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Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

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Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#351

Post by Cr0s »

mittermayr wrote: post #265

Herman Miller Aeron (Remastered). It's a hefty price if you look at 'regular' chairs, but once you have had one for a while, you can't go back to anything else. The amount of time you spend in that chair is insane. So, naturally, that, and whatever it takes to get good sleep. Also, a Logitech MX Master 2S, again because I use it all day, every day. They tend to become a bit stiffer over time it seems like, so I've ha…

The MX Master is a surprisingly good mouse, specifically the side buttons which I honestly did not think I would use at the start. Only problem is the thumb button which dies every now and then, but it's fixable usually within 10 min.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#352

Post by laserlight »

cracrecry wrote: post #81

Midi devices. I have lots of the cheap ones for controlling my software with hardware wheels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umO-Bwzl3f0 I also control software like blender using those, even my emacs use that. It is always in the same place and once you learn it, you are so fast. I also use sheets of paper and color pens.

Can you give some pointers? I’m interested in using non-traditional input devices but don’t know where to start.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#353

Post by anon7725 »

YourCupOTea wrote: post #158
amelius wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Summary? I can't watch video now.

The tablets have nothing fancy in them other than some dyes, they are just soap at a mark-up. Even the cheapy store brand stuff does just as good of a job. Additionally, depending on the hardness of your water you may need less detergent than the tablets have in them which could leave a white residue on your dishes. Finally, with the powdered detergent you may need to sprinkle a little in the door for a pre-rinse whi…

> P.S. Never use liquid detergents.

Why not? I’ve switched from tablets to liquid detergent and it’s working out well.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#354

Post by Cr0s »

unnouinceput wrote: post #288
gpvos wrote: post #242

It's a fairly recent buy so I don't know how much impact it'll have, but I'm quite happy with my new keyboard without numeric keypad (they're also sold as "tenkeyless"). I never use the numpad, so this means my mouse is closer to my body and it's all more ergonomic.

My son has one. I hate typing on his keyboard when he needs my help, especially when I help him doing his math homework. You see I use the numeric keypad a lot on that hence the hate for his "tenkeyless" in that case. But he hates my large keyboard when he needs my computer, so that balances out, hihi. Each to their own I guess

I see a lot of people praising tenkeyless but I use the numeric keypad so often I can't bring myself to buy one, even if my current keyboard uses more space.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#355

Post by bredren »

Cr0s wrote: post #334
Retr0id wrote: post #241

A subwoofer. No matter how high end your headphones, bookshelf speakers, or studio monitors are, they will never be able to punch you in the chest in quite the same way as a decently sized dedicated subwoofer. It's a night-and-day difference for listening to music and watching movies, or even just listening to human voices in youtube videos. Just, be careful not to bother your neighbours with it.

The bothering other people bit is what i feel is mostly stopping me from using anything but a headset. I do have experience with subwoofers and there is a certain joy when they hit you, but the thought of the whole neighbourhood hearing my excellent taste in music bothers me somewhat.

Have you looked into bass shakers? They are popular in home theatre enthusiast and driving / flight simulator crowds.

Still niche, but can provide the sensation of heavy bass with near silent sound.

I have a project integrating a wireless shaker system into the Herman Miller embody.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#356

Post by Arkanosis »

hn_go_brrrrr wrote: post #335
Arkanosis wrote: post #311

The list could be very long, but here are a few things which I have started using lately and which have proved more useful than expected: - A dish draining rack: that's very inexpensive and I'm wasting way less time and space than before arranging dishes. - A vertical desktop file sorter: exactly the same thing, but for papers. - Thin, fingerless gloves I can type with: while this has not solved my dry hands problem…

I'd appreciate you sharing your dish drying rack recommendation. I've still got the one I bought in college. Never occurred to me there might be better versions.

I haven't spent that much time weighting the options for this one, so I don't really feel like I can recommend this model over others, but here it is:

  https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B01FWIJ25S
I'd say the right one really depends on your needs. In my case space was an issue, so I took a really small one. It's OK for 1 / 2 people, but I wish I could put a little more cutlery in it.

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend any model over not having one.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#357

Post by tra3 »

CodeGlitch wrote: post #209
j4yav wrote: post #67

The Apple Watch surprised me in how much awareness of my health it generated - mainly how much and what quality sleep I was getting, but also other general signals. It helped me pay more attention and make some good health improvements. Presumably any other smart watch offers similar benefits.

I have a Garmin and feel the same, definitely more aware of my health. Battery lasts about 2 weeks which is impressive.

Can you share which garmin you have? Battery life is By far my biggest issue with the Apple Watch. Once it discharges I forget to use it.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#358

Post by Cr0s »

t-3 wrote: post #207

Wireless charger - it doesn't really save time, and I still have a ton of cables everywhere, but it totally eliminates battery anxiety and provides a surprising amount of peace of mind. Obviously, you have to have hardware that's capable of charging wirelessly, but it's becoming more common these days. Also, you never lose your phone anymore. Ebook readers - I've been using them for years, and recent models with flat…

Any specific ebook readers you would recommend? I have been thinking about getting one recently.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#359

Post by Cr0s »

dustractor wrote: post #120

About ten years ago, I lived in an area where power outages were a common occurrence, sometimes lasting up to a week. Naturally, during those times, I found it necessary to own some sort of flashlight or headlamp, along with whatever batteries it took. Unfortunately, being that this was in rural America, all of the available headlamps (coleman/energizer/craft, at walmart, at lowes, at DG, etc) are of such low-quality…

Just opened my drawer to check on my flashlights after reading this. 3 out of 4 appear to be dead.

Re: Ask HN: Any piece of hardware that was more of game changer than you expected?

#360

Post by Cr0s »

gmays wrote: post #194

Some 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 car…

A water bottle of the right size I found is much more important than it seems. I had pretty much the same experience that you mentioned: too big and I don't use it, too small and I can't be bothered to refill everytime.
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