Cycling UK Forum

I'm addicted to my ipad. I use it for email, books, magazines, music, work docs, controlling the sky box, radio, maps, route planning, photos, twitter, videos, web, this forum, diary, recipes, banking, logging mileage, storing instruction manuals...

For me it has to be the Chromecast. It allows me to cast anything from my Android tablet onto the TV via my Home Cinema Amplifier, and, using the dreaded Spotify to which I am currently subscribing, to listen to practically any music I fancy without owning a CD. I can watch stuff from Now TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube and all the iPlayers on a 40" screen with decent sound. Since my daughter is a musician I would like to say that I do play the white man and buy the appropriate CD for anything I really like and listen to a lot. Now TV and Amazon Prime require a subscription anyway. When we arent watching or listening to something we often just enjoy the images and our own photo albums that the Chromecast throws up on the screen, its a brilliant 30 quidsworth.

Al

My Windows phone. Even though it has been out of contract for the past 2 years i use this for my Audible books.
I am an Audible addict also have 'Listen Again' app for the radio.

It's the best darn phone i have ever had (even though i can't phone)

Moka pot.

Surely a 'gadget' doesn't need to be techno!

I wish to nominate our poppy seed mill. It looks a bit like this one, albeit even more ancient and battered, it's been in my family since my grandparents' time I believe - but it still works, helping to prepare the seeds for the most delectable mohnkuchen.

Mrs P is somewhat perplexed whenever I fetch it out - she's always asking "why don't you use the coffee grinder?" I reply that it's simply not the same. And anyway, it gives me good exercise, turning the handle. It's harder than you think!

Alas! I'm not allowed such treats just at the moment, since there's rather a lot of sugar in the recipe, and I'm on a diet.

Our Humax freesat recorder. There isn't a lot we watch on any of the TV channels but if there is something we'd like to watch it's often on after we've gone to bed. We can now record and watch at our leisure. It's also brilliant for avoiding the adverts on the commercial channels. Nowadays we watch very little 'live' TV

My Swiss army knife, Camper version. I've had it for about 40 years and it has saved the day on many occasions, in all kinds of unlikely ways.

LollyKat wrote:My Swiss army knife, Camper version. I've had it for about 40 years and it has saved the day on many occasions, in all kinds of unlikely ways.

I would have had my original one for many years too, but alas! in one moment of madness I forgot to put it in hold luggage for a flight, and of course I had to give it up at security. Luckily I found a replacement in France on special offer, but it was the next lower model which lacks the saw-blade attachment (which I used to find very useful when my route was blocked by low-hanging brambles). Ah well you have to make sacrifices. Apart from that, I'm holding onto mine like grim death - not likely to repeat that mistake!

I have, and had, quite a few gadgets but my current favourite is the Sat-Nav.
Especially on the motorbike as it saves a load of hassle when using the B & C roads on long journeys.
And the best bit, when in the car, no more consternation when the wife says " you should have taken that left you have just passed".
I'm still amazed at how a little box can guide you to some ones doorstep hundreds of miles away.

661-Pete wrote:

LollyKat wrote:My Swiss army knife, Camper version. I've had it for about 40 years and it has saved the day on many occasions, in all kinds of unlikely ways.

I would have had my original one for many years too, but alas! in one moment of madness I forgot to put it in hold luggage for a flight, and of course I had to give it up at security.

I managed to 'smuggle' mine through not one but two airline security checks, when I forgot to put it in my hold luggage when flying from Glasgow to Berlin some years ago. Quite unintentional - it was in the cabin bag which had lots of pockets and it somehow escaped the x-ray machine . It was also overlooked by both me and security when I did jury service in the sheriff court a few years ago.

My husband once used the saw blade on his to cut through his cheap bike chain after he'd lost the key. It was in the middle of London and/so/but no-one took any notice. It didn't do the saw much good but he was in time for his train back to Glasgow.

simonineaston wrote:

Definition of gadget in English:
NOUN
A small mechanical or electronic device or tool, especially an ingenious or novel one:

Can it be a Brompton then

However, if a filofax is a kind of mechanical device, then I am proud to admit (though never a yuppie!) I had one bought for me 25 years ago this last Christmas. I was told I would probably never use it, but have done so every year since. Still not needed to recharge it, and updates are quite cheap!

But then again, my Leatherman tool has saved the day a few times.