Ask Lemmy

My e-book reader (Tolino).

As I got older and had problems with my eyes, this was a game changer. I had basically stopped reading books and now I do it daily. I can choose the font and letter size, background color, and backlighting based on what works best for my eyes that day and the light where I am.

Being able to hold a very light device with a big screen when I would have to balance a heavy weight as a paper book is also great, and I take the reader with me everywhere, whereas a big book would stay at home most of the time.

The reader has a bigger screen than my phone and the battery lasts longer.

The reader works flawlessly with my library, so I don't have to buy books, which keeps costs down, and I don't have to leave the house to get a new book.

Calibre helps us share books in our family, which is one reason we've stayed away from Amazon's Kindle, so we've all gone to ".epub".

Not sure if that counts as technology, but simple LED lights over my kitchen counter (mounted under the upper cabinets) were a pretty inexpensive purchase that made my life significantly better. I don't understand now how I was ever able to cook with just the ceiling lights on, it's absolutely terrible.

I bought a 2080ti for $1200 right before covid and everyone gave me shit about how I was wasting my money because the 3000 series had a lower MSRP which then ballooned to $2000+.

So while everyone else was struggling to get a graphics card due to supply chain issues and prohibitive costs, I was gaming in 4k resolution throughout the pandemic. To say that this was clutch during a time I couldn’t really do much outside of the house with other people would be a massive understatement.

I usually would not have spent that much on a card, but I won a hackathon cash prize right before so had some money burning a hole in my pocket. The card is still going strong and is still my daily driver, so I can’t say it’s been a bad purchase at all.

How do you define "technology". Because if it means "any human invention" then I have to give it to my squatty-potty. I have Crohn's Disease and "quality of pooping life" is a very important factor. And it's just a lot comfier when your legs aren't falling asleep due to an unnatural position.

If it has to be something from "the tech industry", then my very first smartphone, circa 2012. After decades of oldschool cell phones, it was a real game-changer. Doubly so because I'm in Brazil, where texting was never really a thing, so for the first time I had access to the likes of WhatsApp and could be in touch with my mates, whereas previously the cell was really just for calls, which is to say, emergencies.

I don't think I could ever go back to a single monitor setup. Screen real estate is ALWAYS at a premium. I feel so constrained when forced to use just one.

A robot vacuum with a mop and self emptying/mop washing base (I live with two dogs in the PNW where mud is constant for 6 months of the year).

Wireless noise cancelling headphones and earbuds.

I was reluctant to pay $400 for a gimmick but holy shit, once I did they became my most treasured possessions. Then I got buds for $400.

If we are talking cost per hour of use, they might be the most cost-effective tech I own

Electric whisks. I'm never stirring a drink with a spoon in my life.

Surprised nobody has mentioned a computer yet, so mine is going from a $200 dell optiplex I saved up for to a ~$3,000 gaming rig my parents convinced the government to buy me.
The government had a $5,000 thing to parents with autistic children (diagnosed before the age of 10) and they could spend it on stuff that would help the child. They had to fight tooth and nail to convince them that it would let me play games with my friends (a total lie, I only played Minecraft and terraria then). They surprised me with it on my birthday I think 5 years ago and it was AMAZING.

I've spent nearly every dollar I've earned in the past 5 years improving my setup and game library.

Oh. And a high quality Bluetooth mouse. I used a Glorious Model O (for Minecraft 1.8 pvp) since it came out and used it till the battery only lasts a day or two, also I wanted more buttons. Only 6 months ago have I switched to a g502x and I went like 3 weeks without charging it. Its amazing.

An immersion blender, it was $30 but it made my soups seem gourmet and let me recycle my gallons of lard into the best soap I have ever used.

Aside from that, I replaced two of my mismatched odd shaped PC monitors with 27" 4k monitors and the difference is amazing. The monitors were so cheap too only $110 each. Together with my super fancy main screens it really cleaned up the desktop.

Electric blanket!

It's not high tech, but it's so good.

A goddamn dishwasher. I used to wash a lot of dishes by hand growing up so it took until my 30's before i realized that dishwashers are a wonderful invention.

A kneepad for my NC Miata. Kept digging my knee into the center console. A pad was the best upgrade I've made to that car.

Going from Sega Megadrive to PlayStation back in the nineties. True 3d graphics on a home console blew my little teenage mind. Lara Croft. Wipeout. Metal Gear Solid! Good times.

Lighting system as a wake up tool.

Have now been using a light or lighting system as a morning wake up for over 15 years. It’s life changing.

Lights start off dim and red/orange, and brighten very slowly to warm white. Works every time.

I wake up without the jolt of an alarm at home.

In fact - automated lighting in general - just so good.

Linux?