I know there’s a ring of LED lights around the clock face that indicates timers set by Alexa and that alone makes this $30 device useful. We’ve been looking for a wall clock for some time and haven’t found anything that we liked – too expensive, too small, too big, too gaudy, too plain.

The Amazon Echo Wall Clock is utilitarian in appearance, but it’s not ugly. And if it really just runs on batteries would make this a guarantee purchase. Unfortunately, it’s not available to buy or pre-order just yet.

Sign up to be notified for the Echo Wall Clock.

There are a few types of spillproof lids available on Amazon, but I’m looking at this Yeti-branded magnetic version. The main draw for me is the ease of cleaning the sliding cover. Kinda pricey since you can find two sealable lids for about the same cost. But some of these pop open lids touch your nose when drinking. And this is really irritating. Really.

Hope this covers it.

A controller.

A charging station with batteries for two controllers.

Amazon Store

Heh, I had forgetten that I have a store on Amazon where I highlight items mentioned here. I had strayed away from this Amazon store for awhile, trying different things, but the store’s still there so why not clean it up?

I removed some older products and added in more items including a section dedicated to the Olympus OM-D EM10 Mk II. I added a few more sections and moved products around to better fit the new sections. This store is also a good place for me to bookmark often used consumables that I need to restock on periodically.

Menus

I didn’t like the feel and flow of my previous menus, so I changed things up a little. I’m still not certain if the current menus will stay though. I need to include more categories to really capture the content on my site. Building these content pages are harder than I would have thought unless I’m doing it wrong.

Email Subscription

Although I had never sent out an email newsletter for Pulpconnection before, I did set up a TinyLetter account where you can sign up to get email notifications. And yes, I actually did send out my first email newsletter this weekend (more so to learn about TinyLetter). Will I keep this up? Not sure, but again, it is a resource that I can tap into.

Fruity Background

With a 20% discount at iStock, I figured it was time to get a high quality image to serve as the background image of Pulpconnection. Going with a pulpy theme, I like the dark wood backdrop with the bright citrus fruit accents.

So take a look around and rediscover Pulpconnection like I have. Sign up for email updates and check out (and maybe even buy) stuff from my Amazon store.

Which ones are better for flat feet?

Samurai Insoles Orthotics for Flat Feet.

Or the Superfeet Carbon Premium Pain Relief Insoles.

A surprise twin pack of overgrips in random colors.

A replacement grip.

A replacement watch band at 18mm.

So not only do I pay an annual fee for Prime, I have to pay a (discounted) fee for this new music service. And there’s another payment tier for Echo use only.

But like I said, I have more research to do. In another vein, what is somewhat telling is the non-mention of the Google Play music service. In articles, The Amazon music service is compared against Spotify and Apple, not Google. Nothing major but just a hint of what’s in the mindset of the general population.

• Apple Watch
• Google Maps and Apple Maps
• Battery pack
• Small camera
• Yelp
• Adidas Ultra Boost ST
• Coolmax socks

Apple Watch

I had just gotten my Apple Watch before our NYDC16 trip and it was good timing. Although I was still learning about the watch, the basics wear easy enough to figure out. The most useful feature had to have been the turn-by-turn navigation relayed from my iPhone. Not having to bring out my iPhone to get directions was such a bonus. A tap and a bing, and I knew it was time to look at my watch for further instructions. So easy. So convenient.

Google Maps and Apple Maps

Do you remember navigating via a fold out paper map and trying to get somewhere? Hopefully not since those days are gone with the use of Google Maps and Apple Maps. With the additon of public transportation, it was considerably easier to find the best route and transportation option from point A to point B.

For our trip, I used a combination of both map apps. I thought Google Maps provide the best route. Maybe not the most efficient route but overall the best. Sometimes Apple Maps would lead me through some sketchy areas and/or a roundabout path. Google Maps seemed to lead me on the most used (and therefore safer) path. But I liked Apple Maps to see what was around me. Not exactly sure why but I found it easier to discover surrounding businesses using Apple Maps. Maybe that’s why Google just updated their Maps interface.

Battery Pack

With my heavy reliance on mapping apps, needless to say my iPhone 6 battery drained quickly. Much too quickly. Frequent signal drops especially when riding the subway contributed to additional battery drain. Luckily I brought my (large) battery pack. This one was way too large to carry easily, and I would have preferred a more compact size. I didn’t bring the charging cable for this pack, but luckily it lasted for the entire #NYDC16 trip without needing a recharge.

Small Camera

I struggled with this. Do I bring my Canon DSLR or rely solely on my iPhone camera? Size, weight, convenience, and image quality were all considerations, so in the end, I did bring my DSLR but didn’t enjoy carrying it around. There was just too much walking and mobility needed where the DSLR got in the way or became a burden. Sure, the pictures were better, but it was just a hassle to bring out the DSLR for a shot. The tiny iPhone was easier to manuever, but distant pictures didn’t stand a chance.

The compromise then is to get a compact digital point and shoot camera. Something like the Canon PowerShot G9x. Easily fits in pants pockets yet has a big sensor for great pictures. The biggest drawbacks are price ($450) and the need of yet another camera. Do you really want to pay $400+ for one more camera? I now think it’s a worthwhile investment after handling the heft of a Canon body.

Yelp

You gotta eat and unless you like eating the same thing every day, you need Yelp to help sort through all the restaurants in DC and NYC. There are so many 4+ rated food establishments giving you daily options and varieites, so do yourself a culinary favor and sample some flavors.

Adidas UltraBoost ST

What can I say? Adidas’ Boost technology sure was comfortable for all the miles of walking. Though I think I need the Boost to be a bit firmer for me. Even the stability ST model could have been firmer, or really, am I just requesting Nike Air Max? For sure though, knitted uppers ala Adidas PrimeKnit or Nike FlyKnit is definitely a must. Cool, ventilated, and supple, it’s hard to wear any other materials.

Coolmax Socks

If you have ventilated shoes featuring a knitted upper, then it only makes sense to get socks with Coolmax. Fabric featuring Coolmax pulls moisture away from your body so while your socks may feel damp from all that walking, just know that the dampness is drying out and not trapped in your socks and feet. The cushioning of Coolmax socks doesn’t stay compressed either so each step feels just a little bit springy.