Gadget
Tech I Donāt Need (But Want)
There are a few tech items Iāve been eyeing for a long time1, which Iād love to have, but the rational part of my brain forbids me from buyingāat least for now, thankfully.
First on the list is a drone. Long before insurance requirements and discussions about drone safety became prevalent, I owned a DJI drone2. It was incredibly large and loud but fascinating and took beautiful pictures for its time. Previously, I flew 3D aerobatics with RC helicopters, but I couldnāt afford or justify the constant repairs anymoreāalmost every flight resulted in something breaking. Anyways, drones are quite different now, practically indestructible if you know what youāre doing. Currently, you can get a DJI Neo for about ā¬160 on sale. I wonder how much has changed in the last ten years. But I donāt really need it. While itās small enough to be carried easily, Iām not an Instagram influencer needing a vlog drone. Iām more interested in aerial photography, which would require larger models, registration, a license, and insurance. Plus, you canāt just carry them around casually. Therefore, I really should resist my curiosity.
Next are AR glasses. The XReal One seems quite awesome. Iād like to try one and see if such devices could replace a TV. However, the cable setup is still quite extensive, requiring a battery pack, adapters, and a game console or other input device, leaving you tethered to the living room sofa. Also, while you might not look quite as strange wearing them as you would sitting in the living room with ski goggles, sunglasses arenāt much better either, I guess. And is the whole experience really better than just holding a handheld or iPad? For the best experience, I sit in front of my PlayStation connected to a 4K OLED monitor in my āhome officeā anyways. The chair there isnāt that uncomfortable either. Ultimately, I havenāt used a VR headset since the PlayStation VR for the PS4, eight years ago. How much better are they nowadays? Again, Iām very curious but think itās not worth buying or owning oneāand unfortunately, I donāt know anyone who owns one.
I donāt know why, but I would really love to own a Flipper. Iām fascinated by the idea and versatility of this device, and it looks so awesome. But even after watching tutorials on YouTube, I still donāt know what Iād actually achieve with one. I think I’m just not a hacker and therefore not the target group. š
Lastly, there are always new gaming consoles and handhelds in various form factors. Iād love to have an original Game Boy Advance SP with an IPS panel or an Anbernic RG35XXSP, or their recently announced RG34XX, and so many others. But I already own a bunch and must stop buying even moreāI should start playing some games instead! Speaking of handhelds, Iād really love to own a MiSTER. Although I have devices that can connect to a TV, including a Raspberry Pi running Batocera and an Analogue Pocket, thereās still a MiSTER missing from my collection to tinker with.3 I must not order one!
By the way, this Fujifilm X100VI is so awesome. And what about the X-T5? š
Update 2024-12-08
And how could I forget the Oura Ring 4āanother category of devices I find very tempting?