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
James Davies
Occupation
Software engineer
Location
London, England
WHY I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY
Roomba Discovery
Why did you buy it?
I had a tendency to vacuum only when I could see it had been a few months since the last time. So I bought it as a nifty lo- maintenance way of keeping my house clean.
What does it do for you?
This cute little gagdet scuttles around the house and does an excellent job of hoovering up everything. It has a flicker on one side that it uses to do the edges and itautomatically avoids falling down stairs -- so it's smarter than some people... Although you can leave the house and let it clean for you, Roomba is also a fascinating little trooper to observe; especially when I'm watching the football with a beer and phoning my girlfriend to tell her I'm cleaning.
Would you recommend it to others? Why?
Yes, it gets my recommendation because it actually works. The Roomba Discovery is the second generation and so iRobot have made many major improvements including reliability and battery life. Apparently it struggles with long pile carpets and rugs (like most vacuums) but I don't have any. It's very cheap, about the same as a normal vacuum, except it does the cleaning for you.
Name
James Davies
What I do
Software engineer
Where I live
London, England
Outside Interests
Gadgets
If you could design and create your ultimate product, what would it be?
A vacuum cleaner that puts away all my junk before it vacuums
What tech insider secret do you find most useful?
Make sure you never carry a Roomba one-handed from the back. That's the detachable dust collector
Do you have three you can't live without? Click here
