The Gadgets I've Reviewed — Yes, I'm Still Using Them

I've introduced all sorts of gadgets on this blog over the years.

But if I recommended something and then quietly stopped using it, that'd be kind of half a scam, I thought.

So this time, I want to go through the gadgets I'm actually still using today.

Gadgets I Use for Work

MacBook Pro

As a web engineer, you do need a certain level of machine specs.

With that in mind, here are the specs of the laptop I'm currently using:

Display: 14 inches
Chip: Apple M3 Pro
Memory: 36GB
Storage: 500GB

Apparently it's the November 2023 model, so before I knew it I've been using it for almost three years.

Digging through my emails, I found I bought it at the Apple Store for 428,800 yen.

I have zero complaints about the display, CPU, or memory — it feels like it still has plenty of life left in it.

If I had to name one complaint, it's that skimping on storage back then was a mistake… I really want 1TB.

iPad Air

I use an iPad Air as a second display.

I've written about this before, but a cable-free second display with zero lag is honestly the best.

Here are the specs:

Display: 13 inches
Chip: M2
Storage: 128GB

This is the 2024 model, and I bought it on Amazon last year for 95,700 yen.

If I remember right, the M3 came out right after I bought it, which was a bit of a shock.

That said, I have no complaints at all as long as I'm using it as a second display.

Actually, I use it almost exclusively as a second display, so I feel like it's a pretty luxurious setup.

You can get the M4 model now, but honestly, for this use case, an older model is more than enough.

By the way, in a previous post I wrote that I was struggling because I couldn't fine-tune the resolution on the iPad side when connecting via Sidecar.

Installing an app called Display Menu solved that completely.

It's a godsend of an app — the difference in usability with and without it is night and day.

Gadgets at Home

FPD Tuner-less TV

I'm still using the FPD TV.

I have no complaints about the size, and I like how bright the colors are.

It also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and the immersion hitting your eyes and ears is insane.

As I wrote in a previous post, I used to use a 43-inch Dell monitor.

It was marketed as 4K, but over HDMI I could effectively only watch in Full HD, so getting both the 50-inch size and real 4K is a really big deal.

In that post, I complained that switching inputs with the Fire TV was a hassle.

But after tweaking a setting from developer mode, it now stays locked to the Fire TV, so I don't really have any complaints anymore.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

The FPD tuner-less TV runs Google TV, so there's no real need to plug in a Fire TV.

But it gets a bit sluggish in places, so I always watch through the Fire TV.

I mentioned earlier that the FPD supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and the first-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports both too, so that was no problem.

What I watch is mostly YouTube, followed by Amazon Music.

With Amazon Music, when I route it from the Fire TV through the FPD to the soundbar I'll get to below, Dolby Atmos tracks actually play in Atmos — which is a nice touch.

It's a 2021 model, but I don't have any real complaints, and I have no plans to replace it for now.

Bose Smart Soundbar

It's a mid-range soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos.

I used to use a soundbar called the Bose Solo 5, and the difference in sound quality, volume, and spaciousness was so huge it surprised me.

I've paired it with the following:

You might say, "You're spending way too much on your living room audio!" — but I think once you set it up, you'll get it…

I have no plans to spend any more on it — if I do, it'll be after I start earning more, or after I move to a bigger place.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds LE

I can hear you saying, "Bose again?!" — but I love Bose, so please forgive me.

They're so-called open-ear earbuds, and they're perfectly usable outside, but I mostly use them at home.

A common use for me is when a friend comes over and is sleeping in the living room late at night — I put these on and keep working.

Honestly, I don't use them that often, but I'd be in trouble without them.

The sound quality is good too, and personally I'd like to use them more…

Also, you can use them together with the Bose Smart Soundbar, which is fun in its own way.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Many of you probably know it already — it's the Amazon Echo Show 5.

I use it for the clock, the weather forecast, checking the temperature, and as the trigger for my SwitchBot devices.

Other than that, I barely use it — skills never really took off in the end, did they.

Frankly, the response is slow so I don't really want to touch it, and the Amazon ads that crept in at some point are super annoying.

I'd like to replace it with something else if I could, but without Alexa I can't control my SwitchBot devices, so I'm just grinding my teeth here…

I don't recommend it.

SwitchBot AI Art Canvas

It's basically a digital photo frame, one that lets you switch images through SwitchBot.

I got fed up with how bare my room looked and bought it on impulse.

I'm kind of an art lover after all, so having a Monet or whatever displayed in the living room really calms me down.

Once I actually put it up, the vibe of the room changed completely — I was surprised how much difference a single picture on the wall makes.

It has a paper-like texture, so it doesn't look like an LCD, which is another plus.

Also, the pictures switch on their own, which is a small but nice thing.

That said, I do have complaints, and first off, the battery life is surprisingly bad.

And you can only register 10 images, which is pretty tough — let me add a few more, please…

The app isn't very easy to use either.

By the way, as the "AI" in the name suggests, it also has a feature that generates pictures with AI, but I don't use it at all.

Honestly, I think it's an unnecessary feature — being able to display the pictures I like is enough for me.

Gadgets for Going Out

Pixel 9a

I know there's not much point in writing about the Pixel 9a at this point.

I'm somewhat anti-Apple, so for smartphones it's Android or nothing — I just don't get the appeal of the iPhone.

Or rather, to be accurate, Android is just way more convenient.

Maybe not as much as it used to be, but there's still a lot of room for customization, and it covers the things that are critical for me, which really helps.

For example, there are apps that forward incoming SMS to Gmail, and there are VPN apps you can use for free.

Being able to reach those small details is what I like about Android.

As for the Pixel 9a itself, I honestly don't have much to say, good or bad.

That said, having no particular complaints means I'm not having any trouble, so I guess that's a good thing in its own way.

M300

It's a digital audio player — a so-called DAP.

I'm the type who doesn't like playing music on my phone, so when I'm out I listen to music on a DAP.

This HiBy M300 is responsive, of course, but the big thing is that it supports aptX Adaptive.

The Bose earbuds I'll get to below also support aptX Adaptive, so the two pair really well together.

Unfortunately, this model apparently had a really short sales window, so I don't think you can get one anymore…

The successor is the M500, but it's more than twice the price, so I think you'd be much better off buying a different model.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

Bose yet again — I can't head out without these.

I dropped and lost my first-gen pair and reluctantly bought them again, but in the end I'm glad I did.

The sound went from the first gen's thumping bass to a well-balanced, easy-to-listen sound, which I appreciate as someone who doesn't mess with the equalizer.

Immersive audio is impressive enough that even an amateur ear can clearly tell, but turning it on cuts the battery life, which is the downside.

It's been about a year since I started using them, and my impression has hardly changed since I wrote the review.

If anything, I just wish the noise cancelling were a bit stronger.

iPad mini (6th Gen)

It's my everyday device, and I also use it to read books on Kindle.

For a while it played YouTube for me while I practiced on my electronic drums, but it handed that job over to a 3,600-yen Android tablet, and now it's back to everyday use.

I used to think that, compared to the Kindle Paperwhite I'll get to below, the iPad mini was way better as a reading device.

But recently the library side of the Kindle app on iPad has gotten really hard to use, so I can't say that so confidently anymore…

You can get the A17 Pro model now, but for everyday use and reading, the 6th gen is still more than enough, I think.

Kindle Paperwhite

This is the Kindle Paperwhite (12th gen) I bought on impulse.

To be honest, I'm still using it, but it has a lot of quirks.

In a previous post I called it a bug that book covers don't show up in the library, but apparently that's actually by design…

Bug or design, I still can only see the titles, so it's pretty rough.

The comics' colors still get inverted in dark mode, too.

On the other hand, the battery life is way better than I expected, and it's easy on the eyes, so I think it's well suited to reading for long stretches.

I used to write that if you're going to buy one, you'd be much happier stretching a bit for an iPad mini, but with the Kindle app on iPad being the way it is, I can't say that so easily now.

That said, I can't really recommend the Kindle Paperwhite itself either.

Looking back like this, I'm surrounded by Bose, Apple, and Amazon one way or another.

I hope this is useful to someone.