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Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

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Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#501

Post by crimsontech »

atemerev wrote: post #455
xupybd wrote: post #154

I use a Kinesis advantage keyboard. It's expensive and ugly but comfortable. I would not go back to another keyboard ever again. Have a look at this review https://www.anandtech.com/show/7125/kinesis-advantage-review...

Tried to use it for 3 months, couldn’t adapt, had to sell it. Also, it has Cherry MX brown switches, which are not my favorite to say the least, with their middle-of-the-ground sort-of bumpiness. I much prefer either fully clicky or fully linear ones.

They do cherry red versions too for linear switches.

I used to have awful RSI and switching to the Kinesis Advantage for a year fixed it. I don't use it anymore but I don't use the apple keyboard either which I think caused the RSI in the first place, or maybe it was just how I was banging away on it.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#502

Post by Turskarama »

vxNsr wrote: post #275
Turskarama wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bigger, yes, but much lower resolution.

Yea, I've been really temped to try something like this for travel but I don't wanna spend the $500 for potential disappointment, what is the real resolution?

The oculus quest 2 has a resolution of 1,832 x 1920. If the virtual screen takes up half your field of view (usually it will be less, even if it looks big in your field of view) then it might be effectively 900x1000, but then you have to keep in mind that none of your screens sharpening tricks are in effect, so it looks even lower.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#503

Post by randallsquared »

rektide wrote: post #148
habosa wrote: post #68

Wired headphones. I’ve never had to start a meeting by trying to mess with my audio settings, or had to think about charging another battery.

Wireless headphones. Because sometimes I really have to go and it's literally no problem to walk to the bathroom. Or to go make tea. Or to do whatever. Freedom to not be chained up is amazing. Try it. I too don't feel like I've had to mess with audio settings. I have some SteelSeries Actis Pro's I bought a long time ago. They have bluetooth, but there's also a nice usb-based head-unit I use with higher quality, lower…

I use wireless headphones because cords get in my way, but the “step away to make tea” seems like an unlikely use case to me. It isn’t as if you don’t have to see the screen anyway… more than half the time someone is sharing a window and saying things like, “what do we do about THIS?” while waving their pointer over something.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#504

Post by eimrine »

herbst wrote: post #344
Our_Benefactors wrote: post #56

Here’s an actual lesser known accessory: a mouse bungee. It is a small weighted disc with a spring arm that holds the mouse cord up and away from the mousepad. I don’t like the lag, connectivity, and battery issues of wireless mice, this fixes all of that! It feels _better_ than a wireless mouse, because it has no wires in the way also with zero lag.

Alone the possibility that I could suddenly have an empty battery while being productive make wireless devices a obvious bad choice for a home desktop. IMO

My Logitech mouse uses 1 AA battery per more than 1 year and I even never turn it off. Also it has a red lamp which signals a low battery, it can work a week with that red lamp.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#505

Post by crimsontech »

Probably the most special thing on my desk is a HHKB keyboard. Other than the layout I think the killer features for the latest version is that it connects to four different devices using bluetooth (it can also connect to another using USB). You switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+FN+1-4 for bluetooth and CTRL+FN+0 for USB).

I can type on calls without my mic picking it up, it has a custom layout saved on device so I don't need to do any configuration for any device I connect it to and it works fine on Windows, MacOS and iOS devices.

I use a JP version but with US keys on it and a US key layout which gives me a bunch of extra keys to configure. If anyone is wondering, there is a spare key on the home row to the right of the ' key which I use as backspace/del.

It wasn't cheap, but if it broke I would replace it with the same model in a heartbeat. I do have a spare but it's the standard US layout with the big spacebar.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#506

Post by forgotmypw17 »

a_e_k wrote: post #223
forgotmypw17 wrote: post #45

I wouldn't call it lesser-known, but I tend to use a full-size standard 104-key keyboard with my laptop. It's nice to be able to reach all the keys by feel and to have all those extra keys like Page Up and Page Down, etc. available without having to use a modifier.

I like my tenkeyless for that. Slightly more compact than a full-size, but still has PgUp and PgDn and such, and in the right place.

I rarely use the numpad, but I generally stick to salvage equipment, so standard is what I get. :)

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#507

Post by _shantaram »

samuria wrote: post #479
brigandish wrote: post #476

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try out Colima[0]. I saw someone else mention it on here a few months ago and thought to try it and it's been very good. I did encounter my first problem yesterday so I have moved back to Docker Desktop for now but even if it only worked half the time I'd still suggest it, the memory usage is under a quarter of Docker's offering! [0] https://github.com/abiosoft/colima

I think the OP actually prefers the heat generated from Docker.

relevant: https://xkcd.com/1172/

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#508

Post by xupybd »

crimsontech wrote: post #501
atemerev wrote: post #455

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tried to use it for 3 months, couldn’t adapt, had to sell it. Also, it has Cherry MX brown switches, which are not my favorite to say the least, with their middle-of-the-ground sort-of bumpiness. I much prefer either fully clicky or fully linear ones.

They do cherry red versions too for linear switches. I used to have awful RSI and switching to the Kinesis Advantage for a year fixed it. I don't use it anymore but I don't use the apple keyboard either which I think caused the RSI in the first place, or maybe it was just how I was banging away on it.

Yeah it was RSI that caused me to use the Advantage too. The learning curve was brutal but now I love typing on it. Also I added o rings. I like the fact that I can bottom out and have a soft impact.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#509

Post by swah »

j45 wrote: post #149
hipplec wrote: post #75

I have a heating pad under my keyboard which keeps my hands warm in the winter. Was like $20 on amazon, and I can't even begin to describe how amazing it is, since I was really tired of always having a mug of hot water / tea / coffee to hold and didn't want to keep the heat on my house super high when I could just wear a sweatshirt and be fine except my fingers.

Mine died in 6 months of light use, looking for a better one. They work well on the floor too if you have a basement.

Good idea - although you can always put more socks, a boot, etc. Thats why the hands are so hard, because you need mobility for working.

You know who won't complain when winter arrives? ChatGPT...

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#510

Post by readingnews »

crimsontech wrote: post #505

Probably the most special thing on my desk is a HHKB keyboard. Other than the layout I think the killer features for the latest version is that it connects to four different devices using bluetooth (it can also connect to another using USB). You switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+FN+1-4 for bluetooth and CTRL+FN+0 for USB). I can type on calls without my mic picking it up, it has a custom layout sa…

I was a big HHKB fan, I actually still have the first model produced with the three cables for sun, mac, PC.

If anyone is interested, I would check out not only the new HHBKB, but mechanical keyboards also, the ones you build or have someone build. The amount of programming and customization you can do on them is insane.

I moved from HHKB to a 40%, for two reasons: 1) the mouse is incredibly close to the keyboard. It is close with the HHKB, but you can save even more time with a 40%. 2) You can literally reach every single key without moving your hands at all.

I now have three or four of them, one permanently at each computer and at my work desk.

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