2 ms·

GeForce Now. It's been amazing for being able to play AAA games for $20/mo. (Not so great for my social life.) I grew up building my own PCs with 3Dfx Voodoo ca

GeForce Now. It's been amazing for being able to play AAA games for $20/mo. (Not so great for my social life.) I grew up building my own PCs with 3Dfx Voodoo cards, but honestly this is waaaaaaay better -- no heat or noise, and a way better GPU than I could afford. Combined with PC Game Pass or an Ubi or EA subscription, this is a great way to go through a bunch of great games for a month or two at a time. Microsoft To Do is a simple, free, multiplayer to-do list app that runs on all the things: my Android, my iPad, my Mac, my partner's Windows laptop. No ads, no bullshit, it just works (thanks, Microsoft, this is probably the single best software you've ever written -- even more than TypeScript or VSCode). We use it for sharing grocery and other lists, and it's great being able to check things off in real-time as we shop different aisles. My Airpods are still as comfortable and amazing as ever (even though I use Android). The M2 Mac is also awesome, but you knew that. The Magic Mouse is the only thing that doesn't give me cramps after a day of work. Jetbrains IDEs continue to be worth it (in my case, as a web dev, Webstorm and RubyMine), even as VSCode keeps getting better. ---------------------- In the real world, probably my bicycles (Cannondale/Specialized especially, Canyon a little less so). All are great fun to ride. I wish I discovered this much younger (almost 40 now, didn't start cycling until my late 20s). And good boxing gloves... I love my Hayabusas with their integrated wrist straps. I don't fight competitively or anything, just do it for a workout, but it's saved my wrists so many times. They make great training shin guards too. Perfect for this big ol' softy with fragile bones. My Costco membership? After 2020, I'll never take toilet paper for granted ever again, lol. edit: oh yeah, and of course, my bidet!

nicbou 3y ago
I cycle everywhere whenever the weather allows, and I regularly bike outwards during the weekends. I've also gone on a few multi-day bike trips. I take it with me on road trips. And yet, I've been riding the same 100€ bike for 8 years. This summer, I splurged on the perfect all-rounder for my needs: drop bars, disk brakes, Alfine 11 in-hub gear and belt drive. The difference is night and day. I wish I did it sooner. I tell everyone who moved to Berlin that a bike is the best investment they can make here. This city and its surroundings are meant to be discovered on a bike.
- solardev 3y ago
  I'm jealous! Cycling in Europe sounds amazing :) The US has pockets of good bike trails here and there, but in general we are way too car-oriented. > The difference is night and day. I wish I did it sooner. Especially if you're not so hardcore and only occasionally cycle! The difference between a $100 and $1000 bike is HUGE. $1000 to $5000? Not so much. IMO the sweet spot is getting a lightly-used bike at a professionally managed bike swap sale where professionals and mechanics are actually looking at the bikes being sold, not just rusty things off Craigslist. Often times some rich person will buy way more bike than they need, don't end up using it much, and then letting it go for 3-4x less just to free up space. But to a beginner-intermediate cyclist they are still amazing machines. There's soooooooo much technology that goes into them, everything from the drivetrain to the materials to the aerodynamics to the brakes... it can make a huge huge difference in comfort, especially over long distance. Fit is another big thing: adjusting the bike with small tweaks (saddle, handlebars, stems, etc.) can change it from "painful" to "dreamy" depending on ergonomics. But all in all, a good bike is probably the single best investment I've ever made. Cheaper and way more fun than paying for either a gym membership or a doctor.

nicbou 3y ago

I cycle everywhere whenever the weather allows, and I regularly bike outwards during the weekends. I've also gone on a few multi-day bike trips. I take it with me on road trips. And yet, I've been riding the same 100€ bike for 8 years. This summer, I splurged on the perfect all-rounder for my needs: drop bars, disk brakes, Alfine 11 in-hub gear and belt drive. The difference is night and day. I wish I did it sooner. I tell everyone who moved to Berlin that a bike is the best investment they can make here. This city and its surroundings are meant to be discovered on a bike.

solardev 3y ago
I'm jealous! Cycling in Europe sounds amazing :) The US has pockets of good bike trails here and there, but in general we are way too car-oriented. > The difference is night and day. I wish I did it sooner. Especially if you're not so hardcore and only occasionally cycle! The difference between a $100 and $1000 bike is HUGE. $1000 to $5000? Not so much. IMO the sweet spot is getting a lightly-used bike at a professionally managed bike swap sale where professionals and mechanics are actually looking at the bikes being sold, not just rusty things off Craigslist. Often times some rich person will buy way more bike than they need, don't end up using it much, and then letting it go for 3-4x less just to free up space. But to a beginner-intermediate cyclist they are still amazing machines. There's soooooooo much technology that goes into them, everything from the drivetrain to the materials to the aerodynamics to the brakes... it can make a huge huge difference in comfort, especially over long distance. Fit is another big thing: adjusting the bike with small tweaks (saddle, handlebars, stems, etc.) can change it from "painful" to "dreamy" depending on ergonomics. But all in all, a good bike is probably the single best investment I've ever made. Cheaper and way more fun than paying for either a gym membership or a doctor.