Gadgets

[EmilyJEG]

Does anyone else get a bit carried away with gadgets? Josh and I seem to have a bit of a habit of buying stuff that we could probably live without, but that we decide we want anyway...

When the Nintendo 3DS came out, we got one each. A few weeks back, I decided I'd get a 3DS XL for us to share for games that would be better bigger (mainly things like Mario). A few days later, Josh traded his old 3DS in for a 3DS XL (I didn't want to sell mine as I get too attached to things lol).

We wanted a new TV last year with built-in Freeview HD. We were looking to spend around £400 - but we ended up being convinced to get a 3D TV and Bluray player for £800. I was looking at laptops a few months ago - again looking at spending around £400 or a bit less - and ended up getting one for £600.

Josh randomly bought a PS Vita a couple of months ago because it was on offer. Then about a week ago he bought a BlackBerry Playbook because it was cheap at Cash Converters as it wouldn't charge. He managed to fix it, then talked me into getting one. I bought mine yesterday (though I have to wait until it's back in stock to collect it), along with a laserjet printer for printing out uni work (we have an inkjet but I don't like the quality of the printouts - and I really don't see the point in traipsing to the library at uni to spend a fortune printing there!).

Even my PCX was a total impulse purchase - I went to look at the Vision 110, but the PCX had a better finance option. When I was accepted for finance (he'd only suggested filling out the sheet to see if I would be allowed finance, not to agree to purchasing the PCX) I went ahead and got it. I'd barely even sat on the thing (let alone tried it out), and yet I'd committed myself to paying for it for the next three years.

On the other hand, I don't drink or smoke, I buy the majority of my clothes when they're in the sale, I don't wear make-up and I have no time for proper holidays at the minute (although I am going to the Eurogamer Expo in London at the end of the month, lol) - so even though I'm a million miles from being rich (I earn 12p above minimum wage!) I can just about afford to buy all this stuff. My student loan has helped this week too (I have done two useful things with it so far though - paid off a bit of my credit card and paid my scooter insurance for the rest of the year!).

[gn2]

By far the best gadgets I have bought in the last few years are one of these and one of these.

[EmilyJEG]

I like the look of the first one - think it would be quite useful. Perhaps you'd like this too?

[gn2]

Nope, I can easily and cleanly pull stems out of strawberries with my fingers without gadgetary assistance.
The pineapple screw makes a difficult messy job super easy.
My second link is a very cheap gadget which has rendered optical media obsolete in my household.

[you you]

By far the best gadgets I have bought in the last few years are one of these and one of these.

What exactly does the cyclone player do? Would it allow me to play movies on a tv from my iPhone

[you you]

This I'm favourite gadget, a lap staffie.

She "helps" me with everything. Here it's getting through the washing

[gn2]

If an iPhone can be accessed as USB mass storage device or write the video to a removeable SD card and if the TV has HDMI then yes.

[you you]

If an iPhone can be accessed as USB mass storage device or write the video to a removeable SD card and if the TV has HDMI then yes.

Only the photos can obviously be accessed I'll have a check to see if I can get the video

[gn2]

I don't use or own any Apple products because of all the DRM and vendor lock-in bullshit.

[you you]

I don't use or own any Apple products because of all the DRM and vendor lock-in bullshit.

Good for you

[EmilyJEG]

I hate Apple too, because I don't like the way they are being about Samsung - it's pathetic. Samsung actually makes some of the parts for iPhones, which is what I really don't get!

This wasn't a chance to boast about what I have, just genuinely wondered if anyone liked that sort of stuff. I've never really liked mp3 players which is one of the things a lot of people seem to like. I hate listening to music whilst I'm out in case I start singing along or miss something important like a police car coming when I'm crossing the road. I'm a bit paranoid like that

[gn2]

I don't hate Apple, I just don't agree with paying extra for restrictions.

[uploader]

Hi gn2 take a look at the WDTV 3nd gen, you dont have to convert any MKV sound files for them to play, The UI on the WDTV looks alot better and it will automatic go on line and download all the movie info and movie posters for you,

If you like to watch movies on your pc try you could also try XBMC its free and great to use

[gn2]

I don't have to convert files anyway, everything I have tried in it has just played.
If I need to find movie info IMDB is already in my bookmarks.
No need for XBMC, I have VLC.

[uploader]

XBMC is nothing like Vlc player, XBMC pulls all the movie info and movie movie sheets from the internet like the WDTV does, and comes with a great UI
If you dont have to convert any 1080p MKV for the sound to work than you must be using cyclone 2 or running it through a av system

[Alibally]

I use xbmc on my Raspberry pi. It's a little flakey yet as its on rc4 and not the final version yet but it does the job.

[gn2]

XBMC is nothing like Vlc player, XBMC pulls all the movie info and movie movie sheets from the internet like the WDTV does, and comes with a great UI

Yes, I know what XBMC is, but I don't need any of that shite, all I want is to see the movie.
I have a Cyclone Micro 2+ as per the link.
Does what I need perfectly with zero fuss.

If you dont have to convert any 1080p MKV for the sound to work than you must be using cyclone 2 or running it through a av system

Works on my laptop and the Cyclone with zero fannying.

[Scottish]

Laptop, HDMI cable & TV seems the easiest and cheapest method to me, unless your laptop doesnt have an HDMI connection then i'd probably get that cyclone thing too.

[you you]

Will any of them play c90s?

[gn2]

Sadly it won't.
It's smaller than a C90.