GAS Latest Shiny Things (non camera related)

My most recent shiny purchase. A concrete fountain pen from local Taipei design group, 22 Studio:

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Since I was born in the year of the Tiger by the Chinese astrological calendar, I've been looking for a suitable tiger themed souvenir from Taipei. Last week I found this very nice Chinese New Year tea set. The company does a limited edition version for each Chinese New Year with the appropriate animal. We're currently in a Tiger year and this was one of two sets left. I've also ordered the matching tea caddy.

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Since I was born in the year of the Tiger by the Chinese astrological calendar, I've been looking for a suitable tiger themed souvenir from Taipei. Last week I found this very nice Chinese New Year tea set. The company does a limited edition version for each Chinese New Year with the appropriate animal. We're currently in a Tiger year and this was one of two sets left. I've also ordered the matching tea caddy.

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those are very nice
 
One of my wife's Christmas gifts to me was a Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. As I have become a primarily JPEG photographer, and often SOOC, I'm going to noodle around with the S6 to see how it handles basic editing. I installed the Polarr ap to play around with JPEG editing. I may even renounce my semi-Luddite ways and play around with wireless transfer between the E-M1 III and the S6 Lite.
 
One of my wife's Christmas gifts to me was a Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. As I have become a primarily JPEG photographer, and often SOOC, I'm going to noodle around with the S6 to see how it handles basic editing. I installed the Polarr ap to play around with JPEG editing. I may even renounce my semi-Luddite ways and play around with wireless transfer between the E-M1 III and the S6 Lite.
I own the immediate predecessor (different internals, mainly) and like it quite a bit - it's the first Android tablet I feel is ready for daily use, even some office work in a pinch; I'm a bit put off by the fact that it's not possible to use Polarr in landscape mode on tablets, though. That said, in that respect, the experience on the iPad Air (my version is almost three times the price of the S6 Lite) isn't any better, and while the Air is way more powerful (I have the M1 version), usability of the S6 Lite isn't far behind. Cool tablet, good on you!

My latest impulse buy is the best I've made in recent years: I spotted a Sennheiser HD 250 BT for less than 60% of the original price (CHF 40 instead of 70) and took it home. Initially, I wanted something simple to replace its somewhat clunky predecessor (HD 4.40 BT) that I use at work if I need to cut out the chatter around me). And they'd certainly do fine. But what complete surprised me is that they sound nice and neutral, but also fluid and lively - certainly not like $40 headphones, in fact, almost as good as their legendary (wired) spiritual predecessors, the HD 25, of which I own an original set. So I completely reversed my plan - the HD 250 BT is staying with me, the HD 4.40 BT, which isn't a bad set of (lower) mid-range headphones either, is going back to the work plase. Sennheiser outdid Sennheiser with a new product not even half its (original!) price - that's impressive, and also very, very pleasing, mainly because these make for pleasant, relaxed listening (I'm lucky in that they fit me so well because they're so simple) with a clean, engaging sound. While my top bluetooth set, the Sony WH-1000MX3, smokes the HD 4.40 BT in direct comparison with a much more convincing sound image, it has a much harder time beating the HD 250 BT - the big Sony has more of everything (it sounds fuller, a tad warmer and considerably more powerful at the lower end), but while listening, there's nothing noticeably missing from the sound of the cheap Sennheiser (and nothing exaggerated - I fear this even more than underdone sound because it can get very tiring over time). For the money, this is simply outstanding performance, at least if you don't need super-powerful bass - I certainly don't. And dare I say it - it even made me dance ... just a little.

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M.
 
I own the immediate predecessor (different internals, mainly) and like it quite a bit - it's the first Android tablet I feel is ready for daily use, even some office work in a pinch; I'm a bit put off by the fact that it's not possible to use Polarr in landscape mode on tablets, though. That said, in that respect, the experience on the iPad Air (my version is almost three times the price of the S6 Lite) isn't any better, and while the Air is way more powerful (I have the M1 version), usability of the S6 Lite isn't far behind. Cool tablet, good on you!

My latest impulse buy is the best I've made in recent years: I spotted a Sennheiser HD 250 BT for less than 60% of the original price (CHF 40 instead of 70) and took it home. Initially, I wanted something simple to replace its somewhat clunky predecessor (HD 4.40 BT) that I use at work if I need to cut out the chatter around me). And they'd certainly do fine. But what complete surprised me is that they sound nice and neutral, but also fluid and lively - certainly not like $40 headphones, in fact, almost as good as their legendary (wired) spiritual predecessors, the HD 25, of which I own an original set. So I completely reversed my plan - the HD 250 BT is staying with me, the HD 4.40 BT, which isn't a bad set of (lower) mid-range headphones either, is going back to the work plase. Sennheiser outdid Sennheiser with a new product not even half its (original!) price - that's impressive, and also very, very pleasing, mainly because these make for pleasant, relaxed listening (I'm lucky in that they fit me so well because they're so simple) with a clean, engaging sound. While my top bluetooth set, the Sony WH-1000MX3, smokes the HD 4.40 BT in direct comparison with a much more convincing sound image, it has a much harder time beating the HD 250 BT - the big Sony has more of everything (it sounds fuller, a tad warmer and considerably more powerful at the lower end), but while listening, there's nothing noticeably missing from the sound of the cheap Sennheiser (and nothing exaggerated - I fear this even more than underdone sound because it can get very tiring over time). For the money, this is simply outstanding performance, at least if you don't need super-powerful bass - I certainly don't. And dare I say it - it even made me dance ... just a little.

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M.
I've started as a student with the first Sennheiser. It's the third now, the sound is fantastic, you can have them on your head for hours. For the iPods followed the in-ears (IE 8, then the IE 80). Their longevity is incredible. If you listen mainly to acoustic music, Jazz and classic music and voices they all good (in their different price categories). Those who love pop usually prefer a more punchy bass.
 

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I've started as a student with the first Sennheiser. It's the third now, the sound is fantastic, you can have them on your head for hours. For the iPods followed the in-ears (IE 8, then the IE 80). Their longevity is incredible. If you listen mainly to acoustic music, Jazz and classic music and voices they all good (in their different price categories). Those who love pop usually prefer a more punchy bass.
I owned a HD 414 model as well - but a later, "jubilee" model (unchanged, though - crucially, the same drivers). Apart from the HD 25-1 (same drivers as the original, but resistivity adapted for hi-fi listening), I still own my first over-ear pair ever, the HD-560, and while modern listeners wouldn't appreciate its signature, it's amazingly open and precise with very smooth mids. I can't begin to list all headphones I've ever owned, but the only brand I consistently come back to is Sennheiser. Sadly, I don't have much use for in-ears (they'd be very useful in many situations, but the won't stay put) - but my preferred wired pair still are cheap CX 300-IIs because they're pretty impressive for what they are. Not exactly superb, though, and on-ears and over-ears just work so much better for me.

M.
 
Our Bodum Bistro coffee grinder gave up the ghost when we moved to Seattle, it just wouldn't work upon plugging in up here. But, given it lasted just about nine years, I decided that was okay, and that it was time for an upgrade. I watched some videos by James Hoffman on YouTube, and settled on what may or may not be a familiar model for some forum members, the Wilfa Svart/Aroma. Only problem, it's not distributed in the US. Nonetheless I found a decent deal from a UK seller with very reasonable shipping via Royal Mail. Upon its arrival, I was met with a new realization: of course it had a UK power plug. But before buying a simple travel adapter I researched a little further and figured out that this grinder doesn't have dual voltage, so I actually needed a transformer. A couple of days and an extra $40 later, I could finally run this grinder (I used a hand grinder in the meantime).

The good news is, it grinds coffee more uniformly than anything I've used in the past. Plus I think it looks great! Even with the extra space needed for the transformer.

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I've started as a student with the first Sennheiser. It's the third now, the sound is fantastic, you can have them on your head for hours. For the iPods followed the in-ears (IE 8, then the IE 80). Their longevity is incredible. If you listen mainly to acoustic music, Jazz and classic music and voices they all good (in their different price categories). Those who love pop usually prefer a more punchy bass.
I had a pair of HD414 in 1970. Incredible sound quality but the cables kept failing.
 
It's good that with the modern Sennheisers you can exchange the cables.
You could then as well but they were too fragile. Having gone through more than a half dozen headphones and IEMs, I now have a set of Beyerdynamic DT-831 cans that are rugged and very neutral. At least 3 other headphones have come and gone since I bought them.
 
Our Bodum Bistro coffee grinder gave up the ghost when we moved to Seattle, it just wouldn't work upon plugging in up here. But, given it lasted just about nine years, I decided that was okay, and that it was time for an upgrade. I watched some videos by James Hoffman on YouTube, and settled on what may or may not be a familiar model for some forum members, the Wilfa Svart/Aroma. Only problem, it's not distributed in the US. Nonetheless I found a decent deal from a UK seller with very reasonable shipping via Royal Mail. Upon its arrival, I was met with a new realization: of course it had a UK power plug. But before buying a simple travel adapter I researched a little further and figured out that this grinder doesn't have dual voltage, so I actually needed a transformer. A couple of days and an extra $40 later, I could finally run this grinder (I used a hand grinder in the meantime).

The good news is, it grinds coffee more uniformly than anything I've used in the past. Plus I think it looks great! Even with the extra space needed for the transformer.

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Hee. I window shopped grinders just the other week, and this Wilfa is a local reviewer's favorite.
 
Hee. I window shopped grinders just the other week, and this Wilfa is a local reviewer's favorite.
It's quieter than I expected and has a smooth sound as it is grinding. Also the way the rotating bin clicks between grind settings is really satisfying. The reservoir for ground coffee is a bit weird and some say hard to pour. I haven't found it to be particularly tricky.
 
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