Things I purchased this year that didn’t suck:
- Homebrew Media Center PC: Dual tuners. Online spotlight. I have not missed my Tivo for even a second.
- My own dedicated server: Technically I made the purchase in October 2004, but I didn’t move my sites over until March. Full root access with gobs of RAM, disk, and bandwidth at an employee discount price rocks.
- Lumines: Best puzzle game since Tetris, 100% pure digital crack.
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7: A 5MP digital camera with a 2.5″ LCD in a package about the size of a flip phone. It kills me that I lost this camera. Hopefully the newer DMC-FX9 will find it’s way into my Christmas stocking.
- Ogio Metro Backpack: I still love this bag.
- iPod Mini: Impulse buy during my European vacation from a vending machine at ATL. Not too big, not too expensive, if it didn’t use iTunes it might be perfect.
- Flickr: They originally got my business because they were popular and I was lazy — I signed up during my vacation so I could get my photos online fast. Since then I’ve come to love the service because it’s so simple, convenient, and fast.
- Forza Motorsport: A better Gran Turisimo than Gran Turisimo 4.
- Microsoft Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition: Microsoft needs to get back to practicing economy in naming, but once you get past the name it’s the best keyboard available for MCE users. Not too big, not too small, all the buttons that MCE needs, and it actually works reliably — unlike my previous RF keyboard. It has some flaws but what wireless keyboard doesn’t? Until something better comes along this is the MCE keyboard to have.
- Saab 9-2X Aero: A Subaru WRX cleverly disguised as a mild-mannered European-style station wagon, and the automotive bargain of the year during GM’s employee discount promo ($9K or so off sticker). At first I had twinges of buyer’s remorse for not buying a “real” Saab or other more luxurious car, but it’s blend of practicality, stealthiness, and raw horsepower have grown on me.
- You just got beat by a wagon
sticker: There’s nothing like rubbing their noses in it. - Oakley M-Frame Hybrid: The modern rendition of the Oakley Blades. I love this type of Oakley design because they are damned near indestructable. I actually ran my old Blades over with a 3500lb covertible once — all the pieces came apart and the top of the frame had a crack, but I snapped everything back together and kept wearing them for several more years.
Since buying the car my gadget budget has been consumed by performance mods and autocross-related gear. I think I’m pretty much done for a while, my normal gizmo buying habbits should resume shortly.
