Big ass display, Microsoft Surface keyboard, fancy chair, silicone based lube
Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
191–200 of 592 posts
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#192I have enjoyed my DJI Mini 2 far more than I expected. Drones over 250g need registration/certification in many places (including the US). The Mini 2 weighs 249g and has a 4k camera. You do mostly get the same shots in one area so if you don't move around much it might get boring quickly. If you take weekend trips, or are nomadic, it will be a lot of fun.
I believe that DJI just opened up their developer API for it, so some third-party apps (or maybe your own, if you're technically inclined?) will hopefully start offering things like waypoint missions as well!
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#193An Intel Optane NVME SSD. Check out this screenshot http://db48x.net/temp/Screenshot%20from%202019-12-09%2013-27... See where it says “avio 3.53µs” and “avq 0.61”? That’s 284,000 IOPS even with nothing queued up. With any other drive you would be lucky to get a tenth of that at QD1. Even better, this is a mixed read and write workload; most drives are fastest when you are only reading or only writing.
I second this. Love my optane.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#194Some things for me:
- A large water bottle. I don't drink enough water and this has been game changing for me. I first got a 1 gallon (which I never finished) water bottle but learned that .5 gallon is the right size and I always finish it and often refill. I'd say pick one that meets your needs, but I've tested a number and can highly recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094X6N4PG/ It's easy to carry, has a built-in straw and cheap ($20).
- Multiple MacBook chargers. I purchased additional charger for my MacBook Pro at different parts of the house where I sit for long periods of time. Not having to go get my bag and dig out a charger is surprisingly rewarding.
- A second set of AirPods so I have one dedicated for work and one for the gym that I keep in my bag, rather than occasionally forgetting them. It also helps that I can swamp pairs if I have a particularly long day of meetings.
- A robust case for my MacBook Pro. I take my MacBook to and from the office, use it all around the house and have small kids. I've been through multiple cases, including the sleek expensive ones. For me, nothing beats this cheap one I found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083XZ3HP3/
- A rowing machine. The latest Concept 2 is ~$900 which is surprisingly cheap for a great workout I can do at how and relatively quietly while listening to a podcast or watching a game.
- A lapdesk. I use this daily and have multiple around the house wherever I end up sitting. They have fancy ones, but I've found the simple one is the best: just a piece of wood and a pillow: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K1L3RNK/
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#195A good dishwasher. I resisted getting one for years because the one I had growing up was pretty bad. Nothing would dry, items would come out dirty all the time and it was loud and would "chug" for hours. However, a good (not even fancy, just mid-range from a competent manufacturer) modern dishwasher is night and day. Doesn't even need special tablets, it just gets things clean, even on the eco mode, which is the only…
> Doesn't even need special tablets […] A thirty minute video explaining why tablets are bad and that you should simply use powder: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rBO8neWw04 Also, a follow-up video: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll6-eGDpimU
I only watched the first video, but I really can't see the difference between his experiment (with the soap at the beginning) and his control. I'm not convinced.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#196I remember when my husband brought a TiVo 1.0 to the house and hooked it up. This was 1999. I didn't understand why I'd need one.
Within a few days, I couldn't live without it. I could pause Live TV, and watch shows when I wanted to. I can't imagine any other way. When I see my 88 year old mother watching "live" TV, I get frustrated.
The second piece of hardware that was a "game changer" was a Toto Neorest toilet. No more wiping!
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#197A 2560x1440 monitor running at its 1:1 native resolution. The screen real estate improvement over 1080p is substantial. You get so much more vertical space and you can easily fit 4 side by side code windows at 80 chars. At 24" or 25" the PPI is also quite nice for reading text. I wrote up a very big monitor selection guide at https://nickjanetakis.com/blog/how-to-pick-a-good-monitor-fo... , I try to keep it up to dat…
I've tried a lot of different monitor setups for productivity - ranging from three 24" 4k displays to a single 49" ultrawide, and ultimately have found the best setup for me is dual 27" 4ks, each running at a "scaled" 2560x1440. MacOS in particular does an excellent job of rendering 2560x1440 to a 4K screen, and the increased DPI over a regular 1440p 27" screen is very noticeable. Another option if you're not a fan o…
> ranging from three 24" 4k displays
An option that I think might be interesting is 3 displays side by side, but with the center display in portrait mode rather than landscape mode giving overall an inverted T shape to your combined display space.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#198Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#199Earlier quoted context omitted.
https://youtubetranscript.com/?v=_rBO8neWw04&t=538 The video pretty much says “use detergent in both pre-wash and wash receptacles”. Using the pods makes this hard. Using powder lets you do this easily yourself. That’s pretty much it.
Aren't there tablets made of two layers, one which dissolves during prewash, and the other mostly during wash? I mean the two-colored ones.
The door the tablet’s in doesn’t open until after the prewash.
Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?
#200I've spent a long time engineering, and adapting my workspace. It's at the point now that going to an office is a horrible experience, compared to my home office. Here's my setup * Ikea Standing desk (I never sit). I know plenty of people who use these for sitting, simply because the height of the desk is finally suited to their specific frame. * As many monitors as will make you happy (to each their own, but I'm hap…
There are a lot of devices that supports both wired and wireless.
I think it's a correct direction.
I can use my keyboard during Linux installations in wired and in wireless mode I can switch between notebook and 2 Android devices with shortcut