Post pictures of your latest purchase

[HeyCori]

Due to my own clumsiness, I have been forced to retire my Surface Duo 2.

I broke the plastic around the USB port. It still charges fine but the plastic is sharp and stabby. I tried to whittle it down but that didn't help. So before it gets worse, I decided to do what I said I would never do again and get a regular ass candybar phone.



Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Nothing fancy, just an overall nice phone. I couldn't justify buying another large foldable, especially not at current prices.

Best Buy was also offering a $100 gift card so I took advantage of their sale and used the gift card to replace my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic with a Galaxy Watch 6.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Due to my own clumsiness, I have been forced to retire my Surface Duo 2.

I broke the plastic around the USB port. It still charges fine but the plastic is sharp and stabby. I tried to whittle it down but that didn't help. So before it gets worse, I decided to do what I said I would never do again and get a regular ass candybar phone.

View attachment 144169

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Nothing fancy, just an overall nice phone. I couldn't justify buying another large foldable, especially not at current prices.

Best Buy was also offering a $100 gift card so I took advantage of their sale and used the gift card to replace my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic with a Galaxy Watch 6.

View attachment 144170

Great minds think alike. I bought an S24 FE but on Amazon. They also threw in a $100 Amazon gift card.

Pic in its wallet case:





It's replacing my S20 FE 5G or will after I install a few aps that did not transfer via the automated process which blew my mind with how much it did transfer. I also have to research if I want to install Samsung Messages to replace Google Messages. I've been using Samsung Messages on my 20 FE. Not a fan or Google stuff.

Stranger than strange, I also ordered a Galaxy Watch 6 yesterday (Prime Day). Unfortunately, delivery is estimated between Nov 3rd and 30th.

Did you already change bands? That looks different than pictures of the one I ordered:



Update: By the next day I wished I had ordered in silver but Prime day was gone. But have been watching for silver to be on sale at the same price and today I was able to get it on eBay from Best Buy who had it on sale and with a coupon that knocked another $28.50 off. So, within a buck of same price.

So, I cancelled the Amazon order on October 20th and now have a silver one arriving on or before Oct 29th.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I should have known better than buy an LED light fixture that did not have replaceable bulbs. Years later they were so dim guests had to wear miner's helmets to use the bathroom.

Finally broke down and replaced it with a Prime day sale fixture. I had searched for 5-6 light modern chrome fixtures days before and waited to see if on sale for Prime day. It was. But curiously and alarmingly, on Prime day there were more than 5 times as many fixtures that matched that search. Obviously, products listed just for Prime day making their quality questionable and value even more questionable.

The one I ordered turned out to be of outstanding quality other than skimping on four provided drywall anchors which they also did not specify the drill size if you decide to use them.

After almost giving up on a way to install the 4 foot long fixture myself when both hands would be tied up twisting on wire nuts and no extra hands to hold the fixture, Susan saved the day with a 47" stack of the right combination of empty boxes narrow enough I could stand just a few inches from where said wire nuts would be twisted. My best idea was temporarily crazy gluing the fixture to my chest.

Now any guests would need to wear sunglasses (and sunblock?) until the dimmer switches arrive next Thursday. 4,800 Lumens until then.




Still LED but replaceable bulbs. 60W equivalent, dimmable, with slide switches to select between 5 temperatures (6500K in pics). Only $9.xx for box of 6 at Costco!



Installing this chrome fixture reminded me why I love flat chrome surfaces. They give an illusion of transparency.

 

[HeyCori]

Great minds think alike. I bought an S24 FE but on Amazon. They also threw in a $100 Amazon gift card.

Pic in its wallet case:

View attachment 144175

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It's replacing my S20 FE 5G or will after I install a few aps that did not transfer via the automated process which blew my mind with how much it did transfer. I also have to research if I want to install Samsung Messages to replace Google Messages. I've been using Samsung Messages on my 20 FE. Not a fan or Google stuff.

Stranger than strange, I also ordered a Galaxy Watch 6 yesterday (Prime Day). Unfortunately, delivery is estimated between Nov 3rd and 30th.

Did you already change bands? That looks different than pictures of the one I ordered:

View attachment 144172

Absolutely amazing! What are the odds of us both getting the same devices almost back-to-back!

I changed bands immediately. I was using that band on my (now retired) Galaxy Watch4 Classic. And if I remember correctly, I initially bought it for my Galaxy Watch Active2!

One thing that kind of blew my mind was revisiting my Galaxy S10 Lite from 2020. I wanted to match the icon layout on the Lite and FE, so I had them open side-by-side. The Lite still felt super fast. My usual apps opened quickly. The web browsing was fast. Even the UI was snappy. It made me think about how much we've plateaued when it comes to how fast our phones feel.

 

[HeyCori]

Probably the last gift to myself this season.



I sold my Pro 8 a whiiiile ago and put the money towards something else. I used that as my excuse to start using this 27-inch, 2013 iMac that I bought used and had just been littering my floor lol! It can only be updated to Catalina and it looks like Google stopped supporting Chrome about a month ago. (Firefox still shows as up-to-date). Nonetheless, it's about time to put it to rest, aka, give it to a family member. The Pro 11 should be arriving sometime this week.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Galaxy Watch 6 44mm has arrived.





Needs an additional and more formal band.

 

[HelloNNNewman]

Picked up a slide out second monitor for my laptop. I had an older version and love how this new version is half the weight and thinner. Great for work travel.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Bought a swappable band for the Galaxy watch that's more formal.

Adjusting size was a PITA. You have to remove two cross pins to remove a link. Not much of a problem with the provided tool. But to connect what was on both sides back together requires getting one of those pins thru seven sections (3 from one side and 4 from the other) as all 7 independently flop around. Like herding cats (while wearing a jeweler's loop). And they don't provide a tool to press that pin back in from the other side. So, I used 2 fender washers and a vice for the final 1/4 inch that is a press fit.

But I will say this band is easier to remove or install on the watch than the factory band with the center release button. Thumb is still bruised trying to press the buttons hard enough to release. I get the advantage of eliminating a separate part to attach each end to a watch band, but the factory watch band way isn't ready for prime time.

 

[HeyCori]

Nice band but damn that's a lot of work! lol

 

[HelloNNNewman]

It was an expensive week! I've put off buying new tires for my truck because I wanted to get every mile out of the rubber already on it so I went ahead and did a TON of research on what would work best for me in various weather situations along with checking reviews on responsiveness in each scenario and tread longevity. In the end, I ended up with a set of Continental Terrain Contact A/T.


(not my pic - but exactly the tires I purchased. Didn't feel like taking a new pic when this will do. LOL)


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Then - I woke up to find the screen on my phone had cracked and looked like a rock had hit it and the cracks spider-webbing out. I had dropped it the day before with no damage, but I'm guessing that sitting on a charging pad overnight was enough heat to stress a tiny fracture to fail.

So I went ahead and picked up a new Pixel 9 (replacing my Pixel 5). I'm also trying out a new mobile provider (ported my old number over) and am giving Mint Mobile a shot. The service is using the same as I was on (T-Mobile) but if I payed for a year in advance ($180) it equaled $15 per month for FULL unlimited Data/Talk/Text. I couldn't beat that - especially with an 80% discount on the phone included.



And of course, I had to get a case (I'll look for others too, but needed something to keep it from slipping out of my hand in the meantime):

 

[Laura Knotek]

An old-school Longines watch

 

[HelloNNNewman]

It's getting cold! Time for a new electric blanket to keep those nights nice and toasty!

 

[Laura Knotek]

It's getting cold! Time for a new electric blanket to keep those nights nice and toasty!

View attachment 144204

Very nice! I love electric blankets.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Been wanting an OLED TV for a while but our two existing TVs were thwarting that by being reliable. But finally, the guest room TV, an old Visio 80" HD, started freezing up when powered on 1 in 10 times.

So, the 86" LG 4K family room TV will be demoted to guest room duty and be replaced by an 83" LG OLED. Gonna take a week or so to get it mounted since the existing TV is on a mount imbedded in the wall and the new OLED comes with its own flush mount that leaves the TV 1/4" from the wall. I literally never used the 3 foot extension of the existing mount that folds completely back into the wall to aim the TV at the kitchen/breakfast area.

So, once the existing TV is off, I'll be removing that mount from within the wall and reinforce any of its opening that would otherwise be where the included new mount gets bolted. Actually, surprised the included mount doesn't require any attachment to a stud, just 8 drywall anchors. I will leave a cubby in the wall for any boxes I want to attach to the TV with an access panel behind a mirror in the bathroom on the other side of the wall.

Pictures of existing TV and new TV (still in box):

 

[HelloNNNewman]

New water booster-pump and dampener to feed my refrigerator and ice maker. So much quieter now that I added that dampener!

 

[Laura Knotek]

I got a new watch.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

New water booster-pump and dampener to feed my refrigerator and ice maker. So much quieter now that I added that dampener!

View attachment 144215

How does the booster work? Is it "sucking" on the feed line to augment water pressure?

 

[HelloNNNewman]

How does the booster work? Is it "sucking" on the feed line to augment water pressure?

I have an RO system (reverse osmosis) in the basement to filter drinking water, but the tank for those doesn't have enough pressure to feed the refrigerator water dispenser or ice maker (common issue). So I put the booster pump in line after the tank to boost pressure up to the refrigerator. It kicks in anytime water is drawn through that appliance. The line from the tank comes in on the far right to the pump, then through the dampener (limits the hammering effect of pumps) and out from the left side up to the appliance.

 

[HeyCori]

Time to pretend I'm still in my 20s

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Been wanting to replace my analog torque wrenches for a long time. I took an email 40% off flash sale as a sign to do it now. In-store, one day only, limited stock. Was surprised I got there soon enough to get the last 1/2" Quinn digital and grabbed a 3/8" also. They don't make a 1/4" but I very rarely use my 1/4" analog.

I wish the 1/2" case would fit in my tool cabinet but it is 1/2" too long to fit a drawer diagonally. Fortunately, the wrench does fit diagonally.

Pleasantly surprised by the extra length over my analog 1/2" which fits in a drawer horizontally. Gonna make those high torque situations easier.

Should have gone digital years ago. PIA to set analog wrenches by seemingly endless twisting while trying to read the etched markings on polished chrome. Plus, now I can do torque to yield or angle without hoping I eyeballed an angle right.