaving accessories _is_ a ridiculous rabbit hole of hipster consumerism, but doing better-than-default seems like it might be worthwhile.

Right now it's just for face, by my hair is rapidly approaching "Doonesbury's Old Surfer Dude" so the role might expand.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#136

Post by moltar »

orzig wrote: post #47

A Steelcase Leap V2, $150 (and 90 minute round trip pickup) using Facebook Marketplace. I probably got a little bit lucky, but it is definitely worth checking for things like this. Also, a shout out to my friend who let me try his for 30 minutes since I couldn’t in a store.

Got a Leap from a user office furniture warehouse. Great buy for sure. Look up in your area there’s probably one too. They are usually in an industrial area somewhere. Just a giant warehouse with used office furniture.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#137

Post by november84 »

speedylight wrote: post #124

Philips Sonicare 7300 electric toothbrush - this thing is awesome, every time I brush my teeth they feel super clean and smooth like porcelain. $149 one of the best purchases I ever made. https://a.co/d/2fFJgow Another product that improved my life is AirPods, if you’re into the Apple ecosystem they’re worth every penny.

Worth mentioning, if you do get a sonicare or any elective toothbrush, go much more slowly than you think. Makes all the difference in the world.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#139

Post by GloomyBoots »

alvatech wrote: post #44

A KVM switch with HDMI and USB, makes switching from personal and work computer so much easier

I have one of these in my home office. Just press a button to switch from my work laptop to my PC, including all peripherals like speakers, webcam, mic, etc. My only complaint is that the audio behaves a little strangely. It buzzes and pops loudly when switching and during startup, and I’ve had to customize my audio configuration to account for some of the quirks, but it’s painless at this point.

This is the one I use https://www.avaccess.com/products/4ksw21-dm/

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2023

#140

Post by Cockbrand »

straight-shoota wrote: post #134
Cockbrand wrote: post #117

Portable 16" monitor with 4k resolution and USB C passthrough. Very handy when travelling. It makes me much more productive when working from a hotel room or anywhere else, and it's just about the size of a 16" laptop, but thinner.

I bought the 1080p variant. It makes a great preview monitor for video signals, camera output etc. I'm considering buying a 4k version with touchscreen for travelling, which fits well to the 4k touchscreen on my laptop. Not sure if I actually need touch for a side monitor, though. Or even 4k for that matter...

4K makes a lot of difference to me, just because I can change resolutions without ever seeing pixels. I don't have the touchscreen version, and I don't miss that functionality. But I see that it might be useful for some applications.
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