Ilya Vasilenko
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Gadgets I recommend

Garmin Forerunner

This is a water-resistant watch and is one of the most affordable models in the Garmin series. However, it fully meets my needs. Buying it has been a real improvement in various aspects of my life. I primarily use it:
  • As an alarm clock. In the past, I used my iPhone as my alarm clock. However, having it next to me, I often found myself using it right before sleep, which is not recommended for better sleep quality. With the Garmin watch, I can keep my iPhone outside of the bedroom and avoid using it for at least an hour before bed to slow down and relax after the day.
  • For my morning exercises. I don't need a more sophisticated training program on my smartwatch, because I follow instructions provided by a trainer. But I do require a timer, and that's where my Garmin watch helps.
  • For cold showers. Currently, I usually take 2:20 minutes of cold showers in the morning. I use the watch to monitor the time.
  • For cold swimming. I go cold swimming with my friends every week. I use the timer to ensure we can enjoy ;) the coldness long enough in the water.
  • For wakeboarding. Having a timer helps a lot to structure a wakeboarding session, which is usually 15 minutes. Using a water-resistant watch helps me know how long I take for a warm-up, how much I can invest in the main part, and when the session is coming to an end, so I can use the rest of my energy to try something new.

Oura ring

This thing has greatly improved the quality of my sleep! It is more accurate in monitoring sleep cycles than, for example, a smartwatch because the ring is closer to the blood vessels. It helped me understand when I am getting enough sleep and when I am not, and what the quality of my sleep is like. It actually made me aware that I don't sleep enough very often - I changed it. The ring comes with an app that includes great meditations for various aspects of life. It's definetely worth checking out!

GoPro MAX

The GoPro MAX is a 360-degree camera that has several advantages for me:
  • It has an amazing stabilizer. It is very useful when filming while walking, and it is also extremely stable when mounted on a boat to film any water sports - you don't notice any shaking at all.
  • It is extremely good for filming activities where you want to capture the entire room and choose where to focus (dynamically) afterwards. One of the use cases we found is filming Salsa Rueda - here is a video from one of summer salsa classes where I tested it:  Rueda de casino - testing GoPro MAX 360° camera

Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500

Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500. It comes with OCR software. I completely switched to a digital (home) office - any paper coming through the front door (invoices, notifications, advertisement if relevant) is scanned and OCR'ed using this device and then stored in Dropbox (paid). I also scanned in old paper folders. Result? My whole documents are perfectly organized, I find anything within seconds and I gained a couple of free shelves. Amazing!

https://www.digitec.ch/de/s1/product/fujitsu-scansnap-ix1500-scanner-9864063

Collector for paper recycling

For those leaving in CH - Collector for paper recycling. In Switzerland, we recycle paper. And you need to bundle it. This thing gives you the ultimate excitement while bundling! Before I bought it, I was angry every time fighting with a paper bundle. Now I am looking forward to it! It is a bit pricy, but you support the organization of handicapped people which is a huge bonus.

https://www.b-vertrieb-shop.com/Altpapierbuendler.htm

Collector for paper recycling

OneWheel. A board with a motor - not easy to balance when you start but gives an awesome feeling of surfing on the road once you can do it. Totally in love with it!

https://onewheel.com/
Ilya Vasilenko
ILYA VASILENKO