8 Gadgets You Never Knew You Needed

I absolutely love looking through the online gadget collections, the ones that spout off about the coolest tech gear to hit the market in the next few months. There’s really only one problem with those: if I had an extra $5,000 lying around, I wouldn’t spend it on a set of interchangeable lenses for my two-models-ago iPhone. The money thing is kind of why I’m still using a two-models-ago iPhone.

So here is the world’s briefest list of eight (mostly) affordable gadgets that really do stand to make your life easier, cooler, or just more fun.

USB Powered Light

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Now, the folks who created this handy 8-bulb LED thing envisioned you putting it over your laptop or installing it somewhere on your desk, and powering it via your computer's USB port. Instead, I use those cheapo external emergency batteries that charge your phone, and plugged it into that for camping. I ran it over night non-stop, and it only took two of those little skinny lipstick-sized batteries. At about $15, it's handy to keep around.

Image via Sunjack