[From Unsplash]
Good morning,
We live in an age, when there is unending demand for our time. Whether we like it or not, we find ourselves having to do more in the limited time we have. In a pandemic era twist to Parkinson’s Law, work seems to expand well beyond the available time.
We have chosen these five smart gadgets that will help you ease some of the problems you might have. Take a look, and if you feel it addresses some of the pain points in your life, go for it.
Have a great weekend!
Here goes!
1. A mesh network: Google Wi-Fi System
Now that hybrid work is here to stay and most of us need high-speed Wi-Fi at home as well, those dark spots at home when Wi-Fi connectivity drops can be a bit of a dampener. This is why a mesh network matters much. For the uninitiated, this is an elegant way to blanket the entire home with seamless Wi-Fi without using outdated solutions such as range extenders. Just how to do that is something we had described in much detail in November last year after tinkering around with most solutions in the market.
Back then, our colleague Charles Assisi had settled for a slightly dated version of TP Link’s Deco E4 that is still available at a price point of Rs 8,599 on Amazon. He tells us his experience since then has been good and he has had no reason to complain. However, he wouldn’t mind upgrading to Google Wi-fi System. The prices have dropped by Rs 9,000 since then and that’s on his wishlist because the performance is superior and the set up is easier for everyone else at home.
Check it out here.
2. Drone it out: DJI Mini 2
Until not too long ago, drones were banned in India. No one knows why. We are told it was believed these lovely contraptions were considered a ‘security threat’ by certain people in the bureaucratic circles. And then, some bright minds at a start-up called Quidich came up with a smart idea: How about deploying drones over players to get aerial shots of IPL games? Permissions were granted and overnight viewers got to see angles and sights that would otherwise not be possible. It was inevitable then people would think up other ways to use drones.
While hobbyists have taken to it for photography, Vignesh Santham, India Lead, Drones and Tomorrow’s Airspace at the World Economic Forum, tells us drones have been deployed by engineers to cut down on cartography time—what used to take a few days now takes just a few hours; and to drop medical aid to places that used to be inaccessible.
We’ve been looking at drones since and are in love with the DJI Mini 2. It has a flight time of 31 minutes and is being advertised as something to take pictures with. But we can think up other uses as well. Such as fly sorties every once a while to check in on the kids in the play area. Or with an add on, to simply drop something small to the neighbour around the next block without having to step out of home. At Rs 89,000 on Amazon though, it costs a whopper. There are cheaper variants beginning at Rs 15,000. We haven’t tried those out though.
Check it out here.
3. Having trouble sleeping? Try the Dodow Sleep Aid Device
Given the amount of time most of us are spending on our screens, it isn’t surprising that we have trouble sleeping. Even when we hit the bed, the mind is racing. That is why when we first saw the Dodow Sleep Aid Device, we fell in love with the idea and the proposition. What it does is pretty simple, but effective.
It projects a calm, blue light onto your ceiling. The light follows a certain pace and all you do is stare at this light and allow your breath to follow the pace the light dictates. It won’t be too long before your mind starts to slow down, your body begins to relax, and in 20 minutes on the outside, you fall asleep. Neat, isn’t it?
Check it out here.
4. For the perfect brew: Ember Smart Mug
And on waking up, what most of us like is to have the perfectly brewed mug of coffee (or tea), at just the right temperature. But inevitably, half way through the cup, the temperature begins to drop. And with that, the pleasure of that much earned morning brew begins to drop. That is why we like the Ember Smart Mug. It is made of stainless steel, and you can set the exact temperature you like your coffee or tea to be at. And it will stay that way (all day if need be).
Check it out here.
5. Measure and manage: Withings Smart Body Analyser
A few weeks ago, BMI—or body mass index—was trending on Twitter, after Zerodha, a startup, announced incentives for its employees to bring it down. Many critics rightly pointed out that a single measure such as BMI is not a good indicator of health. We concur. There are many indicators of health—and one of the most important is how energetic and alert you feel and whether you are, on balance, happy, and how fast you recover when, as they say, crap happens.
Yet, we wouldn’t discount keeping track of weight—because being overweight increases the risk of serious diseases including diabetes, hypertension and heart attack. You can get a decent weighing machine for less than Rs 1,000. But, if you are looking for more features, take a look at Withings Smart Body Analyser. Besides weight, it also measures blood pressure, body fat percentage, and interestingly, air quality (a good reason to keep it in your bedroom). It connects to an app on iPhone or Android to watch out for trends. Up to eight people can use it.
Check it out here. (Currently out of stock)
