Despite what advertisements will lead you to believe, you don’t need to be dressed to the hilt with all the latest tech gadgets and gizmos. Don’t get us wrong, we love technology as much as the next guy, but we’ve also found that keeping life simple is the best way to stay happy. With that in mind, we’ve put together a quick list of tech essentials for the modern man. You won’t find any superfluous, circuit-laden nonsense here — just useful stuff that makes your life easier. Enjoy!
Earbud headphones – Gargantuan over-ear headphones, while preferable in your home or office, are unbecoming when you’re out and about in public. Stick to earbuds if you’re going anywhere – they’re easier to transport and don’t make you look like an angsty teenage punk.
OBD 2 dongle — This is the standardized on-board diagnostics port built into your car’s dashboard. A dongle (in addition to being a really fun thing to say) is a little receiver you can plug into this port to extract detailed diagnostic information about your car. It’s the best way to stay on top of mechanical issues. Newer ones can even wirelessly beam the data to your smartphone. Speaking of which …
A Smartphone — It doesn’t matter what kind. So long as you can use it to look up driving directions, quickly find a good restaurant or bar on the fly, and keep a music playlist for every situation; it makes no difference if you’re rocking a boxy first-gen Droid or the latest Samsung Galaxy whatever. Also, never wear a phone holster – it’s like a postmodern version of the fanny pack.
Waterproof Speakers — Usually electronics and water don’t mix, but thanks to the miracles of modern engineering, they now make Bluetooth speakers that can withstand stuff like water, mud, motor oil, and spilled beer. That means the party won’t stop when your drunk friend accidentally knocks the boombox into the pool – it’ll just get crazier.
Cordless Drill/Driver — Even if you’re not the handyman type and you rarely use power tools, it’s still a good idea to keep a cordless drill around the house. They’re just so versatile. With the right bits and attachments, a cordless drill can be used not only as a drill/screwdriver, but also as a rotary sander, paint mixer, garden tiller, or even an egg beater if you ever feel like making the manliest omelette of all time.
Capacitive gloves — these aren’t really essential, but they’re definitely nice to have if you live in a colder area of the globe. Basically, they look, feel, and perform just like any other glove; they just have capacitive fingertips on them, so you can still use touchscreen devices (smartphones, tablets, bank kiosks, etc.) while you wear them.
Luggage tracker — Thanks to the meteoric rise of GPS and cellular triangulation technology, item-tracking tech is now both affordable and accessible. Get yourself one to use as a luggage tracker and you’ll always know where your bag is — even if an incompetent airline sends it to another state by mistake.
