Tools
Software, hardware, machines, and other tools. Annotated honestly — what it does, what it doesn't, and whether I'd buy it again.
36 of 36 tools
| Tool | Category | Status | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo | Alarm Clock | active | $100 / one-time | An interactive alarm clock with sensors that detect when you're in bed to whisk you off to sleep with BotW campfire noises and more. |
| AMC | Entertainment | active | $360 / year | Art, entertainment, education -- these things are worth your time and money. |
| Brother | Printer | active | $200 / decade+ | Ol' reliable printer that simply prints without software updates or fuss. |
| Davek | Umbrella | active | $65 / one-time | A pocket-sized travel umbrella — under 7 inches closed and about 8 ounces — backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee. |
| Dyson | Air Purifier | active | $450 / one-time | Dyson's three-in-one — HEPA air purifier, heater, and bladeless cooling fan, with app and remote control (Hot+Cool Link HP02). |
| Herman Miller | Gaming Chair | active | $2,255 / one-time | A true beauty with great back and lumbar support and a strong copper-infused cooling foam seat built for life's long haul. |
| Elgato | Webcam | active | $300 / one-time | Elgato's Facecam Pro. Billed as the first 4K60 webcam, with a large Sony sensor and a premium autofocus lens for a decent feed that struggles in low light. Now discontinued. |
| Google | Analytics | active | God Only Knows | A relic from when Google's releases felt far more altruistic. |
| Elgato | Lighting | active | $180 / one-time | As just re-discovered, now in earnest, lighting does matter a lot. And some cheap lighting goes a very long way. |
| Logitech | Speakers | active | $250 / one-time | An ever-so-slightly premium sound solution for somebody who listens to music and plays the occasional game. |
| Logitech | Computer | retired | $100 / mouse | My hand oils are not compatible with this rubberized nonsense. |
| Loupedeck | Stream Controller | active | $250 / one-time | Loupedeck's creator console — analog dials, haptic touch buttons, and touch bars to drive editing, streaming, and productivity apps from one surface. |
| M5Stack | Robotics | evaluating | $99 / one-time | A cute lil' open-source AI desktop robot built on the ESP32-S3. On the bench, still evaluating. |
| M5Stack | Dev Kit | evaluating | $21.5 / one-time | A tiny canvas for tinkering with initial life's purpose being a glorified Claude notification. |
| Moccamaster | Coffee Maker | active | $400 / lifetime | If you do something everyday, it makes sense to not use junk-ass tools. |
| CVS | Health | active | $100 / year | Perhaps the most valuable tool of them all. |
| Neutrogena | Face Lotion | active | $20 / tub | You can combat the crusty, ashy mortal blows of your inevitable decay. |
| Neutrogena | Face Sunscreen | active | $20 / tub | You got to give deference to the power of the sun. |
| Obsidian | Notetaking | active | $80 / year | Preference and use case matters here. Apple Notes most likely for thee, but Obsidian as of late for me. |
| Parker | Notetaking | active | $15 / one-time | A classic pen, albeit not my preferred pen. |
| Peak Design | Backpack | active | $300 / Lifetime | Phenomenal for office work and camera or electronic traveling. |
| Peak Design | Sling | active | $130 / lifetime | A great lil' sling for a light camera carry. |
| Pelican | Case | active | $293 / one-time | A Pelican 1535 Air carry-on — colorized electric-blue with yellow latches by ColorCase. FAA-approved, watertight, wheeled, and near-indestructible. |
| Elgato | Teleprompter | active | $300 / one-time | Elgato's all-in-one teleprompter — a 9-inch display over your lens so you read scripts, apps, and notes while holding eye contact. |
| Proton | Password Manager | active | free | A cheap, quality-of-life option for keeping all your most information secure and shareable with your trusted contacts. |
| Ride1Up | Health | active | $2,500 / 5+ years | Being active is easy when you're having fun. And biking is always fun. |
| Rite in the Rain | Notetaking | active | $5 / pad | I bought ~20 different types of pocketable notebooks over the past 5 years. |
| Rize | Timetracking | active | $25 / month | This is the best use of ai currently available if you are a professional who tracks their time for billable work (lawyer, marketer, consultant, etc). |
| Canon | Printer | active | Baby Printer | The paper isn't cheap, but that's to be expected with this quick-print, polaroid-novelty type device. |
| Elgato | Foot Pedal | active | $90 / one-time | Elgato's three-pedal USB footswitch — hands-free triggers for macros, mute, push-to-talk, and any Stream Deck action. |
| Elgato | Stream Controller | active | $180 / one-time | Elgato's control surface — 8 customizable LCD keys, 4 rotary dials, and a touch strip to trigger scenes, mix audio, and fire off app actions. |
| Nintendo | Entertainment | active | $35 / one-time | Nintendo's cuckoo clock that announces each hour alongside other random murmurings. |
| The Baltimore Banner | Newspaper | active | $260 / year | The Fourth Estate is an essential investment. Do not take it for granted. Pay for smart people to do an invaluable job. |
| Tonal | Exercise | active | $4,000 / 5+ years | No excuses when this is immediately staring at you after you roll out of bed. And it's always worth investing in yourself. |
| Elgato | Microphone | active | $170 / one-time | Elgato's USB condenser mic — onboard DSP, Clipguard distortion protection, and a capacitive tap-to-mute for clean streams and podcasts. |
| Zebra | Notetaking | active | $10 / lifetime | Any pen from the Zebra family will do, but this is my favorite. |