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Engadget
3 days ago
- Engadget
The best Father's Day gifts for any dad in 2025
It's easy to start feeling the pressure in the lead up to Father's Day. Finding a gift that expresses your love and gratitude to your beloved dad can feel nearly impossible, but that doesn't have to be the case. There are plenty of great Father's Day gifts out there for every type of dad, whether they're a tech lover, a gamer, a runner or a combination of many things. Here, we've compiled a list of the best gifts you can get your dad to show you appreciation for all of the parenting they've done, and likely still do. Sony's XM series of headphones are the default option for pretty much every regular buyer these days. Sony's latest model, the WH-1000XM6, offer a better looking design, a more comfortable fit and even better sound than its predecessor. As Billy Steele wrote in his review, if you thought the XM5s couldn't get better, you'll be staggered by the improvement here. A lot of small things have been tweaked, including the fact there's an updated processor, more microphones and improved ANC. For $450, they're pricier than the previous XM5 model, but that one is still available as of right now, so it could be a good option if you need to stick to a budget. $448 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $450 at Adorama$450 at Best Buy I'm a big fan of distraction-free writing machines that help me get my head down away from the temptations of the internet. reMarkable's e-paper slates have been a mainstay on this guide for years, and now the company has launched a new flagship model. The reMarkable Paper Pro is bigger and faster than its predecessor, but most importantly of all comes with a color display. On its own, it's a fancy pants e-reader with a stylus that'll let you write, draw and annotate PDFs. But when paired with its own Type Folio, it becomes something much greater indeed, a writing and editing machine that's perfect at home or on the go. If I'm struggling with a draft and need to get away from my desk, the Paper Pro is the perfect gadget to come with me. Plus, I can't get pulled into a Slack chat or avoid the problem by staring hopelessly at my emails. If there's a downside, it's the price. It was already more expensive than the equivalent slate from Apple, and tariffs exacerbated that. But if you've got siblings and can club together to get your parent the thing they need to harness their literary ambitions, you should. $579 at reMarkable I've been obsessed with Dremel's electric multi-tools ever since I watched Alexi Sayle ask 'did I mention we cut?' back in the early '90s. And yet, despite being an adult with my own home, I've never needed to actually go out and buy a Dremel like the 8220 I've had my eye on for years. Look at the thing — it's like an electric Swiss Army Knife, complete with drill and screwdriver bits, sanding bits, polishing bits, metal-cutting discs, grinding stones and engraving tools! Just think about all of the things I can drill, screw, sand, polish, cut, grind and engrave if I had one of those right now. It's 'cos my kids are still under the age of 10, and so haven't grasped the hints that I want them to buy me a Dremel. Hey kids, buy me a Dremel. Anyway . This year, the company launched Blueprint, a new range of dinky cordless power tools to tackle Dremel-sized jobs. That includes the Blueprint 3-in-1 Drill Driver, a handheld drill with a built-in stud finder and its own laser level, even if the latter is only attached to the body with sticky putty. I'm more excited by the Portable Saw Station, a handheld compact electric saw whose carry case turns into its own workbench. That includes templates for making bevel, miter and cross cuts, a line laser and guide track to keep your cuts nice and straight. You see, while my DIY skills might charitably be described as 'elementary,' I've always harbored an ambition to build my very own backyard TARDIS. You know, the blue police box from Doctor Who — hidden between the trees as a little piece of magic. I just need to take six months or so to learn how to do it, and I reckon these sorts of tools would be ideal for the job. Especially since I don't have my own woodshop and would need everything to fit down into as small a space as possible. $80 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $100 at Ace Hardware$80 at Lowe's Let's face it: You want your loved ones to stay healthy, keep an eye on their heart and generally be around for as long as possible. One way to do that is by upgrading your bathroom scales to something like Withings' Body Cardio smart scale. Designed to look as unobtrusive as possible, but hidden inside its shell is a number of extra special features you don't get elsewhere. You'll get a heart-health check, automatic person tracking and a full body composition breakdown, telling you how much fat, water and muscle you're carrying. I'd be remiss not to mention, too, Withings' class-leading Health Mate app, which is great for collating large chunks of health data and helping you understand it in an easy-to-digest manner. $160 at Amazon If you own an iPhone, then the Apple Watch is essentially the default option for what smartwatch you should buy. There's only a handful of devices that match Apple's product for versatility, use and affordability. If you're concerned about your parent's health, then the fall detection features alone may justify the investment. Not to mention the general health tracking capabilities and the ability to keep them healthy with a Fitness+ subscription. I haven't even mentioned the built-in ECG, which is useful for enabling them to keep an eye on their own heart health. Benefits of the Apple Watch Series 10 include its bigger display that's far easier to look at from off-angles. It also carries its own water temperature tracking, so if your parent is a water baby, they can keep an eye on the conditions. This time around, Apple also improved the microphone, making it easier to make calls from your wrist — useful if your parent might want to use it as a lifeline when they're on their own. $299 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $400 at Target$670 at HSN Of course, there are people who don't want a smartwatch, or at least not one that looks like a smartwatch. I get it, some folks don't want to look like a neeeerrrrrrd in their dotage, and it's for those people that I recommend Withings' ScanWatch Nova. It's a hybrid smartwatch in the body of a classic diver's watch that embodies everything that most smartwatches can't. Withings' policy is to build a best-in-class hybrid watch, like the ScanWatch 2, and then put those same guts in a classier body. It has a digital subdial for notifications and an analog one for step counting, which can be set to meet your specific goals. But lurking underneath that body is also an ECG, SpO2 (blood oxygenation) monitoring and a temperature sensor – which can be used for cycle tracking and to warn of infections. All of that tech is hidden in a submariner-style diver's watch that comes with black, blue or green face and bezel options. Put it on and you'll instantly feel like a rugged, outdoors-y type who has their poop together, and is ready to either Do An Espionage or Solo Pilot A Yacht Around The World. Withings is even smart enough to throw in a whole bunch of tools to help you size your band without needing to schlep to a jewelry store. Oh, and I didn't even mention the 30-day battery life. $614 at Amazon Even if your dad isn't an A/V nut, there's a good chance they've still watched those YouTube videos of people building their own cinemas. But the idea of owning a projector is often better than the reality, which can be quite the time and labor-intensive process. That's why I'm smitten with the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, a portable projector with the power of a full one. It's small enough to stow in a cupboard when not in use, and can go anywhere in your home or outdoors on warm evenings. Plus, it lacks many of the compromises inherent in those dinky projectors you often see on the market. It'll pump out 1,800 ANSI Lumens of bright, 4K Dolby Vision-tuned light to a screen size of up to 200 inches. The automatic setup is effortless, and I tested it on a wall painted gray and it was able to compensate for the color quite easily. It's not as expensive as some rivals on the market and it'll do a fairly fantastic job no matter the task you ask of it $1,100 at Amazon There are a lot of Bluetooth turntables which are designed for the hip crowd who want to show off their ye olde-fashioned record player. But if you're looking for something a bit more capital-S serious without shelling out for a high-end Technics unit, Audio Technica's romantically-named ATLP120XBT might be worth a glance. The fact it could be confused for a Technics SL-1210, right down to the s-shaped tone arm is, I'm sure, just a total coincidence . The sound is good, and you'll get adjustable pitch control alongside the belt-driven turntable (sorry, no scratching on this unit). And connectivity-wise, it's well-stocked, with Dual RCA-out, USB or Bluetooth 5.0, with support for aptX. It's a unit I'm thinking about getting for my mum, since it'll enable her to digitize her stack of 78rpm records over that USB connection. $429 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $499 at Adorama$499 at Macy's Look, if your dad is anything like me, then they're probably not a massive gamer, or might just play the odd title. I'm told that there's a whole genre of Dad Games out there that apparently appeal to the fathers in our lives, which are all about following some sort of process. It's likely then that they won't have paid much attention to The Legend of Zelda series, which feels as un-Dad a game as you could imagine. Which is why I'm here to say that, until the start of this year, I felt the same, but I've since had my eyes opened to how amazing it really is. Even better, is that there's a brand new title in the Zelda series, Tears of the Kingdom , which I'd urge all of you to check out. You play as Link, a little dude who – much like Mario – has to rescue a princess countless times throughout history. That normally involves traversing a beautiful, unspoiled paradise called Hyrule that's scattered with all sorts of monsters who want to kill you. From the outside, you might think that it's all just button-mashing and hyperactive combat, which is not a dad-friendly genre. But, in fact, the game puts far more emphasis on puzzle-solving and lateral thinking, and it has the best 3D puzzles this side of the Portal series which alone makes it ideal for dads the world over. Not to mention the freedom to tackle the game any which way you want to, giving you the choice to build your own solution rather than being forced to comply with Nintendo's. In the last game, Breath of the Wild , you could harness the game's physics and chemistry engines to dispatch troublesome enemies by using the environment against them. For instance, you could freeze them and then give them a whack, building up the kinetic energy to such an extent that they're sent hurtling miles away from you. Or, if you approach them in the middle of a storm, you can get them to raise their metallic swords in anger and get a dose of lightning. In this one, you can find scattered electronic components and assemble them however you want to jury-rig vehicles to help you get around. I mean, what could be more Dad-Game than that? $70 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $70 at Target$70 at HSN And if you're buying Tears of the Kingdom , then you might want to get the console to go with it. Nintendo's Switch OLED Edition takes the same portable-home console hybrid you already know and love, but dials it up to 11. Now, you might be wondering why I'm not recommending you get your elbows out and try to snag a Switch 2 instead. Honestly? If your dad is more of a casual gamer, then the existing Switch is already such a compelling option, it's hard to justify the extra cost for the newer model. After all, the OLED Edition got a lot of necessary hardware upgrades, including a far better display. Given the game recommendation, my preference would be the Tears of the Kingdom specific Switch. It comes with gold Joy Cons with lovely Zonai designs on the body and a gorgeous white and gold TV dock. Even nicer is the concentric circle watermark on the underside, which looks significantly classier than the plain option. Especially if they're going to play the game on the go, when they might want to let the world know that they appreciate the finer things in life. Plus, the Switch has a mature and deep library of games that won't be going anywhere in a hurry, especially given the emphasis on backward compatibility between the old and the new. $415 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $310 at GameStop At school, one of my friend's dads converted one of his home's bedrooms into a White Room. It's a soundproofed room with nothing but a single armchair facing a fancy HiFi, a dedicated space for Music Appreciation. In retrospect, the fact that my friend's bedroom was half the size and he had to share with his younger sibling was pretty rough. I suspect, deep down in the DNA of every dad, is the Dad Urge (™) to develop an unhealthy interest in high-end audio gear. Thankfully, there's an easy way to prevent your parent blowing your inheritance on a pair of B&W Nautilus. Chinese high-end audio masters Fiio produce a wonderfully elegant desktop DAC and speaker pair that'll do the same job as a White Room at a fraction of the cost. The R7 has an Android music player in front that'll connect directly to their streaming service of choice. And it can also play locally stored music, or connect it to another player via AirPlay, USB, Bluetooth, optical or analog audio lines. The R7 can be paired with Fiio's matching set of SP3 speakers that have 3.5-inch woofers, 1-inch tweeters and wonderfully smooth sound. The price all-in is a bit steep, but it might scratch that itch without causing any ructions around the Thanksgiving dinner table. $700 at Amazon I'll make no bones about the fact that, as a dad, I'm writing this guide as much as a vehicle for wish fulfillment as I am to dole out consumer advice. And, like a lot of people. I've gradually grown more and more obsessed with Fujifilm's X-series of cameras. A combination of old-school rangefinder styling, great photo quality and relatively limited supply has made them a hot ticket. The fact the X-series comes with film simulation modes is, for many, the thing that puts it on top over plenty of cameras from other manufacturers. But the high price of the flagship – edging north of $1600 — X100 means it's a pricey and dicey proposition for any hobbyist photographer. Thankfully, Fujifilm has a cheaper and I might even argue better option in the form of the X-T30. It's a step down on the spec list, with an older 26.1-megapixel sensor compared to the 40.2 of its newer sibling. But what it's got going for it is the smaller body size which makes it so portable as to be pocketable, ease of use and the same analog dials for fine-grain control. Not to mention that, when paired with the 35mm f/2 lens, it's wicked fast and takes pretty beautiful shots. I've been into my local camera shop multiple times to try out the X-T30 with this lens but, so far, neither of my kids have picked up the hint and bought one for me. $899 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $900 at Best Buy If anyone asks me what TV to go for, my knee jerk reaction is to recommend LG given the broad advantages it has over its competitors. The company's OLED TVs remain best in class and I think the base-ish model OLEDs offer excellent value for money. 2023's OLED C3, for example, offers plenty of the same features as its higher-priced siblings. There may not be too many extra bells and whistles but for pure picture quality, you're good to go with its massive contrast ratio and great black reproduction. Essentially, it's a TV for people with champagne tastes but something a bit closer to a Bud Light budget. $1,197 at Amazon I suspect a lot of dads fall into the trap of having the ability to buy themselves nice things, but never actually go through with it. (I could easily buy myself a Dremel, for instance, but I still haven't!) One thing they've probably thought about but not followed through on is to upgrade their coffee routine from whatever they bought before you were born. I myself was making at home lattes with instant coffee and a microwave for far longer than I'm prepared to admit. But I was wary about buying a bean-to-cup machine given that they can become a time-consuming hobby in and of themselves. So, after plenty of research, I bought the Creatista Plus, a Nespresso-compatible machine that makes pretty decent coffee at home. As well as producing standard drinks, you can use the built in steam wand to prepare milk for something that's close enough to barista-standard. Now, I'll say that it is a lot pricier than some of the machines in its class, but I chose it as much for how it looked as what it did. Sure, there's a built-in digital display that'll give you fine-grain control over every fact of your coffee, but it also looks like a proper grown-up coffee machine. And it's the sort of thing that should stand proudly on your countertop as it forms a key part of your dad's morning routine. $600 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $670 at Amazon Do you find that it's harder and harder to relate to your folks as you, and they, get older? Some of this, I'm sure, is down to the media they consume, especially if they've become trapped in the echo chambers found in the basement of your cable TV guide. If they're an avid reader, however, then it might be worth offering them Capitalist Realism by the British philosopher Mark Fisher. It serves as a relatively short, and fairly gentle introduction to Fisher's viewpoint on the culture at large, especially given what's going on right now. At 81 pages, it can hardly be called a weighty tome, and it lacks some of the florid language you often see from philosophy books. Fisher often draws parallels between his points and various pop culture milestones that most folks will be familiar with. A treatise on Office Space's rules around pieces of flair dovetails into an exploration of how politicians focus on metrics for success will hide the diminished quality of whatever they're trying to improve. References to lines of dialog from Heat become points to connect the destruction of community and the way mental health has become an individualized issue, rather than a societal one. And it might just help make your Thanksgiving dinner conversations a little more pleasant in future. $14 at Amazon
India Today
27-05-2025
- India Today
reMarkable 2 review: Pen-and-paper feel makes it best digital notetaker you can buy in India
Once pens and notebooks were permanent fixtures in our lives. Then screens took over. Most people now use a pen only when they are signing somewhere. And as far as a notebook is concerned, we barely use it as a daily item once we are out of college. Of course, digital is convenient. But loss of pen-and-paper does rankle, because writing by hand, or doodling and scratching, or annotating something — such as a proof of next day's newspaper in a newsroom, which I used to do 15 years ago — has its charm. Plenty of it, and some of us not only still crave it but can even benefit from it. It is for these people the reMarkable 2 exists. And I am glad that it does. advertisementreMarkable is not a new name. Over here at India Today Tech we earlier reviewed the OG reMarkable tablet. Even the reMarkable 2 is not new because it was launched around 5 years ago. But the world of e-ink displays revolves slowly. The technology that underpins the reMarkable 2 is not outdated at all. Also, the tablet over the years has received significant software updates, which makes it better than what it was at the launch. But first the question: just what the eff is reMarkable 2?As mentioned, this is a tablet. But unlike other tablets, like the iPad, that are general-purpose computing devices, the reMarkable 2 uses an e-ink display and it offers one primary functionality — note-taking just the way you would do in a notebook with a smooth pen. Yes, it has a few more features, such as the ability to function as an e-reader like Amazon Kindle, but primarily it is a tablet that helps you take notes, sketch, jot down or doodle your ideas, annotate all sorts of files, and create illustrations and drawings. At that it largely excels. Clean looks, understated appealadvertisement Compared to the first-generation reMarkable 2, the new one is a significant step forward. It looks superbly premium and its understated and Nordic aesthetics — obvious given that it is made by a company based in Oslo, Norway — will appeal to its target audience. I believe the primary users of the reMarkable are going to be people who take a lot of notes or those who are in creative fields, in other words who will want their device to match their reMarkable 2 does it superbly. It is impressively thin at just 4.7mm, which is as thin as the USB-C port that it hides on the left edge. On the top left, similarly, there is a very small power button, which too stays out of sight. It is featherweight at just 403 grams despite its big size. The body is made of brushed aluminium, a welcome change from the plastic of the first reMarkable tablet. There are four tiny nubs on the back on each corner. They act as feet on which the tablet rests when placed on a table. And that is all. Clean tablet has a few accessories. In India, two types of covers are available — cloth-bound and in leather. In this review, you see the folio cover in cloth. The cover too is minimalistic and its quality and feel is definitely upmarket. You can use a Chrome extension to send web articles directly to reMarkable 2 tablet and use it as a e-reader. Given that the tablet has an e-ink display, it is not glossy. Instead the display has a matte finish, an essential reason why the reMarkable 2 gives the 'paper' feel. reMarkable calls the display Canvas and says that its surface has been patterned with its own custom finish for paper-like feel and extremely low latency. It measures 10.3-inch and has a more than adequate resolution of 1872 x 1404 pixels. The display is both the strength and weakness of the tablet. It is strength in the sense that it matches the paper feel and its off-white and creamy looks. It doesn't strain eyes because it doesn't have backlight, and the accompanying stylus — called Marker — glides across it while you write or sketch something on it with a little bit of friction. This friction aims to match the kind of friction we get from pen and paper, although it is not entirely natural. But give it a day or two and you will get used to it. It is definitely 100 times better than writing on the hard glass of the iPad or Galaxy Note with a stylus. advertisementTalking of Marker, it comes in two flavours. Marker and Marker Plus, which has an 'eraser' on top of it. The Plus is also the one that reMarkable bundles with its tablets in India for free. It is made of plastic, but exudes quality due to its matte and slightly rubbery feel. It has a few magnets and it can be attached to the side of the tablet for storage. In my use, I found the Marker Plus to be excellent. It supports pressure sensitivity of 4096 levels and different tip types — ballpoint, nib etc — which makes it versatile, particularly for sketching and illustrations. It allows your strokes to be registered exactly how you intend. The Marker Plus also feels well-balanced in hands, and has a similarity to a regular ball-point pen in the way it fits between fingers. advertisementOne more point before I move back to the tablet — the Markers have tips made of felt, a kind of clothing material. These tips degrade within 4 to 10 weeks, depending on how much doodling or writing you are doing. The reMarkable 2 comes with 10 additional tips in the box, and once you have exhausted all, you can purchase more. The tablet has 4 small nubs on the back that act as feet. Overall, I like the display for what it offers. In particular I like the low-latency you get while writing or sketching on it. I also find it fairly responsive, considering that it is an e-ink display. But then there are a few areas where it is somewhat lacking. One, there is no backlight, which means you can't use it in low light or a dark room. You can argue that not even paper has backlight. But I think backlight would have made the reMarkable 2 a more flexible device. The other part that I feel could have been better is how the display shows text in PDFs imported into it — yes, you can import PDFs or even web articles through the reMarkable Chrome extension. I tried reading some PDFs of long-form New Yorker articles on the reMarkable 2. It does the job but I also felt that the display was dimmer and the text more greyish instead of true black. Also, the page turning gesture and animation is not tuned for reading books. In other words, while the reMarkable 2 can act as an e-reader, it would be my choice as one for web articles and that too only if I don't have anything else with me. advertisementSolid core functionality, a little more requiredA few more specs first: In terms of hardware, the reMarkable 2 has its own thing going. It is not comparable to regular tablets and other devices, because it does not need to compare. The reMarkable 2 has 1GB RAM and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It also has 8GB internal storage. The user interface is unique to it and its operating system is Codex, a custom system based on like the design, the interface too is spartan and minimalistic, a bit too minimalistic in a way. Turn on the device and within minutes you are set with it. But to use it well — templates, handwriting-to-text recognition and sync with mobile and laptop — you need a reMarkable account. Some features, such as fully-functional desktop and mobile apps and unlimited cloud sync are only available with paid subscription while the free users are limited to the last 50-day sync. In India, the subscription costs Rs 299 per month. It is worth paying. The value is definitely there but I also think that some functionality in free mode feels artificially hobbled. I also feel that features like handwriting-to-text should be available without needing an account, or even possibly on device. But maybe that is for the future. The reMarkable 2 tablet display looks exactly like a paper sheet. Irrespective of its limitations, I absolutely love using the reMarkable 2. And that is because of its pen-on-paper feel, low latency while writing, the way the Marker Plus can be controlled with pressure, and just how natural the whole experience feels. As a tool to jot down thoughts, take notes like one would in a notebook, or as something on which you can doodle, sketch and illustrate, the reMarkable 2 succeeds extremely well. Some of its features are well thought. Layers, for example, could be an invaluable feature for those who work with schematics and industrial I loved working with annotating documents on the reMarkable 2. The highlighter in it supports colours, even though the reMarkable 2 display does not. But it is still a useful feature because when you see the documents on a colour-screen, the colour is there. Just a note: reMarkable has launched Paper Pro just a few months ago and it has a colour addition to its note taking abilities, the reMarkable 2 also has a few more tricks up its sleeve. You can read PDFs and ebooks, although they need to be without DRM. Screen-sharing is a cool mode, which business leaders will love because it allows notes and sketches to be used during a presentation. As noted earlier, the files can be synced between devices using the reMarkable app, and syncing is real-time. Or you can email your files. Now there are some areas where it could have been better. The gesture-based user interface takes a while — at least 4 to 5 days — before it starts feeling natural. And the way it has been implemented, with minimalism, I believe a lot of users might even struggle with it. For example, it took me over a week to discover, accidentally too, that the small circle on top of the left menu bar hides or reveals the menu. And that the small dot in this circle changes position depending on whether the menu is hidden or not. It's delightful once you discover it. But rather unintuitive until you don't. I find similar instances peppered throughout the interface. This is a very thin tablet measuring just 4.7mm. Another thing that was in my mind again and again as I used the reMarkable 2 was AI. We are now in the middle of AI buzz. And the reMarkable 2 feels lacking in ways that can make it a much better device. For example, I would have loved to see something like the ability to take notes with voice on the device. The handwriting-to-text feels a little lacking in terms of accuracy, an area where I believe a dash of AI can make the feature significantly better. When I look around I see some really cool AI features which I would have loved seeing on the reMarkable 2. For example, object recognition. There are apps now where you can doodle a rough elephant and use AI to turn it into a proper sketch or image. I would have loved something like this on the reMarkable 2. But then, we have seen that month after month reMarkable is updating its software. Some of the cross-platform functionality, such as the ability to use third-party cloud storage like Google Drive was earlier missing. Now, the reMarkable 2 supports it. So, it is possible that we may get a few more features, even some AI features, on the tablet. Finally, there is the battery life. And, again, because it is an e-ink display, the battery life is nothing short of miraculous. Even with hours of use daily, the battery life of the reMarkable 2 can easily last between 10 to 20 days. The tablet is available with several accessories, including a folio cover and Marker stylus. Best note taking device in IndiaSo, what is the verdict? It is easy. The reMarkable 2 is exceptionally good at what it does. But it is also not a device for casual or general-purpose use. It has been created for a very specific purpose — note-taking, sketching, illustrations, annotations and productivity work. Will you benefit from it? Yes, if you use a notebook a lot. Or if you are still someone who refuses to give up pen and paper, but would like some convenience that digital offers. It is pricey at a starting price of Rs 44,999. But do understand that this price is for the tablet as well as the Marker Plus. Then if you go up to Rs 53,799 or 59,999, you get a folio as well with the leather option being more expensive. This is a lot of money. But then I believe for some people the reMarkable 2 offers something that is priceless — a feel of pen and paper in a digital device. And at that it is unique, particularly in India. For these people, the reMarkable 2 is going to be worth Reel
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The 8 Best Creator Tools For The Influencer On The Go
Any established content creator needs the right tools, and these 8 products make it super easy to record, organize, and capture amazing content wherever the influencer life takes you! From gaming and streaming tools to the best phone accessories to upgrade your photos and videos, here are 8 must-haves I recommend. reMarkable Paper Pro | from $579 For any creator, the reMarkable Paper Pro is one of the best productivity tools out there. It's incredibly lightweight, with a full-size 11.8' color display and adjustable reading light, and it feels nearly identical to writing on smooth notebook paper. The keyboard case is my favorite, and I actually prefer writing with the luxurious feel of the keys on the Paper Pro more than my laptop! It's an amazing way to plan out your content and brainstorm ideas without all the distractions of being on a phone or computer. With hundreds of templates for planning, writing, sketching, and more, plus the ability to connect your cloud services to back up your ideas, this is the best notebook and planner replacement out there. There really isn't anything else on the market that compares! Steam Deck 1TB OLED | $649 The Steam Deck is truly one of the most incredible pieces of tech I own. The graphics are unmatched, the premium anti-glare screen is worth the upgrade, and the loading times and 90Hz refresh rate exceeded my expectations. The ergonomics of the grips have a comfortable feel that I found superior to any other device in the portable console category, allowing for hours of gaming. This portable gaming console is also a gaming PC! It can be docked and used with a monitor or screen for more of a true PC experience, or if you need to use the functions of a computer. I love how easy it is to customize and add modifications to this device in a way that works best for my setup, which speaks to Valve's real understanding of their customers. CRKD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition | $60 I absolutely love my CRKD Controller. I've tested a wild amount of gaming controllers, and there are very few high-quality compact options. With the rise in female gamers and female gaming creators, it's amazing to see a company that creates products like this with us in mind. I don't just enjoy this controller because it fits in my purse; it also has zero stick drift and comes with a new detachable attachment for rhythm games! CRKD really thought of everything when they designed this. Logitech Litra Glow | $70 Everything Logitech creates knocks it out of the park! This premium portable streaming light creates a diffused, naturally radiant look with cinematic quality across all skin tones. It features a 3-way adjustable mount, software-controllable lighting with TrueSoft technology, and is safe and comfortable for all-day streaming. It plugs into your streaming setup so you never have to worry about it running out of charge. This is also perfect for filming on location or in the studio! ArzopaZ1RC 2.5K Portable Monitor | $130 The Arzopa Monitor is an incredible tool to add to your creator workspace setup. It's amazing for on-the-go when you need a bigger screen than just your laptop or tablet. When I need a break from sitting at my desk, I grab my Arzopa and my tablet and head outdoors to work. The incredible graphics and lightweight feel make this a must-have for any travel creator's workspace. Pura Vida x Casely iPhone Grippy | $25 You've heard of the popular phone grips everyone uses for filming iPhone content these days, but Pura Vida x Casely have created a MagSafe version! This is a game changer and allows you to turn any phone case into the perfect grip, without ruining the case with any sticky adhesive. Use this for filming outfit videos, 'Get Ready With Me' clips, or even live streaming! RØDE Wireless Micro Ultra-Compact Wireless Microphone | $149 Say goodbye to background noise and struggling to record audio in busy places, because these wireless microphones from RØDE are a lifesaver for capturing crystal clear audio. They connect wirelessly to your phone, making them a must for on-the-go creating, and last up to 21 hours on a charge. Plus, these microphones are compact and lightweight, so you can pack them in your purse or backpack while traveling and capturing the moment. Logitech G Cloud | $299 Play beyond your current gaming experience with the Logitech G Cloud. This device has the best battery life for cloud gaming devices. You can remote play on Xbox, PC, and PS5, or PC Games in the Cloud without download and install times or waiting! It's lightweight, portable, and great for upgrading your gaming or streaming setup for all you gaming creators out there.
WIRED
04-04-2025
- WIRED
ReMarkable Tablets Just Got a Bunch of New Templates to Boost Your Productivity
If you own a reMarkable tablet, this update just made your digital notebook a whole lot more useful. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more. Digital notebooks is a category that still divides opinion. For those who use them, they couldn't be without them. For those that don't, the idea of using an electronic device to recreate the experience of writing on paper only brings up one question—why not just use actual paper? Well, there are a few compelling reasons. For one thing, digital tablets generally offer some kind of syncing, meaning you can write something down on your digital tablet and then easily pull it up later on your computer or phone. And then there's handwriting recognition, which allows you to turn your written notes into text you can copy into digital documents. All of these are compelling features, which we pointed out while reviewing the reMarkable 2 Tablet and its colour upgrade reMarkable Paper Pro. But there's another, perhaps underappreciated, reason: the ability to use any kind of paper you want without having to keep that paper in stock. Want lined paper? Sure thing. Need graphing paper for some math problems? You've got that too, along with dotted paper and even blank sheets if that's your thing. Which brings me back to reMarkable. My main problem with its devices has been that it really doesn't offer that many kinds of digital paper. Search the internet for "reMarkable templates" and you'll find all sorts of third parties trying to fill this niche, some free and some for a fee. Most of these are PDF files, while some require you to jailbreak your device in order to add them as templates. I've usedsome of these workarounds, and their existence points to how many people are looking for more kinds of paper out of their reMarkable tablet. Thankfully, it seems someone at reMarkable is paying attention. Recently the company launched reMarkable Methods, which is now part of the reMarkable Connect subscription. This offers a collection of both templates for reMarkable notebooks and purpose-built PDF files. To get started you need only head to the website and browse. The collection offers 14 PDF workbooks and 27 templates, all of which you can install to your device in just one click. Workbooks will show up in "My Files" while templates are offered when you create a new notebook—or switch templates in an existing notebook—under the new "rM Methods" section. The templates offer much nicer day and week planners than those that came included, as well as dedicated templates for keeping track of tasks. There's one for the Eisenhower method, for example, allowing you to sort tasks based on their relative urgency and importance. There's also a simple kanban template, allowing you to sort tasks in columns. And there are multiple templates for taking notes, all with a different methodology in mind. The PDF workbooks are more like the purpose-built journals or planners you can buy and vary from full calendars to an official Bullet Journal built by the team at The new calendar template is a good example of how this format can work. It includes a yearly calendar overview and focused pages that split this down by month, week, and day, with handy links on each page that make it easy to jump between views. This means it is easy to open this week's calendar, jot down your priorities, and then tap the current day so you can fill in hourly details on a timeline. These templates and notebooks aren't going to be useful for everyone, and it's unlikely to make anyone on the fence about these kinds of devices finally go out and buy one. However, if you've already got a reMarkable tablet (and the required reMarkable Connect subscription) they're a nice addition worth checking out that will make your device even better.
