Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022 • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#211

Post by notafraudster » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

DamnInteresting wrote: post #192

I'm surprised by how many things mentioned here are things that improved my own 2022 (air fryer, Steamdeck, bone-conducting headphones, etc.) A couple of things that I haven't yet seen mentioned: A LifeStraw Home water filter. It removes the slightly metallic taste from my home tap water. Cable management boxes (multiple brands). These allow me to hide away the unsightly power strips, power bricks, hubs, excess cords…

I feel like I've never been able to get a handle on cable management despite using velcro cable ties, and baseboard cable clips, and other stuff. I just have never found the right thing. So I'd love if you linked some of the ones you used (granted they're probably all random drop-shipping Amazon brands)!

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#212

Post by mr337 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

kradroy wrote: post #188

jonfw wrote: post #155

We set up a motorized curtain in our bedroom. It's been really nice to black everything out at night while sleeping (some of our neighbors leave outdoor lights on) but in the morning, wake up with natural light

I've been looking for something like this. Is it DIY or something off-the-shelf? My spouse requires absolute darkness when sleeping, but I have SAD and require the blinds to be always open in order to... not want to die.

Not the OP but I am really happy with the IKEA Tradfri blinds [1].Every night at dark they close all the rooms so I don't feel like living in fish bowl. 30 minutes past sunrise they all open. Best investment ever.

For the more technical they are Zigbee and heard all of IKEA zigbee stuff works without the hub. I personally have had issues with HomeAssistant and Tradfri integration so just use the IKEA app and the hub with no issues for over 6mo now.

[1] - https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fyrtur-black-out-roller-blind-s...

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#213

Post by albert_e » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

jannw wrote: post #6

I work from home - with a 5 minute screensaver with complicated password required by corporate - USB MouseJiggler - https://www.amazon.com/Undetectable-Computer-Simulate-Moveme... Best - Purchase - Ever - !

I open a PowerPoint and put it in screenshow mode.

this usually keeps the laptop from going to lock screen

bonus: press B to blackout the screenshow to avoid monitor burn-in

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#214

Post by javajosh » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

Existenceblinks wrote: post #197

$20 IEM is crazy good. I'm lazy to find out if $100 IEM is already above 97th percentile of human ears capability. A lot of illusion of great quality above p90.

Yeah but the AMQ70 is way better on the z90. If only it implemented the UTY23 spec! But that's why they made a EW model, I guess.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#215

Post by browningstreet » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

dougmwne wrote: post #147

Airpod Pro 2 They are basically bionic ears. Headphones, headset, earplugs, hearing protection, hearing aids, extendable ears, and more. Wish they could act as universal translators, but I suppose that's still yet to come.

i have to use different sized tips and they push out over the course of time.. i like them and accept that it's my ears, but after the airpods pro i'll go with something with a hook or over the ear.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#216

Post by slippypippy » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

cgsmith wrote: post #100

I bought a Keychron keyboard as others have mentioned. On the $300 end though I got a walking treadmill for my standing desk. It is changing my life. I'm about 2 weeks in and usually avg 5.5 miles a day. Words per minute is still 80 and accuracy hasn't suffered. Worked my way upto 2.6mph. I had to set the office temperature to 66 degrees F though. Worked up a sweat :)

that is really cool. what treadmill did you get?

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#217

Post by mhardcastle » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

zcoyle wrote: post #10

Toe spacers. I went from being in agony every time I stood up to being relatively pain free in my toe joints

For most cheap imports like this, I've found eBay is wonderful.

My girlfriend wanted toe spacers and I found the exact same no-name pair on eBay for $4, compared to $10 on Amazon.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#218

Post by candiddevmike » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:07 PM UTC

spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

We bought a nice one and it smelt terrible, like awful melted plastic. We didn't even use the thing, we returned it. From what I can tell, the insides are covered in some kind of PFAS and I do not want to eat something from it. My oven does convection just fine.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#219

Post by shagie » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:07 PM UTC

denvermullets wrote: post #55

jannw wrote: post #6

I work from home - with a 5 minute screensaver with complicated password required by corporate - USB MouseJiggler - https://www.amazon.com/Undetectable-Computer-Simulate-Moveme... Best - Purchase - Ever - !

my wife took my $5 timex watch and just put her mouse on the face of it. kinda blew my mind because her request was very out of left field. but it works!

Product idea - active mousepad.

The mousepad itself has an eink or similar display to change it over time and have the mouse detect some motion. The "active" part is turned off (to just be a regular display) when there is pressure on the wrist rest.

The mousepad is a USB hub (to get power for itself) that you can also plug the mouse and keyboard into so that its one less cord back to the computer.

Re: Ask HN: What sub $200 product improved your 2022

#220

Post by spapas82 » Fri, Jan 06, 2023, 4:07 PM UTC

spaceman_2020 wrote: post #154

An air fryer. It’s really a badly marketed product. Its real utility isn’t that it uses less oil, but that it cooks incredibly fast. Essentially an oven on steroids. It’s made cooking so much easier. I usually toss some boneless chicken in with a light coating of soy sauce and cornflour. While the chicken cooks, I prep a basic Asian sauce on the stovetop. The chicken and the sauce are both done within 10-15 minutes.…

I was thinking if buying an air fryer however cleaning seems like a nightmare. Can you please share some insights on how easy (or hard) it is?