In the fickle world of the tech enthusiast, where favourite gadgets come and go, the test of time is the only sure way for a device to prove its mettle. So we asked real gadget lovers to show us the products they can't live without.
Name
Hannah Kidson
Occupation
Information analyst
Location
London, England
WHY I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY
M-Audio FW410
Why did you buy it?
To record some guitar tracks.
What does it do for you?
It has four audio-in ports and ten out. That's easily enough to deal with little old me and my guitar. You'd have to be nuts to put more than four microphones on a single guitar, so it suits me perfectly. It has FireWire and plugs into my PowerBook with no problem at all, plus it's tiny and easy to transport.
Would you recommend it to others? Why?
If they're a guitarist who wants to record what they play, then yes, definitely. It's amazingly straightforward to use, it integrates with Logic Audio after a couple of mouse clicks. The best thing about it, though, is the sound quality it produces. In the right room, it'd be difficult to spot the difference between what this can capture and what a full-blown studio is capable of..jpg)
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Name
Hannah Kidson
What I do
Information analyst
Where I live
London, England
Outside Interests
Photography, playing guitar
If you could design and create your ultimate product, what would it be?
An acoustic guitar that's as easy to play as an electric
What tech insider secret do you find most useful?
If I told you, it wouldn't be secret
Do you have three you can't live without? Click here
