Skip to main content

The Manual’s Guide to Tech

Recently we have been posting tips from people in the know on various industries. Today we let tech have it’s turn with Drew Prindle. 

Our thoughts on the subject: 

It’s a fact, men love things. They love cars, gadgets, cufflinks, fishing poles and bike helmets. So we have a category on The Manual dedicated especially to them. Granted, their are copious amounts of products on the market so we have our writers test some and knock others around. Nick Jaynes is our resident car expert and he often will text, “My post may be late, I’m in a Porsche.” This irritates and delights us all at once.

Tips from a Techie:

Drew Prindle is our resident tech nerd. He’s spent most of his life trying to be James Bond, so naturally he’s developed an unhealthy obsession with cutting-edge gadgets, top-shelf liquor, high thread counts, and well-timed puns. When he’s not composing articles for TheManual and our brother site, Digital Trends, Drew prefers to spend his time on the outskirts of Portland, buried in neck-deep powder at Mt. Hood. Here he geeks out on the top five tech items every man should own:

  1. 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.
  2. OBD 2 dongle- This is the standardized on-board diagnostics port built into your car’s dashboard. A dongle (in addition to being 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…
  3. 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 a 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 – they’re like the fanny packs of the tech world.
  4. Waterproof Speakers- Usually electronics and water don’t mix, but thanks to 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 girlfriend accidentally knocks the boombox into the pool – it’ll just get crazier.
  5. 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.

Editors' Recommendations

Cator Sparks
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…
Ranked: The 12 best Seth Rogen movies to watch now
From Long Shot to Pineapple Express, these are the best Seth Rogen films to stream
Seth Rogen

While you probably know him best for being one of the most popular stoners in pop culture, Seth Rogen has become one of the biggest actors/producers in Hollywood. Not surprisingly, a lot of the movies he's helped get made, whether he starred in them or not, are chock-full of humor that is perfect for both stoners and anyone who just likes to laugh. Rogen's cultural impact has been huge, and it comes from relatively humble Canadian beginnings.
Movies with Seth Rogen have tended to do well, even if there are a few more forgettable titles mixed in as well. And whenever he's done something a bit more dramatic, he's pulled that off as well. Wherever you try to slot Rogen, he usually fits, which is why this list of the best Seth Rogen movies is pretty diverse. Don't get us wrong, there is plenty of comedy here, too. Rogen's made plenty of great ones, and some of them made the cut for this list.

12. Funny People (2009)

Read more
Get ready for the NBA playoffs and stream the best basketball documentaries today
These documentaries about basketball tell the stories behind the world's greatest NBA stars
Michael Jordan in The Last Dance

Basketball is a worldwide phenomenon. The sport that started as a desperate idea from Canadian-American physical education teacher James Naismith has evolved into a cultural touchstone for kids and adults alike all over the planet, as well as an excellent workout.

Some of the most famous celebrities on Earth have played basketball, from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to LeBron James and Magic Johnson. The vibrant personalities and stories behind these prominent basketball figures have led to keen public curiosity about their upbringings, their struggles, and their internal triumphs.

Read more
Want a free desktop cigar humidor? Here’s how to get one
Quality Importers all-black desktop humidor from Famous Smoke Shop

If you plan on buying and storing cigars for longer than a couple of days, you want a humidor -- that's cigar 101. But humidors, like cigars, don't come cheap. Well, I'm here to tell you that's not the case, for a few days anyway, because it doesn't get any cheaper than free. Famous Smoke Shop is offering a Quality Importers black desktop humidor for free when you spend more than $100 with it. That might seem like a lot, but you can get some great cigars to fill the humidor for that much. Usually $44, that's about how much you're saving by grabbing this humidor with your purchase.  To get the deal, you can either use promo code 75620W15APR at checkout or clip the on-page coupon on .

Why you should take advantage of this free humidor deal from Famous Smoke Shop
Cigars need to stay humidified, or they'll dry out. Sure, you can rehydrate a dry cigar, but by the time you do, it will have lost all its natural oils and complex flavor. It will never be as good as it originally was, and that's a bummer.

Read more