Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#571

Post by sevilo » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:34 PM UTC

sigstoat wrote: post #545

sevilo wrote: post #494

Guqin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guqin been a long-time wish of mine to learn it, finally took the pandemic as the opportunity to do so since I'm staying home so much. Vessi shoes: https://vessi.com best shoes I've worn, feels likes slippers, lightweight and waterproof, perfect for the rainy PNW weathers

what (if anything) have you used for pedagogical materials for the guqin? and how effective have they been? i'd like to futz around with an instrument in that family someday, but there aren't lessons available anywhere near me.

i take lesson once a week from a teacher and the primary focus is technique and learning pieces. I'm also in a facebook group where there are some music scholars who like to study the history, culture and systems related to this instrument. After ~8 months of learning I feel more comfortable with the basic techniques now so I've ventured into reconstructing ancient scores and the group has been helpful in helping me understanding certain notations.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#572

Post by slashdot2008 » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:34 PM UTC

ski-doo summit X 850: it is the freedom machine. A challenging new hobby that provides access to amazing remote places and an escape from busy corporately owned commerical ski areas. there is nobody around to tell you what to do or not do and where to go or not. plus it is your personal ski lift for powder skiing. Riding side-by-side with a friend hammering up a bowl is the most exciting thing I've done in years.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#573

Post by ska » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:35 PM UTC

barrkel wrote: post #498

baby wrote: post #248

Instant pot. This thing is magical, everything taste so fucking good in it. I bought a crockpot and never used it, but the instant pot was a game changer for me: ramen, couscous, stews, etc. The meat tastes so good when cooked there, vegetables are the same.

My partner got an Instant pot but I don't like the meat that is made in it. Maybe it's overcooked? Tomato-based ground meat (e.g. ground lamb) sauces are tolerable. I generally prefer my meat fried (seared) in a cast iron pan and finished in an oven (if necessary, e.g. a big piece of beef).

The thing about pressure cookers is that they are basically a time saving device; what you get out of them is similar [1] result to what a long, slow cook in the oven would have been. They cook at higher heat without boiling.

You aren't going to roast in them, or anything like it. But a stew that would have taken 3+ hours can be done in less than 1. Typically you should be using different cuts of meat for these applications.

[1] the big caveat is you don't lose moisture, so liquid amounts all need to be adjusted

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#574

Post by yboris » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:36 PM UTC

glaugh wrote: post #467

Clavinova digital piano! I hated piano as a kid, largely bc of the lesson style (and plan on trying Suzuki method with my kids). I’ve played guitar (poorly) for years and I’m shocked with how (relatively) easy it is on piano to do fun improvisation or learn songs I love (Radiohead’s Videotape to start, now trying Piano Man) And digital means I can turn down the volume when kids are sleeping, use as a midi controller,…

Try out Pianoteq! Connect your digital piano to a computer (even Raspberry Pi) and try it out: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq

This software will make your piano sound like a $20k grand piano.

ps - another fun project: adding an LED strip that responds to the piano keys - to create a beautiful visual rainbow when you play.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#575

Post by wyldfire » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:36 PM UTC

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #48

Oculus Quest 2 - despite the whole Facebook thing, coupling it with awesome games and experiences, it saved me from going mental during the autumn-winter-spring lockdown in Europe combined with the depressing weather of that time. Worth its weight in gold for that. Roborock Robovac - also worth its weight in gold since the whole lockdown WFH turned my apartment into a permanent office, kitchen, cinema and gym, the fl…

I feel like I'd love the Quest 2 for a month or two and then I wouldn't use it after the novelty wore off.

Are there any AR/XR applications for Quest? It'd be pretty interesting if I got multiple for the fam and we could all be in the same environment somehow. Even if I needed room reference / locator devices it would probably be worth it.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#576

Post by yojo » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:37 PM UTC

wccrawford wrote: post #345

ultra-jeremyx wrote: post #299

Cold climate mini-split heat pumps * I live in northern New England and used to heat exclusively with wood in the winter time. Very cozy, but hard to maintain a consistent temp throughout the house. The new cold-climate models can operate at 100% capacity down to an ambient temp of -13F outdoors. One in each bedroom, the living area, and home office makes it easy to dial in the optimal temp for the space. No more loa…

A word of warning, though: Get someone to install them that is used to installing minisplits. We didn't know the AC company we chose didn't normally do them. They told us about it, sold us on it, and then royally screwed up the installation. We had them fix it a few times, then they had to basically replace all the inside heads. And even after that, they still aren't right. Some of it is simple incompetence, but some…

I researched the heck out of this before getting one for a rental. Mitsubishi is the way to go if money is no object and you want the most reliable/lowest hassle system.

If you want to save a little money, Daikin is almost as good and a little cheaper. Below that you’re rolling the dice on service calls.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#577

Post by anarazel » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

Jakobeha wrote: post #568

anarazel wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That kind of headphones really was a significant upgrade for me. Being able to listen to something while still having environmental awareness is awesome. I do wish the max volume for the aftershokz where higher, and they didn't have the play/pause button trigger a redial when double pushed. I've accidentally done that multiple times (Including scaring my parents with a middle of the night call, due to 9 hours time di…

Silicone earplugs will increase the volume of the Aftershokz.

But remove the advantage of having situational awareness :)

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#578

Post by codemac » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

arbuge wrote: post #504

Jakobeha wrote: post #128

Material goods: Ear plugs (silicone). Don't waste your money on noise-cancelling headphones, I have $200 ones and they don't compare to simple ear plugs. If you live in a moderately noisy area and you want peace and quiet, get them. They basically just make everything quiet. 24 from CVS = $10. OpenMove by Aftershokz - Bone-conduction headphones. Perfect for running and just good for listening to music. They work, the…

I did ear plugs for a long time but really disliked the discomfort (to me at least) of inserting them in my ears. I found hearing protectors, typically made for industrial purposes, to be much more comfortable and effective. Just do a search for "noise reduction earmuff" for this option. They're obviously not a good solution for sleeping but work well for working.

There are also my favorite, which go over the ear canal rather than inside: Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#579

Post by ja27 » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

cryptofistMonk wrote: post #97

Airpods Pro. Not traditionally an apple guy so didn't expect to like them, but the guy talked us into them while we were upgrading my wife's phone. Wow. These things are just way better than any other earbuds and so much more convenient and comfortable than headphones. The Bluetooth just works even when switching between my Android and MacBook. The noise cancelling is great as well, way better than my Sennheisers.

I use mine a lot but have had to do two rounds of replacements due to hardware issues. The battery life is unsurprisingly short (right about 4 hours now) which only comes up on looong calls without a break.

They'd still be on my maybe top 5 list for recent purchases.

Re: Ask HN: Favorite purchases of last two years?

#580

Post by coolspot » Thu, May 20, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

TacticalCoder wrote: post #362

Unlikely to get upvoted here but a used Porsche Panamera with an extended bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty. As Doug Demuro says it's cheap, really cheap. There's not a single brand new car costing, say, 75 K EUR or less that I'd have rather than that because the quality simply ain't there. The ride comfort, soundsystem, sound insulation, interior quality, how it drives superbly (and can yet be used for some spi…

Interesting you say that. Used Panameras in my area are more expensive than Cayennes.